“There’s someone I can’t abandon.”
“A man? Because death is abandonment, and you were willing to die.”
“No, I know. It wasn’t a man. If I die, my share of our family estate goes to my sister. If I leave, I’ll not only be forfeiting my part of it, but she’ll be at risk of losing hers. An Orium girl with no money or property has no say in what happens to her.”
“So you should both leave.”
“Leave with nothing? Because that would be the only way. I’d have to let my father’s estate and his memory die here. And we’d have no money or property. Our skills and education are all tied to this world. We’d be destitute.”
“Maybe at first, but not forever.”
“I promised him I wouldn’t give up.”
“Who?”
“My dad.”
“He died?”
She nodded, tears spilling more freely. She wiped them away. “That’s enough. Please. I’ve grieved so much. Canyoujust talk for a while? Tell me about your adventures? Or more about your fierce countrymen. I’d love to hear about them. And about how you even got to be among them?”
“If you want a real distraction that will make you feel better, let me do something better than talking.”
She chuckled softly. “Let you ruin me, you mean?”
“No. I can do things that no doctor’s exam could ever prove happened.”
She looked directly at him then. “Like what?”
“Like kiss you in ways that will make your flesh hotter than that fire,” he said, nodding at the flames.
“How do I know you won’t go too far?”
“You’d have to trust me. And why wouldn’t you? If I wanted to go too far, you couldn’t stop me. You know I want you, but I haven’t touched you. I won’t lose control. At least not in the way you mean. I fully intend to be sexually satisfied.”
“What fun will kissing me be for you if it’s not going to lead to things that a doctor could detect? That’s all men want, isn’t it? To open a girl’s flower and get inside?”
He exhaled huskily. “Men do want that. It’s not all we want though.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to reward me for saving your life. I want you to make me come with your mouth, the way I’m going to make you come with mine.”
Her cheeks flamed. “How does that work?”
“Let me teach you,” he said, holding out a hand.
Giss was jarred from the memory as the school’s cafe chimes sounded. It was time for the afternoon meal. She crossed her arms over her chest, her nipples tight and needy. An uncomfortable ache in her core plagued her, caused as always by memories of Larsinc.
She forced herself to open the door and exit her room. The man had given her a taste of the sensual side of life, literally, but she needed to forget that. Things were seriously complicated, especially if he’d tracked her down.
What should she do if he was on Junistar? Try to see and speak to him?
Or flee?
She needed to talk with Zaw about it. She passed down a school hall with its lavender walls and painted yellow railings. It was meant to remind the young women of flowers and gardens, and it did, up to a point. But that just made her miss home.
Where was her sister?
