It was amazing what the human brain and sheer determination were capable of. Over the next week, Elise started re-training her brain. Every time she would start thinking about the nightmares, she made herself think of Danny's lips against hers, the kisses they had shared Tuesday in his truck on lunch. By the end of the week, she felt almost normal again...Which was good because things progressed quickly after that.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m6uSDHWG3
"Hey," Danny leaned casually against the edge of her work desk, as he had already become accustomed to doing in the few short weeks Elise had been there.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNuEqq1KVa
"What are you up to this weekend?" It was Friday afternoon and nearly time for them to clock out for the week.
"Like I've said before, do you want me to lie and make something awesome up or tell the sad, boring truth?" Plans? She never had plans. This should have been painfully obvious to anyone by now. She might work on a painting or read a book, maybe see a movie, but that always made her feel like even more of a loser, sitting there in the dark all alone.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEnwZEuMc8
"I'll take that as a, 'Nothing, Danny. Why do you ask?'" he did a horrible impersonation of a female voice. Still, Elise couldn't help laughing.
"Wow. That was quite possibly the worst imitation I have ever heard."
"I know. But seriously. You free this weekend?"
"Yes," she drew out. She hated talking about her personal life, or lack thereof, especially to Danny.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEidRgMzQZG
"What do you say we go see a movie?" he ignored her feigned exasperation.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e3isdzzdU
"Sure," Elise paused. "On one condition."
"What's that?" he smiled, intrigued.
"We go out to eat or something afterward. It doesn't have to be fancy. Hell, we can just go get coffee, for all I care," she paused again. "You do drink coffee, don't you?"
"Uh, yah," Danny replied sarcastically. "I'm a 32 year-old man. Of course I drink coffee," they both chuckled. "Not that I'm complaining, but why the stipulation, out of curiosity?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4yVX17uKx
"Well, movies are fun and all, but I always thought it was kind of a strange date idea, especially early on. I mean, you don't get to talk at all, so you really don't get to know anything about the other person, you know? Which kind of defeats the purpose of dating, doesn't it?" Danny just stared at her, grinning, for a long moment.
"What?" Elise felt her cheeks flush, but not nearly as bad as usual, which relieved her. She hated giving her embarrassment and self-consciousness away so easily.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8iOrhsih3
"Nothing," he shook his head, still smiling. "I like the way you look at things. That's all. We don't have to go to a movie."
"No, no. It's fine. I just," she paused for what felt like the millionth time in the past 5 minutes. She hated how girly and vulnerable speaking her next line out loud made her feel. "I just thought it would be nice to talk too," Elise glanced down at her keyboard before forcing herself to look him in the eye. It wasn't as hard to do as she imagined. She could see from his expression that he was an open book and his warm gaze seemed to welcome her in.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGYv9siI0V
"Elise," his hand was suddenly on top of hers as he spoke more quietly now. "I don't care what we do. I just want to spend time with you." She felt an odd comfort every time they had touched so far. Removing his hand just as quickly, she longed for more of his touch.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NjuXz6PH4
"Ok," she replied shyly. An awkward pause hung in the air with Mary still at her desk across from them.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95tWxLpkhh
"Can I ask you something?" he leaned in a little bit further, still speaking softly.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRTlen9KZH
"What's that?" Elise asked nervously.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBIB6T1Jzk
"You've not really dated for a while, have you?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXclIvB9ZU
"I figured that was painfully obvious," she stated simply.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobudPGe3ai
"Can I ask why? I mean, I know looks aren't everything, but you're gorgeous. You can't tell me guys aren't falling at your feet all the time." Elise blushed hard.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScG9cG1KUy
"You've got to stop saying things like that."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoBJgVeWC6
"Why?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4PQnwcJJF
"Just...because."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktM7iXzBH9
"Because you get embarrassed? If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I'm honest, to a fault, and call things like I see them. I'm sorry, but I'm going to tell you you're beautiful because you are. You shouldn't be embarrassed. Own it." The silence in the room was so deep you could get lost in it.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggQnOEJ9E8
"Well, thank you," Elise did look down at her hands now. "Now's not really the time to explain my hang-ups, though," she looked towards Mary's side of the room.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkxCvNaDav
"Well, we only have 5 minutes until we can clock out," Danny nodded toward the clock hanging between the two bathrooms on the far wall.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEXNLmqSAS
"You're going to stand here and bug me, aren't you," she sighed, finally looking him in the eyes again.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlh4gTrwcN
"Yes. Don't pretend like you weren't finished with whatever you were working on." He had her there. She'd been done for a good half hour before he wandered in, secretly scrolling through state and national park accounts on Instagram, daydreaming about trips she would take someday.
"So..." Danny crossed his arms across his chest.
"You're going to get me in trouble," Elise couldn't hide her smile, looking up at his handsome face. She caught herself thinking about kissing him again.
"Nah. Mary's cool. Aren't you, Mary?" he spoke his last sentence loud enough for her to hear.
Her office mate just gave him a thumbs-up without looking away from her monitor. Elise covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"You're terrible."
"You have no idea," he gave her his best mischievous grin.
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