Say No To Joe?

by Lori Foster

  Luna threw herself against his chest. “Yes.”

  With a great sigh of relief, Joe pressed his face into her shoulder, locked his arms around her, and squeezed her tight. After only a moment, he blindly reached out and pulled Willow and Austin into the embrace.

  Damn it, she was going to cry after all, Luna realized when she felt tears track down her face. But this time they were happy tears.

  Joe kissed her temple. “Hey, it’s okay. Remember, Jamie told you so.”

  She laughed, pinched him, and said, “I believe it because you told me so.”

  “Ah. Now we’re getting somewhere.”

  Late that night, a knock sounded on the front door. Willow went to answer it, followed by Joe. It had finally quieted down a few hours ago, but Joe had been hovering. Alyx claimed it was a habit, that Joe always fretted like an old woman whenever he was worried. Willow didn’t mind. She felt so much better about things, knowing why Quincy always treated her and Austin with contempt, and knowing that finally they’d have some peace. Joe and Luna would stay, and she’d be part of a family once more. Thank God, Quincy wouldn’t be part of that family.

  Even before Willow opened the door and saw Clay standing there, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched, she’d somehow known it was him.

  Her heart twisted at the hurt she saw in his eyes. Her life was finally straightening out, but his had just been turned upside down. “Hi.”

  Clay drew a deep breath. “Hi.” He glanced at Joe. “Would you mind if maybe …”

  Willow opened the screen door and stepped out. “He doesn’t mind.” The look she gave Joe told him to get lost. She knew Joe had as much compassion for Clay as he’d had for her and for Austin. Despite his forbidding appearance, he was pretty terrific.

  Without either of them saying a word, they went off the porch together, wandering a small distance into the yard. Clay kicked at the ground, tense, silent.

  Willow touched his arm. “I’m sorry.”

  He laughed and turned his face up to the sky. “That’s what I was trying to figure out how to say to you.” He turned to face her, and Willow saw his agony. “I swear, Willow, I didn’t know. I remember you asking me about that damn kitten, how upset you got. If I’d known …”

  She put her fingers to his mouth. “It’s okay. You’re not responsible for what Quincy did.”

  He caught her wrist and pulled her hand to his side. “You’re not mad?”

  “Not at you.”

  His head dropped. “Thanks.” More silence, more tension, then Clay muttered, “I’m so damn embarrassed.”

  Willow didn’t know if it was the right thing or not, but she stepped up against him and gave him a tight hug. His shoulders were wide and hard, his chest solid. It felt good to be so close to him, even if she only wanted to offer him comfort.

  Clay went rigid, but only for a second, then he hugged her back, lifting her right off her feet. She felt him shaking and was afraid he might cry. But he didn’t.

  “Mom is leaving Quincy.” He spoke against her neck, sounding disgusted. “Not because of what he did, but because he caused so much scandal getting caught. Everyone is talking about it already. All my friends have called.”

  Willow smoothed his hair, then leaned away to see his face. He set her back on her feet. “She’s not going to move away, is she?” Willow hated the thought of yet another loss.

  “I don’t think so. Right now she’s just talking about making Quincy pay.”

  “I’m glad. I’d hate it if you weren’t my friend.”

  Clay stared down at her. Moonlight filtered through the trees, dappling his skin and adding very mature shadows to his features. He bent and pressed a warm, gentle kiss to her cheek. “You’ll be fifteen soon, right?”

  “Yes. Another month.”

  “Then … Maybe, once everything is calmed down again, we can be more than just friends.”

  Very slowly, Willow smiled. “Maybe.”

  Bryan, Scott, Jamie and Julie Rose came to the wedding three weeks later. Other than those special friends, it was a family affair, held outdoors at the lake. Joe hadn’t wanted to wait for a more formal ceremony, and when he’d hesitantly asked Luna what she wanted, she’d wrinkled her nose and said, “I can’t imagine me in fussy white lace. No, I’d rather just have fun.” She’d compromised on the white lace by replacing the red streaks in her hair with some very pale blond highlights.

  Alyx had agreed to stay with the kids while Luna and Joe took a mini honeymoon for five days. They would stay in an isolated cabin in the woods with nothing to do but love each other. That suited Joe just fine. They’d return home in time for the grand opening of the lake, which would be launched with a kids’ fishing derby.

  Joe had special events planned at the lake for the rest of the summer, then more seasonal events for the remainder of the year. Already they’d had numerous membership renewals, and Joe had had the lake restocked with bluegill, catfish, walleye, bass and crappie. Soon the field would be cleared to accommodate first-come, first-serve campers. All in all, he was pretty damned satisfied with his progress.

  Luna had been stunned with the size of his bank account. Combined with hers, they had a nice nest egg to use for improvements to the house and some investments. The first thing Joe had bought was a king-size bed for their room.

  Seeing that Luna was preoccupied with his sister, Joe headed over to talk to Bryan. The bounty hunter leaned negligently against a sturdy tree trunk in isolated splendor. Dressed in a suit, he looked like an entirely different man except that he was still quietly alert. His predatory gaze constantly scanned the numerous picnic tables scattered about the yard, filled with food and surrounded by guests. Joe could appreciate Bryan’s wariness in a crowd, since he’d once been the same.

  “You look miserable in that tie.”

  Bryan acknowledged Joe with a nod. “Hate the damn things.” He accepted the drink Joe handed to him and continued to survey everyone and everything. “It was a nice wedding.”

  “The weather cooperated, even if my rowdy family didn’t.”

  Bryan gave a crooked smile. “They’re a boisterous bunch.”

  “Yeah.” Joe studied Bryan’s drawn expression and sighed. “You know, you look like a man who needs a vacation. You’re welcome to come visit anytime. I might not have acted real hospitable that day we met, but—”

  Bryan shook his head. “Forget it, Winston. I threw your lady to the ground. You reacted. No hard feelings.” Bryan tossed back the rest of his drink and said quietly, “Just know that I didn’t fight back that day. I let you pound on me because I figured I had it coming for using you to get Bruno. But if you ever tried it again …”

  Laughing, Joe thwacked him on the shoulder, almost knocking him over. “If either of us gets bored, we’ll have to test the outcome of that. But for right now, I’m too damn happy to start taking a chance on getting bruised up again.”

  Bryan found Luna in the crowd and smiled. “I can see that.” He hesitated a moment, then narrowed his eyes. “Thanks for the invitation to visit, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I got used to the place while I was waiting for Bruno to act.” He looked undecided, studied Joe a minute, then admitted, “I bought some land. It’s a few miles south of here, just an acre, but it’s secluded, near a stream. Nice and quiet.”

  Joe was surprised. “You going to build here?”

  “I have some business to take care of first, then I’ll think on it.”

  “Hunting up another bail jumper, huh?”

  Bryan shook his head. “No, not this time.” His fists clenched and unclenched. “My brother needs a little help.”

  Luna and Alyx joined them in time to hear that last comment. “You have a brother?” Luna asked.

  “Does he look anything like you?” Alyx wanted to know. She leaned close and smoothed Bryan’s lapel. “You certainly are handsome in a suit.”

  Joe caught his sister’s arm and hauled her to his side. Bryan just smiled. �
�Actually, Bruce is the spitting image of me. See, we’re identical twins. But looks are where the similarities end.”

  “Oh?” Joe smiled, and just to harass Bryan, he asked, “He’s a nice guy, is that it?”

  “Real nice. A preacher actually.” With everyone momentarily speechless, Bryan straightened away from the tree. “Speaking of my brother, I need to get going.” He gave Luna a hug, shook hands with Joe, then said to Alyx, “Scott is headed this way. Your ploy to make him jealous worked.”

  Alyx grinned. “What makes you think I wanted him jealous?”

  Bryan’s eyes narrowed. “Because otherwise a princess like you would never flirt with me. You have to be too smart for that.” He saluted Scott on his way to the back door.

  Joe laughed at his sister’s stunned expression. “Well, Alyx, that trick fell flat.”

  She recovered quickly. “No, it didn’t. If you look at Scott and the way he’s fuming, you’ll see that it worked just fine.”

  Just then, Scott appeared. He stood in front of Alyx, his nostrils flared, his eyes bright.

  A mournful tone in her voice, Alyx said, “Bryan had to leave. But where’s Jamie? I haven’t seen him in hours.”

  Without a word, Scott wrapped his fingers around her wrist and tugged her away. Alyx looked over her shoulder, gave a tiny wave of triumph to Luna, and then went along quite willingly.

  “Your sister is something else.”

  Joe stood behind Luna. He bent and kissed her nape, her ear. “This dress is something else. I do love your sense of style, babe.” She’d chosen a long, cream-colored sheath. It was strapless, leaving her shoulders completely bared, and gathered just a bit between her breasts. The design was simple but elegant, and quite understated for Luna. She carried a small bouquet of daisies, carnations, and baby’s breath tied with long ribbons.

  “Do you love me?”

  Joe growled. “Let’s get out of here and I’ll show you how much.”

  They heard Austin let out a shout and looked across the yard to where he sprawled on a quilt, arm-wrestling with Chase Winston, Joe’s quieter cousin. With a lot of fanfare and heckling, Chase allowed himself to lose. Zane boosted Austin up to his shoulders, and they heralded him as a champ.

  Julie Rose sat to the side, cheering as loud as anyone. She and Zane’s wife, Tamara, seemed to be hitting it off. Though Julie Rose claimed to be an engaged woman, she’d come to the wedding and reception alone. But she didn’t look sad about it. No, prim Julie Rose acted like a full-time partyer, given half the chance.

  “Where did Jamie go?” Luna asked, looking around for him.

  “I’m sure he’s evaporated into the mists or magically transported himself somewhere. Who knows? More importantly, who cares?”

  Luna slanted him a teasing look. “I can’t believe you’re still jealous.”

  “I’m possessive, not jealous.” Joe started to nibble on her ear.

  “Well, that’s good. Because Jamie likes you. Before he left, he told me you had a really special wedding gift for me.”

  Joe froze. Very slowly, he lifted his head to stare at Luna. “The hell you say.”

  “Was he wrong?” She appeared a little deflated by that possibility. “I swear he almost smiled when he told me about it. The corners of his mouth curled up just the tiniest bit.”

  “That son of a …” Joe’s soft exclamation trailed off. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll show you your gift once we’re all alone.”

  “Well, now I’m doubly curious.”

  Joe lifted her into his arms and, at the same time, called out, “To anyone who’s interested, she’s throwing the bouquet so we can get on our way.”

  Alyx immediately reappeared, her hair a little mussed, her cocky smile in place. Julie Rose lined up alongside her, along with Willow, and Mack’s daughter Trista, and a few other single relatives in the extended family.

  Joe twirled Luna twice, making her laugh, then said, “Throw it,” and she pitched the bouquet into the air. Rather than soar toward the line of women, it went in the opposite direction.

  Bryan had just come back around the corner. “Hey, my car is hemmed in by someone’s minivan—” The bouquet hit him square in the forehead, and like the combat machine Joe knew him to be, he staggered back, recovered, and caught the damn thing.

  Not two seconds later, he got tackled by every single woman in the yard.

  Joe was still chuckling about Bryan’s fate when he carried Luna into the cabin and kicked the door shut. They were less than two hours from home, but for all intents and purposes, they had privacy.

  “Finally,” Joe said, keeping Luna in his arms while heading straight for the posh bedroom. From the moment she’d said, “I do,” he’d been struggling with such a powerful sense of possession and pride and love, it was all he could do to keep being cordial.

  Joe laid her on the mattress and followed her down, blanketing her with his body and sealing their mouths together before she could say a single thing. He cupped her face, licked into her mouth, and groaned with contentment.

  “Joe,” she whispered when he pulled the top of her dress below her breasts and began kissing his way down her throat. “Where’s my gift?”

  “It’s coming.” He gently drew one nipple into his mouth, all the while thinking how nice it would be to get to sleep the entire night with her. They’d kept to their discreet routine of nooners while the kids were in school. Luna might be a free spirit, but she took her responsibilities to the kids seriously, and that meant being what she considered a good example.

  He slid his hand up her thigh and into her panties to palm a warm cheek. “Tell me you love me.”

  “I love you,” she moaned, already wiggling against him.

  “Good. Then let’s get these clothes off you.” Joe sat up and efficiently stripped her. Once she was bare, he had to touch her everywhere, and when that didn’t suffice, he had to kiss her, taste her, everywhere.

  Luna didn’t ask about her gift again, but she did demand that he strip also. “Take your clothes off, Joe. I want you. Now.”

  Anticipating her reaction, he stood and yanked his tie away, then quickly unbuttoned his dress shirt. He wadded it up and threw it across the room. Luna came up on one elbow to watch as he kicked off his shoes, bent to remove his socks, and then, with a smile, turned and dropped his pants.

  There was a moment of stunned silence before Luna started to laugh. “This,” she asked, giving his tush a swat, “is my gift?”

  “Yeah.” Joe turned and crawled into bed beside her. “You like it?”

  “I thought you said it’d hurt too much to have it lasered off.”

  “It hurt like hell. But, babe, you’re worth a little pain. Besides, I only had to remove a few letters.”

  “And add a few more?”

  Joe grinned. “I lost an ou, but gained a una.” His tattoo now read, I Love Luna.

  Luna crawled up onto his chest. “You’re branded as mine, Joe Winston. There’s no turning back now.”

  “Not a problem.” Joe pulled her mouth down to his and began to nibble on her lips. “I’ve been yours since the day you threw food at my head.”

  She teased his chest hair thoughtfully a moment before meeting his gaze. “You promise you won’t get bored? You won’t miss the excitement?”

  Joe’s eyes widened, and he laughed. He rolled Luna beneath him, felt her soft curves, the perfect way she cradled him. “Honest to God, you’re about as much excitement as I can take, Luna. The only way I’d go back to one of my old jobs is if I needed the break, and I know I’m not a spring chicken anymore, but, honey, I ain’t that old.” This time when he kissed her, Luna was laughing and kissing him back. “Believe me?”

  “Yes, Joe.” Then she smiled. “Saying yes to Joe Winston—it has to be one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.”

  Joe growled as he entered her. “Beats the hell out of no any day, that’s for sure.”

  You won’t want to miss UNEXPECTED by Lori F
oster, coming next month, from Brava. Following is a sneak peek.

  She’d already signed the contract.

  Backing out now would blow her reputation with the agency, and besides, this mission was a piece of cake, so there was no reason for dragging her feet. She needed the money, she was free at the moment and it’d be a routine run, nothing more, nothing less. If anything, it’d be easier now than it had been in the past. Everything had changed …

  Unfortunately, herself included.

  She shook her head at that thought. True, she was older now, wiser, more settled. But at the core, she was the same. Her skills, as much a part of her as her hair and eye color, were still finely honed. She knew what she could do—and damn it, she’d do it. Hell, she’d missed doing it.

  So why, when she pushed the door open and stared into the dim, smoky room of the bar, was her heart heavy in her chest? It wasn’t the depressing gray cloud that hung thick in the air, not only from cigarettes, but from disgust and ambivalence and antagonism. This was not a happy place, but then, she’d known it wouldn’t be. By necessity, it was an obscure hole in the Chicago slums where meetings like this one, with people like her, could be handled with discretion.

  But it wasn’t like her to borrow trouble or dwell in indecision. Doing so undermined her credibility, so she was done with it. Instead, she’d concentrate on getting this over with fast and easy, with no complications.

  She had everything planned out.

  Flipping her bangs off her forehead, she strode into the room, ready to get things started.

  She knew several heads turned her way, scrutinizing her, making note of her appearance. Calculating. For much of her life, she’d gotten undue attention for one reason or another, most of the reasons uncomplimentary. She’d long since gotten used to the stares and the whispers. She ignored them all and with luck, they’d show her the same courtesy.