Kate stepped from the kerb and there was a screeching of brakes. A tall, lean man jumped from the shuddering vehicle and grabbed Kate's arm.
'You little fool!' a familiar voice bellowed into her astonished face. 'Are you trying to kill yourself?'
'Gerard!' Kate gasped, and her eyes flooded with spontaneous delight as she gazed up at his scowling features. 'Oh, Gerard, I can't believe it. It's you! It's really you!'
The dark blue eyes softened, but only for a split second before they hardened. 'I can't believe it's me either,' he ground out sarcastically. 'I must be a fool to come tearing after you like this!' His grip tightened on her arm as he drew her closer. 'You have a lot of explaining to do, and it had better be good!' Without a further word he thrust Kate none too gently into the front seat of a pale blue Volvo estate. Sliding in beside her, he reached over and cupped her chin forcing her to look at him. There were tears sparkling in her eyes.
'Kate, Kate,' he declared huskily, shaking his head in despair as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. 'Stop that now, do you hear?' he begged as the tears continued to flow unabashedly down her fever-flushed cheeks. He pressed the back of his hand to her brow and frowned. 'You're burning up!' He drew her close and kissed her, his lips gentle as they followed the path of the tears. 'What am I going to do with you?' he groaned as he cuddled her against his chest. Kate closed her eyes and a tiny sigh escaped her lips. He smelt so good, like cinnamon-flavoured toffee apples and aftershave. His heart beat a soothing tattoo against her cheek. She wished she could stay in his arms for ever listening to his voice murmuring against her hair as he quietly scolded her. She reached up and lightly ran her fingers across his jaw, tracing the deep cleft in his chin. He took her hand in his and kissed each pink-tipped finger. His eyes were closed.
A sharp rap on the window made them both start. They looked and saw a young policeman gazing curiously in at them. Gerard rolled down his window.
'Yes, constable?'
'I would like to point out, sir,' the young policeman said shyly, 'you're parked illegally.'
'Thank you,' said Gerard. 'I was merely helping a lady in distress.' He rolled up the window and grinned at Kate while he started the car's motor. Kate grinned back at him.
'Imagine!' she said teasingly. 'A lady in distress.'
'You will be once I get you back to your hotel room,' Gerard answered, the laughter leaving his eyes. 'And this time, no more tears! They're too damned distracting!' He glanced sharply down at her. 'You have a lot of explaining to do.'
'Can't it wait until tomorrow?' Kate pleaded. 'I'm still not feeling well, you know. Remember my virus?' she cautioned wisely.
'Cut it out, Kate,' Gerard ground out warningly. 'If I didn't know how sick you are I would have turned you over my knee back at the kerb and given you a sound spanking!' Blue eyes glittered down at her. 'That's exactly what I felt like doing when I learned you were in Melbourne.'
Kate nervously ran her tongue over her lips. 'I have a right to go where I please,' she dared say.
Gerard snorted angrily. 'You apparently think you have the right to do just about anything you please. Now be quiet,' he snapped as she started to protest, 'anything you say now will only make the situation worse!'
Kate drew herself up stiffly. 'I was only going to tell you which hotel I'm staying at. It's the -'
'I know where you're staying,' he said harshly. 'I happen to know every move you've made since you so foolishly left Brisbane.'
She frowned at him suspiciously. 'How could you know? Do you have spies working for you?' Her voice rose indignantly. 'I have a right -'
'Say that one more time, Kate, and so help me you'll be sorry.' His voice was ominously low and Kate wisely swallowed the rest of her sentence. Better to let him concentrate on the traffic, she decided as she turned her attention to-the fabulous Christmas decorations lining the streets while the strains of Christmas carols filtered through the car windows. She felt Gerard relax beside her, saw the whiteness disappear from his knuckles as he gripped the wheel. She realised he mistook her silence for meek obedience. What he didn't realise was she was saving her strength for the battle he threatened would soon be under way!
Gerard parked the smooth-running Volvo in the hotel car park and then escorted Kate up to her room. He took the key from her hand and inserted it in the lock, pushing the door open while he gripped her elbow. She heard the door slam behind them and realised he must have kicked it shut. He was working himself into a real temper and she shivered involuntarily.
The room seemed cold and harsh under the glare of the ceiling light. She snatched her arm from Gerard's grasp and went over to switch on the table lamps. Gerard smiled coldly as he in turn switched off the overhead light. The room instantly looked better, warmer and far cosier. Only Gerard's glacial smile as he pinned Kate with his eyes caused the chill she felt in her heart.
She sighed and looked down at the pale yellow frock she was wearing. She felt messy and longed for a bath. As if reading her mind, Gerard suggested she take one. She looked up gratefully while a half-smile formed uncertainly on her lips.
'You're sure you won't mind?'
He shrugged. 'Why should I?' He loosened his navy blue tie and unbuttoned the neck of his shirt before stretching out on the bed and closing his eyes. A moment later he opened one lid and peered at her.
'What's wrong?'
'N-nothing,' Kate answered a little breathlessly.
'Well then, why aren't you in there taking your bath?' he enquired reasonably.
'I ... I was just wondering what you were going to do?'
'This!' he announced lazily, folding his arms under his dark head and shutting his eyes once more.
'Well, for goodness sake!' snapped Kate. 'Don't you dare fall asleep!'
'Mmm, I might.'
'What about our fight?'
'I'm resting for it!'
'What if you fall asleep and wake up only to find me gone?' she wailed.
'Then I'll just have to find you all over again, won't I?' His eyes half opened as he peered at her through hooded lids. 'And that would really make me angry!'
Kate fumed quietly as she gathered her things and prepared for her bath. He was playing with her, toying with her feelings, threatening her one minute, practically scaring her out of her wits and then having the nerve to lie down and sleep! She walked over to the bed and stood staring down at him.
It didn't seem right that one man should be blessed with so many attributes. Those lashes alone! What woman wouldn't crave them? On any other man they might look feminine, but not on Gerard. They only enhanced his masculinity, a striking contrast to the hard, rugged planes of his face, the smooth hardness of his jaw. His lips were slightly parted revealing the brilliance of white teeth against the darkness of his skin. Kate bent her head and lightly kissed his cheek. If he was still asleep by the time she had finished her bath she would pluck one of his eyelashes and tickle him awake!
She enjoyed the luxury of a long hot bath. It had been a hard day, but she felt the trip had been worth while. At last she knew what sort of life Gerard had lived over the past several years. She could understand his bitterness, his reluctance to love again. And just as importantly she no longer felt threatened by Ria. Ria belonged in Gerard's past. Kate longed to be part of his future. She would fight for him . . .
Fight! Would they have a quarrel? she wondered as she stepped from her bath and dried herself with a fluffy white towel. She certainly hoped not. Maybe the rest Gerard was having would put him in a better frame of mind. He had looked tired, exhausted in fact. She wondered why he hadn't left Melbourne as he had planned. Something must have happened with his business preventing him returning to Bargara Beach. Kate slipped into a white skirt with matching white top. It was the outfit she had planned on wearing home tomorrow. She brushed her hair until it shone and applied a light touch of lip-gloss to her full mouth. Her throat felt much better and the aches and pains had all but left her body. The virus was working i
ts way out of her system.
It was a feeling of wellbeing that Kate had when she stepped from the bathroom. Gerard's eyelashes were safe. He was up and standing by the window peering out at Melbourne's nightlife. Kate hesitated. His rigid stance seemed threatening somehow and she realised with a sudden sinking of heart that he really did intend to question her about her day. She would have told him all about it. Some day! When she had digested all the facts, got used to what she had learned, when she didn't feel quite so emotional about everything.
He half turned, sensing her presence, and his eyes swept appreciatively over her slender body before returning to her face. He still looked tired. He couldn't have slept and Kate felt guilty about the time she had spent in the bathroom. He had obviously been waiting for her. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.
'How do you feel?'
'Much better, thank you,' Kate replied in a strained voice. She became aware of a tension developing between them which was far from friendly.
He nodded curtly. 'You look better. Not so flushed.'
'It must have been one of those twenty-four hour things,' Kate murmured, watching him closely. His eyes seemed almost black and deep lines were drawn in his face.
'I ordered dinner.' He indicated with a slight turn of his head a table set for two and several domed-top serving dishes on a trolley beside it. 'I thought we would eat here.'
Kate swallowed hard. 'That was very considerate of you.'
A cynical smile twisted his lips. 'I thought so. We'll have privacy for our discussion.'
'Gerard, couldn't it wait?' she pleaded anxiously. 'You look so tired and I'm just getting over my virus. Neither one of us is up to a discussion.'
Her plea fell on deaf ears. 'We'll eat first, talk later.' He pulled out one of the two chairs for her.
'I'm really not very hungry, Gerard, and -'
'Sit!' The commanding voice cut her off and by the gleam in his eyes Kate knew she dared not refuse. She took her place at the table and spread a white linen napkin across her lap. Her hands were shaking.
The meal of fresh crab salad followed by chicken done in a creamy wine sauce was truly succulent. Gerard ate with hearty appetite and while Kate thought she wouldn't be able to eat a thing, she surprised herself by eating almost as much as he did.
'You must be better,' Gerard drawled approvingly as she ate the last of the crusty rolls and finished the wine in her glass. How many glasses had she had, she found herself wondering, knowing she had drunk plenty in an effort to boost her confidence, her bravado?
After they had finished their dessert of fresh strawberries and cream Gerard wheeled the trolley across the room and out of the door. Kate watched in breathless silence as he returned to her, taking her hand and leading her to the small two-seater sofa. The interrogation was about to begin! She shivered and peeped cautiously up at him through the silky fringe of her lashes. Their shoulders were touching and his thigh was pressed against hers in an exhilaratingly delicious contact.
He had been so attentive during their meal. Surely he wasn't going to spoil it all by being too hard on her now? But at the look in his eyes as he gazed down at her Kate wondered if she and Gerard had just shared their last supper!
CHAPTER TEN
She jumped up from the sofa. Her palms were damp with nervous perspiration and she dried them self-consciously on the sides of her white skirt. Her legs felt weak and her knees were shaking and she was aware of her pulse throbbing erratically.
Gerard's expression as he watched her was granite-hard. He spread his arms along the top of the sofa and stretched out his long legs. 'I realise you're a reporter, Kate, and I accept that reporters are experts at poking their noses into places they don't belong. However, I didn't think you would stoop so low as to go behind my back in an effort to check me out!'
His eyes flicked over her, whip-sharp, and the colour rose in her face at his accusing look.
'But I didn't,' Kate protested weakly, her voice quivering.
His black brows shot up sardonically, icy scorn in the glitter of his deep blue eyes. 'You didn't spend the better part of two hours with Enid Boynton?' he jeered.
'Well, yes, I did, but—'
'And what did you talk about? Melbourne's notorious weather?'
'Gerard, please -'
'Gerard, please!' he mimicked her tone. He slowly rose to his feet. 'Can you imagine what you've put me through?' he asked hoarsely. 'I was half out of my mind with worry! When I got to Brisbane and you weren't there -' He shook his head. 'No one knew where you'd gone. Your car was there, so I decided you must have walked to the park. I went looking for you. Finally, I rang Mrs Abbott thinking she might know something.'
Kate's heart filled with despair at the look of anguish in his eyes. It hadn't occurred to her that he would stop in Brisbane, he had said he wouldn't. Listen to what a man's heart tells you, not to what he says! Mrs Boynton was right, Kate acknowledged. Gerard cared for her, his previous actions had proved this. She should have trusted him and not given in to her wild desire to know what his life had once been.
'Oh, Gerard,' she whispered again, her voice breaking. 'I . . . I'm so s-sorry!'
'Sorry!' he rasped, the word exploding in the still room. 'Sorry for what? For sneaking behind my back? For prying information out of a trusted friend? For making me chase after you, wondering what in tarnation you were up to?' He shook her roughly. 'For all that?'
A deep hurt clung to her eyes as she met his tortured gaze. 'Yes, for all that,' she agreed quietly.
He was silent for several minutes, his eyes never leaving the exquisite beauty of her face. A nerve twitched in his jaw and her heart ached at his tired appearance. Her hands moved up his chest to the dark silky hairs showing through the opened collar of his crisp white shirt. She felt him tremble when she softly stroked the tanned column of his neck before tracing the strong jaw and full lips. Her fingers gently touched the tired lines around his eyes and she ached to kiss them away.
Gerard grabbed her hands and held them tightly against his chest. 'And what did Ria tell you?' His voice was low and edged with fury. 'Did she tell you what you wanted to hear?'
Kate quickly shook her head. 'I didn't speak to Ria.'
His eyes raked her face and his complexion darkened. 'Don't add lies to what you've already done, Kate,' he answered grimly, distaste showing in the dark centre of his eyes.
'I tell you, I didn't speak to Ria.'
'Are you forgetting where I picked you up?' he demanded angrily, his fingers closing on the soft flesh of her arms.
Colour flooded Kate's cheeks as she gazed helplessly up at him. 'I know you found me on Ria's street corner, but I didn't speak to her. She was -'
'You mean you came all the way to Melbourne, hounded poor Enid for Ria's address, took a taxi there and then didn't speak to her?' He snorted his disbelief.
'I saw her.'
Gerard drew in his breath and let it out slowly. At the same time he released the punishing grip he had on Kate's arms. 'So-o, you did speak to her. Well,' he demanded harshly, 'did she fill you in on all the gory details?' His eyes blazed down at her. 'Did she?'
Anger and resentment flared within Kate. Gerard was being unreasonable, refusing to believe her, not giving her the chance to explain. He wanted to hear the worst.
'Yes!' she hissed.
'And did you believe her?'
'Every word,' Kate bit out.
Gerard's blue eyes narrowed. 'You're lying!'
She slumped her shoulders in defeat. 'What's the use?' she sighed, her heart sick with despair. 'You've accused me both ways.' She took a deep breath before continuing. 'I did see Ria. She got out of a car to shut the gates. We looked at each other, that's all. I admit I went there with the intent to speak to her, but after seeing her I didn't feel there was any need.' She spread her hands in a gesture of hopelessness. 'Believe it or not, Gerard. It's up to you.'
Gerard turned away from her and walked towards the windows, his han
ds thrust deeply in his pockets as he stared into the blackness.
Fighting back tears, Kate went over to him and laid her hand on his arm. He tensed and she immediately dropped it. He didn't want her touching him and her heart broke.
'Gerard,' she whispered his name in a plea of anguish.
He slowly turned and faced her. 'I think we've both said and done enough, Kate.' He shrugged his broad shoulders and then turned as if to leave. Kate panicked. If he left now she knew it would be for good. It was as he said. They had both said and done too much and each was hurting on account of it. But to part now would be fatal. The wounds were too raw, they would fester and never heal. There would be no chance of going back. Their love would be lost for ever. Gerard picked up his suit jacket and slung it over his shoulder and walked towards the door. Words tumbled from her mouth, but they were straight from her heart.
'Gerard, I know you're upset and I blame myself. I should never have come here, I realise that now, but at the time I thought—I hoped I was doing the right thing. I love you so much, Gerard, you and Matthew, and I wanted you to love me! Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued her confession. 'I've longed to hear you say you loved me, Gerard, and when you didn't I blamed Ria.' Her voice now was a hoarse whisper. 'I wanted to convince myself that I was better than Ria, that I could love you better, that you could love me if only you would give yourself a chance! Give us a chance.'
The silence which followed her words became unbearable. Kate wiped her wet cheeks while her heavy lids told her her eyes were swollen and probably an unsightly red. But none of that seemed , to matter any more. He had seen her at her best and at her worst. He had looked after her when she was sick and saved her from drowning. He had teased her and tormented her and they had laughed and joked together. Each had carried the other to dizzying heights of ecstasy, but only one had given their heart. Kate was the loser here, and she knew it.
Time to Trust Page 11