A/N: Tess (@lacellak) didn't want the scene to end yet. So here we go! :) More Dan and TC in close quaters.
TC
“Its been like forty-five minutes.” Daniel groaned.
“That means we’ve been winning for that long. Be happy. You like winning, remember?”
“My legs are cramping up.” he whined. Why were men always so whiny?
“Well, what do you want me to do about that?” I asked impatiently.
“I don’t know.” he sighed “Can you shift around a bit, give me some relief? I mean, I want to win too, but I also don’t need to lose circulation in my legs.”
“Well, where do you want me to go?”
“Um, just… I don’t know.” he thought for a moment “Can you flip around and face me? Put your knees on either side of my legs?”
“I think I can do that.” I said manuevering myself around until I was in the desired position, now face to face with him. “Better?”
“Yeah.” he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good.” I smiled.
The new found position also brought about a bit of awkwardness. Being forced to look right at each other. Something Daniel had been skillfully avoiding all week.
“Why do things have to be so weird between us?” I asked. Daniel tried to look away, but there was no where to look.
“I don’t really want to talk about this right now.” he muttered.
“Well I do, and you’re not really in the position to run away.”
“Fine.” he grumbled.
“Look, I’m not asking for much. I just want you to give it a fair try. I know you’re hurt. I know all you want to do is avoid the situation, but I don’t want that. I don’t want to lose you entirely. I haven’t handled this all the right way. I’ve done some pretty awful things. Things you didn’t deserve, and I know you don’t want anything to do with me because of those things. I still need you though Daniel, even if its just as my friend…and I was hoping, praying that you felt the same way.” silence “I’m not asking for things to be all better right away… I just would really like it if you try and drop the barrier you’re keeping between us.”
“Okay.” he nodded slowly.
My heart leapt excitedly in my chest. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him, pulling our bodies flush against each other and buried my face in his neck. It felt good to be close to him again. Even though we had been physically close for the last hour, this was different. I was closer to him than I had been in months and it was such a freeing feeling.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
Daniel’s hands rested on my hips even after I pulled back. I looked down at my watch. We had now been hiding for over an hour.
“Do you think we’ve won yet?” Daniel asked.
“I dunno. I’ll text Grant.” I said reaching into my back pocket and pulling out my phone.
I sent the text and seconds later my phone buzzed.
“He said we are the last ones left, but Cooper is determined to find us.” I winked.
“Well, we’ve got this in the bag then. We can just wait him out.” Daniel smiled. The first time he had given my a genuine smile in what seemed like an eternity.
“That’s my boy.”
Daniel:
Boy, did Cooper have a strong will. It had been almost another hour since TC had last given the time. It was getting late and there was barely any light streaming through the small window above them. My eyes have adjusted to the dim lighting though and I can still clearly see TC’s form. She is yawning for the sixth time and her eyes are barely able to stay open.
“Just lay your head down on my shoulder.” I encouraged.
She didn’t resist, instead she immediately nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck and leaned her weight against me. Her warm breath tickled the sensitive area of my neck, but I quickly grew used to it as her breath evened out as she drifted asleep.
How did I get here? A few weeks ago if someone were to ask about TC and I, I would vehemently deny having any feelings for her. In fact I had gotten into a huge argument with Sebastian over just that. Over how I was completely done with her. Now we are sitting in a cramped space in her laundry room, playing hide and seek with her brothers and she is asleep nestled in my chest. Life brings things that are so unexpected sometimes.
Her presence, her closeness brings all the feelings back. Everything that I had been fighting. It was all back, just like that. It made me feel so weak. I couldn’t keep myself from her if I tried. This petite woman was a force to be reckoned with and I would dare anyone to try and deny her anything.
Sadly, I knew that even if we hadn’t ended up in this crazy situation, something else would have brought me back to her. With Steele no longer in her life, I don’t think I could have kept away. It would have only been a matter of time before I gave in to the desires that were deep inside of me.
She twitched softly, in her sleep before nuzzling even closer to me. Something just felt so right about this. About her and me. Together. And somehow it was as if we had never been apart. Everything was right again. The way it was supposed to be.
“Okay guys, Jeeze! You are too good. I give up.” Cooper yelled from somewhere in the house. Most likely the bottom of the stairs.
I nudged TC gently, trying to wake her.
“Hey,” she stirred slightly “Sleepy head. We won.”
A grin spread across her face as she sat up straight.
“And that’s why we are the dream team!” she cheered, her voice cracking from her sleep.
“because you sleep and dream about how awesome I am the whole time?” I poked fun at her, ruffling her now messy hair.
“no… because we’re…” she started to explain what ‘dream team’ meant and then it hit her that I was making fun of her. She slapped my chest playfully “You’re a jerk Ricciardo!”
“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” I grinned.
“I said I give up! Where are you?!” Cooper yelled again.
“We better go.”
“Yeah.” she replied softly, slowly getting to her feet.
I followed suit. She wobbled slightly, still drowsy. She tried to climb over the washer, but started to slip back. I quickly moved my hand to her rear lifted her onto the washer. She quickly whiped her head around.
“Hands off, Ricciardo!” she growled.
“Sorry.” I pulled my hands away and held them up in the air.
“I said we should be friends again. We’ll have to work up to anything else.” she reminded me. I nodded. She was right, it wasn’t right for either of us to jump into a relationship at the moment. Neither of us her ready for it. She was always right.
