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“And the cool temperature doesn’t bother you? Aren’t you cold?”

“Not really. I’m used to it. I’ll probably have to start wearing pants soon though. I wait as long as possible because it’s uncomfortable for my—” Her words abruptly cut off and her face falls, as her gaze drops to my tail lazily swaying behind me.

It curls forward, brushing against my jeans, appreciating her attention on it. Sometimes it has a mind of its own, reacting on instinct. Hers in response curls up inside her shorts, hiding out of view, her cheeks darkening with…embarrassment? Is she embarrassed by her tail?

“Um, I just don’t like wearing pants is all. Winter is my least favorite season.”

“Mine too.”

Her downcast eyes jump back up to mine, a hopeful expression on her pretty face.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I also have fire abilities, from my father’s side, and I’m partial to the warmth. Snow and I don’t get along.”

“I would imagine not.”

“It tends to be very wet. Ruins a lot of shoes.”

“You should try not wearing shoes then. I highly recommend it.”

I look down at her feet again and smile at her wiggling toes.

Daisy is not what I expected to find out in the middle of the woods. I don’t think I would have ever noticed her if we weren’t alone with no distractions. She’s short, quiet, and a little meek. She would have blended in and disappeared in a crowd. Which is a shame, because eyes like hers shouldn’t be overlooked. And her smile is more genuine than the gold of my necklace and the many earrings decorating my pointed ears. Ears that compared to her dainty ones feel larger than they ever have before.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Delphi finally tires of playing with my horns and makes her way back to her nest, shuffling around inside, rearranging her treasure trove.

“May I escort you back? I know I wouldn’t mind the company.”

Daisy blushes again at my request but nods once. Stepping closer to her I put all my flirting seduction skills to use, brushing her hair out of her face, which is ridiculously soft, and tuck it behind one daintily pointed unadorned ear.

Nymphs historically have the longest and most elegantly pointed ears of all the non-humans, and we like to decorate and adorn them. I myself have no less than a dozen jewels, cuffs, and precious metals on mine. But hers are completely bare. Not a single piercing or cuff.

I make a mental note that buying her jewelry could be a good way to soften her up. If her family can’t afford it, she will melt for me if I give her a diamond studded earring. The kind that curls around the lobe and up her delicate helix. The mental image has my cock twitching in interest.

Ears also happen to be a very erogenous zone for nymphs, and I have a particular attraction to them, and her short, but gently pointed ears with shifting green swirls, are particularly enticing.

My mouth waters, wanting to lick and suck on them. My fingers linger as they curve around the tip sliding around the shell before I force myself to pull away.

“You are very attractive, Daisy. I wouldn’t want anyone to take advantage of you.”

“Oh, well, thank you?” She phrases it like a question. Like she’s never been told about her obvious beauty before.

I give her a small, closed lip smile, not wanting to overwhelm her with all of my charm at once. “You’re welcome. Shall we?”

I gesture back in the direction I came from, and she rolls her lips between her teeth, nodding in agreement. No doubt not wanting to speak because I’d be able to hear whatever she’s feeling in her tone.

Slowly I lift her empty hand and rest it in the crook of my elbow, lining our bodies up, side by side. My wandering tail brushes against the bare skin of her calf, and I can see her visibly shudder at the touch. Her pouty lips part on a soft exhale. She wasn’t expecting me to be so forward, and I can tell she’s surprised but also interested. Possibly aroused?

Maybe I won’t have to convince her to fake date me at all. Maybe I can just woo her enough for her to want to date me on her own. I’ve had short meaningless relationships before. This wouldn’t be any different. And I wouldn’t have to explain all the details of my mother’s meddling to her and worry she might slip up in the act.

If she’s this malleable and already leaning towards interested, perhaps we can both get something out of this. She gets to be with me and enjoy all that I offer, including sexually, because damn if I don’t want to lick her toffee skin and play with her pretty little tail. And I get a built-in barrier to my mother and her mate bonding schemes.

If she thinks I’m desperately devoted to my half-human girlfriend, she’ll either be so pissed she stops talking to me and even disowns me, or at least backs off and drops this cockamamy idea of me mating whomever she’s chosen.

Either way win, win, win. This may be my most ingenuous idea yet.