The Troublemaker Next Door (23 page)

The silence between them made him feel stupid. Could he be any more of a pussy? Maybe he should start his own Hallmark line—

“Oh Flynn.” She hugged him to her, holding him so close he could feel her every curve and breath. “I’ve never loved anyone before, not a man, I mean. My dad didn’t exist, and my mom made sure to warn me about the dangers of falling in love with the wrong person.” She pulled back. “But you’re not the wrong person. I panicked that I’d finally found the right one and you wouldn’t want me.”

“Maddie,” he chided and kissed her. “Why wouldn’t I want you?”

“I have a temper. I’m too emotional. I need to lose ten pounds, and I’m a mess at work right now. I’m under-billing your aunt, and I can’t—”

He chuckled. “No, wait. One, your temper gets me hard.” He pulled her back and forth over his growing erection. “You’re a natural redhead. And you’re so my type it’s not even funny. I like that you’re emotional. It’s when you hide how you feel that I’m not that happy with you. You’re perfect the way you are. I’m not seeing the extra ten pounds anywhere, but if you decide to lose them, take them from anywhere but your ass, tits, or stomach. I love passing that belly when I’m about to go down on you.”

Her eyes darkened.

“About my aunt… talk to Cam. He’s a wonder when it comes to billing people. Seriously. Or talk to Brody.”

“He doesn’t like me.” She sounded pitiful.

“Yes he does. He’s just worried for me. He saw how hard I fell for you. Like Abby and Vanessa with you, he and my brothers always have my back.” He held her in his arms, content to stay this way for the rest of his life. “We’re lucky people, Maddie. I love you. I want to
marry
you, and I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to prove to you I’m not going anywhere. You’re it for me. Mike tells me it’s a McCauley thing.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

It couldn’t be that easy. “That’s it? Just okay?”

She squirmed and rubbed against his cock again, filling the damn thing out. “The first time was hard for me to say, but now I can’t stop myself. I love you. I love everything about you, Flynn. Except maybe your taste in dinner partners.”

Should he tell her the truth about Tara now or later? “Um…”

“I’ll be honest. The thought of the future scares me. But I know I don’t want to be with anyone else but you.” She swallowed loudly. “I’ve been so scared of making my mom’s mistakes, of getting pregnant before I was ready. That’s why I’ve been on the Pill and why I made my partners wear condoms.” Her eyes shimmered. “You’re the only one who’s ever come inside me. I love you so much, Flynn. When we were at Mike’s, and I was holding Colin and sitting with you, I imagined what it would be like… to hold
our
baby.”

She bit her lip, watching him for a reaction. Did she expect panic? Worry?

Elation filled him. “Oh honey, me too. But hell, you’d barely let me hold your hand, let alone refer to you as anything closer than a casual friend.” He rubbed her belly. “Someday, when you’re ready, when
we
’
re
ready, we’ll make that happen.”

“Really? Even though I broke your poor heart?” She didn’t sound very sorry about that. He thought her conceit could use a knock or two. But the pleasure, the love in her eyes captivated him.

“Broke it into tiny pieces.” He had to clear his throat not to cry like a goddamn girl. If he shed a tear and the guys found out, he’d never hear the end of it. Then she smiled, and he couldn’t contain his joy. One spilled over. “Shit.”

She laughed and cried with him. “I won’t tell. I promise.”

He rubbed the offensive tear away with the heel of his hand. “I’ll give you all the time you need, Maddie. I promise I’ll be right here waiting. But breaking my heart the way you did, that’s going to take one hell of an apology to forget. Maybe some groveling, on your knees, your mouth open, waiting for me. That might help speed my forgiveness.”

She crawled out of his lap and knelt before him. She licked her lips. “I should make it up to you, shouldn’t I?” A glance at his cock had her smiling. “What was that you said before? Something about sucking you deep and begging.”

“Why don’t you show me how sorry you are, you little witch?” His abs contracted as she ran her fingernails up his legs to his belly. “You owe me.”

“I do. I love you, Flynn. Please, let me show you how much.”

He stood and spread his legs, braced for her touch. Yet the hot friction of her lips around his cock still made him tremble. “Maddie, baby. I love you so much.”

She moaned and sucked. Cupping his balls, she scraped those fuck-me nails over his scrotum and down his thighs, not hard enough to break the skin but just enough to drive him insane.

He panted, whispered her name, and prayed to last. But she gave him no respite. She breathed through her nose as she worked him, owning him with little more than the sweep of her lashes, the glance of her bright eyes.

“You’re mine,” he stated, unable to look away. “And I’m yours. Always, baby.”

She sucked hard, licking and stroking with her tongue. Her breasts heaved as she blew him, and then she sucked him deeper and took him to the back of her throat in a move that shocked the hell out of him.

The added stimulation against his cockhead became unbearably good. He rocked into her mouth, though he’d done his best not to do anything to make her more uncomfortable than she had to be.

Yet she looked so eager, so into pleasuring him he couldn’t think, only react.

Her hand again cupped his sac. His balls were rock hard, and he couldn’t stop himself from thrusting deeper. Agony and ecstasy gathered at the base of his spine and pushed throughout his body as he released.

“Baby, yes. I’m coming… so hard…”

He groaned her name as he jetted down her throat, unaware of when he’d gripped her shoulders as he pushed deeper still.

When he could again function, he withdrew and heard her suck in a huge breath.

“Oh shit. I’m sorry.” He sounded drunk and had trouble keeping his balance.

She shook her head and evened her breathing. “No, I’m sorry. I was wrong before. But I’m here now. And I’m not leaving.” Was she convincing herself or him? Either way, he didn’t intend to let her go again.

“Good. Because one good turn deserves another.” In control of himself once more, he pulled her to her feet and lifted her over his shoulder. As he started for his bedroom, he slapped her on the ass. “Be a good girl and spread those legs for me once we’re on the bed. Time for an early dessert, lover.”

A month later, standing outside the back door to Mike’s kitchen, Maddie glared at her hottie by the grill. Flynn had been driving her nuts lately and seemed to revel in pissing her off. He claimed seeing her angry aroused him, but she thought he was just getting her back because she’d given him such a hard time at the start of their relationship.

Almost five months together and they still had hot sex all the time. They laughed and played. She looked forward to the end of her work day to spend time with him and their interlocking families. His clan had fully embraced her and her roommates. They spent time together, all of them, and the warmth of acceptance had yet to fade.

“Hey, Red, stop dreaming and grab the plate for the burgers.” Brody treated her like an extension of Flynn, but without all the cursing and roughhousing, thank God. They truly acted like brothers in every sense of the word.

She grabbed the plate off a nearby table and shivered at the wind that whipped through the open door, wishing she’d brought more than her fleece jacket. As they neared Halloween, the weather had become downright nippy.

“I’ll give it to Flynn.” Vanessa took the plate and sneered at Maddie’s jacket. “Do you need me to dress you, too? I got you a great rental rate on the house you now barely live in, I still take care of your books, and I landed you a hot boyfriend.”

Flynn must have overheard, because he turned around and saluted Vanessa by lifting a bottle in her direction. Brody muttered under his breath as he took the plate and darted back to Flynn’s side.

Once he’d gone, Maddie said, “You didn’t land me anything. If I remember right, you thought he was a user.”

“Not so. I just think good-looking men can be a little too sure of themselves sometimes. Helps to take them down a peg or two.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but something’s going on between Abby and Brody. She won’t talk to me about it yet, but I’m wearing her down.”

Maddie was ashamed she hadn’t noticed. Ever since she and Flynn had opened up to each other, her entire world seemed right. She didn’t flinch when he talked about love or marriage anymore, and she fantasized about kids and a life with him all the time—except when working. There she’d become more than good at compartmentalizing.

Cam took that moment to nudge Vanessa and Maddie into the house, like herding sheep.

“Watch it, you jerk,” Vanessa snapped then flushed when Cam pointedly looked at the small boy by his side.

Colin gaped. “Oh man. She called you a jerk.”

“Now, Colin.” Cam shot Vanessa a smug look. “You know we’re not supposed to say bad words in the house.”

Vanessa wasn’t having it. “I was standing outside, spongebrain.”

“Spongebrain!” Colin laughed and raced past his grandmother in the kitchen, no doubt to share this newest insult with the family.

No longer amused, Cam turned his back on Vanessa, who deliberately left the door open when she exited the house. “She’s letting all the heat out,” Cam complained and shut the door again before turning to frown at Maddie too. Through the window, she saw Vanessa stick her tongue out at the back of his head.

She grinned at Cam. “You sure the heat’s out? Because you look pretty hot under the collar.”

“You’re not that funny.” He nodded at his mother, working in the kitchen, then left Maddie when his father called to him from the living room.

Next to Beth, Abby stood eating a carrot and tapping her foot to some rock music playing softly in the background.

Maddie shook her head. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping?”

Abby grinned and swallowed a mouthful of food. “I’m the taste tester. Try Beth’s killer dip. I told her it’s fine, but she keeps wanting to add more dill.”

Beth chuckled. “I need more than your opinion. You like everything I cook.”

“But isn’t it flattering? I think I’ve gained an extra ten pounds from your dinners alone.”

Beth preened. “Well, it is nice to know I’m appreciated. Some people,” she raised her voice and glared in the direction of the living room, “don’t know how good they have it.”

Maddie exchanged a glance with Abby but took her friend’s headshake to heart and let it pass.

Beth smiled, and Maddie saw Flynn in the expression. Though the woman had to be in her mid- to late fifties, she had the energy and looks of a woman a decade younger. The McCauleys had good genes.

Flynn would make such pretty babies.

She frowned, wishing she could stop thinking about procreating for more than two seconds at a time.

“Everything okay, Maddie?” Beth frowned.

She smiled. “Fine. I was just wondering how to—”

“Grandma!” Colin’s shrill voice sounded from outside the kitchen. “I need you.” Somehow he stretched the word
need
into four syllables.

Beth wiped her hands on a towel and rolled her eyes. “Boy is just like his father. Needy and not shy about telling you.”

They snickered at the description of big tough Mike, who walked through the kitchen looking annoyed.

“Colin’s that way,” Maddie pointed. When they were alone, she turned to Abby, “So Abby, what’s this about you and Brody?”

Abby’s eyes widened. “What?”

The squeak gave her away. Before Maddie could press for details, the back door opened and Brody came in. Abby froze. Brody stopped in his tracks. The look Brody gave her best friend made Maddie blush for her.

Then a freight train bore down on both of them.

Abby bumped into her to avoid a monstrous canine barking up a storm. Flynn raced by them, swearing as he tried to catch the thing. Brody joined him after a moment, but he tripped over Abby’s shoe and knocked her into Maddie. The three of them went sprawling to the floor in an ugly, painful heap.

“Ow. How is it I’m on the bottom of this?” Maddie winced and tried to scoot out from under Abby and Brody, who felt like he weighed more than her car.

“How do you think I feel?” Abby’s muffled words mixed with Brody’s laughter. “I’m the lean turkey in this sandwich.”

“Lean turkey?” He laughed harder and moved off them. Then he picked Abby up as if she weighed nothing.

Maddie scooted back to brace herself against the cabinets. She heard barking and several male shouts as the others struggled to grab the dog.

“Okay, thanks. You can let go of me now.” Abby stopped speaking when she looked into Brody’s face.

Maddie wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen it. The suave, joking Brody Singer looked dumbstruck as he stared at Abby. His gaze traced her friend’s features with something more than mere attraction.

Then he dropped her like a hot coal and joined the others trying to capture the dog.

“Wow.” Maddie would have teased her when Cujo returned, sliding over the tile with muddied paws.

The dog looked like he ate people for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As large as a wolfhound but with a mishmash of other breed traits, at best he could be called a mutt. At worst, a nightmare. And he headed straight for her.

She screamed. He stopped. The crowd behind him froze.

“Maddie, don’t move,” Flynn said quietly.

“Oh hell. This is my fault.” Brody ran a hand through his hair. “It’s okay, he’s friendly. I swear.”

The dog took a few steps closer and proved it by licking her face with a long, wet tongue.

“Ew. Get him off me.” Maddie tried to push him back, but the dog took her touching him as a sign of affection and tried to crawl into her lap.

Nice, except he stunk to high heaven and wasn’t a lap dog.

A few laughs and then everyone was talking and pointing and moving around at the same time.

Brody tugged the dog off her, bringing attention to the fact the thing had a collar.

“Is he yours, Uncle Brody? You have a dog? Really?” Colin jumped up and down. “Can I pet him? Can I ride him? Do you feed him squirrels?”

Where did the kid get his information?

Flynn helped her to her feet. He leaned close to kiss her then backed away. “You smell like dog.”

“Thank Brody.” She glared at the man doing his best to make nice with everyone while keeping the dog from slobbering on him.

Flynn steered her toward the door. “Come on, honey, let’s go clean you up.” Flynn said to his mother, “We’ll be back. Maddie’s going to grab some clean clothes.”

Vanessa appeared at the back door, standing safely outside. She opened the door wide for them. “Oh, and she needs you to help her?”

“Hey, where were you when I was being attacked?” Maddie asked her.

“You weren’t attacked,” Brody corrected in a loud voice. “Mutt’s friendly.”

“Mutt?” Abby eyed him and the dog like a disease. “That’s your dog’s name?”

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Flynn pulled her with him out the back door and past Vanessa, who watched them go with amusement.

Back at her house, Maddie hurried upstairs to change. She stripped out of her shirt and dirtied pants, then hustled to the bathroom to wipe off her face and neck, where a mess of dog spit had dried. So gross.

“I’ll be right down, Flynn,” she called as she walked down the hall to the bedroom. Only to stop and stare as he waited for her with a huge smile.

“Shut the door and turn around.”

Conditioned to that look in his eye, she melted. Her body readied for him in an instant.

“Bend over the dresser, baby. Watch me fuck you.”

That he wore all his clothes while she had on only her panties and bra made it naughty—hotter—and then he slipped his hand down her ass and nudged her thong aside.

He unzipped his pants and she felt him there, behind her. The rough denim scraped against her ass as his cock found her wet entrance.

“That’s it.” He slid inside her, thick and tight. “Fuck. I love this. You’re so good, baby.” He rocked into her, gripping her hips as he increased his pace. “I was hearing you laugh. Watching you with my family. And I wanted you. Wanted to be inside you right then.”

He drove harder inside her while she took it. In this position, he had such deep penetration.

“Flynn. You feel so good.”

“Touch yourself. Get off before I do, which won’t be long.”

She put her hand down her panties and stroked her clit, knowing Flynn loved when she touched herself while he fucked her.

“You’re wet, aren’t you? That clit hard, baby?”

His raspy voice made her moan. “Yeah. Hard for you.”

“That’s it. Oh fuck. Come on, Maddie. Come. I can’t last much longer.”

She plucked her nub and imagined them at the club again, where one of his friends might catch them in the act. The shock and arousal would be too much for the voyeur to bear, and he’d be helpless as he watched while they finished.

“Yes, oh yes.” She gritted her teeth and came around him, right before he swore and emptied into her.

He rotated and pushed, filling her until he shivered. Then he withdrew and buttoned himself up.

“You were thinking about the club, right?” He grinned, into her fantasy. He’d been the first to suggest it, that she liked the thought of being caught. Not actually having people see them have sex, but the possibility of it really aroused her.

“Maybe.” She took the towel he handed her, amused he’d prepared for their little tryst. “We need to get back before they know what we did.”

After she cleaned herself, he took the towel from her and tossed it to the ground, then hugged her back against him and kissed her neck. “I don’t care about them knowing.”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s hot as hell. You’re so sexy, and you’re mine. I like knowing they might want you, but they can’t have you.”

She blinked. “They wouldn’t want me.”

“Why not? You’re a beautiful woman. But my brothers would never make a move. Like I said, when we fall, we fall hard. You’re it for me. And only me,” he growled.

“I can barely handle you as it is,” she teased and stepped out of his arms to dress. Once more garbed in jeans and a sweater, she faced him. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

The soft love in his eyes brought her to tears. How had she ever thought to throw this away?

“You can never tell me too many times.”

She wanted to confess what else she’d been thinking about. To see what he thought. “Flynn, I know we haven’t been together all that long. And we talked about marriage and maybe babies in the future.” She swallowed, nervous yet spurred by the hope on his face. “I don’t have any more refills for my pills. Just one more month and I need to go back in for a checkup.”

“Yeah?” The gritty tone made her smile. She could almost feel him willing her to say what came next.

“So I was wondering. Do you want me to stop taking them? I know it’s soon, but I can’t stop thinking about babies for some reason.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her. “I’m in. Forever. And I can’t wait to have kids with you. But you have to be sure. That you’d even ask me now… Maddie, we’re going to take this slow. How about we get married first? Six months, a year. Then we’ll try. We’re still young. We don’t have to rush this.”

Part relieved and a little frustrated he’d rejected her offer, she wanted to argue. But the relief was too powerful to deny. “You’re right,” she heard herself say.

“I know. I’m always right. See, that’s what you need to learn before you’ll be perfect. You’re close, but not quite there. You just need to learn and believe that last bit. Say it with me. Flynn is always right.”

She punched him in the gut, pleased when he whooshed out a breath. “Jerk.”

“But you love me.” He grinned.

She grinned back. “But I love you.”

“Maddie, when we have kids, there won’t be any doubt in your mind. Don’t do it for me, but for us.”

“I know. I just have so much love right now. I’m too emotional.”

“You’re just right.” He straightened and grabbed her hand. “Now I have a present for you. How would you like to pull a fast one on the family?”

***

Abby didn’t like the way Brody kept looking at her. He must have somehow found out she wrote for a living and had read one of her books. She just knew it.

Flynn and Maddie returned holding hands. The sparkle in her friend’s eyes told Abby in no uncertain terms what she and Flynn had been doing.