"It's kinda late," Jensen replied. "Just after twelve"
"Oh, God," she said. She picked up the telephone off the floor and put it back on the desk. Then she searched her bag and withdrew her phone. While she called her mom to apologize for not coming back and checking on Tim, Jensen stood at the edge of her desk, glaring at her.
"I'm glad you arrived when you did. I wasn't planning on staying here for so long" she said after the ended the call and put the phone on the desk. "I was working... Was planning on delivering some cupcakes to a customer very early tomorrow morning... Or should I say this morning then.... I must have slept off when I decided to look at some paperwork"
"What the hell were you thinking of to stay out here by yourself in the dark?" he asked angrily. "You are lucky it was me who came through that door"
"The door was locked, Jensen," Katherine said.
"As though that would stop anybody who wanted in badly enough" he said.
"Well, nothing tragic happened, so let's just forget about it, shall we?" she said.
That belittling tone of hers never failed to set his teeth on edge. As she came around her desk, he blocked her path. "We will forget it when I say it's time to forget it." he said. "It's not safe for a woman to be out here alone, away from home, after dark. Don't do it again".
Katherine stared up at him. Challenging him with her eyes. "May I remind you that you are not in a position of authority over me. You can't tell me what to do" she said.
"Damn it, forget about who is telling who what to do," Jensen said. "This has nothing to do with that. Besides, the only time you say something like that is when you know that you are wrong"
Her eyes blazed up at him. "If it had been anybody but you, the security guys would have alerted me of the danger"
"Oh really," Jensen said sarcastically. He lowered his head close to hers. "Is that right?"
"That's right," Katherine replied carelessly.
"Well, for your information. The security guys are out there doing their jobs and if someone found a way to sneak in here, they might not even be able to help you. Jezz, you could even be in danger from the security guys themselves. What if one of them decided to go crazy or something like that, huh? Jensen asked.
Katherine stared at him. Irritated and embarrassed, she glanced away. "I appreciate your concern for my safety," she said.
"Don't flatter yourself," he said angrily. "I'm not all that concerned. I'm just trying to talk a little common sense into somebody who obviously has shit for brains"
Her head came back around swiftly. "Don't talk to me like that. You have no right to" Katherine said.
"I'm just looking out for you, damn it" he said. "It's not okay to be out here like this by this time. And it's not something the Katherine I know would do" he said.
Katherine rolled her eyes and grabbed her phone which she put into her bag. "Well, I guess you don't know me then. That's one of the problems you have, thinking you know everything about everything. I'm leaving" she said. She tried to move past him again but he stopped her. He took the bag from her and dropped it on the desk, blocking her view.
"What the hell is going on with you, Kat?" he said, clearly concerned. But Katherine was so angry. Angry at herself, at him and at the world so she forced herself not to care.
"Nothing is going on with me. I'm perfectly fine" she said. "Now let me go"
"You are not fine," Jensen said. "We both know that. You are out here alone, working at night and sleeping off in your office. You look stressed. Your eyes look sad and swollen. Have you been crying? Are you sick? When was the last time you slept?... I mean like really well"
"That's none of your business" she said. "Get out of my way, Jensen."
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Home" she replied
He didn't move. "It's late. You should stay here. You can leave early this morning. You definitely don't look like you are in the right frame of mind to be driving. And what was the deal with the letter opener? You were having a terrible nightmare. You could have hurt me or yourself with that damn thing. Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
"No I don't." Katherine replied. "I'm fine. Like you said, I was just a nightmare. Nothing serious... And I definitely don't want to talk to you about it"
"When did the nightmares start?" Jensen asked.
"None of your business. Are you even listening to me? I'm not your problem. You don't have to care. I don't want you to care. I don't need your help. I don't want you around... So just leave me alone"
"Well, I care, damn it, Kat," Jensen yelled. "I don't want to... I don't want to care... Especially when you act like this. Because I know you are going through a lot right now.
I have been there, and I know what it feels like to be mad at everyone and everything. I understand... And that's why I care"
Their eyes locked for a few seconds and then Katherine looked away. She grabbed her bag again and tried to walk away from him but she bumped into his hard chest instead.
Jensen ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He had had enough of this. So he did the only thing he had been wanting to do for a very long time. He grabbed her arms and crushed her body against his. He was tired of thinking... So he didn't think at all.
He kissed her... hard.
He slid his fingers into her hair and tilted her head back. To his surprise, her breath rushed out of her mouth. He felt it against his lips, tasted it. The tip of his tongue flicked across her lips, then he pressed it into her mouth.