I wake up with a hand between my legs.

Not an uncommon way to wake up but it only takes a moment for me to realize that I’m not at home and the hand doesn’t belong to my wife. I inhale deeply, confirming that Cloud is behind me but the naughty limb doesn’t belong to her.

The guilty party is Orphelia, the strange girl I met just yesterday. Staring at me with those uncomfortably observant eyes and a smile with no warmth.

“Good morning, Lou.”

“Morning…is there a reason you’re molesting me?”

“My, I thought you were inviting me, pressing against me so aggressively.” Her hand pushes further and touches my ‘gift’, which is not fully erect but swollen enough to show a noticeable bulge. “I have to say, I’m not often surprised but this is quite novel. Was this decision based on your sexual proclivities or to consummate your marriage with the elf?”

This woman, casually making conversation while stroking me. I unconsciously move my hips as I speak through grit teeth. “It’s none of your business.”

“But what if I want to make it my business?”

I twitch as her fingers squeeze. This situation must be someone’s dream come true but I can’t enjoy it without concern. Never mind the audience around us. Orphelia confuses me. I don’t understand her fascination. It’s not attraction. She has her hand between my legs and I don’t smell a bit of excitement from her. Her hooded eyes and seductive tone are all an act and I can’t find the motive behind it. Don’t tell me a pile of weasels is the reason behind this?

“You wound me, honored sister.”

Cloud speaks in a raspy voice thick with sleep, her hot breath brushing my neck as she leans over me. Her arm goes over my chest, unabashedly grabbing my breast. I bite down on my lower lip to muffle a moan as her sharp teeth graze the back of my neck. “Starting without me.”

My thoughts move to Alana. She’s already concerned that I’m a lustful beast. Sleeping with two women, one who she has a strained relationship with and the other a stranger, is unquestionably going to reinforce that idea.

But, the truth is, I am a lustful beast. Saints, I’m already married, I’ve got two elementals known for seducing their summoners, and another woman besides her I’m actively courting. If she doesn’t know the kind of woman I am by now, she has to be blind and deaf. Plus, I’ve already slept with someone else in front of her, though she claims she was too drunk to remember.

Maybe this is exactly what needs to happen. I will find a way to show her my commitment, while different from the norm, is real. In the meantime, a bit of temptation, a show of some of the ‘benefits’, may do a lot to sway her mind.

That, and there’s no way I can walk away at this point.

My hand cups Orphelia’s face as I lean forward, bringing our lips together. My hips move faster as I push my tongue past her lips. She returns the kiss but there is no passion behind it at all. All her movements feel mechanical and her breath stays even. Something that slowly changes. I can smell her body reacting to my bodily fluids through our exchange of saliva and the sweat on my skin.

She notices too, jerking away from our kiss. Her blush is a little hard to see against her bronze skin but I can feel the heat in her cheeks. “What did you do?”

“I haven’t done anything,” I whisper. Oh~ I think I’ve flustered her. “You started this.”

“Drugs? No, you couldn’t have hidden them. The physical affinity? No, her eyes never glowed.”

“You’re thinking out loud.” My other hand brushes over her thigh before grabbing her ass and pulling her closer. “No need to overthink. I’m happy to tell you.” I purposely secrete an aphrodisiac through my fingers, which is far more potent than my saliva, as I grab her chin. “It’s me. Every single piece of me is designed to feed my appetites. Let me show you~”

I kiss her again and it’s very different. Her controlled expression melts as her lips tremble. Her confidence collapses, her hand pawing at my chest weakly. She moans and her body twitches, flinching from the loss of control. Her heart pounds in her chest and I can tell part of the reason is her mounting anxiety.

Didn’t expect this, did you? I may not be able to read you as well as I’d like but anyone can see she values control, both in herself and over others. She thought she could use sex to control our relationship, whatever she thinks that is or is going to be. She’s bitten off a little more than she can chew this time, heh.

As her body heats up, her hand loses strength, slipping from between my thighs. She retreats and I advance, rolling her onto her back and climbing on top of her. My hands deftly undue the belt of her robe as I deepen our kiss, swallowing her confused moans.

“Huh? What are they…oh, saints!” I hear Cecile exclaim as my hands wander. Something falls to the ground, likely her breakfast as the people up and about were congregated near the food pile. Her shout draws attention to us, further exclamations following.

Orphelia’s heart skips a beat but that’s it. Her arms wrap around my neck as she pulls me closer. Seems her apprehension has turned to interest. Hm. From the beginning, she hasn’t let circumstances get the best of her for long. Admirable, I admit.

“…don’t they know we’re here?” William’s shy voice asks. I’d bet a hundred gold crowns that he’s watching with rapt attention.

“I’m not,” Marthe says with a scoff as she stomps out of the shelter.

“We shouldn’t be watching this,” says a voice I don’t recognize. Has to be that Lanston fellow. His words are polite but I don’t hear him leave, heh.

“Watching what?” Arthur’s unmistakable bellow calls as he stomps into the shelter. I hear his sharp intake of breath as he spots us. Then he guffaws. “By the deep! She’s got more gray in her than I thought!” Then the disgusting bastard starts undoing the ties of his pants.

I pull away from the kiss, noting with some amusement that Orphelia unconsciously raises her head to chase after me. “Throw the seadog out,” I say as I slip under the blanket, pushing open Orphelia’s legs.

“As you wish, my summoner~”

“Ah, wait, wait! Fuck!” There’s a brief scuffle as Geneva throws him out of the shelter. “Dammit! I’m starving!”

Throw the thing some meat so it keeps quiet.

He curses as several pieces of meat hit him in the face, something I know as Geneva communicates her intentions.

“Hey, why are you staring?” Cecile yells at someone.

“If they’re going to do it out in the open, they can hardly complain about being observed,” Sebas’ haughty voice answers. I have half a mind to toss him out as well but I decide against it. This is another good way to make him feel inadequate.

“…I didn’t take Orphelia to be that type of woman,” Mr. Four Affinities criticizes.

“And what type of woman is that?” Alana, ever the defender, quickly jumps to her rescue.

“Ah. I meant…it’s just not proper…” He trails off. I can imagine the look she’s giving him. “Surely you don’t approve?”

“Doesn’t matter. This is their shelter too. If they want to be degenerates inside of it, none of us have the right to say they can’t.” She sighs. “Is what I want to say but the truth is I don’t see any of us stopping this. Just go outside if it bothers you.”

“…you’re not going?”

“Why should I? The blankets are in here. I’m going back to sleep.”

I don’t know if you’ll be able to sleep with what’s about to happen but she makes a valiant effort, wrapping herself in the blanket she shared with Marthe.

Apparently, Cloud is eager for her turn as her hand reaches down, twisting in my hair and stopping my teasing to shove my nose against Orphelia’s wet lips.

“Fuck, the guide too?” Sebas says. “What the hell do they see in that lunatic?”

“I imagine we are about to find out,” William mutters under his breath.

Orphelia sucks in a sharp breath as I drag my tongue along her lower lips, her shaking hands grabbing my shoulders. I like hearing her tightly controlled façade slowly melt but with Cloud’s hand urging me and her heavy panting showing her own need, this is going to be quick and brutal. I shove of my tongue inside her and eat her out furiously.