It may have been well intended, but it was goading just the same. It ticked her off, but she wasn't going to bite. "If you want to think so." She turned toward her bedroom, where she knew she'd spend a sleepless night. Behind her, he made clucking sounds. She stopped. Clenched her teeth. And slowly turned, working hard to keep her temper from getting the best of her. "Is that how you talked to your dates back home on the farm?" He raised an eyebrow, his grin broadening. "That's it? That's all you've got? Trash talk? Puny trash talk at that." Bastard. He was enjoying this just a little too much. "Look, Blue Eyes, when the time is right, I'll drop you like a bag of dirt. But now," she continued, walking slowly toward him, "is not the time." She struck like a snake. A swift, high, exact kick that caught him off guard and hit him dead center in the breadbasket—just like she'd planned it. He doubled over with an "umph," gasping for breath and clutching his gut. She took advantage with a sharp kick behind his knees and he landed on his back with a thud. "On second thought, maybe this is the right time," she amended, standing above him with a triumphant smirk. "Ah," he managed when he caught his breath.
