Alyssa braced herself for the effort, and then stood up. She cradled her swollen tummy - and the life growing within - taking a moment to rest before heading to the door of her office. She pushed an errant lock of dark brunette hair away from her eyes and gathered up her purse.

"Why didn't you wait for me to help you up?" Sarah asked. Her dark-haired assistant wore a scowl as she stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. The expression couldn't remotely mask the young woman's beauty. If anything, it made her all the more attractive.

"I'm fine," she protested as she gathered up her purse.

"I don't know why you're still coming to work. You're due in a couple of weeks."

"Because I can, and because I'm not looking forward to cleaning up the mess Terrance will make while I'm gone. The longer I stay, the less I have to pick up the pieces."

"Well, I can't argue with you there." Sarah walked over and picked up the briefcase Alyssa was reaching for.

Despite saying otherwise only moments before, she was grateful for the help. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Sarah laughed and said, "A little late to be thinking about that now."

"I knew. Well, at least I thought I did. No matter who tells you about how uncomfortable it is, and the nausea, and the aching boobs, and the constant peeing..."

"It's nothing compared to the real thing, huh? You amaze me. I don't know if I could carry a baby for someone else."

Alyssa rubbed her tummy and felt a kick. Her sister and brother-in-law had tried for months with no luck, only to discover that while her eggs and his sperm were fine, scar tissue from an accident when she was a teenager made it difficult if not impossible for her to conceive. When the doctor listed surrogate as an option, the decision was easy.

"She's my sister. Once the results of the fertility tests came in and I saw the look in her eyes, I had to do something. That's another reason I need to work as long as I can. The part of the bill I took on isn't cheap. But, nine months of inconvenience for a lifetime of happiness is a fair trade."

Carrying the briefcase, Sarah walked at her side, ready to help if necessary. "At least you won't be the one up at all hours of the night feeding and changing diapers."

"Amen to that. Well, other than the first few feedings, and then pumping these things for a while."

Sarah giggled. "They are rather large and in charge now."

"They're huge. I don't know how some women walk upright."

"Better than my problem."

Even as Sarah rolled her eyes, lamenting her small breasts, Alyssa had to fight off the urge to look at them. As far as she was concerned, they were perfect. It was something she'd struggled with since hiring the gorgeous young woman. Sarah was a marvelous assistant - and even better friend - but she had to wonder how much her attraction had played in the initial decision to hire her.

Sarah nodded toward the door. "Well, let's get you home so you can relax."

Having Sarah bring her to work and drop her off was the only reason she could still come in. Driving was simply not an option with the size of her pregnant bump. After a slow journey to the parking lot, they were finally on the way.

"I just thought of something," Sarah said after a few blocks. "Do you think I could change at your place? I'm supposed to meet Trent, and going back home would be out of the way. I picked up my dress from the dry cleaners on lunch."

"Well, sure. It's the least I can do since you're chauffeuring me around."

"Great. Thanks."

Soon enough, they reached Alyssa's apartment. Once inside, she gestured and said, "You can use my room. Unfortunately, I need the bathroom - quickly."

Sarah laughed. "Okay, thanks."

Alyssa hurried to the bathroom to answer the urgent - and all too frequent - need. As usual of late, wiping around her tummy proved cumbersome. On top of that, there was the embarrassing hair she'd always kept smoothly shaven. It was impossible to see and not much easier to reach between her legs, and the effort was simply too much.

Still, it bothered her, and she seriously considered facing the discomfort before it was too late. Before long, she would have doctors and nurses down there as she delivered the baby. She decided that one way or another, she was going to do so without a bramble patch between her legs.

Sarah walked out of the bedroom just as Alyssa sank down on the couch. Turning toward her assistant, her breath caught in her chest.

Sarah was dressed in a slinky black dress that hugged her every curve. She was wearing higher heels than usual, which accentuated her incredible legs. When the younger woman did a pirouette, Alyssa got an eyeful of her friend's perfect, tight little bottom. She felt her nipples stiffen as a chill shot all through her.

"What do you think?"

"You look incredible." She knew as soon as she said it that she'd let a little too much of her arousal show in her voice.

A crooked grin decorated Sarah's face for a moment or two, then she said, "Thanks. Trent called, and he's going to meet me here, if that's okay? We can take one car, and then come pick his up tonight."

"Of course."

"As long as I'm here, do you need anything? A drink? Something to eat?"

Barely able to keep her eyes off the sexy young woman, her thoughts were even harder to control. You look good enough to eat. "No, I'm fine. I'm going to relax for a while, then I have something ready to heat up. My sister makes meals and drops them off to make things easier."

The brief toot of a horn sounded, and Sarah turned toward the door. "That's Trent."

"Have fun."

"And you take it easy. See you tomorrow."

With that, Sarah made her way to the door. When it opened, Alyssa saw Sarah's boyfriend, who was also dressed up for a night on the town. Muscular and handsome, with dark, wavy hair, he inspired a doubling of the arousal she already felt. With her hormones elevated from her pregnancy, the dual temptation right in front of her nearly had her squirming on the couch.

Snapping out of the excited trance, she levered up from the couch with the hope that making something to eat and watching television would help the surge pass. It worked, and the effort of getting in the shower later combined with putting off shaving yet again had turned her mood the exact opposite way as she prepared for bed.

Headlights brightened the window as she passed on the way to the bedroom, and she peeked out through the curtains. Trent and Sarah both got out of her car, sharing a long, impassioned kiss. Before he walked to his car, Sarah reached between his legs and squeezed, hinting at things to come.

Like the flipping of a switch, the scene instantly turned her on.

Walking away from the window, she continued to bed. Fantasy took over, causing her arousal to build. As she lay in bed, she teased her stiff nipples, and her breathing quickened. It was only when she let her hand move between her legs and encountered the obstruction of her belly that her fires cooled.

The angle was awkward, and orgasm was elusive the last few weeks. Despite feeling as if she was in heat half the time, the frustration of fighting to reach a peak usually put her off trying - and tonight was one of those nights.

Though she drifted off into a fitful sleep, her dreams picked up where her fantasy had left off.

The next day, Sarah once again drove her home. Alyssa liked spending the extra time with her young assistant, even though it was almost torture at times. Today, an entirely different torture was on tap.

Seeing her fidgeting, Sarah asked, "Are you okay?"

"I think I should have gone to the bathroom before we left."

"My place is only a couple of blocks away. We can stop there."

With the urgency building at an alarming rate, Alyssa nodded. The emergency pit stop proved wise, because she barely made it to the bathroom. Cleaning up afterward was another reminder that she'd put off the effort of shaving yet again. That thought led to what made it difficult, then to what else was too difficult, and the frustration of waking up from a passionate sexual dream about Sarah this morning.

As she walked out of the bathroom, Sarah said, "Okay, I have to ask. What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't been yourself all day, and you're scowling."

"It's nothing," Alyssa answered, and then shrugged.

"It has to be something."

Afraid of offending her friend by saying nothing, but still not confident enough to reveal the true source of her bad mood, her mind whirled. Latching on to an errant thought, she tried to turn it into a joke and defuse the situation. "Let's just say that the doctor might need a machete before anything else in a couple of weeks."

"Oh," Sarah said, obviously catching on. "Too hard?"

She nodded.

"Well, why don't you let me?"

Alyssa's heart pounded in her chest at the thought of Sarah between her legs - though shaving had nothing to do with it. "I couldn't ask you to do that."

"Well, you're not. I'm offering." The beautiful young woman flashed a smile. "I know it would drive me crazy. It's stressing you out, and you don't need that right now. If not for you, then for the baby."

"You don't think that will be a little strange for us tomorrow at the office?"

"We're friends. You've done so much for me," Sarah continued. "At least let me do this one little thing for you."

She knew she shouldn't. It didn't help.

"If you're sure?"

"Come on. I just need to get my things from the bathroom."

Excitement bubbled within her as she followed her young friend - eyes drifting of their own accord to the way Sarah's hands moved as she walked - so flowing and graceful. This was a bad idea, but it was too close to what she really wanted, and desire was short-circuiting her common sense.

Sarah grabbed two towels first, and then bundled up everything else she needed inside them. She turned and said, "Take this into the bedroom while I fill up a bowl with some water, then get comfortable."

"That's going to be a trick."

Sarah laughed. "At least as comfortable as you can."

After putting the bundle down on the bedside table, Alyssa slowly sat down on the bed. A shiver rippled through her body as she thought about Sarah and Trent sharing the bed - and each other. A moment later, Sarah walked in carefully carrying a bowl, which she sat down on the table next to the towels.

While pulling a chair over to the side of the bed, she said, "Okay, skirt and panties off."

The matter-of-fact tone set Alyssa's ears to burning, momentarily overshadowing her desire. Sarah unrolled the towels, sat everything within on the table, and then held one of them out. "Come on now. Chop, chop."

"It's just a little unnerving," she said as she reached for the zipper on her skirt.

"Don't be ridiculous. You've had a bikini wax before."

"This is a little different."

"Not that much."

Pulse racing, Alyssa pulled down the zipper, and then reclined on the bed. She pushed the material down, lifting her bottom, and somehow found the courage to slip the skirt below her panties.

"Let me help," Sarah said, first taking off Alyssa's shoes, and then grabbing the skirt, pulled it down past the knee-length black stockings. She put the skirt at the foot of the bed, and reached for her friend's panties.

Sarah's fingers slipping beneath the waistband of her panties was almost too much. She was thankful that she'd chosen a blouse and bra that she was sure hid her stiffening nipples, but a tingle between her legs reminded her that wasn't the only giveaway she had to fear.

She barely had to lift her butt up from the mattress, and in the space of a breath, her panties joined her skirt at the foot of the bed. A spark of desire made her want to part her legs wide, but she pulled her knees together instead.

"Are you comfortable?" Sarah asked as she reached for a battery powered trimmer.

"Not really," Alyssa responded, punctuating it with a nervous laugh.

Rolling her eyes while she pulled a chair up next to the bed, she said, "You know what I mean."

"I'm okay."

"Well, you'll feel a lot better in a few minutes." She pushed the button on the trimmer a couple of times, making it hum. Then, she pushed on one of her friend's knees and said, "Let's get started."

Despite her desire, it took a great surge of willpower to overcome the shame that tried to keep her legs tightly clamped together. Breaking through the barrier, she drew her knees back and out, parting her legs.

"It's no wonder you've been grumpy," Sarah said - smiling - and turned on the trimmer. "It looks like you had a landing strip. Do you want to keep that?"

"I ... Yes," she answered. Oddly enough, Sarah's businesslike attitude was helping to calm her.

It didn't last long.

The tiny vibration coming through the trimmer's comb as it slid over her skin was more than enough to force her to hold her breath against a moan trying to escape. She had to direct her eyes to the ceiling because the sight of the beautiful woman between her legs summoned every fantasy she'd ever conjured up.

Sarah went about her task quickly, and with skill. Every touch of the younger woman's fingers manipulating her labia and legs to reach creases sent electric pulses shooting through her body. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed when the trimmer shut off.

"That should be short enough for the razor now," Sarah said as she put down the trimmer and picked up the shaving lotion.

The feeling of Sarah's fingers gliding over her skin to spread the lotion was even more intense than the vibrations. Her nipples were pebble-hard and aching to be touched. All the tingling between her legs culminated in a twitch of her intimate muscles that she knew had to be plainly visible - and obvious. Sarah stuck to her task, and picked up the razor.

Again, Alyssa endured the wonderful torture of her friend's fingers touching her while trying to focus her gaze on the ceiling and her thoughts on something else. As if they had a mind of their own, her eyes kept drifting down to watch Sarah between her legs. Her need grew stronger - more desperate - by the moment.

Sarah shaved her with practiced skill, which made Alyssa consider that this might not be the first time her assistant had shaved another woman. She wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or relieved when Sarah put down the razor and used a damp washcloth to wipe away the last of the lotion.

"There we go. All done," the younger woman said as she put the washcloth back into the bowl of water. Before Alyssa could react, Sarah stroked two fingers over the newly smooth skin and said, "Doesn't that feel good?"

Oh god yes! Alyssa thought, and she shivered, sucking in a short gasp as well. She stiffened immediately afterward, knowing how her reaction had to look. Her lips parted to lie that the touch had tickled, but two things brought her up short. Sarah hadn't stopped stroking her fingers over the smooth skin, and had actually moved closer to the center. The younger woman also wore a half smile, and was looking directly into her eyes.

Not breaking eye contact, Sarah said, "If it's difficult to shave, I bet other things are pretty hard too."

"What do you mean?" Alyssa asked in a whisper, not sure if her voice was even audible.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

The younger woman's fingers stopped teasing and glided the full length of Alyssa's nether lips with feather-light pressure. Reeling with pleasure from the touch, Alyssa's back arched up from the bed and a sharp moan escaped her.

Eyes closed, Alyssa felt Sarah moving on the bed. She opened them just in time for the younger woman to recline next to her.

"I was pretty sure the first time you interviewed me," Sarah confided, looking deep into her eyes. "I've seen a few signs since then, but now I'm sure - and I'm glad." She moved closer, her lips parting.

Alyssa gasped, and then moaned as Sarah kissed her. The kiss was soft and the tip of the younger woman's tongue tickled her lips.

"How long has it been since you had an orgasm?" Sarah asked, her lips still only centimeters away.

"Weeks," Alyssa answered in a breathy whisper.

"Mmm ... Then I won't tease you and make you wait. You need to come now. I can kiss you all over some other time."

Before she could even process those words, her young assistant sat up and scooted back to the edge of the bed. Alyssa's heart pattered in her chest as Sarah sat down in the chair again and licked her lips. Alyssa parted her legs wide, her need now far outstripping any thoughts about consequences, and sucked in a sharp breath as Sarah leaned in.

A warbling whimper and a full body shiver accompanied the soft, moist touch of Sarah's tongue. The younger woman moaned, then planted a kiss directly over Alyssa's hood.

"Mmm, you're so wet," she said after the kiss. Without waiting for a response, she stiffened her tongue and swiped it the full length of Alyssa's nether lips.

"O-o-oh god," Alyssa cried out as her pleasure centers fired with an intensity that made her feel light-headed.

"Feel good?" Another long lap that ended with a wiggle beneath her clit.

"God yes."

Alyssa could do little more than whimper and quiver at first. Too long denied, her body was alive with energy as the younger woman lapped her. Sarah teased with the tip of her tongue, wriggled it, and sucked on the fragrant folds - all the while moaning in delight.

When the delicious shock faded enough for her to open her eyes, Alyssa said, "Oh yes," as she looked over her rapidly rising and falling breasts at the beautiful woman between her legs.

Sarah switched to darting, feather-light touches of her tongue that seemed to be everywhere at once. Suddenly feeling stifled, and with her nipples aching, Alyssa desperately tore at the buttons of her blouse, legs and hips moving in slow, serpentine motions beyond her control.

Some small part of her not consumed by the steady rise to a peak that Sarah was driving her toward rejoiced in the decision to go ahead and start wearing front clasp bras to contain her enlarged breasts. A quick snap of her fingers freed the heavy globes and she cupped them, pressing a finger down over each turgid nipple.

A sudden, deliberate swipe of Sarah's tongue that lifted her hood and rolled her clit caused Alyssa to yelp as her back arched. She released her breasts, letting them spill to the sides, and slapped her hands down to the bed, fingers curling into claws.

It was but a prelude. Sarah attacked her clit with ferocious hunger, causing the hot knot of pressure behind Alyssa's mound to rapidly swell. The younger woman kept up the assault for what felt like eternity, then moved away to tease with the tip of her tongue. Just as Alyssa sucked in a breath to beg for more, Sarah obliged her by darting back to the swollen bud. The brief respite made the return all the more intense, and she cried out, "Yes!"

Rushing headlong toward the brink, Alyssa let out a series of whimpers that built in volume and pitch. She could hear her rapid heartbeat pounding in her ears, and feel it in her chest, nipples, and clit. As she reached the cusp, ready to tumble over into sweet oblivion, Sarah's lips latched onto her hood.

The whimper trying to escape Alyssa caught in her throat, and her mouth dropped wide open. She trembled, trapped in the instant of release by Sarah's sucking lips and soft tongue attacking her naked clit. On and on it went, making Alyssa feel as if she might burst into flames or fly apart. Then, finally, she tumbled over the edge with a loud, weepy cry.

For a time, she knew nothing other than the shockwaves of chilly orgasmic bliss crashing through her body. As her other senses snapped back into focus, she saw Sarah looking into her eyes, licking lips that glistened with wetness, and it set her off again.

The younger woman crawled up in the bed next to her, and they shared dozens of brief kisses between Alyssa's gasps for air. Finally, a kick from within ended the relentless waves of aftershocks, causing Alyssa's eyes to pop wide open as she cried out and snapped a hand to her tummy.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked.

One leg still trembling uncontrollably, Alyssa wearily chuckled. "Wond ... Wonderful. Someone didn't like all the squeezing and fluttering."

Sarah leaned over her tummy and said, "Sorry."

Alyssa couldn't help but laugh, which earned her another kick.

"Mmm, it's been a long time since I did that. I've missed it," Sarah said as she reclined on the bed again. "I was nervous about telling Trent, and only got up the nerve about a month ago."

"I haven't been with a woman in three years," Alyssa admitted. Drifting in the afterglow of her orgasm, there was something surreal about her assistant - still dressed for work - lying next to her with her lips and chin glistening with juices.

"And a guy?"

"A little over a year, and that wasn't very good."

"I can't believe I was afraid to tell Trent. We had the most mind-blowing sex when I finally summoned up the courage." Her lips curled into a crooked grin. "You know what we were talking about right before he rocked my world?"