The Troublemaker Next Door

by Marie Harte

  “I need to ask you something, but I don’t want you freaking out.”

  Nervous, she nodded. “Just ask.”

  “Would it make you uncomfortable if I said I’d like to start going out sometimes? Not just for the wow, but to spend time together.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?” She thought they’d already been doing that.

  His cheeks turned pink and she stared in awe. Flynn, blushing?

  The waiter returned with two mugs and a handful of creamers, then left them.

  Flynn fiddled with the spoon in his coffee. “Well, I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you for a movie or a game, cards, something like that. Sometimes it’s late and you might not be in the mood, but we could visit. Or something.” He mumbled the last, and she couldn’t stop staring at Flynn McCauley sounding anything less than confident. “I mean, we are friends. Casual friends, but we’re friends.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “We trust each other.”

  “Yes, we do.” She thought about it. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt if we went out sometimes. Just to have fun, I mean, without the…” A woman neared their table, and she paused until she passed by. “Sex.”

  “Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to stop that.” The devilry in his smile relieved her. She didn’t want to stop that either. She’d never connected so fully with a man before when it came to sex. “I just don’t want you to think that’s all I want from you. I think being normal, no-strings-attached friends would be great. Unless you think that’s pushing it?”

  Flynn seemed inordinately worried about burdening her with his friendship.

  “Relax, Flynn. I know you’re not angling for marriage or a commitment. Sure, we can be friends. We are friends.” Right. So why do I want to tell him that it’s okay if we go out on dates? And that I don’t want him to look for anyone else, because it’ll ruin this good thing we have here?

  “I don’t think I told you, but my favorite color is blue.” He smiled at the hint of her shirt he could see past her jacket. “You into vanilla or chocolate? Cats or dogs?”

  They traded more intimate details about their likes and dislikes. Her thoughts about sports, his about chick flicks. He also shocked her by bringing up her work again. Most men dismissed her job as unimportant and not worth a mention. Flynn knew more about design than she’d thought, mostly due to his aunt’s and his mother’s fascination with all things home and garden related.

  “I’m just a blue collar guy. Plumber extraordinaire,” he joked. “I majored in history, but mostly because I wanted to play ball in college.”

  “Which ball?”

  “Football. Please.” He snorted. “I also played a little baseball, but that was mostly so Brody wouldn’t feel so lonely during the off season.”

  “How nice of you.” She grinned.

  “Yeah, I’m a nice guy like that. But I’m curious. You don’t mind being out with me? I’m not a doctor.”

  She snorted. “And thank God for that. I don’t want to spend time with someone who thinks he’s Superman with a stethoscope.”

  “How about with a lead pipe?”

  “We talking the game Clue, or your ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound with that tongue?”

  “Well, there is that. But I’m not into leaping tall buildings, just a certain redhead who likes yellow and the number three.”

  “Don’t forget milk chocolate and puppies.”

  “Right. I jotted that down when you weren’t looking.”

  Somehow her sexy interlude with Flynn had turned into what felt like a real date. Maddie wanted to call him on it, to remind him they were friends with benefits, yet she didn’t want to end their fun. Was it wrong for Flynn to want to spend time with her outside of a bed, closet, or car? The naughty part of her said yes, but the woman said no. Only a stupid person would reject an offer of genuine friendship from Flynn. He’d already conquered her in bed; he had no need to look for more with their relationship.

  They returned to his apartment and watched a movie together. They’d agreed on Alien, because she liked the strong female lead and he liked the sci-fi aspect. Popcorn and sodas followed, and after, when she could no longer keep her eyes open, he carried her into his bed and slept with her.

  She woke the next morning in his arms, but instead of the embarrassment or annoyance she might have felt had another man presumed to put her in his bed, she welcomed his attention.

  It made her think back to why she’d argued against dating Flynn. Oh right, because she’d thought she hated men. That had lasted all of a week.

  “I have no willpower,” she mumbled as she made her way to his bathroom. She knew getting attached to Flynn wasn’t smart. When they eventually split, she would hurt. Badly.

  “Hey, you gonna be in there all day or what?” He banged on the door.

  The morning attitude could go. She wouldn’t miss that.

  Finding an unattractive trait helped stave off the panic beginning to creep in.

  The door flew open while she stared at herself in the mirror, toothbrush in hand. “Hey. A little privacy?”

  “Get that ass in the shower. Now.”

  She tried to ignore the sight of his erection and all of his mouthwatering golden skin. “I’m brushing my teeth.”

  “In. The. Shower.”

  The crisp command made her wet.

  She put her toothbrush down and glared at him, wishing she meant it. Then she turned on the shower and removed her clothes. She stepped in and sighed at how good she felt under the hot spray.

  She heard him brushing his teeth, and then he stepped in behind her. “Not wearing a bra last night was naughty, Maddie.”

  She groaned when he locked his hands around her breasts and pulled her tight against him, her back to his front.

  He cupped her breasts and toyed with her nipples. “Going down on me in a park? Touching yourself in the truck? Then falling asleep on me with those tits showing through that top?” He tsked. “Such a bad, bad girl. I think you need to be spanked.”

  “Really?”

  “Oh yeah.” He forced her to hurry the shower. He soaped all over, rinsed off, then waited while she did the same.

  After he turned off the water, he dried them both off and shoved her out the bathroom door.

  “Hey.”

  He lifted her in his arms, so easily, and his strength excited her.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m getting you back for yesterday.”

  She landed on the bed and let out a breath. Before she could move, he landed on top of her and pinned her down. He kissed her, and she melted beneath him. His mouth moved from her lips down her face to her neck.

  He lingered on spots in between, but he continued down a path to her breasts.

  “Pretty tits, Maddie. Look at your nipples, baby. You cold?”

  “Jerk,” she huffed, and he laughed.

  He sucked one nipple into his mouth, and she arched into him. He cupped her breast and pulled at her nipple while he toyed with the other one. The time he spent playing with her increased her arousal, so that when he finally kissed his way down her belly, she was more than ready.

  She spread her legs, aching for the feel of his mouth on her. He didn’t disappoint. Flynn licked and sucked her to the edge of orgasm in moments. His thick fingers pressed for entrance to her sex, and as he sucked, he shoved one finger, and then two inside her, fucking her with his fingers as he ate her. The intensity of her orgasm scared her. But Flynn wouldn’t let her hide. He bore down on her clit and added another finger, but this one he pressed against her anus.

  Then he pushed and penetrated. She cried out and came all over his mouth, his name a mantra on her lips.

  He rode her through it, kissing and caressing her sex with loving bites. When finished, she could barely think straight.

  “Watch. See what you do to me.” He straddled her waist and jerked off, his cock thick and wet as he stroked it. Long, slow drags that enthralled her. “I’
m so hard around you, Maddie. You taste so good, and you’re so fucking beautiful.”

  The rough words pulled at her ego, and more, at her heart.

  Then Flynn moaned and tugged once more, coming in milky jets over her belly. “Oh, fuck. Yeah, Maddie. All over you.” He rubbed it into her stomach, as if sealing some part of himself inside her very skin.

  When finished, he panted and stared down at her, his gaze inscrutable.

  “I think I need another shower.”

  He shook his head. “Not yet.”

  Too tired to go again, she tried to protest. But the blasted man ignored her. The sly bastard pushed her past her denial into another rip-roaring climax. And then, before she could catch her breath, he took her in his arms and cuddled with her.

  To her dismay, another brick in the wall around her heart crumbled and fell.

  ***

  Finally free of the Anacortes job, Flynn’s routine returned to normal. Mostly. He was doing his best not to bug Maddie. He sent her a text when he wanted to call, and he limited his messages to three instead of the two dozen he wanted to send. The woman had burrowed under his skin, and he had a bad feeling nothing but more sex, dating, and hell, maybe even a long-term relationship would cure him.

  Brody razzed him about her. Mike had nearly taken his head off with threats about not screwing with the general happiness of his neighbors. Cam had been spending a lot of time away on business, so Flynn didn’t worry the narc would sell him out. Still, his brothers clearly saw how over-the-moon he was for the woman. How could she not see it?

  He checked his watch for the fourth time as he finished up this solo job while Brody did paperwork back at his place. After cleaning up behind him and checking again with the homeowner, he left with a smile. Doing his best to keep to the speed limit when anticipation had his foot heavy on the gas pedal, Flynn finally made his way back to the parking garage.

  After a quick trip to his place, he showered, gave the apartment a good once-over, and waited for Maddie. A Wednesday night, middle-of-the-week get-together. Hopefully, the first of many. He wondered if the flowers on the counter were a bit much, but he’d seen her looking at them when they’d been to the market together. Maddie’s weaknesses, that he could see, were flowers, chocolates, and his interest in her.

  Before he could finish that train of thought, the doorbell buzzed.

  He nearly tripped over himself to answer it and forced himself to be cool. No need to let the woman know she had him wrapped around her finger already. Power and control were important in dealing with this particular redhead. He knew it; she knew it. Now he just needed to balance his desire, his affection, and his need for her company without scaring her away. He hoped distance would be the answer.

  He opened the door and smiled. “Welcome.”

  Maddie wore a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved brown sweater. Casual, comfortable clothes, but she managed to look like a model wearing them all the same. “Hi. Sorry I’m a little late.”

  She had shadows under her eyes. “You look tired.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  He shut the door behind her. “Sorry. Truth hurts.”

  “Such a flatterer,” she grumbled and toed off her sandals before making a beeline for his couch.

  “What’s up with the shoes?”

  “Oh, Vanessa’s a tyrant. She doesn’t want us tracking mud in the house. It’s become a habit.” She sat on his couch and lifted her leg so he could see her foot over the back of the couch. Wiggling her toes, she said, “You have a problem with firehouse red?”

  He’d never thought a woman’s foot could be so sexy. Yet he had to ignore his hard-on when he answered. “No problem. Now if it was doctor red, I’d have issues.”

  She grinned before flopping down so he could no longer see anything of her but her foot hooked over the sofa. “What’s on the agenda tonight?”

  Besides ignoring the fact I want to fuck? He cleared his throat. “I don’t know. Just thought we could hang out. TV or a movie.”

  She sighed. “Sounds perfect. I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t been able to catch a breath.” She told him all about her day, her new collaboration with her friends Kim and Robin, Theo and his continued support, and how Linda might be harder to work with than she’d first thought.

  Flynn joined her on the couch, surprised to find himself actually invested in the conversation. Man, everything about her resonated on his level. Maddie didn’t put him on a pedestal. She was better-looking than he was, in his opinion. She seemed to like him well enough, but she didn’t do whatever he wanted. Even better, she didn’t demand he wait on her. He’d had his share of women who wanted to be treated like queens all the time, and at his expense.

  He sat close to Maddie but not close enough. He pulled her into his lap.

  “Oh, that’s nice.”

  He’d expected her to protest, so having her close and actually pleased about it made him smile. Then she snuggled deeper into his embrace, and his heart did that odd patter that concerned him.

  “You’re so warm. And so built.” Maddie ran her hands over his chest, stroking the muscle as if petting something soft. “How are you this handsome and not married already?”

  He had to take a breath before answering, worried his answer would come out shaky. “Never met the right woman, I guess. You’ve met my parents. They’ve been married more than thirty years. I don’t want anything less than what they have.”

  “You’re so lucky. You have such a great family. Your dad seems nice.” He heard the question there.

  “He is. Don’t get me wrong. He’s not that nice. A hard-ass who used to make me pay for stamps when I was eight and would stand next to a light switch until I turned it off, just to teach me a lesson. But he was there for us. Sports, school, camping, you name it. Dad was into family. But you ask me, he got lucky when he met Mom.”

  “I like Beth.”

  “Everyone does.” He nuzzled the top of her hair, wondering what kind of shampoo she used because she always felt so soft and smelled like wildflowers. “What about your mom?”

  “I love her. I was happy growing up, but maybe a little lonely. And I always felt like we worked too hard for everything.”

  We, not she, he noticed. “Yeah?”

  “I’ve been working since I was a kid. Cleaning houses with my mom, then odd jobs around the diner. I was a busboy, hostess, and waitress before I could drive a car. Then a bunch of other jobs to help pay the rent and maybe afford a pair of jeans my mom deemed too expensive.” She shrugged. “I’m not complaining. I know I’m a hard worker, and I’m really fortunate now that I’m doing what I love.”

  She was. “Probably doesn’t mean much, but I’m proud of you. It couldn’t have been easy to deal with your boss and leave your job. But it sounds like it’s paying off.”

  Her hands stopped stroking, and he felt her breath hot against his chest, even through his shirt. She sighed, and he was reminded of the shadows under her eyes. The woman looked beautiful, but exhausted.

  He knew just how to put her to sleep. “You mind if I catch the scores from the games real quick?”

  “Go ahead.”

  He grabbed the remote from the table and turned to the sports channel. A few minutes later he noticed Maddie hadn’t moved. He pulled back and saw her head tucked against his chest, her hair obscuring her face.

  “What am I going to do with you?” He moved on the couch slowly, so as not to wake her, and settled back into a sprawl. Maddie covered him like a human blanket. Warm, curvy, and so damn pretty.

  He stroked her hair as he watched a replay of the day’s games and wondered why this bland, nothing date had been the highlight of his day. And why the idea of sex couldn’t make it any better than it already was.

  Chapter 16

  Maddie woke when Flynn shook her.

  “Time to go, honey. You have work tomorrow, right?”

  She blinked and realized she’d fallen asleep. “What time is it?”

/>   He groaned, and her mind immediately went to sex. That’s when she felt him under her. “Two in the morning.”

  She’d come over to spend time with Flynn, talked his ear off, then fallen asleep on the man. How embarrassing.

  In her haste to regain her dignity, she shoved her knee in a bad place.

  He coughed and groaned. “Christ, hold on.” He quickly disengaged, and the two of them sat on the couch not looking at each other.

  Worry about bad breath, bed-head, and how rumpled her clothes must be redirected Maddie’s thoughts from the fact she’d fallen asleep on Flynn.

  He let out a loud yawn and she peeked at him. A hint of stubble covered his jaw, but other than that, he still looked sexy and a little bit dangerous. A man no woman in her right mind would ignore.

  Not sure why she wanted to run and hide, Maddie resolved to walk out calm, in control, and at least presentable. “I’ll be right back.” She moved to his bathroom and made good use of her time. Now sporting brushed hair, an empty bladder, and minty fresh breath courtesy of his toothpaste and her finger, she returned to the living room and found him waiting for her by the door.

  She didn’t know whether to feel insulted or glad that he had no intention of having sex with her. Then again, they weren’t dating or anything. She’d come over to spend time with him, friend to friend. No big deal. Yet she wanted him to make a move, to throw her against the wall and take her. Or maybe bend her over the couch, pull down her pants, and—

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yeah.” How disappointing. Flynn hadn’t made a move all night. At first she’d been hopeful when he’d tugged her into his lap. But he’d done nothing more than hold her.

  She slipped on her shoes and followed him out the door and down into the attached garage, where she’d parked in his friend’s empty spot. The air had grown chilly, and she shivered, wishing she’d brought her jacket. Then again, she’d only planned to stay an hour or two, not half the night.

  At her car, they paused. She fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her door. Before she could get in, Flynn stopped her.

  He turned her to face him, then caged her between himself and the open door. “Thanks for coming over, Maddie.” His grin made her heart race. That affectionate expression on his face had never been there before that she’d noticed. “Believe it or not, I had a good time.”