Regaining his feet, keeping one hand on Cash's head, Reese stared down at Nikki. "He's a rescue." Repressed fury had him talking through his teeth.

"Someone had left him for dead, so no telling what he suffered before that.

Probably abuse."

Again she chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry. Really."

"If being near the dog is that big of a problem for you, avoid me when I have him out." Preferably she could avoid hi m always. But he wasn't quite rude enough to say that. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Reese, wait." She put one hand on his bare chest, the other at his side right above the waistband of his slacks.

"Really, I am sorry. I've never been around animals much, and I can't say I'm a fan. But I would never deliberately hurt an animal. I'm not a monster."

Reese believed her. Taking his bad mood out on Nikki wouldn't accomplish anything. "Thanks."

"Maybe I could..." She looked at Cash with loathing as her fingers stroked through Reese's chest hair. "I could probably try to get used to him."

"There's no point." Beyond common courtesy and social civility, he had no interest in Nikki.

"But Reese..." Her thumb touched his right nipple. "Let me make it up to you."

"Yeah," he said, catching her wrist with his free hand. "Let's not do that."

"Please." She licked her bottom lip- and went after his nipple again.

How she thought that was going to help matters, he couldn't guess. He looked down at Cash and found the dog watching with a wealth of expression. "I should get Cash inside."

"But I want us to get along. You know I do."

She wanted more than that, but it wouldn't happen. "You're on your way out, and you've been drinking."

"Only a little." She leaned into him, her breasts to his chest, his hand holding her wrist caught between them. "And I was just heading to the club. I'm happy to stay in if you're...free."

"I'm not," he said as gently as he could. He suspected she operated under liquid courage. Sometimes two drinks could take away a lot of inhibitions or demolish good judgment. "And you shouldn't be driving."

"See." Now she pressed her pelvis against him, too. "I should stay home with you instead."

"Reese, there you are."

Alice's high voice startled him and Nikki both. They turned as one, and there she stood...barely dressed, her hair a little wild, her face pinched with antagonism.

Cash leaped toward her-and despite her obvious irritation, Alice knelt to receive him with a generous amount of petting.

Knowing how she felt about the dog, Reese was thankful she hadn't been out during Nikki's mishap.

Nikki looked at Alice, looked at Reese and turned back to Alice. "Well, well, Alice. You're all out of sorts tonight."

Standing with Cash at her side, Alice pushed her hair back. She'd pulled on a T-shirt, no bra, shorts and no shoes. "I'm fine." She zeroed in on Reese, her gaze telling. "Are you coming in?"

If he went in now, he just might shout.

Alice wasn't a woman he wanted to shout at. At the moment, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with her.

Walking away wasn't an option.

Reporting her antics to the authorities didn't sit right either.

Making love to her until she moaned again... But, no. He had to deal with her recklessness first. He had to find a way to rein her in, to get to the truth, to uncover her every secret.

To keep her from getting into more trouble.

Nikki still clung to him-peeling her away wouldn't be easy. Hopefully Alice would understand the circumstances.

He wanted everything from Alice, except jealousy or doubt.

"Why don't you take Cash in with you?" He held out the leash. "I'll be right there."

She stood her ground with her narrow bare feet planted, the breeze ruffling her tangled hair.

She didn't look at Nikki, and she didn't take the proffered leash. In a chilly voice laced with steel, she stated, "I'll wait with you."

Great.

Jealous regardless, and apparently ready for battle. Just what the situation didn't need.

Nikki bounced her gaze back and forth from Reese's frustration to Alice's bold antagonism. Antagonism won.

Alice smiled, but it was not a friendly sight.

"Ooookay." Twittering a laugh, Nikki eased away. "I think I'll just excuse myself from this volatile domestic dispute." She patted Reese on the chest -and Alice's jaw ticked.

It fascinated him, this new aspect of Alice's personality. Possessive.

Forceful.

But then, sounding like her usual reasonable, kind self, she said, "Why don't I call you a cab, Nikki? You probably shouldn't be driving."

"No need." A car swung into the parking lot, and a horn beeped. "My ride is here."

Reese turned to see a young man put the car in Park. He opened his door and poked his head out. "Sorry I'm late," he called to Nikki. "Traffic."

Tilting in against Reese, Nikki whispered, "Second best, but tonight, I'll take it." And with that, she strutted to the car, much to the delighted anticipation of her date.

"I think she's drunk," Alice said on a sigh, "so I suppose I shouldn't take umbrage."

Given the stunt she'd pulled today, what she'd gotten involved in, umbrage over a pushy neighbor should have been the last thing on her mind. "I can see your nipples."

Alice looked down at herself with a distinct lack of concern. "I dressed in a hurry."

Taking her arm in a gentle but firm hold, Reese started them toward the apartment. Cash trotted along behind, his trauma with Nikki temporarily forgotten.

He'd gotten them halfway up the stairs when Alice said, "I grabbed the first T- shirt and shorts I saw. No time for underwear."

He tripped over his own feet.

"Besides," Alice said, peeking up at him. "I was hoping I could talk you back to bed. No reason to get dressed for that."

"Oh, no, you don't." Reese took the key from her and unlocked the door.

"You will not distract me again. We have some serious talking to do."

"About Nikki?"

Anger started boiling to the surface again. "No, not about Nikki." After relocking the door, he went into the kitchen and fetched a treat for Cash. If this kept up, Cash would end up overweight. He'd have to get back to running-and maybe take Cash with him.

With the dog settled, Reese squared off with Alice.

She scowled up at him. "If I disappointed you, just say so."

"Disappointed?"

"In how I did-" she gestured "-you know, in bed."

Reese stared at her, distracted after all.

"You don't have to drag it out," she said. "Just tell me what I should do differently."

Reese shook his head to clear it. Oh, he was definitely disappointed. At her lack of trust, at her irresponsible disregard for safety.

At whatever illegal caper she'd blundered into.

"That was one hell of a turnaround, Alice. One minute we need to wait because you aren't ready, and then suddenly you're insisting we go straight to bed."

Confusion showed in her big dark eyes. "My boldness displeased you?"

"Hell, no. I loved it." He'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker, not a single suspicion aroused. "The sex was amazing. You are amazing."

Pleasure flushed her face, and she beamed at him. "Thank you."

"But you shouldn't have used it against me."

Going blank, she asked, "Used it...?"

Reese crossed his arms over his chest.

"I talked with Rowdy." The words fell like a sledgehammer between them.

A silent gasp parted Alice's lips.

A sick churning of regret and maybe hurt brought Reese within an inch of her, towering above her, crowding her with his size. "And now I know why you suddenly had to have me."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

"YOU'RE DERANGED." How in the world could Reese think anything had motivated her other than his awesome appeal?

His eyes widened a little at her insult.

Using both hands, she shoved him back a little. Or at least, she tried to. But since he was six and a half feet tall, every inch of him carved with strength, she only managed to surprise him.

"Look at you!" She cupped a hand at his jaw, rasped her thumb over his bristly beard stubble. Even that small touch set butterflies rioting inside her.

Softer now, her voice an awed whisper, she said again, "Look at you."

"Alice."

Disregarding the warning tone in his voice, she ran both hands over his broad chest, those sculpted biceps, down to his incredible abs-which tightened more beneath her gentle touch. "You want the truth, Reese? You want to know why I was suddenly so-" she couldn't force the word horny out of her mouth, so she settled on "-ready?"

Green eyes narrowed again, showing his disagreeable mood. "The truth would be nice."

No way could she miss that insinuation. She gasped so hard she nearly choked herself. "I have not lied to you!"

"Lies of omission count, Alice." He settled both hands atop her shoulders, close to her throat. "And I have a feeling you've omitted a lot."

She should probably feel threatened.

She'd had some pretty awful experiences with big, powerful angry men. Reese was bigger and more powerful than most, and right now he was all but incandescent with anger.

But she didn't feel fear.

Not ever with Reese.

That did scare her a little because it felt so incredibly right to lean on him, to rely on him. She'd worked long and hard to find her independence again, to regain her self-worth.

And now, all she could think about was Reese...and how she wanted to share it all with him.

Knowing she had to confess, she let out a breath-and wrapped her arms around him. "You're right."

Surprised again, Reese held still...for three beats of time. Then he gathered her close. "Convince me I haven't been used."

"I can't." She tilted her head back to see him and gave him the truth he claimed to want. "I did use you. After what happened today, I was so shaken I didn't know what to do. I felt like crying, or shouting, or just curling up tight and hiding somewhere. I haven't felt like that for a while now. But then I realized you'd be home soon, and instead of falling apart, I wanted to get closer to you. I..." She pressed her cheek to his chest. "I wanted you to make me feel better."

Broad, warm hands coasted up and down her back. She felt the beat of his heart against her cheek, the expansion of his hard chest as he drew in slow, deep breaths. "And did I?"