Gigi repositioned the towel covering her chest as they walked. Her heart was beating furiously. Her hand kept going to play nervously with a long strand of hair, but then her towel would slip, causing her to fix it and continue the cycle. The goblin had a very special day planned for the two of them. She had been up late last night meticulously packing her satchel and bath bag to ensure no stone was left unturned or massage oil was left forgotten.

  She had taken the liberty of booking a private and expensive bath for the two of them. They wouldn’t have to deal with the kids or old perverts, at least for the half-hour time slot. It was all that was free. Still, she intended to make the most of it. Perhaps she wasn’t ready to say exactly how she felt about Drake, but she was prepared to show him.

  Her gaze turned to the man beside her. He, too, was wearing only a towel in the steamy stone corridor. The cloth was wrapped firmly around his waist, leaving little to the imagination. His tattoos were on full display and had garnered more than a couple of gawking stares. He was lean and muscular, with rough, scarred tan skin from years of battle. Most importantly, he was all hers. She felt a thrill of excitement pulse through her.

  While they had already been “together” several times, for some reason, her nerves had intensified with each session. Sex had never made her nervous, but she had messy and complicated feelings for Drake, and that made all the difference. That’s fine. He’s never been with a woman other than me and never will be. She assured herself it would still be okay even if things went as badly as possible.

  “Are you okay?” Drake asked. “You seem nervous.”

  “Oh, it’s just the steam making me sweat,” she lied. Drake had no clue what her intentions were. She wanted it to be spontaneous and sexy while also being meticulously planned so that nothing could go wrong. She swallowed and turned away from him. “Uh, I think they are this way.”

  The pair came upon a corridor lit with candles and paved with dark stones. The rush and splashing of water could be heard all around, as well as the patrons' laughter and giggles. The smell of incense burned hot and was sweet, tickling the nose. Gigi felt giddy at the scene in front of her. It was exactly as romantic as she had hoped.

  She looked at the key in her hand - number eight. They made their way to the end of the hall. She gripped Drake’s hand with her free hand and squeezed anxiously. He turned to her, giving a small smile. Gigi slipped in the key and turned, the door swinging open to reveal a large circular bath. The same dark stones and candles lined the room.

  “You know, if you’re nervous about being… You can just keep your towel-” Drake was cut off as Gigi pulled him into the room and locked the door behind them. She pressed him against the door and pulled his head down for a deep kiss.

  “I want today to be special,” Gigi whispered. She could feel her pulse racing. She had never done anything like this before, well, in public. Pressed against him, she could feel the heat of his body, smell his spicy scent, and swear she heard his heart beating. “I know I’m not great with words.” She took a step back from him. “But I’m hoping I can show you how I feel.” She let her towel drop to the floor.

  “You’re stunning,” Drake whispered back. He stepped toward her and wrapped his arms around her slender but muscular frame. She could feel his stiff muscles against her, with nothing between them but the cotton towel around Drake’s hips. She leaned in to kiss him when her ears twitched, hearing a sound outside the door.

  What was that?

  Then, the lock of the door audibly clicked. Both Drake and Gigi froze like a deer in a hunter’s lantern.

  “I’m telling you, babe, these private rooms are the only way to go.” The door swung open casually. A hulking wolf-man in a towel stretched to the limit in the hallway's light. Gigi screamed. The wolfman howled in surprise. Cursing fate, she hurled herself to the ground to get her towel.

  “What in the seven hells is wrong with you?! Can’t you see this is occupied!” Gigi cried, hiding her body behind Drake, still feeling naked even with the towel around her again.

  “Me? It’s you guys who are ruining our hot date,” the wolf-man shot back. “You think these rooms are cheap?” he asked.

  “I know they aren’t because I booked this one!” Gigi roared, clutching her towel in mounting rage.

  “Well, it looks like we both got screwed, huh? They must have double-booked us. So you guys down to maybe share, if you catch my meaning?” The wolf-man leaned forward and winked.

  “Gross!” Gigi gagged. “I have a better idea. We take the room, and you get your money back. Sound good?” The wolf-man let loose a mix of a growl and a laugh.

  “Maybe we should just go?” the wolf-woman beside him asked.

  “Darling, we ain’t going anywhere. I challenge you to this room, here and now,” the wolf-man preened. “No human and a halfling will stop me from drinking my fill.”

  A Halfing!? “We accept!” Gigi roared.

  “We what?” Drake asked incredulously. The wolf-man let loose a howl of laughter.

  “We got this in the bag, babe,” the wolf-man said to his partner. “I challenge you to a simple arm wrestling contest.”

  Drake frowned. “I don’t want to hurt him. I think this is just a misunderstanding,” Drake said to Gigi, motioning at the wolf-man.

  “Fine, then I’ll hurt him,” Gigi replied irately.

  “Whoa, I don’t fight women,” the wolf-man said, putting his hands up.

  Gigi snorted. “What’s wrong? Don’t you think you can beat a ‘halfling’ in an arm wrestling match?”

  The wolf-man glared at the smug goblin. “Okay, you think you’re so tough? Time to prove it, greenhorn.”

  “Is that a slur?!” Gigi growled.

  “What? No, it just means…Look, are we doing this or not?” Gigi walked into the hallway to meet the flexing wolf-man, still holding up her now damp towel with one hand. The woman hardly came up to his chest. The wolf-man held out his right arm and hunkered down.

  “Aren’t we supposed to use a table?” Gigi asked.

  “House rules: no table, loser is the first one that can’t take the pain,” he replied.

  Gigi shrugged. “Okay, works for me.” Gigi stuck out her hand and placed it in the palm of the wolfman’s massive claws.

  “Still time to just give us the room,” the wolf-man sneered.

  “Shut up and go already!” Gigi yelled.

  The wolf-man grunted and settled into his stance. He tensed his muscles while Gigi braced herself, unsure of how strong wolf-men were, especially the one before her. Then, with a snap of power, he wrenched to the side. She absorbed the first pull like a cannonball bouncing off a wall. There was a burst of strength, then nothing.

  Gigi looked at the wolf-man, who was staring in confusion at their hands, puzzling out how he hadn’t won at that moment. Gigi smirked and tensed her muscles.

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  “Warmed up?” she asked. Then her grip exploded down with her goblin might. She slowly began to pull the wolfman’s hand down. The wolfman’s gigantic bulk was starting to tremble. The wolfman wasn’t ready to yield and began to pull her hand the opposite way with all his strength.

  Gigi grunted as her whole body was dragged forward, inch by hard-fought inch. She gripped the stones below with her toes and flexed her entire body, her muscles working overtime to halt the wolf-man’s push. She ground her teeth and pushed again, this time not holding anything back.

  An audible pop echoed around the hallway. Both the wolf-man and Gigi looked at their hands. Gigi pushed forward again, and the wolf-man howled in pain. She had dislocated his wrist.

  “No more!” the wolf-man cried. “It’s yours!” He pulled back his floppy hand. Gigi’s ears fluttered. She had won. She had won! The private bath was all theirs now. Her elation lasted until a new couple appeared behind Gigi and Drake.

  “Hey, are you guys just getting out? We have this room reserved next,” the satyr woman asked. Gigi’s heart plunged into her stomach. Did that take that long!?

  “Yeah, we were just going,” Drake said with a placating smile. He wrapped his hand around her crestfallen shoulder and pushed her forward.

  “It’s okay. We can still enjoy the public baths, right?” Drake asked.

  Enjoy the public baths?! She thought bitterly. With the kids and the old perverts? There is no way they would have any privacy there. Her ears drooped, and her body sagged at the thought of the bathing public.

  “But-” all of her best-laid plans were crumbling. She could feel her hopes plummeting to the bathhouse’s foundation. No, no, no, this isn’t what’s supposed to happen! She was supposed to be in his arms, burning candles and incense around them. How was she going to show him how she felt now?

  She was pulled from her gloom by Drake gently taking her hand. “Come on, green bean, it’s okay. We can still enjoy each other, right?”

  Gigi looked up at him, and her ears and spirits lifted slightly. “Yeah, of course, you’re right.” She gripped his hand back. How is he always so calm? A new feeling swelled within her, one she was beginning to feel more often: gratitude. She had found herself thanking the gods more and more for Drake being in her life. He was grounding her, helping her focus on what brought meaning to her: family and fighting. Whether she could articulate her feelings, she appreciated him more with each sunrise.

  Drake began to pull her down the hall. “I think I saw a nice spot back here,” he said. They came to an opening that led to a large oval room. Large circular baths full of clear bubbling water dotted the polished, slippery floor. An enormous stone crab set perched in the center, and children hung off its massive claws.

  With curiosity, Drake peered into one of the empty pools. “What are those things moving at the bottom?” he asked.

  “The sun crabs?” Gigi asked, pulling herself from her thoughts.

  “What are sun crabs?” Drake asked with wonder. He knelt and gazed at the scurrying bright orange critters.

  Gigi smiled. So innocent. She knelt beside him. “They heat the baths. See the grate?” She pointed to the crosshatched wire flooring. “That’s so they don’t pinch you.”

  “How do they heat the baths?” he asked, swirling his hand in the water to test it.

  “Secco told me when they digest their food, they have a chemical reaction that makes them burn up.” She cherished getting to answer his questions. The way he looked to her for guidance made her feel special like she was needed. It felt good. “You actually have to feed them to make the water warmer,” she added cheerfully.

  “You know so much…I’m sorry I ask so many questions,” he said, his smile fading.

  She turned her gaze and caught him looking ruefully at his reflection. Gigi ear’s twitched. “Drake-”

  “It must be boring, is all I mean.”

  “Drake, I’m never bored when we’re together.” It was when she felt most alive. “I wish I could have shown you how much you mean to me…Before we were interrupted,” she sighed.

  Drake snorted and looked at his lover. “You’re so funny.” His eyes brightened as they met hers.

  “Why is that funny?” she asked, a little offended.

  “Don’t you think being here with me right now shows what I mean to you?” She went silent. “Gigi, every time you teach me a word or explain how fractions work, again, I know how much I mean to you. You share so much of yourself with me…If anything, I’m afraid I don’t have enough to give back.”

  Her throat felt tight, and tears formed behind her eyes. “You don’t know how to be boring,” she laughed, trying to wipe her tears away discreetly. She shifted her feet out from under her and into the warm water. “Come on, let’s get in. It’s perfect.” You’re perfect.

  “Really? Even with all of these people around?” He slid his legs into the pool.

  “Yeah, as long as we’re together, they aren't even there.” The couple lounged in the toasty glow of the sun crabs beneath them and in each other's arms. Gigi sighed and felt content as time melted away. “Drake, ask me questions,” she said, her head languidly on his shoulder.

  “Are you sure?” he laughed.

  “Anything.”

  “How is it possible for there to be over one hundred percent of something? Like when you hit one hundred, isn’t that the end?”

  Gigi giggled. “Okay, let’s try fractions one more time.”

  ***

  They soaked in the crabby waters all afternoon. Gigi couldn’t remember a time she felt more relaxed. They were eventually forced to leave the water by the pruning of their fingers and toes. Gigi sharply inhaled as she heaved herself out of the tub. She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and then helped Drake out.

  She couldn’t help but drink in his body as he wrapped a towel around his hips. It was such a shame she hadn’t been able to enjoy it the way she had planned. She was doing her damnedest to respect her mother’s wishes and keep their lovemaking outside the house. However, that was proving very challenging in the winter. An idea struck her.

  “The sauna!” she said excitedly.

  “That sounds nice. I’ve never tried one of those,” Drake responded.

  “Today’s your lucky day,” she grinned. Gigi grabbed him by the hand and pulled him forward—a new fire burned in her soul. The sauna would be the perfect place to end their day. Sure, she would have to jam the door, but that seemed like a small price to pay. They would not get interrupted again. This was going to be special damn it, even if it killed her.

  They went through the winding carved stone and soft yellow lights from the many candles. Fortunately, Gigi had been coming here since she was a baby, so she deftly dragged Drake through the corridors.

  En route to the sauna, they passed the cavernous public baths hollowed out from the earth. Fountains shaped like sea serpents belched fresh water into the pool, which was also teeming with life as Gigi avoided bowling over a pack of children.

  “The public pool looks fun,” Drake said.

  “Drake, where do you think all these kids are peeing?” Gigi rejoined.

  “Hmm, good point.”

  Eventually, they managed to push their way through the crowd to a new corridor. This one had a keenly polished light yellow wooden floor and walls. Gigi approached each sliding door and knocked, waiting for a response. Finally, one was silent after the knock. She pumped her fist in joy.

  She tossed the door back, nearly knocking it from its track. A mellow, dry heat kissed her face. Gigi pulled Drake in, flashing a hungry smile, flinging him over to the bench in the small room. She jammed the coal poker into the track, ensuring it wouldn’t open.

  “Isn’t that kind of dangerous?” Drake asked.

  “What’s life without a little danger?” she purred. Gigi took the water pitcher and poured a bit on the scorching coals. A plume of steam erupted and clouded the room. It felt good to Gigi. Goblins liked it humid and warm. However, Drake was beginning to sweat visibly.

  “Uh, Gigi, it’s a little…steamy,” he coughed.

  “Oh, we haven’t even gotten started.” She tossed her towel next to Drake on the bench. She could feel his eyes on her body, and she liked it. Now, she wanted his hands on her. Gigi stepped closer, pinched the edge of Drake’s towel, and pulled it down. She bit her lip and put her emerald hands on his muscular thighs.

  Her heart was pounding in her ears. She couldn’t believe she was doing this at the baths, but it felt right. He felt right. Drake shuddered against her touch. He leaned forward to kiss her and was forcefully met by her lips. As they kissed, their hands began to explore each other’s bodies.

  Gigi ran her hand over his abs and stopped just short of his now erect manhood while Drake ran his hand along her side until he reached her butt cheek, giving it an exploratory squeeze. Gigi giggled. She put a hand on his chest and joined him on the bench, straddling his hips. He was looking up at her.

  “You’re a goddess,” he whispered. She could feel herself turn red at his words, even in the heat. In the steam of the sauna, they made love. At first, Gigi was worried someone would hear them. But as they got lost in each other’s embrace, she decided she didn’t care.

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