“Well… I need to pee…” 

Marc got up, ignoring the cold from the boards radiating through his feet. He quickly scanned the room and found all he needed to relieve himself.

“Friendly advice, my lord,” Émilie said in a teasing tone. “Erections must always be attributed to the half-naked woman in the room.”

“Will…” Marc stopped talking long enough to get a stream going, “…take that under advisement, mademoiselle.”

He was normally more discrete but the push against his bladder could not tolerate a further delay. I hope she doesn’t mind.

Her eyes flowed down his bare chest, and lingered just between his legs. He guessed that given her vocation, the need for subtlety did not come up often. Her eyes widened, and she grinned. Her growing excitement was enough for Marc’s ears to burn hot.

“You scamp!” Émilie said. “All that talk about arousal last night and you’re stiff as a board.”

“Well… I need to pee…”

“No,” Marc said. “I’ll live. There are worse things in life than pushing through fatigue.”

As more memories resurfaced from last night the bigger his smile became. He rather enjoyed hearing about her life and family. It was the notion of growing up with a devoted mother and grandmother that intrigued him the most.

He also appreciated that she would ask questions and appeared interested in his response. While uneducated, there was a thirst for knowledge… I’m sure her getting paid to sleep helped…

“I’m sure you have,” Émilie said.

“Good morning,” Émilie said with a yawn. “Wait! It’s morning?”

That was a good question, his mind had enough time to process his surroundings.

“Alas,” Marc began. “It is. The sun is shining through the east window and I can smell bread in the ovens.”

“Did you get any sleep?”

“No,” Marc said. “I’ll live. There are worse things in life than pushing through fatigue.”

It turned out that her life had gone off the rails. A travelling theatre company offered her to join them, but left her behind when war broke out. Without family support, she had to put the only thing she had of value on offer… She sells her body for food, shelter and a pittance of pay.

He had lost the feeling in his left arm, and attempted to extricate himself. That interrupted her breathing and she rolled over to face him. She smiled, and the dimples in her plump cheeks were positively radiant.

Marc awoke in a start with no idea of where he was. That in itself was unusual, because he normally awoke clear headed and ready to fight. However, his eyes were heavy, and his thoughts were muddled.

He forced his eyes open, revealing a head of curly golden hair. When he tied in the sounds of deep breathing, and the warmth of her body, memories from the night before returned to the forefront of his mind.

As a sergeant, Marc remembered telling their lieutenant not to worry and that everything was in hand. It permitted them to deal with a matter internally before escalating up the chain. Good officers knew to nod and leave them to it, safe in the knowledge that their senior staff had the garrison’s best interest in mind.

“Very well,” Marc said. “I…thank you all for your…thoughtful… gift.”

With nothing else to say, he grabbed the bottle in one hand, and hat in the other before going upstairs. While he had no way of knowing, he felt as though they were all collectively focused on him. It won’t take much more for my ears to catch fire…

“Adjudant?” Marc asked.

The words came out louder than expected, because the sound of his heart beating in his ears was deafening.

“We felt you needed a diversion, mon Lieutenant,” Cornay said. “Third one to the left of the stairs on the second level… take the bottle with you. We have you covered tonight.”

Marc narrowed his gaze, but backing out or making a scene would severely undermine his authority. This was meant as a gesture of thanks from his men, which is why Cornay  took liberties to make it happen. 

“But first, the men have pooled their money and secured quarters for you tonight,” Cornay said.

Marc could no longer contain his growing confusion. He gave his head a shake, before cocking his brow. Given that he had his own quarters back at the garrison, why would he need to spend the night here?

“Adjudant?” Marc asked.

The words came out louder than expected, because the sound of his heart beating in his ears was deafening.“We felt you needed a diversion, mon Lieutenant,” Cornay said.