Press Your Luck 49 (Patreon)

After Danny had been told by the coach to stay in town Danny couldn’t wait to make the phone call to Valerie and Lucy later that night he and the other two hopefuls, Paul and Boyle, decided they had to celebrate their victory. What began as pizza and a couple of six packs to blow off some steam quickly turned mobile when the six packs had been depleted and Paul exclaimed they needed to find some women to liven up their celebration, or rather: “Let’s get some pussy!”

The first bar they left after a few drinks once it was determined there were not enough women. The second bar had enough women but an hour in, Danny had to drag Boyle into a cab before he started a fight over a girl he didn’t even know. The boys were nearly ready to call the night a bust when Paul called one of the players who had been on the team for three years now. Near midnight they were all quite buzzed when they stumbled into the club that promoted a live show set to start at midnight. Danny sat at the bar, quite happily drinking while his two new friends mingled with the girls on the dance floor.

“Of all the gin joints in all the world.” A woman’s voice chuckled behind Danny.

“Tyra?” Danny asked with confused amusement. Turning on his stool, he was stunned to face the beautiful young woman who greeted him with an excited smile. He was so used to seeing her raven hair pulled into a ponytail and drenched with sweat, in gym shorts, an old sweater, and dirty sneakers, that seeing her now in a sparkling green single strap dress and silver heels with her long black hair in curly waves nearly convinced him that he had mistaken her for someone else if not for her voice.

“Daniel!” Tyra cheered as she threw her arms around the large man. “I can’t believe you’re here.” Her own confusion pushed aside for the moment and just happy to see her friend again. “This must be destiny.” Tyra smirked. The drinks she had already consumed loosening her lips and feeling drop dead gorgeous for the first time in weeks in her sexy new dress as she hung on to Danny’s arm. Even with her athletic build she was simply swallowed up by Danny’s wider frame. “Did you follow me?” She giggled.

“Me? What are you doing here?!” He laughed as they pulled apart, “You were at the gym one day and then, poof, gone!” he chuckled, forcing his balance upright.

“I told you months ago!” Tyra laughed. “I was going to nursing school in Arizona so I could help my dad take care of my mom. Between my mom, work, and school, this is the first night in weeks I’ve been able to have some free time. I guess you had other things on your mind. Like your pretty girlfriend. Linda, right?”

“Lucy.” Danny corrected, vaguely remembering Tyra had mentioned moving.

“Oh yeah . Lucy. Is she here with you?”

“Uh, no. Lucy and I…we broke up.” Danny frowned.

“I'm so sorry.” Tyra said, pulling her large friend into a comforting hug. “Are you doing ok?”

“I’m doing okay. It happened over a month ago.”

Tyra placed her hand on top of Danny’s as she sat on the empty barstool beside him. “So, you decided you needed some distance from her and thought…’Hey, Arizona’s a good start.’?”

“Not exactly.” Danny laughed dryly, “We're in a good place I think. I am actually here because of her. She got me a chance to try out for the Cardinals.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah, and believe it or not somehow I made the team.” Danny laughed loudly, still in disbelief himself.

“That’s even cooler! But, nah, I totally believe it. Look at you!” Tyra cheered, squeezing his bicep through his shirtsleeve. “I see you haven’t been skipping the gym.”

Danny blushed at the pretty girl. “Nah. I’m just trying to keep up.” He chuckled and nervously ran his hand through his hair, “And you look amazing! I thought I was hallu–haluka–I thought I was dreaming or something. I’m used to seeing you all sweaty.”

“Play your cards right and you might get to see me that way again.” Tyra smirked as she continued to stroke Daniel’s arm. Danny took a second to realize what she was implying and felt his ears burning red as he caught the smoldering look in her beautifully brown eyes.

“Danny boy!” Paul cheered as he walked into a separate room with a girl on his arm, “The show's about to start. Let’s go!”

“In a minute.” Danny glared at Paul. Attempting to signal him with his face alone he was far more interested in the girl he was talking with.

“Is that one of your teammates?”

Danny shook his head and tried to laugh off his friend’s antics, “Yeah, he’s a little excited for the show.”

Tyra couldn’t help but smile, “Ah, so that’s why you’re here.”

“What do you mean?”

“You do know you’re in a gay club, right?” Tyra asked. “The show is a drag show.”

Danny’s mouth fell open. All the things he had expected her to say, it being a drag show was at the bottom of his list. “That is hilarious.” He laughed loudly. “No, I didn’t. One of the guys on the team sent us here.” He said as he continued to laugh, “The idiot’s been dragging us all over town looking for…girls.” Danny managed to catch himself, not wanting to use what his mother called gutter language in front of a lady.

“That’s not going to be a problem is it?” Tyra asked uneasily.

“Nah.” the gentle giant waved the question off, “I am a little offended no one bought me a drink though.” Danny pretended to pout as he had seen Lucy do many times before, “I guess I’m just not that pretty.”

“You’re plenty pretty.” Tyra giggled.

“Pfft.” Danny smiled. “Wait.” he said in a much quieter tone, “So does that mean you’re…”

Tyra smiled gently, “Let me buy you a drink, pretty boy and maybe you can find out.” Danny’s ears burned red as he smiled at the pretty girl. One celebratory shot turned into one drink, turned into more drinks as they watched the show, turned into dancing together on the dance floor, turned into sharing a cab back to Danny’s hotel.

Despite his hangover the next morning, Danny was still happy as he moved into one of the hotel suites the team had set aside for their new players. Especially when Tyra stopped by after her class with chinese food. For the next week Tyra would meet him after she had finished classes and he had finished training with his new teammates for a five mile run so she could show him around the city. Saying he would need to know all the hotspots if he was going to be living there now.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling practice, Danny had only just finished a shower when he heard a knock at his door. With an exhausted sigh he opened the door and saw Tyra holding her usual backpack. Unusually, Tyra wore a denim half jacket and an orange flower top tied-off at the side and a red velvet mini skirt, matching heeled suede ankle boots and black opaque nylons. “Hey!” Danny forced himself to smile despite his exhaustion. “Oh, man. I forgot we were going to run.”

“That’s not the only thing you forgot.” Tyra smirked.

“Oh, shi–sorry about that.” Danny blushed, hurrying into his room and gripped the towel around his waist even tighter.

“Don’t change on my account.” Tyra giggled, enjoying the retreating view of the half naked and still wet Danny.

“Like I said,” Danny called from his room as he quickly got dressed, “I totally forgot we were supposed to meet up today or I would have texted you. I’m just dead on my feet today.”

“I sorta thought you might be. That’s why we’re not going to run today.” She said as she placed three chinese takeout boxes on the small kitchenette counter.

“We’re not?” Danny asked as he came out of his room in a tank top and board shorts and saw Tyra holding a bottle of red wine.

“Look how I’m dressed.” Tyra giggled. “Think about it, Daniel.”

“Oh, yeah. Duh.” Danny chuckled in an attempt to hide his embarrassment behind a smile, “Can I help with anything?”

“Sure. You can get some glasses and pour the wine.” She paused and looked up at Danny, “You do have glasses right?”

“I have some plastic cups.” Danny chuckled awkwardly as he took out a bag of red solo cups, “I haven’t really had the time to go shopping for anything.”

“We’ll have to fix that.” Tyra smirked.

“We will?” Danny blushed.

Tyra nodded, “In the meantime, we’ll make do.” She said as she unwrapped chopsticks from their packaging.

The late afternoon turned into evening as Danny and Tyra sat on the couch and ate while they talked about old times, how school was going for Tyra, and fun moments she had missed at their gym. “–and then the bar rolls off the platform and smashes the glass doors!” Danny and Tyra both laughed.

“God, that had to be embarrassing.” Tyra said as she continued to laugh before sipping from her cup. “Wish I could’ve been there.”

Danny let his laugh die away but not his smile. “I’m not in the habit of laughing at other people but that’s the best ending an ego lifter can get.” The rice and chicken he had clamped between his chopsticks slipped free and fell onto his chest. “Ugh,” he groaned, “I suck at these.”

“Maybe we should get you a bib until you figure it out.” Tyra giggled and grabbed a napkin to wipe the sauce off of Danny’s chest.

Danny started to reach for the napkin but stopped himself and ran his hand through his hair again. “I, uh, yeah I guess so.” he chuckled. “Just add it to the list, along with plates.”

“And cookware.”  Tyra cocked her head to the side as she smiled up at him.

“Yeah.” He laughed quietly. “I guess I’ll have to head home this weekend and get the rest of my stuff.”

“What about practice?” Tyra sat closer to Danny.

“I guess I’d have to leave right from practice then come back on Sunday, I guess.”

“That wouldn’t give you a lot of time to grab everything. Plus a plane ticket this soon? That’d be crazy expensive.” Tyra pouted as she ran her fingers through Danny’s hair. “You could always just have your sister send you the things you need now, then. Save yourself the airfare.”

Danny suppressed a satisfied moan as Tyra gently played with his hair, sending tingles all along his spine. “I was actually thinking about taking the bus.”

“And spend what? Twenty-hours or more in a cramped bus seat? Both ways?” Tyra clicked her tongue, “I don’t have to work Saturday. If you stay, I can come over Friday evening.” She said, deeply gazing in his soft blue eyes

‘Am I dreaming or…is she hitting on me?’ Danny wondered. “What…uh, what would we do?” Danny asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Think about it.” She purred before kissing his lips. Her honey sweet perfume wafted over the both of them as her soft rose colored lips met his. Feeling Danny kissing back, Tyra had wasted no time in pulling herself into the large man’s lap. She had taken it slow the last time Danny’s last relationship fizzled out, with what’s her name. Only to find out, when she thought she had the perfect moment his new girl had rushed in to stake her claim like a bitch. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. And judging by the growing bulge in his shorts, Danny was of the same mind.

Danny wrapped one arm around Tyra’s slender frame in a tight embrace and clung to the back of her head with his other hand as he kissed her back, slipping his tongue past her lips. Tyra shifted on top of him, grinding against his growing member as they continued their kiss. Danny’s arm slid underneath the back of Tyra’s skirt. As he caressed her well-toned ass he couldn’t help but compare Tyra’s to Lucy’s. Even before her surgery it was round and perky. Danny pulled

Tyra’s head back before plunging his lips back onto her exposed neck. Rewarding him with a deep, throaty, moan from the beautiful woman on top of him.

“Wait.” Tyra panted, pushing Danny against the couch just long enough to pull her top off and expose her quickly discarded bra. “That’s better.” Tyra giggled and clasped her hands around Danny’s face, pulling him into another deep kiss.

Danny wasted no time in exploring his old friend’s newly exposed breasts. If his brain had been in charge of anything at the moment he would have estimated them to be C cups. Even though they were smaller than Lucy’s he could only think of images of sex and wrapping his tongue around one of her hershey kiss nipples. Each suck of her nipple brought another breathy moan from Tyra. “Oh shi…” Her voice died and almost cackling with delight she pulled Danny’s head back and to the side, exposing his neck for her before sinking her teeth into his neck.

The immediate pain was quickly overwhelmed by pleasure as Tyra sucked on his neck. Even in his confused and aroused state he knew she had bit him enough to leave a mark. He wouldn’t discover until later that despite the pain she had avoided actually piercing his skin. In that moment, as she dug her claw-like nails into his back only to shift gears and gently caress him, he didn’t really care if she had been a vampire, wanting him only to drain him of all his fluids. Danny would gladly be drained.

Tyra was so different to Lucy, Danny thought, even when she initiated sex Lucy was much more submissive in her approach. Tyra was on the attack from the start and so far it was as though they were fighting to see whose primal need would dominate the other. Between the sounds she was making, and the gyration of her hips on top of him, if he didn’t take control of the situation he would finish long before he even got Tyra’s skirt off.

“Hold on.” Danny said breathlessly.

“What’s–” Before she could finish her question Danny stood, lifting her up in his arms. “Oh my god!” Tyra laughed, wrapping her arms around Danny’s neck as she continued to kiss the horny giant.

A moment later, Danny had kicked his bedroom door open before throwing the beautiful girl in his arms onto the bed. Tyra's yell of surprise quickly turned into laughter as she bounced on the bed. Danny stayed focused on the task at hand as he stood between Tyra’s open legs. Bending down he gently kissed down her chest until he came to the top of her skirt. Reaching under the back of her skirt Danny found his cellphone.

“Oops.” Danny chuckled and was about to toss it when it started vibrating, illuminating a picture of his sister’s face on screen. Briefly he considered ignoring her and calling her back later until he noticed multiple missed calls from Lucy. “Ugh…this is terrible timing but I think my sister is having an emergency. Or she’s about to.” Danny punctuated the last words with a frustrated growl.

Danny scowled as he tore his helmet off as he jogged off of the field with his other teammates. He and a couple of other players stopped at the large orange water cooler and poured the first paper cup full of water on himself before getting a second and drinking it down. Sitting on the bench he watched as the men filed off the field.

“You’re still looking for your receivers before you throw." Tyra said as she sat beside the large man.

“Yeah?” Danny said breathlessly.

“It’s why you’re slowing you down and missing Boyle.”

“That’s what coach said.” Danny grumbled.

“So maybe you’ll listen to one of us.” Tyra smiled and bumped him with her hip. When the big man didn’t smile back she continued, “If you keep overthinking things you’ll keep freezing up.”

“Yeah. That’s the question though. How do I stop thinking?”

Before Tyra could answer a familiar voice shouted as loud as she could, interrupting the pair. “Daaaannyyyy!” Lucy cheered from the stands as she eagerly shook her pom-poms high over her head, kicking her leg high into the air.

“Seems you already have a fan.” Tyra chuckled.

“That’s Lucy.”

“It is?!” She gasped. “She looks…different since I last saw her.”

“Yeah. She, uh,.. it's complicated.” He said, springing to his feet, “Gimme a minute.”

Lucy’s heart beat like a hyper-active bongo drummer on cocaine as she watched Danny’s approach. This was the moment of truth. She had spent all night cramped in a tiny, smelly, dirty, bus seat just to get here and the only thought on her mind was seeing Danny again. But now that the moment had come all she could think about was getting back on the bus and avoiding the possible doom she felt coming.

Despite her sweat freezing and causing goosebumps to pop up all over her body, Lucy continued to smile as Danny easily climbed into the stands. She would have to brave whatever was about to happen. Lucy owed Danny, and this was the only way she could pay him back.

“What are you doing here?” Danny asked.

“Aren’t you, like, happy to see me?” Lucy pouted as she lowered her pom-poms.

“Of course I am.” When Lucy looked up at him  with her giddy smile he swore his heart stopped.  ‘Focus, man!’ Danny chuckled and forced his heart to beat again by sheer willpower. “I meant that I just didn't expect to see you. Especially not dressed like this. Where'd you get the costume? It almost looks like the real deal?”

“This old thing? I've, like, actually had this for, like, years. I just couldn’t ever wear it. Until now.” Lucy giggled, masking her nervousness with a smile. ‘Ugh.’ She thought, ‘Worst. Lie. Ever! No way he’ll believe that.’

‘I’m such an ass.’ A frown flashed across Danny’s face. How long had his friend been in the closet and not felt safe enough to tell him? For years he had just assumed Harlow came to his practices to gawk at the cheerleaders when in reality Lucy had been watching with envy. “Well, you look amazing.” Danny smiled.

Danny’s answer stunned Lucy, who had been in the middle of trying to come up with a better lie. Lucy’s hope that the cheerleading outfit would distract Danny from that…girl appeared to be working even better than she had hoped. She hadn’t thought about what she would say if he asked where she had gotten the uniform, but he was obviously too distracted to question it too deeply. Lucy turned this way and that, so Danny had a better view of her ass. “You don’t think it makes my butt look big?” She giggled.

“Your butt always looks great.” Danny chuckled, knowing there was only one possible answer when a woman asked such a question. “But why are you here?”

“I…I missed you.” It was at least half of the reason Lucy had come all this way. Explaining that Tyra was an evil witch who would hurt Danny would have to wait.

Danny cocked his head slightly to one side, “It’s not like you’d never see me again.”

“Maybe.” She pouted. “But, like, I needed to talk to you.”

“That’s why you have a phone.”

Lucy shook her head, her red hair bouncing side to side in a frantic dance. “Can’t. It–I–there was, like, men watching the house. I thought, like, what–what if they–” Lucy’s voice came out in broken breaths as tears broke free of their restraints.

“Hey.” Danny said in a soothing voice as he took Lucy’s hand and sat her on the cold bleacher next to him, “You’re safe, okay? Just breathe.” He took a deep breath of his own, expecting Lucy to follow along. She did. He held his breath for several seconds before Danny slowly let it out. Followed by Lucy. “Feel better?” He asked after three more breaths.

Lucy slowly nodded. There was something about Danny that had always made Lucy feel safe. Even when he didn’t believe her paranoid rantings about what was really going on.

“That’s good.” He smiled gently and put his arm around her bare shoulders.

“You always did have a thing for cheerleaders.” Lucy laughed wryly. Trying to change the subject.

“I’m not the only one.” Danny laughed.

“That’s totally different.” Lucy giggled.

Danny paused, mentally kicking himself again. “Right.” He said, trying to keep the smirk on his face.

“Ugh. I’m a mess.” Lucy sighed, wiping tears and stained mascara from her cheeks.

“You look better than me. Smell better too.” He chuckled. “If you give me a bit I’ll shower and I can take you back to your hotel.”

“I don’t have a hotel.”

“Where are you staying?”

Lucy stared at her heels and shrugged, “I didn’t think that far ahead.” Looking up she added, “I just wanted to see you.”

After a quick change of clothes and a short cab ride later, Danny opened the door to his hotel. Lucy followed Danny inside, taking quick stock of the hotel and noting how, while not being spotless, it was surprisingly clean compared to Danny’s room at home. “It looks nice. A lot cleaner than your room.” Lucy teased, placing her purse and pom-poms on the small kitchen table.

“Give it time. I only just moved in.” Danny chuckled, fidgeting with the keys in his hands, “The bathroom’s through here.”

“Thanks.” Lucy said softly and picked up her purse and small bag and carried them both into the bathroom. After a brief thirty-five minute shower, Lucy stepped out again wearing nothing but a towel so Danny could take his. When she stepped out again, Lucy noticed that the beige sheets that were previously scattered in a familiar disarray upon the full sized bed, were now straightened out with the pillows replaced from their crumpled mountain to where they lay side by side.

When Danny had stepped out of the shower he was surprised to see that his suitcase had been taken out of the corner and sat empty in the closet where his shirts now hung. The small pile of dirty clothes were now tucked away in the same closet in his white linen laundry bag. The small kitchen that once held leftover takeout containers on its countertop were now discarded in the trash compactor. This is where Danny found Lucy ironing one of his shirts on the ironing board.

“Sorry I took so long.” Danny said as he took in the lovely Lucy who now wore a black tie-back crop top and a pair of high-waist white denim shorts, four inch cork wedge sandals and minimal make-up. Shaking his head and ignoring the stirring in his pants Danny added, “Not that I don’t appreciate it but you don’t have to do that.”

Lucy's heart leapt into her throat when at the sound of Danny’s voice. Quickly calming herself she looked the taller man up and down now dressed in a dark green button up shirt who’s sleeves he had rolled up to his elbows. A clean white undershirt peaked out from the two top most buttons that remained open. All tucked into a pair of blue jeans with a brown belt that matched the brown loafers he wore.

“It’s okay. I totally wanted to.” She giggled and finished ironing his shirt. Not wanting to tell Danny it was something she did when she was nervous. Or explain why she was nervous. “You look good.” She added. A small voice in her head told her she shouldn’t enjoy how Danny’s shirt clung to his chest, or how rolling up his sleeves made his arms seem bigger, or how well he dressed at all. She was getting a lot better at ignoring that voice.

“Thanks.” Danny blushed and checked himself once more just to be safe. Swallowing the frog in his throat he said, “You look amazing as always.” ‘She had a lot more practice no doubt.’ He thought.  “Do you want something to drink?”

“Do you want me to get it?”

“I can manage.” Danny said, walking around the ironing board and into the kitchen.

“Okay.” Lucy nodded and placed the finished shirt on a hanger and carried it over to the closet. When she returned the ironing board had been put up against the wall, leaving the iron on the counter where Danny had left it. “Wha…”

“I don’t have that many shirts that need ironing.” Danny chuckled. “C’mon. Sit down.”

Lucy looked nervously at the iron but unplugged the appliance before sitting at the small table across from Danny.

“Sooo…” Danny said, stretching the word as he tried to think of what to say.

“So.” Lucy teased, smiling up at the too tall man.

Danny chuckled, “So. How are things going? Anything new?”

Lucy shook her head, “Not much, like, work is still work.” She said, sipping at her juice.

“That’s good.” Danny nodded.

A thick silence passed between them before Lucy spoke again. “Oh! Da-doy!” She giggled. “I’m totally going back to school in a few weeks!”

“Really?!” Danny smiled.

Lucy giggled and stole another glance at the iron, “I mean, like, it’s only cosmet–cosmo–it’s for hair and makeup.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s something you’re good at. You should be proud of yourself.” He smiled, hesitantly placing his hand on Lucy’s adding, “I know I am.”

Lucy turned her face from Danny as she felt a swelling in her chest. If she wasn’t careful she might just start crying again. Then she’d have to redo her makeup all over again. “H–how about you?” Lucy asked, clearing her throat so she could look at Danny. “I, like, I saw whatsherface on the sidelines with you.” She swallowed hard to keep herself from ranting about how the girl was a spy or a femme fatale sent by Jefferson now that Danny was alone.

“Tyra?”

Lucy took another sip, glancing at the clicking iron as its metal cooled. “If that’s her name.”

“She’s a friend.” Not really sure what to label his relationship with Tyra Danny said after some hesitation.

“Just a friend?”

“Yes. Why?” Danny asked, feeling the heat of his anger begin to flare up.

“I’m just, like, worried…about you.” She said, carefully biting off the paranoid rant she wanted to say. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Danny rubbed at his chin, quitting the feeling in his heart. “What about whoever gave you that?” he asked, indicating the ring on Lucy’s finger. Having first felt it when he took her hand at the stadium. “It’s a little quick to jump into another relationship with some guy, or girl.”

‘Shoot!’ Lucy swore at herself and twisted the fake engagement ring on her finger. “There is no guy, or girl.” She had worn the ring since before she got on the bus and had completely forgotten to take it off before she confronted Danny. “I, like, I wear this for work so guys don’t, like, hit on me non-stop.”

“Does it work?”

“It doesn’t totally work all the time but…it helps. Like, when all this started I guess, like, I didn’t think how much girls got hit on by drunk guys.” She giggled softly as she twisted the ring on her finger.

“I’m glad it helps at all.”

Lucy nodded, biting her lip and with a great deal of effort she forced herself to look up at Danny again. “Danny…do you think you’re gonna, like, start dating Tyra?”

“I…I don’t know yet. But, I haven’t really thought that far ahead.”

“Do you ev–like, do you think about, like, us?”

Danny’s face softened, “Of course I do.”

“Was it all bad?” Lucy bit her lip as she examined Danny, ‘It’d be a lot safer if you were home.’

A gentle smile forged itself on his face, “No. It wasn’t bad. Not all of it.”

“What do you think about our future?”

“Lucy…” Danny sighed, his smile fading into a hard line. “I haven’t thought about that or…anyone really. I didn’t want to waste this opportunity.” Lucy sat silently, biting her lip. “Why didn’t you talk to me about this before I left?”

“Because I didn’t want to distract you.” Her voice came out barely above a whisper even in the quiet apartment.

“But it’s not distracting now?” Danny stood from his seat and walked into the living room. Danny scowled as he ran his hand through his hair.

Lucy bit her lip and shook her head. “I’m sorry.” The simple words were enough to give Danny pause. Harlow hardly, if ever, apologized. Wiping the scowl from his face he turned back to face the smaller feminine figure still seated at the small kitchen table.

Lucy ground her teeth into her lip, wincing as she tasted blood on her tongue, “I’m sorry.” It was about three seconds later when she realized she hadn’t taken a breath. During the long bus ride she wondered what she might do if Danny for some reason said no. Like always; she told herself she would come up with something to tell him to change his mind, maybe flutter her eyelashes, or seduce him into the idea, but here and now…all she could feel was the pain as hot tears filled her eyes.

“I hate that, like, I put you and even Val in danger because of me.” Her voice shuddered as she twisted the fake engagement ring on her finger. “But I’m not sorry I did.” Lucy shook her head, “Because if it hadn’t of happened I never would have realized I love you!” She had felt this pain before when Danny and Valerie had kicked her out of the house. Though at the time she thought it was fear of being alone and unprotected. But now she recognized it for what it was. Heartbreak.

Danny watched as the small feminine girl crossed her arms over her exposed stomach, wanting nothing more than to wrap the frail woman in his arms. “You love me?” Danny forced the happiness out of his voice in an attempt to keep a level head. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? I know you’ve been scared the last couple of days but Lucy has her life well established by now. You don’t need me as a shield anymore.”

“I don’t care about that!” Before she could stop herself, Lucy was on her feet and the words came pouring out. “I hated using you! I got this stupid ring because a friend said it would keep the guys from hitting on me. But every time I put it on I thought of you–”she twisted the ring off of her finger–“and how much I wished it was yours. Because…” her voice died away.

“Because what?” Danny swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Because I love you, dummy!” Lucy cried. “So much confusing crud has happened to me these last few months but the one thing I know is I love you! I think it, like, started years ago without me noticing. And it won’t go away!”

“It…won’t?” Danny asked in a soft whisper, clutching the counter to steady himself.

Lucy clenched her teeth and dropped the ring onto the table.  “And every time I put on this stupid ring I can’t not picture our wedding day…or what our kids would look like.”

“Our kids? You want kids?” The smile forced its way on Danny’s face, “You don’t like kids.”

“After babysitting Naomi’s kids…I changed my mind. We could adopt or get a surgate.” Lucy blushed, ‘What the heck am I saying?! Why am I telling him all this?!’ Finally looking up at Danny she saw the smile stretched across his face, beaming like the moon on a cloudless night. ‘Oh that’s why.’ She thought as her own smile reflected back at him. ‘Damn that smile of his.’

Danny’s heart pounded in his chest as his mind warred with his heart. Lucy, his best friend, said she loved him! “I love you too.” Danny admitted softly.

Again tears welled up in Lucy’s eyes as she looked up at the slowly approaching giant. “You do? Even though I’m, like, not really a woman?”

Danny shook his head, ignoring Lucy’s dysphoric statement for the moment, “I knew I loved you since the first time you kissed me.” He said, taking her hand in his.

“You did?” Lucy whispered.

Sure they had their problems but they seemed small when he compared them to their love.  “I’ve loved you in one way or another for so long. For the longest time as my friend. As my girlfriend. I know…maybe it was just a way to help you out at first. When you kissed me that first time I knew the way I felt about you before had changed. Even when we were…when we weren’t together I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She sniffed.

“Because you were dealing with your own issues.” Danny said softly as he wiped the tears from her eyes. “I didn’t want to confuse you even more and make things worse for you. I never want to do that. I only want to make you happy, for as long as I live.” Watching Lucy’s beautiful face leaning against his hand, four words slipped past his lips before he knew he had thought them. Once they had he did not regret them. “Will you marry me?”

Lucy blinked at the kneeling man. Lifting her head off of his hand she asked, “....What? Are you serious?”

“You’re right.” Danny laughed wryly, “I should do this right.” he said and reached over the table picking up the discarded ring, “Lucy Hole’,If you accept I promise I will get you your own ring first off.” Danny chuckled softly as he looked into Lucy’s beautiful green eyes, “And I promise whatever problems we have or will have I will always love you. I promise I will always love you and I will do everything I can to make you as happy as you make me.” Slipping the ring back onto her finger he spoke those four words again. “Will you marry me?”

“I do!” She giggled happily, “I mean, like, I will. I totally accept!” Lucy threw her arms around Daniel and squealed, “Yes! Whatever, you know what I mean you lughead!” Tears of joy now filled her eyes as she clung to Daniel. As his strong arms wrapped around her small body Lucy thought with delight ‘I can’t believe it, Daniel and I are getting married!’ She giggled. Another small voice echoed in the back of her mind, ‘I can’t believe it, Daniel and I are getting married!’