Run the Risk

“Not dishonest, just misguided.” He nodded for Rowdy to go ahead of them.

Contrary to her reaction, Rowdy didn’t seem to find anything amiss. Using the headlights to guide him, he stepped carefully over a stone walkway and made his way around to a side door that Logan unlocked.

Logan stepped inside with Pepper held close to his side, then fumbled around at the wall until he located a flashlight.

After he turned it on, he handed it to Rowdy. “Flip the breaker box in the last bedroom.”

“Right.” Rowdy moved the flashlight around the interior.

They’d stepped into a kitchen and dining room, with a modest sitting area at the other end of the house. They ran together in a U-shape, bisected by four doors that Pepper assumed to be bedrooms and hopefully a bath.

Rowdy glanced at her, then said, “Be right back.”

As he disappeared into the darkness, she felt her tension expand.

Alone, with Logan. Almost.

His hand on her arm contracted, his fingers sort of caressing. “Once the lights are on, I’ll open the windows. Let in some fresh air.”

She barely heard him. The urge to turn to him, to lean on him, kept her tightly strung. The knowledge that she no longer had to hide from him teased her senses.

“With all the shade trees,” Logan continued, “it doesn’t get too hot in here, even in the middle of summer.”

Somehow he moved closer so that he stood partially behind her, his warm breath near her ear.

“You’re still shaking.” His arms slowly closed around her, and he eased her back into his chest. He wasn’t that much taller, but he was so much stronger, thick with muscle and so incredibly hot.

His thighs made contact with her rump. His broad chest pressed into her shoulder blades. That indescribable scent of his cocooned her, robbing her of animus. She remembered how he’d touched her this way, taking her from behind, following her instructions, both of them wild with lust—

The sudden intrusion of light had her flinching away. He released her, but one glance at him had her ducking away from his knowing gaze. Logan didn’t follow her, and he said nothing about her retreat, but she had no doubt he’d been thinking the same thing.

She went to patio doors on the longest wall to look out. Rowdy returned and put the flashlight back in its holder on the wall by the front door.

He glanced around with interest at the fishing poles in brackets in the dining area, the wood stove, the well-worn furniture. “This is nice.”

“Thanks.” Logan pulled aside the drapes and opened the patio doors, then two windows. “I don’t get out here as often as I’d like, but whenever I do, it’s peaceful.”

They heard the approach of another car. Rowdy narrowed his gaze, Pepper went still.

Logan touched her arm, saying, “Stay here,” and he went out the door.

Rowdy went to the door and looked out, then came back to Pepper. “You okay?”

Because she didn’t know what to say, she nodded. The last thing her brother needed was more worry.

Still checking out every nook and corner of the house, he said, “I don’t know Logan’s brother, but I’ve met Detective Bareden.”

“Reese.”

“Yeah.” He watched her. “You know him?”

“I met him when you did.” When he’d arrested Rowdy. God, she couldn’t think about that right now. Never in her life had she felt more exposed, or more helpless. “He was also at the station when I tried to see you. He’s… I don’t know.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think, too.” Glancing over his shoulder toward the front door, Rowdy kept watch for Logan’s return. “There’s something about him.”

“He’s not entirely up front.” That didn’t necessarily mean that Reese was bad, but he was…something.

“No, he’s not. I can’t get a fix on him, so I want you to be extra careful around him.”

They heard Logan speaking quietly and the crunch of feet on leaves and gravel.

“Stick close to Logan, okay?” Now in more of a rush, Rowdy added, “Until I figure him out, avoid Reese as much as you can.”

Stick close to Logan? Surely he didn’t mean—

Logan came in, and right behind him was a man who had to be his brother. Logan was six foot tall, but his brother looked more on par with Rowdy, around six-four. Construction work had left him leanly muscled. Dash’s hair was a little lighter, but he and Logan shared the same dark eyes. Except that Dash’s gaze was more mischievous. He looked at Pepper and grinned like a scoundrel. She had no doubt that Dash would be popular with the women.

He said, “Hi there.”

Before Pepper could reply, Reese pushed in behind him, all but knocking Dash over. “Stop ogling her. She’s been through enough tonight, ya know?”

Not in the least insulted, Dash went to the dining table to set down three big bags of groceries and then came forward with his hand extended. “And you must be Rowdy?”

Her brother accepted the handshake. “Nice place you have.”

“Yeah, it was plenty private till Logan decided he had to take it over. I’ve never even brought a woman here.” He turned to Pepper. “I might have to make him buy me a new place now. What do you think?”

Without censoring her thoughts, she asked, “Can he afford to do that?”

“Shoot, yeah. He didn’t tell you that he’s loaded?”