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A smile quirks at her lips. “Well, this I have to see.”

She approaches us, and I feel the tension between Kaelen and Oren. We’re all restraining ourselves from grabbing her.

“So what’s the plan, monsters?” she asks, dropping her towel on the shore.

I slide back into the water, where I’m most comfortable. “First, I thought you might enjoy a ride.”

“A ride?” Her eyes light up with curiosity.

I extend two tentacles, curling them invitingly.

She doesn’t even hesitate for a moment before wading in. The water laps at her thighs, then her waist as she comes deeper.I gently wrap my tentacles around her, securing her firmly but carefully.

“Hold on,” I warn, launching us both upward.

Her squeal of surprise turns to laughter as we break the surface, shooting fifteen feet into the air. I hold her securely as we peak, then begin to descend. I adjust my grip before we hit the water, positioning her for a perfect dive.

She emerges sputtering and laughing. “Again! Again!”

Pride swells in my chest.

“My turn to entertain her,” Kaelen calls, diving into the lake.

I smile as Kaelen swims freely in my territory like he once did.

Lily’s delighted expression further heightened my joy. Even Oren eventually joins us, though he stays in the shallower water. His massive form creates waves that Lily playfully jumps over.

For hours, we play in the water. I send Lily flying again and again, each time pushing higher, spinning her, flipping her, and always catching her safely. Soon, it becomes a competition between Lily and Kaelen, showing off their diving skills, which look more like belly flops but entertaining nonetheless. Even Oren contributes, creating a massive splash that drenches all of us. Lily’s laughter rings across the water.

As the day wears on, we move to the shore. Lily stretches out on her towel, the sun glistening on her wet skin. All three of us stare, not bothering to hide our hunger.

“I’m going to burn if I don’t put on sunscreen,” she says, reaching for her bag.

Three creatures dive for the sunscreen bottle simultaneously. Kaelen gets there first, his reflexes just slightly faster.

“I’ll do your back,” he says, triumph written over his face.

“Can too,” Oren protests.

I wrap a tentacle around the bottle and yank it away from them. “Neither of you has the dexterity for it.”

“Stop it, all of you,” Lily laughs, snatching the bottle from my tentacle. “This is exactly the fighting I hoped to avoid today.”

“We’re not fighting,” Kaelen says innocently. “We’re discussing.”

Oren nods.

“And mild violence,” I finish.

Lily rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “How about this—Caspian, you can do my back. Kaelen, you get my legs. And Oren, you can do my arms.”

We all freeze, processing that she’s just invited all three of us to touch her at once. I see Kaelen’s nostrils flare, scenting her arousal. Oren’s mossy eyebrows rise. I feel a ripple of excitement travel through my tentacles.

“That’s fair,” I manage, trying to sound casual.

What follows is perhaps the most erotically charged application of sunscreen in history.

I position myself behind her, my tentacles gently steadying her as I work the lotion into her shoulders and down her spine. Kaelen kneels at her feet, his large hands encircling her ankles before sliding up her calves and thighs with deliberate slowness. Oren takes each of her arms in his massive hands, covering most of her arm.