Bare It All

by Lori Foster

  Once outside, Cash continued in his effusive greeting...while peeing. Funny dog. Luckily they were already on the grass, and Cash missed his shoes.

  At this time of early evening, no one else was about outside. Likely most were at dinner, which was where he needed to be. Chasing after Alice had helped him work up an appetite.

  Maybe once he finished up here, he’d head to the bar, grab a sandwich...and maybe a woman.

  Maybe Avery.

  Yeah, he liked that idea.

  Alice stood back, her arms crossed, her annoyance palpable. “I want to know why you were following me.”

  He shrugged and gave Cash a little more leash. “Reese asked me to keep an eye out.”

  She did a double take. “You’re serious?”

  “Why not?” Shadows stretched across the parking lot and the small grassy area. “It’s what I do.”

  And he was good. Thanks to querying the right people, he knew that Alice was from the area. He didn’t know why she’d been kidnapped, but he knew someone—known mostly as a wraith—had rescued her. Reese wouldn’t find out shit about the heroic bastard, because apparently the elusive phantom had the law under his control. For all intents and purposes, he moved with impunity and kept a tight lid on his involvement.

  But there was no taming the street, and when monumental things happened, when powerful men ended up dead, word spread like wildfire.

  “You’re not Superman, you know.” Alice tapped one foot. “You don’t need to transfer your attention from Pepper to me.”

  “Actually, honey, I think I do.” He shrugged. “Especially given what I saw today.”

  She stiffened up. “I’ll never sleep with you.”

  Whoa. That was one hell of a mental leap she’d taken. Rowdy grinned at her daring. “Sorry, doll, but I didn’t ask.”

  She deflated. “Do you think I’m attractive?”

  Damn it, he did not want to go down this road. When women asked these weird questions, there was never a right answer. “There’s something about you, yeah.” His gaze went over her slim body and delicate curves, then shot back to her face. “But Reese has already laid claim, in case you didn’t notice.”

  Her frown eased away. “Not that you’re asking.”

  “No.”

  “Because even if Reese wasn’t interested—you are saying he’s interested?”

  “Without a doubt.” How the hell had they gotten off track like this? Cash tugged, so Rowdy meandered farther across the yard.

  Alice followed. “Even so, you wouldn’t be. Not like that.” She shaded her eyes. “May I ask you something, then? Since you’re not interested that way?”

  “Uh...” Feeling as if he’d lost control of the entire situation, Rowdy tried to distract her. “I think Cash is done. Maybe we should head in.”

  “Okay.” She took the leash from him. “Come on, boy. Let’s go get a treat.”

  Hopefully she was talking to the dog. Rowdy trudged along behind her, trying to figure out a way to get things back on track.

  He started with: “About today—”

  “I’m thirsty. Would you like a cola or something?” She opened the door and let Cash in. He made a beeline for the couch, so Rowdy followed. He liked the dog.

  Hell, he liked Alice, too. But Alice confused the hell out of him. “Sure. Whatever you’ve got will be fine.”

  “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.

  * * *

  WITH ROWDY 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, brav
er, 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

  EVEN 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.”