Chapter 6
(Rated R for mild sexual content)
"I hate weeks when it feels like it's Monday even though it's Wednesday or Thursday." Mandy said.
"I'm sure it'll get better. I mean, with your case being done now, you're free to help me." Danny said.
"So, what's for dinner?" Tonight was going to be a long night and Mandy hadn't eaten all day.
"Pizza? Or Chinese? Or how about we skip straight to dessert?" Mandy scoffed. He just couldn't stop with the teasing today. Mira called her complaining about how he was acting, mentioning something about assholes.
"Can't we just get work done? For one night?"
"Nope," Danny said, leaning into her.
As their lips were about to touch, he heard a door slam. Looking to his left, he could see what could only be described as a pissed off Mira. She was steaming.
"I'm going to get you!"
Danny ducked behind Mandy. "Please don't kill me."
"What did you do now Danny?" Mandy asked.
"Nothing! Mira, it slipped I swear!"
"What is this? High School? You're almost 30 for god's sake!" Mira stood in front of the Mandy-guarded Danny, with her hands on her hips.
"What is going on?" Mandy looked back and forth, with a look of confusion on her face.
"Your little boyfriend here can't keep his mouth shut!"
"I'm not getting into this." Mandy moved out of the way, leaving Danny looking dead straight at Mira.
"Please don't kill me. We work in a lab. It would way too easy for them to find me."
Moving in closer, Mira's face softened. She grabbed Danny and kissed him on the cheek. "Yeah, it would. Plus, I don't really want to kill the matchmaker." With that, she turned on her heels and left him standing there.
With that, she turned on her heels and left him standing there. "By the way, Flack says 'Thanks'." She said.
Danny stood there, amazed for a second. Mandy started laughing, as Danny slowly turned to face her. "Oh my goodness, that helps me feel better." She said, turning to go back to the lab table.
"You find that funny?" Danny asked, watching Mandy smile. Or even possibly smile bigger.
"Hilarious. Possibly even funnier than Monty Python." Mandy said, glancing up to see Danny's reaction.
He slowly walked over to the table Mandy had things lying all over. "Funnier than that? Wow."
"You know I still love you." Mandy replied.
"Gladly." Mandy replied, not looking up. "But, what it would take to convince you, I can't do here. You know, cause we promised Mac we'd be good." Her eyes moved up to see what Danny would say or do.
Danny just smiled. That same horny smile from when Stella called him out at the naked sushi restaurant.
*******************************************************************
"Okay, I'll need help." Danny said, as he, Flack, and Mira walked into Tiffany's.
"If you are actually planning on buying anything in here, you need a little more help than we can give you." Flack said.
"Her favorite movie is Breakfast At Tiffany's." Danny said, as they slowly walked down an aisle.
"Yeah, but prices have been raised a little since then." Mira said.
"I'm not going to settle for some cracker jack ring." Danny said. "Besides, maybe this will make her mom trust that I am good enough." He added.
Flack and Mira noticed the tone in his voice. He wanted to impress Mandy's parents. They never thought highly of Danny. This was his way of proving himself.
The two exchanged a look. Flack pulled out his wallet from his back pocket while Mira pulled hers out of her purse. "You guys, you don't?." Danny started.
"No, we want to." Flack said.
"You've been in love with Mandy forever, and vice versa." Flack said.
"I can only hope we have a love as great as yours." Mira said.
"You guys are perfect." Danny said. "What would I do without you two?"
"Sign your life away to afford something." Mira and Flack both quickly said.
"Can I help you?" A guy walked up to the three.
They exchanged looks and a smile came across Danny' face.
*******************************************************************
Danny took one look around the apartment. He wanted it all to be so perfect. But, he knew that every time he wanted everything to be perfect, everything fell apart.
But, he had drinks chilling. His apartment was cleared and there was no piece of underwear or anything else embarrassing lying out. The CDs were in the CD player and ready for him to press play. Dinner was on the stove…oh God, he had forgotten about dinner.
Danny went streaking into the kitchen. He carefully looked everything over, making sure nothing was burnt. Which, luckily, nothing was. He had successful avoided a crisis.
So, he went back to checking over his hair and outfit again. He had put what felt like a whole bottle of gel to keep his hair in place. And then, to be casual yet sexy, he had put on a pair of jeans, a nice white t-shirt, and a plain blue colored button-up shirt.
But now, as he was looking over the outfit. He started debating if jeans were too casual. Or, if his outfit was too reminiscent of his time in Tanglewood.
He walked back into kitchen, to keep his mind off his outfit. He gave the meat sauce a stir, making sure the noodles weren't getting soggy, checking to make sure the bread wasn't burning.
He wanted it all to be perfect.
Mandy stood outside the doorway to Danny's apartment. Mira had rushed her out, picking the perfect outfit for her, making sure Mandy looked spectacular.
Which she did. She wore a simple white tank top that had an eyelet trim to it and eyelet decoration around the top and bottom of the top. Over that she wore a nice and crisp jean button-up shirt, along with a nice fitting pair of khakis.
And then, once Mandy was dressed, Mira made sure that her make-up looked fabulous, as did her hair. Then, she handed Mandy a small clutch and a nice jacket, and then sent her on her way.
And now, she was standing outside Danny's door. She knew she should knock. But, she was scared to see what was going on. After lunch, Danny, Flack and Mira had been a little too happy or excited, or a mixture of both.
She raised her hand to knock on the door, but before she could, the door opened. Danny stood there, smiling. "Hey Mandy." He said.
"Danny." She said, as he held open the door for her. She walked in, stopping to kiss him. "It smells wonderful in here." She said, hanging her jacket up and sticking her purse with it.
"Many of us Italians are great cooks." Danny said.
"I'm proud of you." Mandy said.
"I'm glad." Danny said, leading her into the kitchen.
Dinner had been amazing. Mandy had loved Danny's cooking. She had showered him with compliments all during dinner.
And then, they had taken their champagne into the living room. There, Danny sat through 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' with her. She had smiled and curled up, using him as a pillow.
He wanted this moment to last forever. Something about being with Mandy just made him wish everything else would just fade away, and the only thing that was left would be them.
After the movie was done, Danny watched Mandy for a few seconds. She started doing her little habits, first by pulling the movie out of the DVD player and placing it within the case. That was followed by quickly finishing off her champagne and then debating if she wanted more or was going to stick the glass in the sink.
Pouring herself more must have won over because she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle. But, instead of pouring more into her glass, she took a swig out of the bottle.
Then, she offered him some. And, he accepted. So, she sat down by where he was lying up against the arm of the couch. He held onto his glass as she carefully poured him some.
And then, she started buttoning up his shirt. Danny smiled, her silly streak coming out. Or, possibly, it could be considered a habit. Because, whenever they just sat there in silence, she would start messing with his shirt.
"Dance with me?" Danny softly asked.
"I think we may have had a little too much to drink for that." She said, giggling. "Here, I'll play pillow and you go put in 'The Godfather'." She said, as Danny looked at her surprised.
"You'll watch that with me?" He asked.
"You sat through 'Breakfast At Tiffany's. And, you put up with my quoting lines too." Mandy said, as Danny got up and started sticking the movie into the DVD player.
Mandy got comfortable, holding onto the bottle of champagne and relaxing against the arm of the couch. Danny just looked at her as the DVD started up. "Mandy, can I ask you something?" He asked, walking over to sit by her.
"Sure." She said, as Danny leaned closer, as if he was going to kiss her.
She carefully closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to touch hers. Instead, she heard his soft voice ask one simple sentence. "Marry me?"
Her eyes flew open, looking at Danny. She couldn't believe what he had just asked. She waited for him to take it back, to say he was just joking. But, he didn't. And, that caused her to smile.
"Are you serious?" She asked, giving him another chance to back out.
"Deadly." He said, as she smiled. "I know you probably would love for me to be down on one knee, but this is just too perfect of a moment." He said.
"Yes." She said.
"Was that a yes? Does it go to my question or to the perfect moment comment?" He asked, as she smiled bigger, causing him in turn to smile more.
"To both, but more towards the question." She said, leaning in. Danny smiled and then moved in and kissed her.
Well here we are again
I guess it must be fate
We've tried it on our own
But deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight
I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new
Every memory repeats
Every step I take retreats
Every journey always
Brings me back to you
[Chorus:]
After all the stops and starts
We keep coming back to these two hearts
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall
And after all that we've been through
It all comes down to me and you
I guess it's meant to be
Forever you and me
After all
When love is truly right
This time it's truly right
It lives from year to year
It changes as it grows
And oh the way it grows
But it never disappears
[Chorus]
Always just beyond my touch
Though I needed you so much
After all what else is living for
Whoa
[Chorus x2]
Danny wasn't sure how much of the movie he had paid attention to. During the middle of Sonny Corleone being shot, he remembered he had to give her the ring. And then, she spent the rest of that scene and the next telling him that he had to return the ring and get her a much cheaper one. Damn her parents, she didn't want him signing his life away for a ring.
Especially when she found out that Mira and Flack had chipped in. She promptly called them and told them that she would pay them back. Flack had breathlessly (which Danny had his ideas what they were doing) told her that she didn't have to do that. It was part of a gift to them. For the wedding, they'd go cheaper and get a toaster or something.
So, when she hung up the phone, Danny sat up and looked her in the eye. "So, we're already missing part of the movie." He said.
"Then let's start it over." She suggested.
"I've got a better idea." He said, picking her up and carrying her to his bedroom.
He carefully set her on the bed. He sat up next to her, on his knees, watching her sitting up on her knees, to try and match his height.
He ran a hand over her cheek, watching her nuzzle it, loving the feeling of him touching her. Then, his hand reached down to her shirt and slid it off her shoulders. She watched as he in turn pulled his off.
She carefully reached over and pulled his shirt over his head, and then ran her hands up his chest. That gave him time to pull her tank top over her head and start on her bra.
But, her bra turned out to be a little trickier than he figured it would be. Mandy laughed at him and then reached around to help him out.
Then, he slowly unbuckled her khakis, as she tossed her bra over her shoulder and started working on his jeans.
Somehow, with much laughing, they managed to get undressed and under Danny's covers. "I love you." Mandy said, as Danny positioned himself over her.
"I love you too, Miss Soon To Be Messer." He said, watching her smile at the thought of her married name.
"It has a nice ring to it." She said, as he slowly entered her.
They started moving, something about this time seeming so perfect. Maybe cause it was their first time as soon to be husband and wife, soon to be man and wife, or just the fact that the night had been so perfect, but every move, every kiss was perfect.
The kisses along her shoulder were perfect, the scratches along his back, urging him to go faster were perfect (though they would show in the morning, badly), every time their tongues met and made the same motion as their lower bodies, that movement was perfect.
He felt a tighten feeling in his gut, trying to prolong his release until she went. He knew the perfect ending to this night would be them together, but he'd rather her go first.
But, somehow, he felt her start to go, and he couldn't hold it back any longer. So, he just let go of everything.
Their motions slowed down, as they slowly moved to lie on their sides. She looked at him, seeing the tiredness in his eyes. "Get some sleep Danny." She said, moving to push some hair out of his eyes.
Danny saw the moonlight catch in the diamond and smiled. Miss Amanda Lynn Messer. It had a wonderful sound to it.
And so, he wrapped his arms around Mandy, pulling her close, and closed his eyes. And they both drifted off to sleep.