"Why would he be-"

"I'm not at all like your sister."

Rowdy shook his head fast. "Let's not go there."

"Or the neighbors who hit on him."

Now he lifted a brow. "Neighbors, plural?"

She didn't seem to hear. "I'm just...me.

Very average me."

She was a galaxy away from average, but none of that had anything to do with body issues. Trying to relax, Rowdy set aside his glass and stretched out his legs.

"Women always look at that the wrong way. When a guy's attracted to a woman, he wants to see her naked. Period. Big boobs, small boobs-"

"Hey!"

"A little over or a little underweight, who cares? Naked is what we want."

"We?"

"With women we're interested in."

She continually tried to trip him up. "Not me with you, but Reese with you."

She stared at him with rapt attention.

Rowdy shifted, cleared his throat.

"He's not looking for any imagined flaws, you know."

"And if they're not imagined?"

Jesus. What the hell was she hiding under there? He ran a hand over his head. "It's not that he's turned on in spite of a lack of curves, or too many curves, or...whatever." He couldn't begin to guess at her particular hang-up. "It's that he doesn't even see it. All he sees is a woman he wants, and the promise of getting busy."

"In bed, you mean."

"Or on the couch, the floor, in the shower or on the table. Wherever."

Hoping to tease her just a little, he said, "Guys aren't nearly as picky as women."

Alice took a second to chew on that.

"It's not... Okay, let's say I'm fine with my body. I mean, it is average, like me, but I guess that's okay." Then she asked, "You're sure he won't mind that?"

Fighting off a smile wasn't easy. "Get naked, and I promise you Reese won't be complaining."

She thought some more, then went resolute. "Okay."

Just like that? Reese would owe him ten times over.

"The thing is," Alice continued, "I have...character flaws, too."

Compassion almost smothered him.

Gently, Rowdy said, "No, you do not."

Hell, reckless daring aside, she was about the sweetest woman he'd ever met.

"I do, but I hide them well."

Something else to discuss with Reese...maybe. Rowdy didn't like the idea of betraying Alice's trust. Maybe if she and Reese got together, Reese would be able to figure it out without his help.

"Look," Rowdy said, taking her hand.

"It won't matter. Reese is an astute guy, and he's sensible. Whatever the problem is, try trusting him."

"Why do men always say that?"

"Because women are always distrustful?" And that, finally, brought him back to his reason for being here with her now. "What happened today?"

She shook her head. "It was nothing.

Just a young lady that needed a helping hand."

"Bullshit."

"Rowdy Yates, do not curse at me."

"Then don't feed me a line." Sitting forward, forearms on his knees, he studied her. "Something went down.

Something dirty. You stuck your little nose right into the middle of it. Was that planned or happenstance?"

"If I tell you, will you tell Reese?"

"Maybe." Not if he could convince her to tell Reese first. "Let me hear it, and then I'll decide."

Indecision held her for several heartbeats before she complied. "I see when other people are upset or scared. I don't know how, but I do."

"Like a sixth sense or a gut reaction."

Rowdy had them, too-hell, that intuition had damn near bludgeoned him when he met Alice-so he didn't question her. "Go on."

"I saw her-her name is Cheryl-get passed from a van to a truck in the parking lot at the mall. It felt wrong to me, so I decided to follow her."

Rowdy listened as she relayed chilling details laced with foolhardy bravery.

She could have been killed. If Hickson hadn't been alone in that room, if she hadn't gotten out before the other two men showed up, if she'd misfired the Taser-so many things could have gone wrong that it left him cold.

"I left Hickson in the room, trussed up with nylon restraints."

Rowdy could only stare at her.

"After I Tased him, while he was still stunned, I bound his wrists and ankles,"

she said defensively. "And then I had Cheryl fasten him to a pipe in the wall."

"He's not there anymore."

She paused. "No?"

"Two other goons showed up and freed him only minutes after you'd left."

It hadn't been quite that close, but she deserved to worry. He watched her, waiting for her fear.

"Well," she said with a lack of concern that bordered on relief, "I guess that takes care of one problem, then. I don't have to worry about sending someone to find him."

Like that would have been easy?

Challenging her, Rowdy asked, "Who would you have sent?"

"I was thinking...you."

He sat back in surprise. "Me?"

She patted his hand. "Reese could handle it, of course, but he would have all kinds of questions, and he'd probably get annoyed, being that he's a detective and all that."

"What the hell was I supposed to do with him?"

As if sharing a confidence, she leaned closer, her expression sincere, guileless.

"I was thinking you could question him.

Maybe find out about any other people involved so we could get them all."

Get them all? She was a walking disaster waiting to happen. Rowdy tried to find words but came up blank. He pointed at her, couldn't form a rational sentence and stood to pace away.

"What?" she said, jumping up to follow him. "Should I have just ignored her?"

Finding his voice with a vengeance, Rowdy pivoted to face her. "You should have called someone! Reese or, sure, me. But before you did anything, not afterward."

Her voice rose with his. "By then it might've been too late."

"Hell, you could have called a cop, any cop!"

"You don't like cops!"

Temper ignited. "I wasn't involved."

They both stared at each other, equally stunned by the outburst.

Rowdy couldn't believe it when her mouth twitched.

As if to placate him, she patted his shoulder. "You're scaring Cash."

He glanced at the dog and saw Cash watching him...while still gnawing on his chew treat. The dog was attentive but not really worried.

He and Alice had that in common.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Alice Appleton would make him insane in very little time.

He sucked in a breath, flexed his hands to loosen his fists and tried to get it together. In a much calmer voice, he asked, "Are you home for the rest of the night?"

Prim, composed, she folded her hands together. "Yes."

Good. He started around her. "Reese should be here any minute now. Tell him everything. He deserves to know."

Fleeing her insane effect on him, Rowdy started out. He didn't want to yell at Alice. He didn't want to dictate to her.

Damn it, how would anyone keep her safe when she had such disregard for her own hide?

Now she looked worried. "But...where are you going?"

"I have a late appointment with a real estate lawyer." And after that, he'd head to the bar and find some feminine company, preferably Avery. With any luck, she'd help him expend pent-up energy in the best way known to man- through grinding hot sex.

"What?" Alice trotted after him. "Real estate? Why?"

Anxious to be gone, Rowdy opened the door. "I'm buying a bar." He started out.

"Lock this. And, so help me, Alice, you better stay put."

He pulled the door shut, waited until he heard it lock then took the steps two at a time.

He'd give her the rest of the evening to talk with Reese-and then he'd share his own report. Poor Reese.

He might not know it yet, but Alice was about to turn his world upside down.

WITH ROWDY GONE, Alice's courage