Strip Search

by Erin McCarthy

  After twenty minutes of pushing and shoving at dresses on the racks to see each dress, she realized two things. One, she needed to take her fitness more seriously because her arms were killing her. Two, this was an epic fail. Nothing was current or in style.

  It left her wondering what the hell local brides did. Order online? Probably. Which could work except that left a woman no ability to try on a multitude of gowns and make her choice.

  Super frustrating.

  Leighton blew her hair out of her eyes. “June, thanks for your help but I’m not seeing anything here that works for me.”

  The woman turned and shot her a look like she was the biggest bitch on the planet. “You’re not even going to try anything on?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “I just spent thirty minutes pulling gowns,” June said, her tone accusatory.

  Leighton was taken aback. “Well, sorry, but I don’t like any of these.”

  “Not rich enough for you, huh? No skin off my back, honey.”

  “Uh, I should think not.” Stunned, Leighton grabbed her purse and left the store. She took a deep breath and felt a moment of pity for all the hopeful brides to step into this shop past, present, and future, and then started toward her rental car.

  “Call Mom,” she told her phone.

  “Hi, baby! How’s it going? What can Mommy do to help?”

  Leighton realized she was about to make all her mother’s dreams come true. “Mom, I need you to find me a dress today and overnight it so I can get fitted tomorrow. I can’t find anything here.”

  “Well, good Lord, of course not. You’re practically in the wilderness.”

  “Now that is an exaggeration. But there’s just one bridal salon in town and the lady is a cranky-pants with a dated selection. So…” She took a deep breath. “I’m giving you free rein. Pick out whatever you want.” She was crunched for time, but also, curious what her mother would come up with.

  “Whatever I want?” Her mother sounded like a kid in the candy store with a hundred dollar bill in hand.

  “Whatever you want.” Leighton propped her phone on her shoulder so she could root around in her handbag for sunglasses. It was chilly for summer but it was sunny. She couldn’t see a darn thing. “Just one caveat, Mom.”

  “Poop. What?”

  That made her laugh. “No, you’ll like this. Axl requested cleavage so make sure the neckline isn’t too demure.”

  “Sexy is my specialty.”

  Truer words were never spoken.

  “But I’m stunned you’re okay with that, Lele.” Her mother did sound thoroughly shocked. “Maybe there is some of me in you after all.”

  That made her roll her eyes as she found her sunglasses and tried to yank them out of the handbag. “Doubtful. But I have to admit, I want to wow him. I want him to drool.” She did. Real or not, she wanted that man’s jaw to drop when he saw her on Saturday. “He seems to think I’m sexy, so I want to give him a great view.”

  “Drooling. Check. Let Mommy handle everything. He’ll be eating out of your hand.”

  She’d rather he just eat her, but she kept her dirty thoughts to herself. “I totally trust you. Let me know what’s going on. It’s still mid-morning there so hopefully you can find something soon. I really want a dress here by tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

  It wouldn’t. Money moved mountains and both of her parents were expert at using that to their advantage. Normally it made Leighton uncomfortable but right now she didn’t have much choice. “Thanks, Mom. Call me later, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yay!”

  “Yay” Leighton parroted because it would make her mother happy to sound over-the-moon excited. She was tugging out her sunglasses and attempting to end the call simultaneously when she dropped her phone.

  It landed on the sidewalk but thankfully she didn’t shatter the screen. When she rose again, she stuck her glasses on her face and her phone in her purse. She realized Winnie Schwartz was standing in the doorway to her groomer’s shop, smoking a cigarette.

  “Hi, Winnie,” she said, waving.

  “Hey.”

  Since her first contact with Winnie the woman had never been anything but bubbly and sweet. Now she looked and sounded sullen. She was leaning against the wall, ankles crossed.

  “Are you excited for Saturday?”

  Winnie took a hit off her cigarette. “Cut the crap, Leighton. I know you’re getting married Saturday too. And thanks to you, no one has the time of day for me. I might as well have eloped. Everyone all over town is talking about you and Axl and how it was love at first sight.”

  The venom in Winnie’s voice shocked her. First June had been sulky, now Winnie was angry. It wasn’t often that Leighton drew the ire of other women. She wasn’t someone who had ever inspired jealousy, at least not in Beverly Hills. “I’m sorry, Winnie. I didn’t think that it would cause any issues for you.” That wasn’t entirely true. She hadn’t really given much thought to Winnie at all. She had been worried about saving her own ass.

  Winnie shrugged. “It’s whatever. I guess it’s my fault. I applied to the show without talking to Todd and he never wanted to do it. I’m just sorry that I won in the first place. And sorry that you thought it was okay to steal my special day.”

  With that, as Leighton stood with her mouth wide open, Winnie tossed her cigarette on the ground, stomped on it, and kicked open the door to her shop.

  Leighton stood there, feeling as kicked as that door.

  If she was in love with Axl, she wouldn’t feel guilty. Winnie was right. She shouldn’t have applied to be on the show without her fiancé’s approval or knowledge. But because this wasn’t a real marriage and was just the two of them trying to save their own respective butts, she did feel a twinge of something that felt a lot like guilt.

  It would suck to be the bride who had a wedding on the same day as a whole town was buzzing about a TV wedding. Especially since it involved one of their own men in blue.

  Not wanting Winnie to come back out and drive her point home harder, Leighton unlocked her rental and climbed in. She needed to regroup, put it behind her, and go meet the tent guy. Yet she had a pit in her stomach and a telltale scratchy throat that indicated anxiety. God, she hated that sensation. Feeling like she couldn’t breathe, she hit the button to send the window down and sucked in some fresh air.

  Her phone buzzed with a text notification.

  Axl.

  You okay?

  How did he always know when she was vulnerable?

  It was like he had a sixth sense.

  Dress shopping was a failure. I’m going to have to have my mother send me something.

  In three days?

  My mother will have it to me by tomorrow.

  Axl’s face popped up on her screen. He was actually calling her.

  “Hello?”

  “What else it wrong? You don’t sound right.”

  Now how in the hell did he know she didn’t “sound right” in a text message? The man was psychic.

  Either that or they had a legitimate connection.

  Which she was starting to think they did.

  “I ran into Winnie Schwartz and she said I stole her wedding day.”

  There was a pause. “But didn’t her fiancé cancel their appearance on the show?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then she should be pissed at him, not you. Or hell, maybe not pissed at all. What’s the big deal? It’s not like we have the same guest list and they chose us over them.”

  Men didn’t get it. They didn’t understand that a wedding day was life to a woman. That she waited since childhood to be the star of the show for approximately twelve hours. To know that while your wedding was going on, another woman was having a splashy wedding for TV across town would be upsetting. She totally understood that.

  “I think she’s just disappointed. I can relate to that. It’s a big deal.”

  “So you feel bad
for her?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re a nicer person than me. I think this is on her. Or her fiancé. I wouldn’t worry about it. But I think you’re very sweet to care.”

  Leighton took a deep breath. “I still feel bad, but thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  She wished she could see him that night but honestly, she had so much to do and he worked until eleven. She wasn’t sure she could keep her eyes open until then, let alone fool around. It pained her to say it but she needed sleep more than an orgasm.

  “Tomorrow? Are you serious? I can’t see you tonight?”

  He sounded so salty about it she was touched. “You work late and I am going to be so tired. I can’t face the parents tomorrow without a good night’s sleep.”

  “I understand, baby. But I want to sleep next to you.”

  He sounded a little pouty and Leighton thought it was adorable. So much for being the self-proclaimed loner. “You’ll be okay, I’m sure.”

  “Leave me a key at the front desk and I’ll just slip in and get in bed with you. I promise I won’t wake you up.”

  Damn him for being adorable on top of being sexy and ridiculously masculine. It was a trio of traits she could not resist. She crumpled like a tissue. “If that’s what you want.”

  “I want.”

  There it was again. The distinct sensation in her chest of her catching feelings. “If I wake up with you trying to get in my pants I’m going to be upset with you.”

  Axl laughed softly. “That is the biggest lie I’ve ever heard.”

  Damn it. He was right.

  Eleven

  Axl knew he was being ridiculous. It was stupid as fuck to be going over to Leighton’s hotel room just so he could rest his hand on her hip while they both slept. Never had he been the guy who needed to share a bed with someone.

  In fact, just the opposite.

  But there was something about the fact that there was an expiration date on their relationship that made him want to steal every moment he could with her. With any other woman he had dated this would have never occurred to him. His unwillingness to see one girlfriend after his work shifts had actually resulted in their breaking up. She felt unimportant. He felt annoyed.

  The desk clerk didn’t seem at all alarmed that he was at the desk asking for a key to Leighton’s room. He would have been concerned by that except the woman said, “I can’t wait to watch your wedding on TV, officer.” She was in her early twenties and she handed him the key with a bright smile.

  That took him aback. Sometimes he forgot this whole thing was going to be watched by random people in their living rooms across the country. “Thank you. Hopefully I won’t make an ass out of myself.”

  She laughed riotously, like he was downright hilarious.

  “Thanks for the key. I don’t want to wake Leighton up.”

  She laughed again and nodded enthusiastically.

  Never having been considered a funny guy, he wasn’t sure how to react to her laughter other than to nod back and shake the key card in the air. “Goodnight.”

  Her response was yet again a peel of laughter. Axl had to get the hell out of there. He found it was the same kind of reaction doing the strip event had created. Not his style, that was for sure. He didn’t crave attention. Not that way.

  Gingerly he opened the door to Leighton’s room and stepped inside. It was not easy to divest himself of a gun, cuffs, car keys, his wallet, and entire uniform quietly but he thought he did a reasonable enough job. He could hear Leighton’s steady breathing in the dark room. She had the blackout drapes tightly drawn and he couldn’t see a damn thing. In his underwear he moved slowly, trying to remember exactly where the furniture was placed in the room.

  He bumped the edge of the bed, his eyes adjusting a little. He could see Leighton’s blonde hair spread across the pillow, lying on her side. She was a bed hog. It was a king-size bed and she was dead center. Easing the bedspread back, he slid in beside her. He couldn’t resist the urge to spoon her. Leighton had the best ass. Awesome tits too. She smelled like shampoo and has he settled in beside her, the soft feel of her warm ass cheeks beneath her soft cotton nightgown, he couldn’t help it. He started to get a hard-on.

  Instead of shifting away from her he was a greedy bastard who snaked his hand around her front and cupped her breast. It was a dick move, he knew that. But she was way too tempting. He realized Leighton wasn’t full asleep, though, because damned if she didn’t wiggle that sweet ass up against his cock.

  “Is that a gun or are you just happy to see me?” she murmured, sounding sleepy.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re a very bad man.”

  “Can’t argue with that.” He teased her nipple, which drew a tiny gasp from her. “You don’t have to do anything. I’ll do all the work.”

  “Axl…” It wasn’t a protest. More like a moan.

  “That’s my name.”

  Her ass bumped him again. “Make me come.”

  “I thought you wanted to sleep.” Axl shifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck.

  “It will only take a minute.”

  That made him laugh softly. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

  He eased his fingers into her panties and started to stroke across her clit, and inside her. Leighton responded immediately, with soft sounds of approval and her body growing damp for him. She rocked her hips so that his finger went deeper inside her.

  She was right. It only took a minute before she was shuddering in pleasure.

  Damn, he needed to make a note to himself. Sleepy Leighton came fast and hard.

  Probably because she was relaxed. That wasn’t always the case when she was wide awake.

  “Yum,” she murmured.

  “I agree. Turn towards me, baby.”

  He had to encourage her but she rolled onto her opposite side, languid and sleepy-eyed. He got rid of his boxer briefs, lifted her leg onto his hip, and eased into her warm heat. She moaned and he thought there was nothing better than this. Her slick hot pussy, the scent of her arousal, the sound of her voice enjoying his cock.

  Now he knew why he had come here tonight. This was it. Tomorrow her family arrived and everything went full throttle.

  Their last stolen moments alone, with any sort of truth or intimacy between them was right here, right now. His eyes trained on hers, her fingers stroking across his chest. Her nightgown bunched at her waist while he slowly, methodically, thrust his cock inside her body.

  He thought it was so fucking hot that she wore a nightgown. Every other woman he’d dated slept in oversized T-shirts and basketball shorts or pajama pants.

  Not Leighton. She was like his little piece of old Hollywood, curvy and silky and sexy.

  When Axl felt Leighton orgasm a second time, he joined her. Let himself explode inside her while he gripped her hip.

  He wanted to say something. He didn’t know what. But within a minute or two of his coming, Leighton was already drifting back into sleep. His cock still inside her.

  So he brushed her hair back off her forehead and watched her eyes flutter and her mouth drift open as she settled into a deeper breathing.

  He didn’t think he would be able to sleep. He never crashed right after a three to eleven shift. But he did.

  His last conscious thought was that he just might be falling love with Leighton.

  * * *

  “What is actually happening?” Axl murmured to Leighton. He was sitting at his parents’ dining room table next to Leighton, his arm over the back of her chair.

  “I’m not sure,” she whispered back. “This is very weird.”

  His parents and Leighton’s parents hadn’t eyeballed each other suspiciously or been confrontational in any way. They had hit it off faster than couples on a reality dating show. Axl had been concerned that the mothers might be aloof but they were slinging back wine and laughing like they had known each other for forty years. His father and Dieter were deep in
a discussion on Bitcoin.

  No one was paying any attention to either him or Leighton.

  Which was fine with him but it was still strange nonetheless.

  His parents’ house was an eighties colonial that had undergone a refresh in the kitchen and bathrooms in the last ten years but the dining room was still the way it had been when he was a kid. Dark burgundy walls and a deep mahogany table and hutch. Axl had thought he mother would be worried about her décor the way she was about her hair, but neither of those seemed to be on her mind at all. She and Barbie were discussing the merits of pedicures with fish, whatever the hell that was.

  Barbie was vivacious and over-the-top. He could see how she would be the life of the party, but like Leighton, she had a way of making everyone around her feel comfortable. Leighton seemed to have her father’s personality. Quiet, thoughtful, organized.

  “May I have another of those sashimi rolls?” Dieter asked, pointing to the platter in the center of the table.

  “Of course,” his mother said.

  The decision had been made to order food given that it was last minute and his mother had rather belligerently chosen sushi because the Van Burens were from California.

  But to her surprise, she had enjoyed it herself, which Axl found ironic.

  “What do we do?” Axl asked Leighton under his breath. “I feel like we could leave and they would never notice.”

  “I feel like I’m in an alternate reality.” Leighton turned to him, amused. “I guess it’s a good thing, right?”

  Sure, if they were a real couple.

  Which it kind of felt like they were. Which freaked him the fuck out.

  “Better than a food fight.”

  But then Leighton’s father, over coffee, said, “If you two want me to glance over the prenuptial agreement, I’d be happy to take a look.”

  Shit.

  That had never occurred to Axl. Of course Leighton’s family would want a prenup. They had a ton of money. And, also predictably, his mother was offended.