Gigi’s hungry gaze drank in Drake’s shirtless form as he tossed the clothing aside. The candlelight cut his muscles in shadowy relief. Gigi swore they looked bigger than they had in the daylight. She easily forgot how much of him was covered in ink when he was clothed. Now, the intricate art was on full display. Gigi had never been interested in tattoos, but she found something irresistible about the runes that covered him. Where his skin was unblemished by ink, it was marred by scars. Gigi had never noticed how many marks he bore, each a memento of battles fought.

She suddenly became very aware of her nightgown and had the intense urge to throw it beside his shirt. Her skin itched to be freed, to feel her body against his. Why shouldn’t I? Her sister’s words echoed in her head. Discretion be damned, she wanted him.

“So, should I just turn around?” he asked.

Gigi was pulled from her thoughts. “Ugh, yeah, just turn around,” she said, moving her gaze from his chest to his blue eyes. He obliged. Positioning himself in front of her on the bed, legs crossed. She inhaled deeply and focused on the muscular back in front of her. Hesitantly, she reached out. As excited as she was, Gigi didn’t want to spoil the mood by breaking his collarbone.

Her emerald hands gently caressed the tops of his shoulders. He shuddered. She pulled her hands back. “Too hard?”

“No, no, it was good. I’m just not used to…being touched,” he admitted.

“Let’s change that,” she purred. Her hands returned to his shoulders. With more confidence, she placed her fingers along the edges of his shoulder blades. She began to work her fingers into his muscles as gently as she could. His posture began to melt as she continued to knead his shoulders. “Does that feel good?”

“It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever felt,” he sighed.

It's the best thing you’ve ever felt so far. “Why don’t you lay down on your back,” she suggested. She reluctantly let go of his shoulders as he transitioned. He was laid out before her like a god carved from marble. She crawled to where he reclined before her. She slid on top of him, straddling his hips. Eager fingers traced the runes on his stomach as she leaned over him, her long black hair teasing his chest.

She pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear and looked down at him. He looked up at her, and she recognized the desire in his eyes. She smiled.

“You’re beautiful,” he breathed.

“Can I kiss you?” Gigi asked in response. He nodded. She leaned in and planted a firm kiss on his lips. It felt good—by the gods, it felt great. Her lips tingled with the anticipation of more. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. She found in them a yearning to keep going. Her passionate lips found him again and again. She wanted more. She wanted to feel all of him and give him all of her.

With a single motion, she pulled her nightgown over her head and tossed it aside. The humid attic air tickled her naked form as she straddled him. She began to work her hips against his slowly. She found his hands with hers, and she gently placed them on her bare breasts. He gave an exploratory squeeze. Moaning, she ground her hips harder against his.

Before long, she could feel what she had been waiting for quickly hardening under her. She slid her finger into his waistband.

“May I?” She asked.

“Please,” he whispered.

She eased her hand into his pants. She quickly found her treasure. It was radiating heat and throbbing hard. With care, she pulled him free of his confines. He groaned, and she grinned with satisfaction. Her ears fluttered with excitement at what was to come.

She took him in her hands and delicately lined him up against her opening. She could feel him now, so agonizingly close. Gigi lowered herself onto Drake, biting her lip as she eased him into herself. She gasped and shuttered as she took in his full length. It felt to her like a key fitting perfectly into a lock, like their bodies had been made for one another.

She felt his hands slowly grip her hips. His fingers squeezed, and she let loose a low moan. She rocked her hips back and forth. She rode him as if he were a prized stallion. Occasionally, she would let loose a low, throaty cry when he filled her completely. When she did, it seemed to drive Drake wild. His grip would tighten, and their pace would intensify.

Gigi could feel her body building to a crescendo. She thought he was close by the quickening pace of his thrusts. Her climax crashed into her, causing her to double over on top of Drake and shake. The added sensation proved too much for her lover. She felt him stiffen inside of her. Finally, now trembling, panting, and sweaty, their eyes met again. She kissed him before rolling off of him and nestling herself by his side.

“That was…incredible,” Drake said. Gigi giggled. She was pleased with herself, although she hoped nobody had heard them.

“That was just the beginning,” she whispered into his ear before kissing his cheek.

***

“Where in the seven hells are those two,” Griselda cursed. “They’re going to be late for the deliveries. Giada, go get them,” she commanded from the head of the kitchen.

Giada stopped buffing her long red nails. “Why me?” she scoffed.

“Just do it, or you’ll be going in Gigi’s place,” Griselda threatened.

“Fine, I’ll go look for her,” Giada spat.

“Don’t forget to check under Drake,” Gerinna cackled from her station. Giada joined in as she departed the kitchen. Griselda shot a venemous look at Gerinna.

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Giada quickly huffed her way to her sister’s room. She pounded on the door. “Gigi! Get your green ass out here!” she called out. Giada waited for a response, but none came. She pushed in the door to find an empty room. “I swear to the gods if she disappeared again…I am not doing the deliveries.” Then she remembered what Gerinna had said and sighed. She would need to check the attic too.

Giada trudged to the attic door and banged her fist on it. “Gigi! Human! Rise and shine!” No response. “Ugh! Gigi!” Giada threw open the door before stomping up the stairs.

***

Gigi’s ears twitched as she heard a rhythmic pounding. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking at Drake’s tattooed chest. For a moment, she watched it rise and fall and sighed with contentment. Then, her attention was drawn to the pounding once more as sleep faded and her senses sharpened. She had meant to sneak back downstairs but must have overslept. A moment later, it hit her: the stairs. Her eyes went wide as panic flooded through her.

“GIGI WHERE AR-,” the sentence was cut off and replaced by an ear-piercing scream. Gigi shot up to find she had gotten back on top of Drake in the night. Around the time she was making eye contact with her sister Giada, Gigi remembered she had not put her nightgown back on. “GIGI YOU ARE SO GROOOOSSS!” Giada cried, covering her eyes with her hands.

“GIADA GET OUT!” Gigi yelled, scrambling for something to cover herself with or throw at her sister.

“By the gods, you’re the worst! I’m telling Mom!” Giada promised as she ran back down the stairs.

“You’re my least favorite sister!” Gigi called after her. The goblin collapsed forward onto a now very awake Drake.

“Good morning,” he laughed.

She looked up at him and smiled. “Good morning.”

“I’m sorry for causing a fuss. Will your Mom be mad?” he asked cautiously.

Gigi sighed and pushed off of him. “Let’s go find out.”

***

Gigi was questioning her life’s choices as she put the crumpled nightgown back on to go downstairs. Drake, at least, was able to get dressed. Gigi caught a glimpse of herself in an old mirror by the desk. Her hair was wild. She looked like she had spent the night with a man and suspected she smelled like it. She frowned, wishing she could put herself together before getting yelled at, but that was not to be her fate.

The couple made their way downstairs and eventually into the kitchen. She first saw her sisters, Gerinna and Giada, pretending to work while they feverishly gossiped. Then they went silent as they spotted the pair entering.

“Where’s Mom?” Gigi asked sheepishly. She looked around the spacious kitchen but saw only her sisters.

“She’s right here,” Griselda said from the doorway behind them. Gigi jumped and spun on her heels to meet her mother. “Packing the deliveries that should have been on the road almost a half hour ago,” she said with frustration. “Drake,” he stood to attention, “be a dear and finish loading the deliveries while I talk to Gigi in the pantry for a moment,” Griselda ordered.

Drake looked at Gigi and mouthed, “Sorry,” before doing as he was told. Gigi’s ears drooped. This is going to be bad. Griselda calmly walked over to the pantry and opened the door before motioning for Gigi to join her.

She did as instructed and wearily made her way over. There was really no defense she could raise, and she hated it. Griselda shut the door behind her.

“Gigi, I’m not going to lecture you about your romantic life, of which I think we both agree, I’ve been more than understanding, but I’m extremely disappointed you would do this.”

“What have sex?” Gigi asked.

“In the house Gigi, where your family is also sleeping, it’s just…” Griselda sighed in frustration, “So selfish. You know the attic is right over my room?”

Gigi gasped in horror. That was a fact she had forgotten. “Did you…”

“NO, thank the gods, but I know you didn’t even think about it.”

Her mother was right. She hadn’t. Guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. “You’re right…I’m sorry, I’ll make sure we do it outside the house from now on…”

“That’s all I ask. Also, did you drink your tea?” Gigi’s eyes widened. She had forgotten her “maiden’s tea,” as her mother called it. The elixir stopped her from getting pregnant. She was supposed to drink it every day. Her mother shook her head.

“I will, I will,” she promised. Gigi began to play with her messy hair nervously. “Mom, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“How did you know you loved Dad?”

Griselda’s eyes went wide with surprise. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her mother composed herself for a moment and then looked at Gigi again.

“Do you think you might love that man,” she whispered and motioned toward the door.

“No… maybe…I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking.” Gigi was certain she had never been in love before. However, she was also positive that she had never felt this way about anybody else. She was out of her depth and needed some guidance.

It was then that a knock came at the door. “Hey, it’s me,” came Drake’s muffled voice. The women exchanged worried glances. How much had he heard? “I’m going to go do the deliveries now. I know today’s route. Sorry to interrupt your talk…”

“Sounds great, dear!” Griselda called back.

“Bye, Gigi, I’ll miss you!” He yelled through the door. The women looked at each other again. Gigi shrugged.

“I’ll miss you too,” she yelled, realizing she actually would. They waited for his footsteps to fade before they started talking. Griselda crossed her arms and looked at her daughter suspiciously.

“Why don’t you tell me about your feelings, and we’ll go from there.”

“I can’t stop thinking about that sweet idiot!” She groaned. “Like when I told him I’ll miss him just now, that wasn’t even a lie! What’s wrong with me?”

Her mother laughed and shook her head. “Nothing, Gigi, you’re at least infatuated with him. He’s clearly head over heels about you.”

Gigi perked up. “So, do you think it’s love?”

“I think you’re young and very attracted to each other. Whether or not it’s anything more, only you two can find that answer.”

Gigi nodded and sighed. She suspected that her mother was right. Whatever the truth of their feelings, they would need to figure it out together.

“Now go take a bath. You smell like a cat house,” Griselda said, waving her hand before her nose.