Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) (17 page)

“If I had screamed that guy would’ve run right then,” Mandy pointed out. “He didn’t run because he thought he had me. He didn’t think anyone was coming for me.”

“Okay, I’m officially weirded out,” James admitted.

“Me, too,” Mandy said.

“Well, it has finally happened,” Grady said. “You two are so codependent you’ve actually turned psychic for one another. You should definitely have your own television show.”

“You should shut up while you’re ahead,” Sophie warned, shooting him a dubious look. “You’ve managed to irritate pretty much everyone at this table.”

Grady grinned. “Well, I guess my work here is done.”

Mandy was still mulling the ramifications of James’ words when they were alone later in their bedroom. After washing her face and stripping out of her clothes, she found James sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked as thoughtful as she felt.

When James heard her move into the room he pasted an expectant look on his face. “Not that I’m complaining – and never once think I want you to put clothes on when you’re already naked – but I thought you were dressing up to do some naughty typing for me.”

“I can,” Mandy said, looking him up and down. He’d removed his clothes as well and was sitting at the end of the bed. “I … did you really hear me scream?”

James sighed, chuckling as he shook his head. “Yes. I knew you were going to fixate on this.”

“I’m not fixating on it,” Mandy said, her face serious. “I just … I don’t know what to think. I swear I didn’t scream for you. I tried. I did. I knew I was in trouble.”

“We haven’t really talked about that part of it,” James said, working hard to ignore her nudity as she stood in front of him. “What were you thinking when it happened?”

“I wasn’t scared, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Mandy replied. “I thought he was part of the crew working Hell House. It wasn’t until I was moving past him and I felt … pain … in my neck that I knew something was wrong.”

James didn’t look happy with her answer. “See, that’s what worries me most about you, wife,” he said. “You weren’t afraid of the stranger in a mask.”

“We were at a haunted house.”

“I know that,” James said. “Emma wouldn’t have gone near him, though. Ally, despite her bravado, wouldn’t have separated from Jake because the house scared her. She was never in a vulnerable position. Sophie admitted she was scared. Even if she got separated, though, she wouldn’t have gotten close enough to that guy to let him inject her.

“You, on the other hand, didn’t even think twice about walking right past him,” he continued. “You weren’t scared until it was already too late.”

“I’m sorry,” Mandy said, her face serious. “I don’t want to give you a reason to worry. I never want that. It just keeps happening. Maybe I am cursed.”

“Who said you were cursed?”

“Grady says it all the time.”

“Grady is an idiot,” James said. “Don’t listen to Grady. He’s a moron and he bugs the crap out of me sometimes.”

“Grady is your best friend,” Mandy countered. “You value his opinion.”

“I value his opinion and yet I know when he’s trying to get under my skin,” James corrected. “You’ve known him long enough to recognize when he’s doing that to you, too. Don’t let him bother you, baby. You’re not cursed.”

“Every time I look at you I think I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

“You are,” James teased, winking at her before sobering. “Every time I look at you, wife, I
know
I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

“Why do you think you knew I was in trouble?”

“Because you’re always in trouble.” James was going for levity, but when his joke fell flat he knew Mandy was looking for a different answer. “I don’t know, baby. I just knew.”

“If I tell you something, you have to promise not to make fun of me and hold it over my head forever.”

James grinned. “What?”

“The idea that you knew I was in trouble makes me feel … like we’re somehow joined,” Mandy replied.

“We are joined. If we were any more joined we would be sewn together at the … hip.”

Now it was Mandy’s turn to smile. “You were going to say something else,” she said. “You were going to say we would be sewn together at the groin. Admit it.”

“I will admit nothing of the sort,” James said, sensing the immediate emotional crisis had passed. “I do know my heart is joined to yours and it always will be.”

“That’s a schmaltzy sentiment.”

“Maybe I’m feeling schmaltzy,” James said. “When you were unconscious in the hospital, you were whimpering and I was doing my best to hold you still so they wouldn’t strap you down. The idea of that happening was too much for me.

“I rolled you on your side and pulled you tight against me,” he continued. “I pressed your head against my heart. Your blood pressure was spiking and you immediately started getting better when you heard my heart. Do you know what that says to me?”

“That I love you?”

“That we’re destined for a lifetime together, baby,” James replied. “You recognized my heart even though you were lost in your own head. You let me hold you and didn’t put up a fight. You gave in and let me love you and take care of you.

“Now, if you’re asking me to believe that I psychically heard you scream in your head for me, I’m not sure I can do that,” he admitted. “I believe part of me recognized that you were in trouble, though. My heart knew I couldn’t live without you and I was in danger of having to do just that.

“So, did I psychically hear you? I have no idea,” James said. “I do know that souls connect, though. Mine is joined with yours, just like my heart is joined with yours. Is that a good enough explanation for you?”

Mandy beamed, the expression lighting up her beautiful face and causing James’ heart to flip. “You’re about to get really lucky.”

“Are you going to change into one of your work skirts?”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Mandy said. “I’m already naked. It would seem like a waste of time to get dressed just so you could rip my clothes off of me.”

“I’m glad you’re so pragmatic, wife,” James teased, narrowing his eyes as she shuffled across the floor in his direction. “What do you have planned now?”

“I’m going to make you cry out for me this time.”

“Oh, really?” James arched a challenging eyebrow. “How are you going to do that, wife?”

Mandy knelt in front of James, resting her hands on his bare thighs as she shifted her blue eyes so they were looking directly into his soul. “You need to sit there and not try to take control of this situation.”

James smirked. “When do I try to take control of a situation?”

“Every day.”

“When do I try to take control of a sexual situation?” James tried again.

“Every day,” Mandy replied, refusing to back down. “You get impatient when you think I’m not moving fast enough or if you had plans to do something else. This is my moment.”

“I see,” James said, reaching over and brushing a strand of Mandy’s flaxen hair away from her face. “What are you going to do with your moment?”

Mandy’s grin was twisted and mischievous. “Just you watch.”

“I’m looking forward to it, baby. I … oh, wow.” James moaned as Mandy pushed his thighs apart and immediately lowered her head. He was erect and ready as she approached, the promise of fun floating through the room. He thought he was going to get a little more warning before she wrapped her lips around his length. The force of her oral onslaught was overwhelming.

Her mouth was warm and her hands were soft as they rubbed the inside of his thighs. James’ eyes rolled back into his head as he felt her tongue lick the bottom of his throbbing shaft. She massaged his inner thigh with one hand and used the other to cup his testicles, rubbing and squeezing them until he cried out. “Baby!”

James orgasmed quickly, the haste of the act taking him by surprise. His wife knew exactly what buttons to push when they got in bed, and that was only one of the multitude of reasons he loved her.

His thighs were shaking as Mandy finished what she was doing, and instead of immediately climbing on top of him she extended her tongue and licked the inside of his thighs. She looked smug – and proud of herself – when she lifted her eyes to his. “I told you I was going to make you cry out for me.”

“That was wholly impressive, baby,” James said as he worked to collect himself. He wasn’t used to losing control, but he had to give her kudos for the effort. “I … wow. Come here.”

Mandy shook her head, her eyes lighting up. “Who says I’m done?”

“I do,” James said, smirking. “You literally can’t do anything to me for at least five minutes. I’m going to use that time to do something to you.”

“I can try.”

“You can,” James agreed. “I’m going to try first, though.” He reached down and grabbed her around the waist, tugging her onto the bed so he could roll on top of her. She was giggling and the sound made his heart soar. He would never tire of that sound. There would never be enough time together that her laugh would cease to charm him.

James wrestled Mandy down underneath him, and even though she was trying to pretend she was angry at his dominance, he knew she was ready for him to make her quiver. James playfully pinned Mandy’s hands above her head with one hand and then used the other to tickle her ribs.

“Tell me you love me,” James ordered.

“No way,” Mandy said, jutting her lower lip out. “I was supposed to be in control.”

“Oh, baby, you were in control,” James countered. “I’m embarrassed by how little control I just showed there.”

“Embarrassed?”

“That was a shameful showing for a man who is trying to impress his wife with his longevity.”

“I like knowing I can make you call out like that,” Mandy admitted, biting her lower lip.

“Oh, yeah? I like knowing it, too. Now I’m going to make you call out for me.”

“Are you going to use your tongue?” Mandy looked excited at the prospect.

“I don’t know,” James said, resting his weight on top of her and slipping his fingers down her flat abdomen, not stopping until they were at the core of her being. “I thought I would start with my fingers.”

“I like your tongue better.”

“Oh, well, in that case … .” James lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with such intensity he sucked the oxygen out of her lungs. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, letting it dance with hers, and then he pulled his mouth away. He didn’t speak. Mandy’s eyes were pressed shut because of his busy fingers, and she was murmuring at his ministrations. Instead, James lowered his mouth to her nipple and sucked it in, rolling the hardened flesh across the tip of his tongue.

“Oh!” Mandy bucked up as his fingers hit a particularly sensitive spot. James held on to her nipple and sucked harder. “Oh!” Mandy convulsed beneath him, her first orgasm washing over her.

James continued to rub her for a few seconds, and it wasn’t until Mandy wrenched open her eyes that she realized he’d released her hands from above her head. “That was pretty good,” Mandy murmured.

“It was, huh? Only pretty good?”

“I … .”

James wagged a finger in her face. “I can’t stand for ‘pretty good,’ baby.” James pressed his lips against hers again, taking her breath away. After a few minutes, he moved completely down her body, pushing her thighs up and hooking them over his shoulders so he could have easy access to her prize.

James extended his tongue, flattening it, and licked her up and down with deliberate strokes.

“James,” Mandy moaned. “I … oh … I’m too sensitive from the last one.”

That was exactly what James was banking on. He attacked her with gusto, holding her thighs firm as she began to thrash. She arched her back when the second orgasm hit, and James fought to keep his mouth in place until the last tremor subsided. Only then did he crawl up her body and return his mouth to hers.

She was so wet James had no problem sliding inside of her, the excitement of her cries causing him to easily rise for a second round. He was hard and ready as he thrust, his hands traveling beneath Mandy to cup her rounded rear.

Mandy’s legs lifted and wrapped around his waist and James plowed forward relentlessly. Since she’d almost died on him, he’d been cautious with their lovemaking. He had no intention of hurting her when she was so frail. She wasn’t frail now, and he was ready to give her everything he had.

This time when Mandy tipped over the edge for her third orgasm, James careened into the abyss with her, his sweaty body resting on top of hers as their hearts hammered in unison.

Mandy trailed a lazy hand up his back and rubbed his head with the other as she whispered into his ear. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, my baby,” James murmured.

They drifted off a few minutes later, not bothering to change positions or even climb under the covers.

A half hour later, James’ cell phone rang on the nightstand. He swore under his breath and reluctantly reached for it. Under normal circumstances, he would ignore it. They weren’t living under normal circumstances these days, though. “Hello.”

James listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, his face sobering as horrific realization washed over him. When he disconnected, Mandy was on him. She read his hardening body language and knew something was terribly wrong.

“What?”

“Baby, I need you to remain calm,” James pleaded, cupping the back of her neck so he could hold her steady.

“What is it? I … what?”

“That was Judge MacIntosh,” James said, terrified he was about to shatter the wife who had been so happy only moments before. “Someone broke into Heidi’s house. They beat Clint up pretty badly and … took … Heidi.”

“What?” Mandy’s hand flew to her mouth. “But … why?”