Sitting across from one another at the restaurant, Delaney felt as if she were in a stand-off with him. They'd gone through the formalities - "How are you?" "How's the new job?" "Are you staying in Islamorada?" - and now it was silent. His blue eyes gazed at her. They weren't hateful or mean or judging. They were soft and kind and the eyes she'd known during and after Ocho Rios.

And she still thought he was the sexiest man she'd ever been around. Just looking at him brought on so many flashbacks of what they'd been like just a few months ago. Laying with him in bed after sex and giggling and whispering together. Climaxing together as one. And that one time on the counter in her kitchen. God.

"Delaney?"

She was so deep in thought that she hadn't realized he was speaking to her.

“Huh?” Delaney looked up at him.

“The server wants to know what you want.” JC cocked his head towards their waiter, who was standing next to Delaney and waiting for her to place an order.

“Oh. Uh, Pad Thai. I mean, I’ll have the Pad Thai, please.” Delaney cleared her throat and handed him the menu.

“Coconut curry soup or salad with ginger?” The server stood by waiting on Delaney.

“Uhm…soup. Please. Thanks.” She smiled at him and then looked back at JC. She was starting to get lost in her thoughts and had to consciously make an effort to block any fantasies of them together in her head.

“So, do you like your job?” JC figured he would at least be just as surfaced as she was being. He knew there was much more to get into tonight. He wanted to find out the truth. He wanted to know if she really had set out to sabotage him. Or was it all just an honest mistake?

“It-it’s ok. Definitely a step down, but you know, it’s a job. And it’s in the field I want to be in.” Delaney picked up her glass of water and began to drink it so that she wouldn’t have to talk anymore.

“Hey.” JC shook his head and reached over to touch her arm. “Look at me. Let’s just be honest with each other ok?”

Delaney stopped drinking mid-sip and stared at him. “Ok. Well, what do want me to say?”

“I want you to tell me if I was right. About the whole Timberlake thing. About you coming to the hotel just to work your way up. About…” JC trailed off and took a breath before he spoke again. “About us. Me and you. Because we had a good thing, D. A really good thing. You know you’re the first woman who’s ever made me feel the way I felt.”

“You’re the one who accused me of getting you fired.” Delaney wasn’t being cold, she was just being honest and JC had to agree with her because he knew it was the truth.

“Yeah, I know. I-I just have had a lot of…issues, I guess, trusting women.” It was his turn to pick up his glass of water.

Delaney knew about the adoption, knew about the way it had affected him, knew that it was the reason he had acted like an ass back at The Chancellor. He’d never dealt with some of these issues before and for some reason, the universe felt it right to pick Delaney to be the one to help him overcome them.

“I know you do.” Delaney leaned in closer to him. “But if you knew I was different, why didn’t you just ask me instead of accusing me? You never gave me a chance to explain.”

“I’m giving you a chance now.” JC folded his arms in front of his chest and leaned back into his chair.

Delaney sighed. “Ok, fine.” She splayed her hands on the table as she began to speak. “I called Mr. Timberlake a week before we left for Ocho Rios. He said he’d come in in a few weeks. When we got to Ocho, you and I were pretty caught up in the moment with each other and you kind of made me forget all about my phone call to him. And when we got back, it was like you had become a completely different person and I just, I don’t know, I forgot about everything. You were kind of the only thing that made sense to me.”

JC knew she was telling the truth but he wanted her to continue, so he said nothing.

“And,” she went on, “when you told me that day that he’d spoken to you, I was devastated because I knew what you must have thought. But I guess I was hoping you’d let me explain. JC, I wouldn’t have ever done anything in the first place if I knew where you and I were going to end up. You made me forget about life before The Chancellor. All I wanted was to be with you and run that hotel together. And I’m so sorry that you think I ruined your career. You’re a good manager. You really are.”

“I thought you said I was an asshole?” JC asked.

“You are. I mean, you were. And you know you were.” Delaney sighed and shook her head. “You treated that staff as if they were your servants. But when it came down to getting hotel business done, you knew what to do. And nobody can argue that. Even people who hated you knew you knew how to manage that place.”

“Well, I’ll never do it again.” JC muttered and looked away. “My career is ruined.”

“Is it?” Delaney was asking an honest question. “Have you tried looking for another job?”

“No. I mean, not in the hotel industry. There was an opening at The Breakers for their golf pro shop, but I don’t want to do that. I could go to a Holiday Inn or something, but it would be a big step down.” JC folded his hands on the table, then cracked his knuckles.

“I took a step down.” Delaney glanced up at him. “Just because The Shore Club is upscale and all, it’s nothing like The Chancellor. But the pay is decent enough for me to live in downtown Miami. And I’m still getting severance so that helps. You should look into something. Anything, really, so you aren’t just sitting at home.”

“I’m not just sitting at home. I…” JC was trying to think of what he actually had done since he’d left the hotel. “I-I’ve started cooking. I mean, cooking more.”

Delaney smirked and then pursed her lips together.

“Don’t laugh at me!” JC couldn’t help but smile at her and then they both started to chuckle. “Fine, you got me. I don’t do much but sit around the house. Sometimes I’ll go for a run or whatever but it’s hard to go out and run into people all the time.”

“Then leave. Get out of there. Why are you still in Islamorada?” Delaney leaned in closer to him.

JC had to wonder that himself. Why was he still in Islamorada? Delaney had left, he had no friends, really, except for Lance, who most of the time was so surfaced with him that there wasn’t a friendship to be had.

“I don’t know. I guess…it’s familiar.” JC gave the most honest answer he could think of off the top of his head. And it was true. It was familiar and he hadn’t known anywhere else in a long, long time.

“You should leave. Go somewhere else.” Delaney looked up and saw their food was coming and for a minute, the conversation ceased while they started to eat.

“Where would I go?” JC was speaking more to himself but had asked the question out loud and Delaney stopped eating and looked at him.

“Well, where do you want to go?” She had caught his eye and they were now intently looking at one another. She could feel a chill go down her spine and did her best to ignore it. Instead, she waited on him to answer her.

“I don’t know, to be honest. Maybe a hotel in the Caribbean. Or maybe go up north to Manhattan-“ He chuckled when Delaney made a face, “Or not. I don’t know. You’re right, I do need to get out of Islamorada.”

When dinner was finished, the small talk returned and soon enough, it was as though neither of them had been apart from each other at all the last two months. It felt comfortable and familiar and Delaney didn’t want it to end.

“I don’t know what you’re planning to do now, but you know you can always come back to my apartment for a drink or something.” Delaney was trying to make it as casual as she could without it sounding like an invitation for sex.

JC hid a smirk. He knew too well what happened whenever he was alone with Delaney. But he also knew they’d been away from each other and she could have easily changed her mind. It was unlikely, but he knew it was a possibility.

They sat on her couch that overlooked the city. JC could see the cruise ships in port and the lights of South Beach lit as the sun slipped behind the clouds. Delaney really did have a stellar view.

“Here.” She handed him a glass of wine. “It’s a red. Not sure if it’s good or not but my boss gave it to me last week.”

“Thanks. Hopefully I won’t die.” He winked at her as she sat down next to him, a glass of wine in her hand, and pulled her knees under her legs. She had changed out of her work uniform and into leggings and an oversized t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she looked cozy with fuzzy socks on her feet.

“You’ve got a great view.” JC nodded towards the window. He wasn’t as relaxed as her, and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

“Yeah, it’s nice. I take it for granted most days.” Delaney sipped her wine. “How is it?” She nodded at the wine in JC’s hand.

“Huh? Oh, I haven’t tasted it.” He looked down at the wine, took a sip, and nodded. “Yeah, it’s good.” He hadn’t really cared about the wine. Just being next to her was good enough for him.

The more they began to converse, the more the wall was let down and they could be themselves with each other. They laughed telling each other stories about The Chancellor and The Shore Club. Delaney impressed him with her knowledge of the industry there in Miami. She really did know her stuff and JC thought it ridiculous that her talent was being wasted as a Front Desk Manager when she could have very well managed the entire hotel.

Soon the bottle of wine was finished and as Delaney went to open another bottle, she noticed the time on the microwave.

“JC? It’s almost 3AM!” She turned around and looked at him, shaking her head. “Wow. I had no idea.”

“Me either.” JC shook his head. “I guess I’ll go.” He went to stand but Delaney stopped him.

“No. Just sleep on the couch. It’s fine. I can grab you a blanket from the linen closet.” She walked past him and JC glanced at her as she opened a small closet near the bedroom and retrieved a red cotton-knit blanket.

“Thanks.” He smiled at her and took the blanket, then yawned. “I guess I’ll see you in a few hours. What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?”

“It’s Sunday. I’m off.” Delaney walked over to the entrance of her bedroom. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

She shut the door behind her and JC waited on the couch, for what he didn’t know. Would she come back and invite him in her bed? Or would she pounce on him and let him take her there on the couch?

After a minute or so, he shook himself from that fantasy and laid down on the couch. She wasn’t going to come back.

Delaney had just laid down in her bed and knew she should have fallen asleep when her head hit the pillow but her brain wouldn’t let her. She knew all she had to do was open that door and tell him she wanted him in bed with her. Or she could have easily gone out there and seduced him on the couch. She’d noticed the subtle looks he’d given her throughout the night, but she’d ignored them because she knew it had to be over.

Somehow she fell asleep because the next thing she knew she had opened her eyes and it was raining. The sky was dark, but Delaney knew it had to have been at last nine or ten in the morning. She groaned and rolled over, picking up her phone off the nightstand. 9:30. She let out a sigh and got up from the bed. She quickly brushed her teeth and put a brush through her hair.

Purposefully, she didn’t put the leggings back on. Not that she wanted to entice him, but…no, who was she kidding. She wanted to entice him.

JC was still asleep on the couch when Delaney walked into the living room. He’d taken his jeans off and laid them across the chair adjacent from the couch. She knew underneath that blanket that all he had on was a pair of boxer briefs. Realizing she was staring at him, Delaney moved away from the couch and quietly made her way into the kitchen.

JC could hear the coffee pot brewing and he rubbed his face with one hand before sitting up on the couch. “D?”

Delaney had just put a piece of toast in the toaster and stepped away to look at him.

“Hey,” she greeted him. “I’m making us breakfast. Coffee’s almost done.”

JC nodded sleepily and let out a sigh. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“In my bedroom.” Delaney answered, her back turned to him.

He got up from the couch and sauntered into the bedroom. He could feel his morning erection pressing against his boxer briefs and made sure the door was closed and locked before he took care of it. It wasn’t hard to get off that morning. He had plenty of thoughts going through his mind about who he wished he was with.

Delaney had just finished setting the table when JC emerged from the bedroom. He was still in his boxer briefs and she glanced at him long enough to see his chest and arms before he threw his undershirt over his head.

“How’d you sleep?” Delaney asked him, as she handed him a bowl of scrambled eggs.

“Good. That’s a comfy couch.” He replied and piled eggs on his plate. He had definitely taken notice of her legs and the way she had crossed them underneath the table. Had she meant to not put her leggings on when she got up that morning? JC knew he was over thinking it. No matter, she still looked hot.

“Good. I’m glad it served its purpose.” Delaney bit into her toast and looked out at the Miami skyline, which was hardly visible with the clouds and rain. “I’m glad I’m off today. It means I can go back to sleep once you leave.”

“Already trying to get rid of me?” JC winked at her and Delaney felt herself blushing.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” She shook her head. “But you know what it’s like to have a good, rainy day off.”

“I do,” JC said.

They were quiet while they ate. Delaney could feel his eyes on her the whole time but she ignored it. No sense in going down that treacherous path again. Especially because he was more than likely leaving today and she wouldn’t see him for God knew how long.

“Finished?” She asked him, getting up from the table.

JC just nodded, wiped his mouth with his napkin, then handed over his plate. He watched her walk into the kitchen and stared at her. How long were they going to pretend there was nothing between them? He wasn’t stupid and neither was she, but JC knew Delaney felt she had more to lose and that’s why she hadn’t come onto him in the last 14 hours they’d been together. If she still felt like it was her fault for the break-up, she wasn’t going to risk it and he knew that.

He stood up and walked into the kitchen.

“D.”

When she heard his voice behind her a million and one chills felt as though they were penetrating her skin. She was facing the sink and running water over their dishes. She knew that timbre in his voice. She knew what he wanted.

“Yeah?” Her voice cracked and she slowly turned to face him. He was standing in front of her now.

He didn’t say anything, only leaned in and kissed her.
“Mm, JC.” Delaney moved away from him and backed herself into the refrigerator. ”I don’t think that’s the best thing to do.”

He looked at her, eyes penetrating hers, and moved closer. “D, come on. We’ve been fighting it since we saw each other last night.” He cupped her face in one hand. “Please, D. Let me kiss you. I’ve missed you so much.”

Delaney almost protested again but when his lips met hers she couldn’t do anything else but give into it. He had her pressed against the refrigerator and then he was backing her out of the kitchen, all the while still kissing her.

“You can’t tell me you didn’t wear that t-shirt and nothing else for no reason,” he growled into her ear and Delaney gasped when he bit her earlobe.

“Fine, you caught me.” She grunted against his mouth and licked his lower lip with her tongue.

“Where you wanna go?” He gasped between kisses.

“I don’t care.” Delaney moaned and it was the truth. The couch, the bed, the floor. It didn’t matter. Hell, if they knocked over the kitchen table and dishes broke, she wouldn’t care.

He somehow got them over to the couch and toppled over her without letting go.

“You don’t need this anymore.” He grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and she sat up long enough to throw it behind her. She laid down and he gazed down at her breasts. They were full and her nipples were hard. He snickered. “We were dumb to think we couldn’t stay away from each other.” His lips were sucking on her nipple, while his thumb and forefinger squeezed her other one. Delaney groaned beneath him and with her foot began to slide his boxers down his waist.

“Whoa, easy honey.” JC chuckled and looked up at her while he kicked the boxers to the floor.

“I just want you so much. I’ve missed you inside of me,” she whispered and began to buck beneath him. “Please, JC. I want you so much.”

JC rested his thumb on her clit and began to rub back and forth. He smiled feeling his fingers getting soaked in her juices. “I know, but I just wanna make sure you’re wet enough.” The sounds of his fingers moving in and out of her now were making Delaney cry out in pleasure.

Delaney sat up so that she was straddling his lap and looked down at his fingers moving in and out of her. She began to ride against them and soon his fingers were soaked.

He pulled them away and was just about to suck on them but Delaney grabbed his hand and put his fingers in her mouth.

“D, holy shit, baby, that’s so fucking hot.” JC watched as Delaney closed her eyes and sucked off her juices from his fingers. He moved so that she could slide down onto him and when he entered her, she bit down on his fingers.

“Just fuck me, JC. Please.” She held onto him tighter, her head buried in his shoulder as she moved with him. “I’ve missed you so much, baby.”

“You have?” JC backed up against the couch and held onto her tighter.

“Uh huh. I think about you all the time.” She kissed his lips and moaned into his mouth. “I think about you inside of me and fucking me like this. God, baby. Go deeper.”

She was normally not so talkative during sex, but JC wasn’t going to argue. He would go deeper or harder or back off or whatever she wanted. He just wanted her like this and didn’t want to let go.

He reached down to play with her clit and Delaney whimpered, her forehead meeting his. Their eyes met and JC wrapped his arm around her with his free hand holding her close as he penetrated deep inside of her.

“I-I’m almost…oh god, JC…I’m almost there.” Her voice was caught in her throat and as she spoke she felt the orgasm hit her. JC held her as she shook on top of him, whispering into her ear how much he wanted her this way. How much he loved being inside of her. How good she felt to him.

“You can’t leave.” Delaney said a few minutes later. He was growing soft inside of her and still holding her against him.

“Are you begging me to stay?” JC raised an eyebrow at her and she giggled at him.

“No, I’m not begging. I’m telling you. You can’t leave. We’re going to figure something out.” She kissed him and moved off of him.

He followed her into the bedroom. “Well, what if I have to go back and get all my stuff?” He watched her as she went into the bathroom and cracked the door.

“Then you come back and you and I will figure something out. We always do.” Delaney began to clean herself up and came out a few minutes later. “You know we do, JC. We ran a damn hotel together and it flourished.”

“Yeah, but then-“ JC started and Delaney shook her head, cutting him off.

“We won’t fuck it up this time. I won’t fuck it up, I mean.” She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Please, baby. You said it yourself a few minutes ago that we were fighting this. We were. We’ll keep fighting it, too. We’re too good together.”

JC let out a breath and gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean exactly? You and I in a relationship is one thing. You and I running a hotel together is another. And I think you’re saying one thing but meaning another.”

Delaney kissed him and played with the hairs on the back of his neck. “What if we opened our own hotel?”

“Opened our own hotel? What do you mean?” JC pulled away from her.

“I mean just what I said. We both have a lot of experience. And we know the hotel industry.” She sat down on the bed and looked up at him. “We have enough connections. We just need to find the right city and –“

“Whoa, whoa.” JC put a hand up. “Slow down. We just fucked about two minutes ago and we’re getting back together and that’s awesome, but Delaney, opening a hotel? Together? You don’t think that will be bad?”

“It was bad before because we had a miscommunication. We’d make it small. Like…like a boutique hotel.” She touched his arm. “What have we got to lose?”

JC sighed and sat down next to her. “I’ve already lost everything else. I guess it can’t hurt.”

Delaney took his chin in her thumb and forefinger. “You know you and I are a powerhouse together. We fucked up and now’s our chance to make it better. We owe it to one another.”

“We did fuck up.” He nodded and laid down on the bed. He pulled Delaney next to him and she kissed his chest, her chin resting near his stomach. “I guess it’s worth a shot.”

“I knew you’d see it my way.” Delaney couldn’t help but gloat before she pulled him on top of her.