Danny's Dragon

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

If the sign of life is in your face, he who responds to it will feel secure and fit, as when, in a friendly place, sure of hearty care, a traveler gladly waits. Though it may not taste like food and he may not see the fare or hear the sound of plates, how endless it is and how good! – Lao Tzu

Danny’s heart nearly flipped over in his chest. At least that was what it felt like. He switched his briefcase to his other hand, the leather handle suddenly heavy, cutting into his skin as if he wasn’t wearing a rag wool glove. He’d been tempted to tell David Pearce no, that he’d come into the campus police station the next day and file his report. But he’d already stopped the man from doing his job and well, he now had an excuse to spend time with him.

His mind flew immediately to Meg. She was waiting for him. But then again, once she saw him, she would notice right away something had happened to him. He wouldn’t be able to hide it. He’d tell her about David Pearce offering him a cup of coffee, and she’d be devastated to know he’d turned it down because of her.

Since he’d first told Meg about his crush, she asked him almost every day if he’d seen David Pearce and if he’d spoken to him more than their customary hello in passing. Strange as it sounded, it would be almost more selfish of him to rush back to her than for him to accept David’s offer and get to Meg a bit later. He knew she’d more than understand.

“I’m David Pearce, by the way.” He clipped his radio back to his belt, pulled off a glove, and held out a large hand. “Call me Dave.”

Danny’s heart began its maneuvers again, like the dragon in the Chinese New Year celebration. He set down his briefcase and yanked off his glove. “Danny Wong.” He put his hand in Dave’s, grasping it firmly but gently. He was unprepared for the thrill of warmth that travelled up his arm from the contact. Dave’s handshake was firm and strong, and there were calluses on his palm that rasped in the most pleasant way against Danny’s skin. Like the calluses he’d imagined brushing his n*****s.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Danny.”

Danny looked down briefly, struck by the shyness that had always plagued him and made the kind of work he did with computers and language a world of refuge. “You too.”

Their handshake lingered noticeably. Danny sensed that the larger man didn’t want to let go of his hand, and the feeling was completely mutual. Only when a sharp wind passed over them did Dave release his hand, and slipped his glove back on.

“Damn cold one. Let’s get out of here.”

Danny nodded. Invisible waves of disappointment washed through him that they were no longer touching, but he wordlessly pushed his hand back into his glove and picked up his briefcase. Dave had turned, and Danny fell into step beside him.

“It’s still a good idea for you to sit quietly for a while,” Dave said as they turned off the sidewalk toward the inner part of the campus that would take them to the gymnasium building which housed the campus police headquarters. “It’s not every day you have a knife pulled on you.”

Dave spoke with a heavy Boston accent, strangely incongruous with the gentle tenor of his voice. He sounded kind and concerned and Danny realized that, yes, in fact, he did feel a bit shaky, and it wasn’t only because he was walking next to the man who’d been the object of many s****l fantasies in the last few months. It had been frightening, horribly shocking to have that man step in front of him, desperate enough from hunger to threaten him with a knife. His own calm and alertness in the face of his assailant had stunned him, even while it was happening. Years of practicing Tai Chi and studying the Tao under Megan’s grandfather’s instruction had actually borne fruit in his psyche.

Except when it came to talking to a gorgeous cop. Danny’s tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth, and his mind couldn’t formulate thought. “I do feel shaken,” he managed to say.

He felt the sudden pressure of Dave’s hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll be all right.” Dave shook his head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner. I didn’t step out onto the street until the guy had almost finished with you.”

The gentle yet firm touch lasted only a moment, but Danny liked it. He only hoped he wasn’t so nervous he’d end up spilling coffee all over the place. “It’s not your fault,” he answered, though he sensed that Dave did feel responsible.

* * *

It was a few minutes’ walk to the campus police station. Dave ushered Danny into the warm, brightly lit office and led him to a chair in the waiting area. Then he went and poured some coffee and brought the cup out to him. He found himself captured by a need to care for Danny and make sure he was okay. “I don’t know what you take in it. We have sugar and creamer.”

Danny took the Styrofoam cup from him. “This is fine, thank you.”

“No problem.” He retrieved the necessary forms, then sat down with Danny.

“If you arrest him, I’m not going to press any charges.”

Dave’s pen froze in mid-air, poised to fill out the form. He pushed back a sigh of frustration. He was all for being charitable, but not to someone who had pulled a knife on another person. He glanced up at Danny.

The same large brown eyes stared back at him as they had outside, radiating that same inner conviction. There would be no convincing Danny otherwise. Dave cleared his throat. “I understand that. But as you know, I’ve had dispatch notify all patrols about your mugger, and they’re keeping an eye out for him now. We can’t let him hurt someone else.”

“I understand.”

Dave tried to remain cop-like, trying not to let that brown gaze envelop his. “Well, we agree on that much. I mean, the guy had a knife. He could have stabbed you.”

“I wouldn’t have liked getting stabbed.”

A moment passed with Dave staring before he realized it was a joke. He broke out in a grin. “No, that would have hurt. But seriously, that would have been horrible.” He cleared his throat a second time and put his attention on the forms. “Okay, anyway, full name, Danny Wong. Do you live on campus?”

“No. Chinatown.”

Dave wrote down the street address and continued with the rest of the report. He turned in the paperwork and went back to where Danny still sat, his briefcase on his lap. Dave’s stomach began to tighten, and he experienced that same sense of golden opportunity. “Danny, how are you getting home? Do you have a car here?”

Danny shook his head. “No. I take the T.”

Dave shifted his weight from one foot to the other, ignoring the nervous perspiration that erupted in his palms. He was used to feeling in control, knowing exactly what was happening and how to handle himself. Danny Wong made him feel anything but in control. “In that case, I’d like to give you a ride home, if that’s okay. Considering what happened, I don’t feel right having you ride around on the T, even though it’s not that late.” He held his breath, waiting for Danny to answer.

Slowly, Danny nodded, his expression indiscernible. “Thank you. I would appreciate that.”

***

The smile that spread across David Pearce’s rugged cheeks told Danny he’d said the right thing. So did the pleasant tingling that now spread through his body, causing everything to come alive inside him, including his groin, that grossly under-utilized part of him.

Danny stood up, his gut doing that dragon-dance-on-Chinese-New-Year thing again. Dave was standing only a foot or so away. The man was a good head taller than Danny and had the physique of a football player to match. Raw masculine energy radiated off his body, a cascade of s****l heat that simmered right into Danny’s awakening parts. He tried not to stare at the broad expanse of chest covered in Dave’s heavy blue winter jacket. His nervousness increased. He was about to be alone with the same man he’d been fantasizing about for months now, fantasies about handcuffs, Dave’s erection pushing into his ass, the frisking and stroking, and all that.

The whole night took on a surreal quality, and he wondered briefly if even the mugging had been a weird dream, a contrivance of supernatural forces to put him in this situation.

“Okay. Let’s go. My car isn’t far from here.” Dave turned, and Danny followed him from the campus police station in the direction of the parking lot.

* * *

“So, what exactly do you do?” Dave asked as he started up the ignition, backed out of the space, and left the parking lot. The heating system in the car kicked in, blowing warm air to take away the chill.

Danny sat very quietly in the passenger seat, his hands folded in his lap, his briefcase on the floor by his feet. His silence was unnerving, and Dave worried that maybe he was going into shock from what had happened.

Danny looked up. “Do you want the horrifically boring technical explanation, or the one that makes sense?”

Dave grinned at Danny’s dry humor, relieved that Danny seemed to be okay. “I’ll settle for the sensible one.”

“I’m part of the Spoken Language Systems Group. We work on computer programs that enable people to interact with computers using human speech in any language. The computer interprets the tone of the voice. It’s helpful for people who are paralyzed and unable to type, and it will also enable people of different languages to communicate through the machine. I’m responsible for the Mandarin Chinese tonal system.”

“Oh, kind of like the universal translator in Star Trek.” Dave glanced at Danny and saw the shy smile on his face. His stomach gave a small flip, and his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“Yes. A good comparison.”

“Well, that’s an admirable profession then. For those of us with all our faculties, we take a lot for granted.”

Danny was quiet a moment. “I never thought of it like that. I think keeping people safe is more admirable.”

Dave grimaced inwardly. He couldn’t help it. First off, he didn’t feel so admirable, the way he’d practically gotten a hard-on right after Danny had been a crime victim. Secondly, Danny hadn’t really let him protect him. If anything, he got the feeling the protection could work very much the other way around with this guy. “When they let you,” he said in a gentle tone.

Danny was quiet a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t let you protect me.”

Danny’s apologetic tone sliced through him. He had a chance here to be self-righteous about the way Danny had stopped him from pursuing the man who’d mugged him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Something about the guy pressed on a soft spot inside him, a spot he’d thought had died in the wake of John’s suicide.

A shiver of energy travelled through Dave’s chest, nearly causing him to slam on the brakes. Good God, had he just felt what he’d thought he felt? Damn, no, it couldn’t be. He fought to keep his vision from blurring. It sure as hell wouldn’t do to get them into a car accident on top of everything else. An image of John flitted through his mind. The only man Dave had ever loved had always lived on the edge of death. His suicidal tendencies had finally succeeded, and Dave had tried to bury his heart along with his lover. Apparently, he hadn’t buried it as deeply and completely as he’d believed.

He cleared his throat, struggling for composure. “You had your reason. Which, I admit, was not something I’ve ever heard before. What was that quote you said?”

“It was from the Tao Te Ching, ‘The Way of Life’. Lao Tzu was an ancient philosopher and the head librarian of the largest collection in China. Legend says he was so broken-hearted over how far man had strayed from his true nature that he took off, just left without a word. However, when he reached the border of China, a guard asked him to leave some wisdom behind. So he did. He wrote a series of poems that speak about living from one’s heart, the source of compassion, because a human being and life are the same. We are all deeply connected.”

Dave kept his eyes on the road. His hands tightened again on the steering wheel. Somewhere deep inside, what Danny was saying resonated. But he wasn’t sure if it was the words or the tenor of his voice. He’d never met anyone whose voice washed through him the way Danny’s did, reminding him that his heart was still in his body. Come to think of it, Danny had that same kind of innocent quality John had had. Only Danny seemed stronger inside, not like someone who would take drugs or go into the most dangerous neighborhoods to get them.

“Your way of showing compassion in that moment would have been to arrest that guy so he couldn’t hurt someone else,” Danny went on. “You weren’t wrong. I shouldn’t have tried to force my views on you. Lao Tzu also says that ‘force is not the way at all.’”

That was it. Not only did Dave still have his heart, but now it had started to melt. If he wasn’t careful, he could see himself losing it to this strange, quiet man. The speed with which it was happening was equally unnerving. He shifted the gears, slowing down to turn the corner. They were almost to Chinatown. He felt a stab of disappointment that Danny would be getting out of the car soon.

“It’s all right. To be honest, it’s nice to meet someone who actually stands by their ideals.”

“So do you.”

Startled by that statement, Dave glanced at him, then back at the street in front of him. Praise was never something he felt worthy of. “But I mean someone who....” He searched for the words to express exactly what he meant. “Someone who wants to believe in people’s basic goodness. I’ve been a cop for over fifteen years and, well, it’s gotten pretty hard to see the positive side of humanity.” He fell silent. Never before in his life had he voiced the feeling that had plagued him for so long. He wasn’t sure what it was about Danny that made him want to spill his guts. But whatever it was had been powerful enough to make him want to take the plunge again. All in a few moments since they’d met. Crazy....

Danny was quiet as they drove the rest of the way to Chinatown. When they reached the right street, Danny pointed to a market on the corner of an intersection. The sign in front read Chen’s Market in English and Chinese. The place was dark, of course, on a Friday night, but the apartment above it showed a light glowing through one of the windows.

“The door is just around the corner here,” Danny said.

“That’s where you live?” He eased around the corner and braked to a stop.

“No. My apartment is across the street. I have to visit a friend. Her grandfather died a couple of months ago. He was her only relative and she’s very upset still.”

The tendril of jealousy that snaked through Dave in that moment disturbed him. Maybe he’d misread the signals between them. This friend could be his lover and Danny, the reserved person that he seemed to be, wouldn’t refer to her that way. Dave lowered his hands from the steering wheel and turned slightly in his seat. He was afraid that once Danny left the car, the chance would be gone to find out if the attraction he’d sensed between them was real. “Is she the ‘Karate Kid’?”

Danny’s eyes widened, and he appeared to tense. “I beg your pardon?”

Damn. He’d just put his foot in his mouth, right past the ankle. “Um, sorry, it’s just that sometimes when I pass your office, I hear you call someone that on the phone. It was nosy of me.”

To his relief, Danny sat back, the tension draining from his beautiful features. His lips curved in a shy smile, the expression that made Dave’s heart thump each time. “Yes, that’s Meg. We’ve been friends since middle school. I gave her that nickname because her grandfather used to wait outside school for her every day to walk her home. He was Chinese, and Meg is too, but she’s part white. And her grandfather taught us Tai Chi. I know that the man in the movie was Japanese, but still, I used to think of it whenever I saw her grandfather meeting her on the sidewalk after school. The way he looked after her and taught her martial arts reminded me of those characters.”

Dave chuckled. “Yeah, I remember that movie.” He shifted in his seat, his heartbeat speeding up. He was fishing now for all he was worth. “Is she your girlfriend?”

Danny’s gaze whipped up to his, his lips slightly parted. He shook his head. “No.”

Yes. He shrugged casually, belying his wild relief from jealousy. “Oh, cool.”

Danny leaned heavily back in the seat, his hands together in his lap. He sighed. “I suppose she should be,” he went on in a quiet voice. “She’s pretty and sweet. But we’re just friends. Comfortable together, like an old favorite sweater.”

Hmm, comfortable. The way Danny said the word, that tinge of confession in it. Dave’s gut tightened. Perhaps, if he pushed just a bit more....

“So,” Dave ventured, “even though it’s none of my business, how come you’re not...together?”

As soon as the words were out, he was sorry he’d said them. The look on Danny’s face made him think the other man would jump from the car, away from the nosy, prying cop.

But then Danny glanced at him, and then down at his hands. “I can’t. I just don’t feel... that way... for her.” He shrugged. “It would make life easier, I suppose, if I did. It would please my parents. Well, not completely, because she’s mixed race. But she’s a woman.”

Well. That was a confession. The one he’d wanted to hear. Dave nodded. “I can certainly understand that feeling.”

“You can?” Danny turned his face slightly. His relief was palpable in the tone of his voice.

Dave nodded, his blood zinging through his veins now. “Definitely. I went through the same thing years ago. My parents are old-fashioned Irish. It took me a long time before I could say the hell with them. I have a life, and if they don’t like it, that’s too bad.” Actually, Mom had been accepting. She’d known all along, really. A mother knows, she’d said, then embraced him. His dad, well, he would have probably tried to beat it from him—that is, if Dave hadn’t ended up ten times stronger than he was.

***

Danny pulled a glove off and rubbed at his temple. His heart raced beyond anything he’d ever experienced, and he heard the tremor in his own voice. The fact that Dave had asked him about Meg made him realize he hadn’t been imagining the attraction between them. Why else would Dave be fishing this way if he weren’t trying to find out the same thing?

His stomach did a sudden leap. This was his chance. Dave was all but handing him the opportunity as readily as someone gave a friend a birthday gift. Yet, it was terrifying all the same. The one hand still in its glove sweated like mad. Well, the other one was sweating too, even though it was free. He needed to let Dave know he was available or spend forever kicking himself for letting the chance fly away from him. What had happened tonight with the homeless man only made it more urgent that he not let a chance to be himself pass by.

During the car ride back to Chinatown, Danny had begun to think, what if the mugger had stabbed him? What if he’d died? How would he have spent his last day of life? In front of a computer in an office, hiding from reality some more, that’s how. Even though he was only thirty, he’d just gotten his first taste of mortality, and his first serious evaluation of his life had come up sorely lacking.

Danny’s heart felt in danger of leaping up his throat it was beating so hard, and his stomach had passed the point of the dragon dance and had now become like a rock. No matter. He’d made his decision.

“Meg’s the only person who knows how I feel,” he went on. “She lets my parents believe we’re together, even though we’re not. Instead... I....” He paused and heaved a deep sigh. “I sit in my office each night and... wait for the moment you pass by the door.” His voice sounded distant in his own ears. He fell silent, waiting for Dave’s response.

For several moments, Dave sat quietly, as if stunned, watching him. On the street around the corner, a taxi chugged by, providing the only noise.

Danny’s heart lurched. At least ten seconds had passed since he’d admitted how he felt about him and... nothing. Well, Dave seemed like a nice person, and maybe he was just searching for a polite way to tell him “No, thanks”.

“Wow.” Dave’s breath gusted out. “That’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Danny’s mouth went dry. “It is?”

Dave had turned in his seat, now fully facing him. The light by the doorway to Meg’s apartment shone through the car window, casting a glow. In the half-light, Danny could really see Dave’s ruggedly sculpted cheekbones and jaw, the outline of his sculpted and masculine lips. “It is. And I think it cost you a lot to say that.”

Danny couldn’t answer. He was having trouble enough breathing. The whole world seemed to be tilting from side to side, and he was still registering the fact Dave hadn’t freaked out or made him leave the car, something he believed his own parents would do if they knew the truth.

“Danny, I’m... really glad you said that. It’s a relief to know I wasn’t imagining it.” He fell silent and pulled off his sheepskin gloves, letting them drop into his lap.

Danny cleared his throat. “Imagining it?”

Dave nodded. “Yeah. Imagining the... feeling... the energy that seemed to be there... between us... every time I passed your office.”

Danny glanced down. Now was probably a good time to get out of the car. It sounded like Dave was looking for a nice way to let him down.

Dave cleared his throat and leaned in a tiny bit toward him. “I’m sorry. I don’t explain myself well. I mean, it’s mutual.”

Danny’s gaze shot up. Had he heard correctly? Was this actually happening? “Holy shit.” He almost never cursed, but the words were out before he knew what was happening.

Dave laughed, a full, deep sound. When his laughter had passed, his expression grew more serious. “Can I ask you something?”

Danny’s heart lurched. “Yes.”

“Are you... um... new at this?”

Danny stared at him. His surroundings were still doing that Tilt-a-Whirl ride in his head. “Yes,” he said softly.

Dave nodded. “I thought so.”

“Why did you think so?”

Dave gestured with his hand. “You seem kind of... well... innocent.”

Danny sighed. “Oh.” Meg had said the same thing to him over the years. He thought of his shyness more as social ineptitude, cowardice, and geekiness.

“That’s not bad, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Dave’s voice was quiet and thoughtful. “I’m flattered as hell.”

Danny stared at him, still in disbelief. What a strange, surreal night this was. “Me too.”

An awkward silence filled the car. Danny wondered if Dave felt it too.

“Danny, do you have to go upstairs now?”

Danny’s heart jumped. He’d completely forgotten about going upstairs. The reminder made a strange ache in his middle. He didn’t want to leave the car. He wanted the moment to last forever. “Soon.”

Dave moved closer to him, bringing with him raw masculine energy. Dave had a nice scent too, wool mixed with a hint of aftershave. Better than a cup of warm plum wine.

Danny’s breathing tightened. Good thing he was sitting down, because if he’d been standing, his knees would have buckled.

“May I touch you?” Dave’s voice had fallen nearly to whisper.

Danny’s breath hitched. He’d wanted Dave to touch him for the longest time. Now it would actually happen! He nodded.

Dave reached up and brushed his fingertips across Danny’s cheek. The tiny movement sent spirals of heat into his skin, radiating outward through his entire body. His groin tightened immediately. His growing erection pushed against his long underwear bottoms.

“Just like I always imagined,” Dave said softly. His fingertips skated along Danny’s jaw and down his throat.

Danny’s heart skittered in his chest. “What is?”

A tiny grin played about Dave’s lips. “Your skin. Smooth. That does it for me.”

Danny felt his cheeks heat up, along with the rest of him. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Dave’s voice had fallen to a husky whisper. He leaned closer, his breath pulsing warmly onto Danny’s lips.

Dave moved his large hand to the back of Danny’s neck. His warm fingertips caressed the tendons, then slid into his hair. “Mmm,” Dave murmured. “That too.”

Danny’s eyelids fluttered. Dave’s touch felt so... good. “My... my hair?”

Dave nodded, leaning in closer, his delicious male aroma wafting deep into Danny’s senses. “Smooth and sleek. I bet the rest of you is too.”

Danny’s cheeks burned and his erection jutted mercilessly against his long underwear. “I don’t know. I... never thought about it.”

Dave brushed his thumb back and forth across the side of his neck, making Danny wish he could just sit like this with him all night and beyond. “Well, I’ve thought about it, a lot.” He leaned a tiny bit closer. “Do you like me touching you?”

Danny nodded. “Yes.”

Dave’s breath pulsed across Danny’s lips again. Without thinking, Danny moved his face closer to Dave’s, tilting his face upward.

Dave’s lips came down gently on his.

Danny’s heart slammed against his chest. Something he’d imagined a million times over the last several months was actually happening. Dave’s lips were soft and strong. The hint of stubble on Dave’s chin brushed Danny’s skin pleasantly.

Dave pressed his mouth more tightly against Danny’s. The tip of his tongue came out, tasting the seam of Danny’s lips. The sensual moist warmth coaxed them apart.

Danny’s breath caught again in his throat. Wow. Dave’s tongue invaded his mouth, sliding against his. Dave cupped the back of his neck. The gentle pressure pulled their faces intimately together.

Dave groaned, a gentle vibration that passed into Danny’s mouth. Dave slid his hand around the side of Danny’s neck, cupping it possessively as his tongue stroked deeper against Danny’s.

Danny’s eyelids fluttered. His body sagged back beneath the warm invasion of Dave’s broad torso. His heart hammered in his chest, his soul felt like it was soaring, and his senses absorbed Dave’s aroma, the velvet heat of Dave’s tongue, Dave’s possessive, yet gentle hold on him.

The quiet car filled with the sound of their deepening breaths. Danny let Dave push him gently against the seat. Dave’s kisses heated up, delicious hot strokes of his tongue across Danny’s. The large hand that had been on his neck slid lower, between the folds of his coat, down his chest.

Dave’s hand stole under Danny’s sweater. He slid his fingertips over Danny’s shirt to his chest, rubbing him in fervent circles. Danny lifted his arms to embrace Dave and realized he hadn’t removed his other glove. He began to work it off, but Dave lifted away from their kiss, breathing heavily. He covered Danny’s hands with one of his own.

“Don’t do anything,” Dave rasped, his chest heaving. “This is for you.” He eased Danny’s hands to his sides and kissed him again.

Dave rubbed Danny’s chest some more under his sweater. He worked Danny’s shirt and undershirt from his trousers so he could slide his hand underneath. Then he glided his fingertips up Danny’s stomach, resting his palms on one side of his chest.

Dave’s calluses rasped against his skin. His hand was warm and caused Danny’s erection to surge almost painfully against his confining clothes.

***

Dave groaned again. He brushed his fingertips over the flat smoothness of Danny’s n****e, and used his thumb to trace the hard ridge of chest muscle hugged by more warm, flawless skin. He continued his exploration of Danny’s body, whose winter clothing, he was discovering, concealed a landscape of lithe, solid muscle.

He dared to move lower, sliding his touch down Danny’s stomach. Danny moaned into his mouth. The vibration of sound urged him on. He skated his fingertips down the smooth expanse of skin, tracing the etchings of Danny’s abdominal muscles and trim waist.

When he landed on the buckle of Danny’s belt, he pulled his mouth away from their kiss. His mind and body swirled, making thought difficult. All that existed was Danny’s scent, the moist heat of his mouth, and the feel of that incredible body under his hand. “Can I keep going?” he breathed.

“Yes.” Danny’s voice was ragged, and he didn’t hesitate.

That one word caused another explosion of heat in Dave’s groin. His hard-on was pulsing against the bottoms of his long underwear. Every fantasy scenario he’d ever had about Danny had gone just like this.

He smoothed his hand over the front of Danny’s pants, across the bulge of Danny’s erection. Danny was rock hard and pushed his c**k further into Dave’s palm. Dave slanted his mouth across Danny’s again, tasting him as gently as he could. Danny’s lips were soft and full, and he tugged Danny’s bottom lip between his teeth, trying not to inhale him, he was so delicious. With his free hand, Dave worked open the buckle of Danny’s belt, then the button and zipper on his trousers. Never before had he wanted to feel a c**k as badly as he did in this moment.

He slid his hand carefully inside, his fingertips meeting with the waistband of long underwear. He worked his fingers under the elastic, his palm sliding against Danny’s hard-on. Danny moaned and pushed his hips upward. Dave leaned over him, tasting his mouth hungrily.

Closing his hand around Danny’s c**k, he stroked him, his palm moving easily over the velvety skin. He smoothed his thumb across the head, tracing the ridges gently. He wanted to flood this guy with pleasure. He felt incredible, and the way Danny rocked his hips against his hand, silently begging for more, drove Dave wild.

Dave closed his eyes, reveling in the smooth velvet of Danny’s c**k. Danny moaned, his breath rasping hard and fast. He so obviously loved what Dave was doing for him. Danny’s evident pleasure, the bucking of his hips, was so f*****g erotic. Inspired, Dave slowed down and brushed his thumb leisurely, teasingly, across the taut head of Danny’s c**k. A small droplet of c*m had seeped from the tiny opening, and Dave brushed it off, wanting to taste it but unable to take his hand off the deliciously hard shaft long enough to do so.

Danny groaned. The sound made Dave grin up at him. “You like that, Danny?”

Danny nodded speechlessly, so Dave stroked that smooth c**k some more, faster, slicker, to the rhythm of Danny’s punctuated, sharp breaths.

Dave’s mouth watered. He had to taste that c**k. Had to run his tongue along that silky skin and feel the head bump the roof of his mouth. He was just about to lean over and take Danny’s c**k into his mouth when Danny came. His semen pulsed in thick hot spurts onto Dave’s hand. Dave watched Danny’s face, contorted in pleasure. Poor guy had obviously been pent up to come so quickly. Dave stroked him gently, just holding him until the last spasm.

Danny heaved a deep breath and sagged back against the seat.

Dave stilled his hand and leaned slightly back, observing the silhouette of Danny’s profile, his lips slightly parted. Too bad it was so dark in here. He’d have loved to see the flush of red that was most probably coloring Danny’s golden skin. Danny wasn’t only hot, he was... beautiful.

Danny tilted his head. He was still breathing heavily, his lips slightly parted. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Dave leaned over and nuzzled Danny’s cheek. Usually after giving someone a hand job, the first thing he did was unbuckle his own pants to get the return treatment. Not that he didn’t want it now. His erection was raging in his pants and he needed release. But at that moment, he didn’t want to ask anything of Danny. Something held him back. He didn’t want to use him, especially after what he’d been through.

Damn. For the first time since John, he felt... caring.

“I didn’t do anything for you.” Danny’s voice was sweet, and his desire to reciprocate the pleasure caused a tiny ache to tug at Dave’s heart.

“That’s not true.” He brushed his fingertips through Danny’s hair and pressed a tender kiss on his lips. His c**k hurt now from the pressure built up, but he could take care of it later. Besides, now he had the perfect excuse to see Danny again. His heart surged. “I’d like you to have a chance, but not now. Save something for tomorrow... that is... if you’re not busy.”

Even in the shadowy light, he could see Danny’s almond eyes light up. “I’m not busy.”

Dave grinned. He loved the way Danny didn’t hesitate to answer him. He reached for a tissue from the box he kept in the back seat and cleaned them both up. “I hope you liked it.” He’d never cared so much before whether someone enjoyed a hand job. But he did with this man. Everything seemed different with him.

“I did, very much. It was... incredible.”

“Great. How about I come here tomorrow, say around six-thirty?”

Danny nodded. “Yes. I’ll be here. I usually help Meg close up. You could meet her... if you want.”

I want to know about everyone and everything in your world. “Yes, I want.” He reached over and tucked Danny’s shirt back in. Any excuse just to touch him. Then he closed up Danny’s trousers. He wished Danny didn’t have to go see his friend. He really would have loved to stay the whole night with him. He hoped Danny felt the same way.

They sat together a few more minutes. He would have been happy just to look at Danny all night. However, he couldn’t keep him any longer from his friend.

Leaning over, he kissed Danny’s cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

Danny’s gaze lingered on him for what felt like a long time. “Yes, tomorrow.” He retrieved his briefcase from the floor and watched Dave hesitantly for another moment, his shyness filling the small space of the car. In the next moment, he surprised Dave by leaning forward and pressing a small kiss on his cheek. He pulled back quickly, as if Dave might reject him.

“Thank you... for everything.”

Dave’s insides tingled madly. That one little kiss had just sent him over the moon. If such a thing were possible. He hadn’t felt this... sweet... since the first night he and John admitted their feelings for each other. Only this time, neither he nor Danny had been drinking. “You’re welcome,” he murmured, though he actually felt he had more to thank Danny for than the other way around.

Danny hesitated another moment, then slowly opened the car door. Just as Dave thought of something. “Danny—”

“Yeah?”

“Uh, you know, take it easy tomorrow, okay? You still were attacked.”

Danny nodded. “I will. Thanks.”

Dave watched him get out, wishing with an ache that he could follow him. He heaved a deep sigh and started the engine, staying just long enough to make sure Danny got safely inside. He pushed down the clutch and shifted his car into reverse.

It was less than twenty-four hours until he was supposed to see Danny again, but for the first time in his life, that seemed like too goddamn long.