Nerds Are From Mars (12 page)

“Oh, Nolan, you are too adorable for words.”

He met her gaze with a challenge of his own. “So how did you sleep?”

“Not much better than you.” She hesitated, not sure if she had the courage to be honest. “At least not until I –” She paused and let him fill in the rest. “Then I slept like a baby.”

He flopped back into his easy chair. “That proves it. Women are smarter than men. I’ve always suspected that you were, but look at the evidence. There we were, both in the same fix, and I, thinking I was making some noble sacrifice, chose to suffer, which means I didn’t sleep hardly at all. You, on the other hand, being far smarter and more practical, took matters into your own hands.”

Poor guy. Poor adorable guy. “You must be a bundle of nerves.”

“I was earlier, but now that you’re here, I’m a heck of a lot calmer.” He took out his phone and looked at the screen. “Yikes. I’m supposed to sit on a panel and sound intelligent in less than ten minutes. I have to go.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“That’s okay.” He stood and hooked the strap of his laptop case over his shoulder. “You still have half a sandwich and the rest of your coffee.”

“And you’ll make better progress without me. Go ahead. I’ll slip in later.”

“Thanks.” He gave her a quick smile. “I could tell you not to bother, but I’d love to have you there. See you soon.” He walked briskly out of the coffee shop.

Polishing off her coffee, she picked up the remains of her sandwich and took it over to the trash. Even though she wasn’t hungry anymore, she hated to waste it because he’d bought it for her. But using valuable time to eat it would mean being even later to his panel discussion, and she planned to stick close for the rest of the weekend.

This morning she also had taken a few minutes to consult a tarot spread concerning Nolan’s immediate situation. The cards had confirmed what she’d felt ever since learning about the person breaking into his room. Nolan had made an enemy, a potentially dangerous one.

As she worked to help him figure out who might mean him harm, she had to move cautiously. She didn’t like Aaron Blackstone and would love to pin the blame for these pranks on him. But just because he made her jaw clench didn’t mean he was dangerous to Nolan. Although her instincts were good, her psychic abilities could be distorted by an aversion to someone.

Blackstone possessed the traits she most disliked in the male of the species, although he covered his arrogance with a veneer of humility and used his physical appeal so casually that it seemed as if he didn’t care about his blond good looks. But he cared. His charm was smooth and deadly. Beneath his affable exterior lurked a predator. That made him dangerous to women’s hearts and their self-esteem, but it didn’t make him Nolan’s enemy.

Nolan clearly admired the guy’s scientific expertise and they might be colleagues for a long time. If she ended up with Nolan, which her research said was quite possible and her heart knew was very likely, she’d be coming in contact with Blackstone often over the years. Rather than suspect him of evil deeds, she’d do better to practice tolerance.

Holding that thought, she consulted her program and headed for the panel discussion. The doors were closed, so she made a stealthy entrance in hopes she wouldn’t disturb the presentation. Blackstone happened to be talking, which was a good thing because Nolan’s gaze instantly met hers.

If he’d been presenting when she’d walked in, she would have thrown him off. She knew that as surely as she knew her own name. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. Their relationship was too new for him to be blasé about her presence in a room.

She’d have to be careful of that. He’d been nervous during yesterday morning’s talk, too, and apparently that had been her doing. When she’d decided to come to this conference, she hadn’t intended to distract him. Knowing she affected him was flattering, but he couldn’t afford to be distracted while someone was plotting to hurt him, either professionally or physically or both.

That left her with an interesting problem. She was a liability when she caused him to lose focus, and an asset because she had a sixth sense for danger that could protect him from harm. Being with him would be a constant balancing act, and she couldn’t ever totally relax until the harassment stopped or the culprit was identified.

Was it Blackstone? She worked to clear her mind of preconceptions as she concentrated on him. He was glib and artificially modest. But he managed to work in references to his team’s accomplishments and slyly suggest that they would leave Nolan’s team in the dust. If he really believed in collaboration as Nolan thought, he wouldn’t be subtly sabotaging the Harcourt team’s efforts in a public forum.

As she studied him, she felt a darkness coming from him. Was she projecting that because she disliked him so much? That was entirely possible. She might be reading his threat to women as a threat to everyone else, including Nolan. Damn.

Then he looked directly at her, and she felt a blast of evil so strong that she gasped. Even worse, he was smiling as if convinced he’d charmed her with that penetrating glance. He wouldn’t dream that she’d picked up his creepy psychic vibes. He didn’t respect women, and he most certainly didn’t respect women astrologers.

Secure in the mask he’d presented to the world for years, he’d merely think his dazzling smile had swept her into the net of his other conquests. He’d probably interpreted her little gasp as one of admiration. Yet could she really say he was a threat to Nolan?

He wasn’t the cooperative colleague Nolan thought he was, but she couldn’t make the leap from uncooperative to menacing without a lot more information. What she really needed was his exact date and place of birth. He was easily flattered. She didn’t know if she could get the information from him without irritating the heck out of Nolan, though. What a sticky situation.

Blackstone finally sat down after taking more than his share of time. Nolan was up next. She settled back, prepared to enjoy watching him do his thing.

His talk the previous day had been centered on the colonization program, which included housing, farming, and social interactions. Today he discussed rocketry. Or at least he attempted to. Blackstone kept interrupting him.

Finally Darcie had had enough and decided she’d voice a complaint. But as she prepared to do that, Nolan turned to Blackstone.

Nolan’s demeanor was pleasant, but his smile had an edge to it. “Although I appreciate your willingness to contribute, Dr. Blackstone, I have to ask you to stand down. You’ve usurped more than your share of this hour, and I can’t allow you to take any more time.”

Blackstone looked surprised. “But I’m only –”

“Sabotaging the Harcourt team effort? I can’t believe you’d do that when you’ve told me privately you support cooperation instead of competition.”

“I do believe in cooperation. I just –”

“Then shut the hell up, Blackstone.” Nolan’s dimpled grin got a laugh from the audience, if not from his colleague. Then Nolan continued his presentation uninterrupted.

Although the audience had enjoyed Nolan’s comment and might assume it was all in good fun, Darcie knew that he’d drawn a line in the sand. She wanted to stand up and cheer for her gutsy nerd. He’d challenged the bully and come out a victor.

The question and answer session went completely in Nolan’s favor. The audience didn’t seem impressed by Blackstone anymore. After the hour ended, Darcie watched Blackstone working hard to make amends with Nolan. Her sweetie was friendly but reserved. Darcie was dying to talk to him about what had taken place.

She waited in the back of the room. Nolan walked toward her, but unfortunately so did Blackstone, who was raving about Nolan’s behavior during the panel.

“Did you hear this guy take me down a peg?” he said to Darcie. “I was flabbergasted, but then I thought
wow, Bradbury has balls. Who knew
?”

“Everybody knew,” Darcie said. “Except you, apparently.”

Blackstone laughed uneasily. “Yeah, well, I know now. I’ll be on my guard next time I share the podium with him.” He turned to Nolan. “We’re still friends, right? No hard feelings?”

“No hard feelings.” But the expression in Nolan’s gray eyes had changed. There was a steeliness there that hadn’t existed before. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to discuss with Darcie.”

“Absolutely. See you both tonight at the banquet. Unless you’ve changed your mind about that.”

Nolan glanced at Darcie. “Are you good with the previous plan?”

“I am.”

“Then we’ll see you there, Blackstone.” Nolan placed a hand in the small of Darcie’s back. “Come on, you. We’re going to the bar for a drink.”

She laughed as they started out of the room. “And I’m buying.”

“No,
I’m
buying. I might buy a round for everyone in the bar.”

“Please, don’t.” She glanced up at him. “I want some private time with my hero.”

He smiled. “You liked that?”

“I loved that. But we have to talk.”

“Yeah, I know. This is getting complicated.”

Chapter Ten

Nolan discovered he loved being a conquering hero in Darcie’s eyes. Once they had their wine, she insisted on toasting what she called his Blackstone Smackdown. He had to admit that had a certain ring to it.

“I know you want to like him.” She sat across from him in a small booth. “But he’s not your friend.”

“I’ve finally realized that. I haven’t wanted to think of him as a glory seeker, but I can’t ignore the evidence.”

“Spoken like a true scientist.”

“And Blackstone’s a true scientist, too. A huge ego doesn’t preclude excellence in the field. Thomas Edison promoted himself shamelessly. Blackstone’s team may be the first to colonize Mars. I have to give the devil his due.”

“Maybe, but you don’t have to take his shit.”

Nolan laughed. “Not since I got my magic stone.” He pulled it out of his pocket and set it in the middle of the table. “You’ll make a believer of me, yet. The whole time he was hogging the spotlight, I sat holding onto it while it got warmer and warmer. Whether it was the stone’s influence or not, I saw Blackstone in a totally different light. I’m sure he’s behaved that way before but I was oblivious. Not today.”

“Clarity is good.”

“Damn straight. Of course, it’s always possible the stone worked for me because you said it would. You planted the suggestion and my imagination took it from there.” He wondered if she’d leap to the defense of her belief system.

Instead she merely smiled at him. “Could be. Does it matter?”

“No.” He looked into her eyes and basked in the warmth shining there. “All that matters is that he won’t be kicking sand in my face anymore.” He pocketed the stone. “But I’m keeping this handy.”

“I’m glad. I feel better knowing you have it.”

“Me, too. Even if it isn’t a magic stone, you gave it to me and every time I touch it, I’m reminded of you. And speaking of touching . . .” He laid his arm on the table, palm up. “Give me your hand.”

She placed her hand in his. “Don’t forget we’re still in a very public place.”

“I won’t, but the happy hour crowd isn’t here yet.” He brought her hand closer and cradled it in both of his. She had such soft skin. He hadn’t paid attention to her nail polish before but now he saw that it was pale lavender, which suited her non-traditional take on life. He turned her hand over. “I’m going to read your palm.”

“Sure you are.”

“Do you know how to read palms?” He traced the creases in hers and was gratified by her involuntary shudder. Glancing up, he caught the flare of desire in her blue eyes.

She cleared her throat. “I remember some of the basics from having it done a couple of times, but I’m no expert.”

“Neither am I.”

“Really?” Her voice was still a little husky. “I’m so surprised to hear that.”

That husky note in her voice was a major turn-on. “It doesn’t take an expert to read your palm. It only takes a man with a little inside info. And it’s a great excuse to hold your hand.”

“Then proceed. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”

“Okay, here goes. See this line, here?” He drew his forefinger in an arc across her palm and she shivered again. This had been a great idea.

“Yes, I see it.”

“It means that in less than an hour, you’ll meet a tall, dark stranger. Actually, he’s tall, but his hair’s more brown than black, and he’s not exactly a stranger.”

“If you ask me, he’s getting stranger by the second.”

“Very funny. Now pay attention, because you need to know what I’m about to tell you. This tall, brown-haired, semi-familiar stranger will escort you to an obligatory cocktail party, followed by an obligatory dinner.”

“Cocktail party?”

“Yeah. I forgot to mention that.”

“Good thing I brought my little black dress.”

“It’s for speakers and their guests. Starts at five-thirty. Anyway, this line here . . .” He followed another curve. “See it?”

“Yes. You’re tickling me.”

“Let me trace it one more time to be sure we’re on the same page . . . I mean palm.”

“I suppose you realize you’re also turning me on.”

“I certainly hope so.” He looked into her eyes. “Because the line I just traced indicates that you’ll be bored silly during the cocktail party and the dinner. You’ll have to draw on this palm-reading experience to get through it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She held his gaze. “How and when did you get so sexy?”

“When you weren’t looking. I’m what’s known as a late bloomer.”

“In that case, thank heavens for Space Expo.”

“I’m pretty damned grateful for it, too, and I’m about to tell you why.” He studied her palm again. “This deep crease right here . . .” He dampened his finger and slid it slowly along the indentation a few times.

Her breathing quickened. “As you well know, I’m very sensitive to touch, so you’re driving me crazy with that routine.”

“Good.” He lifted his head. “Because that crease means that after the boring cocktail party and the boring dinner, the tall, brown-haired, semi-familiar stranger . . . is going to strip you naked, take you to bed, and kiss every inch of your sweet body.” And he currently had an erection that would make leaving the booth a bit of a problem.