Bare It All (4 page)

Reese gave her a long look. “Pepper wasn’t emotional over that,
though, and it wasn’t just fear for her brother.”

“No?”

“Mostly it was Logan getting shot. She went all girly over it,
which was a shocker because before that, she’d been stoic to the point of being
stony. Especially around me.”

“She didn’t trust you?”

“Apparently not. But seeing her at the hospital...I think she
softened some once she realized I wasn’t in cahoots with the bad guys.”

That ludicrous idea struck her funny. “She must not be very
perceptive if she ever thought that.”

“Actually, she’s sharp as a tack, and since I’d been keeping
secrets, she had her reasons for doubting me.” He shook his head, averting her
many questions. “No, don’t ask. When you share, so will I.”

Unfair. “I have valid reasons for keeping some things to
myself.”

“Yeah? Me, too.” He went around her toward the living room.
“Anyway, while I was at the hospital to check on Logan and keep an eye on
Pepper, other detectives followed up our lead.”

“You wanted to be there when that happened?”

“Damn straight. But policy is that any cop involved in a
shooting has that mandatory time off I mentioned.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.
They had it covered, and that meant I could stay at the hospital with
Logan.”

“You’re a good friend.” Cash walked away to lounge in the
sunshine pouring through the patio doors.

“While I was otherwise involved, Lieutenant Peterson finagled a
group bust, and last I heard officers were en route to intercept a transfer...of
women.”

Panic closed in on her, trying to suffocate her, compressing
her lungs and stinging her eyes.

That sickness roiled again, but Alice swallowed several times
and willed away the awfulness by focusing on Reese, watching him lift his
clothes, dig out his keys...

His keys.
New panic exploded.
“You’re leaving?”

He took one look at her and dropped the clothes again. In three
long strides he reached her. “I’ll only be gone long enough to shower and get
clean clothes.” He held her shoulders, hesitated then drew her in to his
chest.

Warmth and Reese’s unique scent enveloped her. He didn’t wrap
those thick arms around her, didn’t crush her close. He merely held her.

Fascinated, curious in a way she hadn’t experienced in far too
long, Alice lifted her hands to his bare chest. That soft cushion of chest hair,
a few shades darker than that on his head, teased her palms. She rested her
cheek against him and inhaled deeply, wanting to eat him up.

The top of her head didn’t reach his chin. She felt his
heartbeat against her cheek. He smelled of man, sex and excitement, but at the
same time, he filled her with peace and contentment, emotions so long absent
from her life. “I’m sorry. I keep imposing when I don’t mean to.”

“I want you to.”

That made no sense. “You want me to impose?”

He put one hand to the back of her head, tangled his fingers in
her hair. “I want you to tell me what you think and feel. I want you to confide
in me.”

“Oh. Okay.” She turned her face a little so that it was her
nose touching his furry chest. “I wish I was as strong as you.”

He made a gruff sound. “Honey, this wouldn’t be happening right
now if you looked like me.”

Another smile. That was a special gift in itself, the humor he
brought her. Humor was one more thing she’d never again take for granted. “I
meant your courage. Not your physique.”

“You were plenty brave yesterday.”

“No.” She owed him the truth about that, since she couldn’t be
truthful about everything else—much as she wished it otherwise. “I have tunnel
vision in dangerous situations. Knowing armed men had come to hurt you and
probably anyone else who got in the way...” Taking a step back, she put a hand
to her stomach. “I trembled so badly inside, I felt queasy and weak all
over.”

He shocked her by covering her hand with his own, but since his
was so much bigger, his fingertips pressed into her sensitive flesh. Even
through her shirt, his touch felt far too intimate.

And stirring.

Gaze compelling, he spoke in a deep, hushed voice. “Come on,
Alice. That’s just a healthy respect for danger. You’d have to be an idiot to be
indifferent to thugs with loaded weapons.”

Yes... Wait. What were they talking about? She’d stopped
hearing him the second he touched her.

“Alice?” He turned his hand to catch hers. “I’m going to leave
Cash here with you.”

“Thank you.” The dog provided so much comfort, and in the short
time she’d been watching him, she’d grown accustomed to his presence. When he
wasn’t around, she missed the sound of his snores, his occasional bark.

Even the sound of him breathing.

“Before I go, there’s one thing I need to know.”

Dreading the inquisition, Alice nodded.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me your last name.”

* * *

R
EESE
WATCHED
HER
eyes widen, saw her soft lips part with a husky laugh. “We’ve never
been properly introduced, have we?”

Damn, she leveled him without even trying. The way she laughed,
how her dark eyes all but devoured him. He’d let her off the hook with details
of being kidnapped—but only until he had her more relaxed.

She might think she kept it together, but he looked at her and
saw so much, all of it painful to witness. She was on the edge, and if she lost
it, if she cried, it’d crush him.

Hearing about it would be even worse, so, yeah, maybe he needed
a little more time to get it together, too.

“I was all right and proper and introduced myself, but you were
determined to cut me cold.” He liked holding her hand and that she hadn’t yet
pulled away. “If it wasn’t for Cash, I’d never have gotten even a simple nod
from you.”

“I’m sor—”

“Do
not
apologize.”

Her grin widened. “Okay.” She did a silly curtsy. “Alice
Appleton.”

Why that tickled him, Reese couldn’t say, but hearing her name,
how melodic it sounded, left him smiling, too. And after she’d kept him at such
a distance, getting a last name meant he was finally making strides.

“I like it. It suits you.” He tugged her in close again, and
when she didn’t resist, he rested his chin on top of her head. “Involvement in a
shooting is always difficult. Even for a cop, counseling is offered, and
strongly advised. It’d make sense if you needed to talk to someone, too.”

Giving away nothing, she said simply, “No.”

Accepting that, because he felt the same, he asked, “Will you
talk to me about it?”

“I already did. It was awful.” She burrowed closer. “I was
cowardly, but I would have done what needed to be done, and I’m proud of
that.”

Wow. He’d never known anyone, much less a woman, who spoke so
candidly. In one respect it worried him, because she left herself so emotionally
exposed, she could be easily hurt.

Her lack of artifice also humbled him, made him more determined
than ever to know her and all her dark secrets. “You’ve done what had to be done
before?”

Instead of answering, she snuggled closer still. “You smell
incredible, Reese.”

A diversion—but he got the message all the same. He
had
made strides, so he wouldn’t get too greedy. Not
right now, anyway. “If you say so, but I need a shower.”

He put his nose to the crown of her head. She was the one who
smelled good. Sort of warm and soft and uniquely...Alice.

Maybe because she wasn’t ready to let him go, she asked, “What
happens now? With your work, I mean?”

“The coroner already had the body transported for autopsy.”

“I’m glad it’s not still in your apartment.”

He felt her shudder. “Yeah, me, too.” He ran his hand up and
down her spine, settling his palm low at the small of her back, close to where
her backside started a gentle rise. The subtleties of her figure teased him,
made him anxious to discover more. “Because the death was officer involved, IAD
will send an investigator. The D.A.’s office, too.”

“Internal affairs?”

He splayed his fingers, spanning the narrow width of her back.
She was so small, so delicate. The contrasts between his large frame and her
slender figure had him stirring again. Insane. He couldn’t let that keep
happening. Not with Alice.

Not while they discussed things so awful and real.

He told himself that he
would
have
her.

When she was ready. When
he
got her
ready.

At the moment, Alice didn’t seem clear on what she wanted, but
he wasn’t inexperienced, and unlike her, he wasn’t conflicted. He felt her
nearly tactile interest every time she looked him over with those big, dark
eyes.

Yes, she wanted his company so she wouldn’t be alone.

And she wanted him—as a man. Thank God.

But now was not the time to seduce her...easy as it’d probably
be.

“Both offices will want to interview Lieutenant Peterson, Logan
and me, the sooner the better.”

She pressed back to scowl up at him. “Are you in trouble?”

“It’s just routine. We’re not accused of any wrongdoing, but
it’s smart to cover all the bases. Don’t worry about it.” Mostly he just wanted
to get past it so he could get back to work.

“Officers talked to me last night.”

Damn. Of course they had. Feeling his way, he asked, “How did
that go?”

“It was fine. I told them what I knew, but really, other than
recognizing there was a problem and loaning a gun to your friend, I didn’t know
what had happened or why.”

And yet, other than asking how everyone had fared, she didn’t
pry. “I can finish explaining everything to you later, okay?”

She nodded. “You still haven’t told me how long it will be
before you can return to your apartment.”

“After a couple of days, we’ll be through all the necessary
tasks. Then I’ll have a company come in that specializes in cleaning...crime
scenes.”

“Meaning blood and gore and such?”

He moved right past that. No reason to dwell on the nastiness.
The cleaners would get done in a day, but because he figured he’d want to stay
with her longer, she didn’t need to know that yet. “So, Alice Appleton, may I be
your guest until my apartment is ready?”

“Yes, Reese Bareden, you may.” Head tipped back, silky hair
falling behind her shoulders, she met his gaze. “And, thank you. I’m sure a few
days will make all the difference. I only need a little time to—”

Reese bent down to kiss her.

He didn’t plan it, hadn’t even realized he would do it, but
once he got there, with his mouth on hers, awareness reverberated throughout his
system, making itself known...everywhere.

In his pants for sure, his head, as well, and maybe even in his
heart.

That bothered him, so he made the decision to keep it brief,
nothing more than a peck. Except that her mouth was insanely soft, and it all
felt so damn
right,
he couldn’t help but linger. He
didn’t kiss her the way he really wanted, and still it staggered him.

Her hands curled carefully against his chest, her fingertips
pressing into his pecs, the telling gesture giving away so much.

She wasn’t unaffected.

Great.

Finally managing to ease back, Reese studied her closed eyes
and heated skin and knew he had to go now before he took things too far.

He ran the back of his knuckles over her downy cheek. All women
were soft, damn it. But somehow, with Alice, the softness seemed amplified.

Reese said, “I won’t be long.”

She still didn’t open her eyes. Instead, she swallowed, nodded
and shooed him away.

That got him grinning and helped to subdue other, more
disturbing reactions. Alice was the funniest and, yes, oddest woman he’d ever
known. Everything about her was endearing. And a turn-on.

Somewhere in her past, she’d been taken by strangers. She’d
been hurt, but he didn’t know how badly. He only knew it was enough to get her
armed to the teeth, to make her wary of one and all.

Enough to have her seek a life of isolation.

Eventually he’d find out everything. For today, he’d start with
a few phone calls and go from there.

One thing was certain. Until he knew if she was still in
danger, he wouldn’t leave Alice Appleton unprotected. He had only planned to get
clean clothes from his apartment, maybe his shaving kit, toothbrush...but, what
the hell. He’d pack a bag, and until further notice, he’d be her roommate—and
her shadow.

“Lock the door behind me.” And with that reminder, he walked
out before he changed his mind and didn’t go at all.

CHAPTER FOUR

A
LICE
MISSED
R
EESE
the moment he left. Her apartment, that once felt
peaceful with only her in it, now felt empty. Too quiet.

Even sort of lonely.

“Bleh.” She turned to Cash. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Cash gave her a sleepy yawn, wiggled a little on the couch and
started thumping his tail when she walked over to rub his ears.

“I’m glad I still have you. But for how long?” She cupped his
furry face and put her cheek to his head. “It breaks my heart, but you’re not
really my dog. Reese loves you, so someday, if he moves or gets involved with a
woman, I might not be able to see you anymore.”

Cash crawled into her lap and tried to lick her face. Dodging
the majority of his sloppy affection, Alice gave a laugh that sounded far too
close to a sob.

Damn it, she would not cry. God knew she had nothing to cry
about. Not anymore. She controlled her life, and if things weren’t exactly as
she’d like them to be, well, she had no one to blame but herself.

Even with the pep talk, her throat went tight and her eyes
burned.

A knock on her door had her sucking up the excess of emotion
real quick.

Cash did a doggy feat of launching away while barking like a
crazed beast.

“Cash, behave.” Assuming Reese had forgotten something, Alice
quickly wiped her cheeks and drew a cleansing breath. Going to the door, she put
her eye to the peephole—and straightened with incredulity.

Taking his cue from her, Cash ramped up his barking to a
berserk level.

“Shhh,” she told the frantic dog. “It’s okay.” Maybe. But why
in the world would—

“Open up, Alice,” came a deep, compelling voice. “I know you’re
in there. I hear Cash.”

As the dog recognized their visitor, his reaction transformed
from outrage to utter elation. Giving a high-pitched whine, he turned circles
and kept looking at her, waiting for her to open the door.

In a whisper, Alice reminded the dog, “You don’t know him any
better than I do.”

“I can hear you, too, Alice.” The amusement came through loud
and clear. “Now open up.”

She bit her lip to hold back the groan. Good grief, did he have
supersonic hearing or something?

Heartbeat accelerated, Alice put a hand to her hair, but of
course it was already tidy. She was
always
tidy. And
boring. And too cautious...

Stop it.

She straightened her shirt, licked the lips that Reese had just
kissed and unlocked the door.

Cash charged forward in excitement, but he didn’t get far.
“Hello, Rowdy,” she said as he caught the dog’s collar. Luckily, being around
Reese had gotten her somewhat used to large men.

Because Rowdy Yates was that, and then some.

He was also drop-dead gorgeous in a devilish, careless, edgy
way. Where Reese tempered his sex appeal, Rowdy threw it out there without
reserve, bludgeoning innocent bystanders with his raw magnetism.

“Hey, yourself.” He went down to one knee to acknowledge the
dog. “What a welcome! I missed you too, bud.”

“Odd,” Alice remarked at the dog’s reaction. “He barely knows
you.”

“We’re kindred souls.”

She doubted that. The dog was sweet and mostly gentle. In more
ways than one, Rowdy Yates represented walking, talking trouble.

Unlike Reese, he didn’t speak in a falsetto voice to Cash.
There were many, many other ways in which he differed from Reese, as well. Where
Reese instilled trust and confidence, Rowdy brought out blushes and heart
palpitations.

Standing there, one hand on her throat, the other crossed over
her stomach, Alice wondered why in the world he’d come to visit.

His blond hair, darker than Reese’s, was a little too long and
a lot too messy, as if the wind—or a woman’s hands—had recently played with it.
He had beard shadow, not because he’d just awakened, but because he hadn’t
bothered to shave. He wore a snowy white undershirt with jeans so ancient the
denim was threadbare in places.

All in all, he made a rugged, mouth-watering package. Alice
gulped and asked with some hope, “Are you looking for Reese?”

“Nope.” He scooped up the dog. “Instead of hanging out here
while you analyze me, how about we take this little party inside?”

But they weren’t having a party! And how had he known she was
analyzing him? “I, ah...”

As if she had no say so at all, Rowdy strode in, and she could
have sworn Cash smiled at her as they went past. Alice just managed to get out
of Rowdy’s way.

With the back view of him now presented to her, she couldn’t
help but notice his muscled tush—and the outline of a big folding knife in his
back pocket. She’d barely met him, but it didn’t surprise her that he’d armed
himself. In fact, she’d bet he had another weapon or two hidden on his
person.

Why was he here?

She had no reason to distrust Rowdy. But then, she had no real
reason to trust him either.

Leaving the front door partially ajar, she followed him into
her apartment.

They hadn’t been properly introduced, but she knew Rowdy as one
of the men involved in the violence yesterday. “You’re Rowdy Yates, Pepper’s
brother.”

“And you’re Alice, Reese’s neighbor.” He gave her a killer grin
guaranteed to make a woman’s knees wobbly.

Alice didn’t doubt its effectiveness—but he wasted it on her.
So far, only Reese had the ability to overwhelm her with his presence.

“Alice Appleton.” Given that Reese now knew her name, there
didn’t seem to be much reason for the continued subterfuge—at least, not in
that. Concern furrowed her brow. “Is everything okay?”

“You tell me.” Going to her couch as if he visited every day,
as if they were somehow old friends instead of brand-new acquaintances, he
dropped into a seat. Cash remained on his lap, a look of rapture on his dark
face.

Given his exceptional good looks, it wasn’t a hardship to study
Rowdy. And in that study, she saw so many emotions. Self-assurance. Even
arrogance.

But she also sensed his troubled thoughts. About what?
Yesterday he’d been in the middle of extreme circumstances. Reese had told her
that Rowdy’s sister had been threatened. How powerless had that made him
feel?

He appeared the overprotective sort. But now his sister was
with Reese’s good friend, Detective Logan Riske. Did that leave Rowdy somehow
displaced? Did he have any other family to turn to?

She had family, and yet, she was still...alone.

“How long are you going to do that?”

Worry for him kept her from embarrassment, and obliterated her
usual reserve. “Not much longer.”

“Good.” He got comfortable, one arm along the back of the
couch. “I don’t mind female attention—”

“I’m sure you’re used to it.”

“—but now it’s getting a little disturbing. Almost like you’re
dissecting me or something.”

“My apologies.” After a moment of hesitation, Alice approached
him, decided to sit close and even reached for his hand.

Wariness sharpened his casual posture.

She ignored his unease, and instead went with her instincts.
“How are you, Rowdy?”

Taken aback, he scowled. “That’s my question for you.”

“I’m not the one who was threatened yesterday.”

He tried to retrieve his hand, but Cash in his lap hampered
him, and she held on. “That wasn’t—”

“A big deal?” Very gently she patted his hand. “Of course it
was. Guns were aimed at you, and that means you could have lost your life at any
moment.”

“I figured we’d get free.”

Or had he resigned himself to death? Since he’d settled in, she
knew she wouldn’t easily get him to leave. Instead of even trying, she held his
hand in both of hers and tried a different tack. “I met your sister yesterday.
Only briefly and of course not under the best circumstances. She’s very
beautiful, and very brave.”

“Yeah, that’s Pepper for you.”

“The two of you are close?”

He stopped straining away and instead scrutinized her.
“Very.”

“I understand that she was threatened, as well.” She tipped her
head and said without inflection, “Human trafficking, correct?”

His jaw locked as he leaned forward. “
Never
would have happened. I’d have taken those bastards apart with
my bare hands before letting them—”

“I know.” She squeezed his fingers to soothe him, to let him
know the coarse language hadn’t offended her. His hands were big and rough.
Capable hands—not that it would have mattered. “Good men always feel that way,
and yet, you know that women still get hurt.”

Dark eyes narrowed in a scowl. “What do you know about that,
Alice?”

Poor Rowdy. He hoped to turn the tables on her by deflecting
her concern.

She wouldn’t let him. “I can see your worry, Rowdy. Your
vulnerability.”

“What the fuck?” Indignation wasn’t the only emotion coloring
his laugh. “I am
not
vulnerable.”

“The language doesn’t shield you. In fact, it gives away your
upset.”

His teeth clenched. “I’m not upset either.”

“Of course you are.” His raised voice was as much an indicator
as the guarded expression in his eyes. “About your future,” she insisted, “about
what to do next and how to proceed.”

“Proceed with
what?
Sorry,
sweetheart, but you’re not making any sense.”

And now endearments. It was a tactic meant to reduce her
conclusions to insignificance. The little woman spouting nonsense. She shook her
head in pity. Rowdy didn’t know her fortitude, he didn’t understand that it took
a lot more than that to derail her.

“Your sister is in love with a police detective. Where does
that leave you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

They both knew better. “For a man who treads a fine line of
right and wrong, how difficult must it be to have a cop for a
brother-in-law?”

He breathed hard, then muttered, “They’re not married yet.”
Pulling his hand from hers, he set Cash aside and stood. After a moment, he
shrugged. “But, yeah, I saw her today and it seems they’re making plans at Mach
speed.”

Alice looked up at him. “You’re opposed to the wedding?”

“No.” He started to pace. “Logan’s a good man. I like him.”

“You trust him.”

“Of course I do. What’s with the psychobabble? Are you a shrink
now?”

Her smile held understanding. “Can you pick a lock, Rowdy?”

A show of nonchalance couldn’t hide his antagonism. “Yeah,
sure.”

“And yet, you’re not a locksmith.”

“I learned on the street.” He took a single step toward her.
“Picking locks, along with a boatload of other talents, was a skill I acquired
out of necessity.”

Exactly how she’d learned to read people—out of necessity.
Given the shift in his expression, now more concerned than combative, he must
have come to the same conclusion.

To head off any intrusive questions, Alice tried to steer the
conversation. “Does it reassure you to know that Pepper will be well
protected?”

Rather than the idea sidetracking him, he jumped on it. “What
makes you think she needs protection?”

How to answer? How to explain that she’d made many assumptions
in a very short time? Stalling, Alice gave Cash a pat before she, too, stood.
“You could call it a hunch if you want.”

Rowdy planted his big feet apart and crossed his thick arms
over his chest. “Here’s the thing, honey. You’re not the only one with hunches.
And that’s why I’m here.” He chucked her under the chin. “I have a hunch you’re
running scared. It’ll be easier on you if you just settle down and tell me
why.”

* * *

S
HE
DIDN
’
T
SCARE
EASY
,
he’d give her that. Even though he pressured her,
he couldn’t crack Alice’s calm facade.

When she’d first started digging into his head, into his
motives, Rowdy had told himself to take off. If Alice didn’t want to share, then
to hell with it. Let her be Reese’s problem. God knew that one enjoyed doubting
everyone and everything...but, yeah, that wasn’t entirely fair. He’d given
Reese, the astute bastard, good reason for doubt.

As if she’d read his mind, Alice asked, “Does Reese know you’re
here?”

He laughed. “No.”

“You don’t trust him?”

“Other way around, honey.” It still burned his ass, but what
the hell? Why not tell her? “What do you know about Reese?”

Without hesitation, right to the point, she said, “He’s a good
man.”

“Yeah, I suppose he is. Not that I always believed it.”

“You must not know him well.”

Because if he did, he’d nominate him for sainthood? Rowdy bit
back a snort. “Nope. Hardly at all, in fact.” He grinned at her. “We had this
little case of mistaken identity. Logan and Reese thought I’d witnessed a murder
two years past, but it was actually my sister....” Sickness burned his stomach,
sent acid into his throat.

Playing cavalier became more difficult.

Not that Miss Alice Appleton was easy to fool, anyway. He
rubbed at an ache in his temple. “Scratch all that, okay? The bastard is dead
now, and good riddance.”

Voice soft, strangely comforting, she said, “So the murderer
was the man who died in Reese’s apartment.”

A statement, not a question, but Rowdy confirmed it, anyway.
“Yeah. Because of him, because of what he would’ve done if he’d known Pepper was
a witness, we lived off the grid.” He couldn’t quite look at her, because damn
it, she’d probably see too much, far more than she’d already surmised. “We
managed to lay low for those two years, but after Logan and Reese exposed us, we
became instant loose ends.”

“So you would have been killed?”

He lifted one shoulder, hoping to shake off the tension that
clung to every muscle. “Reese and Logan, and others, too.”