A Room with a View

"Mummy look it's a painting of a naked lady! I can see her bottom," Kayleigh hear a young girl cry out. Her mother mumbles something about classical art and she clearly tries to get her daughter moving again. "She's pretty. I like the colour of her hair," the young girl says as she fades away.

A small smile drags at the corner of Kayleigh's mouth. Children are lovely, she thinks. The girl's words make her curious to see who else is walking past. If they can look at her, she sure as fuck can enjoy staring back at them.

She rolls over on her side with one of her long slender legs tipped forward to hide her pussy, as she watches people walk by. Her gorgeous long strawberry blonde hair framing her shoulders and curves, with stray wisps curving against the skin of her soft breasts as they peek out from her tightly crossed arms.

To the public walking past the window all they see is The Rokeby Venus painting, by Diego Velázquez. But to the researchers, Kayleigh does indeed look like an exquisite living painting, her pale skin shining against the royal backdrop.

Something about watching people smiling and pointing at her in admiration starts to loosen the knot of anxiety in her stomach. Slowly her arms start to loosen, and then uncurl until her hard nipples are uncovered, pointing unabashedly at their adoring public. With each movement she makes, her soft skin rubs against the velvet, making her more and more aroused. A small voice in the back of her mind has to admit she's so turned on right now, and her slight readjustments on the sofa have more to do with her secretly trying to rub her wet pussy, than any real need for comfort.

Kayleigh grabs a length of her long hair and artfully drapes it over her front as she tries to hide the hand that slips between her legs. Her back arches involuntarily as her finger brushes the top of her wet slit. She stares intently at the pedestrians to see if anyone noticed. Nothing. She smiles at getting away with something so wicked in public.

Slowly she works her hand in deeper. A sensual moan escapes her lips as a deep red flush wash over her gorgeous breasts. They're the only indicators that she's found her clit. As she starts to circle and press harder against that nub, her shyness starts to melt away.

She rolls more onto her back and opens her legs to get better access. One of her hands reaches up to squeeze her breasts, playing with her nipples. With a soft moan her back arches completely off the sofa, as her legs stiffen, and she reaches her climax.

Kayleigh falls back into the warm embrace of the velvet, completely satisfied. "Oh... wow," she thinks. "It's been too long. Fuck that felt good."

Ever since her boyfriend walked out on her when he found out she was pregnant, Kayleigh's been in a state of never-ending panic. Suspending her studies for a year, moving in with her mother, figuring out how to care for a helpless new life while balancing studying and earning a living. Men and sex have been the absolutely LAST thing she's needed in her life.

As the post-orgasmic bliss starts to wash away, Kayleigh suddenly remembers where she is. Her eyes widen in panic as she stares at the window. And then she breathes a sigh of relief; no one seems to have noticed. She just had her first orgasm on a public stage. "Oh my god," she thinks, blushing beautifully.

Emboldened by her successful escapade, Kayleigh stands up confidently, stretching the kinks out of her muscles. She feels so alive right now; excitement and energy coursing through her. She decides to explore the room a bit more. Perhaps there's things hidden out of sight.

It's several minutes later when she makes her first discovery. There is a slight dent in the wall that when pressed lifts a panel to reveal a toilet. "Oh, thank god," Kayleigh thinks, "I was starting to panic about what I'd do after 4hrs in here."

As she steps into the tiny cubicle and sits down, she suddenly realises there's no way to close the door for privacy. Everyone walking past can see her peeing. She's caught in a moment of indecision. Her face is burning red as she finally let's her stream go. The sound of droplets hitting the toilet only make her feel more mortified.

As she finally wipes herself dry, she looks up to see a businessman looking at her with a sneer of disgust on his face. Shame washes over her, followed by a wave of rage. He looks just like her Ex, that pretentious, limp-dicked, worthless excuse for a man. "Fuck you, you judgement prick!" she shouts at him. So many more words want to pour out that she chokes on her rage. "All men are assholes," she thinks irrationally, her fists clenched at her sides.

It is of course at this moment that she hears Charlie jacking himself off and then cumming loudly. "Oh my god... is ... is someone masturbating in here?" she blurts out in shock.

She can hear his breathing change, shocked at her catching him in the act. "Oh shit... I'm sorry," he mutters hoarsely. "I ... I didn't know anyone else was listening."

Kayleigh's face scowls in irritation, "This is a social experiment, there's a room full of research people listening," she replies sarcastically. And then her own words hit her. Oh, shit they would have heard and seen her masturbating as well! She feels like someone's thrown a bucket of icy water in her face. She's ashamed that she's telling him off for doing the same thing she was doing not a short while ago. How could she have forgotten they're recording every detail of this? She feels like such an idiot.

"I wasn't the only one enjoying myself," he mumbles back defensively.

Kayleigh's back stiffens. Oh god, please tell me he didn't hear me earlier.

*****

CHARLIE

Being caught in the act has definitely ruined his buzz. The experience transports him back to his 13-year-old self being caught by his mom while he was jacking off in this room. His dick shrivels at the memory.

He would sink his head into his hands and pray for death, but they're currently covered in his thick cum. Yeah, he really didn't think this through. He glances at the sofa and contemplates using it as an unofficial cloth.

But she's distracting him with her conversation and her sarcastic comments are making him feel defensive, so he adds sullenly, "The other woman really seemed to get off on the illusion we're being watched by the public."

The silence seems to stretch for a long time.

"Other woman?" she adds.

He frowns, why does she sound happy that there's another woman?

"What do you mean ILLUSION of being watched? Are you not also in a display window at Harrods?"

A smug smile blooms on Charlie's face at knowing something she doesn't. "Oh, haven't you figured it out yet? It's a one-way mirror. They can't see us."

There's more shocked silence. "Bullshit," she says, but there's a note of doubt in her voice.

"I'll prove it to you. Go stand in front of the window and when someone is really close to the glass press your ass against it and see if they react."

Silence.

And then with mutters of irritation, he hears her footsteps. He knows she's done it when he hears the unmistakable squeaking sound of skin being rubbed against glass. The image he has in his head of this prime and proper woman rubbing her naked ass in someone's face is too much for him. His hands shoot up to cover his mouth as he stifles a laugh. Too late he remembers the sticky cream on his hands.

"Those scheming, lying, bunch of... of... nutsacks!" she screams.

He can't help himself; he starts laughing at how angry she sounds, at the fact that he now has cum all over his face, at the whole ridiculous situation of having a conversation with a random woman while we're both naked. Huge, bellyful, howls of laughter. He's laughing so much there are tears in his eyes. And the worst part is that the moment wasn't even that funny, but the laughter helps him relieve some of the tension and anxiety he's had about everything.

There's silence on her end for a moment, before the infectious laughter pulls her in and she is laughing as hysterical as he is.

When the laughing fit finally subsides, he starts paying attention to the fact that he has managed to smear his cum all over himself. "Oh, for fuck sake! Why the hell isn't there a bathroom in here," he splutters out in irritation.

She's still breathless with laughter as she says, "There is a bathroom. It's hidden in the back wall. You need to find a small indent in the wall and press it."

Charlie feels both immensely relieved, as well as slightly ashamed at the fact that she volunteered that information without rubbing his face in it -- pun intended - while he had to be a dick about her not knowing about the one-way window. He resolves to try a bit harder to get to know her.

After a few false starts he finally finds the hidden button, and the toilet and tiny sink are revealed. This a big sigh of relief he starts to wash his hands, his face, and anywhere else he's touched. As he steps towards the toilet to relieve himself, he suddenly freezes. Oh crap, she's going to hear him going to the toilet.

"You still there?" he asks tentatively.

"Yeah," she says with a smile in her voice. "I'm enjoying mooning everyone who walks past. It's actually highly therapeutic."

He laughs. Perhaps she isn't as stuck-up as he first thought.

"Umm," he says awkwardly, "I... umm... have to go to the toilet. Ahh... do you mind turning on the tap on your side, so you don't hear me as much?" He scrunches up his face in embarrassment. How to impress a girl you just met: step 1, cum loudly when she least expects it; step 2, take a piss while she listens. Jeez could it get any worse.

"Oh, of course. I know how you feel, I thought I was being watched earlier. One sec," she says as she turns the tap on. Charlie does the same on his side, before gratefully relieving his bladder.

*****

Kayleigh

She is LOVING the fact that people can't see her. The surge of relief has made her legs weak and she'd collapsed on the floor, laughing, crying in happiness that her life wasn't over.

With a new lease of life, Kayleigh is enjoying every moment of mooning all the pedestrians as they walk past. She has never felt as liberated as she does right now; dancing naked in front of an unsuspecting audience, not giving a shit about how she looks.

"You still there?" he asks tentatively.

She stops in mid frolic. She'd almost forgotten he was there. She blushes as he asks for her to turn on the tap so he can take a pee. It's a good reminder to them both that someone is actively listening.

Once he's finished, they both agree to explore the walls and see if they can find any other hidden compartments. She realises she knows next to nothing about this man, so to pass the time she asks, "So what do you do for a living? When you're not locked up naked in a department store, that is!"

Too late she realises how personal that question is, especially given how they've met. "Sorry! I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to answer I was just... I'm a student nurse in a London hospital. Next year I'll be qualified."

She can hear him moving around a while before he replies distractedly, "I'm studying civil engineering at a London university. It's my final year."

She hears a scuffing noise before he shouts excitedly, "I've found a box with some stuff. Check your room, bottom right-hand corner near the window."

She rushes off to search and kicks herself for missing it. As she presses the hidden release, she pulls out a box and eagerly peers inside. Her mouth drops open as she pulls out a dildo, some lubricant, and a random bottle just labelled, "Drink me."

"What's in yours?" he asks excitedly.

She blushes as she replies, "A random bottle and... some toys." She doesn't elaborate on what type of toys.

*****

CHARLIE

He looks in his box and pulls out the bottle labelled "Drink me" and cracks open the cap and sniffs. As he takes a quick swig, he chokes slightly. Whisky, strong whisky.

His eyes widen as he pulls out the rest of the stuff out of the box: some tissues and a large bottle of lubricant. "Humm, I wonder what the researchers are expecting us to do with our free time," he thinks sarcastically.

As he asks her what's in her box, her bland description of 'toys' tells him all he needs to know about what she has.

CLICK.

The sound makes his head whip towards the door. The voice of the lab coat woman comes on over the speakers. "This is your two-hour point. The door has been unlocked and will remain so for the next 5 minutes, after which point it will lock again and only open when the experiment is complete. Please remember if you leave now you will not receive the money offered, but you will still be bound by the non-disclosure agreement you signed before starting this experiment."

All sound cuts off, he can't even hear HER breathing anymore. He has no idea what she'll do. Suddenly, he desperately wishes she stays. He likes the sound of her voice, the way she laughs, the squeak of her ass against a glass window. He abruptly realises he doesn't want this to end until he knows her name and finds out more about this stranger that he's shared such intimate moments with.

That five-minute countdown feels like it lasts a hundred years. He takes a swig of the whisky to steady his nerves while he paces pensively back and forth in front of the window, watching the world go by.

CLICK.

He stops moving, straining to hear any sounds over the speakers.

Nothing.

His heart sinks.

"You still there?" her voice asks tentatively.

He can't help it; he breathes a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I am." He hesitates for a moment before he plucks up the courage to say, "I'm really glad you stayed."

She's silent for a moment before she replies with a smile in her voice, "Me to."

"My name's Charlie, by the way."

"I'm Kayleigh."

Kayleigh. Having her name makes him feel immensely happy for some reason; he feels almost giddy. "So, Kayleigh, what say we crack open these bottles of alcohol to celebrate coming into some money, and play a few games to pass the time? First up, I recommend we count how many men with blue ties we can moon on the count of 20."

Her beautiful sweet laughter flows over the speakers as she replies, "Ok. Let me grab my bottle." He hears her take a sip and then start coughing. "Oh god, its Malibu. I HATE Malibu."

He's laughing again as he says, "Seems like the researchers are sexist; I have whisky. Ok, ready, steady ... go!"

*****

KAYLEIGH

Kayleigh collapses on the sofa in exhaustion from all the laughter and running around. They've played all sorts of idiotic games to pass the time, and she is now happily merry on the alcohol she's been drinking. There's a companionable silence as they relax, finally comfortable in each other's company and their own skins.

"You don't have to answer this, but what are you going to use the money for?" he asks softly.

She tenses up. Here it comes. The moment that happens on every date, it's all going along amazingly until she mentions she has a child. That's when they all run. She thinks about lying; she'll probably never meet him again. But for some reason she doesn't want to lie to him, not after everything.

"I'm a single mother and studying. You do the math," she says more sharply than she intended.

The silence drags on a bit longer than is comfortable before he asks, "What happened?"

It's probably the combination of the alcohol and the situation, but she tells him everything. About her ex-boyfriend, how it ended, raising her daughter, the struggle of getting back into studying -- everything. The more she talks, the more of a weight is being lifted off of her.

When she first stepped into this room, she felt naked because she had no clothes on. But right now - in this moment - she's never felt more naked, exposed and vulnerable. His voice is the only thing that wraps around her and makes her feel safe enough to keep talking. She hasn't been this honest with anyone in years.

When she's talked it out, she asks him for his story.

*****

CHARLIE

As Kayleigh pours out her soul, Charlie just sits and listens. With each word she says he realises he's falling madly in love with this strong, vulnerable, earnest and funny woman. He wishes he could hug her; run his hands softly over her and prove that's she's beautiful BECAUSE of everything she's been through, not in spite of it.

"So, tell me about you," she whispers once she's done, her voice raw from all the crying.

He hasn't spoken to anyone since it happened. It's why he hasn't made any friends at university or been on dates. Bile rises in his throat as the memories come back and for a moment he can't speak. He covers his eyes with his arm as if to block out the images, before he takes a deep, ragged breath.

"Five years ago, I had just finished my final exams and I was with my friends celebrating in a pub. All our families were coming to join us for this massive lunch as a final hurrah before we all headed off to university or work next year. My parents never came, and I was so angry at them. When some friends dropped me home later there were police waiting for me there. My parents had been in an accident on the way to lunch. They both died on impact."

He has to stop for a moment, he can barely breath his throat is so tight. She whispers she's sorry and hearing her voice helps him go on. He tells her how the accident made him want to become a civil engineer, so that he could design roads and environments that minimise the chances of accidents like that happening again. He talks about how closed-off emotionally he has become. How it's all ultimately ended in him having nowhere else to go but here to get enough money to cover his rent while his accommodation is being renovated.

The mood is sombre as he ends. The space filled with emotions, remembrances, and silent wishes for a future.

*****

VICTORIA

After her initial vocal outburst, Victoria had toyed with provoking Charlie and Kayleigh more but the chemistry and interaction between them both has been so enthralling to watch, that in the end she decided to leave them to it. She reflects on how strange it's been playing the role of watcher, rather than performer.

As the silence drops between them, she knows her moment for a final performance has arrived. She's seen it so many times with her clients. They share their deepest, darkest, most intimate thoughts and once it's out, they're desperate to connect more physically but too scared to take the first step.

Victoria gets a wicked smile as a plan forms in her mind. She glances at the clock, there might just be enough time. She hits the button so they can both hear her.

She starts slowly -- breathing, sighing, touching -- whispers of sounds that make you wonder what's happening. Like an expert composer, she builds in moans - no words - just wet, sensual sounds that talk of intimate explorations. These are the sounds of a woman who know her own body and wants to celebrate it. The sounds build like a tide in the sea, slowly drawing you in, and before you realise it, you're lost in the pleasure of it. Just before you can reach your moment of satisfaction, all sounds end with a quiet sigh.

Victoria flips a few switches until only Charlie can hear her. Time to break some rules. "Charlie, my name's Victoria. You may recognise my voice. Take it from someone who knows what she's talking about, don't lose this moment to show her how much you want her. Opportunities like this only come around once. The mic is all yours now."

She has a satisfied smile on her face as Anita storms into the room to demand what the hell she was thinking about revealing her role in the experiment.