JC's eyes fluttered open. A small crack of light leaked into the room through the blackout curtains. He stretched his arms out with a yawn. After a few deep breaths, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The apartment was quiet, except the sounds of the shower echoing through the bathroom door. JC slid from Nicole's bed, and retrieved his clothes from the top of the dresser, where he had piled them last night. He slid on a pair of black boxer briefs, and before unfolding his pants to slide those on as well, he retrieved his phone from the back pocket. There were two messages from his manager and one from his girlfriend. He promptly returned the phone to his pocket and threw the pants onto the bed, not ready to face the reality of the day. This second life he was creating for himself was too comfortable and stress-free to ruin with reality. 

He picked up his shirt and tossed it over his head, sliding his arms through as he fumbled toward the kitchen. He opened up various cabinets and found a stash of coffee mugs and a beat-up looking package of coffee. He searched the counters of the small kitchen looking for a coffee maker. His eyes landed on a metal pitcher shaped contraption that sat on the stove. The outside was stained with streaks of brown. He lifted the lid and saw that the inside walls of the pitcher were stained brown as well and smelled of coffee. He twisted the metal contraption, and it came apart in his hands. He pulled out a funnel shaped metal insert and inspected it. He looked at the coffee package hoping to find directions, but everything was written in Spanish.

He turned the metal parts in his hands. "What am I supposed to do with this," he sighed.

"Give me that!" Nicole laughed, startling JC, who dropped the coffee maker onto the counter.

"Is this your coffeemaker?" He asked.

Nicole responded in the affirmative and quickly went to work filling the appropriate parts with water and coffee, reassembled the percolator, and set it on the stove. She slid down the counter and rested her back against a cabinet, arms folded, eyeing JC, who stood across from her. Her hair was tied up in a towel, and she wore a blue terry cloth robe which loosely covered her body. JC smirked and reached out one hand, pulled both strands of the dangling belt that secured her robe, and positioned her a step closer to him. He looped a finger in the belt, and it came unfastened, causing the robe to open slightly.  She flushed and lowered her arms to her sides, allowing him better access. He took a small step closer to her and reached out his left hand. He gently slid his fingertips down the front of her body, starting at her collar bone, gliding lightly across her skin, down to her tummy, and ever so slightly pushing open her robe.

"Have a nice shower?" asked softly. 

She nodded in response.
He slid his hand under the fabric of the robe and around behind her, stopping at her lower back. He pressed her body against his lightly. He placed his other hand on the side of her face, tilting her head back and pressed his lips to her neck, then to her chin, and finally to her lips. "You should have woken me up, I would have joined you." He whispered before pressing his lips to hers again. He deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue and strengthening the grip on her body with his hands, pressing her hard against him. 

She allowed herself a few more moments of enjoying his kiss before she pulled away slightly and mumbled against his mouth. "Too dangerous." She smiled. "You have this profound effect on me. Once you start, I can't stop." She pushed off his chest, and once again tied the robe around her body. "And I don't have any more condoms." She turned to the stove, picked up the coffee maker, and turned back to him, "Coffee?" she chirped. 

JC picked up the two mugs he left on the counter, looping his fingers through both handles, and held them out for her to fill. She filled both and took one for herself. JC took his coffee and walked out of the kitchen and around to the living room and took a seat at the bar stool facing her, blowing gently over his coffee. After a beat, he asked, "So, condoms. I know we have only done this a few times, but suddenly you're hung up on the condom thing. And, while I am on board for safe sex, you can understand how I'm maybe a little bit concerned that you're not telling me something?"

Nicole eyed him cautiously and took a small sip of her coffee. "I told you yesterday, before, I hadn't been with anyone else."

"Like since you were engaged?" He asked, surprised. 

Nicole snorted and laughed, "No!" After a pause, she continued, "I mean, I hadn't been with anyone in a while. I check things out regularly, you know. When I have physicals and annuals and things."

JC made no attempt to reply. He took a slow sip of coffee.

"I don't know, I guess I figured, you know, you were going to be a onetime thing, and I don't have to worry about the kids thing, and I trusted you were clean or whatever. Which, now hearing that said aloud, sounds so bad... I guess I just, I don't know...you know if we're gonna to keep doing this," she waved her finger back and forth between them, "then I figure I should be honest with you... And, now I am rambling, so feel free to stop me at any time." Nicole laughed awkwardly. She leaned against the counter across from him, set down the mug, and watched as the steam curled up from the surface. 

"A onetime thing, huh?" JC asked with a slight chuckle, lightening the mood slightly. "Explains a lot." He muttered softly. 

"What?" She asked, surprised.  

"The first time, you wouldn't let me kiss you, and you were mortified when Joel saw me here the next morning." He sipped his coffee, eyeing her, waiting for her response.

Nicole stayed quiet. She had nothing to add. She didn't think their relationship would continue past that night, she needed to maintain some semblance of control. No need to get too attached, so she refused to kiss him. And Joel! He's so desperate for her to "move on" she knew exactly what conclusions he would jump to. She didn't want to get his hopes up. 

"But I get it. I'm just that good; you just needed to come back for more," he said with a crooked smile, wagging his eyebrows up and down. "And I am clean." He added. "And what do you mean you don't have to worry about the kids thing?" He emphasized his question with finger quotes. 

"Oh, I can't have them. Most of the parts got removed after the accident," she waved her hand in a circular motion across her abdomen. 

"Shit, sorry." JC replied softly, averting his eyes. 

"Oh, no, no, it's okay. I mean, it wasn't something I wanted to do, you know, have kids."

"You and Jason didn't want to have a family?" 

"Wow. You really like to dig in deep with the personal questions."

"Just curious, I guess." 

"No. I mean, my father killed himself and my mom was an abusive alcoholic," Nicole announced matter-of-factly.  "Jay had no clue who his father was, so I mean, why risk fucking up a whole new generation? It's not like we learned from the best or anything," she added with a shrug of her shoulders. 

"I understand. The thought of kids is terrifying. I had good role models, but I don't know, I can't help but wonder if inherently or genetically me having kids isn't in anyone's best interest."

"That's dark."

"Me? Your dad died by suicide and your mom was an abusive alcoholic, so I'm just trying to compete, here!" he laughed, hoping she would appreciate his attempt at lightening the mood.

"You can't win the trauma competition," Nicole sipped her coffee quickly and continued, "Don't forget, the love of my life also bled out in front of me, and I'm sterile."

"Jesus Christ! Your ability to emotionally detach is impressive." 

"It's a gift!" she chimed, batting her eyelashes. She pushed away from the counter and pulled the towel out of her hair. She shimmied her fingers through the roots and allowed her damp hair to cascade down over her shoulders. She shuffled toward the bathroom to hang the towel and called out to him, "Do you hear that?" 

JC swiveled the bar stool to face the general direction of her voice, "Hear what?" he called back. 

She didn't respond, but he could hear her footsteps traverse the bedroom. She emerged with his phone in her hand. The screen was lit, and the device was buzzing. JC's heart sank. His face paled, and brow furrowed slightly. He was trying to appear calm, but a heavy pit formed in his stomach, concerned that Jen's name was flashing across the screen. 

She eyed the screen quizzically. "Who's Eric?" she asked, handing him the phone. "He keeps calling."

JC heaved a sigh. "Oh, just my manager," he mumbled and promptly took the phone from her, placing it face down on the counter, allowing it to vibrate and rattle against the hard granite countertop. 

"Do you need to answer it?" 

"Need? Probably. Want to? Absolutely not." 

"Is he who you are meeting with in a bit?" 

"Unfortunately."

"Then don't go."

"Easier said than done." JC stood abruptly and stretched his arms over his head. "It's a big contract, and he's worried I'll blow it."

"Well, if he's more worried about your contract than you are, that should tell you something."

"Precisely why I don't want to answer his call." He reached over, grabbed Nicole's hand, and pulled her to him. He spun her around, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her back up against his chest. He placed a small kiss on her neck. "Plus, I have other things I'd like to do today, besides meet with my manager."

"Oh yeah. Like what?" She asked, feigning ignorance. 

"Like this." He replied and slid his hand down the front of her robe and gripped her breast. He circled her nipple with the pad of his thumb, while nipping at her ear lobe with his teeth. "And maybe this..." He slid his hand down her chest and stomach. Nicole shuddered at his touch, and reluctantly pulled away, turning in his arm to face him. His phone again began vibrating against the counter. 

"Don't start something you can finish," she smiled, eyeing the phone. 

JC picked up the phone reluctantly and swiped to answer the call. "Hey E... Yeah... No, I know... Look, I'm busy, so I can't talk..." Nicole placed a series of small kisses on his neck, then onto his jaw line, and eventually pressed her lips to his. He smiled devilishly and pulled away slightly to continue his conversation. "Look E, I don't care what you tell them, I'm not coming... Tell them I'm feeling inspired... Look, I have to go." He pulled the phone from his ear and ended his call. He tossed it on the counter, and immediately it started buzzing again. He picked it up, swiped to answer it, and immediately ended the call, then powered off his phone. 

He looked down at Nicole,  "Well honey, you got me all day, and I intend to finish everything we start."