Stirring Up Trouble Read online

  She made another sound of protest and then rolled over, turning her back to him.

  By the time he reached the doorway, Maddie was snoring lightly. It was kind of cute, reminding him of a dog he’d had as a kid.

  Turning off the light, he went into the living room in the hopes he could find a comfortable spot on his couch. The excessively tight fit of his jeans at the moment would make that a mostly impossible feat.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Maddie woke up to a mildly pounding headache in a pitch-dark room. She reached out for her beside lamp and found nothing there. The motion drew her attention to the tight waistband of her jeans and the straps of her bra digging into her skin. She was fully dressed and in a strange place. Why?

  She threw back the covers and swung her legs out of the bed. Just enough light shined from the alarm clock for her to see her way to the door. Opening it, she was assaulted by sunshine streaming through the windows and the pieces finally fell into place. She was in Emmett’s apartment.

  It wasn’t at all what she expected. The space was modern and sleek with expensive touches like granite counters and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. The walls were painted a soft gray. There was no clutter, no deer heads mounted to the wall, and no neon Budweiser signs. It was like a completely different universe from the rustic bar downstairs.

  How had she even gotten up here? The last thing she remembered was celebrating at the bar. There was the vague recollection of kissing him and trying to take off her shirt. That extremely unsmooth move made her wince with regret. Alcohol might make her brave, but it didn’t improve her seduction strategy or her balance.

  Stumbling into the other room, she found Emmett sprawled uncomfortably across his couch with a blanket draped over him. He was fully dressed as well. She was terrible at this. The one night she decides to get drunk and do something crazy and nothing happened. All she had to show for it was a hangover.

  “Emmett,” she called to him.

  He stirred, frowning at the morning light before he focused on her. “What time is it?”

  “About ten,” Maddie replied. “Why didn’t we have sex?” she blurted.

  Emmett shot straight up on the couch. His hair was even messier than usual, and Maddie liked it. “You were drunk,” he explained, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. “Do you really think I’d have sex with you when you were barely conscious?”

  “I threw myself at you,” she said with a whiny edge to her voice that even she didn’t like.

  Emmett climbed up from the couch and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked down at her with the green-gold eyes she’d gotten used to so quickly. “Yes, you did. And I wanted to take you up on it. But you don’t have to be drunk to seduce me, Maddie. I think you’re an amazing woman and sex stone sober would be even better.”

  Maddie wasn’t sure about that. She wasn’t feeling as brave as she did last night. “Maybe.”

  “No, not maybe. Listen, Maddie, when we sleep together, I want you to remember every second of it. And you won’t need any alcohol to put you in the mood. I intend to taste and tease every inch of your body, making you writhe and squirm beneath me until you’re begging me to take you. Stone sober.”

  Maddie sucked in a hard, ragged breath. Just the words were enough to waken the heat inside her. She couldn’t even imagine what his actual touch would do to her. She could feel the tug in her belly, urging her not to let this moment pass them by because she was too scared to ask for what she wanted. “I’m stone sober right now,” she said, boldly meeting his gaze.

  Emmett swallowed hard. His fingertips pressed in at her waist. “That you are.”

  Maddie reached for the hem of her shirt to redeem herself for last night’s clumsiness. She pulled her top up and over her head, tossing it onto the couch. Emmett took in the sight of her for a moment before his hands covered her pink lace bra, stroking her through the fabric and coaxing her nipples into tight buds.

  She closed her eyes and let the sensation of his touch rush through her. His fingers kneaded at her flesh, making her groan aloud after going so long without a man’s touch. She felt him tug the straps of her bra down her arms, lowering the cups until her breasts were exposed. The moist heat of his mouth clamped down on one nipple, drawing hard until she cried out.

  “Emmett!” she gasped, clutching at his shoulders.

  He arched her back over his arm, his mouth moving thoroughly across her chest and up to taste her throat. Maddie clutched at him, her fingers running through the golden strands of his hair as she pulled him closer. She wanted all of him, and a part of her couldn’t believe she was about to get that and more.

  Emmett’s hand glided up her back, unsnapping her bra with a flick of his fingers. He unwrapped her arms from his neck so he could slide off the bra and toss it aside. His eyes never left her bare body, and Maddie could feel the intensity of his gaze like a caress on her skin.

  “Come here,” Maddie said. She reached for the waistband of his jeans, tugging him back to her. “That’s better.”

  She gathered the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. Her reward was a glimpse of the hard body he’d kept hidden beneath T-shirts all this time. Every inch of him was hard, tanned muscle with a sprinkle of dark blond hair across his pecs that narrowed and traveled down, disappearing beneath the low ride of his jeans. Her palms tingled with the need to reach out and glide across the planes and angles of his chest. She needed to feel his bare skin against hers. Now.

  She reached out and touched him, letting her hands roam across his abs and his chest, rising higher until she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her breasts against him. Emmett’s hands ran down her back, cupping the cheeks of her ass through her jeans. In one quick movement, he lifted her up. Maddie reacted quickly by wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on tight as he carried her down the hallway to the bedroom.

  Emmett eased her down until the cool fabric of the comforter met her back. As she settled on the mattress, his mouth met hers. The kiss was hard, his tongue demanding everything she could give him. She met his enthusiasm, her fingertips digging into the bare skin of his back. She cradled him between her thighs, and the slow movement of his hips as he kissed her caused a delicious friction between the denim that separated them.

  She could feel the heat of it spreading through her whole body. She couldn’t kiss him enough, touch him enough, to satiate the burning inside her.

  Emmett broke away from the kiss, giving her a devious grin before his mouth moved down her body, his lips searing a trail down her stomach. His tongue encircled her belly button, then he stopped, hovering just at her waistband.

  Maddie eased up onto her elbows to watch him. His fingers fumbled with the button on her jeans, then with his eyes focused on hers, he gripped the zipper between his teeth and drew it down. With strong hands, he grasped her jeans and panties, tugging them over her hips and down the length of her legs.

  She felt only a moment of uncertainty as she lay completely naked across Emmett’s bed. This was the point of no return, but she had no intention of stopping him. Emmett wasn’t anything like Joel. She wanted this too badly to let anxiety sabotage it.

  He took his time crawling back onto the bed, kissing the inside of her ankles, then her calves. He caressed the sensitive back of her knees, bending them and pushing her thighs apart to open her core to him. Maddie gasped as she felt his breath blow hot on her exposed skin. Her elbows slid out from under her, her back flattening against the bed and her eyes squeezing shut in anticipation of his touch.

  His tongue flicked across her, sending a bolt of pleasure through her. Emmett waited a moment for her to recover before gliding his tongue more thoroughly across her flesh a second time. This time, he didn’t pull away. The heat in her belly roared to life, her back arching off the bed. The waves of pleasure urged her to push closer
even as the intensity forced her to pull away.

  Emmett’s firm grip on her hips held her steady as he worked his relentless magic on her. Maddie felt herself near the edge, about to go over faster than she’d ever expected. Her moans and cries escalated, her hands clawing in vain at the blankets. Emmett redoubled his efforts, stroking her harder and faster than ever before, and then slipping a finger inside her welcoming body.

  Stroking her inside and out, Maddie lost it. The pleasure radiated through her, the intense throbbing causing her to gasp and cry and writhe beneath him. He continued to stroke her until the last shudders passed and Maddie relaxed into the mattress.

  Breathing hard, she was barely aware of Emmett rising from the bed. He moved around the dark room, opening drawers and returning to the foot of the bed. By the time she recovered enough to lift her head, Emmett had removed the rest of his clothes and was watching her as he rolled a condom down the thick length of his erection.

  Maddie licked her suddenly dry lips as she watched him, her thighs falling open in welcome. He gazed down at the display before him, his eyes hooded with desire. Slowly, he crawled onto the bed, nestling his hips between her thighs. His intense green eyes were focused on her as he moved forward and entered her.

  Emmett let a low groan slip through his lips as he fully buried himself inside Maddie’s hot, welcoming body. The first few thrusts were slow, as Emmett eased in and out at a pace that bordered on torture. When she could barely take it any longer, she pulled her knees up, allowing him to sink in deeper.

  “Maddie,” Emmett growled, squeezing his eyes shut. He started moving faster then. Maddie lifted her hips to meet his every thrust.

  After the powerful orgasm she’d had only minutes before, she was surprised to find the heat building inside her once again. With every drive, she inched closer and closer. Emmett dipped his head to kiss her, muffling her escalating cries. It didn’t take long for the grind of their bodies to bring her to the edge again.

  Clinging to his shoulders, Maddie shouted encouragements. With each “yes,” Emmett drove harder and faster. Finally, the coil inside her snapped and the rush of pleasure swept her up again. “Emmett!” she cried.

  “Give in to it,” he coaxed.

  Maddie did; she had no choice. Her core pulsated with its release, her inner muscles tightening around Emmett’s invasive heat.

  With one final thrust, Emmett poured into her with a low groan. He hovered over her for a moment before collapsing just beside her. Maddie curled against his chest and they lay there silently together, their bodies still rocking with tiny tremors of pleasure.

  Her heartbeat had almost slowed back to normal when Emmett’s voice startled her off the edge of sleep. “I hate to be unromantic,” he said, “but I’ve got to get in the shower. The bar opens in a half hour.”

  Maddie nodded. As much as she’d rather lie here with him and revel in the afterglow, she knew what it was like to own a business. “Okay. I’m going to pack up and head home.”

  Emmett kissed her, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. “Thanks for understanding. Why don’t you come by the bar later?”

  “And do what?” she asked with a laugh. “Drink? No thanks. I’m done for a lifetime.”

  Emmett snorted. “Definitely not. I just want you to hang out with me for a while. The bar is slower on Sundays, depending on what NFL games are on.”

  “I’ve got to have dinner with my family, but I’ll try,” she said.

  “Good.” With a pleased grin, Emmett kissed her soundly, then pulled away and leapt from the bed. She watched his firm, naked ass as he went into the bathroom and shut the door.

  With the view gone, she decided she needed to move on. She gathered her clothes, slipping them on and making her way to the door. She was putting on her shoes, leaning against the kitchen counter when she saw Emmett’s cell phone lying there.

  Suddenly, the worries that Lydia had so expertly planted in her head returned with a vengeance. A quick look at his phone might quell those doubts. She reached for the phone and then stopped herself. She couldn’t do it. That was an invasion of his privacy and she would hate it if he did the same thing to her. Maddie wasn’t about to ruin the good thing they had going.

  With a shake of her head, she pulled on her other shoe and tugged her purse onto her shoulder. She was about to walk out the door when his phone started buzzing. Without thinking, she glanced over at it. The screen proudly declared that Adelia Chamberlain was calling.

  Maddie swallowed hard and headed out the door before Lydia’s poisonous accusations could ruin her romantic buzz on a perfectly good Sunday afternoon. There was a reasonable explanation for her grandmother’s call, she was sure of it. As it was, it would be hard enough to sit across the dining table from her grandmother and not spend the entire time wondering what the hell was going on.

  Logan was getting used to receiving strange phone calls on Sundays. Two weeks ago, it was to represent Emmett in court. Last week, it was to open the shop and hide away Maddie’s phallus-covered Mercedes. Today, it was a desperate-sounding Clark Newton on the line.

  “I know it’s early on a Sunday, but I’ve gotten myself in a bit of a pickle, Logan. Do you think you could come down to the sheriff’s department and, uh, bail me out?”

  “Bail you out? What have you done?” Logan asked, then stopped himself. “Wait, don’t answer that. Don’t admit to anything until I get there.”

  “It’s a little late to play that game, but come on down anyway. I need all the help I can get.”

  Logan got dressed as quickly as he could and then drove around the square to the station. He might not have the prestigious reputation the Chamberlain firm had, but people knew they could call Logan when they got into trouble and he would help them. In this case, it sounded more like he was there for guidance than to try and prove Clark’s innocence, but that was okay with him, too. Building a relationship with Judge Griffin would only help his clients in the future.

  Over the last few months, he’d gotten familiar with the check-in process, ending up in the back where the final officer would buzz him through the doors to the containment and interrogation rooms.

  “I’m here to see Clark Newton and pay his bail.”

  The officer looked down at his ledger and nodded. “The Penis Picasso is down the hall to the far left in cell two. The officer will take you to the bursar to pay bail when you’re ready.”

  The door buzzed open, muffling Logan’s groan. The Penis Picasso? Really? He had the damnedest luck in drawing the craziest cases in town. He found Clark in one of the two cells they had at the Rosewood Police Department. They served mostly as drunk tanks and holding areas, and today, apparently, they held the most notorious criminal in town since the Rosewood Peeper, one of Logan’s other clients.

  Clark leapt to his feet, running to the cell bars and gripping them. The already thin man looked more gaunt than usual. He had gray circles under his eyes and his cheekbones were more pronounced than the last time he saw him. Clark looked like a man living through an incredible amount of stress.

  “Thanks for coming so quickly, Logan. I didn’t know who to call about this.”

  “No problem.” Logan slumped down into the chair just outside the cell. “Tell me why you’re in here, man. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting something like this from you.”

  Clark sat back down on the bench and shook his head. “I wasn’t expecting something like this from myself, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It’s no secret that print media is dying. Everyone knows it. My paper’s stayed afloat for as long as it has because Rosewood is a time warp. A lot of the older residents still get the paper every morning and read each word. The younger folks, though, they get all their news on the Internet. The Rosewood Times will go extinct as the older subscribers die off.”

  Logan knew the state of newspapers was a rough
one. Even in the bigger towns, papers were cutting back how many issues they put out in a week and condensing offices to save money. It wasn’t the greatest business to be in. He just wasn’t certain how spray-painted penises helped matters.

  “About a month ago,” Clark continued, “someone spray-painted that penis on the side of the Piggly Wiggly. It was the first real piece of news I’d had in weeks. It wasn’t the kind of news I wanted to cover, but around here things are so quiet that any story is a story. I jumped on it, riding the wave of scandal. To my surprise, the issue with it on the cover sold double what the previous issue sold.”

  “You didn’t do it?” Logan asked.

  “Not the first one. But a couple of days later, I slipped out in the night and painted another one to keep the mystery going. That day, sales of the paper tripled and I picked up ten new subscribers. By the time I painted the third one, I came up with the idea to start calling the mystery graffiti artist the Penis Picasso. The picture of it debuted with the headline ‘The Penis Picasso Strikes Again,’ and suddenly the paper was performing better than it had in over a year. I couldn’t believe it, but with every instance my sales went up.”

  “You were vandalizing public property, Clark.”

  “I know. It was stupid.” Clark’s face dropped into his hands. “But I’d been on the verge of closing the paper. Everything I have is sunk into it and I was going to lose it all. I was desperate and in the scheme of things, it seemed pretty harmless. I wasn’t hurting anyone. I was only going to do it one or two more times, then stop, but . . . I guess I should’ve known better than to mess with a Chamberlain.”

  Logan perked up in his seat. “Come again?”

  “Well, I guess Maddie and Emmett started looking to catch me because they’d gotten tasked with cleaning up after me. Spray-painting the hood of her car was a little bold, I’ll admit, but I wanted them to back off. I waited a week, thinking they’d given up, and decided I would do just one more. I wanted it to pack a punch, and what would be better than to scandalize the fanciest, most uptight business in town? I know I shouldn’t have gone after her bakery, but I never thought she’d pull a gun on me.”