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Since Rowdy actually owned the apartment building, buying it outright under yet another alias, she could understand his consternation. “I don’t know too much about him—”
“But you had him over anyway?”
She understood his incredulity. “It’s not like that. His name is Logan Stark and for some reason…” Well, she couldn’t just tell her brother that Logan hit on her. That’d not only infuriate him, it’d also make him as suspicious as she was. “He wanted to share dinner, that’s all.”
Cold silence.
“C’mon, Rowdy,” she cajoled. “I’m careful, you know that.”
“You’re playing with fire.”
Maybe. “It’s not a big deal. Dinner, that’s all.”
“Then tell me why.”
She shrugged to herself. “I wondered the same thing. It’s not like I’d be appealing to him.”
He cursed low. “I didn’t mean that.”
“You did,” she corrected. “But it’s okay. A low profile is what’s most important, right?”
“I don’t like it.”
“There’s not much you do like these days.” She sighed, feeling for her brother, worried about him, and so tired of all the subterfuge. “Please, believe me, Rowdy. I won’t take any risks.”
“Maybe not on purpose, but that was a risk you took last night, so I’m going to check into him.”
Hmm… “Maybe you could find out where he works.”
“Ask him,” Rowdy said. “We’ll see if what he says to you meshes with what I find.”
“All right.” If the opportunity presented itself, she could try a little prying.
“Give me a week or two to find out what I can about him. Until then, watch your ass.”
Of course she would. Not like anyone else was watching it. Well, except her brother—and she could do with a little less vigilance from him, especially now that Logan was in the picture. “Love you, Rowdy.”
His voice softened. “Love you, too, kid.” And then, right before he hung up, he admonished, “Behave.”
Pepper put the phone back on her nightstand. It would be so nice to visit with Rowdy, to spend an entire day with him. But he wouldn’t allow it.
She understood why, but that didn’t stop her from missing him, more and more each day.
It saddened her, but as she tried to get to sleep, it was Logan she thought of, not her brother.
And that disturbed her most of all.
* * *
ON THE THIRD FLOOR of his exclusive, all-service club, Morton Andrews held court. Idiots surrounded him, but they were his idiots, loyal to him, afraid of his influence, so he tolerated them.
He eyed the cop who’d just entered. No, he wouldn’t offer a seat. He’d show no courtesy at all.
Cops had to remember their place—as hired help. “Is it true that Rowdy Yates has turned up?”
Surprise showed, but then was quickly covered. “Where did you hear that?”
Interesting. So maybe there was some truth to it. “You forget my many tentacles? I have ears everywhere. You know that.”
A nod of acknowledgment. “Yes, I know that.”
Morton accepted he had few virtues, and patience definitely wasn’t one of them. “Well?”
“There’s nothing concrete on Rowdy.”
It irked him sometimes, that cool confidence, the near disdain. Others cowered around him. Others understood the threat. But not this one. “You’ll let me know when there is?”
“Of course.”
Truth, or false assurances? Didn’t matter. In his own way, and in his own time, Morton knew he’d get to the bottom of it. For now, it amused him to let the illusion of trust exist. “All right, then.” And just to be a prick, he said, “You can go now.”
Taking the dismissal with no show of insult, the cop turned and left.
Morton shook his head. To his way of thinking, the only good cop was dirty—or dead. He’d yet to decide the fate of this one. But soon…
* * *
FOR THREE DAYS, Logan kept his distance. It wasn’t easy, but he wanted Pepper to think about him, to anticipate seeing him. Anticipation could break down her barriers, and that’s what he needed.
After spending the day working for his brother Dash, he’d expended a lot of tension. Physical labor always did that for him. Sunshine, sweat, using his hands, working his shoulders and thighs…he enjoyed it.
Likely Dash did as well, which would explain why he’d not only bought the company, but worked alongside the laborers on a regular basis.
There’d been a lot of concrete work throughout the afternoon. Sweat flattened his hair to his head and kept his T-shirt glued to his back. Everywhere he stepped, his dusty boots left footprints. Too much sun made his face feel tight.
And still he loved it.
Dash had the right idea. Make his own way doing good, honest labor, and build a great reputation at the same time.
It didn’t hurt that the construction company gave Logan great cover. No one knew he and Dash were related, so no one paid him any attention. On the construction site, he was just one more grunt, there to help with the physical workload.
Just as he reached his door, Pepper’s opened.
Satisfaction burned in his gut.
He glanced up, saw her standing there uncertainly, and smiled. “Hey, Sue.” He continued to unlock his door, pushed it open. “What’s up?”
“I, ah…”
He glanced at her again, a brow raised.
“I haven’t seen you for a few days.”
“Been working.” He leaned in the door to drop a thermos and hard hat. “That’s how construction is. You don’t work for a month, then you’re nonstop busy for a while.”
“Construction?” She eased farther into the hallway.
Seeing this as a prime opportunity, Logan rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. “Yeah.” He gestured. “You want to come in? I need to shower and grab some dinner, but then we can visit.”
“Oh.” Shaking her head, she retreated a step. “No, I—”
Keeping his gaze locked on hers, he reached for her, caught her hand, and pulled her forward into the hall and then into his apartment. “I only need a few minutes. What’d you have planned for dinner? I’m starving.”
Not the most subtle hint, but maybe she’d be female enough to pick up on it and take pity on him.
“I was going to order a pizza.” She looked around his apartment with interest but jumped when he closed the door. Apprehension welled up. “I should go.”
“I’d rather you stay.” He dropped down to his couch but didn’t lean back into the cushions, not with his shirt damp through and through. He began unlacing his work boots. “I’d put off the shower, but I’m a sweaty mess. It’s bad enough that it’s in the nineties, but add in the humidity, and it was miserable today.”
“Yes.”
At that faint agreement, he looked at her, found her staring at his shoulders, and smiled. “I probably smell like a locker room.”
Her face again warmed, and she breathed, “No.”
Logan reveled in her response. Had he reduced her to one word replies? Just to keep her tongue-tied, he stood and pulled off his shirt.
Her jaw loosened, and she drew in a shuddering breath.
Damn, could a woman be more enticing? More in need of a long hard ride? She damn near fainted when he reached past her to set his boots on the floor inside the door.
Close to her, crowding her a little, he emptied his pockets on the table, setting out his wallet, cell phone and some change. “Stay put, okay? I’ll be right back.”
She stared at his throat.
Remember what you’re doing. Giving her a verbal nudge, Logan whispered, “Sue?”
Her gaze jumped up to his.
“Tell me you’ll be here when I get out of the shower.”
“Yes.” She nodded slowly. “I’ll be here.”
He couldn’t resist touching her, but because he was a mess, he used only his baby finger to stroke her warm, downy cheek. Then, before he lost it, he said, “Make yourself at home,” and turned to head into the bathroom.
He hoped she would use the time alone to snoop a little; it was why he’d left his wallet and second cell phone sitting right there. Anything she found would only reinforce his cover.
Scrubbing head to toe, he removed the grime even as the cool water helped to temper his explosive lust.
Not that he should have been exploding with lust. It made no sense. This was a job, just like any other. His association with her was a means to an end, and Pepper Yates, aka Sue Meeks, was as far from a femme fatale as a woman could get.
But knowing she waited in the other room left him half hard, his guts knotted and his balls tight.
Shit.
In a hurry to get back to her, he turned off the shower and dried. Now that he’d gotten her into his place, he didn’t want her to turn tail and run before he could take advantage of the situation and advance his goal.
But as he walked back in, snapping his jeans along the way, he found her still at the door, his belongings untouched, her expression a little lost. It appeared she hadn’t moved an inch. Hell, it almost looked as if she held her breath.
New sensations tensed his muscles. He didn’t know for sure what he felt, but he felt it in spades, unsettling and blistering hot.
Without saying a word, their gazes locked, he approached her. For several seconds they stood there, staring at each other while the charge between them arced and crackled, growing stronger with each beat of his heart.
Softly, he said, “You look ready to bolt.”
She rolled in her lips and shook her head.
Because he couldn’t not touch her, Logan put a hand to the top of her head. Her hair was silky soft, warm. He stroked back to her nape, and then down the length of that long ponytail, stopping with his hand open on the small of her back. “Everything okay?”
“Yes.” Then, as he nudged her closer, she blurted, “I hadn’t heard from you…”
His strategy had obviously worked—so then why did he feel like such a prick? “After working on the construction site, I came home each day pretty beat.”
“I didn’t mean… You don’t owe me anything.”
Her vulnerability chewed on his conscience. “No?”
Without his urging, she drew closer, her attention on his mouth. “I just… You had said…so I thought…” She clamped her mouth closed and squeezed her eyes shut. “Never mind.”
“I gave you my number,” he reminded her.
Her tone now more strident, she shot right back, “I told you I wouldn’t call.”
So she had.
He probably should’ve kissed her already to avoid this little conflict.
Better late than never.
But he didn’t take her mouth. Instead, he lowered his head and brushed a kiss over her heated cheek, down to her firm jaw, and then to the side of her silken neck.
She locked her hands behind her, confounding him.
“You smell good, Sue.” He nuzzled her ear, filling his lungs with her scent. “Like sunshine.”
“I was outside.” Breathless, she added, “The building has termites.”
“Yeah?” He didn’t give a damn. His hand on her back contracted; she felt supple, trim, but so soft.
