Mandy wasn’t messing around when she walked through the suite door. She used her leg to trip James, crossing it over his ankle and taking advantage of the shift in his weight so she could tackle him to the floor. Her kiss was hot and fervent as she slipped her tongue into his mouth.
James was caught off guard, but he quickly relinquished the bag and gripped her hips as he rolled so she was on top of him. He tangled a hand in her hair as they gasped into each other’s mouths.
The light in the room was muted when Mandy pulled her head back, but James could see the desire burning in her eyes.
“No more treating me like I’m breakable,” Mandy ordered. “I know why you’ve been doing it, but I’m not going to break. I promise. I’m strong.”
James ran his tongue over his teeth as he regarded her. He was surprised she called him on his behavior. He’d been purposely gentle for weeks now, exceedingly so, in fact. He didn’t want to frighten her. One of the most important things in his world was that she never associated his touch with something rough or hurtful. That would kill him.
“I haven’t been treating you like you’re breakable,” James said after a beat. “I just … you were fragile. I was fragile, too. I didn’t want to make things harder on either of us.”
“I’m not fragile any longer,” Mandy said. “I’m okay. I need you to treat me like you used to.”
James pursed his lips. “Oh, yeah? How did I used to treat you?”
“Like you couldn’t get enough of me.”
“Oh, baby, I still treat you like that,” James said. “I admit I’ve been … softer … of late. That doesn’t mean I will ever be able to get enough of you.”
“Show me,” Mandy prodded, moving her hand to James’ shorts. “Show me right now.”
“Well, I’ve never been one to deny my wife,” James said, tightening his arms around her waist before flipping her so she was on her back. Her hair spread out beneath her like she was an otherworldly angel, causing his heart to flip in his chest. “Lift up your arms.”
Mandy did as instructed, grinning as James yanked the dress from her slim frame. She was silently thankful that he didn’t rip the fabric. It was new and she was rather fond of it. She would never admonish him for following her orders, though.
James pressed a firm kiss to her mouth before trailing his lips to her neck. She moaned as he licked the soft flesh there, grinding her pelvis against him as he pressed his hardness into her excited mound.
James kept his mouth busy as he moved his hands to her bra, unfastening the strapless piece of fabric and stripping it away as he sucked a ready nipple into his mouth. Mandy squirmed as he alternated between sucking and licking, sighing and moving her fingers through his hair as he jumped from one breast to the other. He lulled her into a false state of contented bliss before taking her by surprise and tugging her panties down her thighs in one swift movement.
James showered Mandy’s flat abdomen with a series of kisses, licking small symbols into the flesh before moving lower. He used his thumbs to massage the inside of her thighs before exhaling heavily on her warm core.
“James,” Mandy gasped, the tactile sensation threatening to overwhelm her. “I … baby.”
“Shh,” James admonished. “I haven’t even started yet, wife.”
He continued teasing her, licking one thigh and kissing the quivering flesh before moving to the other shaking mass of muscle. He ignored all of Mandy’s attempts to direct him to the one place she desperately wanted to feel his kiss. Instead, he let loose with a warm and pointed breath each time he crossed over.
After five minutes of this, Mandy started begging as she writhed on the floor. “James … James … please. Please!”
James grinned, enjoying the feral torture. Finally, even he couldn’t take it any longer and extended his tongue to give her a fervent lick. Mandy’s thighs quaked on either side of his face and she cried out when he finally touched her. The anticipation turned out to be a form of electric foreplay, because Mandy orgasmed the second time he extended his tongue. James held her thighs steady as she bucked, refusing to move his mouth.
Once the first wave passed, James attacked her with gusto. He drank from her, relishing every cry and moan. He loved the way she tugged at his hair and repeated his name over and over again. She said it so many times it ceased being one word and instead turned into one long battle cry.
“Jamesjamesjamesjames.”
James knew every one of Mandy’s erogenous zones and he visited each for an extended stay. By the time he returned to the sensitive nerve bundle with the intent of tipping her over the edge again, Mandy was panting and moaning.
“James!”
She bucked up when he sucked, crying so hard James thought she might pass out. He waited for the tremors to subside a second time before crawling up her body. He gave her a moment to collect herself, sharing a series of sweet kisses before grabbing her waist and pulling her over his thighs.
He moved to a sitting position, pushing one of Mandy’s thighs to either side of his waist before gripping her bottom with his fingers and surging inside of her. Mandy wrapped her arms around his neck, groaning as their sweat-soaked bodies collided.
Mandy managed to maintain her senses enough to find a steady rhythm. It was faster than normal – especially of late – and yet it seemed to match their mutual need. She tilted her head back as James brushed his teeth against her exposed throat. They worked together to keep her body busily moving above his.
She ground herself into him to keep the sexual tension building, and when James felt her stiffen on top of him for a third time, he gave in to ultimate release and dug his fingernails into her rear end.
They shook together, gasping and mewling, and then James fell to the floor and clutched Mandy to his chest. Her eyes were closed as their hearts thundered against one another.
James rubbed his hand over her bare back, sucking in gasping mouthfuls of oxygen as he fought to come back to Earth. “How was that? Better?”
“It’s always good with you,” Mandy murmured, snuggling closer. “It honestly doesn’t get better than that.”
James smiled. “That shows what you know, wife,” he said. “That was simply round one. You’ve got several rounds ahead of you tonight.”
Mandy giggled. “Oh, yeah? Are you sure you can handle that?”
“Oh, baby, as long as I have you, I can handle anything,” James said. “Prepare to be amazed.”
“Something tells me I’ll never forget this day … or night.”
“Something tells me you’re right.”
“HOLY CRAP!”
Grady made a face as he walked past James and Mandy’s room, the sounds coming from inside making it obvious what was going down behind closed doors.
“They sound as if they’re having a good night,” Sophie said, grinning.
“He sounds as if he’s killing her,” Grady corrected. “I guess it’s good we don’t have a bunch of strangers in this area with us, huh? They’d be getting complaints.”
“I would smack anybody who gave them grief,” Sophie said, waiting patiently for Grady to open their door. “They’ve been through so much that I don’t care if they make those noises for the rest of their lives. They’ve earned them.”
“They have been through a lot,” Grady conceded. “I’m still going to mess with them tomorrow about this, though. I feel it’s my place to do it. I am the younger brother, after all.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Sophie asked dryly, kicking off her shoes. “So, we didn’t get a chance to talk,” she prodded after a beat. “How was the shark watching really?”
“It was … amazing,” Grady admitted, his eyes glazing. “I don’t know if I can explain it, sugar.”
“Try,” Sophie suggested. “I’m sorry I didn’t go with you guys. I wouldn’t have wanted to get in the cage, but I’m sad I missed seeing Mandy’s reaction.”
“Yeah, well, as much as I like to tease her, that was glor
ious, too,” Grady said. “There was almost an issue when we arrived. James was going to keep her from the cage because he thought better about it during the trip out there.”
“How come?”
“Because Mandy always seems to find trouble and James was afraid she’d somehow end up in the water outside of the cage and get eaten by a shark.”
“Well, that obviously didn’t happen,” Sophie said. “What changed his mind?”
“I did.” Grady’s answer was simple. “I told him he could not steal that experience from her and he relented. Deep down, I think he already knew that it wasn’t fair to hold her back. He’s just been struggling so much since Clint took her, though, I’m not sure if he can identify the line before he crosses it these days.”
“They’re getting past it, Grady,” Sophie said, running her hand through his hair as he sat on the bed and she stood between his legs. “You can’t expect them to bounce back from everything overnight. That’s not fair.”
“I know it’s not,” Grady said, slipping his hand beneath her dress and running it over her soft thigh. “I think I got spoiled by the fact that Mandy always bounces back faster than should be humanly possible. It’s not right, but there it is.
“Then, when this happened, they both fell apart,” he continued. “Usually one of them falls apart and the other holds it together long enough to make things okay. The only other time they both fell apart at the same time was after the explosion.”
“Grady, they didn’t fall apart this time,” Sophie said. “They … waded through quicksand until they found their way.”
“James fell apart when she was gone,” Grady countered. “You weren’t there in the hospital when she was crying and he was going to let her have her own way even though it wasn’t what she needed. He was going to let her be in pain rather than tell her no.”
“Okay, they had a brief moment of weakness,” Sophie conceded. “You were there to be their strength that day. You drugged your brother and ordered them to knock out Mandy so they could work on her foot. Then you fought for them to stay in the room together. Then you stood guard the entire night. You were their hero.”
“I guess that’s a commentary on how much their love has affected us all, huh?”
“No, it’s a commentary on how good of a brother you really are,” Sophie corrected, forcing his chin up so he had no place to look but her eyes. “You’re a wonderful man, Grady. You’re strong … and handsome … and unbelievably funny and charming.”
Grady swallowed hard, love overwhelming him. She rarely looked earnest and vulnerable, but when she did, it got to him every time. “Thank you, sugar.”
“I never knew it was possible to love anyone as much as I love you,” Sophie admitted, casting a furtive look around the room before nodding to herself, almost as if she was making a decision, and kneeling. “I love you more than anything.”
Grady was taken aback by the way she looked at him. He couldn’t figure out why she would bend to one knee like that unless … . “What are you doing?” Grady pushed Sophie back and hopped to his feet, giving her a wide berth as he circled behind her.
“I … nothing,” Sophie said, averting her gaze. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
Grady was dubious. “Are you sure?”
“I … .” Sophie worked her jaw. She was caught. They both knew it. “I was going to propose to you,” she admitted after a beat. “I felt it was the right moment. I just … want to be with you.”
“I want to be with you, too, but you are not proposing to me,” Grady snapped. “I just … no!”
“You don’t want to marry me?” Sophie couldn’t hide the hurt feelings flashing through her eyes. “I thought … I guess you did change your mind after all, huh?”
Grady was flabbergasted. “I have not changed my mind,” he said, tugging a restless hand through his hair. “I have every intention of proposing but … just … no.”
“No what?” Now it was Sophie’s turn to be confused.
“No!” Grady barked, wagging a finger. “Proposing is my job. You can’t do it. You can’t steal my moment. That’s just … mean. How could you even consider that?”
“I wasn’t trying to steal your moment,” Sophie said. “I wanted to share a moment with you. I want our hearts to join.”
“Our hearts have already joined so that’s a steaming pile of crap right there,” Grady said, his voice getting shriller by the moment. “I’m the one who is supposed to propose. Me.” He thumped his chest for emphasis. “You don’t propose. That’s not how this works.”
Instead of being embarrassed, Sophie felt herself growing annoyed. “So when are you going to propose? Do you expect me to wait forever?”
“No,” Grady sputtered. “We should already be engaged, but you told me to wait.”
“For a few days … not months.”
“No, no.” Grady shook his head so hard his hair flew in multiple directions. “You said it wasn’t the right time. You didn’t say anything about days. I would’ve heard you if you mentioned days.”
“It was implied.”
“Well, not very well,” Grady complained. “You should’ve said it out loud when you implied it.”
“That’s not how implying works.”
“Well, it should be.” Grady was beside himself as he paced the small room. “I’m the one who is going to propose. Me. I’m going to have a big moment and everything.”
Sophie sighed as she sank to the bed. She wanted to believe he would calm himself after a few minutes, but she’d been living with him long enough to recognize the signs of a complete and total meltdown.
“Trying to steal my moment … I mean, that’s unheard of and cruel.”
“I’m sorry, Grady,” Sophie offered lamely, reaching for her dress. If she couldn’t head off the meltdown with words, perhaps nudity would work. It had in the past. “Do you want to have sex?”
“Not if you’re going to steal my moment while we’re having sex and I wouldn’t put it past you right now, you … crazy woman.”
Sophie groaned. It was going to be a long night.
16
Sixteen
“Morning, baby.”
James stretched languidly, making sure to balance Mandy on top of him before slipping his arms around her and tugging her close.
They played long into the night. “Play” being the operative word. James found once she broke past his barrier that his insistence on treating her like glass faded away faster than a top story on a twenty-four-hour news cycle. They were ravenous with one another over the course of the night, and it wasn’t with the same neediness he felt after her return. He needed her, there was no getting around that, but the smiles and laughter were back along with their singing hearts.
“Morning,” Mandy murmured, rubbing her face against his chest. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost eight,” James replied. “We have to be in the dining room in an hour. I promised Grady we would come up with a plan of attack to figure out what happened to Zoe. I’m sure Maverick is going to have some files for us to go through.”
“I want you to stay in bed with me all day.” The statement was simple and declarative. Mandy knew it was unreasonable to ask, but she made the request anyway.
“I can’t stay in bed with you all day,” James said, stroking the back of her head. “We might be able to figure something out, though. We need to go to breakfast first so I can talk to Grady.”
Mandy shook her head. “Bed.”
James grinned. “How can you be ready to go again? You shouldn’t be able to walk.”
“Oh, I probably won’t be able to walk,” Mandy conceded. “That’s why I want to stay in bed, though. We haven’t had an all-day bedfest in a long time.”
“That’s not true,” James protested. “After … .” He broke off, swallowing hard. Did he really want to bring up Clint now?
Mandy made the decision for him. “After we captured Clint we spent two days in bed,” she su
pplied. “They were wonderful days, but they weren’t like this. Those were … restful … days. I don’t want this to be a restful day. Er, well, I only want it to be half-restful. I want it to be half-sweaty, too.”
James pursed his lips as he studied her face. She looked serene, happier than she had in weeks. He would never deny her anything. That didn’t mean he could shirk his duties. “Baby, I’m going to figure out a way to get things done and spend the entire day with you,” he said after a beat. “I need you to give me a little room to maneuver, though. Can you do that?”
Mandy shook her head.
“No?” James’ heart rolled. She wanted him. He always enjoyed it when she wanted him. “Baby … .”
“We need to get in the shower,” Mandy said, cutting him off. “There’s very little room to maneuver there, but I’m sure you’ll figure something out. After that, we can head to breakfast and you can figure out how to spend the day with me while I’m stuffing my face.”
“You’re going to stuff your face?” James was amused.
“I’m starving,” Mandy admitted. “I burned more calories last night than I’ve eaten in a week.”
“Then breakfast it is,” James said, spanking her rear end. “You need to get moving if you want me to wow you in the shower, though.”
“I thought you could carry me.”
“You don’t like being carried.”
“That’s not true,” Mandy countered. “I don’t like being carried as if I’m a damsel in distress. I love being carried when you’re going to treat me like a salty sea wench.”
James barked out a laugh. “Oh, I love you.” He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, keeping it gentle for a moment before increasing the intensity. When he finally pulled back, Mandy was breathless. “Come on, wench. Let’s see what you got.”
“I WASN’T sure if you two were going to make it,” Grady said dryly, looking Mandy and James over an hour later as they made their way into the dining room. “I thought maybe you were going to sleep in.”
“We did consider skipping breakfast … and lunch … and dinner, but sleep was never on the menu,” James shot back, running his hand down the back of Mandy’s head as he leaned closer and kissed her cheek. “Baby, if you get the juice and fruit, I’ll get everything else. I want to talk to Grady for a moment.”
Deadly Waves (Hardy Brothers Security Book 23) Page 13
