She cleaned up everything from breakfast and went back to her room to grab her purse. Krista was not worried about hailing a taxi in this neighborhood. Actually the doorman would probably do that for her. It was a lifestyle she wasn’t used to. It wasn’t even something she dreamed about having someday. Although the penthouse was magnificent, it seemed more like a showplace, not a place someone actually lived in. From what she gathered, it was only used occasionally.
I would take my little house, any day over this.
When she returned from her bedroom, she found Connor standing in the living room.
“I see you’re ready to go,” Connor said.
“I figured I’d get an early start. Thank you so much for breakfast. I really appreciate it. I hope it was all mine, since it’s all gone,” she chuckled. Krista hadn’t thought about it before, but it was possible the food had been for them both.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had eaten while I was out. I think we were both thrown by the news yesterday, that neither of us remembered that we hadn’t eaten dinner.”
There were a lot of things that Krista had forgotten. “Well you fixed that. That’s not the only thing I forgot. I never called Laurel to let her know I wasn’t going to be in today either.”
Connor raised brow. “I hope she doesn’t call the state police concerned that you’re missing.”
Krista shook her head. “Laurel knows that I was coming to New York with you. It wasn’t concern for my safety that she was showing when I told her.”
“Then what was it,” Connor asked.
Krista blushed and she remembered Laurel showing her the photo of Connor and telling her that this trip didn’t have to be all business, and how she should throw in some pleasure with it. No matter what Krista had said, Laurel wouldn’t stop. But one thing Laurel didn’t have was any stress in her life. She didn’t seem blinded by the troubles of the world.
“She’s…young. And she can romanticize just about anything. Even this,” Krista replied.
Connor seemed surprised by her answer. Then he grinned. “Maybe you can go back and tell her we spent the night together.”
“I am not about to go and lie,” she said firmly.
“Krista, you would not be lying. I did not say we had sex, but we did spend the night together.”
“Connor, you are not helping the situation at all. I thought you wanted to come here to get people to stop with the rumors. And now you want me to go back to Vermont and start entirely new ones? And this one would include me.” He just stood there with a smug look on his face. “You can count me out. This trip is exactly what it appears to be.”
“And what would that be?” He asked.
“I guess a…” she floundered for an answer.
“Maybe we won’t describe it just yet,” he said.
“Well, I was just about to leave, when you came in. Will you be here when I return?” she asked.
“No,” he replied.
Her heart sank. He might not want to hear how her day went but he was the one person whom she could talk to about it. No one else knew the truth behind any of it. And it had to stay that way.
“Okay. Thank you again for everything,” she said.
“Krista, I’m not going to be here, because I’m going with you,” he announced.
Once again Krista had been unprepared for Connor’s comment. “I don’t understand. Last night you wanted nothing to do with this. Why the change of heart?”
She probably shouldn’t question him too much, he may change his mind again. But she really wanted to know. It was important to her to know why he was doing this. Krista did not want him to feel obligated. And she sure as hell did not want him to think she could not do it on her own.
“I believe I have the right to change my mind,” Connor replied.
“Of course you do. I’m just trying to understand why you did.”
Connor chuckled. “You are one very difficult person to understand. You want me to go. Then you demand I go. When I finally agree that my going with you is the right decision, you question me as though you don’t want me to go any longer.”
“I can see how I’m sending mixed signals, but I really can explain.”
Connor said, “Please do. But be warned, I only had one coffee so far.”
“Consider me warned. Yesterday you made your reasons very clear as to why you didn’t want to be involved. They were valid points. I spent the night thinking about everything you had said. For you, that might be the right choice.”
“So you don’t want me to go?” he asked.
“Of course I want you to go,” she exclaimed.
“Oh God woman, I’m going to need something a hell of a lot stronger than coffee if you don’t say what you really mean.”
That was the problem, she wasn’t sure anymore. “Okay. I’ll make it very simple.”
“Finally,” he sighed, walking across the room to stand closer.
With him so close, she was having a difficult time gathering her thoughts. Was he doing this to turn the tables on her? Because he sure as hell wasn’t the one sending mix signals now. But the question was, why was he having this effect on her?
“Thank you,” she said, and then nothing more.
After a moment he asked, “That’s it?”
“Yes. Thank you for coming with me.” No way was she going to try explaining it again. All she was doing was making things complicated, when they didn’t need to be. But the way he was looking down at her, seemed to be doing that anyway.
Connor brushed back a strand of her hair that had broken free from her ponytail and had been driving her crazy.
“I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time yesterday,” he said. “You were only trying to get me to do the right thing, and I was being an…ass.”
“No you weren’t. I was being pushy and not very understanding. I’m a doctor. I’m used to being around people with medical issues. Not everyone is comfortable doing that,” she said. Krista wasn’t even sure if that was why he had been so resistant. It really didn’t matter anymore.
“It wasn’t that. What you were asking was for me to become personally involved. I don’t normally do that. It actually would interfere with the type of work I do. It could cloud my judgment and possibly cost someone their life.”
“Oh. I…I think I understand. But that isn’t the case here. We aren’t out to save anyone. All we can do is…”
“Make things as easy as possible for her. I get it. And you have my full support. But I’m asking you for one favor,” he said.
“Of course. What is it?” Krista asked.
“Don’t read too much into this. I’m still the same guy you told off yesterday.”
“I didn’t tell you off. Trust me, if I had, you’d still be shaking in your boots,” Krista said.
Connor chuckled. “I don’t think you could harm a fly even if you tried.”
She put her hands on her hips. “You’d be surprised. You know what they say. You can’t judge a book by its cover. And this tiny book, packs one heck of a punch,” she warned.
Connor leaned over and said, “Trust me, I already know it.”