Winsome looked horrified. ‘Oh, no. You can’t go on Christmas night.’
Kelsie smiled gently at the kindness she could see in Winsome’s eyes. ‘Of course I can. I’ve worked every Christmas the last few years. It’s never really been a big thing for me. This year will be a treat and I get to sit back. Then I’m working every day for a week from New Year’s Eve.’ She smiled at Max. ‘Hoping to catch lots of babies who very kindly waited for me until after Christmas.’
She picked up her carry-bag and smiled vaguely in Connor’s direction. ‘I’ll see you all later.’
She thought she’d got away with it but Connor leaned towards her as she passed.
‘I’ll accompany you.’ Connor turned to follow.
Softly answered into his chest as she passed, ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’
‘Tough,’ he said quietly, so that only she could hear. So not like the young man she’d known.
She narrowed her eyes and muttered over her shoulder. ‘I can’t stop you.’
‘No. You can’t.’ Whispered into her hair.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
WAS HE TRYING to be annoying or just obtuse? Kelsie had to wonder what had happened to the incredibly attentive man who had held her so tenderly after they had both rocked their little cabin, the man who she’d thought had become her lover and a best friend again.
‘I’m going to the bar.’
She heard the laughter in his voice. ‘Be careful. They’ll feed you.’
She stopped, turned, and her mouth twitched. She had to smile. Suddenly it was easier. ‘You’re overly stuffed with food too?’ Maybe he wasn’t so over her. Or was hiding it so she would just fall for him all over again with the barest hint of encouragement.
He grimaced. ‘I ache with food.’
Actually, Connor ached with something else. The urge to hold Kelsie and hug her to him. Grab her hand and race her off to her cabin—much more private—because this was the last opportunity they would have to be alone before they were transferred to the non-sleeper part of their journey—but that way lay madness. Or was it happiness that he was afraid of?
He wished he knew which it was, although the ghosts from the past had such a stranglehold on him he had to assume the former.
Now he’d discovered she was flying out tomorrow night they had very little time. He’d been disappointed when that had come out but not shocked. They had less reason to be careful because she would fly away and now he knew. No doubt she would have mentioned it yesterday if he’d asked her.
In fairness to himself, his intention hadn’t been to sleep with her and find himself teetering on the edge of where he’d been all those years ago—back under her spell.
Maybe it was a good thing she was going. Not enough time for the miracle of Christmas to take a hand. But they should at least part friends.
He owed her that. He actually thought he needed it, too.
‘Perhaps we could talk privately?’
The blue of her eyes darkened doubtfully and he thought again how much he loved the way her face had matured into the woman in front of him.
‘Why?’
He shrugged. He wished he knew. ‘For lots of reasons—all of them nebulous.’ But he couldn’t rid himself of the notion that they were balancing on the edge of an important truth—no matter which way it went. ‘Or just because I left without explanation this morning and it wasn’t my intention to hurt you.’
She shrugged unwillingly. ‘We can talk in the bar.’
‘Of course.’ Kelsie heard the resignation in his voice.
She chewed her lip as she moved forward again through the next carriage. Did she really want to talk in the bar? With Winsome about to descend on them at any moment and the possibility of others overhearing?
Or did she want to risk being in close, private proximity to Connor where physical things could happen? Had happened before. Ooh. Naughty but nice.
She considered her lonely flight home tomorrow, at thirty thousand feet, imagining scenarios in her head if she chose the wrong answer now.
Would she regret not giving him a chance to speak to her in private? Yes. Best not to wonder, then. ‘Fine. Your cabin or mine?’
Connor smiled. ‘Mine’s closer. And larger.’
Her brows went up. She’d known it would be. ‘Show-off.’
He looked down at her. ‘Jealous bag.’
She laughed. ‘You always were good at the comebacks.’
‘You weren’t too bad yourself when you plucked up the courage.’
‘I’ve grown up,’ she tossed over her shoulder.
‘Oh, yes,’ he said softly. ‘You certainly have.’