the wall, his long hair shining under the florescent lighting. He flashed a brilliant smile. Lord, he was gorgeous.
A ribbon of heat fluttered through her. She folded her arms across her chest to hide the physical reactions his nearness inspired. He had no right to make her body react in such a traitorous way. No right. He didn’t even have to do anything but look at her with that hungry gaze. It’s an act, she reminded herself.
Roger cleared his throat. “A student of yours, Dr. Jansen?”
“Ah … no.” Victoria mumbled.
Erik drew up alongside her, draping one arm across her shoulder and offering his hand. “Erik Sanders, Tori’s fiancé.”
She swallowed a cough. Roger’s expression alone was worth the deception. His forty-three years showed clearly in his frowning face.
After an embarrassing silence, he shook hands. “That’s quite a girl you have there.”
“Woman,” Erik corrected.
Roger puffed out his chest and self-consciously loosened his tie. “Are you in the same field as Victoria?”
“He’s in hydrodynamic engineering,” she answered before Erik could.
Roger’s insinuation that she could only interest another boring physicist didn’t bother her. She enjoyed seeing him on the receiving end for once. At least, until she realized that playing up the lie for her own satisfaction was no better than what Erik had done to her.
“We really should be going, Tori,” Erik said. “We’re already late.”
“I guess I’ll see you both tonight at the Whitehall reception,” Roger said.
“I’m not sure” Victoria began before Erik cut in.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Her colleague tipped his head. Erik playfully tugged her towards the exit. She fought the urge to shove him away until they exited the building.
“You can remove your arm now,” she muttered though clenched teeth.
His fingers ran slowly down her spine and then cupped her backside in a gentle squeeze. “Better?”
A thousand volts of pure electricity shot through her. The jolt caused her heart to race and her breathing to quicken. “Stop it,” she said. “You’re embarrassing me at work.”
“Well, you’re my job, Doctor, and when you disappear on me, it’s just as embarrassing.”
Damn the man and his effortless ability to fluster her. She twisted away from him and ran across the parking lot before turning back. Where did she think she was going? The arrogant glint in his eyes said he could find her again any time he wanted. Why bother fighting him? She’d never win. Better to spend her time and energy keeping up her defenses so that when the case ended and he finally left, she would feel relieved.
As she fumbled with her purse, she watched him stride towards her with long, purposeful steps. He was a fine specimen of the male anatomy. Every muscle finely toned and working in homoeostatic harmony. Too bad the macho male mentality went along with his body.
“Keys,” he demanded when he reached her.
“Why? You already stole one set. Use those.”
“You’re right.” He withdrew the gold key ring from his jacket pocket and opened the passenger door for her.
* * * *
At the very least, Erik expected an argument. Instead, she slipped into the car without a word. By the time he came around to the driver’s side, she’d dumped the contents of her purse into her lap.
“Lose something?”
“No. But I think you did.” She picked through the loose change, credit card receipts and assorted make-up and found the small transmitter. “Yours, I believe.”
She dropped it into his open palm. No yelling, no histrionics, not even a frown. He missed the clumsy woman who had covered him in fruit punch, who couldn’t hold onto anything when he stood close, and who generally turned ten shades of red when he paid her a compliment.
“Tori?” He stared for several seconds before she became uncomfortable enough to answer.
“What?”
“Hydrodynamic engineering?”
She rolled her shoulders
A ribbon of heat fluttered through her. She folded her arms across her chest to hide the physical reactions his nearness inspired. He had no right to make her body react in such a traitorous way. No right. He didn’t even have to do anything but look at her with that hungry gaze. It’s an act, she reminded herself.
Roger cleared his throat. “A student of yours, Dr. Jansen?”
“Ah … no.” Victoria mumbled.
Erik drew up alongside her, draping one arm across her shoulder and offering his hand. “Erik Sanders, Tori’s fiancé.”
She swallowed a cough. Roger’s expression alone was worth the deception. His forty-three years showed clearly in his frowning face.
After an embarrassing silence, he shook hands. “That’s quite a girl you have there.”
“Woman,” Erik corrected.
Roger puffed out his chest and self-consciously loosened his tie. “Are you in the same field as Victoria?”
“He’s in hydrodynamic engineering,” she answered before Erik could.
Roger’s insinuation that she could only interest another boring physicist didn’t bother her. She enjoyed seeing him on the receiving end for once. At least, until she realized that playing up the lie for her own satisfaction was no better than what Erik had done to her.
“We really should be going, Tori,” Erik said. “We’re already late.”
“I guess I’ll see you both tonight at the Whitehall reception,” Roger said.
“I’m not sure” Victoria began before Erik cut in.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Her colleague tipped his head. Erik playfully tugged her towards the exit. She fought the urge to shove him away until they exited the building.
“You can remove your arm now,” she muttered though clenched teeth.
His fingers ran slowly down her spine and then cupped her backside in a gentle squeeze. “Better?”
A thousand volts of pure electricity shot through her. The jolt caused her heart to race and her breathing to quicken. “Stop it,” she said. “You’re embarrassing me at work.”
“Well, you’re my job, Doctor, and when you disappear on me, it’s just as embarrassing.”
Damn the man and his effortless ability to fluster her. She twisted away from him and ran across the parking lot before turning back. Where did she think she was going? The arrogant glint in his eyes said he could find her again any time he wanted. Why bother fighting him? She’d never win. Better to spend her time and energy keeping up her defenses so that when the case ended and he finally left, she would feel relieved.
As she fumbled with her purse, she watched him stride towards her with long, purposeful steps. He was a fine specimen of the male anatomy. Every muscle finely toned and working in homoeostatic harmony. Too bad the macho male mentality went along with his body.
“Keys,” he demanded when he reached her.
“Why? You already stole one set. Use those.”
“You’re right.” He withdrew the gold key ring from his jacket pocket and opened the passenger door for her.
* * * *
At the very least, Erik expected an argument. Instead, she slipped into the car without a word. By the time he came around to the driver’s side, she’d dumped the contents of her purse into her lap.
“Lose something?”
“No. But I think you did.” She picked through the loose change, credit card receipts and assorted make-up and found the small transmitter. “Yours, I believe.”
She dropped it into his open palm. No yelling, no histrionics, not even a frown. He missed the clumsy woman who had covered him in fruit punch, who couldn’t hold onto anything when he stood close, and who generally turned ten shades of red when he paid her a compliment.
“Tori?” He stared for several seconds before she became uncomfortable enough to answer.
“What?”
“Hydrodynamic engineering?”
She rolled her shoulders
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