Celtic's Series
      Spring Heat

 

  
Danny took one more look at the recent photograph of him and Michelle before touching the key in the car ignition. His mind was so cluttered, but he remembered vividly how the small of her back felt every time he pushed her on that swing. With each push, he could feel her relax more. The wall had dropped between them for a time, and he closed his eyes as he felt the warmness fill his chest. His lips moved as he envisioned the way that she had kissed him… softly at first, then more needy, hungrily… lustfully. The way she had pressed her chest into his, and the movement of her rib cage as she had gasped for air synchronized with his own breathing. He felt his toes curl and opened his eyes. Someone had been there. But who? He desperately searched the view in front of him through the windshield, but knew the answer didn't lie there. He cleared his throat, threw the picture in the passenger seat, and turned the key. The engine revved, and he recklessly descended down the half mile driveway.

Within 30 seconds, he angrily punched the buttons on his cell phone and slammed in against his ear. "C'mon, c'mon.. answer the damn phone."

A deep voice came on the other end. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, it's me, what did you find?"

"Danny, the Boss said to keep you out of it."

"Dietz! I don't care what my mother said! This is my business, now tell me what you found out. You work for me, too, or have you forgotten that little detail? I can quickly remind you, you know…"

"Danny, I don't think it's a good idea.."

"Dietz, if you want to play this way, I'm game, but I warn you, I'm not in a particularly forgiving or gracious mood."

"Alright, Danny, just calm down, I haven't even told the Boss yet…"

Danny cut him off. His impatience was suffocating him. "C'mon, continue, I'm en route as we speak."

"Well, that guard didn't amount to a whole lot more than a scared pile of shaking jelly. Wouldn't tell me anything, just ran off, so I trailed him. Followed him into what looked like some worn out old shed and listened while he made a quick phone call…"

"Shit!" Danny swore as he dodged an oncoming car. He took a second to run his clothed forearm across his forehead and repositioned the phone next to his head.

"You ok?"

"Fine! Go on!"

"…well, I don't know who he was talking to, but Sammy's definitely here, there's no doubt about it. And something is going to happen at that shipment tomorrow night, I think we should call it off."

"Why? What's gonna happen?"

"Didn't get the exact details, but I caught the jest that there's going to be more in that shipment than what we're expecting.. hard stuff, Danny. We're looking at life in the pokey with no parole if the feds show up. And I'm also sure they will."

"Ok…."

"There's more, Danny. Nino's name came up."

"What? Do you think he's in on it?"

'No, that's not what I gathered. Sounds more like Sammy's trying to get Nino and his family against you… more than what they are already. I think they're gonna try and screw Nino over one more time, help him out, and indebt him even more. Then collect on that debt by helping them nail you."

Danny felt a drop of blood trickle down his lower lip, becoming aware that he had been chewing on it. "Alright. Where are they?"

"Don't know where Sammy is exactly, but I got a feeling that it's close to here. About 1 mile off of 14 and 121. There's an old silo with black graffiti sprayed all over it, you can't miss it. Rumor has it that there's an underground compound attached to it. If that's true, I'd watch out for mines."

Danny snickered. "I don't think they're going to give themselves away as easy as that… by putting mines out to blow up and draw attention to themselves."

"Well, be careful anyway. I gotta deal with the Boss now, she'll kill me for talking to you."

"Don't worry about that, I'll deal with my mother."

There was a pause and Danny reached for the off button when he heard Dietz's voice again. "Danny?"

"What?"

"There's one more thing…" he waited before going on. "The guard brought up a girl. Michelle."

Her name rung in his ears and his foot dropped like lead onto the gas. "What about Michelle? What did he say?" Danny's voice breached the sound barrier while the veins stood out in his neck.

"Don't know, but they know a lot about her. The guard seems to be quite fond of that one pink frock that she wears… and he likes her hair up off her neck."

Danny felt a surge of rigidity sieze his back and neck. The car tore fish tailed around the corner 14 and 121, leaving remnants of his tires steaming in the aging afternoon sun.

Danny disconnected his recent cellular transmission and threw the phone against the glove compartment. He felt a few pieces of the broken plastic hit him in the knee, but he didn't flinch. He ground his teeth until he felt the stinging burn swim through his jaw and dive down his neck. He swallowed, and he swore that his throat had shrunk at least two inches in diameters since this whole mess started.

The black car whipped by the tall weeded grass, sending it dancing in the abandoned whirlwind.

His eyes frantically roamed from side to side, and his mouth puckered as he caught sight of the silo Dietz was talking about. His foot finally let up on the gas, and he pulled into a cluster of trees and brush off the side of the road. He shut the ignition off, squared his shoulders, and opened the car door. Shutting the door as if it were made of tissue paper, he surveyed his surroundings and breathed in the steamy air. The Spring was amazingly warm and dry this year, and the greenery was telling on it as they hung their wilted edges in the hot breeze.

Danny shed his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt cuffs. He continued to curl his sleeves up to his elbows while scanning for a possible route to approach. He had that numb feeling, like he was standing next to himself, watching everything that was going on without being attached to it. He wiped the sweat off his lip and chin and smeared the trail that was trickling down the grooves on his neck. "Ok, Santos…" he shook his shoulders and began his pep talk in his head. "Get it together, you gotta find out what's going on." He remembered the sting of Michelle's name out of Dietz's mouth and his legs began to move with determination.

The wet back of Danny's black shirt clung to his skin as he approached the silo. His now stiff curls poked him in the neck, but he paid no attention to the discomfort; he was busy observing the diagrams and encrypted messages painted on the aged sides of the silo. He felt a chill start in his flushed cheeks and descend through his body, bringing every hair to attention until it reached the bottom of his hot and aching feet. His black shoes and pants were covered with the dust of the field, and he couldn't remember feeling so dirty since he played baseball those few summers as a kid.

He looked around him with the same carefulness as a gazelle searching for a lion hiding in the weeds. Seeing nothing, he began to circle the structure and halted when he saw the handle to a door. His pulse raced as he reached for it, but quickly slammed his body against the side of the round structure when he heard a noise from above. He breathed so slowly and quietly, that his exhalations blended in with the breeze. He squinted in the sun and gazed up above to see the source of the noise. His eyes focused on the back of a man standing at the top of the silo. He appeared to be talking into some sort of small, black wonder of the expanding technology of communication.

"Yeah, it's clear, go ahead and send them out." The strangers voice sounded young and strangely familiar. Danny remained plastered to the side and sucked his breath in as the door opened next to him. He squeezed behind the door and it's shadow as two men emerged from the unchartered pit below. The men were in casual clothes… blue jeans and white t-shirts with contemporary logos on the back. Danny reached his hand out and caught the door. In step with the men, he entered into the darkness.

The door shut behind him, and he closed his eyes, allowing for them to adjust to the dark without overtaxing them. The stale air burned his nostrils, and he slowly raised his eyelids. Scanning the view above him, there was nothing, just blackness. His eyes lowered to the floor he stood on, and honed in on lines of light coming from beneath.

As if barefoot on broken glass, he stepped lightly towards a door in the floor. He dropped to his knees and placed his ear next to the hot steel. He heard the muffle of noises moving about. He couldn't tell how many were there, but there was more than one. The voices got softer, and he reached for the handle of door. Softly, he turned it and held his breath through the exertion of raising the heavy square.

The light escaping dried his eyes, and they once again had to refocus before he could continue. A ladder was propped against the top of the door, and Danny pivoted himself around for his feet to find the top rung.

He descended slowly, listening for any surprises. He continued on until he reached a platform and landed on it. He moved over to some boxes to the side and crouched behind them. He listened intently for movement, but there was none. Inhaling slowly, we peered around the side of one box and surveyed the room. It was crowded, and appeared to be some sort of storage room. A table stood in the center with a bunch of paper work, and with what looked like blue prints under a couple of automatic rifles in the process of being cleaned. Danny felt the jolt run through his spine as a door opened, and 3 men entered the room.

There was one blond man, and two brown haired. The blond held an apparent stance of leadership, and wore a holster across his shoulders; he was the first to speak.

"Alright, you heard the plan. Do we need to go over it again?"

The two brown haired men stared blankly forward.

"Ok, tomorrow, at precisely 9:30, you two pop in on Nino and drop the bomb that Santos moved in on his shipment, increasing the weight of his own, and alerting the feds. Then tell him that Sergio thought he might want to know, and is more than happy to offer his help, Nino won't be able to turn it down. I'm sure he'll b-line it to the Santos' and cause a big stink. With Danny at the docks with the shipment and the commotion, he'll be delayed. And with Nino down Camen's throat, I'll have ample opportunity to get the girl. Do not, I REPEAT do not show up before 9:30. I gotta have time to distract the guards before Nino pops in. Got it?"

They nodded, not revealing if they had tongues to speak. Danny logged the entire briefing in his head, and narrowed his eyes as the door behind them opened once more.

His breath stopped on the way out as he spotted the gray eyes of the man standing there. That smirk. Never changed. Danny mused he must have been born with it.

"Got some new news, need to brief you over it. It's about the girl." Sammy waited for his crew to file out before following them. He turned back once more and looked around the room. He took a sniff like a predator searching out it's prey. He sensed someone there, but just smirked and walked out. If Danny was there, then his plan could be sped up. Advantageous either way.

The door shut, and Danny's heart jumped into his throat. Every fiber in him was tearing him into following Sammy, but he knew he had to get out of there. He had to get to Michelle and get her somewhere safe. He couldn't care less about the shipment anymore… or Nino. He had to get to Michelle. He ascended the ladder as carefully as he had come down it.

Carmen was sitting at the desk in the study, tapping her fingers and glaring at the unfinished paperwork left there by her son. It was late afternoon now, and he had gone out after telling her he wouldn't. What was worse, she knew that he had spoken to Dietz. She searched her brain worriedly for a way to control her son. It was that stupid girl. He wouldn't' be acting so crazy if she weren't here. "Just how can I get rid of her?" She leaned her head back against the black swivel chair. "Oh, I guess I have more immediate problems now. I can deal with her later. There will be much time for that."

Her eyes sprung open when she heard the front door slam. Hurried footsteps ran up the stairs, and a moment later, they came back down just as quickly. A soaked and worn Danny ran into the room, tracking dust and broken off grass onto the carpet. Carmen looked him up and down.

"Danny! What's going on? Why do you look like this? Just what did you do? Why did you-"

"Not now, Mother. Where's Michelle? I need to talk to her. NOW. She's not in our room, where is she? Did she go somewhere? I need to find her-"

"Danny calm down, and tell me what's going on." Carmen stood up and pleaded with her son.

"No, not now. Where's Michelle? Do you know where she is?" There was a panic-stricken look in his eyes, and it scared his mother.

"She's fine, Danny. She woke up a few hours ago, and decided she needed to enjoy the weather some. If you can believe it, she's out at the garage helping the attendants wash the cars."

Danny was taken aback. "Washing cars?" He repeated his mother's words, letting them sink in. Once they registered, he flew back out the door just as quickly as he had come in.

He ran with his stiff clothes scratching his skin to the garage, silently cursing the contractor that had planned their estate with all the buildings so far away from each other.

The cars came into view, and a soft rhythm filled the air and tickled his ear drums. As he came closer, the music became louder and he could make out the forms before him.

The two attendants were sitting in chairs laughing. When they saw Danny, they jumped up and grabbed their towels. "Hey, guys, where's Michelle? My mother said she was out here."

He jumped when a drop of water hit him on the nose. Then another, then on in his eye. Soon, there was a steady stream of water droplets showering his head and body. He stepped aside and wiped the water out of his eyes and looked toward the source of the shower. He saw the stream coming from the hose that his wife was using to wash the top of their black mustang off. She looked over and saw her wet husband as gasped.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there."

He couldn't help it, the corners of his mouth curled. He gained his composure, and looked back at the attendants. "Um, ah-hem, guys, why don't you go take a break. I need to speak to my wife." The attendants dutifully obeyed and bowed out of sight.

He looked back at Michelle, her hair flying in the breeze with a touch of sun kiss in the strands. The knots in his muscles untied long enough for him to walk to her side of the car, but became taught once again when he caught sight of all of her.

She stood there, in a short pair of cut off jean shorts and in nothing else but a baby blue bikini top, strategically placed to cover the 'must be covered' parts. His eyes traced her form, the slight pinkness of her shoulders and arms from the sun, her soft belly and navel. He continued down her legs to her pink painted toenails.

"Uh, Danny? Do you need something?" Her words pulled his eyes to her face once again. It was her turn to look him over. "You look awful. Is everything ok?" The madness from earlier that morning and afternoon faded. He had obviously just been through something.

He shook her question off. "Um, I'm fine. I just needed to…" Her eyes caught his and he lost his words. She looked right into him and he couldn't lie to her. His tongue swelled in the heat and dryness of the atmosphere. He crossed his arms and smiled. "Well, I didn't exactly expect to be shot with a hose, you know."

She laughed. "Well, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that." Her lips played and danced on her face as she chuckled.

He pulled the front of his shirt up and down, fanning it to get some air to his suffocating skin. "It's so hot today. I can't believe this weather." He flashed a quick smile at her and his teeth gleamed in the sun. "Actually the water felt nice."

Michelle pointed the hose at him again. "Well, I can always give an encore performance." She flashed his smile right back at him. "Well, if you don't tell me what's going on, that is."

He threw his hands up to the side. "No, that's alright. Everything's fine, don't worry. I…uh… just felt bad about my behavior before and I wanted to apologize. There's no reason for me to take my stresses out on you. Forgive me?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Oh, I suppose. But you know, if you talked to be ABOUT your stresses, you wouldn't have to take them out on me."

They smiled at each other for a minute. Danny glanced at the top of the car she was working on. "Your soap's drying." He motioned to the car.

"Oh, I better get back to work." She smiled, and his heart rate slowed and sped up again.

"Need some help?"

She looked at him. "Sure, but you might want to change first. You and that black. No wonder you're hot."

He looked down at himself for the first time that day. The sweat stains created a white water mark halfway down the sides of his shirt, and his black pants were covered with brown dust and flecks of green grass. He looked back up at her with a defeated smile. "Guess I'm a mess, huh?"

She nodded and chuckled slightly before she turned back to rinsing the car off. Danny looked back down at himself, but decided there was a much nicer view in front of him. He traced the arch of Michelle's back as her small frame struggled to rinse off the entire top of the car. The tie on her back that held her top on dangled against her skin, and he couldn't help but notice how it had almost come undone. He raised his hand to the top bottom of his shirt and eagerly began ripping at it. He successfully discarded the rigid shirt onto the ground and kicked off his shoes and socks. His feet sighed at the relief and took deep breaths of the fresh air exposed to them. He bent down and rolled the cuffs of his pants up, and walked into the warm, soapy water running down the pavement.

Reaching into the bucket of soapy water, Danny pulled out a sponge and walked to the back of the car. He began lathering the trunk, and continued to wipe in the same circle for 5 minutes while staring at his wife hard at work. Every movement she made was mesmerizing. The intensity of the afternoon evacuated his mind, and he was completely caught up in the intensity radiating off the creature before him. His jaw dropped slightly, and he could feel the heat on his tongue.

She was busy washing the windshield and hood. She was just short enough that she practically had to lay on the hood to reach across it. Her torso disappeared behind the window frame, and Danny's eyes watched, captivated, as her lower half raised up in the air, feet coming off the ground.

Danny continued to lather that same spot, unaware that he was about to wear a hole in the paint. Michelle's legs seemed to be in slow motion, moving ever so slightly as she balanced herself.

The music playing in the background became louder, and the words barely registered in Danny's head.

"Heart in my mouth
Pulse in my head
Mercury risin' into the red
The smell of her skin
Can light up all the fires in me

Hungry to touch
I'm eager to please
Out of control
And I hand you the keys
Every night I am burning to make love to you"

Michelle came down off the hood, and motioned to Danny that she was ready to water it down. He stood back, and watched as she aimed the hose at the car. Her shoulders jerked back slightly from the pressure, and he felt himself walking towards her.

"But don't try to tell me
You think it's all physical
It goes much deeper than that
You oughtta know

It's an affair of the heart
It's an affair of the heart
It's an affair of the heart
Have a little blind faith in me
It's an affair of the heart"

His breath became shaky as he felt her hair blow in his face. He reached up and stroked in out of his eyes. He leaned forward, and could feel her body temperature on his bare chest. He closed his eyes and took in the scent of her.

"When we make love
It's a passionate thing
You shudder and shake
Sink you teeth in my skin
I almost believe you were made
To be plagued by my heart

You got the power
It amazes me still
And you play my emotions
With consummate skill
I don't have to look any further
Than into your eyes"

His hinds pressed on her back, and she jumped, sending water flying into the air and sprinkling down back onto both of their heads. It was cold, and sent goose bumps trailing down both of their skins.

She looked at him embarassed and dropped her head, but her eyes stuck on his chest before her. His breathing was slow and deep, he labored to control it. He felt her eyes on him, and the goose bumps came back. Her lips curled as she saw the minute peaks emerge all over his chest, and his hardened nipples led her into trance, as the words of the music filled her head.

"So don't try to tell me you think
It's all physical
It goes much deeper than that
You better know

It's an affair of the heart
It's an affair of the heart
It's an affair of the heart
Have a little blind faith for me
It's an affair of the hear

Hey-"

The music faded, and Danny placed his hand under Michelle's chin and raised her face to meet his. She grabbed hold of his arms to steady herself, and the hose dropped to the ground, once again sending water droplets into the air. The pain and worry she had first seen in his face a few minutes ago was gone, and that gentle look was back; it caressed her spirit.

"You're coming undone." His voice was deeper with this statement, and she felt her knees wobble. His hands slid up her back, jolting every vertebrae on it's journey, and she felt him tug at the strings to her top.

She gasped as she felt him untie her bow, and the cloth over her breasts loosened. She could exhale, but her throat was to constricted to bring any air in. His hands flattened against her back, and she could feel the warmth of his entire palm circling her spine. She pressed her chest into his, and laid her hands on his chest, the bumps on his skin buffing her palms. Her fingers bent, and her nails pressed into his flesh.

Danny's hands came around front and rubbed her exposed belly. His index finger circled her navel and sent a shiver through her. Michelle was unable to move. She felt the desperate need well up inside of her… the need of something to happen… the wanting, yearning. She couldn't pull away. The sun in the sky was relentlessly hot, but they both stood there shaking from the chills.

Danny placed his face along her collarbone, and peered down her bare back. He slid his hands back up along her spine and smashed her into him. "No one is ever going to hurt you, Michelle."

The utterance caught her by surprise. "What do you mean, Danny? I don't think you're going to hurt me."

He pulled away slightly, and she felt the strings of her top tighten again. "Danny? What's wrong?"

He looked at her and smiled. "Nothing. Nothing at all. We're getting out of here."

"What do you mean?"

He picked up his shoes and tucked his wadded shirt underneath his arm. He took her arm by his free hand and tugged.

"Danny-"

"Just trust me, Michelle. If there is ever any time that you need to trust me, it's now. We're getting out of here. I need to talk to you."

She shrugged her shoulders and followed him through the soapy puddles.


Credits for Song used "Affair of the Heart"  (R.Springfield/B.Tosti/D.Tate) Polygram Music Publishing Ltd. copyright 1983