Laura is to try on some sexy underwear

Several dresses later and Laura’s situation hadn’t improved in the slightest. For one, she had run out of chocolate. For another, they had moved on to sexy underwear. Unsurprisingly, Laura had never owned any before. As far as she had been aware, what made underwear sexy was the person in it. Now it seemed to be the only thing she was allowed to put on.

The current set was a dark violet colour, with love hearts cut out in strategic placements to keep modesty to the bare minimum. She felt more naked wearing this than when she was actually naked to change in and out of them. That wasn’t a fun experience, either - it wasn’t like Michelle had a changing room. Some of the sets ought to come with instructions; there was a lot of complex lacing involved.

‘Ok,’ said Michelle, head behind her phone. ‘That’s that one done. Onto the next. Only a few left.’

‘Is this really necessary?’ asked Laura again.

‘Of course it is. We gotta have you looking good at every layer. That’s the Michelle guarantee.’

Laura was not enthused to hear about the mission statement of the Michelle guarantee.

‘But I’m not sure I want him to see every layer.’

‘Not with that attitude, now strip.’

‘Fine.’

Laura slid off the garments with no difficulty. They’d been designed by the country’s top underwear engineers to come off easily. It was like wrapping paper. She handed it to Michelle and waited patiently for the next set. This time she had no qualms about covering herself and didn’t think anyone would begrudge her otherwise. Before today, she could mark all the times she’d been fully nude on her calendar, and even then she had kept it a swift affair.

‘Honestly, Laura,’ said Michelle, ‘you’d take your showers in a swimming costume.’

Now there’s an idea, went a section of Laura’s brain.

Michelle handed her the next set. They were baby blue and seemed to have the same density as air, with more in common with a doily than anything practical. She couldn’t help but feel she’d have a thicker layer to cover herself if she ripped off two small sheets of clingfilm. Or even just buttered herself.

She cringed; lord don’t give Michelle ideas.

‘Ok,’ said Michelle, holding up her phone. ‘Now strike a pose.’

Laura did her best, making do with a simple, arms-outstretched, “ta-da” pose. Her face was flushed red. There was a flash.

‘Brilliant.’

‘Do we need to take pictures of every one?’ said Laura hopelessly.

‘Next one - strip,’ said Michelle, busy with the settings on her phone. ‘And yes. It’ll help us figure out which is better. You know I think in mood boards. Speaking of…’ She looked at her watch just as Laura had removed the last garment. ‘We’ve gotta get going to the printers if we’re going to make it on time.’

‘Ok, well, let me just-’ said Laura, but Michelle was already up like a shot, having grabbed her by the arm and begun dragging her away.

‘No time,’ she asserted, heading for the door.

‘But I’m naked!’

‘We’ll be quick!’