A/N: I rushed to get this chapter finished before the episode airs tonight, because I'm afraid I'll just be a quivering puddle of dandy feels, and I won't be able to write for a while :P. As always, please feel free to leave a review or comment, I really appreciate everything you all have to say. I'm so happy to be part of such a happy, smart, and dedicated fandom. Tuesday Tuesday gotta get down on Tuesday!
Mindy was floating, the sweat cooling on her skin. The words so recently spoken replayed over and over in her mind. She pulled away from Danny's gentle kiss, leaning back just enough to look at his face. He quickly looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the vulnerability hanging in the air between them. Her heart, beating away in her chest, sent blood whooshing in her ears with each pulse. Every pore tingled in post-coital bliss, her muscles limp, and yet Danny's words sent an electric shock through her, enlivening her once again. "Trapped?"
He swallowed, pulling back even further, buttoning his slacks as he pulled away. The expression on his face suddenly shuttered, he cleared his throat, turning to retrieve her skirt and blouse from the floor. He needed to compose himself. The softly spoke near-confession had been a mistake. Everything about what they had just done had seemed spontaneous. Shaking his head, trying to forget how foolish he'd just been, he turned back to her, unceremoniously shoving the clothing in her naked lap. "You should, uh, get dressed, so we can figure out how to get out of here."
Mindy sat still, her wrinkled clothing clutched in her hands. An overwhelming urge to cry swept through her, surprising her with its intensity. She was confused. Danny had given her something, briefly, before snatching it back again. She hadn't had time to process what it meant to her. She felt broken hearted, but that didn't make any sense. She wasn't emotionally invested in how Danny felt about her. Hell, until recently she hadn't even entertained the thought of being with him. She didn't understand what was happening.
It's just that he'd been so perfect lately. Perfectly irritating, perfectly grouchy, perfectly arrogant, perfectly sweet trying to reassure her when she was unsure of herself. The soft tone he'd begun to use with her lately sent shivers up her spine. Those carefully calculated comments designed solely to make her feel better. She didn't know a single other person who could do that, who would even bother.
Her attention was caught by the door rattling in its frame. Both of their heads snapped around, staring in horror at the door. Danny lunged forward, scooping Mindy off the counter, tossing her haphazardly over his shoulder. She squeaked, bracing herself against his back with her palms, as his arm locked across the back of her knees.
"Anybody in there?" Doris's voice called out, muffled by the thick door.
Danny spun in a circle, trying to decide what to do. The panic coursing through him. He dove into an open stall, panting as he listened for their intruder. Mindy squirmed against him, trying to climb down. She whispered loudly. "Danny, put me down."
His hands slipped against her legs and he clutched at her more tightly. "Shhhh." He turned and carefully released her, standing her up on the cool porcelain of the toilet, so Doris wouldn't see Mindy's feet poking out from under the stall.
"Danny!" He wasn't paying attention to her, his face pressed firmly against the stall door, trying to peek through the slim crack. "Danny!"
He turned back to her, clearly irritated, an emphatic sshhhh issuing from his lips before he turned back to the door. She reached forward, maintaining her precarious position on the toilet, and shoved at him. "Danny!"
Eyes wide, he turned to her. She matched his expression and dramatically pointed to her left foot. Her bare left foot. Somewhere along the way, one of her flats had flown off, probably when Danny had tossed her over his shoulder like an enthusiastic fireman. She felt herself grinning at the though, feeling more than a little tingly at his display of masculinity, remembering the feel of his shoulder, muscles bunched underneath her fingers.
Understanding settled over him. "Shit." He opened the door again, poking his head through before darting out in to the open area. The door rattled once more, and Danny could hear Doris jangling her keys. He took a deep breath, scanning the tiles before him. He spied her shoe on the floor in the corner by the trashcan. He snatched it, turning back to the stall, he heard the door creak open just as he opened the door, flinging the shoe at Mindy before the stall slammed shut, him on the outside.
He spun around, facing a surprised Doris. "Heeeeey…. Doris." Shit. He sounded stoned. Glancing down at his shirt hanging open, he instinctively moved to button it, belatedly realizing there were no buttons. He crossed the loose panels tucking his hands under his arms.
She frowned, one eyebrow raised. "Is everything ok here?" She gestured to his clothing, her eyes wandering to the floor, noting the buttons scattered across the tiles.
Danny coughed, swallowing. He decided to adopt an air of nonchalance. He leaned against the wall, his hand sweaty hand unable to gain purchase, nearly causing him to fall. "Um, yeah, it's all good. Uh, I slipped, and… my shirt caught on…." He glanced around the room, looking for a plausible excuse for his state of undress. Damn it.
A strangled snort escaped from the stall behind him. Trying to cover the noise, he cleared his throat loudly, knowing it wouldn't really fool anyone. "It, uh, caught on the door latch, and just…." He gestured lamely to himself. "Then the door locked me in."
Doris nodded, clearly not believing a word Danny had said. "Right…" She moved aside, propping the door open, giving Danny a clear path to escape. Shit.
"Um, I still… need to relieve myself. Could you come back in like ten minutes?"
She rolled her eyes. "Sure. Ten minutes. Are you sure you don't need more time?" Winking, she jerked her head toward the stall Mindy was hiding in.
Danny swallowed, answering at an unreasonable volume. "No!... um, I mean, ten minutes is enough."
Doris chucked as she exited, saying she would start on the women's first, she paused, whispering, "Psst, you forgot her bra." She pointed to the garment, slung haphazardly in the corner. She slipped out, muttering something about the seedy underbelly of New York City gynecological offices after dark.
As soon as Doris had left, the stall door swung open, Mindy popping out, clothed once more. She walked over to Danny, clutching her blouse shut. "You are such a terrible liar. I'm going to have to get Doris tickets to a One Direction concert, to buy her silence. I heard her humming What Makes You Beautiful while dusting the other day." Bending over, she hooked her finger in the loops of her bra straps. "Let's get the hell out of here."
They snuck back to their respective offices, buttoning up coats over their tattered clothing. Together once again, standing awkwardly in the descending elevator, Mindy glanced over at Danny. It would never be the same after this. She'd be hard pressed to think of anything other than the feel of his skin against hers when she looked at him. It would be impossible to see him turn into a sweaty mess without remembered the salty taste against her tongue as she kissed along his collar bone.
"What are you looking at?" Danny's voice was grouchy, but it crumbled a little on the last word.
Deciding to continue with her impulsivity, based on the desirable results she'd so far experienced, Mindy smiled broadly at him, reaching down she threaded her fingers through his, feeling him tense up for a moment before relaxing into it. "We have to finish what we started, Castellano. Your place or mine?"
He dragged her against him, using his free hand to cup the back of her neck. He kissed her roughly, relief inspired by her suggestion coursing through him, embodied in the enthusiasm of his lips. He pulled away from her, gasping. "Mine's closer."
She laughed. "Well, I guess that settles it."
"I guess it does."
