Bare It All

by Lori Foster

  Confusion blunted her composure. “Reese?”

  Definitely pushy. “I won’t be long.”

  “But—”

  Rowdy gently caught her arm and, with a nod at Reese, took her along with him as he exited the room.

  The second the door closed, Peterson said, “Well. That was interesting.”

  Wasn’t it, though? Reese sought words to explain Alice’s unique gift of deception and details, but Peterson gave her attention to Logan.

  “Why exactly is your brother here?”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  GLAD FOR THE reprieve, Reese waited for Logan to answer.

  “He probably came to catch lunch with me or something. He said he forgot I was off for a few days.”

  Incredulous, Peterson rose to collect her papers into a folder. “You’re saying that he forgot you were shot?”

  Logan shifted uneasily. “Dash knows a measly wound wouldn’t keep me from working.”

  Reese snorted. The bullet that had torn through Logan’s arm was far from measly. Helping Peterson along in her conclusions, Reese said, “Being Dash is in construction, he probably didn’t understand that any officer-involved shooting takes you out of the action whether you like it or not.”

  “For one more day,” Peterson agreed.

  Forget that! No way in hell would Reese let her assign Logan as the lead again.

  Not in this.

  Not with Alice involved.

  Of course, it was Alice’s involvement that might get him excluded. Anyone could see they had a relationship. It was department policy to keep detectives out of cases that hit too close to home. An impartial detective was better than someone with an emotional vendetta.

  Course, that hadn’t kept Logan from going after the threat to Pepper.

  Maybe he should just take charge before Peterson had too much time to mull it over. Given an opportunity, she might let her personal dislike of Reese make up her mind for her.

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Reese leaned on the door—blocking the way. “So, we’re dealing with drugs, possibly kidnapping and murder.”

  “How are we going to handle it?” Logan asked.

  Peterson shook her head. “We’re short-staffed, as you both know.”

  As if feeling guilty, Logan said, “I’m ready for full-go.”

  Reese nipped that idea real fast. “Pepper will tie you to the bed if you even try it.”

  Rounding on him—and then wincing with pain—Logan cursed. “Stop making it sound like she’s my mother, will you?”

  With the lustful way Pepper looked at Logan, no one would ever make that mistake. “Fine.” Reese lifted a brow. “Tell her and let’s see what she does.”

  A feral growl brought Logan to his feet. “She does not dictate to me.”

  “From what I’ve witnessed—”

  Peterson laughed.

  It so startled Reese that he did a double take. He and Logan shared a look of confusion.

  “The power of women,” she murmured, and then gave them both a quelling stare. “Starting Monday, Reese, you take lead.”

  Now that he had his way, he moved from the door. “If that’s what you want.” One way or another, he’d have worked it out, but it was nice that Peterson just handed it to him.

  With her hand on the doorknob, Peterson paused. “Pick a team, then let me know.”

  “Of course.”

  Rather than depart, she emphasized, “Let. Me. Know.”

  “Right.” It wasn’t that long ago that Reese hadn’t trusted her and had kept quite a bit from her. “Even injured, Logan will be useful, I’m sure.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Logan said, completely deadpan. “Glad to hear I’m not totally useless.”

  “Pepper would deny such a thing with her dying breath.”

  Interrupting them with a huff, Peterson jerked the door open. And still she lingered, her gaze sizing up Reese once more. “Of course, you also have your little network of other trustworthy cops, now, don’t you?”

  “Guilty.” He’d made it his business to know who was above reproach and who might be on the take. Peterson had ferreted out a lot of the problems, but these days, Reese left nothing to chance. He’d amassed his own group of loyals. They had come in handy more than once.

  With a furtive look, Peterson ensured no one listened in. “If, until Monday, you choose to do some checking on your own time, keep it to yourself and make sure no one else finds out.” And with that, she marched away.

  Now that Peterson was out of the room, Logan asked, “What the hell, Reese? Care to tell me what that was all about?”

  Ah, of course Logan had known he had a motive for his gibes. “You got lead last time.” Unrepentant, he shrugged. “I needed her to give this one to me.”

  “But you made me sound whipped.”

  “If the whip fits...”

  “Go screw yourself.”

  Reese couldn’t keep a straight face. He grinned as he held the door open for Logan. “Actually, I’m happy for you. You two make a great couple.”

  “Jealous, huh? I figured.”

  Reese knew Logan was kidding, but still he nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’d like what you have.”

  Logan paused. “With Alice?”

  “Now, there’s the million dollar question, yes?” Did he want something that powerful, that permanent, with Alice? Despite her eccentric way of keeping secrets? Her off-limits background? Her lack of trust?

  Probably.

  “I’m thinking of buying a house.”

  Logan whistled. “For you and Alice?”

  “Cash was the motivation, really. He needs room to run, more room than afforded by an apartment on the second floor.”

  “Cash, huh?” Logan idly rubbed the shoulder of his injured arm. “That’s the only reason?”

  “Are you taking your pain pills?”

  “At night.” Realizing what he was doing, Logan dropped his hand and affected a look of boredom. “The meds muddle me too much during the day.”

  Logan should about be done with his antibiotics, and he’d only need the sling a week or so longer. Thank God the bullet hadn’t done more damage.

  They’d been friends for a very long time. Reese trusted Logan with his life, so why not trust him with this, as well?

  “The thing is,” Reese said, wanting to say it out loud, “I can’t imagine Cash playing in the yard without imagining Alice nearby, as well.”

  Staring off at nothing in particular, Logan shifted his stance. “That was awfully fast.”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  Head down, he nodded. “Yeah, I know.” Finally he looked at Reese. “It wasn’t easy. Still isn’t, really.”

  “But all the same, it feels right.”

  Logan lifted one shoulder. “That’s about it.”

  Both solemn and introspective, they stared toward the women, again ensconced on the bench, their heads together in conversation.

  Nearby, Rowdy stood with his arms crossed, his gaze watchful as he contemplated everyone and everything in the station with palpable suspicion. No, for Logan, it wouldn’t be easy. Not until, if ever, Rowdy got settled.

  When Alice blushed, Reese felt a stirring deep inside. Lust, but something else, too. Something...more. As Logan said, it wasn’t easy. Hell, sometimes it was damned uncomfortable. “Wonder what they’re talking about.”

  “I don’t know about Alice,” Logan murmured, “but Pepper
doesn’t do the usual girl talk.”

  “Shopping, cooking, makeup?” No, that wasn’t Pepper. “More often than not, I think she’s conspiring something.”

  “Probably.” Logan studied her some more, then grinned and sent his good elbow into Reese’s ribs. “Given the look on Pepper’s face, I’d say they’re talking sex.”

  Great. Just what he didn’t need to know. Was Pepper sharing advice, or encouragement?

  Veering off topic, Reese said, “You think Pepper will give you enough privacy to do some work over the weekend?” He eyed Logan’s arm in the sling. “Off the clock, that is.”

  “She understands my job.” Like a man satisfied, Logan had to pull his attention off his fiancée. “What’d you have in mind?”

  “Rowdy is going to scope out the area tattoo parlors. If he reports back to you, could you do some background checks on the owners, managers and employees?” Alice noticed them and, with a secretive smile, started toward him. Watching her every step, wondering what she had planned, Reese said low, “See if anything jumps out.”

  “Not a problem.” Before she got too close, Logan said, “Since it looks like you’ll be busy, I’ll get hold of Rowdy myself. I’ll call you when I know something.”

  “Thanks.”

  Color still high in her face, her dark eyes mysterious, Alice stopped before him. “All done?”

  “Yes.” She sounded breathless. How soon could he get her alone?

  With a mocking salute, Logan went to talk with Rowdy and Pepper.

  Reese looked, but he didn’t see Dash anywhere. “Where did Logan’s brother go?”

  Leaning into him, Alice whispered, “I think he followed your lieutenant.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s interested in her.”

  Reese snorted in disbelief, but when Alice didn’t smile, didn’t show any sign of jesting, he sobered real quick. “Not possible.”

  She chided him with a roll of her eyes. “Did you buy that nonsense about him coming here to see Logan? I don’t know him well, but Dash doesn’t strike me as a dummy. He wouldn’t have forgotten that his brother was shot.”

  Reese had wondered about that, but with so many other things on his mind...

  Well. Given that Logan and Dash were close, and Dash had been there with Logan when he’d gotten shot, had stayed with him at the hospital, too, it didn’t seem feasible for him to just forget.

  Dash and the lieutenant, huh? No, Reese couldn’t bend his brain around anything that bizarre. He’d known them both a long time, Peterson as his superior, Dash as an extension of his close friendship with Logan.

  Dash successfully played the field, with play being the operative word. He dedicated himself fully to his job and his family. But when it came to women, he gravitated toward beautiful, stacked...fluff.

  Peterson was not fluff. Far from it. From what Reese could see through her “all-business” attire, she wasn’t stacked either.

  As to being beautiful...Reese supposed if he could look at her in an unbiased way—which challenged his imagination a lot—he could see a certain appeal. Maybe if a guy ever got her blue eyes softened with lust, or mussed her always tidy, short brown hair... No.

  He shook his head, denying the possibility.

  Petite, toned and bristling with intent. That was Lieutenant Margaret Peterson. Dash, who was far less serious than Logan, worked hard at his construction company and even harder at having fun.

  He did not work hard for women.

  Surely Alice had to be mistaken. Yet...she was awfully astute.

  Did Logan realize? Of course not. If he did, he’d be on Dash’s ass already. Reese groaned. “I hope you’re wrong, honey.”

  She tipped her head. “Why?”

  “Because no way in hell will the lieutenant appreciate Dash’s interest. It’s more likely than not that she’ll only get more difficult, and I’ll still have to work with her. That’s why.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Alice said. She took his hand as they headed out to the parking lot. “I think Lieutenant Peterson just might surprise you.”

  For Reese, that idea was even more repugnant. He knew how to deal with this Peterson. The last thing he wanted was a new dimension to that ball-busting personality.

  Pushing away impossible thoughts of Peterson in a sexual relationship, Reese slipped his arm around Alice. “You and Pepper seemed to find plenty to talk about.”

  Alice ducked her face. “She’s very nice.”

  “To you.” Reese opened the car door for her, then went around to the driver’s side.

  “She likes you, too,” Alice said.

  “Too?”

  Smiling, Alice said, “You both bluster, but the mutual fondness is easy to see.”

  For Alice, it might be easy. “You think so, do you?”

  She took his teasing comment to heart. “In some ways, you’re very easy to read.”

  Reese wasn’t sure he wanted Alice “reading” him. He wasn’t used to it. But he supposed if he wanted to keep her around, and he definitely did, he should accustom himself.

  He started the car and got on the road. After a minute, he cupped his hand over her knee. “Do you know what I’m thinking about now?”

  “Yes.” She covered his hand with her own. “You’re concerned about the people involved in tattooing and drugs, and you’re worried about me, even though I keep telling you not to be, and you’re thinking about how much juggling you’re going to have to do.”

  Damn. She’d nailed it. “Actually, I assume I won’t have to juggle.” He gave her knee a gentle squeeze. “Because you’re not going to keep any more secrets.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “Good.” He’d never get a better opening than this. Even though it was forbidden—maybe especially because it was forbidden—he needed to know how she contacted Trace. He put both hands back on the wheel. “So, how about you tell me how I can reach your buddy?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  ALICE BARELY HELD back her groan. Like a dog with a bone, Reese didn’t want to let it go. “It would be...better if you didn’t bother him.”

  Displeasure caused a muscle to tic in his jaw. “Better for you?”

  “Better for everyone.” Now that he’d removed his touch, she felt bereft. Physical contact with Reese always made her feel more settled. Putting a hand on his forearm, Alice gave him the truths he wanted. “If it’s that important, I’ll tell you. I swear. But it’d be nice if you trusted me even half as much as you want me to trust you.”

  “Shit.”

  She smiled. “I know. You don’t like it when I turn things back on you. But it’s the same principle, Reese.”

  “Not even close. He’s a loose end—an unknown variable.”

  Alice shook her head. “He’s not a threat. Not to you and not to me.”

  “Maybe. But that’s something I’d like to conclude on my own.”

  After a lot of needless prying. “Why?” She didn’t want to change Reese, so she had better learn to understand him. “Because you’re a detective?”

  “There’s that, and the fact that I want to protect you.”

  “I’m not in any danger.” Nothing immediate, anyway.

  “Jesus, Alice. You don’t know that.” Frustration carved a scowl in his features, delineated every muscle in his arms and shoulders. “A woman is dead. Another woman is on the run. And you—” he scalded her with a burning glance “—put yourself into
the thick of it.”

  “None of that has anything to do with Trace.” Yet. But if Trace thought there was any danger to her...

  Shoot.

  Probably another truth she ought to share with Reese. She sighed, and even that made Reese more alert.

  “All right,” he said. “Let’s hear it.”

  It was kind of a nice thing, having all that single-minded concentration from a man like Detective Reese Bareden. “There’s no reason for you to reach out to Trace. If he doesn’t want to connect with you, he won’t.”

  Stopping for a light, Reese locked his jaw, waited.

  And Alice added, “But if he does...you’ll be hearing from him.”

  Going rigid, Reese slowly turned his head to stare at her in disbelief. “Just like that?”

  “I told you he had great contacts. Now you’ve seen how great.” The light changed, and Reese turned back to the road, maneuvering through the traffic.

  Hands flexing on the steering wheel, Reese gave one nod of grudging acceptance. “He didn’t want to be investigated, so he officially closed that option.”

  “Yes.” Unofficially, though, Alice knew Reese would continue to pry.

  “He must have some high officials in his back pocket.”

  Reese continued to look at this all wrong, staying suspicious of Trace. Or...maybe as he said, he was jealous. Hoping to pacify him, she said, “I’m sure I won’t, but if I hear from him, I’ll tell you immediately.”

  “Even if he tells you not to?”

  She ran her fingers over his thick forearm. The hair there was soft, his skin warm, his muscles so well defined. “He wouldn’t,” she said simply.

  Reese groaned. “God, you’ve got him on a pedestal.”

  Of course she did. Trace was that kind of man.

  But then, so was Reese, and he was the man she wanted. Now, tomorrow.

  Forever.

  Her mouth went dry—with acceptance and with uncertainty. She needed to know if Reese’s heart was involved. Falling in love alone would be...well, tragic. And she’d had enough tragedy in her life.