The Planets

Mars the Bringer of War

Mars is the only woman on the stage crew, but she's a lot stronger than any of the guys. When the stage is set and I've shown people to their seats we watch the performance together from side stage. She stands behind me, not quite touching.

But tonight the orchestra is playing The Planets and I find myself pressed against a wall in a concrete stairwell below the stage.

"You're my chariot," she hisses. "And I'm driving you to war." She tugs my good black shirt out of my pants and shoves her hand down. I am so ready for battle. She shoves a hand up my shirt and I gasp as her fingers pinch a nipple.

Above us that incessant rhythm doesn't let up and either does she. We kiss between grunts and the trombones bellow out a foreboding melody as Mars' grip tightens.

I'm desperate for the movement's end – there'll be no release till then. She thrusts to the final chords: Brumm brumm. Pause. Brumm brumm brumm. Pause. And the last rumbling chord announces our victory.

Venus the Bringer of Peace

I hear Venus practising as soon as I open the door, the ethereal sounds of her violin drifting down the hall. Quietly I observe her. She finishes the piece, and opens her eyes, smiling like she knew I was watching her. She puts her instrument down.

"Don't let me stop you," I say as she takes my jacket off.

"Oh no, I prepared a bath for you. I want you to relax," she insists, then leads me to the bathroom. Rose petals float in steaming water and scented candles flicker by the window. I settle in and as she massages my shoulders, I feel the tension of the day oozing away.

"Play me something," I say. So she does.

I watch as she draws out each divine note. I feel like a voyeur. This is too personal for me to be watching. The pleasure it brings her has me mesmerised. Her eyes keep contact with mine, as if giving me permission to take what gratification I want from her performance. I touch myself and together – her music and my sex – we come to a perfect close.

Mercury the Winged Messenger

That power suit Mercury's wearing makes me drool. She says she's just here to deliver a message, that she doesn't have time to chat. But I don't believe her. I need to find a bathroom and when I do I know she'll be right behind me.

She squeezes into a stall with me and closes the door. She grabs my arse and we start pashing.

"No time? Sure thing," I snarl. She gives me an impish grin then bites my neck in response. No time for chatting at least.

I jerk her skirt up and furiously rub her. She's soaking wet. A loud moan escapes her lips and I know she's close. Another tight circle round her clit and that's it. She shudders silently before slumping in my arms.

She is still for just a moment. Then she smooths her skirt, tidies her hair, and calmly exits, blowing a kiss in thanks.

That, I think, was quick.

Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity

This is the best after-party I've ever been to.

I danced the night away with Jupiter, drank way too much champagne, and now I am in a hot tub between the two sexiest women I've ever met. We're nude – everyone in here is – because that's the only way to be. I'm sitting between their legs and I think they want to play.

"You're so gorgeous," says one, fiddling with my necklace.

"Gorgeous," echoes the other behind me, tracing a finger down my spine.

Then all at once they are kissing me. I hear a bunch of guys hoot, but I am too drunk to care. I hear Jupiter call out to us. She wants to join in too so gets in next to me. I make out with her while the other two watch, then she and the flautist make out. We swap between pairs again and again till I don't even notice who I'm kissing.

I don't know what the hell is going on but it feels fucking awesome.

Saturn the Bringer of Old Age

Saturn has played the trombone since, it seems, the beginning of time.

"You're not breathing right," she chides. "Here – like this." And stepping behind me she puts her hands on my diaphragm.

"Softer. More air," she hushes. I lift my instrument and try the note again. I can feel her palms pressing into me, her breath on my neck. Not soft enough, not enough air. I try again and again until finally, a note comes out that is liquid gold.

"Beautiful," she sighs but doesn't move. I am about to discover, I think, the scandalous truth of student-teacher affairs.

Uranus the Magician

Uranus dances a ritual to the full moon.

Flames from the bonfire lick out like they want to eat her aura. Smoke stings my eyes, but I can't take my eyes off her. She twists and sways to the thousand beats of the drums, but won't take her eyes off me either.

I join her and together we are thrashing organisms, diving in and out of a magical space we've created. The drumming doesn't stop and neither do we – spinning and jerking, on through the night.

It's getting late and the moon, once high in the sky, now casts long shadows on the sand. Just one lone drum is left, and each of its beats struggles to sound. But before the daylight steals her away, before that last drumbeat dies, I want to do one more ritual with her.

A hand at the back of her neck, a leg pressing between her legs, I kiss her and the ritual is complete.

Neptune the Mystic

"These are home made chocolate truffles," Neptune explains proudly. "Made with marijuana butter and one hundred percent vegan." I've never tried pot before but she is reassuring. So I accept.

After that we lounge on her mattress for hours tittering about nothing in particular. I am floating and she laughs at my beatific smile. It gets late and we drift off to sleep.

Sometime in the morning, I don't know when, she pulls me closer – so close we're sharing breaths. Hands reach under clothes to feel the intimacy of bare skin.

I finger her belly button, tickle her side and she almost lets her knuckles graze my breasts. She touches me so slowly, as if I'm the first person she's ever touched.

Our faces are right next to each other now. I lean forward to kiss her cheek, but somehow our lips meet. I could call it a kiss but that's not what it feels like. It just feels like right here, right now, this is perfect exactly how it is.