Bare It All

“Yes, Reese Bareden, you may.” Head tipped back, silky hair falling behind her shoulders, she met his gaze. “And, thank you. I’m sure a few days will make all the difference. I only need a little time to—”

Reese bent down to kiss her.

He didn’t plan it, hadn’t even realized he would do it, but once he got there, with his mouth on hers, awareness reverberated throughout his system, making itself known...everywhere.

In his pants for sure, his head, as well, and maybe even in his heart.

That bothered him, so he made the decision to keep it brief, nothing more than a peck. Except that her mouth was insanely soft, and it all felt so damn right, he couldn’t help but linger. He didn’t kiss her the way he really wanted, and still it staggered him.

Her hands curled carefully against his chest, her fingertips pressing into his pecs, the telling gesture giving away so much.

She wasn’t unaffected.

Great.

Finally managing to ease back, Reese studied her closed eyes and heated skin and knew he had to go now before he took things too far.

He ran the back of his knuckles over her downy cheek. All women were soft, damn it. But somehow, with Alice, the softness seemed amplified.

Reese said, “I won’t be long.”

She still didn’t open her eyes. Instead, she swallowed, nodded and shooed him away.

That got him grinning and helped to subdue other, more disturbing reactions. Alice was the funniest and, yes, oddest woman he’d ever known. Everything about her was endearing. And a turn-on.

Somewhere in her past, she’d been taken by strangers. She’d been hurt, but he didn’t know how badly. He only knew it was enough to get her armed to the teeth, to make her wary of one and all.

Enough to have her seek a life of isolation.

Eventually he’d find out everything. For today, he’d start with a few phone calls and go from there.

One thing was certain. Until he knew if she was still in danger, he wouldn’t leave Alice Appleton unprotected. He had only planned to get clean clothes from his apartment, maybe his shaving kit, toothbrush...but, what the hell. He’d pack a bag, and until further notice, he’d be her roommate—and her shadow.

“Lock the door behind me.” And with that reminder, he walked out before he changed his mind and didn’t go at all.

CHAPTER FOUR

ALICE MISSED REESE the moment he left. Her apartment, that once felt peaceful with only her in it, now felt empty. Too quiet.

Even sort of lonely.

“Bleh.” She turned to Cash. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Cash gave her a sleepy yawn, wiggled a little on the couch and started thumping his tail when she walked over to rub his ears.

“I’m glad I still have you. But for how long?” She cupped his furry face and put her cheek to his head. “It breaks my heart, but you’re not really my dog. Reese loves you, so someday, if he moves or gets involved with a woman, I might not be able to see you anymore.”

Cash crawled into her lap and tried to lick her face. Dodging the majority of his sloppy affection, Alice gave a laugh that sounded far too close to a sob.

Damn it, she would not cry. God knew she had nothing to cry about. Not anymore. She controlled her life, and if things weren’t exactly as she’d like them to be, well, she had no one to blame but herself.

Even with the pep talk, her throat went tight and her eyes burned.

A knock on her door had her sucking up the excess of emotion real quick.

Cash did a doggy feat of launching away while barking like a crazed beast.

“Cash, behave.” Assuming Reese had forgotten something, Alice quickly wiped her cheeks and drew a cleansing breath. Going to the door, she put her eye to the peephole—and straightened with incredulity.

Taking his cue from her, Cash ramped up his barking to a berserk level.

“Shhh,” she told the frantic dog. “It’s okay.” Maybe. But why in the world would—

“Open up, Alice,” came a deep, compelling voice. “I know you’re in there. I hear Cash.”

As the dog recognized their visitor, his reaction transformed from outrage to utter elation. Giving a high-pitched whine, he turned circles and kept looking at her, waiting for her to open the door.

In a whisper, Alice reminded the dog, “You don’t know him any better than I do.”

“I can hear you, too, Alice.” The amusement came through loud and clear. “Now open up.”

She bit her lip to hold back the groan. Good grief, did he have supersonic hearing or something?

Heartbeat accelerated, Alice put a hand to her hair, but of course it was already tidy. She was always tidy. And boring. And too cautious...

Stop it.

She straightened her shirt, licked the lips that Reese had just kissed and unlocked the door.

Cash charged forward in excitement, but he didn’t get far. “Hello, Rowdy,” she said as he caught the dog’s collar. Luckily, being around Reese had gotten her somewhat used to large men.

Because Rowdy Yates was that, and then some.

He was also drop-dead gorgeous in a devilish, careless, edgy way. Where Reese tempered his sex appeal, Rowdy threw it out there without reserve, bludgeoning innocent bystanders with his raw magnetism.

“Hey, yourself.” He went down to one knee to acknowledge the dog. “What a welcome! I missed you too, bud.”

“Odd,” Alice remarked at the dog’s reaction. “He barely knows you.”

“We’re kindred souls.”

She doubted that. The dog was sweet and mostly gentle. In more ways than one, Rowdy Yates represented walking, talking trouble.

Unlike Reese, he didn’t speak in a falsetto voice to Cash. There were many, many other ways in which he differed from Reese, as well. Where Reese instilled trust and confidence, Rowdy brought out blushes and heart palpitations.

Standing there, one hand on her throat, the other crossed over her stomach, Alice wondered why in the world he’d come to visit.

His blond hair, darker than Reese’s, was a little too long and a lot too messy, as if the wind—or a woman’s hands—had recently played with it. He had beard shadow, not because he’d just awakened, but because he hadn’t bothered to shave. He wore a snowy white undershirt with jeans so ancient the denim was threadbare in places.