"Ha ha ha, Nadia...he's, uh...a little drunk… you know…"
Artis slurred, trying to steady himself as he approached her, his own scent of alcohol mixing with the sweet, floral perfume she wore.
"Go back to sleep, Nadia. Brother-in-law's passed out, so he'll sleep on the couch. No need to worry."
He said, raising a hand to mask his boozy breath while gently turning her around. What she didn't catch, though, was the undeniable bulge straining against his robe the moment his gaze landed on her.
'By the heavens! Get a hold of yourself!'
Artis thought, feeling his pulse quicken as the flowery fragrance wrapped around him, working its magic. Up close, he could admire her smooth skin, the curve of her hips, and, holy hell, the way her ass cheeks were perfectly outlined through her thin, almost sheer nightwear.
His eyes traveled down her smooth, toned legs, and even her back had him mesmerized. Each little glimpse was enough to make his heart race faster than it had in any fight.
'Damn it. Why did she have to wear that to bed?'
Artis thought, beads of sweat forming at the back of his neck as his eyes darted down her body.
"Nadia, please… just go back to sleep."
He managed, his voice pleading. She gave him a look, pausing for a moment, then nodded, casting one last glance at Chen, who was sprawled out on the couch, before quietly slipping back to her room and closing the door behind her.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Artis' expression morphed into a devilish grin. He tiptoed over to Chen, then dropped onto his knees beside the slumbering drunkard, leaning in close to murmur in his ear.
"Piggy. You absolute waste of a woman… Who even wants to see your sorry, bloated face anyway? Your pudgy ass is the safest thing on the planet; nobody in their right mind would touch them. The whore I had today was the best woman I held in my entire life."
He whispered with relish, his words laced with venomous satisfaction.
A lazy grin spread across Chen's unconscious face, even in his stupor, as if he'd somehow understood.
He smirked, gave his handiwork a final look, then quickly darted into his room and took a lightning-fast bath, scrubbing away the chaos of the evening.
When he returned, he pressed his ear to the door, grinning in anticipation. Sure enough, Chen's drunken voice was mumbling through the walls, delivering exactly the line Artis had been hoping for.
"...The whore I had today was the best woman I held in my entire life... hehehe…"
Then, suddenly—
Slap!
The unmistakable sound echoed through the hall, and Artis instinctively clutched his own cheek, feeling the ghost of the slap himself.
'Ouch... Damn! Poor guy.'
He shook his head, feeling a tiny pang of sympathy.
'Chen, your sacrifice will not be in vain.'
Then he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the hallway, each step steady and ominous.
Artis gave himself one last once-over. He ran his hands through his hair, letting the loose strands fall artfully over his shoulders, and shrugged his robe just enough to reveal his chiseled chest and sculpted arms.
His muscles gleamed, and his hair cascaded down like he'd just strolled out of a romance novel. If he was anywhere but this dim room, he'd be swarmed by admirers of all persuasions—no one could resist that level of radiant hotness.
As the footsteps finally halted right outside his door, Artis quickly tiptoed back to his bed, easing himself down with a practiced nonchalance.
"Whew," he muttered to himself.
'All this work, and for what? If I'd put this much planning into my life before, I'd have been a billionaire by 30.'
Then he shrugged, a lazy grin spreading across his face.
'Eh, at least here, I get to die looking fabulous.'
Hearing the footsteps finally stop just behind his door, he took a deep breath, mentally prepping himself for his grand performance.
He leaned back, loosened his posture, and added a slight wobble to his movements, practicing his best "accidentally tipsy" expression. This was going to be his Oscar moment.
Knock~ Knock~
Artis smirked to himself, muttering, "Coming..." with just the right amount of dramatic sigh.
He got up from the bed, making sure every step was loud enough to sound properly heroic as he stomped across the floorboards. Then, with a flourish that would make any B-movie hero jealous, he slid open the door.
"N-Nadia? What brings you here?"
He asked, doing his best impression of a clueless but irresistible leading man.
She just blinked, surprised at the sight of him, and without a word, stepped forward to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Uh... Nadia…"
He managed to sound confused, but inside, he was cheering. Her soft breasts were pressed right up against his bare chest, separated only by her thin silk nightie. Thank you, universe, he thought, savoring the moment.
Slowly, he let his hands slide around her, running his fingers along her back with all the finesse he could muster. His palms settled just above her ass cheeks, dangerously close but holding back. He grinned to himself.
'He he he. Don't worry, Sis, I got you. he he he ...'
A mischievous grin crept across his face as he leaned in, deciding it was time to crank up the drunken act. He slurred,
"Mmm, Nadia, you smell all... flowery. Are you the one who's a little tipsy? Did you swipe Dad's bottle again, you naughty little minx?"
She giggled against his chest, giving him a playful pinch in the stomach.
"Idiot, you're the one who's drunk!"
He groaned dramatically, clutching his side as if she'd mortally wounded him.
"Then what's a dangerously gorgeous woman doing in a bachelor's room at this hour? I'll warn you now—I'm drunk, and when I'm drunk, I can't be held accountable for what these hands might do."
She rolled her eyes, giving his side another pinch.
"Shut up, you drunken moron. I'm your sister. Don't go getting any ideas."
"Aargh! You dare to pinch me? Oh, you've declared war now."
He wiggled his fingers in mock menace and launched an all-out tickle attack on her sides, sending her into squeals of laughter as she squirmed in his grasp.
"Wait…ha ha ha…wait…Arti…ha ha ha…stop it!"
She laughed and squirmed, trying to dart away, but he pulled her right back in, keeping her close with one arm as his fingers danced mercilessly over her sides.
She twisted, breathless and giggling, but his grip held firm as his fingers "accidentally" brushed across her breasts, his hand getting a quick, full-on feel of her soft curves.
She yelped, but before she could even react, he was back at it with his tickling, using the chaos to his advantage. This time, with a devious flick of his fingers, he managed to untie the delicate lace at her waist, the knot that held her flimsy nightie together slipping free.
Oblivious in the moment, she didn't even notice the loosened knot or that her nightie was now hanging open.
'Now's the chance.'