Pepper.”
Logan eased back again with a sigh. “Once we’re married we can all get settled
into being related.”
Reese moved away to look down the hall, but the bathroom door
remained closed. Was Pepper in there with Alice now? What the hell were they
talking about for so long? “At first I didn’t like Rowdy sniffing around, but as
you said, that was based off jealousy.”
Logan stared at him in disbelief. “You admit it?”
“It is what it is.” And he felt very possessive where Alice was
concerned. “And since I can’t always be there with her, it’s nice to know Rowdy
can keep an eye out, too.” He’d spent the past few years doing just that for his
sister. He and Pepper were as close as siblings could be.
They were steadfast people, unique but with a good moral
compass. “She’s been getting by on her own just fine, but now she won’t have
to.” Whether or not Alice would appreciate the intrusion, Reese didn’t know—and
that was a good reason not to tell her just yet.
“God knows I’ll have plenty of downtime, so I’ll need a way to
keep from going nuts.” Logan cautiously flexed his injured arm. “Tell me how I
can help.”
* * *
W HILE A LICE WORKED a
comb through her tangled hair, Pepper sat on the side of the tub, visiting. She
wasn’t a chatty woman, Alice noted. Not intrusive either. She was just...there.
Friendly but quiet. Interested but not nosey.
“This is hopeless.” Alice put the comb aside and smoothed her
hair with her hands. It was neatly parted again, but continued to pull into wild
waves. Making a face at herself in the mirror, she said, “It doesn’t really
matter, anyway. We’re going to get soaked again when we leave.”
Pepper studied her. “You want some warm tea or something?” Then
she looked struck. “That is, if Logan has tea.” She fingered a thick decorative
towel over the towel bar. “I haven’t even looked at the whole house yet.”
“I’m sure you had other things on your mind by the time you got
here from the hospital.”
Pepper nodded, swallowed hard, then closed her eyes. “I could
have lost him.”
“But you didn’t.” Quickly, Alice sat beside Pepper. She’d done
what she could to dry her dress, but it still stuck to her body in a very
unattractive way. “I’m sorry he got injured, but I’m so thankful he showed up to
help.” Imagining what might have happened otherwise was too painful.
“Me, too.” Pepper glanced at her, smiled and looked around.
“You realize we’re sitting in a bathroom talking.”
Alice grinned. “I know. But I’m not in a big hurry to join the
men.” Not while she still resembled a drowned rat.
“Me either.” Pepper tipped her head, watching Alice. “Thank God
you keep weapons. Yesterday, Logan might not have been as successful
otherwise.”
“Do you?”
She snorted. “Damn right. Rowdy’s always insisted. He even
taught me how to shoot.” She eyed Alice in speculation. “Are you a good
shot?”
“Good enough.” She could hit what she aimed at. “I go to target
practice once a month.”
That pleased Pepper. “Really? Maybe we could go together some
time.”
Just days ago, Alice would have avoided that much involvement
with another person, but now...she liked the idea, and she liked Pepper Yates.
“That’d be terrific.”
Pepper beamed at her. “Not to jump all over you or anything,
but do you think you’d like to attend our wedding, too? You saved us yesterday,
so it’d be appropriate.”
Saved them? “Oh, I didn’t—”
“You did, ” Pepper insisted, “so
don’t deny it. And besides, Reese will be there. He’s Logan’s best friend, you
know.”
It sounded wonderful, and she badly wanted to accept, but she
didn’t want to make assumptions about her new relationship with Reese.
Pepper misunderstood her long hesitation. “Am I being too
grabby?” She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t mean to pressure you.”
“It’s not that. I’d love to be there.” It
Logan eased back again with a sigh. “Once we’re married we can all get settled
into being related.”
Reese moved away to look down the hall, but the bathroom door
remained closed. Was Pepper in there with Alice now? What the hell were they
talking about for so long? “At first I didn’t like Rowdy sniffing around, but as
you said, that was based off jealousy.”
Logan stared at him in disbelief. “You admit it?”
“It is what it is.” And he felt very possessive where Alice was
concerned. “And since I can’t always be there with her, it’s nice to know Rowdy
can keep an eye out, too.” He’d spent the past few years doing just that for his
sister. He and Pepper were as close as siblings could be.
They were steadfast people, unique but with a good moral
compass. “She’s been getting by on her own just fine, but now she won’t have
to.” Whether or not Alice would appreciate the intrusion, Reese didn’t know—and
that was a good reason not to tell her just yet.
“God knows I’ll have plenty of downtime, so I’ll need a way to
keep from going nuts.” Logan cautiously flexed his injured arm. “Tell me how I
can help.”
* * *
W HILE A LICE WORKED a
comb through her tangled hair, Pepper sat on the side of the tub, visiting. She
wasn’t a chatty woman, Alice noted. Not intrusive either. She was just...there.
Friendly but quiet. Interested but not nosey.
“This is hopeless.” Alice put the comb aside and smoothed her
hair with her hands. It was neatly parted again, but continued to pull into wild
waves. Making a face at herself in the mirror, she said, “It doesn’t really
matter, anyway. We’re going to get soaked again when we leave.”
Pepper studied her. “You want some warm tea or something?” Then
she looked struck. “That is, if Logan has tea.” She fingered a thick decorative
towel over the towel bar. “I haven’t even looked at the whole house yet.”
“I’m sure you had other things on your mind by the time you got
here from the hospital.”
Pepper nodded, swallowed hard, then closed her eyes. “I could
have lost him.”
“But you didn’t.” Quickly, Alice sat beside Pepper. She’d done
what she could to dry her dress, but it still stuck to her body in a very
unattractive way. “I’m sorry he got injured, but I’m so thankful he showed up to
help.” Imagining what might have happened otherwise was too painful.
“Me, too.” Pepper glanced at her, smiled and looked around.
“You realize we’re sitting in a bathroom talking.”
Alice grinned. “I know. But I’m not in a big hurry to join the
men.” Not while she still resembled a drowned rat.
“Me either.” Pepper tipped her head, watching Alice. “Thank God
you keep weapons. Yesterday, Logan might not have been as successful
otherwise.”
“Do you?”
She snorted. “Damn right. Rowdy’s always insisted. He even
taught me how to shoot.” She eyed Alice in speculation. “Are you a good
shot?”
“Good enough.” She could hit what she aimed at. “I go to target
practice once a month.”
That pleased Pepper. “Really? Maybe we could go together some
time.”
Just days ago, Alice would have avoided that much involvement
with another person, but now...she liked the idea, and she liked Pepper Yates.
“That’d be terrific.”
Pepper beamed at her. “Not to jump all over you or anything,
but do you think you’d like to attend our wedding, too? You saved us yesterday,
so it’d be appropriate.”
Saved them? “Oh, I didn’t—”
“You did, ” Pepper insisted, “so
don’t deny it. And besides, Reese will be there. He’s Logan’s best friend, you
know.”
It sounded wonderful, and she badly wanted to accept, but she
didn’t want to make assumptions about her new relationship with Reese.
Pepper misunderstood her long hesitation. “Am I being too
grabby?” She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t mean to pressure you.”
“It’s not that. I’d love to be there.” It
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