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Another twenty minutes went by helping Natalia before she left. I found myself tapping my fingers on the table, staring at my computer. I knew I needed to get some work done because my days were slim. I would be taking maternity leave before I knew it and wouldn’t work for a while.

Sam explained that when the baby came, my mind wasn’t even going to be able to think about work. I would be so focused on the child that work just sort of fell out of my head. I hadn’t believed her at first because I knew myself, but I had alreadyfound myself slipping at times. I would space out for minutes and suddenly forget what I was doing.

I chewed on my cheek and glanced at my phone. I grabbed it, seeing that Henrik wasn’t out of his meeting yet. I knew I couldn’t interrupt that. Since the big attack, the guys have been having more meetings and letting each other know about anything new that has happened. There had been a few incidents, but nothing huge. They had been sporadic and I hadn’t been able to find a pattern when they happened. We would go weeks of silence before the darkness would appear and disappear again. Then it would appear in a week and then nothing for a month.

It was driving me crazy being unable to figure things out. It didn’t help that pregnancy brain was a real thing and it was hitting me hard..

I glanced across my lab, taking in a few of the new pictures that were hung up now. One of them was Henrik and me for my baby shower. He smiled happily at me, and it stirred my insides.

Lord, I wanted him. I just had him last night. During dinner and after. He pretty much fucked me to sleep. I wanted him this morning, but he was already out of the house, so I had to get to work.

I bit hard, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

“Fuck,” I pulled my hand up to my lip, finding it was bleeding.

“God damn it.” I grabbed a napkin and dabbed my lip. I sighed and decided to call Henrik. The phone rang a few times before he answered.

“Morning, sweetie.” His voice came out like melted caramel and I internally groaned.

My insides churned, and a warmth spread down my entire body. I physically melted at his words. “Hey…”

“Aren’t you supposed to be working? Why are you calling? Did something happen?”

I pulled the napkin back and tossed it into the trash. “Nothing happened. I’m taking a break. How was your meeting?”

“It was fine. Nothing new, which is good news, but it’s not at the same time. We’re keeping our eyes open, trying to find if there is something we are missing. I have the guys looking into finding out who this guy is and what we can learn about this child. I’ve been trying to read what I can, but I’m not finding much about it. Which you would think we could have found something by now.

I frowned, knowing what he meant. I knew it was frustrating him as much as it was bothering me. We were trying so hard to find answers and we weren’t getting anywhere.

“Well, nothing is still good news,” I said as I turned, staring at the board. I pulled up a marker and started to doodle. “Are you going home?”

“I was planning on stopping at a few places to get some things. I figured I should get things done while I’m out since we won’t be able to do that when the baby comes.”

I tilted my head at the doodle I had made, not realizing I was drawing two people kissing. I quickly started to erase it.

“Katie? Are you listening?”

“Huh?” I blinked and frowned. “What?”

I heard him sigh. “Not that I don't believe you’re taking a break, but what are you doing? You’ve signed three times already and I can imagine you’re chewing on my lip.”

I paused and set my marker down. I sighed. “Fine, my mind is a mess, and it’s your fault.”

He snorted. “What did I do?”

“You fucked me dumb last night.”

Henrik started to laugh. “If I remember correctly, it was you who said to strip down. You were the one begging for it.”

I felt my face grow hot, and I swallowed. “It’s natural.”

Henrik continued to chuckle. “I know it’s natural. It’s your hormones, so why don’t you tell me why you called instead of saying you're taking a break?”

I bite my cheek, looking across the lab. It was a little after two. “I am taking a break. I needed to let my mind settle. We just finished a hard equation.”

“Was it a hard equation because you were thinking about having my tongue between your thighs?”

My face felt hot, and I wanted to deny that thought, but I couldn’t. I knew what he was able to do to me, and my body reacted. I felt the heat spread and I crossed my legs. “I am a scientist and I don’t let those thoughts come to work. I know how to separate my personal life from my work.”