A/N: Mega thanks Jad!
Chapter 320: Danny XXIX—Really Tacky
Simply enough, Katrina coached Scotty through the personal massages of each and every one in the room, including obstinate Tangers who protested loudly that he didn’t want Parker touching him. Surprisingly enough, Danny noticed, Parker had a natural touch for it, and his strong heavy hands felt like liquid magic over Danny’s back at his turn. Parker, for his part, showed no squeamishness and in fact he approached his task at hand with a smile and zest.
Even if anyone wanted to torment Scotty with extra nude laps, a task that would be performed once they got back home, they couldn’t have faked that. Scotty had done nothing wrong or bad. Damn, he was just that GOOD! In fact the only problem with him is that he only had time to spend ten to fifteen minutes on everyone for times’ sake. When it seemed like they would be here forever, Katrina took over the rest of the men with Joe’s permission. By the time the last man had been done, Danny noted with amusement that everyone was a tub of relaxed goo.
“Damn Scotty you are good!” Blakie said.
“Yeah,” Captain Sakic added, “Half of your penance has been paid, you’re a good sport, and I commend your level headedness.”
“All in a day’s work,” Parker growled rubbing his oiled hands together with glee. “And my thanks to you Katrina, I’ve never had a better teacher.”
Katrina yawned. “Sure, babe, whatever.”
Danny noticed Katrina’s hands as she rubbed them together. They were small and delicately shaped like Cecile’s, her cousin, but a little meatier. Katrina had hands that had known work, and were depended upon for survival. Cecile’s hands, slender and soft, almost resembled a young girl’s. Danny made a quick vow to himself never to allow Cecile’s hands to change.
“Come on Katrina,” Parker said patting the massage table. “It’s your turn.”
Katrina narrowed her eyes. That mean snake gaze, Danny knew it must run in that family. “Fat chance doggy, you’re not touching me.”
Parker’s eyes flashed with pale fire and Danny gulped at the memory of that axe head he had been certain would end his life. “Come on, you taught me yourself babe, you deserve it after having to put in unpaid time.”
Katrina’s eyes remained the same but she half grinned and looked at Joe who nodded. “Whatever you want,” he said, “Parker’s still on call for the rest of this trip.”
“Hey you never said anything about me being a team masseuse for that long!” Parker exclaimed.
“And now the next road trip as well,” Sakic said calmly.
Danny felt his eyes widen. Damn the captain really could be mean!
Parker grimaced, his beard prickled but the frown turned into a smile when Katrina patted him on the cheek and whisked off her sweater to flop onto the massage table. A few of the guys whistled and Danny blushed.
“Get to it big boy,” Katrina purred.
Danny felt the heat spread to his neck, and he looked away from the site of her voluptuous curves. Coach Hartley cleared his throat and primly threw a sheet over her body. Parker cracked his knuckles and went right in onto her creamy shoulders.
“Lucky bastard,” Drury muttered.
Danny sighed. So now what? The captain hadn’t dismissed any of them; instead he seemed to be more interested in overseeing Parker’s progress as a massage therapist. He stood with his hands on his hips, asking Parker every now and then what it felt like, what did a “knot in the muscle” actually feel like to the fingers?
“Hey Pete,” Blake said casually.
Danny looked at Rob just to feel distracted. Katrina had made a satisfied sigh at a spot Parker had rubbed that fired uncomfortably in Danny’s groin. So he looked intently at Robbie.
“Yup,” Peter replied as he nibbled on a nail.
“Don’t be chewing on your nails like that, it’s gross.”
“And you’re the expert on what’s gross?” Peter said incredulously.
Danny laughed.
Blake grimaced and the reaching out, he grabbed Peter’s hand. “Look at that! Your nails are horrible, no wonder you need to chew em, they’re all raggedy. Chicks hate that, it’s tacky and it looks bad.”
“Josefina’s never complained.” Peter held his hand up to his face.
“Heh, but she will soon I bet,” Keaner put in, “Ladies don’t like getting scratched by those raggedy claws.”
Peter frowned and Danny leaned a little forward to check out his nails. “They could use some work Pete,” Danny said.
“Oh yeah and I bet Keanes gets a manicure every day?” Peter snipped.
Danny laughed. “As a matter of fact….”
Keane held up his perfectly manicured nails, “I do.”
Peter rolled his eyes. “Fine I’ll get someone to work on em at the hotel.”
Dan grinned when he saw Blake’s eyes widen on his goofy face. “Hey Peter,” Blake said. “Look I…I…can do that for you if you want, I could fix em for you now.”
“No shit?” Drury exclaimed. “You can manicure Blakie? How does a fella come up with a talent like that out of the blue?”
Danny nodded. “Dru has a point Blakes.”
Rob shrugged with no shame on his face. “I do Brandi’s sometimes, can’t make any mistakes on my Baby Doll now can I?”
The small group that had collected around Rob laughed. “You do your wife’s nails?” Someone exclaimed. “Are you whipped or what?”
Rob winked. “Obviously you have no idea how she thanks me.”
A round of high fives and hoots ensued.
“Yeah,” Rob added, “If I had a file right now I’d fix you right up Pete.”
“Lucky day,” Katrina said in a muffled voice from the massage table, not bothering to lift up her head, “I have a kit in my purse Robbie, go on and help yourself, but if I see any cash missing I’ll hamstring ya.”
Katrina’s passed from hand to hand as it made its way to Rob. Hinote couldn’t resist the urge to peek into the purse but he didn’t see anything particularly outstanding. Blake pulled out the nail file and clippers and grabbing Peter’s hand he set to work. Danny had to figure it had to be boredom, but he couldn’t resist leaning forward and watching the show. The rest of the guys, collected in a circle around and watched as well.
“Hey,” Katrina laughed, “You pansies might as well start spilling your secrets.”
“What?” Keane asked.
“Cause you’re collected in a circle, you’re doing nails, you’ve totally got a game of Truth or Dare just dying to happen.”
“Oh yeah like we’d do that!” Drury snorted. “Get real we’re not girls.
“…and then they did, the DNA test.”
Danny’s eyes widened, his cheeks reddened and he coughed. His teammates joined him in expressing utter horror and shock at what Patty had just told them. Even the seasoned veteran’s, Danny noticed, were howling their protests at what they just heard.
“My ears!” Derek Morris gasped. “MY EARS!”
“Oh hell no!” Keaner exclaimed, “Hell no!” And if Patty’s story had just disgusted Keaner, then Danny knew it was as bad as he thought. And told in front of a woman no less! Danny looked at Katrina to gauge her reaction.
Katrina who lay belly down on the massage table lifted her chin. “Oh that’s tacky,” she said slowly with a malicious little grin on her red lips, “that’s really tacky.” Danny rolled his eyes. Well, there went the worry he had for her feminine sensibilities. But then, he supposed, she was at this point getting a massage from Parker, regardless of the numerous males in this room. Her outer sweater hung from a corner of the massage table and her bare shoulders peeked from her camisole as the Sheriff continued to rub her down. “Oooo God Scotty you’re good.”
There’s the point where her similarity to Cecile ended. Danny could see Katrina’s few extra years of maturity, the distinct differences to her facial features and that almost animalistic smugness she grinned with. She had none of Cecile’s purities.
“Heh,” Scott replied.
“Yikes,” Blake gasped, dropping Peter’s freshly manicured hand. “I need to cleanse, CLEANSE! Tangers, you’re vanilla, come on tell us the worst thing you’ve ever done.”
“Oof!” Tangers replied and he crossed his arms. “Okay, well… what I have to say isn’t as shocking as Patty’s story,” Tangs then cringed visibly and shuddered. Danny had to agree that he still felt the same. “And it isn’t as tame as Joe’s extra scoop of ice cream at the Stanley Cup party…”
“Hey!” Joe barked, “That was full bodied heavy cream dairy!” Keane grimaced and patted Joe sympathetically on the shoulder.
Tangs had the audacity to roll his eyes. “What I have to say is I once hit on another man’s girlfriend.”
Danny half grinned while the rest of the team exclaimed in disbelief. And then the rest of the circumstances of that instance hammered into his memory and Danny felt his mouth dry with nervousness.
“There is no possibility you would hit on another man’s girl, Pup,” Katrina said propping her chin on her hand. “You’re too peaches and cream.”
“I did too!” Tangers exclaimed. “Just ask Danny!”
For an instant Danny considered lying and saying that it wasn’t true but he knew he couldn’t betray Tangs like that. “Yup it’s true, I saw it.” Please oh please Tangs just leave it at that!
“Who’s girlfriend?” Patty asked with wide eyed boyish curiosity
“Tom Cruise’s,” Tanguay said with starry eyes.
“Penelope Cruz?” Katrina exclaimed. “You hit on Penelope Cruz?”
That set off another round of questions the when and where’s. Obviously no one was set to believe this at all.
“You guys
thought Danny and I were messing around with an underage hooker in
Danny nodded. “It’s true.” Please guys don’t ask anymore than that!
“So you just hit on Penelope in front of Tom Cruise?”
Danny laughed. “Dude they were making out when I caught them!” He grinned at Alex who smiled back.
“How’d you get them separated?” Keane asked, “OH Magical of Men!”
“Oh Tom was busy hitting on Danny,” Tanguay said before his eyes widened and he covered his mouth. “Sorry Danny! I forgot!”
Danny dropped his face into his hands and groaned.
“Well you gotta admit,” Tanguay said meekly. “I held back this long.”
“Yeah,” Danny moaned. “I’ll give you that.”