Be My One Regret

be my 1 regret / 18

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND.....hate that when it happens.....

It's late. Like four in the morning late. And something about him being at my condo feels different than any other time. My insides flinch a little. "Tanner? What are you doing here?"

Staggering to his feet, I watch him sloppily swagger down the hall towards me. The buttons on his shirt are only half buttoned leaving his rippling chest muscles exposed. They flex as he moves, and I hate him for looking so incredibly damn sexy even when he's drunk. I bite down on my bottom lip as his green eyes roam over me. Dissecting my outfit. Peeling away the obvious that I was somewhere and with someone. But not one judgment slips in his perusal. He knew who I was and vice versa. We were two friends staring down at each others one night stand complexities. Like so many times before.

And with another step closer in his cognac colored 'I'm stupid rich and I blow it like I am' Italian leather boots, his mouth slides up to one side with a wicked smirk. "I had a date with that fireman stripper. Damn, girl, you out did yourself with that gift. He was well worth the money you paid. Even if it was a prank for my stiff ass brother,  thank you."

The extended compliment was totally overshadowed by the cloud of bourbon that burns my nose before he's even two feet from me. And I scrunch my face at it's pungency. "Damn it, Tanner. You stink like a distillery."

Ignoring my dislike for his atrociously sour scent, he pushes up close into my personal space. And I plant my hand on his chest trying to keep him at breathable bay. Again, he doesn't restrain himself. He presses closer in brushing his nose along my earlobe. "Sweet Fi, you look good in that dress. Is it new? Those shoes are killer too. They're my personal favorite of yours. And damn, girl, you smell so good. Like exotic flowers....and pure sunshine...and sugary sweet vanilla....and..."

I jerk back at his foolish drunken nonsense. "Oh my gawd, Tanner, you are beyond wasted." My lips twist with a frowning smile at his glossy green eyes staring down at me with a intoxicated grin. It's a devastating look. Handsome. Messy. Sinful. And I flush at the tumultuous never ending 'look but don't touch' boy slash man wonder. "Shit, Tanner. What are you doing here? It's late. You should be at home sleeping off the case of booze that you drank."

His sloppy drunk eyes darken more, and his mouth quirks to one side. "I tried sleeping. I even tried sleeping with the sexy fireman. But then all I could think about was you. And damn it, I needed to see you. It's been too long since we just hung out."

I blame the alcohol as he slides his fingers thru my hair tucking it playfully behind my ear. Shifting on my feet, I roll my eyes. "It's a little too late to be hanging out now, don't you think? You need sleep. And I'm exhausted. We could hang out tomorrow if you want-"

A warbled chuckle rumbles in Tanner's chest interrupting me. He slips his hands around my waist tugging me into him. My nose crinkles again with the sour mingled scent of liquor and aftershave. He sighs drunkenly heavy, and I wince with annoyance turning my head to the side to keep from breathing in the stale air. But inebriated Tanner doesn't notice. Gruffly, he brushes his mouth across my cheek. His lips hot against my skin. The closeness stirs me. It'd been a long time since we had been this close. A very long time. And my belly flutters perplexed by it.

With a shaky exhale, he lowly whispers. "Fi, baby, I think I made a mistake with you. I never should have let my brother have you. I should have told him off all those years ago. I should have kept you for myself. I miss you. I want you. I think I could go completely straight for you."

His prattling run-on slurred nonsense sucks all the air out of my lungs. And I blank out hearing nothing else as his lips keep moving. A ragged piercing shoots thru my ears. It hurts. Stings. Burns. Numbing me. Picking me up and hurling me into a hazy fog of shock and confusion. Like I was spinning in a damn tornado. Unable to break free. Reeling into darkness that would end badly, real badly. And I can't breathe as my pulse spikes then crashes then spikes again. I tremble. I blink. And blink on repeat.