“Anytime you’re up for a distraction, just leave this on my bed,” she said, then flashed him a siren’s smile, gave him a harlot’s kiss and hurried off his porch.
Judd looked at the card. Then at her. And he felt the slow burn go from the single stupid part of him and spread throughout his body.
Well, hell.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A TEXT MESSAGE popped up on Judd’s phone screen: you need a nookie night. It was from Mercy, of course, and while it wasn’t exactly a new sentiment from his sponsor, he had to wonder about the timing. The text had come only a few hours after his latest encounter with Cleo. Maybe Mercy had some form of ESP, or else he was giving off some kind of cosmic vibe. Or it could be Mercy just thought about his sex life entirely too much.
That had to be it, Judd decided.
Of course, he was doing plenty of thinking about it, too, thanks to the chest touching from Cleo and the card she’d given him. Get out of jail free. Right. The small rectangular piece of paper was an invitation to some Texas-sized trouble.
Judd put the card in his shirt pocket and was ready to call it a night when there was a knock at the door. He got an automatic jolt of heat when he considered that it could be Cleo, returning to up the ante on her offer. But the heat vanished when Judd opened the door and he saw that it was Nico.
His brother was smiling in a “been there, done that” way that only he and a cocky Greek god could have managed. Without an invitation, Nico strolled right in, went to Judd’s fridge and got himself a Coke.
“Make yourself at home,” Judd mumbled.
“Thanks,” Nico said so easily that it made Judd want to glare. It wasn’t that he disliked his brother, but Nico wasn’t the sort to pay casual visits—even if everything about him and his body language was nothing but casual.
“Kind of late for a visit, isn’t it?” Judd checked the time—10:30 p.m. For the night owl Nico, this was probably early, especially for a Friday night.
“Saw your light on so I knew you were up.” Nico sat on the sofa, stretching his legs out in front of him in his usual lounging pose. “I heard through the grapevine that Avis Odell went to trial for those charges filed against him a couple of months ago.”
Charges that’d stemmed from Avis trying to extort money from Callen and then assaulting Judd. That had all been part of the man’s scheme to get Callen to pay him blackmail money in exchange for not spreading rumors smeared with truth about the Laramie brothers’ shitty past.
And just like that Judd’s annoyance was replaced by a gut punch of old memories.
When Nico was eleven, Avis had been living with the woman who was fostering Nico and Callen, and Avis had beaten them to the point that Nico had nearly died. Avis hadn’t spent nearly enough time in jail for that.
Of course, a lifetime wouldn’t have been enough as far as Judd was concerned.
“Avis got a five-year sentence for this latest round of charges,” Nico said.
Unlike Judd, there didn’t appear to be a lot of emotion in Nico’s voice, and Judd didn’t think it was an act, either. For reasons Judd couldn’t understand, Nico had somehow managed to push aside the past and make it not matter.
It mattered to Judd.
Hell, it ate away at him any chance it got. No matter what he did, the memories stormed hot and raw at him.
“I didn’t bring all of this up to piss you off,” Nico went on. “I thought...hoped it’d help for you to know that he’s behind bars.”
“It helps you?” Judd countered.
Nico shrugged. “Avis Odell isn’t the monkey on my back.” He paused, gave a Greek-god smile. Maybe Nico was waiting for Judd to pour out his guts, but that wasn’t going to happen. Talking about shit didn’t make it go away.
Nico made a “suit yourself” sound. “So, what’s going on between Cleo and you?” he asked.
Now, Judd did glare. He didn’t like this topic of conversation any more than talking about Avis Odell. “Nothing. And even if there was, it wouldn’t be any of your business.”
Nico had a long sip of the Coke. “A lie and a snarl. The second one is your specialty, but you don’t usually lie.”
Well, sonofabitch. “What is this? Some kind of intervention?”
“More or less,” Nico admitted. “I really like Cleo, but she doesn’t always make the wisest choices when it comes to men.” He looked straight at Judd. “You’re not a wise choice. Not now, anyway. Not with all that she’s got going on. But she’s obviously not seeing it that way. She wants you, brother, and since I like her—in a sisterly friend kind of way—it’d be good if she got what she wanted.”
Judd’s stunned silence lasted a little longer than he thought it would, and during those long moments, Nico continued to lounge and sip his Coke. “How the hell would you know about Cleo’s wise choices?” Judd asked.
Nico lifted his shoulder. “I’ve stayed in touch with Cleo, and I know about a guy who was giving her some trouble. A dick who’d leave her like a thousand messages and then come crying to her when she didn’t answer.”
This had to be Harmon Hawthorne, and Judd made a mental note to follow up on the background check he’d already ordered on him. If Nico thought the guy was a dick, then he probably was. His baby brother had a lot of faults, but being a bad judge of people wasn’t one of them.
Which was why the “wise choice” comment about him should have bothered Judd. It didn’t, because it was true.
“Cleo doesn’t need me or my excess baggage,” Judd admitted.
“No, but she wants it. She wants you,” Nico amended. “And don’t bother denying it because I saw the proof when she gave you her ‘get out of jail free’ card.”
Judd gave him a blank stare. “Why would that card have anything to do with wanting me?”
Nico gave him a blank stare right back, and at the moment his was apparently better than Judd’s because Judd was the first to glance away. Then he cursed.
“I don’t want there to be gossip about Cleo and me,” Judd explained. “It could get back to CPS and the social worker. I know that Kace is the legal foster parent, but both Cleo and I are on the grounds. It might cause trouble.”
“And it might solve some things,” Nico countered.
Judd had to go back to his blank stare because he didn’t think his brother was talking about Judd having sex with Cleo to ease up his sexual frustration.
“I was at the Gray Mare for lunch,” Nico went on, “and I heard some talk that Cleo and Kace might be getting together.”
“What?” Judd snapped.
“Getting together as in for the sake of the boys. Marriage, building a family together, et cetera. Donny Ray says he’s never seen Kace so wrapped up in something this personal. Well, not since Kace got married way back when.”
It took Judd a couple of moments to wrap his mind around everything Nico had just said, and he reminded himself to consider the source. Not Nico but Donny Ray, who was a bartender with the IQ of a piece of shit. An IQ so low that he couldn’t have come up with any of this on his own. Well, other than the part about Kace getting married way back when. Kace had indeed gotten married over a decade ago and then gotten divorced shortly thereafter. And it’d definitely wrapped him up for a while.
“Kace and Cleo aren’t getting together,” Judd said once he got his teeth unclenched.
“No, because Kace doesn’t want her and Cleo wants you. But if the gossips believe they’re getting together, then there’ll be talk about them having sex under the same roof as the boys. Cleo’s police record will come up.”
Judd didn’t have any trouble seeing where that would lead. CPS could give Kace a black mark if he was carrying on with someone like Cleo.
“I know Cleo needs to be nearby so she can keep an eye on the boys.” Nico stood, finished off his Coke.
“She’s looking for
a house she can rent,” Judd pointed out.
Nico nodded. “But in the meantime, she shouldn’t be living under the same roof as Kace. My advice is to move her in here with you and go ahead and have sex with her. Good sex gives off a vibe, and the gossips will pick up on it.” His brother flashed a quick grin. “Plus, it’s fun. Might as well use that card Cleo gave you.”
With that, Nico strolled out as if he hadn’t just shaken Judd to the core. What the hell kind of logic was that?
And why was Judd considering taking it?
At least the answer to the second question was easy. He was considering it because sex with Cleo was something he wanted to do, but that didn’t mean it was right. But there was nothing sensible about moving Cleo in here with him. Well, except for staving off gossip that Judd wasn’t even sure needed staving off.
His temper was rolling through him when his phone rang, and he jabbed the answer button when he saw Darrell’s name on the screen.
“Harmon Hawthorne,” Judd said right off. “Did you get anything on him?”
“Probably no more than you got. Trust-fund baby who co-owns a real-estate business with his mother. Is he connected to what’s going on with your brother fostering the boys?”
“Indirectly.” Judd huffed, then added, “He’s just some jerk who’s been bothering Cleo. Sorry if I wasted your time with him.”
“I didn’t spend long on it when nothing popped. No restraining orders, no arrests. Nada. The guy’s squeaky-clean.”
No, he wasn’t, but the crap he’d pulled with Cleo didn’t leave the kind of paper trail that cops looked at unless Harmon escalated things and started stalking her.
“I’m calling about Lavinia,” Darrell said, snapping Judd’s attention back to him. “She’s been talking to a reporter, Crawford Banning, and she’s convinced him to start digging into your official record. Maybe your personal stuff, too.”
Hearing that didn’t soothe any of Judd’s temper. “The reporter’s an idiot if he doesn’t see, or smell, Lavinia for what she is.”
“I agree, but idiots are all over the place, and judging from the way Banning’s pressing, he could have a grudge against cops. I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s had a couple of run-ins with the law, and he might be looking for some payback. Just wanted you to know what he was doing in case something came up.”
Meaning Judd’s drinking problem. There was nothing about it on his official records, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be dug up. Easily dug up. Lots of people likely knew about his fondness for the bottle.
“Say, have you ever just thought about telling everybody why you transferred from Austin to Coldwater?” Darrell asked.
“No.” Judd likely wouldn’t have added more to that even if Cleo hadn’t caught his attention. She stepped onto the back porch of Buck’s house, and his mouth went dry just looking at her.
Man, why did she have to be so damn beautiful? And why was the porch light spilling on her so that it allowed him to see every inch of her curves beneath the pale yellow dress she was wearing?
“Judd?” Darrell said. “You still there?”
“Sure.” He was about to force himself to tune back into their conversation, but then Cleo turned in his direction, their gazes connected and she smiled.
She started toward the cabin.
“I have to go,” Judd told Darrell. “I’ll call you back.”
Judd put his phone away, but he didn’t budge from his spot by the window. He needed to think this through, because if he went to the door and opened it...
He went to the door and opened it before he even allowed himself to finish that thought.
Cleo was already right there, stepping onto his porch. Still smiling. Looking good enough to eat. So, that’s what he did. As soon as she reached the door, he hooked his arm around her, pulled her in and kissed her.
It wasn’t relief that went through him. The exact opposite. It was a hot tangle of doubt, pleasure and realization that he was making a big-assed mistake. But since the mistake was already a certainty, Judd went ahead and made it worth his while by shutting the door and making things a whole lot hotter.
He deepened the kiss, catching the sound of pleasure that she made, and hauled her closer to him. He probably needed to let her catch her breath, or at least give her a chance to voice any objection she might have to this.
However, he doubted an objection was going to come because Cleo slid her arms around him and did some hauling of her own by dragging him against her body. Chest to breasts, as well as the alignment of other parts that gave him a reminder of the curves he’d admired when she’d been on the porch.
His tongue slid against hers. Tasting. And slipping right into that cauldron of fire that she was causing.
There was no coming back from this, Judd knew. No way to pull away and just pretend this hadn’t happened. Nope. This was crossing the line. A really good one. One that got even better when he slid his hand between them and rubbed his fingers over her nipple. It wasn’t hard to find since it had tightened and puckered against the front of her dress.
“Good use of your ‘get out of jail free’ card,” she said when he finally broke the kiss. Cleo gulped in some air, causing her chest to heave. It also caused her nipple to press even harder against his hand.
“Oh, I’m not finished. That card has a ways to go before it’s used up.”
She laughed, like smoke, silk and sex, and she caught onto the back of his neck to pull him down for another kiss. Judd just slid right into it. And upped the touching.
His hand went lower this time, past her stomach and between her legs. There was a lot of clothing between them, but it was still effective because Cleo called him a dirty name and squirmed against him. So, Judd touched her again, and he planted some kisses on her neck.
“You remembered,” she said.
Her voice was mostly breath, but Judd still managed to hear her. However, it took him a moment to realize what she was talking about. She liked having her neck kissed. When they’d made out as teenagers, it had been the spot that had taken her from smoke, silk and sex to “do me now.” Judd was surprised and a little disgusted with himself that he hadn’t remembered that sooner.
Cleo rolled her head to the side, giving him the access he needed to kiss that very sensitive spot for her. And he used his teeth, causing her to do the same. She bit his shoulder and then went after his sensitive spot.
She slid her hand over the front of his jeans. Since his hand was still in that same place on her, there was some bumping and jockeying for position, but that only made things better.
The urgency came. Man, did it. A fireball of heat came blasting through him and notched them up to the level just above foreplay. It was time to get naked, and Judd would have almost certainly started taking off his clothes if he hadn’t felt Cleo stiffen.
“Damn it,” she groaned.
All in all, that was not something he’d wanted to hear her say, and he was about to assure her that he had a lock on the door and condoms in his nightstand. But when he looked at her, he could see that Cleo no longer seemed to have that urgency to get naked. Judd followed her gaze to the side window and soon saw why.
Beckham.
The boy was on the back porch, and he was definitely skulking. Not a surprise since it was well past his bedtime, and he shouldn’t be out and about. His gaze was firing around the yard, and he had a backpack slung over his shoulder. After more of those fired gazes, he hurried down the steps, moving fast until he was out of sight.
“He’s running away,” Cleo grumbled.
She threw open the front door and hurried out into the night.
Judd was right behind her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
CLEO WOULD HAVE stormed right toward Beckham and latched onto him if Judd hadn’t latched onto her first and held her back.
She didn’t want to watch. Cleo wanted to catch up with Beckham and have a “come to Jesus” moment about him doing something this stupid. She and plenty of others had rearranged their lives and schedules so that he’d have a decent place to live, and this was how he repaid them?
Worse, he was leaving his little brothers behind.
Cleo stayed on the porch, only because of Judd’s firm grip and repeated order of “watch him.” And she did indeed watch as Beckham cut across the backyard and headed toward the barn.
“That’s not his backpack,” Cleo muttered more to herself than Judd. It was an old battered one that she was pretty sure she’d seen in the supply closet in the upstairs hall. If he was running away, why hadn’t he just taken his own? Or both? That way, he could have carried more stuff.
“You think he’s going to try to take a horse?” she whispered to Judd.
Judd shook his head and moved in front of her, and the moment Beckham disappeared into the barn, Judd finally stepped off the porch. Quietly. He was definitely in his lawman’s mind-set right now. A cop on the trail of a would-be runaway.
This was not how she’d intended to be spending her night when she’d gone over to Judd’s. And if she hadn’t spotted Beckham when she did, Judd and she would have almost certainly been in bed by now. That reminder only made her feel even more frustrated because if she hadn’t been making out with Judd, she might have seen Beckham sooner and talked things out with him. Now the confrontation was more likely to be an angry one.
Then she heard talking.
As Judd and she got closer, she could hear the boy’s voice and realized he was on the phone with someone. They moved to the side of the barn door and listened.
“Just look around for a place I can go if it comes down to that,” Beckham said to whoever was on the other end of the line. “And don’t say anything about it to your folks.” He paused. “No. They won’t help. They’d just call somebody and report me.”
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