"Lover."

I turned to see my Viking standing in my bathroom watching me shower. I threw him the soap and before it landed in his hand he had removed all his clothes.

"Nice catch," I blushed as I took him all in.

He slipped into the shower and then into me. I was going to have to start being shower curtains in bulk at the rate he and I were destroying them.

Eric had given me my own credit card for such purchases. I only used it for such replacement needs. Sometimes I wonder if Eric didn't destroy things on purpose so I would go buy things. Who knows maybe it made him feel good to be a provider. Who knew he was such a family man. Maybe Pam, but I could never ask her.

We were relaxing and catching our breathe, well mine at least, when Eric brought up the strangest conversation.

He stroked my hair from my face, "My Sookie, next week is Valentine's day and I figured I better give you fair warning I am getting you a gift."

I sighed, "No you're not."

"Yes I am and you're not budging me on this."

Fine, he wanted to play, game on. "Then I'm getting you a gift too."

He looked almost insulted.

"Absolutely not."

"Fairs fair."

He smiled, "Fine, but you have a spending limit or you have to use your credit card."

I snorted, "If I have a limit, then so do you."

Check mate Sookie.

He conceded quietly with a simple snarl on his lips.

I leaned in and pressed my lips to his softly.

He slowly relaxed again.

"Hey I have an idea."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What if we only get gifts for each other with the rule being that is has to be something we both can enjoy and do together."

"Give me an example. I don't think I understand or like this rule."

I thought for a minute. "Okay we both like to watch TV together. It's something we both enjoy and something we do together."

"So it's like we will get to use both gifts."

"Exactly. It's twice the fun."

"I'll give you twice the fun."

And with that our conversation on the subject was ended as another conversation of our bodies started.

I had to work the lunch shift on Valentine's day, but at least Sam gave each of us one single yellow rose. It was very sweet in a non-romantic way.

"Sookie, what are you doing tonight?" Holly asked. She and I were in the we have steady boyfriends category.

"Probably just quite time at the house. We decided to get each other gifts, so I'm a little nervous. Eric doesn't seem to understand limits sometimes."

She laughed, "Yeah Hoyt and me got each other gifts too. I got him a couple silk boxer shorts." She blushed.

Practical yet fun. 'I got Eric a WII." He had mentioned that they looked 'interesting' on night when a commercial came on.

"Wow! Can Vampires even play video games?"

"It comes with the sports game. So he can work on his golf swing and it was looks like your outside in the sun." Beings Vampires can't go out in the sun, Eric would not really be able to play sports like humans can.

I also hoped that it would teach him patience. From what the sales rep told me the controllers were movement sensitive.

It was just getting dark as I made my way home. I was unsure what tonight's activities would entail, besides the happy ending.

I was shocked to see a giant delivery truck in front of the house. If he bought me a car, I'll stake his ass.

I pulled around the back and entered my house to find my living room in total disarray.

"Amelia, what the hell if going on?"

"You tell me. Eric told these guys to set up thus elaborate entertainment center, new 50' TV, surround sound, DVD player and 20 CD player stereo system."

Glad to see she had checked it all out and approved. From her head I found out it was all top of the line and state of the art.

"What the hell is he thinking?"

One of the delivery guys approached me, "Are you Sookie?"

"Yes."

He handed me an envelope.

I reluctantly opened it.

Lover,

Happy Valentine's Day. I have followed your rules to the letter. We will both enjoy these new things and we can enjoy them together. Meet me in front of the TV naked in one hour.

E-

That cheater. Okay, I'll play your silly game Mr. Northman.

Once the entire living room was set up for the ultimate theater, TV watching experience, Amelia left for the bar in hopes of finding someone to spend her night with.

I carefully opened the Nintendo WII I bought for Eric and read how to set it up and how to play all the games. I also got on line, a rarity for me, and surfed a couple of sites for the best way to play and win each game.

As a kid, we did not have a gaming system, but a few friends of mine did so I was familiar with the concept. I was sure Eric had never stooped low enough to play 'Human' games.

He arrived at the house right on time. I decided to follow his instructions. I stood in front of my new TV naked holding only his new WII, nicely gift wrapped. It was just big enough to cover all the best parts of me.

He knocked to my surprise and I yelled for him to enter. He was carrying 2 dozen red long stem roses in a beautiful vase.

He froze when he saw me, a first for him, and his fangs descended.

"Happy Valentine's Day. Would you like to unwrap your gift?"

He had the roses on the coffee table, his gift on the couch and me in his arms in no time flat.

I unwrapped him from his clothes and we made love in front of the new TV. That big screen had nothing on him and we gave new meaning to surround sound.

I rolled and propped myself up on my elbow. "Are you going to unwrap your other gift?"

He smiled, "I'd rather hoped you forgot about it. After all what we just did suits me just fine as a gift anytime, anyplace." He raised those beautiful eyebrows at me.

I got up and walked over to the sofa, being sure to bend over in front of him to pick up his gift.

Instant fang, "Tease."

I placed his gift in front of him. He frowned but sat up to unwrap it.

His face was worth the cost. It was total shock and excitement.

"Sookie, this is too much."

"No what you did", I gestured all around me, "is too much."

"I can't believe you remembered I had mentioned these looked cool."

"Wanna try it out. Naked bowling sounds fun."

His smile got bigger.

I re-read all the manuals, while he hooked it all up to my new TV.

He flaunted the fact that he didn't need to read in order to figure it all out.

It took us about an hour to make characters, which to my amazement looked a lot like us. Since the Vamps and Were's went public a new feature was added where fangs and fur could be added to your characters features.

I personally felt they should make it so when you pressed one of the buttons that the fanged characters should hiss. Eric laughed when I mentioned this.

We started slowly playing the bowling game. It was harder than I thought it would be. The person on the screen really did respond to your movements of the controller and if you turned your wrist when you released your bowling ball the character did too. It created a neat little back spin.

To both of our surprises, I was kicking Eric's ass.

He could not seem to keep his vampire movements correct. Either he was way too fast and the sensor did not pick him up at all or he was too slow and he made mistakes.

He got frustrated with bowling, so I suggested Mario cart next.

He didn't like that one either, when I dusted his ass.

So I suggested Tennis. He would be much quicker than me and he would have the advantage.

"Eric, I got to take a break."

He turned to glare at me, "No! You've beat me in nine straight matches, I need to redeem myself."

"Humans can't jump around and be active like that for forty minutes straight if their out of shape like me."

"I'm sorry lover, I didn't think about that. I'll get better at this eventually. Right now I'm just having so much fun."

His smile was radiant. He was faced with a challenge finally. His demeanor and emotions reminded me of the way he was right before a battle. He was excited too. I was surprised his fangs weren't out.

"Glad you like your present and you are enjoying the challenge."

"Your right, I'm finding it difficult to let this…machine and you beat me."

I laughed, "At least I finally found something besides cooking that I'm better at than you."

"I'll admit defeat in the area of cooking. But this," he pointed at the TV, "will not win."

"Why don't you play the games players for awhile?"

He leaned down and kissed me. I could feel the excitement in his lips. "Good idea, you rest."

I lay back on the couch and watched him just around and swing away. He was almost graceful except for the force he was exerting.

Vampires have it easy, they never lose their breathe.

I drifted off to sleep and dreamed I was on Eric's back as he chased down a mountain lion. He leaps were so sensual and masculine. His predatory nature seemed sexy.

I woke in my own bed with a note on his side.

Lover,

You were too peaceful for me to wake. I took my gift home so I can practice. What fun is strip tennis if only one of us gets naked? Miss you already.

E-

My first successful Valentines day.