Night had fallen fast. Tommy and Maria had already headed out, eager to get Benji into bed before it got any later. You stayed behind with Joel, finishing off the whiskey together, a move that was likely a bad idea. Ellie was gone, too, spending the night with Dina and some friends.

Joel sat close, too close. Your thighs grazed as you laughed, recounting a story, but the alcohol was starting to settle in, and he had stopped listening. He remained silent while you became louder than usual. He wasn't flirting, exactly, but the way he looked at you was enough to burn a hole right through your shirt. His eyes screamed one thing: I want you.

When you teased him, his jaw clenched, and he muttered your name like a warning. He’d known you for a while now, from patrols and working the construction sites in Jackson. The look in his eyes wasn't entirely new, but the sudden, raw desire was. You shifted, swaying slightly under the influence of the whiskey, and he caught you. His hand landed on your waist to steady you.

Then, he moved it higher. His other hand came up to hold you steady as his gaze drifted to your lips, rosy and tilted in a smile. You could feel his hesitation even as his thumb pressed firmly against your hip. Your eyes met, and before you could process the impulse, your hand was buried in his hair.

Whatever restraint he had been clinging to finally snapped. When your lips met, the kiss was a dizzying mess of heat and gentleness. Your fingers tangled in the soft curls at the back of his head, pulling him in as he drew you closer.

He was the one to break it, both of you panting as he leaned his forehead against yours.

"We shouldn't..." he whispered, even as his lips trailed toward your jaw.

Your hand fisted in his hair, and that was all the encouragement he needed. Your back hit the cushions of the couch, and he drew back for a split second, checking your expression, making sure you wanted this as much as he did before he dove back in.