could manage to wrap his arms around her, she succeeded in connecting a hard right hook to his chin.
His head snapped back, a move more aimed at self-preservation than in actual response to her punch. He tightened his arms, the blankets effectively trapping her in a soft cocoon.
“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you,” Royce soothed.
“I’m sure that is what all murdering psychopaths say right before they torture and murder their victims! Let go of me!” Becki demanded, as she struggled to break free. Royce tightened his hold slightly not wanting to risk injury to her or himself.
Damn her knuckles hurt. She had already succeeded in landing one good punch. If she could get away from him and make it as far as the front porch, her nosey neighbor would call the police. Barring that possibility, she would run to her bedroom and introduce him to the Glock Uncle Kurt had given her last year.
Seriously? This pervert had come into her house wearing only a towel? It was a small towel, at that! If he thought she was going to be easy prey, he had another think coming. She was tempted to show him just how accurate she could be with that Glock, and the more he pissed her off, the more likely it was to become reality.
“Asshole,” she said, stepping down hard on his foot, “let me go, dammit.” Jerking her body right and then left, she yelled, “You dumb pervert. Get. The. Hell. Out of my house!” She annunciated each word, as if he were slow to understand in addition to being hard-of-hearing.
Royce grunted, Damn it, that hurt. Now he was getting pissed. She needed to be taught a lesson in how to deal with “criminals”. This approach would likely get her killed if he were indeed a criminal. She probably planned to free herself and then pull a gun on him. What she didn’t know, was that he could disarm her before the weapon even cleared its hiding spot. He felt her body shift and knew she was preparing for a head-butt.
“You freaking idiot! I said--”
“Enough!” Royce interrupted as he tightened and then slightly loosened his hold; squeezing her in an effort to get her attention. “I just said I’m not going to hurt you,” he reminded the squirming woman, his tone much less soothing than it had been earlier. He might smell like a girl, but he would be damned if he would let himself be beaten-up by one.
“Go to hell! You crazy son-of-a-bitch, I said let me gooo!” she demanded, raising her knee to take him down, just like Landon had taught her.
Royce shifted, blocking her move. So that’s how it was going to be. Ok, if she wanted to play dirty, he could play dirty; no one threatened the family jewels. Bad temper suddenly overrode normally good judgment, causing him to softly goad, “Or what?”
Becki careened her head to look at him. Did he really just say, what she thought he said? That stupid son-of-a-bitch was just about to be schooled.
Royce saw Armageddon in her eyes.
Becki drew a deep breath preparing for an all-out, blood-curdling scream, sure to bring Mr. McGregor running. Her neighbor might be nosey, but he loved Becki. He especially loved the chocolate chip cookies she dropped over to him from time to time, and he always kept a .45 caliber pistol tucked into the waistband of his pants. Perhaps the fact that he was the retired Chief of Police had something to do with it.
Royce knew he had crossed the line. His head was beginning to pound again, thanks to her right hook. His foot was bruised, he had barely spoiled her attempt to crush his manhood, and he was not in the mood to have his ear drums assaulted, so he stopped her the only way he possibly could.
As he covered her mouth with his, she stopped screaming, clamped her mouth shut and stood deathly still. Who would have imagined? He slid one hand to the nape of her neck, tilting her head, deciding to enjoy this unexpected turn of events. His lips tugged and pulled, his tongue gently traced the seam of her lips, begging for entry. She gasped, pulling back to look at him with wide eyes, her body still firmly trapped against him. For a moment, a heartbeat, neither moved; and then suddenly she was kissing him. Groaning, Royce shifted to bring her body more fully in contact with his.