Stripped Down (Tap That)

That was the problem. She’d spent her whole life being guarded. “He’s my brother’s best friend,” she said, which was not really a response. “We’re sneaking around so Sullivan doesn’t find out.”

“Oh, sweetie,” Maribeth said. “Too late. You’re already falling for him. I can hear it in your voice.”

She was but she resented that it was that obvious. “I just said it was a secret! How is that indicative of deep emotion?”

“If it was just a hookup you wouldn’t care what your brother thinks. You’ve known in your heart since the beginning you might want more.”

Her friend’s voice was gentle and full of the wisdom of an older woman. Sloane realized not for the first time, this was what it might have been like growing up with a mother. “I don’t see how that’s possible,” she murmured “We called him Little Dickie in high school.”

“Dickie or not, be honest with yourself.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Tonight she needed to put a cold compress on her aching head and reevaluate her entire life.

“Sure, sweetie. Take care.”

Sloane ended the call and turned to her dog. “Kate, we have a problem.”

Her dog gave a soft woof.

“I think I might be falling for Rick. It’s either that or I’m so used to bad sex I’ve confused myself what the difference between love and lust is.”

Kate barked.

“Yeah, that’s what I think too. Any man who raises his sister and rescues a dog is worth falling in love with. I mean, I always like Rick, as a person. And seeing him now, the way he lives his life, I think…” That they were perfect for each other. She couldn’t bring herself to say that out loud.

Because her brother would lose his shit.

And Rick was a perpetual bachelor.

And she had a history of attaching too soon.

“Oh, my God, I feel like I’m burning up from the inside out.” She felt feverish and frantic as she yanked off her sweatshirt. “I wish you had thumbs. I think I’m going to have to cut myself out of this top.”

But at the same time she was reluctant to trash the top so after much twisting and turning and tugging she got it up to her neck. It was rolled like a burrito, but she was able to shove it completely off. She exhaled and breathed a sigh of relief as cool air washed over her hot skin.

She sat on her couch topless, petting her dog, and wondering what on earth she was supposed to do now.

* * *

Rick followed his father and River into his apartment but then he told River immediately, “Go take a shower and get ready for bed.” He wanted to talk to Ralph.

She made a face. “It’s eight o’clock.”

“You can read in bed.”

River dragged her feet but she went into her room. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to hold on to his patience. “Dad, you can’t just buy stuff for River without t

alking to me about it. Something like an iPhone means I have to monitor her activity on it, apps, social media. It’s a whole can of worms that you just dumped in my lap.”

His father shrugged. “What’s the big deal? Every kid has a phone now. Didn’t you want a phone when you were in high school?”

Rick wanted to point out high school and the fourth grade were two completely different things but that would get him nowhere. “Can you just show me the respect to run it past me? My whole life you’ve never respected me.”

“Oh, here we go. Now we’re going to drag the past into this. You didn’t have a bad life, so don’t go acting all high and mighty.”

His patience was quickly eroding. “We had to wash dishes in the bathroom because you had too much crap in the kitchen sink. We couldn’t use the stove because you had boxes on it to the ceiling. My cat disappeared and we found his skeleton three years later under a mountain of old magazines that fell on him. My childhood wasn’t stellar, and that is why River lives with me.” It was just so frustrating to deal with his old man because he never took responsibility. “But that’s not even the point. None of it is the damn point. The point is, I’m raising your daughter. I am. That’s the reality and I’m happy to do it. I love that kid with all my heart. But don’t make it harder for me by not respecting those boundaries.”

It wasn’t often he threw reality right at Ralph. His father sniffled, shifted his lips, crammed his hands in his pockets. Finally he said, “Yeah, all right. Whatever you say, kiddo.”