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floor. Scott pushed himself upright and sat out of arm’s reach, readjusting his clothing, then running a frustrated hand through his hair. “God…”
    “I’m sorry.” Wait, why was I apologising? It wasn’t as if I was the unwilling one. Not that he was unwilling…quite the opposite, in fact.
    Okay, stop thinking about that. You need to calm down!
    “Yeah, ‘cause it was all your fault.” His voice was mildly sarcastic and I couldn’t help but laugh. My attraction to him wasn’t just physical—he wasn’t my usual type but the fact that he had a sense of humour was a big turn-on.
    This really wasn’t helping. “I think I should start walking. It’ll probably calm me down more than staying here will.”
    “Good idea. Make sure you check your hair in the mirror first. Sorry about that, by the way.” His grin was anything but apologetic.
    I got to my feet—a little shaky, but not a total basket case—and went over to the mirror by the door. It might have seemed like a strange thing to have hanging in an administrative room like this, but, if things like what had just happened to us were commonplace in here, it made sense.
    My hair was a total mess, and I pulled my brush from my bag with a sigh of mock irritation. “You know, if I was a little more precious about my appearance, you’d be due a good slap for this.”
    “Come over here and say that,” he said, his voice a lazy drawl. I looked over my shoulder to find him watching me appreciatively, and turned back to the mirror with a shiver of lust.
    “When and where?” I pulled a few last strands of hair back into place, then busied myself reapplying my lipstick. When I was done, I almost looked calm and professional. Almost.
    “Can you sneak into town tomorrow night? The theme at Club Icarus is ‘masquerade ball’—wear a mask and hide the tattoos, and you won’t have to worry about being recognised.”
    I nodded, my heart skipping nervously. I’d thought about disguising myself and going out to party every night since my failed procedure, and every night I’d ruled it too stupid and dangerous. But for Scott…
    “I’ll be there.”
    We exchanged phone numbers while we still safely could and I left without asking for the goodbye kiss I was dying for. Walking quickly through the hospital corridors, I turned my mind to the heart surgery I was going to assist with today.

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    I had a lot to think about on the train home. The mysterious ‘committee’ and Beth. The confirmed existence of other unsuppressed professionals, all faking it the way I was.
    Scott.
    Of course, most of my mind was occupied by thoughts of him. Our up-close-and-personal encounter was seared into my memory—every caress, every kiss, every word he had said and everything he hadn’t needed to.
    Was I falling so hard for him because he was the first prospect available? Were we just perfectly suited? Or was something else going on?
    I hardly cared. Once I got home, I checked that my roommates were both out at their evening law classes, then ran a deep, hot, luxurious bubble bath. Soaking in the strawberry scented water, I at last allowed my memories of that morning to take over.
    His fingers against my wrist had felt amazing, stroking across the sensitive pulse point and sending tingles through my skin. I tried to imagine what they’d feel like against my breasts, cupping them in my hands, letting my fingertips ghost over my nipples.
    I’d been so afraid to trust him, but when he’d kissed me that had disappeared in an instant. I’d been with guys before, but, as far as I could remember, none of them had made me want to sprint from first base all the way to a home run within the space of one kiss.
    God, when I’d felt him get hard, though—
    I sighed into the steamy air, slipping one hand down beneath the bubbles, over my stomach, past my abdomen… I wanted to undress him and kneel in front of him, to watch his eyes darken with desire as I sucked