Chapter Two - 'You Think I'm Attractive?'

Danny was walking towards the locker room, he had been shifting through his mountain of paper work steadily for the last hour or so, but the reoccurring thoughts of Lindsay were running through his mind.

He needed to cool off, he needed to go home and get away from the things that reminded him of her, this was proving harder than he had anticipated.

Danny walked into the locker room and made a beeline towards his locker. Mac had told him he could leave for the night considering all he was there for was paperwork. Danny didn't argue. He needed to get away.

He rummaged through his locker and grabbed his bag and jacket, he threw his jacket on and placed his bag across his shoulder. He slammed his locker and made his way towards the elevator. He was about to press the button when he saw Lindsay standing in one of the labs hands on her hips analyzing some evidence. He smiled to himself and walked over to the lab she was in.

He knew he shouldn't have gone over to her, but he couldn't help it, he was drawn to her. Addicted almost.

He stood in the doorway staring longingly at her, she was still concentrating hard.

"Linds, are you still working on this, you've been at it for 15 hours straight!"

Lindsay turned and smiled at Danny.

"Crime doesn't sleep Danny, and besides, I wont be able to sleep properly until I can figure out what it is I am missing."

Danny walked over to the layout table, and looked over the evidence.

"Linds, your not going to get anything else done tonight, you know what they say about fresh eyes an all that."

Lindsay turned and rolled her eyes at Danny.

"Yeah, yeah I know, but I promise I will only stay for a few more minutes."

Danny shook his head.

"Nah you wont, I know you Montana, you say you will stay for a couple more minutes, in Lindsay terms that means you will still be here when I come in tomorrow morning."

Lindsay stared at Danny.

"Your not going to give up are you?"

"Nope, I can be persistant."

"I bet you can be."

Danny smiled cheekily.

"You have no idea."

Lindsay laughed to herself, and looked at the wall clock.

"I suppose your right Danny, and don't think I will make a habit of admitting that.

Danny held his hands up.

"Wouldn't expect you to."

Lindsay smiled again.

"I'll head home after I have packed this evidence away."

Danny smiled in return.

"I'll help you."

Lindsay blushed slightly.

"Thanks."

Danny and Lindsay packed away the evidence and headed back towards the evidence locker. Lindsay signed the evidence back in, and turned to Danny.

"Thanks for helping me pack away the evidence, but you don't have to escort me round the lab."

"I insist."

Lindsay shrugged.

"Fair enough, whatever floats your boat."

"Water."

Lindsay looked at Danny curiously.

"Water?"

Danny looked back at Lindsay and smiled cheekily.

"That's what floats my boat, water."

"Oh very clever Danny."

Danny and Lindsay made it out of the lab and Lindsay headed towards the curb to hail a cab when Danny stopped her.

"Nah ah, I don't think so Montana."

"Excuse me?"

Lindsay turned towards Danny who had his arms motioning Lindsay towards the labs garage.

"Its not safe for an attractive young woman like yourself to be getting into a cab on her own, I insist I give you a ride to your apartment."

Lindsay said nothing and hadn't moved from the spot she was standing in. Had he just said that? He has never said that, she was really confused now. Did Danny like her like her?

"You think I am attractive?"

Danny became nervous and shifted his weight.

"Well, umm, yeah. Always have."

Lindsay blushed profusely, she thought it was sweet the way Danny had gotten all nervous. Bless him she thought.

"Your not to bad yourself."

"Good to know you've got good taste."

Lindsay laughed and walked towards Danny and linked her arm in his. Danny smiled and escorted Lindsay to his SUV.

Danny released himself from Lindsay and opened the door for her.

Again Lindsay was in shock.

"Okay Messer, what's the catch?"

Danny held up his hands in innocence.

"No hidden agenda this time."

Danny shut the door and made his way to the drivers side and got in and started the car. He and Lindsay were silent whilst he concentrated on pulling out of the garage, once on the road Lindsay spoke up.

"This time eh Messer? Sounds ominous."

"Was meant to."

Lindsay laughed and looked at Danny as he concentrated on the road in front of him, she smiled to herself and looked out of the passenger window. Danny seized that moment to steal a quick glance over to her, he couldn't help but smile either.

After a comfortably silent car journey back to Lindsay's apartment, Danny pulled the ca up outside of her apartment building and turned the ignition off. Neither of them spoke, they were both waiting for the other to make the first move. When Lindsay could see that they could be there for a while, she ignored what her head was telling her and went with her gut feelings.

"Uh did you want to come up for a drink and something to eat, it's the least I could do after all you helped me with today?"

Danny looked at Lindsay and smiled genuinely.

"I would like that, if your sure that is."

Lindsay smiled back just as genuinely.

"Never been surer."

Danny looked at Lindsay and laughed slightly.

"Is that even a word? Surer."

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"Talk about a mood killer Danny, and I don't know. You coming?"

"Yep I'm coming."

Danny and Lindsay got out of the SUV and made their way to Lindsay's apartment. Danny took a mental note of the address and room number.

"What are you thinking? It has always proven to be dangerous."

"Oh that was harsh Montana, if you must know I was taking a mental note of your apartment number so when I feel like making a booty call I know I have the right apartment."

Lindsay just laughed and unlocked her apartment door and let Danny follow. Danny took in the surroundings of Lindsay's apartment with awe. Lindsay turned to Danny and stared, never did she think Danny Messer would be in her apartment, she had to admit she was liking the idea.

"Something wrong Danny?"

Danny looked at Lindsay and smiled the way that drove her mad.

"Not at all Montana."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and threw her bag on the coffee table, she walked towards the kitchen and called back to Danny.

"Make yourself at home Messer, did you want a beer?"

"Sounds great. Not trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me are you?"

Lindsay walked back into the living room with two bottles of beer, she handed one to Danny who was making himself comfortable on her sofa, Lindsay climbed into the single chair. She curled her legs underneath herself.

"So Montana, things good with you? We havent spoken properly in ages."

Lindsay took a sip of her beer and nodded vigerously.

"Yeah I'm fine Danny, you?"

Danny smirked and sipped on his beer.

"What?"

"Montana, the fact that you answered that so fast and so unconvincingly, makes me believe that things arent so good with you."

"This is your persistent side coming out again now isn't it!"

Danny nodded and took a swig of his beer, Lindsay fiddled with her beer bottle, this didn't go unnoticed by Danny.

"Linds? Whats wrong?"

"Danny I don't think you really want to know this, its not something you would be interested in."

Danny shimmied towards the end of the sofa where Lindsay's chair was located.

"Try me."

Lindsay smiled and took a drink of her beer.

"I split from the guy I had been seeing."

"Oh."

"Don't, I'm glad I didn't want to hurt him."

Danny was confused.

"Why would you hurt him?"

"I've fallen fast for someone. I cant stop thinking about him Danny, this guy…he's everything I need, everything I want."

Danny's heart sank the way Lindsay was talking about this guy was breaking his heart, she spoke about him with such love, such desire, just once he wished she would think of him that way.

"But, I don't think he feels the same, there are all these mixed signals I just wish for once if a man liked me he would just say it and not leaving me hanging."

Lindsay looked at Danny, she couldn't believe he hadn't got it yet, the guy she was talking about was him, but he was sitting there.

Danny took a deep breath. She was talking about them. About their relationship, he decided to play along.

"Maybe he feels the same, maybe he is scared that he isn't good enough for you."

"He is more than good enough for me, I just wish he would see it."

"Ok, say he is good enough, maybe he thinks his reputation has proceeded him and your worried that he only wants you as another notch on his bedpost."

Lindsay put her beer on the table and took Danny's from him and put it next to hers, she straddled him and looked into his eyes.

"I don't listen to idle gossip, I know the real man behind the stories, he even plays jokes on me, but I don't care, I love him all the same, and I want to give it a go."

Danny stared at the shoulder length curls and breathed in her scent.

"Linds, are you sure you want this? I mean me?"

Danny was silenced by the feeling of her lips brushing his gently. She pulled away.

"I'm sure. But can you handle me?"

"I can handle you Linds. I've been waiting my whole life for you!"

Danny pulled Lindsay into a passionate yet love filled kiss and took in everything about her. Lindsay smiled against his lips and tugged on his arms.

"Bedroom."

TBC