Womanizer

Megan let herself into the empty house. Janine and Zacky were at the doctor’s office for a prenatal checkup. Danny had let Megan off an hour early, so now she had the house to herself for a while.

Megan tossed her keys on the table by the door and climbed the stairs. She peeled off her work clothes on her way to the bathroom, where she took a long, hot shower. She put on the VU shirt Zacky had given her and her favorite pair of sweats. Humming, she headed back downstairs, debating whether to watch Taken or The Dark Knight.

She detoured to the kitchen for a snack and had just stuck a packet of popcorn in the microwave when there was a knock on the front door. “Just a second!” she called, setting the timer. She hurried to the door and pulled it open. “Oh, it’s you. What do you want?”

“I was hoping you’d gone with Janine to her doctor’s appointment,” Brian said. “I wanted to see Zack.”

“Why would I go with her? I’m not the daddy.”

Brian gave her a dirty look. “It’s nice to see the smart-ass bitch portion of your personality make an appearance.”

Megan rolled her eyes and walked back to the kitchen. Brian followed her. “So that’s it? You’re going to stay mad forever?”

“Are you going to apologize?”

“Hell no!”

“Then I’m still mad.” The timer on the microwave beeped. Megan found a bowl and took her popcorn out of the microwave, ripping the bag open and dumping it in the bowl.

Suddenly, a hand closed around her arm. She was jerked around to face Brian. Eyes wide, she stared up at him. He was so close she could feel his body heat, smell his aftershave…

He leaned down and for one moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. “If I wanted to fuck you, you wouldn’t refuse me,” he murmured, gaze locked with hers. “You would beg me for it on your knees.” He let go of her arm and stepped back. “Tell Zack I stopped by.”

She watched him saunter away, not sure she was even breathing. Her heart was pounding, there were butterflies in her stomach, and a tingle of arousal had taken up residence between her legs. She swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths.

No! she scolded herself. Do not think about Brian that way!

She shook her head to clear it, then grabbed her bowl of popcorn and went into the living room.

**********

Megan got up from the dining table and opened the dishwasher. Janine watched her start putting away the clean dishes to make room for the plates, glasses, and utensils they’d just used for dinner. Zacky gave Janine an unreadable look and slipped out of the kitchen.

Megan continued to work, strangely focused on a task that shouldn’t have required much concentration.

“Megan, sweetie, are you okay?” Janine finally asked.

“I’m fine.” Megan picked up two glasses and placed them in the cupboard. “Why?”

“You’ve been awfully quiet since Zack and I got home. If there’s something on your mind…?”

Megan hesitated briefly in her reach for a stack of plates. Some emotion skated across her features.

“Megan.” Janine waited until Megan met her eyes. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”

Megan chewed on her bottom lip for a second, obviously debating whether or not to divulge her thoughts. “It’s Brian,” she said eventually.

“I figured it was something to do with him.”

“He came over today.”

Janine frowned. “Why?”

“He claimed he was here to see Zee.”

“Oh. What happened?”

“We got in a fight.”

“About what?”

“The apology he owes me.” The memory brought a scowl to Megan’s pretty face.

“Brian is as stubborn as a mule,” Janine stated. “Don’t expect an apology in this lifetime.”

Megan jerked open the silverware drawer, tossed in some forks with a noisy clatter, and slammed the drawer shut.

“Um…is there something else?”

Megan began reloading the dishwasher. “He said…”

“He said what?”

Megan straightened up and faced Janine. “He said that if he was trying to fuck me, I wouldn’t say no. He said I’d beg for it.” She dropped her eyes, blushing slightly.

Janine’s eyebrows rose. “And you said?”

“Nothing. He said to tell Zee he stopped by, then he left.”

Something in Megan’s expression made Janine’s eyes narrow. “Megan…is he right?”

The silence stretched between them, confirming Janine’s suspicions.

“I think he might be,” Megan admitted. Her eyes flicked to the doorway and she sat down at the table next to Janine. “When he said it, he leaned really close and for a second…” She paused, glanced again towards the door, and continued in a low voice. “For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me.”

“And you liked the idea?” Janine guessed.

Megan nodded.

Janine gave her an understanding smile. “Sweetie, there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to him. He’s a charmer, when he wants to be. You just have to be careful. Guys like him--”

“Like Zee?” Megan interjected pointedly.

Janine ignored her. “Guys like Brian are a lot to handle.”

“I noticed,” Megan said dryly. She sighed. “Look, don’t tell Zee, okay? I think he’d stroke out if he knew.”

“I figure he already knows,” Janine said. Megan glared and she added, “But I won’t breathe a word. I swear.”

“Thanks.” Megan hopped to her feet and finished loading the dishwasher. Once it was running, she hugged Janine. “I’m going upstairs. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”