Run the Risk. Lori Foster

“Anything wrong?”

      His mood gave Logan pause. “Not really, no.”

      Reese cursed. “Then this better be good.”

      “Am I interrupting something?”

      “Actually, yeah, you are.”

      Logan grinned. “New woman?”

      “New puppy. It’s destroying my place.”

      That was so far from what Logan had expected to hear, it threw him. “You got a dog?”

      “It sort of got me. Long story.”

      So he’d taken in a stray? Logan grinned. “You’re such a big softie.”

      Reese snorted. “You want me to come there and kick your ass? Is that it? You’re all lonely and, instead of admitting it, you’re finding a reason to piss me off so I’ll hunt you up?”

      Logan laughed outright.

      Reese said, “Dog, no. No! Damn it.” Then with a growl to Logan, “What’s up?”

      It took some effort to fight off another laugh, but Logan took pity on Reese and got to the point. “I need you to do some specific searching through our collection of photos.”

      “Rowdy?”

      “No.” He knew Reese wouldn’t be happy, but what the hell? Logan had his reasons. “Pepper.”

      Reese paused. “We don’t have much on her. Some small black-and-whites, that’s all.”

      “I know.” And if there was any way Logan could do this himself, he would. The last thing he wanted was another man scrutinizing Pepper’s body. But it’d be too dangerous for him to have the photos around, so he’d have to rely on Reese. “Look at what we have, see if we have any body shots.”

      “Body shots?”

      Forging on, Logan said, “Try to get a read on her…body.”

      “Come again?”

      At least now Reese sounded more interested. “She’s hiding something, something physical I mean.”

      “And you know this…how?”

      No way in hell would he give Reese the nitty-gritty. Pepper Yates was a pawn in the big scheme of things, but for whatever reason, Logan didn’t want to betray her.

      So fucking stupid.

      “Look to see if there are any shots showing her in a blouse, or hell, even a T-shirt. Anything that’ll show…” The words dropped off. What could he say?

      “The size of her rack?” Reese finished for him.

      Logan rubbed his face with his uninjured hand. “Yeah. But more than that, too. Body type. Like is she shapely all over, or athletic, or maybe extra slim—”

      “Damn it, Logan, what the hell are you doing now?”

      “Nothing.” Nothing that he’d share anyway. “I just need to know what I’m dealing with.”

      “Because you’re dealing with her boobs?” Reese grunted. “Never mind. Forget I asked. At least I know you haven’t had sex with her, or you’d know the answer to that one yourself.”

      No, he wouldn’t. But again, not Reese’s business. “Can you try to find some pics or not?”

      “Yeah. Give me till tomorrow morning.”

      Logan looked at the bruising on his hand, flexed his fingers and winced. Being done with the topic of Pepper’s body—for now—he asked, “So did you name the dog?”

      “Cash.”

      “Nice name.”

      “It was either that or Debt.” Reese made a sound of frustration. “He’s been expensive. And speaking of that, I need to go. He’s eating one of my shoes.”

      Logan heard Reese call out to the dog, then drop the phone, and with a laugh, he ended the call. Next time he and Reese got together, he’d find out more about the animal. But for right now, he had other, more important issues on his mind.

      Like how he’d get Pepper Yates naked.

      No time like the present to start working on that.

      CHAPTER FIVE

      WEARING JEANS AND A T-SHIRT, Logan stepped out of the apartment, locked the door, turned—and found Pepper standing there.

      By the looks of it, she’d just left her apartment, as well.

      “Sue. Hey. I was just coming over to see you.”

      How she could look so shy after last night, he didn’t know. The woman had used him up, and they’d both loved every second of it.

      She licked her lips—which now, to his curious libido, appeared soft and lush—and nodded at him. “Hi.” Clutching a big purse to her chest, she turned toward the stairway to the apartment building entrance. “I was just on my way out.”

      “Hold up.” Logan fell into step beside her. Bright sunshine poured through the glass entry doors, gilding her long, dark eyelashes, highlighting her lack of makeup. He hadn’t noticed it before, but she had amazing skin.

      And when the hell had he ever noticed a woman’s skin, unless it was on an interesting place on her body? “Where are you off to?”

      “Shopping.”

      “I could give you a lift.”

      “No. Thank you.” She trotted down the steps. “That’s okay.”

      “What’s the rush?” He tried a laugh that, even to him, sounded fake as hell. But damn it, she was running from him. Still.

      First the hurried sex in the dark with her clothes on. Then the abrupt goodbye. And now she didn’t want to take a single second to talk with him.

      “Sorry,” she said again. “I have a lot to get done today.”

      “I could help,” he offered, but she was already shaking her head. “Why?” he demanded. “What’s different today?”

      But he knew. Intimacy, mixed with sunshine. She wanted to keep her damned secrets.

      He wouldn’t let her.

      Eyes wide, she stared at him. “Nothing has changed. Why would you think it has?”

      Now, that pissed him off. He leaned toward her. “I was inside you last night.”

      As her face went hot, she dropped her gaze to his shoulders, then lower to his crotch. “Yes,” she breathed, and she touched his chest. “You were deep inside me.”

      God, the way she looked at him made him feel it all over again. His cock twitched, his heart started popping against his ribs. He covered her hand with his own. “You liked it.”

      “I did.” She looked into his eyes and pulled her hand away. “But that doesn’t change anything. I still can’t…” She gestured from him to herself and back again. “Can’t. But if you want, we can still do dinner tonight.”

      Only dinner? Like hell. He’d squelch that idea at the first opportunity. “My place or yours?” he said as a challenge, then wanted to smack himself when she jumped on the offer.

      “Yours.”

      Figuring her out could take a lifetime. But he’d already spent considerable time getting to this point. He wouldn’t waste a minute more. “Okay, sure.”

      Maybe after he had her brother, he’d be able to nail Andrews and ultimately get justice for his best friend’s murder.

      And then he could work on unraveling the mystery of Pepper Yates.

      He