by Evie Long
PHANTASMIC
BY
EVIE LONG
Copyright 2012 by Evie Long
Kindle Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing by the publisher, except by reviewers or catalogues not limited to online for purpose of promotion.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
CHAPTER 1
It all started with a mysterious bang.
I’d just moved into the sunny little bungalow on Holt and was so busy unpacking and getting all my electronics and papers set up and organized, that I was ready to fall into bed exhausted by 3 AM – even though the bed wasn’t made and I had no idea where the sheets were.
But at least I knew where my old pink robe was – it was hanging all alone in the closet. I hadn’t gotten around to unpacking my clothes yet but my robe had been brought over personally, by me, in the car. I just couldn’t wait to snuggle into it and conk out on my unmade bed until morning.
I unhooked the underwire which had been digging into my ribs for the past 2 hours, wondering vaguely why I hadn’t taken it off earlier. Ah, sweet relief as I freed my breasts from their brondage (bra-induced bondage.) Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
And I must say, I was pretty happy. If you want to lose a few pounds definitely try moving. Between the stress and excitement and just plain overwhelmingness of it all, you’re pretty much guaranteed to lose at least five pounds in a week.
The Moving Diet. Maybe I should write a book about it.
I considered the idea as I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I really wanted to soak in a nice, warm bath but there was no way I was going to clean it out. And there was NO NO NO way I was going to sit in an unclean tub.
So a shower it would have to be.
I slipped off my sweatpants and underwear in one fell swoop and stepped into the bath. Thankfully the shower knobs weren’t nearly as temperamental as the ones in my old place and I found the right temperature easily.
As the warm water covered me, I immediately felt the stress of the day leaving my body. I reached for the tiny bottle of shampoo which was sitting on the small towel table – and which would have to do, as I hadn’t unpacked my soap yet. I slathered it all over my body and grabbed the handheld shower massager to rinse myself off, when I figured why not christen the place right? Changing the water setting to a more uneven pulse, I aimed it down to get the full effect.
The pulsing water felt like a tongue licking me rhythmically and as the intensity built, I moaned. I was right on the verge of climax…when I heard it.
A loud BANG.
Coming from inside the apartment.
All feeling of excitement left my body and washed down the drain. I grabbed my towel and hurried into the living room.
As I scurried around checking everywhere, I wondered, could something have fallen on its own? Something I’d placed too tenuously on a shelf in my moving exhaustion?
I looked around but didn’t notice anything that would have made that loud noise. And it wasn’t Trevor, my scruffy mutt, who was curled up, asleep on his pillow in the bedroom.
Please, lord, let it not be a rat or something awful like that.
I looked carefully behind some of the boxes stacked in the closet but there was nothing there. And honestly, if it really were a rat, I’d rather not know. Not on my first night in a new place.
I dropped my towel and looked for my robe. Then I gasped, realizing that the sheet I’d hung over the window had become un-taped and fallen to the floor. I knew this because I saw something flicker outside in the dark.
I stood frozen. Stuck. Trying to decide whether I should, 1) bend down and pick up the towel again, 2) make a mad dash for my robe or 3) make a run for the light switch and quickly flip it off.
In the few moments it took me to decide, I stood there, under the bright bedroom light, completely and utterly exposed.
I finally got my brain to work – or rather to slow down enough to make a decision.
Since the light switch was closest, I hurried over and flipped it off. Feeling around for my robe in the pitch darkness, I finally found it on its hanger and put it on. Then I went to the window and bent down to pick up the sheet.
And as I straightened it out to re-tape it to the metal frame, I looked outside and saw what had caused the flicker – my neighbor, the cute one who’d offered to carry in a box for me earlier. He was standing on his side stoop, smoking a cigarette, looking right into my window.
I was horrified. Mortified. And all the other ‘ifieds’ that might imply standing in the dark, cringing and wishing I could melt into the floor in shame.
How could I have humiliated myself so on my first night in my new neighborhood? Usually this level of humiliation would wait until at least night two.
Ucchh. He must have thought I was a total exhibitionist.
And it wasn’t like I was at my fighting weight either – if I was going to accidentally expose myself to the world – or at least to my cute neighbor, I’d prefer to be about 10 pounds lighter.
Oh well.
I comforted myself that it could have been worse. At least I lost my 5 ‘moving’ pounds. Otherwise I’d have to move right back out.
And what about him? How dare he snoop on me that way. Was he just standing out there peeping? Hoping to catch a free show? Had he been watching me the whole time?
How dare he!
Of course it was his side stoop and he did have a dog to walk and it was possible that was simply his preferred method of exit and entry. But still…
I could not have been more embarrassed. Or em-bare-assed, as the case may be. I would certainly give him a piece of my mind when I saw him next. (Actually I was pretty sure I would probably run the other way when I saw him next, but it was a nice, tough-sounding thought.)
With the blinds now safely shut, I crawled onto the bed and snuggled into my robe. I considered starting where I left off in the shower but decided against it. Between the strange noise, the thought of rats, and my being exposed to my neighbor, I was no longer in the mood.
So I told myself I had a headache and went to sleep.
CHAPTER 2
The next morning, I woke up feeling surprisingly great. Not sore at all – even with all the unpacking. I felt like I had not only a new lease on an apartment but also a new lease on life. I was ready to forget my cheating boyfriend, Hal, once and for all and move on with my life.
I happily dressed for work when an image from my previous night’s dream flitted into my brain. There was a guy. A gorgeous, dark haired, dark-skinned guy with the most intense green eyes.
He came to my bedside and leaned over me as I slept. I looked up into his almond shaped, emerald eyes as he moved closer. We didn’t speak a word as his lips found mine. I let out a moan as he kissed me hungrily.
I paused my reverie and looked at myself in the mirror, mid-lipgloss. Oh yes– It all came back. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it – let’s just say that my lack of a sex life for the last three months came to a head. His head. Or rather his lips.
But all day at work I couldn’t stop thinking about him. About it. It was so intense. So hot. Seriously. The long hours as a temp/receptionist at a law firm flew by in a sexy daze. I couldn’t wait to get home and go to sleep again, in the hope that I’d dream of him again.
I knew it was a ridiculous idea but I went to bed early, wearing my sexy, pale pink nightie. It came just up to the bottom of my bu
tt in back, and in front had a plunging neckline of pale lace over the breast area – so that my not-huge breasts looked plump and firm through the sheer material.
Honestly, this nightie drove my ex nuts, especially in those last months after I found out he’d been cheating on me. Though we still slept in the same bed, I was too angry to actually sleep with him. But I still wore the nightie – his favorite, just to drive him crazy. To let him know what he was missing.
He was tortured – or so I hoped.
Of course, tonight there was no one to impress. No one real anyway – and my dream guy would come or not, depending only on how acquiescent my unconscious was. But I figured if I put the nighty on and felt really sexy— maybe he’d be more likely to make an appearance.
And thankfully, he did.
I fell into a sound sleep and almost immediately felt him there with me. Hovering over me.
“Hello,” he said, his voice low and seductive. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” I said. He leaned in, kissing my lips. Parting them with his tongue which he slid into my mouth.
I sunk into dreamy pleasure as he pressed his mouth down harder on mine and reached into the pale pink lace, fondling my breasts.
I felt myself growing wet. I shimmied out of the top of my nightgown. He looked at me, a sensuous half-smile on his lips.
“You’re beautiful,” he said. He moved his mouth down and began kissing my neck and then my breasts. His hand moved down into my underwear, caressing me.
He turned me over and then moved up behind me, kissing my neck. I could feel his hot breath on my ear. His hands moved over my body as he pressed himself up against me from behind.
I moaned.
“You like this,” he said, his voice low. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. He could see I liked it. Feel I liked it.
He breathed in my ear, moving in and out of me slowly. I screamed in orgasm and clenched myself against him.
“You like this,” he said again.
“Yes,” I said. Yes.
After my shuddering stopped, he held me tight.
“But you didn’t come yet,” I said.
He didn’t answer.
I wanted to look back at him, to lift my head and turn around, but I couldn’t move. I felt so comfortable there, in his arms. So comfortable.
I must have slept eight hours straight.
I woke up late the next morning, well-rested and relaxed. The phone was ringing and I answered it quickly.
“Arden?”
“Lilly, Hi. What time is it?”
“It’s ten. Your voice sounds different. What’s up?”
“I slept really well,” I said, sitting up. As I reached for the curtain to move it aside and let in more light, I saw that the top of my nighty was down around my waist. My breasts were fully exposed, just like in my dream.
Wow – I really must have been writhing around.
I tried to focus on what Lilly was saying. She was asking me to meet her for brunch.
“Sure,” I said, touching my neck.
I got up and looked in the mirror. It felt like there was some sort of welt on the back of my neck.
“Okay great. So I’ll see you in an hour,” she said.
“Yup,” I answered.
“You’re sure you’re okay? You sound weird.”
“I’m fine. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up and reached down. My undies were still damp. I stepped out of them and dropped my nighty as I hurried into the shower to wash the sweat from last night off my body.
Again I felt that mark on my neck and frowned.
CHAPTER 3
“I had the most amazing dream. About this amazingly handsome guy.” I didn’t look at Lilly as I grabbed a roll from the basket in front of me. I pulled the soft, warm bread apart and popped a big hunk of it into my mouth.
Lilly shrugged. “You’re just dreaming about sex because you’re not getting any. How long has it been since you broke up with Hal? Five months?”
“Three,” I said defensively. “Okay, maybe four.”
“And you haven’t even gone on a date in all that time.” She was looking at me accusingly.
“I’ve been busy with work. And looking for the perfect apartment. And moving. And…” I tried to think of a decent excuse. “Besides, no one of any interest has asked me out. Just Vince, that guy from work, who doesn’t seem to realize yet that he’s gay.”
Lilly rolled her eyes. “Maybe Scott knows someone to fix you up with, from his firm.” She squinted off, thinking about it.
I shrugged. Ate more of my roll. Here I’d been in such a good mood from my dream – and now I was starting to feel embarrassed. It was just a dream after all. No matter how good it was. No matter how soft his lips were, how green his eyes, how hard his biceps, how big his…
“Arden? Hello? What’s wrong with you? It’s like you’re in dreamland today.”
I wish.
“Lilly, if you could have seen this guy in my dream. He was really…sensual.”
She was squinting at me, frowning. “I’m definitely going to ask Scott to find you someone.”
I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and bought some essentials, like decaf coffee, fake creamer, fake sugar and fake butter, as well as a huge, jumbo sized container of toilet paper.
Just as I began placing my items on the conveyor belt at the checkout counter, I noticed a cute guy getting into line behind me.
Figures. I never have cute guys in line behind me unless I happen to be buying jumbo sized containers of toilet paper. Oh well, there wasn’t going to be any way to hide it so I turned my back, ignoring him. Then I heard his voice.
“Hey. Hi.”
I turned, surprised that he was talking to me.
“I think you’re my new neighbor,” he said giving me a small but adorable smile.
“Oh,” I said. I felt my face turning red as I realized that this was the guy. With the dog. Who saw me naked. I didn’t know what to say.
“Hi,” I half-smiled back. I glanced down at the items in his cart: beer and cans of dog food. Yes, this was definitely my neighbor.
“Are you new in town?” he asked.
I shook my head no, grateful that he didn’t mention my humiliation from the other night. “I used to live in Hollywood with my boyfriend.”
He nodded as my items started moving forward on the conveyor belt. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could about the jumbo pack of toilet paper which was too big to hide but I’d be damned if I was going to let him see that big box of panty-liners still in my cart.
So as he bent down to begin unloading his items, I quickly shoved the panty-pads underneath the Supersized bag of ChocoChips Cookies on the counter. But then I realized I didn’t really want him to see those either so I surrounded them carefully with my two bags of lettuce, hiding them from sight.
Whew. That looked better.
But just as I finished creating my neat pile, the cashier finished ringing up with my other items and was about to undo all my handiwork.
I had to distract my cute neighbor somehow, as he was now just standing there watching my stuff move by.
“So!” I said, turning brightly. Too brightly. He looked at me, clearly startled. “So…um!”
I knew I sounded like a lunatic as I tried to think of something distracting to say. But I just needed for him to turn around for a few seconds. “Um…can you hand me one of those?” I said, pointing to the items hanging on the metal stand behind him.
He turned to look. “One of these?” he asked, puzzled.
“Yes. Yes, I really need one of those!”
I glanced back towards the cashier. She had just scanned the panty liners and was handing them off to the bag-boy who placed them in a bag. The large bag of cookies was next and the bag-boy got them into the cart just as my cute neighbor unhooked the item I’d asked for.
"Here," he said, turning to hand it to me.
“Thanks.�
�
I placed the item quickly on the conveyor belt and as the cashier scanned it, I saw it clearly for the first time.
A nose hair clipper? Really? Since when do they even have nose hair clippers at the grocery store? They have things like batteries. Like lighters. Maybe 3-packs of chewing gum, but nose hair clippers? Just what kind of neighborhood had I moved into?
I paid the checkout lady, averting my eyes – feeling like a total idiot. Though on balance, maybe it wasn’t so awful. At least I’d distracted my cute neighbor from that massive box of sanitary pads which was now safely in my cart.
I was just turning back to tell him goodbye, when the checkout lady paused and frowned at the receipt that she was handing me. “Oh lookie,” she said. “It looks like we didn’t give you the discount on that supersized container of pads.”
I glanced at my neighbor and smiled, then turned back to the checkout lady, shaking my head nervously. “Oh, that’s fine. It’s not a big deal,” I said, trying to appear nonchalant.
“But it’ll save you two dollars. Who doesn’t want to save two dollars! Jose, pull those ‘pounds of pads’ back out!”
I was shaking my head no, emphatically, just as Jose reached into one of the bags and pulled out the big box of panty liners. He hefted it back on to the conveyor belt with a grunt.
Great.
I grabbed the two dollars from the checkout lady and shoved them into my bag, slinking away as fast as I could.
“Bye,” my cute neighbor said. “See you later.”
I nodded without even looking back. I couldn’t – I was too ashamed.
Okay. So my cute neighbor now thought of me as a hairy-in-weird-places, menstrually challenged
, jumbo-toilet-paper-needing exhibitionist.
Oh well. I just had to never see him ever again. Even though he lived four feet away.
CHAPTER 4
That night I decided Lilly was right. I was going to forget all about my dream lover and focus on my dream career. After all, I was only working temp jobs because I wanted to stay in Hollywood and break in as a screenwriter.