"Damn, make this a little more challenging, why don't you?"

Temper breaking, Logan barked, "Can you do it or not?"

"Yeah, I can. Somehow I'll figure it out." Dash stretched as if he didn't have a care. "You don't actually think she'll try to run off, do you? I mean, where would she go? On foot, it'd take her over an hour just to get to town."

Logan found his shoes and sat beside Dash to pull them on. He had one irrefutable fact on his side. "She's here because this is where her brother wants her to be."

"You're saying for him, she'll stay put?"

Praying he was right, Logan gave one firm nod. "But keep an eye on her just to be extra safe."

"Got it covered. Anything else?"

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck but couldn't put it off any longer.

"Rowdy doesn't trust Reese. I promised him that I wouldn't leave Pepper alone with him, so-"

"Fuck me sideways." Incredulous, Dash half turned to glare at Logan. "Let me get this straight. While you're gone for this indeterminate amount of time today, I might have to wrangle with a naked woman-"

"No!"

"-while fending off a partner you've trusted for years?" Dash lifted a brow.

"Am I to make sure I don't hurt Reese, either?"

Rather than let Dash continue annoying him, Logan took the question seriously. They had been friends for years, and it felt traitorous, but Rowdy's concern chipped away at his trust in Reese. "I can't see it happening, but if he gets out of line, then do whatever you have to."

Mimicking Logan's mood, Dash sobered. "C'mon, Logan. You don't seriously think Reese would hurt her?"

"No." He didn't want to think it. "But I can't ignore Rowdy's gut feeling, either. He says Reese is hiding something." And given Rowdy's street smarts, he had to respect his instincts.

Dash waited.

"The more I think about it, the more I...agree. Until I know what's going on, I'm not taking any chances."

Done dressing, he stuffed his wallet into his pocket, grabbed up his keys and left the bedroom.

Pepper came out of her room at almost the same time. Tendrils of damp hair clung to her face, so she must've washed up.

She looked at him and lifted her chin.

"I used your mouthwash, but I need a toothbrush."

That stalled Logan.

Dash moved around them, opened the hall closet, and offered a new-in-the- package toothbrush. "Here you go."

She accepted it with an offhand "Thanks," then thrust a paper toward Logan. "I have a list."

"A list?" He looked at the paper.

"Of things that I need you to pick up for me." She leaned against the hallway wall, arms crossed, watching him.

Condoms were listed as number one.

So she hadn't changed her mind about that? She waited for his reaction.

He nodded and went back to the list.

Bathing suit, size six; a certain type of lotion, shampoo and conditioner; sunglasses; running shoes...

Dash started to look over his shoulder, so Logan folded the note and put it in his pocket. "If you think of anything else, call me on the cell Rowdy gave me. You have the number."

"How long will you be?"

"Let's talk about that." To Reese, who still waited in the kitchen, he said, "Give us just a minute." He took Pepper's hand and urged her out the side door toward the truck.

As soon as they were out of sight of the others, she pulled away.

"Pepper." With a hand on her shoulder, Logan stopped her from stalking ahead of him. She could and would be as pissed as she wanted, but he wouldn't let her take any risks. "It could be late before I get back."

Something close to uncertainty passed over her features. "But you will be back?"

Oh, God, what did she think? That he'd leave her? "As soon as humanly possible." With condoms on her list, could she have any doubt about that?

"How long it takes will depend on what's happening at work. You know about Morton, so you can imagine all the follow-up I'll have." Like seeing the body himself, to determine if it was in fact Morton Andrews. He'd studied that scum for so long, he knew every tattoo, every scar and flaw on his body.

Andrews could maybe fool others, but he wouldn't fool Logan.

"You have other cases?"

"Usually, but not right now." It was a sore subject for her, but that didn't change the facts. "My work against Morton took precedence. As the lead on a small task force, I'll be able to dedicate my time to that."

She nodded in understanding. "I'm glad Morton's gone, but now we need to know who's responsible."

If Morton was gone. He'd have it confirmed beyond Rowdy's street sources. "I'll be looking into it, and so will your brother. We'll get it sorted out."

"Okay then." She hugged her arms around herself. "You don't need to worry about me, you know. I can entertain myself while you're gone."

A perfect opening. He tipped up her chin so he could snag her gaze. "It's how you entertain yourself that concerns me."

Immediately, she dropped her arms and copped an attitude. "Is that so?"

Even smug, she looked so beautiful to him. Logan stepped a little closer to her and said succinctly, "No skinny- dipping."

"Until you get back with a swimsuit -"

"You'll swim in shorts and a T-shirt, minimum."

Her anger flared. "You don't-"

"And," he said, interrupting her, "you won't even think about giving Dash a hard time. Don't let his attitude fool you.

He can be ruthless, and he will be if you test him."

Her eyes narrowed. "Spell it out for me, Detective. What exactly will your baby brother do if I don't toe the line?"

"You don't have to toe the line. You have to be reasonable." She started to debate the point, but Logan spoke over her. "I know you're furious with me."

And hurt, but he wouldn't say that. "I understand."

"You do, huh?"

"You're entitled. No problem." More gently, he added, "I hope we can eventually work through that-"

She snorted.

Locking his back teeth, Logan sought long-lost patience. "You need to understand that my brother is just helping out. He's not me, Pepper. It's unfair to put him in the middle by deliberately making him uncomfortable. And if you push too much, if you deliberately provoke him, you'll find that he's more than capable."

Logan realized that he could be blowing his chance at a repeat performance in the sack. But this was important, so he'd do it anyway.

"News flash, Detective. I've been dealing with the king of difficult brothers for most of my life. Dash doesn't scare me."

A smile almost got him. "I know."

Before she knew his intent, he stroked her jaw. "But you'll behave all the same."

"Or what?"

"Or I won't keep you in touch with your brother."

That took her back a step.

His hand fell. Her expression was so wounded, so accusing, that it cut him.

"No, honey, I'm not saying I'd let your brother be hurt."

"Ha!"

"But he'll be checking in often." He searched her face. "To me."

Realization dawned in her expressive eyes. "And you'll withhold info from me if I'm not playing nice?"

Spelled out, it sounded even worse.

"Something like that."

"Jerk."

"I know." God, what he'd give if things could be different. "Look at it this way. You need to be here-"

"Where would I go, Logan?" Arms spread wide, she turned a circle. "We're in the middle of freaking nowhere!"

"True. But it hasn't escaped my notice just how ingenious you and your brother can be."

That flash-fire temper of hers faded until her mouth quirked. "Oh, my God, you think I'm Houdini? You think I can somehow arrange for an airlift? What am I, a damned ninja?"

"No, but you are incredibly sexy, and you're out for payback-"

"Get over yourself!"

"And that's fine," he continued.

"Heap all the anger on me that you want.

I deserve it."

"Something we agree on."

His own temper edged up there.

"Dash does not."

Reese stuck his head out the door.

"Can you two resolve the most immediate issues so that we can get on the road?"

"You're leaving now," Pepper said.

"Both of you." And then lower, to Logan, "Don't sweat it, Detective. Baby brother will be safe from my evil clutches."

She started to storm off, but Logan stopped her again, this time with a single, soft apology. "I'm sorry."

She stopped, faltering a moment, her back still to him.

Logan moved closer. "I'm going to keep saying it until you believe it."

"Damn it," she muttered low. She breathed harder, then suddenly turned around and grabbed his face.

Her kiss was so hot and deep that he almost forgot where they were and that he was about to leave.

Slowly she eased away. "Oh, I believe it, Logan," she said against his mouth. "But it doesn't matter enough.

Yet."

He watched her walk away, her ass looking very fine beneath the T-shirt, her shoulders back with stubborn pride. It took Reese snagging his arm and drawing him away to finally get him to the truck. He turned to watch as Dash held the door open for Pepper, then waved them off and followed her in.

With no reason left for lingering, he got behind the wheel and turned the truck around to leave.