It was dangerous. That’s the only thing that was going through Delaney’s mind as she lay next to JC early the morning after their date. The sun was barely up but Delaney was wide-awake. She didn’t want to move because it felt good to be held against JC like she was. Yet, she was scheduled to be at the hotel by eight and since they’d gone back to his place, she had no clothes for work and would need to get home.

As she rolled away from him, JC grunted and turned over on his stomach. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice groggy from sleep.

“I have to get home and change before work.” Delaney quickly pulled on the dress she had worn the night before. It had been thrown over the mirror of JC’s dresser in a mad attempt at getting undressed just a few hours ago.

“You should just bring your clothes here.” His eyes were closed again and he’d planted his face into his pillow. “Then you don’t have to leave so early.”

“We’ll just see what happens,” Delaney answered him under her breath. She leaned over to peck his cheek and JC grunted again, rolling over and glancing at her as she looked down at him.

“See you at the office,” he mumbled and Delaney kissed him once more before disappearing out of his bedroom.

As she drove home, Delaney fidgeted in the driver’s seat. She turned on the radio and Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love” just happened to be playing. It made her smirk. How they’d ended up in the bedroom last night had been something short of a miracle. He hadn’t been able to keep his hands off of her and when he’d pushed her against the kitchen counter, Delaney had no objections.

We woke up in the kitchen saying

"How the hell did this shit happen?" oh baby

Drunk in love, we be all night

Last thing I remember is our

Beautiful bodies grinding off in that club

Drunk in love

Delaney shivered. It was going to be a long day at work pretending she wanted nothing to do with JC.

“So how was it?” Joey asked Chris later that day before the morning meeting. “Did you guys have fun?”

“Yeah, it was ok.” Chris nodded. “You know, meetings all day and breakout sessions and all that.”

“But then the beach and pool with Ashley and Delaney?” Joey leaned against the wall and glanced around waiting for Delaney to join. “And of course watching JC hit on all the women.”

Chris shook his head. “Nah, we barely saw JC. Or Delaney for that matter, which kind of bummed out Ashley.”

“Oh yeah? Too bad. But I guess when you’re the GM and Assistant Manager of one of the most successful hotels in America, you can’t really expect a lot of one on one time.” Joey looked up and saw Delaney coming towards them. He smiled at her but she just returned his smile with a grimace and looked quite deep in thought.

“What’s up?” Chris greeted her but Delaney ignored him and shuffled through papers in her hand. “Um, Delaney?”

Delaney had been so worried about how she was going to react when she actually saw JC at the hotel that she’d barely even noticed she had made it to the meeting. She cleared her throat and nervously smiled at Joey and Chris. “Sorry. Hi. There’s a lot going on.”

“Busy day here?” Joey asked, wondering if the hotel was going to get a high profile guest or more unexpected check-ins.

JC walked in through the back door and Delaney had to catch herself from grinning at him.

“Huh? Yeah. Yeah, something like that.” Delaney sighed and pretended to busy herself on her phone.

Chris glanced at her, narrowing his eyes. She’d been off almost since they’d gotten to Ocho Rios that weekend. He didn’t know what was up, but she was far too jumpy for the Delaney he knew.

JC didn’t make eye contact with Delaney and resumed his status as the head of the meeting. 

“…and numbers are up for check-in today.” JC looked at Joey. “Bar stocked?”

“Always,” Joey answered, eyeing JC as if he had lost it. “That’s a stupid question,” he muttered to Chris, who shook his head.

“Shh,” Delaney shushed them, immediately regretting her action after seeing the look of surprise on both Joey’s and Chris’s face. “Sorry, I thought he was going to say something else.”

“Well, yes, after asking me, the head bartender, if the bar is stocked on a busy check-in day…I can see where you might think differently.” Joey rolled his eyes at Delaney. “You need a drink. You comin’ to Chancey’s when you get off today?”

Delaney had been watching JC, who was scribbling something on a pad of paper while he mumbled something to Todd. He looked up, caught her eye, and looked away. She knew they had to be sneaky and she was doing a terrible job of it right now. All she was thinking about was the night before. Fucking on the kitchen counter. How in the hell….

“Delaney.”

She snapped to attention and looked up at Chris who was eyeing her.

“Sorry. What?”

“Uh, aren’t you supposed to talk to Food and Beverage today?” Chris watched as Delaney fidgeted with the button on her grey blazer. She was nervous about something and completely preoccupied.

Shit. Delaney had forgotten about that. “Oh. Yeah.” She bit on her lower lip and let a slow breath out before turning quickly on her heel. “I’ll see you later,” she called back to Chris as she made her way back into the lobby. Her phone buzzed but she ignored it until she’d crossed through the lobby and was safely back in her office.

Call me.

It was JC, just as she’d suspected.

Delaney let out a shaky sigh as she dialed the number.

“You gotta chill, baby,” JC told her as soon as he picked up on the other end.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Delaney groaned and rubbed her forehead. “I froze. I don’t know what came over me.”

JC chuckled into the phone. “You’re gonna give us away if you’re not careful. Your friends were looking at you like you were crazy.”

Delaney cringed, remembering the looks Chris and Joey had both given her. “Do you think they know?”

JC had to laugh again. “No, I don’t think they know. They’re going to, though, if you keep acting like you did. What time is your meeting with Chris?”

Delaney flipped through her calendar on her desk. “Eleven.” She eased back into her desk chair. “I know Ashley is going to want to meet up for drinks later. I don’t suppose you’d want to-“

“Delaney, you know I can’t meet up with them.”

“I know.” Delaney sighed into the phone. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s kind of your fault, you know.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really. I mean, last night alone was…just…hot. I’ve never had sex on a kitchen counter.”

“No? Well, what about a bathroom counter?”

“No.”

“Car?”

“No.”

“Wow. Your sex life was boring before me.”

Delaney laughed. “A lot was different before you.”

“Where are you?” JC asked.

“My office.” Delaney swiveled around in her chair and faced the view of the ocean from her picture window. “Where are you?”

“My office.”

“So, right next door?”

“Right next door.” His tone changed. “You have a meeting at eleven?”

“Yeah.”

He was quiet and Delaney could hear him breathing into the phone.

“What?” she asked him.

“What do you mean, ‘what’?”

“I don’t know, you got quiet.”

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Just…never mind.”
“What?”

“Nothing. I was gonna see if you wanted to sneak over here. But that’s not being careful, is it?”

“No, it’s not.” Delaney sighed into the phone. “You know, JC, last night was really amazing with you.” She knew what she was doing. She was just hoping he’d take the bait.

“What are you doing, Delaney?”

“You know what I’m doing. You shouldn’t even have to ask.”

“I meant…what are you doing right now? Are you thinking about me inside of you?” JC had a way of speaking almost with a silkiness in his voice whenever he was turned on.

Delaney let out a soft laugh. “Mmhm. And your hands are all over me. And we’re on that kitchen counter and you’re fucking me so hard.”

“Uh huh. And what else?” JC had unzipped his pants and was slowly starting to rub himself. He slid lower into his desk chair and let out a breath.

“I like it when you bite my neck, JC. And your tongue travels all over me.” Delaney had slipped out of her pencil skirt and was pleasuring herself as she spoke. “I love your tongue. It feels so good, baby.” Her voice had become gravelly, her tone slowed, and she let out a faint groan as she gripped the phone tighter.

“You like it when my tongue’s between your legs, honey?” All he was picturing was being with her in his bed and regretted how careful they were being. He could have easily coerced her into his office but he wanted this to be different. Not like Morgan or Andrea or any of those other girls he’d had before Delaney.

“Uh huh. And watching you do it to me. It’s so hot.” Her voice was raspy.

Delaney closed her eyes feeling close as she continued pleasing herself. All she was picturing was JC between her legs, pulsating inside of her just as she was doing now.

“God, Delaney…I just…I want you so bad right now.” JC was rubbing harder, thinking of Delaney beneath him, tightening around his dick, pulling him closer to her.

“I’m…I’m almost there.” Delaney whispered.

“Rub your clit harder, baby. Do it like I would do it if I was with you.”

Delaney gasped and tried to moan as quietly as she could. She had to remember she wasn’t hidden in JC’s bedroom. She was in the office having phone sex with him.

“That’s it, baby. Yeah. That sounds so hot, mama.”

Her head was spinning and she felt lightheaded. He was whispering into her ear and it felt as though he was right there and not down the hall. She gripped the end of her desk and gritted her teeth, suppressing a moan and instead gasping for breath as she felt her orgasm rip through her. She opened her eyes. Her head was resting on her desk and her legs trembled beneath her.

“You ok?” JC asked, his voice shaking.

“Mmhm.” Delaney lifted her head and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror across from her desk. She looked as though she’d actually just been rolling around on the floor with him. She smirked at her reflection and sighed into the phone. “I need to go. If I go to that meeting in Food and Beverage looking like I do, they’re going to know something’s up.”

“I’ll see you tonight,” JC replied. “Go get a drink and then come to my house.”

“Where’s Delaney?” Joey asked that evening. Chris and Ashley were at the bar as usual waiting on their friend.

Ashley shrugged. “Dunno. I can’t seem to nail her down. I thought when we got back from the convention she’d be back to her old self. But she’s even more out of it than before.”

“Something happened in Ocho Rios.” Chris was playing with his beer bottle. “I don’t know what it was, but she has been off ever since we got there.”

“Maybe she hooked up with somebody.” Joey suggested as he dried a beer glass.

“Why is it always sex with you?” Ashley rolled her eyes.

“Well, think about it. Maybe she met some guy there, hooked up, and now she’s trying to figure out how to keep the relationship going long distance.” Joey shrugged. “It’s possible.”

“I never saw her with anyone,” Ashley said and sipped on her beer. “Did you?” She looked at Chris.

“Nope. That’s not saying she didn’t meet anyone. I just never saw her with-“

“Shh,” Joey quieted them. “She’s walking in right now.”

Ashley turned around and smiled when she spotted Delaney walking toward them. “Hey,” Ashley greeted her as Delaney hopped onto the barstool next to her.

“Hi.” Delaney smiled at Ashley then looked at Joey. “Gin and tonic, please.”

“Are you in a better mood?” Chris asked, not caring if he sounded rude or not. Earlier at the Food and Beverage meeting, Delaney had seemed aloof and barely responded to questions that were asked regarding a new promotion idea that had been tossed around among employees. When Chris pulled her aside to ask her what was going on, Delaney had acted as though nothing was wrong and left.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Delaney felt like that was as much truth as she could tell them without going into more detail. She knew if she wasn’t careful she was liable to reveal more than she or JC would ever want known.

“I’ve been worried about you.” Ashley touched her arm. “I thought you were mad at me or something.”

Delaney shook her head and tried to be as reassuring as she could. “No. No, nothing like that. I’m sorry. It’s going to be a lot better from now on, I think.”

Morgan had watched JC pull out of his parking spot that evening. She hadn’t heard from him in weeks now, but it hadn’t made it any easier. After trying to seduce one of the head waiters at the pool bar, she’d given up. Morgan liked older men with wives or significant others. It gave her more of a rush of competition. She knew JC didn’t have a significant other, but he was the General Manager of The Chancellor and that alone gave her all the identity she could ever want or need.

But now he was ignoring her. Worse, she felt as if she hadn’t ever existed to him. And that pissed her off even more.

Texting him was pointless. He wasn’t going to text her back. He wasn’t going to call her. It drover her crazy that the one man she thought she’d had wrapped around her finger had let her go without any remorse about it at all.

She strummed her fingers along the granite countertop and looked around the shop, as if trying to find inspiration for some sort of a revenge tactic. Her eyes landed on the condoms behind the counter of the small sundry shop that was connected to The Cup. There’d been that one time that JC had pulled out early because he didn’t have a condom.

“Or did he?” Morgan said to herself. She snickered quietly and bit on her lower lip, concocting a plan and wondering if it would really work.

“This is nice.” JC was holding Delaney against him on his couch, each of them holding a glass of wine. “I don’t think I’ve ever just been quiet with a woman before.”

“Because you’re making them scream?” Delaney couldn’t help but giggle. JC squeezed her and laughed into her ear.

“Yeah. I guess.” He kissed her cheek. “But, I don’t know, you make me kind of calm. I like that.”

Delaney looked up at him. “I like that, too.”  He kissed her again, setting his wine glass on the floor so that he could pull her on top of him. Delaney placed hers next to his and started kissing him but JC pulled away.

“What?” She looked at him and JC shook his head.

“Nothing. I…I kind of just want to kiss you. Like this.” He kissed her lips gently and cupped her face in his hands. “You…damn, Delaney, you just make me want to do things differently.”

“What do you mean?” Delaney stroked his cheek with her thumb.

“I don’t know. I think…I think I just want it to be different this time.” He pressed his hand against her breast and began to slowly knead it.

“That feels so good, baby.” Delaney met his forehead with hers. “Keep doing it.”

“I sometimes feel like…I can’t get enough of you.” JC kissed her over and over again. “God, Delaney, it’s like I just want all of you all of the time.”

Their clothes soon became quickly discarded into a pile on the floor. The wine had been forgotten about. Just as it had been so many times before in the last few days, JC was pulsating inside of her and Delaney was calling out his name.

Ashley walked into The Cup the next morning and immediately frowned when she saw Morgan behind the counter putting on make-up. Granted, it was still a few minutes before opening, but there were a few guests waiting outside and could clearly see into the café.

“We’re not open yet.” Morgan didn’t look up from putting on her make-up.

“Just getting a cup of coffee.” Ashley walked over to the free-standing coffee dispensers and placed her thermos underneath the opening. Nothing came out. “Um, excuse me, have you brewed the coffee yet?”

Morgan glanced at Ashley with disgust. “Yeah. Forgot to put it in the dispenser, though.”

“Might want to get on that.” Ashley retorted.

Morgan came from behind the counter and went over to unlock the door. “Thanks for telling me how to do my job.”

“It’s just common sense, sweetie.” Ashley walked past Morgan and through the employee entrance.

“Bitch.” Morgan muttered under her breath as she quickly walked to the back to get the brewed pots of coffee. She was putting her plan of action in today and couldn’t be worried about petty people. She had to stay focused and remembered that she had scheduled an appointment with Human Resources to tell them all about her sad tale. Surely they would feel bad for her carrying a child without sufficient income. She would get the pay raise and in a few days, break the news to JC that she was having his baby.