Grady Judd (Heartbreakers & Heroes Book 1)

by Ciana Stone

  The hat he wore shaded his face, but did nothing to disguise the strong line of his jaw, or the flash of white teeth as he smiled at a woman in passing. “Holy shit.” Charli hadn’t planned to speak the words, but sure as heck was thinking them.

  “Yep.” Cody agreed. “Grady Judd.”

  “You say that like he’s some kind of movie star or urban legend.”

  “Yep.”

  Charli cut a look at Cody. “Well, I know he’s not a movie star so what’s so legendary about him?”

  “Watch.” Cody replied.

  So Charli did. She watched, and by the time Grady Judd reached the diner, she was feeling a whole lot warmer than the weather elicited. Grady smiled at them, stopped and looked in the window at the other women, and then to Charli’s amazement, did the actual, honest-to-God, hand-to-rim, cowboy hat tip.

  It should have looked cheesy, contrived, silly, or anything other than gut-clenching, mouth-watering sexy. She was stunned at the reaction of the women. There were giggles and blushing from everyone, well, everyone but Cody and Hannah.

  The women who’d followed them outside returned to the diner, whispering among themselves as they joined the crowd watching through the window.

  “Grady Judd,” Cody said.

  “Cody Sweet,” he said and smiled.

  “Riggs.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Cody Riggs, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah, my apology. How are you, Cody?”

  “Fine, thank you.”

  “And how about you, Miss Hannah Sweet?” He turned the force of his smile Hannah’s way and Charli saw a bit of color bloom on Hannah’s cheek.

  Hannah held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “I told you last time you were here, didn’t I? It’s Hannah Weathers.”

  “Oh, well, I’m two strikes down. Yes, you did tell me. You and Bryson.”

  “Yes indeed.”

  “Well, again, congratulations to you and Bryson. Hope you’ll enjoy long happy lives together.”

  “Thank you.”

  “And you. I’ve seen you before. A man couldn’t forget that.” Grady turned his attention to Charli, flashed a smile and damn if it wasn’t like having the sun come from behind a cloud. Red alert. Klaxons blared, bells rang, sirens screamed, and that inner voice shouted warnings. She ignored all of it.

  Yes, he was as dangerous a man as she’d ever met. She knew that down to the tips of her toes. His smile was a siren’s lure, his voice analogous to the horn of the Piper, and those eyes—those sky-blue eyes that promised heaven—were danger in its most appealing form.

  He was more attractive and more sexy than the night she shared a quick glance with him at the Honky Tonk. And she was drawn to him like that tired old cliché of the moth to the flame.

  “Likewise,” she finally replied.

  “Grady Judd, ma’am.” He offered his hand, not in a position to indicate a handshake, but palm up.

  “Charli Sampson.” She put her hand in his.

  That was a mistake. Physical contact made her temperature jump a good ten degrees and she swore she felt her breath hitch. She’d never been so affected by a man. What the heck was it with Grady Judd? He was either magic or the most skilled man in the world in the art of seduction because right now she’d happily climb him like a tree.

  “It’s a pleasure, Miss Sampson. Or is that Mrs.?”

  “Ms.”

  His smile seemed intimate, as if they were alone, without twenty-something sets of eyes watching. “Good to know. Are you new in town, Ms. Sampson?”

  “It’s Charli and yes, I suppose. I’ve been here six months or so.”

  “I’d consider it a special pleasure to hear what brought you here, Charli. Any chance you’d have dinner with me on Friday?”

  “There’s always a chance, Mr. Judd.”

  “Grady, please.”

  Oh God yes, I’d consider it a special pleasure to moan that a few dozen times. “Why don’t you stop by where I work later in the week and I’ll let you know how my calendar is for Friday?”

  “And which shop would be yours, Charli?”

  She pointed down the way and he followed the direction she indicated. “Oh, that’s right, police department.”

  “Yep.”

  “As in dispatch, or put people in cuffs?”

  “The latter.”

  “Well, I reckon I’m gonna have to be on my best behavior, aren’t I?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. It might be more fun if you weren’t.”

  The smile he gave her communicated clearly that he was enjoying the flirtation. “Well, I’ll give that some thought and I’ll be seeing you.”

  “Okay, see you, Grady Judd.”

  Grady smiled and tipped his hat to Cody and Hannah. “Ladies, you all have a nice day.”

  “You too.” Cody replied and they all three turned to watch him proceed on down the sidewalk.

  “Damn, he looks as good going as coming,” Charli commented.

  “Girl, you don’t have a clue the bag of worms you’re about to open,” Hannah said.

  “Why?” Charli would have looked at her, but she was still enjoying watching Grady’s fine ass as he strolled along.

  “Because Grady Judd has broken the heart of every woman he’s ever been involved with. Every single one. They all fall in love with him and then he ups and leaves like a circus that’s gotten all it can from the townsfolk and is ready for new pickins.”

  Charli reluctantly turned away from watching Grady and focused on Hannah. “That has to be an exaggeration.”

  “No. It’s not.”

  Charli looked at Cody. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  “Okay, so he’s a heartbreaker. There are plenty of those in the world, but you make him sound like some kind of wraith who swoops in, steals a girl’s heart, and then disappears like a bad dream. And we know that’s not the case. First of all, does he live here, and if so, what does he do?”

  “Yeah, he lives here. He has a spread about ten miles west of town.”

  “And does what on this spread?”

  “Cattle mostly. He did lease some of his land for a windmill farm.”

  “So if he raises cattle, how can he afford to just up and leave town after he breaks another heart? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  Cody shrugged. “I don’t know. All I can tell you is that it’s been happening as long as I can remember.”

  “Well, I don’t buy it, but I can understand how he’d have ample opportunity to break a heart or two. That’s one dangerously fine man.”

  “And one who could break your heart if you’re not careful,” Hannah warned.

  Charli chuckled. “Honey, this isn’t my first rodeo and I’m not looking for Mr. Forever—just Mr. Take Me There, if you know what I mean.”

  Cody laughed, but Hannah didn’t. “Make fun if you want, but I’m telling you, you need to be careful with him, Charli.”

  “Oh, I intend to.” Charli wouldn’t admit it, but she didn’t disbelieve Hannah. There was something about Grady Judd that got to her in a big way, which was fine and dandy if it was just about two people pleasuring one another. But something in his eyes told her there was more to him than people knew, and that was what made him dangerous to her because she was a real sucker for a mystery.

  Particularly one that filled out a pair of jeans like Grady Judd did.

  Chapter Six

  Grady thanked Marsha, the postmaster, gathered up his stack of mail, and carried it to the counter that dominated the wall across from the postal boxes. Most of the mail went into the round file, but there were three envelopes he stacked together, folded in thirds, and crammed in the back pocket of his jeans.

  He then headed back the way he’d come. As he neared the diner, he thought about the new deputy. Damn if she wasn’t a looker. Probably around five foot ten barefoot, and he’d guess by the way she filled out her jeans she’d weigh in easily at one fifty or better. She’d be fun to have a w
restle with. That thought inspired others and after a moment, he had to remind himself that he’d vowed not to get involved with any more women in Cotton Creek.

  All that did was bring trouble into his life. No matter that he made it clear he wasn’t looking for a relationship, they always wanted to latch on and pretend that what was going on was something more. But it wasn’t.

  Grady loved women. Loved the look, the smell, the feel, and the taste of them, but he wanted a wife about as much as he wanted having his teeth yanked out with a pair of pliers. In other words, not at all. He just wanted someone to have some fun with. To ride, or dance, or watch a movie, and to enjoy sex with. No inhibitions, let the adventures begin, get all the goody you can out of it, mind-blowing sex.

  So far he was batting zero at finding a woman who wanted that and honest to God, there were times he wondered if there would ever come a time that he wanted more.

  What would it take to turn back on his ability to love? Or had he lost that capacity for good? He had to acknowledge that it was a possibility, but had decided that rather than lose sleep over it, he’d enjoy every moment he could of his life and let fate take him where he was supposed to go.

  Which, at the moment, was right back to his truck. He had an appointment in an hour with JD Weathers about some bull semen. He passed the diner and took a look inside. Cody, Hannah, and Deputy Charli were still there, along with more than a dozen others.

  He didn’t bother to wave or tip his hat, but did catch Charli’s eye. It came as no surprise at all that he knew, without question, he was going to wind up in her bed, or she in his. What did surprise him was that for the first in a very long time, he wondered if he’d measure up in her book.

  Now wasn’t that something? With a grin, he headed across the street, climbed in his truck, and headed for the Weathers ranch.

  *****

  The meeting was just drawing to a close when Charli’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at it. “Sorry, gotta take this.” She quickly rose and walked out of the diner, answering on the way. “Sampson.”

  Sheriff Tom Greene’s voice came on the line. “There’s a situation at the oil field. Couple of roughnecks took the drill boss by force and are locked in one of the office trailers. They said they’ll kill him if Legacy doesn’t agree to keep the field open and operating.”

  Charli frowned and headed for her vehicle. Legacy was one of the biggest energy companies in the world and they’d bought the Cotton Creek Oil Company eight months ago. She’d only been in Cotton Creek for a month when there was a fracking incident. Two months later Legacy announced they were closing down the entire operation.

  People in Cotton Creek, the county where it was located, and three counties that bordered it went ballistic. Most of the landowners had sold their mineral rights to the Cotton Creek Company, and when it sold out to Legacy their rights went with it.

  They calmed right down when they realized they made more oil royalties from Legacy than they had previously, but as seems to be human nature, a lot of people had started upped their style of living and gotten to the point they depended on those royalties to pay the bills.

  That’s why it caused such a fuss when Legacy announced the bad news. The operation was closing.

  Charli remembered thinking that things were going to get really nasty, and a few times it did. They even had a couple of shootings, one in which a man died. But now people had started to calm. Legacy had not only returned their rights, but had also paid out millions in cash to satisfy the debts of the rights holders to prevent them from going under when the operation finally shut down.

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

  “Take charge at the site. Try to talk them down, but if you can’t, we’ll go in. I’m sending backup and will get in touch with Legacy to see if they’ll call and try to talk to the men holding the hostages.”

  “Okay, I’m headed there now.”

  Charli didn’t bother to turn on the sirens, but did turn on the lights. She was about so break every speed limit between town and the oil site and wanted everyone to see her coming.

  As she drove, she set her mind to the job at hand. Despite her past experiences and her position in law enforcement, she wasn’t keen on violence and tried to avoid it. But if pushed into a corner, or faced with a matter of life or death, she’d fight and she’d use every weapon at her disposal.

  She just hoped it didn’t come to that, but only time would tell. What she had to do now was get into the calmest state of mind she could achieve so that hopefully she could talk the men down and get the hostages set free.

  There was a crowd gathered in front of one in a line of small trailers at the site. The moment she got out of her vehicle, she was approached by a tall, heavyset man she recognized from seeing around town, Art Miller.

  “Art.” She greeted him with a handshake. “Tell me what we have.”

  “Two roughnecks, Tad Clemings and Bobby Williams. They showed up drunk and got in a hollering match with the foreman, Declan Evans and the next thing we know they got guns and are shoving Declan and my secretary Darleen in the trailer and shouting that they’d kill ’em if we didn’t get a signed paper from Legacy guaranteeing that the site would stay up and running.’

  “Okay, thanks, Art. Now, if you could get all these people moved back, I’d consider it a favor. Backup will be rolling in soon along with the Chief and we need to make sure no civilians are in the line of fire should things turn nasty.”

  She’d no more gotten the words out of her mouth when a yell from the trailer had her whirling around. The door was cracked and a man had his head stuck out. She could see that someone had hold of his shirt at the back of his neck.

  “You gotta get Legacy to do what they say,” the man yelled.

  “Mr. Evans?” She walked a little closer, holding her hands out to her sides.

  “Yes.”

  “Sir, ask your captors if I could have permission to enter. I just need to make sure you and Miss Hastings have not been harmed.”

  Evans was jerked back inside and the door slammed. A minute passed before the door opened again and Evans looked out. “They said to leave your weapons and you can come in, but try anything funny and they’ll blow my brains out.”

  Charli didn’t relish the idea of giving up her weapons and considered that perhaps she’d acted too quickly and should have waited for the Chief and backup. But what was done was done. “Okay, I hear you.”

  She made a show of taking her service weapon from the holster clipped to the back of her jeans, and placed it on the ground. She then lifted both arms and turned a complete circle.

  “Okay, come on.” Evan yelled.

  Charli hoped this wasn’t a huge mistake. In a slow and even stride, she walked to the trailer and stopped at the bottom of the two wooden steps that led up to the door. The door swung out and Evans was jerked back deeper into the trailer.

  She climbed the two steps and walked inside. The moment she was in, someone grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to one side. At the same time, the door closed behind her.

  Charli looked around. A woman sat on a metal foldout chair placed in front of a desk. Her hands were lashed together with what looked like an electrical cord. A quick scan of the room told Charli the cord had come from a lamp that was now lying on the floor across the room.

  She looked at the two men holding guns pointed at her. “Who’s in charge here?”

  The men looked at one another and one of them shrugged. “Not me.”

  “Then I guess that means you’re in charge,” she addressed the other man. “Mr.…”

  “Clemings.”

  “Right. Mr. Clemings. Now, why don’t we all sit down and have a conversation to see how we can make this situation work for everyone?”

  “We can make it fucking work by you getting a fucking Legacy out here to guarantee that this place ain’t gonna close and we ain’t gonna lose our fuckin’ jobs.”

  “Well,
we’re trying to do that very thing, Mr. Clemings. When I left Cotton Creek, my Chief was on the phone trying to locate someone from Legacy. But, and this is real important, sir, if you keep these folks hostage, no one and I mean no one at all will negotiate with you about anything.”

  “Bullshit. They don’t wanna see these people get their fucking brains blown out.”

  “No, they don’t. But you holding them hostage eliminates the chance for possible negotiation. If it’s your job you want to keep, then let these folks leave and when a representative from Legacy shows up, you can sit down and talk.”

  “Fuck you. Ain’t nobody gonna come here just for us. If’n we let these people go, we got nothing to bargain with.”

  “Well, sure you do, Mr. Clemings.” She walked a couple of steps closer, almost close enough to reach out and touch the man. “You’ve got me. And you know that no law enforcement officer in the county is going to take a chance on one of their own getting hurt so I’m way more valuable to you than a couple of people who are losing their jobs when this place closes.”

  “You stay where you are, and shut your fucking piehole. We ain’t—“

  At that moment an amplified voice boomed out. “This is Tom Greene, Chief of Police. I’m ordering you to surrender.”

  Clemings looked at Williams and when he did, Charli saw her opportunity. As was often the case in combat situations, at least for her, time seemed to slow. She grabbed Clemings’ outstretched hand and wrenched it to one side. The motion made him stumble, but also clench tighter, and the gun went off.

  The woman sitting in the chair screamed and threw herself into the floor. Bobby Williams looked around wildly and made a grab for Evans, who was hunkered down on the floor. Williams stumbled and lurched forward just as Charli jerked Clemings around by the arm.

  The gun went off again. Bobby screamed. Blood spurted from his shoulder and his gun clattered to the floor. Clemings punched at Charli and caught her in the temple. She staggered, but held onto him and they wrestled for control of the weapon.

  She was starting to fear she wouldn’t be able to subdue him when he made the mistake of yanking her in close. That was the chance she needed. She head-butted him and caught him square in the nose.