Honey Drip // Danny Wagner

Part II // Chapter X

Short but hopefully sweet–a bitch is even more tired than these two, apparently. As some of you may know, I am a big fan of domesticity, so I actually like how this chapter turned out. I hope you do too ~

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More full than tipsy, walking back through the hotel lobby with Danny on my arm was like some weird, fantastical dream–the colors were even more vivid than before, everything shining even more brilliantly with the lights apparently dimmed for the nighttime guests. It was all gold and sage and olive–not so unlike the eyes of the man (or boy, really, I reminded myself) himself whose hip bumped into mine as we crossed the tile floor. I wondered who else was coming and going and why–was anyone else from our town staying in this same hotel? In the same city? I doubted it. Danny wasn't a total celebrity yet, but people knew his face, they knew his name, but instead of just feeling like I was along for the ride, with his arm in mine I felt like we were back together as one. A power couple. Two people bound together who could literally take on the world if we had the right strategy.

Kicking off my heels which I was glad to have packed, I caught the view of the city from the room's windows and wandered over. So big, so dark and shiny, more alive than any other place I was used to. And it was just the beginning, really.

"So you liked it?" Danny asked, meeting me at my side and looking out the window with me. "What was your favorite?"

"The best thing I ate? I mean, the steak, obviously," I answered, turning to catch a glimpse of him, even darker and more magnificent than the city. "I think it was worth it."

He chuckled. "Me too."

"But also that ice cream was amazing. And probably cost less than the ice in our cocktails."

He laughed. "It was really good." He stretched, his tucked in shirt threatening to breach in the reflection of the window. "I'm so full."

"Me too. Full and happy."

His smile was caught in the reflection too. "Happy?"

"Yeah, of course–happy." I leaned against him, wrapped my arm around his back. "Always happy with you, Danny." Whatever cologne he'd worn that night was just as intoxicating as his normal, bare scent–I leaned into him more, turning my head to nestle my nose against his shoulder.

"Tired?"

"A little. What time do you guys start your work tomorrow?"

"We're starting late. I wanted us to have the morning together."

I looked up at him. "Breakfast in bed?"

He smiled. "If you want. You know I want that."

I groaned a little and closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against his shoulder. "I can't wait to get in that big bed with you. I want you to sleep next to me every night."

"Even with how much I sweat?"

"Yes, even with how much you sweat. I miss it." I nuzzled his shoulder and then exhaled–as much as I enjoyed the occasional dress up, I wanted to get out of those clothes.

With Danny stripped down to his boxers and myself in proper pajamas–despite knowing I would overheat as usual–we stood in front of the bathroom mirror and brushed our teeth. Danny had told me time and time again to brush away from the gums–I mimicked him in the mirror, our wrists moving in tandem, white foam threatening to spill over our lips. I watched the muscles in his torso shift as he bent down to spit and how he held his right hand over his chest as he did it, protecting the necklaces that never seemed to leave his body.