Pathways - Jeri Taylor [208]
But then, as he finished, she rose and sat herself down in his lap, twining her arms around his neck! Tuvok was dumb-founded, and could only think to sit quietly, not encouraging her. She was murmuring to him as she stroked his head, mouth whispering the most outrageous suggestions into his ears.
Then her tongue snaked out and began dancing on his ear tips, a curious but not particularly pleasant sensation. It would never have occurred to him to lick parts of another’s body, and he believed that Lily had taken leave of her senses.
Then her mouth was on his, kissing him deeply as she locked her hands around the back of his head, pulling him hard against her, tongue continuing its remarkable oscillations on his lips.
It was time to put an end to this.
Tuvok put his hands under her armpits and stood up, placing her firmly on the floor in front of him. She stared at him, wild-eyed, breathing hard. “What’s the matter?” she murmured, coming at him again.
“Thank you for helping me with the differential geometry problem,” he said calmly, all the while holding her at arm’s length. “It was good of you to take the time. I shall see you in class on Monday.”
“Tuvok, don’t you find me attractive?”
The question was unbelievably forward. Tuvok drew himself to his full height and gazed down at the disheveled young woman. “You are a cadet of great intellectual prowess, particularly in the field of mathematics. I predict a long and successful career for you.”
Her snort of disdain and frustration puzzled him, but he wanted nothing more than to remove himself from this disquieting situation and return to his room to meditate. Tentatively, he released her wrists and then began backing away from her, watching her carefully all the while.
“Again, thank you. You have great skill as a tutor. Have you considered a teaching career? It might suit you quite well.”
And then he was at the door, which opened as he approached it, and then gone, hoping he had handled the situation with appropriate courtesy.
Tuvok had not yet experienced his first Pon farr, and consequently knew nothing about it, Vulcans being loath to discuss this most primal of their lives’ milestones. It would not be until several years later that he passed through what was historically known as the Rapture, and be transformed. At that time, he remembered the incident with Lily, and for the first time, understood.
Now he stood on the infield of the stadium, breathing the chill April air, enduring the felicitations of his teammates and of Scott, who persisted in pounding him on the back in exultation. And Scott was saying something in his excitement that Tuvok hoped he was misunderstanding.
“She’s dying to meet you, old Vulk. She has a thing for pointy ears, I guess, I don’t get it myself. But she’s primo, Tuvok, absolutely choice. We’ll be waiting outside the locker room.”
And Scott—who knew him only too well—disappeared before Tuvok could scotch this uninvited introduction.
Sure enough, when Tuvok ventured from the locker room, showered and dressed, Scott was standing there, a female cadet at his side. There was no escaping.
“Tuvok, this is your lucky day. May I present Sophie Timmins, of Somerset, England.”
Tuvok looked into large, grave eyes, the color of a dusky pearl. They held his gaze solemnly, the most remarkable feature in a face that was defined by its symmetry and balance. A straight, unobtrusive nose divided the planes of the face and pointed to lips that outlined a somewhat small mouth. The woman was tall, almost as tall as Tuvok, slender and straight. Her hair, which seemed almost the same shade as her eyes, was pulled off her face and hung down her back in a plait.
There was a reserve to her that Tuvok found familiar and, consequently, comfortable. Nonetheless, he had no desire to spend time with this woman, and was determined to extricate himself from her as quickly as possible.
“I’ve made reservations at Momo’s,” Scott continued relentlessly.