Maybe it was juvenile, but when I woke up Saturday morning, the first thought that had come into my mind was that I wasn’t a virgin anymore. It hadn’t been some big emotional revelation or me staring at the ceiling with stars in my eyes, the sorts of things that I supposed I would’ve felt if I’d been in a relationship, or if, at the very least, I’d known the man I’d had sex with.

No, it was more the acknowledgment of the ache between my legs, the sensitivity of my nipples, and the knowledge of how I’d gotten to feel that way. And that was how I’d ended up with an entire weekend of I lost my virginity to a stranger at a sex club running through my head.

I hadn’t wanted to talk to Dorly or Codie about it either. I didn’t regret what I’d done, but I was afraid that if I tried to talk to either of them, they’d think I was upset with them for suggesting it. Or, worse, they’d feel like they pushed me into it. They didn’t yet know me well enough to know that no one could ever force me to do something I didn’t want to do.

I supposed I was still freaking out a little when I got to work Monday morning, because as soon as I walked into the lab, I started talking and couldn’t quit.

Cai didn’t seem to mind, at least, and he didn’t mind when I did it again on Tuesday. And Wednesday.

I couldn’t stop babbling.

When I walked into the lab on Thursday morning, I’d promised myself that I was going to be quiet and let Cai get his work done. But then, he turned and smiled at me, and all my good intentions flew right out the window.

It seemed that even the smoking hot Dominant who’d been filling my dreams couldn’t change the way Cai Hunter could turn my brain into mush, and my mouth into a non-stop embarrassment.

“Do you have any other papers you need me to look over?” I asked. “You said Dr. Edison approved the work I did.”

“He did,” Cai said, “but no one else has asked me for any input. I appreciate you doing that for me.”

“No problem,” I said with what I hoped was a normal-looking smile and not something from Pennywise the Dancing Clown. “I used to proof my brothers’ papers, even Simon’s. He’s three years older than me, but because I graduated early, I was only one grade behind him in school. I was better at math and science, obviously, so we actually had a few of those classes together.”

“Are you getting homesick yet?” he asked, leaning back against his desk as if he had nothing more important to do today than to talk to me.

I shook my head. “No. I’m actually enjoying being able to hang out with my roommate and her girlfriend, make my own schedule that isn’t dependent on whether or not I have to babysit or start dinner. Did you have to babysit a lot?”

He shook his head. “We had a nanny.”

More evidence that we’d had very different childhoods.

“I have some math I’d like you to review,” he said, surprising me.

“Me?”

“I like to have another person go over my information rather than only relying on a computer. The work we do here is too important to risk human or machine error.”

He was right. I was here to work, not to get close to him.

* * *

I was still adjusting to life in the South, but I wasn’t even close to regretting my decision to move. I was loving work, even with Pansy Kemyss being a pain in my ass. There was always at least one in every workplace, right? Even if you were doing your dream job. That obnoxious co-worker who kept things from being too good.

I would say that I didn’t know what her problem was, but I was pretty sure I did know. It was completely misguided, of course, but it also wasn’t anything under my control, so all I could do was wait it out until she realized that there was nothing going on between Cai and me. It could’ve been some sort of professional jealousy, since even though I was technically an intern, I was able to do more of the work than she could, but I saw the way she changed every time she looked at Cai. She had it bad, and I doubted he even noticed. If she hadn’t been so petty with me, I would’ve felt bad for her.

It was only Thursday afternoon, but I was already looking forward to the weekend. Part of me was even considering talking Codie and Dorly into taking me back to the club, but I knew that would just end badly. I’d either find the same guy, and he wouldn’t want to be with me again, or I’d find another guy, and he’d be a disappointment. Better to just be happy with what I had and focus on work.

Still, not having to put up with Pansy for two wonderful days was reason enough to look forward to the weekend. Even if it also meant I didn’t get to see Cai.

Speaking of Dr. Hunter…

His expression was serious as he came into the break room. “Are you in the middle of something?”

I shook my head. “Just getting something to drink. Do you want anything?”

Idiot. He was standing right here. If he wanted something, he’d get it himself. He wasn’t one of those people who thought they had to be waited on hand and foot because they were so much smarter than everyone else.

“Dr. Fenster just came to see me.”

Dr. Fenster? The head of the CDC? Shit. Had I done something that wrong that the head of the center was here to fire me? Or was I reading too much into this and it wasn’t about me at all?

“There’s an outbreak in Pecan Grove, Texas. You have an hour to go home, pack what you’ll need for a few days, and then get back here.”

I had to have misunderstood him. He couldn’t have meant I was going with him. “What?”

“Dr. Fenster told me to pick a couple people to bring with me as part of my team. There’s a possible chemical aspect, so Pansy’s going, but I want you coming as my number two. We’re flying out in ninety minutes, so we can begin the initial investigation. The rest of the team is in Massachusetts and will be flying down later this evening.”

Without another word, he turned around and walked out, leaving me staring after him, speechless.

The paralysis lasted nearly a full thirty seconds before my brain kicked in, and I went for my purse. In theory, I’d known this was possible. I was an intern, true, but I was almost a doctor myself, and I’d been assigned to a specific scientist, and if he was called to the field, then I could be expected to go with him.

I just hadn’t expected it within my first two weeks.

My mind was racing as I hurried outside, the thoughts chasing each other. I should’ve had a go-bag already prepared. What should I put in a go-bag? The basics were obvious. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. I should’ve kept travel sizes on hand. Dorly might have some, but if she didn’t, I could take a risk and hope the hotel would have them. Except, I didn’t know if we’d be in a hotel. Texas wasn’t a third-world country, but I wasn’t deluded about the conditions we might encounter. There was a high probability that I could end up sleeping on chairs or a cot; if I slept at all.

Still. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. Those would work just as well in a public bathroom as it would in a hotel. I didn’t know how many days we’d be gone, but I could wash clothes in a sink if necessary, so one pair to wear, one to change into.

I was still making my mental list when I arrived at the apartment.

“Is something wrong?” Dorly asked, concern on her face. “You’re back early.”

I shook my head, rushing past her into my bedroom. I shouted over my shoulder, “I’ve got to pack!”

“Pack?” Codie appeared in the doorway. “Where are you going?”

“Texas.” I pulled my suitcase out of my closet and set it on my bed.

“Slow down, Addison.” Dorly came inside. “What are you doing?”

I stopped, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She was right. I needed to slow down. If I kept going at this rate, I’d end up packing six pairs of shoes and my deodorant but forgetting everything else.

Deodorant.

That had to be on my go-bag list for the future.

I needed to make a list.

Not now though. Now, I needed to pack because I didn’t have much time before I needed to get back.

“There’s a possible epidemic in Texas,” I said. “The CDC is sending out a team, and I’m going.”

Dorly’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “They’re sending an intern with two weeks of experience into the field to handle an epidemic?”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like they’re sending me out to the deepest darkest jungle with a first-aid kit and a flashlight. There’s three of us going out in about an hour. I’ll only be helping with initial investigation before the remainder of the team gets there.”

“Would your hot doctor be one of the ones going?” Codie asked with a smile.

I glared at her as I stuffed a couple pairs of panties and bras into my bag. “I don’t have a hot doctor, Codie. But if you’re asking if Dr. Hunter is going to Texas, yes, he is. That’s why I’m going.” I pointed at her before she could speak. “Because he’s my supervisor. That’s all.”

And that was what I reminded myself as I finished packing a few more necessities. This was a business trip. Nothing else.