"I can not believe Deanna is getting married tomorrow!" Jody exclaimed from within the bathroom as the girls got ready.

    "I know." Dani said.  "and I can't believe she's actually marrying Matt."

    "Well that I can believe, they've been attached at the hip since they met at that basketball game back in what freshman year?" She said coming out of the bathroom, grabbing a few more things from her bag.

    "No, it was later than that, but it was before senior year."

    "Yeah I think you're right.  Well either way I can't believe anyone I know is getting married." Jody said.

    "I feel old." Dani sighed.

    "Yeah well tonight will make you feel young again!" She said with mock enthusiasm.

    "So you're the maid of honor, what do you have planned for De's last night of freedom?"

    "Well we're starting off with the guys at the hotel restaurant, we have the whole place booked out for supper." She thought for a moment.  "Oh yeah, then we're splitting up and god only knows what the guys are doing, strippers and booze is my guess."

    "What are we doing?"

    "Strippers and Booze, what else." She laughed.  "No seriously, we are going to one of the hottest clubs around, or so I was told. Drinks are on the house for us, and we have limo service there and back, it shall be fun!"

    "Do you know how long it's been since I've had a good time?"

    "By the looks of you, awhile." Jody snickered.  "Have I mentioned how glad I am that Matt's parents are loaded, he could have bought this whole city out for us if he wanted to." She bragged as she returned to the bathroom. "I mean look at this hotel room, and he bought out the whole floor for us.  I wish my father could do that."

    "Yeah, me too." Dani said.  "I'll be back in a second Jody, I'm going to see if Rose is done with my hair dryer yet."

    "Okay." Jody yelled as the shower turned on.  Dani tightened the bathrobe she was wearing and went next door to Rose's room, talking for a few moments before leaving with her hairdryer.

    "Where are you going?" Brian asked curiously as he came up behind her in the hall.

    "Back to my room, I was getting my hairdryer back." She said, holding it up.  He looked her over, hair wrapped in a white towel, a matching terry cloth robe the only thing she was wearing.  Dani turned red realizing what she had on.

    "You look all ready." Brian laughed,  "What time are you guys going down?"

    "I dunno, Deanna said to be there around six, so probably around that time." Dani told him.

    "Yeah that's when we're going too"

    "So who're you staying with anyway?" She wondered.

    "Trevor Perkins.  I don't think you know him, he went to college with Matt and I, he's an usher too."

    "Oh that's right, I forgot you were in the wedding party.  How was the rehearsal?"

    "Boring." He said. "I think the priest was drunk and the little kids cried the whole time."

    "Glad I wasn't there." Dani laughed.

    "Yeah well you have to sit through it tomorrow, so don't make fun." He said firmly, with the grin she loved to see so much. "I gotta go finish getting ready, but I'll see you down there okay." Brian said kindly reaching out and squeezing her hand, ending the tension and anger between them and making her smile.

    "Yeah I'll see you there." she said almost in a whisper, slinking back into her room and sitting down on the bed a silly grin on her face as she plugged in the hair dryer and began getting ready.
 

        Everyone at the huge table turned as Brian and Trevor  finally entered the restaurant, both of them strutting like John Travolta in "Saturday Night fever", knowing how good they looked.

    "It's about time you guys got here." Jody said,

    "Perfection takes time." The person Dani could only assume was Trevor said.

    "Yeah well you forgot it back in your room." Jody quipped, to a uproarious laugh from Brian as the guys sat down across from Dani.  Brian winked Dani a hello as Jody began talking about Matt and Deanna's life together as the waiters took their orders.  Mid dessert Dani excused herself from the table, taking off with Jody to prepare some big surprise for the bride and groom to be, giving Trevor the time he wanted to grill Brian about her.

    "So, Brian.  what's Dani's deal?" Trevor asked the minute she was out of the room.

    "Whaddya mean?" he asked, taking another bite of his chocolate cake.

    "Is she seeing anyone?"

    "Not that I know of.  Why?"

    "She's just different from what I thought she'd be."

    "What did you think she'd be?"

    "Well from the  old description of your basketball playing, best friend Dani.  I was thinking butchy tom-boy." He said as she walked into the room.  "Sexy brunette in a hot outfit was NOT what I imagined."  Trevor stared at her as she stood on the far side of the room talking to Jody, and Brian watched as well.    Her hands were planted on her hips resting just above the waist of the low slung black pants she was wearing. Her face plastered in a beautiful smile.   Brian had never seen Dani dressed  up like this before, usually jeans and the occasional skirt was all he ever saw her wear, but the almost backless dark maroon shirt she was wearing tonight had his attention.  The contrast against her skin made him just want to touch her, to reach out and run his hand through her hair, hair that looked soft,  and continue down the skin on her back.

    "Hello?  Brian?"  Dani said waving a hand in front of his face.  "Have a little too much to drink." She asked as he shook out of his trance.

    "No, just thinking about something."

    "Okay." she said, sitting back down across from them, Brian noticed Trevor still blatantly stared at her, catching her eye a few times until she looked away.

    "So, Dani." Trevor said in a slick voice.  "What's it short for?"

    "What's what short for?" She asked, her eyebrow cocked in confusion.

    "Your name.  Dani."

    "Nothing." Dani said with a hint of annoyance, that Brian recognized oh so well. "It's just Dani."

    "Well it's a great name."

    "Thanks." She said hesitantly.  Brian bit his lip to avoid laughing, as Trevor continued to try to impress her with his charm.  More than a few times she shot Brian a 'help me' look, so he'd butt in and try and change the conversation, usually to no avail.  Finally it was time for the group to split up, and  Dani quickly rose from her seat to get away from Trevor before he began talking to her again.

    "Is there something so wrong in heaven that an angel like you is on earth?" Brian whispered sarcastically in her ear.

    "Oh my god Brian, does he always come on that strong?" She asked incredulously, placing her hand on her face. "I'm surprised he didn't give me a lame line like that."

    "Yeah, I'm afraid so." He laughed.  "And I thought that line was pretty good."

    "Trust me, it wasn't." She said with a sly smile as the girls were led to their awaiting limos outside. Dani waved goodbye to Brian as she left, his eyes following her intently.
 
 

        The drinks had been flowing steadily since the troop of guys had arrived at the bar, some of the guys were dancing with random women they had picked up during the night, others were sitting around talking, smoking and babbling with a drunk incoherence that only another drunk person could understand.  Brian, Trevor and a few other guys sat at a table off to the side of the dance floor sharing their sixth pitcher of beer with no end in sight.

    "I need to get some skin tonight." Trevor exclaimed arrogantly.  "I can't waste a whole night with you guys!"

    "What are you talking about."

    "I'm talking about finding a little action.  We got limos, free drinks, swanky hotel rooms.  This is prime action time." Brian and the other guys just shook their heads.  "C'mon Brian, you used to be up for this shit all the time in college."

    "Not tonight man."  Brian mumbled, finishing off his glass of beer.

    "Hey," Trevor said whacking one of the guys who sat with them at the table in the arm.  "Where the girls at?  What club did the girls go to?"

    "Why, who ya eyeing man?"

    "I think I'm up for a little Dani tonight.  She was flirting something fierce at dinner, and in that halter top." Trevor sighed.  "I could go for some of that."  Brian's head shot up at the sound of her name.

    "She wasn't flirting with you.   She thought you were an idiot."

    "I know flirting when I hear it.  She was flirting!" Trevor stated to Brian's annoyance, turning back to the other guys.

    "So where are they?"

    "I think they went to a club called "sugar" or something like that.  It's a dance club just around the corner from the hotel."

    "Great.  maybe I'll pay a little visit.  Maybe get a little sugar from sweet Dani."

    "Stay away from her." Brian said bluntly.  "She's not your type."

    "She's a woman.  She's my type." He laughed, pouring another glass of beer.  "Besides you told me she was available, what's the problem."

    "Look I know Dani and she won't go for that slick jack-ass routine you usually try.  She's not dumb enough to fall for it."

    "Then she sounds like a challenge Brian,  a good one."  Trevor sank the beer he had just poured, wiping his mouth off with his sleeve and finishing it off with a belch.

    "If you do anything to hurt her I swear to God I'll kill you Trevor."  Brian stood up and faced Trevor who stood a good 4 inches taller than him, but it didn't matter to brian.  "Don't fuck with her."

    "Don't worry Brian.  I'm just gonna fuck her." Trevor laughed.

    "You son-of-a-bitch!" Brian yelled lunging at him but being held back but the other two guys at the table.  Trevor only laughed, too drunk to notice how mad Brian really was, thinking the whole thing was a joke.  "If there's a sock hanging on the doorknob crash in someone else's room." He grinned, as Brian made another lunge.  Brian was eventually coaxed back to his seat, as Trevor was led away, finally going to talk to the guys playing pool across the room.

    "Chill out Brian, he was just pushing your buttons." One of the guys said.  "Don't worry about him, he couldn't even find the door, much less a club three blocks away."

    "He's drunk, hell we're all drunk.  Don't be getting into a fight, some of us have to look presentable tomorrow." The other one said.  Brian picked up the pitcher of beer, still 1/2 full and walked to an empty table on the far side of the room, overlooking the dance floor.   He poured another glass of beer and sulked as he drank it, jealousy and anger spinning around in his head like a whirlwind of thoughts.   Trevor was right, Dani looked amazing tonight and more and more each day he thought more and more about her.  His mind was going in circles trying to figure out his feelings for her, he wanted her, but would it be worth ruining their friendship over?  Before he noticed it, the pitcher of beer was empty and he was more confused than when the night began.  Brian laid his head down on the table, the room had started to spin slightly and he needed to stop it before he puked.

    "Hey Brian, maybe it's time you went back to the hotel.  You look a little wasted."  Matt said, sliding into the seat across from him, tipping over the beer he held in his hand.

    "Nah, I'm fine." Brian said looking up.  "You're the one getting married tomorrow.  Look at you, drunk ass fool."  Matt laughed along with him, shrugging hs shoulders.

    "Where did the other guys go?" Brian asked looking around at the almost deserted upper level.

    "Most of them are down there dancing." He said as he gestured below.  "But some guys went back to the hotel I guess.  Tim took off with some chick and Trevor said he was going to find some sugar to relieve his sweet tooth.  Now HE was wasted." Matt said with a laughing shrug.  Brian swiftly got up from the table, taking off past Matt.

    "Where are you going?"  Mat yelled

    "To find someone." He hollered as he made his way downstairs and to the front entrance.
 
 

        Brian made his way back into the hotel.  He had found the club, but Dani wasn't there, neither was Trevor and no one knew where they were, or if Trevor had even been there.  He got into the elevator and hit the button for the fifth floor, impatiently waiting as it reached his floor and the doors slowly opened.    Everything was blurry to him, but he had to find her, and he had to make sure Trevor didn't find her.  He walked with a stagger to his room, quickly finding his key card and going inside.  All the lights were off and he flicked them on with a huge sigh of relief.  No one was there.  What if they went to her room, he thought, quickly turning around and leaving the room again, counting the numbers on the doors until he reached 517, Dani's room.  He knocked on the door with apprehension.  What if he is here?  What if she isn't?  Brian's mind ran through thoughts faster than he could process them.  He lifted his arm again to knock, the heavy feeling of drunkenness making it hard.  Still no answer.  Brian banged his head lightly on the door and then turned away to go back to his room, out of options and ideas, too drunk to think.

    "Brian, what do you want?" The voice said as the door clicked open.  "Brian?"  he turned around and saw Dani standing there, still in the clothes she had worn out tonight.  "Brian?" She repeated.

    "Where is he?" Brian asked loudly.

    "Where's who?"

    "Trevor."

    "I don't know!  Did you check in your room?" She said with a laugh.

    "You mean he isn't here?"  Dani shook her head.

    "Why would he be here?" she asked.

    "Forget about it." He said.  "Why did it take you do long to answer the door?"

    "I was laying on the couch with a pillow over my head so the room would stop spinning." She laughed.  "it just took awhile."

    "Did it stop." Brian said, coming closer.

    "Sort of." She said.  "Brian what are you doing here?  It's late."  Dani stood in the doorway of her room.  Brian looked at her intently, relief that Trevor wasn't here washing over him.

    "Do you want the truth."

    "Always." She said.  Brian stepped next to her, smelling the scent of her perfume, even through the strong smell of beer that rose from his own breath..

    "Trevor was looking for some action tonight and he decided he was going to get it from you."

    "Why do you care what Trevor wants with me?  You're just my friend, remember that Brian." She said bitterly.

    "Because I care." He said stepping as close to her as he could get.  "I care about you, more than I could imagine." Brian stared her in the eyes, like he was looking for the answer to an impossible question  and only she knew the answer.  He tentatively reached out and lightly touched her cheek with his hand, brushing her hair away from her eyes and leaving one hand gently cupping her face.   He remained still, only hearing his breath in the darkened empty hotel hallway, and finally, hesitantly, he leaned in slowly and kissed Dani softly on the lips.  He closed his eyes as his lips pressed against hers, and he pulled her a little tighter to his body.  Her eyes remained shut as his lips left hers, but she quickly opened them and pushed him away from her.

    "Don't." She said, her eyes so obviously confused even in their drunken bloodshot state.

    "Don't what?"

    "Don't kiss me like that if you don't mean it." Dani said growing quiet.

    "Maybe I do." He said softly.
 
 

Lyrics Taken From:
"Hold You Tonight" Tony Lucca
Written by: T Lucca
© 1999 LuccaMusic/Knatomic Records