The Blessings of Aphrodite, Public Edition

She was right about lingerie. There were other options. We looked over some of the selection. They ran from the playful to the torrid, and shopping those sections with Diana was enough to get a slight blush on her cheeks which made it all worth it. I ran my fingers over a black lace chemise, and looked back at Diana. She colored a touch. "Maybe," she said. "Though the teddy would look better." I glanced at the one she meant -- it was black lace as well, though trimmed with blood red and high cut with a deep neckline -- and nodded, taking the hanger off the rack and offering it to her.

She took it. "All right," she said. "If you feel you can afford it. Are there any--"

"Diana," I said softly. "We don't know it will work on you."

She blinked, then followed my gaze to the back of the store. To the area where the changing rooms were. "You... want me to try it on?" she asked, her blush deepening.

"Of course," I said.

"And... you would need to... offer opinions?"

"Of course."

She looked around. "Even back there, there would be other people around," she said, softly.

"I know."

"I'm..." she closed her mouth. I already knew what she would say. She was uncomfortable with the idea -- with the idea that someone else might see her dressed so intimately. "Is this... part of your fantasies too?"

"Yes," I said, softly. "Besides. It's not like your uniform covers much more."

"That's different," she said. I could tell it was. It wasn't showing her body off -- she was all right with that. She had little in the way of modesty that way. The issue was context. These were outfits you wore for your lover, and that was something very new for her.

And there was something more. This too was an assertion of control. I had told her I didn't want to parade Wonder Woman around as a trophy, and that was true. But I did want to make it clear this beautiful brunette was my lover. And I wanted to keep inching her out of her comfort zone. We weren't at the stage where public displays of affection would work or be appropriate, but having her acknowledge her sexuality outside of the apartment was a step on the path.

She nodded slowly, and walked to the back of the store. I followed, a slight smile on my face. By the time I reached her, she had already spoken to the salesclerk.

There were indeed a few people back there. Women, waiting for friends who were trying clothes on. Diana was still quite red when she made her way into the changing room and shut the door.

I put my hands in my pockets and leaned against the door. One of the women was looking at me. I nodded and tried not to look smug. After a moment, the room near the woman opened and she turned to render an opinion of her friend's outfit.

The door in front of me opened -- and I swear... somehow there was a hush that fell over the changing area.

Diana was in the black lace teddy, the red trim flaring off her hips... its match drawing eyes to her breasts. It wasn't quite translucent, but given how erect her nipples were, it hardly mattered. The lace conformed to them, probably more than on most women. She had adjusted her hair and redone the scarf, and her legs were encased in black stockings trimmed with matching red lace, held on by garters that attached to the teddy itself. I hadn't even seen her pick up the stockings.

There was a gasp behind me -- female in sound. But I only sort of heard it. I was flushed, my heartbeat clear in my ears. It felt like my head would explode. Take that any way you want.

"Will... this do?" Diana asked, eyebrow arched, hip slightly cocked, a hand on it, even as she arched slightly forward.

"That... I think so," I said, trying not to lose my demeanor. "Turn?"

She turned to her profile, leaning again -- God that was a good lean -- before turning back-to me. The lace covered quite a bit, but it was cut high on the buttocks. Not a thong, but definitely meant to draw one's gaze at the black and red accent on what was an impressive posterior.

She tossed her hair and looked back over her head at me. "Well?" she asked, almost coquettishly. The Blessings of Aphrodite. Right then I couldn't blame her for using them.

"It'll do," I half whispered.

"I'll be right out," she said, and slid back inside.

Slowly, I started to breath again. I looked to the side.

The woman was staring at me. Her friend -- a cute blond wearing a white sheer bra over jeans -- was staring at the door Diana had just closed, utterly heedless of her state of undress.

I coughed and turned forward. Sometimes, superpowers had collateral damage.