Colt breathed in his car. Thank God, there was no panic attack, but his heart was pounding and his lungs screamed for air.

It was a mistake, a big mistake, to touch her, to... God, what was he doing unbuttoning her shirt? If they hadn't been in a public place he doubted he would have stopped. He was dying to get a good look at her chest.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the seat. He hoped he wasn't imagining it, but he was thinking that Dana hadn't minded his undressing her. Colt could have sworn she was breathing harder than normal.

And the fact that she hadn't slapped him silly for unbuttoning her shirt was a miracle in itself. But he couldn't stand seeing her covered up like that. It wasn't her. Colt liked the loose, carefree, 'I don't care what other people think about what I'm wearing' attitude of hers.

And to bind her hair up like that was completely inexcusable. It was a crime, honestly. He was lucky he didn't pull her hair down before Dana asked for his opinion of it.

Colt started the car. Maybe, Jess had been right after all. Maybe, he just had to be nice to Dana and she'd give him a shot. Wouldn't that be something?!

*******************************

Jesse looked over the drawings that were sprawled out across his new dining room table.

Colt's laptop was open and running the program with the 3D images.

"These are awesome, Colt!" Jess said excitedly to Colt, who was looking over his shoulder.

"Thanks."

"And Dana's okay with them?"

"Yeah," Colt answered. He felt a tickle in his throat and coughed. "Um, she made some changes, but she likes it now," he said and coughed as he felt a familiar spasm in his chest.

"You okay?" Jesse asked, looking up at his coughing.

"Yeah," Colt answered, clearing his throat.

"You two doing okay working together?"

"Yeah. We're actually on speaking terms, amazingly," Colt answered, patting his pocket for his cigarette pack, which wasn't there.

It hadn't been there for a week. He had promised himself the night he yelled at Danny for smoking that he'd stop cold turkey to set an example. And it had been rough, but he'd been doing it, and Danny had noticed. Colt hadn't caught him smoking since.

Ironically, smoking calmed his nerves, which helped with the coughing. But he knew eventually his smoking would damage his lungs more than they already were. He had to stop with the cigarettes and find other ways to control his nerves and his breathing.

Jesse smiled."That's good 'cause she's coming to dinner."

"You couldn't have warned me?" Colt asked with another cough and picked up his soda can from the table.

"Just did."

The doorbell rang. Colt shook his head. "She's got impeccable timing, doesn't she?" he asked, taking a sip from the can.

Colt sucked in a deep breath and coughed again. Damn it, he couldn't be having a panic attack now. Nothing had set it off. He frowned and concentrated on breathing. He didn't want Dana seeing him like this.

Summer and Dana came into the room. Colt coughed and took another swig of soda as he looked Dana over.

She was wearing a short brown skirt and a tight white sleeveless blouse showing off that body. Dana's eyes skimmed over him and a light smile actually came on her lips.

He was a goner, a damn goner. He was head over heels in love with her and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Colt's chest tightened and spasmed.

"Jess," Colt said with a heavy breath and handed Jesse his drink.

"Colt," Jesse said worried, seeing the look in his eye.

Colt rushed out the room, passed the girls without looking at them.

"What'd I do now?" Dana complained.

"Nothing. Be right back," Jesse said, going in the direction Colt went.

"You breathing?" Jesse asked, stepping onto the deck. Jesse patted Colt on the back. "Colt?! You okay?"

"I'm... friggin... breathing," Colt muttered between breaths.

"Can I get you something?"

"Leave... me... the hell...alone," Colt gasped. "I'm fine."

"Okay. As long as you got it under control, I'll be inside. Text me if you need your inhaler. It's in your car's glove compartment, right?"

Colt nodded and waved him off.

"What's wrong?" Summer asked him, touching Jesse's arm when he came back inside.

Jesse closed the door. "Panic attack. He should be okay in a couple minutes."

"Panic attack?" Dana asked frowning.

"You telling me you didn't know he gets panic attacks?" Jesse asked annoyed.

"I didn't know," She said defensively.

"Jesus, Dana! He's a walking time bomb sometimes and all you ever care about is how his remarks affect you! You ever think about what you say to him affects him? You've known him almost twenty years, Dana! Twenty years, and you don't know a goddamn thing about him!" Jesse snapped.

"Jess," Summer said, touching his arm.

"No. It's true," Dana conceded. "I don't know anything about him. I never wanted to before. I thought he hated me, so I pushed him away. But I've been getting to know him recently...and I want to learn more about him."

"Then go out there and talk to him," Jesse gestured to the French doors leading to the deck.

Dana looked hesitantly at the door.

"All he'll do is bite your head off, but you should be used to that by now."