harbored.
Pasting a look of resigned boredom on her face, she replied, “No, what you wanted was for me to date other people. Of course, that was only so you could date other people. Penny Miller, wasn’t that her name?”
His eyes narrowed. “You were the only girl I wanted, Mattie.”
She stared at him, then burst out laughing as she shook her head. When her laughter bordered on the hysterical, she tried walking past him.
He blocked her, his face as impassive as ever. “There’s something funny about that?”
Tilting her head, she studied him. He’d always been good at hiding his feelings. Even when they’d been as intimate as two people could be, she’d had a hard time reading him. She’d known it was because he hadn’t wanted to be read. Still, when Dusty had attacked her in court, Dom hadn’t been able to hide his reaction. He’d been pumped and angry, but he’d also been scared for her. He’d been worried when he’d found her in the break room, too. Without her wanting it to, that realization softened her anger. “I’m just thinking what a really odd day this is, and not,” she added, “because I was almost assaulted by an inmate. And not because an old boyfriend has suddenly remembered who I am.”
Referring to him as her boyfriend must have stunned him, because she was able to walk around him. She’d only gone a few feet before he caught her elbow, stopping her. “Not almost assaulted. You were assaulted.”
Eyes narrowed, she pulled away from him. Despite the scare Dusty had given them, Dom had no say in how she chose to describe the incident or what she did about it. “I’m fine.”
“Right. And I told you, Mattie, I knew who you were instantly. I just pretended I didn’t because I was trying to make things easier for you.”
She had a fairly even temperament, she truly did, but Dominic was making her emotions bounce from one extreme to the other. He’d made it quite clear what he thought of her ten years ago. Granted, she’d probably speeded his rejection along, but she’d been scared. She’d wanted him safe, even if that meant giving up his dream job. After all, she’d thought she was his dream, too. Obviously not, since he’d certainly dropped her quick enough when things had started to get complicated. “You shouldn’t have bothered. Seeing you again means absolutely nothing to me, Dominic. Less than nothing.”
Even as the last words tripped off her tongue, she wondered how wise it was to challenge him. The way he clenched his jaw told her that a change of subject would probably be a good idea.
Eyes narrowing, he placed his hands on his hips, and looked her up and down. “Tell me something, Mattie, were you afraid of Dusty?”
Automatically, she stiffened. “So what if I was? Does that make me a coward?”
“No, but fear can be distracting. It can make you tune out everything but your own survival. Did he say anything to you?”
“In the three seconds before you caught him? Of course not. And why would he say anything to me?”
“Anything he said could be useful. It might tell us if he was going for a hostage, or if his goal was to break out or to break in.”
“Break in?” She shook her head, confused. Why would an inmate break into the very courtroom he was already scheduled to appear in? This day was going from weird to weirder, and all she wanted was to go back to ignoring Dom—and have him to do the same. She still might fantasize, but fantasies, unlike her riotous emotions, could be hidden and contained. “Look, you’re wasting my time. Can I go?”
“Sure.” But he didn’t move. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest again and continued to block her path. A hint of a smile curved his lips. “You know, I guess one good thing came from Dusty’s sudden appearance this morning.” When she flexed her brows, he explained, “You’re not afraid of me anymore.”
The man’s gall was so unbelievable. “I was never afraid of you.” Afraid
Pasting a look of resigned boredom on her face, she replied, “No, what you wanted was for me to date other people. Of course, that was only so you could date other people. Penny Miller, wasn’t that her name?”
His eyes narrowed. “You were the only girl I wanted, Mattie.”
She stared at him, then burst out laughing as she shook her head. When her laughter bordered on the hysterical, she tried walking past him.
He blocked her, his face as impassive as ever. “There’s something funny about that?”
Tilting her head, she studied him. He’d always been good at hiding his feelings. Even when they’d been as intimate as two people could be, she’d had a hard time reading him. She’d known it was because he hadn’t wanted to be read. Still, when Dusty had attacked her in court, Dom hadn’t been able to hide his reaction. He’d been pumped and angry, but he’d also been scared for her. He’d been worried when he’d found her in the break room, too. Without her wanting it to, that realization softened her anger. “I’m just thinking what a really odd day this is, and not,” she added, “because I was almost assaulted by an inmate. And not because an old boyfriend has suddenly remembered who I am.”
Referring to him as her boyfriend must have stunned him, because she was able to walk around him. She’d only gone a few feet before he caught her elbow, stopping her. “Not almost assaulted. You were assaulted.”
Eyes narrowed, she pulled away from him. Despite the scare Dusty had given them, Dom had no say in how she chose to describe the incident or what she did about it. “I’m fine.”
“Right. And I told you, Mattie, I knew who you were instantly. I just pretended I didn’t because I was trying to make things easier for you.”
She had a fairly even temperament, she truly did, but Dominic was making her emotions bounce from one extreme to the other. He’d made it quite clear what he thought of her ten years ago. Granted, she’d probably speeded his rejection along, but she’d been scared. She’d wanted him safe, even if that meant giving up his dream job. After all, she’d thought she was his dream, too. Obviously not, since he’d certainly dropped her quick enough when things had started to get complicated. “You shouldn’t have bothered. Seeing you again means absolutely nothing to me, Dominic. Less than nothing.”
Even as the last words tripped off her tongue, she wondered how wise it was to challenge him. The way he clenched his jaw told her that a change of subject would probably be a good idea.
Eyes narrowing, he placed his hands on his hips, and looked her up and down. “Tell me something, Mattie, were you afraid of Dusty?”
Automatically, she stiffened. “So what if I was? Does that make me a coward?”
“No, but fear can be distracting. It can make you tune out everything but your own survival. Did he say anything to you?”
“In the three seconds before you caught him? Of course not. And why would he say anything to me?”
“Anything he said could be useful. It might tell us if he was going for a hostage, or if his goal was to break out or to break in.”
“Break in?” She shook her head, confused. Why would an inmate break into the very courtroom he was already scheduled to appear in? This day was going from weird to weirder, and all she wanted was to go back to ignoring Dom—and have him to do the same. She still might fantasize, but fantasies, unlike her riotous emotions, could be hidden and contained. “Look, you’re wasting my time. Can I go?”
“Sure.” But he didn’t move. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest again and continued to block her path. A hint of a smile curved his lips. “You know, I guess one good thing came from Dusty’s sudden appearance this morning.” When she flexed her brows, he explained, “You’re not afraid of me anymore.”
The man’s gall was so unbelievable. “I was never afraid of you.” Afraid
Similar Books
