The worst thing a man could do when confronted by a nymph was to let her catch site of his erection. Agio remembered hearing that little rule back in his early college days, back when the thought of meeting a nymph while sporting a hard on seemed like no bad thing at all. It seemed quite a bad thing at the moment.
"Hello," the nymph purred from her vantage point in the river. Her body was submerged clear up to her ample breasts, which bobbed and swayed as the water lapped at them. Thin strands of her long, dark-blue hair swirled in the current.
Agio watched her carefully, uncomfortably aware of his nakedness. His clothes lay neatly folded beside his fire, except for his hooded cloak, which he had hung from a nearby tree branch. Agio stood, hands at his sides, and took a step to the side, toward the branch.
"Hello," the nymph repeated and glided forward. Her skin was the pale blue of a winter sky. Agio wanted to run a finger along the curve of her abdomen, now clearly visible above the water line. He would trace the edge of her ribs with his fingers while taking her dark purple nipples into his mouth, savoring their taste with the tip of his tongue. That sounded like a fine plan, he thought.
"Afternoon," he said and took a step toward her. His toes squished into the gooey mud of the river's edge. The second worse thing a man can do when confronted by a nymph was to let her lure him into the water. The lesson flashed in his mind like lightning. Go into the water and die. Stay on land and live. Agio trembled with effort, fighting against the overpowering and unreasonable urge to splash into the water and feel her. He spoke in desperation. "Will you come join me?"
"I'd love nothing more," she said. Her hands rose from the water to cup her breasts. "But the water feels so good, won't you come and swim with me first?"
"Agio," he swallowed.
"Pardon?"
"My name is Agio."
"Agio," she licked her lips and tweaked a nipple.
"May I ask your name?" the effort of asking the question caused his stomach to kick. The water looked so inviting.
"My name?" the nymph eyed him warily, sinking a little into the river. Her breasts bounced as she released them.
"You must have a beautiful name."
"No one has asked my name before."
"Please," Agio said. "Will you tell me?"
"D-Danea," she dipped a little further into the water. She was obviously not used to men asking her questions. Her dark areolas slipped from view.
"I was right," he said and smiled and held a hand out to her. His erection trembled in the cool, morning air. A once in a lifetime opportunity stood before him. He had this one chance to press her. His skin tingled with a burning sensation that a whisper in his mind told him only the river could cure. "Danea is a beautiful name and you are very beautiful as well. Come enjoy my fire."
"Then will you swim with me?" her voice came in a soft, childlike, whisper.
"If you still wish me too, I will."
"You must promise," she rose from the water, stopping when it reached her knees. Her gleaming body was exquisitely perfect and completely hairless. Her long legs trembled.
"I promise to return with you to the water," he said. "If you still desire me to do so."
"Why wouldn't I want you to come back with me?" she said, the water now at her ankles. She stood almost on the bank, her eyes locked on Agio's erection. She was close enough to touch. "You are very handsome."
"Thank you," Agio edged toward the fire, beckoning her to follow with a wave of his hand. Each step he took from her brought an empty pain into his heart. "Come."
The toes of her feet pressed into the sodden muck of the riverbank and she let out a long, drawn out breath. Her flesh broke out in goose pimples. She took a shaky step after Agio. The fierce need to enter the water left him as she stepped from the river. The fierce need of her remained.
"The air is so chill," she said, hugging her breasts. Her nipples stuck out visibly.
Agio set a blanket out beside the fire and lowered himself onto it, settling into a cross-legged position. He patted the spot next to him. Danea walked toward him slowly, her eyes moving from his face to his erection and then back again.
"Oh," she said, gazing wide-eyed at the fire. She raised a hand, holding it with the palm facing the flames. Her brow knotted and her breathing slowed. "It's so warm."
"Sit with me, Danea," Agio said and patted the blanket.
A tiny bead of sweat ran down her cheek. Danea looked back at the river. She sucked on her lower lip.
"I've made a mistake," she said and took a step back.
"Come, sit."
"I don't want to sit."
"What do you want then?"
"I feel feverish."
"Danea, what do you want?"
"Please," she whispered. "Come swim with me. You promised."
Now or never, Agio thought. He eased back onto his back and stroked his stiff cock, locking his eyes on hers. She swallowed and moaned and inched forward.