Lacey got ready faster than she ever had before. She managed to shower before lining her eyes and pulling her dress on. Lacey's homecoming look was a simple little black dress. It flared out hitting her well above her knees and had a delicate gold zipper that ran from the plunging v-neckline all the down to the bottom hem.
If she was not careful, anyone could just walk by and zip her dress right off. Because of this sexy feature, Lacey wore her best underwear underneath. In this case, it was a royal blue satin bra and matching lace cheekie panties. Just. In. Case.
Phoebe stormed into their dorm room with her hair all done.
"Oh, good, you're not dead." She rolled her eyes, "So now you're going to homecoming with him?"
"I'm not expecting you to understand."
"Good, 'cause I don't—"
Phoebe left her robe on and climbed into her bed with a bottle of wine so she could pregame.
"I listened to you bitch about him for hours, then he shows up and you're like YEP, I'M AVAILABLE!" Phoebe shook her head, "If that's how it's going to be, I don't want to hear about it, good or bad, that's all I'm saying."
"Fair enough." Lacey sighed.
"I care about you, okay? Danny, he's just—" Phoebe shook her head, having trouble articulating exactly what made her uncomfortable about him, "I'm just worried about you."
She poured Lacey a cup of wine because they were roommates and in spite of her feelings about Danny, Lacey was always going to be a priority in her life. At the end of the day, they were each other's family while they were away from home.
"Thanks, Phoebs. I'll be careful." Lacey promised before accepting a heathy swig of the wine.
Just as Lacey finished with her hair, Danny returned. She smiled at the sound of his fist pounding against the door. She stood and opened it, Danny leaning against the frame like a smoldering prince, flowers in hand.
"Aww, these are pretty."
Lacey reached for the bouquet. This was exactly the lazy gesture from past lovers that she was always unimpressed with. Danny knew Lacey better than that and pulled the flowers out of her reach.
"These are not for you." He said matter-of-factly as if it should have been obvious.
Danny walked over to Phoebe's bed and laid the bouquet down next to her. He was well versed in the politics of college roommate camaraderie and he didn't want to start any issues in Lacey's life, she was already dealing with enough.
"I know I've caused some problems, I'm sorry." Danny tried, "I'm not trying to be that guy."
Phoebe looked up and sneered at him, "Do I know you?" She feigned amnesia and carried on with her pregame, snatching the bouquet for some sniffs because why not? The poor flowers were already dying, might as well enjoy them.
"I think that went well." Danny smiled at Lacey.
He trailed his eyes down her body, obviously pleased with her dress, and stopped at her bare feet.
"You're not ready." He said low and flat.
"Just need shoes." Lacey reached for her heels, Danny stepping into her path and holding her waist.
"I told you to be ready." He emphasized in a low whisper.
Lacey reached again for the heels, Danny standing firmly in place, not making it easy.
"Can we settle this later?" Lacey giggled and glanced at Phoebe who had her earbuds in at this point and was desperately trying to avoid them.
"Okay." Danny knew when to pause. He gave her his famous half smile and gave her outfit another once over, "You look beautiful, Lacey." He said sincerely.
"Thanks! So do you." Lacey fixed the bow tie on Danny's gorgeous black suit.
Danny pulled a long jewelry case out of his interior suit pocket and presented it to her, "This is for you."
"Aww, Danny, you didn't have to do that—"
"Yeah, yeah, just open it."
Danny held the box so Lacey could pull the top open. Inside was a delicate double gold chain with a small circular medallion engraved with a letter L.
Danny took the necklace out and secured it around Lacey's neck. One strand went around at choker length, while the one carrying the L medallion fell down toward Lacey's chest. The links in each of the chains were different, unique. It was a gorgeous art deco piece and it was the perfect compliment to her outfit.
"This is so beautiful, thank you." She really liked it.
Lacey was never given jewelry from anyone before, not like this. It seemed Danny knew exactly the things that she would truly love and value.
Danny stood behind her after he secured the necklace and watched her admire the small gold circle.
"Flip it over." Danny suggested.
Lacey turned the L side of the medallion over to reveal a tiny letter D on the back. Danny maintained eye contact with her in the full length mirror as he brought his mouth next to her ear.
"D is for Danny's." He said softly, making sure Phoebe wouldn't be able to hear, headphones or not.
Lacey's whole body exploded with need and she wanted nothing more than to have Danny fuck her again right here, right now.
Danny giggled, "I'm just kidding, It's just something I thought you'd like and that would remind you of me. I know we can't be together a lot, so—"
Lacey giggled too, "You have a way with words."
He spun Lacey around to face him and held her hands lovingly, "Thank you for doing this tonight." He kissed the back of each of them.
"You bet. Let's head out."
All eyes were on Danny and Lacey as they entered the dome which had been transformed giving it an electric disco nightclub vibe.
They greeted friends and stayed close as they worked their way across the facility and back again. Halfway through their journey back to the other side of the dome, Regina had tracked them down.
"Wow, Lacey, you look hot. Nice necklace." Regina complimented almost genuinely. Almost.
"Thanks! It was a gift." Lacey said proudly.
Lacey was warm, happy. The pregame wine from Phoebe had her relaxed and vibing. She couldn't care less about Regina or anyone else she had been previously uneasy about running into. Danny told her she was it, so she put her faith in that for now and let the rest go. Lacey had no reason to doubt this beautiful human, so she didn't.
"Dance?" Regina asked Danny.
Danny squeezed Lacey's hand and looked over at her, she smiled back, "Have fun! I'm gonna go find the drinks."
"A necklace, really?" Regina giggled as Lacey danced away from them.
"Fuck off." Danny said playfully, holding Regina loosely around the waist.
"The only thing you have ever given me has been sore muscles."
"It's not my fault you're not in better shape." Danny shrugged.
"Yeah girls don't wanna hear that—" Regina smacked his arm, "but seriously, why haven't you given me more time recently?"
"We had today."
Regina tipped her head to the side, "Did we though?" She recalled Danny and his one-sided role play, "I remember the days when you couldn't get enough of me too." She sighed.
"The situation is changing."
Regina huffed impatiently, "Changing?"
"Sex is no longer an offer I'm extending to anyone." Danny tested the words to his new arrangement. He liked saying it.
Regina giggled, "What are you talking about?"
"What about someone else? Archie?" Danny suggested.
"Archie? Danny, what is going on?"
"I'm with Lacey."
"Like, she's your girlfriend?"
"Not exactly, not yet anyway. I'm talking about in my bedroom. It's Lacey, that's it."
Regina reared back, completely stunned, "You're not serious—"
"I can change the deal with Archie if you're interested."
"Archie likes Lacey though, not me. Fuck, I guess you all like Lacey."
"Archie can't have Lacey. She's mine."
"Jesus, Danny. Why does she get more of you than I do?!"
"Lacey's special."
"I can see that, but WHY?!" Regina said above her normal obnoxious volume.
Danny tightened his grip on Regina's waist, "Keep your voice down."
"I am the one who helped you get where you are today with the girls you wanted. I should be the special one, I've earned it!"
"I would have ended up right where I am now with or without your assistance, but what a hell of a ride it's been with you." Danny admitted, "Lacey is different, she doesn't need me for a goddamn thing and I love it."
Regina exhaled sharply, "Aloof and geeky gets that huge cock of yours to bounce, huh?" She looked over at Lacey with pure envy.
"Watch your mouth." Danny warned, pulling Regina against him tighter.
"I bet we could show her a thing or two, you know?" Regina said as she ran her finger around the curve of Danny's ear, "Please? Don't do this." Regina begged him, reaching her hands around to grab Danny's ass.
"Hands off me, Miss Crane." Danny said firmly. Regina released him immediately, "Good." Danny winked.
"You can do whatever you want, I'm not picky."
"No, ma'am. That's not what I'm looking for, not anymore."
"Does she know about this morning?"
Danny took a step back, "Song's over, thanks for the dance." Danny bowed slightly before turning and leaving her there in a puddle of frustration.
Danny found Lacey fully involved with Scott and Charlie in another infamous football player sandwich. He grabbed himself a drink and walked a wide circle around the threesome to make his presence known. Slowly but surely Danny's teammates turned away from Lacey in favor of other dancers until she found herself alone.
"Danny, I was having fun!" She squawked.
"I saw that, I love watching you have fun." Danny smiled warmly, "I meant no harm, the guys chose to move on their own." Danny shrugged, "Drink?"
"Oh please, they're terrified of you." Lacey roasted, accepting the drink.
"Seen Archie yet?"
"Yeah he's around. I haven't danced with him yet if that's what you're really asking." Lacey slid her arms around Danny's waist and kissed him quickly, "Feel nice having your ass squeezed?"
"You were watching me?" Danny smirked at her.
"With that one? Absolutely."
"I told her about our arrangement."
"I'm sure she was thrilled."
"I know I am." Danny said with all his glorious intensity.
"You sure about this?" Lacey bit her lip, she really didn't know him at all.
"What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?" Danny asked her as if he were never more sure of anything in his life.
Lacey scrunched her face up, she was hesitating.
"I mean, I'm not a bad cook—" Danny joked, surprised and a little nervous that her answer was taking this long.
"I really shouldn't sleep over. I have so much to do and you're a distraction. A super hot, completely satisfying, addictive distraction."
Danny's face fell, "I thought we were going to play after the dance?" He pushed, the disappointment in his voice undisputed.
"We are—I just planned to work on paint prep tonight after we're—done. I wasn't planning on sleeping over after."
Danny stared at her and waited for a better excuse for her rejection. Lacey's anxiety soared.
"I can't rush a painting, D. The canvases aren't ready and the paint needs to dry before I can start and my studio time is limited and this is all assuming I've had a breakthrough and even know what the hell I'm going to paint—"
"Hey, hey, slow down. I do understand the pressure you're under. You're not going to have a lot of time to do any of it tonight anyway. Come home with me, take a night off. I'll work you out and put you to bed. Or, I'll just put you to bed. I'm not trying to be a distraction I swear."
Lacey knew she had to tread lightly, she didn't want to end this connection before they even got it started.
"I am willing to bet your dance with Regina included her objecting to our arrangement?"
So much for treading lightly, Danny's mouth smoothed into a tight line.
"It was just a dance."
"I'm just saying, isn't that why you've had so many friends? Someone else would have helped you out tonight, but now all that burden's on me—"
"Burden." Danny nodded in disbelief, had he been this far off with her?
He pulled his body away from her, recoiling from her assessment. Lacey stepped forward, trying nonverbally to explain the giant foot she just shoved in her mouth.
"Danny, I didn't mean—" She tried to get the words out, Lacey's hands finding solace in fidgeting with the necklace Danny had gifted her.
Danny held his hand up briefly, "No, I hear you loud and clear. I'm sorry, you have fun. I'll see you around, okay?" Danny took off across the venue and straight out the exit doors.
Regina walked up beside Lacey to watch Danny's perfect ass scamper away.
"Did he tell you about this morning yet?" Regina was almost salivating in anticipation.
Lacey recalled seeing him and Regina on the field this morning. What else did she not know?
"Hey you said you wanted to not hate each other, I'm just trying to be honest and help you out here." Regina said like a total saint after gauging Lacey's silence as curiosity in the news she was holding.
Lacey was patient. Not objecting but not encouraging her either, she was just quiet, for now.
"He has a lot of kinks, like, you have no idea what you've just signed up for. I'm sure you'll learn all about them since you're exclusive now, or whatever." Regina rolled her eyes.
"Regina, get to the fucking point! Jesus, is one of Danny's kinks that he likes to shove his cock down your throat? I would, just to shut you the fuck up!"
"We had sex in the locker room after practice today."
"Is that the kinky part?" Lacey looked up for strength, not quite an eye roll.
This vanilla princess really thought the locker room was noteworthy?
"Nope, the kinky part was when he shoved a sock in my mouth and called me Lacey. Twice." Regina smiled at how creeptastic she knew that visual really was.
"Oh damn." Lacey just stared at her, not sure if she should be flattered for herself or sick at the thought of such mega weirdness.
"You're ruining a very good thing here. I networked for him last year, we've been a machine ever since. How dare you!"
Lacey stepped right up into Regina's face, "I was right, he did want to shut you up! It's not my fault that Danny finds me completely satisfying. Maybe the rest of you should have put in a little more work."
"Satisfying? Girl he sees someone with zero experience, that's obvious. He's about to mold you to fit into his life, I hope you're ready, Danny doesn't do basic anything."
"Well, he did you—" Lacey shrugged.
Lacey pushed past Regina and several of her spirit back up bullies and headed for the exit. She pulled her heels off and shuffled out the door in her bare feet. Danny needed to explain some shit, right now.