Deadly Honeymoon (Hardy Brothers Security Book 7) (16 page)

Mandy bobbed her head, keeping her tongue extended as she explored the wonder that was her husband. She urged his hips forward as she moved her head, the two of them joining in a passionate rhythm.

“I need to touch you,” James gasped, a powerful orgasm threatening to overtake him. “Please?”

Mandy pulled away briefly. “No.”

She attacked him again with vigor, controlling the rhythm even as his hips began to stutter.

“Baby … oh, baby.”

Mandy continued to suck him until the tremors subsided. When she was satisfied, she remained on her knees as she looked up at him coyly. “Thank you for being my husband.”

James’ pounding heart skipped a beat. “Can I touch you yet?”

Mandy’s head careened from side to side.

“Baby … I am not joking. If I don’t get to touch you, I’m going to die.”

Mandy shook her head again, flicking out her tongue and making contact with him one last time.

“I am begging to be able to touch you,” James said, near tears. “I need to feel you.”

“You just felt me.”

“You know what I mean.”

Mandy was quiet, considering.

“Mandy,” James warned.

Mandy rolled back on her haunches, resting herself on the freshly refinished hardwood floors. “I love you.”

“I love you,” James said. “Let me show you.”

“Don’t die for me.”

James was torn. “I can’t promise you that. If I can die to save you, I’m going to. You did the same when Tony had me at his mercy. Don’t ask me to do differently.”

Mandy’s face contorted, but his words filled her with understanding. “Okay.”

“Okay I can touch you? Or okay we’re can live to fight another day about sacrificing ourselves for each other?”

“Both.”

James sank to his knees, relief washing over him. He crawled over his wife, desire forcing him to press his lips against hers before he could speak again. After minutes – which seemed like hours – James pulled away. “I love you more than anything. I will not lose you. I will not let you lose me. We’re in this for the long haul, woman. You are my wife, and you are my soul mate. We’re never going to be apart.”

Mandy nodded, tears flooding her eyes again. “Then love me.”

James leaned forward, emotion overtaking him. “I love you every second I’m alive.”

“Then make love to me.”

James smiled, and even though it was meant to be sly and flirtatious, the emotion expressed was earnest. “Every time I touch you I’m making love to you.”

Frustration flitted across Mandy’s face. “Then do it. I’m dying here.”

James chuckled. “Lay back.”

Mandy did as she was told. James spread her thighs wide, his fingers gripping the garters for leverage. His mouth was only inches from her center when he paused. “Tell me you love me again.”

“I love you,” Mandy said. “I love you forever.”

James extended his tongue, flattening it as he attacked the quivering flesh between her thighs. He was relentless. He knew the game had exhausted her emotionally. Now he was going to exhaust her physically. They both needed to take solace in each other.

Mandy jerked up, an orgasm overtaking her within seconds. The foreplay had been extensive, and she had been living on the edge since she’d stripped bare. Mandy gripped the back of James’ head as the tingles overtook her. “Oh. Oh. Ooooooh.”

James refused to pull back his assault until he was sure the shaking in her thighs had subsided. He crawled up her body, already hard again. He kissed her deeply this time, love tamping down the passion. They locked eyes when he entered her, her hands moving up his arms and locking behind his neck as their bodies pressed together.

“I love you,” James muttered, his hips pumping as he shifted in a circular motion. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Mandy arched her back, crushing her breasts against his chest as she sucked on his tongue and whimpered at every thrust. “Oh, I love you.”

They tumbled over the abyss together minutes later, mouths, limbs, and hearts joined, collapsing to the ground in a sweaty mess.

It took them almost ten minutes to recover, and when they did, James gathered Mandy’s naked body in his arms and carried her to the adjacent room instead of back to the house. He tucked her into the bed there, Mandy’s eyes brightening when she realized that the mattress from her former apartment had finally arrived.

“This is where we fell in love,” she said, crawling on top of his body and resting her head against his shoulder as he pulled the covers around them and held her close.

“It is.”

“This is where we’re still in love.”

“It is.”

“This is where we’re going to be in love forever.”

“You’ve got that right, baby,” James said, reaching over and hitting the switch to turn the lamp off. “There’s nothing in this world that will ever make me stop loving you. Some things are forever, and we’re one of them. Now, go to sleep. You’re going to need your rest if we’re going to do this again in the morning.”

“Were doing it again in the morning?” Mandy’s eyes were closed, her tongue thick with sleep.

“We’re doing it forever,” James replied, giving in to his fatigue. “Everything with us is forever.”

Noise in the downstairs saloon jolted James awake. Mandy was asleep in his arms, her head resting on his chest as he supported her weight. They’d slept heavy, exhausted from emotional upheaval and physical play. James listened, trying not to wake his slumbering wife if the noise turned out to be a false alarm.

James could hear someone padding up the steps, and he tensed. He was unarmed here. His wife was naked on top of him, vulnerable, but his gun was in the main house. He made a move to shift Mandy off of him, ready to fight whoever was coming through the door.

Grady was the one who poked his head in, his eyes wide as he tossed the discarded clothes from the previous evening into the bedroom. “These were in the other room,” he said dryly.

James lifted his finger to his lips, inclining his head to Mandy’s sleeping form and letting his body relax. “What are you doing here?” He kept his voice low, moving his hand to the back of Mandy’s neck where he rubbed soothing circles in an effort to lull her.

“Looking for you,” Grady replied. “Peter called Sophie. His men were alarmed because they heard yelling last night, and then it didn’t look like anyone returned to the main house. I figured it was better for me to check than them.”

“We had a fight.”

“I heard,” Grady said. “Apparently the whole neighborhood heard. It looks like you made up.”

James smirked. “That’s the only reason I like to fight.”

“What were you fighting about this time?”

“Whether or not I should be trying to shield her with my body when we’re moving from the Explorer to the house,” James said.

“Ah.”

“I think she’s just frustrated,” James said. “She doesn’t like being watched over. I understand.”

“And are you frustrated?” Grady asked.

“Whenever she’s in danger I’m frustrated.”

“You two are just … unbelievable sometimes,” Grady said. “The level of immaturity you two bring to this relationship is dumbfounding.”

“I’m not just going to let my wife be in danger.”

“And she’s just not going to let her husband be in danger,” Grady countered. “Do you remember what happened the day before your wedding? I’m not keen on bringing it up again due to my part in that situation, but she was more than willing to sacrifice herself to save you.”

“I remember.”

“Do you also remember how that made you feel? Do you remember the feelings coursing through you when you thought Mandy was going to willingly die to save you?” Grady pressed.

James scowled. “Yes.”

“And how did you feel?”

“Helpless.”

“That’s how Mandy feels,” Grady said. “You need to understand that. I know you feel the need to protect her, but you also need to realize that she feels exactly the same way about you.”

“I know that,” James said. “I still can’t change how I feel.”

“And neither can she.”

“What do you suggest I do?” James asked.

Grady shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“I do,” Mandy mumbled, shifting in James’ arms.

James sighed, glancing down at her placid face as she opened her eyes. “Oh, yeah? What do you think I should do?”

“Stop bossing me around,” Mandy said.

“I’ll take it under advisement.”

“You know what else you should do?” Mandy asked.

“What?”

“Make me breakfast,” she said. “I’m starving.”

James chuckled. “Get dressed, trouble. I think we could both use some food – and coffee.”

“And a shower,” Mandy added. “I feel all … sticky.”

Grady made a face, turning on his heel and stalking out of the room. “You guys are just sick.”

“SO,
what are we doing today?” Mandy asked, digging into her eggs enthusiastically.

“I forgot it was the weekend,” James said, rubbing his hand over his stubbly chin as he considered the question. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “We can stay here if you want. We could swim or something.”

“Are you going to play shark again?” Grady asked, mixing his own eggs and hash browns together.

Mandy shot James a hard look. “You told him about that?”

“He guessed.”

“He did not.”

“Oh, like you’re not going to tell Ally,” James countered.

“Speaking of Ally, I haven’t seen her since the whole blueberry-margarita thing last weekend,” Mandy mused. “Maybe we should have another barbecue? We could have everyone just spend the day here.”

“No blueberry margaritas,” James warned. “I’m not going through that again.”

“No blueberry margaritas,” Mandy agreed. “I think I still may be hung-over from a week ago.”

“And I’m cooking hamburgers and hotdogs,” James added. “Nothing fancy.”

“I love a good hotdog,” Mandy teased.

“Fine. We can have a barbecue.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“Now, eat your breakfast,” James said. “We need to get you in that shower before everyone arrives, and that might take a good, long while.”

“Why?”

“Because you two are filthy dirty and you won’t be showering alone,” Grady supplied.

James shot him a look. “Will you call everyone and invite them over?”

“When did I become your secretary?”

“When you took it upon yourself to interrupt my morning delight with my wife.”

“Seriously, you two are just sick.”

“SO,
I heard you and James introduced your neighbors to a screaming match last night,” Ally said, pushing Mandy’s legs to the side so she could make room for herself on the lounger next to her best friend.

“Who told you that?”

“Grady.”

“Grady has a big mouth,” James said, looking over the burgers as Jake handed him a heaping plate of meat.

“He does,” Ally agreed. “I hate that he gossips so much.”

“You gossip more than he does,” James shot back.

“No way,” Ally said. “I am not a gossip.”

“Whatever.”

“I’m sitting right here,” Grady said, leaning back in his lawn chair and stretching his legs out in front of him lazily.

“Well, you’re certainly not helping with the food preparation,” James said. “Finn and Emma are picking up condiments, buns, and some chips. They should be here in a few minutes.”

“I invited everyone so you and your sticky wife could take a shower,” Grady countered.

“Why were you sticky?” Ally asked.

Mandy averted her gaze. “Oh … um … .”

“Because they were up all night having sweaty sex,” Grady said. “I found their clothes in one room and them in another.”

“See, you
are
the gossip,” Ally teased.

“Shut up, Ally,” Grady growled.

“Where is Sophie?” Mandy asked, changing the subject.

“She got called into work,” Grady replied, his mouth tipping down at the corners. “Some drug deal went wrong in Mount Clemens and there was a big shootout. Quite a few people got shot.”

“Wow? Did anyone die?”

Grady shrugged. “I haven’t heard from her. That’s how I know it’s a big story. If it was nothing, she would’ve texted me. At this rate, I’ll be lucky to see her in the next twenty-four hours.”

“Is that why you’re so fixated on James and Mandy’s sex life?” Ally asked. “Because you don’t have one of your own?”

“Shut up, Ally,” Grady said, leaning forward and flicking his sister in the middle of her forehead.

“Hey!”

“Why is it that the baby in every family is the problem child?”

“I am not the problem child,” Ally countered.

“You’re right,” Grady said. “You and James together are the problem children. The oldest child is the bossiest, and the youngest child has a problem with authority. That’s you two in a nutshell.”

Mandy giggled.

“What are you laughing at, kid?” Grady asked. “You’re an only child. You have your own set of problems.”

“I do not,” Mandy protested.

“Yes, you do,” Grady said. “You’re spoiled rotten, and you’re used to getting what you want. When you don’t, you have a complete and total meltdown.”

Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t have complete and total meltdowns.”

“Isn’t that what happened last night?”

“Last night I … .” Mandy furrowed her brow.

“She’s not spoiled,” James said. “She likes things how she likes them.”

“Which you do, too, because you’re so bossy,” Grady said.

“You’re starting to bug me,” James said.

“Join the club,” Ally complained.

“So, what is everyone fighting about?” Sophie asked, sliding the glass door between the kitchen and the patio open and stepping out.

“Hey, sugar,” Grady said, getting to his feet and giving his girlfriend a quick kiss. “What are you doing here?”

“You texted me to come for dinner if I could,” Sophie replied.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you actually would,” Grady said. “I figured you’d be on your story all day.”

Sophie sank down in an open chair. “It’s a big story, but it’s not like it’s hard to get the information. The cops wanted to give it to us. It makes them look good.”

“What was it?” Mandy asked, offering a beer to Sophie.

“A hundred times no,” Sophie said, waving her hand to ward off the bottle. “I’m never touching alcohol again.”

Mandy and Sophie shot twin looks of disgust in Ally’s direction.

“It’s not my fault you can’t hold your liquor,” Ally said, pouting.

Mandy shook her head, returning her attention to Sophie. “So, what happened?”

“There was some drug house off of Joy in Mount Clemens,” Sophie said. “It’s a rough area, but I hadn’t heard of any drug trade being run through there, so I was kind of surprised. Anyway, a bunch of guys attacked the house in the middle of the night.

“There was a big gun battle,” Sophie continued. “A bunch of them were shot. At least three of them have died, and another two probably won’t make it through the night. The cops found eighty pounds of heroin in the house, and two dealer packs in the vehicle outside.”

“So, it was a drug deal gone wrong?” James asked.

Sophie shrugged. “That’s what it looks like.”

“You don’t look convinced,” Grady prodded.

“I got a call from Peter earlier,” Sophie said. “I couldn’t talk long, and I’m sorry James and Mandy had a big fight, but I’m glad you had such robust makeup sex … .” Sophie broke off, her eyes twinkling.

“I think Peter is the gossip,” Ally said.

“Anyway, he says that a lot of new players have suddenly arrived in the area and he wants everyone to be careful,” Sophie said.

“Wait, he doesn’t think the drug deal has anything to do with the flash drive, does he?” James asked.

Sophie’s face was grim. “He says the guys who attacked the house weren’t local. I know the two guys who were taken into custody by the cops aren’t talking, and they’re not releasing any information on their identities yet.

“That might be because they don’t know who they are,” Sophie continued. “Peter is trying to find out some information, but he seems … worried.”

“Something tells me he’s not the type to overreact,” James said.

“No.”

James shifted his gaze to Mandy. “Well, at least I know we’re doing everything we can to keep ourselves safe.”

“You mean keep me safe,” Mandy countered.

“I mean … let’s eat,” James said, refusing to allow the conversation to get away from him. “We have tons of food.”

Mandy looked like she was going to argue for a moment, but the second her shoulders slumped, James knew she’d decided against it. “I made potato salad from scratch. I’ll get it,” she said, getting to her feet.

Ally patted her back. “Good girl.” She turned to Grady and stuck her tongue out. “See, she’s not spoiled and she didn’t have a meltdown.”

“I stand corrected,” Grady said.

“And you’re still a gossip,” Ally teased.

“Shut up, Ally.”