And now, by the hard gleam of anger and disappointment in the agent’s gaze, Warrick knew he’d just taken a huge step back in holding the other man’s respect.
Fortunately, after Sienna’s initial burst of anger, she seemed to pick up the warning that she needed to back the hell down where Quinton was concerned.
Quinton hadn’t taken his gaze from Sienna, and if anything he seemed to be analyzing her more closely.
“You’ve caused a helluva mess from what I’ve heard,” he finally said. “What’s your name?”
Come on, Sienna, open your mouth and reply. Warrick silently urged her to be acquiescent, or at least borderline polite. And for a moment he was convinced she wasn’t going to answer, but then she lifted her chin and replied calmly.
“Sienna. Sienna Peters.”
Quinton’s head tilted and shock flashed quickly in his hard gaze, before it was gone again. “Peters, you say?”
“Yes,” Warrick answered before she could. “As in the daughter of Kevin Peters who works in the lab.”
Quinton was silent for another moment, his expression now completely unreadable, before his mouth tightened into a hard smile.
“Isn’t that nice. Well, I don’t care who the hell she is. She’s going to start talking. Now. Out of bed, princess.”
Sienna’s heart thumped around in her chest like a Ping-Pong ball during a match. Who was this man? She knew instinctively she should be afraid of him. Not only from Warrick’s fingers that squeezed a warning on her leg, but also from the harsh, no-bullshit coldness that radiated off the man.
Quinton was older, probably late fifties, with hair that might’ve been blond at one point, but now seemed whiter. Tanned, weathered skin only emphasized pale blue eyes that held no warmth.
He wasn’t necessarily a tall man, but his muscles were big, and his surly personality guaranteed he wasn’t someone you wanted to tangle with. But for some reason, her mind rebelled against being rational and her emotions turned toward irritation instead of fear.
Besides, there were some things you just didn’t compromise on. “Sorry, that’s not really going to work for me. I need to shower. How about we say a half hour.”
Quinton made a grunting noise, but one corner of his mouth twitched. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes. Then I’m having one of the boys drag your skinny ass out of there—I don’t give a shit if you’ve still got soap in your hair.”
He spun on his heel and retreated, shutting the door firmly behind him.
Sudden silence echoed in the room, making her forget about the man who’d just left and become hyperaware of the one in bed next to her. She’d woken up completely besieged by the presence of Agent Quinton. But now with him gone, the combo of Warrick’s thigh against hers and memories of last night had a hot flush, rushed through her.
Oh sweet heavens, what Warrick had done to her…
“You’ve got about thirteen minutes, Sienna,” Warrick said brusquely, tossing back the sheets and sliding out of bed. “Or Quinton will drag you out, ass naked or not.”
Obviously last night wasn’t at the forefront of Warrick’s mind. Sienna’s stomach twisted with a disappointment she didn’t care to acknowledge. She nodded and slid out of bed, heading toward the bathroom. “I don’t like him.”
“You don’t know him. He’s a good agent.”
“I know enough to realize the guy probably wouldn’t win any personality awards.” She cast a final glance back at Warrick and promptly wished she hadn’t.
He was nearly naked save for the pair of navy boxer shorts and her gaze slipped over his broad shoulders and muscled chest. She gripped the doorjamb, her mouth drying out as she completely forgot what she was supposed to be doing.
She watched him move closer and her pulse fluttered as he came to a stop in front of her.
Arching an eyebrow, he murmured, “That shower?”
“Right. Right, yes, I’m going.”
God, she looked like an idiot! Turning around she went into the bathroom and shut the door. But it didn’t close. Warrick’s palm pushed it back open as he followed her into the bathroom.
Her eyes widened as she took a quick step backward. “What are you doing?”
“We’ve got about ten minutes now, Sienna. I could stand to wash the grime off as well, so I hope you don’t mind co-showering.”
Co-showering? As in together? Her heart nearly stopped and she couldn’t even blink. Warrick, naked beside her in a tiny shower stall? Really, not the best idea when she had to psyche herself up for what was about to come.
But he didn’t seem to expect an answer, because he’d already strode past her and turned on the shower. When he dropped his boxers her face burned scarlet.