Samantha made her way to the buffet, picked up a paper plate, tried to decide between the bruschetta with olive tapenade and mushrooms, the crab and avocado toast, or the smoked salmon crisps. Hungry, she took one of each.
“So, they gaveyouthe job.”
Samantha turned, the voice somehow familiar. “Nathan.”
Her pulse skipped. She hadn’t known he worked here.
Damn.
He stood there, a sneer on his face, a beer in hand. “I’ve worked here as an instructor for a year, and they gave the job toyou. Did you sleep with the entire hiring committee or just Professor Newton?”
Taken aback by the ugliness of his words, she stared. “Why are you so bitter?”
“Bitter?” Nathan snorted. “I’m not bitter. I’mpissed. I’ve worked hard, too, just as hard as you. But they hired you because you’re awoman. They’re all on a crusade to hire women in the sciences.”
Heat rushed into her face, his words like a blow. “My getting this job hasnothingto do with my sex. I’ve worked hard to get here. Maybe if you’d quit blaming other people for your shortcomings, you’d get farther. The common denominator in all of your failures isyou.”
An ugly grimace on his face, Nathan took an aggressive step toward her—then looked up and backed off.
Thor was there, a glass of wine in one hand, a beer in the other. “Er alt i orden, skat?”Is everything okay, sweetheart?
He’d been teaching her conversational Danish in preparation for their visit to his parents this Christmas.
“Ja, tak.”Yes, thanks.She took the wine, slid her fingers through Thor’s. “Thor, this is Nathan Collins. Nathan, this is my partner, Thor Isaksen. He’s a veteran of Danish special forces and works in security.”
She probably hadn’t needed to add that last part, but she’d enjoyed it.
Nathan took another step backward, his gaze still on Thor. “Your partner? Isn’t that egalitarian? What’s it like being married to a computer?”
Thor smiled, but Samantha could sense his anger. “It’s great. I admire Samantha’s intelligence and her passion for science—and life.”
They weren’t married, of course, but neither Samantha nor Thor corrected him.
Prof. Newton hurried over, outrage on his face. “Dr. Collins, I need you to leave. You are out of line. What you said to Dr. Park is unacceptable. Report to my office—”
“I quit. I worked for you for a year, busted my ass, and didn’t even get benefits. And you hiredherover me and gave her a full professorship. This is bullshit. I’m done.”
And for the second time, Nathan walked out of Samantha’s life.
Dr. Newton looked imploringly at Samantha. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Park. We don’t tolerate sexual harassment in this department. Please accept our apologies. I hope this won’t change your mind about joining the faculty.”
Samantha tried to reassure him. “I don’t blame you or the department. Thank you for addressing it so quickly. I know Nathan from grad school. He felt like I got ahead because of my sex.”
Dr. Newton shook his head. “Then he’s an idiot.”
But how had Prof. Newton known?
Samantha looked over her shoulder and saw Holly smiling, a martini in her hand.
Holly winked and bit the olive off the end of a toothpick, Gabriela and Elizabeth standing beside her, knowing smiles on their faces.
* * *
Thor sat backin the hot tub, lazily fondling Samantha’s breast, Samantha resting against his chest, nothing above them but the night sky. They’d made love the moment they’d stepped through the door, his desire for her as strong as it had been when they’d first become lovers in Antarctica. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Yeah?”
“We should buy a studio apartment near campus so you don’t have to drive up and down the canyon when I’m away on assignment.” He’d find a building with a security entrance, a place where she would be safe while he was away. “The canyon isn’t the easiest drive in snow. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”