A Lady Needs Pampered

Lacey handed Jo another set of files. "That's all I could find."

"Thanks." Jo swept back her sweating hair from her forehead. "I'm sorry I couldn't let you off. That Bruce guy is coming into town. He wants all these papers in order for some reason. Also, Danny did make you in charge, according to the memo I received ,of the whole Love Laced product line."

"No problem." A strained smile displayed on Lacey's face. "I will do my job."

Jo slumped over. "I know Danny has not been back into your life for that long. Don't make me feel guilty. You're the only one that can handle a job this big. I was made in charge at a young age. We now know it was Danny's doing. But I want to prove we can do this even more now. I have to prove to this obnoxious Bruce that it wasn't a mistake. That includes hiring myself a secretary to do some of the grunt work like this."

"I know." Lacey scratched the side of her nose. "Danny is just so…sexy. I haven't been with him since his return. I was thinking maybe we should go ahead and take our relationship up to that level. He said he loves me still. I want to say it back. You know what that can lead to."

"Guilt!" Jo reminded Lacey. "It's already there. I don't need more of it."

"Hey." Danny stuck his head in the dusty basement. "One of the office workers told me the boss was down here with her hot secretary. They asked if I'd take Polaroids."

"Danny!" Lacey giggled. "What are you doing here?"

"Missing my girl." Danny glared at Jo. "Because her boss insisted not giving her a day off when her boyfriend returns after five years of being left out of her life due to huge misunderstandings."

"Funny." Jo grunted. "But we have to load all these files into different boxes. We then have to put the years of business expenses on the computer files this week."

Danny winked. "Hmmm. You'd think the owner would have a say in his own company of when and when not to be open for business. I say close the doors. Take off for the day. Everyone, including Jo Penasco, with pay."

Jo's eyes brightened. "Really? But this Bruce.."

"I can handle Bruce, Jo. Now take a day and I'll hire someone to help get the books in order."

"Oh that would be amazing, Danny." Jo stood up pushing a box away as she did.

"Now can Lacey go home and have sex with me?" Danny smirked.

"That sure of yourself, huh?" Lacey teased as she stood up dusting off her leggings.

Jo stood up looking at the room. She ran to check out the neatly stacked boxes. Lacey and she had already plowed through a lot of the items that Bruce said needed done. But there was still so much to do.

"You're a life saver." Jo jumped up to hug Danny's neck. "Some of the stuff I can't make heads or tails out of anyway."

"You should have told me before now. I'll get you help." Danny turned to Lacey. He took her hand. "Now I'm taking my beautiful girlfriend home."

"Go!" Jo laughed.

"Go on to the car, Lacey." Danny smiled. "I need to speak to Jo."

"See you in a second." Lacey leaned to kiss Danny's lips before leaving.

Jo headed upstairs followed by Danny. "So what is it?"

"Bruce."

"Why do I feel he is the arch enemy?" Jo sat down at her desk. She motioned for Danny to shut the office door.

"I've been noticing some things off in the books. I know you aren't the culprit. Just be careful and make sure to go through this stuff with Lacey and whoever I hire. Something isn't right." Danny leaned against the wall.

"Lacey actually said something wasn't adding up in the financial records this morning." Jo said with a heavy sigh. "I wish I had hired her sooner. She's good with this business stuff."

"That's not the problem. I am the owner. So I know you or Lacey would mess with the books." Danny scratched the back of his neck. "I want you and Lace to work on this because I don't trust him. Not after what Cole told me."

"And?" Jo leaned back.

"And..that is it." Danny ran his hand through his hair. "Help me out and this because I don't want to take the time to worry about Bruce. I want to reconnect with Lacey and get to know Thomas."

"I'll take care of it." Jo laughed. "So you go reconnect with Lacey."

"No offense, Jo." Danny pushed off the wall. "But I planned that even if you had refused to let her off. I'd fire you." He teased with a wink.

"Noted." Jo waved Danny on. "Go home and do whatever it is you plan to do with Lacey."

Danny wiggled his eyebrows as he left the Jo's office. Danny and Lacey decided to make it an evening out in McNally Park. They chose the spot of their first hidden date.

Lacey relaxed in Danny's arms as he massaged her shoulders. "Feel good."

"MMmmhmmm." Lacey cooed. "By the way, I noticed the boyfriend/girlfriend status you gave us."

"Is that okay?" Danny placed his chin on the crown of Lacey's head. "I mean ...you and Trevor are over? Right?"

"Trevor was a blind date. There was nothing between us." Lacey assured Danny as she turned to look him in his eyes. "He is only a friend now." Lacey turned to stare at Danny. "I am happy to be your girlfriend again. When I said I needed you to need me. I do. If you need me, that means you love me. Because I need you, Danny. I need you because I love you."

"I wasn't sure you still felt the same." Danny sighed with relief. "I thought you were avoiding me about that."

"No. I was worried that all this would fall through." Lacey touched Danny's cheek. "I love you so much. I have for so long. But I have to make sure this is going to work now. Because it isn't just us, it is Thomas too."

"I know. I do, Lace." Danny pushed a tendril of hair from Lacey's face. "He is our priority now. I get that. But I want a family with you and him."

"I can see that happening for us too." Lacey grinned revealing her dimples.

"Take off your clothes." Danny ordered in a sudden mischievous way.

"Danny,we're in the middle of field." Lacey looked at Danny like he was crazy.

Danny pulled off his shirt. "No one is around for miles. That's why I chose this place. Nothing like shutting down McNally Park. You'd be surprised how making a contribution to Green Grove Town Improvement Fund can get you a day in the park undisturbed. Just take off your clothes so I can give you a full body
massage."

Lacey shyly stripped off her clothes to her underwear. "There."

"All of your clothes." Danny slid his finger under Lacey's bra strap. "No one can see you."

Lacey blushed as Danny slowly discarded her under clothes. He flipped Lacey to her stomach as he kneaded her skin from her back to her ankles. He continued up and down with his fingers loosening up Lacey's muscles.

"You're really stressed." Danny whispered in Lacey's ear. "Baby, let me pamper you. Just relax at my touch."

"That's difficult. I'm too busy getting turned on by your touch." Lacey admitted through a series of groans.

Danny puled some oil from a picnic basket he packed. He poured it all over Lacey's body. She shivered slightly at the coldness of the oil. He then warmed her up by rubbing his hands over her skin. He had learned to control his desires with precision due to wanting to pamper Lacey. She moaned at the sensation running up and down her spine.

"This Friday is a big school picnic. All the parents and staff come with their kids." Lacey's back and thighs weren't all that was heating up with Danny's actions. "I'd really like to go as a family."

"No problem." Danny turned Lacey over slowly. "Now to work on the front."

"Danny…" Lacey moaned. "That….is..not…massaging…"

"Yes, it is." Danny smirked as he glanced at Lacey with heavy desire. "I'm just not using my hands. Like I said…a full body massage."

It didn't take long before the young couple reconnected physically. All their emotions poured out physically as they enjoyed the feeling of being together again. The day passed quickly as Danny and Lacey made love on the green grass of the field. They had a blanket but they had rolled off that hours earlier. By the time, they were through. Lacey's body was too exhausted to move. Danny picked her up after dressing her. He carried her towards the car.

Lacey rested her head against Danny's chest. She sighed contented. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Danny kissed Lacey's forehead. "Thanks for raising my baby."

Lacey bit her bottom lip. "Danny.."

"Listen." Danny whispered. "Thanks for raising my son. Thanks for giving birth to him. Thanks for letting me make up for lost time. You were right. I would have never left if I knew. We can't change that mistake. We can only build on our future."

"Thanks for giving me your son, Danny." Lacey closed her eyes. "Thanks for giving me you."

Soon Lacey slept in Danny's arms back at the house. He slid from under her when he heard noise downstairs. He entered the kitchen glancing at Phoebe and Samuel fixing supper together. He sighed contentedly as he realized they were all going to work through this. He was going to be a father to his son.

Danny grinned at his next step. He had to go to New York City and get the engagement ring he had purchased for Lacey all those years ago. He still had tucked away dreaming for a time he could make Lacey Porter his wife.