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When Danny Blue was sober, he flirted with anyone on two legs who possessed a pair of voluptuous breasts and tight arse. The one time he realized that “she” was still a smoking hot he, who looked as good in a skirt as Stacie, he didn’t mind. It was all in fun and they all knew he was harmless. Besides, he liked showing his best mates the kind of ladies’ man he was. He was out for a good time unlike the needlessly picky Mickey Stone.
When Danny had one scotch in him, he loosened up even more. The charm flowed out of him in waves. He flirted outrageously with a playful twinkle in his eye and no hard feelings if the bird wasn’t interested.
When Danny drank his second scotch, the possibilities expanded. This time, the bird could have smaller jugs or even wear glasses and a librarians’ sweater and he’d be interested.
When Danny had three drinks, obnoxiousness began to mix with the charm. He became even louder if that was possible. He began to ignore the “don’t approach” vibe from some women.
When Danny got around to four drinks, he began to grin and bat his baby blues at men as well as the women. Anyone in sight was fair game. Why not? He was an equal opportunity type of guy. He wasn’t the only one in the world who was bisexual.
When Danny’s fifth drink was in his gut, his coordination became suspect. He hung onto anyone lucky or unlucky enough to have earned his attention. Total obnoxiousness turned his charm sour.
When Danny’s sixth drink hit his system, whatever good sense he had in choosing his targets went by the wayside. He didn’t just ignore the slender, geeky boyfriends, who probably always got beat up at school, but also the big, hulking athlete or biker types.
“Oh, come on luv,” Danny crooned. He leaned on the back of a redhead’s chair. He put his chin on her shoulder and looked up at her with puppy dog eyes.
She blushed and fidgeted in her seat. She glanced at the boyfriend nervously. “No,” she hissed.
The rest of the crew, (minus Mickey who wouldn’t watch Danny make a fool of himself again), sat in a booth on the other side of the bar. They saw the boyfriend unfold his massive bulk from his seat. His eyes narrowed dangerously in Danny’s direction.
Albert whistled quietly. “He’s gotta be six five and two hundred and fifty.”
Stacie nodded. “And lifts weights.”
“All in black leather,” Ash finished. His eyes drifted over to behind the bar where Eddie was signaling to them to get Danny out before a fight broke out. Ash sighed. “He could break our Danny in half.” He looked at the other two. “All right. How do you want to do this?”
“I think you should get Danny out of here, Ash, while Albie and I smooth things over with the Hulk over there.”
Ash frowned. “I don’t like leaving you guys alone.”
They saw Danny slip. His grip on the back of the woman’s chair was the only thing that kept him upright. Stacie nodded towards him. “We’ll be fine and you’re the only one of us who can half carry, Danny.” She smiled at Albert and stood up gracefully. “Ready, Albie?”
Albert inclined his head to her. “Ready.”
“Beside,” Stacie added over her shoulder. “Danny always listens to you.”
Ash shrugged at that. “We need Mickey. Danny listens to him.”
“Only when they’re not arguing.”
“And we all know how rare those moments of peace and tranquility are,” Albert added dryly.
Ash got up. He held his hands up in surrender. “All right. I get the picture.”
They only looked casual as they made their way over to Danny. “Tough luck mate if your bird prefers me,” he slurred. “But don’t be too down hearted, perfection like me is hard to compete with.”
The boyfriend snarled and brought his fist back. Before he could swing, Stacie touched his elbow. “Please,” she pleaded.
The boyfriend stared at her, openmouthed. “What?”
“Please,” she repeated, smoothly stepping between him and Danny. “My brother here is an idiot when he drinks.”
Danny gave her a small shove in the back of her shoulder. “Am not.”
Stacie made a show of stumbling forward against the boyfriend’s chest. She stared up at him like he was her hero. “Sorry.”
Ash stood at Danny’s side. “Come on, Danny,” he said quietly.
“But I was just…” Danny started to protest.
A look of uncertainty crossed the boyfriend’s face. “Your brother needs a lesson. He doesn’t know how to treat women.”
Albert was behind the boyfriend. “He doesn’t mean anything by it. He just can’t hold his liquor.” He noticed all the empties at the boyfriend’s table. “Not like some men. Surely, you’ve known lesser drinkers in your time.”
The boyfriend looked Danny up and down. “True,” he sneered. “He does look like a light weight.”
“Light weight,” Danny said in drunken outrage.
Ash took Danny’s arm. “Danny, we need to leave. You trust me, right?”
Danny’s anger disappeared and he grinned at Ash. “Of course I trust you, Ash. You’re one of my best mates.”
Ash smiled. “Come on then.”
Danny put his arm around Ash’s neck and leaned against him. He planted a big, sloppy kiss on Ash’s cheek. “Okay.” He waved a cheery goodbye. “Have a good night, everybody.” Ash got him to the stairs before he muttered loud enough for all to hear. “Light weight. That stupid ox doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up Danny.”
Albert pushed the boyfriend back into his seat and gestured to Eddie. “I’ll buy the next round. How about a friendly game of cards?”
Ash silently blessed Eddie when he saw the cab waiting outside. He pushed Danny into the back seat and climbed in after him. He gave the driver their address.
The driver eyed them in the rearview mirror. “Oi, your friend isn’t going to be sick, is he?”
Danny folded his arms across his chest. He met the driver’s eyes with the best moody glare he could muster. “No, his friend isn’t gonna be sick. I can hold my liquor just fine.”
The cab pulled off and Ash patted Danny’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Danny. I know you’re no light weight.”
Danny relaxed at Ash’s touch. He scooted closer and put his head down on Ash’s shoulder. “You’re a good mate, Ash.”
Ash noticed Danny’s hand on his leg and wondered if Danny realized it. He gave a small smile and reached up to rub the back of Danny’s neck. “Yeah, okay. Just relax, Danny. We’ll be home soon.”
It was silent after that and Ash discovered that Danny passed out. He made no move so as not to disturb the peace. A quiet Danny was a novelty. Plus, he enjoyed the warmth of Danny against him.
The cab came to a stop and Ash jerked his shoulder. “Wake up, Danny.” He laughed at the confused look on Danny’s face as his head popped up.
Danny’s hair stuck out in all directions. He looked around. “What?”
Ash paid the driver and opened the door. “Come on. We’re home.”
Danny stumbled getting out and grabbed Ash. He swallowed and licked his lips. “Who put the curb there?”
Ash arched an eyebrow. “At the edge of the sidewalk is generally where we keep them.”
Danny laughed and pressed closer. “Oh, yeah. I guess so.”
Ash’s heart started pounding in his chest when he felt something brush against his leg. He cleared his throat and stepped away. He kept a hand on Danny’s shoulder so he wouldn’t fall down. “Let’s go inside.”
Danny wrapped his arm around Ash’s neck again. He leaned heavily into Ash’s side. “All right. Sounds like a plan.”
Ash got Danny up the walk, through the door, and into the elevator with Danny giggling the whole way. Suddenly, he was hot and feeling a stirring in his groin that he didn’t want to deal with. He tried to leave Danny leaning against the elevator wall but Danny wouldn’t release him. “What are you laughing about?” he grumbled.
Danny arched his eyebrows. “You.”
“Me?”
“You’re cute when you’re embar…” Danny couldn’t get the long word out. He sighed in disappointment and pressed his forehead against Ash’s.
Ash felt Danny’s hot breath against his lips. He swallowed heavily. His voice was tight. “I’m too old to be cute.”
Danny nuzzled Ash’s jaw. “I wouldn’t say that,” he whispered.
Ash shut his eyes for a brief moment before jerking his head away. Again, he tried to push Danny away but Danny’s grip only tightened. “Lay off, Danny,” he snapped.
Danny grinned unrepentantly. “Cute.”
The elevator doors opened and Ash hauled Danny out. “And you’re drunk,” he said flatly. “That’s the only way you could think I’m cute. I’m not Stacie.”
“I know you’re not Stacie.” Danny squeezed Ash’s shoulder. “There’s too much power here.”
Ash grunted. “I think you’ve finally pickled your brain.”
Danny snickered and waved his free arm grandly, almost making them fall over. “I only had what…two scotches…three maybe.”
“Try six.”
“Six?” Danny echoed. “No way. I’d remember six.”
Ash slid his keycard in the lock and pulled Danny inside the crew’s suite. He kicked the door closed behind them. “It was six.”
A comical look of disbelief crossed Danny’s face. “Really?”
Ash took Danny to his room. “Yes, really.”
Danny let Ash push him down to sit on the edge of his bed. “Where are the others? Albie and Stacie? And Mickey?”
Ash turned on the small lamp on the night stand. He knelt in front of Danny, deliberately not looking at Danny’s groin. He concentrated on taking Danny’s shoes and socks off. “Albie and Stacie are at Eddie’s, smoothing things over with the hulk who wanted to kill you. Albie’s probably fleeced him in poker by now. I don’t know where Mickey is.”
Danny put his hands on Ash’s shoulders and squeezed. “We don’t need ‘em.”
Ash felt Danny’s fingers slide up the back of his neck. He kept his eyes firmly on the carpet and Danny’s bare feet. “Now, don’t start any more nonsense.”
Danny leaned forward and kissed Ash’s temple. “Ash,” he murmured. “Please.”
Ash let out a shaky gasp. The soft touch of Danny’s lips sent waves of heat through him. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. His voice was barely audible. “Danny, no.”
Danny kissed the other side of Ash’s head. “Yes.”
Ash took a deep breath and stood, forcing Danny to back away. He loosened Danny’s tie and pulled it off. Before he realized it, he caressed Danny’s cheek with his fingertips.
Danny leaned into the touch. “Stay with me.”
“It wouldn’t be a good idea and, if you had any sense, you’d see that.” Ash shook his head and pushed Danny onto his back. He needed to get out of there and into a cold shower. He reached for the lamp. “Good night, Danny.”
Danny grabbed Ash’s hand. “I want you.”
The intensity in Danny’s voice startled him and Ash could only stare. He couldn’t believe the lust in Danny’s eyes was directed at him. Still, he couldn’t take advantage and do something Danny would hate him for later. “You’re drunk. You don’t know what you want.”
Danny’s eyes sparked. In a flash, he was on his feet with his tongue buried deep in Ash’s mouth. His hands gripped Ash’s shoulders, hard.
Ash’s brain suffered a short circuit and all he could do was kiss back. His tongue slid against Danny’s, hot and wet. The silk of Danny’s shirt was warm to the touch as he ran his hands down Danny’s chest.
Danny only broke off when he had to breathe. He was breathing hard and his lips were swollen. “I told you that I want you, you dumb sod,” he growled.
Ash recognized Danny’s smug look. He pulled the shirt free and traced small circles on Danny’s lower back. “Sobered up some, I see.”
“I’m definitely flying high, but I knew what I was doing the whole time.” Danny smirked. “Besides, there’s nothing like conning another grifter. It’s got me all hot and bothered, but I’m sure you noticed that.”
Ash felt the flush creeping up the back of his neck. “All of this to….” his voice trailed off.
Danny’s smile lit up his entire face. “Yeah.” He slid his hands along Ash’s shoulders to interlace his fingers behind Ash’s neck. He waited for Ash to meet his eyes. “Now, are you going to stop playing hard to get?”
Ash grinned back, all trace of embarrassment gone. “Who am I to say no to you?”
Danny licked his lips. “I always say that you’re a wise man, Ash.”