Unexpected Chemistry: A Contemporary Romance

The explosion wasn't particularly large, as laboratory accidents went, but it was certainly colorful. Purple smoke billowed from her workstation as the fire alarm shrieked overhead, and Emma found herself standing in the hallway of the university's chemistry building, covered head to toe in what appeared to be lavender-scented ash.

"Well, that's one way to make an entrance," came a voice from behind her, tinged with what sounded suspiciously like barely contained laughter.

Emma turned to find a man she'd never seen before leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, watching the chaos with evident amusement. He was tall and lean, with dark hair that looked like he'd been running his hands through it, and the kind of easy smile that suggested he found life generally entertaining. Most annoyingly, he was completely clean while she looked like she'd been dipped in grape Kool-Aid.

"It's not funny," Emma said, though she could hear how ridiculous she sounded with her voice still higher than usual from the adrenaline. "I've been working on that synthesis for three weeks."

"I'm sure you have," he said, straightening up and walking toward her. "But you might want to check your eyebrows."