A little music, a little mood...a first kiss?
“Give me.” Sherv set aside the uferliss to take the guitar Irene was again navigating with less than stellar results. “Try this.” He played a variation of the notes she’d thought would work with the third song they’d been concocting.
“Much better. Show me again?”
“I play. Uferliss not working on this tune, I think. You sing.”
“Okay, but I still don’t know why you want this song in English rather than Kalquorian.”
“Your language works with sound better. And it easier for you to sing your words.” He started to play the intro, and Jemi’s trasbu joined in. Another measure, and Rusp swept in with a gentle drum roll.
Irene had to admit that particular song did work best without the uferliss. “What about adding piano or keyboards, though?”
“We’re going to need a bigger band,” Jemi laughed.
“Or just use backing tracks.”
“Lemanthev never use backing tracks,” Rusp argued
“This not lemanthev. This music is ours. We do backing tracks if want,” Sherv told him. “I like keyboards. And in English.”
“Who are you getting to sing with you when you leave, though?” Irene demanded. She stuck her lower lip out in a ridiculous pout. “Are you going to be chasing other Earther women around to sing for you?”
“We steal you. You sing for us, forget opera.” Sherv grinned.
“And keep me in chains between shows?”
“You do cashool in-u-en-do again?” Rusp’s brows wiggled at her. He chuckled when she blushed.
“Is that a thing for Kalquorians? Keeping their women in chains for perverse activities?” She blushed harder at her own audacity.
Jemi chattered in his own language.
Sherv snickered. “Perversted means good sex.”
Irene gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. Shocked laughter chuffed behind her palms, then she spluttered, “I didn’t say anything of the sort! And the word is perverted, you Kalquorian heathen. Which means weird or immoral.”
“Like he say, mean good sex.” Rusp’s strong features lit with mischievous merriment. “More immoral, more better.”
“You three have no shame!” Irene tried her best to sound disapproving, but the giggles pouring from her ruined the affect. Talking of the taboo subject was just as thrilling as sneaking out to listen to bands play.
“Sex no shame. Sex like good music. I show if you let me play you.” Rusp wiggled his fingers over his drum’s skin, making it hum like far-off thunder, his tongue peeking out between his grinning lips.
Sherv was laughing so hard, he was in danger of falling out of his seat. “Irene so red.”
“Don’t laugh at me.” She swatted his arm. “It isn’t my fault my government is crazy.”
“You so embarrassed about what’s normal. You think it’s perversted.” His humor quieted, and a hint of sadness drifted over his expression. “You even never kiss?”
“No.” A spark of anger greeted his pity. “Is it such a big deal?”
“Big deal to me. I be mad if not allowed to kiss.”
“Why don’t you teach me then?” The words were out of her mouth before she realized she’d said them.
Jemi and Rusp stilled. Sherv regarded her, his emotions impossible to gauge. “You want learn to kiss? Earth say bad.”
Irene debated walking the challenge back. She was insane to dare such closeness. What if Sherv turned lust-crazed? Except he’d done nothing to suggest he was the unrestrained sex fiend Earth insisted all Kalquorian men were. Except for a few teasing comments, there’d been no hint of depravity.
We die anyway, why should we fear taking chances?
“Earth says everything is bad. I’m already doomed if I’m
caught with you. How can a kiss make it any worse?” She lifted her chin,
challenging him. Challenging Earth’s overbearing dictates. Challenging her own
fears.
Releasing Summer 2023
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