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Chapter 1

Any coward can fight a battle when he's sure of winning; but give

--George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

English novelist 1819-80

They hadn't meant to kill him That should've mattered It probably would have--in a different time, a different place But this was Stillwater, Mississippi, and the only thing s in it They never forgot and they never forgave Nineteen years had passed since Reverend Barker disappeared, but they wanted someone to pay for the loss of their beloved preacher

And they'd had their eye on Clay Montgo

The only bit of luck that had gone his as that, without a body, the police couldn't prove Clay had done anything But that didn't stop the questions, suggesting scenarios, atteest mystery Stillwater had ever known

"Do you think someday he'll come back? Your step-daddy, I ed one arm above her head

Annoyance ripped through Clay despite the beautiful eyes that regarded hiolden lashes Beth Ann hardly ever pressed hi stepfather She knew he'd show her the door But he'd let her co to overrate her value to him

Without answering, he kicked off the blankets and began to get out of bed, only to have her grab hold of his arm "Wait, that's it? Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am? You're not usually so selfish"

"You didn't have any co pointedly over his shoulder at the claw marks she'd left on his back

Her bottom lip jutted out "I want more"

"You alant ive" He stared at the delicate white fingers clutching his darker forear in his expression and let hiht into her "how can you use me like this" ood sense

The cloying sound of Beth Ann's voice bothered Clay more than usual Probably because he'd so recently had bad news The police chief's daughter, Allie McCormick--a police officer herself--had returned to town And she was asking questions

Sing a curse, he rubbed his tes of a headache

The pounding only greorse when Beth Ann's voice rose "Clay, are we ever gonna move beyond a physical relationship? Is sex all you're interested in from me?"

BethAnn had a gorgeous body and occasionally used it to get what she wanted--and he knehat she wanted right noas hi to coax hie proposal But he didn't love her, and she understood that, even if she liked to pretend otherwise He rarely made the first move, hardly ever asked her out, never made any promises He paid her way if they went anywhere, but that was adevotion She initiated most of their contact

He remembered the first time she'd come to his door Froo, she'd flirted with him whenever possible She worked in the bakery of the local supermarket and did her damnedest to corner him the moment he crossed the threshold But when he didn't immediately fall and worship at her feet, like all the other single e worthy of her best efforts One night, after a brief encounter at the store, during which she'd nored, she'd appeared on his doorstep wearing a trench coat--and not a stitch of clothing underneath

She knew he couldn't ignore that And he hadn't But at least he didn't feel guilty about his involveh he was the sex fiend and she the benevolent provider, but after experiencing her voracious appetite over the past several months he had his own opinions about who'd become the provider

"Let go of my arm," he said

Obviously uncertain, she blinked at the edge in his voice and released hi to care about me"