Lifeline

I bring up the memory of his fingers pinching my nipple and how hard and big he felt between my legs. My hand moves faster, desperate for my release.

God, Daniel, I want you so much.

All it takes is picturing him naked and his cock slamming hard and deep into me for my back to arch. I press myself against his side, the wave of ecstasy ripping whimpers and moans from me as it rockets through my body, and I try to muffle the sounds against his arm.

Gasping for air while plastered to my partner’s side, I come down from my orgasm and slowly pull my hand from between my legs. I lie still, listening to his even breaths.

JJ, what are you doing?

Pushing myself up to my feet, I walk to the bedroom and grab a pillow from the bed. Going back to the living room, I gently slip my hand beneath O’Brien’s head and position the pillow before tenderly laying him back down. Leaning over him, I hesitate for a moment but then press a soft kiss to his lips. Figuring the worst has been done, I whisper, “I love you, Daniel.”

O’Brien

Waking up, it feels as if someone took a sledgehammer to my fucking head.

“Christ,” I groan as I force my eyes open. It takes a couple of seconds for my sight to focus on the big yellow stain on the ceiling.

What the fuck…

The memory of drinking with Berisha and Joseph trickles through my mind. With another groan, I push myself up, then rub a hand over my face. Glancing around, I realize I’m on JJ’s living room floor.

I try to remember how I got here, but there’s nothing.

“You’re awake.” JJ’s voice is soft, as if she’s expecting I’ll have a hangover from hell.

Slowly I turn my head toward her, then mutter, “Sorry for passing out on your floor.” It takes more energy than I have to move so I can sit on the couch.

“How do you feel?”

“Like shit warmed up.”

A knock at the door has both our gazes snapping to it.

“Who is it?” JJ calls out.

“A friend of Danny’s,” we hear Joseph call out.

Fuck. What did I do last night? What did I say?

Instantly my need to protect JJ overrides my hangover. “Stay in the bedroom until I leave, then lock behind me,” I order.

JJ nods, stepping back into the bedroom. I wait until she’s out of sight before I open the door.

“You look like shit,” Joseph laughs, then he holds a drink out to me. “It will help with the hangover.”

Taking the drink from him, I step out of the apartment and pull the door shut behind me. “Thanks.”

“So?” He gives me a curious look. “Did you get lucky?”

A frown forms on my forehead. “Lucky?”

“You wanted to fuck your neighbor.”

Christ almighty.

I stare at Joseph, then think to ask, “What other shit did I say?”

He shakes his head, throws his arm around my shoulder, and pushes me toward my front door. “You just kept saying you wanted to go home, and when I helped you to your door, you insisted on going to her place.”

“That’s all?” I ask as we walk inside my apartment. I pour some of the drink he brought down my throat, hoping to God it works.

“Yeah. So? Did you at least get laid? Adriel made me sleep on the couch.”

I let out a chuckle, thinking his wife must’ve been pissed. “Nah, I slept on the floor.”

I hope I didn’t do anything and just dropped on her floor to sleep. Needing to know what I did, I say, “Give me five minutes. I just want to check with her.”

Joseph lets out a bark of laughter.

I dart out of the apartment and quickly knock five times on JJ’s door, so she’ll know it’s me. When she opens, I push inside, closing the door, then I lock eyes with her and search for any sign that I fucked up. “Did I do anything inappropriate last night?”

A slight frown forms on her forehead. “You can’t remember?” When I shake my head, the corner of her mouth lifts, but for some reason, it doesn’t look like a happy smile. “You didn’t do anything. Just came in, dropped on the floor, and slept like the dead.”

I let out a breath of relief. “Sorry for crashing here.”

“Why did you drink so much?”

Wanting to avoid talking about the guilt, I shake my head. “Later. Joseph’s at my place.” Letting myself out, I make sure to shut her door before heading back so I can shower.

The moment I walk into the living room, Joseph lifts an eyebrow at me. “And?”

“Just passed out on her floor.” Walking to the small bedroom, I say, “Gonna shower.”

“Quick. I need a greasy breakfast to line my stomach.”

Grabbing clean clothes from the rickety chest of drawers, I head into the bathroom. When I’m alone, I try to recall what happened after getting drunk.