About Love And Genius - Book 2: The Moore FamilySeries
The Moore family is a unique group, full ofspecial talent, blinding intelligence, and a love so strong they can surviveevery challenge, no matter how dangerous. But, how did they get there? Take alook back and see how it all began. This is the love story of Kathryn and Joe,their first steps toward the incredible family they build together.
Dr. Kathryn Archer is a brilliant womanand a well-respected scientist. She is also beautiful, strong and painfully isolatedfrom the world around her. A dark past has taught her to guard her heart and itis a lesson she learned too soon and far too well.
Major Joe Moore is a handsome man, a soldierat the top of the army’s most elite group. As a single father, Joe is dedicatedto his son and his career and he has put the pain and loss of his past behindhim.When Joe is charged with solving a militarymystery he seeks out Kathryn’s expertise to help guide him. Their sparks flyimmediately and it’s soon more than one puzzle they are trying to solve. Canthey find the answers they are charged to seek when all they can feel is theheat building between them?
This is the story of their beginning. Theirfirst, heady, romantic, steps toward the incredible family they create together.A love story as remarkable as the family they become.
Purchase your e-book at Amazon.
Love and Genius Book Excerpt Chapter 1
Joe Moore would always consider themoment he met Doctor Kathryn Archer the most infuriating of his professionalcareer. It was also the best moment of his life.It began in the usual way, just anormal day that gave him no clue to the enormity of what was about to happen.He had managed to get his son to school on time, and surprisingly, with bothshoes, a jacket and even his lunch all accounted for. That feat alone meant hisday was a good one.He had snagged the last hot donutfrom the break room for a perfect addition to his morning coffee. And now hewas organizing his office in preparation for a brand new job. He liked thestart of a new assignment. There was a feeling of anticipation, like beginninga journey, and that appealed to his sense of adventure. His days of rushingaround the world for excitement and intrigue were over, and he took his thrillsin smaller doses now.A knock sounded at his door, and helooked up from the desk he was organizing to find the smiling face of CaptainKyle Harrison. “You getting all settled Joe?”“Trying,” he answered. “My lastassignment didn’t come with such a swank office, but I think I’m settling in.”Kyle looked at the bare gray wallsof a standard Pentagon office. He laughed. “Swank?”“Yeah, well, I’ve been in the fieldor on the training grounds for years. Spending more time in the hot sun orwading through mud and water, than behind a desk, means having a place to holdmy pencils seems like a luxury.” His buddy laughed at the joke as Joe tossed ahandful of pens and pencils into a ceramic holder.“What is that?” Kyle quirked aneyebrow at the vaguely cylindrical object that now held Joe’s writingimplements.“It’s a pencil holder, Captain,” Joebarked. “My kid made it.”“It’s an excellent piece ofsculpture, Major,” Kyle quickly corrected himself.Joe looked at the present hissix-year-old had given him last Father’s Day and smiled fondly. “Yes it is.” Hedropped the last of his office supplies into a drawer and flicked it closed.“Did you need something?”“Yeah.” The officer held out a file.“Your last assignment may have been in the elements, but you’ve moved on tocommand, all you’ll get around here is an avalanche of paperwork. Good thing thisjob is temporary.”Joe reached out and took it. “I’vebeen in a real avalanche,” he joked. “The paper kind might be more fun. Andwith my luck, the next assignment will have me in something worse than badweather.” He flipped the folder open. “What is this?”“The lab report you requested.”“What does it mean?” Joe scanned thesummary sheet.“Hell if I know.” Kyle chuckled.“Those folks over at Quantum don’t speak human, just science.”“What am I supposed to do with thisif I can’t tell what it means?”“Beats me.” His friend shrugged.“But you better figure it out. The Hill is watching this one. It’s bad enoughto lose four soldiers in a training accident—it’s a shit storm when one of themis a Senator’s son. I saw another report on the news last night. SenatorPendleton isn’t going to let it go until he has answers.”“So why not give it to JAG?” Joewondered in a rare flash of insecurity. “I don’t have an experience as aninvestigator.”“The old man thinks he needs a realsoldier on the case—” Kyle leaned over and patted Joe on the shoulder, “—andyou, my friend, are the best we got.” He stood up and headed for the door. “Iguess that’s why you got the special assignment and the swank newoffice, so you can figure it out.”“Don’t make me regret requesting youas an assistant, Harrison.”“Never, sir.” Kyle stood atattention and saluted with overstated formality.Joe’s exaggerated scowl quicklytwisted to a smirk. They had been through too much, and been friends too long,for him to worry about Kyle taking his threat to heart.Kyle paused in the doorway. “Hey,I’m up to grab a beer after work if you want to celebrate the new duty.”“Thanks,” Joe answered withoutlooking away from the file he’d begun reading. “But I can’t. I need to pickParker up before six, he has a swim lesson.”Kyle nodded. It had been a longshot. Single parents didn’t have much free time and Joe rarely agreed to anyactivity that would keep him from his son.“Another time,” he said easily.Joe called a good-bye and focused onthe report. There were words on the page he couldn’t even hope to sound out,let alone interpret, and after ten minutes he sighed in frustration and snappedthe file closed. “This is ridiculous,” he complained under his breath.Standing, he jerked his uniformjacket from the back of his chair and hastily tugged it on. It fit snugly overhis muscled arms and broad shoulders. Picking up the file, he rounded his deskand took long purposeful strides to the door. “I guess I’ll just have to ask,”he muttered as he pulled the door shut behind him.The drive to Quantum Labs tooklittle time. The state of the art facility had been constructed in an area ofDC that had once been an embarrassment. The choice of location had been praisedby the city leaders as a positive step to revitalize and energize thecommunity, an effort by its wealthy benefactors to make a contribution to thecity even as they pursued their own agenda. Those benevolent aspirations were oflittle concern to him, but Joe was quick to appreciate the proximity to his newoffice in the Pentagon. He had been briefed on the capabilities of the researchfacility, and he had orders to cultivate a relationship with what was provingto be an invaluable tool to military and government agencies. Learning that hewouldn’t have to waste his work day commuting back and forth to the facilitywas a positive.His military ID got him through thegate, but he chaffed at the delay when he was required to wait for entranceinto the lab itself. When the guard finally confirmed that he was indeed theinvestigator assigned to the Pendleton inquiry, the buzzer sounded and hepulled the door open with an irritated yank. A second set of doors required hesubmit to a retinal scan, but the process took far less time than the guard’sconfirmation. Annoyed by the delay but impressed with the security he movedinto the lab proper.He wasn’t sure what he had expected,but as he stepped inside he had to pause and gape. The place was everything hewould have imagined at the words lab or high tech. The foyer inwhich he stood held a few green plants, and what had to be expensive art, thatgave the small space a warm feel. But as he moved forward, it opened into acavernous room with high ceilings, exposed metal beams and glass walls thatgave it a sleek look. The place had a sterile, clean smell that was parthospital, part library, and there was a sense of quiet calm that made thethought and discovery that happened here almost palpable.A series of raised platformsdominated the center of the room. Each had a metal exam table under heavylighting, and Joe had a mental image of men in white coats gathered around infascination as something like Frankenstein’s creature came to life. Shaking hishead at the fantasy he looked around for some clue about where to find his newassociate.A small man crossed the room infront of him. To Joe he looked like the quintessential mad scientist with acurly mop of out of control brown hair and a white lab coat. Several days’growth of beard darkened his chin and cheeks, adding to the impression he wastoo busy thinking to worry about such mundane matters. He was walking andreading through a large stack of paper, oblivious to anything around him, andhe jumped when Joe spoke.“I’m looking for Dr. Archer?”The scientist recovered quickly. Heturned, almost as if he were going to physically confront the question. “Whoare you?” The mouse of a man demanded, with more authority than Joe hadexpected.“Major Moore, special investigatorfor the Pendleton inquiry.” Joe tried not to sound as irritated as he felt overthe question.The scientist was still regardinghim with suspicion, so he held up the file he couldn’t decipher. “I have aquestion about a report she sent regarding the investigation.”“Jack Holmes.” The scientistidentified himself, finally offering a handshake and a less confrontationaltone. “Sorry, we try to limit Kathryn’s interruptions, and lately the requestsfor her time have been a bit intrusive.”Joe’s memory quickly supplied thedetails he knew of the scientist. Jack Holmes was the money behind thisoperation. Like Archer, he held multiple degrees, but it was his family wealthwhich had allowed them to establish the lab in the first place. According tothe dossier he was an excellent scientist, but he didn’t quite have the samebrilliance as his partner. “Dr. Holmes, you’re Dr. Archer’s partner?” Joeasked.“That’s me,” Holmes answeredmodestly. He turned and pointed across the large room. “Dr. Archer is in labthree. I’d introduce you, but I have something I need to attend to. Besides,”he added with a smirk, “You look like you can handle it.”“Handle what?”“A conversation with Archer,” Holmessaid with a chuckle. “Good luck,” he called as he walked away.Joe had never met a billionaire or aworld’s leading expert on anything, but as he watched Holmes walk away, hewondered if the combination made the man so weird or if he just came that way.Pushing thoughts of wealthy madscientists from his mind he turned the direction Holmes had indicated andstrode across the room with purpose. He had heard Archer was a tough nut, andHolmes’ attitude seemed to support that, so he mentally prepared himself as hestepped into the small lab. He had expected another strange academic likeHolmes. He had expected the cold attitude he’d read about in the lab’s dossier.He had expected brilliance that threw out words like those on the report thathad prompted this visit.What he didn’t expect, was thestrikingly beautiful woman who looked up when he entered.“I’m busy,” she said dismissivelyand dropped her gaze back to the apparatus she was using.Joe tried valiantly to ignore thereaction he was having. Damn, she was gorgeous. It was the only thought hecould formulate. But when she summarily dismissed him without even a politegreeting his temper flared.“Dr. Archer, I’m Major Joe Moore.I’m the investigator assigned to the Pendleton inquiry.”She continued to ignore him and histemper spiked again.“I need to discuss something withyou.” His words came out a bit more harshly than he had intended and hegrimaced.Archer however, didn’t appear to beoffended by his tone. “It will have to wait.” She maintained her focus. “As Ialready stated, I’m busy.”“It’s about this report.” Joe wavedthe file in his hand.“What about it?”She still wasn’t looking at him, sohe took a few steps forward. The action worked to draw her attention, but asshe stood and lifted her beautiful blue eyes to his, he wondered at thesuspicion he could see in them. He froze briefly under the intensity of hergaze then once again, he lifted the file.Her eyes were incredible, andalthough he couldn’t look away from them, he ignored the thoughts theyprompted. “I’m afraid I need some translation. I’m not sure what I’m reading.”Archer rolled her eyes, breaking thelock he had with them, and spoke with exasperation. “Well you actually tried,that puts you up on everyone else it was sent to.”“What does that mean?”“It means the Army is woefullyuninterested in facts, when they don’t fit their own agenda. I stand behind thereport, Major. I mean every word of it.”“That’s great,” Joe answered histone slightly aggressive as he reacted to hers. “Now if I just knew what itsaid maybe I could clue the world’s leading military unit into what they’vebeen missing.”His retort reduced her reluctance tocontrition. She lowered her eyes, seeming almost to turn inward rather thanadmit she had a change of heart. “Leave it. I’ll go back through it when I havetime and dumb it down for you.”“Well, you don’t have to say it likethat.”Her eyes snapped up again, and thatwillfulness was back. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t understand it?”“Well, yeah, but it’s not like Idon’t get any of it. I just need some help understanding the science.”“Exactly. You need it dumbed down.”She stared at him coolly and Joefought for control. He wanted to shout at her. He wanted to demand she givethis issue the kind of attention it deserved. He wanted to wipe that cold lookoff her face.He wanted to kiss those damned redlips.That terribly inappropriate thoughtbrought him up short, and he took rigid control of his emotions. “I’dappreciate it if you could get back to me at your earliest convenience.” Withquiet calm, he dropped the file on the table then turned. “The soldiers killeddeserve our attention.”Joe walked out with all the dignityhis service and career had earned him. His back straight and his head high, hemarched to the exit without a backward glance. He was boiling with anirritation that demanded an escape, but he would be damned if he gave thatwoman the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten to him.But she had gotten to him. So, whenhe reached his car, he climbed inside and finally allowed himself the luxury ofa response. “How can someone be so annoying in such a short time?”Annoying was only the start. She wascondescending and abrasive. She had dismissed him like some unimportantirritation, as if her time was far too valuable to bother with a conversationwith the likes of him.He closed his eyes, trying to gaincontrol over this uncharacteristic turmoil he felt. He was an elite solider, hedidn’t overreact, he didn’t get emotional. Except right now, he was definitelyboth of those things.The moment his eyes closed, he sawher again, tall and thin but with the kind of curves that suggested a lusciousbody beneath that white coat. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a youthful,utilitarian ponytail, but he could image it spilling to her shoulders in warmwaves if she released it. Her skin, pale and smooth—damn near perfect. Thecreamy complexion accentuated her eyes. Those eyes were what he rememberedmost. They were gorgeous, the most incredible blue he had ever seen. But it wasmore than the color. It was the sharp mind they revealed, and the strength thatgave the impression she was made of steel, despite the soft body that saidexactly the opposite.Joe’s eyes snapped open and herubbed a hand over his face. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn’t dothis. He had barely noticed a woman, any woman, in over two years and hecertainly didn’t objectify coworkers like they were some beauty pageantcontestant. She was a scientist and a brilliant one if all he had heard wastrue. More importantly, she was his colleague. He was supposed to becultivating a relationship between the Army and her lab, not ogling her. He wassupposed to be using her expertise to reveal why four soldiers had died, notfantasizing about what she would look like with her hair down.He took a deep breath and orderedhis thoughts. He knew what to expect now, he would be prepared, he couldcontrol himself. Slipping his car into gear he headed back to his office, hismind firmly directed to the job that lay before him.
It worked fairly well. He was goodat his job, and he had long ago acquired the kind of discipline necessary toavoid all types of outside stimuli—he could go days without food or sleep,could sit for hours in weather so cold or wet that his body tried to shut downand still he felt no discomfort. He could do what had to be done. The jobs theArmy saw fit to burden on only a select few, he could do them withouthesitation.Keeping his mind focused on theinvestigation, and not those blue eyes, wasn’t the hardest thing he had everdone and he finished his day with an iron control on his thoughts.One question, however, made hiscontrol falter.“Hey, Bro. How was your day? Makeany new friends?”He froze for only an instant beforetaking the final step inside his house, but she saw it. His kid sister hadalways been far too interested in his personal life. She had followed himaround when they were kids, spied on him when he was in high school, and shehadn’t lost her interest just because she was now a grownup.“Joe?” she demanded with suspicion.“It was a day, Charlie,” he answeredevasively.“A day?”“Yeah, a day. I got up, I went tothe office, I met some colleagues. It was a day.”“What are you not telling me?”He bit the inside of his lip tryingto distract from the picture that had popped into his mind, trying to erase theimage of those two blue eyes of steel and satin. “Where’s Parker?” He triedchanging the subject for his own good. “We need to get going.”Charlie waved toward the other room.“He’s changing clothes.” Her hair was darker than Joe’s, a coal black comparedto his dark brown, but her eyes were the same chocolate brown and they revealeda hint of his same strength.Those eyes were watching him now,with suspicion. She knew him too well and she wasn’t fooled. She stepped infront of her brother and looked him in the eye, squinting as she assessed hismood. “What’s up with you?”“Nothing,” he scoffed. “It’s beenawhile since I had a desk job, okay? I just need to adjust.”“Okay,” she agreed, willing toaccept that for now. She turned and called down the hallway as she walkedtoward the kitchen sink. “Parker! Your dad is home. Shake a leg, Bub.”“He was good?” Joe flipped throughthe mail she had left for him on the counter.“He’s the best nephew ever born.”She grinned. “Of course he was good.”“You didn’t let him fill up on junkafter school, did you?” he worried. “I don’t want him getting into bad habits.”“What am I, a bad influence?”Charlie joked.Joe leveled an accusing glare andshe cracked. “Okay, I let him have a milkshake. But we were celebrating.”“Celebrating what?”She gave him an impish grin as sheturned away from the now clean dishes that had been sitting in his sink. “Wewere celebrating the opportunity to have a milkshake.”There was the sound of poundingfootsteps on the wood floor, and then a small form in red swim trunks, andnothing else, came barreling through the doorway. Joe abandoned the lecture hewanted to give his sister and scooped up his son, as Parker leapt into the air.He held him close, feeling his tension fade, as two small tanned arms wrappedtightly around his neck. Ruffling the long blonde hair, thatwas starting to curl wildly without a haircut to temper it, he kissed his son.“Hey, Bub. You ready for a swim?”“Yep.” Parker crowed excitedly.“Charlie says it is a big pool!”“It is?” Joe asked with enthusiasm.“I bet you can’t swim the whole thing.”“I can too,” Parker giggled. “I’llshow you.”“Do you have to make everything achallenge?” Charlie scolded with a laugh as she picked up her purse. “Honestly,Joe, it’s a swim lesson not a competition.”“It makes it fun,” he answered, andParker nodded in agreement.Charlie rolled her eyes and shookher head, making her dark locks sway. “You are two peas in a pod,” she teased.Leaning in, she puckered for a kiss, and Parker dutifully responded, adding aquick hug as well. She dropped another quick peck on his forehead and thenstood on her tiptoes to give Joe’s cheek the same treatment. “I’ll pick him upat school tomorrow, same time.” She headed for the door. “Have a good night.”“Thanks,” Joe called after her.Charlie paused in the door and gavehim another long look. “You sure you’re okay?”“I’m fine,” he growled in warning.“Okay, okay, don’t get all greenberet on me.” She laughed as she stepped through the door.“I’m fine.” Joe repeated to Parker.“Daddy, I’m ready to go.” Hesquirmed excitedly, a huge grin on his face.“Okay.” Joe dropped him to hiswriggling feet. “Let’s go little man, let’s see if you can swim that pool.”“I can do it!”Beaming, Joe opened the door andfollowed his son outside. “You are going to have to prove it, little man.”Thoughts of irritating scientists slipped from his mind—the joy he found inspending time with his boy was a better weapon against her allure than all hisdiscipline.
About Sara Kay Jordan
Sara Kay Jordan holds a BA in English, and is a lifelongdaydreamer, a combination that prepared her in equal measure to pursue herdream to be a writer. Her first novel, Snatching Genius, was released in 2011to warm praise. Her family includes two grown children and one cranky olddog. Sara lives in Springfield, MO.Follow her online at sarakayjordan.comand on Twitter @sarakayjordan
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder