Apartment 409

ALL CHARACTERS ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

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Ted didn't even know he had a new neighbor in 409 until he found the pair of panties laying in the hallway just outside the apartment door.

It had been a long day at work, already dark by the time he finally arrived home, and he was looking forward to nothing more than a shower and an ice cold beer, so he'd walked right past them before stopping in his tracks as his mind registered what his eyes had just seen.

Ted turned, looking back at them. Glancing around, he saw no one in either direction. Slowly he stepped backwards until he was directly over them.

The lacy blue panties lay there, silently calling to him. There were mostly older couples living in Lakeview Apartments, but these were not the panties of some middle aged housewife or grandmother. They looked vibrant, new, modern.

They also looked worn. The gusset was twisted upwards, and Ted could clearly see the evidence left behind that indicated they were anything but freshly cleaned. They had probably fallen out of their owners laundry basket on their way down the hallway to the laundry room.

And the owner could be back at any minute.

Ted's heart raced in his chest as, after another quick look around, he scooped up the panties, stuffed them in his pocket, and quickly moved down the hall to his own apartment.

Closing his door behind him, he stood, frozen, unsure. He took a moment to contemplate just how wrong this was before shunting his conscience aside and pulling the panties from his pocket.

Ted examined them closely, and tried to visualize the woman who'd worn them.

They were small, hipster cut, with a delicate white lace trim across the waist and leg seams. They were designed to display plenty of ass in the back, while the slim cut V of the front would highlight and conform to the feminine parts it contained. Just above the gusset was a small, heart shaped hole that would display the pubic hair, or perhaps bare skin, just above her slit. Another matching hole was on the reverse end, just where her buttocks would begin.

These were sexy panties, panties a woman wore to entice, to tease, to arouse.

Ted felt himself stirring as he turned them inside out and again examined the clearly worn garment. The cleft of her vulva had left an indentation on the gusset, and he knew instinctively the flaky white stains there were from arousal. They formed an almost diamond shape, mirroring the outline of her labia, her pussy lips having left a creamy kiss behind on the soft cotton fabric.

Bringing them to his nose, he inhaled deeply. What hit his senses made him gasp with pleasure. Her scent was sharp, salty, like the ocean on a hot summer day. Mixed in was a blend of musk and sweetness, like a dark yet fruity wine.

"Her scent! My God, her scent!"

Ted wasted no time getting to his bedroom and stripping off his clothes, freeing his already fully aroused cock.

Flopping down on his unmade bed, he immediately began to masturbate while inhaling his newfound treasure.

His mind swam as it formed an imaginary vision of the woman who had left behind such an intoxicating, intimate aroma.

He pictured her body; small, petite, shapely, with an ass made to be shown off in these tight, form fitting panties.

He saw the curves of her legs and where they came together at the thin strip his nose was currently buried in, the creases and folds that formed the most erotic sight every straight man longed to see, touch and taste: a woman's most intimate, sexual treasure.

He had to taste her. His tongue darted out, licking the dried white stain, and was rewarded with the copper hinted flavor of her sex.

He took another lick, then another, having to refrain from using too much moisture on his tongue lest he spoil her strong, rich scent. And yet he could barely contain himself from feasting on them as if it was the soft, hot flesh of her slick cunt he was gorging on and not merely her panties.

Still, these had touched that flesh, been pressed up close against it, absorbing its essence, soaking her in like a sponge.

The remnants of her nectar were both sweet and savory, musky yet fruity. Flicking out with his tongue yet again, he peeled off a tiny flake, rolling it around the roof of his mouth, feeling it devolve to the texture of creamy, tart yogurt as he savored it.

He didn't last long. Taking one last deep inhale, his balls drew up, preparing to unload their store of ammo, firing off rockets of thick creamy spunk in repeated salvos.

Ted was just coming down from his orgasmic high when he heard the door to the adjoining apartment open. The walls in the building were paper thin, but one gets used to the noises that bleed through after a few years, and usually Ted ignored them. But now all his senses were on alert.

The door closed, followed by muffled footsteps. His new neighbor was home and, from the sound, struggling with something. The noises got louder as she came into her bedroom. He guessed she'd returned from doing her laundry and was carrying the basket.

Lakeview Apartments was an L shaped building, with Ted's apartment, 411, at the far end of the south hall. Apartment 409 was directly next to his, a mirror layout that left their bedrooms up against each other, separated only by the thin layers of drywall.

Normally Ted wouldn't be the least bit interested in the noises coming from the other side of the wall. But his newfound treasure now left him glued to every shuffle, every squeak, every thump, as he tried to imagine his new neighbor and what she might be doing.

At the moment, it sounded like nothing more exciting than unpacking and moving things around. Still, he lay there, naked and attentive, his sperm drying on his stomach and the mystery woman's panties still clenched in his hand as he eavesdropped.

Straining his ears, he occasionally caught the sound of heavy, labored breathing. It had been a warm summer so far, and the air conditioning units in the apartment rarely worked well enough to truly ease the temperature on a hot humid night.

Ted imagined her over there, working up a sweat as she moved boxes and unpacked clothes. Maybe she was wearing nothing but shorts and a tee shirt. Maybe less.

Ted wondered if she was wearing panties similar to the ones he'd found, and how much female scented sweat her physical exertions were leaving behind in them. He imagined the outline of her sex as the panties clung to the curves of her vulva, the fabric riding up between her folds causing her labia to peek out from beneath as her body shifted and moved.

He pictured her breasts, braless and swaying with her exertions, the valley between them slippery and damp, her nipples poking through the material of whatever shirt she might be wearing. Or perhaps she was topless, freeing her bosoms from the confines of clothing in the privacy of her own apartment.

His cock had already begun to stir again, yet he refrained from touching it for the moment. Instead, he simply held the panties to his nose while continuing his fantasies about the mystery woman in 409.

Eventually the moving noises ceased and her footsteps receded, her bedroom door closing behind her as she exited the room. The sound of pipes squeaking told him she had turned on her shower. He pictured her, now fully naked, droplets of water running down her bare flesh as she rinsed away the sweat of her work.

His little eavesdropping session now over for the time being, Ted decided to go out on the balcony for a smoke.

He'd been trying to quit smoking for years, and had managed to cut his habit down to a minimum; one in the morning with his coffee, one on the drive home from work, and another before bed. And, occasionally, one after a particularly good masturbation session.

Ted lazily mopped himself up with some tissues, then slipped on a pair of loose fitting gym shorts, nothing more. The night was still hot and humid, and he saw no point in getting further dressed.

He turned off his living room lights before stepping out onto the balcony and closing the sliding glass door behind him in a desperate attempt to keep what little cool air still remained inside the house. He'd learned long ago how easily people could be seen on their balconies at night with the lights on behind them, and while he wasn't naked, he simply preferred not to be noticed.

Gazing out into the hazy night, he took in the familiar view. The apartment did indeed overlook a lake, more of a swamp really, overgrown and bug infested. Except for the elderly neighbor futility attempting to catch a fish in the dank algae covered water, or the occasional teenagers sneaking off to smoke weed or drink warm beer or some bottle of cheap alcohol they'd probably swiped from their parents liquor cabinet, Ted rarely ever saw anyone around the lake. Especially at night.

His chest was already coated in a light sheen of sweat brought on by the humidity. The night air felt thick, like soup against his skin.

Ted had just lit his cigarette when he saw the light from the apartment next door flick on.

He saw her shadow first, a shapely silhouette cast across her balcony, receding as she moved closer to the glass doors. There were no blinds or curtains; apparently she hadn't yet put up any.

Ted stood still as a stone as her body came into view. Lit from behind, he could not make out her features. What he could see, however, told him enough.

She was naked. And she was indeed beautiful.

As he'd imagined, her frame was petite, yet voluptuous. The curves of her breasts looked like crescent moons. Her long hair of indistinguishable color cascaded naturally over them.

Her waist and hips helped form the classic womanly hourglass, her legs slender and shapely.

Ted's eyes traced them to where they met to frame her most intimate area, unfortunately obscured by shadow but highlighted by a beam of light shining out between the small gap of her thighs.

She looked like a dark angel, standing alone, staring out at...what? Ted couldn't see her eyes, let alone what direction they may be pointed. Her face was an oval shadow.

Could she see him? Ted didn't think so. If she had, she certainly hadn't reacted.

The mystery woman stood at the glass doors for several long moments before finally turning and walking back into her living room.

As she receded from view, Ted was treated to a brief glimpse of her round, firm ass swaying with her steps. And then she was gone.

Ted blew out the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. He remained still until her light went out.

Show over, Ted finished his cigarette while his mind raced over what he'd just seen.

Part of him felt guilty, but it's not like he was some Peeping Tom. It wasn't his fault their balconies were so close. If she didn't want to be seen, she certainly should have put on some clothes. Or put up some curtains.

Still, Ted took care to make as little noise as possible as he went back inside his apartment. He'd rather not give away the fact he'd been out there if he didn't have to.

Between the sweat of the evening and the sticky remnants of his dried spunk still on his stomach, Ted decided it was finally time for that shower.

After cleaning up, (and turning on the cold tap to help drop his body temperature,) Ted fixed himself a quick microwave dinner, then settled in to watch some mindless TV.

He couldn't focus on the show, his thoughts instead still preoccupied with his sexy new neighbor. And her panties, still on his nightstand.

Ted clicked off his TV in frustration. "Fuck it," he thought, "I may never get another opportunity like this one. May as well enjoy them before the scent fades away."

Back in his room, again naked, Ted held the beautifully scented garment to his nose, once again savoring the fragrance. It was still as strong, still as alluring.

Now with at least a few gaps in his mental picture of her filled in, it wasn't long before his cock was again ready and raring to go.

Then Ted heard the sound.

He lay quietly, listening. The buzzing coming from the other side of the wall was faint, but quite distinct. "No," Ted thought. "It can't be."

Then he heard a moan, soft and feminine. Then the sound of a bed spring squeaking, almost rhythmically. The moans grew louder, more intense.

"Holy shit," Ted whispered. Then silently, "She's masturbating."

Ted lay in his bed, torn between keeping still to hear every noise made by his beautiful new neighbor as she pleasured herself, or continuing to jerk himself off.

His lust won out, and he started again slowly, trying not to rock his own bed against the wall or groan too loudly. But as her sounds increased steadily in speed and volume, he was unable to contain himself.

He saw her in his mind's eye, a vision of beauty sprawled out on her bed, legs opened wide, working her buzzing vibrator over her needy sex, drawing her juices from it, juices he could smell caked on the panties now clutched against his face, and soon his fist was flying along his throbbing shaft, his body soaked in fresh sweat as he grunted his pleasure, no longer caring if she heard.

Her moans were definitely getting louder, her headboard now clanking against the thin wall, and Ted was sure he could almost hear the squelching sounds of her sopping wet pussy as her vibrator brought her to orgasm.

His own cum was spurting as well, thick and heavy, running down his still frantic fist as his torso convulsed upwards with a sudden jerk.

Exhaling loudly, he collapsed back down in an exhausted heap, gasping for breath as the waves of pleasure still flowed through him, causing the occasional twitch.

Slowly coming back to his senses, he realized the noises from the other side had stopped.

Silence hung in the air for several moments.

The knocks against the wall came so suddenly they practically made him jump out of his skin.

Ted lay there stunned, not sure he'd actually heard what he thought he did.

It happened again. The distinctive, rhythmic pattern of five knocks that had somehow permeated pop culture and become universally recognized as: "Shave and a haircut..."

The knocks happened a third time.

With a dawning understanding, Ted turned to his wall, raised a fist, then hesitated.

Taking a deep breath, he finally knocked back, twice. "Two bits."

Ted lay there, waiting to see what came next.

Nothing did. The room next door was now utterly silent.

Ted pondered his next move. Was it a signal? A sign? An...invitation?

Should he go over, introduce himself? Ted was torn with indecision. What if he'd misinterpreted everything? The potential for embarrassment was very high if he was wrong.

But what if he was right? What if she was laying there, right now, naked and wet, just waiting for him to come knock on her door?

"Bullshit," he laughed inwardly. "You watch too much fucking porn. That shit just doesn't happen."

Minutes ticked by. The only sound was the whir of his struggling air conditioner, fighting against the summer heat and losing the battle.

"Fuck it," he thought. "What's the worst that can happen? If she rejects me I'll simply apologize for the misunderstanding and go."

Ted stood, went to his bathroom, cleaned himself up, then brushed his hair. Looking in the mirror, he realized he could use a shave, but there was no time for that now. He took a swish of mouthwash, then returned to his room, quickly throwing on his shorts and a clean shirt.

His hand paused at his front door knob as he steeled himself. Summing all his willpower, he stepped out into the common hall.

Five nerve-wracking steps later, he stood trembling in front of the door to 409.

His hand shook as he raised it to knock: thump, thump-thump thump thump.

Nothing. No response.

He knocked the pattern again, louder. Still no answer.

He waited a full minute before trying again, and after another minute with no response, he hung his head in defeat.

Quietly he crept back to his own apartment. "Idiot," he chided himself.

Angrily stripping off his clothes, Ted crawled back into bed, flustered and even more embarrassed than if she'd answered the door only to say "No."

Instead, she'd simply ignored him.

"Maybe she fell asleep, never even heard me," came a sudden, more hopeful thought. That was certainly the less humiliating option.

Sleep eluded him for some time, but eventually he drifted off, his final coherent thoughts being what would happen if and when he actually met his new neighbor face to face.

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Several days went by without so much as a peep from apartment 409. By the time the weekend rolled around, Ted could almost believe he'd imagined the whole thing. Only the panties, now tucked away in his bedside nightstand, remained as evidence that his new neighbor even existed.

On Friday after work he'd popped into the apartment management office to see what he could discover. Mary, the manager, was polite but not very forthcoming.

"Yes, a new resident has moved into 409," she'd answered to his query. "Why? Is there a problem you'd like to report?"

"No, no problem," said Ted. "Just...wondering about...them." He'd almost said "her" but caught himself at the last second. He tried to play it off quickly. "You know, just...curious. If they're a couple, or have kids or a dog or something I should be aware of."

Mary arched her brow. "Well Mr. Nieson, I'm not allowed to disclose any personal information about our residents; privacy clause, I'm sure you understand. All I can tell you is the new tenant has been vetted and came with good references. I'm sure there won't be any problems."

Ted nodded. "Of course, of course. Wasn't trying to pry. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Making his way upstairs, he paused by the door to 409. As in past days he was again tempted to knock, but shook it off and continued to his apartment.

After a shower and a meal, Ted contemplated his plans for the evening. He'd gotten off work a little early for a change, and it was Friday night.

Ted wasn't much of a drinker anymore, but the thought of sitting home alone wasn't very appealing at the moment. He decided to go hang out at Sharkey's for a while.

Sharkey's Tavern was one of those old, hometown type pubs, with a mostly older, local clientele. But it was clean, and friendly, and the beers were cold and cheap. They also had an old but well maintained pool table that was always busy, but Ted was pretty sure he could bribe his way into a game or three if he picked up a few rounds.

Digging through his closet, Ted pulled out his best dress casual shirt and matched it with a clean pair of jeans. Nothing flashy, but Sharkey's wasn't a flashy place.

The night air was cooler than in previous days, and as Sharkeys was only a few blocks away, Ted decided to walk.

The Happy Hour crowd was already there when he arrived, busier than usual, but he managed to find a seat at the bar and was soon nursing a cold one while waiting his turn to play pool.

While he waited, he chatted amicably with a few familiar faces, discussing the usual trivialities: work, sports, the weather, etc.

Ted was just about to start his first game of pool with a guy he'd bribed with one round and the promise of another if he lost when he saw her.

She looked out of place in the crowded room, full of gruff old men and haggard women. Her summer dress was light, airy, casual, yet almost formal compared to most other's wardrobes.

The white floral patterned cloth hung loosely on her petite frame but still accentuated her curves, of which there were many.

Her long, chestnut blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, spilling into her ample cleavage.

The hem of the dress came to just about mid-thigh, showing off her slender legs.