“Yeah, no kidding.” Muddled minds were the trademark of every lunatic wandering loose.
Joe's sarcasm went unnoticed. “There's someone watching you. But . . .” He shook his head. “One person, two, a damn dozen. I don't know. There are angles involved, slanted perceptions . . .”
Despite his skepticism, Joe heard himself ask, “Bruno Caldwell?”
“I don't know names. One minute it's black and sinister, toward you, toward Luna, sometimes even toward the kids.” His eyes squeezed shut, showing Joe that he did, in fact, care about the kids. “I don't know. I don't like it.”
In the face of so much mumbo jumbo, Joe's brain throbbed. “Just who the hell are you, Jamie Creed?”
Jamie opened his eyes, but his gaze remained shuttered. He looked distant, alone, apart from Joe and everyone else. It gave Joe chills to see such a desolate look. “I'm no one. I don't exist.”
Fed up, Joe's temper snapped. “Just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Jamie's head bowed, his gaze narrowed on something internal that Joe couldn't see. Voice very low and eerie, he said, “It means you're forcing me to show myself, and that's dangerous to me. But the kids . . . There's a tangled web around you, Joe Winston. I've spent years disappearing, but I'll help if I can.”
Joe clenched his teeth.
“But you'll have to believe.” Jamie lifted his head to pierce Joe with that portentous gaze. “And you'll have to listen.”
Though he hated to, Joe finally nodded. “Yeah, what the hell. Let's hear it.”
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Luna stood beneath Joe, steadying the ladder. “That's all he said?”
“He said a lot of insane junk that made me want to smash my fist in his face. But damn it . . .” Joe tightened the last screw on the PIR camera. “Jamie sounded so positive, he spooked me. I don't trust him at all, but I do trust my instincts, and they tell me something is going on. Maybe Jamie's even in on it, and playing some deep game by tipping me off.”
The PIR, or passive infrared detector, hid a high-resolution black-and-white video camera. When it sensed motion, it would start a time-lapse VCR. It would be turned on at night, or whenever they were away from the house.
Luna assumed Joe had spent a great deal of money on all the equipment, though she didn't know exactly what such things cost. When she'd mentioned it, wanting to pay him back, Joe had shrugged and said he could afford it.
“No, Jamie's okay.”
Joe made a sound of disgust. “Luna knows all, sees all?”
“Don't be snide. You have instincts and I have mine. My instincts say he's okay.”
“Yeah, well, you're the one who thought a woman was trying to kick my ass, if you'll recall. I'd say your instincts are a bit skewed.”
Much as she was starting to adore him, Joe could be infuriating at times. “Why do you dislike him so much?”
“Jamie? I don't know him well enough to dislike him, but I don't trust him worth a damn.” Joe adjusted the camera to face the front of the house. It could tilt up to ninety degrees and had more than seventy degrees field of viewânot enough, Joe had said, but better than nothing. “He said a lot of cryptic stuff to me, and judging by the high-tech equipment he bought, his mountain is a fortress. What the hell is he hiding up there anyway?”
“Did you ask him?”
Joe snorted. “Yeah, and I got more obscure comments. Something about the blackness inside us all.”
While Luna held it steady, Joe climbed down the ladder, then dusted off his hands. A sheen of sweat glistened on his face and bare shoulders and the sunshine showed blue-black depths to his hair. He swiped a powerful forearm over his eyes, then surveyed the camera with hands on hips.
He stood so tall and straight, strong and protective. In contrast, Luna felt very feminine beside him. Her heart gave a silly pitter-patter as she stared up at him.
God, she had it bad.
Because Joe had just noticed the way she watched him, she blurted, “I think Jamie has the sight.”
Joe sneered. “He's got a case of lunacy, if you ask me.”
“But you bought the camera.”
“Yeah.” Irked, Joe began picking up packing boxes. “A camera for front and back, motion sensors, new locks, door and window alarms . . . As I said, he spooked me. Spending so much time in the truck with him was an experience, I can tell you that.”
Luna sighed. “I wish I'd gone along.”
Joe whipped around to blast her with a look as dark and turbulent as a thundercloud. “You,” he said with stark emphasis, “will stay the hell away from him.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don't be a jealous ass, Joe. He's interesting, that's all.”
“A jealous ass?” Joe rocked back on his heels, and his eyes flared. “Is that what you think? That I'm
jealous?
”
Willow meandered up. “That's probably what all of Visitation thinks with the way you're yelling. I'm sure at least half of them have heard you.”
Joe rumbled a feral growl, and Luna wouldn't have been surprised if his hair stood on end. “I want you and Austin to steer clear of Jamie Creed, too. The guy is certifiable.”
Willow walked up to Joe and hugged him. He looked stunned for a moment, his arms stiff at his sides, then he drew her close in a gentle embrace. Seeing his sturdy, darkly tanned arms gently enfolding Willow touched Luna's heart.
“You see,” he boasted over Willow's head to Luna, “she appreciates my concern.”
Willow leaned away to laugh. “No, I just wanted to thank you again for the VCR and tapes. Austin is in heaven.” She patted his chest in absent affection.
Luna thought Willow was the one in heaven. Her eyes had widened in undiluted glee when Joe unearthed the gifts earlier. Austin had jumped around in joy, but Willow considered herself too mature to gush, so she'd demurely thanked Joe while hugging a copy of
The Mummy
, with Brendan Frasier. She and Austin had immediately set up the VCR and started a tape. Joe had also bought
Dr. Doolittle
with Eddie Murphy, and two Disney cartoons.
As naturally as if he'd been doing so for years, Joe kissed Willow's forehead. “My pleasure, sweetie. I checked on the way home and there's a rental place where we can get more movies. I wasn't all that certain what you and Austin might like.”
“The ones you bought are perfect. Austin is all settled in for a marathon.”
Watching Joe interact with Willow left Luna all but speechless. He just kept doing wonderful, unexpected things that made it impossible
not
to love him. Willow felt it, too. She'd already warmed to him, and Austin had become his shadowâexcept that Joe couldn't compete with
The Mummy
.
When she'd first asked Joe along, it was with the knowledge that sexually, he'd be a temptation. She hadn't realized he'd tempt her heart as well, that being near him would fill her with such a jumbled mix of emotions she wouldn't be able to withstand his appeal.
Pulling herself together, Luna shook her head. She was supposed to be supervising the kids, not mooning over Joe. “Austin can watch one a day, but that's all. I don't want him to become a couch potato.”
“Austin?” Joe snorted. “Not likely. He reminds me of my sister Alyx, constant explosive motion. Besides, I'll keep him busy.”
For the rest of the day, that proved true. Joe had Austin help him install the new door and window locks; then they cut the grass and did some weeding. At first, Luna fretted that Joe was overdoing, but he claimed the physical labor felt good to his sore muscles, so she and Willow pitched in and it turned into a family affair.
Eventually they all ventured inside to work on the house. By the time they finished, everything was freshly cleaned and looking much better. The house desperately needed a new coat of paint and roof repairs, but those would have to wait awhile.
After a simple dinner of grilled steaks and potatoes, Willow and Luna decided to go through the closets in anticipation of their upcoming shopping spree. While the women went off to take more notes, Joe and Austin headed for the lake. They swam for hours before dragging back to the house exhausted.
Luna knew Joe's intent. He hoped to wear Austin out enough that he'd go right to sleep. Well, it worked for Joe. At ten that night, he was practically asleep on his feet and even though Austin appeared equally beat, he found one excuse after another to stay out of his bed.
Despite his assurances that he was fine, Luna insisted that Joe turn in for the night. “I know you're feeling better, Joe. I can see that. But your ribs are still pretty colorful, and I'll feel better if you get more rest.”
Because the kids were both upstairs, Joe caged her up against the kitchen sink. He angled his hips in, pinning her body in place. “I'd sleep better if you were curled up beside me.”
The low, husky words sent a wave of pleasure through Luna, weakening her knees and her resolve. She'd already come to the conclusion that she couldn't resist him forever. She knew her own limitations. Saying no to Joe just wasn't natural. It got harder and harder every hour, so she'd rather surrender on her own terms. That way, she stayed in charge.
Deciding to have Joe Winston, and telling him so, were two very different things. She drew a deep breath to shore up her resolve.
Her hands on his chest, Luna stroked him, reveling in the solid evidence of his strength and anticipating how much nicer it'd be to stroke him with no barriers. “The kids will be at summer school for three hours on Monday.”
Joe froze. His hand snaking down her back stopped at her waist. He quit nibbling on her ear and jerked back to see her face. Blue eyes quickly heating, he rasped, “Are you saying what I think you're saying?”
He appeared so stunned, Luna blushed, and that annoyed her enough to add a touch of sarcasm to her tone. “Don't act so shocked. That's what you've been after, right?”
“Among other things.”
Now what the hell did that mean? She started to ask him, but he dipped down to see her averted face. “You want me now, do you?”
Forcing herself to look directly at him, Luna nodded. “I've always wanted you, Joe. You know that.”
He tangled his fingers in her hair and touched his forehead to hers. “You've done one hell of a job hiding it.”
Luna didn't want to get into the reasons she'd felt compelled to say no. The reasons still existed, but they just didn't seem as important anymore. “Do you think you can hang on till Monday?”
“Oh, I'll hang on.” His eyes burned brighter, and a slight, sensual smile appeared. “I'll die waiting, but wait I will. Monday huh?” He pressed his face into her throat. “Three more days. Seventytwo hours. More minutes than I can count in my head . . .”
“Joe.”
He touched his mouth to hers, and his voice went husky and deep. “Kiss me to tide me over.”
The heated command worked the same as a physical caress. “Yes.” Luna slowly inhaled and went on tiptoe to reach him. The kiss was filled with sweetness, with timid promiseâuntil Joe slanted his mouth over hers and took over. He pressed his pelvis into her belly with a groan. His tongue licked into her mouth, deep, devouring. His breath fanned her cheek, choppy and hot. His hands stroked down her back to her bottom, gripping her, moving her against him.
Luna held on, breathless in an instant, but then, this was Joe, and when he kissed her, she became aware of so much: his heat, his scent, the tempered strength in his hands, the unyielding hardness of his body.
His heartfelt groan trembled between them. “I've been wanting you forever, Luna.”
“A few months,” she corrected around her panting breaths.
“Feels like forever.” Joe kissed her again, voracious, hungry. Their bodies touched from chests to knees and she felt him trembling, heat pouring off him. “God, this is difficult.” His long fingers contracted, then released her bottom with an effort. “I want to touch you everywhere,” he growled, “but I just know if I do, Austin will appear.”
Luna tilted back to see him. Arousal shone in his face, in the glittering of those vivid, heavy-lidded blue eyes, the dark flush on his cheekbones, the flaring of his nostrils. Seeing what he felt made her feel it, too. “Feel me where?”
He stared down at her, his gaze incandescent. “Your nipples, your belly. And especially between your legs, where I just know you're nice and wet for me.” He closed his eyes as if in pain.
It took Luna a shuddering breath before she could say, “I would like that, Joe.”
An arrested expression fell over his features, then he groaned. “Aw hell.” He wrapped his arms around her and rocked them both. “You can't say things like that to me, babe.”