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her body for one thing. It was unlike any she'd ever experienced before. All her life, she'd
    been forced to prove herself to others. And since her father's reputation had so impugned her own, she'd
    gone out of her way to not allow the fact that she was a woman make the more elitist scholars disregard
    her. She'd focused her entire life on being a serious scientist, to the exclusion of all else.
    But with Arik, it was different. He treated her as a woman and he wasn't repelled by her protective
    barbs. He saw her as desirable. The novelty of that alone was titillating.
    She wanted to close her eyes and lean back into him. To reach up and lay her palm against his whiskers
    so that she could feel the muscles of his jaw work. It was what she'd do in her dreams.
    But this was reality and Dr. Geary Kafieri didn't have time for such play. Even though all she wanted to
    do was stay where she was, she pulled away. "I need to work."
    Arik ground his teeth in frustration. But then it was the power of her that had lured him to her in the first
    place. I want you to stay …
    The thought had no sooner gone through his head than she turned on him with a vicious glare. "And I
    told you I have things to do."
    He frowned at the anger in her tone. "Excuse me?"
     
    "You said you wanted me to stay and I can't do that."
    He cocked his head. "No, I didn't." He'd only thought it.
    "I heard you loud and clear."
    "But I didn't speak." How could she have heard him when he didn't have his powers?
    Geary didn't know what to think. Something wasn't right about this. She could sense it. She needed to
    get away from him until she could sort through this.
    Without so much as a good-bye, she left him and headed topside so that she could get a breath of fresh
    air and clear her thoughts.
    Thia met her on deck. "Where's Mr. Cutie?"
    "Down below."
    A wicked smile curved her lips. "Now that's where I'd like to have him… down below ."
    Geary rolled her eyes at the bad entendre as a breeze brushed against her and gave her a shiver. She
    was still in wet clothes, and if they were truly going to meet with any Greek official she needed to change
    her clothes lest she offend him.
    "Have at him, Thee. I'm sure he'd welcome that."
    Kat laughed as she passed by them. "I really doubt that." Geary frowned at the odd note in Kat's voice.
    At almost six and a half feet tall, she, like Thia, towered over the rest of the crew, women and men alike.
    Kat was also extremely Greek, with blond hair and sharp green eyes. She'd joined their team only a few
    weeks ago—right after they'd found the wall they were trying so desperately to excavate. "Do you know
    something about our guest?"
    Kat shrugged nonchalantly. "Nope. Why would I?"
    "Hmmm…" Geary wasn't so sure if she believed that or not. There was something in Kat's demeanor
    that said she might be withholding information.
    "Kat, you're from Greece, right?"
    She laughed again. "Born and raised. I seriously doubt anyone comes more Greek than me, why?"
    "Do you really think this guy can help us get our permits?"
    Kat sobered. "I guess we'll know soon."
    But not soon enough in Geary's book. "All right. I need to change before we dock. I'll see you two
    shortly."
    Kat waited until Geary had vanished belowdecks before she looked at Thia, who at eighteen bore a
    frightening resemblance to the goddess Artemis. "By the way, I heard Scott was looking for you."
     
    Her face lit up. "Really?"
    "Yeah. You better run before he changes his mind."
    Thia couldn't have bounded off faster if she'd been wearing Hermes' enchanted sneakers. Which was
    definitely a good thing.
    That should occupy the redhead for at least a few minutes so that Kat could go visit their latest
    acquisition and not be disturbed or, more to the point, overheard.
    As soon as she was sure Thia was out of the way, Kat headed to Teddy's cabin, where Arik had been
    taken. She knocked once on the door before she pushed it open.
    Arik stood by the window with his arms