knew Phillippa would support her, if it came down to that. But somehow the way Dee had said it so simply and unconditionally, made Grace feel all warm and snuggly inside.
And even though she trusted Dee, she couldnât bear to confess the worst part to her. Yes, her university had promised to defend her against Walterâs lies, but Grace knew that if she couldnât get the spores and raise the level of her research and experimentation to new heights, her reputation would suffer.
She also had to prove to the foundation that her work was her own and that she was the one deserving of the funds, not Walter. Otherwise, within a month she could lose her funding, her job and, most important, her reputation.
âForget about stupid Walter,â Dee said, interrupting her worries. âWhat about Mr. Hunkadelic?â
âWhat? Who?â Grace wondered if sheâd had a few too many sips of Deeâs cocktails because the lightning-quick change of subject made her head spin.
âYou know who.â Dee stared meaningfully at Grace. âThe hunky man who is our boss? Mr. Big?â
âOh, Logan.â Grace stared intently at the label on her water bottle. The letters looked wobbly. Very odd. âWhat about him?â
âSomething happening between you two?â
âNothing.â
âThen why arenât you looking at me?â Dee said, chuckling. âDo you have something to hide?â
Grace whipped around. âNo! I meanâ¦okay, he kissed me, butââ
âHe kissed you?â
She sighed and flopped down on the bed. âYes, and I warned him not to do it again.â
âYouâ¦wait.â Dee moved her chair so she could rest her feet on the bed. âOkay, Iâve got to hear your explanation for this one.â
Grace stared at the ceiling as if help might be sent down from up above. But none came, so she finally met Deeâs gaze. âIt was for his own good.â
âI donât get it. Is he a bad kisser?â
âOh, no,â Grace said, shaking her head. âHeâs really good.â
âWell, thenâ¦â
âI ran away,â Grace said, and buried her face in her hands. Humiliation swept through her. She still couldnât believe that sheâd run from Logan like a teenager afraid of her own hormones.
Deeâs eyebrows shot up and her feet thumped to the floor. âYou ran away? Honey, are you crazy? Nobody runs away from Logan Sutherland. Weâre all running toward him.â
She had known that, deep down of course. But hearing Dee say it out loud only confirmed that once again, Grace was ânot normal.â She didnât do anything like your average woman did. Heck, she hadnât even been able to stand her ground when a gorgeous man kissed her. It was pitiful. Just pitiful.
Still, she had to try to defend herself, pointless though it might be. âDee, he doesnât know me. Heâs the one who would go running if he knewâ¦â
âIf he knew what?â
Grace gritted her teeth and forced herself to say it. âIf he knew how smart I really am.â
Dee came over to the bed, grabbed a pillow and sat next to her, resting her back against the headboard. âHoney, I confess Iâm not sure how smart you are, but what does it matter? He kissed you. He likes you. Why are you running away from that?â
Grace folded her arms across her chest, anxious to make Dee understand. âMen donât like smart women.â
âOh, Gracie, thatâs just plain prehistoric. These days, men love smart women.â
Grace shook her head stubbornly. âNot when theyâre as smart as I am.â
Deeâs mouth twisted in confusion. âJust how smart are you?â
âI have an IQ of 172,â she said, annoyed with the slight whine in her voice.
âOh, Gracie.â Dee reached out and grabbed Graceâs hand. âYou realize that means nothing to me,