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kitchen table. “Kaaat?”
    She shrugged and brought up the flash drive files with the copied texts and turned the screen toward him. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
    Scooting her chair around beside his, she pointed to the cypher-text. “I haven’t figured out what he’s based his code on, but once I do it’ll be simple enough to crack.”
    Simon expanded the first line. “What was that douche into?”
    “Like a hobby?”
    “Hobby, work, personal.”
    “Evan was a total geek with expensive taste.”
    “What did he bring to the lab?”
    “Chemistry.”
    Simon smiled at her. “Aren’t all of you scientists chemists?”
    “Yes, but Evan was a molecular chemist.”
    “Which means?”
    “He worked on genotyping. It’s the process of determining the variations in an individual’s DNA by comparing it to a DNA reference sequence.”
    “How did that tie in with what you were doing?”
    “It plays an important part in the study of viruses and bacteria which can either improve treatments or develop better ones.”
    “But you were working on cancer gene research not viruses or bacteria.”
    “He was fascinated with my sequencing research and we were good sounding boards for each other.”
    Simon scowled. “Yeah he was fascinated with more than your sequencing.”
    Katy warmed. She knew jealousy was a new emotion for Simon. And while he didn’t like to feel it, she was kind of glad he did. “Are you jealous, Simon?”
    He closed his eyes, and when he opened them the green flared. “Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to leave you with him in that hotel room that night?”
    Her heart jumped hard against her chest. “I didn’t want you to leave.”
    “I stood outside your door for almost a half hour making sure you were okay.”
    “You did?” Her heart fluttered. “That was so sweet.”
    “I’m hardly sweet, Kat. When it got quiet, I left. Pissed I wasn’t the one in there with you.”
    Smiling she stood up and moved behind him. Wrapping her arms around his rigid shoulders she snuggled up against his back. “Trust me, you were still in there with me. And Evan knew it. Totally infuriated him.”
    Simon pulled her arms down as he turned in the chair bringing her onto his lap. Clasping the back of her head with his big hand he brought her lips to his. “If I ever see him again, I’m going to hurt him.”
    “Oh, Simon,” she purred, sliding her lips across his. “He’s not worth the trouble.”
    His lips opened possessively, taking control of hers. His arms tightened around her, as his kiss deepened. She loved this side of him. Possessive. Strong.
    His hand slid down her waist to her hips then beneath the little cammie top she was wearing. Her sensitive skin flushed warmly beneath his touch. Softly she moaned, tightening her arms around his neck.
    As his fingers traced across her hard nipples, Katy moaned again and arched, giving him greater access. Just as he slid his hand beneath her bra, his cell phone rang. It was a new ring tone, a caustic beep beep, and by the stiffening of his body, she knew it wasn’t a call he wanted to take.
    He ignored it. But Katy couldn’t.
    “Simon.”
    “It’s Amanda.”

 
     
     
     
    xhaling loudly, Katy pushed off Simon, grabbed the phone and answered, “Simon can’t come to the phone at the moment.”
    “Uncle?” a little girl’s voice excitedly said.
    Katy’s belly dropped. How was she supposed to compete with an innocent five year old? “Hold on, sweetie, I’ll get him for you,” she carefully said and handed the phone to a baffled Simon.
    “What?” he said, exasperated, expecting Amanda. “Oh, Livy!” he excitedly said. Katy’s heart melted as she watched Simon’s features go from hard to soft and loving in the space of one heartbeat. Her womb did a funny little hippity hop.
    The sudden and unexpected urge to make a baby with Simon caught her off guard.
    She wanted a family, she had told Simon as much earlier, but she