surprised Alice to
feel that way. “It’s just that I wouldn’t want Reese to misunderstand.” Or feel
smothered.
“It’s not up to him. I can invite whoever I want.”
But if she accepted, and things didn’t work out with Reese,
would he bring a different date? What if she had to stay through a ceremony,
watching him with another woman?
Pepper bumped her with her shoulder. “I can almost read your
thoughts.” She grinned. “But trust me, Reese wouldn’t dare. And besides, the
only guests will be the ones Logan and I invite. And because I want to keep it
small, we’re not inviting any ‘plus one’ guests.”
Alice bit her lip. Was she really that transparent? “In that
case, thank you. I’d be honored.”
“Terrific! I’ll have to give you details when we get things
figured out.” She bobbed her eyebrows. “We’ll wait for Logan to recoup so we can
have a real wedding night.”
Alice laughed with her. It was so nice having another woman to
talk to, a woman unlike Nikki and Pam.
That thought gave her pause; Pepper might be different, but she
still wasn’t like Alice.
Again Pepper nudged her with her shoulder. “I can be really
discreet, just so you know.”
Alice didn’t understand.
“If you want to talk about...stuff.” Letting out a breath,
Pepper said, “I see the mask, because I used to wear one, too.”
Confused, Alice shook her head. “I don’t wear a mask.”
“Sure you do.” Lifting a twisting lock of Alice’s hair, Pepper
smiled an apology. “The rain did you in.”
Her shoulders deflated. She prided herself on a nice
appearance, but she’d never figured on getting caught in a storm. “I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do. You look great, Alice. Not that you
looked bad yesterday, but now, with your hair a little wild and that dress
showing off your figure...It’s a good look for you.”
Eyes widening, Alice said, “I look like a used mop.”
“Nope, not even.” Studying her, Pepper shrugged. “Truthfully,
you look sort of sexy.”
Alice’s face went hot. She was both flattered and horrified.
“Of course I don’t.” Hand splayed over her chest, she looked down at her dress.
Her sturdy bra kept her mostly concealed, but the dress did outline her meager
bust. “Do I?”
“You didn’t notice how the guys went all goofy when they saw
you? They practically had their tongues hanging out. Reese was ready to beat his
chest, he’s such a possessive ape.”
Still disbelieving, Alice shook her head. Sexy was not a word
ever applied to her. Clean, neat, well-groomed, sure. Or as Rowdy had claimed,
buttoned-up, and sadly, prim and proper.
But she was not—
“Anyway,” Pepper said, interrupting her private angst. “You are disguising yourself. I figured it was on
purpose. See, until recently, I did my own type of hiding. That cretin who died
in Reese’s apartment yesterday?”
Fascinated, Alice said, “Yes?”
“A few years ago, Rowdy and I worked for his club. Late one
night, I saw him kill a city councilman. Cops were involved, so I couldn’t go to
them. I tried talking to a reporter, and he got murdered, too.”
“Oh, my God.” How horrific. Rowdy had left out a few details
when he’d mentioned why he and Pepper had lived the life they had. Empathy
welled inside her like a giant balloon, crowding out all other thoughts and
emotions. Maybe she and Pepper had more in common than she’d realized. “That’s
why he was after you?”
“And my brother,” Pepper confirmed. “Rowdy doesn’t really run
from anyone, but to protect me, he did.”
That gave her great insight into Rowdy, too. What would it be
like to have someone that dedicated to your well-being? Her parents cared, of
course. Her sister, too.
But this was different. Alice touched her hand in
understanding. “I’ve met your brother, and I’m pretty sure he’d do anything for
you.”
“True enough.” Pepper didn’t retreat from the touch. She looked
down at her feet, but only
feel that way. “It’s just that I wouldn’t want Reese to misunderstand.” Or feel
smothered.
“It’s not up to him. I can invite whoever I want.”
But if she accepted, and things didn’t work out with Reese,
would he bring a different date? What if she had to stay through a ceremony,
watching him with another woman?
Pepper bumped her with her shoulder. “I can almost read your
thoughts.” She grinned. “But trust me, Reese wouldn’t dare. And besides, the
only guests will be the ones Logan and I invite. And because I want to keep it
small, we’re not inviting any ‘plus one’ guests.”
Alice bit her lip. Was she really that transparent? “In that
case, thank you. I’d be honored.”
“Terrific! I’ll have to give you details when we get things
figured out.” She bobbed her eyebrows. “We’ll wait for Logan to recoup so we can
have a real wedding night.”
Alice laughed with her. It was so nice having another woman to
talk to, a woman unlike Nikki and Pam.
That thought gave her pause; Pepper might be different, but she
still wasn’t like Alice.
Again Pepper nudged her with her shoulder. “I can be really
discreet, just so you know.”
Alice didn’t understand.
“If you want to talk about...stuff.” Letting out a breath,
Pepper said, “I see the mask, because I used to wear one, too.”
Confused, Alice shook her head. “I don’t wear a mask.”
“Sure you do.” Lifting a twisting lock of Alice’s hair, Pepper
smiled an apology. “The rain did you in.”
Her shoulders deflated. She prided herself on a nice
appearance, but she’d never figured on getting caught in a storm. “I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do. You look great, Alice. Not that you
looked bad yesterday, but now, with your hair a little wild and that dress
showing off your figure...It’s a good look for you.”
Eyes widening, Alice said, “I look like a used mop.”
“Nope, not even.” Studying her, Pepper shrugged. “Truthfully,
you look sort of sexy.”
Alice’s face went hot. She was both flattered and horrified.
“Of course I don’t.” Hand splayed over her chest, she looked down at her dress.
Her sturdy bra kept her mostly concealed, but the dress did outline her meager
bust. “Do I?”
“You didn’t notice how the guys went all goofy when they saw
you? They practically had their tongues hanging out. Reese was ready to beat his
chest, he’s such a possessive ape.”
Still disbelieving, Alice shook her head. Sexy was not a word
ever applied to her. Clean, neat, well-groomed, sure. Or as Rowdy had claimed,
buttoned-up, and sadly, prim and proper.
But she was not—
“Anyway,” Pepper said, interrupting her private angst. “You are disguising yourself. I figured it was on
purpose. See, until recently, I did my own type of hiding. That cretin who died
in Reese’s apartment yesterday?”
Fascinated, Alice said, “Yes?”
“A few years ago, Rowdy and I worked for his club. Late one
night, I saw him kill a city councilman. Cops were involved, so I couldn’t go to
them. I tried talking to a reporter, and he got murdered, too.”
“Oh, my God.” How horrific. Rowdy had left out a few details
when he’d mentioned why he and Pepper had lived the life they had. Empathy
welled inside her like a giant balloon, crowding out all other thoughts and
emotions. Maybe she and Pepper had more in common than she’d realized. “That’s
why he was after you?”
“And my brother,” Pepper confirmed. “Rowdy doesn’t really run
from anyone, but to protect me, he did.”
That gave her great insight into Rowdy, too. What would it be
like to have someone that dedicated to your well-being? Her parents cared, of
course. Her sister, too.
But this was different. Alice touched her hand in
understanding. “I’ve met your brother, and I’m pretty sure he’d do anything for
you.”
“True enough.” Pepper didn’t retreat from the touch. She looked
down at her feet, but only
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