May 5, 2022

Desmond lay two cards on the table, face down, and drew two more from the deck. He looked at his hand. It was crap. Nothing, just a high card that was the nine of spades. He muttered a curse, not caring that Edward and Connor could read how terrible his spread was from the displeasure he showed. He had never been good at bluffing anyhow.

"Desmond's out," Edward stated. He looked at Connor. "What have you got?"

Connor lay his cards on the table, showing a two of hearts, a four of clubs, a ten of spades and a pair of Queens.

"Not bad," Edward told him. Then he lay down his cards. He had three eights.

"You're cheating," Desmond accused.

Edward looked at him with an expression of feigned pain. "You're distrust hurts, mate. It really does."

"You're palming cards when you deal," Connor said.

Edward looked at him. "You caught that?"

Connor just nodded.

"I like to win," Edward told them.

He put his cards with the rest of the deck and handed them to Desmond for the next turn. Desmond began to shuffle, making sure that Edward could see his every move. The pirate needed to know how to play fair.

Instead of acknowledging the not-so-subtle hint from the other man, Edward sighed loudly. "Too bad Pete didn't join us."

"He has studying to do," Desmond told him. "Anatomy with his girlfriend."

Edward chuckled. "Wouldn't mind doing a bit of that with Scarlett Johansson." Noticing Connor's look of confusion, Edward explained. "She's an actress. Pete's gotten me interested in Marvel movies. Scarlett plays Black Widow. She is incredibly gorgeous."

"Can't argue with that," Desmond muttered.

Connor was uninterested. He had a different woman on his mind. And for a completely different reason. Desmond wanted to question how things were going with his ancestor and Faith, but thought it best not to bring her up. Connor brooded enough without the reminder that his wife was not sleeping in the same room as he was any longer. Desmond had no idea what that was all about, but it was affecting them both. He didn't understand why they couldn't work things out if they were both so miserable.

But that wasn't his problem. He didn't have anything like that to worry about. It had been a very long time since he had the luxury of a woman's company, much less one he was even remotely serious about. The thought gave him an annoyance he wasn't expecting. He realized he was jealous. Not just of Connor, but of Pete. Even Jack, who occasionally hooked up with Clair when they were both lonely. They all had something he wanted; Someone to be with. He remembered all the times Pete had tried to fix him up and wondered why he always turned him down.

The door opening interrupted Desmond's thoughts, as well as the trio's game. Jack and Faith came in, each with an armful of plastic bags bursting with items. Desmond automatically went to help without being asked. As he was grabbing stuff from the back of the SUV, Edward picked up a pink striped bag and glanced inside.

"Sexy," he murmured.

Desmond jabbed him with an elbow, indicating that Connor was standing nearby. Edward put down the Victoria's Secret bag and gathered up groceries instead. After everything was taken in and put away, Faith began to prepare supper. Feeling useless, Desmond offered to help.

"Do you know how to make anything?" she ask.

"I'm really good at boiling water," he told her.

Faith laughed. "I'll remember that when I make spaghetti."

"I promise you won't regret it."

She paused in what she was doing and looked at Desmond. "No offense, but I really don't like people in the kitchen when I'm cooking."

Realizing he was standing right in her way, Desmond apologized and left the area. He sat on the couch talking idly to the other men while Faith cooked. It wasn't long before a mouthwatering aroma reached them. Desmond realized just how hungry he was. That one meal a month from Clair was just not enough. He hoped Faith's dinner tasted as good as it smelled

Edward must have been thinking along the same lines. He looked at Connor. "Is she a good cook?"

"Very good," Connor stated. He smiled. "Why else would I have married her?"

Desmond looked at the Native, realizing he had just made a joke. "Is her cooking the only reason?"

Connor appeared thoughtful for a moment. "She is also cute."

Desmond chuckled.

"She's no Natasha Romanoff…" Edward muttered.

Jack looked at the pirate. "Your standards are too high, Mr. Kenway. My daughter is very beautiful."

Desmond would have taken that for paternal bias, but Faith was attractive. That had not escaped his attention in the last month. She wasn't breathtaking, but there were qualities about her that made her pretty. Desmond could see why Connor was so attracted to Faith. He silently wondered if the traits one found appealing were hereditary. If so, it would explain the crush Desmond was developing for Faith.

Or maybe that had nothing to do with his attraction at all. Maybe he was just desperate from all his time alone and would take the attention of any woman as flattery. It wasn't as if Desmond wanted Faith.

Connor struggled to release his hands from the binding that held them tight. Being restrained gave him an odd mixture of emotions he had no idea how to process. On the one hand, he loathed not having the freedom to do as he wanted. But, on the other hand, losing that sense had heightened his others. Taste, smell, sight, sound. They overwhelmed him.

He watched Faith as she straddled him. The bright June sun lit her hair, giving her a halo of beauty. He was dying to hold her. To feel her next to him. But she was intentionally keeping her distance. Her tactics were maddening. He both hated and loved them.

"I cannot touch you," he spoke, not hiding the disappointment in his voice.

Faith leaned a little closer as her hands went to his chest. Her touch was light, sensual. Connor had never felt this way about a woman before. Faith was his first love. The first woman he considered spending the rest of his life with. He thought often about a life with her. Marriage, children. It was what he wanted. In the long run. All Connor wanted at the moment was to kiss her.

"I can touch you," she spoke softly.

Her hands roamed his body, her palms caressing him in a way that was incredibly arousing. He felt himself grow hard. Knew she felt it, too, from the way her hips were pressed against his.

As Faith's lips went to his neck, Connor tugged against the sheng bioa. Agreeing to this had been foolish and stupid...and wonderful. The way Faith licked and sucked the sensitive spot below his ear only made him harder. She made him want to do things to her. Things he knew he shouldn't, but couldn't stop himself from thinking about.

He let out a small grunt as her hips began to move against his. Grinding. Rubbing. Giving him the greatest physical pleasure he had yet to experience.

After far too short of a time, Faith pulled back. Her fingers unfastened the buttons of Connor's shirt agonizingly slowly. Her drawn-out movements were teasing him in the most amazing way. He longed to feel her against him again. Not being able to was torture.

"Untie me," he begged.

There was a sultry grin on Faith's face as she shook her head. "Not yet."

Her hands moved lower, going to his belt. She unlatched it using the same careful motions. Did the same with the buttons on his trousers. It took an eternity for her to free him.

Connor throbbed as Faith's hand gripped him, moving in that way she knew he liked. She had no idea just how insane she was making him. He needed to stop. Needed to distance himself from her. But he didn't want to. He wanted her to keep doing what she was doing. To continue giving him the pleasure he had only ever given himself.

Faith's eyes met his. Connor saw something in her gaze that made him want her even more. He leaned forward, pressed his lips firmly to hers. She was such an astonishing kisser. The way her tongue moved with his, the way her teeth gently bit his lower lip. He struggled to free his hands again, but the knot Faith had made was too tight. He could have broken it using strength. Had he really wanted to. But he didn't. He liked this too much.

Faith pulled back again. Then she began to lower herself, placing soft kisses along Connor's chest and stomach that almost tickled, but fed his desire. Connor couldn't keep a moan from escaping his lips as Faith took him in her mouth. That was sensational. He had never felt anything so remarkable. It was good, much too good. He needed her to stop.

"Faith…"

All he could muster was that one breath before his world exploded in indescribable ecstasy.

Desmond jerked awake, cursing softly in the dark, empty room. It took him a moment to remember where he was. Remember who he was. That dream had rattled him. Confused the hell out of him. He had never had a dream like that before. The closest he had come was that rendezvous between Maria and Altair. But that had been different. Not nearly as...graphic. This dream had been so real. The vividness of it was evidenced by his current condition.

He cussed again as he got out of bed. That had not happened since he was a teenager. He was an adult now. Thirty-five was far too old to be having wet dreams. Especially when they were about another man's wife. And that man was a relative.

As Desmond changed, he wondered why he had such a vision. It wasn't as if he had seen anything about Faith when he was in the animus. The bleeding effect normally revolved around people and situations with which he was already familiar. Faith was not one of those people. He had not even known of her existence until a few months ago, much less about her relationship with Connor. He wondered if it had anything to do with being so physically close to an ancestor whose life he had experienced. He had no idea what sort of effects the animus could have on such a situation.

The possibility that he was somehow tuned into Connor's thoughts was feasible. Connor could have been remembering that and Desmond just happened to pick up the frequency. Of course, that would mean that what Desmond had seen really happened. Had it? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer to that. It was best just to let it go. Forget about the entire ordeal.

He lay back down, tried to forget the vision.

It took forever for him to get back to sleep.