Dreamers

Chapter Nineteen

Jessica woke Danny the next morning with a soft kiss. Danny had fallen asleep on the couch the night before while he was unpacking a few odds and ends. He lay with his arm tucked under his head on the arm on the couch. His feet stretched out over the other end. An unbound book lay on his chest rising with his steady breathing. Jessica stood watching him sleep, her right arm across her chest and her left upright resting her elbow on the back of her other hand. She ran her hand along her very prominent collar bone. How can he make me so happy? I want nothing more then just to be with him. She walked over next to him, not wanting to disturb his peaceful sleep. She laid down beside him on the couch removing the book from his chest and covering them both with a blanket she kept tossed over the back of the black leather couch. Danny stirred as she adjusted herself to get comfortable next to him. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her tight to him.

"Mmm...morning baby doll." He kissed the top of her head as he spoke in his sleepy voice.

"Morning...I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's ok honey.... What time is it?"

"Just after seven. I woke up early to take Jack and Pine out for a walk." she snuggled up tighter to him trying to go back to sleep.

"Hey, Jess?" Danny pondered looking out the window across the room.

"Hmm?"

"What is today?"

"It's Tuesday...?" Jessica was confused as to why he was asking.

"No honey I meant the date." He chuckled at her.

"Oh ..Uhhh..." she turned over picking up her phone from the cluttered mess of a coffee table. "It's the nineteenth, Why?"

"Jess it's your birthday tomorrow!" he hugged her tight rubbing her back with his hand. She buried her face in his chest pulling the blanket over her head.

"Ugh... Danny who cares?"

"I care! Your birthday is like... It's like Christmas to me. Baby come on, your birthday is suppose to be fun."

"Well it's not. It's just another day that reminds me that I'm old and alone."

Danny pulled the blanket up from her face looking at her. "Jess don't say that, you're neither of those things. I'm here aren't I?"

"Well ya but..." Danny cut her off before she could finish her thought.

"But nothing Jessica. I love you. You are so gorgeous and kind and loving. I will never leave you. EVER... Why can't you see that? You are always so afraid of me you can never see that this is not just about sex for me. I really do love you honestly I do. Don't get me wrong I love sleeping with you, god knows you are extremely talented in so many ways, however, if you never let me touch you again I would just be happy loving you, being with you, making you happy. My only goal in life is to make you realize how beautiful you are to me...Inside and out."

Jessica looked up to him in shock, unable to speak.

"Why are you so afraid of me Jess? I will never understand that." he brushed the hair out of her face that the static of the blanket had thrown around her face.

"I don't know Danny... I guess I just expect you to be like everyone else and use me as a door mat until you get bored of me. I just got so used to Sam..."

Danny cut her off again. "Jess don't. I am well aware of how he treated you. You would have to be an idiot not to see the burses. Jess I am not Sam and I never will be. I can promise you if I ever see that narcissistic prick again... oh boy he won't survive it."