Brody (6 page)

“Joe
Baker was shooting a gun on his property. Sam was already there. I went out
there for backup. He shouldn’t have been alone out there.” Brody shook his
head. “Baker’s the same man who ran me off the road.”

Madilyn
nodded. “He’s a drunk, and a mean one at that.”

“Maddie…”

She
placed her hand over his lips. “Brody, I need to know what happened out there.
How much danger were you in?”

Brody
sighed. “Not much. The man was shooting up into the air but those bullets can
go anywhere. Sam had it under control. I kept an eye on Baker while Sam cuffed
him. That’s it.”

Madilyn
softly laughed. “That’s it? Joe Baker could’ve shot either one of you. He’s
crazy and everyone knows it.”

“I
know. We couldn’t get him on running me off the road since his wife said he was
home at the time. We all know better but with her giving him an alibi, we can’t
arrest him for it.” He stared up at her. “Damn, you’re so beautiful, Maddie.”

She
smiled at him. “You’re the only one who gets away with calling me that.”

“I
always called you Maddie when we made love.” Brody leaned forward and pressed
his lips to hers. When she moaned, he deepened the kiss and slid his tongue
between her lips. Her arms moved around his neck, her fingers splayed up
through his thick hair. He moved to the sofa beside her and pulled her across
his lap. Madilyn pulled her lips from his.

“You’re
going to get my cold,” she said against his lips.

“I’ll
take anything I can get from you.” He kissed her, his tongue moving against her
lips. “Open for me, Maddie.” He groaned a sound full of longing when she did.
Brody slid his tongue deep into her mouth, tasting her. Laying her down on the
sofa, he laid over her, cradled between her thighs, and arched, pressing his
hard shaft against her. Brody moved his lips across her cheek to her neck. He’d
just started nibbling when she sneezed. He froze and started laughing. Madilyn
laughed with him. He raised his head and gazed down at her.

“I
don’t think this is going to happen. I can’t have you sneezing while I’m trying
to make love with you.” He grinned.

Madilyn
laughed. “I’m sorry.” She sneezed again and started giggling.

“Yeah,
every man wants this to happen,” Brody muttered.

Madilyn
laughed at him. “I’m sorry.
How about a rain check?”

Brody’s
eyes met hers.
“As long as you’re serious about this?”

“I am.
I’m not denying myself this…you, anymore.”

 
Brody nodded. “Call me when you feel
better. This could be the cold medicine talking.” He stood, handed her his
card, and helped her sit up. Brody picked up his glasses she’d dropped on the
floor and headed toward the door. “Between you being sick and my ribs still
sore, its best we put this off. I’m not sure you won’t change your mind once
you’re thinking more clearly.”

“Are
you telling me I don’t know what I’m saying?” Madilyn stood and put her hands
on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him.

“I want
you to be sure, Maddie. Just a few days ago, you hated me, and now you want me.
I know for sure I want you, but I want you to be sure, too.” He turned toward
the door then turned back toward her. “I’ve never stopped loving you.” He
closed the door softly behind him.

Three
days later, Madilyn was still sure. She sat at the desk in the back office and
stared at her phone, trying to get the nerve up to call him. Picking it up, she
dialed the number on his card. It rang and rang until it went to voicemail. She
didn’t leave a message. Where could he be? Before she lost her nerve, she
called the Sheriff’s department.

“Clifton
County Sheriff’s Department,” Betty Lou answered.

“Is Sam
in?” Madilyn asked.

“No,
he’s not. Can I take a message or would you like to speak with one of the
deputies?”

Deputies?
As in plural?
Madilyn knew there was only one deputy on day shift with Sam.

“What
deputies?” She mentally groaned. What a stupid question.

“Deputy
Stark or Deputy Morgan.
Both are here.”

Madilyn
gave a fist pump.
Yes!
“Deputy
Morgan, please.” She waited while Betty Lou transferred her and hoped the older
woman didn’t recognize her voice. Maybe she should just hang up.

“This
is Deputy Morgan, can I help you?” She froze at the sound of his voice coming
over the line. “Hello?”

Madilyn
cleared her throat. “Brody…”

“Maddie?
Is that you? Is something
wrong?”

“No.
Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to tell you…” She mentally groaned. Why was this
so hard?

“Tell
me what?”

“I’m
still sure,” she whispered. The silence was deafening on the other end. Then
Brody cleared his throat.

“I get
off duty at five.”

“I’ll
fix dinner. I’ll pick up some steaks on the way home. I get off today at four.”

“That
would be nice…oh wait. Did you learn to cook?”

Madilyn
burst out laughing. “I did. I’ll see you later.”

She
glanced up when Kaitlyn entered the room. They smiled at each other. “Is
everything all right, Madilyn?”

“Yes. I
was just making dinner plans.”

Kaitlyn
got a look of pure horror on her face.
“With Zach?”

Madilyn
chuckled. “No.
With Brody.”

Kaitlyn
frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Madilyn
stood. “Yes. I love him, Katie. Even if he decides to leave here again, this
time I’ll go with him.”

 
“I don’t want to see you hurt again,
Madilyn.”

“I
know, Katie. I don’t know what he’s going to do for sure but I won’t let him
leave without me. It was my fault the last time for not going when he asked me
to. I won’t let it happen again.”

Kaitlyn
stared at her a few minutes then nodded. “All right, but if he hurts you I’ll
have Sam kick his ass.”

Madilyn
laughed. “That sounds good. Brody always said Sam could do it.”

Chapter Five

At five
o’clock Brody left the office, got into his truck and drove to Madilyn’s
apartment and knocked. The door opened almost immediately. They stared at each
other.

“You
look gorgeous, Maddie,” his voice was husky as his gaze roamed over her. Her
long red hair was flowing around her shoulders. She wore a light green blouse
tucked into skinny jeans. On her feet were flip-flops, her toenails painted
red. To him, she’d never looked more beautiful. He reached out and took a few
strands of her hair between his fingers. It still felt like silk.

 
“Come in. I’ll start the steaks…” She
turned from him. Brody reached out, clasped her arm in his hand, and pulled her
back against him. With her back against his chest, Brody moved her hair away
before pressing his lips against her neck. Her head fell back against his
shoulder. “Brody,” she moaned.

Brody
spun her around and took her lips in a deep kiss. He moved his tongue deep into
her mouth. Her arms circled his neck as he lifted her off her feet.

“The
steaks…”

“The
hell with the steaks.
Where’s the bedroom?”

Madilyn
pointed to the hallway. He scooped her up, carried her to the bedroom, put her
on the bed, and then lay down beside her. Her fingers were having trouble with
the buttons of his khaki shirt but she was finally able to push it from his
shoulders. Her fingers ran over his hard, solid chest and down to the snap of
his jeans. She could feel his hard shaft straining against the fly as she
unzipped it and slid her hand inside to wrap around him. He wrapped his hand
around hers.

“It’ll
be over before we get started if you don’t stop.” He put his forehead to hers.

Madilyn
smiled up at him and ran her hands up his rippled stomach to his hard
pecs
. Her fingertip traced the tattoo of her name.

“I
thought you’d have this removed by now.”

“Never,”
he whispered before kissing her again.

Madilyn’s
fingers plowed through his hair and pulled him to her as she rose up to kiss
him. “I’ve missed you so much. I was so stupid. I should have…”

Brody
interrupted her with a kiss. “It’s in the past. We’re here now, and I need you
so much.” His hand traveled to the buttons of her blouse. He took it off her
and tossed it to the floor. His mouth slid across her cheek to her ear, where
he moved his tongue around the shell of her ear, then moved to her neck all the
while unhooking her bra. Madilyn gasped.

 
“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” she
whispered.

Brody
chuckled. “You always wore these with the front hook.” He stared into her eyes.
“You did that for me, didn’t you?”

“Yes,”
she breathed against his lips.

Brody
pulled her up and removed the bra. It also hit the floor. He stared at her
breasts. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes before gazing into hers again.
“You’re still perfect. So very perfect,” he whispered as he lowered his head to
take her nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirled around it making it harden
into a tight peak. He gently pulled at it with his teeth and then sucked it
into his mouth.

Madilyn’s
head tilted back as she moaned. Her hand snaked inside his jeans again and
wrapped around him.
“Brody…please.”

Brody
moved away from her and stripped. Madilyn twisted out of her jeans and lay
before him in black panties. He groaned as he stared down at her. “You’re still
the most beautiful woman I know,” he said again as he pulled her panties off.

* * *
*

She
held her arms out to him and he went into them willingly. He pressed his lips
to hers, kissing her deeply. His hard cock was straining against his boxer
briefs. His lips left hers and traveled down her neck to her breast. Cupping
one in his hand, he moved his thumb over her nipple as he took the other one
into his mouth and sucked. His hand moved down her body to her red curls and he
moved his fingers down her wet folds then inserted two while his thumb rubbed
against her clitoris. Brody moved down her body, kissing her stomach, running
his tongue around her belly button before moving lower, and dipping it beneath
her red curls at the juncture of her thighs. He used his thumbs to pull her
open to him and lifted her legs over his shoulders. His tongue lapped at her
clitoris. As he continued his assault, he felt her tightening around his
fingers right before she cried out his name.

“My
name’s tattooed on your hip,” he said in awe.

“Yes. I
had it done right before you left.”

“I
wish—”

“Let it
go,” Madilyn whispered.

Brody
moved up her body and kissed her. Then he groaned and laid his forehead against
hers. “Shit. I don’t have a condom.”

“Nightstand.”
Madilyn pointed to the small
bedside table.

Brody
froze. “You have condoms?”

She
grinned up at him. “I picked them up today.”

His
breath rushed out in a laugh. “Thank you.” He kissed her quickly and reached
into the table to retrieve one. Madilyn took it from him and rolled it down
over him. “You’re killing me, baby.”

Madilyn
laughed softly as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Quit stalling,
Morgan.”

Brody
grit his teeth as he moved into her. She was so tight. “Maddie, I don’t want to
hurt you,” he groaned when she lifted her hips to take him in deeper.

 
“You won’t, Brody,” she said before
nipping his neck.

Brody
pushed into her. She cried out but then wrapped her arms tight around his neck.
When he started moving, she kept in rhythm with him. His hand slipped under her
butt to pull her tighter against him. His lips pressed to hers, his tongue
dipped into the honeyed depth of her mouth. When Madilyn took his bottom lip
between her teeth, he almost lost it. Her hands roamed down his back to his
butt, where she dug her nails into him. He moved harder and faster against her.
Her breathing became deeper and her cheeks flushed. Brody felt her tighten
around him just as she cried out his name again. Brody followed her over,
groaning her name against her neck. He raised his head and kissed her then
rolled to his back beside her. He glanced over to her.

“You
okay?” he asked.

“Yep,”
she told him.
“You?”

Brody
burst out laughing. “I’m fantastic.”

Madilyn
laughed and rolled over to face him. She placed her hands on his chest, rested
her chin on them, and gazed into his eyes. “It was always good with us, wasn’t
it?”

Brody
smiled at her.
“Always.”
Then he frowned. “Was it good
with Johnson?”

Madilyn
sat up. “I can’t believe you just asked me that!” She scrambled off the bed and
put her clothes on and scooped his clothes off the floor, and threw them at
him. “Get out.”

“Maddie…”
Brody started as he got off the bed.

She
strode over to him and pointed her finger at him. “
Don’t.
” She said through clenched teeth then spun on her heel and
strode out the door.

Brody
hopped around trying to pull his jeans on.
What
the fuck is wrong with you?
He asked himself. When he finally got dressed,
he headed for the kitchen, only to see her putting the steaks into the fridge.
He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She jerked away and
spun around.

“You’re
still here?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Maddie,
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t
mean what, Brody?
To say it out loud?
To butt into my personal life?
What? What didn’t you mean?”
her voice rose.

Brody
sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “All of the above.”

“That’s
what I thought.” She pointed to the door. “Go.”

He
stared at her, but he knew she’d made up her
mind,
he
huffed and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

* * *
*

Madilyn
stared at the door he’d just gone out of. How could he ask her something like
that after what they’d shared? She picked up a pillow and threw it at the door.
Damn you, Brody Morgan!
She was so
angry she could hardly see. Madilyn stalked toward the kitchen and halted. Why
would he do that? She didn’t ask him about past lovers. Not that she’d slept
with Zach, that wasn’t the point. The point was, Brody had no right,
whatsoever, to ask her such a question. She clenched her fists.

“
Arrgghhh
!”
she growled. The man was going
to drive her insane. Madilyn paused. He was jealous.
Pure and
simple.
Brody was jealous over her seeing Zach. She didn’t care how
jealous he was, asking her such a question was simply wrong. She’d never ask
him about past lovers and she was positive he’d slept with his share over the
past five years.

A knock
sounded at her door. She ran to it and pulled it open, thinking she’d see Brody
standing there. A man she’d never seen before stood before her. She quickly
stepped behind the door, using it as a shield.

“Can I
help you?” Madilyn asked him. He was a very attractive man.

The man
smiled. “Is Caroline here?”

Madilyn
gave a relieved sigh. “You have the wrong apartment.”

He
frowned. “This isn’t apartment B on the sixth floor?”

Madilyn
laughed. “This is B on the fifth floor.”

The man
chuckled.
“One flight up.
I’m so sorry to have
bothered you.” He nodded. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”

Madilyn
smiled and shook her head as she closed the door. She walked to the living room
and halted. Apartment B on the sixth floor was Max and Sherry Colter. No one
named Caroline lived there. Madilyn shrugged. Perhaps he was meeting a woman
named Caroline there. She nodded. That had to be it. Although she hadn’t eaten,
she wasn’t hungry. Brody had killed her appetite. Sighing, she headed for the
shower. It looked like it was going to be an early night.

* * *
*

Brody
swore the entire ride home. How could he have been so stupid? Why had Johnson
even popped into his head? Maddie was right. It was none of his business.
They’d been apart for a long time and although he hated the thought of her
being with another man, he couldn’t blame her if she had. He sure as hell
hadn’t been a saint for the years he’d been gone.

 
God
damn it!
He pulled into the driveway of his home, spinning the tires and
throwing gravel everywhere. Throwing it in park, he hopped out and strode into
the house, slamming the door behind him. Brody took his glasses off, tossed
them on the kitchen counter, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Striding to
the bedroom, he undressed and then headed into the bathroom to take a shower.
He should still be in bed with Madilyn. It had been so good, just as always. He
was getting hard thinking about her again.
Damn
it!
He punched the wall and then swore again, when he hurt his hand. After
his shower, Brody wrapped a towel around his waist, and entered the bedroom.
After pulling on a pair of sweat pants, he walked to the living room, sat on
the sofa, and watched television. It was going to be a long night.

* * * *

 
Wilson Delgado sat in the car keeping an
eye on the apartment Madilyn Young lived in. U S Marshal Brody Morgan
apparently wasn’t coming back tonight.
Lover’s quarrel?
He snorted. It really didn’t matter. He was going to take Madilyn Young away
from Morgan just as Morgan had taken Abby away from him. His fist hit the
steering wheel. Brody Morgan was going to pay for making him kill his wife.
His
wife who Morgan slept
with.
Delgado killed his wife because she’d screwed around with Morgan
and Morgan arrested him, but it was never proven Delgado killed her so he was
let go. He’d hired the best private detective money could buy to find out all
he could about Morgan’s past and where he could’ve gone. Now, here he sat in a
rinky-dink town biding his time. He had no desire to kill Morgan. No, that
would be entirely too easy. He’d take away the one thing Morgan loved more than
his own life. Madilyn Young.

* * *
*

Monday
morning came entirely too early for Madilyn. She had to open the shop. Kaitlyn
would be in later. Madilyn tossed and turned any time she tried to sleep over
the weekend. Damn Brody Morgan. He hadn’t even called. What was that all about?
He should’ve called to apologize again. Sighing, Madilyn left her apartment and
walked to the shop. It was going to be another scorcher and working in the
greenhouse was going to be murder. She unlocked the shop and turned the lights
on. It wouldn’t open for another hour but she wanted to get started on the day.
There were quite a few tourists in town. Madilyn knew they’d eventually head
for the greenhouse since they seemed to go into every store in town. The
proprietors didn’t seem to mind though. It brought in business.