difference was that Dr. Wallaby was older, and the lenses in his glasses magnified his eyes to such an extent that they resembled two blue saucers stuck side by side on his face.
She remembered other blue eyes. And long black hair, a lopsided grin, and unbelievable masses of muscle.
She recalled the rhythmic rock of a certain set of hips too. Back. And forth, easy, easy.
Squirming in her chair, she forced herself to concentrate on Dr. Wallaby and wondered when she would have the opportunity to broach the subject of his siring the child. Since his return to the house a few hours ago, the scientist had discussed nothing but his research.
And she had thought of nothing but Roman’s parting kiss. It remained in her mind, so real, so vivid, that she could still feel the sensation of being held by a man who desired her.
Smothering the low moan that filled her throat, she pushed a bit of fresh pear into her parrot’s cage.
He nibbled at it. “Dr. Wallaby,” he squawked, pear mush edging his beak, “would you be willing to impreg—”
Quickly, Theodosia pinched his beak shut and gave the puzzled scientist a weak smile.
Dr. Wallaby finished reading the last page of her two-hundred-page proposition. “This is brilliant. You’ve an amazing understanding of Coleoptera, Miss Worth.”
“Coleoptera,” Theodosia murmured, remembering that Roman had misunderstood the name and told her what he knew about Cleopatra and the snake.
“Miss Worth?”
“Yes? Oh.” What on earth was the matter with her? Here she was, with the man she’d been admiring for years, and all she could think about was Roman Montana, a man she’d known for all of three days!
“It is apparent to me that you have spent a remarkable amount of time studying my findings,” Dr. Wallaby declared. “I’ve no doubt you will prove to be an excellent assistant to me in Brazil. The position is yours.”
She gasped with excitement. “Thank you so much, Dr. Wallaby! You’ve no idea what this means to me.”
“You are most welcome. As you know, I plan to sail back to South America as soon as I receive further funding. I hope the money will arrive soon, but such things take time. In the meantime, if you would like to return to Boston and spend a bit of time with Upton and your sister Lillian, that would be perfectly fine.”
Theodosia nodded. She would return to Boston all right, but not before she had the child in her arms. “Dr. Wallaby, there is a certain matter I would like to discuss with you. A sexual matter, actually, and I—”
“Ah, so you’ve heard, have you?” Dr. Wallaby smiled. “Well, I suppose the news was bound to spread sooner or later.”
“News?”
He laid her thesis on the table and slid a bluebonnet from the jar. “Lupinus subcamosus,” he murmured pensively, twirling the stem of the blossom between his fingers. “The bluebonnet arrived in this country in the mid-1840s, either with Russian immigrants who brought it with the intention of planting it, or by accident in a shipment of flax from Germany. Their manner of arrival, however, is irrelevant. What concerns me are the flowers themselves.”
Theodosia glanced at the bluebonnet, unable to comprehend the scientist’s sudden decision to discuss the flower.
“While the saliva of the rare Pindamonhangaba beetle might very well provide the cure for baldness,” Dr. Wallaby continued, “the common bluebonnet shows great potential for supplying the remedy for impotence in the human male.”
Theodosia frowned. “Impotence, Dr. Wallaby?”
He rose, and his bony hands clasped behind his back, the bluebonnet dangling from his fingers, he paced around the room for many long moments. Finally, he stopped beside Theodosia’s chair and looked down at her. “I cannot express the excitement I feel toward my initial findings. Impotence is a malady that distresses a great many men. Because I understand personally the depth of said distress, I am determined to continue with my
She remembered other blue eyes. And long black hair, a lopsided grin, and unbelievable masses of muscle.
She recalled the rhythmic rock of a certain set of hips too. Back. And forth, easy, easy.
Squirming in her chair, she forced herself to concentrate on Dr. Wallaby and wondered when she would have the opportunity to broach the subject of his siring the child. Since his return to the house a few hours ago, the scientist had discussed nothing but his research.
And she had thought of nothing but Roman’s parting kiss. It remained in her mind, so real, so vivid, that she could still feel the sensation of being held by a man who desired her.
Smothering the low moan that filled her throat, she pushed a bit of fresh pear into her parrot’s cage.
He nibbled at it. “Dr. Wallaby,” he squawked, pear mush edging his beak, “would you be willing to impreg—”
Quickly, Theodosia pinched his beak shut and gave the puzzled scientist a weak smile.
Dr. Wallaby finished reading the last page of her two-hundred-page proposition. “This is brilliant. You’ve an amazing understanding of Coleoptera, Miss Worth.”
“Coleoptera,” Theodosia murmured, remembering that Roman had misunderstood the name and told her what he knew about Cleopatra and the snake.
“Miss Worth?”
“Yes? Oh.” What on earth was the matter with her? Here she was, with the man she’d been admiring for years, and all she could think about was Roman Montana, a man she’d known for all of three days!
“It is apparent to me that you have spent a remarkable amount of time studying my findings,” Dr. Wallaby declared. “I’ve no doubt you will prove to be an excellent assistant to me in Brazil. The position is yours.”
She gasped with excitement. “Thank you so much, Dr. Wallaby! You’ve no idea what this means to me.”
“You are most welcome. As you know, I plan to sail back to South America as soon as I receive further funding. I hope the money will arrive soon, but such things take time. In the meantime, if you would like to return to Boston and spend a bit of time with Upton and your sister Lillian, that would be perfectly fine.”
Theodosia nodded. She would return to Boston all right, but not before she had the child in her arms. “Dr. Wallaby, there is a certain matter I would like to discuss with you. A sexual matter, actually, and I—”
“Ah, so you’ve heard, have you?” Dr. Wallaby smiled. “Well, I suppose the news was bound to spread sooner or later.”
“News?”
He laid her thesis on the table and slid a bluebonnet from the jar. “Lupinus subcamosus,” he murmured pensively, twirling the stem of the blossom between his fingers. “The bluebonnet arrived in this country in the mid-1840s, either with Russian immigrants who brought it with the intention of planting it, or by accident in a shipment of flax from Germany. Their manner of arrival, however, is irrelevant. What concerns me are the flowers themselves.”
Theodosia glanced at the bluebonnet, unable to comprehend the scientist’s sudden decision to discuss the flower.
“While the saliva of the rare Pindamonhangaba beetle might very well provide the cure for baldness,” Dr. Wallaby continued, “the common bluebonnet shows great potential for supplying the remedy for impotence in the human male.”
Theodosia frowned. “Impotence, Dr. Wallaby?”
He rose, and his bony hands clasped behind his back, the bluebonnet dangling from his fingers, he paced around the room for many long moments. Finally, he stopped beside Theodosia’s chair and looked down at her. “I cannot express the excitement I feel toward my initial findings. Impotence is a malady that distresses a great many men. Because I understand personally the depth of said distress, I am determined to continue with my
Similar Books
