Womanizer

Brian scanned the room for anything he'd forgotten and saw only emptiness. His suitcases were waiting by the door, ready for tomorrow morning, when he would be flying home to California.

It was December twenty-first. He was returning to California to celebrate Christmas with his family. He very much doubted that he would be back in Alabama any time soon. Megan had been his main reason for hanging around. Now that they hadn't spoken for two weeks--and Alabama had lost to Florida in the SEC Championship game--there didn't seem to be an excuse for him to remain here.

Walking over to the sofa, Brian collapsed onto the overstuffed cushions with a sigh. He missed Megan. He could admit it to himself. She'd been his friend and they'd fucked everything up by sleeping together. Some small part of him could even concede, grudgingly, that Zacky had been right.

"You accepted that lie from her because you didn't want to feel guilty for using her! You wanted to fuck her without any consequences! You didn't want to be the bad guy!"

Brian had known girls who could handle a random sexual encounter with a male friend, meant only to relieve some frustration. However, it was a rare trait to find in a female. Hell, it was pretty rare in males, too. Sleeping with someone who was supposed to be a close friend was basically guaranteed to change the dynamic in the relationship.

When Megan had sworn that it didn't matter, he should have called her a liar and backed off. But he'd wanted her so much. She was one of two females who had worked their way under his skin. Every thing she did distracted him. He'd discovered himself watching her almost constantly.

Brian's head fell back and he closed his eyes. Memories flashed across the darkness behind his eyelids.

Megan in her Cheshire cat pajamas. Megan blowing him a kiss as she peeled out of the parking lot in his rental car, leaving him with the responsibility of driving her car back to Zacky and Janine's. Megan singing "Buttons" by the Pussycat Dolls. Megan dancing around her bedroom in a black wifebeater and matching boyshorts, her hair a deep shade of crimson, singing along with Atreyu's “Blow.” Megan in John's arms at the bar in Arkansas. Megan shaking her ass at The Station in Madison, trying to get to him.

That was the last of the innocent memories. His mind jumped forward to the same recollections that had been haunting him for weeks now.

Megan laying on the bed, her towel open to expose her nude body. Megan's legs around his neck. Megan crawling on top of him and riding him so tauntingly. Feeling her arch under him as they found release together. Her gasps, her moans, hearing her cry his name...

A knock on the door brought Brian crashing back to the present. He stood up and trudged into the front hall to answer it. Zacky was on the porch, bundled in an oversized hoodie and a beanie.

"Fuck! It's cold!" he exclaimed, shoving past Brian.

"Why don't you come in," Brian said sarcastically, shutting the door.

Zacky removed the beanie and smoothed his messy jet black hair. "Who pissed in your Cheerios?"

You, Brian thought, yet he somehow kept the retort to himself. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought some festive cheer," Zacky said, pulling a bottle of Jack Daniel's from the pocket of his hoodie. "And...it doubles as a peace offering."

Brian frowned.

"I'm not an idiot, Bri. I know you've been angry with me since I told you to stay away from Megan."

Brian trailed after Zacky, back into the living room. Zacky handed him the bottle of JD before shrugging off his hoodie.

"How is she?" Brian asked casually, settling himself on the sofa once more.

"Megan? She's great. She's excited."

Brian swallowed a mouthful of whiskey and passed the bottle to Zacky. "About Christmas?"

Zacky nodded. "Yeah. Mostly because her parents are visiting." He downed some of the amber liquid, then gave it back to Brian. "She's been talking about leaving early. Danny's not enforcing the two weeks' notice rule. He said she's free to go whenever she wants."

"That's nice of him." Brian's brow furrowed. "Um, where's she going?"

Zacky glanced at Brian in some surprise. "She's moving back in with her parents."

"Oh. Why does she have to quit her job?"

"Didn't she tell you?"

Brian shook his head.

"Well, originally, she was moving back with them. They were living in Hartselle. She was going to keep her job and go to school at the University of Alabama in Huntsville."

"Okay."

"Her dad recently decided he wanted to live closer to where he works. They're moving to Birmingham and she's going to transfer to the University of Alabama in Birmingham."

Brian stared. "When?"

"They planned for early in the new year, but she wants to go back with them right after Christmas."

"Shit!" Brian shoved the bottle into Zacky's hands and jumped to his feet.

"Brian...?" Zacky looked slightly alarmed.

"I've got to, um, run an errand. You don't mind if I borrow this, do you?" He snatched up Zacky's discarded hoodie. "Thanks."

"Brian, what are you--?" Zacky attempted, but Brian was already in the front hallway. He jerked on his shoes, grabbed the keys to the rental, and sprinted out of the house.

**********

Megan and Cassie slipped through the door and stood shivering on the sidewalk until Danny set the alarm and pushed out into the cold night air. Cassie waved and walked briskly to her car. Megan lingered while Danny locked the doors, then the two of them headed to their cars together.

"I can't believe you're moving to Birmingham," Danny commented.

"Neither can I."

"I know you're happy at the thought of being back with your family, though."

"I am. I've missed them so much. It's weird...we didn't see each other as much as I thought we would, considering that Zack and Jani don't live that far from them."

Danny shrugged. "It happens." He cast a sidelong glance at her. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you, too."

They both looked up as a familiar car sped into the parking lot. It was Brian's rental. Megan frowned.

Brian came to a halt next to Megan's car and climbed out. He approached Megan. She wrinkled her nose, the scent of whiskey hitting her nostrils. "What are you doing here, Brian?"

"We need to talk."

"Have you been drinking?"

"I took, like, three shots."

"Megan," Danny said, drawing the attention of both Megan and Brian. "Should I stay?"

Megan exhaled loudly. "No. It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya." Danny slid in behind the wheel of his car. The door closed with a thump! and the engine came to life.

Megan faced Brian again. "What was so important that you hauled ass to my place of work to talk about it?"

"You've moving to Birmingham," he said.

"So...?"

"You're leaving. You're not going to be around when I visit Zack and Jani and Aiden." He paused, his eyes locking with hers. "I'm never going to see you again."

Megan opened her mouth, but was distracted by the buzz of her cell phone. She dug it from the back pocket of her jeans. Zacky's name and number were blinking on the screen.

"I've got to take this." She answered the call. "Hey, Zee."

"Is Brian with you?" he demanded without preamble.

"Yeah. He is. He wants to talk about the move to Birmingham, which I'm assuming you told him about."

"Megan--"

Megan cut him off. "What can it hurt, Zee? He's going to California tomorrow and I'll be in Birmingham by the time he comes back, if he ever comes back."

"Just don't get tricked into giving him some farewell sex, or sympathy sex, or whatever other kind of sex he might aim for."

"I won't," Megan promised, biting her lip to prevent herself from laughing. "Bye, Zee." She hung up and looked at Brian. She hadn't needed Zacky's warning to know she needed to be on her guard when it came to Brian. She was always suspicious of his motives. "Alright. Let's go back to your house and talk." She emphasized the last word.

Brian nodded, and the two of them went to their cars.