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because one more, just one more, and he’d decide he didn’t need to sleep at all.

Chapter Four
    “Gray!”
    Adam flinched as Professor Wilson’s voice exploded behind him. Jan, seated beside him at the bench, gave him a wide-eyed look that said you’re in trouble, boy.
    “Professor?” Adam said, turning around and putting on his most wide-eyed, innocent expression. It never failed to work on his mother.
    “Tell me, Gray,” Wilson said, “have you started to run a taxi service with the department truck? It’s not enough that you use it to go shopping and run personal errands, now you’re giving other people rides home?”
    “Sir, Dr. Benesh had been working late on his quarterly reports. His bike was low on charge, and—”
    “What were you still doing here at that time of night? I didn’t authorize any overtime.”
    “I was just helping Dr. Benesh out.”
    Wilson’s eyebrows shot up. “And what do you know about geology?”
    “He’s a geophysicist, in fact, but, ah… I was just making sure he had something to eat. We’re friends, sir.”
    “So I’ve heard.”
    Of course. You could no more keep a secret around this place than you could grow oranges in the arctic. Adam tried a charming, even sexy smile. He suspected he’d seen Wilson snatch a look at his ass a couple of times—though, to his credit, the professor had never made a move on him.
    “I apologize, Professor. I did have the truck back here by seven thirty this morning. Just with the quarterly reports due in the next few days, I thought I could help another department out.”
    “Yes, well…” Wilson shook his head. “Don’t make a habit of it. The truck is for department business, first and foremost. You’re taking it out this afternoon, I believe.”
    “I have a couple more test farms to complete the reports on.”
    “I want it back here by seventeen hundred. One minute later and I’m going to start charging you vehicle-hire rates.”
    “I’ll have it back by then without fail.”
    “See that you do.” Wilson strode out of the lab.
    Adam turned back to the bench and grinned at Jan. “Putty in my hands.”
    “He won’t be if you don’t get that truck back here on time. And it won’t matter how charmingly you smile at him.”
    “You’re not suggesting I was using my sexual wiles on Dr. Wilson, are you?”
    “You’d use your wiles on anybody if it got you what you want.”
    She had a point. Maybe he could consider it warming up his engines. He intended to work some sexual wiles on Zach tonight.
    * * * *
    “You’re going to miss the deadline,” Phillips said, scowling at Zach.
    “No, sir, I’m sure I can get the rest of my reports done in time. I’ll work late.” Damn, but he was supposed to spend this evening with Adam. Could he maybe come back here afterward? If he could stay awake. He hadn’t gone to bed right after Adam dropped him off the night before but had spent a few hours designing more tests and computer models. He needed sleep.
    “You were here until midnight last night. Were you working on these?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “And anything else? Only I hear you had a guest in the lab most of the evening.”
    Oh hell, did he think Adam and Zach had been up to…shenanigans? Chance would be a fine thing.
    “Mr. Gray brought me some dinner and stayed to do some work of his own. I hope that’s not a problem.”
    Phillips looked at him narrowly. Zach hoped his expression conveyed the idea he couldn’t imagine what else Phillips might be talking about.
    “No, I suppose not. But this work needs to be finished, Benesh. Get on with it.”
    “I will, sir. Right away.” Phillips started to turn away. “Ah, sir, I wondered if you’d had a chance to look at those scan results I gave you?” Even just a glance. Surely if he took even a glance he’d see the implications.
    “I’ll look at them once we get the reports out of the way.”
    “But, sir, I think there is some urgency. If I’m right,