Part 57 (1/2)

Franka went on, ”We're here for telephones. As illuminating as this is, perhaps we should move on to that part of our expedition.”

”Right this way,” he said quickly and moved even quicker. He started his spiel before they got to the phone section. ”We have a wide selection, a number of plans, different data options, our coverage is the best in the country and-”

”I'll take that one,” Franka declared, pointing at a rose-gold iPhone.

”Yes, pink!” Josette exclaimed. ”I'll take that one too.” She whirled to Franka. ”We'll have twin telephones, Franka! Won't that be divine?”

”Indeed it will, my dear,” Franka murmured, again sounding amused.

The salesman stood in the midst of a sea of phones and looked to Noc.

”Let's just go with that, yeah?” Noc suggested.

”Right,” the guy mumbled.

”To make this easy on you, they're probably not gonna need more than three gigs on the plan,” he told him. ”They're also not gonna need the larger storage capacity on the phone.”

”Gotcha,” came the reply. ”I'll go get 'em now.”

And he took off.

Fast.

”Well, that's somewhat rude,” Josette muttered, eyeing him as he went and looking put out.

”My a.s.sumption from his earlier reaction is,” Franka started and Noc looked to her, ”regardless of the fact that the women wear far less clothing, as do the men on some occasions, the s.e.xual mores here are more stringent than they are at home, am I correct?”

Since he still had her in his hold, Noc curled her into his front, enjoying watching that slim, gorgeous neck of hers arch further back to keep hold of his gaze as he answered, ”Not sure I can answer that question accurately. Didn't go on the prowl in your world, sugarlips.”

She nodded smartly, sharing, ”Josette told no tales. In our world, it's not unusual for a young woman, or man, to approach someone they find attractive and offer to share their bed. Flirting is sometimes utilized, but it's also often abandoned. No use wasting time when you can discover quite quickly if both parties desire the same thing. Is this not done here?”

He fought a grin as he shook his head and added, ”Nope.”

”Oh dear, was I rude?” Josette asked, sounding horrified.

Noc looked to her. ”I figure he's never gonna forget today, not in a bad way, and right about now he's trying to decide if you saw his wedding band so he can take it off, come back out and take you up on your offer.”

”Wedding band?” Franka asked.

He looked down into her beautiful face, still unable to decide if it was more beautiful made up or not.

When he did he thought of seeing that face for the first time in months the night before.

He also thought of all the brilliance that came after.

Especially the brilliance of what she'd said right before she drifted to sleep in his arms.

He then forced himself to stop thinking about this because, if he didn't, he'd drag Frannie to his Suburban, take her to his new place and not give a s.h.i.+t they were leaving Josette behind. And that would not only not be cool, Josette was not like a babe in the woods.

She was like a kid in a candy store.

And that was worse.

”The band on his left ring finger,” he shared. ”If a man has a band there, that means he's married.”

”How marvelous!” Josette cried. ”And what an excellent idea.” She turned to Franka. ”If our men wore bands, a woman would know and she wouldn't have to walk into a pub and unexpectedly have some wench accost her, tearing at her hair and clothing and spitting in her face.”

Clearly, this was something that had happened to Josette.

Christ.

Franka, already relaxed into his body and his hold, relaxed deeper while noting, ”I never did quite understand the impulse of the wronged wife going after the lover. If the lover knew about the wife, all's fair and I bid her strength in every pull and as much spittle as she can produce. If she didn't, why tear at her hair and spit in her face? The lover was wronged as well, perhaps not as wronged as the wife, but she was wronged. The wife should be tearing at her husband's hair and spitting in his face.” She tipped her head back and looked to Noc. ”Do you agree? Or are vows of fidelity not practiced here as Cora and Circe shared they were?”

”They're practiced,” he replied. ”And I agree. A dude cheats, his wife cuts off his d.i.c.k, my thoughts, he's got no place to complain.”

A sweet, happy light lit in Franka's eyes at his words.

”His d.i.c.k?” Josette stage-whispered to Franka, she turned to her girl and Noc lost that light.

But he'd had it, he liked it and he was good with that.

Midnight soul.

Not even f.u.c.king close.

”I do believe, with that term, that Noc's referring to a man's member,” Franka stage-whispered back.

And Noc was again fighting laughter.

”They vow fidelity here?” Josette asked.

”They do,” Franka told her.

”Odd,” Josette mumbled.

Noc was surprised. ”You don't in your world?”

Frannie looked back up at him. ”As they speak an ancient tongue, no one actually knows what the Vallees are saying during the marriage ceremony, even, in some cases, the Vallees. But my understanding is, no. Fidelity is not vowed in the Dwelling of the G.o.ds when a man and woman are officially wed. Expected by the lower cla.s.ses, definitely.” Her mouth tightened. ”Expected from the females of all the cla.s.ses, also definitely. Expected from the males of the Houses, no.”

”I take it you don't like that much,” Noc observed.

”What's expected for one should be expected for all,” she replied.

Noc again beat back laughter as he curled her closer and dipped his face to hers. ”Listen to my Frannie, just a few months ago you were all about cla.s.s, conservative to the core. Now you sound like a socialist.”

”I've no idea what that means but the teasing light in your eyes and the grin on your lips I have seen on a variety of occasions. As such, I do know what they mean and they make me think I should be finding you annoying right now,” she returned.

”Not today, baby,” he murmured, giving her a squeeze. ”Today started great, it's going great, and it's going to keep going that way so let's get along.”

”With delight,” she agreed. ”But only because you called me 'my Frannie' and it's the first time you've called me anything, outside Franka and sweetheart, that I like, so it's put me in a good mood.”