Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed.

I was surprised to find Timok waiting for me in the parking garage when I returned that afternoon; the old man stepped out of my usual spot to let me park.

"Good afternoon, Genevieve," he said gently, laying a withered hand on the handlebar to help steady it. "I would appreciate it if you would join me for tea."

"Sure thing." I set my helmet on the backseat and followed the elder up to his rooms, where tea was already steaming in a pot on the coffee table. I sat next to him on the couch and accepted a cup of fragrant tea, breathing in the scent with a smile. Ever since this morning, my sense of smell had made food and drink seem especially tempting, and though it was an unusual sensation, it wasn't an unpleasant one.

"I believe I owe you an apology," the old man said once I had taken a sip. I frowned at him.

"For what, exactly?"

Timok sighed. "My report to the administrator was…unfair. I underestimated your affection for the ambassador, and thus highlighted the disagreements between you early on in this exchange. I was wrong to do so, and I hope you can forgive a foolish old man."

I set down my tea, shaking my head. "So…why did you do that?"

Timok sighed. "I do not wish for you or the ambassador to be hurt. He speaks often about how indecisive you are, how you extend affection but are quick to withdraw it, and yet everything you do is sincere. You are coming from a place of goodwill, determined to be respectful." He took a long sip of tea, then fixed me with a serious stare. "But you must understand…if Soval found you or your affection disagreeable, he would have made that abundantly clear. Any affection you give him would be savored, Genevieve. You know now that Vulcan men are unused to being pampered. Your standard of tenderness and frequent touch is…to be with such a woman would be beyond our wildest dreams."

I hid my reddening cheeks with a hasty sip of tea. "So he can tell I'm being sincere, and he knows I care about him," I said slowly, "but you think I'm going to hurt him?"

"I am saying your indecisiveness may lead to unforeseen consequences," he replied, his voice firm and direct. "Now is not the time to lead him on. So I would ask you, child…are you attracted to Soval?"

I gaped at him for a full thirty seconds before I could think of a reply. "Well, I can tell you right off the bat that I have no intention of leading him on or whatever… what I've learned about your people is hard to reconcile with what I knew before, and I can't…you are a very reserved and stoic people, and that doesn't exactly invite open affection."

"Has Soval ever made any indication that he would not be open to your affection?"

I huffed in frustration and glared at him. "I'm not good at this, old man. You have to understand…every relationship I've been in has blown up in my face. Do you think it prudent, logical even, to rush headfirst into a relationship with an alien diplomat?"

Timok raised an eyebrow. "You have not answered my question, Genevieve."

I glared at the ground for a minute before replying in a small voice. "Fine, yes I find him attractive, and yes I often imagine what it might be like to be with him…but I don't want to mess this up, old man. If this doesn't work, I'm taking it as a sign that maybe I'm the problem and romance is just not in the cards for me."

"You are far too young to be declaring such absolutes," he replied firmly, but sat beside me and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You must believe me, as your elder and an expert in the thought processes of Vulcan men…you are everything he could ever want. All you must do now is let yourself believe it."

I sighed and drained my tea. "Well, I guess you have a point…I want this to work, Timok, I really do. I don't think I could have imagined being here when I started in the exchange, but I do care for him." I cradled the cup and directed my words at the floor. "He said Vulcan men aren't used to being pampered…what exactly did he mean by that?"

Timok gently took the cup from my hands and set it on the table. "The majority of Vulcan women, for cultural reasons that will likely be revealed to you in time, see marriage for its logical application within society – a means to continue their family line and security for themselves and their mates, and any children. Though I have had the fortune of being afforded a wife who cares for me, most of our women have little use for physical displays of affection." He gripped my shoulder. "But you are human, and you are kind and gentle. Even what little touch you have offered him in friendship is beyond what most mates would offer under the obligations of marriage."

"Oh," I said, my cheeks reddening again. I sat in silence for a moment as Timok washed the teacups; I forced myself off the couch and transferred the teapot to the counter before he waved me away.

"So I'm sure you can see how you've garnered his attention, Genevieve. All I ask going forward is that you respect him, and yourself, no matter what you decide to do."

I departed his quarters a short time later, my head buzzing with thoughts. I found Soval sitting at his meditation alcove, eyes closed, smoke rising in front of him from the incense brazier. I let him be, retreating to my room to drop off my bag.

I let the backpack drop to the floor, and I collapsed on the bed, my heart pounding now that the true reality of the situation crashed down on me. I trusted Timok, but I wasn't sure if hints of my admission would find their way to the ambassador's ears. I took a deep breath, calming myself with the thought that just because I had admitted my feelings aloud didn't mean I had to treat Soval any differently. Our relationship didn't have to be awkward; no matter what, we could still be friends.

I heard a knock at my door and sat up, calling for him to come in. Soval stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and I stood to greet him.

"I trust your day was productive?" he said, gesturing for me to sit back down. I obeyed and patted the spot beside me, and he stepped forward to join me.

"Yeah, today's been fine," I said with a smile; his sleeve brushed my arm as he adjusted himself, and I subtly dug my fingers into the mattress where he couldn't see it. Now that he was closer to me, his scent drifted across my nose, musky and warm and alluring. I took a deep breath to steady myself. "Um…I feel crazy saying this, but…I think my sense of smell has been affected by that fruit, or at least that's when I noticed it."

Soval frowned, tilting his head slightly as he steepled his fingers together. "Affected in what way? I can call Dr. Avarak if-"

"It's nothing bad, sweetheart, just different, I guess?" I laid my hand gently on his arm and patted it twice before retreating. "I'm sure it'll fade before long, but right now, food and drink just smells really good. So…net positive, I think."

"Indeed?" he replied, raising an eyebrow. He visibly relaxed and shifted his posture. "Then that truly is a boon. I am sure you are correct in your prediction that this effect is impermanent." He paused, then sighed. "And if it does not fade, we will go to the infirmary to ensure this is not a symptom of a more serious issue."

"Of course." I twisted an errant fold of the sheets between my fingers. "How was your day?"

"Since I had no meetings or truly pressing matters to attend to, I completed my work early and spent the afternoon in meditation."

"The whole afternoon?" I asked, and he raised his eyebrow.

"The last three and a half hours, to be precise. I was long overdue for a more thorough session. With the administrator's visit, I found my focus suffered."

I frowned in sympathy. "Well, I'm glad you got to do that today. I couldn't imagine doing anything meditative for more than twenty minutes." He tilted his head, clearly curious. "My focus is awful, Soval. After about half an hour of thesis work, my mind starts drifting to the most random thoughts. It's impressive that you can maintain your focus for three and a half hours."

His eyebrow ticked upward again, his eyes twinkling in the afternoon light filtering through my window. He opened his mouth to speak, then leaned forward, and my gaze flicked down to his lips.

"I could help you learn the basic techniques for meditation," he said, and I nodded without thinking.

"That would be amazing," I breathed, my heart pounding in my chest, and I noted two things: firstly, Soval's focus shifted to my lips, and secondly, I spied a ring of greenish gold in his irises that I had never noticed before.

"Case in point," I said, and he focused on my eyes again, "you're talking about teaching me this and all I can think about is how your eyes are hazel. I thought for the longest time that they were just brown."

He blinked, looking slightly confused, but finally nodded; it seemed the moment was broken, and I felt slightly sick with embarrassment. Timok may have been convinced that Soval was attracted to me, but sometimes I wondered how he didn't look at me as the world's biggest buffoon.

"Whatever your focus is now, I am sure I can help you improve it. Perhaps tomorrow we will have time to cover the basics."

"That sounds wonderful, thank you," I said sincerely, my fingers lightly trailing down his arm. He glanced down at my hand and I pulled away instinctively, my cheeks flushing as I awkwardly stuffed my hands in my pockets.

"I will start on dinner," Soval said, and lightly gripped my shoulder before leaving me to my own devices.

I collapsed onto the bed, my heart still pounding in anticipation and worry, and I covered my face with my hands. Timok's advice swirled in my head along with awkward replays of the last five minutes, and I squeezed my eyes shut, half tempted to skip dinner and simply rot alone in my room.

That won't do, I told myself firmly. If I wanted to make this work, if I really wanted to be with Soval, then it was time to make him aware of what was going on.

But not today, I assured myself. I had already made things awkward enough, and if things went wrong, I didn't want to try and process rejection and complete a thesis at the same time. In time I would tell him, but for now, it was enough to just be friends.

…

The next day's dawn was muddled by fog rolling in from the Bay, and I stumbled out of the shower in a half-asleep haze, blearily brushing my teeth and arranging my hair in a simple ponytail. I hadn't slept well; I grabbed the first warm sweater out of my closet that I could find, barely conscious of my choice as I pulled it on over my camisole. Thankfully I didn't have class today, but I had to buckle down on my thesis and make the changes Soval had suggested.

I hadn't forgotten Timok's words from yesterday, and just thinking about being close to the ambassador all day made me feel nervous. Perhaps a walk would help clear my head and get rid of the jitters I felt.

I yawned as I walked out of my room, waving lazily at Soval on the couch. "Hey, I'm going to go to the coffee shop down the way, be back in a bit."

He stood from the couch, casting aside a PADD as he took two steps towards me. "Genevieve, you are not going outside in that."

I glanced down at my green turtleneck and frowned, holding it out to examine it for stains. "Why, does it have a hole or something I missed? I'll admit, I wasn't paying much attention when I put it on."

"That is not the reason. Genevieve…I am asking you to put something else on. Please."

My thoughts stalled for a moment as I stared at him. "Um…it's not like I'm wearing a crop top, Soval. This outfit covers me from neck to toe. What's the problem?"

He took another two steps forward. "I cannot…you should not leave our quarters wearing that sweater. Please, Genevieve, you should change into something else."

I pinched my nosebridge and shook my head. "Soval…I respect you, and we're friends, but I'm going to need a good reason to change shirts. I did not sleep well last night, I am tired, and I just want a coffee and a nice morning walk so I can get on with my day. So please explain your logic in asking me to do this."

He paused his advance, frowning at me. "I am…it is an inconvenient time for you to be wearing such clothing. I am…concerned you would be bothered by the attention should you walk through the Consulate in that."

I looked down at my sweater, then back at him. "I don't understand how this is an invitation to behave inappropriately! How is this even close to 'a facsimile of female attention'? Please, enlighten me."

He flinched as my words cut through the room, but then he took another step forward, his expression hardening. "I told you once that offering water was not the only way to attract attention. This is one of those instances. I am asking this of you for your own safety."

"Since when has this Consulate-"

"Enough!" he barked, cutting me off, and I winced at the tone he had taken. His eyes burned with unmistakable irritation, and I took a step back even as he marched across the room towards me. "I have had enough of this, Genevieve, I can bear it no longer. You wish to be enlightened – perhaps this will make you understand!"

My retreat halted as my back bumped into the counter, but any thought of escape flew from my mind as he gripped my shoulders and pulled me forward, sealing his warm, soft lips over mine.

For several seconds, all I could hear was my own ragged breath and the pounding of my heart in my ears. My hands floundered at my sides as my thoughts stalled, but when it seemed he might pull away, I clutched tightly to his robes with one hand and carded the other through his hair. My eyes fluttered closed as he sighed and slid his hands down my arms, finally wrapping his arms around me to pull me closer.

My grip on his clothes loosened and I trailed my hand upward, gently cupping his cheek and stroking my thumb over his jaw as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Like smooth, pillowy velvet, his lips grazed mine with feather-light strokes before following them up with something far hungrier. My breath hitched in my throat and my hand abandoned his hair to brace myself against the countertop lest my knees give out.

Moments felt like hours as I followed my instincts and welcomed his insistent lips, and a hesitant, rough tongue was accepted with a quiet groan and my fingers running through his silver hair again. He squeezed me tighter, steadying me with a firm hand on the small of my back, and his tongue coaxed mine into play, confident now, as hungry as his lips. My fingers journeyed up his jaw to his ear, and my nail lightly traced his helix as I silently wondered if this would have any effect on him.

I was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath, and his hand on my back slid further down, slipping into my back jeans pocket. I shivered, thrills racing up my spine at the sensation, and my hand in his hair moved downward, inching below his collar to tease his neck and the top of his spine.

Time seemed an irrelevant afterthought as he tilted his head the other way, drawing me back into bliss with a skillful swipe of his almost sandpaper-rough tongue across my lower lip. A groan escaped my throat before I could stop it, but he replied with an incoherent rumble and drew a line around the tip of my tongue with his own. I was melting into a puddle with every move he made, bliss stretching on endlessly into what felt like tomorrow at this point.

And then he pulled away, looking ashamed and eager in equal measure.

"Forgive me," he breathed, swallowing thickly. "It was improper of me to accost you so aggressively. I should have approached this in a different manner."

"I'm not complaining," I replied, taking a deep breath. "I…Soval, how long have you…"

My train of thought died as his hands grasped my waist. "How long have I wanted to kiss you?" I nodded, and a small smirk spread across his lips. "I have wanted that for many months, Genevieve, and never could I have imagined you would reciprocate so eagerly." He barely brushed his lips against mine, and I bit back a whimper.

"If you're surprised that I would reciprocate after all that, you must not know much about human women."

He grumbled in agreement, now trailing hot kisses along my jawline. "I will admit, what private research I have done has yielded little information, enough to inform me of this kissing ritual you have – which I will say is most enjoyable." He had reached my ear at this point, and nuzzled it. "I look forward to learning more, Genevieve."

My eyelids drooped of their own accord as his low, warm voice whispered in my ear, and I held him tighter, my neck automatically tilting away from him to give him plenty of room to play. His fingers sent sparks down my spine as he brushed a few loose locks over my shoulder, and his hand drifted to cradle the small of my back.

"Soval…" I slurred, unable to form coherent thoughts. Warmth flooded my belly as his coarse tongue luxuriated over my skin, his breath loud in my ear. My nails gently dug into his robes, and I could hear him inhale deeply.

"I surmised from my research that your neck would be sensitive," he purred, his free hand teasingly tracing the hem of my sweater. I bit back a gasp. "But I find it rather difficult to maintain my disciplines when you react like this."

"Admittedly I'm finding it hard to focus on propriety right now," I sighed in return, biting my lip as his teeth rasped against the hollow of my throat. "Do you…do we need to stop?"

"Only if you wish it." His lips continued their dance across my neck, ending up on my other side, and I lolled my head away. The tips of his fingers explored the sliver of flesh between my sweater and the hem of my pants, and I caressed the back of his hand, lightly tracing his knuckles as his work at my neck turned from hungry kisses to gentle suction.

His groan was muffled, the sound reverberating across my skin, and he clasped my wrist, caressing the base with a firm thumb. I shivered, letting out a quiet gasp, and he nuzzled my neck before pulling back, staring down at me with dark pupils. His chest rose and fell with slightly labored breath, and his nostrils flared slightly as he leaned forward.

"Again, I must ask your forgiveness," he said with a sigh, his thumb still tracing circles over my wrist. "You mentioned you were going to fetch a beverage from the shop down the street. It was rude of me to delay you."

I giggled nervously, gently pressing my lips to his. "Forget the coffee, Soval, besides…who needs it after all that?"

He smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow. "My affection was effective in waking you, then?"

"Oh my goodness, yes." I wrapped my arms around his back and grazed his nose with my own. "And this saved me having to go on that walk anyway…I was going out to just think over our relationship. I never thought you'd want something like this and I wasn't sure if it was wise to even bring it up at this point."

His gaze hardened for a moment, but then he sighed heavily and cupped my face with a tender palm. "I am pleased you are open to exploring this with me, but surely you must know I have been actively working towards this moment – and what comes next – for months."

"Could've fooled me," I murmured, kissing his chin. "Then again, I'm not exactly an expert in reading you."

"That will change soon enough," he replied, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I hummed in agreement and trailed my lips along his cheek, aiming for his ear. He inhaled sharply, his grip on my waist tightening, and I slowed my advance, letting every kiss linger on his skin.

"Genevieve…" His voice was a low rumble in my ear, and his other hand let go of my wrist and shod through my hair, toying with the hair tie.

I reached his earlobe, and I nuzzled it briefly before enclosing it in my lips. I could feel him shiver, and my hair tumbled around my shoulders as he released my ponytail. I gasped in surprise, but stayed put, applying light suction to his earlobe. I swore he growled before his fingers gripped my chin rather roughly, and I was pulled away.

He stared at me with dark pupils and flared nostrils, his gaze intent on me. "Genevieve…"

"I'm sorry," I whispered, letting go of him and edging away. "I-"

He cut me off, swallowing my apology with a swift kiss. "I am not chiding you, I simply wished to prevent myself from disgracing you." His nose brushed against mine, his hands warm and rough as he rubbed them down my sides. "I told you that unbonded men are quite single-minded when it comes to finding a mate. I can sense that your affection is coming from genuine care, and therein lies your danger. You should be careful in applying your affection, as I could easily misread your intentions and harm you."

I frowned up at him. "So…are you saying I can reciprocate, I just have to stay away from certain things? As in there are certain parts of your body I shouldn't touch, like your ears?"

He nodded, gently running his finger along my jaw. "I truly wish I could let you be free with your affection, but propriety should be followed, and I recognize that I am but flesh and blood, Genevieve. No man could endure such sweetness and maintain control over their base impulses. I respect you greatly, therefore I must protect you, even at the detriment of my own pleasure."

"Soval…I understand not pushing you too far but…" I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around him. "Did it ever occur to you that I might derive pleasure from bringing you pleasure?" He swallowed thickly, his fingers circling my arms; it seemed like he might throw me off of him or lock me in place at any moment, and was privately debating which was the better option. "You said Vulcan men are unused to being pampered, right?" He nodded, and I sighed. "You should have never told me that, because now that's all I want to do."

He breathed in slowly, gently bringing his forehead to rest against mine. "And you find it so hard to believe that human women are to our tastes?" His lips were warm and sweet as they enveloped mine for a brief but clearly eager kiss. "Every moment of your attention was a temptation in and of itself, and none more than the stimulation to my ears. You should refrain from lingering there."

"Of course, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or push you in a direction you don't want to go." I gave his nose a light peck. "Though, it is a shame…I hardly got to explore them as much as I wanted."

His eyes grew dark, and strong, insistent fingers wrapped around my hips. "Perhaps some day soon," he murmured, his voice coming out almost as a rumbling purr, "you can explore them to your heart's content."

I shivered in pleasurable anticipation as the thought rippled through me, and I nodded. Several beats of silence passed between us as we lingered in each other's presence, breathing together and living in the moment.

"You mentioned that you had to research kissing, which tells me you don't have that in your culture?"

He pulled back a bit and smirked. "We do kiss in that manner, though rarely…if attempted, such an act is typically reserved for moments of passion, when two are engaged in…coupling."

I gasped, instinctually covering my mouth. "Oh my god, you…so you were just going to let me –"

He held up a hand. "I would have never attempted it if I thought it was inappropriate. It is the most basic form of intimacy on your world, and I have never experienced it any other way…it was very stimulating, but I make no correlation between the two. Your act of kissing is much more…soft."

I raised my eyebrows; if the kiss he had given me at the start was his idea of soft, I wasn't sure if I could handle rough. "Good to know…so do you have something equivalent in your culture? Something to show affection, or…maybe not affection, per say, but…loyalty? Togetherness? Am I making sense?"

He nodded, a tiny smile gracing his full lips. "I know what you are referring to, and yes, we have something similar. I will demonstrate it for you this afternoon, along with the basics of meditation."

I kissed him again, longing to linger here all day. "You'd best start with meditation, because I'm not sure I can concentrate once you show me this Vulcan kiss."

He hummed in agreement and stepped back, allowing me to stand straight for the first time in what felt like hours. "If you have no use for a beverage, then at the very least, let me prepare breakfast for you."

I shrugged, stroking his shoulder before retreating to the table. "Whatever you want to do, Soval." I pulled my hair back to secure it and realized I didn't have my hair tie. "Hey, sweetheart?"

"Yes, ashel-veh?"

I blinked, unsure what he had said, and powered forward. "Do you happen to know where my hair tie went?"

He strode over and placed it on the table in front of me. "Forgive me, Genevieve." I smiled up at him. "It was unkind and selfish of me to undo your work on your hair."

"So…you like my hair down?"

He raised an eyebrow, watching my hands as I fixed my hair back into a simple ponytail. "It is a very agreeable look for you," he replied simply, and I squeezed his arm before he could return back to the stove.

I watched him work, my heart still pounding in response to his onslaught of intimacy. He glanced back at me every few minutes, perhaps sensing that I was staring, and gave me the tiniest of smiles each time. There was warmth in his eyes that made my stomach flutter, and as he set a bowl of plomeek in front of me, I wrapped an arm around him and buried my face into his chest.

"Thank you, Soval," I sighed, rubbing his back. "Thank you for everything."

He gently pried me away from his chest and tilted my chin upward so I would meet his gaze. "You are more than I could have hoped for in my wildest imaginings," he said firmly, caressing my chin. My eyes fluttered closed. "It is I who must thank you."