Valerie Bacci sat alone in her car, questioning why she had made the offer in the first place. Simon had always volunteered to drive when they went on a date. The throaty roar of his cherry-red Mustang had a Pavlovian relation in Val's mind with a fancy evening out, followed by a fun night in.
Tonight, her ride was silent in its patient anticipation, her electric vehicle waiting lifelessly for Val to work up the courage to get out of the car. No, courage was the wrong word. She wasn't afraid of this evening. Her biggest fear had already been realized when Simon sent her that text.
[I'm sorry Val, but it's over. It's not you, it's me. You're a wonderful woman, but my business is constantly pushing me forward, and I won't be so crass as to drag you along with me. I've been relocated to Paris on short notice, and asking you to pick up your whole life to maintain this relationship is both unfair and unrealistic. Thanks for the great times, and I wish you the best. -Simon
Sent from my iPhone Macro-21]
Val still couldn't believe the timing of his text. He’d sent it yesterday afternoon, just as Val was about to go on her scheduled lunch break. Was the timing intended to be kind, or to put her on display as the office began to move about? She wasn’t sure which it was, but regardless of Simon’s intentions, Val had immediately fled to the office bathroom and the scant privacy of a toilet stall. By the time she had trudged upstairs and plodded into her apartment, everything of Simon’s was gone or in the garbage.
How did I not see this coming, she had wondered. After all, Simon had been acting distant lately, and a bit secretive. She'd seen notices of funds transfers pop up on his phone while he was driving. Notices for pretty significant amounts. A less secure woman might have seen the writing on the wall, but in the transfers Val hadn't foreseen currency exchanges, or an impending change in banking institutions. She had foreseen a significant jewelry purchase, and a down payment on a house. Valentine’s Day had been rapidly approaching, and the holiday had colored her thinking. She was hoping he might even get down on one knee, and...
But that was in her past. Her present was a conveniently-timed consolation that she'd almost turned down on reflex. She still could; it wouldn’t be her first time standing up a date. But she knew this coworker fairly well. He was nice enough, if not particularly interesting. He could carry a conversation, even though his mere presence couldn’t hold her attention. He had been nice enough not to point out that she had just been dumped, or that the entire office was talking about it in the open. He wasn’t one of the jerks snickering behind their hands at her misfortune.
As far as Val could tell, Leonard was a hard worker, and a bit of an adventurous spirit. Leonard had even initiated his invitation to dinner in a way that all but screamed, “I’m adventurous.” A little over 24 hours from when Val had received the worst news of her life, Leonard made his move. He had thrown a bent paper clip, tied to a length of evacuation cord, all the way over to Val’s desk from his workstation on Janet’s desk. It had passed through the handle of the coffee mug Val used as a pen holder. Leonard had pulled the cord taut, stolen a plastic rose from the bouquet Janet’s husband had delivered, and proceeded to tightrope walk over to Valerie’s desk, using the rose as a balancing pole. When he’d arrived, he had held up the rose - his limbs still a bit shaky, but Val was polite enough not to notice - and took his shot.
“Valerie Bacci, I apologize for the intrusion, but I find myself facing a dreadful loneliness this evening. As I’m sure you’ve noticed with all the candy being passed around, today happens to be St. Valentine's Day. Rather than spend another year painting my buddy’s miniatures collection, I was hoping to entreat a kindred spirit to spend a pleasant dinner with me. Alas, all the women on my level are already coupled, or hopelessly devoted to their furbabies, like Harriet in data entry. And so I find myself in a desperate position, reaching far above my modest station. Val, you are a beautiful, successful woman, and I can only expect that the company of a woman of your caliber would be the highlight of my year. Would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner tonight? I have a reservation for two at A Small Taste of Heaven, for 7:30.”
Val had been so taken aback by the unexpected display, she had mumbled, “Sure, I don’t have anything else planned.” Little Leonard had literally jumped with joy at her acceptance of his invite. He had beamed up at her, and quickly rattled off some logistics for the evening. Val had just sat there, nodding along, still half in shock from the ridiculous display. Meeting at the restaurant always felt awkward to Val, and when she absent-mindlessly said as much, Leonard suggested riding together. He paused, considering the practicality of that statement, and Val had reflexively stepped in with a solution. Which, of course, was how she had ended up offering to pick Leonard up at his apartment.
Val turned the car off, and stepped out onto the cold pavement of the Brighter Tomorrows mixed sized apartments parking lot. She grabbed her purse, locked the door, and started towards the building entrance.
The day had been unusually cold, and Val wrapped her black, woolen coat tighter to herself. The parking lot was still dotted by small mounds of snow, and she saw half a dozen tiny kids sledding down a knee-high pile near the building’s entrance. Val stopped to watch, the soft shouts of joy as the group raced to the bottom bringing a pained smile to her face.
When they all slid to a stop, Val stepped closer and cupped her hands nearby. "Anyone want a ride back to the top?"
The kids all looked at her, then at each other, before breaking into a run and jumping into her hands. Their cool, damp snowsuits were soft on her palms, though the little plastic disks and sleds dug into her skin here and there. The kids all settled along the edges of her cupped hands, their legs kicking and dangling over the edge.
"Hold on tight. Up we go!" Val lifted them to waist height, the kids whooping and hollering with excitement.
One of the little boys nudged the girl next to him, yelling "Don't fall!" She didn’t, but she did let out the cutest little scream, and the other kids laughed. Val gave him a raised eyebrow and a disapproving look, even though none of the tinies were in any real danger. Two steps from where Val had picked up her passengers she lowered them back down, letting them hop, jump, and slide off her palms and onto the top of their long, gradual hill of snow.
The kids all turned and waved, yelling out a staggered chorus of, "Thank you, big lady!"
"You're welcome. Now have fun kids. Stay warm, and stay out of trouble!" With the last, Val tapped the troublemaker on the head, pushing his beanie cap down over his eyes, to the laughter of his friends. Val stood up and gave the tinies a finger wave, which they returned enthusiastically.
With a bit more pep in her step, Val turned back to the apartment complex entrance, adjusting her purse as she went. Considering what was to come next, her brightened expression quickly deteriorated, forming habitually into her business-standard facade of mild interest.
Inside the foyer she spotted the concierge counter across from the entrance, next to the elevators to the big apartments. There were several tiered, interior walkways to her left, which granted access to the standard tiny apartments. There were a couple tinies climbing flights of stairs, or sitting on the balconies
and chatting with their neighbors in the climate-controlled foyer.
To Val's right were the paired sets of large and tiny doors for the luxury tiny apartments. Each luxury apartment was fitted with a relatively small sitting room that could accommodate a big. Val couldn't help but compare just how much smaller that tiny door was. Hell, the door was smaller than the sole of her foot.
Sighing to herself, Val strode over to the big door marked 114, readjusted her purse, and pressed the call button on the room's intercom. She stared down at the black, fisheye lens mounted at the top of the welcome interface. There was a crackle of static, and then she knew she was locked into the date.
"Val! I'm so glad you came! Please, come in. Have a seat, maybe help yourself to some water, and I'll be out in a moment."
There was the buzzing of an electronic lock, and Val opened the big door to find a small cubicle, not much larger than a broom closet. There was a waist-high shelf along the far wall, with a small cabinet, water bottle fountain, and microwave set into it. There was a coat hanger on the left wall, and a flat screen monitor on the right wall. Finally, there was a simple wooden chair that took up much of the floor space.
Fully half the shelf was taken up by a large metal base with a plastic shell, and a small army of plastic figurines. The little people were all about four inches tall, most of them a dull gray color. A couple seemed to be half-painted, and she could see a few more with color peeking out from under a normal sized washrag. The film case-sized paint buckets, multi-colored body suit, gas mask, and airbrushes suggested that Leonard was responsible for the added color, and Val realized he very well might have spent past Valentines painting these life-sized miniatures. At least he won’t be this year, she thought, surprised she felt good about that. Even if this is just a pale shadow of what I expected from Simon, at least I can do some good for the little guy.
Val glanced over the figurines again, noting a couple of patterns. About half of the figurines were medieval warriors, or fantastic creatures. The other half appeared to be busty women, with unrealistic or idealized proportions. It's weird, but at least it’s a creative outlet. I guess everyone needs something like that. These pieces in progress look halfway decent, though they're nothing to write home about. I wonder what the final product looks like?
Val had just pinched a corner of the washrag, when she heard a quiet thump from her right. She glanced down to see one of the figurines walk out of a door in the wall, and onto the shelf. This one was fully painted in a dashing suit, and incredibly lifelike- No, that’s not a figurine, even though he’s the same size. That’s my date, she realized. Val started, jerking her hand back and dropping heavily into the wooden chair.
“Oh, hi Val! Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Leonard said.
Val faked a small laugh. “No, it’s my fault. I was poking around your passion project, and I felt a bit guilty when you showed up.”
Leonard rubbed his hand behind his head, looking a bit embarrassed himself. “That’s us tinies. Always where you least expect us, when it’s least convenient. Anyway, why don’t we try this again.” Before Val could respond, Leonard stepped back to the doorway, winked at her, and pulled the door closed.
Val was a little taken aback by the move, but she was willing to give this another try if he was. After all, this date wasn’t a real date. She should just try to relax. Take things as they come.
Leonard opened the door a second time, and strode out wearing a smart, black suit, and a cherry red
dress shirt. His tie was hard to make out from this distance, given how small it was, but it looked mostly black, with elegant red swirls. He was grinning from ear to ear. He gave her a cursory glance from head to foot, taking in her shiny black heels, dark nylons, and heavy woolen coat, also in black. All I need is a veil, and people will think I’m in mourning, she thought, before Leonard drew her attention back to him and his entrance.
“Val, welcome! You look absolutely stunning this evening. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet me here, and to give me a ride, er, a lift, to, y’know, dinner.”
Aw, so close, Val thought. He started out so confident, but that unintended euphemism took his confidence for a ride.
She forced a smile, and reached her finger down for a handshake. “It’s good to see you too, Leonard. You look rather dashing, yourself. And please, it was no trouble,” she lied. She gestured over to the works in progress. “You seem to have quite the hobby, here.”
Leonard’s expression brightened as he walked towards the figurines. “Yeah, it’s a nice outlet for my creative side. I enjoy working on them, and at my size, I can get all the little details just right. And since only bigs come around to look at them, no one notices the tiny imperfections that totally aren’t there.”
“Totally not,” Val agreed. “So, is this where you would have been tonight if I’d said no? Instead of going out with a girl, you would have been painting yourself a new girlfriend?”
Leonard’s tiny expression was difficult to make out with the size difference, but there was no missing the red moving up from beneath his shirt, and coloring his entire face.
“I-I, i-it’s not like that. My buddy, Kyle, he collects them. He bought the 3D printer, and provides most of the plastic. I just run the program and paint them.”
Val actually laughed, this one real, and it relieved a small amount of that tension that she had felt piling on ever since Simon sent that fateful text.
“Easy there, Leonard. I’m just teasing you. Though, it looks to me like there aren’t any finished pieces on display. Are you not proud of your work?”
Leonard shook his head. “Actually, I think I do a pretty good job. I just like to do a big reveal of the finished pieces when Kyle comes around. Here, why don’t you take a look? My paint job is nothing compared to your makeup skills - I mean, you turned ravishing beauty into perfection - but you might find my skills passable.”
Val was surprised to feel herself blushing. The tiny little man was bold and… well, not exactly smooth, but his tongue had a silver plating. “Thank you for the continued compliments. I can’t promise flattery will get you anywhere, but I would be disappointed if you stopped trying.”
Leonard’s fading blush came back with a fury, and he busied himself with getting a good grip on the washrag. “And without further ado,” he said, ignoring Val’s harmless flirting, “may I present my latest works.” He waved the edge of the rag up and down a couple times to build up some air under it, and then with a single, smooth pull, he unveiled his creations.
“They’re actually quite good,” Val said, a little surprised. “I guess all those Valentines spent practicing really paid off.” Some of the figurines looked like they had stepped out of an anime, but a few others were incredibly lifelike. One that looked like a medieval noble, dressed in purple finery, kept drawing her attention. He looked disturbingly like Simon.
“Val, you alright?” Simon asked. No, that’s Leonard, she thought, a little surprised and more than a little disturbed how the similar figurine had so powerfully colored her thoughts.
“Yes, Leonard. I’m fine. I was just a bit... taken in, with the quality of your art.”
The little man beamed. “Please, call me Len. All my friends do, and anyone kind enough to compliment my art is a friend indeed.” He glanced down at his tiny watch, and stiffened slightly. “Hey Val, we’re going to have to get going here if we’re going to make our reservation. Tell you what, though. I’m only good for so many conversation starters, and I don’t want to bore you at dinner, so why don’t you pick a few of these miniatures, and bring them with us in your purse. If we end up with an uncomfortable silence, you can just slap one of these down on the table, and we can talk about it, or I can fight it for a piece of your food, or something. Sound good?”
Val was a little unsure about the offer, but when her gaze was drawn back to the figure that looked like Simon, she decided to take him up on it. The not-Simon figurine went into her purse, along with a muscular, battle-scarred female figurine in skimpy armor and wielding a large ax. Lastly, she dropped what looked like a busty anime girl into her purse, which she carefully set down next to Leonard. I should probably start thinking of him as Len.
“Alright, Len,” she said, trying out the nickname. “I’ve got some conversation starters. Now, do you need anything else? Is that suit jacket warm enough for you?”
Len nodded, and pointed at Val’s purse. There was a big, empty pocket on one side, with a sherpa lining on the interior. Pockets like these were becoming more and more common on purses and jackets these days.
“If you don’t mind me catching a ride in the Tiny Pocket, I should be just fine. Unless you have somewhere warmer you might like, to, er… yeah, the pocket will be fine,” he finished, not nearly as strong as he had started. Val found it cute, in a fuzzy little animal sort of way.
“Alright, Len. Hop in, and we’ll be on our way.”
Val left the building quickly, her passenger settled comfortably in the purse’s Tiny Pocket. On the way out of the building, Val stopped to give the tiny children one more lift to the top of their sledding hill, and this time she “accidentally” dropped the troublemaker as she was lowering them to the top of the hill. The kids all laughed, and then they were sliding down the hill again.
In her electric car, Val pulled a tiny seat from her center console, slotted it into a cup holder. She turned the seat so it faced her, and held her purse so Len could climb out and strap himself into the seat. Moments later her car pulled quietly out of the lot, the destination already programmed into her GPS.
It seemed this was Len’s first time in an electric car, and Val spent the ride sharing its various features with the tiny man. He seemed to be a big fan of how quiet the ride was, since tinies had trouble making themselves heard over the roar of even a four cylinder combustion engine.
Before Val had run out of fun features to show off, she was pulling in at A Small Taste of Heaven. The parking lot was a bit crowded, and Val saw several couples shifting around through the windows in the restaurant’s front doors.
“It looks like there are quite a few couples tonight,” Val commented. “Are we going to have trouble with our reservations? How did you get one last minute, anyway? This place seems pretty popular.”
Len grinned and crossed his arms. “Trade secret. But no, we should be fine. When we get inside, just hold me up in front of the maitre d’ and I’ll take care of everything.”
Val gave him her increasingly frequent raised eyebrow, but she didn’t question him further. Inside the restaurant, she pushed past almost a dozen people who looked oddly uncoupled, arriving in front of the maitre d’s station. She glanced around as she lifted her purse up around chest height, noticing as she did so that everyone she had seen was there with a tiny partner. I assumed this place could accommodate mixed dining, but it seems like it’s almost exclusively so.
Val turned back, to see the maitre d’ smiling at Len. “Young Master Thyne, and Miss Bacci, welcome. Your table is ready, if you would follow me.” Val took note that Len's last name was pronounced like “tine,” as you might find on a fork. Considering they were in a restaurant, the thought tickled her funny bone, and chuckled.
Val was surprised they had actually reserved a table for the two of them, rather than just prioritizing them on the wait list like most reservations these days. Val was led to a small back room, where a round table with a single chair was lit by candelabrum along both side walls, with a smaller candelabra offset on the table. The table cloth was a bright red, and a smaller, matching table and chair were centered on the big table. Rose petals were trailed across the floor, and atop both tables, and a dozen crimson roses sat in an elegant heart-shaped vase opposite the table-top candelabra.
Val froze the moment she saw the room, wondering how the hell Leonard had set all this up.
The maitre d’ stepped up to the table and pulled Val’s chair out, turning back to find her stopped in the doorway. “Please, Miss Bacci, be at ease. You have no need for concern. Young Master Thyne is taking care of everything for the evening. Please, have a seat, and I shall some wine brought in. We have a very nice dry red, and an exceedingly pleasant rosé that would pair well with the evening’s dishes. Do you have a preference?”
Val took a tentative step forward, taking in the warm, wooden paneling, the dancing candle flames, the soft, scattered rose petals, and then finally processing the question she’d been asked. “Oh, um, do you have a preference, Len? Sorry, Master Thyne?” Len just groaned at the formal address.
“Please, it’s Len, and both are quality vintages. I had trouble deciding myself, though something tells me the red might be your better choice tonight. It’s an eight year old cabernet sauvignon from the Gulli Vin vineyards.”
Val nodded. “That sounds nice. Please, we’ll take the cabernet.” She finally entered the room proper, and set her purse on the table so Len could climb out. She unbuttoned the large buttons down the front of her coat, and opened it to reveal a sleek, strapless crimson dress. It accented her bust nicely, with a plunging neckline that terminated at the base of her ample breasts. The dress hugged Val’s slim waist, and flared out to hang from her hips down to her knees. There was a short slit in the side that teased a tantalizing view of her shapely thigh, the lithe contours exaggerated in the dark nylons.
Val handed off her coat to the maitre d’, and turned back to Len to find him frozen, staring slack jawed at her. “Wowza,” he managed to choke out, and Val laughed. She laughed hard. That ridiculously nerdy expression in this elegant setting broke the tension that had been building within Val. When she got her laughter under control, she passed her purse to the maitre d’ as well, and he hung it on the coat rack in the corner of the room. Once her coat and purse were secured, the maitre d’ pushed her chair in for her, and departed.
As soon as he was out of the room, Val leaned forward to loom over Leonard, giving him an appreciable view down the front of her dress. “Alright, Master Thyne, spill. How did you do all of this, and all at the last minute? Are you secretly rich, and just slumming it with us corporate types for some life experience?”
Len just laughed and shook his head. “No, nothing like that. There’s a bit of a story behind it, but you won’t get it until the main course comes. As a little guy, I need to be timely with my big reveals. Let’s just say I had some help, and leave it there.”
Val gave him a mock, suspicious glare, but she still pulled out Len’s chair and helped him to get settled at his own table.
Their wine came, and as promised it was a dry red, with a full body that was to Val’s taste. Not the best she’d had, but it was up there. The wine was accompanied by small talk about work, and local politics. Politics was quickly abandoned for sports, and the two found they were fans of rival teams, which made for some exhilarating back and forth.
As the conversation progressed, so too did the food. A selection of breads with balsamic and oil was complimented by a fine selection of cheese and crackers with a few peeled grapes. All of the food was provided for Val, who then broke or sliced off pieces of her meal for Len. As she broke a piece off one of the crackers, Val commented that it was bigger than the sleds the kids had been using earlier in the night. Len stood up and sat down on one on the edge of Val’s plate, and she joked about him looking for an excuse to go sliding down her throat. She was amused to see Len’s eyes grow wide at the comment.
Val lifted Len up, the tiny still sitting on the cracker, and she brought him to her eye level. He was a bit flushed, and maybe a little concerned, but mostly he looked eager to see where this went. Val lowered him down, so the cracker was right in front of her lips. She opened her mouth wide, and…
She pursed her lips and kissed Len on the face. He fell back on the cracker in relief, and Val giggled. She was surprised to find she was actually having some fun playing with the little man.
Next came the salad course. It helped to take the edge off of Val’s hunger, but it also provided another source of entertainment. The house salad had come with a few whole grape tomatoes, and Val speared one on her fork. She held it out to Len, and asked if he wanted a bite. His expression was priceless. The tomato was the size of his torso, and with the skin mostly unbroken, he would have a hard time digging his teeth in, so he just sat there, a little dumbfounded. Val seemed to take pity on the man and pulled it back to her mouth, but instead of chewing and swallowing, she pursed her lips around the tomato, her intense gaze holding Len’s. The little man blinked, and the corners of Val’s lips curled up. She slowly, sensuously sucked the tomato off the fork, and with a wink, she swallowed it whole.
Len gulped, clearly a little discomfited by the display. He adjusted himself in the seat, chuckled, and was about to start up a new topic of conversation, when the main course arrived. It arrived on a covered, shining, silver platter, which was set before Val. She grasped the top of the lid, and looked at Len, wordlessly asking if he was ready. He started tapping his hands against his little table, giving them a drumroll. With a final hard thunk, Val lifted the lid, revealing their meal.
It was a steaming, juicy, perfectly crusted, medium rare prime rib. The cut of the meat was huge, and Val knew there was no way they were going to finish it. But when the scent of garlic and rosemary tickled her nose, and her mouth began to water, she knew she was sure as hell going to try.
To start, Val used her knife to shave off a coin-thin slice from the middle, and topped it with a piece of the crust with a crushed sprig of rosemary in it, and she slid them onto Len’s plate. The little man gestured for Val to try first, and her only reaction was moan of pleasure that bordered on orgasmic.
“This is,” she mumbled around the succulent piece of meat, “without a doubt, the best meat I have ever tasted.”
Len sat up, beaming, almost proud. “I’m glad to hear it! I’m sure the chef will be pleased as well.”
That’s when Val remembered something Len had said at the beginning of the meal. She opened her mouth to ask a question that had been bugging her, but she took a bite of another piece of the juicy prime rib instead. The incredible cut was half-gone, and Val was starting to feel rather full when she again remembered to ask that question.
“Alright Len, I lasted until the main course. Now, you have got to tell me, how did you set all this up
on such short notice?”
The little man laughed, wiped off his mouth with a napkin, and folded his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his little chair.
“Actually, it was pretty easy. I didn’t need to bribe anyone, I just needed to know the right people. And, as it turns out, my folks are the owners, and my brother is the head chef.”
Val’s jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you can eat like this whenever you want?”
Len shook his head, and cut himself another piece of steak. “No, not all the time. Just on special occasions, like getting a date with an incredible woman. My parents are a mixed couple, and were very supportive when I proposed this date to-”
Len kept talking for a while, but that word was suddenly the only thing she could hear. Proposed. I had expected Simon to propose tonight. That should have been him there, sitting across from me, not this random tiny.
“Val? Val, are you alright? Sorry, I didn’t mean to bore you with family drama, let alone stories of my mother’s efforts to set me up with a girl.”
Val shook her head, trying to pull herself out of her funk, but she had been bottling up the pain and the sense of betrayal all night. She had forced herself to be okay, and she had legitimately found herself having a decent time, at least on the surface, but…
It’s too fresh. I haven’t processed. I haven’t dealt with the fact that Simon abandoned me.
The conversation drew to a halt, and with the conversation went their appetites. Len was pushing tiny pieces of meat around on his plate, but he wasn’t really eating anything. Before long the waiter came back and took their plates, leaving a pair of coffee pots on the table, along with a diverse selection of creamers and sweeteners.
Val pored herself a cup of black high-test, and dripped a cup for Len as well. She didn’t add any sweetener. She wanted her coffee to match her mood. That was the time when Len mentioned the ice breakers he’d asked Val to grab from his apartment.
Val sighed, but she stood up and retrieved her purse, setting it on the table. She reached in, and pulled one of the figurines out at random. It was the one that looked like Simon.
“Whoa,” Len said, hopping out of his chair and taking a step towards Val. “Seriously, Val, are you alright? Is there anything I can do to help? I mean, I know my paint jobs aren’t the best, but I’ve never seen one piss someone off and make them cry at the same time.”
Val slammed the figurine down on the table feet-first, keeping it mostly wrapped in her hand. It was taking everything in her not to just squeeze and crush the little bastard.
“It’s not you, Len. I… Maybe this was too soon. Simon… I’m still not over what happened, not even a little.”
“Hey, hey, that’s fine,” Len said, walking over and placing both of his hands against her fist. “I’m not going to pretend to understand, but I can sympathize. I’m not going to push you into anything you’re not ready for. All I wanted from tonight was to help you get your mind off that asshole, and to spend the holiday with someone, instead of being alone. I’d say I accomplished the second just by getting here with you. As for the former, well, do you want a distraction right now? If you’d rather talk about it, then I’m all ears.”
Val thought about it for a while, then nodded. She did want to talk about it, and that’s what she did. She talked about the kind of relationship she’d had with Simon. She’d spoken nostalgically about the vacations they’d taken. She’d ranted about the couple of ongoing fights they’d had. She’d sobbed about how cold and empty her bed had felt last night, knowing that not only was Simon not there, but that he would never be coming back.
When Val finally stopped sobbing, she felt a tiny hand touch her cheek. She quickly looked up to find Len right there in front of her nose, his calm expression masking a fury.
“I hope that bastard burns in hell for what he’s put you through, Val. At work I’ve seen how intelligent and diligent you are as a professional, but in this one night I’ve seen how kind, caring, and amazing of a person you are. If you need anything that’s within my ability to do or provide, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Val sniffled, and her mouth quirked into a wry smile. “Thank you, Len. For the offer, and… Thanks for listening.” She sat back up straight and took a deep, calming breath. Len was close enough, he caught front-row seats to the sight of her chest pressing against the restraints of her revealing dress, and he caught an eyeful. Val giggled at his wide eyes and dumbfounded expression, and with one hand pulled him into her generous chest for a thank you hug. While she held little Len against her, she opened her hand to find she had rendered the figurine unrecognizable. She had cracked and deformed the figurine, until it looked like a broken handle more than a man.
Val released Len from his pheromone-imbued hug, and the little man had to walk around a little to regain his bearings. When he finally stopped and bent over to slow his racing heart, he asked, “Did I die and go to heaven? I was definitely on Cloud Nine.”
“No, you’re fine Len. That was a thank you. And, I guess, an apology. I guess when I got passionate, I also lost a bit of my control.” Val held the mushed figurine up for Len, and he just shrugged like it was no big deal.
“I can always reprint that one, and he’s fairly simple to paint. Don’t sweat it.”
Val raised an eyebrow, recalling one of the other miniatures she had grabbed. “Don’t sweat it, huh? Now that you mention it, I seem to recall a particularly sweaty work of yours.” Val pulled the female barbarian mini out of her purse, and set the muscular woman in front of Len. The figurine had been coated with an extra layer of gloss, making it look like she was sweating buckets. “Is this the sort of woman you like? Big, strong, and glistening all over?”
Len stepped back and scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
“I’m going to take that for a yes. Now, tell me, if that’s a woman you’re attracted to, what do you think of a woman who can do this?”
Val slid the figurine to the edge of the table, and leaned forward until it was between her breasts. She used her upper arms to press in on the sides of her bosom, and the figuring half-disappeared between them, only an arm, a leg, and an ax still protruding. Val stood up to her full height, pushing back from the table, and she made a ‘come hither’ gesture with her index finger.
Len walked to the edge of the table, his eyes locked on the figure between Val’s breasts. As he reached the edge, Val eased up, and the figure plummeted to the floor, stopping right between Val’s feet. Len’s eyes had tracked its path, and now he was staring at those sleek heels. He watched as Val lifted one of her feet, rocking it back on the heel, and rotated it over the figurine of the powerful, glistening woman. With the barest effort, she lowered her foot. There was a cracking sound, and some popping. When Val removed her shoe, the mess left behind was completely unrecognizable.
“Well, Len?” she asked. “How did that make you feel?”
“That was one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Val grinned. “Tell you what, little Len. I’m working through a few things, and you’ve been a wonderful guide and distraction so far. How would you like to keep that up for the rest of the night?”
Len didn’t hesitate. “Use me. Please. I love a take-charge woman, and I love to be helpful. So please, whatever you need, be it someone to talk to, or someone to punish, Val, I want you to use me.”
Val bent down, a wide, almost manic grin on her face. “Thanks, little Len.” She kissed him again. As she stood up, she lifted something onto the table. It was the high heel that had just crushed his badass barbarian mini.
“What’s this?” Len asked, though from the tightness Val could see in his pants, he likely had the right idea in his head.
“We’re already covered for tonight, right?” she asked.
Len nodded eagerly. “Yeah, the bills already settled. We can leave whenever.”
Val nodded at her heel on the table. “Then hop in, lover-boy. We’re going back to my place, and right now, I need to be completely in charge. There will be no running out on me tonight. The only running will be where I decide, and wherever I go, you’re coming with me.”
Len hopped up onto the toe of the shoe, the musty atmosphere smelling of sweat and coconut oil. He lay down where Val’s arch would be, praying the stories he’d heard of tinies riding in shoes weren’t myths or exaggerations. Val lowered the shoe to the floor, assuming a power stance to give Len a clear view up her dress, and at the place where her legs met. He noticed that the dark leggings were even darker at the joining. And glistening.
I am in for one hell of a wild ride, the little man thought. Then Val’s long, slender toes, wrapped in slick, sexy nylons appeared overhead, slowly moving towards him. The big toe gently caressed his chest, before sliding past, followed closely by the ball of her sexy foot sliding over his chest. When the foot came to a stop, he was deep in shadow, only able to see the faintest glistening of reflected candlelight off those sensuous nylons. And then the world collapsed on him.
Val smiled as she felt Len’s little limbs pressing against her sole, moving about and caressing the soft. tender skin of her arch. Val tried to slowly shift her weight onto that foot, and though it halted all movement, she didn’t think she’d done any damage. Taking a step towards her coat, she could feel Len moving again, and she took her time before placing her full weight on the little man again. There was no panicked pounding or flailing, just gradual, consistent movement, like the world's most intimate foot massage.
With her passenger in toe, Val grabbed her coat, thanked the maitre d’ on her way out, and climbed into her car. She was glad she’d chosen to place Len in her right shoe. The feeling of him intensified every time she accelerated, or stepped on the brake, and driving in the city, she was doing both constantly.
Len, for his part, was enjoying himself. Sure, the conditions were cramped, but he was pressed up against a sexy woman who was using him, as he deserved. He’d never considered himself a foot fetishist in the past, but laying there, bathed in her scent, a support for her entire body, he couldn’t contain himself. He shifted his hips, the stiffy he’d been hiding all night now fully at attention. He ground his manhood against the rough but slick material of her nylons, desperate to shed his pants so his member wouldn’t be pushing against his belt for freedom. As he lay there, marinating in her sweat, Len stuck out his tongue and took his first taste of a woman. It was a bit more sour than he had expected, but with his sex-drive in full gear, it only made him harder, and brought him closer to losing himself in his pants, against that long, sexy foot of hers. The drive was only ten minutes, but for Val, it felt like an eternity. She rushed into her apartment complex, careful not to crush her passenger, and she called for the elevator. She found herself shifting side-to-side to maintain that application and release of pressure on little Len.
When the elevator arrived she punched in her floor and spammed the door close button. She saw a woman walk into the lobby and lift up her hand in a plea to hold the elevator, but Val was having none of that tonight. Nice Val wasn’t here this evening. A more primal Val had taken her place, one who needed to rail against the injustice of the world, thank her too kind date, and get herself the fuck off, all at the same time. She wasn’t sure which she needed most, or which should take priority, so she would just take care of them all at the same time.
The elevator dinged, and Val found herself pushing on the elevator doors, urging them to open. She dashed to her door, key already in hand, and threw the door open. Once inside, she barely had the presence of mind to close and bolt her door before she ran for her bedroom. She tossed her coat on the living room couch as she went by, keeping her purse in her hand.
Reaching the foot of her bed, Val dropped her purse on the comforter and kicked off her spare shoe. Then she stepped more carefully out of the heel that had been hiding her passenger.
He was breathing, at least, though he looked a little worse for wear. His suit jacket was rumpled, and his shirt was likely missing buttons. His pants had come half-off, and Val couldn’t for the life of her figure out when he’d managed to unbuckle his belt. Still, his tiny little pecker was on full display, standing at attention and waiting for more.
Val lowered her foot back over the man, placing her second toe between his legs, and feeling his little pecker poking at the joint of the toe. She pressed down, then squeezed her toes together, and lifted the little man out of her shoe. She moved him over the bed, and dropped him from a few inches up.
Len landed as the foot impacted the bed next to him, bouncing him into the air, and against Val’s foot. He rolled away, fighting the contour of the depressed bed, but he managed to get free. Rather than fixing his outfit, he tore it off, kicking away his loafers and tearing off his boxers and slacks. His socks he kicked off while he shed his jacket, then he all but tore his shirt off, leaving him naked and vulnerable before the curvaceous goddess.
Compared to Len, this vision of sexual predation was patient and methodical, though that by no means should imply she was slow in undressing. She stepped deliberately back to the floor, and slipped her fingers under the band of her nylons. Slowly, sensuously, she slid them down her legs, bending forward to press her massive chest against the entranced little man. She briefly shook her chest, motorboating the little guy, not sure if it was a punishment or a reward, but enjoying the feeling of power she had over him regardless.
Val kicked off her leggings, and reached behind her back to the zipper for the dress. There was a zipping sound that recaptured the little man’s attention as he righted himself, and then the dress slipped down Val’s curves to pool out of sight on the ground below. Val now stood in only her lacy black bra and panties, a sight that had an almost constant stream of precum leaking from the little man’s mini-boner.
Val again reached behind her back, and Len could see the snap of released tension as the bra clasp separated. Val placed her hands on the sides of her bra cups, slowly lifting her bountiful breasts until the bra rose up and away, and her full bosoms dropped with an exhilarating weight. Len could see the dark brown areola, capped with perky pink nipples that he was dying to get his hands on. Though Val, it seems, had other plans.
“You know little man,” Val said, her voice low and sultry, but with a passionate edge to it that wasn’t entirely rooted in sex. “I’m hot, I’m horny, and I’m pissed at the world, and I can’t make up my fucking mind which emotion I should act on.” She turned away from Len, her broad buns on full display. She grabbed her waistband, and bent forward, slowly lowering the lacy, lust-soaked fabric. There was a slight bunching of her ass cheeks as the panties lowered, and the wrinkly brown eye of Val’s ass peeked out at him. Then her whole backside jiggled as the panties dropped further, the tensioned flesh pulling away to freedom.
Len could see a slowly weeping hole, hidden between a pair of purple petals. As the panties dropped further still, he could see a tiny bud peeking out of its sheath, and he got an idea. He started moving closer to the end of the bed, but before he made it far, Val spoke again.
“So I’m not going to make up my mind. I’m just going to pretend that you’re my little lost Simon, come back from France after a big misunderstanding. And I’m going to fucking put you in your place.”
The panties dropped out of sight, and then the beautiful pale moon, hanging so perfectly in the sky overhead, fell down upon him.
Val sat back, burying the unfaithful little man beneath her ample assets. She could feel him wriggling, his feet squirming against her squinting sphincter, his legs trapped along her tender taint, and his torso was layered between her leaking love lips. His movements were revving up her already overheating engine, and she lay back on the bed, hands flailing overhead for the drawer to her nightstand. She reached in and knocked aside her dildo, grabbing for the half-empty tube of lube.
Her objective in hand, Val cast her hand about in her purse, pulling out the last of the miniatures she’d pilfered from Len’s workshop. This one was a buxom anime girl, all smooth lines, with her hands on her hips in a sassy pose. She was perfect for the scenario that had been building in her head.
Len was in a soaked, sweltering wonderland. He had thought his taste of Val’s feet had been arousing, but now his face was half-buried in her passionately-weeping pussy. He couldn’t avoid tasting her if he had wanted to, though that was the farthest thing from his mind. He ground his cock of steel against the wrinkled entrance to Val’s innermost depths, while his arms caressed and caroused with her puffy labia. Her love juices added luscious sounds to every action he took, be it squishing his arms between her folds, or squelching as he tried to extract a body part from somewhere Val had trapped him.
Suddenly, Val’s ass lifted away, and for the first few inches, Len’s plastered body was carried along. Then he fell, streamers of juices trailing between him and the holy place that had abandoned him. Len coughed up some love juices that had made it down the wrong pipe, and took a deep, steadying breath while Val shifted on the bed behind him.
“Oh, little Simon,” she said, and Len forced himself to his knees, playing along with Val’s building revenge fantasy. “I thought you said you were moving to Paris so you could move up in the business. But if that’s the case, who is this little whore I found with you?”
Len’s eyes darted away from Val’s captivating face and passionate, almost cruel smile. They fixated first on one hand, holding an uncapped, dripping tube, and then on the other, holding a busty blond anime character with painted-on ringlets.
“I know a real man would never cheat on me, isn’t that right, Simon?” Len quickly nodded along, and Val’s high-pitched laughter suggested that was the right answer. Probably. “I thought so too. I guess that just means you're not a real man. And if you’re not a man, then at your size, you’re just a toy. Just like your little French whore. So, little Simon, let me show you what I do with toys that displease me.”
Val brought the bottle over the buxom miniature, and squeezed out a generous deluge of clear lube. She set the tube aside, and really worked it into the tiny, before lowering it almost to the bed.
“Best say bon voyage to your little whore, Simon. Come over here and give her a goodbye kiss.” The little man before her hustled closer, and putting on a performance, wrapped his arms around the mini, and gave it a great big kiss. Val’s smile grew fangs, and she tore the tiny toy away from her little man. She rolled further onto her back, exposing her tight asshole, and she slipped the mini’s head into her backdoor. She couldn’t hold back the moan as she violated the mini and her own posterior with the same action.
Len’s jaw dropped. He was shocked at what he was seeing. If that’s happening to the miniature, what’s she have planned for me? He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Once the anime girl’s feet had disappeared into the abyss, and the sphincter had closed behind it, Val’s fingers started groping for little Len.
Where’d he go, Val thought, reaching blindly as she tried to recollect herself. Her fingers closed around a small, warm body, and she pulled the little man up and even with her feral grin.
“Your little whore is getting what she deserves, so I think it’s only fitting you do too. I’m going to put you somewhere we’ll always be together, and you’ll never get away from me again.”
Len shivered at her tone, and Val must have felt it, because her whole body froze. “Len,” she said as calmly as she could, “If I’m going too far for you, please tell me now. I’m not sure I can stop myself if I go any farther. You’ve been incredible, and as much as I want my revenge against Simon, that doesn’t mean I have any right to hurt you.”
Len closed his eyes, took a deep, musty breath, and nodded. “Go for it Val. I trust you.”
Val’s concerned expression vanished, replaced with a Cheshire grin. “Take a deep breath, little man. It might get a bit hard to breathe.” And then she plunged her tiny stand-in for Simon deep inside of her. She could feel him writhing around deep in her pussy, and his arms managed to find their way to her G spot. Val cried out as her inner muscles clenched in orgasm, and her whole body shook with the powerful release.
She spent the next two hours playfully tormenting her tiny admirer, and as she drifted off to sleep with him held safely between her breasts, her wandering mind drifted towards the future. I don’t know if this was a one-off thing, or if Len is even going to speak to me after everything I put him through tonight. But if he’s still interested, I might just give him a chance. Val and Len Thyne. It’s got a nice ring to it.