Page 65 of Luxuries of Lust

“Oh yeah?”

Nodding, she fluttered her lashes, dropping her voice even quieter as she propped her lower arm on the counter separating them. “As it turns out, the humans are fucking horny for us. They’ll pay just about anything. Travel, lodging, food. They’re desperate, poor dears. Horribly repressed.”

This, Rusty knew. He was chronically online, so he’d fallen down many an internet blackhole in his day.

“Glad it’s working out for you.”

Antennas trembling with amusement, she shrugged. “It’s a living.”

“Well,” Rusty said, lowering the volume of his voice to match hers, “if you ever wanna serve cunt on your feet instead of on your back, we’re always accepting applications.”

With a boisterous laugh, Enfys reached over the counter to smack his arm, but he danced out of the way with another snicker. “You insult me!” she sniffed haughtily before striking a pose. “I can serve cunt in any position, precious, even if I don’t actually have one.”

“I believe you,” Rusty said, and the Lepid giggled. Rusty thought he heard an angry hum vibrate from Gem’s direction, but when he checked, the Araknis was concentrating on the foam art he was creating. To Enfys, he said, “Here at The Passing Through Cafe, you can serve both coffee and cunt all you want, I promise.”

Enfys rolled her eyes. “But I bet I won’t get paid half as good, and a girl’s gotta eat. I have expensive taste, you know?”

“Still, if you change your mind, I can put in a good word for you,” Rusty offered as the last customer in line moved toward the other end of the counter.

“Aw, you’re cute,” Enfys said with a boop to his nose with one hand. Another hand snapped and pointed at his pants. “Phone. Now.”

She wiggled her fingers expectantly, and Rusty chuffed but handed his phone over. Orange-tipped fingers flying, she typed in her contact info before reaching over the counter and slipping his phone back into his pocket herself, winking obnoxiously.

“For that rain check on company,” she whispered, and this time, Rusty was sure Gem’s fur hummed a warning.

Again, when he checked, Gem was pointedly not looking at him, and he scratched his ear awkwardly. “Right. Rain check.” Clearing his throat, he knocked Oliver’s arm. “I’ll take this one,” he said in English, and the human gawked.

“Seriously?” he asked, and Rusty nodded. “But you never voluntarily take orders.”

“Well, this one’s a friend,” he said, and Enfys draped herself over the counter with a simper.

“Verygood friends.” She extended a hand to Oliver, who took it automatically, brows so high they nearly disappeared into his hair. “I’m Enfys. And who are you, precious?”

“Oliver,” Oliver said.

“Oliver,” she mouthed at Rusty before daintily shaking Oliver’s hand. “Pleasure.”

“Nice to meet yo—ah!”

Oliver was forced to release Enfys’s hand as Gem shoved in between him and Rusty with a forceful, “Hi, I’m Gem. How great is this, meeting one of Rusty’s friends! He’s never talked about you before, which is so weird because we hang out all the time, yet your name’s never come up. It’s just so amazing to meet you.”

He finished his speech with a rather unhinged smile, offering his top right hand for her shake. His top left hand landed on Rusty’s head, fingers rubbing around the base of his ear, as his middle left hand came to rest on Rusty’s shoulder.

Enfys’s gaze darted between them a moment before amusement played over her features. She accepted Gem’s handshake with a saccharine smile. “Enfys. Charmed, I’m sure.”

Gem released an unnerving titter through his nose. “M’kay.”

They shook hands for an uncomfortable amount of time, and when they finally parted, Rusty caught the way Enfys flexed her fingers, like Gem may have squeezed them a tad too tight. Gem was still smiling widely, but Rusty could have sworn his fangs had lengthened.

“So how do you two know each other?” he asked, voice overflowing with affectation. “I bet it’s a great story. Or not, because Rusty probably wouldhave told me about it sooner if it was. Which he didn’t. He’s actually never mentioned you.” All at once, Gem’s smile dropped. “Not once.”

Oliver stood at Gem’s side, eyes wide and confused. Enfys’s wings opened and closed slowly behind her back, her wide, fluffy antennas flicking. Rusty gaped up at Gem, but the Araknis ignored him, continuing to massage his ear unfairly.

“Oh, you know, how does anyone meet anyone nowadays?” Enfys said with a mischievous grin. “I was working one night, and Rusty needed some help. So I… helped him out. Ain’t that right, Rusty?”

“That’s one way to say it,” he hedged, and Gem’s hand on his shoulder tightened.

“Well, isn’t that just the greatest,” Gem said, sounding like it was the farthest thing fromgreathe could think of. “How wonderful that that happened, and now you’re here. Which is just… Well, it’s just…”

---