Danny woke up first and unwound Regina from his body. He flipped to his back, Regina rolling the opposite way with the entire sleeping bag. He was thankful for the cool air that met his overheated skin.
He looked over at Lacey who was now facing him and showing signs she was beginning to stir. Danny watched as her eyes fluttered open and focused on him….and then on the sleeping figure beyond him. Danny didn't hesitate.
"I slept with someone else." He whispered to her in a rush.
Lacey just stared at him, mouth breaking into a soft smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Good morning to you too, ass-face." She said as normally as possible, her voice grainy, still heavy from sleep.
Danny scooted over toward her and took purchase of half of her pillow.
"Keep your breath over there." Lacey protested.
Danny smiled and kissed her forehead, moving her hair away from her face, "You're so gorgeous." He said quietly.
Lacey groaned and closed her eyes, "D, I just woke up, I feel disgusting."
"You can feel whatever you want. I feel you're gorgeous." Danny shrugged the shoulder he wasn't laying on.
Lacey connected with Danny's almost apologetic eyes for a few moments while they enjoyed each other's silence. Lacey eventually looked past Danny and remembered Regina was there with them.
"I—well, a few of us—we already know you were with—someone else last night." She stumbled over her words as she tried to tell him as kindly as she could.
"Everyone was asleep—" A pang of anxiety stabbed into his chest.
"Yeah, we were, until you woke some of us up—" Lacey waited for him to figure it out.
Danny winced, "That loud?"
Lacey nodded, "We only heard you. Since I could hear Phoebe in Cole's tent commenting on it I assumed you must have been with Regina."
"She's quiet." Danny said as he tried to recall what nonsense poured from his dirty mouth last night, "How much shit am I about to get?"
"You're fucked." Lacey giggled.
Danny rolled onto his back again and sighed, "That shouldn't have happened." He said to himself.
Regina sat up then, genuine hurt and betrayal on her face. She worked to try to stand as her feet navigated the blankets that had been wrapped around her.
"Regina, wait—" Danny scrambled up onto his knees.
"I get it, okay? Don't make this worse than it has to be." She reached for the zipper to the tent door and Danny pulled her back.
"Regina, I didn't mean that our time together shouldn't have happened—" He pulled her down gently to sit next to him, "I was talking about the place where it happened and the fact that you're incredibly private and now our pain in the ass friends heard us—" Danny held his hand out like he was presenting the obvious to her.
"They're not my friends."
Regina kept her eyes down. She knew he was telling the truth and she really didn't want to have to deal with the teasing they'd receive. She also didn't want to be having this conversation in front of Lacey.
Out of nowhere Regina's rage swelled, "You happy?" She snapped at Lacey, eyes flicking up toward her in contempt.
"Whoa, what did I do?"
"Guys—" Danny tried to stop it before it started.
"I'm just checking, Lacey. Let's see, Danny's reported to you where his dick has been—" She began to tick off her fingers.
"Don't start that again, he didn't tell me shit about you two."
"I just heard him!" Regina threw her hands up.
"Please stop?" Danny asked helplessly. Even as they bickered Regina's voice was soft and muted.
"Not that this is any of your business, Regina, but our deal is that we tell each other whenever we've had sex with someone else, not to go into detail or even tell each other who it was—" Lacey rattled off in one breath.
"You know what, I wasn't done talking—" Regina asserted as she rose up onto her knees, "Now I'm about to have my first time destroyed by a bunch of immature jocks—" She huffed out in frustration.
"Oh boo-hoo, welcome to high school you big baby!" Lacey growled.
"Lace—" Danny pulled his hands through his hair, "don't."
Lacey began rummaging around for a new set of clothes and her bathroom stuff. After a long silence she began again.
"I'm sorry, okay? But you come at me with this shit asking if I'm happy that your private life is not going how you want it to go and I'm going to get defensive. Of course I'm not happy, Regina. I don't want you to go through this bullshit."
"Yeah, sure—" Regina rolled her eyes.
"Believe what you want. But what happens with you and Danny is between you and Danny. I could hear you fucking, he was never going to tell me."
Regina picked at her sweatpants. Lacey put the last of her toiletries into a bag and zipped it closed.
"You want my opinion or not?" Lacey offered.
Regina looked over at her, "Sure, Queen Porter, your subject is all ears." She said in full loathsome scorn.
"Hey, don't talk to her like that—" Danny said firmly.
"I'm sorry, was I supposed to bow first?" Regina flopped down dramatically, stretching her arms out in child's pose.
"Jesus Christ." Danny tried to control his own frustration with this.
"I know what it's like to have a first time with Danny, okay?" Lacey ignored Regina's childish behavior.
Regina sat back up and resigned herself to hearing whatever Lacey was about to say.
"It's not fair these assholes got a front row seat. I can fix it if you want. I couldn't care less what they think of me and they know that."
"Fix it?" Regina shrugged, "How?"
"They know Danny got laid last night and to be honest, it sounded like it was really good I mean—" Lacey looked at Danny, only him recognizing she was turned on as she recalled the sounds from last night. He swallowed hard.
"It was really good—" Danny's mouth hitched up on one side in a cocky grin.
"Oh god." Regina groaned and covered her face with her hands.
"What I'm saying is, you can own the truth and rest easy knowing that these losers think you're amazing in bed, or, I will own it for you and take all the teasing."
"Why would you help me?" Regina asked honestly.
"Because I support other women, unlike you."
Regina sighed, "I'm sorry."
"Accepted. Now, what do you want?" All eyes were on Regina.
"I don't want them to know it was me." Regina decided.
Danny looked down, "Damn, Crane. I'm sorry—"
"Danny don't start with the butt-hurt, we all know you can fuck. Your performance is not in question here, am I right?" Lacey looked at Regina for a little help.
Regina closed her eyes in obvious approval of Danny's skills, smiling to herself involuntarily and unable to say a word.
"See?!" Lacey pointed to Regina's face, "She can't even fucking speak, Danny."
Danny smiled and reached over to put Regina into a headlock. Regina squealed and they fell backward as she tried to escape.
"Is it true?" Danny whispered into her face, "It was good for you?" He searched her eyes, hopeful.
Regina just nodded yes.
"Jesus you two. Are you done?" Lacey asked impatiently, waiting for them to sit back up, "I'm heading for the shower, am I doing this or not?"
"Yes please." Regina smiled, the tension and anxiety about everything falling off her face, "Thanks, Lacey."
"Alright then, Danny I'm going to need your help." She winked at him.
"You sure you're okay with this? I'll play it up with her, but I'm not about to hurt you on purpose, Regina." Danny was worried this could backfire big time.
"I'm sure."
"I don't want to deal with the jealousy anymore." He looked at both of them.
Lacey gave a single nod and looked at Regina who did the same.
"Alright, Lace." Danny got to his feet, "Let's show 'em." He pulled Lacey up and she unzipped the tent..
Once outside, Danny quickly zipped the tent closed and reached for Lacey's hand. They walked toward their shared picnic table and were met with a few whistles.
Cole, Scott and Archie were eating breakfast together and made room for them to sit. Before they did, Danny pulled Lacey against him and kissed her, squeezing her ass tight.
Tyler was working out in the field beside them and sent a whistle their way.
"Gross, I'm trying to eat here!" Cole shouted.
Lacey smiled against Danny's mouth. He kept her ass in his hands.
"You liked what you heard last night?" Danny asked quiet enough so only she could hear.
Lacey nodded, "I wanted you so bad." She admitted.
Danny's forehead fell and pushed into hers, "Fuck."
"Tell me, what's it like trying to satisfy so many women?" She teased him.
"Try? I succeed." He said in full cocky mode, moving his arms up to wrap around her neck.
Phoebe and Jo appeared from their tent at the same time Regina dragged herself out there.
"Normally I'd agree," Lacey kissed him again as the girls watched like hawks, "but right now, I'm far from satisfied." She took her turn squeezing Danny's ass.
"You're in trouble." Danny growled into her face.
"Am I? Thank god—" His lips were on hers before she could even finish the words.
"Oh god, do we have to listen to another round?" Jo groaned as she fumbled through the box of breakfast food.
"Honestly, thanks for the broadcast." Phoebe agreed.
Regina grabbed a bottle of water and plopped down in a camp chair, "I need coffee." She said to no one.
"Mmm, me too!" Phoebe agreed, "And maybe a cigarette." She teased as she watched Danny and Lacey who were still making out.
"Seriously, why don't you two just go back where you came from? No one wants to watch this." Archie grumbled, surprised and a little hurt that Lacey appeared to be all in again with Danny.
Lacey pulled back, "I'm taking a shower, go collect your back pats and high fives."
"Later?" He wanted her.
Lacey shrugged and turned to walk away, making Danny absolutely crazy. He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him.
"Walking away from me?" He hushed into her ear.
"Danny—"
"Later?" He asked her again, this time making it clear a response was absolutely necessary.
"Yes." She smiled and he released her.
Danny didn't look at Regina at all, instead opting to watch Lacey's ass bounce away for a minute before rummaging for his own water and plopping down in a camp chair across from her.
A few of the guys came up to him for some agro banter and then moved on pretty quickly to talking about the plan for the day. It was obvious to Regina that since it was known that it was just Danny and Lacey on the hook for the sounds from last night everyone let it go with relative ease. Danny and Lacey were comfortable, accepted. She was thankful.
It was decided that today would be dedicated to hiking. Regina quickly declined, planning to read the book she brought by the pool.
"Crane, did you come out of Lacey's tent this morning?" Phoebe looked her up and down, pure jealousy on her face.
Danny tried to keep his body from reacting but every muscle twitched. He kept up his conversation with Tyler while the others headed over to the bathhouses together.
"I got cold." Regina stood and shrugged as she headed to get her stuff for a shower.
Phoebe turned, eyes connecting with Danny's. He was lying. She shook her head at him in disbelief, Danny begging her with his eyes for her to keep her mouth shut. Phoebe grabbed her bag and ended up walking next to Regina to the showers.
"It was you on Danny's dick last night, wasn't it." Phoebe was almost salivating.
"Go die." Regina said flatly.
Lacey was walking back toward the campsite and noticed a standoffish Regina trying to dodge Phoebe's incessant rambling. She could only imagine what bullshit Phoebe was spitting.
"Hot water's all gone." Lacey announced as she approached the girls, "Thanks for the body wash." Lacey lied as she put herself between the two and handed Regina her body wash.
Regina took it, thankful for the chance to get away and kept walking into one of the shower stalls.
"I know it was her." Phoebe said like the little shit she was.
"What drama are you starting now, Phoebs?" Lacey rolled her eyes.
"You didn't fuck Danny last night, although from the looks of it you probably will later." Phoebe shot back.
"Your point?" Lacey shrugged.
"Why are you protecting her?"
"I'm not protecting anyone and I don't give a flying fuck what you think about anything."
"Damn Lace, so defensive."
"Whatever Phoebe, Danny's dick wasn't inside you last night. Is that why you're being a total bitch? You're in heat?" Lacey roasted her.
"Maybe if you took care of your man he wouldn't have to go find it other places."
"No one owns Danny."
Phoebe shook her head, "You're too stupid to realize what you had. You encourage him to seek out other girls, but he's lonely as hell. All he wants is you."
"Well, he's in luck, he has me and he always will. Where do you stand with him? Oh that's right, you're fucking his dad." Lacey giggled and pushed past Phoebe without another word.
Danny was running laps with some of the guys in the adjacent field as Lacey walked by, the two of them locking eyes in measured worry about what would come next.
After his run, Danny reappeared freshly showered and dragged Lacey into their tent. He kissed her hungrily and moved to take her top off.
Lacey recoiled, "Ah-ah, no time for that—" She said as she pulled her pants down and fell to her knees, taking his shorts with her.
Danny bent her over and took her from behind, plowing into her like he needed her to breathe. He grunted as he went harder, "I love you—" He added tenderly.
"I love you too—" She pushed back against him, making his impacts have more power.
"So, last night?" He asked softly.
Lacey whimpered.
"You touched yourself, didn't you?"
Lacey nodded.
Danny reached and rubbed her clit, "Like this?"
Lacey nodded again.
They both came together, Danny balls deep as he unloaded bare and free inside her.
"I'm going to need a minute." Lacey panted, continuing to rub her swollen clit.
"I'm not missing this." Danny pulled his shorts back in place, eyes glued to Lacey's perfect pussy.
She came again a couple of minutes later, mouth wide and eyes rolled closed.
"Damn." He was hard again.
"C'mere." She yanked his shorts back down and pulled him on top of her.
Danny pushed himself inside immediately, thrusting soundly and making her cry out.
Lacey reached for his ass, "C'mon, Desai—"
Danny took the encouragement and fucked her hard, the feeling of his own lubrication driving him wild. Lacey came first, scratching his back and gasping, not caring who was hearing her get pounded. Danny let out a string of expletives and came again, rocking in deep and staring into her eyes as she took his seed again.
They kissed lazily as he pumped her for a long while, softening and eventually sliding out of her.
"Cap, you guys done yet? We wanna go hiking." They heard Tyler shout and a few of the others giggled.
"Yeah, are you guys coming?" Cole asked absently.
"Oh, they're definitely coming." Jo added with her snotty tongue. Everyone laughed and groaned at that. Jo wanted another chance with Danny so bad.
"We should go—" Lacey smiled up at Danny.
"Or we could stay here." Danny suggested, "Me *kiss* you *kiss* and Regina—"
Lacey pulled her head back before he could kiss her again, "Say what now?"
"She's not going hiking with the group." Danny tried to slide that in there, even though he knew that Lacey was looking for a larger explanation.
"Danny you better start talking." Lacey warned, sitting up and pulling herself together.
"I—um," He ran his hands through his hair, "I want you both. A threesome."
"Danny, Regina? I—" Lacey didn't even know where to start with this.
"I want this. With you." He asserted, "I just want to try it, you're both—different. Really different."
"She's never going to agree to that." Lacey shook her head.
"And you?"
Once they were presentable Lacey stepped out first, ignoring his question completely.
There were more whistles and hoots, "Yeah, yeah, shut the fuck up—" Lacey shushed them all as she went for the cooler she knew had the coffee drinks.
Danny stepped out and zipped the tent back up.
"My turn?" Phoebe pranced over toward him.
Danny smiled, "I'm spent. Sorry, dear." He accepted the coffee she offered him and guzzled it down.
"Damn." Phoebe commented as he finished her entire drink.
"What? You thought you were the only thirsty one around here? You're wrong." Danny winked at her before handing her the bottle back.
"I want you." Phoebe advised as if she were admitting to being hungry.
"Surprised you didn't invite Vikram as a chaperone."
"Don't. You're who I want right now."
"I want something too." Danny said huskily, taking a step closer toward her.
"Anything, D."
"Keep your fucking mouth shut."
"I told you I wouldn't say a word about Vik—"
"Keep your mouth shut about Regina and I." He said with a rare threatening tone, stepping toward her again.
She took a step forward as well like the captain she was, "You'll have to make me."
"And if I do?"
"Your secrets will be safe, I promise."
"Deal. It'll have to be later, and you better be prepared or it's not happening."
"Yes, Cap."
"Good."
"Good."
They both lingered there for a moment. Danny couldn't explain his attraction to her. Even after catching her with his own father, her charms were something other worldly.
"I knew you wouldn't stay mad at me forever." Phoebe smirked and walked away first.
Danny's eyes fell to Regina, sitting sideways in a camp chair, reading her book. She had challenged him the day he visited her to decide if he wanted to keep Phoebe in his life as a friend, maybe he did.
He made his way over to Regina and stopped, standing idle until he was able to pull her focus.
"Something else you wanted me to hear?" Regina asked, not looking up from her book.
"Don't be like that. We were protecting you, remember?"
"Pshhyeah, thanks." Regina rolled her eyes.
Danny squatted down, reaching to move her hair behind her ear. Regina swatted his hand away.
"Reg—"
"I didn't realize that by helping me out you two would fuck like rabbits to prove your point." She hushed out, looking him dead in his eyes.
"We would have anyway. I told you I'm not trying to hurt you."
Regina went back to her book as Danny remained squatting beside her.
"I want to ask you something." Danny fell back to sit on his bottom. He grabbed a branch off the ground and began stripping it's bark.
Regina sighed as she realized reading her book right now was not going to happen. She swung her legs around and sat up straighter.
"Yeah, okay. What is it?"
"Last night, you and I—" Danny shook his head in disbelief, "We work well together, physically, you know?"
Regina licked her lips, cracking the smallest smile. Danny loved that about her, all her subtleties.
"Yeah." She agreed.
"I want to keep that privilege, the honor of being with you that way. I hope I can?" His eyes twinkled and Regina's ice heart warmed a bit.
She shrugged and her face remained fairly neutral. He already knew she wouldn't give him much, but the shrug meant more to him than anything. He took it as a yes and decided to shoot his shot.
"There's something I want." He said with frantic hopefulness, a combination she had never seen from Danny before.
Regina studied him for a moment, deciding whatever he was about to ask her he must want really badly. She was intrigued, Danny never asked her for anything.
"What is it?" She had to know.
Danny kept stripping the bark.
"I can't give you an answer if you don't ask the question." Regina said simply.
"I think I know you pretty well and I think you'll absolutely say no to what I'm about to ask, so I'm asking for you to hear me out first and then just think about it for a bit before answering. Maybe we can talk more about it tonight—"
She smiled at him, "Danny, what's up?"
"I want to have a threesome. You, me and Lacey."
Regina's heart took off. Was he serious?
"Danny—" She gave one exasperated laugh in disbelief, her eyes wide, "Are you kidding me?"
"Please just think about it?" He almost begged.
Regina shook her head no, "I've had sex one time—"
"So?"
"Like you said, it's an immediate no."
"You won't even think about it? Where's the harm in just taking time to really think about it?" He pushed.
"What's there to think about?!" She looked at him like he was crazy.
"Me. This is something I want and I want it to be with you."
"And Lacey."
Danny nodded, "Yes, and Lacey."
"What are you looking for? What is it that you need?"
"I don't need a damn thing. I want it."
"Why? What's missing?"
"I care about you both, you're my favorite people. You two are incredibly different and I think it would be unreal."
"I just—what would happen, I mean, what exactly would you want—" Regina was overwhelmed.
"Let's slow down, just think it through. If it's still a no of course I accept that. If it's a maybe or a yes, we'll figure the rest out together."
"Fine, I'll think about it."
"Really?!"
"It's a no right now, Danny. I want to be clear."
"Understood." He stood and squeezed her shoulder before heading back toward the guys.
Lacey had watched Danny and Regina's entire exchange, guessing from his body language he had asked her about the threesome and judging by hers, she had declined. She was en route to talk to Danny when Archie appeared out of nowhere in her path.
"Where are you headed?" Archie folded his arms across his chest, "Time for round three—or wait, was it round four? I've lost count."
"Have you been drinking already? Don't be a dick." She attempted to walk past him, but he sidestepped and blocked her path.
"I thought that's what you wanted. I mean, you wanted dick earlier—" Archie pointed his thumb behind him toward her tent, "Last night too—"
"You know what?! I did! And I fucking got it, and it was so good, it always is. Danny!" Lacey shouted.
Danny looked over toward Lacey as she waved him over. Archie exhaled sharply and looked down.
"Don't start shit." Archie said softly as Danny approached.
"Me? That's a good one." Lacey urged Danny to speed up and he began jogging.
"'Sup?" Danny asked her, completely ignoring Archie.
"Oh, I was hoping you could help Archie with his question." She said fearlessly.
Danny squinted and took a step toward Archie, "What's the question." He knew Lacey was upset about something, he was ready.
"He asked if I knew how many times we've hooked up during this trip. He lost count. Do you remember?"
"You've got an issue, Yates?"
"No." He knew better than to even try to cross Danny when it came to anything Lacey related.
"Good. To answer your question, it's none of your business. I respect her, you should try it sometime."
Archie looked away, wishing he was anywhere else.
"Apologize, Captain." Danny insisted.
"I am sorry, Lace." Archie admitted with more sincerity than they expected.
"Whatever." Lacey walked away.
Danny stood next to Archie as they watched her retreat.
"I fucked it up with her." Archie said with regret.
"You know, the last time we talked about you, she didn't hate you. Maybe you think you messed it up, but have you talked to her about it?"
"I haven't."
"Lacey is passionate. She likes what she likes and one of those things is you. Talk to her, that is, if you still want her in your life—"
"I do—"
"So then stop being an asshole," Danny turned and got right in Archie's face, "and if you treat her like you just did ever again I will beat your ass."
"D—"
"Save it." Danny walked away to round everyone up for their hike.