Reese looked up at the sky but found no inspiration, so he just waited.

Logan said, "I'm interested in her."

That bald statement gave him pause.

"As in helping her through this, you mean? Making amends after you get Rowdy? Because you feel bad for disrupting her life-"

"As a woman, damn it."

"Bullshit." His raised voice drew Alice's sharpened attention. Again Reese turned his back on her.

"I don't believe it." Guilt, okay, he got that. Logan was one of the most honorable men he knew. It's why he was so resolved to bring his friend's murderers to justice. But... "I've seen the pictures of her, remember. She's not your type." He'd scoured the photos at Logan's request and saw that she was plain at best, damn near dumpy at worst.

Sounding defensive, Logan said, "She's smart. And sweet."

"So is my new dog, but that doesn't mean-"

Logan all but snarled, "Fuck off, Reese." And then more quietly, "You don't know her."

He squeezed the phone and kept his tone low. "And you think you do? Jesus man, you're undercover. Any relationship you think you have with her is a fucking sham."

Ice filled Logan's voice. "Get here as soon as you can. I'll stall her for an hour or so. Later."

After Logan disconnected the call, Reese dropped his phone into his pocket and turned back to Alice and Cash.

They sat beneath the only tree in the lot, trying to hog the sliver of shade.

Ready to get on his way, Reese strode across the grass to stand over her.

As usual, she paid him no mind.

"You like my dog."

"He's beautiful."

"Busy tonight?"

She blanched. Literally. Looking up at him with big dark eyes and something that felt remarkably like fear, Alice- something-or-other tried to speak, but nothing came out.

"Jesus." Reese knelt down in front of her. "I wasn't going to proposition you. I just need someone to look after Cash."

After a pregnant silence, color rushed back into her face. "Oh. You mean your dog?"

"Yeah. I have a...an emergency. Gotta go back out and it might take a while, so I was thinking-"

"Yes," she blurted. Pushing back and away from him, she scrambled up to her feet. "Yes, I'll watch him for you."

Odd. To the point of being weird.

"Great." Slowly, Reese regained his own feet. "He's not entirely housebroken yet, so... You want to watch him at my place instead of yours?"

"Mine."

What a relief-and yet, still annoying.

"Then I'll go get the stuff I just bought for him." He walked away from her, and he didn't care if it was rude or not. The dog, damn him, didn't give a shit now that he had Alice-something-or-other fawning all over him.

Reese used his cell to organize the stakeout while bounding up the steps to his apartment. He took time to clean up Cash's mess and change into jeans and a black T-shirt before heading back out front in under ten minutes. He handed a bag of Cash's new belongings, including food, a chew toy and a blanket, to Alice -who still stood out in the yard.

He thanked her, gave the dog a pat and the admonishment to be good-yeah, right-and got on his way. No matter how tonight rolled out, it was going to end up an apocalyptic mess. He felt it deep in his bones. Things were about to implode-for good or bad, he didn't yet know. Logan was getting in a little too deep. Maybe he was discovering things better left undiscovered.

Reese would have to keep an eye on him.

And while he was on it, he'd keep an eye on Pepper Yates, too.

CHAPTER TEN.

IT WASN'T EASY, putting on a front and keeping Pepper in the dark when every instinct Logan had urged him to protect her from what would happen tonight.

What he would instigate.

Despite her brother's orders, she seemed genuinely happy to see him.

Maybe a little more reserved than usual, but hard to tell when she was always so introverted.

Except during sex.

He had planned to have her again, to seduce her in whatever way necessary.

But with it all going down tonight, Logan knew he couldn't do that. Not to her.

Not again.

To help keep things in check, he'd worn jeans and a T-shirt. Not much in the way of barriers, but at least he wasn't deliberately trying to draw her in.

"Let's go inside," she suggested for the fifth time. "It's hot out here."

Normally, Logan would follow her lead. Tonight, he continued to lean against the railing, staring out at the colorful sky. He needed another twenty minutes or so to ensure Reese was in position. Damned if he'd miss this opportunity now that he finally had Rowdy taking the bait.

He hated putting Pepper in this position, caught between following her brother's orders and having to lie to him, but it couldn't be helped.

"Look at that sunset." Only a shimmer of sun remained over the horizon, but it left behind a colorful display that made even warehouses and factories look good. "Amazing, isn't it?"

She closed her eyes, uncaring about the beauty of nature when duty to her brother weighed so heavily on her delicate shoulders. "Yes, very pretty."

Logan badly wanted to soothe her, to hold her close and promise her it would be all right. But he'd lied to her enough already. "You feeling all right?"

Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at him, flushed-maybe with guilt.

But...maybe not.

Speculative, Logan surveyed her expression. He'd seen it before, that heat in her beautiful eyes, in her cheeks.

"Sue?"

"I'm...I'm fine."

Turning, he leaned back on the railing, now watching her instead of the sunset.

"You know how you look?"

She shook her head.

"A little turned on." And maybe that'd work to his advantage. Would her physical desire help ease her past her hurt feelings once he took her brother into custody?

She let out a breath, didn't deny it and smoothed her hand over the soft cotton of his T-shirt.

Logan felt the touch everywhere.

Emotions clashed.

She had set the boundaries of no sex, but now she wanted to lure him.

For her goddamned brother.

Covering her hand with his, Logan pulled her around beside him. Much more of that, and he'd forget himself. At least her touch hadn't been against his bare skin.

But with Pepper, no amount of clothes would be enough deterrent.

He'd thought on it long and hard, and while he still didn't know what it was about her specifically that pushed his buttons, it was a reality all the same.

He wanted her. All the fucking time.

More so every damned day. Hoping he hid it, Logan smiled at her. "Relax, honey."

She didn't. If anything, she tensed up more. "Are you...punishing me, Logan?"

She kept her head down, her gaze avoiding his.

What was this about? Punishment? "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do. I put you off, and now you're paying me back in kind."

His determination softened. "That's what you think?" Yes, it burned his ass that she'd bow to her brother's instructions, but he couldn't bear seeing that particular look on her face.

To hell with it. He didn't give a shit if Reese, Rowdy, or both were watching.

"No." Logan lifted her chin. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." He kissed her with pent-up frustration, tilting his head, sinking his tongue in to play with hers, consuming her-and pushing himself dangerously close to the point of no return.

She pulled back, but not far. In a broken whisper, she said, "Now can we go inside? Please?"

He had to remember that this was a game, her brother's game. She was only a player.

Keeping her close, Logan looped his arms around her. She was tall, but so slender. Soft and warm. "Tell me what you want first."

"You."

Damn, but that fired his blood. He stared at her mouth, then down over her body. "That's a mighty quick turnaround."

"Quick?" She stared at him. "It's been days."

True enough. Knowing she still had to hide from him, Logan whispered, "All right. Tell me how you want me."

Beneath the cotton material of her blouse, her chest expanded with a deep breath. A pulse raced in her pale throat.

Her eyelashes fluttered.

So turned on and so damned appealing.

She glanced around the area, at his empty balcony, the sparse traffic, the few disinterested pedestrians across the street. Sounding scandalized, she whispered, "Out here?"

"No one's listening to us." At least, he didn't think anyone could hear them. But it was feasible her brother had set up an audio device, same as Logan had done.

There were gadgets that amplified sound across space; Rowdy could be in a building across the street and still hear them.

That possibility disturbed him.

"There's only you and me, Sue." Logan watched her. "Right?"

"Yes, but..." Stepping away from him, she smoothed a nervous hand over the material of her skirt. "You know I like...the dark."

"So that I can't see you, I know." And sooner or later, he'd find out why. He leaned on the railing, pretending an ease he didn't feel. "But you can still talk to me. You can still give me that."

The way she lifted her chin surprised him. "Okay." She licked her bottom lip.

"I want to pull your jeans down to your knees, then sit on your lap."

The visual nearly leveled Logan. He could so easily picture how it'd be.

Straightening from the railing, he said, "Facing me?"

"Yes."