“No.” Zach shrugged. “I’m not sure I would know, however.” His eyes clouded behind the rimmed glasses. “How contagious am I now?”
Lynne exhaled. “The bacteria is still alive in your saliva, blood, and probably semen. For now, you can’t kiss, give blood, or have sex until we find a counteragent or a cure for Scorpius.”
Red flushed across Zach’s cheekbones. “How long do I need to stay in the protective room at the CDC?”
Lynne swallowed. “For a while yet, Zach. I’m sorry.”
His Adam’s apple wobbled. “Okay. Let me know my results when you get them.” Turning awkwardly in the suit, he disappeared down the hallway.
Nora shook her head. “Semen? Man. You didn’t have to embarrass him.”
Lynne’s lips twitched. “I wanted to make him laugh.” She rubbed her nose. “Sorry we have to keep him contained. But at least here he can continue working with that huge brain of his.”
Nora grimaced. “I don’t agree with the containment.”
“Neither do I. The fever has passed, and he’s out of the woods. Basically, he’s a carrier, and there are tons of people who are carriers of dangerous diseases—especiallyStaph. But we have public relations concerns, and for the time being, he stays put.”
Nora nodded. “I know.”
Bobbi poked her head in the doorway. Today she’d worn a bright pink top with tight jeans and looked like a cheerleader from any California college team. “The samples of the president’s blood have arrived, and they’re in the lab. The White House is expecting a cure today.”
Nora snorted. “Then we’ll get right on that.”
Bobbi nodded. “Have you seen Zach?”
“He’s getting an MRI down in Imaging.” Lynne rested her elbows on the desk. “If you end up in his contained room with him, there’s no kissing, no sex with Zach. You wear gloves and don’t touch anything.”
Bobbi rolled her eyes. “I know, but talking is okay, right?”
Lynne lifted a shoulder. “Talking is fine.”
“Good.” Bobbi stretched her neck. “I’ve been receiving the stats from across the country, and the contagion is spreading, but doctors don’t know what it is. At some point . . .”
“I know. We’re waiting for approval to announce.” Lynne swallowed. “Would you make sure Zach found Imaging?”
“Yep.” Bobbi hopped away.
Lynne’s phone buzzed, and she answered it. “Hi. No. Lunch? Probably not, but I can meet tonight after setting up our next batch of tests. They should take at least twelve hours to come to fruition. Okay. You too.” She slid the phone back onto the desk.
Nora lowered her chin but kept quiet. No way. She knew that look. “Oh, my God. You totally are seeing somebody.”
Lynne’s eyes widened. “Shhh. My door is open.”
Nora shoved hair out of her eyes. “So? This is a secret? Why is it a secret?” She stood. “He’s not married, is he?”
Lynne rolled her eyes. “For the love of Pete, of course he isn’t married. Geez. I just try to keep my personal life private, you know?”
Nora planted both hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lynne swept both hands out. “It’s pretty new, just a few months, and I figured I’d dish all when we met next month for our Vegas weekend.”
“Oh.” Nora’s mind spun. She leaned against the chair. “Well? Dish now.”
Lynne smiled, her eyes glimmering. “His name is Bret Atherton, he’s smart and sexy, and he’s from Atlanta. We met at a fund-raiser for a local kid’s ranch. Our first date, he took me for a picnic.”
Nora squinted. “Bret Atherton? As in Congressman Bret Atherton?”
Lynne wrinkled her nose. “Yes.”
