Bare It All

by Lori Foster

  Leave it to Alice to turn him on in the middle of an argument. There was nothing conventional about her, and he liked that. A lot.

  Slowly pushing back his chair, coffee forgotten, Reese approached her. She didn’t storm away.

  Nice. Definitely not the typical female response.

  He took her shoulders and turned her around so that she faced the fridge. Staying close to her back, he aligned their bodies. “First I’d wash you all over,” he whispered near her ear. “My hands would be soapy and slick and they’d slide over your wet skin.”

  She held still and nodded.

  So quick, so easy to turn her on. Even in the middle of anger and hurt feelings, she didn’t deny either of them.

  That was a very special thing—because their relationship was special. He wondered if Alice realized it.

  “Here,” he said, caressing her breasts, moving his palms over her nipples. “And here.” He lowered a hand over her stomach, pressed it between her legs.

  Her head fell back to his shoulder. “Would I wash you, too?”

  He was already half hard, and with her provoking question, he went fully erect. He could practically feel her small hands working over him, and he said hoarsely, “If you wanted.”

  “I would.”

  Yes, she would. Alice never held back during sex.

  If only she was that honest the rest of the time.

  Unwilling to have that thought intrude, Reese blocked it and instead concentrated on the here and now with Alice. “After we’re both nice and clean—”

  “And excited.”

  Taking the bag of candy from her, Reese tossed it onto the counter. “I’d position you in a way to make it easier. Like this.” He took her wrists, helping her to plant her hands flat on the front of the appliance. “Leave them there, but step back a little. Widen your stance, but keep your legs straight.”

  Her ass cuddled into his groin.

  Biting off a groan, Reese held her hips. “That’s it. Now arch your back.”

  She did, and he thought he’d lose it. He trailed his hands up her taut body, over her waist to her breasts. “I could take you like this, with the water running over us.” He matched action to words, pressing the hard ridge of his erection to her sweet bottom. “It’s a favored position of mine. I can easily hold your breasts and play with your nipples while going deep.”

  She groaned.

  Giving up, Reese said, “I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  Her nipples were tight, her breath broken and fast. “Okay.”

  Damn it, he’d just had her last night, not that many hours ago. But with Alice, it didn’t matter. Each time he had her just made him want her more. “I had to know, Alice.” God, he hated to admit the truth, even to himself, but she left him strung so tight... “I was jealous.” Of a fucking phantom—her white knight.

  Another man, one who’d been there—thank God—when she needed him most.

  Alice turned so suddenly that they both stumbled. Since he’d been leaning into her, lost in lustful visions, she ended up flattened against the refrigerator, his body crowding into hers. “You were jealous? Seriously?”

  Trying to reorder his thoughts, Reese cupped her face. “And worried. I can’t protect you if I don’t know everything.”

  “Okay, I get the protection part. You’re a detective.”

  Did she think he went around getting intimately involved with every woman who faced danger?

  “But...jealous?” she said with a puzzled frown. “Of Trace? With me?”

  That annoyed him. “Why not you? You’re the most fascinating woman I know.”

  “Trace saw me only as a victim.”

  “Then heroic as he might’ve been, he was also a blind idiot.”

  Alice considered that, her thoughts almost transparent. She touched his chest, brushed her hand over his left nipple—which had a very different effect than when Nikki had done it—and she made up her mind.

  Smiling, she grabbed his hand. “Come on.”

  “To the shower?” Please let it be to the shower.

  “Yes.” She hauled him into the bathroom and went to work on his slacks. “But Reese?”

  His pants loosened, and she put her small hand inside, wrapping her delicate fingers around him. He caught his breath. “Hmm?”

  “I really enjoy sex with you.”

  Damn it, why did that offend him? Because with Alice, he wanted it to be more than just sex.

  How much more, he didn’t yet know. But definitely...more. A lot. Maybe...everything.

  Thoughts like that were way too heavy for the moment. Reese managed a nod. “Ditto.”

  “Please, don’t mess things up by playing games, okay?”

  “Maybe not that game,” he conceded. He took her hand and removed it from his person, then bent to lift her nightgown up and over her head. “But there are other games, Alice, games that you’ll absolutely enjoy.”

  Naked, excited, she stared up at him. “You’ll show me?”

  Hiding his smile, he turned on the shower, took her hand and helped her step inside.

  “Give me two minutes to brush my teeth and shave.” He trailed the backs of his fingers over her belly, then lower. Meeting her gaze, he said, “I don’t want to leave you with whisker burns.”

  She released a trembling moan and nodded. “Please, hurry.”

  So incredibly sweet. So fucking hot. And so trusting—at least with this.

  Somehow, some way, he’d earn her trust in all things. But for now, he considered this a great start.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  DESPITE THE FACT that they were headed to a police station, where she was sure she’d be questioned endlessly, Alice felt pretty good. After amazing sex in the shower, she’d fallen back into bed for a nap.

  An hour later, she’d awakened in a cocoon of warmth, Reese holding her close to his chest, Cash curled behind her knees. Any movement at all would have disturbed them, so for a while she’d stayed still, relishing the comfort, the nearness.

  The sense of being loved.

  In a relatively short time, Reese and Cash had both become a part of her world. It seemed impossible to imagine an entire day without either of them. She enjoyed caring for Cash, and even arguing with Reese had its obvious rewards.

  Sex in the shower and a nap—who knew that would be the result of a disagreement? For her, it was energizing and fun.

  But how did Reese feel about their situation?

  He’d be returning to his duties soon. She had her own stack of projects to catch up on. Would they be able to work out a compatible routine?

  She glanced at Reese now, driving down the busy streets. Dressed in his work clothes, wearing dark sunglasses, apparently lost in thought, he still made her warm and melty all over.

  It probably didn’t matter, Alice decided, what he wore or—preferably—didn’t wear. Freshly showered and shaved, hot and sweaty from a long day or, as was the case this morning, slumberous and affectionate.

  She loved him. Period. She wanted every moment she could have with him, as many moments as he would give to her. But if she told him that, would he pull back? Would he consider her too clingy, too smothering?

  While she’d been dressing for the day, she and Reese in the bedroom together, her parents had called. Both of them on the line, both excited to talk with her.

  Reese had smiled at her, ready to give her privacy.

  She didn’t nee
d it. Not with this, not with him. But instead of finishing with his clothes, he’d sat on the side of the bed and pulled her down to his lap. She’d leaned on him, his arms around her, his chin on the top of her head, while talking.

  Her mother claimed that she’d read between the lines, that even in an email, she’d recognized that Alice was moving forward now—that she was ready to let them back in.

  Around the joy and laughter, Alice had heard the tears in her mother’s voice, the gruff emotion in her dad’s. Over and over, her parents said that they loved her, that they couldn’t wait to see her again.

  Why she’d kept them at such a distance, she could no longer say. What had once felt important, even insurmountable, now felt...insubstantial. Even absurd.

  She loved her family and they loved her.

  Regardless of her past, of what she’d done, their feelings for her hadn’t changed—Reese was right about that. She never should have let so much time pass away from them.

  She would never let that happen again.

  Unfortunately, her folks were on a vacation for two more weeks. They offered to return immediately, but Alice rejected that idea. They would all get together for dinner after they returned, preferably when her sister, Amy, had time away from her heavy class load. God, she’d missed Amy.

  A lot of uncertainty remained in her future, but she had her family back, and for now at least, she had Reese and Cash. That was all pretty darned wonderful.

  “I’d like to meet your parents.”

  Had he read her mind? “I was just thinking of them.”

  “Happy thoughts, I take it, given your smile?”

  “Very happy.” She let out a sigh. “You’ll love my folks and my sister.” Imagining what they’d think of Reese had her biting back a grin of pure pleasure. “They’ll love you, too.”

  Alice watched him, but the L word had no noticeable effect on him.

  “I promise to be as charming as possible.” As Reese pulled into the police station parking lot, he reached for her knee. “You’re not worrying about the interview, are you?”

  “No.” She trusted Reese. He kept telling her everything would be okay, so she would believe him.

  “If not your folks, and not the interview, then what? And don’t bother denying it, honey. I can tell you’re fretting over something.”

  Honey. She liked that. “You think you know me that well?”

  “Getting there.”

  Maybe it was time to stop stalling. Before they met up with his lieutenant, she had a giant truth to share. “You’re right. I do have something on my mind.”

  He parked the car and removed his sunglasses. Pity that, because seeing his eyes always made things more difficult for her. He had that type of penetrating gaze that made her want to squirm one way or another, even when she didn’t have mammoth revelations to share.

  He rested his left wrist over the steering wheel, stretched his right arm along the back of the seat.

  In his crisp white button-up and necktie, he looked as comfortable as he did shirtless with his slacks undone. Wearing a slight smile, he moved his gaze over her face. “I’ll be with you the whole time today.” Using his right hand, he smoothed back a lock of her hair, briefly brushed a thumb over her cheek. “I promise.”

  “I’m glad. Thank you.”

  “All you have to do,” he said, his tone grave, compelling her to follow his will, “is tell the truth.”

  “I know. That’s not a problem.” Not anymore. She’d given it a lot of thought, and she knew he was right. She wanted everything from him, so she needed to give him everything in return. She only prayed it’d all work out.

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  She’d put it off long enough. Too long, really, given that they were due inside in minutes. “There’s something I need to tell you before we go in.”

  Dread took the smile off his mouth. “I’m listening.”

  A deep breath didn’t help, so she blurted out the truth. “Trace didn’t kill Murray.”

  His expression fixed, voice carefully modulated, Reese said, “No?”

  Alice reached up, laced her fingers in his. “He wanted to. Very much.”

  Slowly, Reese’s gaze hardened. “You’re telling me the bastard is still alive?”

  What a conclusion he’d drawn! “Oh, no, he’s definitely dead.”

  Taking that in, Reese frowned and studied her.

  Her heavy heartbeat tried to shake her, but Alice tamped down the uncertainty and shared with him something she’d never told another human being. “I killed him.”

  That admission caused Reese’s face to first go blank, then hot with some unidentifiable emotion. By small degrees, his neck stiffened, his hand tightened on hers. “What did you say?”

  “I shot him in the chest, and he...died.”

  Reese tried to pull back, but Alice held on. She wasn’t ashamed of killing Murray. She had no regrets in that regard.

  But regrets with Reese...yes, she had plenty of those. “I’m sorry,” she said in a rush, wanting him to understand. “It wasn’t my secret to share. I wouldn’t have shared it now except that I don’t want you telling an inaccurate story.”

  The turbulence gathering in his eyes made her uneasy.

  “Reese...”

  Logan tapped on the driver’s side window, making Alice jump.

  With a low curse, Reese squeezed his eyes shut and put his head down.

  Not looking at her.

  He opened his fingers, releasing her hand, so she withdrew it. The chill of rejection sank in, but she would not second-guess her decision to be honest. Not anymore.

  Not with Reese.

  Rather than sit there waiting for him to make up his mind about...whatever decision he needed to make, Alice opened her door and got out.

  Logan and Pepper looked at her with curiosity. “Everything okay?” Logan asked.

  She wasn’t sure. Reese might need time to come to grips with her disclosure, so she started around the hood, saying, “It might be best if we just wait inside.”

  Logan frowned. “Wait for what?”

  She reached out a hand, hoping Pepper would join her. She didn’t want to go in that police station alone. “For Reese to—”

  Shoving open his car door, Reese emerged like a turbulent storm. His gaze pierced her, stopping her in midstep. “Don’t even think it, Alice.”

  She thrust up her chin. “Or what? You’ll arrest me?”

  Scowling fiercely, he opened his mouth, then shut it again.

  When Rowdy pulled up, Alice felt incredible relief. Maybe she’d get a second to talk alone with him, to ask his advice on how to—

  “No, goddamn it.” Reese slammed the car door so hard, it drew attention from other people in the lot.

  Pepper murmured, “Uh-oh,” at the same time that Logan whispered, “Shush.”

  Shoulders bunched, Reese strode over to her, clasped her chin and lifted her face. “No, Alice.”

  Refusing to be cowed, especially with his friends standing right there, Alice stood her ground. “No, you won’t arrest me?”

  Grim humor brightened his green eyes. “Actually, that part’s still up in the air.”

  Pepper snorted.

  Logan said in reproach, “Reese, for God’s sake.”

  “What I meant,” Reese said, ignoring the others, “is that you will not continue to look at Rowdy as a damned confidante.”

  How dare h
e try to order her around that way? Her friendship with Rowdy was not an illegal activity. “I will if I want to,” Alice said as she pulled away.

  Pepper interjected, saying, “Rowdy? Seriously?” She applauded. “Perfect choice, Alice. I’ve always found my brother to be completely reliable.”

  Now Logan scowled. “I’m reliable.”

  “Yes, you are.” Pepper patted his chest. “But I don’t want Alice coming to you for private talks.”

  Logan blustered. “I didn’t mean her.” And in an aside: “No offense, Alice.”

  “None taken.”

  “I meant you,” Logan told Pepper.

  “Of course.” She cuddled up against his uninjured side. “We are getting married, after all. Oh, and that reminds me, Alice. We’ve set a date. Can I still count on you to attend the wedding?”

  Alice made a point of not looking at Reese. She could feel his pulsing anger as he stood there beside her. “Absolutely, thank you.”

  Logan looked at her, looked at Reese and laughed.

  Reese didn’t find it funny. “Shut up, Logan.”

  Alice bit her lip. She should have told him sooner, of course. He needed time to order his thoughts, to adjust to the new information. Not that she thought he’d actually arrest her. And she wasn’t even sure he could. After all, Murray had needed killing, and she’d led a mostly quiet life since then, at least until Cheryl...

  Reese shook his head. “The path your thoughts take.”

  Did he know her thoughts?

  “You’re like an open book, Alice.” Then, under his breath he added, “At least most of the time.”

  Wide-eyed over his observation, she wondered what to do next—and Reese took her hand. It reassured her, and she started to smile up at him.

  Just then, Rowdy joined the ranks. Alice looked him over from his dark T-shirt, well-worn jeans and scuffed brown work boots, up to the eyes he had squinted against the bright sunshine.

  Keys jangled in his hand as his long legs brought him closer. He took in the various expressions and asked, “Fireworks?”

  “A little, yeah,” Logan told him.