Strip Search (Tap That)

But Leighton was so wrapped up in studying her phone and consulting with her colleagues that she didn’t even notice him.

Damn, there was something so sweet and vulnerable and strong and sexy about her. She seemed like she was very complex. Layered. Intriguing.

It wasn’t often he was this curious about a woman. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time. Of course, at this point in his life, five years out of the marines, he knew all the single females in Beaver Bend. There were no surprises. A sea of familiar faces.

Then there was this woman. Totally different from his type, according to Lilly and Sloane. But someone he wanted to sit across the table from and talk to. He wanted to hear what she had to say, because he had a feeling she wasn’t a flirt. She would say whatever she meant. Like him.

Okay, and he wanted to take her to bed and fuck her. There was that. He definitely couldn’t shake the image of her ankles on his shoulders thanks to that cameraman. She had a very juicy figure. The kind you slap and tickle and bite.

And pound.

Axl cleared his throat. Yeah. He needed to get laid. That was clear.

But there was no reason for him to hang around when she wasn’t glancing his way at all, so Axl returned to his run.

Thirty minutes later he was home, in a cold shower.

No Cali girl for him, not even for a few days. He wasn’t going to be an asshole and track her down.

* * *

Two hours after that he was doing basic patrol when a red sedan with Illinois plates flew past him doing way over the speed limit.

He threw on his lights and pulled the car over in a routine traffic stop.

But when he came up to the window and opened his mouth, he was shocked to see Leighton behind the wheel, looking at him in exasperation. He found himself pleased that she was a little speed demon. It gave him another opportunity to talk to her.

“Hi, Leighton,” he said. “Are you aware you were going twenty miles over the speed limit?”

“Oh, I get it,” she said, staring up at him, hands raking her wavy hair back off her face. “Is there where you tell me you’re giving me a ticket for being sexy or something canned like that?”

It wasn’t often that Axl found himself speechless. Or so thoroughly confused. But completely amused. “Excuse me? You were speeding. I need to see your driver’s license. I’m guessing this is a rental car, so if you have the rental agreement I’d like to see that too, please.”

Axl bent down and swept his eyes over the vehicle. There was nothing noteworthy. Just Leighton’s purse on the passenger seat and her phone in the cup holder. There was a camera on the dash, which struck him as odd, but maybe it was for filming bits for the wedding show. He had no clue how those shows worked.

Leighton shot him a look he couldn’t decipher. “What if I say no? Does that mean you’ll have to pat me down? Hopefully?”

He glanced at the camera again. Was he on TV, being punked? Or was Leighton just nuts? Because she looked a little glassy-eyed, to be honest, and sounded nothing like she had the night before. “I need to see your driver’s license.”

* * *

Leighton tried to channel bringing it. What would bringing it entail in this circumstance?

Flirting. Sexual innuendo. Being brazen and bold.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself how much she loved her job and how high her rent was. If this was a test from Sadie, having her fake pulled over by a stripper cop, she had to pass it. Play along.

“You’re really sticking to character. I admire that. Big, tough cop. Picture of authority.” She reached for her purse and pulled out her wallet. She produced her license with a smile and an exaggerated wink. “Here you go, Officer Hottie.”

Just saying that almost killed her. She felt ridiculous.

Axl didn’t look like he was buying it either. He looked dubious at best.

“Leighton Van Buren. Age twenty-six. Beverly Hills. You live in Beverly Hills?” he asked, sounding surprised.

Why did he sound so stunned? She had been raised in Beverly Hills. It wasn’t like she’d bought a fake ID on the internet. So typical. Everyone always wanted her to be someone or something she wasn’t.

“I was living with my parents when I got this license. I have my own apartment now in Silver Lake.” Now she was oversharing for no reason. Awkward.