Bare It All Read Online Free PDF Page B

much
caution.
    His worst fears were confirmed when her big dark eyes lifted to
his, and she said softly, “Again.”

CHAPTER THREE
    M ETHODICALLY , A LICE replaced each item in
the drawer. She heard her own heartbeat, felt the rushing of her pulse, but
outwardly, she showed nothing but calm resolve.
    God, how good she’d gotten at that.
    For the longest time, Reese said nothing. She wasn’t sure what
to expect, how he’d react.
    But when he did finally move, it was just to turn the
bacon.
    She closed the drawer, searching for something to say. “You
seem competent in the kitchen.” He seemed competent at everything . “Would you like to do the eggs, too, or should I?”
    “Why don’t you take a seat, and I’ll handle it.”
    Ooookay. He sounded almost indifferent—not what she’d expected,
especially from a detective. She pulled out a chair, and Cash came to lay by her
feet.
    “Do you have permits for the guns?”
    That stalled her but only for a moment. Surely she did.
“Yes.”
    “That wasn’t a very confident reply.”
    She repeated, more firmly, “Yes.”
    “Hmm.”
    “Stay, Cash. I’ll be right back.” She went into her office,
checked that Reese hadn’t followed her and got out her special paperwork hidden
within the register vent on the floor, held in place by heavy magnets. Inside,
she found several permits. She located what she needed, put the rest back and
returned to Reese. “Here you go.”
    “If I check those, will they be legit?”
    “I’m confident they will be.”
    He shook his head at her. “The things you say and the way you
say it—”
    “Yes,” she amended. “They will be.”
Not even for a second should she have doubted it. Everything she had, every
resource, and yes, every weapon, would bear up under close scrutiny.
    The bacon smelled delicious as Reese put it on a plate and got
started on the eggs. “How many do you want?”
    “One, please.” Watching him work, she appreciated the view:
Reese shirtless, his shoulders flexing as he cracked eggs, his big bare feet
planted apart on her linoleum floor. She could so easily get used to the sight
of him in her kitchen. “Most women would want to cook for you.”
    “Maybe.” He lifted his coffee cup for another drink, then
glanced back at her. “I appreciate it that you aren’t being so clichéd.”
    No, she couldn’t be. She was so unlike most women, any
comparison would be hard to find.
    He continued to watch her. “Does anyone else know about your
cache of weapons?”
    No one that he’d ever meet. She didn’t like lying to him, but
really, she had no choice. “No.”
    “You took far too long to answer.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    Reluctantly, he turned to flip the eggs. “So, why did you tell
me?”
    Alice shook her head. “I’ve been sitting here wondering the
same thing myself. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t repeat it to anyone
else.”
    “Who would I tell?”
    “Your friend Detective Riske. Or Lieutenant Peterson. I’d as
soon not have to answer difficult questions.”
    “All right.” He set the plates on the table. “Unless it becomes
necessary to tell someone else, I’ll keep your secret.” The toast popped up.
Reese put a pat of butter on each piece.
    “It’s not a secret as much as it’s my private, personal
business.”
    He handed her a napkin, touched her cheek and took his
seat.
    Though he ate without pressuring her, Alice knew he still
waited for an answer.
    “It’s strange,” she said after a bite of bacon. “But I think I
trust you.”
    “That’s a start.”
    “I’m a good judge of character,” she said with a shrug. “You’re
trustworthy.”
    “You think that because I’m a cop?”
    She laughed, realized how awful that sounded and covered her
mouth with a hand. “No.” She shook her head. “No, being in law enforcement has
nothing to do with it.”
    “Unfortunately, you’re right.” Without seeming indelicate, he
ate so heartily that his food quickly