Deadly Honeymoon (Hardy Brothers Security Book 7) (15 page)

“Are you sure you don’t want to leave me for Clint?” James asked, opening Mandy’s door and ushering her out of his Explorer. “He was pretty badass.”

Mandy smirked, the expression only lasting for a moment when she realized James was shielding her with his body as he led her into their house. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” James said, shoving her through the front door before scanning the surrounding area. He caught sight of Peter’s men in the car on the street and raised his hand in a half-hearted wave before he shut and locked the door from the inside. After engaging the security system, he turned to Mandy with a puzzled look on his face. “What were we talking about?”

“Oh, I offered to give you a blowjob every day for the next month but you said no,” Mandy said, her tone sarcastic and dry. “I think you’re giving up a lot, but if you insist.”

James scowled. “What were we really talking about?”

“How do you know we weren’t talking about that?”

“Because I’m not deaf,” James said. “Or stupid.”

“Apparently you are,” Mandy replied, stripping her coat off and throwing it across the back of one of the dining room chairs as she moved through the house. “I can’t tell you how relived I am. I have no idea how my jaw was going to take that much work.”

“I know what you’re doing.”

“Really?” Mandy’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “And I thought I was being so subtle.”

James removed his coat, internally urging himself to take a deep breath and count to ten before responding. Every time he flew off the handle where his blonde was concerned, he lived to regret it. He was not going to push the envelope now. “So, how do you think dinner went after the excitement died down?”

Mandy’s mouth dropped open, surprise flashing in the blue depths of her eyes. “Are you serious?”

“I thought it was fairly interesting,” James said, ignoring the sarcasm. “Once Clint became the hero of the night, Heidi was all over him.”

“I told you they were perfect for each other,” Mandy snapped.

“I don’t know why I ever argue with you.”

“You argue with me because you like it,” Mandy shot back. “You argue with me because it turns you on.”

James glanced down at his crotch. “Huh. You’re not always right, are you?”

Mandy flapped her arms incredulously. “I can’t believe you!”

James was at his limit. “And what can’t you believe? Are you mad because I sat there and made small talk with Clint all night? Are you mad because I tried to help fix the mess you made? Or are you mad because you got lucky tonight?”

Instead of the screaming he expected to hear, James was stunned to see tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t you dare do that! Don’t you dare cry! You know I can’t take it when you cry.”

“You shielded me with your body when we came in,” Mandy choked out. “Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

“So?”

“I don’t want that,” Mandy said, stomping her foot. She glanced down at the heels on her feet and then leaned over, yanking them off and holding them in her hands. “I cannot stand the idea of you dying for me.”

“And I can’t stand the idea of you dying period,” James countered. “I have to do what I have to do. My job is to keep you safe.”

“And what is my job?”

“What?” James was confused.

“If it’s your job to keep your wife safe, what is my job?”

“I … you’re trying to confuse me.”

Mandy ignored the accusation. “I can’t live without you!”

“I can’t live without you either,” James replied. “I can’t fix everything, Mandy. I can’t walk you into this house and leave you vulnerable. I will not let you leave me!”

Mandy took a step back, his vehemence startling her.

James immediately wanted to apologize. He hated it when he scared her, and he was worried he’d done just that. He just knew she was going to burst into tears, and that was something his heart couldn’t take.

Instead, she flung the shoes at him. “I won’t let you leave me either,” she said, fighting hard to keep the tears contained. “I won’t lose you.”

James watched the shoes harmlessly bounced against his chest. “Baby … .”

Mandy shook her head, her battle against the tears faltering. “I need a few minutes.”

“Okay,” James conceded. “Why don’t you go up and take a bath. I’ll stay down here for an hour or so.”

“No.”

“Then … .”

Mandy was already striding out the back door and heading toward the guesthouse before James could finish his sentence.

“Dammit!”

James stalked out of the house after her, refusing to let her out of her sight. Knowing she was in the house and pouting in another room was one thing. Not being able to see her was quite another.

“Get back in this house!”

“You are not the boss of me,” Mandy shot back, throwing open the door to the guesthouse and stepping inside.

“Oh, yes I am.”

Mandy blew an unruly raspberry.

“Nice,” James said. “Very ladylike.”

“Oh, I’m not a lady,” Mandy said. “I’m a child.” She started climbing the steps to her studio, slamming her bare feet on the spiral staircase with every step. “You’re not my husband, you’re my babysitter.”

“Oh, grow up,” James said, following her up the stairs. “You always fly off the handle whenever I have to initiate security measures.”

“Maybe you should stop initiating security measures.”

“Maybe you should stop rolling into trouble every time I turn around.”

“Oh, well, I’ll try to stop random strangers from accosting me at festivals in foreign countries and slipping things in my purse,” Mandy said. “That was clearly my fault.”

“I didn’t say it was your fault,” James said, pulling up short when he reached the top of the steps. “You need to stop walking away from me when I’m talking to you.”

Mandy didn’t respond, her eyes busy as she scanned the room, her tongue tied.

“Can you even hear me?”

When Mandy turned to James, her eyes were glistening with tears again. This time, though, they weren’t angry. “When did you do this?”

“When did I do what?”

Mandy pointed at the room, which had undergone a complete makeover. “You redid everything. You had it painted. You had the carpet yanked out. You bought me an easel and a bunch of canvases. When did you do this?”

“I … I forgot it was finished,” James admitted. “I was going to surprise you.”

Mandy ran her finger under her nose. “I hate surprises.”

“Yeah, you’ve proven that time and again.”

Mandy lapsed into silence, her face busy as she glanced around at the bare walls. “You had all the wallpaper stripped because you knew I didn’t like it. I told you it was too busy and it distracted me.”

“I … are you angry with me or not? I’m confused now.”

Mandy shook her head, pushing her wild hair away from her face. “I’m not angry. Well, I’m kind of angry. Not really. I know why you did what you did. It still pisses me off, but you’re always going to do it. I don’t know why I’m so angry.”

James made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. “You’re angry because you’re scared,” he said. “I don’t help matters when I order you around instead of asking you to do things.”

“Yeah, but I’m used to that,” Mandy said, her eyes wet. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“I like doing things for you.”

“I’m so … spoiled.”

“You’re not spoiled,” James replied. “You’re passionate. I like that you’re passionate.”

Mandy shifted, her gaze meeting his. The anger was gone, leaving only vulnerability in its wake. James preferred the anger.

“James, if you were to be hurt … or die … while you were trying to protect me, I would never get over it,” Mandy said. “I wouldn’t survive. I would curl up into a ball in a room – maybe this room – and I would just cease to exist. I cannot live with that.”

James chose his words carefully. “And if you were to be hurt … or die … and I knew I could’ve done something to stop it, I wouldn’t survive. If your heart stops beating, so does mine. I won’t even curl up into a ball. I’ll just be gone.”

Mandy scrubbed her hands up and down her face. “I don’t want anything in this world except for you.”

“Right back at you.”

“We have to come up with a compromise.”

James shook his head. “No. In this instance, I will never compromise. I will keep you safe any way I can.”

Mandy’s shoulders slumped. “We’re always going to fight about this, aren’t we?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t that upset you?”

“No.”

Mandy held her palms out in front of her, confused. “Why?”

James stepped forward, linking his fingers with hers. “Because I like how fiery you are,” he said. “And I really like making up.”

Mandy fought the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Do you want to make up now?”

“More than anything.”

Mandy tilted her head to the side. “Take your pants off.”

“You take your skirt off,” James countered.

“If you’re the boss where my safety is concerned, I’m the boss in here tonight.”

James considered the offer. “Do you promise?”

“Yes.”

He sighed, reluctantly pulling his hands away from hers. He kicked off his shoes, tossing them against the wall of the studio. Then he unbuttoned his pants, letting them drop to the floor. He still had his boxers on, but Mandy’s challenging look told him to take those off, too. Once he was naked from the waist down, he looked to her expectantly. “Take your skirt off.”

Mandy shook her head. “Not yet. Take your shirt off.”

James sighed, but he acquiesced. He knew she was feeling powerless, and if this was what it took to give her strength, he would cede his control. She was in no danger here.

Once he was naked, Mandy took a step forward. James reached his arms out, his attempt to gather her to him obvious. Mandy pushed his hands away. “Not yet.”

“I’m feeling a little exposed,” James said. “You’re fully dressed.”

“Will you let me be in control if I’m naked?”

“I’ll let you be queen if you’re naked.”

Mandy smiled as her hands moved to her shirt. She tugged it over her head, revealing her white bra. James wanted to touch her, but he held back. She wanted to be game leader tonight. Mandy’s hands moved behind her, loosening the button and zipper at the back of the skirt. It dropped to her ankles, and James was mesmerized as she lifted it with her foot and kicked it to the side.

“You didn’t tell me you weren’t wearing underwear tonight,” he said, his voice raspy.

“I knew I was going to owe you after the date,” Mandy said. “I just didn’t know how much I was going to owe you.”

“You’re my wife,” James said. “You don’t owe me anything but your love.”

“That’s not owed,” Mandy said. “That’s given freely. That’s volunteered. That’s necessary for breathing.”

“Baby, I want to touch you.”

“Not yet,” Mandy said, her hands travelling behind her again. Once her bra was unlatched, she pulled it from her body and discarded it with the rest of the clothes on the floor. “I’m going to leave the garters and stockings on.”

“That’s nice,” James said, drinking in the sight of her.

“Or, do you want me to take them off?”

“No,” James said hurriedly, holding up his hand to still her. “Never take them off.”

Mandy smiled, taking a step closer. “Put your hands behind your back.”

“Why?” James whined.

“Because I’m the boss.”

James kept his eyes on her pert breasts, the jigging flesh driving him crazy with every step. “Baby … .”

“Shh.”

James sighed, but he clasped his hands behind his back. Mandy took the final step, her erect nipples brushing against his chest as she pressed her lips to his. James’ hands had a mind of their own, and they were itching to touch her. He held back, though, even when her tongue slipped into his mouth.

Mandy wasn’t tall, and she wasn’t physically strong, but her lithe body was commanding as she moved her mouth from James’ chin and trailed a series of breathy kissed down his chest. She flicked her tongue across his turgid nipple, sucking it into her mouth.

“Baby,” James moaned. “I need to touch you.”

“No.”

Mandy extended her tongue as she ran her fingers over James’ strong back, kneading his flesh as she slipped her hands up and down his narrow waist. She dropped to her knees, her tongue dipping below his waist and traveling lower. She cupped his taut rear in her hands, massaging him as she sucked his hard length into her mouth.

“Oh, God, baby.”

Mandy continued to run her hands up and down his backside, finally cupping his rounded underside and forcing his hips toward her open mouth. She sucked hard, licking the tender flesh under his quivering member.

“Ugh.”