“Here. One moment.” Her very voice sent ripples of sensation through T’Ash, causing a deep yearning and quick arousal. Her face loomed over the bowl, showing half-closed brownish-green eyes, a high-necked, faded, and rumpled yellow commoncloth cotton nightshirt, and tumbled chestnut hair. Her pinkened cheeks were creased and her sensual lips parted in a yawn. “Sorry,” she said. “Who’s there?” With a flick of his fingers, T’Ash disconnected. He sat stiff and straight. Damn. He banged his fist on the reddwood desk. Damn. Damn. Damn. What was he thinking, calling her? His HeartGift was his best chance. What with surviving Downwind, prowling the vengeance stalk, and establishing his life, he knew nothing of women except slaking his sexual needs with tavern wenches. He’d never had any sort of relationship, never squired around a girl, a woman, a lady. And he didn’t have time to learn. He had to forge the main gauche, force Passage to create a new HeartGift, retrieve his necklace.
