Trading Heartbeats

Shep @afton
My date tonight is a baaaaabe @neatojessi

Jessilynn Rae @neatojessi
Got a real good feelin' something bad about to happen

Afton and I can spend an hour or more getting ready together, but we always take separate cars when we go places together since we both have a habit of wandering off and neither of us want to be stranded or leave the other stranded. Of course, not wandering off could be an option but we don't really see the fun in that. Tonight is no exception. We got ready in my room and then stood in the middle of our street taking pictures of and with each other before she slid into her car and I hopped up into my truck and took off.

Honestly, I don't even know what this event tonight is other than an excuse to get dressed up. There's also an open bar and it's hard to turn down drinking for free when on any other occasion the kinds of things I will be drinking tonight would cost at least ten bucks each. Not to mention it gives me the opportunity to pretend I'm way cooler than I actually am. Really, it's just a fun night out at no cost other than the gas it takes to get there.

My interaction with Harry and Niall left me feeling feisty all afternoon, so when it came time to pick out a dress, I went with red. Since the event is at my place of employment, I have to keep my attire appropriate, so it's the one with the black lace at the shoulders, the one where the bodice of dress is close fitting but not tight, and the skirt floats out in an A-line. My shoes are black Steve Maddan heels with gold studs. They're a little higher than I should be wearing and before the night is over my rehabilitated leg will be sore and I will be barefoot, but I don't care. I'm also wearing some dangling earrings, black, that may or may not, should someone really piss me off, double as shanks. Unofficially, of course.

I couldn't help but stare at Afton leaning against her pearl white Mistubishi, which she affectionately named Blue, as I was getting down from my truck, Bowser. I'm comfortable in my skin but she's always been so damn gorgeous. Her short bleached hair is a nice contrast to her naturally tanned skin. Her strapless, shimmering gold dress begged for attention, but the sheer black mesh over the bodice keeps the tone from being too demanding. It's fitted from chest to where it falls at the middle of her toned thighs, and her red heels, which she will also have off by the end of the night, are to die for. She doesn't work here, and therefore doesn't have to be as conservative as I do.

She looped her arm with mine as soon as I was close enough for her to reach. We're close in height; Afton is approximately two inches taller than me, three with the discrepancy between the height of our current footwear. It's a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the dining room at the Beach and Tennis Club, but the view of the Pacific Ocean once you get there makes it worth it.

The event has already started when we get there. A couple hundred people are holding drinks or tiny plates of food and mingling, and I still can't remember what this is for. When push comes to shove, it doesn't matter. Everyone is here to have a good time and some free booze. And food. But probably mostly booze.

We hit the bar first, as usual. The funny thing about Afton and me is that we go back and forth with which one of us wants to go out and party all night, but despite that we nearly always accompany each other. It's been me for the past month or so, but Afton is starting to get back into it. So, with drinks in our hands, we weave through the sea of people, greeting both familiar and unfamiliar faces like we were born to do this.

It's not long at all before we've separated. Afton closed in quickly on a cute boy and pulled him out onto the dance floor. Our tastes differ, but he's one we would agree is attractive. She saw him first, though, and moved a lot more quickly. And anyway, my mind's not really in it, still wandering back to my interaction with the popstars earlier.

Over the next half hour the room grows thicker with people. Joie met up with me briefly upon arriving even later than Afton and I did. She was wearing a dress she'd borrowed from me, long sleeved and plaid in vibrant red and blue with a bow at the waist, paired with a brown leather jacket and black moto boots. For just a minute I thought maybe she'd come on her bike, but she quickly reminded me that dresses and motorcycles tend to not work well together.

Jessilynn Rae @neatojessi
Leave it to @joeynotjoy to make my country clothes look rock n roll [heart eyes emoji]

There's a smile on my face as I send the tweet. Just as I'm slipping my phone back into my purse I can feel someone looking at me. Not in the sense that I am surrounded by a few hundred people and possibly someone's eyes have passed over me. No, it feels like someone has their eyes fixed on me.

It's not even fifteen seconds later that I'm wrapped up in a conversation with an old friend from high school. Nash is tall with broad shoulders and a face that makes you ask yourself how someone can be so good looking. Just by looking at him, you'd think he was a football player, but he actually did track and field in high school, and all but one year placed first in shot put and discus throw. Since high school, he's competed in several Scottish Games, which he was talking about when he segued, mentioning that he heard about my incident.

"You heard correctly," I said with a laugh. "It was pretty shitty at the time but after some rehab, I'm good as almost-new." His eyes grew brighter and crinkled at the corners with his smile. "Did you ever catch on to archery? Shep and I are going to the range Monday with my dad if you're not busy."

Nash's eyes lit up even brighter at the invitation. "Actually, I'm not busy," he said. "Haven't seen Shep or your dad in forever," he went on. I used to think I wanted to date Nash, but in hindsight, I think it's better that I never told him so. "If you're sure they won't mind if I tag along..." his sentence trailed off.

I waved my hand as if to wipe away any concerns. "The more, the merrier," I said. I slid my hand into my purse and handed him my phone. "I doubt I have your number anymore," I told him, but he was already dialing his number. Then he hit the call button and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Oh, well which one of us is the better friend," he said, turning the phone so I could see my name on the screen. "I still have your number."

I playfully snatched my phone from him. "I am, asshole," I fired back without missing a beat. "Because you've had my number this whole time and when was the last time you tried calling? Hmm? At least I have a good excuse for not getting in touch."

"Yeah, that you deleted my number, asshole," he joked. I smacked his stomach while we both laughed.

We talked for a little while longer before he excused himself. The feeling of someone's eyes on me returned, but I ignored it, maybe enjoying the view of Nash walking away a little too much. Even so, I would never sleep with him. I lifted my drink to take a sip as he slipped out the door, presumably to use the restroom.

"So ya do know how to smile."

I nearly choked at first sound of the Irish accented voice. I whipped around, smile completely gone and replaced with a glare that would kill, if looks could. "You've got to be kidding me," I said, feeling the fire from earlier reignite from deep inside my stomach.

"Boyfriend?" he asked, nodding in the direction Nash had just gone.

"I don't do boyfriends," I snapped. I could feel the anger bubbling up inside of me. Never in my life had anyone brought on such strong feelings of rage so quickly. And they only grew as a smile stretched across his stupid face.

When I said what I said to Joie earlier, it wasn't because I was attracted to Niall. I wanted to hate-fuck him. It's not a feeling I'm used to.

"Interesting piece of trivia; good to know," he commented.

My eyes narrowed even more. "What do you want?" I asked him.

"Point me in the direction of the bar, will ya sweetheart," he suggested. "Or, will ya need to see me ID again?"

I rolled my eyes. "First of all, I'm off the clock, so find the bar on your own," I fired at him. "Second, they don't card at these things. And third, I don't give a partial shit if you drink, but if you think I'm going to lose my job over the likes of you, you're dead wrong."

He nodded. "Got that fire inside," he commented as he started in the direction of the very obvious bar. It took up an entire wall of the room. "Hang there for a minute, I'll be right back," he said.

As soon as his back was turned, I threw back the rest of my drink. The level of my rage was so high I couldn't even feel the burn of the alcohol as it slid down my throat. "Not on your life, dickbag," I mumbled after him, heading off in the opposite direction.

For the next hour I made a game of avoiding him, keeping my eyes peeled during conversations with my friends, who I met up with briefly. Casually shifting and positioning myself behind other people while talking to guests of the club who knew me as their favorite bartender. Ducking away after chats with coworkers. I know he saw me several times, but one of the advantages of being small is that you can easily get lost in a crowded room.

I always switch off between alcoholic beverages and water to help keep myself paced, especially open bar work events. And after only one of each I desperately needed the bathroom. At the next break in conversation I took the opportunity to slip out of the dining room.

The guest restrooms would be swarming with people. I knew that not only from experience, but also common sense. So I turned left upon exiting the dining room and headed down the corridor. At the end I made another left and then a right and pushed open the door to one of the employee restrooms. Six stalls, all empty. I breathed a sigh and pushed one of them open.

I was washing my hands when the door opened. I didn't hear it, so I jumped in surprise when I heard a voice speak.

"Been lookin' all over for you. Saw you duck away from me a few times," he said, stepping inside.

I didn't bother looking up from the sink. "Maybe you should take a hint," I said pointedly. I turned the water off and moved toward the hand dryer. I pushed the button with my elbow and stuck my hands in the flow of warm air. I looked across the bathroom at him. His mouth was moving, but the sound was lost. "Can't hear you," I said, nodding at the hand dryer next to me.

He turned the lock on the door and started toward me. The hand dryer shut off even though my hands were still slightly wet. "Said I think you're playin' a game," he told me. "Got girls followin' me everywhere I go, don't really mind to do the chase," he shrugged.

His eyes were boring into mine as he approached. Something in his words seemed to fan the rage-fire in my stomach. Then he was in front of me, his mouth was against mine, hands on my body. I didn't push him away. No, I put my damp hands on the back of his neck and pulled him toward me, kissing him furiously.

It was a whirlwind. My back was against the wall, then he was pressing me against the counter, one of my hands gripping the edge of it. My injured leg was starting to ache from the heels and my knee wobbled. His hands slid over my butt and gripped the back of my legs as he lifted me up and set me on the counter. My now free hand went to his side, pulling him between my legs and drawing him closer to me.

He broke away long enough to suck in a breath. "Made ya weak in the knees," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't talk," I instructed as I straightened my back, pushing my body toward his and reattaching our lips. I didn't want to admit it, but he was really good. He knew it too. I could feel him still smirking. And then his hand was sliding up my leg, pushing up underneath my dress. His fingers were cold against my bare skin. I reached down to grab them and bit his lip a little harder than necessary. "I'm not fucking you in this bathroom," I said when he pulled back.

He still had that fucking smirk on his face and I wanted nothing more than to reach up and wipe it away. But he didn't give me the opportunity. "Didn't think ya would, Sweetheart" he said, putting his mouth on mine again. My hand was still gripping his hand, which was now gripping my thigh while his other hand was doing something behind his back. "Ten minutes," he said, pressing a key card against my free hand. He kissed me again and then was on his way out the door.

I sat there for just a minute, trying to catch my breath. This was happening faster than I'd expected, but I couldn't deny that it was kind of exciting. I couldn't wrap my head around it either. I hopped down off the counter and looked at the key card. I could tell, just from the little bit of interaction I'd had with Niall earlier in the day, that he was not the type to stay in the Lodge. But the key card he'd given me was for room 317, an average suite. Which meant he was arrogant enough to book a room for no other reason than to give the key to someone.

I turned to the mirror to fix my hair. I swiped my fingers underneath my eyes and then against my flushed cheeks. How his fingers could have been so cold when my flesh was on fire was beyond me, so I pushed the thought from my head. It didn't matter. This would be a one time deal, just to get it out of my system.

He said ten minutes, but I went back to the dining room for a little bit, waiting double that before I headed past the guest restrooms, out the door and across the courtyard toward the suites. I started working here part time on weekends when I was sixteen, helping with cleaning, so I knew all the different hotels like the back of my hand. I found 317 easily and slid the key in the door.

I had barely shut the door behind me before Niall was on me, slamming my back against the door and attaching his lips to mine. His hands were groping at the bodice of my dress. I didn't waste any time tossing aside my clutch and reaching for his belt to undo the buckle. We both knew exactly what we were there for. I pulled the belt from his pants and discarded it on the floor. He wasn't wearing a tie, so my fingers worked the buttons on his shirt and then went for the button on his pants.

He had the skirt of my dress pooled around my waist and moved his mouth from mine long enough to pull it over my head. He looked down at it after tossing it aside. "Looks good on the floor," he commented.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't talk," I told him again, grabbing his open shirt and pulling him back toward me. I also took the opportunity to move away from the door, turning until he was where I was, and keeping a hold on his shirt and my mouth on his, moved backward across the room to the bed.

I sat down and let my shoes fall off my feet, my injured leg grateful for the reprieve. I shouldn't have worn them because of the height but they're actually really comfortable shoes. I was now so much lower than Niall that he had to lean over. I pushed his pants down off his hips as he started to push me back onto the bed. He kicked them off, along with his shoes, and climbed onto the bed. I used my arms to push myself up toward the head of the bed as he moved above me.

His shirt was still on, so I sat up and pushed it off his shoulders. His pulled his arms from the sleeves and flung it across the room as I grabbed the hem of his undershirt to pull over his head. Once it was discarded, his lips were back on mine, cold hands groping at my body, grabbing my breasts through my bra. I reached back to unhook it and he threw it aside, then removed his lips from mine and pressed them against my chest. His thumbs grazed over my nipples as he worked his way down my stomach.

Nails scraped gently against the skin on my hips as he pulled my underwear off. I nearly shot off the bed at the first swipe of his tongue. I was not usually quite so sensitive, but it was like I could feel every groove of his tongue against each of the thousands of nerve endings it was touching. He pressed one hand gently to my stomach to hold me down as his tongue brushed against me again. I couldn't hold back the sound that came out when he slipped one finger, and then a second, inside me. I bucked my hips but he pressed down on my stomach as he continued to work both his mouth and his fingers. I squeezed my eyes shut, my breathing labored.

Niall must have realized that I was getting close because he slid his fingers out. I whined as his mouth left me, but then it quickly found mine. My hands grasped at his body until I found the waistband of his underwear and pushed it of his hips, using my feet to push them down his legs. He kicked them off and I pushed myself up on my elbows and flipped us over.

He was bigger than I though he'd be. Not huge, but in all honesty, my expectations had been low. I swirled my tongue around the tip before taking him into my mouth, sliding my hand down as my mouth moved along with it. I'm not a huge fan of giving head, but I'm also not opposed to it. And I've been told I'm good at it. Plus, Niall went down on me so it's only fair that I return the favor.

I don't always believe that, but in this particular situation, I do.

I'm mostly enjoying the sounds he's making. There's something gratifying about them. But I can't let him think he's getting off that easy, so I stop and move back up, straddling his midsection. He pulled me down as he pushed himself up and our mouths met in the middle. I could feel him pressing against me.

"Condom," I mumbled into his mouth. His response was a hum back into my mouth, but made no move to get one.

Instead he reached down and slipped his fingers inside me again. I moaned several times into his mouth, at which I can feel that fucking smirk again, before he pulled them out and detached from me. He slid down to the end of the bed and to reach for his pants.

I watched carefully as he put it on, making sure he knew what he was doing. And then he was on top of me, mouth on mine. I let out a low groan when he slid slowly into me. He stopped to look at me, possibly for the first time since I'd come into the room.

"You alright?" he asked.

I was so surprised by the inquiry that all I could do was nod. I am. But he waited still, and then repeated the question. I nodded again. "I'm good," I finally managed. I pushed myself up on my elbows and put my mouth to his. "I'm good," I repeated.

Even then, he started out slow. I'm not sure why, because we had a good rhythm going before, so I took charge. Instead of lowering myself back down, I pushed up and then put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him down. He grabbed onto my hips as I worked them and then began to move his to meet the pace of mine.

He's good at this too, and I think it made me hate him a little more. He doesn't let me be in control for too long, and that made me hate him more also. He rolled us over so he can be on top, and he pulled out and repositioned to slide in from behind. I was finally back on top when he finished, letting out a gutteral groan. And I tried to keep him going because I refuse to fake it, but he slid out before I finished.

I wouldn't accept that though. At some point we ended up back at the head of the bed, and he was laying back against the pillows. Straddling him, I moved on my knees up his chest, stopping when I got near his face. He looked up at me through glazed eyes and then hooked his arms onto my legs and lowered me down onto him.

This is where Niall really shines. In seconds I was gasping, gripping headboard and trying to keep myself up. My legs quivered, and I don't even know how many times I said, 'oh god'. I can feel it building, and I know Niall can too. But he also, somehow, knows how to draw it out. My knuckles are white and I let go of the headboard to tangle my fingers in his hair instead.

And then it's like an explosion inside me. I squeeze my eyes shut and I breath out a moan so loud I have remove one of my hands from Niall's hair to cover my mouth. I can feel him smirking again but he doesn't stop. I'm practically screaming behind my hand but he kept going. The warmth in my stomach spread throughout my entire body and I squeezed my fingers in Niall's hair, and my toes curled tightly as they press into the bed. He's still going, and the warmth turns into tingles and it's like there's a thousand fireworks going off inside of me.

When all I can do anymore is breathe hard, when I can barely support myself even gripping onto the headboard again, when my leg is aching but the rest of me is such a state of pure bliss that I don't care and barely even notice it, Niall stopped. I swung my bad leg over his body and fall onto the bed next to him, my breathing heavily labored. I don't have to look at him to know he's got that fucking smirk on his face. But I feel so good that I can't even hate him.

I laid there only long enough to catch my breath. Neither of us spoke, and we didn't look at each other. We weren't touching, I wasn't wondering what he was thinking. The only thing I was thinking was that I would be thinking about this for a long time.

When my breathing finally slowed enough, I pushed myself upright and slipped off the bed to gather my clothes. I took everything into the bathroom, peed, and gave myself a good long look in the mirror. Without even having to say anything, he hadn't left a mark on me. Not physically, anyway. I dressed and fixed my hair, fixed my face, and emerged from the bathroom.

I still didn't say anything as I grabbed my shoes and my purse and then reached for the doorknob. Niall had dressed while I was in the bathroom, but his hair was still a mess. He was at the mirror, trying to fix it as I was stepping out into the hallway.

"See ya 'round, Jessilynn," he said as I pulled the door shut behind me.

All I could think, as I walked down the hallway toward the exit to head back to the dining room was, 'God, I hope so.'

Shep @afton
@neatojessi @joeynotjoy #girlfriendmaterial [heart eyes emoji][heart eyes emoji][heart eyes emoji]