Читать книгу The Heiress's Secret Romance - Martha Kennerson - Страница 16

Chapter 5

The pledge that Morgan made to keep his distance proved to be harder than he thought. He spent the next two weeks doing everything he could to avoid spending any time alone with Kathleen. Whenever she came near him with questions, concerns or comments his brain seem to shut down, allowing his hormones to take control. After turning down several recent offers for female companionship, putting himself through grueling workouts in his home gym and riding his horses until he started to smell like one himself, Morgan spent the entire weekend wondering what Kathleen was doing. She never wore rings, so he figured she wasn’t married, but it seemed impossible for a woman like that to be single. The question and idea had made him nuts all weekend.

Morgan had a history of dating beautiful and compliant women, but none of them affected him like Kathleen. Her beauty aside, it was her passion for her work, the compassion he’d seen her show his team, but most of all, the way she challenged him when she believed she was right about something that attracted him.

It was another Monday afternoon when Morgan sat at a table in the cafeteria across from where Kathleen was sitting talking to several of his employees. However, this time she seemed to be focusing her attention on Troy, one of his senior welders. The way she threw her head back when she laughed at whatever he was saying to her grated at him and he had no idea why.

“I’m surprised Kathleen hasn’t filed charges against you,” Adrian said before biting into his chicken.

“What?” Morgan frowned and he looked over at his friend.

Adrian wiped his mouth with his napkin and said, “The way you’re attacking her with those glares.”

Morgan turned his head and pushed his plate forward. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you do. Just ask Kathleen out already,” Adrian suggested.

“Don’t be ridiculous. First, Kathleen works here. Second, she may be married or at least have a man. And third, I’m not—”

“Don’t say you’re not interested because I know better.”

“Do you now?”

“We’ve been friends for over ten years, and I know when someone’s piqued your interest. Considering all the hard labor you’ve put in these last couple weeks, I’d say Kathleen has more than done that.”

What she’s doing is driving me crazy. “Like I said, she works here—”

“She’s working here. She doesn’t work here, and as far as her being married or having a man, she isn’t, and she doesn’t.”

Morgan could feel his anger on the rise, and he didn’t understand why. Had Adrian asked Kathleen out? Did she turn him down? Had he already gone out with her? Those questions were racing through his mind and driving him crazy. “How the hell do you know that?”

Adrian must have sensed the change in Morgan’s demeanor. “Chill, man, I heard one of the welding guys asked her out.”

“Who?” Morgan hadn’t realized that he’d fisted his hands on the table.

Adrian shrugged and took another bite of his food. “I’m not sure, but I think it might be one of the guys she’s sitting next to. I don’t know if she said yes.”

I’m going to fire his ass. Wait, where the hell did that come from? He used the palm of his right hand to rub against his temple.

Adrian turned toward his friend. “Look, man, just ask the woman out. You know you want to. Didn’t you say she seemed interested when you first met?”

“Yeah, when she thought she was talking to you. Ever since she found out who I was, Kathleen’s been tense and standoffish.”

“Probably because you’ve been quiet and brooding.” Adrian wiped his face and took a drink of his soda.

“Quiet and brooding?”

“Yeah, that’s what the women around here call you,” Adrian explained with a half smile.

“Do they now?”

“Yes. You haven’t even attended one of Kathleen’s classes,” Adrian noted.

“I don’t need to,” he defended.

“She might appreciate the gesture, and you’d be surprised how cool it is.”

Morgan’s eyebrows rose. “Would I?”

“Hell, perhaps Kathleen would like a man who can make her laugh like that.” Adrian directed Morgan’s attention to the area were Kathleen now stood talking to Troy and two additional women. They were all laughing and standing near the exit, and Kathleen had her hand resting on Troy’s arm.

“Perhaps we should both get back to work. Those containers aren’t going to clean themselves.”

Morgan stood, threw his trash out and headed for the exit away from where Kathleen stood. Morgan knew Adrian was right, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, but he also knew he had to get his foreign and inconvenient feelings for Kathleen under control before he did anything. It was time to talk to one of his brothers, and he knew the perfect one too.

* * *

Kathleen had been keeping an eye on Morgan from the moment he walked into the cafeteria. Their encounters over the last couple of weeks were very professional, although she found herself having more inappropriate thoughts and dreams about the man she was investigating, a probe that had only yielded positive responses from his employees.

As part of her investigation, she got to see how well prepared his administrative team as well as his frontline staff were. Kathleen needed to make sure she wasn’t allowing her personal whatever she was feeling for Morgan to interfere with her ability to do her job. It had never been a problem before, and she was going to make sure it didn’t become one now. It was time to deal with Morgan Kingsley.

Kathleen figured if she could interview him about the complaint one of two things would happen. She’d either be able to clear the charges once and for all or find a reason to move forward with a full investigation. Now all she had to do was find a way to interview Morgan without him catching on. Kathleen knew just the person to ask for help too.

* * *

Morgan stood in the immaculately decorated living room of his younger brother Brice’s home and smiled. He remembered how not very long ago when he’d visited his brother, Brice would direct him downstairs to his man cave and away from the living room. The painful memories of his then soon-to-be ex-wife were too much to handle. Morgan was happy his brother and sister-in-law had since reconciled, even though at first he hadn’t seen it happening. Watching Brice handle his conflicting feelings for Brooke while being forced to work with her told Morgan that Brice would be the perfect person to ask about his foreign feelings for Kathleen and how best to handle them.

“Here you go.” Brice handed Morgan a bottle of beer.

“Thanks, man. You sure this is cool? I haven’t interrupted anything, have I?” he asked, noticing his brother’s wet hair, pajama bottoms and T-shirt.

“Not now,” he replied, smiling.

“Good, I’d hate to disturb Brooke. How’s she doing with everything?”

“She’s fine. She hasn’t had an MS flare-up in a while.”

“That’s great. I still can’t get over how well you two are handing Brooke’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis. I’m proud of you, bro.”

“I appreciate that. We’ve made a decision.”

“About what?”

Brice’s face lit up. “We selected a surrogate, and we’re starting the process next week.”

“For real?”

“Yep.” Brice nodded.

Morgan hugged his brother. “Congratulations, man. I know how much you want kids, but I also know how much you need to keep Brooke safe.” He took a long pull from his bottle as he watched Brice’s expression morph from happiness to fear back to happiness again in the matter of seconds.

“Let’s sit down.”

Morgan took a seat in one of the two large wingback chairs across from his brother, who was now sitting on a sofa. “Have you shared it with the rest of the family?”

“No. You’re the first. Mother won’t be surprised, since she’s the one who made the recommendation and found us the perfect agency.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Morgan took another drink from his bottle.

“Because she’s Victoria Kingsley. Now, what brings you out here? You were all cryptic when you called,” he asked, finally getting around to taking a drink from his beer bottle.

Morgan placed his now empty bottle on the coffee table. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, clasping his hands. “There’s this woman—”

“Oh wow...wait.” Brice held up his left hand and put his beer bottle down on the floor. “You came to see me about a woman?”

“Yeah, so...”

Brice clapped his hands and started laughing. Morgan knew he deserved his brothers’ ribbing after all the hard times he’d given all of them about their problems with women while he incessantly played the field after Bonnie broke his heart, but now really wasn’t the time. He needed his help. Morgan sat back in the chair. “You done?”

“Sorry, man. I’m done. What’s going on and who is this woman who has finally got Morgan Kingsley, the king of the bachelors, Mister No-Woman’s-Worth-the-Drama all twisted up in his feelings?”

“Her name is Kathleen Winston—”

“The trainer from OSHA?” Brice frowned.

Morgan rose from his seat. “That’s the one.”

“Damn, man, she just got there, and you’ve already—”

“No, I haven’t.” Morgan started a slow pace around the room. “I haven’t done anything, and that’s the problem.”

“I don’t understand.”

Morgan released an audible sigh. “Neither do I, which is why I’m here. So, what do I do?”

Brice frowned. “About what?”

“Men...” a small, soft voice called out as Brooke descended the stairs and entered the living room, barefoot and wearing a robe.

Morgan stopped midstride, and Brice stood. He reached for his wife’s hand and pulled her into his arms, kissing her on the cheek. “Sorry if we disturbed you, sweetheart,” Brice stated.

A warm feeling came over Morgan watching the sweet exchange, and while normally such a sight never affected him, he was finding himself thinking about how nice it would be to have such a moment, maybe with a beautiful stranger who he couldn’t even have a real conversation with.