I don't know how to explain it, but here goes my effort of doing just that.

Michelle doesn't respond well to change. I think it goes back to her mother's death (although I've always thought she was a bit like that, I noticed it became a major part of her character after her mother's death). Michelle developed this idea in her head of how life is or rather how it should be. Her father should be with a certain woman (after her mother's death, she always thought Ed should be with Holly and went to great lengths to see that it happened. It didn't work, but that's what she wanted), Rick and Abby should be together and never fight. Meta should always be there for her.

And love ... well ... love should be this safe and ever-after happy thing ... always there ... always supportive ... and never changing, evolving or growing. Another words ... she believed in the final sentence of fairy tales ... "and they lived happily ever after." To her, that was what love was, she never looked past that to see if the prince and princess in the fairytale fought, had troubles, grew apart, etc. To her, once love was established, that was basically it ... and it should remain there with no changes. And any deviance from this picture she had her mind, she refused to acknowledge, because she was scared of what that would mean.

Currently, the truth that she is scared of is her increasing feelings for Danny. While he can be sweet, loving, and protective (all very much princely attributes), he's also has a wicked temper, a horrible mother, a strict code of loyalty and he has this sexuality and raw passion that seeps from every pore of his body. These things don't fit into her idea of a fairytale prince. Jesse's tame passion and gentle manner do fit those deeply enseeded beliefs.

So here she is ... confused about her feelings, refusing to face them, because to her, they aren't what she's always pictured. Danny isn't a fairytale. At times he can be a nightmare. But those feelings are there, and they aren't going any where, no matter how hard she tries to ignore them, excuse them or get rid of them. It's making her look at love and passion in a whole new light ... and this represents change. Change in her outlook in life and love.

And as I pointed out ... Michelle is terrified of change.

HollyJo