If she’d thought foroneminute he intended to make the damn announcement, at breakfast, with her sitting at the god damned table, there was no way in hell she would have agreed to implement the damned sex act! She thought for several moments that she was going to loose the food she’d just managed to swallow and she could feel her face flashing first red and then white as if she was sending out signals. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she flicked an uneasy glance at her crewmen and discovered that every eye at the table was on her. The urge to do something childish—like leap up and run or cover her face and slide under the table was so overwhelming that it was all she could do even to try to actslightlynonchalant about the damned announcement.
Dead silence greeted the announcement and Chloe wasn’t certain what to make of that, but after several moments, the men—her men—got up and left. It seemed to cause a general exodus. All of the other men got up and left, as well.
The only indication that she could see that they’d been affected in any way by Reuel’s statement was that they left, for once, without returning their trays to the kitchen.
Reuel frowned when he’d looked around the mess hall. Excusing himself, he left behind the other men. A few minutes later, the men returned, picked up their trays and headed to the deposit bin with them.
Chloe waited until the silence in the corridor convinced her everyone had left the area and finally got up and disposed on her own tray. She’d made it all the way to the bridge before it dawned on her that Reuel had called a meeting of the women in the crew quarters. She hesitated. She didn’t actually think that applied to her since she had discussed the matter with him beforehand—with enthusiasm born of sheer stupidity! She finally decided, though, that she needed to talk to Reuel before he settled the matter entirely.
The expressions on the women’s faces when she joined them were entirely neutral, which was why she decided that they were feeling a great deal of hostility toward her. She wasn’t certain if it was because they’d already heard that Salina had ended up in the brig after their confrontation or it was because they held her responsible for the order, but she straightened her spine and joined them.
Reuel looked surprised that she had, which made her wonder if, maybe, she should’ve waited until another time to speak to him, but she didn’t think she could focus on anything else until she’d spoken with him.
He resumed his discussion after she’d settled. “There is no part of the order that requires females to participate if they are unwilling. However, if you do agree to participate, you will be expected to behave impartially. It will only create more problems than it might solve if you are selective in such a way that only a fraction of the crew is serviced. Allowance will be made for personal preferences on both sides—with the males as well as you, but I will be monitoring and if a male is turned away for any reason by one, then one of the others will be expected to accept him.
“If we are to divide this duty roughly evenly, then you will need to entertain a male nightly with one or two days of no duties per week. This only applies, however, if all of you are willing. In the event any of you decline, then that will have to be worked out in a different manner.”
He turned and smiled at Chloe. “The captain has graciously agreed that, since this is a health and morale issue, she will participate.”
Chloe chewed her lower lip when the other women turned to look at her, but she wanted to speak to Reuel privately and, in any case, she didn’t think it would be a good thing to make a liar out of him in front of his people.
The women volunteered. It wasn’t until they had that it dawned on Chloe that he’d had any doubts that they would. She realized that when he relaxed.
Somehow that made it worse. She hated to disappoint him, especially when she’d been so enthusiastic before!
“Very good! We will make up … uh … dance cards for you ladies and post them for your partners to sign up. I think, mayhap, it will be a good idea to make up new cards weekly.”
Chloe gaped at him. “Weekly?” she asked in a strangled voice.
Something flickered in his eyes. “Yes. In the event that either the females or the males decide they are incompatible and wish to change. It will be less … uncomfortable for both parties.”
He turned to her when the other women had left. “You are having second thoughts, yes?”
Chloe felt her face redden. She squirmed in her seat. “It’s just … well, I got to thinking about what you said about it being noticeable that I hadn’t had a lot of experience—not that I haven’t figured most of it out, mind you! The thing is, I … uh … well, you know it’s a little different for me. I didn’t get any programming.”
Amusement flickered in his eyes. “Experience is the best teacher.”
She cleared her throat. “I might need instructions. I think, maybe, I don’t perfectly understand this … uh … process.”
He stared at her blankly. “Why ever would you think that?”
She frowned. “Well, you did say that it would improve morale, right? I mean, if it improved morale they wouldn’t be … grouchy.”
“Theoretically,” he said wryly. “I did point out that Ithoughtthat it was the root of the behavioral … excesses.”
Chloe relaxed fractionally. “So it might not help at all?”
“Oh, I think it will be a great deal of help. I just do not believe that it is a cure-all.”
“So—if it doesn’t help it doesn’t necessarily mean … uh … that somebody isn’t very good at it?”
“If you achieve orgasm, it is good. Sometimes, it is very good, but it is never bad.”
“How can you tell?”
He stared at her blankly. “Tell what?”
“Orgasm. How can you tell if the other person … got there?”
