mutual, not that Afra noticed, but he was rather surprised when five attractive women approached him, smiling agreeably, and conversation was initiated. When the Coonie wandered into the lounge and right up to Afra, he was charmed.
“This can’t be a barque cat!” he exclaimed.
“No, indeed, it can’t,” laughed the tallest of the five girls, who wore dark curly hair in a close crop to her well-shaped skull. She had unusually pale blue eyes which fascinated Afra, for he’d never seen the like. “This is a Coonie cat: the nearest we surface dwellers have to barquies. They’re not quite as intelligent,” at which point the Coonie growled a protest, delighting Afra, “but they’ve qualities of their own. Amos, this is Afra. Afra, meet Amos.”
To the Capellan’s surprise, the Coonie immediately jumped in his lap and, standing up on his hind legs, put his paws on Afra’s jaw, and sniffed his mouth.
“You’ve made a friend!” the girl said, genuinely impressed. “Amos has standards.”
Afra wasn’t certain how to react until he saw the approval in Gollee’s expression. And when Amos jumped down again and wandered out of the room, Kama of the pale blue eyes moved just close enough to Afra so that their legs touched.
Somehow there was a transition from the pleasant lounge and verbal sparring with Kama seated so enticingly close to a private room. When it became apparent to her that Afra wasn’t at all sure how to proceed once they were alone, she became quite supportive.
“I’m your first? Well, the important thing is to do what comes naturally,” she said, gently massaging the tense muscles along his shoulders. “My first time was special for me. I could do no less for you, especially,” she added with a throaty chuckle, “when Amos approved of you.”
Afra’s nerves made the first attempt more of a disaster than a release. Kama gave him the most tender of smiles and suggested that they just relax side by side and become more accustomed to each other. She also kept running her hands about his body with feathery delicate touches so that very shortly he was ready to make a second attempt. Not only was that eminently successful for both of them, but Afra was totally aware that her ecstasy was as genuine as his. That spurred him on to further efforts with Kama who was impressed by his stamina as well as his ingenuity.
When they woke a languorous time later with the room still dark, Afra shyly asked if her cooperation was limited by time or deed.
“Not with you, my dear,” Kama replied, and energetically pulled him to her, “not ever with you!”
* * *
When he returned to Callisto, he was both refreshed and exhausted, and stumbled into his quarters, falling over the packages that littered the lounge, and even the bedroom. The orery warned him he had only five hours before he was on duty again. He told himself to wake up in four so he could wash and find something more appropriate than the glad rags he shucked any which way as he made for his bed. He had also shucked a great many inhibitions, though it actually took some time for him to determine which ones.
During that work period, he discovered just what a temper the Rowan had. He was so aghast at a
PRIME
in a tantrum that he was beyond surprise. Familiarity with Callisto Tower allowed him to react automatically to the minor crisis, soothing the Rowan and flicking the required placement into her lap in the Tower. Then he initiated the defense he had effectively used to blot boredom and proceeded with the transfers in his usual calm and imperturbable fashion.
Only when the Tower closed down hours later did he realize that everyone else’s nerves were frazzled.
“How do you do that, Afra?” Brian asked him when the Rowan had stormed off to her own quarters, raw emotions swirling after her.
“Do what?” Afra asked, looking up from the bird he was folding. His hands and fingers were as deft as usual.
“Ignore her when she’s
“This can’t be a barque cat!” he exclaimed.
“No, indeed, it can’t,” laughed the tallest of the five girls, who wore dark curly hair in a close crop to her well-shaped skull. She had unusually pale blue eyes which fascinated Afra, for he’d never seen the like. “This is a Coonie cat: the nearest we surface dwellers have to barquies. They’re not quite as intelligent,” at which point the Coonie growled a protest, delighting Afra, “but they’ve qualities of their own. Amos, this is Afra. Afra, meet Amos.”
To the Capellan’s surprise, the Coonie immediately jumped in his lap and, standing up on his hind legs, put his paws on Afra’s jaw, and sniffed his mouth.
“You’ve made a friend!” the girl said, genuinely impressed. “Amos has standards.”
Afra wasn’t certain how to react until he saw the approval in Gollee’s expression. And when Amos jumped down again and wandered out of the room, Kama of the pale blue eyes moved just close enough to Afra so that their legs touched.
Somehow there was a transition from the pleasant lounge and verbal sparring with Kama seated so enticingly close to a private room. When it became apparent to her that Afra wasn’t at all sure how to proceed once they were alone, she became quite supportive.
“I’m your first? Well, the important thing is to do what comes naturally,” she said, gently massaging the tense muscles along his shoulders. “My first time was special for me. I could do no less for you, especially,” she added with a throaty chuckle, “when Amos approved of you.”
Afra’s nerves made the first attempt more of a disaster than a release. Kama gave him the most tender of smiles and suggested that they just relax side by side and become more accustomed to each other. She also kept running her hands about his body with feathery delicate touches so that very shortly he was ready to make a second attempt. Not only was that eminently successful for both of them, but Afra was totally aware that her ecstasy was as genuine as his. That spurred him on to further efforts with Kama who was impressed by his stamina as well as his ingenuity.
When they woke a languorous time later with the room still dark, Afra shyly asked if her cooperation was limited by time or deed.
“Not with you, my dear,” Kama replied, and energetically pulled him to her, “not ever with you!”
* * *
When he returned to Callisto, he was both refreshed and exhausted, and stumbled into his quarters, falling over the packages that littered the lounge, and even the bedroom. The orery warned him he had only five hours before he was on duty again. He told himself to wake up in four so he could wash and find something more appropriate than the glad rags he shucked any which way as he made for his bed. He had also shucked a great many inhibitions, though it actually took some time for him to determine which ones.
During that work period, he discovered just what a temper the Rowan had. He was so aghast at a
PRIME
in a tantrum that he was beyond surprise. Familiarity with Callisto Tower allowed him to react automatically to the minor crisis, soothing the Rowan and flicking the required placement into her lap in the Tower. Then he initiated the defense he had effectively used to blot boredom and proceeded with the transfers in his usual calm and imperturbable fashion.
Only when the Tower closed down hours later did he realize that everyone else’s nerves were frazzled.
“How do you do that, Afra?” Brian asked him when the Rowan had stormed off to her own quarters, raw emotions swirling after her.
“Do what?” Afra asked, looking up from the bird he was folding. His hands and fingers were as deft as usual.
“Ignore her when she’s
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