Author’s note: NSFW—you have been warned.

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“Gosh dang it all.” I huffed out loud to myself. “Jeez. I cannot figure this out.”

I held up my sky-blue oxford shirt to my chest and then switched it with my heather grey cardigan. I needed to figure out which of these I would look better in for my picnic. On one hand, the oxford was timeless and classy, but on the other, the cardigan had a little bit of an edge to it. Maybe too edgy? Ugh. I should have asked Aurora beforehand which she might prefer.

That’s right—today was my first get-together with a woman named Aurora. I was super excited to meet her in person for the first time. After matching on the app “Quaint Small Town Disney Adult Best Friend Finder”, we texted for several days getting to know each other—which even ended up culminating in an actual telephone call. We learned so many deeply personal things about each other: favorite colors, favorite restaurant in our city’s downtown, favorite animal—it was like we were already best friends.

This was ideal as everyone knows the best and most fulfilling romantic relationships always stem from exclusively platonic relations for extended periods of time.

I finally decided on the oxford, as I did not want to be flashy and give off a vapid exterior, which this cardigan certainly exuded. Coupled with my pressed and pleated khaki slacks and outlet sneakers, I was off to the park for our picnic.

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When I arrived, I pulled my 2016 Toyota Prius hybrid into an empty spot two spots away from the only other car in the lot—a 2017 Toyota Prius hybrid with a large Magic Kingdom castle sticker on the back windshield. She was already here. I must have been late. I certainly hoped she didn’t think I stood her up. I looked down at my watch—Mickey’s small hand was pointing at the three and his large hand was two minutes past the hour.

TWO MINUTES?! This was likely unforgivable.

“Sugar in my iced tea!” I exclaimed to myself. Then dragged my basket and blanket with me to try and salvage this ruined date.

But oh? In the distance I saw her. She looked back at me and waved gently with a smile.

She had long wavy blonde locks and brown eyes that reminded me of Rapunzel. She wore a very elegant, yet humble billowing ankle-length long sleeved pink floral dress, though I did not keep my gaze below her neck at all for any appreciable amount of time so as to dissuade her of any fear that I may objectify her.

“Good afternoon, Aurora.” I said meekly, expecting her to be upset.

“Hi there.” She said brightly, “I noticed you were fashionably late.”

I blushed and turned away.

She giggled. “Don’t worry. I like a man who breaks rules sometimes.”

I looked back up at her. “Oh? You aren’t mad?”

“Maybe.” She shrugged, “I actually have a secret to tell you.”

“Please do.” I said.

“I actually got here faster than you because I broke some rules of my own.” She pointed to the road, “The speed limit there is 45 miles per hour—but I went 47.” She paused briefly. “I certainly hope that you don’t think I’m a dangerous risk taker.”

“Just be careful.” I replied. “I’d much rather you be here later than potentially injure yourself.”

She nodded. “That’s such a caring thing of you to say.”

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“You look very nice by the way.” I gestured in her general direction.

“And you look very handsome. Your shirt is very classic and timeless.”

I screamed internally. I picked the right shirt!

“Shall we enjoy our picnic?” She asked.

I gesticulated for her to sit down as I rolled out a pink blanket that I grabbed from my home. It matched the base color of her dress, though I made sure not to sneak any extra glances at her, so she wouldn’t assign any false ulterior motives to this get-together.

I opened the basket and retrieved the cucumber dill high tea sandwiches I made from ingredients grown in my garden and a cold bottle of sparkling apple juice.

“I’ve been so looking forward to this!” She exclaimed. “No one has ever done anything like this for me before.”

I went to pour her a glass of apple juice in one of the stemless wine glasses made from 100% reclaimed plastic when she noticed my hand trembling a little bit.

“Are you okay?” She asked. “Why are you shaking like that?”

“I think I’m just nervous.” I said, “I was even listening to my easy-listening calm jazz music playlist in the car, ugh.”

“Well don’t be nervous, I don’t bite.” She immediately turned bright red, “Like an angry dog, I mean! I’m not mean, I won’t yell at you or anything.” She continued to sputter out.

I blushed too, not because I was flustered, but because I felt bad about her panic.

“No. No.” I waved my hand. “I completely understood what you meant. C’mon, cheers to this.”

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We clinked our glass with a dull thud from the polyethylene cups and sipped on the juice and ate the sandwiches. The weather was perfect and we watched dogs and children play catch with frisbees. She told me about the censored Sabrina Carpenter album she liked to listen to while driving, and I told her more about my favorite jazz and classical musical. We agreed to burn CDs for each other, because of course, we both had Walkman players and older model MP3 players to download music to. Because that’s how things go in quaint small towns.

The sun began to set after our chat, and she laid down on the blanket and looked up at the clouds. She patted the side next to her and I laid down there, making sure to leave room between us.

“Sky sure is pretty this time of year.” She sighed contentedly. “I love seeing what shapes the clouds take.

“What do they look like to you?” I asked, trying to figure it out myself.

She pointed up, “Well that one looks like a marshmallow, and that one looks like a marshmallow, and that one looks like a marshmallow.”

I pointed at one off in the distance, “Does that one look like a marshmallow too?”

“No silly.” She replied, “That one is obviously Baymax from Big Hero Six.”

How could I have been so myopic!?

“Ugh. Apologies, I must just still be nervous.”

“Well, you can’t always be nervous around me.” She replied, “It’ll get easier. Believe me, I’m just as nervous as you. I haven’t talked to a boy like this in forever.”

“Same—though with you, you know?” I stammered awkwardly. “You get my point.”

She sat up and finished her juice. As I went to refill her cup with more juice, but she held her hand up.

“No more.” She said. “Too much sugar and carbonation after six o’ clock will hurt my tummy and ruin my sleep.”

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I looked down at my watch—gee whiz, it was already six fifteen!

“Do you need to leave soon?” I asked, “I’d hate to keep you from getting ready for bed!”

“Soon, yeah.” She nodded. “I have choir practice this evening. Luckily, I get to sleep in tomorrow an extra fifteen minutes until six forty-five. Here, let me help pack this all up.”

We made sure to separate our used dishes by compostable and recyclable, and I neatly organized them into my basket. She helped me fold my blanket, and she even applied Tide to Go using her own pen after a spot where a small cream cheese covered cucumber slice fell out of her sandwich. Once I had everything bundled up and together, she smiled.

“This was wonderful.” She said with a bubbly tone. “It’s not every day I get good food, good weather and good company.”

“I’m so happy to hear that,” I nodded, “Shall I walk you to your car?”

“I would love that.” She replied.

We sauntered over back our vehicles, again, just talking about random things in the world. When I got to her driver’s side door, I offered to open her door. She unlocked the door with her fob and allowed me to open it.

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“Thank you for being such a gentleman.” Aurora said, “That’s rare nowadays.”

She gave me a brief side hug with one arm. Then she looked at me, and before I had the opportunity to react, Aurora pecked me on the cheek with completely unpuckered lips.

I gasped involuntarily.

“I know this is probably moving way too fast for you, but I just can’t help how I feel.” She said quietly.

It was a lot to process all at once, but I think I felt the same way about her. I really enjoyed the kiss, in fact, despite how this was only our first date, if you’d even call a friendly get-together like this, that. Normally, I’d prefer to wait until three or four.

“I think we should do this again.” I smiled, “Though—no speeding next time, and I promise I won’t be late.”

She smiled warmly. “Deal.”

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She climbed into her car and drove off gently. As she left, I heard the first notes of the clean version of “because i liked a boy” by Sabrina Carpenter play in her car.

For a period every year, everyone becomes anonymous–hiding behind the elaborate masquerade masks and exquisite silks. Hedonism runs wild through the streets. Untold amounts of decadent foods, bizarre displays of showmanship, lavish ballrooms, and illicit debaucheries and trysts become the norm before the restrictions of Lenten calm the populace.

I usually made a fortune during Carnivale. The high-profile politicians and doges of the city had to hire security for when the enormous groups they hosted for balls at their estates inevitably acted out of hand. You can get a lot of security work with a forged chest plate and pauldrons. If you look like a knight, then people treat you like one–though I’d personally never ride out against the lines of new arquebusiers from the Piedmont. I didn’t think I’d ever even escort a group of merchants on the roads again.

Not after the last time those months ago.

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The night was getting late–people were becoming taken with the wine and the vivid colors of the fuochi d’artificio illuminating the sky across its gesso of pitch black caused them to give into their base humanity as the crowds spilled out into the streets in a collective heat.

It had been an easy night, only three or four rabble-rousers needing a little push to behave well outside the party. I stood on a large rotunda overlooking the courtyard where the majority of the party stayed. I held a ceremonial spear and wore a lightly padded doublet under my patchwork suit of armor, and a pretty plain black mask over half my face; I looked the part enough, I suppose.

I saw a gowned figure enter the party instead of leaving as many guests were. Despite moving against the current of several groups of people, she easily split them as if diverting water from a slow brook. She wore a typical long silk top-layered gown in a sparkling silver color that reflected the lights from the sky. A black corset covered the top of her light camicie which was tucked into a modest underskirt. It was made of less material than usual for these kinds of gowns, so it hadn’t impeded her movement like other women at the party. She looked over her shoulder multiple times, tossing perfectly long straight raven-black hair back and forth. Her jeweled silver half-mask sparkled as it danced in the angles of the many sources of light coming into the piazza. As she moved to the first staircase leading into the manor, she turned enough for us to make eye contact. That’s when I noticed her piercing eyes under her mask. Forest green with flecks of silver accentuated by the reflexive jewels surrounding the eyeholes of her mask.

She was with the merchants I accompanied before on the long road to Venezia. Her name–the name she gave me, rather–was Simona.

She was the most fascinating part of the trip. Her eyes were astoundingly beautiful. I’d never seen anything like them. She certainly implied that she found me quite interesting as well. I recall her not-so subtly asking me to accompany her to her tent prior to receiving my payment at the end of my contract. My mind was racing with the possibility of a separate payment from this goddess. I entered her tent, aching with anticipation, and I was repaid with a slash to the chest from her dagger. It was a shallow cut, as I still had good reflexes, but it took me off guard. She lept on me, knocking me on my back and she held the knife to my throat. I told her to finish the job, but for some reason, she relented and fled.

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I continued to watch Simona flitting through the party, expertly turning down scores of drunk men hoping to convince her to leave with them. But she had an objective. She continued to shoot glances behind her, and more frequently, she was looking directly at me.

Had she remembered me?

Once she slipped out of sight inside the manor, I went to trail behind her as if entranced by a spell. I gestured to the guard standing next to me that I was going to check on something. He nodded and went back to not paying attention to anything.

Once out of the piazza, following the clacks of Simona’s boots in the empty upper floors of the manor was simple. I tailed her to a chamber on the fourth floor of the manor, careful to avoid her quick glances over her shoulder. It must have been the owner’s own bedchambers. I entered the room slowly and saw Simona facing the multitude of dressers and desks at the opposite end of the room, ransacking jewelry from it.

“You don’t hide yourself well.” I spoke up. “Nor is your absence ever disregarded. You’ve left a number of suitors quite disappointed.”

Simona bounced with a slight start at my sudden intrusion, but quickly recovered.

“You clatter around in that ostentatious armor as if you were preparing to fight a demon.” She replied without looking at me.

“Perhaps I am.” I inched forward.

She said nothing.

“You do understand that you aren’t surreptitious dressing in a gown like that.” I stated incredulously. “You don’t make for a spectacular burglar.”

“Don’t you have some lord or lady to lapdog for?” She asked sarcastically. “You’re no knight, signore condottiero.”

“You say that as if it hurts me.” I replied. “I chose a more lucrative life, yes. Certainly you empathize.” I gestured to the exquisite wardrobe Simona was raiding, despite her not looking at me.

“And what of chivalry?” She snickered. “You would stab a woman in the back for exploring her generous host’s venue? In the search of your own riches?”

“You would slice a man for yours.” I shrugged.

“I never claimed to be chivalrous.” She snipped back. “That would be your role. Rather, it would have been, had you not cowered at your first brush with danger.”

“You don’t know me.” I replied. “You have no idea what I’ve fought.”

“I know enough.” She trailed off in a sing-songy voice. “You don’t have the heart to kill me. So what? Are you going to arrest me? Throw me in a dungeon? Woe is me.”

“Depends on what you steal from the house.” I said.

“They won’t miss a pendant or two.”

“Mayhap.” I took another step forward.

“Be careful if you get too close.” She glanced over her shoulder, still not yet giving away her eyes. “The blade on my hip has made your acquaintance once before. I doubt she lets you off so easily this time.”

“And if I’m ready? You’ve lost the element of surprise this time.” I lifted my arms up disarmingly.

Despite having over five meters between us, I knew a cornered animal would do anything when desperate. She was as dangerous as ever.

“What do you really want?” She asked incredulously. “Have you come to accost me alone for a reason? I am not a fool, nor am I blind. I saw the way you eyed me like prey as soon as I arrived.”

“You flatter yourself.” I sputtered out.

But I didn’t mean it. Despite the way she left me before, I had to admit to myself that I could not resist her allure. Images of her body pressed against me flashed in my mind. Her silky obsidian hair dangling in my face, the heat of her panting breaths against my face, the intense stare of her deep silver-green eyes, and the feeling of her trembling hand against my throat. I’d never felt so vulnerable before, regardless of her intention to take my life. She was vulnerable too. Making love, killing, and being killed all invoke congruent physical responses.

I remember the way her breathing hitched after I tensed my neck and pressed it against her blade. I told her to do it. Whispered it. I watched her pupils dilate. She bit her lip and cursed.

“Fuck.” She hissed quietly, scrambled up, and ran off into the dusk.

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Simona laughed slightly, bringing me back to the present.

“Certainly.” She said, amused. “What does a woman truly have in this world but her own opinion of herself? But I digress. I have an opinion of you. Not you in particular, of course, but men like you in general.”

“What of men like me?” I asked, taking another short step. “You’ll find I am not so blasé”

“I understand that, which is why I am still entertaining this conversation. You—and men like you—enjoy this. The danger, the hunt.” She paused as something shiny on the desk caught her eye.

Could this be my chance to take her?

“You could have called some band of castle guards by now, or sent them after me in the first place.” She continued as she closed a drawer on the desk and opened another. “Truth is…“ She hummed again in her musical inflection. “-You’re enjoying this.”

“As are you.” I replied. “Else you would have made off with your ill-gotten goods by now.”

“You continue to misunderstand.” She said. “I don’t enjoy killing. Nor would I like to slice your pretty neck and make a mess on this gorgeous carpet.”

I lunged after her. She turned to me quickly, but I was able to grip her wrist before she could struggle with her dress enough to draw her dagger. I held her hand up, pulling it over my shoulder and her body close to mine. I felt the warmth of her fury emanating off her through the layers of silk she cascaded herself in.

“Damn this gown.” She cursed to herself, then looked back at me. “Do you feel big and strong, sir?” She said with umbrage.

“Mayhap.” I grinned briefly, before being stricken once again by her eyes. The forest green I remember darkening at me in the wild those months ago came back all at one. They sparkled through the white masque she wore.

She noticed my gaze soften and matched my grin. “You wouldn’t hurt me, would you? You’re far too gentlemanly.” She dropped her register to speak more quietly—our faces mere inches from one another.

“Why don’t you let me go?” She uttered in barely a whisper.

Using my left hand, I reached for the small of her back. She relaxed her wrist and softly drooped her restricted hand to my shoulder and attempted to pull me closer.

“You know I can’t do that.” I mouthed back.

I didn’t need any more of her assistance to bring us together.

As I pulled her close, her soft lips met mine.

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At first, our kiss was gentle. Sort of playful and perfunctory—as if we were getting reacquainted. The citrus smell of her hair danced with her light floral perfume. I brushed her soft locks behind her ear and pulled her face closer. We kissed harder now, hungrier. Our tongues began to waltz, playing a jovial game of attack and retreat.

I pushed her back on the desk without breaking our passionate kiss. Simona reached behind the back of my doublet, loosening the straps which kept my chest plate and pauldrons in place. I broke the kiss only briefly to slide them off. She pushed my mask off, exposing my face. She gave a brief hum of approval. I realized at any moment she could retrieve her blade and plunge it into my heart, but I wasn’t thinking with the logical part of my brain concerned with self-preservation. I dropped my face back to hers and continued to feel her mouth on mine.

I let go of her wrist and removed my doublet, leaving only a thin undershirt. I slowly traced the outline of her body with my palm. She rolled her curves into my touch, reacting instantly to my fingers, fitting herself into my hand. My grip moved to the front of her bodice where the tight black corset stayed snugly wrapped around her body. I moved my fingers to the top of the corset and pulled the top tie loose, thinking that it would easily bring the corset off, though it moved very little. I went to pull at the lacing at the top, hoping to peel the garment off when Simona placed a hand on my chest and pushed me away. She pulled her underskirt up to her thigh and drew her curved dagger from a sheath that she hid at her garter level. I lept back in fear.

Before I could react further, she hushed me with a sly smirk. She guided my hand to hers and she drew the dagger up to her corset and hooked the curved back point on the top loop. With ease, the sharp edge slit the tied lace. She slowly moved the blade down, effortlessly trimming and removing the convoluted lace holding the corset together. She gingerly handed me the knife.

“Would you like your revenge?” She whispered breathily.

I held the dagger up to her briefly and slit the small clasps holding her sleeves to her gown, exposing her toned shoulders. She briefly gasped as I threw the knife off to the side and pulled her sleeves off. I brought her arms close to me and kissed her deeply again.

“Never. I’m chivalrous.” I said in between kisses. “Remember?”

I began to kiss down her neck to her shoulders. I rolled the top of her gown and camicie down, and moved my mouth down further to her chest, adding small licks to mark my path.

“Yes.” She moaned softly. “Yes, I do.”

I continued to move my attention down her body. I knelt down in front of her. I grabbed the area of her gown and underskirt she disrupted to draw her blade. I gripped the leather sheath with one hand and using the other ripped a slit in her gown and underskirt in one motion. She slid backwards in surprise.

“Oh my.” She remarked. “I see we’re eager.”

I didn’t respond. Instead I moved my hand up her bare thigh and felt the bottom of her long camicie. This piece of feeble cloth ripped much easier. Now fully exposed, I trailed my kisses and licked up her thigh following my hand. I gripped her bare rear with both hands and brought her warmth directly into my mouth.

It was the most incredible taste I’d experienced. I flicked my tongue against her as moans of approval began to materialize from her. It was the sweetest music I’d ever heard. Simona shuffled her waist and opened her hips to allow sensation from more of my tongue. As her moans grew, her shifting transformed into involuntary bucking into my mouth. To keep my tongue on her, she gripped the back of my head and pressed it to her wetness–holding my licks in place as she pressed into my face with increasing desperation.

“You better not fucking stop.” She demanded.

I didn’t.

She threw her hips into my face with fervor as she gave one final exasperated groan. Her body shook and trembled and flexed at my licks. She pressed my head to her with all her strength and then let my face go as she puffed quick pants of air.

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I stood up and moved towards her. She untied the drawstring of my trousers and I dropped them.

“Eager indeed.” She remarked through deep, heavy breaths as she inspected me.

She licked her hand and tenderly gripped me. I jumped slightly at her warm touch. She tenderly bit her lip as she moved faster, stoking the flame growing in my body. I groaned slightly and she pulled me close with her other hand to continue to kiss me. She broke the kiss and lifted my undershirt, giving me the indication to remove it.

I acquiesced–presenting my body to her.

“This one was mine?” She said as she traced her finger across the long scar across my midsection.

I nodded in between hitched breaths as she continued to control my pleasure.

“I always mark my territory.” She said while licking her lips. She brought her tongue to my body and graced the path of the scar she provided with her warmth.

It should have made me alarmed, but it made me enjoy this more. I was completely at Simona’s mercy and she knew it. After some time of the slow movements and scrutinizing licks, she abruptly stopped touching me and jumped off the elegant desk to her feet. I grunted with slight frustration.

“Hush.” She said quietly. “You never know who could be listening.”

She turned around and looped a couple of her plundered necklaces around her neck, securing the expensive chains behind her.

“Do they not look as though they belong on me?” She said lightly as she looked in a small mirror.

I gripped her hips from behind. She pressed up back against me. I wouldn’t dare dream of taking her into custody now. I could barely string together a sentence.

“You look as though you are a noble lady.” I sputtered out.

“I am no noble lady.” She whispered.

Simona stretched her head back, resting it on my shoulder. Her long black hair touched my face. The smell of sweet citrus was now tinted hints of aromatic evening smoke and hints of floral perfume mixed with droplets of her sweet radiant sweat. I gripped the side of her face gently, moving her head to the side and showing her bare collarbone to me. I felt her shallow breaths through my palm as I brought my face down and softly kissed the inside of her neck. She reached back, her soft hand continued to explore my bare body–beginning to stoke the fiery pressure within me again.

“You are no noble lady, indeed.” I repeated back to her softly. “But would you like to be fucked like one?”

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Simona giggled slightly between hitched breaths ending with a staccato.

“And you would know how a noblewoman likes it?” She asked softly.

“Mayhap.” I replied

“Then show me.” Simona lifted her head off my shoulder and glanced at me over hers. Her verdant green eyes shone through her slim masque and pierced me. Again, whatever magic they had cut through any reservations I had about her. Whatever spell she cast to have me follow her alone, to confront her, and fall for her wiles was working. She might be dangerous, but that’s exactly why I needed her.

“Show me why I didn’t kill you all that time ago.” She continued. “Don’t make me regret that.”

I pushed her forward. With my hand, I gathered the side of her gown, underskirt, and the ruined remainder of the camicie covering her and tore it across, opening the dress further, fully exposing her body to me. Now aching with anticipation, I placed myself at her entrance and pressed forward. Her wet softness gave no resistance and we began to feel every part of each other.

Simona slightly arched her back to fully accommodate me. She perked up with a swift gasp when I thrust in fully, bringing our hips together. My right hand gripped Simona’s hip and I slid my left arm around her chest and gripped her shoulder hard. With both arms I pulled her as close to me as I could, forcing our bodies together as tightly as physics would allow.

I moved slowly at first, savoring every gasp of air I could get of her intoxicating aura—relishing the harmonious song of her minute gasps.

She arched her back more, pressing into me as much as she could. She kissed my hand and moved it to her hip. She tilted her body forward and pressed both hands against the wall. Then, she pushed her hips back more vigorously to keep in time with mine. Her moans grew louder—more intense. I noticed myself involuntarily groaning in time with her own sounds. Each movement felt like it brought us closer together. Each second of contact felt like a lightning bolt engulfing my body with sensation and pleasure. Soon, I stopped thinking of myself as an entity. I only thought of us together–moving as one.

I didn’t just want to feel her body in my hands, I needed to experience her soul touching mine.

I pushed forward with a newfound vigor and pulled her hips to mine with all the strength my arms could muster. Her soft moans had grown louder and faster. She bit her lip hard to prevent from being too loud. She reached an arm back and used my neck as a support to help her stand. She reared her head back onto my clavicle, panting. I moved my arm up and gripped her chest to hold her body close to mine. All at once, I felt her clench and pulse. She contracted every muscle, twisting her limbs in a wave. She turned her head and bit into my bicep to keep her climactic squeals as quiet as she could.

The feeling of Simona finishing on me and the passionate bite to my arm caused the pressure building in me to reach its zenith. My head grew light as I drifted into ecstasy. I retracted and released salvos of lust on her lower back with a loud grunt. Simona giggled exasperatedly and sensually pushed her rear back on me, showing her approval.

She released my arm from her mouth and turned to look at me. I noticed a deep bite mark with rivulets of her warm saliva running down my arm. I wanted that sight burned into my vision for eternity.

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“Well.” Simona said through deep gasps as she caught her breath. “I always imagined noblemen being more reserved with their women.”

“You aren’t my woman.” I said, despite still holding her arm. I didn’t ever want to let go.

“You’re learning.” She smirked.

“Don’t try and leave.” I eked out with a hint of desperation, betraying my nonchalance. It wasn’t that I wanted to apprehend her at this point. I just wanted her to stay.

Simona pressed her lips out in an exaggerated pout. She knew what I meant. But she also knew the reality. She reluctantly removed one of the necklaces she had adorned herself with. She took the sapphire pendant off and placed it back in the drawer she retrieved it from. She took a step back.

“I’m keeping this one.” She held the large emerald brooch in her hand. “It looks far too nice on me to be trapped in these drab quarters.”

“It deepens the viridescence of your gaze. Strikingly so.” I said without thinking.

She shot me a look of pleasant bemusement.

“You’ve softened your tone.” She giggled.

“Wait-” I tried to interject.

With a swift motion, Simona pulled a long blue cloak off a rack by the wardrobe and wrapped herself in it, disguising the remains of her disheveled gown and corset. She quickly cinched it shut and bounded her way to the window, standing on the sill.

“You could have left at any time?” I inquired. “This whole thing wasn’t just to incapacitate me?”

“You foolish man.” She tsked. “So much to learn.”

Simona pushed the window open and slipped out into the starlit night with a whoosh and a blur of royal blue silk.

I ran to the window–half concerned that Simona just leapt out of a fourth floor window and half-flabbergasted that she had just escaped certain capture by toying with me.

As I redressed and gathered myself, I noticed she had left her dagger stabbed into the wooden desk standing straight up. Pinned between the dagger and the desk was a remnant bolt of the lower portion of her tattered camicie. I pulled the blade from the desk and felt the cloth. It still smelled of floral essences and her hot passion emanating from its fibers.

I tied the bolt around my arm where Simona’s bite mark remained and sheathed her blade haphazardly in my leather belt. I looked back to the window hanging ajar with the curtains blowing slightly in the midnight breeze. Then I left to alert the other guards of the mysterious thief who escaped before I had the chance to apprehend them.

I took one final look at the cloth wrapped around my arm before rolling my cuffed sleeve below my pauldron, hiding it, and creasing my doublet properly.

I had a feeling that Simona would be back for what was hers.

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