Damn it, he'd just had her last night, not that many hours ago. But with Alice, it didn't matter. Each time he had her just made him want her more. "I had to know, Alice." God, he hated to admit the truth, even to himself, but she left him strung so tight... "I was jealous." Of a fucking phantom-her white knight.

Another man, one who'd been there- thank God-when she needed him most.

Alice turned so suddenly that they both stumbled. Since he'd been leaning into her, lost in lustful visions, she ended up flattened against the refrigerator, his body crowding into hers. "You were jealous? Seriously?"

Trying to reorder his thoughts, Reese cupped her face. "And worried. I can't protect you if I don't know everything."

"Okay, I get the protection part.

You're a detective."

Did she think he went around getting intimately involved with every woman who faced danger?

"But...jealous?" she said with a puzzled frown. "Of Trace? With me? "

That annoyed him. "Why not you?

You're the most fascinating woman I know."

"Trace saw me only as a victim."

"Then heroic as he might've been, he was also a blind idiot."

Alice considered that, her thoughts almost transparent. She touched his chest, brushed her hand over his left nipple-which had a very different effect than when Nikki had done it-and she made up her mind.

Smiling, she grabbed his hand. "Come on."

"To the shower?" Please let it be to the shower.

"Yes." She hauled him into the bathroom and went to work on his slacks. "But Reese?"

His pants loosened, and she put her small hand inside, wrapping her delicate fingers around him. He caught his breath.

"Hmm?"

"I really enjoy sex with you."

Damn it, why did that offend him?

Because with Alice, he wanted it to be more than just sex.

How much more, he didn't yet know.

But definitely...more.

A lot.

Maybe...everything.

Thoughts like that were way too heavy for the moment. Reese managed a nod.

"Ditto."

"Please, don't mess things up by playing games, okay?"

"Maybe not that game," he conceded.

He took her hand and removed it from his person, then bent to lift her nightgown up and over her head. "But there are other games, Alice, games that you'll absolutely enjoy."

Naked, excited, she stared up at him.

"You'll show me?"

Hiding his smile, he turned on the shower, took her hand and helped her step inside.

"Give me two minutes to brush my teeth and shave." He trailed the backs of his fingers over her belly, then lower.

Meeting her gaze, he said, "I don't want to leave you with whisker burns."

She released a trembling moan and nodded. "Please, hurry."

So incredibly sweet. So fucking hot.

And so trusting-at least with this.

Somehow, some way, he'd earn her trust in all things. But for now, he considered this a great start.

CHAPTER.

SEVENTEEN.

DESPITE THE FACT that they were headed to a police station, where she was sure she'd be questioned endlessly, Alice felt pretty good. After amazing sex in the shower, she'd fallen back into bed for a nap.

An hour later, she'd awakened in a cocoon of warmth, Reese holding her close to his chest, Cash curled behind her knees. Any movement at all would have disturbed them, so for a while she'd stayed still, relishing the comfort, the nearness.

The sense of being loved.

In a relatively short time, Reese and Cash had both become a part of her world. It seemed impossible to imagine an entire day without either of them. She enjoyed caring for Cash, and even arguing with Reese had its obvious rewards.

Sex in the shower and a nap-who knew that would be the result of a disagreement? For her, it was energizing and fun.

But how did Reese feel about their situation?

He'd be returning to his duties soon.

She had her own stack of projects to catch up on. Would they be able to work out a compatible routine?

She glanced at Reese now, driving down the busy streets. Dressed in his work clothes, wearing dark sunglasses, apparently lost in thought, he still made her warm and melty all over.

It probably didn't matter, Alice decided, what he wore or-preferably -didn't wear. Freshly showered and shaved, hot and sweaty from a long day or, as was the case this morning, slumberous and affectionate.

She loved him. Period. She wanted every moment she could have with him, as many moments as he would give to her. But if she told him that, would he pull back? Would he consider her too clingy, too smothering?

While she'd been dressing for the day, she and Reese in the bedroom together, her parents had called. Both of them on the line, both excited to talk with her.

Reese had smiled at her, ready to give her privacy.

She didn't need it. Not with this, not with him. But instead of finishing with his clothes, he'd sat on the side of the bed and pulled her down to his lap.

She'd leaned on him, his arms around her, his chin on the top of her head, while talking.

Her mother claimed that she'd read between the lines, that even in an email, she'd recognized that Alice was moving forward now-that she was ready to let them back in.

Around the joy and laughter, Alice had heard the tears in her mother's voice, the gruff emotion in her dad's. Over and over, her parents said that they loved her, that they couldn't wait to see her again.

Why she'd kept them at such a distance, she could no longer say. What had once felt important, even insurmountable, now felt...insubstantial.

Even absurd.

She loved her family and they loved her.

Regardless of her past, of what she'd done, their feelings for her hadn't changed-Reese was right about that.

She never should have let so much time pass away from them.

She would never let that happen again.

Unfortunately, her folks were on a vacation for two more weeks. They offered to return immediately, but Alice rejected that idea. They would all get together for dinner after they returned, preferably when her sister, Amy, had time away from her heavy class load.

God, she'd missed Amy.

A lot of uncertainty remained in her future, but she had her family back, and for now at least, she had Reese and Cash. That was all pretty darned wonderful.

"I'd like to meet your parents."

Had he read her mind? "I was just thinking of them."

"Happy thoughts, I take it, given your smile?"

"Very happy." She let out a sigh.

"You'll love my folks and my sister."

Imagining what they'd think of Reese had her biting back a grin of pure pleasure. "They'll love you, too."

Alice watched him, but the L word had no noticeable effect on him.

"I promise to be as charming as possible." As Reese pulled into the police station parking lot, he reached for her knee. "You're not worrying about the interview, are you?"

"No." She trusted Reese. He kept telling her everything would be okay, so she would believe him.

"If not your folks, and not the interview, then what? And don't bother denying it, honey. I can tell you're fretting over something."

Honey. She liked that. "You think you know me that well?"

"Getting there."

Maybe it was time to stop stalling.

Before they met up with his lieutenant, she had a giant truth to share. "You're right. I do have something on my mind."

He parked the car and removed his sunglasses. Pity that, because seeing his eyes always made things more difficult for her. He had that type of penetrating gaze that made her want to squirm one way or another, even when she didn't have mammoth revelations to share.

He rested his left wrist over the steering wheel, stretched his right arm along the back of the seat.

In his crisp white button-up and necktie, he looked as comfortable as he did shirtless with his slacks undone.

Wearing a slight smile, he moved his gaze over her face. "I'll be with you the whole time today." Using his right hand, he smoothed back a lock of her hair, briefly brushed a thumb over her cheek.

"I promise."

"I'm glad. Thank you."

"All you have to do," he said, his tone grave, compelling her to follow his will, "is tell the truth."

"I know. That's not a problem." Not anymore. She'd given it a lot of thought, and she knew he was right. She wanted everything from him, so she needed to give him everything in return. She only prayed it'd all work out.

"Then what's wrong?"

She'd put it off long enough. Too long, really, given that they were due inside in minutes. "There's something I need to tell you before we go in."

Dread took the smile off his mouth.

"I'm listening."

A deep breath didn't help, so she blurted out the truth. "Trace didn't kill Murray."