Free Say No To Joe? by Lori Foster

the chance. Joe’s feet wedged under the other man and he suddenly went flying toward the front door. He hit the wall with a dull thud that left him dazed. In slow motion, his corpulent body sunk down to the floor.
    â€œJoe!” Luna reached for him, but Joe was upright again and stomping forward as if he hadn’t suffered a single hurt. There was no limp, no favoring his ribs. His chest expanded; his shoulders bunched. Menace pulsed off him in waves. He wore that awful little smile that didn’t bode well.
    He appeared so massive and strong and capable, Luna caught her breath in astonishment.
    Apparently the intruder felt the same because he’d already charged to his feet and was at the door, frantically turning the lock and jerking it wide open. Joe caught him before he could go out. Using a hand on his shoulder, Joe spun him around and landed a fist against his nose with sickening impact. The intruder howled and fell backward through the doorway, fetching up against the hallway wall and quickly scrambling for balance.
    Joe started through the doorway, too, intent on following.
    â€œJoe!”
    He didn’t slow.
    The idiotic man didn’t know when to leave well enough alone. Luna dashed after him. Panic, fear and annoyance filled her voice as she gave a frantic yell. “Damn you, Joe Winston.”
    Joe paused for a single heartbeat, casting her a quick, dismissive red-eyed look. His gaze immediately shot back to her. Eyes narrowing even more, he looked her over, head to toes and back again. Only then did Luna recall her state of undress. She’d been in bed, wearing no more than a black T-shirt with the word Intuitive in silver script and black satin panties. But thank God for that, because during Joe’s moment of distraction, the intruder’s pounding footsteps sounded on the stairs.
    Joe jerked back to attention. “Stay inside.”
    â€œOh, no.” Luna reached for him, but since he was mostly naked, there weren’t many places to grab. She caught a handful of material at the seat of his shorts, almost stripping him the rest of the way when he didn’t slow. She released his boxers rather than leave him bare-assed. “Joe . . .” She detested begging, but heard herself say, “Please.”
    She darted around him, putting herself in front to block his way. Dumb. In an instant, she felt her shoulders pushed to the wall. Eyes flaring with desperation, she wrapped both hands around one bulging, rock-hard biceps. “If you go after him, I’m following,” she threatened. “Do you hear me, Joe Winston? I’ll be right on your heels, I swear it.”
    Fury rippled through Joe. He pressed his chest into hers, surrounding her with his heat, his anger. “You’ll do as you’re damn well told,” he roared, and Luna would almost swear his fury parted her hair.
    â€œNo.” Breathless, defiant, she waited to see what he’d do over her denial. His jaw locked, his nostrils flared with his rage.
    They both heard the front door of the apartment building slam shut. The man had gotten away. In the darkness of the night, he’d probably already disappeared. There were more than a few alleys to dart down, buildings to hide behind. Luna’s knees went weak in relief.
    But only for a moment.
    Joe wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and stared hard into her face. His breath was hot, his bare body hotter. She thought she could feel the thumping of his heartbeat against her breast. Frustration rolled off him in suffocating waves.
    â€œHe’s long gone, Joe,” she told him. “Give it up.” He still seemed poised for pursuit, so she added, “We should call the cops.”
    â€œI could have had him.”
    Oh, boy. She hadn’t been prepared to see him like this. Knowing how he could be and finding herself the recipient of that mood were two different things. Luna tried to reason with him. “Have you