You know the world won't fall apart

The sun was still high in the sky as they made their way back to the hotel, but Nick could tell it was pretty late in the afternoon.

“Are you sure this was all you wanted to do on your date today?” He asked as they led the horses back into the stables. He’d had fun, but if all Vivian had wanted out of their time together was to go horseback riding, he’d be very surprised.

“You didn’t have fun?” Vivian asked, sounding a little disappointed.

“No, that’s not what I meant at all!” Nick shook his head. He quickly realized how he’d made that sound could have been taken in a negative way, even if he hadn’t intended that.

Vivian smiled at him. “I did consider doing some more extravagant activities,” she admitted as she closed the door of her horse’s stall. She reached up and rubbed the side of Toffee’s head. “But I thought something simple like this would be best for both of us.”

Nick nodded. She wasn’t wrong there. This had been a fun first date. “I got to know a lot about you,” he agreed. “I think that makes it worth it.”

She shot him another beaming smile and tipped her hat. “Glad to hear it. Because the day’s not over yet!”

“Oh?” So she did have something else planned. Made sense, it was a little early to retire to the Master’s Suite.

“There’s a spa, remember?” Vivian reminded him. “You in for a free dip in the hot spring?”

Nick’s eyes widened and his face turned red. “That…”

Vivian narrowed her eyes. “Don’t go thinking that, now!” She snapped at him playfully. “I didn’t mean it that way and you know it! I’m talking out of necessity here! A good soak is what you’re going to need to soothe those aching muscles of yours!”

The minute she said it, Nick suddenly realized just how right she was. Massive pain shot through his thighs and he cringed. Was this what being “saddle sore” was? It had been so long since he was walking under his own power he hadn’t even realized the shape of his body.

Vivian giggled, seeing that her point was made for her. “Come on, Nick. A dip in the tub will ease those muscles right up! Trust me.” She gave him a wink, and but the flirty tone of her voice was more worrisome than anything.

Depending on what Vivian had in store for him tonight, could his body last?

“Bye-bye, Toffee, Licorice!” Vivian waved to the horses as they left, skipping up the path to the hotel like nothing was remiss. Meanwhile, every step Nick took was like fire.

Conveniently, the spa and hot springs happened to be located right next to the elevator when they got to the shopping district. Almost like Dakota had a sense of mercy. He certainly wasn’t complaining. Nick moved as fast as he could to get to the water, in spite of his body, and didn’t even care that there might be someone else using the facilities.

Thankfully there wasn’t. He could take a nice, relaxing dip in the warm water with no interruptions, and as he sank into the spring, the effects were almost instantaneous and his sore thighs started to heal.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he let the relaxing effects of the water wash over him.

But that peaceful tranquility was disrupted by the clatter of the sliding door, causing him to jump in the water.

“Well, that’s a surprise. I didn’t expect you to get here before me with the way you were moving!”

Reflexively Nick turned to look towards the door, even though he knew better. Luckily (or maybe not) Vivian had the foresight to wrap her gorgeous figure up in a soft white towel that clung nicely to her curves while keeping everything hidden from view.

Everything but her eyes, of course, which twinkled with mischievous judgment as she looked down on him with a smirk.

“My, are you always so **** to peek on a girl?” She cooed at him, and the burning feeling on his face didn’t come from the steam.

“I-I… I’m sorry, I just sort of…” Unable to explain himself, Nick did the next best thing and scooted away from the edge of the hot spring, turning his back on Vivian to give her some privacy.

He didn’t see it, but she gave him a tender smile when he did that.

“Thank you for being a gentleman,” she said, letting the towel drop to the ground. Nick couldn’t see anything, but he heard the soft “slip” of her stepping into the water.

He swallowed. “It’s common courtesy,” he said, glad his voice didn’t crack. “Anyone would do the same.”

Vivian grinned. “But you’re not anyone,” she pointed out, sinking into the water. She turned her back to him. “And if you’re the gentleman I think you are, you’ll keep your back turned, if you know what’s good for you!”

Of course he would. Just because they were in the hot spring together, that didn’t mean the two of them had to… well…

…Was it just him, or was the water getting hotter all of a sudden?

“You know, sometimes I think this show is a little too excessive,” Vivian said, leaning back in the water and looking up at the sky. “I get it, they’re trying to put us in sexy situations, but a little bit of privacy would really go a long way, don’t you think? I mean, come on. They don’t even have a split hot spring for the two of us to take a rejuvenating bath separately? No, it’s all gotta be sex, all the time. I admire the dedication to the theme, but… it’s got its downsides.”

Nick could hear her moving behind him, but he didn’t know what she was doing. In a way, the not knowing almost made it hotter. He could feel his dick starting to harden, and who could blame it? He was alone in the water with a gorgeous woman who modeled clothes for the finest fashion magazines, a girl whose beauty treatments and skin care regiments probably equaled in cost to a cosmetics company. And she was right behind him!

Thankfully, he had a lot of experience with beautiful women, and could keep his urges in check. Not that he had ever been the type to pounce in a situation like this, for better or worse. And he had no idea what Vivian was expecting from him, either, which didn’t help matters.

“The anticipation is the best part,” Vivian continued. “Just showing everything without any buildup or fanfare just spoils the whole surprise. That’s why I’m glad you’re such a gentleman, and you’re not going to look.”

She almost sounded like she was goading him to sneak a peek. But he couldn’t tell. Her accent gave every word past her lips a bit of a teasing, flirtatious edge, and Nick couldn’t ever really be sure when she was playing with him or being sincere, not unless he was looking into her eyes. And he couldn’t exactly do that right now.

“I agree,” he echoed. It was basically the only good answer he had at this point.

Vivian’s giggle told him that was the right answer.

“Glad to hear it,” she murmured. “I’d hate to think we couldn’t just be two people enjoying ourselves in the hot springs like this, relaxing casually together after a long day out. That’s what I’d like, honestly. No need to stand on ceremony… no need for anything more…”

The whimsical tone in her voice had changed slightly, which caught Nick’s ear. It was a curious departure, but before he could ask her about it, she changed topics again.

“Speaking of, how are you feeling?” She asked. “Down there, I mean.”

Nick stiffened in more ways than one. His eyes shot to his throbbing cock, just under the water.

“Down… down there?” He stammered out.

“Is the water helping with your saddle aches? It’s working beautifully on me.”

OH.

“Uh… yeah, I was good practically the minute I got into the water,” he told her. “You definitely made the right call there.”

Vivian laughed. “Good. I’m glad. It’s working wonders for me. Too bad we’ve only got a half-hour in here. I could just lounge in the water all day long…”

The wistful sigh that escaped her lips was accompanied by the sound of her sinking deeper into the water. Nick had to admit, he admired how calm Vivian could be about this whole thing. While he was on edge just thinking about what tonight would entail, she came across like she didn’t have a care in the world.

“I’ll get out first,” Vivian said suddenly, breaking Nick out of his relaxing stupor. He had no idea how long the two of them had been in the water but his fingers were starting to get wrinkly.

“Uh… y-yeah, I’ll be right out after you,” he stammered, making sure to keep his back to Vivian and the door the whole time. He didn’t let himself relax until he heard it slide shut behind her.

There was a long night ahead of him, it seemed.

“Asking a lady up to your room this early…” Vivian held her hand over her mouth, pretending to look scandalized as they rode the elevator up to the Master’s Suite. “I’m surprised, Nick, what would the other women in your life have to say about this?”

“Hey!” Nick protested. “You were the one who said you didn’t have anything else you wanted to do today, and I told you, remember? I wanted to find a video game that you might like!”

Vivian blinked. “Wait, you were serious about that?” She asked in surprise as the elevator came to a stop.

“Of course, I wouldn’t just make something up,” Nick replied. “So? You up for it?”

Vivian suddenly looked uncertain. “And you’re sure it’s okay? Playing video games, I mean? For our date?”

He shrugged. “If you don’t want to, I get it. But I still think you shouldn’t dismiss it out of hand.”

“I’m not,” Vivian said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m just surprised, is all. But if that’s what you want, Nick, then we can dance. You gave horseback riding a try for me, and fair is fair.”

“Don’t mention that to Mary, by the way,” Nick added as they reached the door. “I want the horseback riding thing to be a surprise.”

Vivian wiggled her eyebrows and ran her fingers across her mouth. “My lips are sealed,” she assured him slyly.

That was as good as it was going to get.

Nick led Vivian into the Master’s Suite, surprising Mary.

“Oh! You’re back so early?” She gasped, hopping off the couch and rushing over to them. “I just got back from my cooking lessons, and I haven’t even started with dinner yet-”

“It’s fine, Mary, it’s not like you’re our maid or anything,” Vivian said with a laugh, patting the redhead on the shoulder as she strolled into the room. “Nick here wanted to take our date back to his place, that’s all.”

“Oooh?” Holly peeked in from the kitchen, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Well, um…” Mary turned red and a twisted, shaky smile struggled against her lips. “That, that’s really, um…”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Nick said, his face reddening. “I wanted to play video games with her.”

“…Oh.” Mary deflated like a popped balloon.

“Video games? Come on, are they at least going to be sexy video games?” Holly complained.

Vivian turned to Nick, her smirking gaze burning with rhetorical questions. “Well, are they?”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start.”

“It’s fine you two,” Vivian chuckled as she sauntered over to the couch. “Keep an open mind, that’s what I say. If Nick enjoys ‘em, shouldn’t I at least give it a shot? That’s what a good partner would do, in my opinion.”

Mary bristled. Nick tensed as he saw the look of apprehension on her face, knowing what she was going to say before she even said it.

“Well… m-maybe, I could play too!” She declared, balling up her hands into tiny fists. “Would that be alright, Nick?”

She looked at him desperately even though she knew she was asking for something unfair. After all, Nick was on a date with Vivian right now, and butting her way into it like this-

“Shouldn’t you be asking me if I’m okay with it?” Vivian interjected, draping her arm around Mary’s shoulder. “It’s my date with him, after all.”

Mary blanched. She was right. “Um…”

“I think it’s a fabulous idea!” Vivian answered before Mary could get a word out, steering the redhead back over to the couch as well. “You look like you could use some time off to relax and play.”

Nick wasn’t sure what was going on, but it looked like Vivian was enjoying herself so he was going to count it as a win. And what she mentioned earlier that day, about Mary being **** to embrace his hobbies or offer any of her own for them to enjoy together was still weighing on him.

So he begrudgingly accepted that maybe Vivian was on the right track with this, and went to go join them.

Mary ended up on one side of the couch while Vivian took the other. And of course, Nick ended up right in the middle. Normally it would be nice to have a beauty on each arm, but given the current state of things he felt a little awkward. Mary’s tense smile wasn’t helping matters, either.

Holly watched from the corner, feeling a little jealous and left out. Normally those emotions would feel right at home for her, but that was for sexual stuff! For something like this…

“Can… can I play, too?” She asked hopefully.

The three couch-goers were surprised to hear her ask, but nobody had a problem with it.

“Of course you can,” Nick agreed, and she rushed over happily and plopped down on the floor in front of them.

The next thing to do was figure out what kind of game they could all play together. Dani liked fighting games and she was his usual partner, but he wasn’t sure if Mary or Holly would be interested in that. Let alone Vivian. Maybe-

“I’d like to shoot at something,” Vivian said. “Got any games like that?”

Mary tensed, but didn’t say anything. Nick didn’t raise any objections either, even though he wasn’t sure about this.

After all, tonight was Vivian’s night, it was only fair that they do what she wanted to do, right?

But still…

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I thought-”

“You said you were going to pick a game I might enjoy, right?” Vivian reminded him of his earlier commitment. “Well, I think I might enjoy a game where I get to shoot at people. …Not to sound like a psychopath or anything,” she added with a laugh.

“I-I’m okay with it,” Mary relented.

“Sure, why not?” Holly shrugged. She was just happy to be included.

Well, if nobody else had an issue with it, then why not?

“What’s going on?!” Mary wailed. “Why is my character spinning around?!” She was rotating in place with her gun raised, not contributing much of anything to the game.

“Oop, I died again,” Holly groaned.

“Because you keep charging in like that,” Nick pointed out.

“That’s how you win!”

“Not if you keep getting eaten!”

The two of them glared at each other. But then, it wasn’t like Nick was doing much better.

Games like this weren’t his forte. And the fact that the zombies in the game had been replaced by ravenous succubi didn’t make things easier. But it did make him wonder if maybe Holly was letting herself get killed on purpose.

So while Nick and Holly struggled with the waves of enemies and Mary struggled with the controller, the only person on the four-way split-screen who was actually having a blast was Vivian herself.

“Woooo! Yeah! Light ‘em up!” Vivian cheered as she pumped hot lead into hotter bodies. In spite of the fact that the game handled nothing like a real gun and the targeting and distance were completely off, just being able to shoot at something was honestly enjoyable.

Maybe she wasn’t a great person for thinking that way, who could say?

“Watch out, Vivian, they’re going after you!” Nick warned. Too late, unfortunately. Vivian had gotten so caught up in shooting she forgot to guard her flank, and in an instant a pack of ravenous sex demons had pounced on her avatar, devouring it in more ways than one.

Vivian sighed and sank back on the couch while her character respawned.

“Well, darn,” she scoffed. “And I was doing so well, too.”

“At least you’re still doing better than Mary,” Holly pointed out. “Come on, are you going to help sometime today!?”

“I-I’m trying!” Mary wailed, fumbling around with the buttons on her controller. “Is this the button I use to shoot?”

“BOOM!”

“Why did you throw a grenade at me?!” Holly screeched. “I’m on your side!”

“Sorry! I-I didn’t mean to!”

“BOOM!”

“Mary!” Nick groaned, setting down his controller.

“I-I was aiming at the succubi! It’s not my fault!”

“It’s a grenade!” Holly chewed her out. “You know they bounce, right!?”

“It’s okay, I’ve got it this time!” Mary said confidently.

“Why did you switch to the combat knife?!”

“Oh man, she’s so dead…”

“EEEeeeeh! I’m being eaten! Uwaaaah!”

Vivian sat back in her seat and smiled in amusement. “You know, you were right, Nick.”

“Huh?” Nick tore his eyes away from the carnage being inflicted on and by Mary to look at the heiress.

“About video games, maybe I was being too critical before,” she admitted. “I just never thought of it that way.”

She had a strange look of contentment on her face, like she’d just eaten a satisfying meal. Her eyes glistened with appreciation as she looked at him.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to do something like this,” she said. “I’m glad you recommended it. Thank you.”

Nick was pleased to hear it. “Well, there are all sorts of other games we could try,” he pointed out. “Maybe something that we can actually-”

“BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!”

“MARY!”

He sighed in amused exasperation and shook his head. “…Get Mary to succeed at.”

“I’m sorry!”

“BOOM!”

Vivian nearly fell off the couch with laughter.