An accusation escaped her before she could think better of it. “If you didn’t want to get busy, you shouldn’t have stripped down.”
A moment of stillness nearly smothered her, then slowly, oh, so slowly, Reese turned his head toward her. She prepared herself for his annoyance, more of his anger.
He said, “Get busy?”
“That’s what Rowdy calls it.”
She heard a sound—maybe of his teeth sawing together.
“Rowdy is very informative,” she told him.
The bed dipped as Reese came up to an elbow. “I wish you’d stop talking about Rowdy.”
But Rowdy had given her so much hope. He’d said all it would take was Reese seeing her naked, and he’d be ready and willing.
Instead, she saw him in nothing more than boxers, and she was the one who wanted to die of lust.
“He’s been helpful.” So helpful, in fact, maybe she should try out one of his suggestions.
Reese dropped flat in the bed again.
Enough already. Determination got Alice’s feet to the floor in seconds. She found the lamp on the nightstand and turned it on.
Momentarily blinded, she shielded her eyes.
Reese did the same. “What are you doing?”
“I’m testing Rowdy’s theory.”
Up on one elbow again, he frowned. “What theory?”
Cash gave them both a sleepy look and bounded down off the bed. He went over to the closet, dropped down with a huff and curled up to sleep with his nose close to his rump.
Working up her courage, Alice looked back at Reese. “This theory.” She reached beneath her gown and took off her panties, then made a show of tossing them aside.
Going utterly still, Reese said nothing. His gaze burned over her, hot, expectant, before settling on her face.
He waited.
Alice drew a fortifying breath, thought of the rewards of brazenness and peeled the nightgown up and over her head. The cool wash of the air-conditioning tightened her ni**les.
Reese wasn’t shading his eyes anymore, and he no longer looked angry.
Buoyed by his rapt attention, she straightened in front of him, naked head to toe.
Reese’s chest expanded. His biceps bunched.
Alice chewed her bottom lip. Interest definitely sharpened his demeanor, but Rowdy had led her to believe he’d react differently. More...physically.
Had she expected him to jump her?
Yes, she’d been hopeful.
Shaking her hair back over her shoulders and lifting her chin, she tried staring him down. “Say something.”
Reese lifted an eyebrow over the order. He did a slow visual examination, pausing to scrutinize her br**sts, her belly.
Between her thighs.
“How did you scrape your knee?”
Disappointed that he hadn’t made a move yet, she shrugged and said, “I think it happened when I knelt down to cut the air valves off Hickson’s tires.”
His gaze hardened. “I hope like hell no one will be able to track you down from that stunt.”
His concern made her feel guilty. “No one is after me, Reese. I promise, I’m fine.”
He looked over the length of her legs. “Yes, you are.”
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he tossed back the sheet and got out of bed.
A very noticeable erection strained his snug boxers. Alice braced herself, excitement unfurling...but instead of coming to her, he went to the door.
Watching Reese leave the room, Alice felt wretched, dejected, exposed... Until he returned with something in his hand. “Cash, you want a treat?”
The dog had been ignoring them, but at Reese’s offer, he rolled to his feet with a lurch.
When Reese led Cash out of the room, Alice hurriedly got in the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Insane, but now she felt shy. Who knew seducing a man was so nerve-racking?
Reese walked back in, stalled when he saw her bundled in the middle of the mattress, but then continued on to the bed. He sat down beside her. “Have a change of heart?”
“No.” Definitely not that.
“Then, what’s this?” He gave a gentle tug to the blankets.
“I don’t know.” And then with annoyance, “You just stared at me.”
“That’s bound to happen every time I see you naked, so you may as well get used to it.”
Clutching the blankets tighter, she wondered if that meant he’d be around for the long haul, that he’d want to see her naked a lot. “I wasn’t all that sure you were interested.”
Reese considered her, stood—and pushed out of his boxers.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ALICE’S EYES WENT wide. God love the man, she would never tire of seeing his body.
When he snatched the blankets away from her, tossing them to the floor, she gave a startled yelp but then just froze. What else could she do?
She pressed her thighs together and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m cold.”
Wearing a half smile and nothing else, Reese stretched out next to her. He took his time pulling her hands away, arranging them over her head so that she was stretched out on the bed. After looking her over with appreciation, he cupped a hand to her breast, used his thumb to tease her nipple and said, “Don’t be nervous about tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? What was he talking about?
“I’ll be there with you.” He lightly caressed the other breast, too, then moved his hand down to her belly.
Alice sucked in a breath. His hand was warm, a little rough.