Big Bad John (Bigger in Texas Series) (11 page)

After that night, when he saw the marks he’d put on her, both inadvertently and on purpose, he’d taken her home and instructed her to rest the next day. But that didn’t mean he’d been able to stay away completely.

He’d called her yesterday afternoon, told her to go into her room and lock the door, then guided her verbally through quite possibly the most erotic phone sex in the history of the world. He’d made her use her vibrator again, listening to her moans as he told her everything he was thinking about doing to her. He’d made her get out her small sample bottle of lube and the smaller, finger vibrator she’d admitted to having, and with a voice gritty with lust, he’d walked her through using it on her own ass.

He’d also had her text him pictures throughout the day. Of her marks. Of her nipples. A shot between her legs with her vibrator still deep inside her. They were images she hoped he deleted in case his phone was lost or stolen.

Today, he’d called and she’d half expected another dirty command, her body already tingling when she saw his name on the caller ID. This time, however, he’d simply told her he was taking her to dinner and a show. And he’d strongly suggested she wear a skirt…with nothing underneath.

She couldn’t wait.

The unexpected knock on her door made her jump and drop her skirt, whirling around in time to see a frazzled-looking Caroline stomp into her room in a black bikini top and her stylish Daisy Dukes.

“You okay?”

Caroline’s hands lifted and curled into claws. She took a breath. “Trudy, you are the sister of my heart and I love you, but I’m planning on plucking your brother’s eyes out with my tweezers.”

Trudy bit her lip. “I’m sure he deserves it.”

“He really does.” She threw herself on Trudy’s bed, arms splayed, and sighed. “He’s the demon imp younger brother I never wanted. Now that he’s in his walking cast? He is everywhere I turn. And he’s spreading rumors about me.”

Trudy pulled her hair back into a ponytail and moved closer to the bed. “Well, that’s not his style.”

“Maybe he thinks it’s funny because I’m a gossip columnist. I don’t know.” Caroline sat up momentarily and stretched her arms out toward Trudy dramatically, frustration evident in the line of her body. “But he must be. I mean, look at me.” She gestured to the amount of skin her sexy bikini revealed, and Trudy knew if Caroline turned, the gorgeous flowery artwork that adorned her back would be on display.

“Diego chuckles like I have two heads every time he sees me, and today while I was visiting your horses—they are beautiful by the way—that gorgeous hunk of Manly came in, saw me and actually
backed away
. He looked genuinely nervous. Those two are the only men in this town under seventy-five that aren’t taken, and they haven’t even flirted with me. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before. What is wrong with Texas men?”

“They live in Texas.” Trudy covered her mouth to muffle her mirth. Jefferson must really be driving Caroline crazy. She should stop him. She really should. But Caroline’s reaction was…priceless. “Still think he’s a fit for L.A.?”

Her friend covered her eyes with her hands. “Kill me now. I’m sorry I said it. He would destroy my reputation in a week. If he weren’t your brother I’d have him kicked off that show. I looked into it. The producer owes me a favor.”

And there it was. The perfect opening to stop Jefferson. All Trudy had to do was ask Caroline to make it happen, and she would. So why wasn’t she? Nothing had changed in the last few days. She truly believed her brother going to Hollywood could be the worst mistake of his life.

Unless you told him and let him decide for himself…

She couldn’t. She couldn’t bear to see the look on his face when he discovered what their mother had left them for. What she’d become.

Time to change the subject before she gave in to temptation and her brother never spoke to her again. “Did Margery call you? She told me yesterday she would.”

Caroline smiled. “She did. That is one cheerful woman. I asked her how she could sound so happy after being stuck looking after your brother for so many years.”

Trudy gasped. “You did? What did she say?”

“She said, and I quote,” Caroline adopted a southern drawl that actually sounded a lot like Margery’s. “‘Some people say a man is all hat and no cattle. Jefferson has plenty of cattle and he knows it, but bless his heart, he just hasn’t found the right hat to fit him yet.’”

Trudy snorted. “I’m not sure entirely sure what that means, but knowing her, she’s right.”

Caroline shrugged. “The rest of the conversation was about as enlightening. She said her friend has agreed to do the interview because I know you, as long as I don’t go digging too deep. Which, of course, makes me want to dig.”

“All this mystery over a decorator.” Trudy frowned. “She must have been really good.”

Her friend’s eyes sparkled and her smile returned. “Hon, you have no idea. The stories about her magic touch are legend. The pickiest clients bent to her whim, house parties were saved when she paid a visit the day before. Deals were brokered that wouldn’t have been possible without her knowledge of Feng Shui. And then she disappeared. Her phone was disconnected. People actually hired detectives to try and find her and offer her insane amounts of money to design a closet. Anything. But she’d vanished without a trace.”

“Until now,” Trudy offered with a thoughtful smile. “Still, there must be a good reason, right? People don’t usually turn down that kind of celebrity unless there is.”

Caroline rubbed her hands together. “I’m sure of it. My instincts tell me it’s big, too. And it’s a story that magazine editor wants bad enough to fly me down here…maybe because she’s in desperate need of the perfect curtains. I don’t know and I don’t care. I have to get a good interview.”

Trudy hopped up to sit beside her on the bed and winced. Caroline noticed. Smiled. “But enough about that. Tell me what Big Bad John has in store for you.”

“Just dinner.”

Caroline snickered. “It’s never just dinner with you two. The state your man has been in since he brought you home? The number of times you’ve locked the door to your bedroom after your phone rings? I’d say things are about to get even more interesting. That first night was no more than a warm-up. Now that you’ve been together, been intimate, things will get more intense quickly.”

“Is that usual?” Trudy bit her lip. “I mean, when you’ve negotiated something like this, with sex, is it normal to feel so connected? So out of control?”

“No.” Caroline’s shrug was unapologetic. “I mean, yes, of course sex is the most intimate connection you can have, but there is nothing ordinary about this. Not the kink kind of ordinary. This is personal. I’m your best friend, Tru, so I’m not going to lie to you. I think the Big Bad has come courting, only instead of flowers he’s bringing sexy, naughty toys. Which I personally prefer, but you know me.”

Courting? “But he said no strings. Two weeks.”

“Yes.” She sighed patiently. “And little boys stick out their tongues and pull your braids when they like you. Men lie from the cradle. And yours? He has ‘strings attached’ written in neon right across his big, yummy chest.”

“Thanks. I feel so much better now.” Trudy glared and scooted back off the bed, stopped before she could move away by Caroline pulling her back down on the bed beside her, their heads touching as they stared at the glow in the dark stars stuck to her ceiling.

“I’m sorry. I really don’t want to spoil this for you, but I worry. I’ve seen you in relationships, but I’ve never seen you this caught up in a guy before and I don’t want you to get hurt. Think of me as a sweet little angel on your shoulder.”

Trudy laughed softly. “Sweet huh? But you’re right. I am caught up. It’s hard not to be.”

Caroline held her hand. “Your brother told me about John. How he just appeared one day on the side of the road, did an Incredible Hulk routine and your father took him in, no questions asked. That he doesn’t seem to have a life before that. At least, not one he wants anyone to know about. I can’t help but wonder if there’s a reason. A secret one.”

“You’re a journalist, which means you’re suspicious of everyone.” But a knot formed in her stomach. She used to wonder about it too, but then again there were always drifters looking for work. Sometimes they liked the town. Sometimes they stayed.

And occasionally they were hiding from parole officers.

Trudy bit her lip.  “John has lived here for fifteen years with no closet skeleton in sight. If his past were nefarious we’d have found out by now.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “Don’t raise any red flags yet, Caroline. Let me be oblivious. If we’re being honest, I’ve wanted him for most of my adult life. He’s the guy I always measured every other man against. I’m just enjoying it, you know? Trying to live in the moment.”

Trying to fit a lifetime into a two-week moment.

Caroline squeezed her hand tightly. “I’m sorry, you’re right. Ignore me. I’m happy for you. Really, it’s about time. Now if only we could find a man for me.”

“What?” Trudy nudged her side gently with an elbow. “You have men standing in line for a mile out the door. Take your pick.”

“I have frogs. I’ve yet to find my prince.”

“And you said you weren’t a romantic.”

Caroline sat up and started unbraiding her hair. “I’m going to take a cool shower and fix something for the men-folk to eat.” She batted her eyelashes. “I’m picking up the lingo rather well, aren’t I? Be impressed.”

Trudy nodded. “I’m very impressed.”

“I know,” Caroline answered in a sing-song manner. “Though I doubt anyone but Jefferson will eat my cooking. My last boyfriend’s mother was a French chef so I’m perfection in the kitchen, but your brother is probably telling them I’ll poison their food with evil, morally questionable California spices.” She sighed. “At least Glory will be around to save me.”

Glory. The blonde beekeeper and lone woman on the G&J. “What’s she like? I’ve barely spoken to her. She’s never around.”

“Tough cookie, and very salty. But smart.” She ran her hands through her long, silky hair and sighed. “She has those boys eating out of the palm of her hand, though most of the time she appears to be insulting them. Maybe she can give me a few pointers. I’m determined to get one of them flirting with me before I go home. It’s a matter of pride now.” She winked at Trudy. “If I’m not out by the time he picks you up, have some kinky fun for me. I’m officially feeling deprived.”

“I will.”

She hoped he had more than dinner planned. Trudy crossed her fingers and went back to the mirror to look at the marks again. She was a glutton for his kind of punishment. She didn’t want to think about his past or her future. She wanted more.

***

John was a glutton for punishment. What had he been thinking, taking Trudy out on a Wednesday night? Other than Sunday afternoon, Wednesdays were the busiest nights at the few local restaurants on the square. Bingo night.

Another misstep in his attempts at romantic gestures. He’d just—hell, he’d just wanted to go somewhere he’d be forced to keep his hands off her. He couldn’t even call to talk without fighting the urge to make her come for him. To see how far she would let him go. But he wanted her to know this was more than that. More than crazed lust with a side of kink. Dinner had sounded safe.

He didn’t realize they’d be the center of everyone’s fucking attention.

He should have.

Big John and the Adams girl, eating the Wednesday roast pork special together, was apparently front-page news. John was used to people staring. Knew even after all this time they still wondered about him. And that was fine.

This town was full of good people. People who, whether they’d spent the day working their jaws about you or not, would still come carry water if your house was on fire. Would still help you build a barn or a shed. Would still pray for you and genuinely mean it. There were one or two bad apples and exceptions of course, but less than most towns he’d passed through. La Grange was a good place to settle down…as long as you didn’t mind everybody knowing your business.

The attention wouldn’t bother him, but he knew Trudy was uncomfortable with it. Hell, how many times had she complained about small towns and narrow minds before she moved away?

The only thing he could think to do was distract her. He lowered his fork and leaned forward over the table. “Did I tell you how pretty that skirt is, Ms. Adams?”

Trudy’s eyes widened and she shifted subtly in her seat. “Thank you,
Mr. Brown
. Your pants are fitting nicely this evening as well.”

He couldn’t stop the smile that was threatening to form at her sass. He’d always loved that about her. Quick-witted and smart-mouthed and sexy to her bones. Her short white skirt was ruffled like a vanilla layer cake, accentuating her curves, and it was making him hungrier for her than he was for the rest of his dinner.

“Did you do as I asked?”

She gasped and looked down at her plate, reaching for a knife as if she meant cut her meat—or him—with it. She kept her voice low. “Yes, now hush. Reverend Stein is sitting at the table right behind you.”

“I think you know I don’t care, Trudy.”

“Do they serve your barbecue sauce here?” She took a bite of her food and glared at him, her hazel eyes full of warning.

“
Our
sauce.” John shrugged. “And only during antique week. Several restaurants and shops stock up with local goods when the tourists come to town. Glory’s honey is very popular at the breakfast place on the highway.”

Trudy took a drink and wiped her full lips with her napkin. He wanted to lick those lips again. Wanted to bend her over the table and see if his handiwork was still on her golden skin. He was always so careful about that, aware of himself, but the idea that he’d marked her, that she was his, was heady.

“I never asked.” Trudy was speaking to him. He had to focus. He shifted in his seat. “I mean, you know everything about my family. Do you have any relatives back in Louisiana?”

Ice water in his lap couldn’t have shocked him more. Where had that come from? “No.”