Stripped Down (Tap That)

Rick felt something he’d never experienced before.

A niggle of doubt that he could stay casual.

He hustled River into the apartment and slammed the door, fucking terrified of that thought.

Ten

See you around.

&n

bsp; The words stuck in Sloane’s craw for days.

That had been Rick’s goodnight to her? See you around.

See you the fuck around.

She sprayed a beagle down with warm water, massing shampoo into his haunches. The dogs were the only thing keeping her sane because she wanted to go shove “see you around” up Rick’s tight ass.

She had stripped naked and posed on his motorcycle and he was going to see her around? He’d seen every damn inch of her. Fucking Little Dickie.

She shifted the sprayer too far and water bounced off of Harley’s shoulder and ricocheted into her eye. “Damn!” She swiped at her eye. “At least I got myself instead of you, buddy.” She bent down and massaged his ears, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. He watched her with trusting brown eyes. “You are very, very cute.”

The bell rung over the front door and she glanced over, realizing she’d been hoping it was Rick. It wasn’t. It had been three days, including her Wednesday day off, and she had not seen him. It was River coming through the door. Sloane wondered why River spent her days in and out of the garage and the groomers. Didn’t she have any friends? Wasn’t there a camp she could go to? Day care? It seemed boring to her. But then again, River was always reading or watching a movie on an iPad. She didn’t seem very outdoorsy or athletic.

As kids she and Sullivan had been outside all summer long, riding bikes and roller blading and playing hockey. She hadn’t sat down to watch TV at all. There had been tumbling classes and cheer camp and bonfires with her friends over.

“Hi, River, what’s up?”

“Interest rates.” She shook her iPad. “And the DOW is down.”

Nope. River was not at all like Sloane had been as a child. Not even close. She admired Rick even more for raising her because Sloane honestly wouldn’t have a clue what to do with her. “Interesting. I hope you don’t lose your shirt in the stock market.”

“Nope. Sold at the right time.” River reached out and rubbed Harley’s head.

“Are you being serious. You own stock?” Sloane finished rinsing Harley and moved the dryer over him.

“Yep. Not a lot, but Rick usually gives me fifty bucks on my birthday and I invest it.”

“Good for you. But dang, I’m clearly failing at adulthood.”

“Are you divorced?” River asked.

“Yes.”

She nodded. Didn’t say anything, just nodded. Like she agreed Sloane was failing at life.

Great. A nine-year-old thought she was a loser. “So what brings you by?”

“My brother wants to know if you and Winnie want to go to lunch. He said he is dying for a burger. I refuse to participate in murder so he needs someone to go with.”

So Rick wanted to go to lunch with her and Winnie. She was not feeling it. But there was no way to say no if Winnie wanted to go. Her boss heard from the other wash station and said, “Burgers? I’m in. I’m so in.”

“You can go then and I can stay here.”

“No, we can both go.”

“Who is going to stay with River and the dogs?” she asked Winnie. “No, you go. I’ll stay. I’m not even hungry.”