Page 15 of Elanie & the Empath
“For installing the hormone upgrade. I’ve been thinking about it since our visit yesterday. You waited longer than most bionics. What made you finally decide to upgrade? What were you looking for? Hoping for? What was your reason?”
This, I thought, was a ridiculous question. Partly because I failed to see how my motivation to upgrade related in any way to my sexual dysfunction. But mainly because even after spending several nanoseconds searching my CPU, I couldn’t come up with a single answer. “I wasn’tlookingfor anything. It was just…time.”
“It was just time,” he repeated.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” The way he drew the word out gave it a third syllable.
I frowned at him. “You’re judging me again.”
Squeezing the back of his neck, wincing so deeply that the dark-blue freckle under his eye got lost in a wrinkle, he said, “Sorry. I understand. Sometimes it’s just time for something new. We don’t always have to have a reason for our actions.” He pushed himself up from the counter, and when he ran a hand through his hair again, his bangs swooped back down, settling like a soft, silver curtain over his forehead. “Here is my advice, as your physician. If you and Blake decide you want to try having sex again, I recommend that you purchase some artificial lubrication. This will make sex much more comfortable.” His lips pressed together, then tilted. “And, hopefully, more successful. They sell multiplevarieties of lube at the adult store on deck thirty-six. Or, if you’re interested in a more natural approach”—hooking a finger into his shirt collar, he pulled it away from his throat—“there are ways. Techniques, I mean?—”
“Stammering.”
He blew out a breath. “There are specific ways Blake can help you get ready for sex. There are also ways you can get yourself ready.”
My eyes popped wide. “There are?”
Staring doggedly at the floor, he inhaled sharply through his nose, blew it out, then asked, “Have you ever touched yourself between your legs?”
6.SEM
I’d hada plan before she whirled into my office. I swear I did. I was going to remain calm. I was going to stay in control. I was going to be a consummate professional and have her leaving her visit feeling more confident and empowered than she felt when she arrived. And now, somehow, I was about to teach a bionic how to masturbate while having feelings I was not supposed to be feeling and thinking thoughts I was not supposed to be thinking.
I was at war, internally. And I was pretty sure I was losing.
Elanie, oblivious to the conflict brewing inside me, blurted out, “You want me to touchmyselfbetween my legs?” She stared at me like I’d suggested she walk through the ship completely naked. A mental image that immediately added itself to the opposing forces trying to make me lose my medical license.
“That is correct,” I said, struggling to keep my voice level. “I’m assuming you’ve touched Blake between his legs?”
Her brow furrowed above her rich brown eyes, and I feltan overwhelming urge to press my thumb over the crease and smooth it out—Sem! Focus!
“Once,” she said. “But mostly by accident because it’s justthereall the time, like an annoyingly persistent crater eel.”
That was fair. “Has Blake ever touched you between your legs?”
“No.” Her spine snapped straight. “Why? Is he supposed to?”
Saints,I wanted to sigh or groan or at the very least squeeze the bridge of my nose in frustration, but nothing got by her. She saw it all. And I didn’t want her to think that my irritation with her very inexperienced, or very selfish, boyfriend was irritation withher. Because it wasn’t. Far from it.
“Yes,” I said. “Touch in certain places prior to intercourse can help you get ready. It’s called foreplay. It takes a little extra time and attention, but foreplay is sometimes essential when it comes to pleasure.”
“Pleasure?” She said this softly, hesitantly. Like she didn’t trust herself with the word, let alone the sensation. And while her teeth sank into her lower lip, I wasn’t sure I trusted myself with it either.
“Yes, pleasure,” I replied, also softly. “Sex can be very pleasurable. With some experimentation and communication and practice—probably alotof practice,” I added under my breath, “Blake can make you feel good. He can make you feel ready. And one of the ways he can do this is by touching between your legs with his fingers.” I swiped a hand over my brow, which she could surely sense was sweating. “Or his mouth.”
“He can put hismouth”—she glanced at her pants—“down there?”
I scratched industriously at my chin, wishing I had a beard so I could pull on it until it hurt. “Yes. In general, females find intense pleasure when their partner, uh, licks?—”
“How?” Her eyes were enormous, vibrating with intensity. And then, to my abject horror, she jumped down from the examination table and lunged for me, fisting my collar as she demanded, “Show me.”
“Show you?” I yelped. This couldn’t be real. This was a dream. A test. I was being tested.Saints help me!
“Yes. I need to see it. How does it work? The touching. Thelicking?”
I groaned, unable to keep the sound from coming out. “Are you sure you don’t want to try searching the Vnet again? I’m sure there are some very tasteful tutorials out there that?—”
