As I Breathe (One Breath at a Time: Book 2) (27 page)

Heat coursed through my veins, provoking warm sensations below my waistline, and further down, coupled with strong cravings fpr the touch of a man, to smell his scent and to hear sweet nothings dripping from his lips. Shockingly, I had become a voyeur, hidden in the shadows of the stairwell and spying on the intimate lovers.

A lascivious impulse grew inside me, unlike anything I had experienced before. In fact, it was that of lust, arousal, and the fear of getting caught watching them that thrilled me to the core. I watched as their skin melted into each other like hot butter on toast. And I began to melt, too, in a sad way for not having an object of my own desire to unleash my shameless attention on.

My eyes widened with further anticipation of spying on the couple. He swiftly tossed her onto the billowy sofa, immobilizing her beneath his strapping muscles. His fingers skated up her torso and slid her skirt down over her supple thighs. She enthusiastically shimmied out of her panties and was ready to go. He hovered over her and sank himself between her thighs. Their bodies moved in rhythm, thrusting back and forth, as their hands thrashed and caressed each other.

They were entangled in a sweet dance of easy familiarity. My eyes drank in every sordid detail as I enjoyed the pleasure of watching them. He paraded his lips over her flesh, punctuating her body with kisses. Her fingernails gripped into his flesh, leaving behind traces of red marks down his arms. In one swift move, she wrestled out from beneath him and climb on top of him. Her legs straddled him as if he was a stallion. Now, hovering over him she was back in control—his tongue tantalized her erect nipples, devouring completely devouring first one, and then the other. An intense rush of arousal spooled between my legs as I witnessed her climactic vibrations; her back arched into a half circle. Within seconds her body collapsed into his. His head lolled back as his chest jolted upward, spooning into hers. They both lay peacefully as he continued to tenderly kiss her face. Soon, a blanket of stillness embraced them. Sweet satisfaction splayed on their faces.

-26-

Damn Him!

I sat there in the dimly lit stairwell, feeling bereft and forsaken, once again. Was this it? I’d hoped for more, the show must go on. I wrapped my arms around my own waist and sank into myself.

In the solace of the stairwell, my mind drifted back in time, it had been nine months since I’d been with the Spencer. We never went as far as what I had just witnessed. I was adamant about waiting until marriage. Still, I longed for someone to hold me. Someone who was trustworthy, loyal and honorable, and that was just the start of my needs. My list could go on and on.

A refreshing gentle wind swirled around me once more—it felt real, like fingers caressing the loose strands of my hair—pulling my attention away from the couple. But only for a brief moment. I shuddered at the thought that I was now a legitimate peeping Tom, or more precisely, a peeping Tomtress! How pathetic of me.

Is this the beginning of an addiction, I wondered?

Would spying on my neighbors become my nightly, salacious, big screen television across the street? I hoped not. It was both lurid and sadly pitiful the way they’d shown off their lovemaking to the world. Surely, they knew that people could see them in the giant fishbowl. Maybe, it was the stimulus of their bliss, because the likelihood that someone
was
watching was greater than not. Everyone watched everyone in Paris.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be someone’s shadow against the wall opposite the stairwell. I hushed my breath and quietly listened to hear if someone was approaching. There was definitely a creaking sound. However, it was clearly coming from somewhere above me, so I knew it couldn’t be Mr. Piccart.
Thank God
, I thought...but then again, who else could it have been?

I quickly scooted over and pressed my back up against the wall of the stairwell, hiding myself. I didn’t blink, or move a muscle at all, but my eyes scanned the area surrounding me.

When I looked upward toward the ceiling, I could see the old chandelier swaying back and forth in the stairwell’s tall ceiling above me, causing the chain to creak. The lights from the chandelier skipped through the open rafters, making the shadows dance across the coffers in the ceiling. I figured this also caused the shadow on the wall.

I released my breath in a huge sigh of relief. I certainly didn’t want to get caught fish-eyeing my neighbors having sex—
or did I?

Nonetheless, that moment of fear wasn’t greater than my curiosity. I refused to let a little breeze kill the only passion I had felt in ages, even if only vicariously experiencing it through my neighbor’s sex life. I focused my attention back on the couple. I hoped I hadn’t missed anything significant since there was no rewind button here. It appeared they were now at the top of act two.

Beads of sweat glistened on the man’s forearms. When he stood—so did his manly equipment.

In the throes of their passion, his bicep muscles expanded. Without any effort, he hoisted the voluptuous woman up against the wall. He nibbled fiercely on her womanly curves as if he was starving for her flesh. This visual stimulated my nipples to perk up beneath the flimsy fabric of my t-shirt.

The feline woman lifted one leg, hooking it over his flexed forearm as she wrapped her other leg around his narrow waist. I could see his hand reaching down supporting her pale derriere. She nestled her face into his broad shoulders, kissing and biting him all at once.

His tongue slowly grazed a path along her neck then met precisely with her purring lips. Before kissing her, he paused to adoringly push back her wild strands of hair coiling around her face.

I could clearly see she was more beautiful than what I had previously thought; her once-pale skin now flushed like the
color of a soft pink rose petal. His hands held her face while they kissed passionately.

I loved being held firmly when kissed.

In one swift movement, he flipped her around—her large breasts melted into the wall. His hands cupped her waist, pulling her closer into him and teased her from behind with the tip of his oversized package.

My heart skipped a beat as he sank himself into her sex, anxiously, yet lovingly. She was his submissive. Behind her he controlled the thrust and the momentum. My flesh coveted my neighbor’s as they offered me an unhindered view of their intimate treasures.

Damn them!
Again, a powerful breeze ruffled around me, sending a jet stream of air through the torn holes in my jeans. The breeze felt exhilarating, one with me, alive and joined me as I intensely watched the love thirsty couple change positions yet again. These two apparently did not need a bed. They were sexual acrobats and seemingly tireless.

My body longed to be touched and to touch another. I resisted the urge to touch myself, even secluded in this private corner of the stairwell, in a building, as far as I knew only an old man and I had occupied. Still, I withstood my temptations.

Even though I appeared to be a voyeur, I wasn’t about to satisfy myself—for now, I inhaled and exhaled slowly, mirroring my breathing to theirs as he took her to sublime heights. I could see her mouth open, crying out her passion, and her face contorting into a beautiful grimace.

“
Mmmmm,” I sighed wistfully, taking in deep breaths of fresh air. I wondered for a second, why I hadn’t surrendered my virginity to Spencer. Instinctively though, I knew I’d made the right decision in the end.

-27-

Caught Off Guard

A large dark shadow crossed the wall opposite from me, again. It was as if someone had passed by the dim light on the staircase landing above me, which would have caused the shadow to form in front of me. The hairs on my arms elevated, sending goose bumps along the entire length of my body. I knew I was definitely not alone now.

Hard pressed against the wall, a small cry of alarm escaped me. I tried to recoil into the facade of the shadow created by the overhanging balcony. Inadvertently my arms crossed in front of my breasts.

This time I felt a strong presence hovering. There was someone in the darkness on the landing above me. I was certain of this.

Had I previously mistaken the sound of the creaky chandelier for someone who had been there all along, watching me as I watched my neighbors, and before I could finish my thought, I heard a man’s voice loud and clear.

“Are you disappointed they’re through?” he asked boldly.

My body recoiled in shock. Although his voice was smoldering, deep and alluring, I froze instantly.

“Do you enjoy watching other people having sex?” he asked. I couldn’t believe what I heard. The deep tone of his voice surrounded
me, dripping with testosterone and
echoed like the gong of a bell into the dome of the ceiling.

A huge dose of adrenaline rushed through my body. The heat was overwhelmingly powerful. Rooted to the spot where I sat, I couldn’t bring myself to move. My mind was inundated with several fleeting thoughts.

Oh my God! What do I do, scream, run?

Then a twisted thought entered my devious little mind...the thought of him being there all along, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself sort of thrilled me. I couldn’t get over how mesmerizing and
damn
sexy his voice sounded.

Then it occurred to me. What if he was dangerous, or worse yet, a police officer? The thought of being handcuffed and arrested for spying on my neighbors made me ill. I’d surely lose my writing commission and the amazing opportunity I’d been offered.

I should have been more fearful of the possibility of being in imminent danger, but the fear of getting arrested in a foreign country scared me more. I’d never researched the laws in Paris. I’d never had a reason to investigate the penalty for being a
peeping Tom
in any country, let alone in France.

If my face were plastered in the newspaper for being arrested, the humiliation and shame of it would destroy me. I couldn’t imagine: “American Novelist Peeps Shamelessly at Unsuspecting Neighbors having SEX.” My blooming career as a respected mystery author would be over! What had I done?

The thought of this overwhelmed me more than whomever the man was. A shockwave of “I-am-going-to-be-sick” hit me in the pit of my stomach. At least, I had not touched myself. All I was guilty of was allowing my eyes to betray the law by not looking
away from the live sex show across the street. That would be my defense.

“
I wasn’t really watching. I’m just sitting here,” I calmly replied, defending my position. Just in case he was a cop.

“
Looked to me as if you were. I believe it’s illegal to watch unsuspecting people have sex.”

“
I think it’s more than sex,” I contested under my breath. “I think they love each other,” I said bravely, raising my voice to whomever and wherever he was. “At least, they appear to be in love.”

“
Yes they do. Have you ever been in love?” he probingly asked, and then added. “Would you like to be?”

Who the hell are you, talking to me like this? We are on a need to know basis, and you don’t need to know.
I dared not say this out loud for fear of angering him. I wasn’t in the position to provoke the unknown man into possibly coming after me.

I slowly rose to my feet, keeping my body buried in the shadows and choosing to ignore his questions. I didn’t want to instigate his pretentious banter either. Inch-by-inch, I leaned over to pick up my purse and boots that laid on the step below me.

When I bent over, I could feel the moistened fabric of my jeans clinging to the curve of my ass. My entire body had broken out into a sweat when I discover he was there. I entertained a momentary vision that the intruder was actually my lover, and he would swoop down and ravish me on the staircase. That was just a dumb and desperate, fleeting romantic thought.

My nerves calmed somewhat. I didn’t peg him as a police officer, especially since his questions were inappropriate. Although I didn’t detect he was threatening or dangerous either. Despite this I pulled out my keys. Attached to the ring was a small canister of mace. I covertly positioned the mace in the palm of my hand, preparing to use it, if necessary. My eyes swept back up to the couple,
act three already in progress.

He spoke again, this time with a gentler and more soothing tone. “You seem scared. I’m not here to hurt you, so why are you leaving before the end of act three?” There was a long pause. “I liked watching
you
watch
them
.” Heat in my cheek burned.

Act three
…
is he a mind reader?
No time to think—I needed to get past him. His audacity and persistence answered my question. He definitely wasn’t a police officer. A weirdo was more like it. Of course I may have looked like one to him as well.

I should have run then. Instead, curiosity made me brave. After all, I was a mystery author, always on the lookout for my next hook. I was hoping for motivation and perhaps he was it. I could use him as a muse and fit him into my next novel.