Bare It All (10 page)

He didn’t look back—but he did grin in triumph.

Soon, Avery Mullins. Very, very
soon.

* * *

D
ISGUISED
BY
THE
shadows
in the bar, the man stood back against the wall, watching as Karia moved toward
the prey. Her hesitation pissed him off, but she’d learn. He’d see to it.

Finally, her mouth quivering with nervousness, she approached
the bar. Sitting on a stool, she turned to face the room and leaned back on her
elbows—just as he’d instructed.

Dougie, the bartender, glanced at her back—at the tattoo
visible on her shoulder, and gave a small smile. He moved down the bar to speak
quietly with a group of men.

With little fanfare, the men approached Karia, and seconds
after that, with false smiles and scripted dialogue, they left the bar
together.

Perfect.

Smug with satisfaction, he held back, remaining in the shadows,
watching the door. He’d give them three minutes, no more. Then he’d go after
Karia.

He didn’t want her going off the rails, sneaking away from him,
or spilling her guts about things meant to be kept secret—details that formed
the support of his enterprise.

He didn’t want her to lose her nerve, because he’d hate to have
to kill her. But if she blew it, if she didn’t follow the carefully laid out
directions, he would snuff her like a spent candle, and then he’d find another
woman.

He’d done it before, and he’d do it again.

Luckily, the women knew that. Fear, he’d learned, proved to be
quite the motivator.

* * *

A
LICE
AWAKENED
ON
a gentle sigh, a slow stretch and stirring warmth from deep inside.
Even through her closed eyelids she knew the sun had risen, which meant she’d
slept late. Amazing.

She never slept past the sunrise. Actually, she never slept the
whole night through. Sleep, like peace of mind, was a rare commodity, always
warring with her conscience.

Usually losing.

But last night, she’d faded into a peaceful slumber, surrounded
by warmth and security.

Surrounded by Reese.

So many things he’d given her—the care of Cash, affection and
caring, sexual interest.

And now this.

That last kiss had been a revelation. She touched her mouth,
remembering, savoring.

Anticipating more.

Turning her head, she looked at the other side of the bed—and
found it empty.

Her heart sank like a stone. Sitting up, hands fisting in the
sheets, she listened. But her senses told her what her heart feared.

Her apartment was empty.

Raging anxiety spiraled out, trying to take hold. Deliberately,
Alice drew a breath, then another, slow and deep, reaching for control, for that
elusive calm.

She’d been alone for a very long time, mostly by choice. Being
alone now was no different. It was—

No.
She couldn’t, wouldn’t accept
that.

Throwing back the sheet, she climbed from the bed and made a
frantic rush out of the room. The bathroom door and her office stood open, and
empty. Her feet made a quiet patter on the hardwood hallway.

The sunny living room greeted her with a deafening silence.

How could Reese sleep with her and then just go? How could he
kiss her and say he wanted more and then walk out of her life as if—

A key sounded in her lock, causing her stomach to drop. Eyes
wide, heart stuttering, she froze.

The door swung open, and Reese, fully dressed, stepped in with
Cash. He spoke softly to the dog as he hung the leash on the wall and closed the
door with a quiet click.

She held herself so still that it took a second for Cash to
spot her. With joy lighting up his face, he levered back on his haunches, shook
his butt then leaped forward.

That drew Reese’s attention. He turned, a smile in place—until
he saw her.

Just that quick, warmth faded under concern.

The next thing she saw was sympathy.

Disgusted with herself, embarrassed and maybe even shamed,
Alice knelt down and hugged Cash close. She loved the dog, and she needed an
excuse to hide her hot face.

Unfortunately, Cash was too excited to be still. He kept
jumping, and in her kneeling position, she didn’t have great balance.

He knocked her on her can.

Laughing around her humiliation, Alice let Cash crawl up into
her lap, then nuzzle against her face, her neck. His paws tangled in her gown,
and his tail wagged so hard it jiggled his entire body.

Knowing Reese had seen her stricken expression, she waited for
the inquisition, but when she looked up, she saw him striding into the kitchen
without a word.

“Uh-oh,” she whispered to Cash. “Did I make him
uncomfortable?”

Cash’s only answer was more joyous snuffling and wiggling.

Reese returned with a mug of coffee in one hand, a dog chew in
the other. “Cash, c’mere boy.”

Cash abandoned her quickly enough for Reese’s bribe. He took
the chew to the other side of the couch and began gnawing.

“He’s been out twice,” Reese told her. “Fed, walked and frisky
as ever.”

“Thank you.” Still on the floor, legs sprawled, gown twisted,
Alice regretted the exposure left by Cash’s defection.

Reese came to stand by her feet. “Quite the picture you
present. Somewhat like a collapsed confection.”

She didn’t understand him, so she didn’t reply.

After a moment, he offered her a hand. “Either you come up off
the floor, or I’ll have to join you there. And if I get on the floor with you
while you’re like that, I might not be able to control myself.”

What in the world did that mean?

Hand still extended, Reese said, “You’re the only woman I know
who could look so damned desirable while rumpled from sleep, dejected from God
knows what and cowering.”

“I don’t cower!” But she knew she had been. Biting her bottom
lip, she scowled and accepted his hand.

He hauled her upright—and into his body. As if nothing else had
transpired, he said cheerfully, “Good morning, Alice.”

How would she ever keep up with him? Alice mumbled,
“Morning.”

Keeping the coffee out of reach with one arm extended, the
other arm looped around her waist, he kissed her forehead. “Everything
okay?”

God, she felt like a needy child. She’d worked too hard for
independence to backslide now. Forcing her chin up, she met his gaze and willed
her voice to be steady and strong. “I thought you’d left.”

“No, you thought I’d snuck out while you slept.” He stepped
back and handed her the coffee. “I like to think I’m a little more honorable
than that.”

“You’re very honorable.” She sipped the coffee. Perfection. Was
there anything he didn’t do well? As far as she could tell, no, there
wasn’t.

And of course, that meant he’d also be good at relationships,
even dysfunctional relationships with damaged, needy neighbors.

“I’m sorry.” Feeling like a wounded mouse, Alice wanted to limp
off and hide. But that wouldn’t do. “I should have known—”

“Yes, you should have.” Reese gestured for her to join him in
the kitchen.

Reluctantly, she went along, sitting in the chair he pulled out
for her.

After getting his own cup of coffee, Reese sat across from her.
Brows drawn, expression stern, he stared at her. “If I spend the night and you
wake up alone, instead of assuming the worst, look for a note or wait for a
phone call.”

Now that she understood nothing had changed—Reese hadn’t left,
hadn’t lost interest—she found her backbone again. “Don’t leave without waking
me, and I won’t have to.”

His left brow lifted. “So, I’m to give you notice of my comings
and goings?”

She hesitated, but... “Yes.” So much daring made her pulse
race. It was exhilarating. “If you stay the night with me, you owe me that
courtesy.”

Seconds ticked by—and he smiled. “All right.”

Wow, she’d just successfully debated with an ultra-appealing
alpha male. Her entire mood lightened. “How long before you have to go?”

“Soon.” He set his cup aside. “While you slept in—and I’m not
complaining about that, just so you know—it occurred to me that you’d done all
the sharing last night. Hardly fair, is it?”

She tucked her messy hair behind her ears and struggled to keep
up with him. “It’s okay. You had—”
have
“—questions.”

“Yes, and with each answer you give, it seems I have more.” He
held up a hand. “No, don’t draw wrong conclusions again. I’m not ready to launch
into a cross-examination.”

Yay.

He moved the cup a little, turning the handle. “I just
wondered, don’t you have a few questions of your own?”

None that she could voice first thing in the morning, after
making a fool of herself, on only half a cup of coffee. But she could tell he
wanted something from her. She licked her lips. “Yes?”

Proving she’d given the right answer, Reese smiled and held out
his arms. “Let me have it.”

She gave him a blank stare.

“Questions, Alice.”

She wracked her brain and came up with a subject of interest.
“Family.”

“Everyone has one, don’t they?” He took another drink of
coffee, visibly sorting his thoughts. “Mine is large. Mother, father, brothers,
sister, nephews and a niece, aunts and uncles, cousins...even my grandparents
are still around.”

“Wow.”

“There are a lot of us, and despite the occasional conflict,
we’re a good group. Dad is hilarious. Overly educated but still a comedian. He
makes my mom nuts, but she loves him.”

Fascinated, Alice pictured them all together, and that made her
wonder. “Did you get your size from your father?”

“And he from his father, and on down the line. The men are
mostly all big, some bigger than me. A few of the women are tall, too, but
obviously with more feminine features.”

“Your mother?”

“She’s average height. Around five-five. By the time I was
twelve, I towered over her. When she wanted to lecture me, she made me sit in a
chair in front of her. Said it hurt her neck otherwise.”

Alice smiled. “You said brothers and sisters?”

“Two brothers, one sister. And yes, being the only girl, she’s
bossy but kind, so we tolerate her.” He grinned to let her know he was teasing.
“She has sons, and my oldest brother has a daughter.”

Caught up in the picture he painted, Alice asked, “What were
you like in high school?”

“Pride demanded I get good grades and do well in sports. I was
cocky, I guess. Full of myself.”

“Were you popular?”

“I didn’t want for friends.”

“Or girlfriends?”

Grinning, he said, “Not exactly, no.” He reached for her hand,
worked his thumb over her palm, examined each finger. “During my junior year, I
got dubbed ‘Bare it All Bareden,’ a name that stuck after a bunch of
cheerleaders caught me naked in the locker room.”

She almost blushed for him. “That must have been so
embarrassing!”

He rolled a shoulder. “You’d think so, right?” Before she could
question that, he went on. “The girls, all fifteen of them, claimed to come in
on me accidentally. I mean, who would think a football player would be in the
locker room getting dressed after practice? Better still, none of the other guys
were around. I hadn’t really noticed since I’d just stepped out of the shower,
buck-ass.”

“Oh, my.” The visual crowded into her brain and stuck there.
Reese young and naked and still damp... “They set you up?”

“Let’s just say the guys helped the girls work it out in
exchange for favors.” Lifting her hand, he kissed her knuckles, turned her hand
over to kiss her palm. “High school guys are notoriously horny, and there’s not
much they wouldn’t do for sex.”

Curling her fingers, Alice tried to ignore how the sensation of
his mouth there was felt all over her body. She wanted to hear the rest. “I take
it you weren’t angry?”

“At the girls? No. They were just curious because of the
rumors.”

Suspicious, she narrowed her eyes. “What rumors?”

His gaze met hers. “Size rumors.”

Drawing a blank, she shook her head in incomprehension.

“You know,” Reese said. “Am I big all over? That sort of
thing.”

She recalled Nikki and Pam commenting on the same. Studiously
keeping her gaze on his face, Alice said with confidence, “You are.”

The green of his eyes deepened. “Yes, I am.” This time he
kissed her wrist, lingering, provoking. “Back then, I enjoyed the bragging
rights.”

“And now?”

His smile came reluctantly. “As a grown, mature man, I’d like
to say it doesn’t matter.” The damp heat of his tongue almost stole her breath.
He closed his mouth over her wrist, lightly bit and murmured, “But I still enjoy
showing off.”

Even sitting in a chair, she felt herself swaying. She
swallowed hard and rasped, “Showing off?”

Slowly, maintaining his hold on her wrist, Reese stood and came
around the table. He tugged her up and against his big frame. Serious, heated,
he searched her face, her eyes, finally her mouth. “I’ll fill you up, Alice. And
I swear you’ll enjoy it.”

He bent to kiss her—and she knew without a single doubt what
type of kiss it’d be.

Before they made contact, she stumbled back, taking Reese by
surprise. “Sorry, no.”

His chest rose and fell, but he didn’t insist. “All right.”

So honorable of him.

So dumb of her. Desperate to explain, she said, “I only got up
a few minutes ago.”

He let his attention roam over her body. “Great nightgown.”

“Thank you.” Was Pepper correct? Could simple clothes affect
him so much? Apparently. She smoothed the rumpled cotton of her gown. “The thing
is, I’ve only had half a cup of coffee. And I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”
And I’m an awful coward.
“Pepper will be here
soon, and I won’t be ready.”