THE TROUBLEMAKER BRIDE

by Leanne Banks

  Maddie had never seen a more beautiful man in her life. When had he changed, she wondered? Or had she changed? Suddenly his eyes opened, his gaze finding hers with such speed and intensity that she stopped breathing. An old, old feeling, its origins in her childhood, tightened her stomach.

  She felt caught.

  * * *

  Eight

  « ^ »

  Maddie breathed again, then followed old instincts. When caught, talk. A lot.

  "You didn't wake me after an hour," she chided Joshua, flustered, eager to break the spell and alleviate the "caught" feeling. "It was nice of you to give me a break, but I hate the idea of you spending the night in that chair. Here, let me change him and feed him." She reached for David and walked toward the kitchen. "If you'll give me just a minute, I'll get you some coffee."

  "Maddie?" Joshua's voice carried to her as she rounded the corner.

  She stopped. "Yes?"

  "You can skip the coffee. I'll leave in a minute or two."

  His words spurred her into action again. "No, no, no." As David gummed her shoulder, Maddie pulled a bottle from the refrigerator and put it in the microwave to knock the chill off. After placing David in his high chair, she pulled out his antibiotic liquid. "Let me at least get you some coffee. If you can wait a little longer, I can fix you some breakfast and—"

  "Hey." Joshua came up behind her. "Why the tizzy?"

  Maddie paused as she poured the medicine into the infant spoon. Her heart was racing. Her mind was in turmoil. She felt all out of control. "Nobody's ever really been there for me when I needed help. Well, except for Emily and Jenna Jean, and sometimes Ben."

  She gave David his medicine and watched him make a face. "Good boy," she murmured, shaking his formula and testing the temperature before she popped it in his mouth.

  She finally looked up at Joshua. "I feel awkward. It means a lot to me, what you did last night—"

  Joshua shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal."

  "Yes, it was," she said emphatically. "It was a big deal to me, and I don't know how to thank you."

  His gaze shifted with a hint of underlying sexuality. Maddie glanced down at her Betty Boop nightshirt and was certain she'd misread him.

  "You're feeling grateful?"

  "Yes."

  "How grateful?" he asked in a deep, rumbly voice that did wicked things to her nerve endings. He moved closer.

  Maddie swallowed, then gave a short laugh. Someone needed to set this man straight. "I'm presently wearing a five-year-old nightshirt, feeding a baby, and I haven't checked the mirror, but I'm pretty sure my hair is sticking out in every possible direction on the compass. You couldn't possibly want me at this moment." Despite her protest she saw desire in his eyes. "Not unless you're blind."

  He shook his head. "Twenty-twenty vision."

  Perfect. Why didn't that surprise her? "Or you're crazy."

  He gave a short laugh of his own and dipped his mouth to her neck. "Now that is possible."

  Maddie closed her eyes against a flood of sensations. "You can't want me. You can't. It's just not—"

  His hand curved around her hip and stopped her words. "I can," he told her, tugging her nightshirt up her thighs and sliding his fingers along her bare skin. He opened his mouth and gently sucked at the skin on her throat. "And I do."

  Maddie felt like a toaster on broil. She bit back a moan when his fingers skimmed higher. Her nipples began to tingle and she had to fight the urge to rub her thighs together. "Joshua," she said.

  "The question is do you want me?"

  "Oh, help."

  David whimpered, and Maddie opened her eyes. Muttering at herself, she stared at Joshua in accusation. "You're trying to wreck me."

  "Think so?" His eyes were smoky gray, and his voice had a thigh-melting quality to it.

  Maddie lifted her chin, seeing trouble in her future. "Yes, and you better stop it."

  "Oh, yeah?"

  "Yeah," she said, putting an extra note of belligerence in her voice.

  "Turnabout's fair play. You wreck me, I wreck you. And now that I've sat up with David all night, I'd say you owe me."

  Maddie's mouth went dry. She told herself it was shock and not excitement. He couldn't possibly mean— He didn't really expect her to show her gratitude in a sexual manner. A wicked voice inside her told her it would be the most enjoyable thank-you she'd delivered.

  "Ice cream," Joshua said.

  Completely befuddled, she stared at him. "Ice cream?"

  "Friday night." He gave her a mock innocent look. "Can't go wrong with ice cream."

  And Maddie realized she'd been deceived. Joshua was not a stick-in-the-mud. He was only disguised as one. He was, in fact, a wolf.

  * * *

  They didn't get the ice cream until later Friday night because Joshua had needed to take care of some horse business. By the time they arrived at the ice cream shop, it was mobbed, so they bought cartons and took them to Maddie's house.

  Joshua was in a crazed mood. He hadn't felt like this in years. If he didn't have Maddie Palmer, he feared he was going to have to be committed. He felt like the Tasmanian Devil, and he was fighting the urge to take her on the kitchen table.

  "Who did you say is taking care of David?" he asked, as she pulled chocolate, strawberry and butterscotch syrup out of the cupboard.

  "My friend, Jenna Jean. She fussed at me for not calling her one of the nights he was sick, but I didn't even think of it. She's assistant DA," she told Joshua, "and she can tear a strip off you during an argument, so I just told her she could keep David another time." She pulled a can of whipped cream from the refrigerator and grinned. "I picked tonight."

  Joshua looked from the whipped cream to Maddie and back to the whipped cream. In his wicked mind, wicked possibilities abounded. He cleared his throat. "Do you like a little ice cream with your toppings?"

  Her grin grew and she slit her eyes at him. "A little ice cream. Are you a purist?"

  He didn't feel the least bit pure around her. "I take some chocolate syrup on top every now and then."

  She put Oreo cookies, sprinkles and bananas on the table. "It sounds like you might need to expand your tastes."

  "I'm trying," Joshua muttered, watching her flit around the kitchen.

  She played spoons for a few seconds, then put them on the table next to the bowls. She lifted her hand over the assortment of toppings. "Well, what's your pleasure?"

  "Tough to choose," he said.

  "Then maybe I can help," she suggested, and opened the small cartons. "You picked the lime sherbet. That limits the options. Even I don't put chocolate and lime together. But strawberry syrup? Bananas?"

  She scooped the ice cream, poured the syrup and sliced half a banana. "Whipped cream?" she asked.

  Joshua was having a tough time keeping his brain from sinking below his belt. "Is it good?"

  She frowned, then glanced at the can. "It's not expired." She squirted a dot on her finger and licked it. "Tastes good to me." She waited a moment and shrugged. "You wanna try it?"

  "Yeah," Joshua said.

  She squirted more on her finger and lifted it presumably for him to swipe with his own finger. Instead, Joshua closed his hand around her wrist and lifted her finger to his mouth. He felt her jolt of surprise when he licked the cream … and her finger.

  She jerked her hand away and looked down her nose at him. "That was tricky."

  "If you would show a little pity," he said, emphasizing the word, "I wouldn't have to resort to such measures."

  She stared at him for three seconds before he saw the beginning of a slow bum. "Pity?"

  "Yeah." He scooted the bowl toward him and took a spoonful. "You kiss me, and just when I start to get out of control, you stop." He swallowed another bite and hoped it would cool the heat that seemed to burn inside him all the time lately. "You get close and then you move away. I wouldn't have thought you'd be such a tease, Maddie."

  "Tease!" Looking hot enough to fry an egg on
her body, she shook the can of whipped cream at him.

  Joshua snickered. "Be careful where you point that. I was just kidding," he said, then added, "kinda."

  "Kinda!" She pressed the nozzle on the whipped cream and sprayed him with it. Not just his hand or even his face, but his shirt. A dollop of it fell to his jeans.

  Incredulous, Joshua looked at her. She appeared almost as appalled as he was.

  "Oops." She gave a weak smile and put the can down. "Didn't mean to get your shirt."

  Joshua shook his head. "You have a napkin?"

  "Oh, sure. Just a second." She fluttered into action, pulling several from the counter and rushing to his side. She swiped at his shirt several times, then glanced down at his thigh.

  Her brown-eyed gaze inched up his body and Joshua felt it, like he would have a series of open-mouth kisses on his bare skin. When she finally met his gaze, he could see bewilderment and arousal warring in her eyes.

  She wore a sleeveless peach-colored dress that suited her personality. It was a warm evening, and her legs were bare except for a gold chain with hearts around her ankle and the sandals on her pretty feet. The swinging hem of her dress and the winking gold chain, along with her mischievous brown eyes and catch-me-if-you-can smile taunted the hell out of him.

  Joshua gave in to one of the urges he'd been fighting all night. Sliding his hand just above her knee, he rubbed the naked silky skin of her shapely leg.

  Maddie went still.

  Her heart tripping over itself, she took a careful breath. There was something different about Joshua tonight. He seemed as if all he would need was a little push and he would be out of control.

  The idea excited and unnerved her, and she wasn't totally certain how she wanted to respond. She did know, however, that she liked the way he looked at her, as if she were ice cream and he could eat her with a spoon. She liked the way his voice felt in her mind and sensitive places. She liked his hand on her leg way too much for uncertainty.

  She cleared her throat. "The-uh-ice cream's melting."

  He slid his fingers a little higher, and her chest tightened.

  "Joshua," she managed, but the sound wasn't much of a protest.

  "Maddie," he returned, his gaze knocking down her resistance. "When are you gonna put me out of my misery?"

  Maddie sighed and slid her hand over his jaw. She liked the slightly raspy feel of his five o'clock shadow. Too much. "Joshua, you don't want to get involved with me."

  He drew her between his legs so that she was flush against him. "I'm already involved."

  "You are?"

  He gave a slow nod and slid one of his legs between hers. "Yeah, and you are, too. Come closer, babe." He brushed his mouth over hers.

  She felt herself sinking. Into his gaze, into his kiss, into him.

  He pulled her down, making it so easy for her to slide her leg around and straddle him. "You should get involved with a different kind of woman," she warned him, and kissed him. "A woman who doesn't leave pacifiers in your driveway. Or get a flat tire you think you need to change."

  She nuzzled his throat as he pushed her skirt up. "You should get involved with a woman who understands about studs and mares and settling and—"

  "Maddie, I want you." He took her mouth, his tongue making love to hers.

  It was a sensual, carnal kiss that made her heart tighten and her breath grow scarce. He slid his fingers between her legs to where she was moist and hot. Maddie gasped and ducked her head. "I'm trying to warn you."

  He tipped her head upward and eased his finger inside her. "You feel so good."

  She instinctively tightened. She wanted him. Oh, how she wanted him. "We're not going to make it to the bedroom, are we?" she whispered.

  Joshua sucked at her bottom lip and gave a swift tug at her panties. There was a quick shredding sound. "Not the first time," Joshua said.

  Maddie unzipped his jeans and freed his hardened masculinity.

  "That's right. Touch me," he urged, still snatching kisses, still caressing her intimately.

  She moaned and stroked him. He was full with need, already moist with desire.

  His rough sound of fascination and approval urged her on. She knew he was watching her. His arousal stirring hers, she rolled her forefinger over him, then lifted his honey to her mouth.

  He closed his eyes as if in pain. "Oh, Maddie. Where have you been— Where—" Breaking off, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a plastic packet.

  She lost a little more of her heart when she saw that he'd come prepared. Considerate, solid, sexy.

  He kissed her again, and the room felt as if it turned upside down. A moment passed, then another, and he was lifting her, positioning her over him. Then he gently guided her down until he filled her.

  They stared at each other, joined intimately. Passion, desire, wonder. She undulated and watched him shudder. The shudder echoed inside her.

  "Oh, lady." He wrapped his hands around her bottom and moved her in rhythm.

  The pleasure grabbed and pulled at her. He looked at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. She rode him, feeling his strength and need swell inside her.

  He said her name, and a soft sound bubbled from her throat. He looked at her as if she were the only one who could satisfy him.

  Maddie followed his faster rhythm, feeling the coil of sensation tighten inside her. Spinning higher and higher, she held tightly to him, never taking her gaze from his face.

  Some part of her noticed he never took his gaze from her, either, and that he held her as tightly as she held him. He chanted her name again and again, but his eyes told her stories she was afraid to believe. His eyes told her this was more than want and need for him. His eyes told her that he loved her. That was when Maddie went over the edge. And Joshua tumbled after her.

  The aftershocks rocked through them both, and they clung to each other, hearts pounding, breathing hard. He nudged her mouth up to his and kissed her gently, tenderly.

  Then he looked at her and shook his head. "Oh, Maddie, heaven help me," he muttered in a husky voice. "I want you again."

  She laughed weakly, laying her head on his shoulder. "Heaven help me. I want you again, too."

  He squeezed her to him, and though he was still inside her, she knew what he was feeling. That close wasn't close enough. "Let's go upstairs."

  She nodded. "Can you walk?"

  His lips tilted into an affectionate grin. "Yeah."

  "Show-off," she said, her legs still feeling like gelatin.

  "It's okay," he said, shifting slightly, then standing. "I'll walk both of us."

  "There's something very unfair about this." She tried to frown, but couldn't. She was too giddy.

  He arched a dark eyebrow. "Unfair?"

  "Yeah," she said, then impulsively picked up the can of whipped cream. "Let's see if I can improve the odds."

  * * *

  An hour and a half later, Joshua lay sprawled on her bed, trying to catch his breath. The can of whipped cream was empty. It had become an erotic battle of wills to see who would get the last dollop. Maddie had won. Just barely.

  He stared down at her. She was a wholly feminine mess of tousled hair, bare skin, swollen lips from kissing and long lean limbs wrapped around him. She smelled like whipped cream and sex, and if he dwelled on that thought for longer than thirty seconds, then he would take her again.

  At the moment her eyes were closed, and she breathed deeply, evenly. He might have thought she was sleeping except for the slight movement of her hand on his chest, back and forth, stroking gently. The tenderness in the gesture grabbed at his gut and twisted.

  The way she affected him was amazing. When she made love with him, she held nothing back. Joshua had never experienced a woman giving to him so completely. Maddie wasn't one to sit back and be taken. She would do her share of the taking, too. The experience filled him with emotion. And questions.

  Her eyes opened, and she met his gaze wordlessly.

&nbs
p; "I have a personal question," he said.

  "Okay. Ask."

  "This man you were involved with for a long time…"

  She nodded. "Clyde."

  "He was away most of the time. I wondered if you made love with him like you did with me."

  Her eyes widened, and she shifted slightly. "That is personal. Do you mean with whipped cream?"

  He shrugged. "No. I mean with—" He searched for the right word. "With the same intensity."

  She gave him a puzzled look. "Why do you ask?"

  "If you did, then the guy probably didn't stay around much because he was afraid he'd die of cardiac arrest."

  Maddie burst out laughing. "Oh, I don't think so." She shook her head at him, then her face grew more serious. "To answer your question, no, it's never been this intense for me." She paused, and her eyes darkened with a hint of uncertainty. "Too much?"

  He shook his head. "No. Not at all."

  He kissed her and felt her turn to liquid, and he wanted her again. "We just had each other," he said in disbelief.

  She sighed. "I know, and we've got to stop." Regret muted her voice. "I need to go get David. I don't want to terrify Jenna Jean this first time alone with him."

  He fought disappointment and chuckled to himself. He was nuts. He gave her a quick kiss. "Let me drive you."

  Surprise and pleasure softened her face. "Thank you. That would be very nice."

  At first glance Jenna Jean Anderson was the antithesis of Maddie. Jenna had a cool, pulled-together image. Her brunette hair was neatly pulled back at the nape of her neck, and even in her jeans and blouse, she looked crisp and in control.

  She probably wouldn't be caught dead in Maddie's dream catcher earrings, and she didn't seem the nurturing type. Maddie was warm and wild. Jenna was cool and rational.

  Joshua didn't understand the close association between the two until Maddie mentioned how long they had been friends. "Jenna Jean and I have known each other since I was six and she was seven."

  Jenna lifted a dark eyebrow. "I go by Jenna," she said to Joshua, then looked at Maddie. "Still pushing the age factor, I see."

  Maddie grinned. "Age before beauty. How did Davey do?"