“I am sorry,” he apologised, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to give her some of his body heat. “But we must do it this way.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

She placed her hands on his sides to hold herself steady as he started to wash her shoulders, arms, hands, and then face and neck. Her body shivered when he scraped his claws over her scalp as he washed her hair.

No matter if he was rushing or not, touching her always made his vision turn purple in lust and his cock stir and begin to harden. Orpheus wanted what he could not have yet, and it burned within him, crushing his resolve.

The little moan she gave when he rubbed his hands over her breasts, feeling her nipples were already hard – whether that was from his touch or the cold – caused his body to stiffen further. He lingered a little longer than he should have, brushing his thumbs over each one at the same time just so she would twitch.

Her legs brushed against his in the water as he watched her blonde brows twitch and her lips part.

It took everything in him to move away, to not play with her soft breasts the way he wanted to. She hadn’t asked him to, and he shouldn’t be trying to tease her when they were in the forest.

“Y-you know,” she stuttered quietly after he dipped his fingers again and started working down her sides and abdomen. “This is a little more intimate than at home.”

Her breaths came in pants, and her body stretched when he was slipping past her navel.

“What do you mean?”

He didn’t see how this could be more intimate when they were currently in a cold stream.

“Because you are facing me.” She reached up and cupped the corners of his jaws. “And all I can see is your face and the glowing of your eyes.” Stifling a noise as one of his hands delved between her thighs, her eyes bowed as she looked up to him. “All I can feel is your hands.” Then she whispered so softly that even he barely heard it, “It reminds me of some of my dreams.”

His hands paused when he was washing her back. He tilted his head at her, unsure if he’d heard correctly.

“You have dreamt of me?” Pinkness lifted into her cheeks, and she nodded, bowing her head to hide it from him. “Of me touching you?”

She nodded against his chest and heavens help him, his cock almost extruded immediately. Purple deepened in his vision, and he held back the groan that almost came from him at the tightness of his tentacles holding his shaft back.

His hips started twitching at the torturous battle that began within his body, crimpling the water around him.

He leaned forward and sniffed at her neck, taking in her elderberry and red rose scent directly, before licking at her wet skin. I want her. She tempts me. She had no idea just how hard Orpheus was holding back.

Such words were dangerous because every day, every time he touched her, he feared his control was going to slip.

And yet, as he was slipping his hands down her legs, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Do I make you come in your dreams?”

She turned her head down to him as he knelt so he could reach her calves, almost drowning himself. Thankfully, she lifted her leg so that he could wash her foot. She nodded, and he licked at his snout to show his interest in her, in this conversation, as if his glowing purple eyes weren’t enough.

“With just my hands?” She shook her head when he started to wash the other. “My tongue as well?”

Her cheeks reddened, and she nodded. He shuddered, wanting to taste the sweet aroma of her arousal again.

Only once had he, and he craved the delicious taste of it, his mouth watering whenever he smelt her desire. Even though he couldn’t smell it because of the water, he now knew that scent by pure memory, and he started salivating for it.

I want to lick her. I shouldn’t.

He drew his tongue up and over her chest, just missing her breasts by going through the valley between them as he stood. That was enough to satisfy the need to taste her in some form.

Orpheus towered over her while placing his hands on either side of the riverbed to cage her in.

“Anything else, Reia?”

His heart was pumping heavily in his body, racing liquid fire through his veins.

Her only answer was her bringing her lips within her mouth to bite down on them. His claws sunk into the dirt as he curled his fingers in tension.

She has dreamt of my cock. He didn’t need anything else.

Her lack of response was enough for him to know.

He groaned before he leaned down to press his face against the crook of her neck and shoulder.

“You make it so hard for me to resist you,” he whispered with his voice hoarse, the strain of the battle behind his seam growing more violent.

But her bath was over, her human scent hidden to all, and they should leave the water so she could cover her body from the potential of a Demon spotting her.

“Do you want to touch me, Orpheus?”

Her smile was haunting when he raised his head, knowing that she meant inside and not just how he had.

“Always.”

She knew he desired her, there was no point in lying about it.

Her voice was soft and sweet as she whispered, “If you think it is safe, I would like you to.”

Fuck, I don’t care if it’s safe.

He did, but his need to feel her was too great. It had been days since he last had. He’d listen out, and he had the Mavka scouting the area for them. What would a little longer matter?

He slipped his arm between her and the wet rock and dirt wall, kneeling so he could be at her level. He didn’t want her above the surface of the water.

Quick. We must be quick. He dabbed his tongue over the pulsing flesh over her jugular, caressing one of her breasts so he could feel it, hold it, play with her stiff nipple that always made her breath hitch.

I have never touched her while facing her before.

It allowed him to lift her just enough that her breasts emerged, and he could sweep his tongue down her chest.

He brushed his hand lower, letting his claws lightly tickle her skin, as he licked across one of her breasts, feeling her nipple move across his tongue.

Her hands wrapped around his head and pulled him closer. He swirled his long tongue around it, teasing it as he slipped his exploring fingers into the lips of her folds to find the hard nub of her clit that was already swollen.

She felt slippery, but he knew the water would erase it in time. He removed his hand to dip his fingers into the oil before bringing his hand back under the water and pressing two inside her.

She stretched around them with a moan, her back arching. He pumped them, staring up at her as she bit her bottom lip while he played with her breast and her quivering insides. Her textured pussy was beckoning him with its little pulses and spasming clenches. It was perfect, and he wanted it. His cock ached for it.

He couldn’t. Even if she asked for it now, he couldn’t enter her here, in the forest. He could touch her, still had enough thought to be listening out, to smell beyond her, but if she was wrapped around him, he knew he’d lose all touch with his senses except for everything about her.