Wave of Temptation 1/ 2
FRIDAY: EARLY EVENING
"Steve!"
Hearing genuine distress in his partner's voice, Steve came running, fearing Danny was in danger.
"What is it? Bomb? Sniper? What?!"
"It's Chin, that's what it is!" Danny proclaimed, glaring at the third occupant of the office.
"Chin made you sound like that?"
Danny hemmed, hawed and blustered until Chin was smothering laughter and Steve was scowling at both of them. "Danno!"
"Fine! He's teasin' me, okay? He's nothin' but a… a bully!"
Steve shook his head.
"Lemme get this straight. Chin Ho Kelly… is bullying you?"
"I really wasn't." the subject of discussion broke in, finally catching his breath. "I told him he owed me for not getting to see that kiss the other week. I was trying to collect, but he won't talk."
"Hey, if Kono hadn't walked in on us, what Danno and I do when we're alone would still be totally private. I don't blame him for keepin' his trap shut."
Chin's eyes widened comically. "What, she didn't tell you?"
"No. No she didn't. I need to go find her."
"Yeah, you do." Steve replied, now grinning broadly. Once he'd exited, Steve pulled Danny into his arms and laughed softly in his ear. "There, there. You're safe, now. I sent the big, bad man away."
"Not funny. Completely not funny…"
"You're right, I'm, sorry." Steve soothed, though he was still chuckling. "Ya gotta throw him a bone once in a while, Danno. He's ohana and we both know how family can drive you insane when they think they've been left outta what's goin' on."
"Do I ever. It's just… this is a you an' me thing. I want it to stay that way."
"I'm not sayin' you should go into graphic detail. Tell him about our kisses, open up a little more about how you're feeling. Trust me, he'll back off."
"Yeah. I guess I did kinda start it. That day you an' Kono went to the park for lunch, he said somethin' about partners havin' their own language… how they get each other like nobody else does. I freaked a little, started talkin' *way* too much... an' not a word made any sense at all. He asked, but he was nice about it, willin' to back off. I needed somebody to talk to, though."
"Yeah…"
"Not you, too?"
"Kono said your name an' I guess I blushed… got this goofy smile. She gave me some really good advice."
"So did Chin."
"Nice to have somebody know… people we trust, I mean."
"Yeah, totally."
Steve reached out and pulled Danny in, rocking him side to side a bit.
"God, this feels good. So damn good..."
"Mmmm… it does." Danny sighed. The sound was wistful and sad, however, and it prompted Steve to gently question his lover.
"What's that about?"
"I love this kinda thing. Rach didn't. She's high energy… always gotta be up and runnin' around, doin' a hundred things at once. She couldn't stand to just sit… just be in my arms for a while and let me be close an' quiet. No matter how much *I* needed it, she couldn't compromise."
"It's tough to change who you are at your core, D. Yeah, maybe she could've tried… but you'd both have ended up more miserable. Faster, too."
"Don't defend her, damn it." Danny groused into Steve's chest, making the other man laugh again.
"She's Gracie's mom. Hating her and staying mad doesn't benefit any of you. And just for the record, I can't get enough of bein' close to you. You can have this anytime you need it, okay? Just ask."
"I'm takin' you up on that. Can we get outta Dodge, now? Pretty soon the ghost of Chin's curiosity is gonna be back in here hauntin' me."
"Probably. Let's jet, babe…"
45 MINUTES LATER: THE BACKYARD OF A NEARBY HOUSE
"Okay…" Danny injected, thoroughly confused. "… first off, it's dark an' I don't sneak around in the dark unless I eventually get to yell at, shoot at or, hopefully, arrest somebody. Second; unless you know whoever lives here, we just trespassed. I'm pretty sure that's not something the Governor would approve of…"
"Will you relax? A friend of mine owns this house. I called ahead and he said we were free to use his pool." Steve chided lightly, flipping a switch that lit up the water and the immediate area.
"Pool?"
"What, you wanna do your next lesson down at the beach with breakers rolling over your head?"
"Uhhh…. now that you mention it? Not on your life."
"That's what I thought. Get down to your swim trunks. Danny?"
"Crap."
"What?"
"It's not Saturday. I thought maybe we'd go to dinner… back to your place for some beer an' a DVD…"
"Oh. Hey, we still can…"
"No, it's… I'm good. I just… I could do it in my boxers, I guess. Leave 'em off when I get dressed again later."
A wicked smile instantly blossomed on Steve's face.
"I have a better idea."
"Uh-uh!" Danny protested, his face coloring rapidly. "You… you're outta your ever-lovin' mind, that's what you are!"
"We're on private property, Danno, and we have permission to be here. The owners skinny-dip all the time…"
"I don't! Oh mannn… don't look at me that way. You know damn well…"
Stepping closer, Steve leaned in and murmured into Danny's ear.
"Think about it, babe. Both of us naked… surrounded by warm water… able to touch every wet, slippery, inch of skin. Sorta like your shower fantasy, but better."
Danny moaned quietly.
"Get thee behind me, Steve McGarrett…"
"Someday soon… when we're ready. For now let's go swimming…"
TBCompleted…