"I never said it was the equivalent. And I never said I wanted three kisses from you. Just the one. But it has to be of your own free will; given, not taken or demonstrated. Give me that one kiss and I'll tell you what the second apple is," he bartered, tucking the canister under his elbow once more. "And not for a mere can of metal, however rare, but for your freedom from this barren gla.s.s hill."

Amanda's words came back to her. I know we're in the business of saving others' lives. But I think you should take a look at your own life, too . . . I know we're in the business of saving others' lives. But I think you should take a look at your own life, too . . .

At your own own life . . . life . . .

Did she mean . . . ? If this man is right, then logic dictates I'm not the only person constricted by LIT's policies of discouraging "personal distractions" in its members and, by correlation, LUCI's employees. Evanna frowned in thought. Evanna frowned in thought. Wait, wasn't there that scandal about a year ago of some lab worker over in Dr. Priznell's lab behaving in an unprofessional manner, of her being dismissed and then trying to sue the inst.i.tute? I wondered about that, because she'd always seemed like such a competent lab a.s.sistant . . . Wait, wasn't there that scandal about a year ago of some lab worker over in Dr. Priznell's lab behaving in an unprofessional manner, of her being dismissed and then trying to sue the inst.i.tute? I wondered about that, because she'd always seemed like such a competent lab a.s.sistant . . .

Looking up at the author of her disquiet, she found him once again waiting with silent, statue-like patience. The only things that moved about him were the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and those tawny brown eyes flicking down over her lab-coat-clad body and back up to her face. Until he licked his lips. The simple act of moistening them, the subtle glide of the tip of his tongue, reminded her of his demonstration kiss.

She wasn't even touching him, yet she could feel that tingling once again inside her skin. It defied logic and the explanations of science . . . and yet it was was chemistry. chemistry.

Acting on impulse, Evanna swayed forward. She hesitated as their bodies almost brushed together, then daringly closed the fractional gap between their lips. At first, she just pressed her mouth to his. When he didn't move, she tried an experimental nibble, followed by a tentative lick. He responded by opening his lips just a little and nibbling back. It was encouragement enough to make her try a bolder touch. A deeper taste. An angling of their mouths and a burrowing of her fingers in his crisp, wavy, dark brown hair, until his tongue met hers, helping her to repeat the same excitement as before.

This time, both of his arms wrapped around her, pulling her breathtakingly close. That left the canister dangling awkwardly against her backside, but she didn't care. All she could do was agree. This This was a kiss. It was delicious, it was invigorating, and it was exciting. Full of any number of unknown variables just waiting to be catalogued and explored. was a kiss. It was delicious, it was invigorating, and it was exciting. Full of any number of unknown variables just waiting to be catalogued and explored.

Researcher at heart that she was, Evanna wanted to explore every possible permutation. Unfortunately, the door hissed open. Alarmed by the noise, she pulled back, blushing furiously at having been caught in a very nonprofessional act. It was only Amanda, but the sober look her chief a.s.sistant gave her unnerved Evanna.

"I'm sorry, but you've run out of time. You have about a minute, maybe two at most, if you're lucky."

Frowning, Evanna looked from her a.s.sistant to her . . . well, kisser, for lack of a better word. He definitely wasn't a courier, despite the isotope chained to his wrist. Victor grimaced. "d.a.m.n. Okay. Here's the second request. Come with me to Earth. Right now. Take a leave of absence, go on vacation, and walk on the Motherworld. Walk in a real real forest, not in a holographic one. Visit the beach. Gawk at some aliens. But go forest, not in a holographic one. Visit the beach. Gawk at some aliens. But go now now. No excuses, no waiting, no prevaricating, and no no letting anyone else convince you that your work here is so vital you cannot leave it for a week." letting anyone else convince you that your work here is so vital you cannot leave it for a week."

"He's right, Doctor. Every project you currently have going can can be put on hold for a while," Amanda agreed. She started to say more, then touched her ear with one hand and held up the finger of the other. Evanna believed her a.s.sistant must be listening to the same sort of earbud comm piece that Security used. When Amanda rolled her fingers in a hurry-up motion, Evanna knew her guess was right. be put on hold for a while," Amanda agreed. She started to say more, then touched her ear with one hand and held up the finger of the other. Evanna believed her a.s.sistant must be listening to the same sort of earbud comm piece that Security used. When Amanda rolled her fingers in a hurry-up motion, Evanna knew her guess was right.

"A simple yes or no," the courier who wasn't a courier urged her. "Make up your mind. I would have worn silver for this next part, but you haven't much time."

Evanna looked between him and Amanda, grasping the conspiracy they had formed. "You have everything all figured out, don't you? Except, how do I know I can trust you?"

He shrugged. "Your family does. Your a.s.sistant does." Victor paused, smiled, and hefted the canister chained to his left hand. "And your bis.m.u.th does."

The absurdity of that made her laugh. The reaction wasn't at all what she would have expected, but even more jolting was the realization that she liked liked laughing at an absurdity. She sobered as she tried to recall the last time someone had joked about her work in her presence, and had to silently confess it had been at least three years. laughing at an absurdity. She sobered as she tried to recall the last time someone had joked about her work in her presence, and had to silently confess it had been at least three years.

Because jokes are inappropriate in a serious workplace, she thought, parroting all that she had been told. He's right. They He's right. They have have stolen my humanity from me. stolen my humanity from me. Lifting her chin, Dr. Evanna Motska gave him her reply. "Yes. I'll need to go back to my quarters first-" Lifting her chin, Dr. Evanna Motska gave him her reply. "Yes. I'll need to go back to my quarters first-"

"It's all taken care of," her a.s.sistant interjected, enduring Evanna's startled look. She flicked her gaze up toward the dark bubbles of the security cameras in the ceiling, a pointed look much like the one she had given earlier in the holographic lab, and nodded. "If you'll leave the canister with me, I'll see that it gets to the lab while Captain Amariei shows you those astro-survey charts of the regions containing the bis.m.u.th isotope, so you'll know the scope of what can be extracted in a potential larger scale production in the future."

"Yes, I'd bring them into the complex, but they're proprietary charts," Victor added smoothly, not showing any sign that the abrupt change in subject had fazed him. "The Liberty Mining Guild has only loaned them to me temporarily. They insist I can't even take the datapad storing them off of my ship. . . .which I took the liberty to mean my shuttle, which is parked in your hangar," Victor added.

Evanna caught on to her a.s.sistant's smooth babble of words, and the captain's equally smooth reply. She's giving us a cover, an excuse for me to go to his ship. She's giving us a cover, an excuse for me to go to his ship. Nodding, she headed toward the door, only to hear him clearing his throat behind her. Nodding, she headed toward the door, only to hear him clearing his throat behind her.

"Your thumbprint, Doctor?" he asked, lifting his oval, white burden.

Returning to him, she flipped open the little door covering the sensor panel and pressed her thumb to the scanner. A second panel slid open, revealing a grid of b.u.t.tons. He punched in the combination . . . which looked like the code she would have used herself. A sharp glance at his face showed his eyes all but gleaming with a lively sense of humor.

"And the third apple?" she couldn't help but ask under her breath.

"All in good time, Doctor." Tossing the canister at her a.s.sistant, who hastily caught it, Victor rubbed at the reddish marks circling his wrist. "That feels really good."

"What, lobbing a can of priceless bis.m.u.th 209 at my a.s.sistant like it was a sofa cushion?" Evanna demanded.

"Freeing myself of a c.u.mbersome, unnecessary restriction. You should try it sometime," he added, gesturing for her to join him in heading toward the door. "This way to the mineral charts, Doctor."

Aware that they were being watched by Security-though she would have to interrogate her a.s.sistant at a later date as to why she hadn't hadn't been watched before now-Evanna managed a cool, professional nod. "Thank you, Captain. I appreciate the troubles you are taking on my behalf." been watched before now-Evanna managed a cool, professional nod. "Thank you, Captain. I appreciate the troubles you are taking on my behalf."

"I hope you do," he muttered, escorting her out of the conference room.

VICTOR worried about the security guard who had insisted on accompanying them into the shuttle, unsure how to get rid of the other man. It was true he couldn't be fired for kissing their genius chemist-and what a kisser she was-and he was was the captain of this shuttle, but they were still on Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute turf. There was only so much he could do without getting into trouble. the captain of this shuttle, but they were still on Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute turf. There was only so much he could do without getting into trouble.

He didn't have to worry for long. After the third time the man tried to wedge himself between Victor and Dr. Motska, trying to get a closer look at the datapad she was perusing, the good doctor lost her patience.

"Enough!" she snapped, shoving back on the elbow that had intruded yet again on her shoulder. The sudden, hard act knocked both men back, but she didn't apologize. Instead, she surged to her feet out of the copilot's seat and glared at the gray-uniformed man. "Get out!"

"Excuse me?" the guard asked, blinking as he righted himself.

"I said, get out! There isn't enough room in here for all three of us, and your presence is not not necessary!" necessary!"

"But I'm here for your safety!" the man protested.

"Captain Amariei is not not going to do anything to me which I do not wish him to do-isn't that right, Captain?" Evanna asked. going to do anything to me which I do not wish him to do-isn't that right, Captain?" Evanna asked.

There was only one safe reply he could make to that. Touching his chest, Victor promised, "You have my word of honor, I will do whatever you wish me to do. All you have to do is tell me."

"Really? Good. Throw him out." She kept her hazel eyes on Victor's face as the security guard spluttered. "I want him off off this shuttle, and as you are the captain of this craft and I am his superior, this shuttle, and as you are the captain of this craft and I am his superior, he he has no right to object to my wishes, or to your carrying them out in the course of your duties. Will you comply?" has no right to object to my wishes, or to your carrying them out in the course of your duties. Will you comply?"

"Whatever you wish, Doctor." Grabbing the other man by the elbow and the collar, Victor shoved him out of the small confines of the c.o.c.kpit. The guard struggled, but the captain out-ma.s.sed him by several kilos of solid muscle. Manhandling him around the corner to the access hatch located between c.o.c.kpit and cargo hold, Victor shoved the still protesting man through the opening, then blocked it with his own body, folding his arms over his chest.

"You can't do this! I'll have a security detail here immediately, and I'll have you arrested for . . . for . . ."

"For what? Kidnapping? I could hardly be accused of such when Dr. Motska is on board my ship entirely of her own free will," Victor pointed out. "For throwing a disruptive element off my ship? While on board a ship, all all pa.s.sengers are subject to the decrees of its captain and/or pilot by Terran law. And I happen to concur with Dr. Motska. Your presence is unnecessary and unwanted." pa.s.sengers are subject to the decrees of its captain and/or pilot by Terran law. And I happen to concur with Dr. Motska. Your presence is unnecessary and unwanted."

The thinner man scoffed. "Unwanted?"

"Captain, I cannot concentrate on these mineral charts with all that noise outside! Please seal off the ship against all unwanted unwanted intrusions." intrusions."

Victor smirked as the guard spluttered again. "You heard the lady. Your presence is most definitely unwanted unwanted."

Jabbing the b.u.t.tons on the control panel, he closed the hatch, then locked it with a scan of his thumb. Returning to the c.o.c.kpit, he found her seated once more at the copilot's station, nibbling on her lower lip and staring out the viewports rather than perusing the datapad in her hands. "Are you all right?"

She looked down at the pad, then up at him. "I've never done that before-I've had, well, tantrum fits from time to time, but . . . that was work-related. This . . ."

"You're having second thoughts," Victor summarized. "You've always been a good girl, always done what you were told."

"Well, of course! It was logical. This is . . . this is impulsive, and irrational. Maybe I should-"

Blocking her with a hand on her shoulder as she started to rise, Victor pressed her back down into the well-padded chair. "Read what's on the datapad, and tell me if leaving really is as irrational as they wanted you to believe. Go to the data menu and look at the other folders, the ones not not involving astrogeology. I think you'll find the eighth one down the most interesting." involving astrogeology. I think you'll find the eighth one down the most interesting."

Thumbing the controls, she scrolled through the menu choices, and frowned. "Depositions of known instances involving breaches of contract?"

"Read," he urged, settling into the pilot's chair on the left.

She did so, frowning and thumbing through the paragraphs. A couple of times she paled at what she read; other times, she flushed red, brow furrowing in a mixture of shame and aggravation. When she came to the end, Evanna set the datapad in the flat depression of the mid-console projecting out partway between their seats.

"Well. I have have been manipulated, haven't I?" Her tone was flat, somewhere between bleak and angry. "All these people been manipulated, haven't I?" Her tone was flat, somewhere between bleak and angry. "All these people knew knew my employers were deliberately blocking any interest I might develop in leaving the inst.i.tute . . . and they my employers were deliberately blocking any interest I might develop in leaving the inst.i.tute . . . and they never never spoke up." spoke up."

"I'm sure they thought they had the best of reasons. Such as, your superiors believed most of those reasons involved the bottom line and whatever they could milk out of you, and your inferiors believed if they did speak up, they would lose their jobs and be blacklisted out of the industry. The real real point, Doctor, is that you have legal leverage in your hands now, with those gathered depositions," Victor stated. She glanced over at him and he nodded at the pad. "They have breached their contract with you, violating the Terran United Planets ordinances governing the limit of how many hours point, Doctor, is that you have legal leverage in your hands now, with those gathered depositions," Victor stated. She glanced over at him and he nodded at the pad. "They have breached their contract with you, violating the Terran United Planets ordinances governing the limit of how many hours any any company may work its employees in a single year, whether it is private, public, or government-run. company may work its employees in a single year, whether it is private, public, or government-run.

"Worse, they have isolated you from your friends and family, and from making making friends and family. They have robbed you of your right to have a private life . . . and with the same contractual obligations they have forced upon you with those clauses about 'maintaining a strictly professional atmosphere at all times,' they have forced these unnatural, restrictive viewpoints upon everyone friends and family. They have robbed you of your right to have a private life . . . and with the same contractual obligations they have forced upon you with those clauses about 'maintaining a strictly professional atmosphere at all times,' they have forced these unnatural, restrictive viewpoints upon everyone else else who works with you." Victor knew he was playing with fire by admitting his own role so bluntly, but something within him prompted him to be honest with her. "Your friends, family, and colleagues all know that who works with you." Victor knew he was playing with fire by admitting his own role so bluntly, but something within him prompted him to be honest with her. "Your friends, family, and colleagues all know that you you are a force to be reckoned with at the inst.i.tute. They asked are a force to be reckoned with at the inst.i.tute. They asked me me to 'wake you up' to your situation and everything you've missed knowing as a result." to 'wake you up' to your situation and everything you've missed knowing as a result."

"Including being kissed?" she asked, giving him a suspicious look. "Was that really necessary, Captain?"

He met her gaze steadily. "As necessary as breathing. At least, to me. You're still learning the possibilities of what it could mean for you."

His honesty took her aback. "Really?"

"Really. I will admit I've been dared into doing any number of things involving women," he added, that same inner urge prompting him into possible verbal suicide. "But I was only asked to wake you up to all the things you've been denied by your captors. Including the fact that you are a real person and not the creative little robot the Lunar Intelligence Trust has tried to make of you.

"I have done that, as requested. You are aware of your gla.s.s hill prison, and you have met me at least halfway, which means you are halfway to your freedom. Whatever I do from this point onward, I do of my own free will. Not because of a bet, or a dare, or a contract, but because I honestly want to do it." Pausing to let her absorb his words, Victor smiled slowly at her. "Would you like to know what I want to do next?"

He watched her nibble on her lower lip a moment, then lift her chin. "Why not? What do you want to do next, Captain?"

"Well, first, I'd like to be able to call you Evanna instead of Doctor, and hear you call me Victor instead of Captain," he told her. "t.i.tles distance you from people. Yes, they induce a certain respect which can be needed, but they also rob you of emotional intimacy. After that, Evanna . . . I'd like to shuttle you over to Earth, to a place called Sol Duc. It's in a rich, lush, evergreen forest on the North American continent, and it has a series of mineral hot springs, a hotel with several private cabins, some restaurants, and all the peace and privacy and reality reality a woman desperately in need of a vacation could want. a woman desperately in need of a vacation could want.

"Once we're down there and have rented a cabin for a few days, I would like to change into a silver silver outfit," he teased, referencing the fairy tale, "and take you hiking in the woods, since I've been there a few times before. I want to take you somewhere far away from your gla.s.s hill, somewhere colorful and filled with an excess of life. Or if you prefer a mix of civilization with your wilderness, we can go to visit some forested land my family owns near Bucureti. There aren't quite as many trees, since the land is a bit more developed in that region, but you could see how a normal family lives." outfit," he teased, referencing the fairy tale, "and take you hiking in the woods, since I've been there a few times before. I want to take you somewhere far away from your gla.s.s hill, somewhere colorful and filled with an excess of life. Or if you prefer a mix of civilization with your wilderness, we can go to visit some forested land my family owns near Bucureti. There aren't quite as many trees, since the land is a bit more developed in that region, but you could see how a normal family lives."

"What about my own family? Why shouldn't I visit them first?" Evanna inquired.

"Because they still live on the Moon, and that's far too close to the influence of your precious Intelligence Trust to risk," Victor reminded her. "You can visit them after you've had a taste of real life, which you will only find far from this lunar gla.s.s hill. I'll take you myself, if you like. To Sol Duc, to Bucureti, and even to your family, but the latter only after you have visited at least one of the others."

"Only after I walk among real trees . . ." she murmured. "You keep referencing the story of the princess on the gla.s.s hill, but what about Snow White and her seven friends? Are you going to take me to meet six other men in these woods of yours?"

Hesitating, Victor shrugged and gave her the truth. "I suppose I could scrounge up six more men, between my brothers and cousins and their friends . . . but I'd rather spend my time with you figuring out just how quickly you can master the art of kissing. After all, you can only kiss one person at a time. You're very good at it, for someone who has never been properly kissed before. A natural, even. But . . . there is still plenty of room for improvement."

"Is there really that much more to learn, then?" Evanna asked.

"Quite a lot left to learn." He started to say more, but the comm beeped, warning him the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute was attempting to contact them. "I believe you are being paged by your overeager, earnest, well-meaning captors, Doctor. Would you care to reply?"

Picking up the datapad, she thumbed a few commands into it, studied what came up, and nodded. "Yes, I would. And I'd like to go see that forest you recommended. The first one, with the hotel and the hot springs. And then I'd like to see the second one, where your family lives. After that, I want to visit my own family. And after that . . . that . . . we will see. Because my contract does we will see. Because my contract does not not specify I have to use each year's vacation time solely within that year. With twenty years of vacation accrued, I could take off for a whole year and then some, if I wanted to. specify I have to use each year's vacation time solely within that year. With twenty years of vacation accrued, I could take off for a whole year and then some, if I wanted to.

"I'm not sure sure if I want to, just yet, but I do want to get away. With your help, Captain," she allowed, giving him a courteous nod. "Erm . . . Victor." if I want to, just yet, but I do want to get away. With your help, Captain," she allowed, giving him a courteous nod. "Erm . . . Victor."

Plucking her nearest hand free from the datapad, Victor lifted it to his lips for a kiss. "I am pleased to be of any service you desire, Evanna."

With his other hand, he flicked on the comm unit, connecting her with the image of one of the inst.i.tute's administrators.

"A webwork! That's what I need!"

The exclamation made Victor blink. Evanna pointed with her free hand at a spiderweb glistening with dew from the fog misting the forest. He dutifully peered at it, though he didn't know why. "What about it?"

"Right before you arrived, I was working on a problem with lightening the ma.s.s of the ceristeel hull platings for the military. The problem is annealing the thermal layers of the ceristeel for strength and durability while still permitting sensor integration," Evanna explained, her attention more on the orb spider and its web than on him.

She was also smiling, which she hadn't stopped doing since arriving at this resort last night, with its damp, mossy rain forest waiting to be explored. Still, she had a lifetime of thinking about work as a habit, and this was an important idea to explore. And to think, it's And to think, it's because because I'm here that I thought of this solution to my problem. I'm here that I thought of this solution to my problem.

"If I patterned the foam with a webwork of intercrossed annealings-vertical ones as well as horizontal," she stressed, "it would mitigate the shearing stresses of a glancing impact while cutting the overall ma.s.s of the thermal tiles. Not by as much as I'd hoped, but it would be enough to . . . I'm boring you, aren't I?" ones as well as horizontal," she stressed, "it would mitigate the shearing stresses of a glancing impact while cutting the overall ma.s.s of the thermal tiles. Not by as much as I'd hoped, but it would be enough to . . . I'm boring you, aren't I?"

"Not by that much," Victor teased. "I do fly a s.p.a.ceship, so the protective factors of its ceristeel plating are are important to me. Besides, wouldn't long lines of annealment cause the potential for parallel stress fractures? If the manufacturing process can be pattern-worked as you suggest, wouldn't a honeycomb be more efficient? There aren't any long straight lines in a honeycomb pattern, so any potential fracture would find itself blocked after fissuring only a short distance." important to me. Besides, wouldn't long lines of annealment cause the potential for parallel stress fractures? If the manufacturing process can be pattern-worked as you suggest, wouldn't a honeycomb be more efficient? There aren't any long straight lines in a honeycomb pattern, so any potential fracture would find itself blocked after fissuring only a short distance."

"Of course-why didn't I think of that?" she murmured, hazel eyes gazing somewhere beyond the boundaries of the trail they were following. They weren't far from the two-bedroom cabin they had rented, having just begun the morning's walk in the woods. "It's an incredibly simple solution to the problem, so why didn't I see it earlier?"

Victor wrinkled his nose. "Because you've been isolated from life too much?"

Facing him, Evanna smiled. "That I have. Care to de-isolate me again, Capt-Victor?"

Happy to oblige, he shifted closer and met her upturned lips with his own. If kisses were apples, he had shared a basketful with her so far, never mind a mere three.

Evanna sighed happily, returning each touch and taste. As the kiss progressed, her arms ended up looped around his silver-clad shoulders, and his wrapped around her flower-printed waist. Colorful, patterned clothes were among the first things she had bought after arriving on Earth. She had yet to find a supplier of the same metallic shirts he preferred, but that was all right; she had discovered the allure of nature, and liked how her flowery shirts and dresses reminded her of the real world. This world.

Laughter from a couple of kids broke them apart. The kids were at that age where they weren't really children anymore but not quite teenagers, and they pushed at each other, racing to be the first one up the trail. Behind them, their parents followed at a more sedate pace. The indulgent look the adults gave Victor and Evanna made her blush, because it was the kind of look that said the two of them just had to be a couple, given their intimate closeness.

She might not know much about interpersonal relationships yet, but she was learning, and she was learning that she liked the idea of being a couple. Looking up into the light brown eyes of her host, she found them moving over her face with that same penetrating sense of life. "You know what?"

"What?" Victor asked, distracted by the sight of her hair, left down this morning. Last night they had shopped, dined, talked-and kissed-and parted to their separate rooms to sleep. This morning, she was a different woman, much more approachable than the crisp, impersonal, lab-coat-wearing scientist she had been yesterday. Now she was as soft and silky as her hair looked, and he was the one who seemed colorless by comparison, clad in a silver shirt and matching pants today. He didn't feel colorless inside, though; just watching her delight in these new experiences refreshed his own view of their birthworld.

"I have just realized I can research microannealing patterns and the integration of bis.m.u.th isotopes into ceristeel compounds any old day. Today, I am on vacation, and I am on vacation with you you. And you you promised to teach me more about kissing. You . . ." She broke off as a large drop of water promised to teach me more about kissing. You . . ." She broke off as a large drop of water plopped plopped onto her forehead. It was accompanied by the pattering of several more starting to fall around them. Glancing up through the trees, she wrinkled her nose. "I see that a real forest has real drawbacks. Holographic ones don't get you onto her forehead. It was accompanied by the pattering of several more starting to fall around them. Glancing up through the trees, she wrinkled her nose. "I see that a real forest has real drawbacks. Holographic ones don't get you wet wet."

"They also don't have bugs. But we can get an umbrella and better coats, and the rain will chase away the bugs," he offered. "You didn't get much of a walk in the woods last night when we arrived."

"I'd rather not overdo it on my first day, and the forest will still be here in a few hours, when the rain has hopefully faded. Why don't we go back to our cabin, and you can show me all the different ways someone can kiss?" Evanna asked, flinching as more drops pattered down through the trees, cold and wet. "We can do that indoors, where it's nice and dry dry."

"If that is what you wish." Victor wanted her full cooperation before he went as far as a kiss could be taken. He just wasn't sure she knew what that meant yet. Walking faster and faster as the rain started falling in earnest, they reached their cabin quite damp, though not actually soaked. Shutting the door on the now hissing drops, Victor turned to face her, only to find himself crowded against the door. Startled, he eyed her warily.

"I did some research, you know," Evanna murmured, rubbing her hands over the slippery, damp fabric of his silver shirt. "Last night, while you were sleeping, I crept out here and used the workstation to look up all manner of kissing techniques. Some of them were . . . very very personal." personal."

One of her hands slid down his chest to his stomach as she spoke, and slipped a little lower still. Victor sucked in a sharp breath. He caught her wrist. "Evanna . . . are you sure sure about this?" about this?"

She looked down at his silver-clad chest for a few moments, then shrugged. Her free hand rubbed gently over the material as she spoke. "Well, as I said, I did some research. The descriptions for the things I'm feeling apparently fall under the category of adult interpersonal interactions. I find you an attractive specimen of male humankind, I admire your wit, I am aroused by the way you kiss me, and I am intrigued by the pa.s.sion you invoke in me."

Her other fingers fluttered slightly, making him stiffen. Evanna smirked.

"Judging from your reactions, you find me equally arousing, and my intelligence hasn't scared you away. At least, as far as I have been able to tell. Given that we are attracted to each other, it makes perfect sense to pair up as research partners. After all, the things you've said and done suggest you do have some empirical experience in researching pa.s.sion between men and women, which would make you an exemplary a.s.sistant in this matter. You do, don't you?"

Nodding, he released her wrist, allowing her the opportunity to cup him fully. "I'm sure I could instruct you. I, ah . . . nice . . . In fact, the first lesson is all about hands-on research, which I see you're already eager to explore."

"Hands-on?" Evanna repeated, lifting her brows. "I thought this was supposed to be lips-on."

"Hands-on first," Victor corrected her. Catching her hands, he tugged them up to the top b.u.t.ton of his shirt. "In order to kiss your research partner everywhere everywhere, you first need to remove any and all impediments to your lips, and that usually involves using your hands."