As soon as he walked into his garage and smelled the familiar scents of metal and computer wiring, his muscles unknotted and he relaxed. The minutes flew by as he got his systems booted up and running. Around midnight, his radar pinged again. He plotted out the location, and according to the navigational coordinates, there was an unidentified spacecraft that had landed in the Arctic Circle.
He checked again, and sure enough, the results were the same. His machine was picking up data that showed that an unidentified flying object had entered the atmosphere and traveled at a high velocity toward Earth, with its trajectory headed straight toward the Arctic Circle.
“That can’t be right…” he muttered. “Surely someone’s military would have intervened…”
He picked up the phone. Not many of their clan left the area. And if they did leave, they didn’t stay gone for very long. Except for Garrett, the rock star, and Eli’s cousin, who worked for NASA. He’d always wanted to be an astronaut, and you couldn’t do that in Oregon. So, he’d lived at the International Space Station in Alabama for a while, and now he was stationed in Houston.
“Hello,” his cousin said. “Eli? What’s wrong?”
Of course, his cousin thought there was a problem. Eli never contacted him. They spoke twice a year when his cousin came home for a visit. Maybe Eli needed to do a better job with that relationship. “Nothing’s wrong. I have a question.”
“Okay,” his cousin said. He sounded like he’d been in a deep sleep.
“Have you gotten any reports of a satellite moving out of orbit? Or a rogue asteroid landing?”
“No, why? What’s happened?” His cousin was aware of Eli’s hobbies.
So, Eli told him all about the radar and the readouts.
There were a few shuffling sounds and then his cousin was back. “No, I don’t have anything. No messages, no alerts. I couldn’t tell you if I did if it was classified, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
Eli wasn’t worried precisely. He was curious. Fascinated. He couldn’t believe no one else in his family was intrigued by the idea of aliens. At least his cousin was one of the more tolerant members of his family.
Eli’s friends didn’t care either. As supportive as his best friend Jackson was about most things, he didn’t understand Eli’s long-standing obsession with finding life on another planet.
“This earth’s good enough for me,” Jackson had said. “I don’t need more.”
“That’s not the point,” Eli had said. “The point is to learn about the rest of the universe and about the things we don’t understand.”
Jackson had tossed a ball at his head then, and Eli had dodged it. He might be nerdy, but he was still a dragon shifter.
His cousin moved on from the topic, asking about the clan. Eli rubbed his forehead. Not even a NASA astronaut wanted to talk about his experiments. Maybe it was time for him to go out to the ocean.
He left his equipment running and ran out toward the cliffs. Once he was there, he leaned his head back, letting the misty drizzle pepper his face. He shed his clothes and let his instincts take over, transforming into his dragon form. He jumped from the edge of the cliff, soaring out over the rocky beach.
In the distance, he saw a humpback whale as it flipped its tail through a wave. Eli spread his wings and soared, trying to clear his mind of the beautiful human assistant who dominated his thoughts. She wasn’t his, and she never would be, and he was going to have to face that. But for now, just being home would have to be enough for him.
6
Ava
The day after Eli drove her home, he started acting oddly. She noticed it right away that morning. Instead of holding the door open for her as she walked in, he was already in his office. And then when she took a coffee break, he declined to join her. And finally, when the whole office went out to lunch, he said no.
He wasn’t in a bad mood, and he didn’t seem to have anything going on that was out of the ordinary or anything that was overly stressful. Sometimes he did have special requests from state officials or politicians, or he’d have a journalist call who wanted to do a televised interview. But that day had seemed fairly routine, yet Eli remained aloof.
For a split second, she thought about asking him if anything was wrong.
He’s not your friend. He’s your boss.
She couldn’t blur the lines. Despite Ashley’s warning and the warnings of the rest of the staff about how prickly Eli could be, he was easy to work with. She suspected that was because they were so much alike. They both approached the work with a dogged determination, and neither of them liked being interrupted while they were deep in thought.
He was still polite, and he was still a perfectionist about his work, so they continued to get along. They just got along while working, and there was no small talk or extra chatter.
She missed it. She missed him.
But it was still a fabulous job, and she wasn’t going to complain.
Two weeks after he had pulled away from her, he handed her a cream-colored piece of cardstock. “Here,” he said, handing it to her with no explanation. “This is for you.”
“What is it?” she asked, even as she began to read the details.
“It’s a charity gala. It’s a fundraiser for the hospital, and the CEO invites us every year.”
“Oh, that sounds nice.” She looked up at Eli’s face. He didn’t look like he thought it was very nice. She’d attended plenty of galas while she was growing up. She’d learned to eat a formal dinner while sitting at a formal table while wearing a formal dress. She’d even learned to waltz when she was fifteen. It wasn’t the way she’d choose to spend her time, but if the staff was going, then she’d have a good time.
“So, you’ll go?” he asked.
“Of course. I’ll pick up a dress tonight.”
He smiled at her for the first time in two weeks. “Good.” Then he lowered his voice. “All of us are allowed to bring a plus-one.”
Oh. She deflated internally but was able to keep the disappointment off her face. Was he trying to tell her that he was bringing a date? He didn’t owe her an explanation, but she was glad to know ahead of time. If she’d shown up at the gala unaware and seen a gorgeous woman on his arm, she might have gotten sick.
“I won’t be using my plus-one,” she said. She shuddered, thinking of her last date, the guy who’d only wanted to talk about himself and his love for camping.
“You’re not bringing anyone?” he asked. He looked tense around the eyes, although she had no idea why.
She shook her head. “Not a chance. I’ll be going solo.”
His face relaxed. “So will I. Would you like me to pick you up? We can go together, separately.”
Her eyebrows shot up. That was a one-hundred-and-eighty degree turnaround. For two weeks, he’d wanted nothing to do with her, and now he wanted to go to the gala as what? Friends? Coworkers? Boss and assistant?
He was all over the place, and she had no idea what to make of it.
“Do you have a dress for the gala?” Ashley asked her the next day.
“I don’t have one yet,” she said.
“Do you want to go shopping together?”
“That sounds great.” Lately, she’d been either studying or working, and it would be nice to spend some time with a friend. She and Ashley planned for Ava to pick her up at 6:00 p.m., and they’d hit several of the local boutiques. She didn’t know what Ashley’s budget was like, but one of Ava’s friends from high school owned one of the premier dress stores in town, and she had a vast array of dresses that would fit any budget.
They pulled up at the store, which was named Lilac and had a cute purple door to match the name. Ashley’s friend greeted them with hugs and immediately started collecting dresses that she claimed would look good on them.
Ashley was tall and willowy, with perfect caramel skin and straight black hair. She ended up trying on a strapless red dress that hung just right on her statuesque frame.
Ava ended up with a jade-colored dress that looked great with her ivory skin and red hair. It had an A-line cut, and the asymmetrical skirt fell in a way that showed off her legs. The whole thing was made of flowy chiffon and lace. She felt very feminine as she stood in front of the giant three-way mirror.
“Oh my God,” Ashley said. “You look amazing. Like a model.”
Ashley was the one who looked more like a model, but Ava had to admit that the dress was flattering on her. She didn’t often take the time to find clothes that accentuated her coloring or the curves of her body, but this dress did just that.
She found herself wondering what Eli would think of it.
Ashley put her arm around Ava. “I’m so glad your friend owns this place. Because we will be the best dressed of the entire gala.”
Ava had to agree.
She’d felt so confident when she was at the boutique with Ashley. But now that Eli was only minutes from picking her up, she wasn’t so sure. She’d worked all day and then raced home to take a hot bath and curl her hair. She even did her best to put on makeup, following all the steps Ashley had detailed.
With ten minutes to spare, she was ready. And thank goodness, because Eli was never late.
At exactly 6:00 p.m., her doorman buzzed Eli up.
She paced back and forth in front of her door while he made his way up to her apartment.
This wasn’t a date. There was no reason to be so jittery. But she couldn’t help chewing on her lip, which was probably ruining her lipstick. Before he could knock, she flung the door wide open.
“Hi,” she said.
Her eyes widened. Eli had on a tuxedo, a black one with a white shirt. It had obviously been tailored to fit him.
Of course, she noticed how hot he was day in and day out. But the man she worked with and admired was Dr. Eli Bennett, geneticist. That guy wore khakis and a lab coat and scrubs if the day called for them. He often had on goggles and a mask. If he was in his office, he was working on his research papers on his computer. Sometimes, he was muttering to himself while making handwritten notes on a piece of paper. But right now? There was no trace of her nerdy scientist.
This man was smoking hot and sexy. He managed to look rugged and debonair at the same time. The tux accentuated his broad shoulders, and the stark white collar showed off his strong jawline.
She stood there, not moving, just staring at him.
He held out his hand. “Ava, are you ready?”
She nodded.
She let him lead her out into the hallway. “You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you.” She smiled up at him, looping her arm through his elbow. “And you look very handsome as well.” She gestured at their clothing with her free hand. “It’s a big change from our usual.” She smiled. “Maybe we should host a gala where we all wear goggles and protective gowns.”
He chuckled. “That would make some good photos for the society pages.”
On the way to his car, he put his hand on the small of her back and kept it there. He guided her, just like they were on a date. She could have moved away, but she didn’t. She liked the feeling of his large hand on her back. His fingers skimmed just under the edges of her wrap, and she could feel his heated skin through the thin fabric of her dress.
She shivered, just a little.
“Cold?” he asked.
“A little.” He moved his hand, wrapping his arm around her. She couldn’t help but enjoy that feeling, too. After two weeks of having him ignore her, she welcomed his touch.
He’d left the car running, and it was still warm. She settled back against the seat. This was the best date she’d ever been on, and it wasn’t even a date.
That was a little alarming. Was she doomed to be alone forever? If Eli Bennett was her standard, then she was pretty sure no one else was ever going to live up to him.
They chatted about work on the ride over, and then they arrived at the Elysian Ballroom. She held onto his arm once again, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. They picked up glasses of champagne and began to mingle. Ava didn’t spend much time meeting new people in her current life, but all of her manners came back to her as Eli introduced her to his colleagues.
About twenty minutes in, they finally had a moment to themselves.
He glanced down at her. “You seem right at home here.”
“I grew up attending several of these balls each year.” She figured he’d want an explanation. “My father owns the largest law firm in Portland. Scott Carter.”
“Ah. I’m familiar with the firm, and I’ve actually met your father. And your grandfather.”
“And my aunt and uncle, too, more than likely,” she said.
“A family affair. How’d you end up in medicine?”
“My mom’s a doctor. I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”
He tilted his head. “Is her last name Carter, too?”
“Yes. She took my dad’s name when I was born. She’s not practicing medicine now. She’s into public health.”
He nodded a few times. “Jessica Carter. She’s the director at the Oregon Health Authority.”
Ava’s mother had dedicated her life to public service. Ava had always admired that. She didn’t want to work for the OHA like her mom did, but she wanted to make the world a better place by unlocking some of the secrets of human DNA. “Yep. That’s her.”
“You’ve never mentioned her.”
“You know why.” She’d had people fawn over her, try to cozy up to her, and be outright resentful of her because of who her parents were.
He didn’t comment on that, but he did smile. “Now I know why you have such a nice apartment.”
She couldn’t stop her grin. “So, you noticed. Usually, people just outright ask.”
“I didn’t want to be rude.”
“It’s not rude. It is surprising when someone my age has a spacious apartment that costs thousands of dollars per month. I’ve had quite a few friends exclaim as soon as they arrived, ‘How the hell do you afford this?’ One of them even asked if I was a stripper on the side.”
He pressed his lips together. “I didn’t know strippers made that kind of money.”
“Maybe they do. I should have asked her how she knew what a stripper made.”
Eli threw his head back and laughed. His smile was wide, and his eyes sparkled. She’d never seen him relaxed like this.
They made their way to the round tables and he held her seat out for her. She moved the skirt of her dress aside and sat down. The food was served, a rich and creamy pasta along with a seared halibut. Ava could tell that it was delicious, but everything around her seemed to fade away as she became hyper-aware of Eli next to her.
After the meal was finished, Eli leaned over very close to her. “Would you like to dance?”
“Yes, I would.” Ava pushed her chair back. “I’ll be right back.” She rushed to the bathroom. She never spent much time worrying about her appearance, but she did not want to dance with Eli if she had food stuck in her teeth. Thankfully, she also had a mint in her purse.
Back in the ballroom, Eli was waiting for her. Just as she returned, a classical waltz started up. He knew exactly where to put his hands and how to lead.
“You’re no stranger to this sort of thing either,” she said as they spun through the beginning steps. “Did you grow up attending galas?”
A wry smile crossed his face. “No. I spent all my time running wild, swimming, hunting, or fishing.”
Being so close to him was getting to her. Now, the fluttery feeling changed, moving toward arousal. Heat surged in her belly, shooting straight down to her thighs. “So, you’re outdoorsy?” she asked. Her voice sounded choked even to her own ears.
“You could say that.”
She squeezed her legs together, hoping to keep the ache at bay. Getting turned on like this, right then at a formal gala, was crazy. She could barely believe that she’d lost control over her own body. She had to continue ac
ting normally and not let on. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”
“I don’t spend a lot of time outside, but I do it as often as I can. I always feel relaxed afterward.”
She had a flashback to the awful date with the guy who was obsessed with camping. Yuck. Eli was so much better than any other guy. Too bad he was off-limits. And there was one big difference—she wanted to know about Eli’s personal life. She knew very little about Eli because he never talked about himself. He only talked about their work.
“What’s your favorite thing to do outside?” she asked.
He adjusted his hand on her upper back, sending a tingle down her spine. “Swimming in the ocean is my favorite. Hiking is a close second.”
“I’m not much of a hiker,” she said. “And sometimes the ocean scares me.”
They twirled and spun, moving with the rhythm of the music. His eyes were half-lidded as he looked down at her. “The ocean is powerful, but it’s not scary.”
“It can be,” she said. “And sometimes it’s dangerous, too.” Heat radiated from his body. The ocean was a threat. And at that moment, so was Eli. He was so close, and he was so handsome and strong. She wanted to lean in and kiss him. She wanted to pull him closer and wrap her arms around his body. But she didn’t. She bit down on her lip, and then mercifully, the song ended.
However, she got no relief from the small symphonic band. The next one was a slow song.
“Care for another dance?” he asked.
She blinked up at him, wondering if he was feeling even a fraction of the tension that was burning through her.
He looked at ease, not desperate with lust.
She was not going to deny him. This might be her only opportunity. When the next gala rolled around, he might have a girlfriend. One day, he’d probably even get married. “Of course,” she said.
Scientist Dragon's Assistant (Irish Dragon Shifter Brothers Book 9) Page 3
