I was in the third week of unbearable heartbreak when Olive showed up at my door, carrying a pillow. 

"I brought you something special," she said, "to borrow for the night." That Saturday evening, she was dressed up for a date with her boyfriend, Richard. The pillow in her arms looked incongruous, to say the least.

Olive and I had worked together for several years, becoming best friends in the meantime, and though I saw her almost every day, I still had to marvel at her beauty. With her wavy blonde hair and large hazel eyes, she was breathtaking. No wonder she had a man like Richard worshipping the ground she walked on. 

My dark hair was a tangled mess. I hadn't even bothered to brush it that day. Now, I smoothed the strands back from my face while blinking in confusion.

"You brought me a pillow?"

"Not just any pillow, Cate." Olive stepped into my shoebox apartment and offered me her gift. "I promise this will help."

I knew she meant well, but I had to bite back a retort as I held out my arms. How would a three-foot-long body pillow ease the pain consuming me?

Unlike my friend, I would be spending the night alone. My boyfriend of almost a year, the man I'd hoped to marry, had recently told me he'd met someone else. And by met, he meant slept with. 

Since then, Olive had spent numerous evenings trying to console me. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. My performance at work was suffering as a result.

Staring down at the pillow draped over my arms, I saw that its fabric appeared to be made from leftover pieces of a patchwork quilt. And while the squares were neatly stitched together, the sides of the pillow weren't stitched at all. Rather, they were adorned with large, pearlescent buttons. This caused the fabric to gape open a bit at regular intervals, revealing a bit of the stuffing inside. It looked to be filled with cotton, but when I worked a finger between two buttons, I gasped to find the pillow's interior warm and squishy.

"Don't poke him!" Olive swatted at my hand. 

Despite my sadness, I almost snorted with laughter. "Him?"

"Yes," she replied, still indignant. "We call him Teddy. He's been in my family for generations."

"Why Teddy? It's a pillow, not a bear."

My friend rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Because that's his name. My great-grandmother made him, and over the years, he's been passed down from mother to daughter. Mom gave him to me when I graduated from high school."

I couldn't help but regard the pillow with a newfound appreciation. The fabric's bright colors hadn't dulled much over time. 

"At first, I didn't understand why Mom insisted that I have him," Olive went on. "But she said there are times in a woman's life, before she's married, and maybe even after, when she needs a certain kind of comfort that Teddy can provide."

Though I had no idea what that meant, I was touched by Olive's thoughtfulness. Still, I tried to return the gift. "I can't take this," I protested. "Even for one night. It's a family heirloom, and Teddy clearly means a great deal to you."

Olive merely smiled. "I know you'll take good care of him. Now, I have to run; Richard and I have dinner reservations." She started toward the door. "Here's what I want you to do, Cate. I want you to take a nice, hot bath and relax. Then, I want you to lie down in the bed with Teddy next to you. He's stronger than he looks, so feel free to hug him tight. You should be completely naked. That way, it's easier to soak up all his powerful energy."

"Wait, what—"

She rushed on as if I hadn't spoken. "And put on your sleep mask. Don't take it off."

Before I could ask any more questions, she planted a kiss on my cheek. "I'll be back for him tomorrow. And whatever happens tonight... just go with it, okay? Don't question it, or try to make sense of it." Her eyes had a strange gleam that only deepened my puzzlement. "You're in for a treat, Cate."

Then she was gone, and I was left holding her cherished possession.

At a loss as to what to do, I obeyed my friend's instructions. After placing Teddy on my bed, I went to soak in the tub until much of the tension had seeped from my muscles. I combed out the tangles in my hair and brushed my teeth, avoiding my pallid reflection in the mirror. 

In my bedroom, I didn't bother with a shirt or panties. Instead, I retrieved my sleep mask from the nightstand drawer. Once I'd drawn back the covers and placed Teddy in the spot where my former boyfriend used to sleep, I turned off the light and slipped into bed beside the pillow. 

My sleep mask made the darkness absolute. Lying on my side, I dared to reach for Teddy so I could draw him close. The fabric was soft against my bare skin, and I soon realized it provided a soothing warmth. With an idle hand, I stroked the length of the pillow. One of the buttons grazed my nipple, reminding me I was stark naked.

Breathing in, I caught a scent, both strange and comforting. The pillow smelled like clean laundry on a clothesline, and also baking bread in a hot kitchen. I was overcome by the urge to get even closer to Teddy. In moments, I had not only my arm wrapped around him, but my leg as well.

In this position, my crotch was pressed firmly against the pillow's side. Growing bolder, I rocked my hips a little and was pleased to discover I was able to work my clit against a cool, smooth button.

It seemed wrong, even disrespectful, to be using the pillow for my pleasure, but it was as if I couldn't stop myself. My nipples grew harder while my hips moved faster.

Teddy grew warmer in my embrace. Soft cries escaped my lips, for it felt so good to hold him. Right now, I could almost believe there was indeed a comforting presence in my bed.

It was then that I sensed a movement in the fabric. My cries choked off into a startled gasp. At my breast, I felt something like lips. 

I struggled not to scream when those lips circled around my nipple. My hips froze, and my body became rigid with fear. The sound of a suckling mouth drifted to my ears.

Just go with it, Olive had said. Don't try to make sense of it.

It was as if she knew something like this would happen. That the pillow—Teddy—would soothe me in such an intimate way. Was this the kind of comfort Olive's mother said a woman sometimes needed? 

I was afraid, even terrified. But I didn't pull away. Though I kept the sleep mask in place, I was certain my nipple had been drawn into the side of the pillow. That gape in the fabric, made by strategically placed buttons, served a clear purpose now.

My loud moan pierced the room's quiet. That phantom mouth continued its work, and I swore I felt a tongue and teeth. But how? How was any of this possible?

Don't question it, I reminded myself. Again, my hips struck up a lewd rhythm. By now, I was quite wet and smearing my juices all over the pillow. I'd spot clean it in the morning, before Olive returned. I knew I wasn't the first woman to enjoy Teddy like this.

I didn't hold back while grinding my pussy against the pillow and delighting in the feel of a button's pressure on my clit. It wouldn't take long for me to come. I hadn't orgasmed since my boyfriend left me.

I was at the precipice, my muscles straining for release, when I felt something hot and bulbous prodding my slick folds. It took all my willpower not to rip off the sleep mask.

"Teddy," I whimpered. 

In response, he placed himself right at my opening. The pressure was firm but gentle as he hovered there, waiting.

I had to be dreaming. This couldn't be real! 

Through my astonishment, I felt a surge of shame. My cheeks burned with it. I wanted this to be real. I wanted more from Teddy, more than I ever imagined possible. 

Still, I hesitated. Masturbating with a pillow was one thing. Allowing Teddy's... appendage to penetrate me? That was crossing a filthy line, one I couldn't retreat from.

My body made the decision for me. It had no qualms about easing forward to take Teddy inside my pussy.

The forbidden boundary was crossed inch by inch. Just as it felt like a human mouth was latched onto my breast, it felt as though a human cock was burying itself inside me. Its length and girth were substantial, more than I was used to.

Once I'd taken all of that dick which protruded from the pillow's side, I lay still for a long moment. My breathing had grown shallow, and I willed myself to calm down. 

It was done, I told myself. No going back now. 

Teeth gritted in resolution, I began thrusting my hips back and forth. Each time my pussy collided with the pillow, I felt the pearl button tapping at my clit. 

"God, yes," I groaned.

I was the one in control; I was the one doing the fucking. My nipple had slipped free of Teddy's mouth, but his cock remained within me. I started a wild rutting, desperate to climax. All the while, I kept my arm wrapped around the pillow.

Just seconds later, I came hard, my entire body quaking. With my face pressed against Teddy, I managed to muffle my cries. The orgasm seemed to shake off remnants of my grief, leaving me whole once more.

Eager to prolong this bliss, I continued bucking my hips. My movements delivered a series of aftershocks to my core. 

I was still reeling when I felt Teddy's cock pulse inside my cunt. Immediately afterward, hot spurts bathed my inner walls. The sensation shocked me out of my lingering ecstasy.

"What the fuck!" I shrieked, sliding away from Teddy. Fluid leaked out of my well-used pussy.

Leaping from bed, I removed the sleep mask and turned on the light. I whirled around to find the pillow almost exactly as it had appeared when Olive first brought it to my apartment. Only now, it bore a wet spot from my lubrication.

I backed away, never allowing my stare to stray from Teddy. With a hand cupped between my thighs, I darted to the bathroom. 

Teddy's ejaculate had the color and consistency of precum. It lacked the bleachy odor of semen. I trembled while examining the fluid that coated my fingers.

Had this ever happened to Olive? I wished I could ask her.

Instead, I relieved myself and then washed between my legs. Returning to my room, I considered moving Teddy from my bed to a nearby chair.

But I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not after what we'd shared. It would be like turning my back on a lover after an amazing night together.

So I switched off the light and slipped beneath the covers, making sure to leave plenty of space between me and the pillow.

Somehow, I drifted off to sleep. At some point in the night, I turned toward Teddy and pulled him close. That comforting warmth again engulfed me, and I soon had my leg draped over him as well. I smiled to feel that eager mouth at my breast.

"I need you again," I whispered. Though I wasn't wearing my sleep mask, the darkness prevented me from seeing Teddy. I had to rely on touch alone.

Turning onto my back, I drew him on top of me. I positioned the pillow's side between my spread legs, then began sliding it up and down. The buttons provided a delicious friction. 

"Fuck me!" I begged. "Please!"

I'd barely finished speaking when I felt that large cock emerge from the pillow's depths. Frenzied with need, I lined it up with my entrance. My God, it felt so human in my hand!

Without hesitation, I thrust Teddy inside me. Gripping the pillow, I pumped its appendage in and out. The wet sound of our fucking filled the room. 

In minutes, I was quivering, already close. Making sure Teddy didn't slip free, I changed our position so I was on top. My hips moved at a frantic pace as I rode his dick.

"I'm almost there!" I panted. "You can come inside me again!"

This time, we climaxed together. My body jerked with spasms while Teddy flooded my pussy with his release. Each exquisite contraction was strong enough to bring tears to my eyes. 

Finally, I eased off of Teddy to lie at his side. Nestling close, I gave him a squeeze and brushed my lips against the fabric. 

"Thank you," I said, my lips curved in a satisfied grin. "You've made me feel so much better."

I fell into a sound, dreamless sleep, not waking until late the next morning. Before taking a shower, I tended to Teddy, gently cleansing him of all traces of last night's lovemaking. While working to make sure he was good as new, I planted grateful kisses along his length. My tongue teased each button lining his sides.

Olive arrived that afternoon, her face full of expectation. I ducked my head in an effort to hide my shy smile as I held Teddy close. 

"He's wonderful," was all I said.

But that was enough, for Olive clapped her hands and let out a delighted squeal. "I knew he could help you!"

"Thank you for letting me borrow him." It was difficult to keep the emotion from my voice. Reluctantly, I held out the pillow.

My friend took a step back. "Keep him a while longer. Richard and I have been spending almost every night together, so I imagine Teddy feels a bit neglected, especially after all the attention I gave him in the past. He's probably as lonely as you are."

Already I was shaking my head. "Olive, I couldn't..."

"You can," she quietly insisted. "You're still nursing a broken heart, Cate. Let Teddy give you more of his comfort."

I tenderly stroked the pillow's fabric. Beneath my palm, Teddy grew warm. I could have sworn I felt him pulse with pleasure.

Maybe, just maybe, I could give him comfort as well.