Fair Fight (2)

The elf's shameless claim that she had invented those poses almost made Theorad feel sorry for her.

He could have told her he'd learned what book she had borrowed from the library. Unfortunately, if she asked how he knew, he might have to admit that he'd been hiding in the library's basement to avoid her.

The truth would only complicate matters. For now, it seemed wiser to let her have her lie.

“Of course. You thought of them yourself. I had no idea you knew so much.”

“I only know what's necessary… sir.”

The elf tacked on the polite address a moment late. In her embarrassment, she had nearly forgotten to speak to him as her master.

She drew a breath and tried to regain her composure.

I cannot afford to lose control.

Every clumsy attempt only made her look less experienced. If Theorad grew confident, she would have a harder time winning their contest.

She put a hand to her chest and arranged her expression into one of haughty amusement.

“Master, you're remarkably innocent. You don't understand women at all.”

Theorad flinched.

Her intention was plain enough: if she could make him feel foolish, her earlier performance might pass for genuine sophistication.

A more worldly man might have laughed at the claim. Theorad, however, had little experience of intimate relationships. He began to wonder whether the poses had only seemed ridiculous because he was old-fashioned.

The elf noticed his uncertainty and hid a smile behind her hand.

“If you're so insensitive, even Lady Ashley may come to dislike you.”

Mentioning his fiancée was supposed to provoke him. If he lost his temper, the elf believed she could take control of their contest.

Instead, he nodded solemnly.

“Have I really been so unobservant? In that case, show me how women seduce men.”

The elf's smile froze.

She had never actually seduced a man. But admitting that now would be another humiliation, and she couldn't bear it.

Fine. I'll do what the book showed me.

“Very well. Then…”

Her courage faltered for an instant. She took his hand, drew it toward her and folded down his fingers until only the index finger remained extended.

Then she put his index finger into her mouth.

Theorad startled at the unfamiliar gesture but didn't pull away. He had asked her to demonstrate, and she seemed determined to do so.

The elf sucked gently at his finger, hesitating as she tried to reproduce what she had read. Her teeth occasionally brushed him, and she looked up with anxious eyes, as if seeking reassurance that she was doing it correctly.

Theorad suspected another of the strange book's instructions.

He wanted to spare her further embarrassment. Yet the performance did nothing to arouse him, and he could not manufacture a convincing response.

The silence made both of them uncomfortable.

At last, the elf stopped. Theorad withdrew his wet finger and looked from it to her with a sigh.

“If I still feel nothing after that, perhaps I really am terribly insensitive.”

He had hoped she would abandon the pretense. But she had already invested too much pride in it to confess that she was inexperienced.

She would sooner have died of shame than admit she had copied the book.

“You're not insensitive…”

Her face flushed as she reached behind herself and unfastened her bra. She slipped it down, leaving her breasts exposed.

Theorad glanced at her but was given little time to react.

“Master. Sit behind me, please.”

She still isn't finished?

He went where she directed and sat behind her.

The elf caught the back of his hand and placed it against her breast.

He could feel her trembling. The contact was not unpleasant, but he was uncomfortable with how abruptly it had happened. He didn't know whether she expected him to hold her, remain still, or do something else.

When he said nothing, her anxiety only grew.

What am I meant to do now?

She was following the book's instructions. Yet having Theorad's hand against her body felt very different from merely imagining the scene. The shame she felt at having invited his touch made her mind go blank.

She was relieved that she had asked him to sit behind her. If she had had to face him, she was certain her expression would have betrayed her.

Calm down.

The elf tightened her hold on his hand. Surely she could still salvage the demonstration.

“Master, do you like my breasts?”

“Your… breasts?”

Theorad considered the question and nodded.

“Yes. I do.”

“Then touch them as much as you like.”

“What exactly do you—”

Before he could finish, she guided his hand across her breast in a slow stroke and then let it pass away.

The gesture affected her more than she had expected, but she tried to keep her voice commanding.

“Like that.”

Theorad understood that she wanted him to repeat the movement. He obliged, cautiously at first.

The elf felt her composure slip, then reminded herself of the theory on which she had staked the contest.

No man can be satisfied with touching only a woman's breasts, Theorad.

According to the book, a man given such an invitation would soon want more. Theorad might be gentle and considerate, but the elf was certain he would eventually be ruled by desire.

Then he would ask for sex. She would appear to yield reluctantly, but in truth she would have won the contest and taken the winning role in their signed agreement.

And this time there are no devices or hypnosis.

She told herself it was a fair match.

She waited for Theorad to lose patience.

Instead, his hesitant touch became steadily more practiced. He began to caress her breasts with greater confidence, paying particular attention to her nipples.

The elf's breath caught. Each movement drew a response she could no longer conceal.

“Ah…”

She tried to hold herself still, but her shoulders began to twitch. The sensations were stronger than she had anticipated, while Theorad remained focused on doing what she had instructed.

Even the slightest change in pressure made her heart race.

This is dangerous.

She had told him to touch her, never imagining he would take the task so seriously. Her plan was turning against her.

“M-Master…”

She tried to push his arm away, but the effort faltered. His hand was still on her breast.

“W-wait… Let's go to sleep…!”

The touching continued. Over the next few minutes, the sensations overwhelmed her attempts to maintain composure, even though she had tried to push his arm away. Her underwear grew damp, and she could barely steady her breathing.

She looked back at Theorad through tears.

His light-brown eyes were calm. Whatever had happened to her, he did not seem to be losing control.

“Master…”

She no longer cared about appearing proud. More than anything, she wanted the unbearable sensations to subside.

“I…”

She raised her flushed face and spoke in a small, unsteady voice.

“I was wrong…”