Chapter 1 – Arrival

Monday 2nd August 2010

Amsterdam

My worldly possessions were contained in the suitcase, holdall and laptop bag I carried as I walked away from the baggage carousel. On the way through Schiphol Airport, my emotions were in turmoil.

When I set off I wanted to do this, the whole new start, but was it the right thing to do?

I stopped for a coffee at one of the many cafes so I could reassure myself that I was okay. While I sat there looking around and listening to the conversations at nearby tables I recalled the drunken weekend I’d spent in this wonderful city only a year before. Hearing the idle chat also reminded me that one of the reasons I’d chosen this place to start was the wide use of English.

After twenty minutes relaxing with coffee and a pastry, I set off through the incredible airport to buy a rail ticket for the city. I went downstairs to the platforms and thirty-five minutes later I was walking out of Centraal Station towards the bus stops on the main road. I’d been informed that the ride to Haarlemmerstr should take about twenty minutes.

*

“Hello,” was the cheerful response in the speaker when I pressed the doorbell for Flat 4.

“Hi, it’s Greg Lawson from the UK.”

The door lock buzzed open. “Come on up, Greg, and be careful on the stairs.” If this was my landlady she sounded nice … sexy even.

I’d only reached the top of the first flight of stairs when the warning made sense. The stairs were steep and there were plenty of them. I walked along the landing and started the next climb. I looked up when I heard stifled laughter. At the top of the next flight stood a tall, handsome woman with wavy, shoulder-length blonde hair.

I smiled as I negotiated the stairs, trying not to struggle with my baggage. “Good morning,” I managed between panting breaths.

“Good morning and welcome to Amsterdam, Greg.”

As I took the last few steps to arrive on the landing I appreciated the lovely face, fuller figure and great legs of the woman. I tried to meet her gaze, but the short floral dress which was filled in all the right places caught my eye. Her deep cleavage was like a magnet to my gaze.

“I’m Astrid,” the delectable woman said and offered her hand.

I put down my case and outstretched my hand. “I’m pleased to meet you, Astrid.”

“Did you have a pleasant trip?”

“I did, thank you.” I lifted my baggage and put it down again when we reached the open-plan living room/kitchen/diner. “Wow, this is spacious and light.”

“I’m glad you like it. I’ll show you the rest before I leave you to unpack and settle in.” Astrid led the way along the short hallway past a small cupboard, the toilet, shower and utility room and on into the large double bedroom at the end.

I looked around at the big bed, wardrobe, dresser and small desk with its office chair. There was more than enough room in this apartment for me and all of my belongings. “The whole place looks great, thank you.”

“I can have the desk and office chair removed if you wish. I wasn’t sure if you’d want them.”

“No, it’s great that I’ve got a desk and chair. I’m a writer so it will save me from using the dining table. I’ll probably move the desk and chair into the living room at some point. I’m not intending to have any parties so they will sit neatly near the window.”

“If you’re happy with the apartment we can go along and sign the documentation. I’ve left it all in the living room.”

I followed Astrid along the hallway and feasted my eyes on the back of her incredible legs. “Absolutely lovely,” I murmured.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she entered the main room. “Did you say something?”

“I was just saying that the whole place is lovely.” I’d have to control my open admiration.

She smiled and arched an eyebrow which gave me the impression that she was well aware of the reason for my comment. “I stocked up on coffee, and a few essentials, so at least you can have a hot drink and a sandwich without going shopping straight away.”

“Could you show me the way around the cooker and the television so I don’t make any mistakes with the controls on either of them?”

Five minutes later, I was happy that I wouldn’t accidentally blow the place up.

“If you like,” Astrid said, “while you’re reading over the rental agreement I could make you a coffee.”

“That would be very nice, but I’ll only have one if you’ll join me.”

“How do you like it?”

“Black with sugar, please,” I said and was pleased I’d have her company for a while longer.

She looked back at me from the kitchen area. “I like the blonde streaks in your lovely long hair. Do you always wear a ponytail?”

I touched my light brown hair with one hand. “I’ve never been able to grow a moustache or beard so a couple of years ago I thought I’d opt for the sixties rock star look, and I tie it back.”

“The ponytail suits you but because of the shape of your face, your hair would also look good if you let it hang loose.”

“Thank you.” I looked around the room. Apart from the dining table where I was sitting there was a tall bookcase and a large corner sofa. In front of the sofa was a low glass coffee table. I glanced at my lovely landlady and then looked down to read through some of the rental document. I signed wherever I saw a cross marked against a line. When I turned to look at Astrid’s legs she caught me, arched an eyebrow and smiled. At least she didn’t take it badly.

“Do you have a girlfriend, Greg?”

“No—”

“Oh, how insensitive of me, maybe a boy—”

I laughed nervously. “No, I haven’t got a girlfriend, because I’ve been a free agent for a couple of months.”

“Perhaps you’ll meet somebody in the city while you’re here. We have a lot of pretty girls in Amsterdam.” She poured the drinks and brought them to the dining table.

I sipped my coffee. “From what I’ve seen so far, you have some rather lovely older women too.”

“You can’t have seen that many since you arrived.”

“I wouldn’t have to leave this room to find one. Your husband is a very lucky man, Astrid.”

“You are too kind, Greg. I might tell my husband, just to make him jealous.” She laughed. “He might be extra nice to me.”

I smiled and pushed the signed agreement and other documents across the table. “All done.”

“Thank you. Our house is Flat 1 on the ground floor, so if you have any problems, don’t hesitate to give me a buzz.”

Giving this woman a buzz would give me a buzz, I thought. “My next challenge will be to find a part-time job to bring in some cash while I’m here.”

“What type of thing are you looking for?”

“Probably cafe or bar work, but I’ll have a go at anything. I have enough to pay my rent and buy food for my first three months but it would be nice to have a bit extra.”

“I could have a word with my husband if you like. He manages a couple of small bars. Actually, one of our other residents in the block works at the local bar.”

“That would be amazing.”

“Leave it with me and I’ll ask Tony to come and see you.”

“How does your husband manage more than one bar?”

“I think he’s what you might know as an area manager. He’s responsible for three places in Amsterdam, and a couple in Eindhoven, Utrecht and Rotterdam.”

“A busy man.”

“It keeps him out of trouble, as they say.” She laughed. “He enjoys the change of scene and works in different branches occasionally.”

I asked about the local area and how far it was to the city. According to Astrid, there were several good shops, cafes and bars nearby. She also said that if I didn’t want to catch a bus or tram it would only take about forty minutes to walk into the city. There was also the option of buying myself a cheap bike because cycling cost nothing and provided more freedom.

“Well, Greg, I’ll leave you to it if you’re happy with everything.”

“Thank you.”

“Have you been to Amsterdam before?”

“Only for a weekend with a couple of friends last year.”

“Remember, I’m only downstairs, and I’d be happy to help you with any problems while you settle in.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

Five minutes later I was left with the fragrance of Astrid’s perfume drifting in the air and the hope of a job at a local bar floating around my head.

*

I went out for a stroll in the neighbourhood and bought some more food. It gave me a feel for where the nearest supermarket was and I wandered into a few other shops just to see what they sold. I had to remind myself that this wasn’t a two or three-day drinking session but a leap into the unknown.

When I got back I fixed a coffee and then set about unpacking and laying out my wardrobe and the chest of drawers. I carried the desk and chair through to the living room and organised my laptop, large notepad and pen. I had no intention of writing straight away, but it felt good having everything ready.

When my evening meal was out of the way I played around on the television to see what I could pick up in English. One thing I didn’t expect was to get internet on there, so it meant that apart from research I’d be able to use the bigger screen. The apartment just got better.

It was still early in the evening so I pulled on my jacket and went out for a walk. I had a look at the street map, worked out where I was and then folded the map away and into a pocket. I considered having a beer in a local bar, but now, of course, I knew that Astrid’s husband might be working in one of them. I didn’t know which one, so until I did I’d leave the local places to later.

I strolled towards the city and felt the strangest sense of freedom, not knowing anybody and not being known. After about fifteen minutes I went into one place and sat on a barstool to enjoy a small beer. It was cosy and not too busy, as I might have expected early in the week. I had another drink, nodded to the barman when I finished and moved on.

My first inclination was to go into another bar, but instead, I walked closer to the city. The nearer I got, the busier it became, and when I saw the main railway station over to my left I knew I’d reached my goal. A few minutes later and it looked like nearly every bar had seating outside. The city was busy for the beginning of the week, and then it struck me that it was probably busy every day and night. Tourists would probably outnumber local residents in Amsterdam centre.

I sat outside at a table which allowed me to take in my surroundings and watch people going about their social life. Something that stood out right away was the number of attractive women around town. The age range of those who were socialising was broad and I was reminded that this was one of those cities renowned for its nightlife. It was hard not to stare because so many of the fairer sex were very easy on the eye.

When I had my next small beer in front of me I pulled out my map to have a look using the bright lights outside the bar. I could see the main street names which I knew would be worth learning but one place caught my eye. If I could locate the Oude Kerk (Old Church), the red light district was nearby and I’d get a lingering look at scantily-clad pretty women.

It took a short while to work out where I was going, but when I found the street there was no mistaking it. At first, it looked reminiscent of any narrow street full of brightly-coloured clubs and shops. A few men wandered along the intimate area slowly.

After two minutes, inside and outside the apartments on the left side I saw semi-naked women of different age groups and of various sizes and skin tones. The one thing they all had in common was that they weren’t wearing much and they were standing or sitting in their bright pink, red or ultra-violet illuminated windows in provocative poses.

If I were stone-cold sober and strolling along this lane I might have felt different. On one side were garish shops signs with a wondrous selection of wares, from sexy lingerie and wigs to sex toys, blow-up dolls and standard local souvenirs. On the other side was the continuous selection of almost naked women on display. Again, if I were sober, I might have thought about the way the lighting effects disguised any imperfections, but I’d had a long day followed by a few beers, and I hadn’t had sex for weeks.

“Hey, handsome, come and talk to me.” She was young, blonde and curvy with great legs.

“Hi,” I said shyly and carried on. I must have been staring or she wouldn’t have caught my attention when she spoke. I walked on and remembered paying a visit on my weekend trip. The only things I could remember were that my brief interlude was with a woman with long dark hair, and apart from being expensive, it only lasted a few minutes. Of course, one other thing that was clear in my memory was how her pussy had felt as tight as a closed fist as it gripped my cock and caused me to shoot my load quicker than I’d wanted. 

A nod from a slightly older woman caught my eye and I couldn’t stop myself. I had to check out her fuller figure and amazing legs. As I feasted my eyes on her she placed a slender hand on her skimpy underwear and rubbed the area.

“Would you like to come and play with me, handsome?” Her voice was a tempting, sexy whisper.

I smiled at her and walked on, finding it harder to keep my feet moving. The desire to go in was increasing with each one of these temptresses. I wanted so much to luxuriate in the feeling of my stiff cock sliding into a hot, wet pussy, even if I had to wear a condom. There would be no kissing, but I might be able to fondle a nice big pair of breasts or squeeze generous thighs or buttocks as I felt my cock being rapidly teased, pleased and relieved.

I reached the other end of the street and paused to look at the nearby canal. “Do you spend a lot of money for a few minutes pleasure, Greg, or do you go home and have a pull in privacy?” I turned and strolled back along the street taking in the sights of the available female flesh. The women wore no more than makeup, skimpy underwear and high heels. It was so hard to resist.

“Come on … tell me what you like.” Tall, dark-haired and stunning. “You like it kinky, eh?”

I smiled at her and thought of the word ‘kinky’ related to her.

Was she suggesting me doing something with her, or her doing something with me?

It was becoming harder not to succumb, and I was aware of something else getting harder … my throbbing cock.

Somehow, I managed to get to the other end of the street again, but my arousal still raged at me to do something for relief. I took one last long look at an auburn-haired beauty in a lit-up doorway near the end and then I got away from there.

I stopped twice for a beer on the way home and told myself I was doing the right thing. When I got into the apartment I stripped and got ready for bed, but the visions of those lovely women who made a living from selling their services kept coming back to me and I got a hard-on.

While standing in front of the mirror I reached down and caressed my throbbing cock. I closed my eyes to imagine it was the tall dark-haired woman and I thought about her squatting in a sixty-nine over me so I could tongue her as she sucked me. I was reaching for my underwear within a few minutes and was just in time to catch my juices as I stopped pumping my cock with my fist.

***