Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I told you to go,” Mandy said, her lower lip quivering with a mixture of rage and hurt.

  “Not until I talk to you.”

  Mandy placed her hands on her hips. “So, talk.”

  James froze. He’d expected her to try and kick him out of the apartment a few more times before he got a chance to say something of actual substance.

  Mandy tapped her foot impatiently. “I’m waiting.”

  James swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what? For taking your ex-girlfriend – otherwise known as the devil – out to dinner the night after you had sex with me and then bolted? Or sending your brother to spy on me?”

  James didn’t know what to do. Any way he tried to explain this he came out looking like an ass. “All of it?” He asked hopefully. “And I was not taking Ann out to dinner. She just showed up. We were trying to find a way to get rid of her when you arrived.”

  Before she even realized what she was doing, Mandy reached up and smacked him across the face. James reared back in shock. “I hate you,” she hissed.

  James rubbed his jaw. “I know.”

  “I really hate you.”

  “I know.”

  Mandy sank down to the floor, all of her fight fleeing. James sat down next to her carefully. He didn’t want to make any sudden moves in case she wanted to hit him again. Actually, if she wanted to hit him again, he would take it. He knew he deserved it.

  They sat there in dark, the silence overwhelming them. James wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what would fix this, and he desperately wanted to fix this.

  “You didn’t have to sneak out,” Mandy said finally. “I’m a big girl. You could’ve admitted you made a mistake and left when the sun was out.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake.”

  “Really? You always sneak out in the middle of the night when you don’t think you’ve made a huge mistake? What a prince.”

  James sighed. “I didn’t leave because it was a mistake. I left because it wasn’t a mistake.”

  The light in the hallway was minimal, but James didn’t miss the confusion that flitted across her face.

  “I don’t understand. It wasn’t a mistake, but you still threw me away like trash and snuck away in the middle of the night? How does that work?”

  “I didn’t mean to make you feel like trash,” James said, reaching over to take Mandy’s hand in his. She didn’t pull it away, which he took as a promising sign. “I just … I just didn’t expect to feel as much as I did.”

  “I didn’t ask you to feel anything,” Mandy countered. “I was just expecting a little respect.”

  James laughed hollowly. “You think I don’t respect you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you keep treating me like a child. I’m not a child. I haven’t been for a long time now, no matter how you see me.”

  James considered the statement. “Grady said something similar to me tonight. When he got back to the office and caught me staring at a picture of you and Ally from lunch the other day, he told me that I ran away from you because you weren’t a child anymore.”

  “You were staring at a picture of me and Ally?”

  Of course she would latch on to that, James thought. “That’s not the point of the story.”

  “It is to me.”

  James chuckled. “You’re such a woman.”

  “I’m not the one that was staring at a picture of you on Facebook,” Mandy reminded him, although her heart was starting to warm again.

  “You have a point.”

  “So, what was Grady telling you?” Mandy prodded.

  James bit the inside of his mouth as he considered how much to tell her. Finally, he realized that he only had the truth to fall back on. “He said that I ran away because I cared about you too much and I wasn’t expecting it so it kind of threw me for a loop.”

  Hope swelled. “And do you believe that?”

  James rubbed lazy circles with his thumb on the top of her hand as he considered the question. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “Why unfortunately?”

  “Because I wasn’t planning on picking up a girlfriend any time soon.”

  Mandy shook her head. “What makes you think I want you to be my boyfriend?”

  Her tone was light, but the words were like a knife to James’ heart. “I didn’t say you wanted me to be your boyfriend,” he corrected. “I just said … .”

  “You said that you didn’t want a girlfriend,” Mandy finished for him.

  “I didn’t,” James agreed. “Now I’m not sure I have much of a choice.”

  “Why? Is Ann going to put a leash on you or something?”

  James smirked. “No. I wasn’t talking about Ann.”

  “Oh, who were you talking about?”

  “Don’t be cute,” James warned. “I’m all … exposed here. I don’t do exposed well.”

  “You seem to be doing okay,” Mandy said. “Of course, we’re sitting here in the dark, so I can’t tell if you’re making funny faces while you’re saying everything I ever wanted to hear from you.”

  “No funny faces,” James promised. “If you ask my brothers, though, I probably look like a puppy about to get whacked with a rolled up newspaper.”

  Mandy choked on her laugh, finally giving in to his apology completely. “Well, I don’t have any newspaper,” she said, getting to her feet and reluctantly pulling her hand from his. “I think you’re safe there.”

  James watched Mandy move through the open door of her bedroom. He had no idea what she was doing. He just knew, if she asked him to leave, he would be the one hurting.

  Mandy stood in the door, kicking off her shoes and shedding her coat on the floor. James watched her dark silhouette as she pulled her shirt over her head and then started unbuttoning her jeans. His heart caught in his throat when he saw her pull her pants down, discarding them on the floor. He still hadn’t moved.

  “Are you coming to bed?” Mandy asked.

  James wasn’t sure he heard her correctly, so he waited.

  “I’m not asking again.”

  James was on his feet, pulling his shirt over his head before he even got through the door. He slipped his shoes off and pulled down his jeans, leaving them in a heap on the floor as he followed Mandy to the bed.

  He reached for her waist, his hands meeting bare skin as he pulled her to him. His mouth found hers in the dark and they tumbled onto the mattress together, their lips fused and their hearts beating in tandem. James let his hands roam, finding that she’d managed to discard her bra and panties while he was busy with his own clothes.

  Mandy ran her fingers over James’ back, kneading his muscles as they flexed on top of her. She moved her mouth from his, forcing him on his back so she could straddle him. She returned her lips to the side of his face and then trailed a series of breathy kisses down his neck and onto his chest. When she found his nipple, she flicked out her tongue – causing him to squirm beneath her. She sucked on him for a second and then continued her downward descent.

  James inhaled deeply when he felt her hair fan over his stomach and her tongue dip into his belly button. Her hands were on the edge of his boxers and moving them down before he even registered what was happening. He could feel her breath on his hard erection, and he thought he was going to explode right there. Her hand was on him, wrapping around his length, and he still wasn’t able to catch his breath. He jerked when her tongue flicked over his cockhead, sucking it into her small mouth.

  “Oh, God,” he gritted out.

  Mandy moved her tongue so she could take more of James into her mouth, wrapping her hand around the base of him. She ran her tongue on the underside of his penis, causing him to jerk again. Mandy lowered her mouth over him as far as she could, only managing to take half of him inside of her warm orifice. He was just so big. Mandy bobbed up and down for a few minutes, moving her hand in tandem.

  “I’m going to co
me,” James warned.

  Mandy redoubled her efforts, feeling James stiffen and explode in her mouth within seconds. She milked him until she was sure he was done, swallowing every last drop.

  James recovered quickly, reaching for her and flipping her over onto her back. Mandy gasped when she felt his weight on top of her. “My turn,” he whispered into her ear, sending shivers coursing down her spine.

  His mouth was on her neck, kissing the tender spot behind her ear. He flicked his tongue out occasionally, causing goose bumps to assault her body. James cupped her breasts as he moved lower, pushing them together so he could move between them easily. He alternately sucked and licked each hardened nipple before moving lower.

  He spread her thighs with his hand, exhaling on her nether lips and causing her to shift in surprise. Enjoying her response, he did it again.

  “James,” she moaned, reaching her hand up to grip the pillow underneath her head.

  “Yes, dear?” He chuckled, blowing a few more times.

  Mandy tried to clamp her thighs together as the sensations washed over her, but James kept them parted. He lowered his mouth to her, flicking his tongue out and making contact with her sensitive center.

  “Oh, God,” she moaned.

  James dropped his head down completely now, dipping his tongue into her folds and drinking her in. He licked up and down, gripping her hips hard enough to keep her from wriggling away from his mouth as her body shivered beneath his studied ministrations. After licking her a few more times, he sucked her clitoris into his mouth, causing her to buck up in surprise. She grabbed the back of his head, grinding herself into his mouth as she came. James didn’t stop lapping until he was sure the orgasm had passed.

  He climbed up her body, pressing his chest against her breasts as he found her mouth in the dark. She opened her mouth, sliding her tongue against his, completely lost to the emotions he was eliciting from her.

  James reached beneath her, cupping her ass as he pulled her up. He kept their mouths fused together as he settled back on the bed, his own rear resting flat on the mussed sheets as he spread his legs out in front of him. He tugged Mandy’s body on top of him, arranging her legs so they were on either side of his hips.

  He took one of her hands, leading it down to his already stiff member, telling her what he wanted her to do without ever removing his tongue from her mouth.

  Mandy rubbed him up and down for a few minutes and then pulled her hand away; wrapping both of her arms around his neck and pulling her body flush with his. She lowered herself on him slowly, letting her warm sheath envelop him in a tantalizing slow descent.

  James gripped her bottom in his hands, gasping when he felt her completely close around him. He pulled away from her mouth so his gaze could find hers in the dark. He wanted to see her face when she came. He wanted to see everything.

  Mandy didn’t try to hide her face as she rode him, grinding against his pelvic bone as she bounced up and down. James helped her, lifting her with his arms as their sweat started to mingle and a steady stream of grunts and gasps flooded the room. Mandy’s breath caught in her throat when she felt another orgasm building. James fought off his own until he felt her go rigid in his arms, her eyes rolling back into her head as it dipped back.

  He’d never seen anything more beautiful.

  James increased his pace, humping up from beneath her, joining her in a heaven of soul-shattering tremors a few seconds before collapsing back on the bed as the orgasm washed over him completely. Mandy dropped on top of him, their heads facing the opposite end of the mattress from where the pillows rested.

  James wrapped his arms around Mandy as her head nestled into the hollow between his neck and his chest. She straightened her legs, moving her hips to the side slightly, and then snuggled into him.

  “Sleep, baby,” he murmured. “You need some sleep.”

  Mandy stiffened a little in his arms. He could read her mind, even if he couldn’t see her in the dark.

  “I promise, there’s nothing in the world that could pull me from this bed,” he whispered as he petted the back of her head. “I’ll be right here in the morning. I promise.”

  Mandy let go of her misgivings and gave in, relaxing into his embrace. She could feel her heartbeat slip into the same rhythm as his – and that was the last thing she thought about before she drifted off to sleep.

  Fifteen

  Mandy woke up at the wrong end of her bed, pushing the sleep clouds from her mind so she could try to figure out why. Memories of James flooded her. She lifted her head up, expecting to find herself alone again, mentally preparing herself for the hit when it came. When she turned to her other side, she found James lying next to her, his dark eyes glittering in the morning light.

  “You’re here,” she breathed.

  James felt a pinch of shame at her words. He pulled her closer, tightening his arm around her waist. “I told you, I’m sorry,” he murmured, pressing his lips to her temple. “I told you I would be here.”

  Mandy let out a shaky breath, relaxing into him. “I don’t know what’s worse,” she said finally. “Waking up to find the bed empty or waking up to know that you’ve seen me with profound bedhead.”

  James chuckled, pressing her face against his throat. “I like the bedhead. It makes you look all sexy.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Then you don’t see what I see,” he countered. He wanted to pull her closer, but there was no way to do it. If she was any closer, she would be inside of him – although part of her already was. He knew that now. He was done fighting it.

  “So, what do you want to do today?” James asked. “I’m thinking we can call for food delivery and stay in bed all day.”

  Mandy smiled. “As good as that sounds, I have a work function.”

  James frowned. That wasn’t how he saw this day going. “On a Sunday?”

  “I have to go down to the art fair in Mount Clemens,” Mandy replied. “I promised Judge MacIntosh I would help hand out fliers for him.”

  “What kind of fliers?”

  “It’s an election year.”

  “Isn’t it a little unprofessional to expect your employees to get you reelected?” James asked. He was still hoping he could talk her into a day in bed.

  “I volunteered,” Mandy countered, shifting in his arms. “How about this? You spend the day naked in bed and I’ll get away from the art fair as soon as possible and rejoin you here in a couple of hours?”

  James immediately shook his head. “I’m going with you.”

  “You’re going to the art fair?” Mandy cocked an eyebrow as she pulled her head away.

  “Yeah, I like art.”

  “You don’t like art.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “You’re going to watch me,” Mandy corrected him. “There’s a difference.”

  James sighed. “Fine. I’m going to watch you.”

  Mandy thought about arguing with him but decided against it. “I have another compromise.”

  “And what is that?”

  “Well, I figured we could shower together and do whatever comes naturally,” she said, brushing her hand over his already erect penis. “Then we could go to the art fair and, when we get back, we can do something arty here.”

  James was definitely interested. “How arty are we talking?”

  “I guess you’ll have to wait to find out,” Mandy teased, brushing her lips against his jaw.

  “I can’t wait,” James admitted, lowering his mouth to hers.

  TWO HOURS and two orgasms later, James was starting to rethink his decision not to tie Mandy to her bedpost. He was sitting in a chair, watching Mandy converse with various visitors who wanted to meet Judge MacIntosh, and wishing he could get her somewhere – anywhere really – where nudity wasn’t frowned upon.

  “Mr. Hardy, it’s good to see you.”

  James got to his feet, extending his hand and taking Judge MacIntosh’s proffered greeting. “It’s good
to see you, too, sir.”

  “I have to admit, I’m surprised,” the judge said. “I wouldn’t think an art fair is your idea of fun.”

  “I like art,” James said, marveling that he’d said that sentence twice in one day.

  Judge MacIntosh glanced over his shoulder, his eyes falling on his clerk mischievously. “I’m thinking you have another reason to be here. A blonder one, perhaps?”

  James smiled. “Perhaps.”

  Judge MacIntosh clapped him on his back. “I’m glad. She’s a good girl. I heard you were the one that saved her in the parking lot the other night. Good job. I didn’t even know you two were seeing each other.”

  “It’s kind of a new thing.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Actually, we grew up in the same small town up north,” James explained. “She was best friends with my little sister. We just kind of got reintroduced about a week ago.”

  “I see.” Judge MacIntosh smiled. “She looks a little different now than she did as a child, I’m guessing.”

  “You have no idea,” James muttered.

  Judge MacIntosh pursed his lips. “You better be good to her,” he warned.

  “I plan to,” James said, meaning every word.

  “Good,” the judge replied. “Because I know a few people who owe me favors and I could lock you up for years if you’re not.”

  James smiled at the threat. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “You do that,” Judge MacIntosh smiled. “Now, why don’t you take that girl and buy her an elephant ear and have some fun. There’s a carnival down there. Maybe you should take her on a ride.”

  James didn’t tell the judge that the only ride he wanted to take Mandy on didn’t involve a carousel. Although, he was interested in the elephant-ear-comment. “Does she like elephant ears?”

  “Loves them,” the judge laughed. “I heard her telling Heidi.”

  “Good to know.”

  James made his way over to Mandy, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. She was surprised that he was suddenly so free with his affection. “What are you doing?”

  “I heard you can be bought off with elephant ears,” he replied. “I’m going to test that theory.”