Beatrice lowered her gaze suddenly shy in his presence but Lucas gently lifted her chin and stare back at her.

" I don't think I can be the woman you want me to be." she said quietly, fighting for breath as the bodice she wore stole it away along with the man in front of her.

His free hand came to rest on her waist and he pulled her towards him and Beatrice sighed as the wind swept his long golden hair away from his face revealing the chiseled face she knew so well after weeks of study.

" Darling you more than the woman I want, you're the one I need. You'll make an honest man out of me yet." he smiled down at her admiring the flush to her pale, oval face. " I feel that my pirating day may be over as I have gained the best treasure of all...your heart."

She swooned and he held her up as she fell heavily into his arms. " My poor dove cannot breath. Let me free you from your cage, little bird."

With this he ripped her bodice and she cried out in fright. " Oh Lucas, I never knew you to be so strong!"

" There are a lot of things you'll soon learn about me my sweetling. Now kiss me." he commanded, holding her prone against him.

They slowly grew closer, the heat between them grower higher still as their lips…

" Spock what are you doing? I can go over the PADD entries later if you liked?"

Spock blinked and gave a quick shake of his head. PADD entries? Had Nyota been going over the student's PADD OS entries while he had been reading?

He concluded that may have actually been the case as a puzzled look crossed over Nyota's face as she held the PADD readers in her arms while standing in front of his desk. It was true that he often times would not look up to reply or listen to many of his subordinates while he was working but he had been so engrossed in reading Anchored at Love's cove that he had hardly registered that she had walked in the room.

" No, I'm sorry my apologies I had my attention elsewhere and had not given you any. Please place them on my desk and I'll start to review them."

She favored him with a smile as she put stack after stack of tablets on his desks and returned to her desk to grade the remaining Science track students' homework over sensor array use and maintenance.

Spock placed his e-reader off to the side towards the furthest pile and started to examine his students' handiwork.

Some operating systems were quite impressive, like the one submitted by Cadet Chekov that used the PADD's front facing camera and flash to emit a some holomap in front of the screen when the tablet was lain flat or the entry by Cadet Sulu that had hyperlinks to all the pictures and vids of the models found in the glossary and appendix sections of related recommended reading.

The Vulcan nodded to himself as he tapped from one link to the next, admiring the way the Californian had seamlessly knit together all of his courses together, raising his eyebrows as he found other technological tidbits that the cadet had coded inside.

" Care for some help?" Uhura asked as she pulled up her chair. She settled down near the edge and picked one off the top as he gave a slight nod of permission for her to do so. They were nearly done when he heard her snort. He looked up to find Nyota looking near tears with a huge grin was plastered on her face.

" Is anything amiss, Cadet."

She snorted again and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter as it bubbled up from her mouth. She shook her head but she was still giggling beneath her hand.

Spock furrowed his brow and studied her. What had her in a fit of hysteria? Had someone made an exceptional joke about Uranus again?

" What is it that you find so humorous?" he asked honestly baffled as she bit her bottom lip to seal her mouth shut. Her laughter continued even as she held it closed which made her cheeks flush bright red with effort.

" Oh nothing...Lucas."

His eyes grew a little larger at the mention of the pirate's name as Nyota bent over laughing, nearly toppling herself out of her chair. " I can't believe you would ever read a romance novel! Let alone something as cheesy as a bodice ripper! Oh my gosh this is rich! I'm about to pee myself!"

Spock pursed his lips which was the closest he came to grousing but he could hardly blame her disbelief. If he were ever asked in the past about the possibility of him reading pulp fiction he'd probably reply the possibility of that happening did exist though the reality of it coming to pass would be slim to none.

Well it appeared that this reality had it in store for him and he was ashamed of his now ravenous appetite in reading every romance book he could get his hands on.

Shortly after his failed date with Ms. Noie he went to the library after dinner to do more research on females and romance and logically at the time he concluded that romance novels surely had some basis for what a woman or any alien female would want. So he took a couple for...scientific reasons though he didn't expect to read one. Or two. Or go back to the library to retrieve more.

As paltry as the writing style was and the general flatness of the characters was sometimes grating, he couldn't believe how invested he became to the pairing presented in the book.

It was with this library book bonanza that Spock had discovered something quite horrible about himself. He was a huge sap and unequivocally addicted to romance literature. He mentally shuddered at the admission. The thought of any of the novelettes he had been reading referred to as literature sent a shiver down his spine. If his parents could see him now.

He cleared his throat and gracefully lifted one brow up towards his hairline. " My name is not Lucas nor would I ever consider being a pirate." he quipped inclining his head toward the book.

Nyota wiped her face and beamed at him, propping her elbows up on his desk and resting her head on the palms of her hands. " That's a shame, you'd make an interesting pirate sir. I for one wouldn't mind being a lady for a day. Strolling from stern to bow with my parasol, smelling the salty air, getting all dressed up with a petticoat and corset."

Spock swallowed at the thought of Nyota dressed up like Beatrice Buttercup Beaufonte, decked out in lace and frills, giving a small, breathy eep as Lucas 'Loveless' Hollister tore her corset clean from her dress. He grabbed a glass of water sitting to his left and quickly drained the cup dry. " I imagine that you would make an excellent lady or duchess. Your manners are always impeccable."

She visibly preened at his words and handed him back his PADD. " Here you go, you don't want any of my classmates finding this handed back to them instead of their work, you'd never hear the end of it. Sorry to laugh at you, I was just so surprised because you're so...so…"

" Manly? A Vulcan? Stoic?"

She nodded and smiled. " Yeah all of the above. You mind me asking sir, why you're reading it or how you came to be reading it in the first place."

" Not at all. Scientific research."

Now it was she who looked baffled. " Come again?"

" I was studying the mating habits and moved onto those of humans and found them to be more complex than originally perceived. Even simple things such as a glance or the proximity that one stands beside another can be interpreted in so many different fashions romantically. I've also since a number of potential mates salvaged from nearly failed relationships with a number of different gestures I would not have anything thought of."

" Oh? So you've read more than one romance novel?"

" Yes, with this book it will be 157."

" WOW!"

" I read quickly." he supplied, fighting down the swelling feeling of embarrassment. Good thing he left out the part about starting them all yesterday.

" That's real sweet. Most guys wouldn't think of reading something like this to learn about woman but I admire your style sir. You know one thing all the heroines have in common."

" Other than being female?"

She huffed and shook her head. " Yes other than that, they're all looking to feel special. These guys in these books typically sound amazing, strong, great body, good looks, smart, witty and resourceful though the author usually throws in a big caveat or two to make him more down to earth like pompous attitude or dark past that he can't seem to escape. He finds that he loves this lady but he has to let convince her, make her trust him that she's his one and only, that's what they have in common. The fact that he could have anyone he wanted but she's the only one that he'll ever want."

Spock tilted his head and studied Nyota once more. Her analysis was one he hadn't really considered. When it came time to choose his mate, the fact that she would possibly want romance, a spirited passion between them and only them wasn't something that he had thought of.

Vulcans mated out of practicality and if they were to become enamoured with one another in the coming decades that was just an added bonus. Bondmates came to refer to one another as half of a collective whole. You were one when you were together in both mind and physical presence. The mates were unique as they were the one and only pair of themselves in the history of the universe but for shorter lived species or more emotional ones such as humans this may be perceived as cold and at best aloof.

It was a shame that the bond link between T'Pring and himself had never risen to that height of intimacy but he now hoped to have that bond with someone else.

Yes, he wanted the romantic love that he read about in the cheap and sometimes sordid novels that he got from the library. To feel special and to make his one feel special as well but he too needed his Vulcan half satisfied.

" Very astute observation, Cadet. I suppose I should have had my research include a primary source such as yourself."

Nyota scrunched her face and leaned back. " What do you mean?"

" I mean someone whose gender is female and is in love."

She made a choking noise and started a coughing fit. Spock retrieve his glass, filled it with the nearby pitcher and handed it to Nyota. She accepted happily and guzzled down the liquid with gusto. When she could speak again her voice with deep and hoarse.

" What do you mean in love?"

He brought his hands up to his mouth, lacing them and pointing his forefingers towards his nose. " I assumed that you were able to derive your earlier assessment of romantic love based off of personal experience, such as a boyfriend or…"

Spock paused and coughed, stumbling over the word lover as he could not bring himself to say it nor think it. Strange that he had never had such trouble before but something akin to jealousy or lament flashed through him at the thought of someone trying to...what did one of his novels say...oh yes ' get fresh with her'.

She stared down at the empty glass, smiling like she had a secret as she quickly shook her head. " Oh no, I don't have a boyfriend nor am I dating anyone."

Spock felt his eyebrows involuntarily lift as he heard her quiet proclamation. " Is this your attempt at humor, Cadet?"

She laughed and shook her head again. " No, I'm serious! I'm not that interested in the Cadets here and I don't have time to meet with that many people outside of Starfleet so…"

Nyota held up her hands with a shrug and started to pick at her nail polish. It was a new shade that he hadn't seen on her before, a matte purple that appeared fuzzy to the touch. It was a bit unsettling.

When she remained quiet Spock thought back to how the male protagonist would draw out the heroine with self deprecating humor. Nyota had caught on to his jokes in the past and he didn't want her tense around him so why not try.

" Well at least it would not be for lack of suitors, unlike myself. If I were like a fish I believe I would be cast back into the sea." he said matter of factly, drawing on his recent dating experiences.

This got the laugh that he had been 'fishing' for and with that encouragement went into further casual conversation with her.

" I read a number of very popular classic romance novels and series from the early 21st century."

She stopped fidgeting and focused her attention back to his face. " Like what?"

He leaned back in his chair and picked up another PADD for review, swiping his finger across the screen as he critiqued the workmanship. " Well, there was the Sookie Stackhouse series, along with a Twilight series, Outlander, the Notebook though that novel was 6 years outside of the technical definition of the century, Mine 'til Midnight, Beautiful Disaster, etc."

Nyota nodded when he made a face and added one more. " Oh yes there was also the fifty shades of gray series, which I found more disturbing than fascinating. It confused me on a number of issues. For example when Christian Grey p…"

" Not thank you sir, maybe you should let Captain Pike field these questions for you when it comes to that book." she held up her hands in defense as if she could push his unspoken questions back.

" Perhaps you are right. My apologies if I have cause any offense." she said mildly, relieved to hear her say not at all and resume reviewing the stack of PADDs as well.

They sorts them by possible winners and definite nos, talking in between about the rabid obsession of dark creatures in romance novels such as werewolves, vampires and elves. Nyota giggled over his comment about humans liking vampires but having a particular ire towards mosquitos though the two creatures served almost the same purpose.

This later lead into a discussion over whether werewolves were seen as pet and mate combo or whether zombies could ever feel anything beyond their hunger. Before he knew it they had narrowed the PADDs down to three contenders that he would have each class vote over as to who would be the winner of extra credit and unwittingly charged with updating all of their OS versions for bugs and glitches there after but that was neither here nor there.

" Thank you Cadet for all your work today as well as conversation. It was enjoyable."

Nyota nodded as she stood up and went back to her desk to gather her things. " Thank you, Lt. Comm.. It's always a pleasure."

Spock stood as she left, feeling awkward at having her leave and wanting to talk more but about what he couldn't really think of what. She glanced over to his face and tapped her gym bag. " Yoga again. I think it's helping a lot with my back but I need to get my focus and breathing down."

Spock cleared his throat and shuffled the PADDs around on his desk as he worked up the nerve to ask her what he was about to say next. " I could join you and help you with the exercise? Perhaps we could modify your yoga practice to incorporate some Vulcan discipline into it?"

She was silent as she thought and Spock released the breath he was holding when she happily replied she would love to.

" Just getting more bang for my buck doing it your way!" she beamed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. " Let's think about sometime next week."

Spock's mind opened before him like a book listing all his events, some notated in red for attention or in bold Vulcan script for meetings and appointments. His Tuesday was fairly free and it wouldn't get in the way of him trying to find a date for the Golden Gate Gala that Friday.

" If you are free, this Tuesday after will be acceptable." he said, please to see her nod and log the date and time into her calendar.

" Thank you, Commander. I know it will be great! I always have a good time with you."

The Vulcan professor pursed his lips fractionally and gave a slight nod in response. He couldn't ignore how closely their own regard of one another followed the plot line of some of the novels he had read, where a boss or subordinate had a profound interest in their counterpart and only found out after a series of awkward encounters that the affection they felt was mutual even if one or neither of them thought their feelings were appropriate. His growing...admiration for his Cadet...umm the Cadet was starting to wear on him.

Thoughts of the gala and the Cadet in a particularly fetching dress paraded through his mind once more and he found himself reaching for his comm before he fully thought out the experiment he was about to conduct.

Before he could start, two notifications caught his attention. Another suggestive motion with a short message attached. He would have been flattered if he were fully human, ready to call the whole thing a wash if he were fully Vulcan but being half of these wholes he did what came naturally to both and sated his curiosity by tapping the icon.

This female was the most striking by far of all the aliens that had reached out to him thus far as she was covered in a thick coat of fur and a tail featured in her profile picture alongside her face.

" A Caitian." Spock spoke aloud in wonder.

" A what sir?"

Spock froze in near wide eyed panic as Nyota leaned over and looked at the dating app opened on his comm screen. She blinked in surprise whether at the site or the alien in question he could not be certain.

" OH a Caitian. Excuse me for prying but you're dating sir? If I'm being too forward, my apologies."

" No apologies are necessary." he answered. Just a metaphorical rock to hide under he thought. " After a series of events the bondmate I had from age seven and I severed our bond and choose to acquire a mate of our own volition."

Nyota nodded, her eyes still glued to the screen, no doubt judging the steel gray feline on his screen page. " She's pretty, especially those blue eyes with that color coat. You should tell her in Caitian when you meet her."

" I am unfamiliar with the language." he admitted. Though Caitians could be found settled on the planet's surface the population was not so large that you would regularly run into them.

" Oh well you speak it as well as perform it. A lot of the communication is made through body motions. I'm not fluent yet because I have to learn an alternate version since I lack a tail but here's ' Nice to meet you. You are pretty.'"

The Cadet bent at the waist before him, her heart shape face only a foot away from his as she did a slow, measured blink with a surprising realistic purr emanating from her throat followed by a back arch and twist of her rear.

By Surak.

Spock swallowed hard, dropped his eyes away and tapped out a quick response trying and failing to dispel what he just saw his TA do because he may find himself recalling the 'phrase' at inappropriate times. Like all the time. " Is the ahem movement of the posterior necessary for communication?"

" Well yeah otherwise the meaning changes. It's really suppose to be a tail curl but as I'm lacking in that department winding your hips in air is what bobtailed and manx Caitians do."

" I see. Well, I doubt that I will be able to perform such a phrase."

" Is it the purr? I know it's hard but if you practice rolling your r's with a closed mouth you could probably do it well enough?"

" Purring is not an issue, Caitians and Vulcans have in common."

Nyota nearly bounced at that statement. As it was she was staring at him with wide-eyed wonder. " Oh my gosh, please let me hear!"

Spock tilted his head with singularly raised brow and decided indulging her request would not offend him. He inclined his head but lifted his head with a dignified air. " I am amendable but I shall not do so again."

She nodded and crossed her fingers doing a Terran sign of promise. Or was that for oath breaking?

He looked towards the door, assured that it was closed and no one would hear before he focused on her face and issued a deep, rumbling purr.

It was easy to purr at her, he thought, she was so complimentary and accepting of his person.

She studied him as he did so as if they're were some trick involved and when he stopped he found her blushing and blinking rapidly. " Wow...that was amazing. I don't think you'll have any trouble getting on with your date."

Spock only nodded, seeming disinterested so they could now drop the topic of romance and pick back up where they left off with being professional.

He wasn't really certain that they could.

When she didn't say anything more Spock glanced over in Uhura's direction to find her gathering her things. " You are leaving."

She looked startled but hastily nodded as she placed the last of her things in her backpack. " Yes, I umm have to study."

Spock paused and pressed the issue. " I thought it was yoga that you were going to and do you not regularly study here?"

She did not meet his eyes and continued her hurried exit. " Yes but I just remembered I have something right now…"

" In addition to yoga and studying?"

Nyota winced and bit her lip. " Yeah, how silly of me. But umm I'll see you Monday and then Tuesday for yoga."

He started to ask after this mystery appointment when she half shouted, half squeaked a formal goodbye.

In his solitude, Spock sighed and resumed his work wondering if he did something wrong with the purr.

Or even more worrying is if he did something right.