Her lips still tingling, Luna gazed at him. Among the children and parents waiting for their treats, Joe stood out like a dark pirate. Surrounded by carefree kids, his big body looked even more powerful. His coal black hair blew across his forehead, teased by a gentle breeze, and his heavy brows and whisker-rough face made his blue gaze appear even sharper as he continually surveyed the lot and everyone in it. He stood loose limbed, readyâfor anything. But with his aura of danger, Joe's casual stance in an ice cream line seemed ludicrous.
Someone had followed them.
Recalling that fact, Luna looked around. It occurred to her that she didn't even know what their tail looked like. How could she possibly be on the lookout if she wouldn't recognize the guy?
She was still pondering that when Joe tapped on her window, making her lurch with a short, startled shriek. He grinned. “Jumpy, aren't you? Well, scoot. I'm driving.”
“Joe, I can handle it.”
“No.”
Her temper rose. Joe had a lot to learn about giving her orders with any expectation of having them obeyed.
“What?” he asked in all innocence when she continued to glare at him. He reached through the window and gently stroked her chin, her throat, her upper chest with an absorption totally out of place to the time and location. “I wasn't polite enough?”
Knowing she'd already lost, Luna gave up with a shake of her head and some grumbling. “You are not a polite man and you know it.”
“Untrue, but either way, I'm usually right. At least in situations like this.” He tucked her hair behind her ear, showing her that gentle side again and making her heart flip-flop. “Have a little trust, okay? I can outrun any tail without even trying. And we can't have that much farther to go, right?”
Luna hesitated, but the ending was inevitable. She'd be more effective in keeping a lookout, once she learned what she had to look out for. She pulled out the directions she'd been given and looked them over. “Not much farther at all.”
“Great.” He opened the driver's door and began crowding his big body into the seat behind the wheel, leaving her no option but to scramble awkwardly over the fold-down center armrest console. “Get your seat belt.”
She glared at him over her shoulder, caught him staring at her behind, and said through her teeth, “I always do.” She dropped heavily into the seat and reached for the seat belt. He acted so autocratic, she wished she could refuse him, but she wasn't willing to risk her own safety just to annoy Joe. “Give me the damn malt.”
Joe laughed at her. “Yes, ma'am.” As soon as she'd taken it from him, he slid the seat all the way back so his long legs would fit.
Luna took a fortifying drink of the malt. Delicious. “So who are we looking for?”
“You can't miss it. It's a plain brown sedan, usually about ten to twelve car lengths behind us. No way in hell do I want him following us into town, though. It wouldn't be safe for the kids, and I'm not going to risk them. I'd leave first.”
Luna hated to even think it, but if it came down to that, she'd let Joe leave. Now that the kids were her responsibility, they had to come first. They needed her to take care of them, whereas Joe could take care of himself. Luckily, with Joe taking a few detours, they went the rest of the way with no sign of a brown car.
They took one turn after another, and little by little the scenery changed. Wide, busy highways led to narrow, mostly deserted streets, which gave way to rough asphalt roadways. If anyone had followed, they would be easy to spot. But the road behind them remained clear.
They entered Welcome County, but saw no sign of their destination, a town comically named Visitation. Tall trees surrounded them, and there was only the occasional house or trailer to show habitation. It appeared they had driven into nowhere, and Joe apparently didn't like that.
Frowning, he pulled over and slipped on a pair of black-framed reading glasses. He took the directions and map from Luna, opening the papers over the console between them. “Damn, according to the map, we should be there.”
Their heads almost touched as Luna leaned in to read the map, too. She touched her finger to the paper, indicating their present location. “It looks like we should just keep going straight, or as straight as the road lets us.”
“I don't like it. I haven't seen a single sign noting Visitation. What kind of town doesn't have a sign?” He cast a quick look around the deserted area. “The damn soundtrack to
Deliverance
is starting to play in my head.”
Luna almost laughed, but she strangled on her humor when Joe suddenly stiffened. His gaze met hers, so icy cold and hard it filled her with unease. She could practically see his hair lifting, like a snarling dog that has scented danger.
She was about to ask him what in the world was wrong when he jerked around and somehow, without any discernible motions, the balisong knife appeared in his hand. In mingled apprehension and amazement, Luna pressed back into her seat.
Then she saw the man. He stood right next to Joe's window, and he wasn't smiling. Good God, with his dark beard, obsidian eyes and otherworldly air, he looked like a malevolent vision. Luna's heart slammed into her ribs, then almost stopped, freezing right along with her body.
Joe suffered no such problems.
Chapter Six
J
oe couldn't remember the last time he was so pissed. How the hell had someone crept up on him without him knowing? Jesus, he was getting old and slow, and maybe it was time to settle down when people started taking him by surprise over and over again.
He had the car door open and the man a good distance away from Luna before two seconds had passed. Backing him up to a thick tree trunk, Joe held him immobile with one arm across his throat and the other pressing the knife to his ribs. “Who the fuck are you?”
With no expression at all, the man stared back at Joe. And if Joe wasn't mistaken, the man was amused. There was no smile, no softening to those harsh features, but something in his dark eyes gave him away. He definitely wasn't afraid.
“If you don't know who I am,” he asked calmly, “why are you attacking me?”
Damn. Joe didn't exactly have an answer to that one. He'd gone by his instincts, overwrought no doubt under the stress of celibacy and his efforts to keep Luna safe. Feeling defensive, Joe pressed his arm a little tighter into the man. “You came sneaking up on us.”
“No.” Other than the movement of his throat as he spoke, the man remained immobile. “I just approached your truck to speak to you.”
“Without making a goddamned sound?” Joe demanded.
The man's black eyes glittered. Though Joe had no intention of moving, he felt compelled to take a step back. “Perhaps,” the man said in a voice deep and somehow eerie, “you just weren't listening.”
True enough, but unacceptable. “Let's get back to my original question. Who are you?”
“Jamie Creed. I live up on the mountain.”
Joe glanced past him to an impenetrable wall of trees climbing high into a tall mountain. He saw no road. Hell, he didn't even see a dirt path. Jamie seemed to have just . . . appeared. Out of nowhere. Without so much as snapping a twig to announce his arrival. “So what are you doing down here?”
“I'm after supplies.”
“What kind of supplies?”
“An inquisition?” His mouth stayed flat, his eyes direct. “Okay. I needed more food, ammunition, and some electrical supplies. And before you ask, I hunt for my food, which is why I need more ammunition.”
“You came here on foot?” Joe looked the man over. He wore faded jeans, sturdy lace-up boots, and a muscle shirt beneath an unbuttoned cambric shirt with the sleeves cut off. He was lean but hard, clean but unshaven. His beard would rival that of a hermit's. Perhaps he was a hermit.
Joe no sooner thought it than Jamie actually laughed. The sound was far too rough and raw to have any regular use. “My life is no real concern of yours. You're looking for Visitation.” It was a statement, not a question. “Almost there. Two more miles and the road'll dip into such a deep incline, it'll appear you're driving off the side of the earth until you see the sharp left turn.” Then, out of nowhere, he paused, studied Joe's face, and his eyes narrowed. “You're here for the kids.”
How the hell had he come to that conclusion? Joe stiffened. “What kids?”
Raven eyes tracked his face, his shoulders, making Joe uncomfortable with the close scrutiny. Distracted, he murmured, “Willow and Austin Calder. Their ma died some time back, and they need a mother.” He looked beyond Joe to the truck, and though his severe expression didn't actually change, his eyes warmed with male appreciation. He rubbed a fingertip along the bridge of his nose, his stare so intent on Luna that Joe growled. In a low whisper, Jamie said, “Yes, you're here for the kids.”
As if Jamie had drawn her with but a look, Joe heard a door open and knew Luna was approaching. Damn her, couldn't she ever just stay out of harm's way? Joe started to order her back into the truck when Jamie turned back to him and pinned him with that intent stare.
“He's no threat, you know.”
Luna sidled up to Joe's side, but Joe tucked her behind his back. The knife was still in his hand, and by God it'd stay there until he felt secure that all was safe. Luna, bless her for being wise just this once, stayed behind him. “Who isn't a threat?”
“The man following you.” Jamie continued to look just over Joe's shoulder where Luna had gone on tiptoe to peek. “He's not the one.”
Goddammit, about two more seconds of this mumbo jumbo and Joe was going to throw a punch. Jaw clenched so hard his teeth protested, Joe ground out,
“What exactly does that mean?”
Unconcerned, Jamie shrugged, then stuck out his hand to Luna. “I'm Jamie Creed.”
Luna actually giggled, infuriating Joe and making him want to toss her sexy little ass back into the truck. What the hell did she have to giggle about?
She reached beyond Joe to take the large, darkly tanned hand extended to her. “Hi. I'm Luna Clark.”
And Jamie said again, “You're here for the kids.”
Luna the loony didn't seem nearly as offset by that remark as Joe had been. “Why, yes, I am. Do you know them?”
“I do. It's good that you're here.” He lifted her hand to his chest, flattening it there over his heart for several seconds while gazing at her with somber, profound import, almost as if he could see into her soul.
Joe heard Luna inhale and knew she was holding her breath. After several seconds, Jamie nodded with grim satisfaction. “You'll be perfect for them.”
Luna gave another nerve-wracking, twittering laugh. Because Joe's rage had just doubled with something that felt sickeningly like jealousy, he snatched Luna's hand away from the other man and enfolded it in his own for safekeeping. What the hell did the stranger think, flirting with Luna right in front of him? Did he look like a man to toy with? And Luna had let him, even encouraged him.
Joe damn near snarled in frustration. “You seem to know a hell of a lot about our business.”
Jamie gave another slow nod. “I often know a lot of things.” He glanced up at the bright blue sky with a frown. “I should be on my way now. I need to be home before dark, and it's a long walk.”
“We appreciate your help,” Luna rushed to tell him.
Incredulous, Joe jerked around to stare down at her. “His
help?
How the hell did he help? By throwing out those obscure, ominous comments on things he shouldn't have known a damn thing about?”
Luna blinked at him, surprised by his venomous mood. “Well, he told us . . . I dunno. He said the kids need me and that I'm right for them and that the guy following us wasn't a threat.”
Joe scoffed. “And just like that, you believe him?”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
Disgusted by her naivete, Joe turned back to Jamieâbut he was gone.
“Mother fucker.” Joe released Luna so he could quickly walk the area, but the man had literally disappeared from sight. There was no sign of him anywhere. The road ahead was empty, and the land to the side of the road was undisturbed and just as wooded as that from where Jamie Creed had come. Joe concentrated hard, but he couldn't see or hear so much as a rustling leaf or the snap of a twig. Either the man was a wraith or very, very dangerous.
Luna touched Joe's back. Her whisper was low, filled with reverence. “He's amazing, isn't he?”
Raw jealousy took Joe's breath. He had to fight to control himself in the face of the unfamiliar emotion. “Let's go.” He flattened a hand on Luna's back and hustled her to the truck. She remained either oblivious to his dangerous mood or uncaring, because she started to whistle.
Her whistling hit a shrill note when he pulled her around and into his chest.
“Whatâ”
Just to remind her that she'd brought him along for a reason, Joe kissed her hard. Her lashes dropped, half covering her eyes, making her look soft. For him? Or was she still thinking about that creep?
Unsure, Joe gave her a swat on the ass and said, “Into the truck, woman.” She had the audacity to laugh while rubbing her behind with both hands.
Ghost or man, it didn't matter to Joe. If he ran across Jamie Creed again, he'd get some answers. Until then, Luna would be smart not to push him.
They drove the next two miles in strained silence, and suddenly, the road did indeed dip. The slope was so severe, both Luna and Joe held their breath. But just as Creed had claimed, a sharp turn brought them back onto a road. Once at the bottom of that steep incline, they could see the hill that ran down and flattened out again. The dip looked more dangerous than it really was. There were houses here, along with a large hand-painted sign that read,
Visitation. We Like It Here.
“The directions say that the house is at the outside edge of town. We just have to stay on the main road.”
They traveled another ten minutes before locating the long gravel drive to the house. It was over two hundred and fifty feet long and took them through a wooded area to a small clearing.
About an eighth of a mile to the left, the road continued, barely seen through brambles and scrubby shrubs and a few evergreens. To the right, an abundance of enormous trees formed a thick woods. They couldn't see the lake, but still the area was picturesque and very private.
In the middle of it all stood the large house, in much need of repair, but still impressive. It sported a wraparound porch that circled three sides on the first level, then another on the second story that went completely around. Doors opened on the upper level, probably to bedrooms, and two shutters were missing from the windows that flanked the doors.
The shingles were so curled and weathered that Joe wondered if the roof leaked in a rain. The porches were incredible, or at least they would be with some fresh paint. The limbs of two large trees spread out to offer shade on the front and side. No real landscaping existed, only weeds and more weeds.
Luna leaned forward for a better look. She didn't seem the least put off by the state of disrepair. “With a little cosmetic work, it'll be beautiful.”
Joe put the truck in park and turned it off. “Lucky for you, I'm good with my hands.”
“Brag, brag, brag. You men are all the same.”
Joe laughed. “I didn't mean in the sack, witch.”
“Too bad, because I didn't bring you here to work.”
“Hey, I didn't say I wasn't willing. But I can be good at both, ya know.” He waited until she slanted her golden brown eyes his way, then winked. “I can make you scream, and do a little fix-up.”
Luna snorted. “You already make me screamâ with frustration.” She opened her door and got out.
Joe followed. “Only because you keep saying no.” He again surveyed the house. Yep, he could make it look a whole hell of a lot better. He'd always taken pleasure in the scent of sawdust and the satisfaction of working with his hands. Besides, it wouldn't hurt his cause to be of assistance to Luna. When she saw how much help he could be, maybe she'd quit sighing over that damn Creed.
Joe had taken only one step when he heard the ruckus.
Luna frowned at the loud voices carrying through the open front door to the yard. “Sounds like a cat fight going on.”
He took her arm and started her forward. “Let's find out.”
When they reached the screen door, Luna knocked, but no one answered. They could hear women arguing, one voice whiny, one determined, one disgusted and mean. Luna pulled the unlatched door open and called out, “Hello?”
They both had their heads stuck inside when the voices grew silent, replaced by the sound of approaching footsteps. The first to reach them was very tall, in her early forties, with an apron around her voluptuous figure. She was an attractive woman, but in a hard, cynical way. She stared at Joe, her expression openly assessing and appreciative. “Well now, who are you?”
Using her shoulder to lever her way in, Luna reached around Joe and stuck out her hand. “Luna Clark. I'm here for the children.” The woman ignored her. She smoothed her dark blond hair, licked her lips and smiled at Joe.
Another woman, fashionably slim and dressed in a chic silk pantsuit with her dark hair loose to her shoulders, rushed into the room. “Thank God, you're here. Now you can just deal with . . .” She saw Joe, drew to a halt and started primping. “Hello.”
Joe heard Luna's loud and rude snort, but he decided payback was in order. After all, she'd flirted with Jamie Creed. He offered his hand. “I'm Joe Winston. I'm here with Luna for a visit.”
The woman in the apron got his hand first. “Welcome. I'm Dinah Belle, the housekeeper.” She didn't let go, but her eyes slanted toward him in unmistakable invitation. “If you need anything while you're here, Joe, you just come to me.”
Joe gave her his best false grin and watched her lips part in response. “Thank you, Dinah. I appreciate that.” He tried to pry his hand loose, but didn't have much success until the other woman nudged her way closer.