Earth Mars Love (The Marsikons)

Chapter 17

Regina couldn't sleep. She was wondering if her attraction to Marcus was real and mutual. Their conversation in the car felt so intimate; then that moment in the living room, when she almost kissed him, and in the end, his intent gazes through the evening that made her shiver. She wanted to stay alone with him to look where this would lead.

She needed to find more information about environmental issues and what could be done to minimize the impact. It annoyed her a little that her thoughts kept turning back to Marcus instead of what really was important.

I could always just kiss him.

What?! Where had that thought come from?

But just as soon as she had it, then came the justifications. The rationalizations. And heaven help her, she was persuading herself a little too easily to throw caution to the wind.

Maybe after one night with him, her interest would be sated, and she would be back on track with her work and the new purpose.

She even got up a couple of times and went to the living room, hoping to find Marcus there. But it was empty, and everything was quiet. Marcus was so close, but she couldn't go into his room and wake him up, because he shared it with Darius.

She needed to find a way to stay with him alone.

In the morning she woke up feeling energized and full of anticipation of what this day would bring. She heard her Marsikons milling around and smiled. They were really nice guys, and if they ended up being bad, it would be a pity to kill them. She hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

She quickly took a shower and put on her jeans mini-skirt with the green flaring top.

When she came to the living room, she saw a full breakfast waiting for her.

"You're fast learners," she laughed in her hoarse voice. She hated it sometimes because it was like she was smoking a ton of cigarettes, but she had that huskiness in her tone since she was twelve.

Everybody was already eating, and Marcus glanced at her briefly, saying, "Good morning, Regina. We would like to go as soon as you finish your breakfast."

Hmm, we're back to being shittingly polite. Interesting.

"Yeah, sure." She sat behind the table and started to eat. Others were watching her in silence.

"You know, it's creepy when you're looking at me like that," she shuddered, and they averted their gazes.

What? No jokes even from Darius?

"Okay, what's wrong with you guys? Something happened?" She was starting to freak out. Only ten hours ago they had a great time together, parted with smiles and good-nights, and she even considered them as friends. And all of a sudden, they started to act like they were seeing her for the first time. Maybe somebody erased their mind?

She looked at them suspiciously, trying to read their eyes.

"Everything is fine, just waiting for you so we can go," Marcus said politely, without even a hint of a smile.

Darius and Kos were checking their devices, evidently out of the conversation. She stopped her narrowed gaze on Marcus. He averted his eyes to look at his vi-com, his posure stiff and aloof.

Oka-ay. She quickly ate her food and drank coffee. Then got up and without another word took her bag and went outside of the suite. She didn't know if they saw her going out and she didn't care. She went down to the parking lot, got into the car, and with screeching tires sped off to the highway.

What the fuck were they thinking? That they could for one day be all nice and friendly, and then order her around like some errand girl? To act like complete douchebags and she'd be okay with it? Like he could tame her with his high speeches of the important values, and she would look him in the mouth waiting for more? Fuck them! And fuck Marcus!