If anything, after another visit to the neighbours I’m even more curious.

As before, Russ greeted me at the door and led me up to their flat, and as before Alison was sitting on the sofa and invited me to sit beside her. This time I was slightly more prepared and wore my “Sunday best”, which is to say a pair of smart trousers and a nicer top. Alison was in a skirt and knee-high leather boots, which seemed overkill for indoors.

This time at least Russ sat down some of the time, but he still didn’t say much, and didn’t have tea, but he did bring me a delicious piece of Victoria sponge that Alison had made.

Then at some point Alison said she knew we would get on because she could tell from seeing me across the street that I was the non-judgemental type and had a lot of self-confidence. I asked her what made her say that, because it seems miles from the truth, and she said, frankly, that anyone who was happy to walk around with nothing on and not care who saw her was a very confident person in her book.

I didn’t really know what to say, because despite the fact she’s seen me walking around naked, and I know she’s seen me walking around naked, it’s just not something you expect to be brought up in conversation.

And then she told me about a holiday they’d had in Croatia this year at a “clothing optional” resort, and she said she realised she just loved hanging around with the sort of people who don’t mind showing off their bodies. I asked her if she had stripped off and she said no, absolutely not, but Russ had for the whole week, in all the areas of the resort that it was allowed, which was everywhere except the bar and restaurant.

Well, then she grabbed an iPad from the table and I was shown the holiday photos and told how much I’d like it there. But I was too distracted by seeing Russ in all his naked glory, close up and sometimes mildly aroused, sometimes not, standing beside Alison wearing a variety of summer dresses and sarongs. Like them seeing me nude, I know I’ve seen Russ from a distance, but having his partner show me the pictures of him naked was just… not what I expected.

Russ didn’t say anything the whole time, except nodding when Alison asked him a question about where one of the photos was taken.

After that it was as if the floodgates had opened, and she said how lucky she was to meet someone else who realised that nudity wasn’t just about sex, and just because other women had seen Russ nude it didn’t mean he was available to them. I said I couldn’t agree more and I’d never think that just because someone was naked it meant that we were about to have sex, and Alison said that was really good to hear “wasn’t it Russ” (nod).

So, she said, it was a shame she hadn’t realised for so long, because she had worried about upsetting me if I saw Russ walking around in the nude, but when she saw me do the same she realised it was okay and I’d understand. I nodded and said I understood perfectly, and maybe I did (or do), but I’m not quite sure.

But with time passing apparently they had to go to her parents for dinner, so we exchanged a kiss on the cheek and Russ showed me downstairs again and I came home.

I saw them leave and felt better about walking around in the nude again knowing that they wouldn’t take it as a sign of anything that the first thing I’d done when I got home was leap out of my clothes.

Still, it’s amazing what you can find out about people in the strangest of ways.

I did something I haven’t done for ages today and went clothes shopping. It’s definitely winter, and that means more sweaters. I found a jumper dress that I really liked and then realised I have one from last year that I haven’t worn anywhere near enough.

But since I seem to be having a bit of a coat-and-nothing-else phase, I did find a new one: beige, but closes right up to the neck. It buttons down to below the waist and only ends around the knee, so with that and a pair of stockings I can look completely dressed and no-one will ever guess there’s nothing underneath. I know that’s not exactly exhibitionist, but I’m already looking forward to it.

I saw Mel at the run today and she reminded me about Monday, and also reminded me about the house rules (ala “no clothes in the apartment). I don’t know why but just giving in to them is a bit of a thrill.

Then when I got back home I had a note from the Alison in the flat opposite asking if I wanted to come over for tea and cake tomorrow morning. She left her number on it so I texted a reply to say that would be nice, mainly because I’m curious.

The drinks with Ellie were nice, if I still feel a bit sad. She said she knew things are never the same when a friend gets into a relationship because you don’t see them as much, but she hoped we could carry on doing what we were doing, and that she’d try to make it up for me by whatever dare I was going to come up with. It was odd that it still sounded a bit sexual, though, because I would have thought her new man would take up all her energy. I wonder how far things have gotten. (I didn’t want to ask.)

Anyway, we only got together for a short time because she was going on to see some friends. She did invite me along but I wasn’t really feeling up to it.

I had a briefing with Tim today so I went for as short a skirt as I dared and stockings again. I get the feeling he’s really into that kind of thing. I just wish I had my own office so I could “accidentally” let an extra blouse button pop open while we were talking. It’s funny, because he seems quite flustered when I’m talking to him, like he’s never even talked to a girl before!

Then I went out for a quick lunch with Ha and she said Lily had given her a good grilling over the night I stayed over (because it was obvious to tell I had). Apparently Lily also quite liked the suggestion that I move in with the two of them and do chores to pay my way! I said I could guess what kind of outfit I’d be wearing while I did them, and Ha said what made me think I’d have an outfit? She’s such a flirt even and I think the fact that I’ve never shown even a bit of interest in her (or maybe only the smallest bit) just encourages it.

My Pilates teacher told me I’d improved a lot late tonight! And that I seemed to have quite a bit of energy. I think it’s because I’m suddenly friskier than a cat on heat.

I spotted the guy opposite walking around in the nude again when I got home, so I stayed clothed. They don’t even bother closing the curtains now. I kind of wonder what they think me coming over there might have meant now.

I also got a message from Ellie and I’m meeting her after work on Friday for a quick drink.

I had a dream last night that Mel worked at the office and her rules applied there as much as at her place. I was behind on a load of client work and Mel told Jo that I wasn’t allowed to masturbate until I caught up. While I was typing Jo stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders and then she ended up with them on my breasts and I felt like I was going to orgasm. That’s when I woke up.

It made my catch-up meeting with Jo today seem a bit odd, because it was all I could think about. And I swear I wouldn’t even want to masturbate yet if Mel hadn’t said anything.

On the one hand things have changed about my session with Mel on Monday night, but on the other hand not so much.

I turned up at her flat sometime after six and she buzzed me in. It almost felt weird standing outside her door with my clothes on, now that our Pilates thing was over, but still she made me wait a minute. And then she opened the door, looked me up and down disapprovingly, and said: “Have you forgotten our rules?”

I tried to protest that I hadn’t realised she meant for that rule to continue, but from the way she stood in the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest that she had expected nothing to change.

So I had to hurriedly undress in her hallway. She took each item from me as I removed it, and she even made me take my shoes off before she let me inside. There was something very disarming about removing absolutely everything as she watched.

Once inside we went to a room I hadn’t visited before which was Mel’s office. It was fairly small with a computer desk and two chair, one at the desk and the other to one side which I took. It was comfortable and we ended up sitting opposite each other maybe a couple of feet apart.

Then the quizzing began in earnest. Mel asked me what I wanted from career (not sure), love (not sure. Maybe meet someone?), general happiness (aren’t they the same?) and wouldn’t let up without getting some kind of answer out of me, or if I was vague another question followed. And over time I was just answering every question she asked no matter how personal. All the while Mel was jotting it down in a notepad.

It was quite an experience because some of those things I haven’t thought about anywhere near enough (obviously). It lasted maybe an hour, all the while with me sitting there meekly in the nude as it felt like there wasn’t a single part of my body or soul that Mel couldn’t examine in as much detail as she liked.

Then as an hour passed she said she had plenty to think about and we would put together an action plan, but that was it for this week.

I asked her about her accounts, which was my part of the bargain, and she said I would be doing those next week.

When Mel stood I did too, she moved towards the door and before I knew it I was back in the hallway with coat, skirt and blouse over my arm and shoes in my other hand. I dressed as hurriedly as I could and came home.

It’s weird, because this week she didn’t lay a single hand on my body, but I feel like she’s touched me on a much deeper level. And that’s what I meant when I meant things have changed, but not in the way I thought they would.

Oh, but apparently no masturbating allowed this week. That’s one rule I really wish Mel had omitted.

I had to have the heating turned up to get the through the day in the nude, but I really felt like spending it free and alone. The one strange thing is that it’s a bit weird knowing the couple opposite can see me now that I’ve met them. Somehow it was easier when they were complete strangers.

Ellie messaged me again and we might meet up mid-week for a chat. She probably senses that now she has a man in her life that things are a bit different between us. I hope she doesn’t work out the real reason, though, because that would be way more embarrassing than all the nude things I’ve done.

I hadn’t run for two weeks before this morning and it showed. Bleurgh. Mel said it was good to see me here and she hoped I was looking forward to Monday because she was. And I actually am too, even though I don’t know what’s going to happen.

And now I also feel better about the world (for no reason) I didn’t know what to do with myself for the day. So I ended up stripping down to stockings (and nothing else), putting on a coat and shoes and going for a walk. It was a touch on the cold side so I sat in a coffee, just itching to tell one of the nice waiters that I really wasn’t wearing much at all.

Anyway, I made it home, and wondered if Mel’s masturbation ban was still on. Given that we weren’t doing Pilates I figured not, and in stockings and heels and my feet hitched up in the air on the arms of a chair I had quite the nicest orgasm all by myself.

It’s Friday, and it was bright and sunny (if cold) and I put on a shorter skirt and stockings and a blouse and dragged Tim out for lunch with Rachel, under the guise of “getting to know each other”. He was still very quiet, but quite nice we he did say things, and me and Rachel did our best to quiz him. One thing: he’s most definitely single, and he’s most definitely straight.

I went and sat with him this afternoon and, whoopsie, by skirt rode up just enough to show that, yes, those are stockings and not tights. Wait until he learns I’m not wearing any underwear. (And how exactly am I going to communicate that?)

Then to finish it off I dragged him out to the pub afterwards with a few others, because he’s new and he needs to get to know people. And, you know what, even flirting with someone who’s probably off-limits made me feel better than last week.