The Outer Banks of
North Carolina
Late September
2012
The full moon rose, lighting
the sandy beach. Stars and sea spray twinkled in its clear reflection. The surf
rolled endlessly, and Claire Winslow stood in her thin summer gown, steps from
the porch of the house she had rented, remembering the night she first saw Jack
Porter. Remembering the brewing hurricane, and the storm that had chewed up and
spit back her life at her—
The night she had made love
with a man who was not her fiancé.
She closed her eyes against the
clutch in her heart. Had she given
up everything for an incredibly foolish act of passion?
Chiding herself, she whispered.
“What does it matter now?” Don’t ever
tell him. Lying to the man she had planned to marry was not something she’d
wanted to do—an omission of truth was not her style either. But no matter, since
she had broken off the relationship and Rick likely never wanted anything to do
with her again.
She’d left Rick. Left her home,
her job. Cincinnati. Him. Everything.
It was done.
She sighed, letting breath ease
out of her throat slowly, calming her. Pushing away the black, like Vicki, her
psychic friend and confidant, had taught her. Get rid of the negative; bring in the light.
A soft hand rested on her
shoulder.
Had he returned? Jack?
Eyes closed, she listened for his
heartbeat, waited for the warmth
of his breath against her neck. Paused for the hush of his voice. It had to be
him. There was no one else around
on this isolated area of Ocracoke Island.
She fell back in time to that
night when she had surrendered to the power of her lover’s kiss. Of his tender
and warm embrace that entranced her soul and took it captive. He had met her
here and had laid claim to her body and soul. Had he come back for her now, to
make her his own, forever?
Please God, let it be him.
Turning, she reined in her
anticipation, but as her gaze settled on the man’s face, backlit somewhat, by
the porch light, she gasped and jerked back.
“Rick?”
“Claire, I had to see you.”
She exhaled deeply, a bit
disoriented. “Rick. How did you find me?”
“I… I followed you. Have been
watching you.”
“You what?”
“Claire…” His voice was soft,
alluring, but the look on his face was harsh. “Claire, come with me. I will
give you everything you ever dreamed. I love you, honey. Come back. Say it was
all a mistake, that you love me and want us to be together. We will be
together, Claire.”
She inched back a little,
somewhat alarmed. This was Rick, after all. The man she’d known for half her
life, and whom she had planned to marry. But she was instantly frightened at
his tone. Perhaps the devil-spawned look on his face had triggered her concern.
She mustered some courage from deep inside. “You need to leave, Rick.”
Fire leapt into his eyes. “Not
unless you leave with me.”
“Rick, this is ridiculous. We’ve
discussed this. I’m starting a new life. And I’m very sorry to be so blunt—”
She backed away. “Now, please go.” She hated the way it all sounded. “Make it
easy on both of us.”
Rick stepped forward. “No. Not
without you, Claire.”
Shaking her head, she answered
quickly. “That’s not possible.”
He grasped her arm.
She jerked it away. “No, Rick!”
“You don’t understand, Claire.
You don’t have a choice.”
One more step backward. “Oh,
but I do! What are you going to do, kidnap me?”
Rick’s gaze drifted across the dune, to his right. Her
gaze followed to two men standing beside her Honda. Slowly, Rick turned back to
peer into her eyes. “If I have to.”
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