Excerpt From: WORLD ENOUGH

© Copyright Treva Harte, 2002

Chapter 1

"It’s useless, you know."

"Twenty minutes."

"Fry your balls in oil, solicitor."

"You’ve wasted twenty minutes of our precious consultation time in silence. You’re right. At this rate it will be useless. However you definite ‘it.’"

Faye glared at him. She wished he didn’t sound so calm. She wished he wasn’t right. And she wished she wouldn’t feel so aware of this damned Androvian. She’d been around males before. She worked at a sperm bank. She’d even been around deviants who liked females during her secret No-Land visits. Why was this man, who showed no interest in her as a person, much less a woman, making her feel warm?

Faye suppressed a sigh. Life was so unfair. Why had she been born a deviant anyhow? She championed Femmeland to the extreme... that was why she’d been arrested and branded an enemy to both nations. But she did love men. At least she loved having sex with them.

"You don’t even want to help. And if you did, the situation is hopeless. I did the crime." Even a pointless argument with the man was better than feeling this stupid sexual tingle. She knew her problem. She just wasn’t used to being close to a male this long without having deviant sex with him. Androvians barely acknowledged females were alive if they ever saw any at all. The few No-Land males she did know were almost painfully aware of women – and always had sex with her when she showed up. But there was never any sitting around with other men, refusing to talk while being intensely alert to each other’s presence. Edmond Jarvish was confusing.

"You call it a crime then? You acknowledge that?"

"I mean others would think it a crime. What I actually did was help any Femmelander who wanted a child of her own."

"By depriving Androvians of their children."

Faye scowled. She’d helped women have children-female children. Any male babies had to be given up to Androvians. What mother wanted that? So she’d fixed things.

"I made things easier for Femmeland women to birth a child with the gender they chose. Women loved that. They flocked to my clinic. No one asked questions until Miss Tory and her minions came around. No one wanted to ask questions."

Edmond glanced at the clock on the wall. She knew without him saying more that they were almost out of time. Soon the guards would reappear and, just as she was sent here against her will, they would drag her away without her consent.

"In order to mount a defense against sperm tampering and, more importantly, treason, I need something to defend you with."

"Treason to what? My country ought to be grateful for my help."

Edmond tapped his pencil thoughtfully. "A sympathetic defendant would also be helpful."

"Well, that’s your problem, isn’t it?" Faye shrugged and then stepped closer to him. He didn’t flinch, as she thought he might. "Along with all the other things you think I need, add a sympathetic advocate for me."

"You seem to ignore the seriousness of the situation." Edmond stood up to meet her advance on him. Since they were close to the same height, his stance shouldn’t have been important. She fought a little fear anyhow.

"Not in the least. I accept that I’m doomed. You look nervous, solicitor. Do you think I’m going to hit you?" Faye almost smiled. "I hadn’t planned to – yet."

He didn’t flinch even when she put her hands on him. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t. Edmond Jarvish was damned proud of being unflappable. That Faye was sure of. So she let him have it.

She twined her arms around him and kissed him. Hard. Forced her tongue through his lips and kissed sensuously, hotly, suggestively. Aggressively.

Faye could feel the shock hit him first, freezing him in place. She nipped his lower lip, then went back for more. By the time she was done, he’d run screaming from the room and resign his precious position as her advocate.

She ran her fingers down his spine and then dug them into his really nice butt. The sound of the guards’ footsteps could be heard before she finally felt his reaction.

Zorah! This wasn’t what was supposed to hap --

He was excited. Aroused. And suddenly his hands were pulling her head back by her hair, and he was kissing back. Just as sensuously, hotly, suggestively. And even more aggressively. She moaned into his mouth when he moved his hips hard against hers and she felt his erection between them.

Oh Zorah, the guards were fumbling at the locked door. Very deliberately, he bit into her lower lip the way she had him before he let her go.

The lock was unlocked and she was safely two feet away from him before the first guard entered the room. Edmond sat down behind the prison desk and shuffled his notes.

"I’ll see you tomorrow then, Faye Blaise." His voice was as calm as ever. "Perhaps you can be more helpful at that time."

She was so stunned that she let the guards put the handcuffs back on without even a swipe at them...