by Alex Temples
Wow. It wasn’t so modern as to feel cold and impersonal. Rather, the apartment was decorated in shades of white and cream, accented with earthy greens and Mediterranean blues. The orchids conveyed sense of tropical richness that brought the entire room to life.
Tentatively, I stepped forward.
“Hello?” My voiced echoed off the stone floor as I walked further into the room.
Turning the corner, I sucked in a breath at the sight of the most breathtaking room I’d ever seen. It had 20 foot ceilings and spanned two floors, with a curving staircase winding down from above. Floor to ceiling bookcases covered all four walls.
I walked under the archway, where shelves hung suspended above the door, spinning to take it all in.
Soft recliners sat in each corner. Long, oak tables arranged with high backed chairs filled the open space. Paneled floor to ceiling windows let in a flood of light. Books lined the shelves, crammed into every available space, their colorful spines jutting out like mountains rising from the clouds. Hand-woven Persian carpets covered the floor, their intricate patterns of blue, cream and gold a testament to a time when quality mattered.
I loved books. They were my escape from the world, a habit I’d learned from my father. I loved to curl up in a comfy chair with a stack of novels and spend hours reading and sipping tea.
Tentatively, I stretched out an arm, running my fingers over the leather- bound books on the nearest shelf, marveling at their fine lambskin covers. A tingling sensation shot up my spine and I knew he stood behind me.
Chapter Nine
Aiden’s Apartment
New York City
He hadn’t made any noise. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt him in my gut – his energy pulsed from the doorway behind me.
I spun around and gasped.
He wore only a towel and nothing more, water dripped from his chest as he walked towards me.
Instinctively I took two steps back.
“Good Morning, Brin.” His voice rumbled across the room, sending tingles of pleasure up my spine and causing a nervous flutter in my lower abdomen.
I pushed my shoulders back and lifted my chin to meet his gaze.
“Good Morning, Aiden.”
His eyes twinkled with delight. “I see you got the note I left you.”
His hair dripped as he moved, and I tried hard to focus on his face instead of the way the water trickled over his chest and down his smooth, flat abdomen. I swallowed and fixed my jaw in an unyielding expression.
“I did.” I confirmed, meeting his inquisitive gaze.
“And, do you have an answer for me?” Aiden asked examining me from head to toe. His eyes blazed a path across my breasts and down my belly towards my faded denim. I wriggled uncomfortably.
“Perhaps.” I said, carefully, avoiding his gaze as I racked my brain for an alternative to joining this stranger on a journey into the Amazon. Finding no suitable alternative, I examined the room, looking anywhere but at his hard, dripping body. This was hard to do, as his towel left very little to the imagination.
“First I think you should put some clothes on.” I blurted out, cringing when I realized how flustered I sounded.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, a bemused expression on his face.
“Oh? Should I? This is my home. I think I should be allowed to wear whatever I want to. In fact, I only just put this towel on when I heard footsteps. He was walking towards me as he spoke, his voice low and soothing as he moved closer.
Again I shifted backwards, feeling as if I were being hunted. The back of my thighs hit the low, oak table, forcing me to stop.
He was directly in front of me now. I could feel the heat emanating from his body. The air was full of his scent, pine and citrus and some musky undertone entirely his own.
Warmth blossomed in my lower abdomen. I clamped my legs together, willing my body to stop betraying me. I am not this woman. I am a serious academic, who is not easily frightened by men like this.
I struggled to focus on the fact that he was the incarnation of everything I stood against. He worked for one of the most unethical research companies in the world. I will not let my guard down.
Aiden seemed to sense my unease and relented, backing up. He eyed me with a curious look on his face.
“Brin, I’ve been very rude. I should have offered you a drink. Are you thirsty?” He gestured to the bar in the corner.
I glanced in the direction he indicated.
Why the hell not? My brother is sick. I’m setting off on an adventure with a complete stranger in search of an uncertain cure. It could all go horribly wrong. Did it matter that it was 11 a.m? I shrugged. The regular rules didn’t seem to apply today.
I sighed in defeat and followed him to a charming alcove in the corner.
Two white sofas faced each other, centered on the prettiest bar I’d ever seen. The shelves sparkled like crystal. Tiny bottles with labels written in a language I didn’t recognize twinkled from the shelves in dazzling shades of pink, blue and gold.
Aiden walked in front me. My eyes roved over his muscular back and down to the shape of his butt under the thin towel. God, he was beautiful. Seeing him without clothing went a long way towards reassuring me he was as mortal as I was.
I felt less hostile towards him than I had the night before. Perhaps it was just my grief. Nevertheless, I settled into one of the white sofas, kicking off my shoes and tucking my legs underneath me.
Aiden’s lips curved in a half smile as he noted my discarded shoes. With a flourish, he began mixing various things in a deep crystal glass.
“You seem worried about something.” He noted, glancing back at me as he stirred.
I looked at him in surprise. “Why do you say that?”
He finished mixing blue liquid into my drink and offered it to me.
As I took it, his fingers grazed over my palm, very lightly, but just enough that I shivered, despite the warmth of the room.
His eyes danced as he took in my reaction.
“I’m good at reading people.” He said casually, taking a few steps back to the bar to fix himself a drink.
I shifted in my seat, finding a more comfortable position before replying. “I am worried about something, but I don’t want to talk about it right now. I want to hear more about your plans for this research team.”
Aiden sat across from me, settling into a recliner with the same azure drink he’d made for me.
“Yes, let’s talk.” He leaned back, his arm on the back of the chair, drink in one hand, legs spread in that masculine posture I abhorred on the subway, but found oddly appealing in the moment.
The man across from me was very much the opposite of the men I’d met in New York, and despite my better judgment, I was intrigued.
I examined his face. Last night’s five o’clock shadow had grown into a rugged stubble that covered his square jaw. He had the lean, well-formed musculature that came only with a hard day’s work. I wondered at this. The smooth executive from last night was gone. He seemed more natural, relaxed even. I found myself letting down my guard.
“I want to leave tomorrow. That is one of my conditions.”
He looked surprised. “Why tomorrow?” He asked, tilting his head as if to try and read me.
“My brother is ill.” I confessed, taking a gulp of the cold, blue liquid. It tasted of berries and pears and something spicy I couldn’t identify.
He rubbed his forehead, nodding in understanding. “I see. I’m very sorry to hear that, Brin.” His brown hair was tousled, falling over one eye in a boyish way that made me bite back a smile.
I nodded in acknowledgment. “Is tomorrow okay?” I asked, scooting forward in my seat.
He smiled and nodded. “Yes, in fact, we can leave today if you’d like.”
“Today?”
“Yes, I think it would be best. I have a team in place in South America. They’re ready to move as soon as we get there. In fact, they just sent me the latest disease maps.”
<
br /> He stood and crossed to the desk tucked in the corner to retrieve a laptop. “Do you want to see them?”
I nodded, crossing the room to join him.
What I saw chilled me. A smattering of red dots on the first map showed the spread of the virus three days ago. An increasingly red map showed yesterday’s numbers. The third map, from this morning, had little red dots concentrated in the Caribbean, fanning out from there to cover South America, most the southern United States and part of the Eastern seaboard.
There were already several cases in north Africa and Western Europe. I cringed at the uncharacteristic voracity of the contagion.
Examining an analysis of the virus’s victims, I noted once again the disease very seldom struck children. I tucked that bit of information away for later use. With the way this was spreading, there was no time to waste.
“Okay. We leave today.” I agreed.
Aiden looked surprised for a moment, but quickly regained his composure, nodding his satisfaction and pulling out a stack of paperwork. Sliding a couple documents across the table, he plucked a beautiful pen from a jar on the desk and handed it to me.
“What’s this? I asked in confusion.
“The first one is a contract stating the terms of your employment with Arcata, including the amount you will be paid upon completion of the project. The second in a non-disclosure agreement.”
I narrowed my eyes and picked up the documents, glancing through them page-by-page. When I looked up again, my eyes were on fire.
“You can’t possibly be serious.”
Aiden nodded.
I shook my head in disgust.
“I almost thought you were a good guy, but you’re just like the rest of them. I don’t want your blood money. I’m doing this to save my brother, and for no other reason.”
He made a move to step towards me and I put a hand up to stop him.
“No, I’m not finished yet.” I opened my mouth to continue ranting.
Aiden reached out and pulled me towards him. I gasped, finding my body pressed suddenly against his.
Stunned into silence, I stared up at him. Flickers of desire smoldered in his ice blue eyes. His lips curved into a knowing smile. The smell of him, spicy and masculine, assaulted my senses. Something in me screamed to get as far away from him as possible, but I couldn’t make myself move.
One hand still circling my waist, he reached out and tipped my chin up, tracing my lips with his thumb.
I shuddered and went weak in the knees.
“You have a beautiful mouth, Brinmar.” He smiled as he said it, eyelids heavy, blue eyes glittering.
I swallowed a surge of lust and reminded myself he was a bad man, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember why.
Brushing a strand of hair out of my face, he studied me carefully. “I understand you’re disgusted with what you think I represent, but we aren’t so different. I’m merely doing my job.”
I remained silent.
Aiden smiled. His fingers traced a path down my neck and over my collar bone.
I shuddered.
“I appreciate your courage. You’re doing what you must to protect your brother. Family is very important to me as well, so if you can agree that once we are in Colombia, I’m in charge, we’ll skip the paperwork.”
Feeling intoxicated by his caresses, his words barely registered. I shook my head. Had he just said we could skip the paperwork?
“We can skip the paperwork?” I asked tentatively.
He smiled, releasing me from his grip. “Yes. We’ll leave at 2 p.m. I have a jet at JFK. I’ll send a car for you. You’ll want to pack light, as you’ll have to carry whatever you bring on your back for the three-day trek.”
As I moved away from him, whatever spell had fallen over me shattered. I straightened my top, embarrassed by how easily he’d throw me off guard.
Impulsively, I moved back towards him, my hands going around his neck as my lips claimed his. I kissed him deeply, pulling him down and winding my fingers in his hair. He tasted like berries and spice.
His arms went around me, pulling me into his heated body as his tongue slid into my mouth. The kernel of sanity I’d been clinging to screamed for me to leave before it was too late.
I stepped back, breaking away from his embrace and paused, taking in his disheveled hair, his hot gaze and the growing arousal beneath his towel. I willed myself to remain calm, not wanting him to see how he undid me. Forcing a confident smile, I nodded at him with a bravado I did not feel.
“Two o’clock. I’ll see you at JFK.”
My voice was calm and clear, a testament to my years of practice working in a fast-paced, male-dominated field. Never let them see you sweat. I repeated the mantra in my head, straightening my blouse and snatching my bag off the floor.
A series of emotions played over Aiden’s face in quick succession, before a grin of amusement stretched across his face.
“Hmm, you are an interesting creature, Brinmar. Cold one second, hot the next.” His eyes skimmed my body before rising to my face. A flush spread across my cheeks.
“I see you enjoy dancing in the flames…and you’re very good at it… but I don’t believe you’ve ever played this game with someone quite like me. You should be very careful, lest you get more than you bargained for.”
His suggestive tone sent chills up my spine. I smiled and nodded before ducking out the door.
What had I gotten myself into?
Chapter Ten
Brin’s Apartment
Lower Manhattan
“What do you mean, you’re leaving?” Sam asked from the hallway.
I was digging through the closet in search of my hiking pack.
My voice was muffled when I replied.
“Not I, we.”
I popped out of the closet, triumphantly clutching a red backpack as I climbed down.
Sam stared at me, a quizzical expression on her face.
“We’re leaving? For where?”
I put a hand on her shoulder and looked in her eyes. “Colombia.”
She did a double take.
‘You can’t be serious.” She replied, setting a hand on her hip.
“I am.”
I launched into the explanation I’d been rehearsing, describing the situation with Oren and my earlier meeting with Aiden. When it came to the meeting at his apartment I left part of the story out, ending with a plea for her to accompany me.
Sam sat down on the edge of my bed, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“You’re saying Oren may not recover without this drug you’re trying to develop?”
Her brown eyes were contemplative as she waited for my answer.
I walked to the bed, placing my hand over hers.
“I wouldn’t ask if the situation weren’t serious, Sam”
My eyes stung and I felt a tear on my cheek. I wasn’t typically an emotional person, but it certainly seemed my emotions were getting the best of me lately.
Sam met my eyes and nodded. “Alright then. I guess I’d better go pack.”
Relief flooded through me. I could always count on Sam.
*
Several hours later, after a stop at her apartment we were back at my house, enjoying the fresh air from the balcony. Sam sipped iced coffee while I munched on grapes.
I appreciated the comfortable silence between us. It was a companionable quiet. The noises of New York floated up to us- conversations in many languages, shouts of men unloading a truck across the street, the drumbeats from the homeless man playing overturned buckets on the corner.
I realized then how much I had come to love the city. On one hand, it was loud and bustling and easy to get lost in. On the other, I loved being able to disappear into the crowd.
“Are we expecting a limo?” Sam gestured down towards the street, where a black stretch had just pulled up in front of my building.
I rolled my eyes. “Probably. He seems to enjoy making a flashy entrance.”
She laughed and tossed her hair. “Well, I’m not complaining, especially if we have to spend the next few days out in the jungle.”
I chuckled. She never been the outdoorsy type. I felt a flicker of worry as I wondered how she would do on the trek. She was in excellent shape physically. But, like me, she was used to working in a clean, quiet lab, surrounding by all the comforts of the big city. Hopefully she could handle roughing it for a few days.
Sam was a brilliant scientist. Her studies focused on pharmacogenetics. She developed personalized medications, based on a person’s genetic makeup. We both taught grad students part time, but secretly enjoyed our research more than teaching.
Having Sam along would help me stay focused, and there was the added benefit of her language skills. She’d grown up speaking fluent Spanish, a skill I unfortunately lacked.
She and Tomas, our other close friend growing up, had always tried to teach me Spanish, but when it came to learning languages I struggled.
We collected our bags from the living room and rode the elevator downstairs.
On the way to the airport, we sat in the back of the limo, chatting and laughing as if we were teenagers again.
Sam, Tomas and I had met in middle school and become fast friends. Sam was a shy kid, always more comfortable with books than people. That hadn’t made her any friends, but she didn’t let anyone get to her. Until we’d met, she had learned to be comfortable in solitude.
I was a different story.
As if it weren’t hard enough moving across the country and starting over during your awkward pre-teen years, I had the added misfortune (so I thought) of being a red head. Having red hair wasn’t like having brown hair or blonde hair. Growing up a red head, you stood out, even when you wanted to blend it. It meant having fair skin that turned lobster red in the sun. To top it off, red hair doesn’t take hair dye well.
As a teenager, I’d watched my friends color their hair, highlight it and put blue streaks in it in fits of rebellion. I’d found out early on that I looked sickly and gothic with darker hair and if ever I tried to bleach it, my hair began to fall out, breaking off in clumps as I brushed it. Fitting in had never been an option for me. I’d always been different. My hair was just a reminder of my otherness.
