Written for The M Project smut challenge at AO3. If you haven't been there, check it out! Thanks to alittlenutjob for the brilliant idea.

"Hey, I'm heading out. You want me to lock the door, or are you leaving soon?" Danny stood in the doorway of Mindy's office, gym bag slung over his shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, no, I'm going home." Mindy shut off her computer and stood up, stopping to stretch after sitting far too long catching up on paperwork and online episodes of Bad Girl's Club. She was languidly rolling her shoulders and neck when she noticed Danny's appraising gaze and suddenly felt self conscious.

"Stop staring at me, you weirdo." She grabbed her sweater and tugged it closed.

Danny grinned. "Come work out with me. You bought a two year membership and you haven't even been there in a month!"

"Humph. Why should I even bother? I don't have any hot tub vacations on the horizon." She began angrily throwing things into her purse. "I still can't believe he took that ass model on MY ski trip."

"He's an idiot..." Danny said supportively. "You really need to quit dating idiots."

He said the last part almost under his breath, but Mindy heard him. She chose to pretend she didn't.

"What was that?" She fixed him with a pointed look, daring him to repeat it.

"Nothing. Come on, come to the gym. Do it for yourself, not some dude. You'll feel good, you'll sleep better." He was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet in an irritatingly energetic manner.

"I have something at home that can do that for me." She groused, not at all feeling like being active, even though she had pretty much sat all day. Danny raised one eyebrow and smirked. "I meant WINE, Danny."

"Sure ya did." He chuckled. "Come on..." His voice was an octave lower, and Mindy tried to ignore the way her stomach fluttered.

"I don't know if I even have my gym stuff here..." She floundered for an excuse, knowing her bag was still in the cupboard.

"No worries, hang on. I got you something." Danny darted away and returned with a plastic wrapped package which Mindy eyed with suspicion as he tossed it to her from the doorway. "It's just gym clothes, relax."

She opened the package which contained a cute French cut t-shirt with the gym logo prominently emblazoned on the front. She looked back at Danny, who was clearly trying to suppress a smile.

"This is actually nice, Danny, thank you!"

His eyes darted to the package which was not completely opened. "There's more."

Mindy pulled out the remaining item and held it up.

"Booty shorts, Danny. You have got to be kidding me!" She looked at him indignantly.

"What, they're just gym shorts." The twinkle in his eye tipped her off that he knew exactly what he had bought.

"Just because they have the logo doesn't make them gym shorts. I'm not wearing these to work out!"

"Just try them on." He was grinning devilishly, and the way he was looking at her was making her stomach do flip flops when she wanted to be irate. He quickly glanced over his shoulder, then looked back at her with a nod. "Nobody else is here. Go on, change into 'em."

Mindy stood there with her mouth hanging open, the booty shorts dangling from her fingers.

"Hold on, let me get this straight. You want me to not only wear these ridiculous things to the gym, but you also think I'm going to try them on in front of you?"

Danny shrugged. "Why not, I've seen it all before."

The shorts flew across the distance between them and smacked him in the face. He caught em before they hit the floor and grimaced. "You try to do something nice for people..."

"Real nice... Perv. But, I do like the shirt, so you are forgiven." She grabbed her gym bag and slipped the shirt inside, and Danny came up behind her and shoved the shorts in too. He rested his hand on the small of her back and she fought a shudder. That close, she caught his scent, a light cologne and something else, something indescribably masculine. It was almost intoxicating.

"You might change your mind about 'em." He said with a wink.

Mindy just rolled her eyes.

They walked to the gym, Mindy griping the whole way. "This is a workout by itself, Danny. We don't even need to go by the time we get there."

"It's five blocks, Min. That's not even a warmup." He turned around and started jogging backwards. "We could run there if you want!"

"I do not want, and you are going to trip if you keep that up. Turn around and walk like a normal human." He jogged forward past her and came back around behind her.

"Wimp." He whispered in her ear. It wasn't even cold but she shivered anyway.

The gym was a ghost town, without any if the usual muscle heads pumping iron. Danny explained that it was late, and there was a big MMA fight that night, so they pretty much had the place to themselves. Mindy went off to the lockers to change while Danny did some warm up exercises.

"Very convenient, Castellano. An empty gym, just you, me, and some booty shorts. I think I saw that on Cinemax."

"Oh yeah?" Danny gave her the once over. She was wearing a sweatshirt over the gym shirt he had bought her and some yoga pants which weren't providing much more coverage than the shorts would have. "How did it end?"

Mindy did not like his tone, or the way he was eyeing her. It sounded like he had taken some lessons from Jeremy on how to make his voice sound like sex, because every syllable was unnerving. She busied herself with her hair, pulling it into a ponytail.

"I don't remember. Maybe the gym exploded." She glanced back at him, only briefly meeting his eyes because the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. "I'm gonna go do... my thing... and you do what you do."

She wandered off, not really sure what to attempt without Danny's guidance. She did some random sit ups, got some water, did some push ups, and went looking for a jump rope. Every once in a while she would glance at Danny. He would be lifting weights or doing lunges and her mouth would go a little dry while she watched his taut body moving. It was effortless and graceful and more than a little arousing. He caught her looking and pretended not to notice.

Mindy made her way to the free weights. Danny watched her fumbling with them with a grin until he saw her actually start using them. He rushed over to correct her.

"Min, Min. Stop. You're doing that all wrong." She was straddling the bench and flinging her arms above her head.

"Oh sorry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, am I not picking up heavy stuff correctly?"

"No, and you're going to hurt yourself. You should be making small, slow movements, carefully, to work the muscle groups." Danny seated himself behind her. "Let me show you."

Mindy wasn't focusing on the weights, though. Danny was way too close, his thighs pressing on either side of hers, his breath hot on her neck. He took hold of her arm and moved it for her, showing her the right movements and speed. She followed along robotically.

"Okay, now repeat that 6 times and move to the next position." He rested one hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't tense up. Relax."

Well if you weren't crammed up behind me talking about slow movements and positions, maybe I wouldn't be so tense.

"Well, you're getting your sweat all over me, Danny." She griped.

He chuckled. "You'll live, there's a shower." He made he repeat the moves on the other side, explaining how to increase the number of repetitions and weight over time.

"Okay, okay, I got it. That's enough, Danny." She leaned over and put the weight on the ground, sitting back up a little too quickly because she suddenly worried that Danny was looking at her ass. Her back slammed into Danny's chest.

"Hey, watch it." Danny grasped her arms but made no effort to push her away. In fact, it almost seemed like he was keeping her there, his face just inches from hers, trapped between his thighs. She thought she could feel his heart beating, and then she was pretty sure she could feel something else nestled against her ass, and she jumped up.

"Sorry, sorry, hope you're okay, I'm going to hit the shower." She rambled, her face feeling like it was on fire. Danny got up slowly, turning away from her slightly.

"Yeah, me too. Hey, sorry I got you all sweaty." He grinned at her.

"No it's fine." She tried to distance herself as quickly as possible without looking where she was going, resulting in her smacking her foot, hard, into a pile of weights. She yelped and crumpled to the ground.

"Shit! Mindy! Are you okay?" Danny hurried to help her up onto the bench and untied her shoe, easing it off and peeling down her sock. Her two smallest toes were already turning purple.

"Danny, this place is a death trap!" She whined.

"You're not dead. You aren't even maimed, and you'd have been fine if you had just paid attention to your surroundings." He held her foot and carefully felt the surrounding toes. "I'm pretty sure you have a broken toe or two, though."

"Oh no, Danny. Take me to the ER. I need x-rays and sedatives..." She laid back on the bench and then promptly sat back up. "Oh my god. I think I just laid in your ass sweat."

He ignored her last comment. "You just need ibuprofen and some tape. I'll take you to my house and doctor you up."

"You're not a doctor, Danny!" She shrieked. "Okay, you are, but not for toes."

"I'm all the doctor you need, sweetheart. If you insist on x-rays we can do them tomorrow." Danny helped her to her feet, and she promptly started whining again.

"I can't walk, Danny. You're going to have to carry me."

"You can so walk, Min. Just hold on to me." He wrapped his arm around her waist to help support her. She collapsed against him.

"I can't do it." She whispered dramatically.

Danny rolled his eyes. "You are being ridiculous. You weren't shot, you just stubbed your toe!" She only moaned in response.

"Fine." He sighed.

Mindy turned to him, expecting him to lift her like he was carrying her over the threshold. Danny instead threw her over his shoulder in a fireman carry with his arm wrapped around her ass.

"Danny! What are you doing, put me down!" She wailed, wiggling and thumping his back.

"Hey, you're going to knock us both over." He set her back on the bench,where she pouted as he took off to get their gear. He returned with the bags and helped Mindy back up. "I couldn't carry you and this fifty pound sack of crap, anyway. What do you need weight lifting for, just haul this around."

She grimaced as she attempted to stand back up. Hanging on to Danny, she managed to hobble out and they grabbed a cab.

"I swear to god Danny, I am going to sue that place. They at least need to refund my membership fees."

"They probably will, just to get you out of their hair. But don't bother trying to sue them. You haven't got a leg to stand on!" Danny fist pumped the air at the cleverness of his joke.

"Shut up."

Danny helped her in to his apartment and set her on the couch with water and pain relievers while he went to get his first aid supplies. She took off her other shoe and her socks and rubbed her feet. Danny stopped halfway and stared at her.

"Getting comfortable?" He asked wryly.

"Well I'm in terrible pain, Danny, I should at least be able to stretch my feet."

"Okay." He shook his head. "They do say doctors make the worst patients."

"Rude!" She sat back on the couch and watched as Danny administered his "sports medicine." He was amazingly gentle, holding her foot and occasionally glancing up at her, holding eye contact just a little longer than necessary. In a few minutes, with a Popsicle stick, some gauze and tape, he had her foot neatly wrapped.

"You want a shot of whiskey now, partner?" He grinned at her.

"No." Mindy replied sulkily. "Tequila."

"That's my girl." Danny chuckled, sitting next to her on the couch.

"Well, hurry up!"

"You were serious?" He asked her, and she vigorously nodded.

"What the hell, I'm traumatized. And I'm not driving!"

He headed to the kitchen and brought back two shot glasses filled to the brim with golden liquid.

"Are those both for me?" She squeaked.

"Hell, no." He downed one, handing the other to her. She shut her eyes tight and tipped it back, gasping for air after she swallowed. "Holy crap, it burns."

Danny took the shot glass and went to help her stand up. "Let's see how I did."

Mindy gingerly stood, wrapping her arms around Danny's waist and trying to put some weight on her foot. "Ow, Danny, it still really hurts." He moved to steady her and somehow he was suddenly very close, one arm around her hips, the other on her thigh. Her face felt hot again and she buried it in his neck.

"Yeah, we may need those X-rays, but it can wait. When the meds kick in, you'll be fine as long as you stay off it." He stood very still and Mindy knew he could feel how tense his body was against hers. She swallowed hard and looked up at him, her heart pounding. They gazed at each other for a long moment and she took a deep breath, parting her lips and glancing down at his, waiting.

Just kiss me, god dammit.

"You want me to take you home now?"

Her stomach sunk. She looked down so he couldn't see the disappointment on her face, feeling like an idiot, as clearly this little "moment" was one sided and he just wanted to get rid of her. Before she could respond, he spoke again.

"I'm sorry, I know, I stink. It's your fault I didn't get to shower."

She looked back up at him. "You don't stink." He smelled of dirt and sweat and old cologne, but more than that, he had that musky, heavy male scent, and she found it disgustingly sexy. "You smell..."

Fucking delicious.

"You smell like a man. It's... great." Her voice sounded strangely low to her own ears, and couldn't tear her eyes away from his. They were so dark and intense, and she swore she could see desire brewing in them, but he didn't move.

It was Danny's turn to swallow, his mouth dry. "What, you're drunk already?" He joked. "It was one shot."

"I'm not drunk, you idiot." She hissed, pulling away slightly, forgetting her injury. He didn't let her go.

"Min..."

She turned back as his hand cupped her cheek and he tipped his face down, his lips hungrily finding hers. Her response was instant, as she had been simmering for hours. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her fingers into his back, pressing herself against him, and he had to hold her up with one hand as he let the other roam. He yanked the elastic from her hair so he could bury his face in it.

"God... Danny... " Mindy couldn't even form sentences, she just wanted to feel him, smell him, taste him. His mouth was hot on her neck, his tongue sliding against her skin, one hand on her back under her shirt. He returned to her mouth, sucking at her lips, and she whimpered against him, unhinged with her need. She moved one hand between them and lightly swept it down across the front of his shorts, where he was hard and insistent, and he groaned and drove his hips against her hand.

Suddenly, she was whisked off her feet as he picked her up the "right way" and carried her to the bedroom, their mouths never apart as he laid her on the bed. He pulled back, looking at her against his sheets, her hair spread out like silk, her face flushed.

"You're gorgeous." He croaked in a thick voice. She caressed his face, pulling herself up to meet him and kissing him again, as he pushed the sweatshirt off her shoulders. She knelt, carefully swinging her bad foot out of the way, to help him take his shirt off, peppering the exposed skin with quick kisses as she felt his muscles move under her touch. He returned the favor, pulling the T-shirt over her head and quickly finding her mouth again.

"God damn it, Danny, if you fuck like you kiss, I'm never leaving this bed."

He laughed wickedly. "Better." He grabbed her hips and ground himself against her. He ran one hand under the waistband of her pants to cup her ass. "Take these off. I don't want to hurt your foot."

Mindy started to shimmy her pants off, still trying a little bit to hide her body. Danny stood up at the side of the bed and started to untie the drawstring of his sweats and she took a deep breath. This was real, it was happening, after such a long time. She wanted him so badly and she hadn't really known it until now. She felt that need, that familiar pressure throbbing between her thighs and she was overwhelmed with longing.

She sat up and reached to stop his hands. "Let me." She whispered and tugged gently at the strings till she could slip the pants over his hips. He had on black boxer briefs and was straining at the fly, so she did the kind thing and set him free, slipping her hand down to grasp him. He let out a guttural version of her name and grabbed her wrist.

"Min, you gotta stop, I can't..." He groaned.

She smiled up at him and with her free hand pulled his boxers to his knees. She looked down and back up, where he was gazing at her with eyes black with need, and she gently licked her lips.

"You have a fantastic cock, Danny."

Without breaking eye contact, she leaned forward and took him in her mouth, tracing the head with her tongue and causing him to shudder. He released his grip on her wrist and she stroked his length while alternating licks and sucks till he had to stop her.

"Mindy... fuck... stop... I'm gonna come..." He reached for her and held her face, thumb softly stroking her cheek, trying to hold off.

"That's kinda the point, Danny." She wrinkled her nose at him.

"No... wait."

She stopped her ministrations and released him, and he sank onto the bed next to her, pulling her against him. "I want to come inside you." He whispered before pressing his mouth to hers. He slid his hand between her legs, finding her warm, slippery folds and stroking her gently. She whimpered and gyrated her hips.

"Why are you still wearing this?" He plucked at Mindy's sports bra as he kissed around her jaw and ear, and she giggled before unhooking it from the front and slipping it off her shoulders. Danny grinned against her throat before he moved his lips down her chest, nipping and sucking at her taut nipples, while still slowly rubbing his hand between her thighs.

"Oh fuck... " she moaned as he slid his fingers inside her, thrusting them gently while his thumb rubbed circles on her swollen nub. She clenched around him and jerked her hips, back arching and pushing her breast further against Danny's mouth. "Damn it... Fuck..."

She was on the edge and he stopped, waiting till her pulse slowed and her breathing was less ragged, before starting again. He teased and coaxed her till she was on the brink again and again, till she grabbed his face and pulled it up to her.

"Would you fucking fuck me already?" Mindy hissed before kissing him, hard and hungry. He nudged her knees further apart and settled between them, holding his body up with one arm and guiding his cock to the heat of her slick opening. He groaned as he slowly entered her, too slowly for her liking, as she spiked her hips upwards to take more of him in.

Mindy clung to his biceps, digging her fingernails into his solid flesh as he slid his length inside her, barely moving, the tiniest of shallow thrusts causing exquisite friction. She pulled herself up to kiss him, pulling away long enough to whisper her demands.

"Harder... damn... Danny... fuck me harder!"

Danny obliged, pulling himself almost completely out before thrusting back inside, following with several shallow thrusts before slamming into her hard again. Her moans increased in volume as she built to a crescendo, her nerves going off like fireworks.

Her climax hit her like a truck, lifting her body off the mattress, as wave after wave of sensation swept her, centered between her thighs but radiating throughout her. She wailed and clenched and shuddered around Danny, who could no longer hold himself back and with a growl he found his sweet release inside her.

It took a moment for them to come back from the adrenaline rush. Danny slid down on his elbows and kissed her, first on the mouth, then the throat and collarbone and back up to her mouth, before rolling onto his side. Mindy turned towards him, trying to regain her breath.

"Damn. You weren't kidding about better." She twisted onto her side and caressed his face, still wanting to feel him even as the sweet throbbing resided. He just opened his mouth as if to speak, but words wouldn't come. All he could manage was "Wow."

Mindy was hit by a wave of emotion. This happened to her sometimes after sex, especially of the mind blowing kind. Something about the endorphins and hormones just did a number on her. She rolled on her back and tightly closed her eyes, feeling her throat tighten. Danny watched her with concern as she took a few deep breaths and tried to keep from sobbing.

"Hey. You okay?" He reached for her, and she just shook her head. "What's wrong? Did I do something?" The concern in his voice was most too much for her to bear.

"It's nothing, Danny. You didn't..." Her breath hitched. "I'm just overwhelmed... It's stupid."

Danny wrapped her in his arms and murmured quietly to her. "It's okay, darling. Let it out." He rubbed her back, planting kisses in her hair and gently rocking her till she composed herself. "Doesn't do a lot for my self esteem, though."

"I'm sorry. It was awesome... You're awesome. That just happens, sometimes. When it's awesome." She sniffled and looked up at him. "Thank you for not thinking I'm crazy."

He raised one eyebrow.

"Not too crazy." She smiled.

"You're just the right amount of crazy." He grinned, wiping the tears off her cheeks and softly kissing her forehead. Mindy tucked her head into the nook of his neck and shoulder, breathing him in. He was sweatier and even muskier than before and she loved it. She tried to slip her leg between Danny's to get even closer to him, but she banged her hurt toes into his shin and yelped.

"Ow, fuck, I forgot my foot!" She moaned and laughed at the same time, and Danny joined in, hugging her closer. She rolled onto her back, her arm under his head, and stroked his hair.

"Do you want me to stay?" She asked hesitantly. He looked up at her from the crook of her arm.

"Of course."

His arm was slung across her waist, and his eyes drifted, taking her in, before he leaned in to kiss her again. One hand moved to her breast, gently stroking her nipple before he replaced it with his mouth. That was just a rest stop on the way south. Mindy kept her fingers knotted in his hair as his lips burned a trail down her stomach. He punctuated the distance with tiny darts of his tongue, as he looked up at her before giving her a sinful grin and slipping ever lower.

The soft, neatly trimmed, thatch of down that was growing in did not escape Danny's notice, and he took a teasing tug before delving lower. Mindy was wavering between apprehension and arousal, in anticipation of what he was planning to do. Arousal won out. Her hands moved to her breasts and he paused to watch as she kneaded them, pinching her nipples, her breath coming in little measured pants.

Danny spread her legs, almost roughly, but taking care to keep her foot safe. He placed tiny hot kisses along her inner thighs, once again driving Mindy to moan in frustration. Her hips rocked toward him as she threw her head back and arched her back, running her good foot across his back.

"You are an impatient woman, Mindy Lahiri." He chuckled, and she could feel his warm breath against her tender folds.

"And you are a cruel man, Daniel Castellano!" She growled back.

"Promise not to cry again?"

"Fuck you, Danny!" She thumped the side of his head with her knee, just lightly, because he could probably not perform well with a concussion. He laughed against her mons and she could feel the vibrations, just not strong enough. "You insensitive bastard."

He chose to end her suffering as quickly as he could and slid his generous mouth down to her trembling flesh. His tongue slowly traveled around her clit, coaxing the swelling tissues between his lips and sucking gently. He knew he found the spot when she gasped and bucked her hips up, so he concentrated his attention there, taking momentary breaks so the sensation wasn't too strong, till he sensed her about to reach her peak. He slipped two fingers deep inside her, gently pumping, and lapped at that spot till she lost control and came even harder than before against his willing mouth.

Danny slid his tongue one more time over her quivering nub and looked up to view the aftermath. Mindy was panting, eyes closed, one hand still on her chest, the other gripping the sheet so hard it had come free of the mattress. She was flushed and sweaty with her hair in clumps, and he grinned like a fool to see what he had done.

She opened her eyes to see him watching her and couldn't help matching his expression. He licked his lips and crawled back up her body to kiss her. Mindy tasted the sweet and salty result of their joined bodies on his lips and noticed that while he was attending to her needs, his own had returned with renewed vigor. She reached down to stroke him, tilting her hips and angling him towards her.

"Are you sure?" He murmured. She responded with a hard kiss. Danny sat up and kneeled between her legs so he could get purchase on her hips, pulling her up against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, straddling him and gently lowering herself on to him. He gripped her ass hard and thrust impatiently, burying his face in her neck and sinking his teeth I to the soft skin of her shoulder.

"Fuck! I knew you were into biting!" Mindy moaned, increasing her pace and digging her nails into Danny's ass, trying to push him farther, deeper.

"You trying to knock us off the bed?" He grunted. He lifted her up and slammed them both against the mattress, then grabbed her arms and held them above her head. Mindy pulled her knees up as his thrusting increased in intensity. Just before he found his release, Danny slipped one hand between them and stroked her clit, his breathing hard and ragged. Mindy struggled against the restraint till sensation overwhelmed her and she came with deep, gasping breaths.

Danny followed, moaning her name. "Mindy... Mindy... fuck... Mindy... damn... I want to fuck you forever... Mindy." With a powerful thrust and a bellow he emptied himself into her, pumping until his muscles stopped tremoring.

He rolled off her and grasped her hand, twining his fingers with hers.

"Danny. Did you just propose to me?" Mindy said, looking at him innocently. "Because I can't really think of a more romantic time than when you're eiaculating."

Danny started to stammer, and if it was possible to sweat more, he would have, till he saw the twinkle in her eye and knew she was kidding.

"I propose we get some rest." He grinned. She nodded vigorously and pulled the sheet up to cover them both. Danny threw an arm across her and whispered. "I told you if you went to the gym with me, you'd feel good."

They were both asleep in minutes. Danny woke up on the morning to an empty bed, the sheets cold where Mindy had been laying. He had a moment of panic, thinking she had fled, until he heard a high pitched voice from the kitchen singing something unrecognizable. He put on his shorts and walked out to see Mindy leaning on the kitchen counter, earbuds in her ears, a bowl of his shredded wheat cereal with sugar cubes on to in front of her. She was wearing a wife beater and thick socks, undoubtedly stolen from his drawer, and shorts.

Light gray booty shorts, to be precise, that were very, very snug. The bottom hem didn't quite meet the rounded swell of her ass, especially when she was leaning over, so there was a generous expanse of skin revealed. She was rocking those shorts, swaying her hips and bouncing in time to the beat. Danny knew better than to sneak up on her, as she would very likely punch him, so he came up beside her and pulled out one earbud.

"Danny!" She shrieked with a wide grin. He stepped behind her then, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck before slipping one hand down past the waistband of her shorts to squeeze a cheek.

"Told you they'd fit."

Mindy giggled and squirmed from his grasp.

"I'm totally ready to go the gym, Danny!" She knew there was no way in hell he would want her in public in those shorts.

"Didn't you get enough of a workout last night?" Danny said before grabbing her spoon and scooping some of her cereal into his mouth.

"Never enough." She sighed and kissed him softly. He could still taste the minty flavor of his toothpaste in her mouth and he knew his toothbrush would be damp. And he was okay with that. Because he wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to fuck her forever, he just hadn't planned on sharing that quite so early.

Plenty of time for her to figure that out.