Neighborhood Watch Ch. 02

My curiosity about Grant and Eve did not take long to satisfy, but in ways I did not expect. I think it was about ten days later, a Friday, that their bedroom was illuminated. Both Grant and Eve were in there. Neither looked toward our house, maybe because I had not turned on the lights yet. They appeared to be doing nothing out of the ordinary, except I knew it was not ordinary for me to be observing them. For several minutes, they moved around the room, probably talking about their day, and I was telling myself I should go downstairs.

In another few seconds, I would have, but then Grant started to unbutton his shirt. Before I knew it, I was watching him remove his slacks. "Boxers, not briefs," I thought to myself, and then immediately felt guilty for even making such a mental note.

Eve was undressing as well, and when both had only underwear on, they disappeared into their walk-in closet. Only for a moment, though. Like Ross and me, they must have kept a laundry hamper in there, and when they emerged, she was still in her underwear, but he was nude, no doubt to shower. It was only a very brief glimpse. I do not think I even saw his penis clearly, but he was definitely nude. Even in a glimpse at that distance, a patch of dark hair and a bare bottom are quite obvious.

I felt like an intruder and looked around to check that I was not observed myself. Ross was downstairs, and of course, no one could see me through the unlit window. It occurred to me that, had I looked, I might have seen Grant in the nude several times by now. A few hours later, Ross was pleasantly surprised to find me coming to bed nude, and I offered no reason for feeling playful that night. The lights were off then, so the open drapes didn't matter. In fact, to me, it made our lovemaking better because I could see outside.

When I awoke the next morning, it was earlier than my usual time to get up, and it was still mostly dark. Ross was already in the shower. Rather than go back to sleep, I started to get out of bed. I noticed that the bathroom door was open, as were the drapes. My mind now more attuned to such opportunities, I realized that Grant and Eve could see through our bathroom door to the sink. In the shower, Ross would be out of sight, but he would have been easily observed at the sink while shaving. And the shorts he slept in were still on the floor beside the bed where they had been tossed last night.

Given our schedules, we never saw much of each other in the morning, so we couldn't discuss the light on in the bathroom and the unacknowledged fact that the drapes were never closed anymore. Once again, my mind strayed all day from my work, this time pondering so many questions I was bursting to have answered.

Did he leave his shorts where I could see them so that I would know the neighbors might have seen him in the bathroom? Seen him nude, that is? For that matter, what did I think about another woman seeing my husband's naked body, even at a distance? As for my husband, was he deliberately putting on a show for the neighbors? Did he know whether Grant and Eve saw him? Or whether they had seen me again? Did he know that I had been changing clothes with the drapes deliberately left open? Did he know I had seen Grant naked? Was he getting to see Eve? If so, was she more daring than me, going topless or even nude for him? And was he hoping that I would be more daring?

That last question gave me a shudder to consider it. Did he want me to be nude in front of Grant? To be honest with myself, I had to admit that the chill came not from wondering whether Ross wanted me to bare myself to Grant, but from wondering whether I could really do it, take off everything and let Grant see me that way. And to be even more honest with myself, I had to further admit that what stirred me and disordered my mind the most was the fact that I did not immediately tell myself I would never do such a thing.

So one part of my mind contemplated a daring scene that I could try to dismiss as fantasy, another part of my mind reminded me that I had already stripped down to my bra and panties in reality.

A bit more pretense fell away soon after. One night, I again left the lights off at first to see if Grant and Eve were in their bedroom already. Eve was nowhere to be seen, but Grant was sitting on the end of the bed, taking off his shoes. He never turned to look in my direction as he continued to undress, and I more or less recognized the studied nonchalance of his movements as similar to my own. Except that when he was stripped down to his boxers, he didn't stop and pulled them down.

This time, there was no quick exit into the bathroom. I could see that he was taking his time, maybe for me. Suddenly, I had an idea and rushed to the closet. I wanted to get our binoculars, and when I found them on the shelf out of their case, I gave it no immediate thought.

Back at the window, safe in the darkness of my room, I spied Grant through the binoculars. The sudden nearness and clarity of the sight made me gasp. I could see the five-o'clock shadow on his face. I could read the time on the watch he hadn't removed. I could see the dimples above his bottom. And I could see the details of his strong looking penis.

One other detail stunned me in another way. As I moved the binoculars to follow his movements, I noticed a pair of binoculars on a table near their window. So many thoughts filled my mind at once. Those binoculars were being used to watch us, Ross and me. With another gasp, I realized how the binoculars shrunk the distance between us, how the pretense that see-through bras and panties look like swimwear at a distance had just been ripped from me. Just as quickly, I understood that our binoculars were out of the case because Ross was using them to look at them. There was no way any of us could pretend anymore. Grant's exhibition was no accident, and they had to know that my exhibition was no accident too.

As if to let Grant know I was under no illusions, I turned on the light and quickly stripped to my bra and panties. This time, however, I made no pretense of puttering around the room. Instead, I kept my eyes on Grant. He noticed me alright, and he picked up his binoculars when he saw that I was looking at him through mine. It was odd the way he gave me a shy wave, odd because his penis appeared to be a little thicker, and that is a reaction I don't associate with shyness..

Briefly, I toyed with the idea of removing my bra, but I couldn't go through with it, not even turning my back to him and then taking it off. Instead, he had to be content with my usual show of lingerie. He was a good sport about it. He went into the bathroom to take a shower, during which time I got dressed and turned off the light. I stayed in the room, though, and got to see him, deliberately in the bathroom doorway just in case I was still looking, as he toweled off before getting dressed.

More curiosity was resolved almost immediately. Ross came in and said, "The drapes seem to be open a lot lately."

"What do you mean?"

Even as I asked, I told myself how silly it sounded coming from me when I had just been standing there in the brightly lit room nearly naked.

"I mean that tonight you are not shrieking or diving for cover because the neighbors might see you undressed."

His response made me realize that all the time I had been watching Grant, Ross was just outside the bedroom, watching me. Even so, I tried to play innocent. "I did that then only because I noticed that Grant and Eve were actually there and looking in this direction."

"Did you check just now?"

I did not want to look and said nothing in reply.

Ross looked past me, across the way. "They're there." I could hardly move. "Go on, look. You'll see."

I did not have to turn, because Ross came to me and turned me by the shoulders to face out the windows. As he told me, the lights in their bedroom were on. Grant had gotten dressed, as I knew already, but now Eve was undressing, showing another matching set of tiny blue underwear.

"You've seen her before? I mean since that first night?"

"Yes, usually in the morning, though. You, on the other hand, haven't really seen either of them much, have you?"

"How do you know?"

"Tonight has not the first time I have watched you change clothes after getting home from work This is just the first time that you're finding out I could see you. And could see that you were leaving the drapes open."

I buried my face in his chest and almost cried. "Are you upset with me?"

"No, no, Not at all. In fact, I'm excited by you. And how did Eve put it? 'What's a little underwear among friends?' So no harm done."

"I cannot say why I do it. I cannot even say how often Grant and Eve have seen me."

"I know. You usually didn't have the nerve to look over there?"

"Can you forgive me?"

"Forgive you for what? I quickly noticed they continued the little flashing show too. I figured they were inviting us to watch. As long as they seem to want an audience, why not give them one?"

"But do you think I should have been inviting them to watch me when I change clothes?"

"Well, let me ask you the same. Do you think I should have been inviting them to watch me while I shave and dry off from the shower?"

"You mean you know that Eve can see you nude?"

"Yes."

"Does she get naked when you're looking at her?"

"No, like you, she strips to her underwear, but I know she knows I can see her. But we need to talk, or at least I need to know that you're okay with things. I mean, here you are asking me to forgive you when maybe I should be asking you to forgive me."

"I—I know. I don't know what to say. I mean, I guess it is a relief that Eve doesn't get naked." I paused and then said, "Actually, I guess I do not know what I mean. It is just so much to take in. I am just adjusting to the fact that they have watched me before and must have always known that they were watching me undress. Not to mention the fact that you know about it too. Anyway, if you're not upset with me, I'm not upset with you. And it's good now that we both know what each other is doing."

"Actually, there's more to say. Grant and I—," but a phone call interrupted us.

It was my phone, and I answered, hearing Eve say, "Can you believe these two husbands of ours? They take one accidental show, and before you know it, you can't look out your window without seeing a naked man."

I tried to sound casual as I laughed, but my nerves gave me away, and I started to apologize.

Eve cut me off. "Hey, no problem. Seriously, I was wondering if maybe I shouldn't be apologizing to you. And not just for my exhibitionist husband. He's been watching your place with binoculars. Do you know what he calls it? Casing the joint for a bank job."

"Well, no money has been taken," I laughed, "just a bit of my modesty."

"Same here."

"Odd that you should say that you're wondering about apologizing, though. I've been having that same conversation just now with Ross."

"I'll say it again. Same here. And just so you know, I like to talk brassy sometimes, but I'm really quite the shrinking violet about some things. I mean, this past week, whenever I get down to my underwear, my knees are shaking so much I think I might fall over. In other words, that's my limit these days."

I didn't know if "these days" meant that there might be fewer limits in other days to come, but I said, "Oh, me too. And if you're saying you want Ross to be more—."

"No, I say let them be naked all they want. If you don't mind the view, I certainly don't. God, I can hardly believe what I'm saying. Here we are having a sensible conversation about seeing each other's husband naked. Still, no denying that it's a bit of a thrill."

"So you know I saw Grant naked and don't care?"

"Nope, but I'm just saying too that I'm not letting Grant tell me it's unfair. That first time, when he saw you without your dress, I went along with the line that I owed Ross. That's all. Unless you're bothered because I saw Ross naked too."

"I'm like you. I can hardly believe we're talking about this, but I suppose that being upset with you for looking at Ross would mean I could not look at Grant, and I have already looked."

"Believe me, he knows."

"The same goes for Ross, so fair enough," I replied. We both had a laugh, and I was feeling some relief again.

Then Eve said, "Anyway, that's not the only reason I called. One thing this episode has done is remind us that we don't see enough of our neighbors." I heard laughter in the background. "And I mean get-togethers, not window peeping," she added, for Grant as much as for me.

Minutes later, after hanging up, I told Ross, "We're invited to a party. Amy and Jerry will be there, and so will some other couples from the neighborhood."

"Sounds good," he said. I didn't remember that he was starting to tell me something before, and he didn't pick it up again either.

The next morning, a weekend morning, I was getting up at the same time as Ross. He was sticking to his new routine, shaving and showering with the bathroom door open. My phone rang.

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood," Eve sang.

"Good morning to you too," I said.

"Hope I'm not calling too early, but I couldn't help seeing that you were up."

"Really? I would have thought you wouldn't have noticed me."

"Well, when you were walking around, you sometimes blocked my view of that cute butt."

"Sorry, I'll try to stay out of the way," I laughed.

Her end of the conversation was occasionally distracted whenever Ross was framed in the doorway. Eventually, though, we made plans for lunch with Amy. I got the impression that we had something specific to discuss then because Eve told me, "Word is getting around, but we can talk about that this afternoon."

"See you then. Now, I hope I can get in the shower—if Ross is done with his show."

"Don't rush him," she laughed. "We have a few hours before lunch."

I then joined Ross, who was indeed finished and getting dressed. Unlike him, I pushed the door closed before slipping off my nightie. As I did so, I was aware that Ross had also left the shade up on the large window in our bathroom, but the nearest house from that vantage was quite distant and angled such that no window on it directly faced that side of our house. In a way, I could pretend I was being more daring, and began brushing my teeth as if my nudity was of no concern.

Ross suddenly came in to retrieve something from the medicine cabinet, and he carelessly left the door wide open. It was only a second, but if Grant was watching right then, he would have seen my naked backside. I shrieked and jumped aside, almost like I had that first night.

Ross laughed, looked back, and said, "I'm pretty sure Grant isn't there. You want to see?"

"I'll take your word for it, you pervert. Now can I have a little privacy?"

He pulled me over, and I didn't resist that much because he was shielding me from view with his body. After a messy kiss and hug, I turned again to the sink to finish brushing my teeth. Ross left, but didn't immediately close the door.

I looked up in the mirror at him. I couldn't see a light on across the way, but I couldn't be sure no one was there, so I surprised myself when I spoke more calmly than I would have expected. "The door, please." He stepped back and pulled it shut, smiling.

At lunch, Eve made no mention of Grant saying anything, and I doubt he could have kept seeing me nude to himself. That didn't mean we all hadn't been discovered, though. Amy, in fact, knew practically the whole story. The large bathroom window in Grant and Eve's house faced the back of Jerry and Amy's, and she had seen Grant in the shower a few times in the past week. At first, she figured it was an accident, so she brought it up to Eve.

Amy was trying to tread softly, so she was surprised when Eve freely admitted that both she and Grant knew that he could be seen. In the ensuing conversation, Amy's questions led to her hearing about the views shared between our houses.

"I'm sorry, Nora. It sort of just came out. When I mentioned how the bedroom windows offered another showplace, Amy naturally deduced that you would be the audience. And when I told her that I didn't care and that I joined in to a limited extent, I had to say that you guys weren't offended, and that led me to admitting that you guys were in on it too. But I made sure Amy knew you had limits too."

"Don't worry," Amy said. "I don't think any less of my big sister. In fact, Jerry thinks it's kind of hot."

My blush only deepened. "You talked about this with Jerry?"

"Jerry more than knows about it," Eve said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Amy explained, "He knows because we sort of joined in. From our bedroom, we can see into Eve and Grant's bathroom window, so that means they can see into our bedroom. It seemed like innocent enough fun, and we've both gotten undressed by our window. So, now what do you think of your baby sister?"

"What do mean 'undressed'?"

"Well, Jerry has gotten onto the Full Monty stage. That is, Jerry strips all the way and heads for the shower, but I only strip down to my undies and close the door when I take my shower. Eve told me about how that first time she wanted everything to be all even. You know, Grant saw you in your bra and panties, so she let Ross see her the same way. That sounded fair to us, so I'm like you and Eve, more of a lingerie showgirl. One time, though, I got an extra thrill when I turned my back while I took off my bra. That was all."

"I thought of doing that once, but I couldn't quite do it. So what did you do, just kick the door shut?"

"Actually I turned around and just held my arm across my breasts and tried to do it quickly. I don't think Grant got to see any more than I wanted him to see."

"What about the mirror? Could he see the front of you in it?"

Now it was Amy's turn to blush. "I hadn't thought of that."

I filled them in on how Ross opened the door on me. "As far as I know, I didn't get seen." Eve shook her head, relieving me of any doubts. " In any case, to answer your question, I think my baby sister is fine, a little braver than me, but fine. And by the way, Ross will be eating his heart out when he finds out what Grant has been seeing."

"What about you? Eating your heart out about what Eve has been seeing?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but I certainly wouldn't mind a look."

We all started to laugh. What else could we do under the circumstances.

Then Eve said, "Nora, you don't have to tell Ross anything."

"I don't know. I felt a little guilty that I didn't tell Ross about letting Grant watch me, so I don't think I want to keep too many more secrets from him."

"It's no secret to him. You know Ross, Grant, and Jerry all get together and go running or cycling a couple times a week. They talk too. In fact, as I understand it, a few of their other buddies know about it, and that's something we need to discuss. It seems the guys have a particular idea for this party we're planning."

Even though I could make a guess about that idea, I asked for specifics.

Amy filled me in. "Apparently it's partly my fault for saying we were all even that first time. Not all of these fellows have similarly situated houses, so you can imagine their curiosity and sense of being left out. In light of our limits, our stopping short of complete nudity, they've all come to some sort of conclusion that underwear is now acceptable dress for us. From what I hear, these other guys have even talked with their wives and persuaded them that it's okay. We do it, after all, so what's the big deal? So now these other wives are waiting to see what each other is willing to do."

"Willing to do?" I asked.

"Here's the punchline," Eve said. "They think the party should be a lingerie party. All of the women would wear something sexy, bras and panties, a teddy, or a short, thin nightgown. From what I've seen, you know the sort of thing I mean."