Bare It All

by Lori Foster

  They’d all been taken unawares by the lowlifes, and while a gun stayed on Rowdy, Reese and the lieutenant had been handcuffed to the headboard of his bed. That he and the female lieutenant butted heads more often than not made it an especially unpropitious situation. Lieutenant Peterson hadn’t taken it well, and his efforts to shield her had been met with much resistance.

  Instead of getting the protection afforded all witnesses, Rowdy had ended up a target for death. He had abilities, which included breaking into Reese’s apartment to snoop, but against two gunmen set on executing him? The odds had not been with him. If they’d killed Rowdy, they would have next turned those guns on Reese and the lieutenant.

  Without Alice’s help, there would have been several dead bodies in his apartment, instead of just one.

  And hell, one was bad enough. It wasn’t easy to get death out of the carpet, curtains and off the walls.

  Fortunately, sensible Alice had assessed the situation and sent in Reese’s good friend Detective Logan Riske as backup. Because Logan possessed a lethal skill set unique to only a select few, he’d gotten the upper hand—but not before taking a bullet to the arm.

  Chaos had reigned for a couple of minutes, all but destroying Reese’s bedroom. In the end, they’d apprehended one gunman and another man who’d played lookout at the front of the apartment building.

  The worst villain Reese had ever known had died from a broken neck. Never again would he threaten anyone.

  Reese eyed Alice with renewed interest. At the tail end of the bloody melee, not long after Reese had been freed from the cuffs, Alice had shown up in his apartment with a big gun held in her slender, delicate hand.

  She was a good judge of character, but then, so was he. And in his gut, Reese knew his straitlaced, often silent, skittish, timid and sexy-as-hell neighbor would have used that gun with fatal precision.

  It made his blood run cold and ramped up his interest in her and her past. So many unanswered questions. He knew Alice was good with his dog and that he liked her. He definitely knew he wanted to get her under him.

  But so far their relationship had been so odd, he didn’t even know her last name yet. Alice...something or other.

  Insane.

  She inched closer still—just as she had in his dream.

  “You have some dark bruising.”

  Reese followed her concerned gaze to his wrist and saw the ugly marks there, testament to how he’d tried to free himself from the key-lock metal cuffs—his own friggin’ handcuffs—that had been used against him.

  “It’s fine.” Never had he felt more helpless than when he’d been in those restraints, knowing that his own failure could facilitate the murder of others. Never again would he be caught unawares.

  Once was more than enough.

  Alice hesitated. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  Other than his pride at being taken off guard in his own apartment... “No.” He wanted nothing more than to move past it all.

  She accepted that without an excess of coddling. “Your friend will be all right?”

  “Logan? He’s a detective, like me.”

  “I thought so. When I saw him yesterday, I knew he was safe.”

  Safe? The things she said always had double meanings. “Just as you knew the others were dangerous?” Alice had seen people come into the apartment building, and somehow she’d known they weren’t friends. Not only was she astute, but she also wasn’t afraid to react—thank God.

  “Yes.” She gave him a level stare. “I can usually tell.”

  How? Reese wanted to know. It wasn’t as if criminals walked around with a damn sign on their foreheads. God knew, if they did, his job would be a hell of a lot easier.

  As a detective, he’d dealt with enough shady characters that he’d gained something of a sixth sense about them. He noticed things, slight nuances that others missed.

  But what had happened in Alice’s life to give her that edge? “Logan is fine. You met Pepper?”

  “Yes. She stayed in my apartment with me while Detective Riske went to your aid.”

  “Call him Logan—I’m sure he’d insist.” Reese thought of the moment when he’d realized Logan had been shot. He hadn’t let the wound slow him down, until blood loss had done that for him. “He’s home with Pepper now, healing and no doubt being pampered.”

  Because of Alice’s quick thinking, Reese and his friends were all alive, and a very bad character dealing in every aspect of corruption, including new ventures into human trafficking, was dead.

  Reese had a lot of regrets for how things had gone down yesterday, but he didn’t feel even a smidge of remorse over that.

  Alice tipped her head. “Logan and Pepper are in love?”

  “He is for sure.” It wasn’t like him to talk out of turn, but he heard himself say, “And that added to the craziness of the sting. Cops going undercover do not fall in love with key witnesses.”

  “Why not?”

  “Complications, for one thing. Hard to think rationally when you’re emotionally involved.”

  “He didn’t seem emotional to me. As soon as I related my suspicions, he took over. He stuffed Pepper into my apartment, prepared himself the best he could and warned us—unnecessarily, I might add—to keep the doors locked.”

  “Knowing Pepper, that had to be a laugh a minute.”

  She smiled at his sarcasm. “She was mostly silent, and very worried. You do realize that Pepper is also in love with your friend?”

  Alice sounded so sure about that, Reese shrugged. “Okay.”

  “Rowdy is her brother?”

  “Yes.” Reese stretched, felt too many kinks in his shoulders, and winced while rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

  He saw Alice gaze in awe at his biceps, and it warmed him. He left his arm up a few seconds longer—until he realized how absurd that was.

  Damn it, she seduced him without trying, and in totally unconventional ways. “You met Rowdy?” Reese couldn’t recall any introductions, but then, he’d had his hands full dealing with everything else.

  “Briefly.” Alice’s attention coasted over his chest, then down to his abdomen.

  His muscles constricted in reaction.

  “I wasn’t so sure about Rowdy. He worried me at first. That’s why I called you when he showed up. But he’s not as ruthless as the others. I have a feeling he walks a very fine line between what’s lawful and what fits his own moral code.”

  Since that described Rowdy perfectly, Reese felt his own share of awe. “Probably.”

  “The lieutenant?”

  Though Alice had entered the scene in the midst of pandemonium, she had all the key players down. “When last I left her, she was running roughshod over anyone who stood in her way, issuing orders like a general.” He shook his head. “For such a petite woman, she rules with an iron fist.”

  “I liked her.” Alice stared at his lap again.

  “I figured you would.” Reese sat forward. “I need some caffeine to kick-start my brain. How about I take Cash out and you put on a pot of coffee?”

  The dog, who had almost been asleep, bounded up in agreement.

  “If that’s what you want.”

  That wasn’t even close to what he wanted, but for now it’d have to do. “Thank you.” He waited, but when she continued to stand there watching him, he shrugged and tossed the sheet aside to stand.

  * * *

  AT THE SIGHT of Reese’s big strong body,
Alice sucked in a breath and all but fled to the kitchen. Reese thought he’d embarrassed her, and yes, he had. A little.

  But it was so much more than that, more complex than mere embarrassment. It was...something she hadn’t felt in far too long.

  And she relished it.

  After two deep breaths, she called out to him, “I’ll have this ready in ten minutes.”

  When he finally replied, his voice came from close behind her. “That works.”

  Startled, she turned to see him and almost dropped the carafe.

  Shirtless and barefoot, he leaned in the kitchen doorway, only a few feet away. He’d pulled on rumpled slacks, zipped but unbuttoned so that they hung low, showing off his taut abdomen and that silky line of dark blond hair that disappeared into his boxers.

  Boy. The pants helped a little, but not much. He still looked indescribably awesome.

  Sighing in resignation at her distraction, Reese said again, “Up here, Alice.”

  Mute, she performed the near-impossible feat of lifting her attention to his face. She had a feeling that with Reese so uninhibited, his reminders were going to come fast and furious.

  Really, how could any woman not stare at him?

  The very first time she’d seen him, she’d recognized him as a prime physical specimen. Her past had damaged her, sure, but she wasn’t blind or stupid.

  It had taken a lot of effort to remember her need for privacy, to look past him, to ignore his friendly smiles and polite greetings.

  Then, seeing him with the dog...well, that had sealed her fate. Alice knew she’d lost a small part of her heart to him the moment she’d seen his patience with Cash. Reese stood over six and a half feet tall, but he wasn’t lanky. He had a honed body that drew everyone’s attention. No one could mistake his strength. Yet he’d been so gentle with Cash.

  And yesterday, watching him in hero mode as he’d not only taken charge of the deadly situation but also tended to his injured friend... How could anyone be immune to him?

  Fully dressed, Detective Reese Bareden was a heart-stopper. Half-naked, he was enough to turn her stupid with lust.

  Amusement showed in the glitter of his green eyes. “I like it strong.”

  “What?” Oh, Lord, she’d been visually devouring him again. She swallowed and tried to get it together.

  “The coffee.”

  “Oh.” How could she have forgotten? She held the carafe with both hands and summoned a smile. “All right.”

  New concern eased his smile away. “What is it, Alice?”

  “Nothing.” She couldn’t very well tell him that he was one of the most impressive males she’d ever known—and that was saying something, given that she’d met some truly remarkable men.

  Men from her past. Good men...who’d been there to counter the depraved.

  Even thinking about it caused her to tighten, to close in on herself protectively—

  “Alice?”

  That deep, gentle voice brought her out of dark memories. Her racing heart slowed, her muscles uncoiled. She let out a tense breath and tried to sound casual. “Yes?”

  “You and I are going to have that talk today.”

  He made it sound almost like a threat, but she’d known real threats, and Reese didn’t scare her. Not that way. Not in any way, really. “Yes, we will.”

  Her quick compliance seemed to surprise him. Had he expected her to refuse him? To get defensive?

  Truthfully, there were times when even she didn’t know how she’d react. Ugly memories had a way of surfacing when she least expected them.

  When it came to men, most of the time she steered clear of them. She definitely hadn’t planned on being drawn to Reese. But she enjoyed talking with him, so why avoid it? He wouldn’t get the information he wanted because it was information she couldn’t share, but she’d tell him enough to keep him satisfied.

  For a little while, anyway.

  Cash strained the length of the leash, impatient with the delay. The adorable dog, still more a puppy than not, was notorious for piddling on the floor when he got excited, curious, when he had to go...pretty much for any reason at all, really.

  Luckily both of their apartments had hardwood floors, which made cleanups easier.

  After another long look, Reese nodded at her and led the dog away. Moving out of the kitchen, warm with admiration, Alice watched him go. His disheveled blond hair and darker beard shadow only made him more gorgeous. Sleek muscles flexed...everywhere. Over his very wide shoulders, his back, down the length of those thick arms and thicker thighs...

  He pulled the door open.

  Breath strangled in her chest. “You’re going outside like that?”

  He glanced down at himself and shrugged as if he didn’t have a body that could stop traffic and hearts alike. “Why not?”

  The man was all but naked! He hadn’t even buttoned his pants. “You’re...indecent.”

  “I won’t be long.” He checked that the door wouldn’t lock when he closed it, and out he went.

  CHAPTER TWO

  ALICE STOOD THERE lost in thought for far too long before she remembered that she had coffee to make.

  Never had she thought to have a man in her apartment. Certainly not a hunky police detective and most definitely not overnight. It made sense for her to be off-kilter.

  She’d no sooner finished preparing the coffee than she decided Reese might also like something to eat. It was lunchtime for her, but he hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

  Maybe he hadn’t had dinner the night before either. His work as a detective had literally landed on his doorstep, and she doubted he’d had time to relax, much less enjoy a real meal. A man his size likely required a lot of sustenance.

  Yesterday had consisted of bad guys coming and going, good guys sneaking in, gunshots and arrests, deaths and ambulances.... Shivering, Alice wrapped her arms around herself.

  The life-or-death scenario had been unsettling for her, too. Having Reese on her couch, near at hand, gave her a sense of security that no weapon could. Even having Cash underfoot was reassuring. People still left her ill at ease, but animals were so nonjudgmental, so welcoming, she naturally took comfort from them.

  Reese didn’t know it, but being Cash’s dog-sitter was the greatest gift. Until he’d proposed the arrangement a few days ago, she hadn’t realized what a difference it made to have another living, breathing creature nearby.

  She sighed, noticed several minutes had passed, and decided she’d ask Reese what he’d like to eat.

  Picking up her keys, Alice locked the door behind her. Never again would she take chances when it came to security. On her way out, she glanced up the steps at Reese’s apartment door. Unlike in the movies, there was no dramatic caution tape draping it, but yesterday Reese had said his colleagues preferred for him to stay out until they’d finished gathering their forensics, or taking photos, or whatever they had to do. She really had no idea of police procedure. Other than Reese, she’d never known a good officer.

  Sure, she’d been acquainted with a few shady men who claimed the badge but not the honor that should have been inherent in the job. Yesterday, she’d met good cops.

  She’d learned the hard way to recognize the difference.

  Remembering the day before made her palms sweat. Yes, Reese had only come to her because of the destruction in his place, but she was glad for any reason. While she hopefully put up a brave front, no way had she want
ed to stay alone.

  As she’d done so many times, she pushed the unpleasant memories to the back of her mind and went down the steps to the glass, double entry doors.

  Before she stepped out, she saw Reese standing there in the shade, Cash’s leash held loosely in his hand.

  Two neighbor ladies, one a beautiful blonde with oversize breasts, the other a cute and petite brunette, stared at him adoringly while chatting.

  They wore jogging shorts and sports bras and had a lot of skin showing. They stood far too close to him for mere conversation.

  Alice didn’t think about it, didn’t even have time to process her reaction before she found herself striding out to the yard and right up to Reese and Cash. She snatched the dog’s leash from his hand, startling him.

  Lifting one eyebrow, he looked down at her. “Alice.”

  Her heart punched painfully against her breastbone. Unfair that a man with morning-rumpled hair and whiskers could still manage to look so good. “The coffee’s done.” She stared at the women while thrusting the keys out to him. “I can wait with Cash until he finishes up, if you’d like to go on in and get a cup.”

  Slowly his expression shifted from surprise to amusement. “Why, thank you, Alice.” With a knowing grin, he accepted her key ring. “Your hospitality knows no bounds.”

  She had no idea how to reply to that.

  With a pleased smile, Reese touched her cheek, bid good day to the others and headed inside. The bright sunshine gleamed on his shoulders and gilded his fair hair. Though barefoot, he didn’t pick his way across the grounds; he strode like a confident man in control of himself and those around him.

  When Alice realized that she wasn’t the only one noticing, she cleared her throat, loudly.

  The blonde laughed. “Sorry, honey, but you know, I just can’t pull my eyes away. He’s an awful lot of man.”

  The brunette agreed. Looking at Alice, she asked with palpable doubt, “So, you two have a thing?”