Danny stared at the walls of his home, thinking. Something was definitely working on him, something he couldn't put a name to. At least not yet. The one thing he was sure about was that he liked the newest addition to their team. Shapely Tani Rey was certainly easy on his eyes. Her long, lovely hair and model-esque figure made him glad that he got to work with her each day. He was between girlfriends, and yes, he was still hung-up on Kono, Mrs. Noshimuri. He might always be in spite of her being a happily-married woman. A woman who, for reasons only she knew best, was long gone from Hawaii, pursuing scum of the worst kind, disgusting flesh peddlers, human traffickers. Adam had joined her.

Danny would have too, despite his loyalty to Steve, but Kono had never asked him... Kono married Adam...a wound that came with a scar for healing.

Enter, Tani, the female version of Steve, Rey to complicate his world that was already complicated to the max. Well, this time around he would keep his feelings well under wraps. They were Five 0 Ohana, righting wrongs and kicking criminal butt. He would make sure that their relationship was purely professional, not gum it up with having the hots for her. But had them he did, but good.

He rose from the sofa with a tired grunt, heading for his third cold shower this evening. His clothes shed, he was about to step into the shower stall when he heard his mobile phone summon him. Grumbling, he shut the water off and swiped his phone from the glass shelf next to the stall.

Lo and behold...

Wow, he thought, as he stood there naked, staring at his phone's illuminated screen.

"Hey..."

"Danny," the clear, crisp voice replied. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

"No, no. Nothing." His mind and heart were jumping for joy, but reining his elation in, he asked, "What's up?" His eyes traveled southward, and with a grimace, he covered his sudden stiffness with the nearest towel. So much for keeping his libido under tight control.

"Okay, this is going to sound extremely lame," Tani admitted, not sounding the least bit apologetic. Something Danny found acutely attractive about her.

"I'm an expert when it comes to what things sound like. Lame, or otherwise. What've ya got?"

"I figure, since you're Italian..."

"What makes you think I'm Italian?" Danny bantered, picturing the lovely-looking babe on a beach in Sicily. Not bikini-clad, but attired in a stunning spaghetti strap sundress, rays of brilliant sunshine dappling her tawny skin. He shuddered.

"Aren't you?"

"Yeah, okay. I am, but I've got Irish, German and Jewish in me too," he apprised, his thoughts shifting to his family back in Jersey. "Still want me?"

"So...if I asked for your qualified opinion on this pizza I'm trying to create, you'd give it to me straight. Am I right?"

After he put, "Is this an invitation?" out there, he held his breath, hoping with all his might that it was. If this was her way of making the first move, he couldn't pass this up. So much for keeping things professional. Maybe he and Melissa weren't entirely through, but maybe they were. He could admit to himself how much he missed Kono, but Tani, although she reminded him of her, was her own woman. One dynamic, irresistible, intelligent woman, he'd be a fool to ignore.

"Only if you aren't busy, and haven't eaten yet. Have you?"

"I was about to step into the shower, but hanging with you and sinking my teeth into your delicious pizza is way better." The broad smile on his face had filtered into his voice, making him sound like the essence of sincerity.

"Great. I'm just getting started..."

Me too, Danny perkily thought, running his tongue over his lower lip, his mouth watering. "I'll be there. Save something for me to do. There's things about making great pizza I'll share with you, since I'm very sure you're a much better listener and follow-througher than Steve."

Not to Danny, Tani directed, "Yeah, Danny can make it, Steve. He's coming right over. Are you sure you know what you're doing with that dough? Have you actually caught it after throwing it into the air?"

"Don't let him throw that dough. I guarantee he won't catch it. Wait! Hold that thought-I'm coming right over. Again, I repeat. Don't let him near anything you intend to eat."

"Danny-"

There was no reply.

"Danny? Hello?"

As he got dressed, as though he raced with the wind, he recited like a mantra, "Oh, no. Not again. Not this time. Not with Tani. You moved in on Kono, but not with her. This time, if anyone almost gets the girl-it's gonna be me."