It was obvious from the moment he laid eyes on Dr. Alice Morgan that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. From her pursed red lips to the slant of dark brows over her hazel eyes; he read her scorn loud and clear. Instead of being offended or upset, he just wondered why she was so adverse to his presence. It was unthinkable that he’d managed to do something wrong in the few minutes he’d spent in her company, and the longer he stood there, the more he found it difficult to concentrate on the job at hand. He watched her move about the lab, explaining various instruments and tools as if she expected him to be completely daft, and he was baffled that he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. She was beautiful in ways he’d never particularly noticed in a woman. From the width of her hips to the rise of her bosom; she was voluptuous and supple, a far cry from the women he’d grown accustomed to in his adolescence. That is to say, she wasn’t a small woman by any means, and for the life of him that just excited him more. Her curves were defined, a winding road of plushness that sparked something inside of him he couldn’t readily identify. He was attracted to her. A first for him. Henri swallowed hard as his eyes trailed her long, thick, legs and round backside, hidden beneath the fabric of a lab coat and tasteful pants-suit. This was going to be a problem. She was going to be a problem.

    “Are you listening?” she asked and he blinked, trying desperately to recall even a snippet of what she’d just said. But her words had been lost on him. He was flustered, his cheeks tinting as his teeth clenched. What an interesting situation this was presenting itself to be.

    “I’m sorry, this is just a little overwhelming,” he said, tearing his gaze away from her enticing body to look her straight in the eye. She was furious. And she had a right to be. He was being extremely rude. 

    “Right. Well, as I stated previously, I’m not going to coddle you. Not that I’m trying to be unnecessarily harsh or mean, but your patients aren’t going to go easy on you, either. Neurology is an exceptionally difficult field because our science, in nature, deals with the sickness of the mind. When you’re standing in a room with a dementia patient who can’t remember her own name but is demanding you treat her, are you going to just stare into space?” she asked, folding her arms under her bust to emphasis her annoyance. Henri blinked again, clearing his throat and forcing himself to keep his gaze trained on hers. 

    “No, Dr. Morgan. Not at all.”

    “Then pay attention.” She was blunt, but she was right. He needed to get himself under control so he could focus on why he was there to begin with. Despite his obvious mental and physical attraction to the woman before him, the last thing he needed was to let his hormones and carnal instincts dictate his actions. He had a purpose, a promise to fulfill, and a suspicion that Fairview Medical was at the very center of it all. One of only two hospitals directly owned and funded by Edward Chang, his uncles small intelligence network had lead him to Syracuse in search of whatever information he could find on Paragon Genetic Solutions and the psychics he knew remained in their custody. With the first facility located in Seoul, and directly under the noses of the South Korean government, America’s less than stellar medical system made it an excellent place for Chang to freely abuse his power without his owners yanking his leash. And the fact that Fairview was an expansive facility, with multiple laboratories and all the instrumentation he’d ever need, made it a prime target in his search. If the psychics weren’t kept directly on the premises, he would bet his life he’d find the information he needed to locate them somewhere nearby. His infiltration had been a complete success. The problem now was either finding someone with access to that data, or being left alone long enough to find it himself. And he had a sneaking suspicion his resident doctor would be a good place to start.

    “I understand completely, Doctor. I humbly ask that you excuse my behavior. I’m certain that once I’m fully acclimated to my surroundings my performance won’t disappoint,” he said, watching her arch a brow in disbelief. 

    “Good. Back to what I was saying. This is Laboratory six, where we will be spending the majority of our time together. That being said, the equipment here is a little sensitive but is probably the most reliable in the building,” she said, motioning to the rows of black-topped cabinets, computers and mechanical instruments on rolling trays. The room was neat and sterile, with the exception of the numerous cords and wires trailing the equipment. “Director Ackerman will have your exact scheduling, but for the most part you’ll be working directly under me and assisting in everything from neurological research to the actual treatment of patients. I ask that you be both respectful and punctual, I won’t tolerate you showing up late every day because you were up all night partying or playing video games. This isn’t your first residency so I know you’re versed in what is and isn’t appropriate behavior. Any questions?” 

    “Only a few that I think you won’t be so keen on answering.”

    “Such as?”