Hidden Moon (Nightcreature 7)

Ah, hell, I was going to have to turn him in. I saw that now.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"The same thing I've always wanted, Claire. You. "

Goose bumps rose all over my body. I'd dreamed of this a hundred times, but I'd never really thought it would happen. Why would Josh return to the scene of the crime, so to speak? Why would he take the chance that seeing him again would make me realize how completely stupid I'd been? Make me understand quite clearly that I had to call the police and make certain he never did to anyone else what he'd done to me?

Maybe he wasn't as smart as he said he was.

Oprah began to growl from the stairs, and Josh's gaze went past me to the cat. The sound of her yowls was replaced by that of claws scrambling on hard wood as she fled up the steps and disappeared into the darkness on the second floor.

Josh's attention returned to me, and I had to resist the urge to turn tail and scuttle upstairs like the cat. If I did that, he'd grab me, and I wanted to avoid grabbing at any cost. What I needed to do was get him out of the house, and me along with him. Outside I might have a chance.

"Why don't we go onto the deck?"

Bracing myself, I turned my back on him. When he didn't knock me to the ground and start tearing at my clothes, I walked into the kitchen, then over to the sliding glass doors.

The sound of the refrigerator opening made me pause. Josh had his head inside. "No champagne?" He reached forward and withdrew a bottle of sauvignon blanc. "This will have to do. "

He helped himself to two of my wineglasses, then nodded for me to continue. I should have kept going while he had his head in the fridge; I might have made it to the woods. My wits were not as sharp as they should be. I needed to focus so I could seize the next opportunity and get out of here.

On the deck, Josh set the wine on the table and poured each of us a glass. He held one out to me. "We need to talk. "

"Talk?" I took the wine but didn't drink. Maybe I could throw it in his eyes and run.

Josh flashed his campaign smile - courtesy of thousands of dollars in orthodontia - and chuckled. "I want you back, sweetheart. I've missed you so much. "

"Missed me?" I couldn't seem to stop repeating whatever he said.

"I know we didn't date long, but you got to me. " He smacked himself in the chest with one fist. "Right here. "

A hysterical giggle threatened to burst free. Was he serious? Why would he be here otherwise, unless - ?

My mind rebelled at the idea of what else he might want. I'd die first. Or he would.

"I'm making my bid for governor soon. We'll have to tie the knot right away. "

"I - uh - what?"

"You're perfect. We'll play up the Appalachia thing. " He gestured toward the mountains with his wineglass, sloshing a little over the side as he did. "You're from the hills, but you made good. Don't suppose you've got an old granny without her teeth we could parade around?"

"Huh?"

He tsked as he came closer. "You'll have to come home with me tonight. You've only been here a few weeks, and already you're losing that polish I love so much. "

He reached for my hair, ignoring or perhaps not even noticing my flinch, then rubbed a lock between his fingers. "It would be better if you were blond. We'll take care of that tomorrow. " He strode across the deck. "Pack your things. "

"You - you actually think I want to marry you?"

Slowly he turned. "Why wouldn't you? I'm going to be the next governor of Georgia. "

"No," I said quietly. "You aren't. "

He gave an impatient sigh. "Claire, I thought you understood what all this was about. "

"All what?"

"I took you everywhere. I made certain everyone saw us together. Then my people did a survey - grassroots, you understand, but good enough. I got the results the day we made love. "