The Stalker

She stumbled on her way to work on the little chips of stones that had rolled in from a nearby construction site. It was cold and she held tightly on to the pile of books borrowed from the library.

In her struggle to regain her balance, one of the books fell out of her hands. It was a small book the size of a folded handkerchief and bound in red and gold. She dived for it and caught it before it hit the pavement with a thud.

It was one smooth flow. The loss of balance, the swoop to catch the book and the way she stood up - one fluid motion.

It was like a well-choreographed piece - graceful, liquid, lazy and feminine.

He watched her from afar. He always watched her from afar. Her giggles, her awkward springy walk, her tinkling laughter like the ringing of a million bells and her feet. She had large feet like a man's feet but, they did not look awkward on her. Instead, they looked just right. She wore a thin anklet around the right feet and the bells always announced her arrival on brightly-painted toes.

He watched her as she bent down, the perfect body in a tight pair of denims and closed his eyes for a second to regain his equilibrium. He opened them again and they focused on the heaving chest and felt disappointed that the pile of books she was clutching hid her perfect assets from him.

He did not need to stare to see her contours. He had them printed on his mind's eyes. For the nth time since he had been watching her, he sighed, "perfect!"

A cold wind blew from his mouth to her cheeks and she shivered as if touched by a kiss.

It was strange. She's had this feeling many a times in the last few months, as if someone was watching her. Watching her every movement and noticing her each move.

She looked over her shoulders and saw no one, just a bunch of her office colleagues smoking by the parking lot and no one was looking at her. They were all totally busy discussing politics while blowing smoke from their noses.

Shrugging her shoulders a little, she walked into the office and was lost in the noise and activity for the next eight hours.

She felt it again when she stepped out into the cold night. That creepy feeling that someone was stalking her was too strong to ignore. She shivered and stood on the steps wondering if she should turn around and go back and ask someone to give her a lift.

Even as she was thinking, laughter and hooting emerged from the corridor and Monica, the chief slut of the office came out followed by a band of merry men. She saw her and waved as if she was an old friend. "Sharmishtha darling! You leaving for the day?"

"Errr...Yes...Monica. I was leaving for home."

"Where do you stay?"

The guy was from some other department. Sharmishtha had seen him around a few times but never heard his voice. Now that she did, she was floored!

It was like paper rustling over silk. It promised everything a girl could fantasize about. 'How sexy would that sound over the phone?' Her mind asked in a whisper.

"Ahem..."

Breaking out of her reverie she looked at his eyes. They were like velvet and coffee. They were piercing her soul and looking into a dark brown part of her heart where desire pretended to doze. She felt herself falling into the twin pair and shuddered. Desire was awake and poised to jump.

She wanted to tell him where she lived but, her tongue would not allow speech.

And then, he smiled.

Her legs turned to jelly and she forgot to breathe. Why had she never noticed this guy before? What the hell? He was like sin on legs!

She gasped and broke the spell with an awkward smile. "Not very far from here."

He flashed that devastating smile at her. "Lift?"

"Darling. You were coming with us for dinner." Monica pouted.

"Yes Monica. I'll join you after dropping Sharmishtha home."

Then turning, "Your name's Sharmistha isn't it?"

Her heart stopped functioning because he was now standing right in front of her and his smell - part musk, part cinnamon filled her brains addling her grey cells with desire.

She could only nod in answer when he cocked his eyebrows at her.

"Let's go then, shall we?"

"Let's..."

The one word came out slurred and her legs felt wobbly as she started walking with him towards the parking. She had never felt this excited ever.

He was tall and walked gracefully with long strides. She had to almost run to keep up. The bells tinkled on her ankle matching the beating of her wayward heart.

When they reached the parking he went to the end and stopped near a motorbike. It was huge and black and looked like it had been carved out of granite.

He turned around to look at her. A wicked smile on his lips. "Wanna fast ride?"

She just nodded an awkward acknowledgement.

He handed her a helmet and turned around to wrap his long legs around the big machine. She waited for him to settle down and then, pulled her right leg up and then, around the monster to adjust behind his broad back.

The air was rife with promises as they roared across the roads. The speed made it necessary for her to cozy up to him and then, as he increased the speed, she held on to him for dear life.

His laughter pierced the air and reverberated through her making everything melt into the pit of her stomach. Her heart lurched with desire and adrenaline from the fast ride. He really was enjoying their togetherness. She could not believe her luck!

He laughed when she felt her shiver because, he had waited for this moment for the last six months.

She was finally on his bike and they were cruising around the streets with the cold breeze teasing her hair and making the strands fly on to his face. He smelled deeply, turned his neck to look at her hugging his back and sighed.

A small cold breath hit her cheeks as if in a kiss and her senses jumped to an alert. She knew the feeling. He was the stalker and she still did not know his name nor he her address...