As I hurried out into the common area, I saw that Queenie hadn’t moved an inch from where she’d passed out and I exhaled with relief. For the first time since knowing her, I was glad she was around.
Then again, things were bound to get really awkward now.
4
Sasha
To my chagrin, Queenie was up before me the next morning, staring at me with daggers in her eyes. I gulped back my guilt even though I didn’t owe her an explanation.
“Morning,” I said brightly. “How did you sleep?”
As far as I knew, she’d slept exactly where she’d fallen but as I studied her face, she looked much better rested than I had expected of someone who had downed half a bottle of scotch in the span of three minutes. Hell, she looked like she’d gotten more rest than me.
She didn’t answer me and instead spun away from the kitchen counter to take her tea into our makeshift lab.
“Good morning!” Hunter chirped, strolling into the common area from the bathroom. He wore nothing but a towel around his waist, his dark hair still wet from the shower and I gaped at him in shock as he strutted toward me to place a kiss on my neck.
“Will you make me a coffee, babe?” Hunter asked and for a second, I thought he was talking to someone else.
Did he just call me “babe”? Is that what just happened here?
I rationalized that I must be dreaming but when my eyes automatically moved toward Queenie, I knew I was in a waking nightmare. Her mouth had become a line so thin, it was almost invisible.
“Hunter, can I speak with you for a minute?” I asked, struggling to keep my composure, even though I felt like my head was about to pop clear off my shoulders.
“Sure,” he agreed, leaning in for another kiss. “But not before you say good morning.”
Please, floor, just open up and swallow me whole. I won’t fight back.
The burn of Queenie’s eyes seared holes into the back of my head as I ducked out of his reach and yanked his arm. Once inside his bedroom, I slammed the door closed and stared at him, unblinking.
To add to my consternation, he reached for me, grinning.
“I’ll never say no to a morning quickie,” he jeered, lowering his head to kiss me but I pushed him off me.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I hissed. “Are you trying to get me fired?”
“Fired?” Hunter seemed genuinely confused. “Why would you get fired?”
I could feel my body threatening to hyperventilate.
“Hunter, what are you doing?” I asked, fighting to keep myself from yelling. “Why are you acting like we’re together?”
The confusion on his face magnified.
“Uh…we were together,” he answered slowly. “Last night, remember?”
I closed my eyes and steeled myself before answering.
“Yes, of course I remember,” I said, grinding my teeth. “But that was last night.”
Understanding slowly colored his eyes and hurt overcame his confusion.
“Oh…I see.”
“Look, you’re a good guy, Hunter,” I rushed on quickly, amazed that I had to do this. We’d had a lackluster one-night stand. What was he thinking?
“But we’re co-workers and Amanda already hates me,” I continued, making up the spiel as I went along.
As if she was listening in on our conversation, there was a pounding on the bedroom door.
“If you two are done copulating, maybe you can get to work!” Queenie howled and the malice in her voice was almost palpable. “You’re not getting paid to screw! What a concept, huh, Sasha?”
Fury raced through me at her disgusting innuendo but I checked my temper.
“Coming!” I called quickly before turning back to Hunter. “See? She’s furious!”
“She’s always furious!” Hunter spat at me. “I told you, she’s jealous of you.”
“Hunter,” I sighed. “Last night was…special.”
I almost choked on the lie but I needed to let this guy down easily. Matters were not going to get easier if Hunter wasn’t on my side.
Jesus, what a mess.
“It was special,” he agreed, eyeing her. “So what if we’re co-workers. It’s not against policy to date.”
“Hunter!” My voice was sharp. “There are only the three of us here now. Think about how Amanda’s going to feel if you and I couple up and leave her in the cold. It’s not right.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Suddenly you’re worried about how Amanda feels?”
I hated that he knew me so well.
“Just think of the optics here,” I implored him. “It’s only going to build tension among us.”
He studied me speculatively.
“So we’re just on hold until we get back to New York?”
Is that what he inferred from what I just said? God, and he’s a scientist.
I wanted to lie to him and say yes, if only to placate him but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I thought about how long I’d pined for him. How would I have felt if he’d given me false hope? I didn’t want to lead him on. It wasn’t my style.