Bare It All

chapter SEVEN

REESE SPOKE THROUGH the closed door. “Are you ladies having your own private party in there?”

After winking at Alice, Pepper said, “Butt out, Reese.”

“All right. But you should know that Logan is about to leave the couch to come look for you.”

Pepper shot off the tub ledge and jerked open the door. Muttering, “He wouldn’t dare,” she rushed around Reese and down the hall.

Still sitting, hands in her lap, her ankles together, Alice wondered how Reese saw her.

Was Pepper right?

Could he actually consider her sexy? Not just available, but a woman he specifically wanted? It was such a foreign concept that her mind blanched over the idea—until she peeked up at Reese and saw the heat in his gaze.

Hello! He stared intently at her bare feet, her calves, up to her hands clenched together in her lap and then to her breasts, now rising with her deep breaths.

“Reese?”

Green eyes met hers. His voice sounded lower, rougher. “Why are you hiding in here?”

“I’m not.” Knowing he might see her differently—and accepting that she wanted him to—changed everything. Alice felt shy and uncertain as she stood. “Pepper and I were talking.”

“Oh?” Hands in his pockets, his gaze still moving over her, he leaned on the wall. His casual position blocked the doorway, keeping her in the bathroom with him. “Dare I ask the topic?”

“Their wedding,” she blurted.

His mouth curved in an indulgent smile. “Girl talk, then.”

“Well, sort of.” What did he consider girl talk? “We discussed a lot of stuff. She’s nice.”

“She has her moments.”

Her dress might be clingy, but then so was Reese’s shirt, and Alice couldn’t stop staring at his chest. No shirt would have been better, but a shirt outlining every muscle? Not bad. “We’re making plans for some outings together.”

“You don’t say?” He maintained his casual stance but was now more focused. “What type of outings?”

“She wants to give me a makeover.”

Abruptly Reese straightened. “Come again?”

Rather than go into detail—because, really, it made her feel too silly—Alice said, “And we might go to the shooting range to do some target practice together, too.”

Blank surprise washed over his face. “Target practice? You...with Pepper?”

Rushing past that seemed wise, as well. “And I would love to attend the wedding after they finalize plans. That is, if you wouldn’t mind too much.”

Sidetracked, he stepped farther into the room. “Why would I mind?”

“Because you’ll be there, and I didn’t want you to feel...I don’t know. Too crowded or anything.”

He stepped closer until only a few inches separated them. “I don’t know what that means, Alice.”

He smelled good, all rain-damp and warm. She drew in a deep breath, filling her lungs with his scent. It was enough to leave her dizzy.

Reese tipped up her chin. “Alice?”

“I don’t want you to tire of me.”

Frowning, he lifted his hands to cradle her face. His thumb brushed her cheek. “That’s not going to happen, so don’t worry about it.”

But of course it could. Maybe not today. And if Logan and Pepper married quickly, maybe not by the wedding. But Reese couldn’t know what the future would bring. “How old are you, Reese?”

He cocked a brow at the odd question. “Thirty.”

And yet he wasn’t married, which had to mean he avoided commitment...didn’t it?

“And you, Alice? Mid-twenties?”

“Good guess. I’m exactly in the middle.” She felt far older, though. Sometimes she felt so emotionally tired, worn out.

Defeated.

“That makes you twenty-five?”

“Yes.” Making the mistake of looking up at him, Alice said again, more softly this time, “Reese?”

Watching her with absorbed fascination, he brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. “That other kiss we discussed?”

The husky timbre in his voice sent her pulse racing. She went on tiptoe, lifting up to him, leaning in.

Ready. “Yes?”

“I don’t want to do it here, in Logan’s bathroom.”

Disappointment dropped her heels back to the floor. “Oh.”

Reese treated her to a knowing smile. “We need to get going, anyway.”

So soon? She hadn’t even made it out of the bathroom yet. “Is something wrong?”

“Other than me wanting to seduce you in a friend’s bathroom? No.” He kissed her forehead. “The weather isn’t letting up, and I’m a little worried about Cash, that’s all. I hope he’s not one of those dogs that spooks over thunder and lightning.”

The sweet sentiment warmed her even more than the anticipation of his kiss. Could Reese Bareden be more appealing?

She touched his bulging biceps. No, he couldn’t.

Everything on him was supersize—his muscular physique, his attitude...and his caring. “I left my bedroom door open for him, with the radio on. He’s probably under the bed right now. He goes there sometimes when I’m working.”

“You’re very good to him.” Lightning flashed outside the small bathroom window, followed by a crack of thunder that reverberated in the floor beneath their feet. “To both of us.”

He had that wrong, but she wouldn’t correct him on it. “So our visit is about over?”

“Yes. Logan invited us to stay for dinner, but I said we had other plans.”

That was news to her. “Do we?”

Again Reese kissed her, this time brushing his mouth over her cheek. “We’re going to talk while we get your jelly beans.” He trailed damp kisses along her jaw. “We’ll pick up something for dinner, too...while we talk some more—” down to her chin “—and once we get home and check on Cash—”

“We’ll do yet more talking?” Everywhere his mouth touched, her skin tingled. Somehow he made talk sound very seductive.

Near her ear, he whispered, “I want to know you better.”

Since she wanted to know everything about him, too, she liked that plan. Smoothing her hands over his solid chest, she nodded. “All right.”

“Damn, Alice.” His mouth opened on her neck, hot, damp. She felt the slightest of suctions, and her toes curled. “Agreeable women are such a turn-on.”

Knotting her fingers in his damp shirt, Alice held on—until Logan said, “Get out of my bathroom, you perv.”

Alice jumped away in guilt, and Logan quickly amended, “I meant him, not you.”

“Pepper let you off the couch?” Reese asked. “You managed to convince her that a bullet to the arm hadn’t handicapped your legs?”

“She’s reasonable when necessary.” Logan waited for them to leave the bathroom, but as he started forward, Pepper showed up and followed him into the john.

Biting back a laugh, Reese asked, “Going to lend him a hand, are you?”

Logan stood there, mouth open to say something, but Pepper shut the door in their faces before they could hear it.

Alice grinned. “They’re funny together.”

“Much more so than when they’re apart.” Taking her hand, Reese led her back toward the living room. His stride was so long, she had to trot to keep up.

“Why the rush?”

He immediately slowed, even pulled her up and into his side. “Apologies, but I need to sit down.”

“Why?” Reminded of the dark bruises around his wrists, Alice grew concerned. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“I think I should call it the Alice Syndrome.”

That made no sense to her.

Reese leaned down to her ear, even nipped her earlobe. “My attraction to you is difficult to contain, especially when you taste so good.”

A flush warmed her skin. She tried to lean around him to see, but he didn’t give her a chance.

“At the moment, there’s nothing to see and I’d as soon keep it that way. So behave.”

She always did, she thought with a sigh. “If you insist.”

He gave her a quick look, shook his head and kept going.

Alice used the opportunity to admire Logan’s home. They passed the modern and spacious kitchen, then the stairs leading toward a second floor and presumably the bedrooms.

The house was clean, open and uncluttered without being too masculine. “Detective Riske has a beautiful home.”

“I like it, too.” Reese drew Alice down onto the love seat with him. “You know, Logan did most of the decorating himself.”

On their return, Pepper heard him and groaned. “He’s almost too perfect, isn’t he?”

Logan, who didn’t act like a man recently shot, laughed. “I only need to be good enough to keep you.”

“You’re stuck with me and you know it.” After a quick kiss, Pepper directed Logan to sit again but appeased him by perching in his lap. “Luckily,” she said to Alice, “he’s good at all the housekeeping stuff, because I don’t really have the domestic gene.”

Logan no sooner got settled than his cell rang, and he retrieved it from the table. Alice would have given him some privacy to take the call, but Pepper didn’t move from his lap, and Reese seemed unwilling to stand again.

After a short greeting, she knew the identity of his caller: Lieutenant Peterson. She imagined working for that formidable woman could be a challenge for such alpha men, but neither one seemed to think a thing of it.

Logan said, “Reese is standing here now. I’ll let him know. Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem. Hang on.” He lowered the phone, holding it to his chest. “Follow-up interview tomorrow. Is 8 a.m. okay by you?”

“Whatever,” Reese said. “Not like either of us is working.”

Pepper scowled. “Of course Logan isn’t working. He needs time to heal.” And then to Logan, “They interviewed both of you at the hospital. Why do they need to see you again?”

“That was cursory because Logan was in the hospital.”

Logan agreed to that with a nod. “Tomorrow will be at the station, and more in-depth.”

“You were shot.”

Reese said, “Do you really think he’s unaware of that?”

Logan caught Pepper before she could turn her anger on Reese. “That’s the only reason they didn’t call me in before this. All this shit usually takes place within twenty-four hours.”

“If he doesn’t answer questions,” Reese told her, “he could lose his job.”

Aghast, Pepper gathered steam.

“Shut up, Reese.” Logan cupped Pepper’s face to reassure her. “Trust me, it’s not a big deal. I’m perfectly capable of doing interviews—and no, I don’t need you there.” He softened that by saying, “I love you, but some things a man has to do alone.”

Reese laughed. “So says the man recently escorted to the john.”

Pepper narrowed her eyes at Reese. “Our truce is becoming shakier by the moment.”

Reese held up his hands in surrender. “If it helps, an association rep will be around.” His smile twitched. “I promise no one will abuse him.”

Logan glared at him. “Soon as my arm is healed...” He let the threat hang out there.

Knowing it was all bluster kept Alice from getting too anxious over their verbal sparring. It was sort of nice to see friends indulge in harmless baiting.

She saw that as a true measure of friendship.

After whispering something to Pepper, Logan put the phone back to his ear. “We’ll be there. Yeah, Reese, too. Got it. Thanks.” He disconnected the call.

Reese sat forward. “Who’s doing follow-up on—” his gaze went first to Pepper, and then to Alice “—on the info we got yesterday?”

He didn’t want to mention traffickers again. Given what Pepper had been through and how she was threatened, Alice appreciated the restraint. Pepper was clearly a strong woman, a true survivor, but that had to be an awful memory for her.

Alice knew all about awful memories.

For a few minutes, the men talked shop and occasionally Pepper chimed in. Alice did her best not to intrude.

When they finished, Pepper still wasn’t happy. “You can’t drive, not with your arm in that sling still.”

“Reese’ll pick me up.” He glanced at Reese.

“Certainly, as long as Pepper understands that I’m an innocent bystander.”

Appeased, Pepper asked, “How long will you be gone tomorrow?”

“Could be a few hours, could be all day.” Logan hugged her with his good arm. “Depends on the questions they ask and the answers we have to give. Usually, the D.A. does the interview, and I.A. will watch on a live video feed. When the D.A. is done, I.A. might have additional questions.”

“In that case...” Pepper glanced at Alice. “We could bump our shopping trip up to tomorrow. What do you say? Are you free?”

Since she set her own hours, it wouldn’t be a problem. But was she ready for that yet?

Pepper swayed her by saying, “God knows I need some new clothes now that I’m not playing the wallflower anymore, and shopping will help keep my mind off things.”

“All right, then.”

Reese started to object, but Logan jumped in first. “Great idea.”

Plans were made around Alice, and before she knew it, everything was arranged.

It struck her that she’d not only let Reese into her life, but Rowdy, Logan and Pepper, too. Reese and his friends swept her along with their camaraderie, their openness and caring.

She hadn’t known any of them long, but they’d had such an impact on her, she already knew she didn’t want to lose them. As usual, though, much was out of her hands. Everything would change once they learned of her past.

And with two detectives involved, how could she keep her secrets buried?

* * *

HALFWAY HOME, the rain slowed to a soft drizzle. In the seat beside Reese, Alice looked drowsy, almost languid. Hopefully relaxed.

It pleased him that she and Pepper had gotten along, but he worried about them being out and about alone together.

Logan, without knowing of their plans, had actually encouraged them.

With any luck, Rowdy would be available to keep an eye on things. He’d check with him later—when Alice wouldn’t know.

“What are you thinking?” she asked. “You’re so quiet.”

“I was wondering about this shopping trip of yours.”

She smiled toward him. “I haven’t shopped with another woman in a long time.” As if distracted, she fussed with the hem on her dress, now wrinkled from the rain. “My sister and I used to go out together a lot. The last time we shopped, it was for her prom dress.”

With Alice, it was often what she didn’t say that gave him pause. “Your mother didn’t go?”

“Not that time. She and my dad were on a business trip. My sister had decided not to go to prom so Mom didn’t think she’d be missing anything. Then Amy got asked by a special boy, and we had to scramble to get things together. It was pretty wonderful, and she looked so beautiful that night.”

It was hard to imagine dark secrets in the soft, caring picture Alice presented. “You’re older than her?”

“By six years.”

“So you two weren’t close?”

Hesitation hung in the air between them. “Despite the age difference, we used to be.” She turned away to stare out the window at the sodden landscape. “I don’t see her very often now.”

He wanted to ask why but didn’t. “Your parents?”

She held silent.

“You can tell me, you know.”

More time passed. Reese heard the shushing of tires on wet pavement, the lazy, rhythmic slicking of the windshield wipers.

He heard his own heartbeat in his ears.

Shifting around to face him, Alice curled her legs up on the seat, rested her cheek against the back, folded her arms around her waist.

She let out a breath.

Reese felt her watching him, and he knew she was measuring her words.

“My family is pretty wonderful. Supportive and caring. Smart and friendly.”

Like Alice.

“Mom is a teacher, Dad an architect. Amy is still in college. She’s going to be a nurse.”

To Reese that sounded nice enough, much like a typical middle-class family. “So why don’t you see them more often?”

“Because I love them.” Her voice thickened with emotion, breaking his heart. “A lot.”

Though he couldn’t imagine anyone not loving Alice, he had to ask. “They don’t feel the same?”

“After I was kidnapped, things changed.” She corrected that with a shake of her head. “That is, I changed. They were thrilled when I returned, but it had been so long....” Her voice trailed off. “I wasn’t the same person anymore.”

To a captive, a day could feel like a week, a week like a month. Reese prayed that Alice had been rescued sooner than that. “You were still a daughter, a sister. I’m sure they—”

“Loved me? Yes.” Expression stark, she looked away. “But he kept me for over a year.”

Shock rolled over Reese, cramping his guts, locking his jaw. “Jesus,” he whispered, wishing he could somehow change the reality of what she’d suffered.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get away.” She hugged herself, chin down, her voice breaking. “I thought that was my life.”

Knowing how the memory still hurt her left Reese hurting, too. She’d survived, and she said she hadn’t been raped. What could a kidnapper possibly have wanted with her?

The silence grew heavier, almost suffocating. Reese tried to get into cop mode, to think logically instead of with emotion. “You said he. It was a man who took you?”

“A man that had me taken.”

“Did you know him?”

She shook her head—and curled tighter. “No.”

His heartbeat thundered. He wanted to pull over and hold her, console her. Make absurd promises that he wasn’t sure he could keep.

But he didn’t dare interrupt the moment of confession.

He needed to know.

Keeping his tone calm, no-nonsense, Reese asked, “Do you know why he took you?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t elaborate. As a man, he wanted to let it go, to see the wary shadows lift from her gaze. But as a cop, logic won out and he forced himself to push for more. “What did he make you do, Alice?”

“The one thing I’m good at.” She swallowed hard. “I had to be his secretary.”

That...didn’t make a lot of sense. Reese spared her a quick glance and saw that she’d huddled into a small, vulnerable form—as far from him as she could get.

“Will you explain that to me?”

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, reflecting off all the wet surfaces. Steam rose in suffocating waves. Birds came out to sing.

“You were probably already digging into my past.”

“I was.” Reese saw no reason to deny it. He was a detective, and she knew it.

“You’d have found out, anyway.” Her shoulders lifted on a big breath. “But I don’t like talking about it.”

“That’s why you avoid your family?”

She nodded. “I can’t bear to trouble them with my...unpleasantness. They’re so happy, burdening them with the real worries of life, the life I now know exists, doesn’t seem fair.”

“A life with kidnappers?”

A rainbow stretched across the sky. His tires hit a puddle in the road, causing a big splash.

Alice drew in a shaky breath, looked at him. “A life with human traffickers.”

Reese’s blood ran cold. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “That’s what he was?”

“He pretended to be a hotshot businessman. And I guess he was that, too. But he also bought and sold women.” She paused, chewed her bottom lip a moment. “I haven’t told many people about it.”

“Because it’s so ugly?”

She nodded. “You’re a detective, so you already see stuff like this. You can deal with it.”

“Yes.” But she thought her family couldn’t? “You can tell me anything, remember?” Screw keeping an emotional distance. He reached for and found her hand. “You won’t burden me.”

Her fingers locked on his. “I told my family just a little of it, and they were so sick. My sister had nightmares, my mom cried. And my dad...” Big tears clung to her lashes, and her words thickened with heartache. “My sweet, gentle dad broke his hand punching the wall.”

Reese could picture it in his mind; too many times he’d witnessed fathers trying to deal with the loss or injury of a child. “I can’t imagine a dad reacting any other way.” Her shuddering indrawn breath wrenched him. “That’s not your fault, honey. That’s human nature.”

“That’s loss of innocence. That’s reality—a reality few ever have to face.” Easing her hand away from him, she sat up straighter and pushed back her hair. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not right now.”

He needed to know more. He needed the kidnapper’s name, and he had to know if justice had been served.

Because if it hadn’t, he’d be taking care of that himself.

He considered everything she’d shared, and he pieced together what he could.

For over a year, she’d been forced to act as a secretary to a scumbag trafficker. Inconceivable.

She hadn’t been raped. She had escaped. How? Who had helped her?

They were almost to the grocery store, and Alice trembled all over. If he pushed her any further, she’d lose her fragile grip on control. As a detective, he knew that could get him answers; people spilled their guts in moments of weakness.

But he couldn’t do that.

Not to Alice.

Mind made up, Reese reached for her hand again. He needed the brief contact, whether she did or not. “You can relax, honey. We’ll put it on hold for now.”

Her rigid shoulders drooped. She squeezed his hand like a lifeline. “Thank you.”

Reese felt like an abusive ass, but he nodded to accept her...gratitude.

Shit. He wanted many things from Alice, but not that. Not even close. Definitely not over confessions he’d wrung from her.

As he parked in the grocery lot, she opened her seat belt, then hesitated until he’d turned off the car. Uncertainty filled her dark-eyed gaze. “You know, once you’ve heard it all, it’ll probably change everything.”

He realized he was learning to read her, to understand what she didn’t say. “You mean how I feel about you?”

“Yes.” And then, a little self-conscious, “Whatever it is you feel.”

He felt plenty, all of it unfamiliar and disconcerting. “Somehow, I doubt it, but I guess we’ll find out.” He leaned forward, brushing his mouth over hers. “In the meantime, you might try trusting me, okay?”

Instead of agreeing, she touched her fingertips to her lips, let out a pent-up breath—and turned to get out of the car. Reese had to hurry to catch up with her.

He had a feeling Alice would always stay one step ahead.