“They came in wanting the newspaper to back them on a special millage they were proposing,” Sophie said.
“I haven’t heard anything about that,” Mandy said. “I would think that would be the talk of the courthouse – at least with the sheriff’s deputies there every day transporting prisoners.”
“I don’t know if they’re still doing it,” Sophie said. “What was interesting about their visit, though, was that Madison did all the talking. When Morgan even tried to give his opinion, Madison cut him off. It was just weird.”
“Okay,” James said. “What else?”
“It’s just little things really,” Sophie said. “Madison is always giving Morgan tips before a press conference, directing him on which questions to take and which ones to ignore. It’s just a weird relationship.”
“Maybe Morgan needs the help,” Finn suggested. “Maybe he’s not really capable of doing the job and they’re hiding that fact.”
“I have considered that,” Sophie admitted. “I’m just not sure.”
“Well, let’s finish eating and get to work,” James said. “This list isn’t going to run itself.”
Eleven
Sophie paired up with Grady to work, everyone agreeing to sort through her documents before running any specific searches. Grady’s presence was comforting – and conflicting at the same time. He felt warm and safe – and yet he also made her stomach coil with unexpressed attraction.
Being around him was dangerous for her emotional wellbeing. She couldn’t force herself away from him. She barely knew him, she reminded herself. She’d spent a grand total of ten hours with the man. It was like he was emitting some form of gravitational pull, and it was pulling her directly into his orbit every chance she got.
“I think I found something,” Finn announced.
Four heads shifted in his direction.
“This document seems to show a transfer of six-hundred-thousand dollars from the county,” Finn said. “There is no document acknowledging the transfer, though. All the other monetary transfers have both documents.”
Sophie moved over to him, taking the sheet of paper so she could look at it more closely. “Yeah, this came in a packet from the county about four weeks ago.”
“Was it one of your FOI requests?” James asked.
“No, it was just in the general packet.”
The Hardy brothers exchanged confused looks. They were slightly out of their depth here. Mandy filled in the blanks for them. “Any time something is put on the agenda there has to be some sort of notification,” she explained. “It could be as simple as a written request from one of the commissioners. When it comes to financial stuff, the subcommittees usually supply the paperwork. All that paperwork is then copied and put into a packet – and anyone, including the general public, has access to that packet.”
“Who supplied that document?” James asked.
Sophie shrugged. “No one signed it. There’s no committee affiliation. It’s just a random sheet of paper.”
“It has numbers on top,” Finn pointed out.
“Yeah, I don’t know what those are,” Sophie said.
Mandy moved from the chair she’d been sitting in behind James’ desk and bent down so she could get a better look over Sophie’s shoulders. “These numbers?”
Sophie nodded.
“Those are county codes.”
James straightened in his chair. “What do you mean?”
“Each department in the county has codes built into their printers and fax machines,” Mandy replied. “Each department has their own code. You can’t send or print anything without the codes appearing at the top of the document.”
“Why?” James asked.
Mandy straightened back up. “For various reasons. Some are for budget, so the accounting department knows how much money is spent on paper and ink and stuff like that.
“It’s also a way to track correspondence,” Mandy added. “If someone forgets to sign something, you can check the master list to find out where it came from.”
“There’s a master list?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah.”
“Who has access to the list?”
“I know Judge MacIntosh has one,” Mandy said. “It’s in his office.”
“Will he let you look at it?” James asked.
“I don’t see why not. I can look Monday.”
James smiled widely, motioning for her to rejoin him. He shot Finn a triumphant look. “And you thought our team would be the slackers.”
Finn rolled his eyes as James wrapped Mandy in his arms, pulling her into his lap. “I’m the one who found the document,” he said.
“And my blonde angel is the one who can figure out where it came from,” James countered, rubbing his nose against her neck.
Finn made a face, turning to Grady for support. “Can you believe this?”
Grady shrugged. “He’s not wrong.”
EVERYONE returned to their work – but that only lasted for about fifteen minutes. The constant kisses and heavy petting between James and Mandy became too much for Finn to bear at a certain point, and he sent them upstairs. Once they were gone, the three remaining members of their investigative team separated into different sections of the office to work.
Grady settled at the laptop on James’ desk, while Finn booted up another at the counter in the lobby. Sophie wasn’t sure what to do, so she perched on the corner of the desk and watched Grady work.
“What search engines are you using?”
“It’s a national database,” Grady replied. “It’s broad. It’s effective, but it takes a while.”
Sophie’s proximity to him was driving Grady to distraction. Again. Her lithe body was settled on the desk, only a few inches away – her toned, denim-clad thighs within touching distance – and yet he was forcing himself to remain focused on the computer screen.
Just breathe. She’s not on the menu, son. She’s not interested in you in that way.
Still, there was something about the way Sophie had been watching James and Mandy. Admittedly, the way they pawed at each other was mesmerizing in its simplicity. Even when you weren’t in their bubble, the emotion roiling off of them seeped into your very being.
Grady wasn’t a fool for love. He never would be. Even he found comfort in James and Mandy. He couldn’t explain it.
He wasn’t alone. Sophie obviously felt the same way. He wasn’t sure how to feel about the naked emotion reflected on her face as she watched them. So, he’d done what came naturally: He ignored it.
Grady was flummoxed. His body was screaming at him. He wanted to take Sophie to bed and not let her escape for days. Once wouldn’t be enough. A lost weekend, though? That sounded just about perfect.
On the flip side, they were working on something here. It was a real case. A big case. If he took her to bed for a weekend he would lose interest, and then where would she be?
Another glimpse at those thighs had his mind spiraling, pictures of them naked and wrapped around his waist running through his head. Why did he care again? If he bedded her, he would clearly lose interest, and then he would be off the hook. Wasn’t that the best for everyone concerned?
“IT’S LATE.”
Sophie jumped when Grady spoke. He’d been engrossed in his work for at least two hours. She’d tired of watching over his shoulder at some point, grabbing the paper files she’d bought to pore over again.
Sophie glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was late. She stifled a yawn. “I should be going.”
“I’ll follow you home,” Grady offered.
Sophie was unsure. “You don’t need to do that. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll follow you home,” Grady repeated, this time more emphatically.
Sophie sighed. “Suit yourself.”
Grady walked her out to her car, cautioning her to wait until he could follow. The ride back to Sophie’s house was long – and silent. She’d tried listening to the radio, the nonstop series of lov
e songs clouding her mind to the point where she’d turned the dial all the way down and erased the sounds.
She was a mess.
Sexual attraction and basic need were starting to turn her into a ball of hormones she was having trouble controlling. She wasn’t used to the feeling and, when she tried to get a grasp on the emotions bubbling beneath her usually staid surface, her mind zipped in thirty different directions.
Grady Hardy is not an option for me!
Sophie shook her head defiantly. She was convinced watching James and Mandy together had corrupted her heart, made her weak. She just needed some sleep, some time to regroup. The truth was, even if she gave in to her needs and pulled Grady into her bed, she would never have what James and Mandy made look so easy.
Grady wasn’t built that way either. He didn’t want the relationship his brother made look so simple to the outside world. Why am I torturing myself like this?
When Sophie parked in front of her house, she took a few seconds to catch her breath. She was home. She was safe. Her bed was less than a hundred feet away. If she could make it inside of the house she would be able to burrow under the comforter and approach tomorrow with a clear head.
Sophie jumped out of her car and moved toward the front door of her house, door key already in hand. She ignored the sound of Grady’s voice behind her. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, the blood rushing through her ear canal serving as a deterrent.
She jerked when she felt a hand on her arm. She glanced around, realizing Grady had jumped out of his truck – leaving the ignition running – and chased her to the door.
“What are you doing?”
Grady’s face was a mask of unexpressed emotion. “What are you doing?”
“Going to bed.”
Grady’s hand didn’t move from her arm as he straightened, looking left and right. “I … .”
“I need to go to bed,” Sophie said, fighting the urge to grab his face and press her lips against his. “I’m tired.”
GRADY was stymied. Somewhere between Hardy Brothers Security and Sophie’s home, this beautiful woman seemed to have lost her shit.
He didn’t know why.
Well, that’s not true. He had a feeling he knew why. It was the same reason he felt like his insides were trying to make their way to the outside of his skin. She wanted him.
Unfortunately, for him, want had somehow turned to need without his realization. Need was coursing through his body, though. Need was propelling him. Need was … overtaking him.
“Let me walk you inside.” His voice was hoarse.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll walk you inside.”
“I’m not a child,” Sophie argued. “I can walk myself inside.” She was adamant.
She wrenched her arm away from him and moved toward the door.
Let her go. She wants to go. You want to let her go.
He couldn’t let her go. Grady grabbed her arm again, forcefully pulling her to him. She opened her mouth – some mean admonishment on her lips – but Grady didn’t let her utter it.
His mouth covered hers, instinct taking over. Her lips were firm, unmoving at that first explosive contact. Then she sighed, parting her lips so his tongue could enter her warm orifice. The kiss was hot, full of desire, and Grady sank into it.
It was like coming home.
First kisses were supposed to be awkward, uncomfortable, full of fumbling and searching. There was none of that here. Sophie’s hands moved up Grady’s shoulders, rubbing them lightly before moving higher, finally settling into his hair. They gripped him desperately, pulling his mouth harder against hers.
Grady’s arms encircled Sophie’s narrow waist, pulling her body flush against his, and allowing him to grind his erection against her before he registered what was happening. His mind was busy. He needed to get her into the house, up that short set up stairs, and naked. His truck was still running … but … screw it. He’d call Finn for a jump and can of gas in the morning. He needed to get Sophie inside. And he needed to do it in the next three minutes or he was going to explode in his own pants.
Sophie was making mewling sounds in the base of her throat, grunting as their tongues tangled and her lips furiously made contact with his. He wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her against him as he tried to grab the key from her hand.
Sophie let him take it, clearly focused on their passion. After three tries, Grady realized he would never be able to get the key in the lock without looking at it. He reluctantly pulled his mouth from hers and focused on the lock.
The sudden distance was a mistake. When Grady finally got the key to fit into the lock, pushing the door open, he realized that Sophie had pulled away from him.
He glanced up at her, his gaze falling on her swollen lips – which she was running a finger over contemplatively. He didn’t like the thoughts he saw reflected in those exquisite brown eyes.
“I can’t.”
Grady blew out a sigh. “Why?”
“Because I’m not a one-night-stand girl,” Sophie admitted.
“You don’t seem like a relationship girl either,” Grady replied.
“I’m not, to a certain extent.”
Grady swallowed his upper lip. “What kind of girl are you?”
“A confused girl.”
Grady nodded. “We both want this. Don’t deny it.”
“I do want it,” Sophie said. “What I don’t want is to watch you just walk away. I need time to think.”
Grady swore under his breath. “Are you sure?”
“No.”
Grady tried to move toward her again, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this either.”
Grady exhaled deeply. He wanted to argue with her. He wanted to change her mind. One look at her conflicted eyes, though, and he knew he couldn’t. He didn’t have anything to offer her besides a few nights of passion.
She deserved more than that.
He took a step back, increasing the distance between them. “I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you what we’ve uncovered.”
It took every ounce of energy that he had to walk away, but Grady managed the feat.
“I deserve a freaking medal,” he muttered as he closed the vehicle door and shifted the truck into reverse. “A gold fucking medal.”
Twelve
Grady had no idea where he was going. He was surprised when he realized he was back at Hardy Brothers Security. He shut off the engine of his truck but remained behind the wheel for a few minutes, sitting in the dark and collecting his thoughts.
She had wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He’d felt it. Their need was combustible. They were like magnets when they were in the same room. Magnets need to join.
The light in James’ apartment was on, and Grady found himself climbing the steps and letting himself inside his brother’s inner sanctum before he realized what was happening. He found James sitting on the couch, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts, the remote control in his hand, and his attention fixed on Sports Center.
James glanced up, his eyes confused. “What are you doing here?”
Grady shrugged helplessly.
“I thought you followed Sophie home?”
Grady glanced around the apartment. James’ bedroom door was shut. “Where’s Mandy?”
“She’s reading.”
“I thought you two would be … .”
“We already did that. I just wanted to catch up on some scores.” James’ eyes were probing. “If you thought we were doing that, what are you doing up here?”
“I just … I thought we could hang out or something,” Grady said.
“I hate to be … crude, but I figured you’d be spending the night over there with Sophie,” James said. “That seemed to be the way things were heading.”
Grady’s eyebrows nearly shot off his head. “Why would you say that? That’s just preposterous.”
James smirked. “It’s obvi
ous there’s some attraction there between the two of you.”
“It is not,” Grady scoffed, sinking into the open armchair next to the couch. “She’s just a woman who needs help. I am not attracted to her.”
James quirked an eyebrow. “If you say so.”
Grady watched Sports Center with his brother for a few minutes, shifting occasionally. James remained fixated on the television.
“Can I ask you a question?”
James glanced over. “Sure.”
“When did you know?”
“When did I know what?”
“When did you know that Mandy was more than just some girl? I mean, did you know it when you saw her again for the first time?”
James chuckled. “I didn’t recognize her when I first saw her that day at the office. You were there. You remember. If it helps, I did know that I was attracted to her the first minute I saw her.”
“When you found out who she was, did that help or hurt?”
“It definitely hurt,” James said. “It made me feel … dirty. She slept with stuffed animals in our house.”
“Because you knew her when she was a kid, that’s what made you take a step back, right? It wasn’t anything else.”
“Yeah. It’s not like you knew Sophie as a kid, though. I don’t see why you’re dragging your feet on this. She’s an attractive woman.” James glanced over his shoulder to make sure the bedroom door was still shut. “She’s pretty hot, man. I like her.”
Grady leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “When did you know that you felt something more for Mandy than just the normal stuff you usually felt for a woman?”
“It was pretty quick,” James said. “She was different. She made me feel … different.”
“But you still bolted after the first time you had sex,” Grady said. “You weren’t ready to admit she was different.”
James scowled. “We’re not talking about that,” he said. “I still feel like an ass, even though she’s let me off the hook.”
“That’s not what I’m getting at,” Grady pressed. “I want to know when you knew that she was … when you knew you could be happy with one woman.”
“She didn’t give me much of a choice,” James said, chuckling. “I just knew.”
Deadly Intuition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 2) Page 7