Love Stories - A Collection

Something More

Danielle is just one of the guys. She can chug a beer and play poker with the best of them. Her footie game is off the hook. The guys love hanging with her and having her a part of their circle.

The night of Nick's birthday dinner just might change everything. Suddenly friendship isn't enough, now he wants something more...

~~❤️~~

"Got your wish all figured out yet, Nick?" Josh smacks me on the head as he walks past, already dressed and ready to go.

"Course I do." I return the favor by pushing the back of his head, knocking him forward a bit. I'm still working on my tie, which I can never seem to get right, so that's the only retaliation I attempt to make. Danny will be here soon and then the three of us will meet up with the rest of the gang.

"Better be a good one, bro. You only turn twenty-one once." Josh is now sitting on the edge of my bed watching as I butcher my tie and start all over again. "It's got to suck to have a birthday two days before Christmas."

"It does. A lot." One year my mom was so busy getting ready for Christmas, she didn't really have time to do anything for my birthday. She just told me to pick one of my Christmas presents to open up a few days early. And even now, most of the time people wrap my birthday presents in Christmas paper, which I pretty much hate. But I don't tell Josh this. I don't really like to complain about it anymore. What's the point?

The doorbell rings, probably Danny, so I make my way to the front door, still working on the tie. This whole dressing-up-to-go-out thing was Danny's idea in the first place, so that's the person I'm about to give hell to over having to wear a tie. My hands drop from the silk material and reach out to turn the doorknob. My mouth opens to tell Danny what I think about this whole thing but once the door swings past me and we make eye contact, I freeze.

Josh's voice rings out behind me. "Dang, Danielle! You clean up goooooood." He draws out the last word then whistles.

She looks more than good. She looks...I don't know how to put it into words. And I can't because my tongue is twisted up in knots worse than my tie. Danny doesn't take her eyes from mine for the few seconds our gazes have been locked. Have I ever seen her with make up? Or in a dress? Most of the time she's hanging out with us on the field, kicking the ball around, sweating and eating junk food.

"Hey," I manage to finally say after so long it could only be described as awkward. "Thanks for planning all of this, Danny." Gone are my words of rebuke for the whole tie situation. Suddenly I'm incredibly glad that we've all gotten cleaned up for a fancy meal together.

"My pleasure." Her smile is genuine, and if I'm not mistaken there's a twinkle in her rich brown eyes. "But it looks like you could use a hand with that." She gestures to the tie.

"You look like a disaster, is what she's trying to say," Josh teases.

"I am not!" Danny reaches out to pinch Josh, her signature move. A pinch from Danny will leave a mark, for sure.

"Ouch! You're wicked!"  Josh rubs his bicep.

"Yeah, maybe so, but you're an idiot. Wicked beats idiot every time." Danny laughs and grabs me by the hand to lead me into the apartment. She's grabbed my hand before, hundreds of times, but it's never felt like this. Electric. She doesn't stop until she has me under the bright lights of the bathroom. "It's easier to see what I'm doing in here," she explains.

Danny positions me in the center of the room then comes to stand directly in front of me. Her hands come up to take the tie and untangle the mess I've made. Her eyes remain focused on the soft material, but mine remain on her. Her dark brown hair shines just a little brighter in this light, pulled back and away from her face with soft curls. Little teardrop shaped earrings dangle from her ears, catching the light as they move slightly back and forth. Her shoulders are bare. Her dress is strapless and a shimmery blue, fitting every curve just perfectly and causing me to swallow the lump that's formed in my throat.