Strip Search (Tap That)

“Who is they?”

Leighton had a smooth feminine voice but now it sounded high-pitched and a little frantic. “Everyone!”

“I’m sorry about that. It was impulsive.” He didn’t regret it, despite the heat he was taking. Of course, he said that now. If that went on record he might, no matter how sweet and delicious Leighton was.

“I should have pulled away,” she wailed. “I didn’t stop you at all. I liked it.” She sounded scandalized by that.

The fact that she liked it mattered more than it should. “Kissing is fun. You wanted to be fun. I don’t see what the problem is.” He didn’t. Not for her. What did her boss care if she was rubbing bodies with a small-town cop? Though he supposed she was probably being paid for her time in Beaver Bend. That might annoy the powers-that-be that she had been briefly unprofessional.

“I don’t think anyone particularly cares that we were, you know,” she said. “They care more about wasting resources by being here in Minnesota and not being able to film an episode. And they think I’m distracted and Todd canceling is my fault because I didn’t massage his concerns enough. That I was too busy having some full-blown love affair.”

“It was one kiss,” he protested. “Though I have to tell you, I had to tell the chief of police we met online months ago.” He looked out of the window like someone might suddenly appear and overhear his confession. “Sorry about that. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

This was the problem with impulsiveness. Then you had to backpedal.

There was a pause, then she said, “You didn’t. I was flattered. Men don’t usually just spontaneously kiss me.”

Then she was hanging around the wrong men. “I was serious about getting a drink. And if I can help you in any way with the show, let me know. I don’t know Todd or I would talk to him.”

“You can produce a whirlwind romance I can film and make the producer and Sadie happy.”

Axl had an idea. Actually, maybe he could credit Chief Darcy with it. His boss had handed him an out. Now he could hand Leighton an out. It was a crazy idea. But it was what his grandfather would say was killing two birds with one stone. Saving both their asses in one fell swoop. “How about you film us?”

He was a practical guy. He wanted to spend time with Leighton, especially of the naked variety. He would get unlimited access to her for a week. Plus, neither of them would get fired or written up or busted on. He had no intention of getting married in real life, and he constantly had his mother on his ass about that. People were starting to question whether he was normal. If they thought he was with Leighton, and then the relationship tanked, they would leave him alone to lick his supposed wounds.

Pretending they were falling in love on camera was a diversionary tactic that could save both their jobs and let him live his life as a bachelor in peace. It would buy him a year at least from familial concern and harassment. Leighton would get the show she wanted to make her boss happy.

It was so simple and perfect it was kind of genius.

“Are you insane?” Leighton said, her voice cracking. “We can’t do that!”

He pictured her full breasts, her narrow waist, her generous hips. He envisioned lifting that sundress over her head and having those curves all access. He wanted to flick his tongue between her legs, then drive his cock into her while gripping those soft thighs.

“Why not?”

* * *

Leighton had an upset stomach from eating not one, but two, ice cream cones, and from anxiety churning her insides. She had called around and hadn’t found a replacement couple. Jill had told her not to post on social media because they would look desperate.

She felt pretty damn desperate.

In her hotel room, she was pacing back and forth in front of the window. Jackson had mentioned he had a lake view. She had a view of the dumpster, which seemed appropriate. Her career was a dumpster fire.

Now she was on the phone with Axl, who might have given her the best first kiss ever, except that it was under the worst circumstances possible. She would be in trouble at work with or without the kiss but it was not making the situation any better.

She couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. The man sounded serious. He didn’t seem like a prankster bullshit joke around kind of guy. But she didn’t know him at all so she could be totally wrong. “Are you pulling my leg?” she asked him.

Axl actually gave a chuckle. “Sometimes you say things that sound like my grandpa. It’s adorable.”

It was actually a habit that annoyed her mother. She wanted her to be more on trend with her slang but it just wasn’t her personality to be using the current catch phrase. “My father is seventy-five years old. I grew up on his phrasing. He’s also German, so the combination is interesting, to say the least.”

“Wow, your dad had you at forty-nine? I applaud his energy.”

“He’s a very good father,” she said. “But not exactly the get-down-on-the-floor-and-play-dolls-with-his-daughter type.” Back and forth she walked, agitated and distracted. “Though I don’t really want to talk about my childhood when my future is at stake.”

“Fair enough. So are you on board with my plan?”

“I don’t understand your plan.” She didn’t.