Danny was awoken Sunday morning to Lacey dragging his boxers down and slipping his cock into her mouth.
"What are you doing to me?" Danny groaned, half awake and fully engorged with his morning situation.
Danny submitted to the process and just laid back and let it happen. His fingers eventually wound their way into Lacey's hair, gripping lightly, his knees splayed wide.
A couple minutes later, Lacey rolled a condom onto him and climbed up his body. Danny could finally see that she was completely naked.
"Good morning." She whispered and spread her knees apart so he could watch her mount.
Danny moved them so he could sit up against his headboard, his hands grabbing her ass greedily. Lacey's center was wet and overheated and felt incredible.
Lacey wrapped her fingers around the edge of the headboard behind him and rode him like he'd never been fucked before.
"Oh fucking hell—"
"I like mornings." Lacey panted by his ear before giving it a gentle bite, her hips rolling and rolling.
"Keep that shit up—" Danny tried not to sound like a cave man, but his brain was not firing on all cylinders yet and his girlfriend was giving it to him so good.
Lacey kept it up, coming how she designed and seeing him through until he held her hips down and nutted deep, thankful Lacey had been coherent enough to put the condom on.
"Wow. What did I do to deserve that?"
"Just taking care of us. I do that." Lacey shrugged, beaming like the ray of sunshine she truly was.
Danny held her, her center still straddling his lap. Damn, it felt so good to be with her. Lacey rested against him, Danny's fingers gently stroking up and down her back.
"Is this really what it's like with you?"
"Well, the good sex takes two—"
"Not that, I'm talking about you. You're amazing. You're always thinking ahead and planning. You're motivated and successful. You're always thinking of your sister and how things might affect her, you've been thinking about me and what I might want and need—you're just everything I've wanted in a partner and lots of things I didn't even realize that I needed too."
"Aww, Danny. You're sappy in the morning." Lacey smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Why'd he let you go?" Danny asked the universe quietly, his sleepy eyes drinking in her features.
"Hey now, he didn't get a choice. He wasn't it so I let him go, don't get it twisted."
"You'll let me know the things you don't like so we can work on it, right? Please, I want this with you for a long time."
"Like I said last night, this is going somewhere for me and I'm letting it take me. I'm riding this happiness all the way to the bank and I'm taking you with me, for as long as it lasts."
"As long as it lasts. I like that." Danny kissed her hands.
"Now stop being a smoldering heap of sex so I can get ready for my day, damn." Lacey climbed off of him and shimmied back into her loaned jammies.
"Me?! You're the one who can't get enough of the D."
"This is true." Lacey giggled and exited his room en route to get dressed up in the loft.
Clara wasn't up there. Her little sister wasn't a trouble maker by nature so she didn't panic, but at the same time, Clara was never up this early and Lacey wondered what she was up to.
Lacey made quick work of dressing: woolly tights, corduroy skirt and another cozy sweater. She found her suede boots and smiled thinking she was basically a sensory vision board and knew Danny would be tempted to touch her and all of the different textures she had on.
As she made her way to the top of the stairs, the whole house smelled like cinnamon and vanilla.
"The trick is the lemon." Karen said happily.
"Hey you two, what are you up to down here?" Lacey greeted her sister, hoping all was well.
"We're making coffee cake!" Clara sounded happy.
"You're up so early—" Lacey tried again.
"I came to find you and then I forgot you weren't in your room and I woke Karen up by mistake. I didn't know where to find you so we decided to make breakfast."
"You're right, that was my fault. I forgot to tell you where I was sleeping. I'm sorry." Lacey never wanted Clara to ever feel like she as alone or wasn't wanted or that she had been abandoned.
"It's okay, Karen knows how to bake, we're having fun!"
"Karen, I'm so sorry she woke you, thank you."
"No need, we've only been up for a half hour and I am sure this wonderful young lady would have just gone back to bed if I hadn't been there." Karen smiled like a mom would and Lacey needed that just as much as Clara did, "You're doing an amazing job with her." Karen said off to the side.
"Thank you."
"Sleep well?" Karen gave her a glance.
Lacey couldn't help but smile, "I did."
"Okay, c'mon Lacey, you're in charge of icing." Karen decided and hooked her up with the hand mixer.
Danny finally made it downstairs just as Clara sprinkled the sugared nuts on top of Lacey's perfect icing job.
"Oh man, look at this! Can I have some of that?" Danny asked, walking up to Lacey and giving her a quick kiss.
"Can we cut it now?" Clara asked Karen and they both cut it up together.
Clara served Danny the first piece and he took a giant bite, "Holy cow, you made this?!"
Clara beamed, "Yes!" She said proudly, "Karen helped, Lacey did the icing."
"The cake is perfect Clara, well done." Danny gave her a thumbs up.
"Thank you."
"Clara, you have to go get ready now, I have clients today and you'll have to come with me."
"Okay." Clara nodded, gobbling her coffee cake quickly and running up the stairs.
"You look lovely." Danny said sweetly as he continued eating.
"Thanks." Lacey smiled, her mind moving back to their happy morning together.
A knock came and Danny slid his plate away and wiped his mouth, "It's Regina."
Danny stood and jogged over to his front door, Lacey suddenly very uncomfortable. She had no idea Regina was coming over. She knew they had practice today but she assumed it would be in a studio at the theatre.
"Hey, c'mon in." Danny greeted her and stepped aside.
Regina entered wearing skin tight pink leggings and oversized Ugg boots, a matching sherpa jacket and a pink knit winter hat with a huge furry pom-pom on top. She looked sickeningly adorable.
"Karen! What a nice surprise." Regina gave Karen the fakest smile and extended her arms for an exaggerated hug, "I've missed you." She nodded for good measure.
"I heard you killed it at the last show." Karen smiled back, equally as fake.
"What can I say, I have the perfect partner." Regina squeezed Danny's arm tenderly, "Hi Lacey!" Regina's smile fell a little, "I didn't know you'd be here either."
"I live here." Lacey smiled back.
"Oh? Wow! That was fast—" Regina looked between her and Danny with some bullshit pleasantly surprised face, "Congratulations! Don't burn yourselves out now, I know how this one can be—" Regina poked Danny in the belly.
"Okay, I think you should head down and get warm. I'll be right there." Danny held his hand out and guided her to the basement door before this got any more awkward.
Danny walked over toward Lacey and reached out for her hands, rubbing them like he always did, "You're working all day?"
"I am, I have showings all morning and then I'll be back in the office here with Whitney for the afternoon."
"Dinner then maybe?"
"I'll try."
"Okay." Danny pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her, "It's Sunday so the theatre's closed and we usually practice here."
Lacey nodded, "I know, I'm not pressed."
"Yes you are."
"It's not comfortable but I trust you."
"Lacey I'm ready!" Clara chimed in as she chugged the milk that Karen had poured for her.
"Have a good day." Danny smiled and kissed her before they stepped apart and he headed downstairs.
"I forgot my earbuds!" Clara took off again up the stairs.
Karen watched Lacey as she pulled on her coat and secured her hat and gloves.
"Lacey, thank you for whatever you did to my child."
Lacey ticked her head to the side, "What do you mean?"
"When Danny's father Vikram was sent to jail, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't there for him, not the way I should have been. I was terrified to raise him alone so I kept him busy and I regret it deeply. Regina came into his life right when he needed her, but—" Karen shook her head, "She's fake as hell." She laughed, sending Lacey into her own laughter.
"I trust Danny—"
"You need to know that he's over the moon about you and so am I. It's not a competition, but I'm Danny's mama and I'm telling you that you two ladies are like night and day. He needs someone that's not with him because it's an extension of ballet. He needs someone encouraging and positive and who leads by example and won't settle. That's you. You're very special, I hope you know that."
Lacey shook her head, "What is it with you two? I'm going to start calling this sappy Sunday." Lacey smiled.
Clara bounced back into the living room, "Got 'em!" She held up her earbuds.
"Don't forget to invite people to the party!" Karen pointed to Clara before they headed out.
"We're not flowing enough." Regina huffed in frustration as Danny plopped her down not too gracefully, "Hey, watch it."
They had been working through this lift sequence for way too long.
"What the fuck the was that up there?" Danny was obviously still irritated with her.
"What's your problem?"
"Oh I don't know, 'Don't burn yourselves out, I know how this one can be'?!" Danny spat out at her, complete with air quotes.
"Danny—"
"No, it's backhanded bullshit and I won't tolerate it."
"Jesus you've known her for like a month, relax."
"No! If you don't acknowledge what you're doing you can find another partner." Danny pointed at her.
"Oh, yeah okay, like you'd start over years of training with someone else?" Regina folded her arms around her bony frame.
"You're fucking right I will!"
"Jesus, what did you get her pregnant already or something?"
"GET OUT!" Danny shouted, something he never did.
He pointed at the door and walked toward her jacket and boots, grabbing them and marching them up the stairs.
"Danny, wait—" Regina ran after him.
Danny threw the basement door open and stormed out, tossing Regina's jacket and boots against the front door.
"Get the fuck out!" He shouted again.
"Daniel!" Karen was stunned at her son's foul language and disrespectful actions.
"Danny, wait, please? I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"What is going on?" Karen came to mediate.
"I'm not dancing with her anymore." Danny replied simply.
Regina looked at Karen helplessly, not sure where to start or how to explain.
"Okay, okay, take a deep breath—"
"No! Mum. I love you, but I've asked Regina to leave and she will do so, right now, or I'll call the police."
"I—I Danny, please, don't do this—"
"I didn't do anything, you are the one who can't let this go, let us go!"
"Why does she get to move in with you after like a month?!"
"She's not you and I don't have to explain myself to anyone! Get out!" Danny marched over and opened the door, chucking her jacket and boots down the front steps.
"Daniel, that is enough!" Karen scolded him.
"If you have a problem you can leave too." Danny said bravely.
"You get out there right now and pick that up!" Karen took control of the door from Danny and pushed him out to collect Regina's things. He did.
"Here." Danny handed Regina her stuff back.
"Please dance with me." Regina begged him softly.
Danny opened the door and held it open without another word. Regina stepped up into his space, not ready to throw away all the years they had invested in each other.
"I am happy for you, Danny. Lacey is bigger than ballet for you and that's how it should be."
Danny shook his head no, "You're not happy for me."
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm jealous and I'm not used to seeing you like this."
"You're only saying sorry now because you're scared to lose my partnership."
"I am, but I've also known you for ten years. You're my friend and I don't want that to end, not like this. I really am sorry."
Danny sighed, "I'm falling in love with her, big time. I won't take you digging at her, I won't."
"I'll work on it, I was out of line—"
"We're done for today, we'll meet at the theatre tomorrow and see if we can do this. If we're not able to get past this—" Danny was dead serious about walking away.
"I'll focus on the work, I promise. You're the best dancer the company has, I'm not losing this opportunity."
"Fine."
Regina said goodbye and basically ran from Danny's home. Danny apologized to his mother but the threat remained, if anyone had a problem with his personal life they could fuck off.
That evening, Karen, Clara, Lacey and Danny all crowded around Danny's kitchen table for a spaghetti dinner. As they ate, Karen and Clara went over the guest list for their party.
"Okay, who did you invite so far?"
"Whitney and Rico said they would come."
Karen looked at Lacey for approval.
"Whitney's my assistant, you just met her tonight—"
"That's right, that's right. Okay, and Rico? Is he in?"
"Yes, he's a colleague of mine."
"I didn't get to invite Archie yet." Clara seemed disappointed.
"I can text him."
Karen wrote Archie's name down, "Who's Archie?"
"Another colleague, he was my business partner after college."
"Lacey used to kiss him like she kisses Danny now." Clara raised her eyebrows and swirled another bite of her pasta.
Karen's mouth hung open a little as she processed Clara's comment further. She looked over between Lacey and Danny.
"Archie's also my ex boyfriend." Lacey nodded slowly.
"Mum, it's fine. I know all about it. Archie's important to CC."
"Right, alright then. So tomorrow, you've just gotta invite the company." Karen smiled, "Clara I made you some invitations to hand out to your class too."
"Thank you!"
"It's amazing you can pull all of this off in a couple days, Karen."
"It's what I do." She smiled warmly.
After dinner, Lacey went with Clara up to the loft to unwind and get her ready for bed. While Clara was in the shower, Lacey laid in her bed scrolling through her phone.
Lacey: Hey
Archie: Hey there, what's up?
Lacey: Clara is requesting your presence at her Christmas Eve party this weekend, can you come?
Archie: Send me the info, I'll be anywhere that girl asks me to be
Lacey: Thanks Arch
Lacey heard voices. She tiptoed out of bed and opened the door to the loft quietly. Danny and his mom were still in the kitchen. Lacey ventured out further and hung back by the smaller bedroom, just out of sight of the staircase.
"Are you sure you're okay with the guest list?" Lacey heard Karen ask skeptically.
"I said it was fine. They're done, she's with me, no doubts. This party isn't about us anyway, it's about Clara. CC invited Regina too you know?"
"I'm worried about you."
"Now you're worried about me?" Lacey could almost hear his eye roll.
"Seeing the way you reacted with Regina today?"
"We had a disagreement, it's over."
"You can't have a complete meltdown whenever someone says something you don't like. Especially not when children are involved. Clara needs to see your stability, not your short fuse."
Lacey's heart sped up, Danny and Regina had a disagreement? Danny's phone began to ring.
"I have to get this." Danny shushed his mother, "Hello? Hi, yes this is Danny."
Lacey was prepared to settle in and listen to at least one side of this conversation but Danny ducked down into the basement and Karen began climbing up the stairs. Lacey made a mad dash to get up into the loft before Karen came around the corner.
"There you are, why are you running?" Clara squinted at her sister like she was the biggest weirdo.
"Just being efficient, ready for school tomorrow? Got all your stuff packed for ballet?"
"No—"
"Then mind your own business, sis!" Lacey nudged her sister playfully.
"What is wrong with you? You're acting weird."
"I am not!"
Lacey managed to get everything prepped for both of them in order to have a smooth morning. She was too nervous to venture down from the loft, still reeling from spying on Danny.
He wasn't lying to her yet, but the potential was there. Lacey was scared to face him and see if he offered any info to her. What if he didn't? Should she call him out on it? She was the one eavesdropping.
Danny: Did you fall asleep up there?
The text came in the middle of her anxiety driven stream of consciousness.
Lacey: Just getting C ready for tomorrow
Danny: It's late, when are you coming to bed?
Lacey: I might just stay up here tonight
Danny: Boo! I liked sleeping with you. Do I snore? I snore don't I
Lacey: You don't snore. I am still struggling with playing house. Clara couldn't find me this morning, thank god for your mom
Danny: So just tell her where you will be and get in here, this body isn't going to snuggle itself
"Why are you giggling now? You're losing it." Clara judged her sister's mental health.
"Hey, do you know where Danny's bedroom is?"
"Yeah, the big one with the fancy shower."
"That's where I was last night. I slept in there."
"In the shower?"
"No, silly, in Danny's bed."
"That bed is huge."
"Exactly, yes, plenty of room for me. I'll be in there if you need me, okay?"
Clara nodded, "Okay."
"'Night Clara, I love you." Lacey hugged her sister and got her all tucked in.
"'Night."
Lacey crept down the stairs, past the smaller bedroom and into Danny's. Danny was standing in his underwear hanging up some laundry, tossing it down the moment she walked in.
"Yaasss, you made it." Danny smiled, melting Lacey's worries a bit. He met her at the foot of the bed and wrapped his arms around her, "How'd your day go?"
"Okay. I think I have a buyer for a small deal tomorrow."
"Nice."
Danny's nimble fingers slid around under the front of Lacey's sweater and caressed the skin he found there. He watched her face as he pulled the sweater up further, when she didn't move to stop him he popped it off over Lacey's head.
"What about you, how was practice?"
Danny's arms fell, sweater in hand as he exhaled at the memory.
"Terrible. Regina's just a jealous nightmare right now. We're going to try to work through it but it got pretty heated today and I almost quit as her partner."
One point for Danny, Lacey thought to herself.
"That's rough. Was she the one who called?" Lacey asked before remembering she wasn't supposed to know about that.
"The one who called?" Danny looked at her like he had no clue what she was talking about.
Lacey tried to mask her mistake, "Karen, I—when she came up she mentioned you were on the phone—"
"Oh, right yeah, wrong number."
Lacey licked her lips, remembering that he had confirmed with the caller that he was Danny when he answered. He just lied to her.
"Wrong number?" They were about to go one way or the other.
"Well, the theatre called for me, but it wasn't me they needed. I guess Misty's partner is sick and the director called thinking I was his understudy but I'm not."
Lacey nodded, sounded plausible.
"I don't want to talk about this stuff." Danny dropped her sweater to the ground and reached for the zipper of Lacey's skirt, pulling her against him, "Shower?"
"You really should have learned how to wash yourself by now." Lacey smiled and kissed him.
Danny unzipped her skirt and wrangled her tights off before pulling her toward the bathroom.