A/N: Um… wow. Just… I… no words… Your responses to this story were truly amazing and left me slightly speechless. Thank you so much!
Before you launch into Chapter 2, I would just like to take a moment to let you all know what I had to go through to write this chapter. It was such a burden to have to watch *that* scene in Snow Day over and over again (like a hundred billion times) trying to get everything just right. *Le sigh* Now I know the true meaning of suffering for your art.
And... cue laughter. I know, I know. Poor me, right?
On a more serious note, I was issued a challenge a few weeks ago (you know who you are!) to make my smut more "soulful" and less about the dirty talk. Well, never one to turn down a challenge (okay, that's a huge lie… I turn down lots of challenges... but don't you judge me – challenges are hard!) I picked up the gauntlet and have tried a slightly different approach with this story. It's not been easy, and it's definitely been (for lack of a better word) challenging to try to express myself in a different way when it comes to smut.
And on that note, I shall leave you to (hopefully!) enjoy the second half of this two-shot.
Danny was dumbfounded. He was so sure he had been reading her signals right. They had been flirting all evening, and before that, back in the locker room, they had come so close. But his certainty began to wane as he watched her retreating form head down the hallway to the bathroom. He wasn't sure at all anymore. As he listened to the soft click of the bathroom door closing he stood there, confused and worried that he had let the moment slip away from him.
He had given her time. A lot of time. He had given her all the time she needed to come to terms with the demons from her past. He had been a good friend, which is what she had needed to get through the trial and the horrible memories it raked up in her. But now? Now all that was behind her, and he wanted more. And he had been so certain that she wanted it too. But when the moment finally arrived, when they had finally been alone, with nothing and no one to interrupt them, she had pulled away once again and left him in the lurch, unsure of where they stood and what she wanted from him.
An unsettling thought occurred to him. What if what she wanted wasn't him? What if she just wanted to stay friends? Or worse - what if she wanted someone else? He didn't know if he had it in him to watch some other guy have the happiness with her that he had sought after for so long. He moved down the hall, intent on getting the answers he needed. Raising his hand, he knocked softly on the bathroom door.
"Montana? You okay?" he asked tentatively.
"I'm fine, Danny. I'll be right out."
Hearing the hesitation in her voice as she answered him, his heart sank. He couldn't do it. He couldn't demand answers from her if she wasn't ready to give them. He turned and walked back out to the living room, pouring himself a shot of tequila – liquid courage, he thought acerbically - and leaning against the pool table as he threw back the amber liquid, wincing as it burned his throat on the way down. He would wait and see how the rest of the evening played out. After months of waiting, what were a few more minutes?
Lindsay smiled shyly at Danny as she re-entered the living room.
"Hey," she said, taking a tentative step forward.
"Hey yourself," he replied, giving her a small and reassuring smile as he pushed himself up off the table, dropping his empty shot glass down on the bar. "You ready to play?" he asked. She nodded her head, accepting the pool cue he held out for her. "You wanna break? Or do you want me to?" he asked.
"Well, seeing as I won…" she said, "I guess that means you break."
They resumed their game, but something was different. Danny thought he had pushed too far at the end of the last game and that Lindsay would shy away from him. But in fact, exactly the opposite was true. She seemed to be finding any little excuse to stand beside him, to brush up against him. And now only the eight ball was left and it was his turn. He smiled as he realized that he had the perfect shot; that everything was lined up just right. All he had to do was tap the eight ball gently and the game was his.
"Ten bucks says you don't make that shot, Messer," she whispered. He scoffed in response and continued to draw the cue back through his fingers.
"You're on," he said. "Hope you like losing."
As he moved to tap the ball, he felt her hand on his back, her fingers trailing along the exposed skin between the hem of his shirt and his belt. The unexpected touch made him jump, clumsily knocking the cue ball into the eight, sending it flying off in the wrong direction.
He turned his head to find her staring back at him, a satisfied little smirk on her face.
"You did that on purpose," he said, shaking his head in mock disgust. "You know, I never thought you'd stoop so low as to cheat just to beat me, Montana."
"It's not cheating if we both get something out of it, Danny." He felt his heart skip a beat as she reached out to take hold of the cue in his hand, running her fingers up and down the shaft a few times before pulling it from his grip.
He watched as she sauntered around the table, casting him a flirtatious smile over her shoulder as she bent low to take her shot. He glanced down at the table, realizing that he still had a chance to win the game as her only option would be to make what he knew would be an impossible shot.
"There's no way you're gonna make that shot," he said as he moved to stand beside her.
"Oh yeah?" she challenged, turning to face him. His breath caught in his throat as she took a step forward. "A Benjamin says I do."
"I'll drink to that," he said. He turned and poured two shots of tequila, handing one to her. She grinned at him as they clinked their glasses together before tossing their drinks back. Lindsay handed him her empty glass before she leaned forward, concentrating on the table in front of her. She expertly lined up her shot and Danny watched in amazement as the eight ball bounced off the far wall and slid effortlessly into the corner pocket. How the hell had she done that? His thoughts momentarily turned to his wallet, empty after paying their tab down at the bar earlier that night. He grinned sheepishly at her as she ambled over to him, a wicked little smile on her face.
"You owe me a hundred dollars," she said, nudging him in the chest.
"You know what?" he asked, dropping his gaze to the floor. "You're gonna have to wait till payday."
"No."
His head snapped up and he looked at her.
"Uh…"
"You either pay me now… or you come up with something better."
She was staring up at him, her wide brown eyes dark and smoldering. His mind suddenly went blank as he registered how close she was to him. His entire body felt like it had just been set on fire and the desire to just reach out and grab her, to press her to him, was quickly becoming overwhelming.
Lindsay was taken aback by her own boldness. Had she really just said what she thought she'd said? She waited for a reaction from Danny, holding her breath as she watched him contemplate his options.
Her insides fluttered as he began to lean in toward her. Unable to control herself any longer, she let go of the pool cue in her hand, hearing it clatter to the floor as she rested her hand against his chest, trailing her fingers up to his neck. She closed her eyes, pushing herself up onto her tiptoes until she felt his lips gently brush against her own.
She pushed him gently until he was backed against the pool table and then she lunged forward, capturing his lips with hers. Little explosions were going off in her head as she felt his body relax and he finally wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. She had imagined this moment so many times - how his lips would feel, how he would taste, how good it would feel to finally be held in his arms. Her fantasies had been frequent and vivid, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. She felt a shiver run down her spine as Danny's hands gently caressed her back while his lips hungrily devoured her own. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more.
She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips, begging for entrance. She needed to taste him, to explore his mouth. She shivered at the low moan that emanated from deep inside Danny as he parted his lips for her. She gently stroked her fingers up and down his neck, teasing the short hairs on the back of his head as she ran her tongue along his.
Her hands traced a path down his chest until she reached the hem of his t-shirt, fingering the material gently. As she slid her hands under his shirt, she smiled at the warmth of his skin and the way his body tensed as she ran her fingers up his spine. She felt his muscles flexing as she drew intricate patterns on his lower back with her fingertips.
God, she had wanted this for so long, and it felt so good. He felt so good. She had never been forward, never been the one to make the first move. But with Danny it was different. He had proven to her, over and over again, that she could trust him, that he would be there for her. And she knew that she was safe with him.
Taking a giant leap out of her comfort zone, Lindsay grabbed the hem of Danny's shirt and began to pull it upward, needing to see his body, to see what she had been missing all these months. As she tugged, he broke their kiss, pulling away and staring back at her, his blue eyes wide and his lips swollen and wet from her kisses. He smiled at her, still panting and breathless. He lifted one hand to gently stroke her cheek.
"Are you sure?" he breathed. "Really sure? Because I want this, Lindsay. I want it so bad. But I need to know that this is what you really want. That I'm what you really want."
She closed her eyes, feeling his breath against her cheek as he pulled her close.
"I'm sure, Danny. So sure," she whispered against his shoulder. "I want this. I want you. I want you, Danny."
As if to prove her point, she reaffirmed her grip on his t-shirt and began to pull it upward once more. He took a step back from her, raising his arms above his head and she bit her lip as she pulled the garment up over his arms and tossed it to the floor. She stood back and gazed at him, at his sculpted chest, his toned arms, at the fine trail of hair that started at his belly button and disappeared into the waistband of his low-slung jeans.
"God, you're beautiful," she breathed. Taking a step forward she reached out, skimming her hand across his chest, feeling his heart thudding beneath his ribs. She felt him shiver as her fingers grazed across his nipple and she looked up at his face and smiled at him. "You have no idea, do you?" she asked. He looked back at her questioningly, his head tilted at an angle. "You have no idea how much I want you. How long I've been thinking about what this would be like."
Suddenly, his hands were on her body once again as he pulled her closer and she let out a low moan as he began to place a trail of kisses from her mouth down to her neck. She dug her fingernails into his bare back as he gently nipped at the skin just below her ear and she tilted her head to allow him better access. She sighed as he pulled back, cupping her face in his hands and pressing soft kisses to her lips. She couldn't get enough of this feeling, of his lips on hers, his hands on her body. But the fabric of her shirt was beginning to frustrate her and she longed to feel his skin against hers. She took a step back, smiling up at him as she slowly drew her shirt up over her head. She felt his hands as they slid up her back, following in the wake of the fabric. She stilled her movements and let him grab the shirt, pulling it off of her before he flung it to the floor.
His hands were on her again, his arms wrapped around her and she felt herself lifted up effortlessly as Danny turned and sat her on the edge of the pool table. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, and she tossed her head back in ecstasy as Danny kissed his way down her neck and began to lavish kisses on her collar bone.
"Danny, please," she begged as he placed open-mouth kisses to the valley between her breasts. "Please… I can't wait any more."
"Lindsay, I want to do this right," he murmured as he nuzzled the delicate skin exposed above the lacy cup of her bra. "I've waited too long to rush through this."
"Danny, we have all night," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "You can take your time later. But right now, I need you." She heard his breath hitch in his throat at her words, his hands gently squeezing her hips as he moved to rest his forehead against hers. "Do you have a condom?" she asked, stroking his face with her fingers.
"Yeah… in the bedroom," he replied. She felt his body tense as he prepared to pick her up and move into the bedroom.
"Wait," she said. She smiled shyly up at him. "I have one in my pocket."
She couldn't resist giggling as he arched his eyebrow at her.
"You have one in your pocket?" he asked. She nodded her head and a slow smile spread across his face. "You hoping to get lucky tonight?" he asked.
She pulled him to her, placing kisses along his neck, gently tugging on his earlobe with her teeth.
"I've been hoping to get lucky every night since you came to Montana for me, Danny," she whispered in his ear. His sharp intake of breath told her that her words had the desired effect. She'd let him know, in no uncertain terms, that this was not some spur of the moment fling, or something that she was doing just to amuse herself. "Danny? Say something. Anything… please?" She kissed his neck, running her fingers up and down his back, waiting for him to respond.
"Which pocket?"
She smiled into his shoulder and squeezed him tighter in her arms.
"My back pocket," she said. She felt Danny's hands slide from her hips to her backside and he squeezed her firmly through the fabric of her jeans. She felt his fingers dip into her pockets and she smiled as he took a little longer than necessary to find what he was looking for. "Need a little help back there, Messer?"
"Just being thorough," he replied as he pulled his hands from her jeans, the condom pinched between two fingers. He held it out to her and she shivered at the desire she could see glinting in his eyes. Taking the condom from him, she placed it on the edge of the table before unwrapping her legs from around his waist and shuffling back on the pool table. That was all the invitation he needed as he hopped up beside her and once again pulled her to him. He pulled off his glasses, tucking them into one of the pockets on the table. Then his hands sought out her belt and before she even knew what was happening, he had her unbuckled and was dragging her pants down her legs.
She reached for his own belt, her fingers fumbling with the clasp as Danny ran his hands up and down her thighs. His touch sent electric currents surging through her body making it very difficult to concentrate. Finally, the belt was undone and she moved to his fly, unbuttoning and unzipping him. Unable to resist, she let her hand linger on growing bulge in the front of his pants before she hooked her fingers into his belt loops and tugged his pants down.
She watched as he kicked his legs free from his pants before turning his attention back to her. He gently pushed her onto her back and moved so that he was on top of her. She tangled her legs with his, loving the feeling of his whole body in alignment with hers and she was amazed at how comfortable and familiar it felt to look up and see his face gazing down at her from this position.
He leaned down, nuzzling into her neck and shoulders. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she felt his hands slide underneath her as he released the clasps on her bra. Hooking his fingers into the straps, he slowly drew the lacy fabric from her body. Exposed to him, she felt slightly self-conscious, wondering for the first time that night if her body was what he had expected. But Danny was quick to set her mind at ease.
"Wow, Linds... you're just... you're so beautiful," he whispered to her, causing her cheeks to flush a rosy pink. He smiled down at her as he tenderly caressed her breasts, cupping them in his hands and running his thumbs over her nipples. She closed her eyes, not daring to believe that this was actually happening. She was going to wake up, someone was going to interrupt her and she would find herself sitting at her desk, frustrated by yet another broken dream.
But she wasn't dreaming. She knew she wasn't dreaming. Because no dream had ever felt this good. She gasped as Danny took one nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around until it had hardened. He bit down gently, twisting the pink nub between his teeth and she arched up into him, panting his name as her fingers tangled in his hair. Her sighs and moans increased in volume when he shifted on top of her, his erection pressing into her thigh as he repeated the same process on her other breast.
Releasing her from his mouth, he shifted again, moving up so that he could kiss her, his tongue mingling with hers. Breathless, she pulled away and stared up at him, unable to believe how alive he'd made her feel, how her body tingled at his touch. She needed him, and the anticipation was causing her to burn up from the inside out. She ran her fingers down his side, slipping her hand down into the back of his boxers, caressing his backside. God, how was it possible that he felt so right in the curve of her hand? She squeezed gently, her heart soaring as he let out a low moan filled with desire.
She pushed his boxers down his thighs and Danny did the rest, rolling onto his back and kicking the garment from his legs, sending it flying off the end of the table. Shyly, she trailed her eyes down his body, following the trail of hair from his belly until her eyes came to rest on his cock. She bit her lip, glancing up at his face. As he stared back at her, she could see the hesitation in his eyes. Just as she had done, he was wondering if he was all that she'd expected, all that she'd hoped for.
But he had no reason to fear. His body was the most amazing that she had ever seen, and she traced her fingers down his torso in awe of his physique. It had crossed her mind many times in the past that he could have anyone, any woman that he wanted. But he'd wanted her. He'd waited for her. She rolled onto her side, skimming her hand down his body. And as her fingers curled around his erection, she was filled with a warmth for the man beside her, a warmth that had nothing to do with his body or the arousal she felt when he touched her. No, this warmth came from his eyes, his smile, his laugh. It came from his soul and she would be forever grateful that he had given her the time she needed to appreciate all the little things about him that made him so special to her.
She continued to stroke him and couldn't help but feel little flutters of desire as he closed his eyes and bit his lip, panting in time with her strokes. Opening his eyes, he turned, reaching for the condom still sitting on the edge of the table, but she was faster. She grabbed it with one hand while continuing to skim her fingers along his cock with the other. Her eyes locked with his as she brought the wrapper to her lips, tearing it open with her teeth. Once unwrapped, she reached down, and rolled the sheath down over Danny's now throbbing erection.
She let out a little shriek of surprise as he suddenly rolled over onto his stomach, pinning her to the table. She sighed as she felt his hands on her again, his fingers moving slowly down from her hips as he pulled her panties down. He kept his eyes locked with her as he did so, as if he was giving her one last chance to tell him to stop, one last moment of privacy before she revealed her whole self to him. She leaned forward, her lips meeting his as she felt the lace fall away from her legs. He traced his hands back up to her hips before they skimmed down to the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Pulling apart from their kiss, he moved so that he was hovering above her, gently parting her legs. She sighed as his thumbs grazed over her curls, and her body shivered, impatient for his next touch.
"Montana..."
"Danny, please," she whispered. "Please... I need you. I want you."
He bowed his head down, pressing his lips against hers in a sweet and gentle kiss as he lowered his body onto hers. And then, as he slowly slid himself into her, she let out a moan of ecstasy against his lips, her fingers curling into the firm flesh of his arms. The feeling of him moving inside of her was beyond her expectations, beyond description. He fit so perfectly in her, she felt as though her body had been made to accommodate him.
"You okay?" he asked tentatively. She nodded her head, brushing her lips against his. She slid her hands up from his biceps and curled her fingers into the hairs at the nape of his neck before tilting her hips up against his, urging him to start moving.
And move he did. He set a rhythm that was slow and languorous, and she couldn't help but move her own body in time with his. He filled her, over and over again, and she felt as though she would explode from the exquisite sensation of their bodies moving together as one.
His pace quickened as he rocked against her, inside of her. As he kissed his way down to the tender joint between her shoulder and neck, she scraped her fingernails down his back, reveling at the groan of pleasure her actions drew from his lips. She couldn't hold back the rapturous sighs and blissful gasps that escaped from her as his hands roamed freely over her body. She hitched her legs up higher, her heels pressing firmly into his ass as she spread her legs wider, allowing him deeper access.
"Danny... oh, God..."
"Come on, Lindsay," Danny whispered in her ear. "I can feel you, Montana. Let go. Let go for me."
"Oh... God," she panted. "So close, Danny... so close..."
She panted his name until he covered her mouth with his own in a searing kiss that made her head spin and caused tremors of delight to ripple through her. And then suddenly, she lost all control. Pulling away from his kiss, she threw her head back and called out his name, her body arching against his as a pleasure unlike any she had ever experienced spiraled through her. She clung to him as her body continued to tremble, little aftershocks of ecstasy causing her toes to curl and her fingers to clutch at the soft skin of his back.
And through it all, she felt Danny. She felt him moving inside of her, felt his hand on her breasts, the other between her thighs as he stroked her aching clit. She felt his lips on her neck, heard his shallow, rapid breaths as he helped her through her orgasm, now desperately seeking his own.
She turned her head, dragging her nails up and down his back as she whispered encouraging words in his ear. She told him how good he made her feel, how amazing it had felt to come while he was inside of her, and how much she wanted to feel his own orgasm while he was buried deep within her. He raised his head, gazing down at her and she captured his lips, her tongue matching the rhythm of his hips. She slid her hand down between their bodies, grazing her nails over his nipples and she sighed into his mouth as she felt his body tense.
He moaned as he broke their kiss, calling out her name and writhing as his orgasm finally ripped through him. Lindsay held him tightly to her, continuing to gently rock her hips against his, wanting to prolong his satisfaction for as long as possible. Finally spent, he collapsed, being careful to rest his weight on his arms. He leaned down and placed his forehead against her shoulder and she stroked his back gently as he came down from the heights of his orgasm. He pressed a kiss to her neck before he lifted his head, pushing himself up so that he could gaze down at her. She squeezed him gently between her legs and smiled up at him.
"You tricked me," she whispered. "I thought we were going to take our time later."
"Yeah, well," he said, grinning down at her. "I told you that I wanted to do this right. Like I said, I waited too long to just rush through this."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down and kissing him deeply. Breathless once again, he pulled away, raising his hand to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Does that kiss mean that I'm forgiven?" he asked, winking at her.
"Maybe," she said. "Or maybe it means that you'll have to make it up to me over and over again until I'm sure that you've learned your lesson."
"Mmm," he murmured as he lowered his head to kiss her neck. "You're a cruel woman, Montana. A cruel, cruel woman."
With a final kiss to her shoulder he lifted himself off of her, rolling over and pushing himself from the table. He stretched as he walked down the hall to discard the condom and bring back some blankets and pillows for them. Lindsay watched his retreating form, her eyes resting on his perfect ass until he disappeared behind the bathroom door. She sighed and stretched as she rolled onto her side, a small smile playing on her lips as she thought about how their night had progressed.
For months, their timing had been off. There had always been some reason not to be with him, some excuse she could use to push him away. But despite it all, he hadn't let her go, not really. He'd been there when she'd needed him, given her space when she'd thought it was what she'd wanted, and he'd never pushed her, giving her the time she needed to figure out that what she wanted and needed most was him. All their struggles, all the emotional upheavals had culminated in this one perfect night.
She smiled as she saw him walking back toward her, his arms laden with blankets and pillows. He handed her the pillows and spread the blanket over her before he hopped back up on the table beside her, pulling the blanket tightly around them. He lay down and she rolled over on her side, resting her head on his chest, her arm slung over his stomach. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, his fingers running through her hair. She let out a contented sigh as she snuggled into his side.
"What time is it?" she asked.
He lifted his arm, turning his wrist to glance at his watch. "It's late," he said. "You've got an early shift tomorrow, don't you?"
"Mmm," she replied drowsily. "You?"
"Nah. I get to sleep in."
"Jerk," she said.
"Go to sleep or you'll be grumpy in the morning."
"Mmm… I'm never grumpy," she said, yawning.
"Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Montana."
"You still owe me that apology, mister," she said, prodding him gently in the chest.
"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?" he replied, kissing her forehead. "I promise."
"You better," she said. "Or I'm gonna be looking for my hundred bucks."
She listened as Danny chuckled, the sound rising up from deep within his chest. She thought that was a sound she could get used to. It sounded familiar and comforting. She nuzzled against his chest, feeling safe and happy in his arms, the sound of his heart beating beneath his ribs quickly lulling her to sleep.
So… what did we think? *she asked nervously* I hope that you found this to be a fitting conclusion to the story, and that it was still satisfying, even though it was a little bit different from my usual style of writing.
As always, your reviews and comments are most welcome!