The Driskill Hotel
Brazos Street, Austin TX
11pm

"I'm dying here .." Carol said from her perch stool at the bar. "Although I gotta say, I'm enjoying this wing woman business."

Carol had found it pretty amusing when CJ had called her for tips - even if they'd ultimately had to get Margaret on the line for proper pointers. It had been the redhead's idea that Carol avail herself of the opportunity to have some fun, too.

And so here they were - two elegant women seated at the bar in the crown jewel of Austin's hotel scene.

"Considering all the drinks coming your way, I think we can agree that I'm the wing woman here," CJ said with a laugh.

"You may be right," Carol said as she ran a hand under her hair and shook the tresses gently across her shoulders. "It won't be long now," she predicted as she made smouldering eye contact with a man standing by the fireplace and raised her glass in his direction. "Not to mention that I think you need to save your significant other soon."

CJ glanced down the bar, where Danny was being chatted up by a woman who had clearly lost her understanding of personal boundaries to alcohol.

"Yes."

"Oh! Here goes," Carol said as the object of her admiration moved towards her with purpose in his stride. "You'll be okay here if I decide to make a go of it?"

"Yes."

"Hi," Carol cooed as the dark haired man leant against the bar on the other side of her.

He drawled "evenin' ma'am " in a way that made her toes curl.

CJ smiled into her drink and looked down the bar again.

The woman who had been there a few moments before was nowhere to be seen, and she took the opportunity to ask the bartender to send Danny a drink.

She nursed her own for a while longer, enjoying the arousal pool as Danny ate her up with his eyes.

When she couldn't stand it any longer she moved to his side - and stood so close to him she could feel his breath flutter across her neck when she leaned forward across the bar.

"Is this what people do?" she whispered. "I'm a bit out of practice."

"You're doing fine."

On a whim she reached up and undid her chignon; smiling when he tugged discreetly at her skirt and pulled her into the space between him and the bar.

"I take it you don't mind if I flirt with you?" she said as turned to face him and leaned back onto her elbows.

"Isn't that why we're here?"

"I'm here for the eye sex."

"Same."

But his right hand made contact with the back of her knee as he spoke, and CJ had to blow out a small breath to stay on an even keel.

"God, Danny."

"Shouldna done that thing with your hair."

His other hand found its way to the hem of her skirt and lingered there; teasing her until he wrapped both hands around her leg and used his thumbs to sensitize her skin.

"I can't do this, Danny."

"I know."

"I really can't do this Danny .."

"Nobody can see what I'm doing."

"They'll know if I moan."

"Are you planning to?"

"I'm hanging on by a thread here."

"Okay, so how about this?" he said as he stood from his seat

He scrawled #121 onto a napkin and slid it next to her drink.

"I'll leave the door open," he whispered into her ear before walking away.

Memories of the Wednesday night she'd shown up at his door rose in Danny's mind as he watched her standing in the doorway with the light from the hallway bouncing off her hair.

He chose - as he had that night - to let her lead.

They'd agreed not to talk, but he knew exactly what she wanted when she turned away and looked back at him over her shoulder.

He dropped a kiss to the nape of her neck as he tugged slowly on the zipper. Sliding a hand around the flat plane of her stomach when the opening was large enough.

The little gasp of pleasure as he moved his hand downwards was followed by a sudden turn in his arms, and her lips brushed softly against his as he maneuvered the dress down and off her.

She nipped gently at his jawline and neck, and he understood that she was asking for the tender kind of loving she needed when she was overwhelmed or tired, or both.

He undressed himself and led her to bed; watching her watch him remove what remained of her clothing, and wondering if she realized how tired she actually was. She'd never fallen asleep on him, but he'd already reconciled himself to the fact that tonight might be the night and was fine with that.

Her eyes closed, but just as he was about to turn out the light she reached for his hand and placed it between her legs.

He kept his face mere inches from hers. Admiring her determination to stay awake and loving the way her breathing became agitated.

When his own needs became bigger than him, he slid into her; losing himself in the eyes that spoke silent volumes to him until they dilated and their worlds blurred around the edges and merged.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

He pulled the covers up around her when he saw exhaustion start to exert its final tug on her.

"What time is it?"

"0-dark hundred on Friday morning."

She mumbled something that he couldn't quite understand.

"Didn't quite catch that," he said as he leaned closer.

"I said, should I tell Toby that I picked you up in a bar last Thursday?"

Danny spooned up behind her and stroked her hair as she fell asleep.

"I think that should be our little secret."