Bare It All by Lori Foster Read Free Book Online

then drew her in to his
chest.
    Warmth and Reese’s unique scent enveloped her. He didn’t wrap
those thick arms around her, didn’t crush her close. He merely held her.
    Fascinated, curious in a way she hadn’t experienced in far too
long, Alice lifted her hands to his bare chest. That soft cushion of chest hair,
a few shades darker than that on his head, teased her palms. She rested her
cheek against him and inhaled deeply, wanting to eat him up.
    The top of her head didn’t reach his chin. She felt his
heartbeat against her cheek. He smelled of man, sex and excitement, but at the
same time, he filled her with peace and contentment, emotions so long absent
from her life. “I’m sorry. I keep imposing when I don’t mean to.”
    “I want you to.”
    That made no sense. “You want me to impose?”
    He put one hand to the back of her head, tangled his fingers in
her hair. “I want you to tell me what you think and feel. I want you to confide
in me.”
    “Oh. Okay.” She turned her face a little so that it was her
nose touching his furry chest. “I wish I was as strong as you.”
    He made a gruff sound. “Honey, this wouldn’t be happening right
now if you looked like me.”
    Another smile. That was a special gift in itself, the humor he
brought her. Humor was one more thing she’d never again take for granted. “I
meant your courage. Not your physique.”
    “You were plenty brave yesterday.”
    “No.” She owed him the truth about that, since she couldn’t be
truthful about everything else—much as she wished it otherwise. “I have tunnel
vision in dangerous situations. Knowing armed men had come to hurt you and
probably anyone else who got in the way...” Taking a step back, she put a hand
to her stomach. “I trembled so badly inside, I felt queasy and weak all
over.”
    He shocked her by covering her hand with his own, but since his
was so much bigger, his fingertips pressed into her sensitive flesh. Even
through her shirt, his touch felt far too intimate.
    And stirring.
    Gaze compelling, he spoke in a deep, hushed voice. “Come on,
Alice. That’s just a healthy respect for danger. You’d have to be an idiot to be
indifferent to thugs with loaded weapons.”
    Yes... Wait. What were they talking about? She’d stopped
hearing him the second he touched her.
    “Alice?” He turned his hand to catch hers. “I’m going to leave
Cash here with you.”
    “Thank you.” The dog provided so much comfort, and in the short
time she’d been watching him, she’d grown accustomed to his presence. When he
wasn’t around, she missed the sound of his snores, his occasional bark.
    Even the sound of him breathing.
    “Before I go, there’s one thing I need to know.”
    Dreading the inquisition, Alice nodded.
    “I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me your last name.”
    * * *
    R EESE WATCHED HER eyes widen, saw her soft lips part with a husky laugh. “We’ve never
been properly introduced, have we?”
    Damn, she leveled him without even trying. The way she laughed,
how her dark eyes all but devoured him. He’d let her off the hook with details
of being kidnapped—but only until he had her more relaxed.
    She might think she kept it together, but he looked at her and
saw so much, all of it painful to witness. She was on the edge, and if she lost
it, if she cried, it’d crush him.
    Hearing about it would be even worse, so, yeah, maybe he needed
a little more time to get it together, too.
    “I was all right and proper and introduced myself, but you were
determined to cut me cold.” He liked holding her hand and that she hadn’t yet
pulled away. “If it wasn’t for Cash, I’d never have gotten even a simple nod
from you.”
    “I’m sor—”
    “Do not apologize.”
    Her grin widened. “Okay.” She did a silly curtsy. “Alice
Appleton.”
    Why that tickled him, Reese couldn’t say, but hearing her name,
how melodic it sounded, left him smiling, too. And after she’d kept him at such
a distance,