Excerpt: Desert Heat

"Are you okay?"

Marie froze at the deep, velvety voice. She'd heard it before, but where? Her brows drew together as she looked up, and up and up into the emerald eyes of Darren Newbury, Riley's main assistant. Great. She nodded, slowly stepping back while resisting the urge to pet his chest with her fingers. He was one of the few men she'd ever thought of as "pretty", though she was fairly certain he'd be offended at the description. Ever since they'd had classes together, she'd had a bit of a crush on him, but her brain never seemed to work right around good-looking guys, and she inevitably said something painfully stupid. Deciding early on that she'd rather admire from afar than look like an idiot, she went out of her way to avoid interacting with good-looking men, including this one.

"Dr. Simco?" He rose an inquiring brow, and she swallowed hard. Suddenly warm, she wondered what she'd say this time to send him running the other way.

"I'm...uh...good, fine," she sputtered. "I was just going to talk to Dr. Adams," she said, gesturing toward the buffet with one hand. Unfortunately, it was the hand that held her wine glass, and the dark liquid sloshed out, spots appearing as if by magic on Darren's bright white dress shirt. She stared, trying to think of something, anything to say that would make it okay.

"I'm so sorry," she said, avoiding his eyes. A waiter was passing by, and she tapped him on the shoulder. "Do you happen to have a napkin?" He nodded, handing her several from his tray. She patted at Darren's shirt, knowing it was a futile effort.

"It's okay," he said, chuckling as he closed one hand over hers, and took the napkins with the other. His touch made any coherent thought she might have had leave her brain, and she just stood there, staring up at him. He leaned in closer, and she panicked. What was he going to do? He was smiling, and lowered his head until his face was just inches from hers.

"Do you want to know a secret?" he murmured.

She blinked, petrified as if he'd asked her to solve a complex math equation. "Umm..."