Game of Temptation by Anda J. Santoso

should and try to kill you, though I
know I will not succeed."
    Arun noticed that though his smile was one
of amusement, it carried a deadly seriousness. A father's protectiveness was
not to be tested, and he gave off the same feeling a wolf mother had for her
pups.
    "Even in captivity, I have never
thought of hurting her."
    Orrin clapped him at the back. "We are
on good terms, then." The old man smiled and trotted back to beside his
daughter.
    Arun smiled. It was a brief clap on the
back, but he felt warmth in it. The same warmth a dear and close friend might
give. Was that what it was like to have a family? He would not know. Not until
he had Alethi for his…
wife
. Gods! The word was like another creature
he was tentative to approach, but would approach if only because of his need
and his longing. Need and longing that manifested in every opportunity he
touched the small of her back, hips, thighs, neck and ears, and in every time
they kissed. And she responded with her own longing – restrained and timid.
Virginal.
    Thinking about that made him stiff. Quite a
bad moment for that on a saddle. What he needed was a distraction. Or perhaps a
pause so he could take her behind the large tree at the edge of his vision. He
shook his head. He could not believe he was thinking of such things when she
would be putting herself in danger in two nights! The thought was enough to
settle him down as worry replaced lust.
    Soon, light was fading and they were
beginning to set up camp. Arun found many of the rituals of men in settling for
the night quite interesting. They needed so much when all elves truly needed
was a sheet to tie between trees to sleep in.
    "I will be gathering wood for the
fire," Alethi told her father.
    "Be careful, now. And do not stray
far," Orrin said.
    She giggled and hugged Orrin. "It is
just firewood, father. I will not be hunting a boar with children. At least,
not in the dark."
    Orrin looked at the deer he was gutting,
considering to leave it and go with her.
    "I will go with her," Arun
volunteered. To keep her safe. That was his intention. But as Orrin nodded, it
dawned on him that they would be alone. Just him and Alethi. Away from
everyone. And with him by her side, his worry fled like a gazelle pursued by a
lion. His longing for her took over as her calves peeked out from under her
dress, picking her way on the incline.
    Arun was half-hearted in his attempts to
look for wood, having only a few in his arms. He was more interested in
watching the way her hips swayed on even ground and how delicately she picked
her way through. Of course, he would always watch out for the unlikely case
that she would fall…
    His eyes saw her foot step on loose, muddy
soil and he barely had time to drop his load to catch her. And – sweet child of
the gods! – her warmth gave new life to his libido. Not least because his hand
latched onto her full breast as he unwittingly caught her.
    Unlikely chance of falling, indeed! He
thanked the gods for giving him such a wonderful opportunity. The problem was how
we would get through the night without taking her. The gods know how much he
needed his release!
    "Wow…thank you." Alethi's head
turned to face him. "I did not even have time to react. That was stupidly
careless of me."
    "The woods are treacherous even in
daylight." Arun grinned. "Perhaps you would not deny me a reward for
that."
    "Perhaps." Her eyes wandered to
his hand on her breast, her face visibly red even under the light of only the
moon. "Um…I am safe now."
    "I know," Arun breathed on her
neck and was rewarded by a gasp and a shiver. "My reward?"
    Alethi's eyes went wide at him.
"Su-surely you do not suggest…"
    Arun held her close and let her feel his
longing for her. He restrained a groan and he felt his hardness nestle in her
soft behind. He fought the urge to tear her clothes apart and take her. It was
just not practical. Not out here where her father sat waiting just below them.
"Do not deny you want this,"