Bad Nerd Rising (18 page)

“We finished our testing,” Maria said
unnecessarily.

“And yours, too,” Helena added.

“You didn’t have to do
that.” Tia was grateful, but they didn’t have to do her
work.

Maria shrugged. “Between
your meeting and seeing your aunt and uncle off, and the fact that
you’ll be sleeping here tonight, we decided it was the least we
could do.”

“Thank you, from the bottom of my
heart.”

Helena frowned. “What does
that mean?”

“It means she really means it,” Maria
explained.

“Oh, I knew that.” Helena
flashed a smile. For some reason the sheer beauty of her face
depressed Tia. If Aleksi wasn’t interested in Helena, with all her
beauty and attractiveness, what could he possibly see in
her?

He didn’t kiss Helena
today
, a little voice reminded her. That’s
true, she agreed. He had kissed
her
, Tia Morrison. And those kisses
were perfection.

She could have kissed him
all day long. And all night long...

“Where’s Jorge?” Maria asked, and peered
around the lab.

“He hasn’t returned yet.”

“That’s strange, I thought
he finished before us,” Maria said.

Helena bit her lip. “He did
have more samples.”

“Didn’t he have the wells
where the technicians have desks near the sampling area?” Tia
asked.

“Yes, he did. And he’s
sampling well twenty-six.”

Tia nodded. “It’s likely
he’s talking.”

Maria and Helena both
grinned. “That’s true,” Maria said, just as the door slammed open
and Jorge stomped in.

“Bad day at the office?” Tia teased and
Jorge rolled his eyes.

“If people would just let me do my job, it’d
be easier,” he grumbled.

Helena’s lips twitched.
“You were delayed by people asking you questions.”

“They wanted to know all
about what you were doing. And could they try their hand at
sampling?” Maria guessed – she didn’t even try to hide her
grin.

Tia couldn’t hide hers
either. “This has affected everyone, so it’s only normal for them
to be interested.”

Jorge sent her a glare as
he emptied his sampling kit. She wasn’t repentant in the least. “I
think you’re a hermit, Jorge.”

Helena snorted. “That’s our
Jorge.” She darted a mischievous look at him.

The brackets around his
mouth loosened at the women’s teasing and soon the girls had him
smiling again. He didn’t whistle while he worked but Tia thought it
a mark of a true scientist when they just wanted to be left alone
while they worked.

She had initially selected
Jorge as the most dedicated helper she had, but it soon became
apparent that Maria and Helena were every bit as loyal and
hardworking. Although Helena was a little distracted lately and
wondered if she didn’t have other interests going on, outside of
work. Like a man, maybe.

Jorge and Maria moved to
the bench at the other end of the room and Tia snagged her
opportunity to grill her on that subject.

“So, Helena.”

Helena raised a brow, but
kept working. “So, Tia.”

“I’ve noticed you’re a
little distracted lately. Is there a man in your life?”

Helena’s eyes flew to Tia’s
face, which she searched. Tia decided she tried to assess her
boss’s reason for asking. “I’m asking as a nosy friend, not as your
temporary boss.”

“Oh, in that case, yes,
there’s someone special.” Tia admired and envied the sweet little
smile that darted around Helena’s face.

“Is he a local?”

“He is. But he hasn’t lived
here recently.”

“Do tell.”

“He’s been working abroad.
He looks a lot like Aleksi, actually.”

Tia’s eyebrows rose.
“Really? Do all the men here resemble Aleksi?”

“No, but Maks, Graham and
Maria’s son does. And my friend is also their son.”

“Oh, I see. I didn’t know
they had more than three kids.”

“They do. I think there
were some problems, and that’s why Vladimir left.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“No. But he was surprised
to hear I work with his mother.”

“Do you think that helped,
or hindered?”

Helena cocked her head. “I
think it helped. He’d gotten to where he wants to re-associate with
his family.”

“We all go through that,” Tia said
dryly.

Helena cocked a brow. “We
do?”

“There have been plenty of days when I
wanted to disassociate with my family.”

“The Apes?” Helena asked
knowingly. She only had a sister, so she’d never grown up with
brothers. But Helena still seemed to understand. Or at least she
was amused by Tia’s plight.

“Of course. They’re for
sale, by the way.”

Helena giggled. “No
thanks.”

“Well the offer is always open, if you want
them.”

“I think I’ll wait for the
end of the year clearance sale.”

Tia sniggered. “We can work
out similar pricing right now.”

“No thanks. I’ve got my
hands full enough with the one male in my life.”

“Okay. But if you should
change your mind...”

“You’ll be the first one I
tell.”

***

Aleksi finished his
consultation with the palace chef, and when both were satisfied,
took himself back to his office. Supper plans were in place, and
his heart leapt at the thought of eating, alone, with Tia. He hoped
they actually accomplished some eating. Because he was rather
certain he’d end up kissing her a large amount of the
time.

And she did have that sofa in her
office.

Always best to avoid
temptation, but then even he knew they couldn’t eat in the lab. It
wasn’t safe, and the place was smelly enough to inhibit one’s
appetite, much less their libido.

Plus that contradicted his
purpose.

Because what he did want
was Tia Morrison. She seemed to want him, too. A promising notion.
But she hadn’t been as fully engaged in their kisses today. Because
she heard her colleagues in the hall and had leapt from him like
he’d burst into flames.

That had been an
option.

But if he had gone down in
flames, what a magnificent way to go. Yet, he wouldn’t have taken
her with him because she wasn’t a full participant. Unlike him, who
had lost all thought and reason.

They did have this evening
though. He would make sure she ate, and hopefully manage to
preoccupy her some. His temperature and thoughts soared, and Aleksi
clamped down on his raging libido. Not a good time to be thinking
about his microbiologist.

Right now, he had work to
do. People who relied on him to run their principality. A
responsibility he needed to focus on. Now. Not think about how good
Tia felt and tasted....

He groaned.

***

“Crumley, you’ve outdone
yourself,” Aleksi complimented the palace chef as he sniffed
appreciatively at the fare the man had provided later that
evening.

“Of course, Your Majesty,”
the little man stated and his straight, well groomed mustache
bobbed.

“We’ll enjoy our supper,
thank you.”

“It is my forte,” Crumley
replied. Aleksi, in all his years at the palace had yet to see the
man smile. But he could cook, and that’s what Aleksi needed right
now.

“Would you like me to push
the cart?” Emerson, the palace controller, asked dryly.

Aleksi rolled his eyes.
Unlike Crumley, Emerson was personality personified. He never
ceased smiling and joking and knew everything. More than any one
person should know. But Aleksi always theorized that Emerson was
just one of those people everyone confided in. He was approachable,
so people approached him.

“I think I can handle pushing the cart.”

“Still, I’d like to do it.
I want to see her reaction,” Emerson decided, and Aleksi knew not
to argue with that tone.

“
Who
is the prince here
again?”

Emerson had the good grace
to laugh, but he still shook a towel over his forearm and shoved
the cart into the hall. Aleksi rolled his eyes and followed
Emerson. Not exactly the plan, having Emerson around, but he
figured after he and Tia settled down for supper, he could convince
Emerson to disappear.

One thing he had to say
about his friend, he caught on quickly. That solved, Aleksi’s heart
tripped a beat as he thought about Tia’s reaction to having supper
with him. He hoped she was thankful enough to kiss him in
gratitude.

He wasn’t picky. He’d take
whatever she offered.

With extra force, he reined
in his galloping thoughts and straightened his tie, smoothed a hand
over his hair, and hoped she was actually in the lab.

Emerson rattled the cart
over the threshold and Aleksi was heartened to see Tia turn in
surprise and stare. “Your dinner, Madame,” Emerson intoned. The
light gleamed off Emerson’s light brown hair and lit up his hazel
eyes. But Tia didn’t look anything other than pleased, and she
directed her smile at him, not Emerson. Aleksi’s tension
eased.

He did have to admit, if
drama was his thing, Emerson was the right person for the
job.

“What’s this?” Surprise
etched her face.

“I knew you didn’t plan to
eat supper tonight, and that is, of course, not allowed here in
Rurikstan. We take eating seriously. So I spoke with Crumley and he
prepared us a fine meal.” Aleksi liked the way her eyes widened
then turned soft and warm.

He wanted to kiss
her.
Now
.

Instead, his eyes darted to
his helper, or whatever Emerson was. “Of course, Emerson insisted
on pushing the cart.” His voice could have survived the
Sahara.

“Of course. That’s
something Emerson would find especially funny.” Tia darted a
laughing glance at his friend.

“You’ve discovered our Emerson’s ...
personality,” Aleksi said delicately.

“I believe so.” Her eyes
continued to laugh, and her lips curled into the most alluring
curve he’d ever seen. He had to swallow to keep from drooling on
her.

Emerson sniffed. “I am...”
he cleared his throat.

“Leaving,” Aleksi supplied.

“Yes. I’m leaving.” He
turned to Tia and bowed. “I do hope you enjoy your meal, my
lady.”

“I’m sure I will. Thank
you, Emerson.” Tia kept from laughing, which Aleksi thought was
impressive.

Emerson turned stiffly and
walked nobly out the door. Watching him go, Aleksi sniggered. “I
should act more like him sometimes, or so he tells me.”

Tia laughed. A tinkling,
happy sound that pierced his soul. His spirits soared.

“I don’t think there could
be another Emerson, even if he reproduced,” she said. And clapped a
hand over her mouth. But her eyes still betrayed her. They crackled
with happiness and laughter.

“He has reproduced.”

“What?” Now her eyes snapped wide.

“He and Helena’s sister have been married
for five or so years now.”

“And they have a baby?”

“They have two. A little
girl first, and a little boy recently.”

“I’d love to meet them.”

“I’m certain you will before too long.”

“Oh?”

“It never ceases to surprise me how often I
work with one or the other in my lap.”

“You baby-sit?”

“Yes.” He sighed, and she
laughed.

“His daughter, how old is she?”

“Nadia is three. And she
loves me.” He smiled at the thought of the little girl who seemed
to enjoy spending her days with him.

“I’m sure she does. What do
you do to keep her occupied?”

“She has a play set in the
corner of my office and she’s used to keeping quiet. You’d never
know she was there, most of the time.”

“I see. How about her
brother?”

“He’s one now. He spends
time with me also. But Emerson wears one of those slings for
babies, so I don’t have to take care of Matthieu that
often.”

“I imagine Matthieu is old enough to walk
now?”

“Oh, yes.”

“What does Helena’s sister do that she
doesn’t take care of the children?”

“She’s a nurse practitioner, so she’s been
spending a lot of time at the hospital.”

“Ah. Does she look like
Helena?”

“Yes. You’d think they were
twins, they resemble each other so much. But I believe Karis is two
years older than Helena.”

“Karis?”

“Yes, she’s Emerson’s wife
and Helena’s sister.”

Aleksi meandered into her
office where Tia had wheeled the cart. She wiped down the table,
folded the supplied tablecloth overtop, and set out the cutlery. He
realized he liked watching her work.

He transferred the various
dishes to the table then seated Tia.

“I’d like to meet Karis,
Nadia, and Matthieu.”

“You will, I promise.”
Aleksi sat and then dished up and he thought maybe Tia was touched
that he remembered she would have to work in the lab this
evening.