Strip Search (Tap That)

“You’re welcome, Officer Hottie.”

Great. So that had been shared too? There was no way the chief was going to believe his story about her being his girlfriend if he watched the whole encounter. He didn’t think. Then again, he had approached the car and used her name. He clearly knew her. Plus she had acted flirty. But he hadn’t responded the way a boyfriend would.

Damn it. What a mess.

He didn’t say anything in return to Susan and she started laughing. Actually, cackling. “This is what happens when you start stripping. Women are throwing themselves at you.”

“I bet you want me, too, then, Susan. I saw you at Tap That last night.”

Her smile fell off her face. “Jim knows I was there. It’s for charity.”

“Exactly.” He gave her a wink. “See you later.”

She looked flustered.

Leaving the building, he was determined to not be bothered by anyone razzing him. But he did not want to be written up. He could take heat. He could take the joke going on for months. But he had aspirations. He wanted to make detective. He did not want to be written up over something so innocent.

Well. Innocent wasn’t the right word.

But it wasn’t like he had fucked up his job. Or put anyone in harm’s way. Or taken a bribe.

Sliding into his squad car, he was about to call the number on the paper when his saw his mother was calling him.

“Shit.” If he didn’t answer it, she would just keep calling. Time to just take it like a man. “Hello?”

“Can you explain to your mother why you are kissing a woman on the internet?”

He fought the urge to sigh. “Because I didn’t know the camera was running.”

“This is very erratic behavior, Axl. I know you’ve been struggling since your discharge but maybe you need to talk to someone.”

Now he did sigh. He could never wrap his head around why his mother couldn’t just accept that he was a loner. He had not been struggling. Jesus. She worried endlessly about him, which worried him. “Mom. It’s fine. Leighton and I know each other.”

“I suppose that’s reassuring on some level. But unless you’re engaged to be married, not really.”

Shit. She reached right for the hard stuff. “Mom, I have to go. I’m at work.”

“Call me later,” she demanded.

“I will.” And tell her what, he had no idea. He had inadvertently turned up the heat on himself. His mother already thought he was a hea

d case.

He called the number on the paper Susan had given him. Leighton answered immediately.

“This is Leighton Van Buren.”

“Hi, this is Axl. Look, I’m really sorry—“

She cut him off. “Axl, I need your help. Please. Do you know anyone who would want to get married next Saturday? Winnie’s fiancé canceled and if I don’t find a replacement I’m going to get fired. My producer straight up told me that.”

He was momentarily taken aback. He had thought she’d be calling about the kiss but clearly that was not first and foremost in her mind. That was a little insulting, he wasn’t going to lie.

“Uh… no. I can’t say that I do. Rick and Sloane aren’t even engaged yet and none of my other friends are dating anyone.” Brandon was living it up in Chicago as a party boy businessman and Jesse was getting ass left right and center on the road as a pro hockey player. Marriage was not on his mind.

Then there was Sullivan. He doubted Sullivan would ever get married again. Not after losing Kendra so young.

“Dang it. This is not good. They saw the video of us too, by the way.”