IT'S NOW MONDAY, AND Danny hasn't returned my calls. I work the front office at Slam headquarters on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Joel takes Tuesdays and Thursdays and we're closed Fridays and weekends. I wait until a quarter till noon and take off to the office where Danny works. She just so happens to be the legal secretary for the team's lawyer. A business attorney, not a dick-face.

Jeff is standing in front of Danny's desk and talking to her about some legal document.

"Hey, Jeff, my man. What's up?" I ask as I move closer to the desk.

Jeff turns and a large smile spreads across his face. He's a good guy. "We don't have an appointment, but I can always make time for you, Van. I've been betting on a paternity suit for a few years now." He laughs, like this is the funniest joke on earth.

I might take back the good guy thought. "Ha ha," I mutter as I look over Jeff's shoulder. Danny has her head down and is typing furiously. I can see the large bruise on her cheek, but she's removed the bandage and the cut doesn't look too bad. She's wearing her normal T-shirt, this one brown, and jeans. I can only dream that the faded jeans hug her tight ass because I know they don't. Her entire outfit is less than secretary attire, but that was one of Danny's rules put in place when she came to work for Jeff. Saved his ass, actually. He had more work than he could handle and he was knee-deep in complaints because he was getting nothing done.

I turn back to Jeff. "Nope, no little Vans running around yet. Someday maybe, but I promise they'll be good and legally bound by my marriage to their mother." Danny doesn't look up and she pretends she's not listening, but I saw her lips tighten at Jeff's comment, so I know she is. Jeff laughs, but I ignore it. "I'm actually here for your secretary. She's been avoiding my calls and seems to be having a little sulk about something from Friday night. I'm taking her to lunch and giving her the wine and dine treatment. It's the least I can do after insulting her."

Jeff turns slightly and looks at Danny. She doesn't look up. The slight flush to her cheeks and the sharper pecking at the keyboard gives her away. She's pissed.

Jeff gives me a man-wink. "You don't have a black eye, so whatever you did is probably reparable. Have her back by two and she'll have plenty of time to finish the work I just gave her."

Danny doesn't stop typing or look up. "Not going to happen," she says to the keyboard. "I brought my lunch and I'm working through the lunch hour right here at my desk."

Jeff shrugs. "Oops, someone's really in the doghouse. I'd say to try flowers because it works for my wife, but I have no idea what works for Danny." Jeff turns around and heads into his office, shutting the door behind him. He's thankfully decided to leave me and Danny to figure this out, because he never shuts his door.

"Traitor," Danny mumbles.

"Come on, Danny girl, you need to talk to me sometime. It's not like you to run away when you're scared."

That stops her in mid-finger pounding and she finally looks up. For just a split second, I think I see in Danny's eyes what Estella told me about. It punches me in the gut. Then the look disappears and I think maybe I imagined it.

"For your information, I didn't run away. Cami asked me to help her can vegetables, because she's never done it before. We started early, and it took two days to get everything done. Why are things always about you, Van?" her voice rises. "The woman you want for the night. The notches on your bedpost. The diseases you've been lucky enough to avoid and, like Jeff said- the little Vans who aren't running around because of sheer damned luck."

By this time she's shouting, and I'm sure Jeff has heard every outrageous word. I've had enough. I storm around the desk, grab her arms, lift her from the chair, and kiss her again. Our lips part and I devour her mouth. No gentleness at all. I pour all my frustration into it. Every minute I've suffered throughout the weekend while she's been at my fucking brother's house.

I'm furious.

Her taste calms my anger. Her tongue drives me wild. This time it's me who breaks away. I search her eyes. "Come on," I take her hand and head for the door. "We're having lunch and talking this out. Yelling is allowed, too, so we're going to my house."

I half expect her to dig in her heels, but she doesn't. Jeff peeks out his door then shuts it quickly. Danny never yells, so this must appear really bad to him. Her temper is always very slow to rise and, when it finally does, she goes quiet. Deathly quiet, like she is now.

Then she speaks up, "Slow down, Van, or I'm going to deck you."

It's the first real Danny-like thing she's said since I arrived at her office. I slow a bit. She has long legs and I know she can keep up even though I'm walking faster than normal. The sooner we have this out, the better. Then I remember her ribs, and slow a bit more. I keep a tight hold on her hand, and she grips mine back. That's a good thing actually, and the contact calms me more.

I open the side door of the Rover for her. She slaps my hands away when I try to belt her in. I allow it because I'm picking my battles. I walk around to the driver's door and glance at her. A tear streams down the cheek that's facing me.

"Fuck," I say aloud. "Don't cry, Danny girl." I pull her against my shoulder. I've never seen her cry and it tears at my heart.

She pushes me away and unbuckles her belt while opening her door. I'm just about to come unglued when she says, "I'm taking my truck to your house. You want me there, that's the deal. Take it or leave it."