Read Online Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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was quickly replaced by the fear of the person lying on top of her. Mandy hit the man on the chest, her fist rebounding off the solid mass that met her feeble resistance. “Get off me!”
It took three more hits before the figure finally turned its attention to her. “Are you all right?”
Mandy recognized the voice, almost puddling to the ground with relief. “James?”
“Yeah, who do you think?”
Mandy fought her tears. “You scared the shit out of me.” She laid her head back on the ground, letting the fear flee with the killer car. “Crap.”
James didn’t move, relishing the way his body fit over her slight frame, and then finally reeling in his emotions. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Then why are you wandering around in a dangerous parking lot after dark?”
Mandy considered the question, fighting her own stupidity. A thought occurred to her. “What are you doing here?”
“Making sure you make it home safe,” James grunted, shifting on top of her.
It was a weird situation, one fraught with unfulfilled danger, but Mandy could swear she felt something pressing into her thigh – and she didn’t think it was a gun. She could feel that on his hip, where her hand was currently resting. “You’re watching me?”
James frowned at her tone. “You obviously need it.”
Mandy was enjoying the feeling of his body, but his words cut her to the quick. “Get off me.” She pushed against his chest, trying to put some distance between their bodies. She was having trouble wrapping her mind around what had just happened. Longing for James was clouding her thought process.
James’ eyes glittered in the dark, his mouth only inches from hers. If he leaned forward, just a little bit, he would be able to put an end to the need that had been consuming him for days. Well, at least a portion of it. He didn’t. Instead, he rested his hands on the pavement and pushed himself off her. He immediately missed the warmth that had been coiled beneath him. “Are you all right?” He asked the question one more time.
“I’m fine.”
“Great,” he grunted. “So, tell me again, what are you doing out here alone?”
Eight
“So, you have no idea who it was?”
If James’ arrival had thrown her for a loop, the presence of the cops was close to driving Mandy crazy. James insisted on calling the police, making sure she was settled on the ground, her back to her Focus, before he pulled his phone from his pocket. They’d arrived within minutes.
“No,” Mandy said. She was back on her feet, but shaky. “I didn’t recognize it.”
“Was it the same one that tried to hit you before?” James asked.
Mandy wrinkled her nose. “If I recognized it, I would say so.”
James frowned. “So you don’t recognize it?”
Now he was just being difficult. “A dark, four-door sedan looks like a dark, four-door sedan,” Mandy gritted out. “There are a lot of possibilities in that market.”
James reined in his temper. He wanted to shake her. Actually, he wanted to shake her and then wrap his arms around her to make sure she was safe. He tamped down that emotion. Now was definitely not the time.
The cop was nonplussed. “This is the second time a car has tried to run you down in this parking lot, Ms. Avery.”
“I noticed,” Mandy replied sarcastically. “It’s hard to miss.”
James wasn’t happy with the deputy’s tone. “What are you saying?”
“Are you sure she’s just not looking for attention?”
James had never met this particular sheriff’s deputy before – the sheriff’s department handled policing duties in Mount Clemens – but he wasn’t particularly thrilled with his work ethic. “I saw it happen.”
“And why were you here?”
James shuffled, unsure how to handle the situation. “I was waiting for her to leave,” he said finally.
“And what are you to Ms. Avery?”
Now James definitely knew he didn’t like the deputy’s tone. “We’re old friends. She’s
It took three more hits before the figure finally turned its attention to her. “Are you all right?”
Mandy recognized the voice, almost puddling to the ground with relief. “James?”
“Yeah, who do you think?”
Mandy fought her tears. “You scared the shit out of me.” She laid her head back on the ground, letting the fear flee with the killer car. “Crap.”
James didn’t move, relishing the way his body fit over her slight frame, and then finally reeling in his emotions. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Then why are you wandering around in a dangerous parking lot after dark?”
Mandy considered the question, fighting her own stupidity. A thought occurred to her. “What are you doing here?”
“Making sure you make it home safe,” James grunted, shifting on top of her.
It was a weird situation, one fraught with unfulfilled danger, but Mandy could swear she felt something pressing into her thigh – and she didn’t think it was a gun. She could feel that on his hip, where her hand was currently resting. “You’re watching me?”
James frowned at her tone. “You obviously need it.”
Mandy was enjoying the feeling of his body, but his words cut her to the quick. “Get off me.” She pushed against his chest, trying to put some distance between their bodies. She was having trouble wrapping her mind around what had just happened. Longing for James was clouding her thought process.
James’ eyes glittered in the dark, his mouth only inches from hers. If he leaned forward, just a little bit, he would be able to put an end to the need that had been consuming him for days. Well, at least a portion of it. He didn’t. Instead, he rested his hands on the pavement and pushed himself off her. He immediately missed the warmth that had been coiled beneath him. “Are you all right?” He asked the question one more time.
“I’m fine.”
“Great,” he grunted. “So, tell me again, what are you doing out here alone?”
Eight
“So, you have no idea who it was?”
If James’ arrival had thrown her for a loop, the presence of the cops was close to driving Mandy crazy. James insisted on calling the police, making sure she was settled on the ground, her back to her Focus, before he pulled his phone from his pocket. They’d arrived within minutes.
“No,” Mandy said. She was back on her feet, but shaky. “I didn’t recognize it.”
“Was it the same one that tried to hit you before?” James asked.
Mandy wrinkled her nose. “If I recognized it, I would say so.”
James frowned. “So you don’t recognize it?”
Now he was just being difficult. “A dark, four-door sedan looks like a dark, four-door sedan,” Mandy gritted out. “There are a lot of possibilities in that market.”
James reined in his temper. He wanted to shake her. Actually, he wanted to shake her and then wrap his arms around her to make sure she was safe. He tamped down that emotion. Now was definitely not the time.
The cop was nonplussed. “This is the second time a car has tried to run you down in this parking lot, Ms. Avery.”
“I noticed,” Mandy replied sarcastically. “It’s hard to miss.”
James wasn’t happy with the deputy’s tone. “What are you saying?”
“Are you sure she’s just not looking for attention?”
James had never met this particular sheriff’s deputy before – the sheriff’s department handled policing duties in Mount Clemens – but he wasn’t particularly thrilled with his work ethic. “I saw it happen.”
“And why were you here?”
James shuffled, unsure how to handle the situation. “I was waiting for her to leave,” he said finally.
“And what are you to Ms. Avery?”
Now James definitely knew he didn’t like the deputy’s tone. “We’re old friends. She’s
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