“Rand?” Tara’s hand is on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. “Are you all right? You suddenly flushed.”
“Another branchback,” I murmur. “That one was so, so…erotically charged.”
“Really? Want to tell me about it?” From the expression on her face, I think she wants to do more than talk. That’s a good thing, a thing to be encouraged. That is, if I can manage to explain my reaction to her without hyperventilating.
“You were talking to Axel, and then…it’s a little embarrassing…you were…eating an apple. From an emanation named Lens. And you were talking about drinking juice.”
“Oh good grief.”
I take a steady breath. I know she understands on an intellectual level how much this means to us. But as a mammal, it’s difficult for her to take seriously. “I guess it would be similar to the way you would feel if I drank your breast milk.”
“Um, no. It wouldn’t. Believe me, your reaction to sharing your fruit is quite different.” Surprisingly, she looks disgusted.
“It’s really arousing, but I…I can’t…I don’t have any fruit yet, Tara. I can’t give myself to you in that way.”
“Quennel felt the same way. Quennel was saving himself, as I recall. But there’s an easy way to solve that problem.”
I’m very interested in hearing it. But before she can speak, I know…