Kat Attalla Special Edition Read Online Free Page A

knowledge that she would probably take him out with one of her frequent accidents before she made too much of a fool of herself. Her brother, Steven, called her “one of the romantically challenged”. If she didn’t put a man to sleep with her endless scientific babble, she invariably embarrassed herself with a klutzy mishap before the goodnight kiss.
    She recalled one hearty soul who’d stayed with her through the awkward stage, but then he’d received ample compensation for his time. After Marty’s betrayal … Marty. That wasn’t even his real name. Nothing about him had been real, least of all his feelings for her.
    God. Was it really six years ago? It seemed like only yesterday. How they all must have gotten a good laugh at her expense. Anger surged through her. Trust the defense department to do all it could to keep their scientific community happy.
    A knock on the back door startled her. She pushed the bitter memories away. Erik Sanders stepped inside carrying a large vacuum. He smiled apologetically. “I was looking for an outside entrance to the basement so I wouldn’t have to trample through your house.”
    “There isn’t one.”
    The earthy scent of him wafted around her, sending her peripheral nervous system into sensory overload. Humans possessed the unique ability to control their animal impulses, so why did her body respond to his nearness despite her conscious effort to remain immune?
    “I know that now.”
    She backed herself against the counter. The extra distance didn’t lessen her awareness of him. The room seemed so much smaller with him inside. “I thought you’d finished. The water is back on.”
    “Only in your kitchen. As soon as I pump out the water on the floor down there, I’ll take care of the pipe, and you should be all set. Tomorrow at the latest.”
    She nodded. “I have a couple of errands to run after lunch. I guess you can leave the door open if you have to go in and out.”
    Erik shook his head. “That’s against policy. I’ll just work on another house down the street until you return.”
    “I can stay and take care of those errands another day.”
    “No, really,” he insisted quickly. “There’s plenty of other work in the area to take care of.”
    Normally, she would allow the man to finish his job, but today she wanted to prolong his stay. With a week off from work, she might as well pass the time indulging in scientific research. From a purely academic stand point, the man was a perfect example of physics. When she looked at him, the Big Bang theory came right to mind.
    What was she thinking?
    Her cheeks burning, she turned towards the oven. Her stocking clad foot caught the edge of the metal appliance. Pain shot through her, and she stifled a cry.
    She gripped the counter. “I’ll let you know when I’m leaving,” she tried to force out in a level voice. After a few seconds, the throbbing in her big toe began to fade.
    “Okay.” He started down the hall toward the staircase. “Smells good in there.”
    With absolutely no direction from her brain, she spoke. “Would you like some lasagna?” She winced. Why would he want to have lunch with Clodzilla?
    “If you’re sure there’s enough.”
    Her jaw dropped open. He actually accepted. The man was either incredibly brave or starving. Maybe a little of both. “I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Erik tramped down the basement stairs, grinning like a fool. He thought for sure she’d seen him tampering with the phone lines outside her kitchen window. His feeble excuse about looking for an outside entrance wouldn’t fool a twelve-year-old, yet she seemed oblivious to the lie. She’d asked him to lunch, for God’s sake. Daniels probably busted his gut laughing when he heard her invitation. Erik regretted planting the bugs in her kitchen and dining room. Their entire conversation would be recorded and listened to. That never bothered him before. Why now?
    He knew the answer, although