Free Mystic's Touch by Dena Garson Page A

in that which is made
available to them?
    In most cases, yes.
    As much as it made her uncomfortable to know, she asked ,
And did you?
    In the beginning, yes. I won’t lie to you. I sampled what
was freely offered. But I soon grew tired of the games being played and the
cold, impersonal episodes.
    Not to mention the medicines you had to take to get rid
of the aftereffects, she said cynically .
    I was more selective than that.
    Danet harrumphed. How is what I am doing different than
what those women did?
    Perhaps it is only my perception, but when you do it I
feel you are doing it entirely for my benefit. To help me in some way or to
make me feel better. There is no other agenda.
    And when they did it, they wanted something?
    Warriors are prized by these women because of the
lifestyle they can provide. Some want a sponsor who will set them up with a
place to live or pay for their expenses. Others hope to ensnare a warrior into
a bonding.
    How often do they succeed?
    More often than you’d think.
    But not you.
    No.
    The knot inside her chest eased. I still don’t understand
how what I’m doing is any different than what anyone else who had a little bit
of training would do.
    A skilled courtesan is able to make a man believe he is
the most important, most virile man in the world, no matter what she really
thinks of him. It didn’t take me long to learn that you can lie with words and
even looks, but not so much with touch. Your touch tells me you genuinely care.
It isn’t cold and impersonal.
    I thought you meant there was something sexual that I
wasn’t doing that you felt I should be.
    That isn’t what I meant to imply.
    Good. It’s hard being trained as a physician but not
having the same respect as men who do the same work. Danet pulled the sheet
down to the prince’s waist. She was grateful someone had dressed him in at
least a loincloth. Despite the number of patients she had seen in varying
states of undress, both men and women, it was startling to be so exposed to
someone she was admittedly attracted to.
    There were dozens of reasons she needed to ignore any
feelings she had for the prince. He was a prince and she was essentially a
servant in his household. He was a gorgeous specimen of manhood and she was a
girl all the boys ignored. He didn’t know the extent of her gifts and if he did
he’d toss her out of the city. But if nothing else, it was improper to become
involved with a patient under her care.
    But he was lovely to look at. His shoulders were easily
twice the size of hers and looked as if they could hold the weight of the
world. His broad chest made her want to curl up next to him and lay her head
down. Despite her inexperience, she was curious to know what might lie beneath
the loincloth. In her darkest fantasies, it had always been someone like him
who expanded her knowledge of the ways of men and women.
    Danet. You’re killing me.
    Why? What did I do? Am I sitting on you?
    No, but you are transmitting your thoughts loud and clear
and I can’t ignore all of them.
    Oh Gods. Her cheeks burned hot in mortification. This
was a very bad idea. Perhaps I should take your mother up on her suggestion to
have one of the others help me.
    No.
    No? What do you mean no?
    I mean I don’t want anyone else. I want you to take care
of me. Mother trusts you. My sisters like and respect you and a great many of
the servants do as well. I think that speaks volumes about your respectability.
    But I am obviously having some difficulty maintaining a
professional attitude. And even worse, you know it. She got up and paced at
the foot of the bed.
    Let’s just say that were the roles reversed, it would not
be unexpected if I were to have the same thoughts or feelings.
    But—
    And how about if we agree to set the issue aside to be
addressed later. I won’t bring it up if you don’t.
    This is not appropriate.
    I need you. You’re the only one I can talk to. I need you
to help me get well. He added , Mother needs you