“Tucked out of sight on a hook inside the lazy-Susan cabinet.” He crossed his arms. “Are you really that angry with him, even knowing why he had to dupe you?” Understanding softened his tone. “Or is it that you’re still hurt because you care about him, and you trusted him?”
Pepper took in his sincere gaze, the dark brown eyes so much like Logan’s, the breadth of his shoulders and the way his biceps bunched with his crossed arms. Beard shadow darkened his jaw and gave him an appealing, rakish look, and that smile… He probably broke hearts on a regular basis.
“Did I grow horns or something?”
She shook her head with amusement. “I bet you have an easy time of it with the ladies, don’t you?”
“Dodging the answer?”
“Just making an observation. And the answer is…both.”
He considered that before nodding and giving an answer of his own. “Women aren’t too difficult once you understand them.”
“What’s there to understand?”
“Number one is that they’re different from men—more tenderhearted, gentler and far more emotional.”
“That’s awfully sexist.” Was she being too emotional about Logan’s ruse?
“But true all the same.” Dash winked. “Later, when it cools down, we can work on cutting the grass if you really want to. For now, why don’t we swim? There’s heavy-duty sunscreen inside, and you can borrow my drawstring shorts and a T-shirt to use. I promise, no matter how awesome you look in the getup, I’ll do my best not to notice.”
Such a charmer. “Okay, sure.” Maybe she could use the time with him to dig into Logan’s psyche. No way did she want to be the overly emotional one. “You’ll tell me more about Logan?”
He started them both back toward the house. “What did you want to know?”
“Everything.” And to ensure he didn’t disagree, she said, “It’s the least you can do to entertain me while I’m stranded here.”
“All right. But be prepared to dislike us both even more. Overall we’ve led pampered lives filled with love and indulgence.” He smiled while saying that. “Our mom is a natural-born coddler and our dad is a real stand-up guy. Life has been good.”
Oddly enough, she was glad to hear it. “I don’t dislike either of you.”
“No?” He looked pleased with her confession.
“No.” She wouldn’t wish her childhood on anyone. “I’ll treat your story like a fairy tale.” And maybe it’d make it easier for her to sleep at night.
That is, after she got a little more retribution with Logan.
* * *
LOGAN FOUND HER in the rowboat, stretched out on her back across one of the hard wooden seats, a floatation cushion under her head, her feet hanging over the side. Dappled sunlight came through the tall trees shading the lake. Rippling waves kept the boat rocking lazily, occasionally bumping the dock.
She slept on.
The heat of the day had dried her hair after her swim, leaving it in twisted hanks with a crooked part. A little too much sun kissed her nose and the tops of her cheekbones. Wearing a pair of Dash’s shorts, cinched tight around her hips, and one of his large T-shirts, she should have looked silly.
Instead, she looked…relaxed. Happy. More at ease than he’d ever seen her.
Finding her like this worked as a buffer against the futile efforts of the day. He wouldn’t mind ending every shift this way—coming home to find Pepper there, knowing she’d be his for the night—and longer.
Interviewing witnesses had proved a waste of time. He’d tried to check out Andrews’s body, but the lieutenant had that locked up pretty tight. He’d have drawn suspicion if he’d started poking around too much.
Hopefully Reese found out something more.
Sitting on the dock, Logan took off his shoes and socks, then unbuttoned his shirt and rolled up his pant legs. A humid breeze licked over the bared skin of his chest, ramping up his edgy need.
His gaze tracked over her body, from her br**sts to her long legs to her narrow feet.
“Thinking of joining me?”
His attention shot to her face. He found her watching him through heavy eyes, a slight smile on her mouth.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“That’s okay.” She stretched, and even in the absurd clothes, she made his blood boil. “I’ve been napping too much today.”
Enjoying this mellow mood of hers, Logan smiled. “You needed to catch up on your sleep.” God knew, they hadn’t gotten much rest yesterday.
“So do you.” She sat up yoga style and, shielding her face with one hand, squinted up at him. “You get the rubbers?”
So bold, and so damned tempting. She left him savage with lust, but it was the overwhelming emotion he found difficult to contain. “I got everything on your list.”
“Good.” She looked around at the lake, at the sun now dropped in the sky. “What time is it anyway?”
“A little after seven. I meant to be back here sooner, but—”
“You have a job to do.” She reached out a hand to him, and when he took it, she stepped from the boat and stood beside him. “Anything new to share on Morton?”
Eye-level with her knees, he stirred more. It’d be so easy to lean forward, to put his face against her warm thighs, breath in her scent, made muskier by the hot sunshine. “Not a whole lot.”