Stripped Down (Tap That)

Sloane shifted a little. “Help me down off this thing. I’m not as limber as I used to be.”

“You seem pretty flexible to me, though I may have to test it further. Splits, remember?” He winked at her.

Sloane rolled her eyes, like he knew she would. He stood up and lifted her down off the bike. When she bent over to get her shorts and tank top, he swatted her bare ass.

“Ah!” she shrieked, jerking away. She covered her ass and shot him a glare. “You’re a very bad boy.”

He grinned. “The worst. But you’re a very naughty girl. Who stripped herself naked on my bike.”

She tilted her head. “That was pretty naughty, wasn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“Good,” she said, looking very sassy. She pulled her tank top on. “Now please tell me you’re done working so I can get some sleep.”

He wasn’t where he had wanted to be but he’d lost his enthusiasm for carburetors. He wanted to walk Sloane to her apartment and give her a goodnight kiss.

“I’m done.” He adjusted himself and retrieved his own clothes. He took a deep breath. “Ah. Sex and motor oil. My two favorite scents.”

“Gross!” Sloane laughed and put those little shorts back on.

“It’s not gross. It’s the smell of awesome.” He wished he could slide into her bed and hold her throughout the night, but he wasn’t comfortable leaving River all night, even if he was just across the hall. She knew he worked at night, but if she woke up at five in the morning and he wasn’t there, she would get scared.

“All right, I’m heading up.”

“I’ll walk up with you.”

“Won’t that look obvious if someone sees us leaving together at midnight?”

Rick raised an eyebrow as he felt his pocket for his wallet. “Sloane. If they see you leave here at all they might speculate. You’re in your pajamas and there’s no fire.”

“I’ll just tell them the truth—I came down to yell at you to keep it down.”

He had no idea who these mysterious people were who were going to question her on her nocturnal activities but he just nodded. “Solid plan.”

It turned out the mysterious people was a nine-year-old girl. When they came up the stairs River opened the door and poked her head out. “Why are you guys together so late?”

Busted. “What did I tell you about opening that door?” he demanded of his sister, annoyed because one, she’d almost given him a heart attack. And two, now he couldn’t kiss Sloane goodnight. “You know you’re not supposed to do that.”

River rolled her eyes. “I heard your voice.”

“I went downstairs to yell at him,” Sloane said. “I was trying to sleep and he was banging around down there. It was totally rude.”

“Totally,” he said, amused. Zero hesitation on her part to throw him under the bus. “Sorry again.”

“It’s okay. Partly my fault anyway since I hit your bike Saturday night.”

She sounded more snarky than sincere but he wasn’t going to worry about it. “Goodnight then, Sloane. See you around.”

River held the door open wide for him. “No one likes a workaholic.”

He grabbed her around the neck and gave her a noogie while she squirmed. “Who body swapped you with a fifty-year-old woman? Your soul is so old it makes dirt look young.”

“Weird.” River shook her head. “You’re just weird.” Then she pulled away from him and waved to Sloane. “Goodnight.”

Sloane was unlocking her door and she turned back and smiled and waved at him.

She looked sleepy and sexy, her hair wrecked, her lips pink and plump. Her neck was still stained red from sexual exertion. She looked like everything he’d ever wanted.