Waking the Zed - By ML Katz Page 0,13

a bit at the mention of her money so he eased off.

“We can save that discussion for another time. Your assets are your own. I only want to be your man.” Then he cupped her chin gently with one hand and stroked her cheek with his other hand. “Will you marry me, Ada? Then we can be a couple. We can go out to nice dinners and enjoy parties together. Perhaps we can take some time to travel. We don’t have to hide our love behind closed doors any longer. Let’s be free to love each other like we deserve.”

Apparently his question took the doctor by surprise. She had never intended to let her relationship with the handsome young engineer go this far. In fact, he had surprised her by pursuing her in the first place. She may have chosen him for his job over some other candidates because of his charm and good looks, but Enrico’s credentials were impeccable as well. She had not hired him to be her lover. It had just turned out that way.

“You know that I’ve never been married, Enrico,” Dr. Klein said. She pulled away slightly. “I have to get used to this idea.”

“I’ve never married either. Sometimes it takes time to find the perfect person. Fate has finally been kind enough to bring us together here.”

“People may wonder about us,” she whispered. “There is the age difference.”

“I’m not a child, Ada. You are still strong and healthy and best of all, beautiful.”

“I can’t give you a child, you know,” she said. “I’m past those years. When I was younger I always thought I’d get married and have children eventually, but I’m past that now.”

“I am not concerned with your ability to have children,” Enrico said. “I am only concerned about you, Ada.” He lifted one hand to wave it dismissively. “Besides, if you want a child, perhaps we could adopt one. I still have connections in South America, and I believe they could help us. We could have our choice of lovely children who favored both of us.”

If I want children, I could father a stable of them with a dozen mistresses on your money. Enrico smiled at this secret thought. He imagined keeping families all over the globe, each one hidden from the others, and especially from his bride. He imagined fathering children in a dozen skin tones with a virtual harem of women. Each family would eagerly await his return from business travels, and only Enrico would know the truth.

Maybe I could even have one or two of my own natural children brought here under a bogus adoption scheme. To keep mother’s from squawking, I could hire then as nannies and tutors. They would be paid well enough to insure their silence. Besides a sensible woman would be sure to see how many advantages he could give to a child living on Dr. Klein’s wallet. He grinned at the irony of staffing and populating Dr. Klein’s home and business with his former lovers and their offspring.

Meanwhile Dr. Klein could continue her work and keep making them richer. His smile broadened even wider, but Dr. Klein thought his excitement was only at the thought of their upcoming union.

“Oh, Enrico,” she said. “You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.” Her open expression let him glimpse a vision of her former beauty. He remembered the striking younger scientist featured in all of the publicity about the virus blocker. If only he had met her then.

“Oh, Ada,” he breathed. He had been patient, and now his prey was almost trapped. The thought excited him, and he thought this might be a good time to seal the deal by servicing the old witch. His hands moved towards the fastening on her blouse as he touched his lips to her neck.

Then Dr. Klein’s cellphone chimed. To Enrico it sounded like an explosion. She had it set to produce different tones for each caller on her contact list. It was an efficient way to filter calls without having to retrieve her phone each time. Enrico moved his hands to massage her shoulders, hoping she would ignore it.

She pulled herself away with an effort. “That’s Ms. Stone.” Immediately her expression changed from the flushed look of a woman in the heat of passion to a stern and professional mask.

“What can Pam Stone want?” Enrico said. “She can handle the lab a bit longer, can’t she? Everything else is in order.” His voice was almost plaintive. “You said we’d