Author:
Cindy Spencer Pape firmly believes in happily-ever-after and brings that to her writing. A multiple award-winning author, she has published almost sixty novels and stories. When not hard at work writing, she can be found restoring her 1870 house, dressing up for steampunk parties and Renaissance fairs, or with her nose buried in a book. Visit her website: www.cindyspencerpape.com.

Computer science professor Eric Gordon has to find the hacker responsible for a virus on campus. When his investigations show some sort of reptile may be living in the steam tunnels under campus, he turns to biology professor Lori Tremain for help. 

Lori’s life is crazy with her tenure review looming, but she’s too curious and way too attracted to turn down Eric’s request.  Together, Lori and Eric uncover things that their scientific minds can barely imagine, along with a passion they never expected.  She doesn’t have time for love or dragons, but adventure and romance find her anyway.

Dragon in the System

Lori paced anxiously as she waited for Ben and Eric. The tension between the two men was obvious and Lori couldn't quite figure out how to diffuse it. Eric was being jealous and Ben was being protective and she didn't know exactly how she felt herself. She stopped to scratch Q on the head and complain to him. She told the iguana all about her night with Eric, the call to Richard and her decision to slow things down. The lizard just leaned into her fingers, content with being scratched and Lori began to feel soothed. Just to make matters worse, however, she heard a throat being cleared in her doorway.


Lori jumped. "Wes! I didn't hear you come in."


"Obviously not," Wesley replied. "You were too busy wallowing."


Lori nodded. "Yeah, I guess I was." She had to get Wes out of here before Ben and Eric showed up. "I supposed I ought to go wallow at home."


Wes crossed her arms and leaned against the doorjamb. "You're a lousy liar, Lori," she told her friend bluntly. "What's going on?"


Chapter 44