You stir and turn to lie on your side. I move close behind you, my arm across your waist, once again imitating spoons.

You murmur words. Indistinct. I ask you to say the words again. You whisper,  “My mouth is dry.”

I know this time I must refresh you. There is bottled water across the room. I leave the bed. I leave you alone. I know that I will return and I know that beneath those covers, warm between the crisp white sheets, you lie, naked. I open the water and offer it to you. “Drink.” You prop yourself on one elbow, half asleep. You take the water, sip, and a droplet escapes from the corner of your mouth and trickles down your chin. The droplet follows a course down your neck leaving a sparkling trail behind. I want to lick that droplet from your skin but I watch fascinated as the shining bead traces its way over your breast. I realize that you are watching my eyes. I look up and find a faint smile on your lips. You take another sip and another drop escapes and follows the path of the first. Your eyes never leave mine. Another sip and yet another droplet escapes. Deliberate? You lie back. “Lick the wet.” Without hesitation, I catch the first droplet with my tongue and trace its path upwards. The water is warm with a slight taste of salt from your skin. My tongue finds your breast, finds your nipple once again. As I suck the water from your skin your hand, behind my head, pulls me closer. “Suck me there…     Harder…     Bite me…      Gently.” These are not my words. They are yours. “Harder.” And then you push my head downward. To your tummy. “Lick my tummy.” Gentle kisses over your tummy until my tongue finds your tummy button and darts inside. You giggle lightly but your hands encourage me to continue. I am so close. I can smell the sweet musk of the passion emanating from your sex. I know that I have made you wet. My fingers search and your legs part, welcoming the intrusion.

Welcoming me to explore. “Touch me again. Touch me there.” And my finger finds the little nub, already swollen. And I touch you there. Again your body spasms and your hips arch upwards, thrusting at the air. “Don’t stop.” I can feel the wetness flowing from your body. My fingers search for the opening and slowly, gently, enter your body. Your hips arch upwards, and my finger plunges deeply into you. Your breath escapes in a hiss. Your back arches again. Your hips press against my fingers and you don’t move. Pushing, pushing against my fingers, wanting them deeper. Slowly I withdraw my fingers but your hips arch upwards again, straining against my fingers. Again my fingers thrust into you. Your hips begin a rhythm, thrusting again and again against my fingers. I continue to lick your tummy as you take pleasure from my hand. Suddenly you push my head downwards. Your legs open wider. “Taste the wet.” My tongue replaces my fingers and I slowly lick upwards. A taste like sweet wine. I find the little button and the tip of my tongue flutters across it. Your body spasms. You cry out. Words in a language that I do not understand. But the words don’t mean “stop”. Your body speaks in a language that I understand. As my tongue thrusts inside, your juices flow. And I drink from the very centre of you. More sounds from your throat. No longer words. Your head thrashes from side to side as passion grips your body. Your hands, once again behind my head, pull me closer. My tongue deeper still. Your hips thrust against me. Suddenly your back arches and the waters gush from your body, over my tongue, soaking the sheets beneath. You lie back, panting. Your breasts heaving. You found heaven for the first time. And I showed you the way.   Hsi Wang Mu, the Western Goddess, the greatest of sexual adepts, came to King Huai in a dream. Giving herself to him she said: ‘At dawn I am the morning clouds, at evening the falling rain.’