Connor’s anger couldn’t evaporate instantly but it was diluted with confusion now. He was trying to catch a coherent thought as the door opened in front of him. He found himself staring at Kate.
He could see her fear.
Not the same kind of fear he’d seen that night on the dance floor but it was close enough. And this time he could also see the determination to face whatever was coming. Kate wasn’t going to turn and run away.
Not this time.
But how could he yell at her? Something was swimming up through his brain. If he did that, it would only justify the way she’d reacted the other night. Give her a reason to lump him in with whatever brute of a male had done her emotional harm in the past. For some inexplicable reason, it suddenly seemed very important that he didn’t give her the opportunity to do that.
And what on earth would be the point of venting his anger by attacking Kate anyway?
He should be thanking her.
She was waiting for him to yell at her. Seconds ticked past as they stared at each other and she was starting to look as confused as Connor was feeling.
* * *
The anger was there.
Kate could see it. Feel it, even, like a curious humming in the air between them. She fully expected to get the brunt of his fury, and fair enough. She deserved it. She couldn’t even blame him for breaking unspoken rules and coming into her private life to do so. She deserved this as well because she’d been too much of a coward to go and see him in their professional arena.
She straightened her back and steeled herself to deal with whatever was coming. She couldn’t fight back. Not this time.
Except… Connor said nothing. He was looking at her as though he’d forgotten what it was he had planned to say.
Even more oddly, that humming sensation had changed. It was still there but she couldn’t attribute it to anger. It was too soft now. Too…
Kate didn’t know what it was. And she didn’t know what to say to this man on her doorstep. He wasn’t even looking angry any longer and it was confusing, that’s what it was. Anger she could handle. She knew exactly how to distance herself and raise impenetrable barriers to protect the parts of her that had nothing to do with her work. The lessons had been unbearable at the time but they had stood her in very good stead ever since. But those skills seemed to be redundant.
Why had Connor come here if he didn’t want to tear strips off her for the incompetence of her department?
Why was he here at all when he could have simply gone and filed a demand for a disciplinary hearing of some kind?
‘Kate?’ The voice came from behind her. ‘Is everything okay?’
Connor seemed to be collecting himself as Bella pressed close to Kate’s side.
‘Everything’s fine,’ he said.
Kate could feel her jaw dropping. What on earth was going on here?
‘I came to collect Kate,’ Connor was saying to Bella. ‘There’s something I think she needs to see.’
Collecther? Did he think he could just turn up and order her to accompany him to God knows where? Well… Connor Matthews had a few things he needed to learn about her, didn’t he? Kate didn’t take direct orders from anyone. Especially not from a physical hulk that exuded pure masculinity.
Connor’s gaze swung back to meet hers and Kate was astonished to see the confusion in his eyes. As though he had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it. It was in that moment that Kate realised he had come here with the intention of tearing strips off her, but something had made him change his mind. And maybe he was still trying to work out whatever it was himself.
‘I’d like to take you there,’ he said slowly. ‘If that’s all right with you?’
Bella was eyeing the helmet dangling from Connor’s hand. ‘On your bike? Cool!’
A crisp nod from Connor. ‘I have a spare helmet on the bike.’
Bella was eyeing Connor now. Then she looked at Kate. ‘You should go,’ she said. ‘Dinner’s going to be ages cos I forgot to turn the oven on when I put the chicken in.’
Kate barely heard what Bella was saying.
If he’d commanded her to go with him it would have been easy to refuse. She wouldn’t have been able to do anything else. But he was asking and there was a plea amongst that confusion in his eyes. As if he needed her help to sort out what was going on in his head.
