Free Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) by Lily Harper Hart Page B

bathroom, stopping to grab a towel from the closet in the hallway as she did. Stop thinking like that, she warned herself. You’re imagining things. It took every bit of energy she had to move into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
    She turned the handles in the shower, making sure the temperature was a good ten degrees lower than she was used to. If she didn’t throw a cold shower on herself, she would be crawling on James in the middle of the night – and no one wanted that, especially James.
    Once she was sure the temperature was appropriately cold, Mandy shed her clothes on the floor of the bathroom and stepped under the water. She instantly shivered, her nipples pebbling under the cold moisture sluicing over her, and then stilled herself until she acclimated to the water temperature.
    Unfortunately, she was still hot. James’ presence in her apartment could do nothing but make her crazy. And that form of crazy was pooling between her thighs. Mandy sighed, lowering her hand to her own folds. She had to do it. If she didn’t, she would try to rape him in his sleep. How embarrassing would that be when he denied her? She wasn’t that desperate, no matter what her loins were telling her.
    She sighed when her fingers found the insistent throb between her thighs. Just relax. Let it come. She needed release. Her fingers searched for the tingling nerve bundle that was screaming for immediate attention, gasping when her fingers found their target.
    In the other room, James’ mind was zipping. What was she doing in the shower? Was she doing what he wanted to do? His hands slipped into his pants before he even realized what he was doing. The warmth of his own palm wasn’t the heat he really wanted. That warmth was forbidden to him.
    Mandy moved her fingers quickly. The cold of the water wasn’t even a factor now. All she saw was James’ face as she pushed herself toward orgasm.
    James pulled on his hard member, trying to hide his groan in the wall of the couch. He knew it was a bad idea, but he couldn’t stop himself. Fantasies of Mandy’s face, those perfect pouty lips parted in desire underneath him as he drove into her, were dancing through his head.
    She was going to orgasm soon. She could feel the tingle building. She didn’t fight it now. She let her mind flash to James, his angular jaw invading her mind as her finger pace increased. God, she wanted him so much.
    He was going explode. He knew it. He didn’t care, though. An image of her face burning with need was ingrained in his head. He knew he was imagining it, but he didn’t care. He needed release. He needed to explode. God, he wanted her so much.
    James and Mandy came at the same time, both fighting to keep their panting orgasm to their selves.
    Once her heartbeat returned to normal, Mandy reached for the shampoo and started rubbing it through her hair. She felt better. Kind of. The truth was, she knew only one thing could make her feel totally better. Unfortunately, it was something she could never have.
    In the other room, James was back on his feet. He moved to the kitchen and searched through the cupboards in the dark. When he finally found a hand towel, he wiped himself off and cleaned the inside of his jeans. The immediate edge was gone. It wasn’t what he really needed. Sadly for James, what he really needed, was something he could never have.

Nine
    The next morning came too soon for Mandy. Her sleep had been restless, dreams of James and speeding cars invading her subconscious. Finally, once the sun edged over the horizon, lighting her bedroom haven, she was done. She wasn’t going to pretend to sleep anymore.
    She was careful to open her bedroom door as quietly as possible. The hollow wood had simply served as a weak barrier between her desires and the man in the other room for six mind-numbing hours. She kind of hated that door now.
    Mandy edged into the living room, pressing her body against the wall as she did, focusing on the