Katie couldn't believe she sat locked in a tiny room with a man she had secretly dreamt about for months. Kaiden, the government agent, was all business. Not at all like the man she'd taken care of in the hospital. There he had been teasing, flirty, and light hearted. Here, aside from expressing a little amusement at her expense, none of those characteristics had shown up yet.

"Look, Agent James. Here's the story in a nutshell. We met online. I thought we had fallen in love but now I know I was a naïve idiot to think someone as wealthy, connected, and good looking as Nathan Marks could ever fall in love with someone simple like me. He cheated on me with my only friend and I kicked him to the curb. Although, I seriously doubt he cared. I'm sure Mandy gave him everything he wanted… and then some."

Kaiden's expression turned to stone. "And just why wouldn't he fall for someone like you?"

She glanced down at her disheveled self. "Come on, look at me. What does it matter for your investigation anyway?"

He didn't say anything for a long while but he sure did look at her. He looked at her for so long parts of her began to heat up a little bit. Okay, a lot.

Katie held his gaze as long as she could stand it before having to look away. His eyes seemed to bore straight through her, reading her thoughts.

Oh, good lord, he couldn't read her thoughts, could he? Her cheeks heated.

"Who is this friend you mentioned?"

"What?" Katie had trouble focusing on the questions Kaiden asked. She kept flashing back to a certain sponge bath incident that had haunted her dreams for months. Were his shoulders and chest still as strong and hard as she remembered?

"I was wondering about the friend you mentioned."

"Former friend. Mandy Howe. She worked in the ward with me. She's prettier than me and has a bigger rack than me. Nathan is a total breast man."

Why had she said that?

Kaiden chuckled as his eyes bore straight into her chest. Thank goodness she had taken the time to throw on a tank top under her shirt, the kind with the built-in bra.

As he studied her, tensions built to near impossible to handle levels. Katie began to fidget in her seat, wishing she could turn her back on Kaiden while at the same time wanting to tear her clothes—and his—off.

Get a grip, girl!

If only her body would listen to her brain.

"So, this Mandy, she worked with you?"

"Didn't I just say that? We worked the same shift. I found her and Nathan in the supply closet about a month and a half ago."

"What sort of diseases are researched in your part of the hospital?"

"Anything infectious. We treat those that are already sick but there's also a lab that is constantly researching infectious diseases that might someday be a problem. You know like the plague, Ebola, West Nile virus, Legionnaires'."

"Did Mr. Marks ever ask you to do anything for him? Like take home equipment or… samples of different diseases?"

"No! And if he had, I would have refused!"

"Would Mandy have refused?"

Perhaps Kaiden had been reading her mind earlier. In the back of her mind, Katie always knew Nathan was up to something. The questions he asked about her job were more than general interest. Nathan probably convinced Mandy how much he cared about her to get her to do what he wanted.

Of course, she had no proof of any of this. Nathan was a lying, cheating, bastard and Mandy was easy. She knew Katie and Nathan were engaged and still she diddled him in the store room.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "No, Mandy would not have refused. I am pretty sure she would do anything Nathan asked her to."

"Nathan is the son of Richard Marks, the senator, isn't he?"

"So? Nathan hated politics. He didn't even tell me who his father was until we had been dating for several months."

"How much did he hate politics? Or could it be his father's politics he couldn't stand? Is there a chance of something else?"

"Like one of those terrorist groups? No way, Nathan is a big pansy. He couldn't handle being involved in something like that."

"You didn't expect him to cheat on you either but he did."

Ouch. "That's harsh, Agent James."

"You're right. I apologize. What I mean is, could there be another side to him that he hid from you? Why else would he have been so interested in your job?"

"He only stayed with me because he thought I was useful to him?" It hurt to hear the words out loud. "I guess it was too much to ask that a man like Nathan, with his family's power and connections, would have wanted to spend his life with someone like me."

Kaiden reached over and placed a warm hand on her free one. In an instant she forgot about Nathan, about the pain and betrayal. Everything around them seemed to slip away with a simple touch as she looked into Kaiden's eyes. They were a beautiful, crystal blue. Katie had forgotten how much she like looking into those eyes.

"I'm sure that in the beginning he genuinely cared for you." Kaiden removed his hand leaving Katie feeling lonely and cold. "It was just an added benefit that you may have become useful to him as well. Guys like Nathan Marks, they don't know how to really care for someone without an agenda."

"Well, now that you know everything, can I go home now?"