Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“Well now,” Aunt Zeelah said at last. “I think this one will do nicely.”
To Kara’s delight, her new tharp was a deep, royal blue which brought out the color of her eyes. She pressed it to her cheek and could almost feel a hum of delight coming from the fuzzy fabric. It was as soft as velvet against her skin and she felt an instant affinity with it.
“It’s lovely,” she said. “How can I ever repay you for your kindness?”
“Nonsense, my dear. You’re family which means you have to look presentable. Your uncle Grennly and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Kara thanked her again and as soon as Aunt Zeelah had gone, she took off everything but her boots to try the tharp on. It felt a little funny to be naked under the soft blue fabric but sensuous too.
“Mmm, you feel wonderful,” Kara told the tharp, draping it around herself in a one-arm-over-the-shoulder toga look. “And you’re gorgeous too. I just know we’re going to get along—nothing like my mother and her tharp.”
She could have sworn she heard a barely audible purr of approval and the friendly tharp molded itself more firmly to her breasts and hips, emphasizing her hourglass figure.
“Oh, that’s nice!” Kara exclaimed, stroking it gently. “I wonder if you’re a male or a female?” Did tharps have sexes, she wondered? And if so, how would you ever tell the males and females apart?
The tharp responded to her gentle caress with a caress of its own. Suddenly the royal blue fabric seemed to be tighter around her nipples and below, it was brushing inward, to stroke the soft patch of blonde curls between her thighs.
“Hey!” Kara wasn’t sure about this. It was one thing to be friendly with your clothing but something else to have it be friendly back—especially since the tharp seemed to be edging past friendly and into sexual harassment territory.
“Take it down a notch!” She tried plucking the blue fabric away from her chest but it only clung tighter.
“You must be a male tharp,” Kara told it through gritted teeth. “You really have to stop this!”
Just then, there was a knock on her door and Uncle Grennly stuck his head in.
“Your Aunt Zeelah asked me to get you for last meal, my dear. You uh…look lovely,” he added, his eyes crawling greedily over her body and taking in the way the royal blue fabric was molded to her curves.
“Oh, uh—thank you. I’ll be right out.” Kara crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her breasts as well as she could, feeling horribly uncomfortable. Uncle Grennly had seemed so nice before but the way he was looking at her gave her the creeps.
“Very well—our dining area is just down the hallway and to the left of the heat stream.” With a final lingering look, Uncle Grennly withdrew.
“Behave yourself!” Kara hissed to the tharp under her breath as the living fabric squeezed her nipples until they stood out like hard little buds. “If you think I won’t take you off and put back on my other clothes—the ones that don’t molest me—you’re wrong!”
The tharp responded by loosening a little around the breasts and thighs which made her breathe a sigh of relief. Good, maybe she just had to show it who was boss.
“That’s better,” she told it as she finally exited Nadiah’s room and made her way to the dining area. “Now be good at dinner, all right? I’m trying to make a good impression.”
When she got to the large dining table her great aunt and uncle were already seated. The table was heavy, elaborately carved stone and looked like it could seat twenty if need be but there were only three spaces set. Her aunt and uncle were seated on either end and there was a spot directly in the middle just for her.
Somewhat awkwardly, Kara took her seat. It seemed strange that the three of them were so far apart but maybe Aunt Zeelah and Uncle Grennly liked Last Meal to be a formal occasion.
“Ah, we’re so glad you could join us, Kara,” her aunt said. “I hope you enjoy gumby stew.”
“I’ve never had it before but I’m sure it will be delicious,” Kara said politely. She hoped she liked the stew—she had a full bowl of it in front of her. Picking up a spoon with a square-shaped bowl and a long handle, she poked at the strange mixture. It was full of dark green meat-like chunks swimming in pale green broth and the smell of it was slightly spicy, like the Tex-Mex food her Aunt Kat loved.
“Well, go on—eat up,” Aunt Zeelah commanded, taking a bite of her own stew.
“Oh yes, of course.” Kara took a spoonful of the mixture and began eating.
She had heard horror stories from her mother about the food on Tranq Prime but to her relief, the gumby stew wasn’t that bad. It was spicy and tangy with a slightly metallic aftertaste but it wasn’t horrible. Kara was able to finish the entire bowl which seemed to satisfy her elderly relatives.