Deadly Addition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 9) (14 page)

James moved back around the desk and drew her in for a hug. “I’d still want to go on a mission with you.” He kissed the top of her head.

“I’m really sorry. I think you’re the one getting the massage tonight.”

The piteous look on her face was comical. “I’m still going to rub you, baby,” James said.

“What about the movie?”

“You still get the movie.”

“How come you’re rewarding me for bad behavior?” Mandy asked.

“Because shark movies and massages make you horny,” James said. “That’s my reward.”

Mandy smiled. “I love you.”

“You’d better,” James said. “No one else would put up with having such a terrible spy for a wife.”

“When is Maverick supposed to get here?” Grady asked, stretching his long legs out in front of him as he relaxed on the couch in James’ office.

“An hour ago,” James said, rubbing his forehead.

“Why did you wait so long to call him?”

“He doesn’t accept calls before noon,” James said. “He says if we wake him up, then we’re out of luck. He needs his beauty rest.”

“It’s almost four,” Grady pointed out.

“Oh, I know,” James said. “I haven’t been able to use my computer all day. Maverick said if I touched it, he would break my fingers.”

“He weighs a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet.”

“He’s a mean little thing,” James said.

“I think it’s cute that he sleeps until noon,” Grady said. “He’s like a really petulant teenager.”

“He’s only twenty,” James said. “He’s not too far gone from being a teenager.”

“And yet he’s smarter than all of us combined,” Jake said, walking into the office and tossing an apple in Grady’s direction.

“What’s this for?” Grady asked, catching the apple in mid-air.

“Ally told me to give it to you.”

“Why?”

Jake shrugged. “I have no idea. She said you need more fruit in your diet. She saw it on some talk show or something.”

“So, now you’re her little errand boy?” Grady teased.

“I believe she refers to him as her love muffin,” Finn interjected, glancing up from the catalog he was perusing. “Who knew there was so much furniture, by the way?”

James raised his hand. “As someone who has bought more furniture than I can ever realistically sit on, let me just welcome you to the world of female shopping.”

“Sophie doesn’t do that,” Grady said. “She’s got a couch, two chairs, and a kitchen table. I had to buy a bookcase, which confused her, because she doesn’t understand why anyone would buy books.”

“She did miss the shopping bug, didn’t she?” James mused. “You got lucky, man.”

“I know that,” Grady said, grinning.

“Oh, you’re the love muffin,” Finn teased.

Grady leaned forward and punched his brother in the arm. “You’re the one running around with a goofy look on his face because he finally told his girlfriend he loved her.”

“So are you.”

Grady shrugged. “I’m fine with that.”

“So am I.”

“We’re all fine with it,” James said.

Jake cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Except Jake,” Finn said.

“Yeah, when are you going to tell Ally you love her?” Grady asked.

“I … .” Jake’s face was flushed with embarrassment.

“Leave him alone,” James said. “He and Ally haven’t been dating that long.”

“And you’re still getting used to him sleeping with her,” Finn said. “If they start procreating together, it’s going to be really hard for you to pretend they’re just cuddling up on the couch and watching movies every night.”

“I don’t do that,” James protested.

“Oh, come on,” Finn teased. “In your head, they actually are going home and playing Hungry Hippos.”

The bell above the front door rang.

“That must be Maverick.” James made a face. “By the way, I told you to forget that conversation.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to tell Mandy you called her a hippo.”

“You called me what?”

James cringed. Maverick wasn’t the one standing in the archway between the lobby and office. “What are you doing here?”

Mandy’s eyes were blue slits as she regarded the four men in the room. “Who called me a hippo?”

“No one called you a hippo, baby.”

“Someone obviously did,” Mandy said, her lower lip jutting out.

“Baby, it’s not what you think,” James said. He cut Finn with a dark look. “This is your fault.”

“Mandy, it’s not bad,” Finn said. “James was just making a joke yesterday about playing shark, and Emma didn’t get it, and he didn’t want to explain it and … .”

“He said I’m a hippo. I get it.” Mandy turned to leave. “I’m going to go.”

James rubbed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Baby … .”

“Whoa, who’s the babe?”

Mandy took a step back as she regarded the hipster ogling her from the lobby dubiously. He was short, a full two inches shorter than she was. His black hair was long and floppy on top, and it looked like he had something shaved into the back of it – but it was too overgrown to tell now. “Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“I’m leaving.”

“Oh, don’t go,” the man said. “You should stay so I have something pretty to look at.”

“Thank you, Maverick,” James said, moving to Mandy’s side. “The laptop is on the desk. I’m so glad you got to us first thing in the morning.”

“No problem, dude,” Maverick said, not picking up on the sarcasm. “I’m all about customer service. Seriously, though, who is the babe?”

“She’s my wife.”

“Not for long,” Mandy muttered.

“Hey, if you’re looking to trade up, I’m going to move out of my mom’s basement any day now,” Maverick offered.

“Oh, you wouldn’t be interested in me,” Mandy said. “I’m a hippo.”

“You can rub those fine hips against me any time,” Maverick said, smiling.

James snapped his fingers and pointed toward the laptop.

“Yeah, I get it,” Maverick said. “You’re in a hurry.”

“Stop hitting on my wife and get to work,” James growled.

“She says she’s not going to be your wife for much longer.”

“She’s going to be my wife forever,” James said.

“Then you probably shouldn’t call her a hippo, dude,” Maverick said.

“Go in there,” James ordered.

“I should be going,” Mandy said.

“Where are you going?” James asked.

“The gym.”

James sighed. “No, you’re not.”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m a hippo.” She was obviously pissed. Unfortunately, the pouty set of her jaw was turning James on.

“Why don’t we go upstairs and talk about this?”

“I don’t want to talk.” She crossed her arms over her chest obstinately.

James reached forward and grabbed Mandy around the waist, hoisting her over his shoulder. “We’re going to be upstairs … .”

“Arguing?” Grady asked.

“Probably,” James said. “I’ll be back down in a few minutes. Just … don’t make a plan for whatever Maverick finds until I get back.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks,” James said grimly. “I’m going to need it.”

Mandy fought being carried the whole trek. James didn’t put her down until they were safely inside of the apartment and the door was closed so she couldn’t easily escape.

“Calm down,” James ordered.

“No.”

“I did not call you a hippo,” James said. “I … I was making a joke about playing shark. Emma didn’t get it. I was too embarrassed to explain. She asked if it was like playing Hungry Hippos. I said it was exactly like that.”

“And that’s all you said?” Mandy looked skeptical.

“I might have made a joke about feeding my hippo,” James admitted.

Mandy shook her head. “I’m going on a diet.”

“You are not,” James said. “I love your body the way it is. Stop … you know that I love you just the way you are. You’re being purposely bratty now.”

Mandy’s eyes flared. “Oh, now I’m a bratty hippo.”

James straightened. “Well, I can see only one way out of this.”

“Oh, and what is that?”

James cupped the back of her head and slammed his mouth to hers. Mandy fought the kiss for an instant, but then she gave in. She was gasping when they separated a few minutes later.

James grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked it over his head. “I’m going to show you how much I love you.”

Mandy glanced around, a mixture of emotions warring for supremacy on her conflicted face. “This isn’t our apartment anymore.”

“It is today.” James moved back toward her. “I’m going to do the one thing we never did in this apartment.”

“We did everything in this apartment,” Mandy countered.

James inclined his head toward the pool table. “Not quite.”

“I told you, I don’t want to do it on that because I know you probably did it with a hundred different women on it.”

James unbuttoned his pants, kicking off his shoes as he let them slide down his thighs. “I’ve never done it on that table.”

“I know you,” Mandy said. “You wouldn’t want women to sleep in your bed because that would be like invading your personal space – and that isn’t what you’re about. You would have had sex with them out here so you could keep them out of your bedroom. That doesn’t leave you with many options.”

“Wrong,” James said, tugging his boxer shorts down and letting Mandy get a gander at his raging erection. “I used to have a problem with women invading my personal space. Now? Now I want you in my personal space every chance I get. Just you.”

“James … .”

“I never brought anyone back to this apartment,” James said.

“Never?”

“Never.”

“I … .” Mandy bit her lower lip. “This is Finn and Emma’s apartment now.”

“Not yet,” James said, reaching for her shirt. “This is still our apartment.”

“Are you sure you want to have sex with a hippo?”

James pulled her shirt from her shoulders. “I want you.” He reclaimed her mouth, heat pooling between them. “I always want you.”

James lifted her up and settled her on the pool table, pushing her skirt up her thighs and smiling when he saw that she was bare – except for the garters he loved so much – under the black fabric. “Did you go commando for me today?”

“Yes.”

“Did you come looking for me at the office early for a reason?”

“Judge MacIntosh let us leave early since the docket was done,” Mandy said, moaning as James slipped a finger inside of her. “I … thought I would surprise you.”

“You did.” James grazed her neck with his teeth. “You’re not really mad, are you?”

“Oh, I’m mad.”

“No,” James said, kissing his way up her neck and sucking her earlobe into his mouth. “You’re just trying to get me all fired up.”

Mandy ran her hand through his hair, tugging it back hard so she could meet his gaze. “And why would I do that?”

“Because you want me to do this.” James surged inside of her.

Mandy’s hands dug into his lower back as he tilted her body so her pelvis was on the edge of the table. “James.”

He tightened his arms around her, licking her lips with his fervent tongue. Mandy moved her hands down his hips, trying to spur him forward, but he refused to move. He was still inside of her – his length twitching for action – but he wasn’t done playing quite yet. “Tell me the truth,” he whispered.

“What truth?”

“Tell me you just baited me into a fight because you wanted to make up.”

“Are we making up?”

“Tell me,” James urged, teasing her with a soft move inside.

“I was hoping we could spend a little time together this afternoon,” Mandy conceded. “You did hurt my feelings by calling me a hippo, though.”

“Did you really think I called you a hippo?” James probed with both his words and his erection.

“I … oh, just make love to me.”

“Not until you tell me the truth,” James said, nipping her jaw lightly.

“I didn’t come here to fight with you,” Mandy said. “I was planning on seducing you – but I was hoping for a little desk action. I just took advantage of the hippo comment.” Mandy moaned as James rewarded her with a forceful thrust.

“You know I love everything about you, right?”

“I … come on,” Mandy whined, kicking her heels into James’ hips to spur him on.

James smiled evilly. “Tell me that you know I love you just the way you are.” He was relishing her impatience – and the power flowing through him because due to her need. He knew exactly how she felt. He needed her, too.

“I know.”

James rewarded her again, rubbing her clitoris as he pumped between her thighs twice. “Tell me you know that I only want you – that I’ve only ever wanted you.”

“I know I’ve only ever wanted you,” Mandy said.

“That’s not what I said.”

Mandy bit her bottom lip. “I know you love me.”

“And I only want you,” James said, spreading her thighs wider as he slammed inside again. “Repeat it.”

“You only want me,” Mandy whimpered, her head lolling back on her shoulders as his fingers worked their magic. “Just you and me,” she said, breathing heavily. “Forever.”

“Forever,” James agreed, giving in to their mutual need. “Forever.”

He pumped steadily, smiling when Mandy’s body began to convulse. She came hard, and still James continued to rub her. Mere seconds after the orgasm overtook her, she cried out as she came again.