The hotel lobby was completely different than the lobby at The Chancellor. For one thing, it was situated outside with just a few awnings to cover guests from weather. A bar was situated across from the registration desk and Delaney had already been eyeing the Pina Colada, which had been the featured Drink of the Day when they’d checked in.

“What time is the first session?” Chris asked, as he and Ashley walked over to Delaney. They’d all checked in together. Chris and Ashley were on a floor above Delaney. Nobody had seen JC since the day before when they’d briefly had a meeting discussing the conference.

“I think not til seven.” Delaney pulled her phone out of her handbag and quickly looked up the meeting times. “Yep. Seven in the Coconut Palms Conference Hall.”

“Coconut Palms Conference Hall? What a name.” Chris chuckled.

“Well it’s Ocho Rios. They can get away with it.” Delaney put her phone back in her purse. “It’s just three now. I say we change and get a drink. We’ve got a lot of time to kill.”

JC walked into the lobby and saw Delaney, Chris, and Ashley directly in front of him. He hoped they wouldn’t notice him. He wanted to remain as separated from them as possible this trip.

The flight had been uneventful, even if he’d scheduled himself in first class. The drinks were mediocre and the food was bland. Not at all what he’d been accustomed to in previous first class flights. He was excited to get to his room. He’d already booked an exclusive suite and he knew he’d be far away from his other employees.

“Shit.” Chris looked right at JC as he passed by them on the way to the check-in desk.

“Hi, JC.” Delaney didn’t care if he was purposely ignoring them or not. She would be damned if he was going to completely ignore them.

JC begrudgingly looked over at the three and gave a small wave, then headed to check into his room. He could almost hear the whispers behind him. They were probably going on about how rude he was, how mean he was, how sleazy he was. JC didn’t care. At the end of the day, he managed and ran the most exclusive hotel in Florida. And they didn’t.

“Let’s go. Forget being nice.” Chris turned and Ashley and Delaney followed him to the set of elevators on the other end of the lobby.

The bar was crowded by the time Chris, Ashley, and Delaney came back downstairs. Opting instead to go outside, they found a shaded spot near one of the pool bars instead. Delaney wasn’t content until the Pina Colada was in her hand and she could hear the sound of island music being pumped through the speakers outside. If it hadn’t been for the convention, Delaney might have felt as if she were on a real vacation.

“Ok, so you guys have a meeting after dinner and then a cocktail hour in one of the bars inside.” Ashley was reading over Chris’ schedule. “That shouldn’t be too bad for tonight. We can hang out after your first meeting.”

“True.” Chris nodded and took the schedule from Ashley’s hands. “Or you and I could just go hang out. You know, in case Delaney has big boss meetings to attend.”

“Chris, if you’d rather just hang out with Ashley just tell me. Really, I’d rather not be a third wheel.” Delaney moved her sunglasses down and eyed Chris. “And honestly, I’m going to be so tired from traveling I’ll probably skip the cocktail hour and just go to bed. Those cocktail hours are nothing but a meat market anyway.”

“So you’re saying they’re run by JC?” Chris snickered and Ashley and Delaney couldn’t help but laugh.

“Probably. I’m dying to see who he hooks up with this weekend.” Ashley sipped on her daquiri. “Although given the hotel staff here not knowing his reputation, I’d say he had a fair shot at whoever he wanted.”

Flashback. Graduation  1994

“Congratulations, Josh.”

Josh glared at her. How dare she come back today of all days and try to reconcile? She was ruining it just like she had ruined everything.

“Josh, don’t just stand there!” Karen pushed him gently. “Go tell her hello. She drove all the way across the country to see you.”

Josh looked at Lisa, his biological mother. A woman he hadn’t laid eyes on in nearly fourteen years. Here she was standing before him dressed in grey pants and a blouse that didn’t match her shoes. Her hair was unkept and next to her were two little boys – his biological brothers he was guessing – staring up at him in awe.

“Hey.” Josh warily walked over to her.

“Oh, Josh!” Lisa immediately grabbed him in a hug. He stood there in her arms, feeling quite awkward. “Josh, I’m so sorry for all I put you through. But look at you now. You’re all grown up and graduating and-“

“And what are you doing?” Josh snapped at her.

“Joshua!” Karen hissed behind him. “Be nice!”

“I-I’m living in Washington State. With my boys. These are your brothers. Max and Luke.” She pulled away from him and moved her hand onto each of the younger boys’ shoulders.

“So you were able to get your act together to have two more kids? Do they have the same dad?” Josh folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. “Or did he walk out on you, too?”

“Josh, please, I only came here to see you on your graduation and tell you I was sorry for everything. I know I made a mess of your life as a child, but Karen told me how well you were doing and –“

Josh turned abruptly and faced his mother. “You knew she was coming?”

Karen’s jaw dropped and she chose her words carefully before speaking. “Joshua, I thought it would be a good thing. I wanted Lisa to see you graduate. She’s your biological mother. She’s not who she was when we got you.”

“As far as I’m concerned,” Josh began and turned to face Lisa once more. “Karen is my mother. You are just some mixed up slut who should have never been allowed to have children in the first place. You’d better be glad I was able to graduate high school and not be all fucked up in the head because of how drugged up you were.”

“Joshua Chasez, that is enough.” Karen walked over to her son but Josh shook her hand away.

“I gotta go. See ya.” With that, he gave an abrupt turn and left.

JC woke up in a cold sweat and looked frantically around the hotel room. It was just five and he had drifted off to sleep over an hour ago. Dinner would begin in just a half hour downstairs before the first meeting. He quickly stood up from the bed and went into the bathroom to splash water on his face. Staring at himself in the mirror, he grimaced and shook his head. Too many flashbacks. Too many emotions welling inside of him and he couldn’t rid himself of them fast enough. He refused to feel or think or do anything that would make those memories of Lisa come back to haunt him again. She was the reason for everything that had gone wrong.

Josh watched her from his bedroom window. She was hugging Karen goodbye and wiping away a tear. ‘Good, let her cry,’ Josh thought to himself. He looked at the two little boys who were confused at everything going on around them. A part of him wished he had been able to talk to them. They were his biological siblings after all. Probably a lot easier to deal with than his goody-two-shoes sister and his wanna-be brother.

Lisa looked up at him staring out the window and Josh turned away. He balled his hands into fists and punched the air. The gall of her to come back and think they would ever reconcile. She’d abandoned him. She didn’t want him.

“Joshua Scott, you open this door right now!” Karen interrupted his thoughts and Josh sighed, going over and unlocking his bedroom door. Karen burst into the room and frowned at her son. “What was that about? You couldn’t be nice for five minutes?”

“You should have told me you invited her.” Josh glowered at his mother. “It’s my graduation day for god’s sake. Why’d you think bringing her here was a good thing?”

Karen sighed and rubbed her temples as she spoke. “Because she is your biological mother and she and I have kept in touch since you were here with us. I thought it might do you both good to see how each other was.”

“Well all I saw was a trashy whore who had two more bastard kids and wanted to pretend it was all fine!” Josh snapped and turned his back. “I gotta get ready for graduation, Mom.”

Karen sighed and closed the door as she left the bedroom. Josh was glad she couldn’t see him cry.

“Welcome to the IHRC Annual Convention!” Gerhard Baumgartner greeted everyone. Gerhard was the President and CEO of IHRC and Delaney had heard him speak at several conferences and meetings throughout her time in New York. He was from Germany and spoke with a thick accent. He had white blonde hair and always wore a three-piece suit, even if it was 100 degrees, which was the case for Ocho Rios.

“We are so thrilled you could all attend. We don’t want to keep you too long tonight as we know you are all tired from travel, but please let me introduce to you our guests for this weekend…”

Delaney sat back in her chair and took in the atmosphere around her. Most of the attendees weren’t even paying attention to Gerhard, but playing on their phones instead. She was trying to listen to the introductions, but at the same time could do it all by heart. They were the same speakers as they normally got for this convention. All bigwigs from hotels and resorts around the world. They would all say the same thing and inevitably try to coerce people to come to their breakout sessions the following two days. Her stomach was full from dinner and all Delaney could think about was going back up to her room and relaxing in the large garden tub in her bathroom.

“…and now please go and enjoy our open bar out by the Tiki Hut!” Gerhard said in his last statement. Almost immediately everyone rose from their seat, gave a quick applause, then quickly filed out of the conference room. Delaney followed suit, only instead of following everyone else, headed for the elevators.

“Not in the mood for a party?”

Delaney nearly ran right into JC. “Huh? Oh, hey. No, I’m tired and just want to go upstairs and relax.”

JC eyed her and forced a smile. “Yeah, I hear you. I’m probably going to the bar in the lobby instead.”

“You don’t want to be around people?” Delaney was doing her best not to ask, “You don’t want to meet your latest fuck?” and was proud of her effort.

“Nah, I kind of just want to drink alone as sad as that sounds.” JC actually let out a chuckle and Delaney could feel a smile spreading on her lips. It was a small smile, but the fact that she was even smiling at him was huge.

“Doesn’t sound sad to me. I’m not feeling so extraverted tonight.” Delaney shrugged and went to hit the elevator button. “Enjoy your evening.”

“You, too.” JC nodded at her and turned in the opposite direction. He had to laugh at himself about that reaction just now. Had he and Delaney actually been cordial to one another? It was probably the tropical air or the fact that they weren’t vying for competition to see who could be top dog at the hotel.

Whatever it was, JC was glad for it after the harrowing flashbacks he’d had earlier. As he headed toward the lobby bar, he passed Chris and Ashley who were holding hands and talking softly to each other. He caught Chris’ eye and gave him a quick nod, then continued his trek to the bar.

“Did JC just acknowledge you?” Ashley interrupted Chris.

“I think he did.” Chris stopped and looked back at JC’s path. “He’s going to the bar. He’s probably just happy that he’s about to get laid.” Chris looked back at Ashley. “Speaking of getting laid…”

Ashley giggled and squeezed his hand. “Let’s go loverboy.”

Delaney couldn’t relax. She had made the mistake of going on Facebook and looking at the recent congratulations of her ex’s new engagement. She knew things had been over for longer than the divorce had taken to finalize, but the fact that he had already moved on and gotten engaged was more than she could handle.

She let out a sigh and got out of the bathtub, quickly drying off. She checked the time on her phone. 8:30. It was much too early for bed, especially being that she was in an exotic location. But what else was she going to do? She knew Chris and Ashley were holed up in their room in bed and the only other person she knew was JC.

“I need to get out,” she muttered to herself. The worst thing she could do was sit in the hotel room and look at those posts of the ex and his fiancé. It would only make her feel worse.

Finally, she reasoned with herself to go downstairs, have one drink, and call it a night. There was nothing wrong with getting in bed at a decent hour, especially when she knew her day would be filled with meetings.

Changing into a pair of loose fitting jeans and a tank top, Delaney pulled her hair back into a ponytail, slipped on a pair of flip flops, and headed for the lobby bar.

JC nearly did a double-take when Delaney walked into the bar area of the lobby. She was dressed completely out of what he normally saw her in and that was a pants suit or work dress. She had on a cute pair of jeans, a tank top that fit her nicely around her breasts –he was a man after all and that was wear his eyes landed- and her hair was pulled away from her face so that he could see how defined her cheekbones were. JC knew it was the alcohol he’d consumed but he also knew a pretty woman when he saw her. He knew he’d never given her a second glance at the hotel, but this was different. This was not The Chancellor.

Delaney sat down at the opposite end of the bar. She ordered a gin and tonic, took out her phone, and replied to a text message from a friend in New York who’d asked her if she’d seen the news about Cale. She wished people weren’t so enamored with that, even if it was their way of caring. Just as she was responding, she felt someone sitting down next to her.

“Mind if I join you?”

Delaney looked up at JC. “Oh, hey.” She put her phone away and cleared her throat. “Just came down for a quick drink.”

“Oh yeah? Got bored of your room?” JC was playing with his beer bottle as he spoke to her.

“Something like that.” Delaney gratefully took the gin and tonic from the bartender and sipped it slowly, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. “That’s good.”

“Better than Joey makes?” JC eyed her and couldn’t help but be snide.

“Not better. Different.” Delaney wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. It was already weird enough that she was sitting next to him at the bar and not arguing with him.

“Different.” JC nodded slowly and swigged his beer, looking away from her.

“Why are you being so…” Delaney had almost finished with ‘normal’ but refrained and instead said, “nice?”

JC continued looking straight ahead. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s just something about being on a tropical island or the fact that I don’t have to worry about running anything. Or maybe I’ve been nice all along and it’s your problem.”

Delaney snickered. “There it is. I knew you couldn’t go a whole conversation without being an ass.”

“Who’s being an ass?” JC glanced at her. “I’m just posing a thought is all.”

“So what you’re saying is that I’m the asshole and you’ve been welcoming and nice to me this whole time?” Delaney looked at him as if he were crazy.

“Yes.” JC didn’t bat an eye

“What’s scary is that I think you believe that’s true.” She finally turned and faced him. “You’ve given me hell since I got to the place and have been screwing every female employee that walks in that building!”

“I haven’t screwed you.” JC locked eyes with her and Delaney suddenly felt a weird sensation rush through her. He was looking at her with eyes that told her she needed to be careful.

“Yeah, well…” Delaney snorted and turned away from him. She looked down at her drink. “I think I’m going to take this upstairs. I’ll see you tomorrow, JC.”

“Wait, Delaney, c’mon. I was kidding.” JC pulled on her arm, coercing her back to the barstool.  I have been a jerk. And yeah, I’ve screwed a lot of women at the hotel. But maybe I’m turning a new leaf?”

Delaney eyed him cautiously. “You’re turning a new leaf in a matter of 24 hours?”

If he was completely honest, he had no idea what was making him feel nice towards Delaney or any of the other staff on the trip with them. But he’d go with it. He had to go with it. Delaney was proving to him that he needed to do whatever it took to play nice.

“I-yeah. Yeah.” For now, at least he thought to himself. “C’mon, drink up. It’s early.”

Those eyes. Those damn blue eyes kept staring at her intently and Delaney was too drunk to do anything about it. They’d been sitting at the bar for over three hours now drinking together. Anyone who observed them would guess they were together the way they were openly flirting with one another. Delaney had easily let it slip her mind that just hours before, she was gossiping with Chris and Ashley about what an ass JC was. But right now, her hand was grazing his thigh and his arm was draped loosely around her backside.

“Wanna go upstairs?” JC’s voice was soft and sultry. It gave Delaney a chill down her spine that she enjoyed and hated all at the same time.

“And what are we gonna do? You gonna fuck me like you do all those other girls?” Delaney rested her cheek in her hand and raised an eyebrow at him.

JC snickered. “Nah, not like the other girls.” JC leaned over and whispered into her ear, “Cause you ain’t a girl, mama. You’re a woman.”

Delaney was done. She felt the urge to jump in his lap right there at the bar but controlled it. “Let’s go.”

The elevator was crowded with other drunk convention guests. Many were laughing loudly and pressing the elevator button over and over again. Delaney stood quietly next to JC and waited for the next empty elevator to arrive. She brushed any sort of clarity or discernment from her mind. She tried not to think about what Ashley and Chris would think if they knew what she was going to –

“Ready?” JC tugged at her arm and Delaney followed him into the elevator with the hoards of other guests surrounding them.

JC leaned over and pressed the button to his floor, then pulled Delaney against him. He rested his fingers on her backside, squeezing it and causing Delaney to visibly shudder. She cleared her throat and didn’t look back at him, only watched the floor numbers light up in front of her and when the door opened on the twelfth floor, quietly let him push her towards the front and out into the hallway.

Following him down the long corridor, he stopped at the room nearest the end of the hallway. He pulled out his room key and swiped it, opened the door, and glanced at Delaney. “Ladies first.”

Delaney knew she was drunk but she also knew the huge risk she was taking right now. Flirting with him down at the bar was one thing, but going into that room she knew she would end up in bed with him. The thoughts of how much she’d hated him, how much she’d wanted him gone, and how often she bad-mouthed him with Chris, Joey, and Ashley reverberated in her head. But he was looking at her like she hadn’t been looked at in a long time. He wanted her and she knew it. Because she wanted him just as much.

She cast it all aside and walked into his hotel room. The door shut behind her and when she turned around, JC was walking toward her.

“Did you ever think this would happen?” He moved a strand of hair from her eyes and cupped her cheek in his palm. Bringing her face towards his, he kissed her, not giving her a chance to respond to the question he’d posed.

Delaney’s lips were on fire just like the rest of her body. She didn’t answer, only kissed him back. They both knew that neither of them had ever expected to be in this situation with each other.

JC kissed her jawline and down her neck, slowly walking her to the bed. Delaney felt frozen and out of control. She already knew this was going to be good.

He reached down and lifted her tank top away from her body. It was so swift and fast that Delaney didn’t realize he’d done it until she felt her arms above her head and heard her shirt hit the ground.

“Pink, huh?” JC said, referring to the color of her bra. He played with the strap on her shoulder, his fingers sliding up and down on her skin.

“Surprised?” Delaney’s arms were around his neck and she moved closer to him, pressing her breasts against his chest.

“You don’t seem like the type who’s into anything but black or white.” His fingers continued to toy with her strap while Delaney played with his belt buckle.

“I’m full of surprises.” She undid his belt and then unzipped his jeans. JC’s eyed widened when her hand wrapped around his shaft.

“Yes. Yes, you are.” He moved so that he could lie down on the bed but Delaney shook her head.

“No. We’re not getting in bed yet.” She was moving her hand up and down faster and with a strong grip.

“Delaney, shit, I, I gotta lie down or-or something.” JC was groaning and Delaney snickered, continuing to pump her hand against him. She let him have his way and he sat down on the bed, pulling her into his lap. They began to kiss each other like animals. It was sloppy and wet but somehow they both found it very sexy.

Delaney was soon straddling him in nothing but her panties and JC was completely naked beneath her. She kissed her way down his body and looked up at him before she took his shaft into her mouth.

JC was going crazy with desire for this woman. This woman who just earlier that day he’d wanted nothing to do with. But the alcohol and the way she was fucking him in her mouth right now made him forget everything he’d ever hated about her.

“Oh god, Delaney. That feels so good. Keep going. Keep doing that.” He had had many women do this very thing to him. But whatever she was doing with her tongue and her teeth down there was like nothing he’d ever experienced. She was giving a whole new meaning to it.

He felt himself about to let go and his hand moved to her hair which covered the lower half of his body. He pulled it as he came and let out a satisfied moan as he did. As Delaney crawled back to him, JC lay there in a stupor. He wanted more of her. He wanted all of her.

“How was that?” Her voice was raspy in his ear and she kissed his neck, her hand splayed across his stomach.

JC could only let out a breath of air in response. He rolled over on top of her and looked her in the eyes. “You’re about to get a good little treat, mama. You just close your eyes and wait for it.”

He was deliberate in where he licked and sucked as he made his way down her body. He liked to hear her little moans and grunts as he kissed the skin on her inner thigh and when he pulled her panties to the side, Delaney rolled her neck to the side.

He couldn’t wait to see what else she’d do.

He started off slow, licking her slit and then rubbing her with his thumb. She was wet and it was already getting him hard thinking about being inside of her. He rolled his tongue around her clit and began to finger her at the same time.

“JC…oh my god…JC!”

JC chuckled against her center. He’d barely done anything and she was already on the verge of coming.

“You like that, huh, baby?” He continued licking and rubbing her, taking turns with his thumb and his tongue.

“JC…” Delaney was gasping as he pushed three fingers inside of her. He looked up at her as he went in and out of her and Delaney couldn’t take it any longer.

“Shit!” She threw her head back and JC watched as her legs twitched on either side of him.

Mission accomplished, he thought to himself as he crawled back onto the bed with her.

They lay next to each other, not speaking a word. Delaney turned her head and looked at JC. “I hate to tell you but that was pretty fucking great.”

JC laughed. “You hate to tell me?”

“Your head is already big enough as it is. I don’t want to make it any bigger.”

JC rolled on top of her. “You’re good at making me bigger.” It was a terrible innuendo and JC knew it, but he knew Delaney was beyond caring. They both just wanted one thing right now.

Delaney locked eyes with him and JC felt her wrap her legs around his waist. He slipped inside of her and they both began to rock against each other.

“I can’t believe this.” Delaney could hardly get the words out.

“Can’t…believe what?” JC grunted and began to push faster.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this!” Delaney caught up with his rhythm and JC grabbed her hands, pulling them above her head.

“We should’ve done it a long time ago.” He began to suck on her neck and soon they were going at each other fast and rough. At one point, JC pulled out and held her against him, entering her from behind. His hands massaged her breasts and when he began to roll both of her nipples with his fingers, Delaney lost all sense of control. She hated to admit it. He was the best sex she’d ever had.

An hour later, Delaney was putting her clothes back on and JC was watching her from the bed. He was sprawled on his side, still naked, his elbow propping him up.

“You don’t have to go,” he told her.

“Yes, I do. I can’t walk out of your room tomorrow morning.” Delaney fastened her bra and reached for her tank top.

“It’s already two-thirty in the morning. So technically…” JC raised an eyebrow.

“I stayed too late as it is.” She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and slipped her flip flops on her feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Or I guess later today.”

JC stood from the bed and walked over to her. “Come back tomorrow night.”

Delaney chuckled. “You know that can’t happen.”

“Why not?” JC folded his arms across his chest.

“JC, this was a one night stand. That’s it.” Delaney was trying to convince him just as much as she was trying to convince herself.

“Is it?” He looked at her again, his blue eyes piercing hers.

“It has to be. We can’t do this. We were drunk.” Delaney headed for the door. “I’ll see you before the first breakout session tomorrow.”

He watched her as she opened the door and disappeared into the hallway. He rubbed his face in his hands and turned to face the bed which was a mess of sex and rumpled sheets. Normally, women would beg him to let them stay the night. Delaney had made up her mind to get out as soon as she could. It wasn’t just a one night stand. They were too good at what they’d just done for it to only happen once and JC knew it.

Delaney scurried towards the elevator, her mind about to explode from what had just happened. She and JC had had mind-blowing sex. That was all there was to it. She knew it couldn’t happen again. She would just have to get drunk with someone else.

But as she waited for the elevator, Delaney had a sneaking suspicion it wasn’t the last time she’d end up in JC’s bed.