“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to tell you…” She mentally groaned. Why was this so hard?
“Tell me what?”
“I’m still sure,” she whispered. The silence was deafening on the other end. Then Brody cleared his throat.
“I get off duty at five.”
“I’ll fix dinner. I’ll pick up some steaks on the way home. I get off today at four.”
“That would be nice…oh wait. Did you learn to cook?”
Madilyn burst out laughing. “I did. I’ll see you later.”
She glanced up when Kaitlyn entered the room. They smiled at each other. “Is everything all right, Madilyn?”
“Yes. I was just making dinner plans.”
Kaitlyn got a look of pure horror on her face. “With Zach?”
Madilyn chuckled. “No. With Brody.”
Kaitlyn frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Madilyn stood. “Yes. I love him, Katie. Even if he decides to leave here again, this time I’ll go with him.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt again, Madilyn.”
“I know, Katie. I don’t know what he’s going to do for sure but I won’t let him leave without me. It was my fault the last time for not going when he asked me to. I won’t let it happen again.”
Kaitlyn stared at her a few minutes then nodded. “All right, but if he hurts you I’ll have Sam kick his ass.”
Madilyn laughed. “That sounds good. Brody always said Sam could do it.”
Chapter Five
At five o’clock Brody left the office, got into his truck and drove to Madilyn’s apartment and knocked. The door opened almost immediately. They stared at each other.
“You look gorgeous, Maddie,” his voice was husky as his gaze roamed over her. Her long red hair was flowing around her shoulders. She wore a light green blouse tucked into skinny jeans. On her feet were flip-flops, her toenails painted red. To him, she’d never looked more beautiful. He reached out and took a few strands of her hair between his fingers. It still felt like silk.
“Come in. I’ll start the steaks…” She turned from him. Brody reached out, clasped her arm in his hand, and pulled her back against him. With her back against his chest, Brody moved her hair away before pressing his lips against her neck. Her head fell back against his shoulder. “Brody,” she moaned.
Brody spun her around and took her lips in a deep kiss. He moved his tongue deep into her mouth. Her arms circled his neck as he lifted her off her feet.
“The steaks…”
“The hell with the steaks. Where’s the bedroom?”
Madilyn pointed to the hallway. He scooped her up, carried her to the bedroom, put her on the bed, and then lay down beside her. Her fingers were having trouble with the buttons of his khaki shirt but she was finally able to push it from his shoulders. Her fingers ran over his hard, solid chest and down to the snap of his jeans. She could feel his hard shaft straining against the fly as she unzipped it and slid her hand inside to wrap around him. He wrapped his hand around hers.
“It’ll be over before we get started if you don’t stop.” He put his forehead to hers.
Madilyn smiled up at him and ran her hands up his rippled stomach to his hard pecs. Her fingertip traced the tattoo of her name.
“I thought you’d have this removed by now.”
“Never,” he whispered before kissing her again.
Madilyn’s fingers plowed through his hair and pulled him to her as she rose up to kiss him. “I’ve missed you so much. I was so stupid. I should have…”
Brody interrupted her with a kiss. “It’s in the past. We’re here now, and I need you so much.” His hand traveled to the buttons of her blouse. He took it off her and tossed it to the floor. His mouth slid across her cheek to her ear, where he moved his tongue around the shell of her ear, then moved to her neck all the while unhooking her bra. Madilyn gasped.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” she whispered.
Brody chuckled. “You always wore these with the front hook.” He stared into her eyes. “You did that for me, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” she breathed against his lips.
Brody pulled her up and removed the bra. It also hit the floor. He stared at her breasts. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes before gazing into hers again. “You’re still perfect. So very perfect,” he whispered as he lowered his head to take her nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirled around it making it harden into a tight peak. He gently pulled at it with his teeth and then sucked it into his mouth.
Madilyn’s head tilted back as she moaned. Her hand snaked inside his jeans again and wrapped around him. “Brody…please.”
Brody moved away from her and stripped. Madilyn twisted out of her jeans and lay before him in black panties. He groaned as he stared down at her. “You’re still the most beautiful woman I know,” he said again as he pulled her panties off.
* * * *
She held her arms out to him and he went into them willingly. He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. His hard cock was straining against his boxer briefs. His lips left hers and traveled down her neck to her breast. Cupping one in his hand, he moved his thumb over her nipple as he took the other one into his mouth and sucked. His hand moved down her body to her red curls and he moved his fingers down her wet folds then inserted two while his thumb rubbed against her clitoris. Brody moved down her body, kissing her stomach, running his tongue around her belly button before moving lower, and dipping it beneath her red curls at the juncture of her thighs. He used his thumbs to pull her open to him and lifted her legs over his shoulders. His tongue lapped at her clitoris. As he continued his assault, he felt her tightening around his fingers right before she cried out his name.
“My name’s tattooed on your hip,” he said in awe.
“Yes. I had it done right before you left.”
“I wish—”
“Let it go,” Madilyn whispered.
Brody moved up her body and kissed her. Then he groaned and laid his forehead against hers. “Shit. I don’t have a condom.”
“Nightstand.” Madilyn pointed to the small bedside table.
Brody froze. “You have condoms?”
She grinned up at him. “I picked them up today.”
His breath rushed out in a laugh. “Thank you.” He kissed her quickly and reached into the table to retrieve one. Madilyn took it from him and rolled it down over him. “You’re killing me, baby.”
Madilyn laughed softly as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Quit stalling, Morgan.”
Brody grit his teeth as he moved into her. She was so tight. “Maddie, I don’t want to hurt you,” he groaned when she lifted her hips to take him in deeper.
“You won’t, Brody,” she said before nipping his neck.
Brody pushed into her. She cried out but then wrapped her arms tight around his neck. When he started moving, she kept in rhythm with him. His hand slipped under her butt to pull her tighter against him. His lips pressed to hers, his tongue dipped into the honeyed depth of her mouth. When Madilyn took his bottom lip between her teeth, he almost lost it. Her hands roamed down his back to his butt, where she dug her nails into him. He moved harder and faster against her. Her breathing became deeper and her cheeks flushed. Brody felt her tighten around him just as she cried out his name again. Brody followed her over, groaning her name against her neck. He raised his head and kissed her then rolled to his back beside her. He glanced over to her.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yep,” she told him. “You?”
Brody burst out laughing. “I’m fantastic.”
Madilyn laughed and rolled over to face him. She placed her hands on his chest, rested her chin on them, and gazed into his eyes. “It was always good with us, wasn’t it?”
Brody smiled at her. “Always.” Then he frowned. “Was it good with Johnson?”
Madilyn sat up. “I can’t believe you just asked me that!” She scrambl
ed off the bed and put her clothes on and scooped his clothes off the floor, and threw them at him. “Get out.”
“Maddie…” Brody started as he got off the bed.
She strode over to him and pointed her finger at him. “Don’t.” She said through clenched teeth then spun on her heel and strode out the door.
Brody hopped around trying to pull his jeans on. What the fuck is wrong with you? He asked himself. When he finally got dressed, he headed for the kitchen, only to see her putting the steaks into the fridge. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She jerked away and spun around.
“You’re still here?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Maddie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Didn’t mean what, Brody? To say it out loud? To butt into my personal life? What? What didn’t you mean?” her voice rose.
Brody sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “All of the above.”
“That’s what I thought.” She pointed to the door. “Go.”
He stared at her, but he knew she’d made up her mind, he huffed and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
* * * *
Madilyn stared at the door he’d just gone out of. How could he ask her something like that after what they’d shared? She picked up a pillow and threw it at the door. Damn you, Brody Morgan! She was so angry she could hardly see. Madilyn stalked toward the kitchen and halted. Why would he do that? She didn’t ask him about past lovers. Not that she’d slept with Zach, that wasn’t the point. The point was, Brody had no right, whatsoever, to ask her such a question. She clenched her fists.
“Arrgghhh!” she growled. The man was going to drive her insane. Madilyn paused. He was jealous. Pure and simple. Brody was jealous over her seeing Zach. She didn’t care how jealous he was, asking her such a question was simply wrong. She’d never ask him about past lovers and she was positive he’d slept with his share over the past five years.
A knock sounded at her door. She ran to it and pulled it open, thinking she’d see Brody standing there. A man she’d never seen before stood before her. She quickly stepped behind the door, using it as a shield.
“Can I help you?” Madilyn asked him. He was a very attractive man.
The man smiled. “Is Caroline here?”
Madilyn gave a relieved sigh. “You have the wrong apartment.”
He frowned. “This isn’t apartment B on the sixth floor?”
Madilyn laughed. “This is B on the fifth floor.”
The man chuckled. “One flight up. I’m so sorry to have bothered you.” He nodded. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”
Madilyn smiled and shook her head as she closed the door. She walked to the living room and halted. Apartment B on the sixth floor was Max and Sherry Colter. No one named Caroline lived there. Madilyn shrugged. Perhaps he was meeting a woman named Caroline there. She nodded. That had to be it. Although she hadn’t eaten, she wasn’t hungry. Brody had killed her appetite. Sighing, she headed for the shower. It looked like it was going to be an early night.
* * * *
Brody swore the entire ride home. How could he have been so stupid? Why had Johnson even popped into his head? Maddie was right. It was none of his business. They’d been apart for a long time and although he hated the thought of her being with another man, he couldn’t blame her if she had. He sure as hell hadn’t been a saint for the years he’d been gone.
God damn it! He pulled into the driveway of his home, spinning the tires and throwing gravel everywhere. Throwing it in park, he hopped out and strode into the house, slamming the door behind him. Brody took his glasses off, tossed them on the kitchen counter, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Striding to the bedroom, he undressed and then headed into the bathroom to take a shower. He should still be in bed with Madilyn. It had been so good, just as always. He was getting hard thinking about her again. Damn it! He punched the wall and then swore again, when he hurt his hand. After his shower, Brody wrapped a towel around his waist, and entered the bedroom. After pulling on a pair of sweat pants, he walked to the living room, sat on the sofa, and watched television. It was going to be a long night.
* * * *
Wilson Delgado sat in the car keeping an eye on the apartment Madilyn Young lived in. U S Marshal Brody Morgan apparently wasn’t coming back tonight. Lover’s quarrel? He snorted. It really didn’t matter. He was going to take Madilyn Young away from Morgan just as Morgan had taken Abby away from him. His fist hit the steering wheel. Brody Morgan was going to pay for making him kill his wife. His wife who Morgan slept with. Delgado killed his wife because she’d screwed around with Morgan and Morgan arrested him, but it was never proven Delgado killed her so he was let go. He’d hired the best private detective money could buy to find out all he could about Morgan’s past and where he could’ve gone. Now, here he sat in a rinky-dink town biding his time. He had no desire to kill Morgan. No, that would be entirely too easy. He’d take away the one thing Morgan loved more than his own life. Madilyn Young.
* * * *
Monday morning came entirely too early for Madilyn. She had to open the shop. Kaitlyn would be in later. Madilyn tossed and turned any time she tried to sleep over the weekend. Damn Brody Morgan. He hadn’t even called. What was that all about? He should’ve called to apologize again. Sighing, Madilyn left her apartment and walked to the shop. It was going to be another scorcher and working in the greenhouse was going to be murder. She unlocked the shop and turned the lights on. It wouldn’t open for another hour but she wanted to get started on the day. There were quite a few tourists in town. Madilyn knew they’d eventually head for the greenhouse since they seemed to go into every store in town. The proprietors didn’t seem to mind though. It brought in business.
An hour later, she headed toward the door to unlock it, and saw Brody standing on the other side. She stopped in her tracks and glared at him through the glass. He glanced away from her and she was sure it was to hide a grin. Madilyn unlocked the door but blocked the doorway.
“We’re not open yet.”
“I believe the hours on the door show you open at ten.” He glanced at the watch on his wrist. “And according to my watch. It’s a minute after.”
Sighing, she held the door open for him. He strode in past her. She closed her eyes. He smelled fantastic. “What do you want Brody? I have a lot to do.”
“I want to buy some flowers.”
Her heart hit her stomach. He was buying flowers for another woman already. She spun on her heel, moved behind the counter, and picked up her pen. “What kind?”
“The kind that say I was an ass and I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
Her head snapped up. “You’re going to need a lot of flowers for that.”
“Money is no object. She’s worth it.”
Madilyn moved around the counter and stood in front of him. “Is she?”
Brody reached out and took a few strands of her hair between his fingers. “Yes, she is.”
“You had no right asking me such a question.”
He huffed. “I know. It just came out.” He shrugged. “Thinking of you with him made me jealous.”
“I’ve never slept with Zach.”
“What?” Brody narrowed his eyes at her.
“You just assumed it. You know what they say about assuming.” Madilyn bit her lip to keep from smiling.
“You dated him for almost a year.”
“And not once did he make me feel the way you do.” She ran her hands up his arms and around his neck. “No one ever has. In all the time you’ve been gone, I haven’t been with anyone else.”
Brody’s eyebrows rose. “No one?”
Madilyn shook her head. “No one. Can you say the same?”
“No, but they didn’t mean anything to me. It was just sex. I’ve never loved anyone but you.” He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. They sprang apart when the bell over the door announced a visitor. They both looked over to see Kaitlyn. Madilyn knew by
the look on her face that something was wrong. Brody must have seen it too since he kissed her forehead then smiled at Kaitlyn and left.
Kaitlyn moved behind the counter and picked up the order book. Madilyn could tell she’d been crying.
“Katie? I thought you weren’t coming in until later?”
Kaitlyn didn’t raise her eyes. “I wanted to get started on the orders,” her voice cracked.
Madilyn moved toward her and touched her arm. “What happened? What did he do now?”
Kaitlyn raised her gaze to her. “He didn’t come home last night. I know he was with…her.”
“Katie, you need to divorce him. He treats you like dirt.” Madilyn hated seeing her friend hurt. Everyone in Clifton knew her husband had a mistress he spent more time with than his wife.
“He won’t divorce me and even if he did, I can’t support myself.”
“You have Sam. He’d take care of you.”
Kaitlyn shook her head. “I won’t ask Sam or my parents for help.”
Madilyn knew it was the end of the conversation. Kaitlyn wouldn’t leave her husband because she believed in her wedding vows although Kevin didn’t. He’d had a mistress before he married Kaitlyn and although a good many people tried to tell her, she refused to believe it, but she believed it now.
Madilyn went to work in the greenhouse while Kaitlyn worked on flower arrangements. Madilyn was sad her friend was hurting. They worked in virtual silence through the day, only speaking when customers came in.
Although Madilyn had lived through a lot of heartache, she couldn’t imagine what Kaitlyn was feeling. Madilyn’s mother died when she was five years old, so she never knew her. Her father had been her entire world until he’d brought home a rookie officer for dinner one night. Brody Morgan stole her breath away. She fell in love and he’d felt the same but when her father was shot and killed by a man he’d pulled over one night, she lived in constant fear Brody would also be killed in the line of duty. Madilyn begged him to leave the force but Brody refused, saying the probability of it happening to him in the town of Clifton was slim to none. He’d convinced her and they were happy until the night he told her he was going to join the Marshals in Butte and wanted her to go with him. She couldn’t do it and five years were wasted. Now her friend’s heart was breaking and there wasn’t anything Madilyn could do to help her. Seeing Kaitlyn in the emotional pain she was in tore her apart. If there was something she could do to ease the pain, she’d do it in a heartbeat. Kevin Parker was scum and Kaitlyn deserved so much better.
Brody Page 6
