Naked Obsession

by Rice, Rachel E.

  “Enough talk... I have to leave early in the morning and I have something to discuss with my wife,” Danny laughed and winked like a young boy hiding to get his first kiss. He stole Sydney’s hand and led her to the bedroom.

  Jeremy knew what that meant. He had to endure another night wondering and imagining Danny kissing Sydney’s body. He lay many nights and peered from his window in the small château in Italy, seeing a dim faint light coming from Sydney’s room and the silhouette of a bed and bodies. He even thought that Sydney purposely put transparent curtains on the windows, but only enough as to cause his imagination to run wild, so wild that it drove him to hallucinations.

  After a few drinks, a mirage of Sydney’s body would walk from the shower, but instead of getting into her bed, he saw her jump into his bed. It may have been the wine and the portrait of her hanging near his bed that caused the illusions, but he welcomed it on cold lonely nights.

  The manifestations were so clear in his mind that he would savior his excitement over and over again. He felt her body close, he saw her eyes close as she gazed at him, as she moved her head down to his chest and then to his stomach, while he moaned and groaned with desire from the rhythm of her hands manipulating his body.

  He smelled her neck. Her armpits were scented with the perfume she wore to entice his senses. He felt the longing of her body as she quietly provoked his manhood, and he looked into those wonderful eyes of love and lust, then thrusting himself into her body as she lay on her back and then as he turned her to rest on her buttocks and spread her legs, while he filled her with his love and lust.

  The dreams had occurred over again until Jeremy could not tell whether they were real or only in his imagination. But now, they were so much a part of his waking and sleeping life that he did not want to question his senses. He wanted to believe that they were real and go on believing that Sydney had longed for him and loved him. Therefore, as he prepared for bed, his preparation included the anticipation of falling asleep with the woman he loved. His obsession for Sydney was naked and raw.

  Danny left early the next morning before anyone woke. Sydney didn’t wake even as he lovingly kissed her neck and luscious mouth, round and firm mouth, bursting from the swelling of her pregnancy. He didn’t wake her or the children. He walked to their rooms to say good-bye to his beautiful little children sleeping with their stuffed animals surrounding their beds. He walked into Sean’s room to give him a hug and tell him to take care of his mother. He stood looking a Sean, who was growing taller each day. He knew he would miss them all but he had to go. His job was to go to impossible locations and work.

  Danny thought about the time he lost, by not being in his son’s life as a baby, but Sydney would not let Sean forget his father and for that Danny loved Sydney more each day.

  His livelihood was acting—a gypsy’s life. He wondered how long he could continue to leave Sydney and his children.

  Chapter 7

  The Kiss

  Jeremy woke early to discover that Danny had left for the airport. The car arrived early in the morning and spirited an unhappy Danny to meet his plane and then on to California for meetings and then Mexico then Brazil.

  Today was the day. A nervous Jeremy gathered his portfolio in his hand. He would show the curator of the gallery his life’s work. He dreamed of this his whole life and now it was coming to fruition. Dressed in a black shirt with black pants, and an off white silk and wool jacket, Jeremy’s Neapolitan tan gave him a look that was jaw dropping. He looked and felt powerful. It would be a make or break day, he thought. In less than an hour he would find out whether he would be able to sell his work. He needed money, serious money.

  Money was never number one on his list of things now. He never cared whether he sold his work, but now was different. He wanted all the stuff Danny had including his wife and he thought he needed money for that.

  Jeremy was nervous as he stepped out of the cab. He straightened his tie. He didn’t want to appear frightened, so he assumed an air of superiority. He practiced his best Queen’s English, stood straight, nose in the air. He knew that some people were impressed by the accent he affected. He raised his head, and straightened his tie a second time, then strutted into the building.

  He strode into the gallery with his portfolio firmly gripped in his nervous hand, greeted the receptionist with a smile, and immediately became a hit. He managed to charm the young receptionist and realizing the effects of his charm and good looks, he proceeded to ask for the manager of the gallery. The doe eyed receptionist instructed him to take the elevator to the second floor and knock on the third door to the right.

  Before he reached the elevator, it opened, and standing there was a young woman with average looks, short black hair and piercing dark eyes. She stood five feet four in black heels. She wore a white cotton shirt with cuffs and silver cuff links inside a black designer suit. Jeremy wasn’t physically attracted to her, but he would present himself as if she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He took her hand and said, “You are such a beauty with that black hair and those smoldering black eyes, those red lips excite my every being, I want to paint you.”

  “Well Mr. McCloud you are a character.”

  “That may be so, but you are one of the most interesting looking women I have met in a long time,” Jeremy said as he brought her hand to his mouth, kissed her hand, caressed it, and gazed into her eyes. He knew his strengths and he used them well.

  “My Name is Nadia Brule’ and I see you are on time.” She said without revealing her feelings.

  “And you have an interesting name to go with that wonderful face, I do admit,” Jeremy said as he walked into the elevator with Nadia. Getting off the elevator, he followed her into her office. He laid his portfolio on the floor and opened it. Nadia joined him on the floor.

  Nadia looked up at Jeremy, then took the pictures of Sydney and placed them on an easel and stepped back with her mouth opened in surprise, “Now that’s a face. Who is she?”

  “Just a model.”

  “How many pictures do you have of her?”

  “Only four.”

  “All we need to sell is one, and you are set for life,” Nadia shouted with excitement. I’m talking about millions for each one.”

  Jeremy could not contain his excitement, “Come have lunch with me. I want to know all about you.” As he talked and kissed up to Nadia, he was thinking of Sydney.

  He was thinking about how she would feel about him now that he could support her. He never even considered Danny. He never even considered how this would affect their relationship. Jeremy was a shallow, spoiled, a callous man who only saw his own needs and they were great, since he set eyes on Sydney.

  Nadia found her interest in Jeremy extended to more than a business relationship. She would work hard to sell his work. However, she knew the pictures would sell. She had been in this business for ten years. It was her family’s business; she knew all the buyers and sellers for art of this kind. All she had to do was call one of her rich influential clients, then pass the word that they were interested in buying the portraits, and then all of New York, London, and France would be bidding for Jeremy’s work.

  After lunch, Nadia invited Jeremy to her apartment to have a glass of French wine, and get to know him better. Nadia’s apartment was exquisitely furnished with antique Chinese furnishing and oversize silk rugs throughout her large one bedroom apartment. Jeremy looked around and he knew she was the right person to sell his work.

  Jeremy instinctively knew that Nadia would work extra hard if she had an investment in him. He convinced her that he wanted her more than he wanted any woman he had ever met. She fell for it. She fell straight into the bed and let him ease his longing for Sydney.

  Jeremy had so much pent up lust, rage, and desire that he had to find an opening and he did. The opening was Nadia’s body and he used it to deposit his lust.

  The day had come and gone, and they were waking up beside each other, and they we
re strangers, who just needed a warm body to take them through the night.

  “I have to go Nadia,” Jeremy shouted from the shower.

  “When will I see you?” Nadia called out to Jeremy as he walked out of the shower. He rushed to dress and put on his socks and shoes.

  “I’m living with my brother and he’s working. I promised him I would take care of his children and wife. I have to leave. You will hear from me.” He threw his jacket on as he tucked in his shirt and put on his shoes without socks.

  “I know I will hear from you because you are going to be rich and I will make that happen,” Nadia said with a smile of satisfaction as she held his hand when he tried to walk away from her without kissing her. She pulled him back and gave him a kiss, but Jeremy kissed her on her forehead and hurried out of Nadia’s apartment, hoping he would make it home before Sydney woke and discovered he wasn’t there.

  The cab deposited Jeremy at the front of Sydney’s Fifth avenue apartment. He rushed into the lobby, in the elevator and quietly opened the door. He thought no one heard him sneak into his room. The sun was rising and he had not been home since he left to go to the gallery the previous morning.

  Jeremy changed his clothing and lumbered into the kitchen smiling and singing, hoping to make breakfast for the children. Sydney and the cook was preparing breakfast, so he turned to go back to bed. As he was walking to his room, Sydney came behind him. Jeremy turned and their eyes met.

  The crease in her forehead and the lack of a smile said more. “Where have you been Jeremy? I worried all night and I didn’t sleep. I started to call the police, had you not returned I would have.”

  “I didn’t know that you were so concerned about me.”

  “It’s not that, you could have called and told me something. I’m pregnant and I don’t need to get upset.”

  “You’re right you could upset little Jeremy,” Jeremy said.

  “You are impossible!” Sydney turned and marched away from Jeremy. She hurried to her room and slammed the door. Feeling rejected, Jeremy walked out of the door and took a cab to Nadia’s apartment after dropping Sean in his class.

  There was only so much rejection Jeremy could tolerate. Nadia was the key to his future, with or without Sydney, he finally conceded.

  He fulfilled his promises to Danny. Now he had a few promises to keep for himself. Jeremy wondered what Nadia would think when he knocked on her door, when only a few hours earlier, he had left her with no intentions of returning so quickly and so easily. He wondered if she had a man that would come between his ambitions.

  The cab stopped in the village and Jeremy paid the fare. He rang the bell and before he could catch a breath, there stood Nadia, fully dressed to start out to work. It was only eight in the morning.

  It was the early mornings when Jeremy enjoyed making love to a woman. He met many women in his bachelor days, and many times he stole away for a day of sex and erotic mischief. That was his pleasure when he wasn’t painting.

  Nadia surprised and excited to see such a handsome man pay attention to her that she blushed. She wasn’t comfortable with men finding her attractive. Although she enjoyed the idea of having a man, she hadn’t caught the attention of one in a long time, and especially one as gorgeous and sexy as Jeremy. She remembered how she couldn’t believe how handsome and attentive he was when she first met him and now to have him standing in front of her was more than she could wish for. More than she could ever want.

  “Mr. McCloud you are intriguing. What are you doing here?”

  “I thought maybe you would have coffee with me?”

  “Don’t you drink tea?

  “Yes, but I’ll have coffee if that’s all you have,” Jeremy said as he inched his way into her apartment.

  “Ok, please come in, but I see you have done that already,” Nadia said as she gave him a big smiled.

  Jeremy stood in the foyer and blocked Nadia from passing until she gave him a kiss. He kissed her and she became immediately aroused by the way he eased his tongue into her mouth. He was a master of the French kiss. He pressed his full lips on her thin frail mouth. He kissed her long and hard. The kiss aroused her to the point that it could have substituted for the sexual act itself.

  His left hand wrapped around her thick waist, his lips crept down her full bosom and into the V in her breasts. His right hand touches her shoulder and neck then found its way near her crotch, with her body writhing with anticipation.

  When he released his hands and mouth she was all his. All he had to do was lead her to the bed, and that is precisely what he did.

  For Nadia it was a dream come true. Never was she lucky enough to look upon a man with seductive green eyes and sexy beyond belief—his predatory walk and gaze. She never had a man that had such hard arms and body. She never had a man that she could look into his face and see what she had never seen before—a drop-dead handsome man.

  Nadia thought she had died and gone to heaven until she heard the clock beep. She was late for an appointment and she had to rush to take another bath, comb her hair, and put makeup on. She looked at Jeremy who had fallen asleep after screwing her. Nadia considered Jeremy’s lovemaking an act of love. Jeremy considered it a necessity where it would prevent him from making a fool of himself over Sydney.

  Nadia peeped at her handsome lover and she knew that he was going to be hers, whatever it took to get him. She would prevent him from going anywhere. Therefore, she let him lie in her bed and eat her food. She knew nothing about him except that she needed him and he needed her and he had talent of more than one kind.

  Jeremy woke then walked around Nadia’s apartment naked. He felt comfortable as if he owned everything in it and Nadia. He walked to the window, peered out and realized that it was time to pick up Sean but he knew he could not make it on time. It would take too much time to get a cab and get to the school. He reluctantly called Sydney.

  “Sydney, this is Jeremy.”

  “I know your voice Jeremy. What is it?”

  “Can’t you greet me with civility?” Jeremy stated with a begging voice.

  “I think I have been civil enough with you considering…” Sydney said.

  “Well, Sydney what I called for is… I can’t make it to Sean’s school in time to pick him up.”

  “Why didn’t you call sooner Jeremy?”

  “I had an appointment with Nadia, I mean Ms. Brule’.

  “You are on a first name basis with her so soon?” Sydney asked.

  “Why are you jealous?” Jeremy said enjoying the sound of Sydney’s voice.

  “Why would I be jealous of you? I have a man that I love, and if I wanted you all I would have to do is look at him.”

  “I grant you I do look like him, but he can’t make you feel the way I can make you feel.”

  “You’re a bastard.” Sydney said outraged. “I hope you never come back here!”

  “What are you going to tell Danny?”

  “I don’t want to talk about Danny or you any longer.” Sydney said and clicked the phone.

  Jeremy stood holding the phone and staring at it for a few minutes, then let it drop. He just stared once more into the morning sun. He couldn’t do anything to make things better with Sydney. He was only causing her to hate him. He could not reach her. He did not know how to reach her and he was tired of trying.

  * * * *

  It had been a week since Sydney had seen Jeremy. Danny called everyday to find out if Sydney and the children were ok, but that didn’t matter. She wanted what she did not have. She wanted Jeremy. She didn’t know where the feelings came from. They just appeared.

  How could she miss a man she hated? How could she long to hear his voice? She didn’t even miss Danny the way she missed Jeremy. Was it the pregnancy that was messing with her body and mind? She must have lost all sense of self to entertain the idea of wanting Jeremy.

  The whole idea was sinful. Here she was married to Danny and she was lusting for Jeremy. She was jealous and out of her mind wh
en he did not come back to her apartment.

  Sydney didn’t sleep well when Jeremy wasn’t there. She wasn’t frightened of him because he was partially right about her knowing what had transpired in his apartment. She knew the difference. She knew his smell even if he was an identical twin. Maybe she pretended not to know it was him, when he had held her close, and kissed her neck, and made love to her.

  Sydney couldn’t believe that she was comparing Jeremy’s love making to Danny. She had now gone mad, completely over the top. As her mind floated away with thoughts of Jeremy, she heard the key in the door and there he stood in front of her. She turned to face him.

  “Sydney I didn’t know you would be up this late. I came to pack my things and leave. Nadia sold my paintings and I’m moving in with her.”

  “You are going to do what? Sydney turned pale and she refused to breath.

  “I’m moving in with Nadia until I close on my apartment.”

  “So soon Jeremy? But what am I going to do? I need you Jeremy. You promised Danny that you would be here to help me.” Sydney’s voice cracked.

  “I can still help you.” He walked to Sydney to touch her arms. “All you have to do is call and I’ll be there. It’s not far from Nadia’s apartment. I can catch a cab. Besides, you said you didn’t care if I came back.”

  “If you want to go… Then go!” Sydney said angry and heartbroken.

  He turned slowly then walked away from Sydney and proceeded to pack his clothes. He thought that he had better leave some of his clothes because he wanted a reason to come back. He wasn’t leaving her. However, he had to leave her so as not to leave her. The logic of his thinking was farfetched but it made perfect sense to Jeremy. If he didn’t try to make his way in the world and achieve something on his own, he would never have a chance with Sydney.

  Jeremy never thought about his brother, he was even ready to share Sydney with him by staying in the shadows. He had to convince Sydney of his scheme. Deep inside him he knew that his logic was near impossible. He knew that someone had to be crazy to think that Danny would give up his wife.