Single, Available, and Completely Attached

by Michelle Brewer

  “Wow, that’s kinda harsh, Belle.” Dave interjected.

  “Yeah, I’d say so.” Drew chimed in. “Sounds like we have a little history.”

  “Oh, we go way back.” Anna was certain Drew knew exactly who she was by now. “And second, I wanted to tell you that the next time you see a girl having a good time—”

  “And by good time, you mean crying in the middle of a crowd—”

  “I was not crying.” She was livid now. “I was enjoying myself.”

  “Oh, you definitely weren’t feeling any pain at that point, that’s for sure.”

  “Wait a minute, you two know each other?” But Anna ignored him.

  “Maybe you should concentrate a little more on your life before you go around telling others what they’re doing wrong with theirs.” And with that, she slammed the phone back onto it’s cradle.

  Dave’s low whistle was the last thing she heard before she reached out and flipped the radio off.

  That was enough of that.

  ~*~

  By the time Saturday night rolled around, Anna was in need of some serious stress relief. Her week had only gotten worse, as the estimates for the studio were all much higher than she had anticipated. With all of the budget cuts lately, she was having a hard time coming up with enough money just to manage the more minor updates the center needed, let alone come up with the tens of thousands it was going to take to get the ball rolling on the studio.

  Plus she still had all of this frustration leftover from Drew and his stupid comments. Who did he think he was?

  They weren’t even friends. Drew had absolutely no right commenting on her life and the choices she made. As far as she was concerned, whatever relationship there had been between them had existed only because of Jeff. And now that Jeff was no longer in the picture…

  Of course, the truth was just the opposite. Without her relationship with Drew, however insignificant it may have been, she never would have had a relationship with Jeff.

  Regardless, Drew Whitman was not her friend.

  Which was exactly what she planned to prove tonight.

  She spotted him only a few moments after she and Alice had arrived. She knew it wouldn’t take long to catch his attention. He was probably just as much on the lookout for her as she was for him.

  She and Alice ordered their first drinks and Anna downed hers, eager for the numb sensation she had experienced last weekend. It had made everything so much easier, not having to think or feel.

  And tonight, she had a purpose. Tonight she was going to prove to Drew, and Alice, and even to herself, that she was perfectly capable of something meaningless. She was over whatever had happened with Jeff.

  Tonight, she was going to have fun.

  So what if that ‘fun’ took the form of going home with some random guy she was definitely likely to regret in the morning.

  It would get everyone off her back at least.

  And maybe she would feel just a little bit less lonely.

  She leaned forward and ordered two shots of tequila, receiving a raised eyebrow from her little sister. “The fastest way to get over one guy is by moving on to the next. Isn’t that right?”

  “Those are the words I live by,” Alice picked up her shot glass, tossing it back without hesitation. Anna followed suit, telling herself that if Alice could do it, there was absolutely no reason why she shouldn’t be able to either.

  She was perfectly capable of a casual encounter. A one-night stand.

  She glanced up toward the balcony, where Drew was smiling at a dark-haired girl. The sharp edge of bitter loneliness swept over her and she reached out for the next shot Alice had ordered for them.

  A few more of these and somebody was bound to grab her attention—somebody other than Drew.

  ~*~

  She was a woman on a mission tonight. Drew watched, though he told himself he wasn’t going to. He’d been completely taken aback when she’d called into the station the other day, not even aware that she listened to his show.

  But he’d received the message loud and clear. Anna didn’t need him sticking his nose into her business. Whatever she chose to do with her life, even if Drew knew it was a huge mistake—well, it was her life. She could do whatever she wanted with it.

  Except that when she’d walked in tonight, he couldn’t help himself.

  He was just doing what Jeff asked him to do, he told himself. Keeping an eye on her, trying to make sure she didn’t get herself into any trouble.

  Which seemed to be her goal tonight.

  He’d lost count of how many drinks and shots she’d had, but he could tell she didn’t need any more. She was even beginning to have a tough time standing upright.

  And, of course, there was some jerk there to lend a hand. And another round of drinks.

  It was terribly pathetic, what some guys were willing to stoop to.

  Drew may play the game, but at least he kept it classy.

  He watched from the balcony as the pair began to make their way toward the door, telling himself he wasn’t going to do anything. This was what Anna wanted—it was her decision to make. Her life to live, her mistake to make.

  He was just going to worry about his own life.

  Wasn’t that what she had told him to do?

  He smiled at the girl who had been flirting with him all night.

  But as he met her eyes, it was Anna’s face he saw—with tears in her eyes, looking just as sad as the day he’d met her.

  Okay, he couldn’t do it.

  Drew rushed to the stairs, hurrying down them and toward the door. A panic began to well up inside him as he thought he might be too late—but then he saw them, leaning against the wall.

  “All right, Annabelle, you win,” Drew called breathlessly as he made his way toward them, hoping it wasn’t obvious that he’d just run all the way out here.

  “I win?” She pressed her hand to Big Nose’s chest, her eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “Yeah, you win. Remember, our little bet? Who could pick up the most desperate person in the crowd?”

  “Excuse me?” Big Nose stepped away from Anna, toward Drew. He felt a bit of relief wash through him at the small amount of distance he had put between them. “Who the hell are you?”

  “Me? I’m Drew. Annabelle and I—we go way back.” He referenced the phone call she’d made earlier this week.

  “You know this guy?”

  “Unfortunately.” She eyed him angrily, but she almost seemed relieved as well.

  “I think it’s time to move on, man. You wasted your time tonight.” Big Nose narrowed his eyes, sizing Drew up. He was probably about the same size as Drew, which worried him a little bit. It had been awhile since he’d been in an actual fight.

  “He’s right, Greg. I win,” Anna spoke suddenly, her eyes only on Drew. She pushed herself from the wall, stumbling slightly. Big Nose reached out and took her by the arm, obviously still clinging to some vain hope that he was going to go home with Anna.

  What kind of an idiot was this guy?

  The kind of idiot who would suffer through just about anything to get a little taste of the beautiful woman just within his reach.

  Drew couldn’t blame him, really.

  “I’ll take it from here.” Drew told him, the tone of his voice telling the other man that whatever hopes he had for tonight were no longer an option.

  “Drew can take it from here.” She nodded her head, her eyes still on Drew. Big Nose wandered off, swearing loudly as he did so. Anna hardly seemed to notice, though. “He was my ride.”

  “I can take you home.”

  “Of course you can.” She stumbled a bit more as she stepped toward him and Drew couldn’t help himself—he was beside her in a moment, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I would have been fine, you know.”

  “I know.” Drew agreed, even though he couldn’t disagree more. They approached his SUV and he helped her inside before walking over to the driver’s side of the car and hopp
ing in.

  “I am perfectly capable of this sort of thing.”

  “You most certainly are.”

  “Everyone else is. Alice, and you, and every other guy I’ve ever known. I can do it, too.”

  “I’m sure you can.”

  He drove toward the townhouse he knew Anna shared with her sister, grateful he had paid attention to Jeff enough to know that they hadn’t moved since Drew had first met her.

  “…it can’t be that hard. Sex doesn’t have to be emotional. It can just be physical.” Anna continued to ramble at his side. Drew’s only response was to agree with her, nodding his head often. It wasn’t a long drive and just a few minutes later, he was pulling up in front of her house.

  “I’ll help you inside.” He announced. Anna didn’t protest as he walked around to her side of the vehicle and helped her from the SUV. They made their way up to the porch, both silent.

  “Looks like you win, Drew.” She told him as they reached the door. Drew took her keys from her and began trying each key.

  “What’s that?” he asked, confused.

  “You’re going home with the most desperate girl in the crowd.” The door opened, leading into darkness. Drew turned to look at her, knowing it was a mistake.

  The sadness in her eyes grabbed on to his chest, clenching at his heart.

  “You weren’t the most desperate girl in the crowd, Annabelle.”

  “You don’t believe that.” Her eyes filled with tears and she looked away from him. “I don’t even believe that.”

  “You’re just trying to make the hurt go away. That’s all.”

  “Will you come in?” She asked him, finally meeting his eyes again. The tears were gone, but the sadness remained. He knew he shouldn’t, but he felt his head nod.

  He was just going to make sure she got inside okay. Jeff would want him to be thorough.

  Anna stepped inside, dropping her purse on the floor and fidgeting with her shoes. When she couldn’t slip them off, she plopped onto the couch and began fidgeting with the straps.

  Drew watched her for a moment.

  “Sit down, make yourself comfortable.” She sat up, giving up on her shoes for a moment. “Have a drink. Or two. Or five.” She giggled a bit as she leaned over and pushed a bottle of rum toward him.

  “Oh, I’m okay,”

  “Drink, Drew. It’s no fun if you’re not drunk too.”

  What harm could one sip do?

  He reached out and picked it up off the table, drinking straight from the bottle. Anna clapped her hands. “You know, I don’t need your help. You don’t have to look out for me.”

  “I’m not.” But his response was too quick, his tone too defensive. “I mean, I’m just looking out for Jeff. You two will probably get back together a month from now and I don’t want—”

  “We won’t be getting back together.” She sighed loudly, leaning back into the couch.

  “You say that now.”

  “I say that always.” She began fussing with her shoe again. “Can you help me?” She asked finally, holding her foot up above the coffee table. Drew tried not to notice the length of her legs revealed by her very short skirt.

  Instead he chose to focus on the irony of her request. Hadn’t she just declared that she didn’t need his help?

  His focus, however, didn’t last long as she reached up and removed her hair from whatever had been holding it up. Drew watched as it fell, framing her face.

  She was still one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen.

  He took another drink from the bottle, this one much longer than the last, and perched himself on the coffee table in front of her, taking her foot into his lap. He fumbled with the straps while she watched him. When he finished with one, she placed the other in his lap. He tried not to notice the way she rested her bare foot on the table beside him, the other still in his lap.

  “Relationships are stupid. Isn’t that what you said?” Drew stared blankly at her. Had he said that to her? He couldn’t remember…and as she leaned forward a little, it became that much more difficult to recall. “Relationships are stupid. People are stupid. But what you need is passion.”

  “I did say that. You’re paraphrasing, I think, but…” He rambled, very aware of the way her eyes held his. He was fairly certain they hadn’t had this conversation—had he said something on the show?

  “But what if passion and love are the same thing?” She asked.

  “Passion never lasts, Annabelle.” Of this, Drew was certain. Passion could bring two people together, but it inevitably faded. And once it did…what was left?

  “So then it’s best to just keep things simple. Sex is just sex.” She leaned forward just a little more, his hand slipping a little higher, so that it was resting on her leg.

  “That’s what I’ve always said.” He agreed and Anna nodded, shifting her eyes to the place where he was touching her. Drew wondered what was going through her mind in that moment.

  “It doesn’t have to be emotional.” She added and Drew shook his head in agreement, now very aware of the way his hand rested on her bare skin.

  He pulled his hand away, reaching for the bottle and taking another long drink.

  “Take us, for example. I can hardly stand you. You’re rude, and annoying, and kind of a chauvinistic jerk. But we could have sex.”

  He almost choked.

  She didn’t really say that, did she?

  When he looked up to meet her eyes though, he found that she was staring at him, an eyebrow raised.

  He took another drink, swallowing hard.

  This was a bad idea. Drew was becoming more and more aware of how bad an idea this had been with each passing moment.

  Anna began to pull her foot away from his lap and Drew wondered if she knew how slowly she was moving.

  “I mean, technically, that—us—it would be possible.” He finally gave up on talking and nodded his head, very aware that he sounded like an idiot. Wasn’t she the drunk one?

  Anna leaned forward so that she was only inches away from him.

  “Can you help me upstairs, Drew?”

  “I…” He broke off for a moment, meeting her eyes. He remembered the first time they had met—the way it had felt to kiss her.

  He wondered what it might be like to kiss her again.

  She reached forward and plucked the bottle from his hand, pressing it to her lips and taking a sip. He took it back and took another drink.

  “Help me upstairs.” She rose to her feet and took him by the hand, pulling him deeper into the house. He followed closely behind her as she led the way upstairs, telling himself he was only going to make sure she made it up the stairs without killing herself.

  When he didn’t stop outside her bedroom door, he told himself that Jeff would want him to make sure that she was tucked in, snug and warm for the night.

  “Anna—”

  “How does it work?” She asked him, touching the buttons on his shirt.

  “How does what work?” Drew was very, very distracted. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her.

  “Sex.”

  “Well, I think that much is obvious.”

  “Casual sex.” Drew bit his lip, trying to tell himself to walk away.

  “Annabelle…”

  “Why do you call me that?” She asked, finally looking up to meet his eyes. Drew shrugged his shoulder, unable to think clearly. “I’m sad, Drew.”

  “I know you are.”

  “I don’t want to be sad anymore.” She laid her palm flat against his chest and he could hear the tears in her voice.

  He was a jerk. Such a jerk.

  Here she was, on the rebound—and Drew had actually considered taking advantage of the situation.

  Sure, she wasn’t exactly protesting.

  But that made him no better than the guys he had told himself he was protecting her from.

  “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” He stepped backward, creating some distance between them.
<
br />   “Are you coming with me?” She reached up and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her shirt. Drew watched for a moment, knowing he couldn’t.

  “That’s probably a bad idea.”

  “It’s an even worse one to leave.” She finished unbuttoning her shirt and Drew groaned inwardly.

  Yep, this was torture.

  “That’s not what you’ll think in the morning.”

  “But that’s hours away.” She closed the space between them, fidgeting with the lowest button on his shirt.

  He had to leave before he did something he was going to regret.

  And so he reached forward, taking her face into his hands.

  Then he leaned in, touching his lips to her forehead.

  “Goodnight, Annabelle.”

  Before she could stop him, Drew turned and hurried from the room.

  He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he was sitting behind the wheel of his car, staring up at the window. He watched her silhouette for a moment before starting the car and pulling away.

  He needed to go home and take a nice, long, cold shower.

  Chapter Four

  Anna lay in bed for quite some time, staring up at the ceiling. Her head was pounding viciously, her stomach felt as if she had spent the night on a small boat in the middle of a tsunami, and her mouth was very, very dry.

  But that wasn’t what was keeping her in bed.

  No, she could handle all of that.

  It was the fact that she was pretty sure she had attempted to bed Drew Whitman last night.

  Though she was alone, she felt her face redden and she tugged the blankets up over her head, groaning quietly.

  If she were to be completely honest with herself, though, she would have to admit that she was grateful that he had stepped in when he did. She had a feeling that if she would have gone through with her original intentions, the shame she felt this morning would be much, much worse.

  Fortunately for her, she didn’t have to see Drew ever again. Something told her that he wouldn’t be all too eager to find himself within her presence again, so at least there was that.

  With a heavy sigh, she tossed the blanket aside and rolled out of bed, padding quietly down the hallway so that she could use the bathroom. She groaned again upon looking in the mirror, realizing that she had not only slept in her clothes from the previous night, but also her makeup.