Chapter 1: The Coffee Shop
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I was at this coffee shop I go to sometimes. I’m not much of a coffee drinker so I
can usually be found with some sort of tea. I mainly like the atmosphere. No one is in a rush to get anywhere. People cluster around tables in cushy chairs to socialize. Others occupy a secluded corner and read while they take in their choice of menu items. A few huddle over their laptops and enjoy a relatively quiet place to work. It all relaxes me. I belong in the “corner chair” group. Although, I rarely make it very far in any book though I pick some good titles. It’s all for show. I’m there to watch.
A young couple is cozying up in two of the low plush chairs near a small fireplace in a
corner opposite the one I haunt. This is not a first date for them. But, it doesn’t seem they’ve become intimate yet. Their nonverbal communication belies a nervous anticipation of things to come and their interactions are absent the familiarity common to more practiced couples. She leans on the arm of her chair toward him, kicking her shoes onto the floor and folding her legs into the copious space afforded by the overly large seat. She is intently watching him as he speaks. The hem of her flower print skirt shifts as she settles into a comfortable position revealing a portion of the natural pale canvas adorning her slender legs.
He adopts a casual air of feigned disinterest and macho stoicism. But his eyes are smoldering with affectionate lust each time he glances her direction. It’s as if the entire shop is empty save for these two by the way they are acting. She’s comfortable with him and wants to be close. He gestures with the hand not holding his drink as he regales her of some interesting facet of his life. With one foot resting on the small coffee table in front of him, he slouches back a bit in his chair while he stretches his other leg underneath the same table. He holds his warm mug to his lips and delicately samples his confection, blowing in between sips. But, his eyes have now found hers and as he lowers his drink, they share a quiet break in their conversation. His affectations melt away. The energy between them is palpable to anyone caring to observe. They both begin to think about it, but don’t realize the other is already imagining the tryst to occur later that evening. It’s far too subtle for either to recognize in the moment. From my vantage, it is clear as day. They are going to fuck for the first time tonight.
“Would you like another Chai Tea?” I’m stirred from my not so secret observation of the young couple by one of the coffee shop employees. I look up to see a young woman with blonde hair in dreadlocks bundled behind her head by an interesting cloth and leather piece. She’s wearing an apron emblazoned with the coffee shop’s clever name and logo. It’s hard to tell exactly how tall she is from my seated position. I’m guessing not much over five feet given I barely need to raise my head to look in her face. Her clothes are a mixture of dark denim and other earthy tones. An assortment of bracelets and wraps decorate her wrists and look like they have for a while. Her lips are cocked in a smirk. She caught me watching. I smile somewhat sheepishly at her having my secret pastime revealed.
“Yes. Yes, that would be nice.” She removes my old cup from the table beside my
chair and retreats to the kitchen area rescuing, a few other stranded dishes on her way. My eyes wander back to the young couple and their hands have become entwined over the arms of the chairs. Her two little hands are holding one of his as his arm reaches the distance between them. They continue to talk and she gently caresses his skin, discovering each nuance of his hand. After a few minutes, she seems to respond physically to something he’s said. She smiles brightly and clutches his hand to her chest causing him to lean forward in his chair, bringing their faces closer together. He leans in. Anticipating his desire, she leans in too. Their kiss is both tender and anxious at the same time.
“My name is Keri. If you need anything else just let me know”. Ah, my waitress
has returned. She places my fresh Chai on the table and as she straightens up our eyes lock. The angle is different this time and the subtle lights spread throughout the shop reveal a very pretty young woman. Her cheeks are a bit tan and flushed from her rapid rounds of the coffee house. Her eyes have an ornery twinkle to them, like she knows some secret. The smirk is still firmly planted on her mouth, not at all ruining her appearance. But, I can’t tell if she disapproves of my watching or if she’s secretly amused. Her wild hair gives her an exotic look complimenting her natural skin tone. It’s not clear if she is wearing much make-up. The sleeves on her blouse are turned up and I now see an undulating series of tattoos peeking from under the sleeves and trailing onto her forearms. Like an iceberg, I feel as if I’m only seeing a bit of what this young woman has to offer. She is slight without being a waif. Her clothes, while alternative, accentuate her attractive feminine form. During that brief silent exchange I thought that she might be beautiful in any style she chose to adopt. I was immediately attracted to her.
“Keri, do you know the couple in the other corner?” She seems a bit surprised at
my willingness to dispense with the pretense of the book I was reading. I was also a little surprised that I had said anything. Normally I keep to myself. That’s my thing. I watch.
“Uh…what? Who? No, I’ve never seen them before. Do you?”
“Not exactly.” Keri began to head back to the kitchen. “Do you think this is their first date?”
“Um…don’t know, don’t care. They should just get a room.” She uttered the last
dismissively as she turned and made her way around tables, chairs, and other patrons disappearing once again into the kitchen.
I returned to my observations, flipping pages in my book periodically to keep up
the illusion that I was immersed in my own world. The couple had found a proximity that allowed them intimate verbal intercourse punctuated by almost innocent kissing. The heat that spread from them was simply too much to be anything other than the excitement of the first time together. My entertainment was interrupted again and again as other patrons wandered in between me and the object of my fascination. It became difficult to keep an eye on them as the crowd in the coffee shop swelled to capacity.
People of all sorts ventured in that evening. An older gentleman with graying hair and a pretty young woman sat side by side at one of the tables. A couple of other patrons noticed them and gave questioning looks as if to say “he’s old enough to be her father”. They were right. But, to his credit, he was her father. They were close enough to me that I would catch pieces of their conversation from time to time. She was home from school for a short visit. He asked her how her studies were going, if she was enjoying her classes. A middle-aged man came in and quickly swiped a table near an outlet. He produced a laptop from his messenger style bag, plugged in and was quickly pecking away at the chiclet-style keys. A group of three friends sat around another table excitedly talking and gesturing. They looked like some sort of book club discussing their latest chapters. Interesting types walked in all throughout the night, ordered their concoction of preference and made their way out. Pieces of the small crowd that occupied the assortment of chairs and tables turned over as some left and others came in. The shop kept up a decent pace. It was all very droll and normal…except for Keri.
She stopped by my table from time to time and refreshed my tea twice more. I kept an eye on her in particular. I was very curious to see that she also liked to watch. As closing time approached, she began wiping down tables and putting up chairs with practiced efficiency. All the while, she kept her eyes oriented towards the other people. She never became completely immersed in her work but she also didn’t lose momentum. She excelled at doing both simultaneously. Most of the other patrons had left by this time, Romeo and Juliet among them. As Keri approached my seat again, I started to shuffle my things as if to make ready to leave.
“It wasn’t their first date.” She stopped and looked at me when I spoke. “The young couple. From earlier”
“Oh. Right. What are you talking about?” Her face sort of scrunched up in confusion.
“I saw you watching them too. You like to watch.” At this she squared her shoulders at me.
“Look mister, we’re closing and you’re going to have to leave now.” She said this in a tone which meant business, but her eyes and body language betrayed her curiosity and gave the lie to the conviction she voiced. I’d never tried to engage anyone on this level. Something about Keri made me want to push on. She excited me. And I normally was only excited by being that unknown third party. Merely watching.
“Do you want to see more?”
“What do you mean?” her demeanor shifted to confused and wary. I continued to probe. “Do you want to watch them some more? To see what happens next?” She opened her mouth to speak then thought better of it and pressed her lips together again, her brow furrowing. “The girl is a neighbor of mine. I saw the young man pick her up tonight.”
“Oh. So you do know them?”
“Not really. I just recognized them tonight when they came in. I’ve seen them leaving her condo a couple of times now.”
“So what…you’re stalking them?” Her voice rose in pitch but remained hushed. Only the two of us could hear as she leaned toward me. She was really very pretty. It would take a lot more than a few piercings, grunge clothing, a couple tattoos, and some wild hair to disguise her appeal. In her case, it all added to the exotic sexiness that dripped out of her.
“No, nothing like that.” I felt a need to go for it. “I’m a voyeur. I like watching other people be intimate.” Her eyes got wide at this but she didn’t back away. I think she was mainly surprised at how boldly I admitted this to a complete stranger. My heart was racing and I felt an excitement I normally only felt when deeply engaged in my favorite activity. “Look, here’s my number and my address. I’m heading home now because I suspect Romeo and Juliet might be ready to move on to the second act and I don’t want to miss it.” I grabbed her hand and placed the small piece of paper I’d just scribbled on in her palm and wrapped her fingers around it. I made my way out the door without another word as Keri stood there mutely, holding her hand in the same position until I was out of view. I had no idea what would happen next.
Chapter 2: The Condo
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I raced home, my heart thumping in my ears. My skin tingled and every sense seemed
heightened save for hearing. Sounds registered as if they were coming to me underwater. I don’t remember turning onto my street. Or parking. Or walking the short distance to my door. I looked around and my place suddenly seemed slovenly. I quickly stuffed any clutter I found into the nearest hiding spot. By the time I had made a lap around each room of my two floor condo, my heart seemed to be coming off its trip and I was feeling more normal. I turned all the lights down and settled into a chair in my living room near a large picture window facing across a walk.
The condos lined either side of the walk with two units in each building. I was lost in some thought when I noticed her coming up the walk. Keri! I couldn’t believe it. Part of me never thought she would come. This was crazy! She was standing in a pool of light from one of the light posts scattered throughout the property, reading the addresses on each building when suddenly she found mine. She looked all around as if she were lost. She took a few steps back the way she came, turned, and retreated those few steps. It was then she noticed me watching her from my window. Her head dropped, shoulders slumped forward, and she grinned with a humorous look of defeat as she clumped up the few steps to my porch where I met her at the open door. My heart was back to a frantic pace.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Her voice quivered a bit, betraying her nerves. She looked up at me and the indecision was clear on her face.
“Please, won’t you come in?”
“I don’t know. I mean…this is really strange. I’m not sure why I’m here.”
“Trust me. I understand completely. I’ve never done anything like this before either. I was as surprised as anyone that I opened my mouth at the coffee shop.” She seemed to relax a little bit at this. Smiling and making eye contact with me for the first time. She stepped across the threshold with an exaggerated stride as I moved aside and held the door open for her.
“I’m Keri.” She extended her hand as she said her name.
“Mark.” I took her hand. The feel of her skin against mine was electric. I guided her into the adjacent living room where I had first seen her coming down the walk. She sat in the middle of my couch and I sat a few feet away in the matching chair-and-a-half.
“So, Mark. Tell me about this…uh…hobby of yours.” I’m not sure what I expected. But, I didn’t expect that question for some reason. I guess that was apparent on my face. Keri smiled sardonically and seemed to relax a bit more, leaning back into the couch and throwing her feet up onto my coffee table, one atop the other.
“Well. There’s not much to say I guess. I like to watch other people.”
“Don’t you feel creepy? I mean, it’s really kind of creepy.”
“I know. I know!” I paused and looked down at my shoes for a minute. “I’m sorry, would you like something to drink?”
“Whatchya got?” My condo has an open floor plan so I was able to make my way into the kitchen, pull open the fridge and give a quick inventory without interrupting our conversation.
“Beer, wine…red and white…water, scotch, an assortment of mixers.”
“How ‘bout a beer”. I grabbed two bottles and popped the caps off throwing them into the trash in a fluid motion on my way back into the living room. “Now, stop stalling and tell me about this watching.” She made air quotes with her hands when she said the last word. I paused a minute and thought about it.
“I guess it started in college. I lived in an apartment senior year that was on a property with many buildings. The buildings were separated by fairly small distances. I lived on the fourth floor with three of my good friends. In the neighboring building, there was a group of girls in the apartment facing ours. In particular, we could see into one bedroom if the curtains were open. I think they knew we were watching after a while.
At first, nothing really that major ever happened. Then one of my roommates freaked out when he saw a girl changing. We all rushed into his room and watched as she tried on several different outfits. The height of the window only allowed us to see her from the waist up. But, at that time, it was enough.” I paused and took a swig of my beer. Keri was playing absently with the label on the neck of her bottle, her hands interlaced around it in her lap. “She was very pretty. Slight. Honey-brown hair that was straight and silky. Her breasts weren’t overly large. She was simply beautiful. She danced into our view..for all we knew…completely naked.” Keri nervously took a drink as she listened. “My roommates seemed to take it all in stride. You know, normal college-age-guys being perverts and such, giving high-fives to each other like we achieved something great.”
“And you?” I took a deep breath to calm myself.
“I could not get her out of my head. I would come home every day from class and immediately go check the window facing their apartment. Most of the time, nothing was going on. But, every now and then, we’d witness these wonderful moments of the brunette trying on outfits. Occasionally, another girl would join her and they would rifle through the closet together. Part of me felt guilty. Like I was stealing some part of them anytime I witnessed them in their private moments. As time passed, my desire to see them outweighed these feelings.”
“Did you ever meet these girls?”
“Actually, yes. They came to one of our many parties. I talked to a couple of the girls that lived across the way. I never was sure which one was ‘the’ girl responsible for all our shows. And to be honest…I feel like she had to know. I mean…she left her window wide open and the lights on.” Speaking of lights…just then the upstairs window in Juliet’s condo flared to brilliance like some sort of Shakespearean sun. How conveniently ironic for us that the sun was inside shining out. Keri noticed the lights and then looked back at me. “There’s a better view from my bedroom window upstairs.” She didn’t miss a beat.
“Lead the way.” This was completely new territory for me. I’d never shared anything like this with anyone. Keri followed me up the short flight of stairs and into my master bedroom. We left the lights out and I drew the curtains to make sure we had plenty of cover. Keri approached the window and I stood just behind her looking over her shoulder. Juliet was in the middle of the window across the way that was like our personal erotic TV screen. She was talking and gesturing to Romeo who must have been just outside our view. We watched the scene unfold in absolute silence. Romeo stepped into view and wrapped Juliet in a close embrace, leaning in to kiss her tenderly. I heard Keri’s breath catch at that moment. Her arms were wrapped around herself in a sort of hug. The intensity of Romeo’s kissing increased. Juliet retreated ever so slightly and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Moments later it drifted to the floor out of sight revealing his torso. He wasn’t overly muscled but was taut through his waist with wide shoulders. She grabbed his face in both her hands and kissed him eagerly. Her hands trailed down his neck to his shoulders, then his chest, and finally to his waistline. She looked down long enough to unclasp his belt and trousers. Then she disappeared from view, following his pants to the floor. Romeo watched her with a smile of appreciation.
We could only guess that he must be completely in her mouth at this moment. His hips rocked ever so slightly back and forth and every now and then we’d see Juliet reach up to caress his stomach. Romeo’s urgency was apparent. He reached down and lifted Juliet back to a standing position. From there, he picked her right up and she wrapped her legs around him. He turned to his left and placed her somewhat roughly against the wall of the bedroom, his back now facing us. Her skirt was up around her hips by this time. Either she had discarded or never wore any panties. He thrust within her in one swift motion. At the same time, she clung to him with all four limbs as well as her chin resting on his shoulder. We could see the muscles in his back and buttocks clench as he began to pound into her against the wall. Her face clenched in an expression of apparent agony that accompanied the intense physical sensations she was experiencing.
I glanced down at Keri and saw that her eyes were intensely focused and unblinking. She was caressing her right breast and nipple through her shirt with her left hand as she slid her right hand down the front of her pants! Her head started to tilt back as she started to give into the sensations. All at once, she froze. Her hands returned to her sides and she looked up at me, an expression of mortification on her face not unlike Juliet’s expression. The only difference being that Keri’s eyes were wide open. She pushed past me and I heard her feet rapidly descend my stairs. I started after her.
“Wait!” I made the first floor landing just as my screen door was slamming shut and I saw Keri’s hair disappearing from view in my large picture window. She was gone.
Source: reddit.com/r/eroticliterature/comments/iqtnm3/a_voyeur_no_more_mf_chapters_1_2_of_4