Mere Temptation by Daisy Harris

mouth then, pulling him deep and delighting in his happy groans. Then a thought crossed her mind.
    “Si?”
    “Hmmn?” He grunted as he continued to lick.
    “So, like, now you’re like an expert on…that?”
    “What?” He’d lifted his head away, but still held her hips across his chest. But Isa climbed off him, coming to kneel at the side of his supine form.
    “Well, you said you didn’t know what you were doing back when we, y’know, tried it. But now you do know what you’re doing. So, did you do some reading? Or is it something you’ve done a lot?”
    Sidon stared at her as if trying to solve a complicated math problem in his head. His erection sank.
    “Are you jealous?”
    “No.” Isa didn’t know exactly what she was, but she couldn’t possibly be jealous. “No, just curious.”
    Sidon’s brows shot upward, telling her he wasn’t buying it. “Well, a few of the women I’ve spent time with liked it, and they sort of showed me the ropes. And since then, I’ve done it with a couple women who hadn’t done it before, and they enjoyed themselves, so…”
    “So when you say ‘a few’…”
    “Isa, you’re being ridiculous. You’re the one with the vow of celibacy, I never promised—”
    “I’m not celibate.”
    “Oh, so you’ve had sex?”
    “Well, no, not full-on sex, but I’ve been with guys.”
    Sidon’s relaxed posture became more alert.
    “What do you mean you’ve ‘been with guys’?”
    Realizing she had accidentally steered in to dangerous waters, she had a desire to back-peddle out of this entire conversation.
    “You know. I’ve dated guys, so eventually I’d go down on them, they’d go down on me…”
    “So all these years you’ve been out in Landworld sucking random guys off?”
    “How did this become about me? You’re the one who’s gone around poking his prick into any hole offered!”
    At that Sidon looked hurt, and Isa curled up, feeling more than a little sorry.
    “Si…”
    He launched from the bed. “I need a shower.” Then he closed the door, leaving Isa alone to wonder at what had gotten into them both.

    * * * *

    Sidon paced his office, dreading telling Isa about the kidnapping and worried about her reaction to their plans for the day. He was chomping at the bit to destroy the threat in their waters, but worried about the aftermath, the part when she wanted to leave him again. His conceit wasn’t so great that he thought she would crumple in his arms and promise to stay forever just because he got her off a few times. But part of him had hoped.
    Isa entered his office, carrying plates full of fruit, toast, and eggs like a peace offering.
    “I made some breakfast.”
    “Thanks, sweetie.”
    He kissed her check as he took his plate, trying to infuse the gesture with a bit of his regret at their fight.
    “So what’s the plan for the day?”
    “Well, I got a message early this morning. There’s been another attack.”
    The color drained from Isa’s face.
    “Four girls have been kidnapped. I’ve called all the phone trees telling the mere to keep further from the boundaries, and I’ve insisted on the Council’s help.”
    He watched her eyes widen in fear and steadied his voice to calm her.
    “Our plan is to get the girls back, set up surveillance on the ship, and figure out how to redirect them.”
    “And the Council is going to help?” she asked, chewing the inside of her cheek.
    “I’m hoping so.” He didn’t want to share how reluctant that help might be. “They have a couple soldiers on the Key right now, but we have to go talk to them.”
    “Where?”
    “At the Yacht Club.” He tried to sound as offhand as possible.
    Her annoyed gasp filled the room. “Are you serious, Si?”
    Despite the severity of the situation, his lips twitched at her tone. “Oh come on, Is, it’s not that bad.”
    “Yes, it is that bad. I’m not going. I understand you need their help, but I’m not going.”
    He considered playing the strong man or