Feeling the Heat

Kalina frowned. “And what bad news is that?”

“Dr. Moore’s wife went into labor earlier today so he has to be pulled off the epidemic response team headed out for Bajadad. I know your vacation was to start tomorrow, but we need your assistance in India.”

Kalina drew in a deep breath. Although she hadn’t made any definite vacation plans, she had looked forward to taking time off. “How long will I be needed in Bajadad?”

“For two weeks, beginning tomorrow, and then you can resume your vacation.”

She nodded. There was no need to ask if there was someone else they could call since she knew the answer to that already. The epidemic response team had thinned out over the past few years with a war going on. And since the enemy liked to engage in chemical warfare, a number of epidemiologists had been sent to work in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Dr. Daniels?”

Resigned, she said. “Yes, of course.” Not that she had a choice in the matter. She was civilian, but orders from her boss were still meant to be followed, and she couldn’t rightly get mad at Jess Moore because his wife was having a baby. “I’ll be ready to head out tomorrow.”

“Thanks. I’ll send your information to your email address,” Major Harris said.

“That will be fine.”

“And Dr. Westmoreland has been notified of the change in personnel.”

Kalina almost dropped the phone. “Dr. Westmoreland?”

“Yes?”

She frowned. “Why was he notified?”

“Because he’s the one heading up the team.”

Kalina’s head began spinning. No one would be so cruel as to make her work with Micah again. She drew in a deep breath when a suspicion flowed through her mind. “Was Dr. Westmoreland the one to suggest that I replace Dr. Moore?”

“No, the reason you were called is that you’re the next doctor on the on-call list.”

Lucky me. Kalina shook her head, feeling anything but lucky. The thought of spending two weeks around Micah had her fuming inside. And regardless of what Major Harris said, it was hard to believe it was merely a coincidence that she was next on the call list. Micah was well liked and she knew all about his numerous connections and contacts. If she found out he had something to do with this change then …

“Dr. Daniels?”

“Yes?”

“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”

“No, there’s nothing else.”

“Thank you, Dr. Daniels, and good night.”

“Good night, Major Harris.”

Kalina hung up the phone knowing she couldn’t let her feelings for Micah interfere with her work. She had a job to do, and she intended to do it. She would just keep her distance from him. She went into the bedroom and began tugging off her clothes as she became lost in a mix of disturbing thoughts.

The first thing she would do would be to set ground rules between her and Micah. If he saw this as a golden opportunity to get back in her bed then he was sadly mistaken. She was not the type of woman to forgive easily. Just as she’d told him earlier tonight, there was nothing else they had to say to each other regarding what happened between them two years ago. It was over and done with.

But if that kiss was anything to go by, she would need to be on guard around him at all times. Because their relationship might be over and done with, but the attraction between them was still alive and well.

Three

Micah saw the fire in Kalina’s eyes from ten feet away. She glared as she moved toward him, chin up and spine stiff. She meant business. He slid a hand into the pocket of his jeans, thinking that he was glad it was Sunday and there were few people around. It seemed they were about to have it out once again.

This morning, upon awakening, he had decided the best way to handle her was to let her assume he wasn’t handling her at all, to make her think that he had accepted her decision about how things would be between them. And when he felt the time was right, he would seize every opportunity he could get and let her know in no uncertain terms that her decision hadn’t been his.

His gaze swept over her now. She was dressed for travel, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a pair of comfortable shoes on her feet. She looked good in her jeans and tank top and lightweight jacket. But then, she looked better than any woman he knew, in clothes or out of them.

He continued to stare at her while remembering her body stretched out beneath his when he’d made love to her. Even now, he could recall how it felt to skim his hands down the front of her body, tangle his fingers in her womanly essence while kissing her with a degree of passion he hadn’t been aware of until her.

His heart began racing, and he could feel the zipper of his pants getting tight. He withdrew his hands from his pockets. The last thing he needed was for her to take note of his aroused state, so he turned and entered the private office he used whenever he was in D.C. on business. Besides, he figured the best place to have the encounter he knew was coming was behind closed doors.

By the time she had entered the office, all but slamming the door behind her, he was standing behind the desk.

He met her gaze, and felt the anger she wasn’t trying to hide. As much as he wanted to cross the room and pull her into his arms and kiss her, convince her how wrong she was about him, common sense dictated he stay put. He intended to do what he hadn’t done two years ago. Give her the chance to get to know him. He was convinced if she’d truly known him, she would not have been so quick to believe the worst about him.

“Dr. Daniels, I take it you’re ready to fly out to Bajadad.”

Her gaze narrowed. “And you want me to believe you had nothing to do with those orders, Micah?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and met her stare head-on. “At this point, Kalina, you can believe whatever you like. For me to deny it wouldn’t matter since you wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

“And why should I?” she snapped.

“Because I have no reason to lie,” he said simply. “Have you ever considered the possibility that I could be telling the truth? Just in case you need to hear it from me—just like I had nothing to do with your father’s plan to keep you out of Beijing, your orders to go to Bajadad were not my idea. Although I embrace the schedule change wholeheartedly. You’re a good doctor, and I can’t think of anyone I want more on my team. We’re dealing with a suspicious virus. Five people have died already and the government suspects it might be part of something we need to nip in the bud as soon as possible. However, we won’t know what we’re dealing with until we get there.”

He watched as her whole demeanor changed in the wake of the information he had just provided. Her stiffened spine relaxed and her features became alert. No matter what, she was a professional, and as he’d said, she was good at what she did.

“What’s the point of entry?” she asked, moving to stand in front of the desk.

“So far, only by ingestion. It’s been suspected that something was put in the water supply. If that’s true, it will be up to us to find out what it is.”

She nodded, and he knew she completely understood. The government’s position was that if the enemy had developed some kind of deadly chemical then the United States needed to know about it. It was important to determine early on what they were up against and how they could protect U.S. military personnel.

“And how was it detected, Micah?” she was calm and relaxed as she questioned him. He moved to sit on the edge of his desk. Not far from where she stood. He wondered if she’d taken note of their proximity.

He wished she wasn’t wearing his favorite perfume and that he didn’t remember just how dark her eyes would become in the heat of passion. Kalina Daniels was an innately sensuous woman. There was no doubt about it.

“Five otherwise healthy adults over the age of fifty were found dead within the same week with no obvious signs of trauma,” he heard himself saying. “However, their tongues had enlarged to twice the normal size. Other than that, there was nothing else, not even evidence of a foreign substance in their bloodstream.”

He saw the look in her eyes while she was digesting what he’d said. Most terrorist groups experimented on a small number of people before unleashing anything in full force, just to make sure their chemical warfare weapon was effective. It was too early to make an assumption about what they would be facing, but the researcher who was already there waiting on them had stated his suspicions. Before 9/11 chemical weapons were considered a poor man’s atomic bomb. However, because of their ability to reach millions of people in so many different ways, these weapons were now considered the worst and most highly effective of all forms of warfare.

“Have you ever been to Bajadad?” she asked him.

He met her gaze. “Yes, several years ago, right after the first democratic elections were held. It was my first assignment after leaving college and coming to work for the federal government. We were sent there on a peace-finding mission when members of the king’s household had become ill. Some suspected foul play. However, it didn’t take us long to determine it hadn’t been all that serious, just a contaminated sack of wheat that should never have been used.”

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she’d become intrigued. That’s how it had always been with her. She would ask a lot of questions to quench that curiosity of hers. She thought he’d lived an adventurous life as an epidemiologist, while, thanks to her father, she’d been deliberately kept on the sidelines.

In a way, he was surprised she was going to Bajadad. Either the old man had finally learned his lesson or he was getting lax in keeping up with his daughter’s whereabouts. He knew her father had worked behind the scenes, wielding power, influencing his contacts, to make sure Kalina had assignments only in the States or in first-world countries. He’d discovered, after the fact, that her time in Sydney had been orchestrated to keep her out of Beijing without giving her a reason to get suspicious.

Micah stood and decided to shift topics. He met Kalina’s gaze when he said, “I think we need to talk about last night.”

He watched her spine stiffen as she once again shifted into a defensive mode. “No, we don’t.”

“Yes, we do Kalina. We’re going out on a mission together, and I think it’s going to be important that we’re comfortable around each other and put our personal differences aside. I’d be the first to admit I’ve made a lot of mistakes where you’re concerned, and I regret making them. Now you believe the worst of me and nothing I can say or do will change that.”

He paused a moment, knowing he had to chose his words carefully. “You don’t have to worry about me mixing business with pleasure, because I refuse to become involved with a woman who doesn’t trust me. So there can never be anything between us again.”

There, he’d said it. He tasted the lie on his tongue, but knew his reasons for his concocted statement were justified. He had no intention of giving her up. Ever. But she had to learn to trust him. And he would do whatever he had to do to make that happen.

Although she tried to shelter her reaction, he’d seen how his words had jolted her body. There was no doubt in his mind she had felt the depth of what he’d said. A part of him wanted to believe that deep down she still cared for him.

She lifted her chin in a stubborn frown. “Good. I’m glad we got that out of the way and that we understand each other.”

He glanced down at his watch. “Our flight leaves in a few hours. I would offer you a ride to the airport, but I’m catching a ride with someone myself.”

She tilted her head back and looked at him. “No problem. I reserved a rental car.”

Kalina looked at her own watch and slipped the straps of her purse onto her shoulders. “I need to be going.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” he said, falling into step beside her. He had no problem offering her a ride if she needed one, but he hadn’t wanted to appear too anxious to be in her company. “We’re looking at a twelve-hour flight. I’d advise you to eat well before we fly out. The food we’re going to be served on the plane won’t be the best.”

She chuckled and the sound did something to him. It felt good to be walking beside her. “Don’t think I don’t know about military-airplane food. I’m going to stop and grab me a sandwich from Po’Boys,” she said.

He knew she regretted mentioning the restaurant when he glanced over and saw the blush on her face. Chances were, like him, she was remembering the last time they’d gone there together. It had been their first night back in the States after Australia. He might not recall what all they’d eaten that night, but he did remember everything they’d done in the hotel room afterward.

“Whatever you get, eat enough for the both of us,” he said, breaking the silence between them.

She glanced over at him. “I will.”

They were now outside, standing on the top steps of the Centers for Disease Control. “Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you on the flight. Take care until then, Kal.”

Then, without looking back, he moved to the car that pulled up to the curb at that very moment. He smiled, thinking the timing was perfect when he saw who was driving the car.

He glanced up at the sky. He had a feeling someone up there was definitely on his side. His cousin, Senator Reggie Westmoreland, had called him that morning, inviting him to lunch. Reggie, his wife, Olivia, and their one-year-old twin sons made Washington their home for part of the year. It was Olivia and not Reggie who’d come to pick him up to take him to their house in Georgetown. She was a beautiful woman, and he could just imagine the thoughts going through Kalina’s mind right now.

Kalina stood and watched Micah stroll down the steps toward the waiting car. He looked good in a chambray shirt that showed the width of his broad shoulders and jeans that hugged his masculine thighs, making her appreciate what a fine specimen of a man he was.

He worked out regularly and it showed. No matter from what angle you saw him—front, back or side—one looked just as good as the other. And from the side-glances of several women who were climbing the steps and passing by him as he moved down, she was reminded again that she wasn’t the only one who appreciated that fact.

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