Deadly Adventure (Hardy Brothers Security Book 19) Read Online Free Page A

always wanted you, too,” Mandy reminded him. “I was fourteen years old and best friends with your sister and I never wanted anything but you. So now I got the man I always dreamed about and the vacation I always wanted. Is there a reason I shouldn’t be happy?”
    “No,” James said, shaking his head. “I love you more than anything. It’s just … .”
    “You’re worried because you think I’ve been dwelling on killing Lance Pritchard,” Mandy supplied, cutting him off. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
    “You have nothing to feel guilty about,” James said. “I do worry, though. You don’t have the nightmares any longer, but sometimes you seem lost in your head. It’s mostly when you think no one is looking.”
    “I’m always going to remember killing him, James. I’m always going to remember the feel of his blood on my hands. I’m happy, though. I’m happy here.”
    “Good,” James said, exhaling heavily and pressing his lips to Mandy’s forehead. “I love you so much I think it’s going to swallow me whole sometimes. I need you to always know that.”
    “I know it,” Mandy said, tilting her chin up. “Now can we enjoy the pub?”
    James’ handsome face split with a wide grin. “Yes.” He dropped a soft kiss on her upturned mouth, reluctantly breaking away when a hint of movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.
    “James Hardy?”
    James shifted his eyes to the man standing at the edge of the table, taking a moment to run the dark hair, green eyes, and athletic build through his memory. “Jesse Tanner?”
    “It’s me, man.” Jesse’s eyes brightened as James shifted so he could climb out of the booth and greet the newcomer with a hearty handshake and a stiff one-armed hug. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
    “I can’t believe you’re here,” James said. “I … how long has it been?”
    “I think it’s been eight years,” Jesse replied. “We were at that base in Afghanistan and I got transferred out.”
    “And you ended up here?”
    Jesse chuckled. “I do some security work for a company here. It’s my home base, but I don’t foresee staying forever. It’s a great place to hang out, but I anticipate returning home before it’s all said and done.”
    “Yeah, we’ve only been here a few days, but we really love the city,” James said, gesturing toward Mandy.
    “And who are you?” Jesse asked, his charm taking over as he winked at Mandy. “You’re quite lovely. Are you local? Did James pick you up here?”
    “James picked me up back home,” Mandy replied, smirking.
    “This is my wife,” James said, sliding back into the booth and gesturing toward the far side so Jesse could sit. “Mandy Hardy, meet Jesse Tanner. We served together during my military days.”
    “I figured that out myself,” Mandy said, extending her hand so Jesse could shake it. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “It’s nice to meet you, too,” Jesse said. “Although … is this a joke?”
    Mandy stilled. “Is what a joke?”
    “You.”
    James’ shoulders stiffened. “What is that supposed to mean?”
    “It means you said you were never settling down and your dream life was a different woman every week,” Jesse replied. “I asked you why you didn’t want a different one every night and you said it was because women need time to show you all of their tricks but not enough time to get comfortable and expect you to stick around.”
    “Oh, that ,” James said, rubbing his chin and chuckling as Mandy shot him a murderous look. “You have to know that was long before you, baby. That all changed when I saw you again.”
    Mandy wasn’t convinced. “Uh-huh.” She flashed the returning waitress a smile as she delivered their drinks. “Can we run a tab?”
    The waitress nodded. “I’ll be back to check on you.”
    Once it was just the three of them, James moved to slip his arm over Mandy’s shoulders and frowned when she fought his efforts.
    “Oh, wife, you’re