Page 14 of Marrying My Moth Lady

“Yesterday you said you have circumstantial evidence that Carter Mining was demolishing the forest—like financial records or something,” I say, schooling my eyes to remain on Matthew’s face.

The sway of Millie’s hips lifts her dress to centimeters below her cheeks as she takes his plate to the stove for a second helping. The juxtaposition of her manners, domestic prowess, and outrageously sexy clothes drives me out of my mind with desire. Her treehouse is spotless too. Does she clean in her outlandish outfits? Lordy, images of her scrubbing the floor on her hands and knees, dress inching up with each press of the sponge fog my brain. Her breasts would swing between her outstretched arms…testing the limits of her low neckline…

“…so you see, they must have revenue coming from somewhere. Their shares haven’t dropped in price despite their ‘retirement’ from coal mining. The shares in the coal-burning power plant didn’t have a hiccup during the transition between suppliers either,” Matthew says, leaning back in his chair.

Shit, I missed most of his lecture because of my fantasies about his sister.

“Maybe they had another supplier delivering before the transition. We can’t fault them for efficiency,” I say, grabbing onto the last sentence with white knuckles.

“Or there was never a true transition,” he replies, wiping his mouth with his napkin. The man dusted two plates and gavea lecture while I dawdled over my three cakes. “I suspect the new supplier and Carter Mining are the same company with new branding.”

“I have access to Carter Mining’s mineral rights and land deeds—” Or at least I will when I own them. On my to-do list is verifying my engagement contract with Eli includes mineral rights—not just surface rights—to the forest. I can deny or confirm Matthew’s conspiracy theory with a few pictures taken with my phone.

“I say ‘your boys’ visit the construction site.”

“You aren’t going without me,” Millie snaps. “If you leave me behind, I’ll fly over by myself.”

“We can’t let them see you,” I reply with my heart in my throat.

“Then I’ll stay out of sight. Sounds simple to me,” she says with a shrug.

“One person discovering you could ruin your life,” I say, with Matthew’s nightmare playing in my subconscious. “You aren’t like other girls—”

“What was your first clue—the glowing eyes or the wings?” Her eyes fill the room with a red tint.

“Now you’ve gone and done it,” Matthew says with a smirk.

“Or maybe it was the antennae? They do scream ‘take me to your leader’, don’t they?” Millie stands with the gusto to knock over her chair. She shakes her fist at me as she yells. A tear drips down her face.

“That’s not what I meant. You are different, yes, but in a way more alluring than most women. A person won’t resist capturing you…” I trail off before I say how I know thetemptation. She captivated me in less than twenty-four hours of knowing her.

“I get what you thought you said. But look at it from my perspective,” she says, flicking tears from her cheeks. “I’d give anything to be like most women. Most women attract friends, colleagues, coworkers, acquaintances, and lovers by being amazing people. They are mothers, friends, students, bosses, and employees. They build businesses, families, and households. I’d trade my irresistible uniqueness to be ‘most women.’”

“Well, too bad,” I shout, jumping to my feet. She winces when my chair clatters to the floor. “You have that elusive quality found in celebrities. Your warmth and energy draws others to you—”

“Like a moth to a flame?” Her voice is thick with tears. Every word that pours from my heart digs my hole of shame deeper.

“I’m breaking the tent down,” Matthew says, practically running to the rope ladder. “Come down when you…yeah.”

“Run, coward!” Millie yells after him.

“Darn tootin’ I’m running!”

“It’s not you. I’m triggered,” she says sadly. “That phrase puts me in a box where I don’t belong.”

“We worry about your safety,” I say, gathering her into my arms. Her hairspray-stiff hair rasps against the stubble on my cheek. “I’ve grown to care about you. I meant every word. The thought of you being captured by some unknown company haunts your brother’s nightmares. He planted the idea in my head this morning.”

“I’m the fearsome daughter of the Mothman monster. I can handle my own safety.” The napkin she holds between her face and my shirt muffles her voice.

“I have no doubt,” I say, trying to hide the smile from my voice. Millie couldn’t hurt a fly. She may think her antennae, wings, and eyes would scare people, but it’s more shock than actual terror. We’ve come a long way from the 1960s hauntings of her father. For one, the horror movie industry exploded in popularity. It takes a massacre to scare people these days. They are more likely to whip out a camera phone than pitchforks and torches.

“Are you laughing at me?” She asks because she reads people like magazines.

“Only on the inside,” I say, kissing her forehead. Her glassy eyes have lost their angry red glow. Sunglasses could conceal the crimson irises. Could I disguise her enough to leave her forest? My mind strains for an idea just out of reach. What would it take to make her dreams come true…and am I the man to make it happen?

Chapter 8

Millie May

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