Danny came awake slowly. He was surrounded by Alice, inundated with her scent. He felt a small person burrowing into his side. He looked down and smiled tenderly he felt a rush of emotion so intense it nearly stopped him breathing. God he loved her, more than life. More than he ever thought possible! Did love always feel like this? He wondered. Or was this special one of a kind. Was Alice his soul mate? God he was getting soppy! A thought struck him. Had Alice been in love before? She'd been the one to say she loved him first! Had she been in love before so she knew what it was like? He felt a surge of jealousy. It didn't matter. She was here with him. Her head was rested on his chest, her arms were wrapped around his waist and her legs were intertwined with his! Everything was perfect right here on this sofa. His mother had placed a blanket over them, he was surprised he thought that if she found him like that she would have subtly woke them up. He knew his mother liked Alice but did this mean she accepted Alice? He hoped so he loved Alice so much he couldn't imagine his life without her. He'd only known her a week but she'd worked her way into his heart in such a short time. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and tightened his hold. He saw a smile flutter over her lips and her eyes opened slowly. She looked so adorable as she woke up. Her sleepy grin when she saw him looking at her. Her blues eyes half open dusted with sleep.
"Love you Alice, you'll never know how much!" he said and kissed her because he couldn't help himself.
"Mmmm I love you too Danny." she said against his lips. "This is definitely the way to be woken!" she said.
He heard footsteps approaching. "Mum." he whispered in her ear. She grinned at him.
"Oh so your both awake, tea will be done in , if you wanna come and sit in the dining table." she then walked away.
Alice stretched. "That was the best sleep I have had in ages. I didn't have a nightmare either!"
She sat up - he resisted the urge to pull her back towards him.
"My big strong arms kept you safe, they always will darling. No-one will ever hurt you when I'm close to you!" he then flexed his muscles for effect. His voice took on a serious tone. "Do you have nightmares often?" he asked.
She nodded. "I know that nothing actually happened but that didn't stop me thinking that it actually would happen you know!" she said quietly. "I have nightmares every night. I dread going to sleep!"
He sat up and put his arm around her shoulder, "It's not stupid honey. It's normal. What you went through was terrifying." he said and wrapped her into his hug. He wanted to promise that Josh wasn't going anywhere near her. He wished he could but he couldn't and he hated it. It had the biggest urge to protect her.
"Hey!" his mum said. "Can't leave you 2 alone for a minute!" she chided.
Alice blushed. Danny grabbed her hand. "Don't worry mum nothing funny was going on!" Danny said.
"Good! I'm too young to be a grandma any time soon." she muttered.
Danny and Alice didn't hear her.
"Your hair looks so cute!" Alice told Danny.
Danny frowned and lightly touched his head. He had bed hair! He ran through it and ruffled it trying to control the unruly spikes. Nothing damn! He hated his hair.
"You look so adorable!" Alice said and smiled at him.
They sat down for tea. Chicken curry with egg fried rice. Then Danny and Alice had the house to themselves. Danny's dad always took his mum out when he came back from work. Alice volunteered to do the dishes so Amanda went and sat down with Danny. " "Now look Danny I know you and Alice love each other but please don't rush into anything. Your father and I were going to stay in tonight but we decided to go out because we trust you. We trust that'll you and Alice will make the right decision and that you'll be sensible. Please don't let me down son."
"Mum you don't have to worry ok. She's not even 16 yet!" that was all he was willing to ay on the subject. He wasn't going to insult his mothers intelligence by saying he hadn't thought about it because it had. A little too frequently than he liked. Everything he kissed Alice actually. He felt like he was turning into a maniac.
"I know your dad's already given you the talk but kids don't understand. When you bring sex into a relationship it complicates it. Your too young to deal with what happens after. Just enjoy being kids. You've plenty of time for everything else when your older." she told him
"MUM! I haven't planned this. Even if there was a chance it couldn't happen because there's no protection in the house. And I know I'm far too young to be a daddy! So stop worrying go out with dad. Have a few drinks and enjoy yourself!" he said.
His mother smiled at him and ruffled his hair.
"You brought me up right mum!"
"Go on then go and spend some time with your girlfriend. I made some popcorn and rented a couple of movies for you. We should be back pretty early. I understand Alice is staying in your room?" she asked.
Danny nodded.
"Ok you can stay on the sofa. Remember what I said about trust Danny." she warned him for the final time. "ANY funny stuff and she won't be staying again."
Danny nodded.
Danny's parents left not long after that. He let her pick the movie and she picked the scary one, just to please him of course. She spent most of the film hid in his shoulder. Many times during the movie they'd reached into the popcorn at the same time and their fingers had brushed. Heat sizzled up their arms at the unexpected contact. Anytime that happened he would kiss her lightly. He tried not to kiss her too deeply. Firstly because he had a feeling where it would lead and second his mum had probably hid a nanny cam in here somewhere! The film hit its climax and Alice squealed when the baddie died.
"God that film scared the life outta me!" she said.
"Why you pick it then?" he asked chuckling.
"Coz I thought it was what you wanted to watch." she said.
Alice walked over to the DVD player.
Danny had see this film before and it had a little surprise at the end. He decided to be a little bit evil and not warn her. He just sat and watched waiting for it to happen.
Alice was bending down in front of the TV screen the baddie jumped out and yelled.
"Jesus Christ!" she shouted and screamed hysterically.
Danny bit his lip, bit his tongue. Thought of every unfunny thing he could think of. It didn't work, the look on Alice's face had been hilarious. He squeaked. She looked over at him.
"Daniel why do you look like your in pain?" she asked.
Her face still held a slight residue of shock. It cracked him up. He couldn't hold it anymore. He burst out laughing. She stood up slowly.
"And what pray tell is so funny?" she asked amusement on her face.
"You should have seen your face!" he gasped still laughing.
"Re-ally" she said drawing out the word. She suddenly had an idea to wipe the smile off his face. He was sat on the sofa.
She walked over to him, swaying he hips as she did she smiled seductively at him. Danny stopped laughing.
She came over and climbed onto his lap her knees straddling his waist.
"A A Alice what are you d d doing?" he stammered. She kissed him lightly on the mouth, oh god he was melting. He didn't notice her reach into his coke glass and grab the ice. She yanked his top forward deposited the ice and pressed.
"Ohhhh Arghh!" he yelled.
"You need to cool down lover boy!" she said and laughed. "I do believe you've just been iced!" she said and climbed off his lap. She saw his face.
"I take it it's time for me to run?" she asked amused.
He nodded.
She squealed and ran. "I'm gonna get you Alice, no-one ices me and gets away with it!" he yelled.
"You gotta catch me first!" she retorted.
She ran towards the back door and ran out of it. He was hot on her heels.
She stopped on the lawn panting.
"OOOO I've got you now Alice!" he said an idea popped into his head. He decided to turn the tables on her.
"I didn't mean to ice you really!" she said playfully. "My hand fell in the cup. Through no fault of my own the ice dropped into my hand then the magnetic pull of your t-shirt dragged my hand over and dropped the ice into down your top!" she said seriously. She looked at his face, "You don't look convinced!" she said.
He grinned and shook his head. "Now Alice Alice Alice you said that I need to cool down but you were the one who instigated it, so I think you need to cool down." he walked round the side and turned the tap on. He grabbed the hose.
"On No No No No Danny!" she said giggling.
"I'm really sorry to have to do this." he said.
"No your not!" she replied.
"But it's for your own good!" he continued.
He pressed the handle and the cold spray hit her in the face. She ran and he chased her. She turned and he sprayed her in the face. She spluttered. He stopped.
"Give in?" he asked.
"Never!" she said defiantly.
"Ok then!" he said and sprayed again.
"You win!" she spluttered after a minute. He turned it off. Her hair hung in dripping tendrils around her face. There was a huge puddle on the pavement.
"Can't wait to see how you explain that." she pointed the muddy footsteps all over the garden. "To your mum."
"I'll just blame you!" he said and laughed. "C'mon I'll get you a towel."
Alice took a step and slipped onto her bum on the mud well sort of skidded. He laughed. Danny offered his hand to help her up she grabbed it but lost her footing again and ended up pulling him down onto of her.
"Now this is promising!" he said seriously. He then saw Alice's face. She'd been fine one minute, then looked panicked. He scrambled off her.
"O my God Alice, I'm so sorry. I didn't plan to do that." he said
She shook her head and breathed deeply. "I just wasn't expecting it that's all, I'm abit claustrophobic. I was just abit shocked." she said.
He stood up and offered her his hand.
"Your ok!" she told him. "You saw what happened last time. You just want to cop another feel!"
"You know me so well!" he retorted.
They walked into the house and Alice went into the bathroom. He told her to put her dirty clothes in the basket then put it outside. 10 minutes later he went and changed in his room into shorts and t-shirt took the dirty stuff downstairs. He rinsed the mud off them in the utility room sink he then put them in the washer.
Alice walked downstairs. She had towel wrapped around her hair and was wearing some pyjamas. They were huge.
"They were my mums." she said when he looked. "I wear them when I wanna feel close to her. They still smell like her - smell." she said.
He did but all he could smell was Alice's fresh clean scent.
"Some people would find this weird." she said quietly.
"I don't" he said shaking his head. "You need to feel close to your mum and this is how you do it! People cope how they can."
"Aw Danny, I know I keep saying this but your unbelievably sweet! What did I do to deserve you?" she asked. She went up on tiptoes and twined her arms around his neck. Her face didn't quite reach his. "Now there's the downside. Your 6 freaking feet tall and I can't reach! Bend down so I can kiss you!"
He grinned at her. "You'll lead me astray." he said. "But my ladies wish is my command." she pulled away before things got heated.
She finally noticed Danny had changed. he was in blue checky shorts and a blue t-shirt. "You pinched my skinny jeans?" she asked.
"They'll never fit me!" he deadpanned. She burst out laughing.
"I rinsed them and put them in the washer." he said
"Wow a man who does dishes AND can work the washing machine," she said in mock amazement. "Quick I need to hide you or someone will steal you!" she said and grinned. "Or I could make money off you. I could sell you to science and they could study and clone you. I could be minted!" she said gleefully.
"I know I'm Mr Perfect. I'm now going in the shower." he said and walked away.
"Yes Mr Trevanion you are Mr Perfect for me!" she whispered.
She walked into the kitchen and looked for the stuff she needed to make hot chocolate. It was 9:00 and thanks to their little sleep she was wide awake. She found a bar of chocolate in the fridge. She filled a pan with water and turn the cooked on. She then placed a bowl in it when it boiled and melted the chocolate into it. She then poured lots of milk into the chocolate.
She then went and sat on the sofa. She was scared to try it. She'd never actually made hot chocolate this way before she usually used the powdered kind. Danny came down and sat on the sofa. He smelled like lynx click. Her favourite.
"Mmmmm - you smell good enough to eat!" she said.
"Yes honey but that's cannibalism and is frowned upon in modern society!" he said.
"That's off Willy Wonka and the chocolate Factory!"
He grinned. "I've always wanted to say that!"
She looked at him. "Your weird."
"And wonderful!" he finished.
They sat in the living room. The fire was on and the lamp in the corner. Their faces were alight in the orange glow of the fire.
He sipped the hot chocolate. "Mmmm this is good how'd you make it?" he asked.
"Loads of milk and melted chocolate, I usually add a dash of cinnamon, it tingles on your tongue as you drink it." she said.
"Who needs cinnamon when you're here!" Danny said. "You gonna be ok tonight?" he asked.
She shrugged. "I'll be enveloped in your scent so hopefully!" she said.
Danny walked into the dining room and pulled out a box. He brought it to the sofa and opened it. He pulled out 2 walkie talkies. He then grabbed some sellotape and some new batteries. He put the new batteries in the walkie talkie and sellotaped the side button down. He then turned it off to save the batteries. He handed it to her.
"I'm never more than a squeak away!" he said.
They then went upstairs and started to listen to 3 doors down.
"My mum and dad will be home soon. They like you you know. If we were 5/10 years older they'd probably demand that I marry you!" he said.
"I wish I could say the same. I know my mum would like you but really my dad couldn't care a less! If he could he would have got rid of Josh!"
"Hey your sat on my bed. There's no mention of anyone else but me and you on here! There's only allowed to be me and you" he said. They then listened to the full 3 doors down album. It finished and it was 10:30. He saw Alice yawn.
"Go on climb into bed!" Alice raised her eyebrows. "I'll be good." he said.
"Will you stay with me?" she asked.
"Sure." she closed her eyes.
Her breathing turned slow and deep 10 minutes later. He placed the walkie talkie on the bedside table and ensured it was turned on.
"Sweet dreams honey!" he said softly and left the room.
He walked downstairs and settled on the settee, the only sound in the room was Alice's soft breathing on the walkie talkie. He wished he was in his room with her, not for any funny business. Just to hold her as she slept. To keep the bad dreams at bay. When he'd woke up with her earlier it had felt right. His parents walked through the front door. He heard his mother giggling softly, she shushed his dad. Then walked into the living room.
"Oh Danny, I didn't wake you up did I?" she asked.
"No mum you have a good time with dad?" he asked.
"Yeah it was good. He's going to bed. That man can't hold his drink." she said.
"And you can?" he replied. His mother was clearly half gone.
"Did you 2 have a good time?" she asked.
Danny thought of the hose fight. "Yeah it was great she's amazing mum!" Danny said with stars in his eyes.
She smiled her son wore the same face his father wore when he looked at her. Her stomach dropped, "You didn't…"
"Mum!" he hissed. "God I told you we wouldn't - I can't believe you'd even ask me that! She isn't cheap or easy and I respect her too much to even consider sleeping with her after knowing her less than a week. I mean it would exactly be special would it - a quickie before my parents came home!" he said angrily.
"I'm sorry son - it's just you looked happy and I thought…"
"Yeah well - you said sex would complicate things. We've decided to take this slow. We'll know when we're ready and it isn't now." he said angrily.
He heard whimpering come over the radio.
"Oh no!" he said and ran towards the stairs.
"What's wrong?" his mother asked worriedly.
"She has nightmares!" Danny said taking the stairs two by two. He ran into the room.
