Page 16 of Space for More

11

After a morning of fruitlessly searching for Phelix in various panels, Mezli pings my comm as I’m exiting a discussion of recent developments in nanomedicine.

Mezli: TARGET ACQUIRED. Rendezvous at location alpha in T-minus five minutes.

Location alpha? T-minus? I’m guessing she means the convention entrance. I wonder where she picked up all of that lingo. She sounds like she’s from a vintage human spy movie. I decide to play into it, because if I’m forced to be a secret agent, I’m going to have a little funwith it.

Eden: Roger. Operation Honey Pot is a go. Heading to the meeting point. Going silent until then.

I grin down at my comm and make my way to the exit. A little flutter of excitement runs through me as I see Mezli waiting for me out on the walkway, casually leaning against a railing overlooking a lower section of the district. The pose gives me a lovely view of the curve of her hips and the long line of her slender neck, as well as the opportunity to continue with our game.

Creeping up as silently as possible, I slide in to stand next to her at the railing, keeping my gaze out over the district.

“The swallow flies at dawn,” I say, remembering a code phrase from one of my dad’s favorite spy films.

“And I swallow at dusk,” Mezli replies, deadpan.

I snort at her innuendo and turn to see her grinning at me in delight. “Just at dusk?”

“Axalanever tells. But I can say that all of this sexy spy talk is making me awfully thirsty.” She licks her lips and gives me a flirty wink.

I do my best to smile back with equal bravado and not blush. No one’s ever flirted with me, so being around Mezli is taking some getting used to. It seems like flirting casually is her default, so I try not to read anything into it. “R-right! So…lunch with Phelix? I take it you found him and used your charms to convince him to come?”

“Oh, it wouldn’t take much for me to get him to come,” she says with a shrug.

My face heats as I immediately imagine just how she’d go about making him come.

“Goddess, you’re so adorable when you blush! I’ll have to think of more things to keep a flush on your cheeks this week. But yes, Ifound him and invited him to lunch with us. I also got us an invitation to dinner at my friend’s loft, courtesy of his sister. Who Phelix ran into—literally. Anyway, he took his shirt off, I insulted him, and he agreed to come to lunch.”

I blink back at her, trying to make sense of what she said. I’m not sure where to start, so I settle on the part that seems the most problematic. “You insulted him and that made him want to have lunch?”

“Wild, right? I was trying to be all sexy, but he kept getting more and more closed off. I got so frustrated that I let my actual thoughts about him slip, and that was what got him to take the stick out of his ass for long enough to agree to lunch. He must have a degradation kink or something.”

“Th-that’s a thing?” I don’t mean to ask that out loud, but Mezli laughs and pats me on the shoulder.

“Definitely! I went out with a vuloi who wanted me to spit in his face and crush his balls while I told him how weak he was. Didn’t do much for me, but I’ll try pretty much anything once,” she says with a shrug.

I try not to gape at her, but I can’t help it. I’m not sure if I’m turned on by the idea or repulsed. “W-wow, okay.”

“Speaking of weird sexual needs…” Mezli rubs the back of her neck, and sighs. “You’re a doctor. Do you know of any methods to help keep my libido in check? I never paid attention when my mothers discussed their mating bond because it was too gross to think about them fucking, and I had no interest in finding a mate. But I can’t seem to keep my horniness under control and while I know I’m supposed to be seducing Phelix, it makes it difficult to think. Or sit down anywhere without leaving a puddle behind.”

The flush on my face creeps down to my neck and chest at her mention of how wet she’s getting. I’m too embarrassed to mentionmy diligent research into nexxit mating practices, so I pretend to consider her options for a moment. “Hmm. Most of my training was for human physiology, but I did take a few courses on reproductive xenobiology.”

Mezli raises a brow at this. “Is that code for watching a lot of alien porn? Because if it is, then I’m an expert on ‘reproductive xenobiology’.” She does air quotes, a uniquely human mannerism that she must’ve picked up from her friend.

I sputter out a choked laugh. “No! I mean, I’ve seen some…but no! It was an actual medical study. From what I recall, the nexxit mate bonding hormones only subside after repeated copulation with their mate, but uh, other activities can help keep them in check.”

“Other activities?”

“Yeah. Like intense exercise or, uh…” I look down at my hands to hide my embarrassment. “Or sexual release without your mate.”

Mezli groans. “Ugh, I hate working out. Masturbation it is! Unless you want to give me a hand,doctor.” She makes a lurid gesture with her fingers at me.

“W-what?” She can’t be serious.

“There’s that blush again. Gorgeous. Now come on, let’s head to the restaurant so I can rub one out in the hygiene room before Phelix arrives.”

As soon aswe arrive at the bustling bistro set on a terrace overlooking a large retaining pond dotted with aquatic plants, Mezli makes a beeline for the hygiene room. “Be back in a bit!” she calls over her shoulder before disappearing inside.

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