Chapter 3

The next day, Chris woke to find the bed beside him empty. He sat up and let his eyes become accustomed to the light. He'd not been there for long before Jess came in.

"So you finally decided to join us?"

"I was tired."

"Well don't lie there all morning, we've got shopping to do."

"Shopping?"

"Look, I'm willing to admit that I got you into this mess, but I'm not prepared to let you ruin all my clothes getting you back out of it."

"I'm sorry. I hadn't thought about that."

"I didn't think so. I wonder how you keep that company going without a thought invading your head."

"Luck and charm, I guess Jess!" She poked her tongue out at him.

"Just get up! I've put you out some stuff for the trip." she said.

Once breakfast was over with, Chris sat in a short denim skirt (above the knee anyway) and a t-shirt that came to just above the navel. Again, he wore the ankle boots and wig, but had made a choice that shoes were going to be on the list as he didn't think the boots were appropriate for all occasions. Of course Jess didn't see fit to point out that he would happily wear the same shoes for months or even until they wore out completely in his masculine guise.

"If I'm going out like this, you'll have to pay and we'll sort the finances out afterwards."

"What's wrong with yours?"

"It says here "Mr C Burton". Don't you think that might be a problem?"

"Ah. Fair do's."

The first shop they went into was for what Jess termed as the staples. The thought of little bits of bent wire amused Chris, but he kept it to himself. Now staples were work panties, tights, and bras. The panties were generally simple and could be any colour, providing they weren't visible through the material of the outerwear. One pack of colourful panties was bought, along with a pack of white ones.

Next were tights, which was simple, being a 'one size fits all' kind of affair and were bought in tan and black.

Thirdly came the bras and sports bras according to Jess were best for work. They weren't so obvious through semi-transparent blouses and were above all, supportive and comfortable. Chris tried one on and agreed. On and off over the head and no stiff bits to pinch.

It only seemed fair that Jess should have some new bits and pieces too and Chris nearly had heart failure when it was all totted up, but Jess paid it and Chris had to keep the good of the project in the forefront of his mind as they wandered on to the next shop for some outerwear.

"You'll need a couple of suits like mine, some skirts, blouses, jumpers, cardies and we'll steer clear of trousers."

"Why?"

"Well, unless we get you one of those gaff things, however well you think you've hidden your bits, they'll be noticeable. Plus you're not really the right shape."

"What's a gaff?"

"Panty type things, to keep you flat in the nether regions." Chris blushed.

"Like a girdle you mean?"

"That sort of thing only thinner and it's designed to hide thingies. For now though, stick to skirts."

A number of skirts were bought and it angered Chris to think that he bought four skirts for the same price as one pair of his trousers (which didn't even fit that well). Anyway, he nearly had another coronary when along with some more stuff for Jess (of course) the cost was measured in astrological terms as far as he was concerned.

Next came cosmetics and that very nearly gave him a nervous breakdown. There was exfoliating cream, foundation, blush, eye liner, mascara, lipstick, lip gloss, pads for removal and moisturiser for before and after, brushes for application, hair gel, mousse, tools, such as tweezers, nail files and buffers, nail conditioner, nail polish remover and several colours of polish and that was just to get him started.

It didn't stop there though. Jess had stopped at the perfume counter and was spraying various different scents around and sniffing.

"Try this." she said. Chris sniffed the air, but could discern one from the others she had sprayed. She sprayed the smallest amount on the underside of his wrist and told him to rub it on his other. He rubbed and sniffed (like scratch and sniff, only softer). It was a spicy, flowery scent that he found most intoxicating.

"You like?" she asked.

"Yes I think it suits you."

"It's not for me, idiot, it's for you."

"Me?"

"Of course! Don't you want to smell nice as well as look nice?"

"Well, I suppose, but I've got stuff for that at home."

"You have underarm spray and some Paco Rabanne, neither of which is particularly appropriate for a woman."

"But I'm not a..." he stopped short as the fact he was wearing a skirt, stiletto-heeled ankle boots, a bobbed wig and breasts hit him in the soft bits. "Ah!"

"Exactly!" she said nodding and the perfume joined the other purchases.

He was as white as a sheet when he left and was struggling with most of the baggage too.

They visited a couple more shops on the way to get some shoes, apparently to get some 'weekend wear' as Jess put it. Once in the shop, he knew exactly what she meant. He actually had to handle the goods and he spent the next half hour or so in an almost constant flush, suffering an aching groin!

On the way to the shoe shop, Jess had Chris go into a jeweller's to get his ears pierced.

"Isn't this going a bit far?"

"Not if you want to look the part."

"I do, but I didn't think that extended to poking holes in me."

"Trust me it won't hurt and you'll be out in no time." Out of earshot, Jess spoke to the girl behind the counter and asked whether the navel could be pierced too while he was there. There didn't seem to be a problem and within five minutes, Chris had three holes two of which were filled with small gold studs with aquamarine inserts (his birthstone) and one crescent-shaped stud through his navel, which he wasn't expecting and was actually quite angry about. When he stood up however, he had to concede that it did look in keeping with the image he was trying to portray, though just how many times he was going to expose his midriff at work hadn't crossed his mind.

Shoes next and he had just about had it. He was well and truly knackered. It was all he could do to summon up the enthusiasm to go in to the shop at all and then when he saw the plethora of styles, colours, heel-heights, boots, shoes, sandals, mules and Lord alone knows what else, he didn't know whether he could be bothered.

"It's so much easier buying men's shoes." he said. "There are only about a dozen to choose from and two-thirds of those are brown."

Three pairs of shoes (one pair with nearly four-inch heels), one pair of sandals with a somewhat more modest heel and one pair of knee-length boots later (not to mention Jess's 'extras'), they left the shop, but this time, the goods were a little more evenly distributed between them.

They got home and Chris was all in. He flopped on the sofa and gasped.

"You did really well." said Jess encouragingly. "You got some real bargains."

"Doesn't feel like it." he grumbled. "It cost a bloody fortune and my belly-button's sore."

"Yes, but now you're set for most any occasion aren't you?"

"And more besides, probably. I need a drink."

"Oh don't be so stuffy. I want to see what you look like in some of your new things."

"Must I?"

"It is customary." she said and dragged him upstairs to the bedroom, telling him to bring his bags along too.

He'd never played 'dress-up' like this before and with the exception of the party costume (over which he had little or no control) the things he'd done over the last three days, were kind-of out of necessity. He had no time to actually enjoy what he was doing, always keeping the objective in view, not the journey to it.

He watched transfixed while Jess emptied the bags of his new purchases onto the bed, not stopping her running commentary as she picked up blouses or cardigans and expressing her opinion as to what she thought that would go with what.

"Here." she said. "Put these on and let's have a look."

He took off his clothes down to his underwear and slipped the skirt she handed him on, followed by a roll-neck cotton knitted jumper.

He liked the feel; liked the freedom around the legs and the way it flared slightly. He twirled and Jess smiled.

He WAS getting the hang of this, she thought.

They spent the rest of the afternoon and up till about seven in the evening playing 'dress-up'. This consisted of both of them taking it in turns to try on a new outfit. Now and outfit, is a collection of clothes. Whether they were bought to go with one another is beside the point, so there was a lot of pulling off and putting on and some things were put on again and again depending upon the other stuff that was there to go with it.

Chris had to admit that this was something very new for him. For a start, he'd never had so many new clothes at once and only ever thought of his clothes as either work or best. Crappy stuff for gardening or doing work on the car didn't count. It was something to do with the position he held on the corporate ladder. Many men get it when they reach the giddy heights of directorship and employ staff. It seems that their dress sense dribbles out of their ears and they become blind to fashionable clothing, heading instead straight to the suits and Farrah trousers!

The 'dressing up' continued a-pace and culminated at about six, with a display of Chris's new weekend wear, the last being something he didn't even know was there. Chris had no idea how she did it, but Jess had managed to buy a few things he didn't see probably while he was otherwise engaged. It was a red and black half-cup bra and panty set with a suspender belt that doubled as a waist cincher, but the panties and bra were sheer aside from some red detailing in places other than where it would hide anything, making everything inside perfectly visible.

He picked them up and could feel his 'interests' rising. He was actually trembling as he looked at his very smug-looking wife.

"Wow!" he croaked.

"I got you these to go with." she said looking even more pleased with herself and handing some stockings to him, telling him to be careful when he put them on.

"I'll put them on in the bathroom then come in. That way it'll be more of a surprise."