Competition drives innovation

Rachel woke up in Jack's bed, the morning light filtering through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the room. She stretched out, feeling the warmth of his body next to hers, and for a brief moment, everything felt right. She wanted more mornings like this, more moments with Jack. But as she turned to look at him, a familiar uncertainty bubbled up. Jack still hadn’t admitted anything concrete about what they were. Officially, they weren’t a couple, and the idea of casually sleeping together continued to gnaw at her.

What made things worse—what really messed with her head—was Veronica. Her gorgeous, raven-haired friend lounging around Jack’s apartment in her underwear all day, ever since the break-in. Supposedly to make herself more comfortable. Rachel couldn't help but twist her lips to one side at the thought. Objectively, she knew she should be livid, but somehow, she wasn't. Not really. She could definitely feel the jealousy there, lurking beneath the surface, but it was like trying to grab smoke—each time she reached for it, the feeling slipped away. Nonetheless, she wasn't exactly happy either.

“Jack?” Rachel sat up, pulling the covers around her, glancing at Jack, who was just lying there, scrolling through his phone as though it was a morning like any other. “Do you think Veronica will, um, move back to her own place soon?” she asked, trying to sound neutral, but the edge of frustration slipped through. She hated how needy she sounded.

Jack didn’t even look up. “I told her she could stay as long as she needs to, after the break-in and all.”

Right, I know that. Rachel’s lips tightened as she processed his response. “Yeah, I know. I just—" She hesitated, not sure if she should directly admit her feelings to him. “I feel a little insecure, I guess. I mean, she’s here all the time, lounging around in her underwear, looking… like that.” She gestured vaguely toward the living room, where they had last seen Veronica. “And I’m at work all day. I’m not sure how I can… compete with that.”

Rachel paused, trying to find her footing. Compete. That word felt heavy on her tongue. It wasn’t like her to feel this insecure, this ****, over a guy—but with Jack she'd been feeling it for over a week now. And then there was this other part of her, almost like a whisper, reminding her it was okay that Veronica was here. That it made sense, even, for a man like Jack to attract more than just one girl. Ugh. The contradiction left her confused and unsettled.

Shaking off the thought, she continued addressing Jack. “Besides... what about when we… you know,” she started, trying to find the right words. “Isn’t it awkward for her to be in the next room while we’re having sex? We must have been pretty loud yesterday.”

Jack chuckled, finally putting his phone down and meeting her gaze. There was something playful in his expression, infuriatingly, like he found the whole thing amusing. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, Rach,” he said, his voice dripping with nonchalant confidence. He stared into her eyes for a moment, until his face lit up with a sudden idea. “In fact, you could probably use that awkwardness to your advantage.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you could just one-up her,” Jack said, his eyes now gleaming. “Not only to compete, but to make Veronica uncomfortable, make her rethink staying here.” As her stomach already flipped at the implication in his tone, he paused momentarily to study her puzzled expression, before driving it home. “For example, you could come out for breakfast completely topless. Own it. Show her—and yourself—what you’re made of.”

She felt her jaw drop slightly. Was he seriously saying... that? A flood of emotions rushed through her—shock, embarrassment, disbelief. Yet, somehow, in the mix, there was a strange, creeping sense of logic. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed… reasonable. In a way, the thought of following his suggestion felt good, almost relaxing. Veronica was here, flaunting her body around him all day. Maybe this was the way for Rachel to assert herself, and to own her sexuality in the way she had promised herself she would.

But still… topless, in front of Veronica? That was obviously outrageous, wasn't it?

She hesitated, her mind a swirl of conflict. A part of her still recoiled at the idea, but another part—the part that had been listening to Jack’s playlists, the part that had been slowly molded by his suggestions—found it hard to argue against.

“I’ll… think about it,” Rachel finally said, her voice soft, unsure.

Jack grinned, as if he knew she’d come around. His hand found her cheek, and he softly caressed her. “You do that.” His hand then slowly slipped down her neck, found her shoulder, and gently nudged her downward. “While you’re thinking, Rach, why don’t you give me a little morning treat?”

Rachel blinked, her heart skipping a beat. His question was light, playful, but there was an unmistakable firmness in it. She looked at him, then down at the blanket, feeling his hand firmly placed on her shoulder, her mind still grappling with his earlier idea. The strange pull of his suggestion lingered in her mind, drawing her in, mingling with the need to please him.

Slowly, as if on autopilot, she let herself slide down beneath the covers, her fingers instinctively reaching out to cup his balls. Jack’s hand rested on her head, guiding her with an effortless, unspoken authority, until she was face-to-face with the tip of his erect cock. She hesitated for a second. His dick definitely didn't smell fresh, and she could imagine her own, dried up juices from last night still on there. But the glimmer in his eyes... he really wanted this. Ugh, fine—this better make him happy.

As she dutifully took him into her mouth, now tasting the source of the musky aroma she'd only smelled before, her thoughts were scattered—part of her still processing his earlier suggestion, another part already preparing to agree.

The longer she worked her head up and down his dick—lightly suckling its head before each downstroke, running her tongue along its shaft on each upstroke—the more she started to enjoy the taste, the more she could focus on making him feel good, and the quieter her doubts became. She'd gone so far already, anyway. Maybe he's right. Maybe it would work. Maybe I just need to embrace this… for him.

Jack let out a satisfied groan above her, and she knew, without either of them saying another word, what she was going to do.

She would follow Jack's idea. She would show Veronica who was boss.

Jack leaned back on the couch, a satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he scrolled through his phone, barely paying attention to the empty apartment around him. Rachel had left for the day, and he was still riding the high from the way she'd strutted around the kitchen this morning, stiff nipples piercing the cold morning air, breasts bouncing around freely as she poured herself coffee and casually shot glances at Veronica. When Nikki had first entered the kitchen, Rachel had provocatively pushed out her naked bust towards her—before even saying good morning. He chuckled to himself at the memory.

Even if his subliminals had begun to dull its sharper edges, a little competitiveness had proven to be very useful—especially when it fueled moments like this morning. Rachel hadn’t openly said anything about it, but he could tell she was nervous as she left for work, unsure about what she'd done—but something had made her do it anyway.

Progress, he thought with pride.

Oh, poor Nikki had looked like she'd seen a ghost, again, as the social boundaries between them were relentlessly pushed to new limits. Her face had turned pale, lips slightly parted in shock, and though she tried to act indifferent, the subtle tension in her shoulders gave her away. She had barely touched her breakfast, tense and uncomfortable as Rachel’s defiant, eye-catching nipples seemed to taunt her over the kitchen table. But she'd sat down and stayed, nonetheless. Jack couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight, watching the psychological game play out between the two women. Rachel, his prize for the moment, pushing her boundaries further under his influence, and Nikki, apparently feeling a frustrating gap between herself and the girl who now flaunted her sexual confidence at breakfast.

As Jack was savoring the memories of that earlier morning, Nikki entered the living room, having finished cleaning up after breakfast, her bare legs brushing against each other as she approached. She was in the same type of basic underwear she'd been wearing since she arrived—simple, black, barely-there panties and a sleek, matching bra. She carried herself differently today, though, Jack noticed from the corner of his eye. Yesterday's casual, determined stride was replaced with something more hesitant, as if she were struggling to find her place, yet again.

“Hey,” she said, trying to sound casual, but there was a tension in her voice. “Should I continue the research for the palace job today?”

Jack glanced up from his phone, his eyes briefly flicking over her body before settling on her face. He wasn’t as obvious about it as Rachel feared—he had been careful from the beginning to treat Veronica's near-nudity like it was completely normal, like it didn't affect him. He saw the confused insecurity in her eyes, though, the way she awkwardly shifted her weight from one leg onto the other, her fingers tapping an inaudible rhythm on her thigh.

“Yeah,” Jack said, sitting up straighter. “We need to finish creating an overview of the necessary hardware if we want to hit the ground running. I also want to finalize some test tracks, make sure they span the entire necessary sound range. Might need to tweak them a bit more.”

Nikki nodded, but her eyes flicked toward the kitchen—toward the table where Rachel had sat earlier, tits out and confident. Jack could see the gears turning in her head, her posture tight, her jaw slightly clenched. She had been quiet all morning, and Jack was eager to find out what the unexpected sight of Rachel's nipples had really triggered inside her.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You alright, Nikki?”

Her eyes darted to his, seemingly surprised at the question. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said quickly, but the way she hugged her arms around herself betrayed the lie.

Jack chuckled softly, letting the silence hang between them for a moment before speaking again. “You seemed a little tense at breakfast.” He paused, then added, “I get it, though. Rachel's display was... unexpected.”

Nikki shifted uncomfortably, her cheeks flushing as she slowly nodded. “I guess I just wasn’t prepared for that. I mean, it’s not like we’re… used to seeing each other like that.”

Jack smirked, his eyes narrowing as he watched her closely. She wasn’t just thinking about Rachel. This was about more than just seeing her friend topless; it was about the unspoken tension between them. The casual sex, his nonchalance towards it all—and Veronica’s own growing frustration. He decided to push it a little further, see how she'd respond. “I’m glad she did it, though. She deserves to feel good, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy seeing a nice pair of boobs.”

Nikki blinked, slightly surprised by his sudden candor. “Yeah, I guess. If that's what makes her feel good...” Her voice trailed off, her brows furrowing as she crossed her arms tighter over her chest.

Jack, noticing her increasingly tense posture, tutted softly before responding, his deep voice smooth as silk. “Come on, Nikki, you don’t have to be modest. It's just us, here. Besides, you’ve been getting comfortable first. Going around my house in your underwear, I mean. That shows a lot of confidence.”

Her blush deepened, and Jack knew he had her. She was flustered, clearly unsure how to handle the compliment—especially after feeling so invisible lately. “Well—I... You asked me to, didn't you?” Nikki stared at him, flustered, suddenly uncertain of her right to be upset. “So I thought it was what you wanted.” She finally said, biting her lip.

“Sure, I told you to take off your pants. It's not thay I dont appreciate it. But, you know,” Jack said slowly, his voice smooth, “Rachel didn’t seem all that bothered. She’s been coming out of her shell lately, really owning herself. Making her own choices.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “Maybe you could learn something from her. I think you've been holding back.”

Veronica stopped fidgeting, her eyes widening as it started to dawn on her what he was suggesting. “Holding back? What do you mean?”

Jack leaned back into the couch, casually folding his arms. “Yeah. Rachel didn’t hold back this morning. She was bold. Unashamed. You could do the same, you know.” He paused, letting the words hang in the air. “You seemed uncomfortable earlier, like you weren’t sure how to respond to all this. This is just my perspective, of course, but maybe if you... loosened up a bit, you'd feel more at ease.”

Veronica held her breath, clearly taken aback. She opened her mouth to respond but hesitated, her thoughts clearly racing. Jack could practically see the internal battle playing out on her face.

“Are you saying I should—” She shut her mouth mid sentence, as if she couldn’t quite articulate his obscene suggestion, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red.

Jack smiled, shrugging as if it were the most natural suggestion in the world. “I’m not saying you have to do anything, Nikki. I’m just suggesting that maybe it’ll help you feel more comfortable. It’s not like you have anything to hide. You look amazing. Why not own it? That's what Rachel did.”

Veronica’s eyes flicked down, her teeth tugging at her lower lip. Her posture had shifted again—arms still crossed over her chest, but her eyes darted from left to right on the floor as if she were trying to decide whether or not to take his suggestion seriously. She had spent the last two days parading around in her underwear, sure, but completely topless? Just like that? Jack could feel her wavering, that fragile line between resistance and submission. He knew that she had started to enjoy making him happy, that she wanted his approval. And if she thought this was the way to get it, she might eventually cave.

“I don’t know, Jack...” she murmured, still staring at the floor.

Jack stood up, stepping closer to her, keeping his tone light, but firm. “You’re already halfway there, Nikki. What’s a little more?” He reached out and gently brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch deliberate, yet friendly. “You trust me, right?”

Veronica stood there for a long moment, her eyes now darting between Jack and the floor. Jack could see the gears turning in her head, the battle between her pride, sense of decency, and her growing desire to please him. Finally, she gave a small nod. “Okay,” she whispered, letting out a shaky breath, as if she were making a decision for herself rather than for him.

Slowly, still hesitantly, her hands moved to the straps of her bra, her fingers trembling as she slid them off her shoulders. Jack could barely contain his excitement, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. He watched with internal satisfaction as the fabric fell away, revealing her bare breasts. They were full and firm, though slightly smaller than Rachel's, jiggling along with the motion of her twisting and unhooking her bra from around her waist. Her skin rapidly flushed with embarrassment, but she didn’t move to cover herself. Instead, her hands dropped to her sides and she stood there, topless and blushing, her eyes downcast, as if she were waiting for his judgment.

Now, Jack couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “There you go,” he said softly, consciously lacing his voice with encouragement. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Veronica’s cheeks were a deep shade of pink, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as she stood there. She didn’t say anything, still battling with herself, caught between the humiliation of what she’d just done and the strange satisfaction of seeing him grin happily.

He stepped back, admiring the sight before him, his eyes shamelessly lingering on her bare chest. Considering the sharp demeanor she used to uphold, she looked surprisingly cute showing off her perky breasts, her puffy, dark nipples shyly stiffening under his gaze. Nikki had pretty tits, no doubt about it. And she had agreed to expose them, just for him. He even suspected she was slowly starting to realize that this was still only the beginning of their game.

“Why don’t you spend the day like this?” he suggested, his tone light, almost playful. “Might help you get more comfortable, like I said. And besides,” he added with a wink, “it's kind of hot. I think you look great.”

Veronica swallowed hard, but she didn’t protest. Instead, she nodded again.

Jack’s satisfied smile lingered on his face as he let the moment stretch, savoring the way she stood before him, reluctantly aware of his gaze, unsure of what to do next. Her blushing cheeks, the way her arms instinctively twitched as if she wanted to cover herself but didn’t—it all excited him more than he would admit out loud.

Finally, he decided to move on. “Alright, Nikki,” he said, keeping his voice casual, as if she wasn’t suddenly topless in his living room, like this scene was totally normal. “Why don’t you get back to that research for me, then? Let's make sure we’ve got the best hardware options lined up.”

He moved to coolly step around her, pulling out his phone. Nikki blinked, still a little frozen, but she eventually turned to grab her laptop, trying to keep her expression neutral. Her movements were stiff at first, awkward, but she quickly settled back into yesterday's role as research assistant. She sat down cross-legged on the couch with her laptop like yesterday—but this time with her chest exposed, her puffy nipples heaving up and down with every breath, her flushed skin the only indication of her ongoing self-awareness.

Jack, on the other hand, barely spared her another glance as he scrolled through his messages. The corner of his mouth tugged upward as an idea formed in his mind. He was glad Rachel had stepped up this morning, pushing herself further to compete for his attention. And now Nikki was, in her own way, falling in line. But tomorrow, he could make things even more interesting.

He began typing out a message the one girl who hadn’t been around at all to witness the delicious tension brewing between his increasingly undressed friends. Her new nudist ideas would be the perfect addition to the mix.

“Hey, Soph! How about we catch up tomorrow morning, over breakfast? Got some great coffee here, and I’d love to hear more on how that nude yoga class went, what your plans are for the future. By the way, I know some girls that might be interested in joining if you could talk a bit of courage into them. See you soon?”