Bare It All (14 page)

“Make yourself comfortable.”

Cash must’ve thought she meant him, because he crawled up and
over Rowdy’s lap, his whole butt still wagging.

Grinning, he watched Alice go into the kitchen. Seconds later
he heard ice clinking in a glass.

Figured Alice wouldn’t just hand him a can.

She returned with two frosty colas...and sat close beside him
on the couch.

Shit. She was by far the pushiest female—who didn’t want
sex—that he’d ever met. “Alice—”

She shoved a glass into his hand. “I’m not interested in you
that way either.”

No kidding. Anyone with eyes could see she was majorly hung up
on Reese. “I know.”

“But I do like you.”

He toasted her with the cola and took a long drink.

“I want a man’s perspective, and since we’ve already cleared
the air, I should be able to talk to you without misunderstandings. You’re not
interested, I’m not interested and, hopefully, Reese is.”

A man’s perspective? On
what?
Dread
crawled all over him. “Reese hasn’t made it clear to you?”

She frowned in uncertainty. “He’s kissed me a few times.”

“There you go.” And then, curious despite himself, Rowdy asked,
“Only a few kisses, huh?”

She nodded. “Reese is a wonderful kisser.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Cash army-crawled over to her and, with a smile, she gave him
the promised treat, then stroked his back as he gnawed on it. “I’m concerned
about...anything else.”

Rowdy had a hard time following the conversation. “Anything
else with Reese?”

“With him seeing me. I’m not sure... That is...” She visibly
screwed up her courage. “I’m afraid he’ll see me, all of me, and be
disappointed.”

“Why would he be—”

“I’m not at all like your sister.”

Rowdy shook his head fast. “Let’s not go there.”

“Or the neighbors who hit on him.”

Now he lifted a brow. “Neighbors, plural?”

She didn’t seem to hear. “I’m just...me. Very average me.”

She was a galaxy away from average, but none of that had
anything to do with body issues. Trying to relax, Rowdy set aside his glass and
stretched out his legs. “Women always look at that the wrong way. When a guy’s
attracted to a woman, he wants to see her naked. Period. Big boobs, small
boobs—”

“Hey!”

“A little over or a little underweight, who cares? Naked is
what we want.”

“We?”

“With women we’re interested in.” She continually tried to trip
him up. “Not me with you, but Reese with you.”

She stared at him with rapt attention.

Rowdy shifted, cleared his throat. “He’s not looking for any
imagined flaws, you know.”

“And if they’re not imagined?”

Jesus. What the hell was she hiding under there? He ran a hand
over his head. “It’s not that he’s turned on in spite of a lack of curves, or
too many curves, or...whatever.” He couldn’t begin to guess at her particular
hang-up. “It’s that he doesn’t even see it. All he sees is a woman he wants, and
the promise of getting busy.”

“In bed, you mean.”

“Or on the couch, the floor, in the shower or on the table.
Wherever.” Hoping to tease her just a little, he said, “Guys aren’t nearly as
picky as women.”

Alice took a second to chew on that. “It’s not... Okay, let’s
say I’m fine with my body. I mean, it
is
average,
like me, but I guess that’s okay.” Then she asked, “You’re sure he won’t mind
that?”

Fighting off a smile wasn’t easy. “Get naked, and I promise you
Reese won’t be complaining.”

She thought some more, then went resolute. “Okay.”

Just like that? Reese would owe him ten times over.

“The thing is,” Alice continued, “I have...character flaws,
too.”

Compassion almost smothered him. Gently, Rowdy said, “No, you
do not.” Hell, reckless daring aside, she was about the sweetest woman he’d ever
met.

“I do, but I hide them well.”

Something else to discuss with Reese...maybe. Rowdy didn’t like
the idea of betraying Alice’s trust. Maybe if she and Reese got together, Reese
would be able to figure it out without his help.

“Look,” Rowdy said, taking her hand. “It won’t matter. Reese is
an astute guy, and he’s sensible. Whatever the problem is, try trusting
him.”

“Why do men always say that?”

“Because women are always distrustful?” And that, finally,
brought him back to his reason for being here with her now. “What happened
today?”

She shook her head. “It was nothing. Just a young lady that
needed a helping hand.”

“Bullshit.”

“Rowdy Yates, do not curse at me.”

“Then don’t feed me a line.” Sitting forward, forearms on his
knees, he studied her. “Something went down. Something dirty. You stuck your
little nose right into the middle of it. Was that planned or happenstance?”

“If I tell you, will you tell Reese?”

“Maybe.” Not if he could convince her to tell Reese first. “Let
me hear it, and then I’ll decide.”

Indecision held her for several heartbeats before she complied.
“I see when other people are upset or scared. I don’t know how, but I do.”

“Like a sixth sense or a gut reaction.” Rowdy had them,
too—hell, that intuition had damn near bludgeoned him when he met Alice—so he
didn’t question her. “Go on.”

“I saw her—her name is Cheryl—get passed from a van to a truck
in the parking lot at the mall. It felt wrong to me, so I decided to follow
her.”

Rowdy listened as she relayed chilling details laced with
foolhardy bravery. She could have been killed. If Hickson hadn’t been alone in
that room, if she hadn’t gotten out before the other two men showed up, if she’d
misfired the Taser—so many things could have gone wrong that it left him
cold.

“I left Hickson in the room, trussed up with nylon
restraints.”

Rowdy could only stare at her.

“After I Tased him, while he was still stunned, I bound his
wrists and ankles,” she said defensively. “And then I had Cheryl fasten him to a
pipe in the wall.”

“He’s not there anymore.”

She paused. “No?”

“Two other goons showed up and freed him only minutes after
you’d left.” It hadn’t been quite that close, but she deserved to worry. He
watched her, waiting for her fear.

“Well,” she said with a lack of concern that bordered on
relief, “I guess that takes care of one problem, then. I don’t have to worry
about sending someone to find him.”

Like that would have been easy? Challenging her, Rowdy asked,
“Who would you have sent?”

“I was thinking...you.”

He sat back in surprise.
“Me?”

She patted his hand. “Reese could handle it, of course, but he
would have all kinds of questions, and he’d probably get annoyed, being that
he’s a detective and all that.”

“What the hell was I supposed to do with him?”

As if sharing a confidence, she leaned closer, her expression
sincere, guileless. “I was thinking you could question him. Maybe find out about
any other people involved so we could get them all.”

Get them all?
She was a walking
disaster waiting to happen. Rowdy tried to find words but came up blank. He
pointed at her, couldn’t form a rational sentence and stood to pace away.

“What?” she said, jumping up to follow him. “Should I have just
ignored her?”

Finding his voice with a vengeance, Rowdy pivoted to face her.
“You should have called someone! Reese or, sure, me. But
before
you did anything, not afterward.”

Her voice rose with his. “By then it might’ve been too
late.”

“Hell, you could have called a cop, any cop!”

“You don’t like cops!”

Temper ignited.
“I wasn’t
involved.”

They both stared at each other, equally stunned by the
outburst.

Rowdy couldn’t believe it when her mouth twitched.

As if to placate him, she patted his shoulder. “You’re scaring
Cash.”

He glanced at the dog and saw Cash watching him...while still
gnawing on his chew treat. The dog was attentive but not really worried.

He and Alice had that in common.

Fuck, fuck,
fuck.
Alice Appleton
would make him insane in very little time.

He sucked in a breath, flexed his hands to loosen his fists and
tried to get it together. In a much calmer voice, he asked, “Are you home for
the rest of the night?”

Prim, composed, she folded her hands together. “Yes.”

Good. He started around her. “Reese should be here any minute
now. Tell him everything. He deserves to know.”

Fleeing her insane effect on him, Rowdy started out. He didn’t
want to yell at Alice. He didn’t want to dictate to her.

Damn it, how would anyone keep her safe when she had such
disregard for her own hide?

Now
she looked worried.
“But...where are you going?”

“I have a late appointment with a real estate lawyer.” And
after that, he’d head to the bar and find some feminine company, preferably
Avery. With any luck, she’d help him expend pent-up energy in the best way known
to man—through grinding hot sex.

“What?” Alice trotted after him. “Real estate? Why?”

Anxious to be gone, Rowdy opened the door. “I’m buying a bar.”
He started out. “Lock this. And, so help me, Alice, you better stay put.”

He pulled the door shut, waited until he heard it lock then
took the steps two at a time.

He’d give her the rest of the evening to talk with Reese—and
then he’d share his own report. Poor Reese.

He might not know it yet, but Alice was about to turn his world
upside down.

* * *

W
ITH
R
OWDY
GONE
,
Alice’s courage faded, and she started shaking again. Talking with him had held
off the aftereffects, giving her a different focus.

Now, it all came flooding back. That squalid little airless
room, the soured breath of Hickson, how his body had flopped around while being
Tasered...

Men had shown up right after she’d left.

What if she’d hesitated a little longer? What if Hickson had
struggled or Cheryl had gotten more hysterical? She didn’t have enough tools in
her bag to handle those circumstances.

Her composure fractured, and she covered her face. Memories of
another time slithered over her, a time when she hadn’t helped anyone, not even
herself.

She could never be that vulnerable again.

She needed to show more care, gain more skill. And maybe she
should have called Reese. But he’d been far away, and she hadn’t known Rowdy was
following her.

So, really, this was partly his fault. If he’d told her,
maybe...probably not, but
maybe
she would have asked
for Rowdy’s help.

She did trust Reese, both with issues of safety and with her
heart. Not that she had a choice where her heart was concerned; he was far too
appealing for her to keep any kind of distance.

Thinking of Reese took her along a natural course, imagining
how he’d look when he returned, how he’d smell and feel and taste. She could
really use a hug or two from him right now. Or a kiss.

Or...more.

Reese’s unique brand of comfort was like an exciting drug,
buoying her confidence, making her feel prettier, braver, less guilty. Thoughts
of him beat back the panic and uncertainty.

If he would just come home and smile at her, she could stop
stressing over “what-ifs” and all the possible scenarios that might have taken
place if things had gone wrong. She could concentrate on how to proceed, how to
use what she’d learned to assist others.

How long she paced and fretted, she couldn’t say.

When Cash barked, she jumped a foot, then jumped again as a key
sounded in the lock.

Reese.

Time for confessions. But first she had to somehow compose
herself. She had to compartmentalize all the worries, sorting them to a corner
of her brain as she’d learned to do to survive.

Should she bombard him with the day’s events first thing?
Should she start by telling him about her past so that he’d better understand?
Should she—

He unbuttoned his shirt as he stepped in, and he looked so
good, so solid and safe and amazingly sexy, Alice knew what she wanted first,
what she needed right now.

She needed Reese.

CHAPTER TWELVE

E
VEN
WHILE
BENDING
to greet Cash,
Reese noted Alice’s scrutiny.

And her scraped knee.

He nodded at her leg. “What happened there?”

Eyes dark and warm, she looked down at her knee. “It’s just a
scratch.” Slicking her little tongue over her upper lip, she ogled him. “You’re
taking off your shirt?”

“It’s hot as hell out there, and getting grilled has a way of
making it worse.” But mostly it was hearing the details of Alice’s abduction
that left him sweating.

They’d talked briefly after finishing the coffee, when Peterson
had gotten a phone call. Logan had only uncovered what was in the press—which
meant what Alice herself had shared. Sketchy details. A few names. A time
frame.

Logan had also confirmed that Alice did, indeed, have CCPs in
order for her weapons.
Why does she need conceal and carry
permits?
He had a million questions for her, but mostly he wanted to
hold her.

She inched closer. “It went okay?”

It made Reese smile, how she stared fixedly at his chest, not
his face. “It’s fine. I’ll be back to work Monday.” How could she expect him to
keep his hands to himself, to give her the time she’d requested, when she showed
such naked hunger? “You’ve seen my chest before, honey.”

She nodded and whispered, “You take my breath away.”

With a final pat for Cash, he stood again—and shrugged the
shirt off. “Is that so?” He tossed it over the back of the couch.

“Yes.” Alice drifted her attention over him. “It’s the same as
you seeing me without a shirt.”

“Not even close.” But damn, he couldn’t wait.

Her heated examination dipped down to his abs, and then snagged
on his fly.

The way Alice looked at him was almost as good as a stroke.
Almost.

“Alice,” he all but groaned. “Up here, please.”

She dragged her focus back to his face.

“I need to take Cash out. Change out of these clothes into
something more comfortable.” And cooler. “And I could use something to eat. I
haven’t had dinner yet and I’m—”

“I’m sorry.” Visibly trying to rein herself in, she nodded. “I
didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t apologize.” Not for wanting him. “I like the way you
welcome me home.” And damn it, with Alice there, he knew any place would feel
like home.

Flustered, avoiding his gaze, she said, “Cash just came back
in.” She sidestepped to the kitchen doorway. “I skipped dinner, too. But I can
fix you a sandwich while you change—”

“Or you can tell me what you really want.” To hell with food or
changing into shorts; he’d prefer to be naked with Alice.

She shot back around to face him, her expression...eager.
“Could I?”

Heat rolled through him. “Absolutely. I have the evening free,
so I’m all yours.” Slowly, remembering her in that white nightgown, how her
small body curled into his through the night, Reese approached her. “I don’t
want to rush you. We can go slow.”
Torture.
“But I
know you enjoy kissing me.”

“I really do,” she said with feeling.

Lust deepened his voice. “You enjoyed sleeping beside me, too.
I know you need more time, but how about we do those things again—together this
time.”

“Kiss...in bed?”

God, he hoped she was willing. “Sounds good to me.” He touched
the side of her face, slipped his fingers into her hair—and realized it was
somehow different, the adjustment subtle but still evident. “You changed
it?”

Big brown eyes dark with desire gazed at his mouth. “It?”

“Your hair.”

“Yes.” Her hands trailed over his shoulders, his pecs, back up
again. “My hair,” she murmured, as if she had no clue what they were talking
about.

Half smiling, finding her so endearing in her sensual
distraction, Reese cradled her head in his palm, stepped closer to breathe her
in. “I like it.”

“Reese?”

With a hand opened on the small of her back, he urged her body
into fuller contact with his. No way would she miss his erection, but he didn’t
care. “Hmm?”

Cuddling her hips against him, she whispered, “I don’t want to
wait anymore.”

Reese closed his eyes, fighting the urge to take her to the
floor right now. That little catch in her voice almost did him in.

When had he ever suffered this level of lust?
Never.
Only with Alice.

He did not want to rush through this first time with her.

“Do you suppose Cash is distracted enough?” Once he got her in
bed, he wanted to give her all his considerable concentration—and he wanted to
make it very good for her, so good that she’d want many repeat performances.

“I’ll give him another treat.” Alice rushed off before Reese
could stop her, came back with two treats, and after a quick pat to Cash’s head,
presented him with the gifts.

The dog’s ears went up, and his eyes gleamed with gluttony.

“There.” Standing again, expression expectant, Alice faced him.
She bit her bottom lip, shifted her stance. “Should we go to the bedroom?”

Reese didn’t understand the sudden turnaround, but he wasn’t
about to question it. “If that’s what you want.”

“I do.” She snagged his hand and hauled him down the hallway at
a near trot. “I thought about you all day, in between shopping and manicures and
talking with Pepper.”

She rushed them into her bedroom.

Closing the door, Reese turned her to face him. “You enjoyed
yourself?”

“What?”

“With Pepper.” He assumed all women enjoyed shopping, but Alice
was unlike any woman he’d ever known.

Her face went bright red. “How was your day?”

Interesting reaction. Had she posed her own question to keep
from answering his? “Just fine.”

“Good.” She looked away.

Had Pepper said something to upset her? God knew the woman
could be pushy—

Alice reached for his belt. “Let’s chitchat later.”

Talk about pushy. It wasn’t like Alice to be so assertive. He
couldn’t help but wonder what had brought about the change.

Catching her hands, Reese said softly, “Slow down, honey. I’ve
been waiting for this forever—”

“We haven’t known each other that long.”

“Feels like forever all the same.” He tried a smile that hurt,
he was so hard. “Kissing first, okay?” He took her mouth before she could say
anything more. Kissing her was a unique pleasure. “Open up for me, Alice.”

On a gasp, she did as asked and Reese sank in, tasting her,
stroking with his tongue. He angled in for a deeper kiss, both of them already
panting...and Alice’s hands returned to his belt again.

He caught them, brought them up to his shoulders then went to
work on the buttons to her blouse. Kissing her jaw, her throat, he murmured,
“You need to catch up.”

She went very still, her fingers clenching, digging into his
shoulders.

He loved it.

When the shirt was open enough, Reese slipped his hand inside
and...over her left breast.

Her hands fell away from him, her breath hitching as he touched
her.

Ah, God, she felt nice. Small, firm, her nipple drawn tight.
“Perfect.”

Putting his other hand into her shirt, too, he cuddled both
breasts, brushed his thumbs over her nipples. Watching her face, he lightly
caught each one and tugged with the gentlest touch.

She moaned before shrugging the shirt off her shoulders.

It fell to the floor.

Cheeks flushed and her bright gaze locked on his face, Alice
stood there.

Her bra was a surprise. Sheer beige edged by black lace. In a
voice that sounded like gravel, Reese whispered, “You little tease.” Never had
he suspected Alice would wear such sensual underwear.

Breasts shimmying with her fast breaths, she bit her lip in
nervousness. “I like nice underwear,” she explained.

“Great. I like it, too.” He especially liked it on her.

Would her panties match? He couldn’t wait to find out.

“You’ve been walking around in front of me, wearing this sexy
stuff without me knowing.” Nothing about Alice was ever expected, so he should
have realized. She hid so much behind her straitlaced facade.

Knowing she hid
this
really turned
him on—maybe because he’d be the only man aware of it.

Dragging the back of his knuckles down the silky skin of her
rib cage, over her narrow waist and flat belly, Reese touched the closure to her
capris.

Senses heightened, lust pounding through him, he opened the
snap.

“Rowdy said you’d like my body,” she suddenly blurted.

Freezing, his brain going blank, Reese stared at her. His mouth
opened, but nothing came out.

Alice just watched him, waiting for confirmation.

In a croak, Reese demanded, “Rowdy said
what?
”

Maybe because outraged disbelief filled his tone, Alice sucked
in a breath and shook her head. “Never mind.” She nodded at his hands on her
waistband. “Go on.”

Go on...
She had to be kidding!
“Not on your life.” A red haze filtered into his vision. He took a step back,
thoughts of mangling Rowdy uppermost in his mind—

And Alice shoved down her zipper. “It’s not what you think!”
Hastily, she worked the capris down over her narrow hips.

Even in a rage, he noted that the panties did indeed match.
Minuscule, more lace than anything else, barely covering her...

“I was worried about you wanting me, and Rowdy assured me you
would. That’s all I meant.”

His brain throbbed at the dual assault of raging jealousy and
red-hot lust.

She kicked the pants aside and stood tall, stoic—insecure.
“So...do you?”

God Almighty. Could a woman be more appealing?

He didn’t think so.

Unable to get his gaze off her body, Reese took in every
delicate curve, each tempting swell. Her thighs were long, trim, her bone
structure delicate. “You shouldn’t be discussing things like that with Rowdy.”
He shook his head, amending that statement. “With
any
other man. If you have questions, come to me.”

“I had questions
about
you.” She
shifted her feet, laced her fingers together. “Reese, I’m in an agony of
suspense here. You’re just staring at me. Do something, please.”

“All right.” Later, he’d talk to her about inappropriate
conversations and timing disclosures. Hauling her up to him, he took her mouth
with all the hunger clawing inside him. She wilted against him—for about three
seconds. Then she became a very active participant, her hands all over him, her
body squirming against his.

She sucked at his tongue, teased him with her own and, this
time, when she went after his belt, he helped her.

The second she got his slacks open, she slipped a small warm
hand inside.

“Alice.” A weak protest at best.

Curling her fingers around him, she kissed his shoulder, his
chest, lightly bit his right pectoral muscle. “I could just eat you up,” she
whispered.

Reese tried to tune out the visual her words provoked. If he
went there, he’d be a goner for sure. It was enough, more than enough, feeling
her small hand holding him, squeezing, stroking—

“Alice...baby, stop. I’m a hair away from detonation.” Catching
her wrists, Reese drew them behind her and held them captive with one hand. He
searched her face for any signs of uneasiness. “Okay?”

Eyes heavy, lips moist, she nodded. “You really are big.”

Swallowing became difficult. “Yeah, but we’ll be a perfect
fit.” He leaned down and drew her nipple into his mouth, dampening the material
of her bra.

Her back arched on a soft cry.

Eyeing his handiwork, seeing the now wet material cling to her
nipple, Reese said, “So pretty.” He moved to her other breast.

Voice going high, Alice said, “It’s a front closure!”

Hint, hint?

He smiled around the lust and, using two fingers, opened her
bra. Pale, smooth, high, her breasts were enough to waylay his good intentions.
Releasing her wrists, Reese hurriedly stripped the bra off her, then went to one
knee.

Her hand settled in his hair, stroking, curious, a little
unsure. “What are you going to do?”

“The same thing I did to your nipples. But—” he touched the tip
of one finger to the silky triangle of her itty-bitty panties “—here.”

“Oh.”

Leaning into her, Reese used his tongue to stroke, opened his
mouth over her.

“Oh.”

With both hands he palmed her sweet little backside to keep her
from moving away. Her scent was indescribable, and he nuzzled closer, made a
hungry sound of need.

“I...” A moan, soft and deep, sounded seconds before she wove
her hands into his hair, holding him closer. “I want a turn, too.”

He’d never survive her special brand of sweet torture. “Not a
problem.” Unless he died of pleasure.

Knowing he had to hurry it along or it’d be over before he got
started, Reese caught the tiny waistband of her panties and slowly dragged them
down her slender legs to unveil her.

God, she was sexy, standing before him in a wealth of mingled
nervousness and excitement. Her soft inner thighs drew him, so he kissed each
one, moving higher and higher, sucking gently on the sleek skin, trailing with
his tongue.

When he was just shy of tasting her without the barrier of her
panties, Alice wailed, “Not fair!”

He cupped a hand over her. “How’s that?”

“I want you naked, too. I want to do...
things
to you, too.”

He didn’t want to give up his exploration of her body, but he
also didn’t want her so tense. Standing, he asked, “You want me to strip off my
slacks?”

She gave a sharp nod. “Yes, please.”

It seemed impossible to find humor in the middle of such lust,
but there it was, tugging at his smile, making him want to hug her close and
laugh.