Scorched

I was so going to hit him.

“You did kiss me.” He leaned back, tossing an arm along the couch as he eyed me. “You stretched up, put your hands on my shoulders, and you kissed me.”

“No. No way.”

He nodded. “You also sort of used me as a pole at the bar. That was nice.”

I shot up, swaying as a rush of dizziness came over me. I ignored it. “I did not!”

“Yeah, you did.” One side of his lips kicked up. “You tasted of sugar and liquor. Not a bad mix.”

“Shut up,” I warned. “You’re messing with me.”

“Why would I mess with you over that?”

Good question. “Because you’re evil. That sounds legit.”

He arched a brow at that. “You also sort of invited me back to your bed.”

“What?” I nearly shrieked. “How does one ‘sort of’ invite someone to their bed?”

“Oh, trust me, you can sort of do it. You did.” He leaned forward, looking up at me. “Honestly, if you’d been able to walk a straight line and knew what you were doing, I’d have been all kinds of down for that.”

For a second, my brain got hung up on him being down with hooking up with me. So much so, all I could do was stare at him. Over the last couple of years, I honestly hadn’t believed Tanner thought about me in any way that would fall under the warm-and-fuzzy umbrella, let alone the sexy-andfun umbrella.

“You also sang ‘Story of My Life’ over and over again,” he added. “And I do mean, the entire drive to your apartment.”

I folded my arms. “So what? It’s a great song. One Direction is awesome.” I paused. “Wait. How do you even know that song? You listening to One Direction when no one is around?”

He shrugged. “I’m man enough to admit it’s a decent song.”

Shaking my head, I bit back a grin. Then I realized he wasn’t messing with me and that I really must’ve thrown myself at him. While drunk. While so drunk I couldn’t remember doing it. My face was on fire as I backed up, nearly knocking into the coffee table. More denials formed on the tip of my tongue, but as I stared down at him—down at that wonderfully formed mouth of his—an odd memory surfaced. Me, standing in the hall, walking toward him and doing exactly what he claimed, stretching up and kissing him.

Oh. My. God.

Fuck my life.

He cocked his head to the side. “You seriously don’t remember any of that?”

Without answering, I smacked my hands over my face and groaned. I let out a muffled, “Nooo.”

There was silence, and I lowered my hands, peeking above my fingers. Tanner was staring at the floor, his jaw set hard and he looked kind of angry. I folded my hands under my chin. “I’m…I’m sorry?”

His gaze lifted. “You’re sorry?”

“For…um, kissing you? And treating you like…a pole?”

A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips. “Andy, you never have to apologize for using me as a pole. Anytime you want to climb on, you let me know.”

“Oh geez.”

He chuckled. “Look, it’s not a big deal.”

“Sure it isn’t.” I plopped down beside him, suddenly exhausted.

“I didn’t mind,” he said, his tone light, but when I glanced at him, something was off about his expression. I couldn’t put a finger on it. “It could’ve been worse.”

“I’m having a hard time believing that,” I muttered, feeling like I needed to hide my face for the next year. “I’m never going to drink again.”

Tanner opened his mouth, but then snapped it shut, and I thought that might’ve been a wise decision. Another moment passed. “Well, I need to be getting out of here. You mind if I use your bathroom first?”

“Have at it.” I raised a noodle-like arm and pointed toward the bathroom.

He hesitated as he started to rise, concern pinching his mouth. “Are you okay, Andrea?”

“Yeah,” I laughed. “I took a sleeping pill, so I’m just tired.”

His blue eyes sharpened and latched onto mine. “You take them often?”

I shrugged one shoulder. “Sometimes.”

“You don’t take them when you’re drinking, right?”

A surprised laugh shook me. “Of course not,” I said, and dammit, if that wasn’t somewhat of a lie. Sometimes I did, but I was always careful. Always. “It’s just sometimes I can’t sleep. They’re prescribed.”

Tanner nodded, then stood after a moment and he started to turn, but twisted back to me. “Just an FYI, if you were dressed like that more often, I wouldn’t argue with you as much. I’d be way too damn distracted.”

My eyes widened in shock as a pleasant trill hummed through me. Maybe he needed glasses, but I was…I was thrilled nonetheless at what I thought was a compliment, especially after I’d apparently thrown myself at him last night. I struggled to keep it cool when all I wanted to do was giggle. “You perv.”

He grinned. “And I’m a hundred percent behind you dressing like that more often, just so you know.”

Something stupid in my chest fluttered. Wasn’t my heart. Had to be indigestion. “Duly noted.”

Tanner chuckled as he rounded the couch and headed toward the bathroom. When I heard the door shut, I let myself topple onto my side, smacking my hands over my face once more. Maybe…just maybe I had caught Tanner Hammond’s attention.