“The roses.”
“Good! I would have chosen that one for you myself. Though my lord Khalid tells me that you are not a virgin, there is an air of innocence about you that we will concentrate upon. It appeals to many men. I will use the attar of roses to demonstrate.” She stood up and, taking the stopper between her thumb and forefinger, stroked it generously between the deep valley of her breasts. Carefully lifting each of the heavy globes, she perfumed beneath them. Next the stopper touched the base of her throat, the back of her neck, the soft spots behind her ears. Then came her wrists, beneath her arms, and in the blue-veined hollows of her inner arm. Yasmin dipped the stopper again and touched it to her navel, the backs of her legs, her ankles, the arches of her feet, and her Venus mound. “You must go lightly here,” she explained, “for men sometimes enjoy the sweet taste of a woman, and that should not be overwhelmed by another scent.”
Skye appeared puzzled, and Yasmin gazed at her enviously. “You really don’t remember, do you?” she said. “Allah, how I envy you! It will be like the first time again for you, but without the pain of virginity.” Then catching herself, she handed Skye the attar of roses and said brusquely, “Let me see you do it now.”
Carefully Skye imitated her teacher, and when she had finished she looked expectantly toward Yasmin.
“You have forgotten one area,” said Yasmin, taking the bottle stopper from her student. Cupping one of Skye’s breasts, she dotted the scent beneath it.
“Don’t!”
To the older woman’s surprise, Skye’s face was drained of color, her body stiff. Her eyes held horror. Yasmin was genuinely fright- ened. “What is it, Skye?! Are you all right?”
Slowly the fear drained from the younger woman’s eyes, and she said, bewildered, “I don’t believe I like being touched by another woman.”
“What do you remember, Skye?”
“Nothing. I remember nothing, but when you touched me…” She shivered with genuine revulsion.
Yasmin was concerned. What if Skye didn’t like being touched by men either? She could hardly be a successful whore then, and Khalid el Bey’s investment would be lost. Normally Yasmin would not have introduced the subject of male anatomy until a later lesson, but she felt she must know before she went any further. If the girl was emotionally unstable she should be disposed of now. Yasmin clapped her hands and said to the answering slave girl, “Fetch my new eunuch, Ali.”
Then, turning to Skye, she said, “There are two ways to geld a male. If it is done when they are young, all is removed. But the mortality rate is high. The other way is to remove the male’s seed sac, but leave the rod. We buy only that kind of eunuch, for they are better-natured. They are also invaluable in teaching our girls the things they must learn about a man’s body. Ah, Ali, come in! Come in! Skye, this is Ali. Is he not beautiful?”
The young man flushed. Skye let her eyes slide over him. He was indeed good-looking, tall, with softly golden skin, dark curly hair, and liquid brown eyes. “He is gorgeous, Yasmin. You are indeed fortunate.”
Yasmin smiled smugly, then said sharply to the man, “Ali, dis- robe!” She looked quickly to see the effect this would have on Skye. Would she faint? Was she fearful? The eunuch undid his long robe and, removing it, laid it carefully on a chair. Then he stood straight, awaiting further instruction. Yasmin glanced toward Skye. “What do you think of him?”
The younger woman looked puzzled. “As I have said, Yasmin, he is gorgeous.”
“His nakedness does not offend you, or frighten you?”
“No, should it?”
“No, but some women are fearful nonetheless. Now, Skye, I want you to go to Ali, put your arms about him, and press your body to his.”
Skye did as Yasmin commanded, sliding her arms around the eunuch’s neck, rubbing instinctively in a very provocative way against the young man’s soft body. He shuddered, nuzzled her ear, squeezed one of her buttocks, then cupped a breast in his hand. Her eyes grew dark with desire, and she swayed slightly.
“Mistress!” Ali’s voice was pleading, and Yasmin laughed. She had learned what she needed to know. Skye might dislike a woman’s touch but she enjoyed a man’s. The lessons could continue. Without giving Ali another thought, she dismissed him. He fled, gathering his robe.
“What a funny creature,” Skye observed. “Didn’t he like me?”
Yasmin laughed again. “He liked you very much, and had you been alone he might have made love to you. I will allow him to do so when you have more knowledge. We use these young eunuchs for that purpose, as we can hardly practice technique on our gentlemen.” She looked candidly at Skye. “You’re a good student, but that is all we will do today. I will come tomorrow at the same time.”
After Yasmin had dressed and gone, Skye sat quietly for a few minutes. Then her hands crept upward to cup her own breasts. Gently she caressed her body and was amazed to see her nipples harden. She thought about what it would be like to have a man stroke her, and felt a tingling between her legs. It was all so pleasurable. What other lovely things had her cursed memory wiped away? Sighing, she stretched naked on the cushions and fell asleep.
That evening Khalid el Bey sent for Skye. She was fresh from the baths and had just finished perfuming herself. Sliding a light-weight wisteria-colored silk caftan over her body, she ran barefoot through the short, carpeted hallway that separated her room from his apartments.
“How lovely you are!” he said as she entered the room. He noted the sheen of her skin and the way her midnight-colored hair curled in damp tendrils about her face. “Yasmin tells me your lessons went well. She feels you have a talent and will progress quickly. She is pleased with you, and therefore I am pleased.”
Her face became radiant. “I want to please you, my lord Khalid! Without you I should be nothing.”
His big hand cupped her chin, and his dark eyes looked into her blue ones. “I do not think so, my little lost bird. I do not think so.” Then smiling, he asked gently, “What have you learned?”
“Just perfuming, and the proper way to disrobe before a gentle- man.”
“Disrobe for me,” he commanded, sitting cross-legged amid the colorful cushions. “Pretend I am to be your gentleman.”
She stood very still before him. Her fingers hardly seemed to touch the tiny pearl buttons of her robe before it opened. He had not but the barest glimpse of her breasts when she twirled gracefully. The silken robe slid with agonizing slowness down the long line of her back and over the perfect twin moons of her buttocks. She turned to face him, her eyes modestly lowered. Sinking to the floor, she said softly but clearly, “As my lord commands.”
For a moment he stared at the gleaming dark head that touched his slipper. He was amazed not only by her easy skill, but by his own reaction to it. Beneath his brocaded robe he was swollen and aching, and he couldn’t quite believe it. He had always maintained a perfect control over his body.
She raised her head, and their eyes met. “Do I please you, my lord?” she asked innocently.
“Very much,” he murmured huskily. Don’t! Don’t! his saner self warned him, but he heard himself saying, “Sit next to me, Skye.” And when she nestled in the curve of his arm he bent over her and touched her lips. They parted easily beneath his, and he drew her scented breath into his own mouth. His tongue sought for hers, found it and they caressed one another with burning softness until he be- came aware of her hands seeking his, and placing them on her naked body.