Bare It All Read Online Free PDF Page A

ever
understand her?
    Damn straight he would.
    “I had no idea you could move so quickly.” Coffee in hand, he
left the table. “I believe your temples are dewy. Did you run all the way
in?”
    She looked blank for only a moment, then visually searched the
apartment as if seeking signs of his intrusion.
    Let her look. He’d folded up his blankets. Put his clothes near
the door. He’d even buttoned his slacks.
    No way would he put on a shirt, though, not when he enjoyed her
appreciation. And thinking of her appreciation...
    He started toward her.
    She locked her gaze to his. “What are you doing?”
    Her uncertainty cut deep. “Greeting my dog.” Gently, Reese took
the leash from her small hand and unhooked Cash. He knelt down. “Did you miss
me, Cash? Did you?”
    Alice stared down at him. “You talk to him like he’s a
baby.”
    “He likes it.” And then, to drive home that point, he said in
his most ridiculous voice, “Don’t you, boy? Yes, you do.”
    Alice blurted, “I’m sorry I intruded.”
    Huh. What was that about? Slowly, so he wouldn’t make her any
jumpier, Reese stood. “Let’s go to the kitchen. This is my second cup, but as
foggy as I am today, I might need the whole pot.”
    “All right.” She marched ahead of him. “I was going to offer
you breakfast. Or lunch.” At the sink, she pivoted to face him. “What do you
feel like?”
    Such a loaded question, and being male, so many inappropriate
comments came to mind. But given all her weaponry and secrets, he got right to
the point instead of teasing.
    “I feel like an explanation.” Or two or three. He helped
himself to another cup of coffee, which put him within touching distance of her,
and started with her last apology. “When did you intrude?”
    “Outside. With your lady friends.”
    Ah. What justification would she give for that little display?
“You wanted me to get my coffee.” He saluted her with his cup. “Much
appreciated.”
    “Actually...no.” She rubbed her forehead. “I mean, yes, I did
want you to have your coffee, of course. But I...I don’t really understand what
I was thinking. I saw you out there with those women and the next thing I knew,
I was behaving like a jealous wife.”
    Wow. Reese stared at her, flabbergasted. She threw that out
there like it was nothing. No reserve at all.
    No sense of self-preservation either.
    “Again,” she said in that same no-nonsense tone, “I’m
sorry.”
    Shaking off the surprise, Reese opened her refrigerator. “No
problem.” He withdrew her cartoon of eggs.
    She frowned. “They’re both very attractive.”
    “Nikki and Pam?”
    The frown intensified. “Don’t be deliberately obtuse.”
    “All right.” If she wanted to dish it out, he could dish it
right back. “They’re both sexy as hell.” He grinned like a sinner—or a man ready
to provoke. “And they know it, too.”
    Alice reached around him and pulled out bacon. “This is
awkward.”
    She didn’t act uncomfortable. She acted like it was routine to
have such an odd conversation. “Nothing with me should be awkward.”
    She eyed him, moved around to get out a pan. “I understand they
were...trying to attract your interest?”
    “With those two, always. They’re relentless in their pursuits.”
He put just enough complaint in his tone to sound comically pitiful.
    “Oh, poor you. How awful it must be to have sexy-as-hell women hitting on you.”
    The bite of her sarcasm was so totally unexpected, he loved it.
“Since I don’t want to get involved with either of them, even for a one-night
stand, it gets tedious.”
    “So you really have turned them down?” She quickly added,
“That’s what they said. That they kept trying and you kept dodging them.”
    He crossed his heart.
    “Is it the proximity? That was Nikki’s guess.”
    Since proximity would also put Alice off limits, he denied it.
“That might have factored in a little. But mainly they’re both drinkers and
heavy