The air clung to me, thick with humidity. One of those oppressive Parisian days, hot, sticky and uncomfortable. Not a great day to go shopping, but a girl has to keep in practice.
I've lived in Paris for about a year. What a shopaholic's paradise. Someone with my addiction to spending money doesn't take long to find her way around. Rue du Bac has the exciting Conran shop, Boulevard Raspail is bursting with those typically French boutiques with their snooty 'madames', and my favorite, Rue de la Seine is lined with the most fascinating antiques shops you will ever see.
Paris has a strange ability to look shabby and worn on the outside, but be incredibly exciting and vibrant when you get to know it. Unlike the men I've met here so far, who are just the opposite. Oh well, maybe I'm just too fussy, but it does explain why I often go home alone.
More often than not the carrier bags you get in the boutiques are more opulent than their contents - glossy red, matt black and silver, sunflower and white stripes, gold acrylic - the working girl's badges of office. By the end of the day my arms ached from carrying all my well-wrapped treasures. A lovely crisp white blouse, irresistibly divine lingerie and some exquisite jewelry: you know the kind of stuff - plastic-stretching comfort shopping.
Why comfort? Well, I'd been seeing a man up until yesterday. But then I learned what a complete bastard he is. And I also learned I don't want to see him any more.
We had met up after work for a quick drink, but both knew that quick drinking wasn't what either of us had in mind. We barely got back to my apartment with our modesties intact. As soon as we hit the stairs in the lobby our hands flew to each other's bodies.
"Terri, ma cherie, I have dreamed about you the whole day," the rat panted.
If you've ever tried uncontrollably kissing someone while desperately pulling at his shirt buttons, while trying to climb five flights of stairs, you'll know what I mean. The damned elevator never works. Eventually, we half fell through my front door, and, just barely remembering to kick it shut, collapsed half-naked onto my giant cream sofa. To give the bastard some credit, he is a great lover: he knows how to play my body like a violin - plucking here, scraping there - building me up to a crescendo of lust.
Even though I hate him, I have to admit that Pierre is a great looking guy. Lean and brooding in a typically French way, dark hair and dark eyes - nothing like the guys I normally go for back home in LA.
His mouth closed over my small breast, sucked my stiff pink nipple deep against his magical tongue while his lips squeezed and teased the flesh of my tingling tit. He flicked my tender bud mercilessly, sending waves of joy through my panting chest and down between my legs. The warmth of my arousal was like a fire between my legs as my inner lips swelled. I was wet and I wanted desperately to be touched there. He didn't keep me waiting long. His hand briefly stroked my flat stomach, fingertips teasing my neatly heart-trimmed blonde hairs for a moment before slowly running his middle finger down between my moist lips. My pussy wanted to be filled so badly, I pushed myself against his hand.
"Take your clothes off, Pierre!" I begged him. He didn't need to be asked twice. Pausing just long enough to lick his fingers and flash me a heart-stopping smile, he threw his clothes onto the floor. I was in heaven. His magnificent body was naked, that lovely long straight cock pointing right at me. My legs opened wide without any conscious effort from me, shamelessly exposing my smooth pussy lips. Pierre knew exactly what to do, and I closed my eyes in sheer joy as his clever mouth breathed exquisite pleasures into my cunt.
Pierre's tongue really does have magical properties. He can flick, stroke, caress and ravage a woman simultaneously. He was everywhere, sliding his lips in a slick mixture of my juices and his saliva. Knowing how much I love to be eaten, I was a bit surprised and disappointed when he gave my clit a final kiss and moved up my body.
"Don't stop, that feels so good," I groaned.
"Ma Cherie, I am too excited to wait any longer."
He stopped me from complaining any more by covering my mouth with his. The exotic flavor of my own wetness took my complaints away. His wet and shiny face rubbed against mine as his rigid cock entered me. Even though I was as aroused as I could be, my pussy still gripped him tightly. I experienced that wonderful feeling of fullness as he briefly hit bottom - his pubic bone ground into my clit and his big swinging balls slapped against my ass. That is a feeling like nothing else on earth.
I wrapped my legs tightly around him and encouraged him to pump harder and faster. This time I didn't want tenderness; I wanted satisfaction.
He arched his back and I put my small hands on his broad, well-muscled chest. His nipples are amazingly sensitive; so I raked my fingernails over them, bring a delightful groan to his lips. He loves to be teased there and his cock swelled even bigger inside me. A familiar itching/burning/glowing pressure began to suffuse my body: centered nowhere, centered everywhere. I could tell that Pierre was close to coming too - his eyes were squeezed shut and his whole body seemed to become as hard as his dick.
Then he came. He shuddered, forced himself deeper still into my willing flesh and bathed my insides with his hot sperm. I was so close. Not quite there yet, but near. Very near. I relaxed, expecting him to be a gentleman and keep going long enough to let me come too.
How wrong I was. As soon as his pleasure had subsided, he pulled out and, picking up the first thing that came to hand - my panties - wiped his sticky cock and started to get dressed.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I said, puzzled and rather hurt.
"My darling, that was beautiful," he replied, "but I am so late. I promised to meet Claude in Bar Miguel at 8 o'clock. I'll phone you tomorrow."
"What about me, you bastard? Aren't you even going to finish me off?"
"Cherie, I thought you came before me. I'm sorry; you'll have to finish off for yourself. Just imagine my cock inside you. You'll be fine. I'll make it up to you next time." The front door slammed.
Like I said. Bastard. Ex bastard. Ex boyfriend.
So I went shopping. Trying not to think about him.
I had finished in the boutique district but had kept the best treat until last: a stroll along Rue de la Seine to the river, window shopping in all antique shop Aladdin's caves on both sides of the narrow, cobbled street. I had really spent all the money I wanted to, but something inside me kept telling me that true satisfaction could only come from one obscenely large purchase. But what to buy? The clothes shops were behind me, and, much as I love looking at the antiques, I really don't know enough to buy any.
Then I saw him and fell in love. Not a vaguely interested flutter, you understand. This was full-on, jaw-dropping, stomach-clenching adoration at first sight. He was proud, tall and elegant, in the window of a tiny shop, surrounded by faded prints of Montmartre and eroded stone gargoyles. Just what I needed in my life: a beautiful giant brass telescope on a wooden tripod.
My grandfather had lived near the sea, and it was always my favorite treat to be allowed to spy on the distant ships through his permanently set up captain's telescope. I don't know if it was because I loved to see things so far away, or if it was just the sensual delight of the smooth long case, but I was hooked. I never dreamed of actually owning one, but I just knew that I had to buy this one.
"5,000 Francs," said the shop owner with finality. I drew in a deep breath and made a quick calculation. $750 in real money. It had to be done.
"Amex?" I muttered.
"Bien." Not much talk for such a big hole in my finances. I persuaded him to call me a cab and with that delicious feeling of guilt mixed with excitement made my way home.