Big Bad John (Bigger in Texas Series) Read Free Page A

chortled. “Hear that, Tommy? Don’t think I won’t call a head shrinker if you don’t get home before I do. Go on, now. Git.”
    Tommy glared at Caroline and Trudy before smacking the reins against his poor horse and disappearing down the road at a gallop.
    His father shook his head. “At this rate I’ll never be a grandfather,” he muttered, tipping his hat once more. “Maybe it’s for the best. Tell Jefferson I’m here if he’s shorthanded. Least I can do after the deal he’s givin’ me. Though from what I understand, Big John has everything under control.”
    “Thank you, sir. I’ll let him know,” Trudy assured him, watching him ride away, her brow furrowing. The cameras? What deal? What the hell was going on?
    “I bet that Tommy had a giant-sized creepy crush on you, didn’t he?” Caroline leaned against the rental car with an intrigued expression. “Speaking of giant… did he say Big John? Am I really going to meet someone named Big John? You’ve never mentioned him before. Sounds promising. My spidey senses are all a-tingle.”
    Trudy winced. Sometimes she really hated Caroline’s superhuman ability to sniff out a story. John’s nickname on her lips sent Trudy’s mind racing.
    Big John. Big Bad John. That was what everyone had called him when he first arrived, and the moniker had stuck. Like that old country song, he’d come from somewhere in Louisiana, an enigmatic man with secrets that he’d somehow managed to keep for years in this tiny, nosy town, and he was as big as a mountain. A sexy, lickable six-foot-six mountain. He also had a protective, possessive hero complex and the ability to invade every dirty fantasy Trudy ever had for over a decade.
    And she’d never mentioned him to her best friend. The best friend who knew every dark and dirty secret Trudy had ever had. Except for that one.
    With a bolt of clarity that struck her like lightning, she suddenly knew why. Two of the most sexually charismatic and attractive people she’d ever known were less than ten minutes away from meeting face to face. The idea made her throat tighten uncomfortably. How had that not crossed her mind? But it hadn’t, not until she’d seen Tommy’s lewd expression when he’d caught a glimpse of Caroline. Not until she’d said his name. Big John.
    Caroline would be as taken with John as every other woman in town under eighty always was. And no man she’d ever met could resist Caroline when she decided she wanted him.
    Hell.
    Caroline whistled and straightened with a worried frown. “From your expression it seems there’s a lot you didn’t tell me. Don’t worry, Tru. I’m not planning on riding any cowboys on this trip, no matter how big they are. I only want to help with your brother if you need me…and get that interview. But you do know that I’m now going to pester you until you tell me everything that blush of yours is hinting at.”
    “I know it.” Trudy shrugged, trying not to meet her probing gaze. She opened her car door and slid behind the wheel, waiting for Caroline to follow. When she was in the passenger seat, groaning in gratitude at the fresh blast of cold air that greeted her, Trudy took a deep breath.
    Time to go home.
    They traveled the rest of the short trip in silence, and Trudy could feel Caroline’s curiosity increase with every passing moment. She turned into the driveway, parked the running car and hopped out to open the gate before driving through, making sure she closed it behind her, then headed down the long, bumpy path that led to the old place.
    The trees along the driveway thinned and the land opened up as they reached the two-story house covered in butter yellow paint that was chipped and faded with age.  She could see some work had been done. The gutters looked new and the windows were double paned. The white paint around the windowsills and on door looked fresh and clean. But the place had never been paid much attention to, beyond emergency fixes. For as long