Part 1 in Moonlight trilogy.
Disclaimer: Deck the halls with boughs of... ivy? Too early for holly, huh?
Note: Well, this was written while I was on vacation, so I'm sure everyone will now know how I spent my vacation... No, wrong, guess again. This time take your mind out of the gutter. ;)
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"You're still here?"
Josh looked up with a smile. "Hey, Danny. Did you need to see CJ?"
"Nah, just heading out. I think I'm going to go jogging in the park." Danny glanced down at his clothes- a sweatshirt and sweatpants.
"It's cold out there." Josh told him. "Why don't you go to your gym and work out instead?"
"I don't have a gym. Never in town long enough to join one."
"Oh." Josh thought about this for a moment, then shut the folder he had been working on. "Why don't you work out at the White House gym? I'm sure it'll be fine this late at night for you to be there alone."
"I can't get in the door." Danny reminded him. "The gym is for you guys."
"I'll come down with you, then you go run around the track and I'll do something manly like weight lifting."
Danny stifled a laugh. "Sounds good, I wasn't looking forward to that cold air."
Josh nodded. "Donna!" When she appeared in his doorway, he told her, "I'm going down to the gym. You can come or work, but you're done for the night if you want to go home."
She glanced at her watch. "I'll come swim for a little while, then head home."
Josh nodded, then held up a hand as a gesture for the two of them to wait. He headed towards CJ's office. "Gym. Want to come?"
"I'll meet you down there," came the muffled reply. "I just have a few more things to do."
Josh, Donna and Danny made their way downstairs. Danny, already dressed for a workout, split from them at the locker rooms. He found the small track and stretched before he began to jog. The place was deserted and peaceful. He enjoyed the feeling of being alone with his thoughts for the next thirty minutes.
"Danny?"
He glanced around without breaking his pace. "Yeah?"
"I'm going to take Donna home." Josh told him. "She's ready to fall asleep."
Danny grinned and slowed down. "Okay. Let me just get my things-"
"No, no." Josh stopped him. "Stay here and work out. I'll check with security on the way out and make sure, but it shouldn't be a problem for you to use the gym."
Danny nodded. "Okay, thanks. Maybe I'll try out the weights next."
"Have fun." Josh waved on his way out.
"Now what?" Danny muttered to himself before deciding Donna might be onto something. He didn't have a bathing suit, but he decided his boxer shorts would be fine. He had a complete change of clothes in his bag anyway. That decided, he made his way to the pool.
Only to discover it was already occupied. A female figure was already swimming laps. He watched her for only a moment before realizing it wasn't Donna. A sly smile settled on his face and he crept quickly to one end of the lane.
When she got to the side of the pool, she came up for air and opened her eyes. She glared at him.
"Nice to see you too," he grinned.
"What are you doing here? Trying to give me a heart attack?"
"CJ! I wouldn't do that. I'm just going for a swim."
"How'd you get in here?"
"Josh."
"Have you been watching me swim?"
"Only for a few seconds," he reassured her. "You looked good."
She frowned. "I'm not a great swimmer," she told him. "I enjoy it, but I'm not that good."
"You in a bathing suit, though..." he trailed off, not needing to finish the thought.
She glanced down at her black one-piece suit. "It's pretty boring, I think."
"Oh, please tell me you own a bikini." Danny clasped his hands over his heart. "I could die a happy man knowing that."
She laughed. "Shut up. And go away, you don't even have a suit on so you're not going swimming."
"Who could resist such a sweet invitation?" Danny stood and began to strip to his boxers.
CJ watched him for a few seconds, then seemed to come out of her trance and turned away to go back to swimming laps.
He quickly finished and dove into the lane next to hers. He began swimming laps but stopped when he saw her lift herself out of the pool.
"CJ?" He stared up at her. "You leaving?"
She sat on the side of the pool. "I can't swim with someone so close, I lose my focus. That's why I use the pool so late at night, it's empty."
He swam closer until he was next to her and leaned against the ledge. "What me to go to a different lane?"
"No, I..." she looked down. "I think I'm done."
He grabbed her hand. "Come on, get back in the water. I'll be all alone if you leave me."
She shook her head and stood up as much as she could with her hand in his. "No, sorry. Let go of my hand, I'm going to go."
Instead of answering, he tugged her arm and and she landed in the pool with a splash.
She came up sputtering. "Danny!"
"Yes?" He met her gaze innocently.
She swam a bit closer before whispering, "This means war." Before he could react, she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him under the water. This time it was him who came up sputtering.
CJ became a bit worried, however, when she realized he also had a grin on his face. She quickly backed away before turning to swim.
He was too quick for her and grabbed her ankle. She twisted and turned, but he pulled her back. He moved his hands up her leg, but stopped when he touched her knee, still not sure what the boundaries were between them.
"Let go!" she managed to get out through her laughs.
"Do you give up? Do you admit that I am superior to you?" Danny teased her, knowing she'd never do either.
He was right. She turned quickly and closed the difference between them. She laughed as she dunked him under again.
She failed to realize two things. One, he was ready for her and had already taken a deep breath. And two, he still had a good grip on her leg.
He dove down when she pushed him, dragging her with him. Underwater, she doubled her body over to pry his fingers from her. He backed her to a wall before letting her go.
When she surfaced, she took a deep breath before realizing she was now trapped in Danny's arms, with the wall at her back.
"I saw a movie like this one."
She grinned suggestively. "Oh, I'll bet you did."
"I'm going to pretend I don't understand you." Danny reached up to brush her wet hair away from her eyes. She realized that she was no longer encircled in his arms. She had a clear and easy escape.
But one look at his face drove any idea of that from her head. "Danny?" she whispered uncertainly.
He answered in the same tone. "I'm going to kiss you," he warned her. "Are there any security cameras down here?"
"Not good ones. And I don't care." She couldn't take her eyes off his lips, drifting closer to her every moment as Danny inched his body closer.
And finally he was there. Their bodies didn't touch as they both held onto the wall for support. Their lips touched gently, then their tongues deepened the kiss. He raised a hand tentatively to touch the side of her face.
A short, low whistle blew. It didn't faze CJ, but Danny gently eased away. "What was that?" he whispered.
She sighed before opening her eyes. "The gym is closing in fifteen minutes. It's a warning bell."
"So we should go get changed."
"Unless you want to get locked in here." At his hopeful expression, she laughed and pushed him away. "No."
He pulled himself to a sitting position on the ledge, then reached over to help her up. She smiled and, even though it actually made it harder for her to get out, she took the hand he offered her. She sat down beside him.
"So," he broke the silence. "Do you come here often?"
She laughed and stood up. "Sometimes. Maybe I'll see you here tomorrow night."
"I hope so."
She turned and walked towards the locker rooms. He watched her walk away, admiring the way her bathing suit fit.
"Wear the bikini next time," he called softly to her.
She smiled but kept moving, not acknowledging his suggestion. Only when she had disappeared did Danny set off in search of the men's locker room.
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