The chilly wind of the autumn afternoon shook the window in Abby's studio. Alison shivered, pulling her half-naked body a little closer to Victoria as Abby fiddled with the settings on her camera. Sliding her fingers under the edge of the deep red satin panties, Alison gave them a small tug, ensuring they smoothly followed the curve of her butt.
"Abby, darling, I know you want to pay for the renovations yourself, but please at least let me pay to have heating installed. If you work in here over the winter, you'll freeze to death. Or if you don't, your clients will." Victoria wrapped her arms around Alison, pulling them closer still. The three of them, Victoria, Abby, and Alison, had been at this photo shoot business for over three hours already and while Abby was still brimming with enthusiasm, Alison was growing a little weary.
When the Darkness article showcasing their highly specialised Airbnb (a property which catered for those with a slight kink) had landed, they'd all been so excited. The magazine had given the place a full four-page spread, and the images were nothing short of breathtaking, almost as breathtaking as the volume of bookings that had followed. Except for four consecutive days in December, they had bookings for the property covering the next eight months. Even the two notoriously toughest weeks in the tourism industry---the third week in January and the second week in February---were gone, and at full price. They couldn't have asked for more, and that's what Victoria had told Bryce, her long-term friend and the publication's editor, when she called to thank him.
But Bryce was always on the lookout for his next feature, and he wasn't shy or slow in requesting payback for their gratitude when Victoria had told him about their little ménage à trois now that Alison was fully back in Victoria (and Abby's) life.
"I can see it now. A Christmas feature of Victoria, the saintly domme and her two elf subs," he had teased as all three of them had gathered around the speaker, listening in to the call. But he hadn't been teasing. In fact, when he had offered them a free advertising package for their adult retail business in exchange for the feature, the offer became serious.
While Victoria wasn't one for exposing herself so publicly, Alison knew she was also a shrewd businesswoman. Darkness was by far the most popular magazine publication of its kind in Europe and had a rapidly growing audience in North America.
"I'd want the piece to feature and promote Alison's furniture, the tantra chairs and such, and I want Abby to do the shoot."
Bryce had been understandably nervous about the shoot being orchestrated by one of the subjects, but Alison had listened as Victoria assured him that not only was Abby one of the most talented photographers she had ever known, refusing to hire her would be a deal breaker. After initial objections, reluctantly, he'd agreed. Alison had to chuckle to herself because she knew that one of Victoria's silent motivations for insisting Abby do the shoot was that her mistress wouldn't have been relaxed enough to even contemplate such a thing with a complete stranger. For all of Victoria's outward confidence and bravado, Alison knew Victoria had a shy streak and the entire experience would be well out of her comfort zone.
So here they were, dressed in scanty outfits of provocatively festive ruby reds and emerald greens around a Christmas tree in the middle of a cold October afternoon.
After the roaring success of the piece Bryce had written, he had been desperate to do a follow-up piece on its owners. Bryce had been beside himself when he found out that Victoria didn't just have one sub but two, telling them that this was exactly what his readers wanted to see. So that was why, on an overcast October afternoon, all three of them were semi-naked; Alison draped over a chaise longue with Victoria by her side, as Abby adjusted the lights, and set the timer on her Nikon, before running into the position for the shot. Alison lifted her leg, wrapping it over Abby's limb as Victoria stood above them, brandishing a leather crop.
"Okay, positions, please!" Abby declared, brandishing the remote shutter in her hand.
Alison lay on the chaise longue on her side, lifting her leg to allow Abby to slot in underneath her as they had rehearsed earlier, and Victoria stood in a wide stance above them, brandishing a serious-looking crop.
"Hold still and smoulder!" Abby tilted her head up a little towards the camera, and with a movement so quick Alison couldn't see it, she snapped the shutter into life and it illuminated the room in a sudden flash. "Just another couple to make sure," she said with authority. Several bursts of harsh light later and Alison's vision faded to bright white.
