Magical Sunset || Nicole

Danny smiled a little, watching her for a moment, before he followed her, but didn't catch up to her just yet. He actually liked walking a few steps behind her right now, since there was something on his mind that he wanted to tell her. And taking his time to catch up with her, gave him time to think about it.

Talking about his personal life and his experience was something that didn't come natural to Danny anymore. He really needed to trust someone before he'd tell anything about him. And he did trust Nicole. He just hoped things would turn out the way he wanted to.
Just go easy... baby steps. Don't overdo it, Danny. She's not Anna.

Nicole looked back as she walked and nodded to Danny. As she looked back to the front, there was a smile on her face. She was happy and was sure he knew that she was. Take it easy Nikki she said to herself as she walked along the path back to the campsite.

He offered Nicole a small smile and made an efford to finally catch up to her. Not that she could get the thought he wanted to be left alone now. Because Danny actually enjoyed Nicole's company. Otherwise he wouldn't have invited her to a trip like that. He was surprised enough that he actually did, but it was a start and they were friends after all. He had no hidden thoughts or plans when he asked her to this trip. The urge to finally take a risk again came with the magical spark between them just now.

As he caught up with Nicole, he placed his hand on her back for just a couple of seconds and smiled a bit, without even noticing.

Nicole looked over to Danny when she felt his hand on her back. "You can keep your hand there." she said to him honestly as she walked along. It was clear that she loved it when Danny did that to her. She didn't see the smile on Danny's face when he put his hand on her back.

"What?" he asked, confused for a moment, because he didn't realize that he had his hand on her back.
"Oh..." he said sheepishly just a few seconds later. "Didn't realize I did that."

Luckily it was getting dark, otherwise she might have seen him blush a little. But, as per her 'request' he put his hand back on her back, somewhat protectively. He felt his heart beat in his chest, just a little bit faster than usual and he knew exactly what that meant, although he hadn't allowed himself to admit it to himself, yet. Tonight, he would, for the first time.

Nicole could help but giggle a bit when Danny said that to her. "You American blokes are a funny lot." she teased while feeling Danny's hand on her back again, she loved that feeling. Nicole smiled at the same time as they got closer to the camp sight. "I love that feeling" she said off the cuff.

And this time Danny couldn't help but smile at her. "Glad you do." he said in a warm, honest tone.
But he was still thinking about her comment about the American men. Funny? He and funny? Oh well... he never really considered himself that funny, but he would not dare to argue. Not in a mood like that.
"Funny huh? How so?"

"Well, the way you reacted to me say you could keep your hand on my back." Nicole replied as she glanced over to him. "Sorry if that came out wrong." she added while looking back to the path, the dirt crumbling a bit as she walked along with him.

He nodded a little. "Hm."
Well, he actually figured that things like these happened to men all over the world, but maybe Nicole hadn't met a guy like him before. Then again, Danny wasn't curious enough to ask. She would probably tell him, if she wanted to.

"Oh that... I actually didn't notice I put my hand there, the first time. Just those little guestures that come naturally to me I guess." he said. "At least when I feel comfortable enough."

As he said that, he moved a branch away with his arm, entering their camp site with Nicole.

Nicole nodded a bit in reply when Danny said that to her. "I see" she replied, nodding a bit at the same time. "I love it Danny" she said to him honestly while entering the campsite with him and removing her pack, which she set down a few feet away from the fire pit. She then looked up to the sky and smiled. "This is just like the Australian Outback." she said off the cuff.

Danny smiled a little bit, watching Nicole for a moment, before he started to lit the camp fire that he had prepared earlier today. It took a moment before it started up, but as soon as it did, he sat down beside his company.
He looked up at the sky for a moment, seeing the first stars appear while last rays of sunshine had gone now, too. It was a nice sight, although later there would be more stars out than right now.

"Reminds me of childhood days away from home." Danny replied quietly.

Nicole leaned into Danny as he said that to her. "Ace" she said to him, smiling a bit. "What is it like?" Nicole asked as she sat there with him. It was clear she was loving this time together and that she didn't want it to end. Nicole gently laid her head on Danny's shoulder as she sat there looking at the stars.

Danny sighed a little, thinking back to his childhood. He didn't really have many fond memories of those times. In fact, he didn't really want to think about it, because it would always destroy his mood.
"Well... let's just say those times made my life enjoyable back then." he said, gently putting his arm around Nicole.

Nicole nodded in reply when Danny said that. "When your having a bad time, you think about those times Danny." she said to him off the cuff while feeling his arm around her. She loved that feeling and didn't want it to go away.

"Nah." he said, shaking his head in reply. "There are other things I'd rather think about."

He didn't really talk about his childhood to anyone and he didn't really want to be reminded of it either. He had his share of fun, but that mostly came with a down-side as soon as the fun was over. He didn't really think about it either. At least not a lot. If he needed a cheer up, he would think of other things than this.

Nicole nodded a bit when Danny said that. "Point taken" she said gently while looking at the sky. Nicole stayed quiet for a while as she looked at the stars. It had been a long time since she had done this. This time, she was glad that she wasn't alone.

Danny nodded a little. More to himself than actually as a reply. A small smile was playing around his lips, enjoying the fact that Nicole was so close to him right now. He breathed in the smell of her hair and the soft scent of her perfume.
He hadn't felt like this a long time and it took some getting used to this new old feeling. But he liked it, these butterflies in his stomach as Nicole was close to him, the slight nervousness he felt around her lately and the beating of his heart when she would touch him. It all was familiar and yet new.

"Y'know... this place brings back a lot of memories. Not necessarily because they happened here, but..." he said after a while. "There was something I wanted to tell you earlier... another thing I actually never spoke about."

Nicole glanced up when Danny said that to her. "What is it Danny?" she asked, a bit of concern in her voice as she asked that. What does he want to tell me?......he's not breaking up with me is he? she asked herself. Nicole braced herself for the worst as she sat up a bit, keeping her eyes on Danny as she did.

Danny looked at Nicole, seeing the look on her face, he couldn't help but chuckle a little.
"No need to be concerned, Nic." he then told her in a soft tone. "It doesn't really have to do with you. Well, it does, indirectly... but that's not the point."

He stopped, looking into the small camp fire for a moment, the look on his face changing. He didn't look as content as he did just a few seconds ago. There was a hint of sadness in his brown eyes. He couldn't hide it and no matter how hard he tried, it still hurt to think about it.
"It's just something that tends to hold me back."

Nicole relaxed a bit when Danny said that. "What is it thats holding you back Danny?" she asked while watching him, not seeing the sadness in his eyes as she sat there. What could involve me indirectly? she asked herself while waiting for him to reply to her question.

He sighed a little, pushing the sudden sadness and pain into the back of his mind. He had to talk about it sometime. Danny knew that he wouldn't be able to move on, if he kept all that heartbreak hidden inside. It kept him from taking a step closer to Nicole, from doing what he had wanted to do for quite some time now.

"It probably sounds silly to you, but... my past relationship still keeps me from letting anyone getting close to me." he said quietly, not able to hide the heartbreak it caused. "I know... I shouldn't keep it locked inside, but I just never found anyone to talk about it. Except for my mother maybe."

Nicole listened to Danny as he said that. "Danny......I told you a while ago that I would be willing to listen. It doesn't sound silly to me. You had a bad experience in the past......but you can learn from it. she said to him. It was clear that Nicole wanted to help him out in any way she could, even if it was just listening to him. Nicole gently put her hand on Danny's cheek as she sat there.

When Nicole touched his cheek, Danny looked up at her. His usually warm brown eyes had a hint of pain in them.
"I know, Nic." he said quietly. "Guess I just wasn't ready to take you up on that offer before... to be honest though... it was more than just some bad experience. We were actually engaged."

He didn't know how to continue. It was still hard enough to talk about it. Danny wasn't even sure that he was ready to move on, yet. Anna had been a big part of his life and it seemed like he still loved her, even though she left him almost a year ago.

Nicole watched Danny as he said that to her. "Oh....Danny I'm so sorry." she said honestly while watching him. "You got that far and she left you?" she asked gently while looking him in the eye as she said that to him.

"Actually... worse. She cheated on me. After twelve years... and she blamed me, because I wasn't around all day. I was focusing on my career and I thought she was okay with it." he said and sighed. "But I guess I was wrong."

The scene of him catching his fiancée in bed with another men when he got home from work was replaying in his mind. He was angry that night, at the man who slept with his girlfriend and at Anna.