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He tightened his grip on the ax handle, wishing it were her neck he grasped. “I thought I told you water was scarce.”
“You did, but Mr. Rodale and Court brought me a barrel of rainwater this morning so that I could have a bath and wash my clothes. Rather than insult them, I thought I would respect their kindness. But had I known you would throw a tantrum, I assure you I would have waited.”
Now it was his turn to see the humor.
Hehadthrown a tantrum. There was no other word to describe what he’d done.
He drew a deep breath to calm his racing heart. What was it about this woman that made his emotions so volatile?
He’d always prided himself on his even moods.
On his ability to handle even the most difficult situation with calm dignity and rationality.
But when it came to her, his iron control melted like butter.
Was there any way to make a graceful exit from this fiasco? He glanced around at the remnants of the door strewn about the floor and Serenity standing by his bunk, draped in his quilt.
There was definitely no way to make a graceful exit.
“Gather up your clothes,” he said in a low voice. “I won’t be able to repair the door until we get to Santa Maria. You can dress in Barney’s room and I’ll…”
“Clean up the room?”
He nodded.
She gathered her clothes and stopped by his side. Her gaze darted along the pieces of the door before she looked back at his face. “I guess I won’t be locking the door tonight, will I, Captain?”
He growled a low warning in his throat.
Serenity decided it would be best to make a hasty retreat. She practically ran down the hallway until she reached Barney’s room and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Pesty asked.
“It’s Serenity. Is Barney in there?” she asked before she realized how foolish it was to have a conversation with a bird. She waited a few minutes and when no one said anything, she eased the door open. The room was empty except for Pesty.
With a sigh of relief, she entered and shut the door firmly behind her. Only then did she allow the horror of what had just happened wash over her.
The man was insane! He had come after her with an ax!
No, her mind quietly chided. He had come after the door with an ax.
I have never in my life known a girl who could push a man to the limits of his sanity,she heard her father’s voice in her head. But you, gal, you take it all. I’ll never know what your sweet mother was thinking when she named you Serenity. It must have been wishful thinking on her part. If I had my way, I’d have named you Incense!
Really Serenity,her brother had once said,what is it about you that you have to push people when you can plainly see they’re ready to kill you?
It was a terrible flaw in her personality. One she’d never understood, but it was true. She did so love to aggravate people. Especially arrogant men.
A small smile hovered at the edges of her lips as she again pictured Morgan standing in the room with the ax in his hand, his face etched with fury. It had been a funny sight.
But it was definitely one she never wanted to see again.
“Just two more days and then you’re safe,” she said to herself as she began dressing.
“Two more days,” Pesty repeated. “Two more days.”
Yet for all the safety, a tiny part of her hoped the end of those two days would never come.
Later that night, Serenity was just about ready to go to bed when she heard approaching footsteps.
