Stripped Down

by Erin McCarthy

  “I don’t know…” she repeated. She was still biting her lip and dragging her feet. She blew out a mighty sigh. “I don’t feel like I would be a good time.”

  “You look like a good time.” He grinned at her.

  She rolled her eyes at him. “When did you become such a big flirt?”

  “It was always there, just hidden under a layer of baby fat.” There was no way he was letting her go home alone on her thirtieth birthday. “It’s either come inside with me now or agree to hang out with me another day.” He was confident she would either chose to go inside or argue with him, and neither was a bad option. He wanted to spark her anger, rouse a little fight in her.

  It worked.

  Sloane straightened up and shot him a sassy look. “Why are those my only options? Stop trying to blackmail me into doing things with you. I don’t think so, Dickie. I’m not kissing you. That was such an obvious con.”

  That made him grin. “Pulling out the old nickname. Brutal. And after you trashed my bike. And I was only trying to settle an age-old question.”

  She slapped him on the arm. “I already answered your question. And I called you Dickie because that’s how I know you. This whole ‘grown into a hottie Rick’ thing is going to take a minute to adjust to.”

  They both realized what she had said at the same time. Rick was now full-on grinning and Sloane was shaking her head, looking alarmed.

  “You think I’m hot, huh?” he asked.

  “No, no, that’s not what I meant.”

  “So, I’m ugly?”

  Her cheeks were red and she looked both irritated and amused. “Stop messing with me. I think it’s safe to say we can all agree you have grown since high school. Becca tells me you have half the girls in town stroking your ego, among other things, so you don’t need me to do the same.”

  Interesting. He couldn’t get a read on her true feelings. If she was actually attracted to him, or if she merely thought he was grown. But now that Sloane had moved back to Beaver Bend, he was going to enjoy finding out. “Got it. You will not stroke me.”

  He meant it to be funny and she rewarded him with a genuine laugh.

  “Fine. I’m going back inside. Knowing the gossip in this town if we stand out here any longer they’ll have us married by fall.”

  That made him shudder and it was only partially exaggerated. “God. Marriage. No, thank you.”

  For a minute he thought she was going to say something revealing or personal. But she just shook her head. “Put some pants on, Rick. Seriously.”

  “I do my best work without my pants on.”

  “I’m not touching that comment.”

  “Anything else you want to touch?” he joked as he flexed his arm.

  “No.”

  But he didn’t believe her. Because her eyes widened as she watched his biceps tighten. Then her eyes dropped to his underwear. Rick opened the door to the bar for her. She slipped inside quickly, and he fought the urge to growl as he took in the view of her ass in tight jeans. He would give up sex for six months if he could have one night with Sloane. Put her in a cheerleading uniform and he would up the bid to twelve months celibacy.

  Without warning she turned and said, “Thanks, Rick.”

  It kicked him in the gut for whatever reason. He felt a strange mix of emotions he couldn’t explain. The landscape was unfamiliar and he didn’t like it. He didn’t even know what she was thanking him for. So he kept it light, because that’s what he was good at. “Come on.” He moved past Sloane and took her hand in his.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, alarmed.

  “Taking you inside. Birthday shot. We can share a car service home since my bike is busted and you should be celebrating.”

  “I don’t know about a shot. I already had two mojitos. I’m kind of a cheap date.”

  “Good to know. Filing that away: Sloane can’t handle her alcohol.”

  She slapped his arm. “That’s not a flaw.”

  Rick pulled her across the crowded room. “Come to the bar with me, even if you don’t want to drink. You only turn thirty once so you should stay for a bit, have fun.”

  The hooting of the crowd has slowed down substantially. The Tap That Dancers seemed to have taken a break while he was out dealing with his bike. They could wait another five minutes. It wasn’t like they were real entertainment anyway.

  “You’re very comfortable walking around in your underwear,” Sloane commented when they reached the bar and he raised his hand for Sloane’s father to come over.

  He looked down at her and shrugged. “I work hard to be in shape, and after a whole childhood not being comfortable in my skin, I have no issue going without a shirt. But for the record, Axl dared me to take off my jumpsuit. The plan was just to take off the sleeves and keep the pants on. But if you dare me to do something, I will do it.”

  Sloane gave him a smile that he hoped like hell she intended to be flirty. That’s how he was chose to interpret it. “Interesting. I’ll make a mental note—dare Rick to do something stupid.”

  That made him laugh. “Go for it.”

  “So you’re saying at sleepovers you always chose Dare over Truth?”

  “Guys don’t have sleepovers. But I would have a sleepover at your house. You could dare me to do anything and I would.” He smirked at her.

  She slapped his arm for the second time. “You’re ridiculous.”

  Turned on. That’s what he was.

  But he’d waited twelve years for a night with Sloane. He could wait until Sullivan had calmed the hell down. And Sloane was ready to understand he was very serious about a slumber party for two involving him, her, and every sexual fantasy she’d ever had.

  Three

  Sloane blamed the shots.

  It was the only reason she could think of to explain how she wound up on stage with Rick and the other guys dancing among their bare chests and grinding hips.

  They were her old friends. Buddies. It was no big deal. Not sexual at all.

  And God, it was fun. She had a buzz, but she wasn’t loaded and it felt so damn good just to dance and to laugh and to let go.

  When was the last time she had let go?

  It was a total relief to just move her hips to the pulsing pop music and not worry about anything.

  She hadn’t intended to drink anymore but Brandon had egged her on. Besides, she never did this. Tom hadn’t liked to go out to clubs or bars and she only occasionally had a glass of wine. Being here, at Tap That, where she’d spent hours and hours as a kid when her father was the sole owner, was like coming home to a place where she was more confident. On surer footing.

  It was tantalizing.

  A glance over to the bar showed her father was actually grinning in approval. He had given her a shot willingly and had kissed her cheek and said he was glad she was having fun on her birthday. He’d been worried about her, that was obvious. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was give her father more to worry about. She knew he was stressed out about Sullivan. And her, because she had said very little about the end of her marriage other than insist she was fine. Her dad was too young to have such a weariness on his face. The man wasn’t even fifty yet and he had the weight of the world on him.

  But, thanks to old friends, encouragement from Rick, and a little tequila, Sloane was having a great time. She genuinely was.

  Jesse took her hand and spun her around. Given how uncoordinated he was, they ended up colliding into each other and Sloane laughed.

  The only person who didn’t seem to be amused with the evening was Sullivan. He was standing next to Lilly, arms crossed over his chest, a sour look on his face. He kept sipping off a glass of whisky, though Sloane couldn’t gauge how much he’d consumed over the night. He didn’t appear drunk, but he didn’t appear even remotely pleased by anything that was happening.

  In their youth, Sullivan had always been a jovial guy, full of practical jokes and annoying brotherly traits. Stubborn, yes. Bossy, too, espe
cially given he was younger. But not sour. This was new. Since he’d lost Kendra. It was like he’d forgotten how to have fun. Understandable that he might be quiet, but not so… cold.

  He didn’t even react when Lilly lifted her mic and turned it on to give a hearty, “Happy Birthday to a Tap That family member, Sloane O’Toole! Enjoy your big 3-0, beautiful!”

  Sloane blew Lilly a kiss and mouthed “thank you” to her.

  She realized that if she had stayed in Minneapolis it wouldn’t have gone down this way. She didn’t have a lot of close friends in the city, having spent more of her time with animals at the shelter she volunteered at than humans. Most of their circle of friends had been Tom’s age, at least ten years older, with kids. She hadn’t bonded with a whole lot of those women and her only real friend had been her next-door neighbor.

  This was not what she would consider an ideal birthday, but the amusing reality was that aside from Becca and Emily, Little Dickie was the bright spot. He was the same as he’d been in school in that he was nice, attentive, easy-going. But unlike then Rick was not sheepish now. He was fully in control and a mischievous, wicked flirt. He was dancing behind her and Sloane almost jumped out of her skin when he pinched her at her waist, just high enough as to not be dirty, but still intimately. She turned and opened her eyes wide in question.

  “What are you doing?” she yelled over the music.

  “A pinch to grow an inch,” he said.

  “I don’t need any help, thanks. I’m almost six feet tall.”

  Rick’s eyebrows rose. “Six feet of sexy.”

  Sloane rolled her eyes, even as she felt a spark deep inside her inner thighs. “I can’t believe those lines work for you.”

  “You’d be surprised what works.”

  She probably wouldn’t be. Rick was hot. There was no denying it. That smile was dirty and dangerous. She could see how women would be perfectly aware they were just going to be a notch on his bedpost and they would go for it anyway. Rick seemed built for casual sex. Confident, muscular. Well-endowed from what she heard and could see in his briefs.

  But Sloane had been with Tom most of her adult life. She was sorely lacking in the casual sex department.

  Rick might not be the man to start with. He was way out of her league in that regard.

  Which was hugely ironic.

  Then again, maybe he was the perfect man to start with. It wouldn’t get messy or be awkward. She knew Rick and she trusted him. Word around town was he made the ladies happy. Plus, though she would never, ever admit it to him, she had enjoyed kissing him all those years ago. So much that she had gotten flustered wondering what was so different because usually Nick didn’t make her feel so… warm in various places. She had gone to bed that night desperately curious to understand why Dickie’s lips had done things to her Nick’s never had.

  So why not kiss him now?

  Fresh start.

  New beginning at thirty.

  Let her past and present collide.

  Give Rick his kiss part two and see what happened.

  It was that thought that had her jumping down off the stage and heading straight to the table where Becca, Josh, and Emily were. Slipping into her chair, she took a sip of her cocktail. “Give me Rick’s number.” One of them had to have it.

  “What? Why?” Becca looked horrified.

  Emily grinned and pulled out her phone. “Go for it, Sloane. Time to get back on the horse.”

  “This might not be a good idea,” Becca protested. “Are you really ready to handle a notorious manwhore?”

  Sloane was determined to try. Wasn’t that the point? “Please. I can handle Little Dickie. I had him wrapped around my finger in high school.”

  Life was too short. Kendra’s death had shown her that. She’d spent a decade sleepwalking her way through her life… and for what purpose? She was done. Grab the bull by the horns and all of that.

  Emily shared Rick’s contact information with her. She clicked on it and typed him a new text message.

  Fine, prove it. Kiss me again and let’s see what happens.

  Then she hit send before she could change her mind.

  “Girl, you’re playing with fire,” Becca said, when Sloane showed her the text.

  Without bothering to respond, she grabbed Becca by the arm. “Let’s dance.” She wasn’t going to go back up on stage, but there was a dance floor in front of the stage and other women had started dancing and having fun up there. She wanted a piece of that.

  An hour later she was sweaty and laughing, most of her buzz worn off. Rick hadn’t replied to her text but to be fair, he was only in his mechanic’s jumpsuit, half unzipped. She couldn’t imagine that bulge in his pants was his phone. She hoped not anyway.

  When Emily suggested it might be time to leave, Sloane was ironically resistant.

  She’d just started to have cut loose and suddenly everyone wanted to abandon ship?

  “You go ahead,” she yelled over the music to Emily, who looked like she was exhausted. “It’s still early.”

  “It’s actually one in the morning.”

  Perfect. No longer her birthday. She had endured it. Moved past it. There was nothing to fear now. She was thirty and divorced and had moved back home.

  “I’m not ready to go. Don’t worry about it, Em. You and Becca can leave. I’ll be fine. My father and my brother are here, remember?”

  That seemed to reassure both of them. “Text me when you get home,” Becca said. “And happy birthday again.”

  There were hugs and Sloane got a little gushy and teary-eyed. “I love you guys. Thank you for making my birthday special.”

  Emily laughed. “Wow. You are drunk.”

  “Nope. Not so. Not true. Hardly at all.” Okay, maybe a little, but the dancing and two glasses of water had definitely helped.

  They waved and fought their way through the still packed dance floor. The charity event had clearly been a huge success. Sullivan and her dad were planning to donate all drink sales plus the cover tickets to breast cancer research. Kendra would have thought the whole night highly entertaining and that made Sloane happy.

  The night was ending way better than it had started.

  It could end even better if Rick would answer her text.

  Pushing her hair back off her forehead she went over to the bar and asked Sullivan for a water. “Where’s Dad? I need a ride home.”

  He eyed her. “You’ll have to wait until after we close up.”

  “No problem, I can wait. I’m ready to close this place down.”

  Sullivan managed to crack a smile. “Okay, then. I’m glad you’re having a good birthday, sis. But do me a favor.”

  “What’s that?”

  He shook his head. “Don’t have sex with Rick. It’s not a good move for you.”

  She was annoyed. Mostly because she really wanted to have sex with Rick and that her brother knew that fact was irritating. Also, because he thought he had the right to an opinion over her love life. “Who I have sex with is none of your business whatsoever.”

  “It’s my business because I care about you, and Rick is one of my oldest friends. He’s been with a lot of women. And you just lost Tom.”

  That made her snort. “I didn’t lose Tom. That makes it sound like I misplaced him at Walmart. We got divorced.”

  “Which makes you not in a good head space right now.”

  “My head is fine. The divorce was a good thing. Trust me.” Because Tom had cheated on her and they had both married for the wrong reasons.

  “You shouldn’t be hooking up right now.”

  “Oh, really? Because I hear you are hooking up left, right, and center.” Sloane was pissed. How dare he? Emily and Becca had given her the scoop. Sullivan’s way of grieving might be the most classically male way—by dipping his wick wherever, whenever in some messed up quest to forget his reality.

  Sullivan threw down the rag he’s been holding. “That’s none of your business.”

  Had h
e really just said that? Sloane felt like her head might explode. Siblings were so annoying. “Precisely! Have I said one freaking word to you about it? No. So stay out of my bed and I’ll stay out of yours.” She was annoyed that he couldn’t just be chill on her birthday. “And forget about me waiting for Dad. I’ll take a car service, Sullivan Double Standards O’Toole.”

  “Sloane.”

  With that she whirled around and found her face to face with Rick. “Did you want to share a ride?” he asked. He was back in his jumpsuit and it was fully zipped up now. He looked like he was ready to leave.

  Her insides fluttered, just a little bit. Damn, he was sexy. Perfect plan. “Sure. Thanks, Rick. Are you leaving now?”

  “Yep. Just need to close out my tab. Sullivan, what’s the damage?”

  “It’s on the house,” Sullivan said. “For being willing to make such a giant ass out of yourself for Lilly’s crazy idea.”

  “Thanks, bro. I actually had fun, not going to lie.” He gave Sloane a smile. “If it wasn’t for tonight I wouldn’t know my moves have moves.”

  That made her laugh. “You are unbelievable. I’m going to grab my purse. I left it on the table.”

  “Don’t touch my sister,” Sullivan told Rick, without even waiting for her to be out of earshot. “Seriously, dude. Don’t even think about it.”

  “Sullivan!” Sloane wanted to climb over the bar and arm wrestle him. That had solved everything when they were kids. “Stop it!”

  “Your sister is a big girl,” Rick said mildly. “I think it’s up to her who touches her or doesn’t.”

  Sullivan made a move like he was coming out from behind the bar.

  “Knock it off!” she said, mildly alarmed. “No one is touching anyone!”

  Well. She hoped there might be touching, but she didn’t know truthfully where Rick stood on that subject, and Sullivan’s opinion didn’t matter.

  She saw Lilly approaching the bar and was grateful for the distraction from her brother’s sudden need to defend her virtue. He was about a decade too late on that. Besides, she had a feeling it was more of a selfish thing than concern for her. He didn’t want her hooking up with his friend. If it was some random guy she suspected he wouldn’t care nearly as much. “Lilly, you need a ride? Rick and I are sharing an Uber.”