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Nell saw her just as she pulled the key from the lock. “Lucy? What—”
Lucy slammed the door, shoved the old key in the outside of the lock, and gave it a hard twist.
“Lucy!” Nell shrieked at the same time Jorik let out a yell.
Lucy put her mouth to the door and yelled right back. “You two have a time out!”
16
MAT RUSHED TO the door and twisted the knob, but it didn’t budge. He banged his fist against it. “Lucy! Open this door right now!”
Nothing but silence met his demand.
“Lucy, I’m warning you . . .”
With the door shut, the room’s only illumination came from the streetlight outside. Nealy hurried to the open window and looked down at the motor home in time to see the teenager run inside. She pressed her cheek against the glass. “You’re wasting your breath.”
He came over to stand beside her and followed the direction of her gaze. “This time she’s gone too far.”
Nealy wasn’t ready for their argument to end. She’d been ill-used, abused, and she had a whole litany of sins that she still wanted to rain down on his head. At the same time she wondered how he could look so good in a worn white T-shirt and gym shorts.
Straightening, she let the curtain fall back in place, turned on the small light that sat on top of the dresser, and glared at him. “This is all your fault.”
He pushed himself back from the window and sighed. “I know.”
That took the wind right out of her sails. Although she wasn’t proud to admit it, she’d been enjoying their fight. Imagine having someone yell at her like that. And imagine yelling right back without any need to censure her words or stifle her emotions. Her Litchfield ancestors must be spinning in their well-tended graves.
Even though he’d manhandled her, she hadn’t been the slightest bit afraid of him. He might believe he was capable of battering the females who upset him, but she knew differently.
She gave an injured sniff. “You frightened me to death.”
“I’m sorry. I really am.” He looked so dejected that she thought about taking pity on him, but then she thought not. First she wanted her pound of flesh.
Moving away from the window, she crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. “You stepped way over the line.
“I know. I—”
“You manhandled me! Terrified me!”
“I didn’t mean . . . I’m sorry.”
“Do you know that it’s a high crime to harm a member of the first family? You could go to prison.”
Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to keep the relish from her voice, and he gave her a sideways look. “For how long?”
“Oh, ages and ages.”
“That long, huh?”
“I’m afraid so.” She gave him a biting glare. “But look on the bright side. In prison, there won’t be any females to clutter up your life.”
He moved away from the window toward the bed. “That does put a different spin on it.”
“Just tattooed men with names like Bruno. I’m sure a number of them will find you quite attractive.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her.
She glanced toward the locked door. “I’m glad I went to the bathroom before we started arguing. It looks like it might be a while before I get there again.”
