“Huh.” Luna leaned back in her seat, and the shirt pulled around her breasts, practically outlining her nipples. “You know, there's a computer in Willow's room. In this day and age, maybe most of the records are on it.”
Joe forced his gaze to her face. “Good idea.” It wasn't easy to concentrate on what she said when his beleaguered brain wanted only to think of sex. “So I'll check into it, agreed?”
She smiled at him, and it was so sweet, so trusting, Joe felt every muscle in his body tighten. “You're awfully enthusiastic about all this.”
I'm enthusiastic about you.
No, he wouldn't say that to her, damn it, not until he had more time to think about it himself. But Luna had impressed him. From the moment they'd arrived, she'd had one problem after another thrown at her, yet she hadn't lost sight of why she'd comeâto care for the kids. For a free spirit moon goddess, she'd done a terrific job of reassuring Willow and Austin, of making them feel more secure.
Joe reached for her hand. “So far, I'm having fun.”
That made her laugh, and even her damn laugh turned him on. Better get his mind back on track, he decided. He nodded to the list she held. “What have you got there?”
She lifted her brows and sighed. “I'm trying to figure out everything we need to get. The list is getting pretty long, though. Austin's clothes are almost all secondhand, some too big, some not big enough. His shoes should have been replaced ages ago. Willow's wardrobe isn't quite as bad, but she tells me that's because she's done growing, so clothes from a few years past still fit her. She hasn't had anything new in far too long.”
It was difficult for Joe to consider such a petite female done growing, but Willow was almost as tall as Luna, just very slender with only adolescent curves. “Boys are slower to mature, I hear. Plus I'm willing to bet that Austin is a whole lot harder on his clothes than Willow.”
“Exactly. She told me Patricia refused to buy him anything new because he just got it dirty or torn anyway.” Her hand curled tight. “She also said Patricia claimed Chloe was a fool for not naming the father and making him pay support. Apparently she grilled the kids endlessly about possible fathers with the intent of filing a suit herself.”
Joe sympathized, but said, “He should be paying, Luna. They're his responsibility.”
“I know it. I'm not making excuses for him, whoever he is. But it's not right to drag the kids into the middle of it, especially with the way their lives are right now. And I have to assume Chloe had her reasons for not including him. I just . . . I wish I'd known about them from the start.”
Joe considered that and frowned. If she had known of the kids, she would have been long gone before his visit to his cousin, Zane. He never would have met her, and that thought formed a vise around his lungs. “Were the others as bad as Patricia, do you think?”
“They left them, so they couldn't have been great.”
She looked so eaten up about what the kids had gone through, Joe tapped the list she held and changed the subject. “So you're planning a shopping spree?”
Her lashes again lowered as she reviewed her list. “Hopefully this weekend. I'd like them to have new clothes before they start summer school. We'll need groceries, too. There's hardly anything here that the kids like to eat. It was pure luck that we found that hamburger for dinner.”
Because he couldn't stop himself, Joe lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. He would have liked to work his way up her arm to her elbow, then her throat, until he reached her breasts. To stifle a groan, he said, “The spaghetti and meatballs were perfect.” He kissed her knuckles again, then dipped his tongue between the crease of her ring and middle finger. He heard Luna catch her breath, and he murmured, “For a psychic's assistant, you make a damn fine cook.”
The paper in her other hand trembled. “Thanks.” Joe leaned closer to peruse her list. “Looks like you're planning an all day trip for this.”
“Looks that way.” She drew a shuddering breath, bit her bottom lip, and pulled her hand away. “You want to come along?”
“Want to
, no.” Here he'd been seducing her when he'd just decided not to. He wanted to give her a few days to get acclimated to things before he pressed her. “I'm not big on shopping. But since I planned to buy a bed, I suppose I'll tag along.”
Luna did a quick double take. She'd had her pen poised to write down his request, but now she just stared at him. “You don't have a bed?”
“Not a very good one.” Joe also wanted to keep an eye on them all. He couldn't be sure that they'd lost their tail when they arrived in Visitation. He hadn't seen anyone following, and he'd taken extra efforts to make following them difficult, but Joe left very little to chance. And added to that, he didn't trust Jamie Creed. The man had spooked him, and that wasn't an easy thing to do.
He eyed Luna, wondering how long it would take him to work his way into her bed. “I'd like a king size, but it'd never fit in that cramped room, so I guess it'll have to be a double. With a thick mattress.”
Luna still looked floored when the phone rang.
Joe twisted to reach for the kitchen phone on the wall. “Now, I wonder who that could be this time of night.”
Luna rolled her eyes, detecting the note of cynicism in his tone that he didn't bother to hide. They had both been expecting the call from Owen all day.
“ 'Lo.”
There was a moment of silence, then, “This is Quincy Owen. With whom am I speaking?”
“Quincy? 'Bout time. I was almost ready to turn in.”
“Excuse me?”
Joe wasn't surprised that Quincy Owen would be inconsiderate enough to call so late. According to Julie, Quincy owned most of the town, meaning he could pretty much do whatever he pleased with immunity. “You're Clay Owen's dad?”
“His stepfather, yes. And you are?”
“Joe Winston. What can I do for you, Quince?”
“It's Quincy,” he replied with an annoyed clip to his tone, “and you can start by explaining to me what happened earlier at the Calder house.”
Joe tipped the chair back on two legs, at his leisure. “Clay was disrespectful, obnoxious and rude. Since I don't tolerate that type of behavior from adults, much less kids, I told him to leave and not come back.”
Another strained silence. “Perhaps you don't know who I am.”
Joe was aware of Luna watching him with brighteyed satisfaction. “I was apprised of your influence, Quince. Thing is, I just don't give a damn. Teach your stepson some manners and maybe he can try calling again.”
“How dare you.”
The calm had been replaced with anger. “Maybe you aren't aware of everything those Calder brats have done, butâ”
Joe put the phone back in the cradle.
Luna blinked. “He hung up?”
“No. He was still talking.” Joe grinned. “I just didn't like what he was saying.”
The phone immediately rang again. Joe snatched it up, and as if he didn't know exactly who would be on the line, he said, “ 'Lo?”
“I'll assume we had a bad connection.”
“You can assume whatever you like. But if you insult Willow or Austin again, the bad connection will return.”
Several seconds passed while Joe had the feeling Quincy gathered a volatile temper. “Mr. Winston, I didn't call you to argue.”
“Glad to hear it. Not that there's much to argue about anyway. I witnessed the whole thing, and I can tell you, man to man, that Clay was out of line.”
“The Calder children provoked him. It's happened before.”
“I have my doubts about that, but it definitely wasn't the case this time. Willow went inside the second she saw their car drive up, and Austinâwho is only nine, by the wayâwas sporting a black eye thanks to Clay.” Joe paused to let that sink in, then added, almost as an afterthought, “Makes him sound like a bully, doesn't it?”
The sound of teeth grinding came through the phone. “Clay told me the boy jumped him.”
“Did he tell you why? Surely not, because I can't believe any man would condone the use of that language toward a young lady. Austin did what any honorable brother would do when someone is being a jerk to his sister. Talk to Clay again, Quince. And teach him what it means to be a man.”
“Are you issuing orders to
me?”
“Just some well-meaning advice. From Clay's behavior, I'd say you could use it.”
“Just who the hell are you anyway?”
“I already told you.” The chair legs hit the floor with a resounding thud, and the smile left Joe's face. “I'm Joe Winston.”
“And?” Quincy jeered. “You say that like it should mean something to me.”
“Yeah. It means I'm looking out for Willow and Austin now, and I take my responsibility to heart. That's something you're going to want to remember.”
“We have that in common then, because I, too, have my responsibilities. It would behoove you to learn more about the trouble the Calder children have caused. Perhaps then you'll see that it'd be best for all concerned to move them to another area.”
“Nope.”
The voice lowered to a growl. “I'm thinking of their best interest, I assure you. The children could use a fresh start elsewhere. In Visitation, everyone knows they're illegitimate as well as orphaned. There's nothing here for them.”
“I'm here. That's all the fresh start they need.”
“You're taking on a task of monumental proportions, given their past behavior. They're hooligans with no breeding and no respect forâ”
“Let me worry about it, Quince, okay?” Joe again hung up the phone. Damn, he felt good.
He turned to Luna, opened his mouth to speakâand she launched herself at him.
“Joe.”
“What theâ” Her body landed against his with enough impact to make him catch his breath in a gasp of pain. But with Luna touching him everywhere, the pain was quickly relegated to the back of his mind. Joe wrapped his arms around her, cradling her closer and struggling to keep them both in the chair.
“Hey, you okay?” He tried to tip her back to see her face, but she hugged his neck in a strangle hold.
“Thank you.” She landed a tickling kiss on his ear, his chin, his jaw. Every touch of her soft, damp mouth burned him, teased him, until Joe wrapped a hand in her hair and managed to take control. His mouth covered hers, hungry and hot. He sank his tongue in, and she gave a small, sweet moan of acceptance, then went utterly still except for the racing of her heartbeat against his chest.
“That's it,” Joe whispered, savoring her taste, the softness of her tongue, her sighs. He tightened his arms and her breasts pressed more firmly into his chest. Spreading one hand wide on her behind, Joe scooped her closer still. He could enter her like this, he thought, in a chair, with her legs around him. He groaned low and took her mouth again, rapacious, hungry, all thoughts of giving her time long obliterated.
By small degrees, Luna pulled back to stare at him. Breathing hard, a pulse racing in her throat, she licked her lips and whispered, “Joe?”
“Yeah, babe?”
She touched his jaw with a shattering gentleness. “You are the most remarkable man.”
“Whatever I did,” Joe rumbled low, so hot he saw her only through a haze, “remind me to do it again.” He kissed her throat, her shoulder. She was so soft against him, he just naturally cuddled her behind through the silky harem pants, tracing the deep cleft with his fingertips and driving himself insane. “You have such a fine ass.”
Luna went still, then laughed. She treated him to another suffocating hug and an avuncular pat on the shoulder. She pressed away from him and stood. Her hands curled tight at her sides, but her voice was shallow and soft. “I better get to bed.”
Joe stared. “What?” It sounded as though she planned to leave him in the kitchen. Alone. With a raging boner.
“I have so much to do tomorrow and so much to think about still tonight.” She started to turn away but paused. “Do you think we'll have more problems with Mr. Owen?”
Joe, too, stood. He watched her, waiting for any sign of indecision. “I'm betting on it.”
Nodding, Luna took a step back, inching toward the doorway. “I'll, uh, see you in the morning.”
No way. “Luna . . .”
“No.”
His head threatened to explode. “You say that entirely too damn much.”
“Not easily.” Her gaze dipped over him, once, fast. Her eyes shone bright when she again looked at his face. “You're very, very hard to resist, Joe Winston. You know that. But it's our first night here, and the kids might still be awake and . . .” She gave him a floundering, helpless look. “No.”