A/N: Hey, since I'm going to need some extended time to plan the next chapter(s) of Love Interruption, I wanted to give you this little Valentine's Day treat. This one-shot/potential story has been in a folder on my computer collecting dust for a few months now. I wrote it the last time I had writer's block with Love Interruption. Since it is Valentine's Day themed, I thought it would be a good time to put it out there. I wrote it with the intent of making it into a multi-chaptered fic, like how Give Me Love/Love Interruption work. That said, I have a few other Caroline/Klaus story ideas in my head that I may decide to pursue over this. Please know, that I will not be pursuing any of these other ideas until Love Interruption is completed.
This one-shot is AH/AU, so keep that in mind. It's probably not edited as thoroughly as I would like, but I'm posting this mainly for fun. Feel free to leave me reviews or if you're interested in learning more about what I might have planned if I decide to take this story somewhere in the future.
Warning: There is some smut in this.
"This is such a lame idea," her friend Bonnie scoffed.
They both placed their assigned numbers and names into the ballot box in the entrance foyer, before checking their coats.
She disregarded her friend's pessimism, slipping the heart-shaped glasses over her eyes as they stepped into the main area of the transformed Mystic Grill.
Shimmering hearts hung from the ceiling while upbeat music filled the air.
It was Valentine's Day - or as the Grill advertised - Single's Awareness Day.
Yes, she and Bonnie were both single and she intended to make the most of this day. She wasn't about to commiserate with Bonnie in her hotel suite while they consumed way too much chocolate and watched the Notebook.
She had spent four years away at college practically celibate after a long distance relationship and bad break-up with Tyler Lockwood combined with plenty of schoolwork.
Now that school was finished, she wanted to put more focus on her personal life.
Granted, the Grill wasn't exactly the best place to find relationship material, but she and Bonnie had nothing better to do on a Thursday night as they anticipated the coming Saturday; the wedding of their best friend Elena Gilbert to Elijah Mikaelson.
While Elena had always dreamed of a Valentine's Day wedding, she also dreamed of getting married to Elijah Mikaelson as soon as possible, and thus, wasn't keen on waiting another two years for February fourteenth to fall on a Saturday; so February sixteenth it was.
After a hectic day of bridesmaid duties, Elena had given both she and Bonnie the night off to go to the Grill with the hopes that they might secure a date to her big day.
She told Elena not to hold her breath, but deep down she had high hopes for the singles event at the Grill.
Even though she knew better - the chances of meeting anyone decent at the Grill in Mystic Falls, Virginia were hopeless - she had secret daydreams of stumbling upon mr. right. At the very least, she had thoughts of meeting mr. right now. It had been months - okay, a year - since she last had sex. She wasn't a nymphomaniac by any means, but a year was a long time, and lately her hands were tired and her toys were old news. Perhaps tonight she would break her no one-night stand policy.
She already had a buzz going as she and Bonnie slipped through the decent crowd of men and women towards the bar. They had both downed a few shots of liquid courage prior to leaving Bonnie's hotel suite. She vowed to stay relatively sober for the main event, but another drink wouldn't hurt. She needed to loosen up.
While Bonnie ordered a sex on the beach, she kept it simple with whiskey and diet Coke. The blunt taste of the whiskey would stop her from downing the drink too quickly. If she sipped slowly she would maintain her buzz without becoming completely intoxicated. She thought of warning Bonnie about her choice of drink, but she figured Bonnie needed to loosen up a bit more anyways; still not enthused about the event.
It was basically a casual singles mixer for the under forty crowd. The only arranged activity was a throw back to some old Valentine's Day custom where women would enter their names into a box to be randomly selected by a man to be his Valentine for the day.
The Grill had brought the tradition into the twenty-first century. They had boxes for both straight and gay singles - although she wasn't sure how many single gay people lived in Mystic Falls. Moreover, men didn't do the selecting. The selecting was done by the hosts. The hosts would randomly draw two numbers to pair two people up. Nor was it an all night deal as it was traditionally. This part of the night was restricted to an hour, where the pair were given the time to talk and get to know one another over a complimentary appetizer. After the hour was up the floor would be opened up for dancing and light-hearted fun with no obligation to the other person. If either person was interested in following up, they would indicate that on their ticket stub and return it to the hosts at some point in the night, and a connection would be made - that is if both parties expressed an interest.
An hour wasn't a big deal and it was less of a deal since she was buzzed. Worst case scenario she would meet someone she absolutely detested and would simply fall back on talking about herself or non-controversial topics that she and the other person would most likely see eye to eye on. Best case scenario she would find what she was looking for. A satisfactory scenario would be running into someone she went to high school with; at least they would have one thing in common and killing an hour would be effortless.
With the event not due to begin for a half hour, she and Bonnie finished their drinks - sooner than intended - and headed to the washroom to ensure their appearances were still acceptable after the being caught up in the snowy wind outside.
There were a few other women in the bathroom - some their age and a few a little bit older. She recognized some of them, but not well enough to say hello.
She laughed at herself when she moved in front of the mirror with Bonnie. The red heart-shaped glasses she had picked up from the bargain store earlier in the day amused her. Bonnie told her they would make an immature first-impression to her "match" but she disregarded her warning. She could care less what a stranger whom she'd talk to for an hour thought of her. This was who she was; you either accepted it or moved on. She was here to have fun, first and foremost. She wasn't going to take this day seriously. She wanted to make light of it. Besides, everyone dressed silly for every other holiday - why not Valentine's?
Besides the touch of fun the glasses provided, she gazed self-consciously over the rest of her appearance. While she knew she really had nothing to be concerned about compared to some people appearance-wise; a girl always had that lingering doubt.
She was wearing a form-fitting off the shoulder white dress with three-quarter sleeves. She had made it herself. With it being winter she had on black tights underneath accompanied by some black covered heels. Her hair was down and wavy and her jewellery was simple; just a pair of clear studded dropped earrings. Her eyes were accentuated with a light eye-shadow, a deep line of black eyeliner and mascara while her lips were painted red.
After straightening out her own outfit and reassuring herself that she looked better than half the people in this place, she admired Bonnie's outfit, satisfied that Bonnie opted to wear the deep red strapless dress she had suggested she wear. The dress showed off her legs and just a bit of cleavage.
If she and Bonnie couldn't catch the attention of two guys tonight, then she didn't know which girl could.
"I don't know why I let you to convince me to do this," Bonnie groaned as she fixed her eye makeup.
She rolled her eyes.
"Come on, Bonnie. It'll be fun. Besides, after the hour is up we can return to our sexy girl dates," she giggled, wiggling her eyebrows.
Bonnie smirked
"And you never know, you might find someone worth pursuing. There were some decent-looking guys out there," she said encouragingly. "This isn't serious. Would you rather be back at the hotel watching cheesy rom-coms while finishing up Elena's centrepieces?" she pointed out.
That seemed to reassure Bonnie and she shook her head in protest.
"Let's go get another drink," Bonnie declared, as she placed her makeup compact back in her black clutch.
She followed Bonnie back to the bar and reluctantly ordered another drink, knowing that this would be the last one for awhile.
If she drank too much she knew she'd do something she regretted. She didn't want to find out tomorrow that she had entertained all the patrons by dancing sexily on the bar top. That would not happen tonight.
At this point the Grill was a little busier. She was actually surprised to see so many Mystic Falls singles in attendance.
She was impressed that the singles of Mystic Falls had been able to occupy one of the most popular restaurants on Valentine's Day. She assumed the couples opted for the more romantic ambiance that the ritzier Italian restaurant down the street could provide.
Before long, the hosts began to draw and pair numbers.
Bonnie's number was called fairly early on along with her assigned table number. Bonnie gave her an apprehensive stare as she walked slowly in the direction of her table.
When her number was finally called she scanned the room for her corresponding table. She followed the numbers and noted a small open table alongside some of the booths. She was hoping for a booth, but the table would be easier to dash from in case she got paired up with a real creep. Even better, the position of the table made the bar, the back exit, and the washrooms all easily accessible.
She walked towards the table confidently; her Valentine for an hour not yet there.
Sifting her way through the crowd, she sat down at the table and waited anxiously for her mystery guy.
She searched for Bonnie to no avail.
"Caroline; fancy seeing you here, love," a familiar accented voice rumbled from behind her.
Goosebumps quickly spread across her exposed shoulders and she scoffed disappointedly, but still clinging to hope that he would not sit down; that his number had not been paired up with hers.
When he rounded the table and sat down, she let out a defeated sigh.
"I can't believe this," she complained.
Okay, so maybe this was about to be the worst hour of her life ever.
Niklaus Mikaelson was sitting at her table. He was her Valentine for the night. How bad was her luck? How unfair was her life? This was terrible.
Not only had his younger sister terrorized her and her friends throughout high school, he had developed quite the reputation for himself as well before he left town.
It was beyond her how Elijah's younger siblings could be so different from him.
She could never stand Klaus's cocky attitude. It was revolting how full of himself he was. He plowed through women like it was nobody's business and then had the audacity to try it with them a second time in hopes they had forgotten what an asshole he was. Sadly, most girls around her age did and welcomed him with open arms – or should she say legs.
Luckily, she had never fallen for his tricks, even though high school girls had been his specialty. He had been a few years older than her, but she forgot the exact difference. He had tried to get into her pants on several occasions by flirting with her, offering her movie dates and rides home from school. It was pathetic really. She saw right through it. She owed that partly to the fact that she had been Tyler Lockwood's girlfriend through most of high school and therefore was preoccupied.
Had she been single she always wondered if she would have been naive as the other attention-starved girls around her. He wasn't exactly the easiest person to resist if you were vulnerable. He may have had a less than savoury reputation, but he had been blessed with amazing genes; and as much as girls wanted to say they valued more than looks in a guy, it was hard to say no to a blue eyed, dirty blonde devil with a fantastically chiselled jaw, lean body, kissable lips, and a delightful accent.
And as he sat down and straightened out the casual black suit he was wearing, none of that had changed. In fact, age had rendered him even more delicious. How was that even fair?
He had the stem of a glass of red wine between his fingers while the other hand thumbed at the list of appetizers.
She held her breath so as not to inhale his scent; which could really only be summarized as seduction, plain and simple.
Indeed; she was vulnerable now.
Taking a long sip of her whiskey drink, she then crossed her arms under her chest, clearly unimpressed with this event she had been so eager to get Bonnie to participate in her with. Would it be too late to approach the hosts for a redraw, she wondered.
"What are you doing here?" she said, trying to mediate between polite curiosity and utter disdain.
Surely he couldn't be here seeking a genuine match. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't single at all.
He smirked and she tingled faintly with the appearance of his dimpled smile.
"Well, my brother Kol dragged me here; he thought it would be fun. In fact, I think he's been paired up with your friend...what's her name? Bonnie? Didn't they date in high school?" he recalled.
She tried to look for her friend once more, but had no luck. If his statement was true, she would never hear the end of it from Bonnie when they regrouped in an hour. Bonnie loathed the Mikaelson family - minus Elijah - just as much as she did, even though she did seem to remember a few dates between Bonnie and the younger Mikaelson. That made things even worse. Who wanted to be paired up with a former date gone sour?
Shaking her head, she dropped it towards the table as she combed her fingers through her hair...only recalling then the sunglasses she was still stupidly wearing in celebration of the occasion.
There was no more light-hearted celebrating to be done. Embarrassed, she lifted the glasses from her eyes and placed them atop the table beside her cutlery and black and white patterned clutch.
He was smiling at her as though she was some entertainment for him to be amused by.
"Cute glasses," he remarked.
She scowled as she felt her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink.
"I'm not really in a festive mood anymore," she said lowly.
This seemed to amuse him even more, as though he was revelling in her misery.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were with Lockwood?" he asked.
She shook her head. It's not like she could lie to him. He would see right through it. However, exposing her vulnerability to him made her cringe. Really, she was surprised he even remembered anything about her.
"We broke up over a year ago," she admitted.
He seemed to look at her remorsefully, but she wouldn't think too much of it.
"Oh. I wasn't aware," he said innocently.
Things fell silent for a few moments before she motivated herself to push through the hour with some more questions. She couldn't sit in awkward silence for an hour.
"So where do you live now?" she inquired, knowing for a fact that it was not Mystic Falls.
"I live in New York," he revealed.
She groaned under her breath. Of course he did. She had attended school in New York, but she wasn't about to divulge that to him, yet.
"I'm just back in town for an extended weekend; Elijah and Elena's wedding," he explained.
She frowned. How could she forget that he was somehow related to Elijah Mikaelson? It really wasn't that difficult, they were complete opposites.
"Oh...you're invited to that," she observed.
"Actually, I'm in the wedding, love. I'm the best man," he reminded her.
Oh right. Of course he was in the wedding. Elena had told her of the groomsmen some months ago, but she had blocked the mention of Klaus from her mind. He hadn't been involved much with the wedding, but his residence in New York seemed to account for his absence. She had been hoping all along that he had simply been dropped from the roster. Not only had her Valentine's Day been ruined, her Saturday would also be tainted by his presence.
"Right, I forgot," she admitted.
"So you still live in Mystic Falls?" he asked.
She shook her head, almost embarrassed to admit that she was back in this town even though she had legitimate reasons.
"Yes," she answered reluctantly.
"And what do you do here?" he asked before taking a sip of his wine.
She hated the snarky way that he asked her, as if he was trying to underscore how mediocre her life was.
"I own a small clothing boutique," she explained, almost embarrassed to say it. "What do you do in New York?" she challenged, knowing his answer would be a million times more interesting than hers, even if he was a bartender or a busboy.
"I own a gallery," he revealed. "An art gallery...mostly my work," he clarified.
She had to hide the impressed look she knew that was dying to appear. She didn't know he did much of anything besides chase women. Art was the last thing she expected.
"So there is substance behind Niklaus Mikaelson, after all," she said sarcastically, knowing it was a bit harsh, but her ego was already wounded.
He narrowed his eyes at her, but smirked nonetheless at her comment before the waitress interrupted them for their appetizer order.
The waitress couldn't even be eighteen, but Klaus didn't discriminate; he eyed her flirtatiously as he did with every attractive woman or girl he came across. She rolled her eyes as the waitress warmly received his sickening gaze.
"What can I get you?" the waitress asked both of them, looking to her with severe distaste and a hint of jealous rage.
She shrugged it off. Once the hour was up, he could be all hers.
"Well sweetheart, we haven't had much time to consider our options," he smiled up at the waitress before turning his attention across the table towards her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'll come back," she offered.
"Just order whatever you feel like," she offered to Klaus.
She wasn't in the mood to eat anything now anyways.
He hesitated for a moment, as if to give her time to offer any input.
"The nacho platter is fine," he said, handing the waitress the table's menu.
She grinned one more time at him before scampering off to place his order with the kitchen staff.
"The last time I checked the age of consent in Virginia is eighteen," she muttered.
He smirked.
"Well the last time I checked she was soliciting a platter of nachos, not sex," he retorted humorously.
She scowled at his attempt to avoid her criticism.
"You're disgusting," she muttered under her breath.
He threw his hands up in defence.
"Come on, love, I was just being friendly," he offered.
She glared at him.
"One, don't call me that. Two, eye-fucking is not friendly, it's intrusive," she corrected him.
He laughed.
"Well I suppose old habits die hard," he explained. "It was rude of me. You are my Valentine after all; you're to have my undivided attention for the rest of the hour. I'm sorry," he apologized in a tone that reeked of insincerity.
"I don't want anything from you," she stated bluntly. "P.S. why are you even wasting your time here? I mean an hour is a pretty long time to spend with one woman, when you could just easily flirt with all the waitresses on staff," she remarked, completely unconcerned with hurting his feelings.
"Like I said, Kol dragged me here for something to do. This town isn't exactly filled with exciting alternatives," he pointed out.
She scoffed.
"So you figured you'd come here, lead a lady on for an hour, and if she was promising enough you'd seduce her into bed, and if not, you'd pick up a waitress after her shift?" she concluded.
"You say that like you know me," he mused.
"Isn't that how all single guys operate?" she retorted.
"Then why are you here?" he asked. "If all single men are only out to get laid, and you clearly seem to detest the idea of unattached sex, then why are you here?" he asked.
She hated that he could twist her words and throw her comments back at her.
"Like you, I didn't have many other options," she admitted. "It was either this or Ryan Gosling and centrepiece making," she groaned.
"Well it's nice to know that I beat out Ryan," he chuckled.
"The decision was made before I knew who I would be paired with," she reminded him.
He shrugged.
"So you're not here for sex then?" she countered, her cheeks going immediately red as her question was asked just as the waitress returned with Klaus's appetizer.
He chuckled at her and thanked the waitress before she left.
"Well that depends, love, are you offering?" he asked with a subtle grin.
She nearly choked on her drink. Despite her utter disgust, her body still reacted to his words, tingling at the prospect of his question. She mentally scolded herself.
"Of course not; and even if I was, I certainly wouldn't be offering to you," she exclaimed. "Can we please get off of this topic," she groaned as she rubbed her temples.
He nodded as he finished his wine.
"You're the one who brought it up," he reminded her.
She glowered at him.
"But if your answer is the case, then no. I'm only here to catch up with a hostile acquaintance and best friend to my future sister-in-law," he answered faking innocent intent. "But onto more mannered subjects if you wish..." he started. "Are you looking forward to the wedding?" he asked.
She smiled for a moment as she thought about Elijah and Elena.
"Of course, it's going to be beautiful. I've been helping Elena meticulously plan it for the last year," she said.
"Sounds like fun," he said sarcastically.
"You don't sound too enthused about it," she commented.
He shrugged as he ate some of the nachos from the plate.
"Weddings don't enthuse me much. Personally, I think Elijah is making a mistake. But if he's happy, then so be it," he relented.
Her eyebrows knitted together as she gave him a sour look.
"Your brother and Elena love each other very much. How is getting married a mistake?" she challenged.
"Love is ephemeral. It's unreliable. Besides, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Elijah sets his sights on another young nurse," he said cynically.
Elijah was head surgeon at Mystic Falls General and Elena was fresh out of nursing school. That's how they crossed paths and reconnected.
She scoffed.
"So is that what you're planning to say in your best-man speech?" she asked.
"Of course not; I'll wish them luck, but I don't think it will last," he said simply.
"I'm sure they'll appreciate your warm vote of confidence," she snorted polishing off the last of her own drink.
She couldn't believe this was Elijah's best-man. She had the inclination to call Elena right now and tell her everything Klaus just said to her. He was pathetic. If anyone could withstand the trials of marriage it was Elijah and Elena. Elijah wasn't some cocky hot-shot doctor. He was a humble surgeon who befriended Elena while she was still in nursing school. They had their jobs in the medical profession in common among other things; and despite their crazy schedules they had made it work with one another. She admired that.
"Perhaps you're just projecting your own flaws onto others?" she suggested. "Your brother would never stray; he and Elena are entirely committed to one another," she added.
He rolled his eyes.
"Marriage is for insecure fools," he balked. "But I love my brother, so it's my duty to support him – even when he makes stupid decisions," Klaus added.
She frowned.
"What a great brother you are," she said.
"I suppose he could do a lot worse than Elena for a wife," he admitted.
Her eyes widened and she laughed.
"Wow, the best-man gives his brother, the groom, a back-handed compliment," she gasped in surprise. "This is progress."
He laughed.
"So I take it then you are perpetually single? Or are girlfriends acceptable?" she found herself asking.
"Would I be here if I had a girlfriend?" he replied.
She shrugged.
"I really wouldn't put it past you," she told him.
He sneered.
"Do you really think that low of me?" he asked.
"Well you seem to think that low of others...plus if past behaviour is any indication..." she trailed off.
"Don't underestimate the gossip of a few scorned ex-girlfriends," he said. "I remain single so I'm not forced to cheat. I don't see the appeal of relationships, nor do I see the appeal of cheating," he explained, eating a few more nachos from the plate.
She laughed as she helped herself to some of the nachos.
"You're doing such a selfless service to your community Mr. Mikaelson; sparing women from heartache. Your semblance of a moral compass is truly inspiring," she confessed jokingly.
"You should put your heart-shaped glasses back on; maybe you'll see me more favourably," he joked, signalling to the waitress for more drinks. "But really, you almost sound bitter Miss. Forbes, how did Tyler Lockwood break your heart?" he asked curiously.
She tensed that the subject of Tyler and Klaus's spot-on assumption.
He was the last person she wanted to talk about with Klaus. Klaus would rub everything Tyler did to her in her face. But she knew if she didn't tell him that would only make him more intrigued, and more annoying.
Another waitress brought them over refills of their respective drinks and surprisingly, this time Klaus's attention remained firmly grounded in her direction waiting for her response.
"I was studying in New York, he was studying in Washington. I went to surprise him over spring break in our final year of college, and I found him in bed with another girl," she revealed, waiting for Klaus's advice of 'I told you so.'
He shook his head and sipped from his fresh glass of wine.
"I always knew that kid was a prick," he said.
She looked at him in disbelief.
"Aren't you going to rub it in my face?" she questioned. "Tell me what a fool I was?" she remarked.
"I do possess some manners, sweetheart. I don't kick people when they're down," he said. "Everyone is entitled to one naive experience without judgement, I suppose," he thought.
"Thanks," she snorted. "And just so we're clear, I'm not down anymore. That was over a year ago," she reminded him, not wanting him to think she was still lovesick and heartbroken over Tyler Lockwood.
"No, you're just here at some cheesy Valentine's Day singles event," he pointed out.
"So are you," she retorted.
"Touche," he laughed. "So you went to school in New York?" he asked.
She chided herself for letting that slip.
"Yes; Fashion Institute of Technology," she told him, proud of the fact that she had attended one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the U.S. but anxious for the question that typically followed.
"And you came back to Mystic Falls?" he asked predictably.
She nodded reluctantly, hesitant to reveal the truth behind her return.
Instead, she gave him the answer she most gave to acquaintances; bad break up and a pile of school debt.
He seemed to accept it.
"My store is a modest success and I do quite well online," she explained, hoping to fully convince him.
It was true, she did well for herself considering she was in small-town Virginia. However, this had never been her original dream.
"I'm surprised we never crossed paths in New York," he said.
"Well, it's a big city," she mused, sipping her drink, thankful that he had been at least polite enough to order her another along with his own.
He nodded.
"Did you go to school?" she asked him.
"I studied painting at Cooper Union, but I dropped out after two years. The environment was suffocating and I was establishing a name for myself locally as a painter outside of school," he explained.
She laughed lightly.
"You look surprised," he noted.
"Well all this time I thought you were a soulless womanizer, and now I find out that instead of disappearing to the Playboy Mansion, you actually went off to a prestigious art school. Sorry, I just need time to reconcile the dissonance I'm experiencing right now," she told him. "Elena or Elijah never really mentioned what you were up to," she added.
"I don't think soulless womanizer and art student are mutually exclusive," he pointed out.
"Good point," she said.
She shuddered when she felt his leg brush against hers under the table accidentally.
"Sorry," he apologized, in a seemingly sincere way.
She nodded as she took a long drag from the straw in her cup.
It bothered her to no end that she could feel any inkling of attraction for this man. She felt desperate and pathetic, but the blue of his eyes were intoxicating.
"So there's been no one since Tyler?" he asked nonchalantly; as if asking about her personal life was a general point of conversation.
"No," she replied meekly, exposing her vulnerability for him to see.
She considered making someone up, but she knew how that might go if their non-existence was ever discovered. She wasn't good at making up elaborate stories on the spot anyways.
He eyed her pensively.
"Now you seem surprised," she said nervously.
He shrugged as he began to play with the stem of his wine glass.
"Well you're an attractive woman, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," he said, looking up at her, nearly sucking the breath from her lungs with a single glare.
No one had ever called her a woman before, let alone an attractive one.
She was pathetic, she thought; she was eating right out of the palm of his hand; falling for him hook, line, and sinker.
"Well I work a lot and my boutique isn't exactly a great way to meet straight men. I'm really too busy to be bothered," she breathed.
"Even for sex?" he asked bluntly.
Her cheeks went as red as Bonnie's dress and her fingers pressed around her glass for dear life.
"I didn't know my sex life – or lack thereof – was an open book for discussion," she retorted.
"Oh come on, love. We're all adults here..." he pointed out. "We can talk about sex – or lack thereof – without shame, can't we?" he pushed, clearly thrilled by how awkward he was making her feel.
Despite how uncomfortable he was making her, she couldn't help but feel the smile that crept upon her lips.
"No," she relented. "I don't have time for sex; because unlike some people, I have standards," she retorted.
His mouth went agape and he actually seemed taken aback by her sass.
"Are you implying that I don't have standards?" he rejoined.
She shook her head.
"I never said that. I just meant that I don't go around having meaningless sex every week because of my standards in men," she clarified.
He fell back against the chair, his leg brushing against hers as he did, taking another sip of wine.
"So tell me then, what are your standards?" he challenged.
"He can't be into meaningless sex," she said straight-faced.
He burst into laughter and she followed suit, knowing that she was only partly joking.
Every guy was into meaningless sex at some point in their lives; she'd be limiting herself to no one if that was her actual standard.
"I can see why that might present a problem," he chuckled. "I suppose you'll be abstinent for awhile," he said.
She shrugged.
"I'm quite capable of taking care of myself," she flirted.
She just so obviously flirted with him; she was cringing on the inside with embarrassment.
His eyebrows rose and he looked at her with intrigue.
"I'm sure you are, sweetheart," he breathed, his leg grazing by hers once more; and judging by the look in his eye she knew this time it had been intentional.
She quivered at the husky sound of his voice and for the first time tonight, she wondered if asshole Niklaus Mikaelson could be her Mr. Right Now for the night. If she was going to break her no one-night stand policy who better to do it with than him, right? He wasn't a total stranger; the chances of her being murdered by him were slim; he was her best friend's fiancés best man. The wedding party was staying at a hotel anyways so there would be camera footage if anything fishy happened. Moreover, she would tell Bonnie exactly what was going on. Even better was the fact that after this weekend he would never come back to Mystic Falls other than for special occasions. She wouldn't have to worry about awkwardly running into him every day.
It was ridiculous that she was even considering sleeping with him. This was Niklaus Mikaelson, the guy she loathed throughout all of her teenage years. It seemed hypocritical of her. Then again, the fact she had no interest in him beyond a physical nature could work to her advantage in that she knew she wouldn't grow attached to him.
"But sometimes it's nice being taken care of by someone else," he flirted back.
She knew exactly what he meant by being taken care of and it made her shiver with lust. Yes, her body was falling victim to his allure.
Her breathing quickened and she searched for a response.
It was now or never.
A voice cut her off before she could continue their little provocative dance.
"Hey everyone, thank you so much for participating in our Valentine's Day match event, but the hour is up. The floor will be opened up for dancing, and if you're interested in exchanging info with your match, please come see me or Holly at the front before you leave," the male host said through the microphone at the stage area.
It was as if he was the voice of reason, knocking her from the trance that she had fallen into with Klaus.
She finished her drink as he finished his.
Klaus stood up before she could, as though he was eager to flee from the situation.
To her surprise, he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it teasingly.
"This was a fun hour Caroline. I look forward to seeing you at the rehearsal dinner tomorrow evening," he said with a smile.
She returned a faint smile, the confidence she once had slowly fading away with every second guess.
Before she knew it, he was walking away from the table and she was left alone to lambast herself for not acting on her impulses. She tended to let her worry get the better of her always. She never took a chance. It's not like he was proposing marriage...only sex had been suggested, why was she overanalyzing it and hesitating? At this rate, she would never break her dry spell.
"Caroline! We need to get a drink, now," Bonnie's demanding voice said from behind her.
Startled, she stood up to greet her friend. She couldn't tell if Bonnie was enraged or thrilled.
Bonnie practically dragged her to the bar and they both took a seat. Feeling discouraged, she was no longer interested in consuming alcohol, but she ordered another drink reluctantly after Bonnie did.
"You will never believe who I was paired with," Bonnie exclaimed, before taking a long drink.
"Kol Mikaelson?" she guessed, knowing her chances of being correct.
Bonnie's eyes widened as she nodded.
"Oh my god! Did you see us?" Bonnie wondered.
Before she could answer Bonnie interrupted.
"We dated a few times in high school, I thought he was a complete dick," she groaned. "But seriously Caroline, he looks so good now. We were flirting like crazy," she squealed. "He and his siblings are in town for the wedding," she added.
"I know, Bonnie. I was paired with his brother, Klaus," she revealed.
Bonnie's face contorted into one of disgust as she expected.
"You were paired with Niklaus? Are you serious? Oh my god. He's Elijah's best man. Let me guess, he tried to get into your pants in the first five minutes," she blabbed.
She laughed at Bonnie's appraisal of him; eager criticize him and rush to his defence all at once.
"Something like that," she said, leaving out the part where she had played his game just as well as him.
Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"How predictable of him. I guess he hasn't changed much," she concluded as they both continued to nurse their drinks.
"So if you clicked with Kol so much then why aren't you still talking to him?" she asked Bonnie.
"One, I didn't want to seem too desperate. Two, I wasn't going to bail on you. Sexy girl dates, remember?" Bonnie said. "Besides, I'm sure I'll run into him tomorrow night at the rehearsal dinner."
She nodded.
"Well thanks for being so considerate," she replied.
Both of them fell silent as they took a few minutes to check their phones. She barely had any messages aside from a couple Elena had sent about wedding details.
With all messages read and replied to, she turned in her chair to scan the rest of the bar for any more familiar faces, knowing all along she was searching for his.
When she saw Kol at the opposite end of the bar her face lit up and she tugged on Bonnie's arm.
"Isn't that Kol over there?" she asked pointing discreetly in his direction.
Bonnie looked immediately and broke into a smile.
"Yes. Didn't he get hot?" Bonnie asked her excitedly. "He looks so good in that white button up shirt," she went further.
She was laughing at Bonnie's clear signs of lust at first sight.
"I mean it's not even entirely about how gorgeous he looks. He likes similar music and he's studying for his Ph.D. in anthropology...just like me," she gasped with excitement.
"And you were the one who didn't want to do this," she pointed out to Bonnie playfully.
Bonnie scowled.
"I never said I didn't want to do this...I just said that it was probably a bad idea," Bonnie clarified.
She raised her eyebrows at Bonnie.
"You can thank me later," she said as Bonnie turned back to gaze at Kol.
She turned back to focus on her drink.
"Hey," Bonnie said, tugging on her dress sleeve. "That's Klaus with him, isn't it?" Bonnie said, redirecting her attention back to Kol.
Klaus was there at the bar with Kol, pushing a drink in his direction.
"Well he certainly hasn't lost any of his good looks. No wonder he's been able to maintain his reputation. What is it with the Mikaelson's?" Bonnie wondered.
She wasn't really paying much attention to Bonnie, too caught up in the sight of the elder Mikaelson brother and how close she had come to giving in.
"No. No way," Bonnie stammered critically, snapping her from her thoughts.
"What?" she asked innocently.
Bonnie's eyebrow was arched disapprovingly and she was now completely focused on her.
"I know that look, Caroline," Bonnie said. "You're totally crushing on him, aren't you?"
"He's pretty to look at," she shrugged.
Bonnie shook her head.
"No. Niklaus Mikaelson is trouble, Caroline. He'll chew you up and spit you out. He is far from the relationship type," Bonnie warned.
She sighed warily and dropped her shoulders.
"Maybe I don't want the relationship type Bonnie...maybe I want trouble," she said as she stirred the straw in her drink anxiously. "I mean, I'm sick of waiting. I haven't had sex in over a year, Bonnie," she groaned.
Bonnie laughed and patted her back sympathetically; she had her own seven month dry spell going on, so at least she could empathize with her plight.
"And you think sleeping with him is a good idea?" Bonnie asked.
"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "This is the first opportunity I've had in awhile. He's here for the wedding so I know he isn't gonna pull anything. He's good-looking. And, he lives in New York, so I know the chances of me seeing him again are slim," she reasoned.
"Yeah, you're just gonna have to go through the rehearsal dinner and the wedding pretending as though nothing happened," Bonnie reminded her.
Surely she could get through two days. It's not like she had to have any direct interaction with him.
Both of them turned away when the guys looked in their direction.
"What about your no one-night stand policy?" Bonnie recalled.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures?" she shrugged.
Bonnie snorted.
"Well it looks like you've already made up your mind," Bonnie said.
"Ahem," a voice said from behind them.
They both turned to see Kol standing there anticipatorily behind them.
"Hi," Bonnie said sheepishly.
"Hey," Kol said. "Caroline," he acknowledged.
She gave him a friendly smile before returning her attentions towards to her drink in an effort to give her friend some privacy despite her shameless eavesdropping.
"I thought maybe you might like to dance," Kol offered her friend.
She smirked down at her glass as she listened to Bonnie stutter nervously.
"I...um..." Bonnie started.
Discreetly, she kicked Bonnie in the ankle with the heel of her shoe, giving her friend the push she needed to say yes to the younger Mikaelson.
"Sure," Bonnie said finally.
She smiled to herself as she watched her friend walk towards the dancing crowd with Kol close behind her, his hand on the small of her back.
Upon finishing her drink, her eyes followed the bottles of alcohol on the back wall of the bar until they drifted back to the spot at the bar Kol and Klaus had been sitting at.
She was surprised to find Klaus still sitting there, staring directly at her.
If he was anyone else, she would have been severely creeped out, but she found his attention flattering; in fact, she almost felt light-headed with excitement.
Fighting a smile to no avail, she ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
His eyes were magnetic and she couldn't pry herself away.
He flashed her a grin before motioning for the bartender.
She watched fixedly as he placed an order and then pointed the bartender in her direction.
The bartender quickly prepared two shots, which she quickly concluded would be Soco and lime.
He brought the shot over and placed it in front of her.
"Compliments of the gentleman on the end," he explained. "He also wanted me to give you a message: three-fourteen," he grinned. "I don't know what that number means," the bartender shrugged.
She fingered the shot glass suspiciously, suddenly noticing the plastic card acting as a coaster for the drink. Setting the drink aside, she lifted up the card to inspect it. At first she thought it was a bank card or a piece of identification mistakenly given to her by the bartender. Upon a closer look though she realized it was a hotel key card.
Suddenly the piece of plastic burned in her fingers as she connected the dots. It was a key card for the hotel resort all the out of town members of the wedding party were staying at as well as the location of the wedding itself. Three-fourteen was his room number.
For a second she found herself forgetting how to breathe, still in shock by his audacious move.
Without thinking, she looked over at him.
He met her glance with another infamous smirk and raised his shot glass towards her before tipping it towards his lips and downing the contents.
Wiping the remaining liquid from under his bottom lip with his fingers, he kept his eyes on her as he stood up from the bar chair.
She sucked in a breath as she anticipated his approach, but was disappointed when he turned for the side exit instead.
He was toying with her; setting her up so she could make a move. He wasn't going to make this easy for her. He would only lead her to the water; it was up to her whether or not she would drink. It was up to her whether or not she would go after him.
She shook her head at his ability to get under her skin; to drive her crazy. She barely knew him.
Looking out onto the dance floor she noticed Kol and Bonnie practically dry humping each other.
Bonnie was occupied. This was her chance.
But still, she found herself hesitating as her eyes darted between the shot glass and the hotel key card.
Her body was urging her to move, but she was constricted by her mind's lingering doubt.
She had to stop doing this. She had to stop coming up with excuses to play it safe. This wasn't living. She was already breaking her New Years' resolution to be more spontaneous.
With her internal pep talk done and her mind made up, she quickly brought the shot to her lips and let the contents of the glass slide down her throat.
She picked up the key card, her clutch, and of course, her heart-shaped glasses and headed for the coat-check.
Caroline Forbes was going to live on the edge tonight for once, she thought decidedly.
She called for a cab and texted Bonnie as she waited for her coat to be retrieved.
Given the fact the small size of Mystic Falls and the fact that it was still relatively early, she received a call back on her phone in mere minutes indicating her cab had arrived and was outside waiting in the parking lot.
Hesitantly, she stepped out of the Grill and headed for the cab.
When the female driver asked her where she was headed, she was tempted to give the address to her apartment and call it a night, but instead, she found herself mentioning the name of the hotel instead: the Sycamore Spa and Resort.
It was a torturous ten minute drive to the edge of town where the resort was located. Her mouth was dry with anxious anticipation.
She couldn't believe she was doing this; she was thrilled and repulsed by her actions all at once.
When the cab pulled up at the front entrance of the hotel, it was all she could do count out the cab fare, her hands were shaking.
She walked into the desolate hotel lobby cautiously.
It felt like the staff at the front desk were staring her down as if they knew what she was up to. She was also mindful of the fact that she could run into other members of the wedding party at any moment.
She cringed at the thought of running into Elena, especially without Bonnie since that was sure to rouse Elena's suspicions.
That possibility alone, prompted her to pick up her step as she moved towards the elevator.
Once safely contained inside and all by herself, she let out a long exhale of relief and prepared herself for the next feat.
When the doors opened to the third floor she was startled by a familiar looking couple who stepped on board while she stepped off. They had looked at her curiously but she couldn't pinpoint them. Maybe they were here for the wedding? She couldn't be sure. At least it wasn't Elijah or Elena she thought as she headed down the hall in the direction of three-fourteen.
It didn't take long to reach the room and she eyed the number on the door with trepidation. She had come this far now, she couldn't turn back. She wanted this; she wanted to be here. Besides, the prospect of running into someone she knew made turning back an unviable option.
Removing the key card from her pocket, she slowly placed it in the slot on the door.
A green light appeared and a clicking noise from the door followed, as if it was trying to alert the entire floor of her impending tryst, even though she knew it wasn't that loud.
She pushed the door open to the hotel suite as she knocked lightly on the door.
Yes, she was actually doing this.
She was relieved to see the lights on as she stepped into the room, but she continued to have second thoughts. What if this wasn't even his hotel suite?
No, this was definitely his room. She could smell the musky vanilla scent of his cologne, and she noticed his black jacket hanging on a chair to her left.
She stood in the small foyer taking a few moments to admire its luxury even though Bonnie's suite was similar.
The tiled foyer opened up into a large carpeted bedroom suite, decorated with the rich colours of black, white, and gold. The large king sized bed on the right wall was framed by a tall dark headboard and a bed end bench, on which she noticed rested a black suit case. Across from that on the left wall was an ornate fireplace and mantel with a flat screen television above. Further into the room beside it was a wooden desk. Beyond that, on the wall opposite her, were two chairs and two sets of terrace doors decorated with elaborate drapery. She kind of wished she lived out of town so she could be put up in a room like this for three nights. She looked forward to Saturday night when she'd get her very own room here after the wedding.
Stepping into the main room, she found his absence curious.
"Hello there," his voice said deeply from behind, startling her as electric sparks jolted through her body.
She spun around to see him sitting on the sofa in the corner by the bed.
His back rested against the arm of the sofa as he had what appeared to be a sketch-book propped up against his thighs and a pencil in hand. His black shirt was unbuttoned slightly and she noticed his bare feet pressed into the cushion. She also noted the glass of red wine perched atop the table beside him.
"Hi," she said meekly.
He studied her; seemingly astounded by her appearance. He set his sketchbook to the side and sat up properly.
"You seem surprised..." she started.
He grinned at her.
"Pleasantly," he added, taking a sip from his wine glass.
His statement renewed her confidence and she decided at this point to cast her reservations completely aside and play along with his game.
"I wanted to thank you for the drink," she said.
Chuckling with an arched brow, he stood up from sofa.
"Would you care for another?" he asked, moving past her to the small mini bar at the other corner of the room.
She nodded as she removed her jacket and placed it over the upholstered bench at the foot of the bed, along with her clutch.
"There's no SoCo here, love. Will red wine suffice?" he asked; his eyes aflame as he stared in her direction.
"That's fine," she answered as he poured her a glass.
She accepted the glass from him graciously and took a short sip as he watched her drink.
"Also, you left this behind at the bar," she said holding out the key card. "I wanted to return it," she offered.
His smile widened at her playful innocence.
He took the card from her, allowing their hands to touch briefly.
"I was wondering where that went," he mused, before taking a drink from his own glass.
He circled around her with an amused expression.
"You know, it's a little out of your way for you to come here to utter a simple thank you and return a lost key card..." he trailed off, his breath just faintly touching the skin of her shoulders as he came to face her once more – a little closer than before.
She shrugged.
"A your welcome, and a thank-you would be sufficient," she suggested.
"And how do you propose I do that?" he wondered, drawing even closer to her.
Shivers ran down her spine.
"Do what?" she asked, playing dumb as he circled behind her once more.
She didn't like not being able to see him, knowing he was right behind her. It made her uneasy.
"Thank you? How can I thank you?" he clarified before lightly brushing his lips across her shoulder.
The air went still and she went completely frigid with his unexpected touch.
This was actually happening, she had to tell herself again.
He kissed the nape of her neck, as if testing the waters to see if she would refuse him.
She didn't.
Instead, she let her eyes fall shut and her hands drop to her sides as she focused on the soft touch of his lips.
However, her brief escape was soon interrupted by the sound of her phone from inside her clutch.
Her eyes snapped open, his kisses stopped instantly, and she pulled herself away from him.
She could have just ignored it, but it could be something important.
Setting her glass of wine down on the table by the sofa, she struggled to open her clutch, many of its contents falling on the floor as she dug for her phone.
As she expected, it was Bonnie.
"Hello?" she answered as she began to pace around the room.
"You've been ignoring my texts. You better not be at the hotel," Bonnie chastised.
She scowled at her friend as she watched Klaus eye the items that had fallen from her clutch.
"I'm fine. Are you okay? You said it was okay that I left," she wondered as Klaus looked at her curiously.
"Don't change the subject," Bonnie complained. "Kol's bringing me back to the hotel. Do I need to make a stop at Klaus's room?" she asked in a motherly tone.
"No," she laughed, trying to contain her frustration as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Okay, but you better text as soon as possible in the morning," Bonnie warned.
"I will," she promised. "Good night," she added before ending the call.
She discarded her phone on the nightstand and looked to find Klaus fidgeting with the glasses she had brought to the bar.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Just a concerned friend," she mused as he moved around the bed in front of her.
"The same friend who was into my brother tonight?" he inquired.
She nodded.
"Yes, Bonnie," she answered. "They seemed to hit it off well," she observed.
"He never would have approached her a second time without my encouragement," he bragged.
She smirked as he put the heart-shaped glasses on.
"How nice of you," she laughed, watching him check himself out in the mirror beside the bed.
He shrugged as he turned back to her.
"It was selfish of me really," he paused. "I only encouraged him so I could have you to myself," he admitted.
She blushed.
"Well you didn't need to lead me on a scavenger hunt to do that," she pointed out.
He smiled and she appreciated the dimples that formed on his cheeks.
"Perhaps not; you are my Valentine after all," he concluded as he inched closer to her.
Her breathing heightened accordingly and she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips against her own.
"Are the glasses working?" she laughed.
He shook his head and tossed the glasses onto the nightstand.
"I much prefer to look at you unobstructed, sweetheart," he said as he leaned over her, his hands pressed into the mattress on either side of her. "You're gorgeous."
She felt her body go warm instantly with his flattering admission.
And with that, he kissed her; his lips melting against hers sending her spinning in a whirlwind of feeling. His kiss was slow at first, but as she reminded herself how kissing worked and began to reciprocate, he grew more confident.
As she had anticipated, he was an exceptional kisser. His kiss was the perfect combination of titillating suspense and gratification. His lips and tongue worked against hers with ease; neither of the two too overbearing.
She had kissed too many guys who thought the aim of kissing was to see how far they could drive their tongues down her throat; Klaus wasn't one of them. He knew exactly what he was doing and she was grateful.
He followed her as she fell back against the bed, climbing over top of her.
Their hungry kisses continued for a few moments, before he stopped.
She looked up at him as he looked down at her.
"What?" she asked.
"Before we do this I want to make sure you know I'm serious when I say I don't do serious," he breathed hesitantly, as if he expected her to refuse him in lieu of his words.
She nodded.
"And I don't do serious with guys who don't do serious," she answered. "Just give me tonight," she whispered.
Her hand boldly curled around his neck to bring him down to her lips once more.
With the terms of their agreement set, he went further this time, allowing a hand to snake its way up her thigh and over her hip before gliding along her chest that was covered by her second-skin dress.
She revelled in the feeling of his hand on her. She hadn't been touched like that in so long.
A little braver now, she allowed her own hands the opportunity to explore him; to feel the slight stubble on his cheeks, his broad shoulders and the hard contours of his torso.
As their intense kisses continued, he settled himself in between her legs and she could feel his arousal firm against her pelvic bone.
She murmured into the kiss as he grinded his hips against hers.
So desperate for contact, she tugged hurriedly at the buttons of his collared shirt.
She got half way before he rose up in between her on his knees and finished the job himself.
He pulled the shirt off his arms and cast it aside before focusing on her. She had managed to kick one heel off while he undressed and he helped her with the other one.
With her shoes removed, he ran his hands up her legs, over the material of her tights, and then under the skirt of her dress.
She chewed anxiously on the inside of her cheek as he pulled both her tights and panties down her legs at the same time.
Those items of clothing were soon tossed to the floor and although she had the cover of her dress, she was still exposed to him.
He climbed back over top of her indulging her in the feeling of his fingertips against the bare skin of her thighs.
She kissed him hard when he found her way to her lips before releasing him to kiss down her neck and onto her collar bone. She knew by the way he was kissing and sucking ravenously at her flesh that there would be marks to cover up in the morning. However, at the moment, she was unconcerned.
The sensation of his lips and his hand inching its way closer to her centre was too overwhelming for her to care.
"This dress needs to come off," he hissed against her skin as he tugged at the material.
She nodded breathlessly and pulled herself out from underneath him.
He propped himself up on the bed with his elbows as she slid off the bed to remove her dress.
His eyes were gazing at her hungrily and a moment of insecurity hit her as she began to undress in front of him.
She reminded herself that this wasn't about impressing him. She didn't owe him anything. They were simply here to enjoy each other as they were.
The room's dim lighting also didn't hurt as she lifted the material of the dress up her thighs and over her hips.
It also helped that he sat up and began to finish undressing himself as she did.
She could hear the material of the dress complain slightly under her manipulation; despite the elastic nature of the material, she had obviously stitched it too tightly in places. That and she wasn't taking care to remove it either as she slipped it quickly over her head.
Letting the material drop to the floor, she found herself standing there in front of him with nothing but a white strapless bra to shield her body.
She also found him sitting in front of her completely undressed.
He eyed her as if nothing was out of the ordinary; without shame. Really he had nothing to feel shameful about. His body was perfect; well endowed in all the ways that counted.
She smirked from embarrassment when she realized she had been ogling him a little too long.
He extended his hand to her.
"Come here," he instructed.
She took his hand and climbed onto his lap so she was astride him.
His erection was pressed flush against her and she felt more blood rush from her head down to the apex of her thighs.
He kissed her again fervidly as he tangled his hands in her hair.
Falling back against the bed, he took her with him; their lips never once losing their connection.
Her body was aching with want, coiled tightly like a spring waiting to be released.
She missed this. She hadn't even realized how much she missed this until now with her body pressed against his and his lips on her skin.
His hands undid her bra expertly and she pushed it aside as it fell onto his chest.
Her back arched instinctively as he lifted himself up underneath her to lavish attention upon her newly exposed breasts. He fondled one with his hand while his lips and tongue appreciated the other. Her head was swimming in an ocean of pleasure at this point. Her mind was on vacation and her body was in complete control.
She could feel herself gush against his manhood, slickening him with her desire. She was inclined to feel embarrassed, but she shut out the thought. This was what he wanted.
Her centre was aching for more contact and she wanted nothing more than to envelop him completely inside of her, but her mind's vacation was not permanent. Responsibility begged her to ask a question.
"Do you have something?" she breathed, hoping he knew exactly what she was referring to.
He looked up at her for a few moments, as if his own mind needed time to come down from its own vacation to register what she was asking.
Quickly, she scrambled to figure out how she would fight against the lustful screams and yearnings of her body if he said no. As much as she wanted this now, peace of mind was more important to her later.
He nodded.
She climbed off of him and he shuffled to the edge of the bed. He flipped open the lid of the suitcase and reached inside.
It was hard for her not to jump to negative conclusions about the fact that he carried condoms with him, but she shrugged them off in favour of appreciation; for their night would have ended here had he not had them. Really, she shouldn't have left it up to him – or any other guy for that matter – but she had stopped carrying condoms with her and taking the Pill after Tyler. There was no action to be had and she wasn't expecting this after a year of nothing.
He soon found what he was looking for and he returned to his position beside her.
She thought about taking the square little packet from him and putting the condom on herself, but assuming he had more experience and knowing she was a little out of practice, she waited for him to open the wrapper.
He slid the latex over the shaft of his erection and crawled towards her.
Her chest heaved with anticipation as she stopped him mid-way.
She wanted to be on top.
He seemed to understand her intent by her body language and he fell onto his back obligingly.
She straddled his waist anxiously as she kissed her way up his torso.
He was trembling beneath her.
She smiled against the ridges of his ribs and continued her path, dragging her tongue over his chest and along his jaw.
Holding herself above him with one arm, she kissed him cravingly and he kissed her back impatiently.
She used her free hand to stroke him until he was fully hard and ready for her.
He growled against her lips as she positioned him against her entrance.
She rocked her hips back against him slowly and he slipped inside her ever so slightly before she repeated the movement; every time, taking him in a little deeper.
As much as she wanted to take him all in, she knew she had to take it slow. Given his size and her lack of sexual activity, anything faster at this point would be painful for her; hence why she wanted to be in control.
He looked up at her longingly as he rested his hands on her hips to guide her movements.
They both gasped in unison once she took him in completely.
She winced slightly as he stretched her, but as she worked her hips into a steady rhythm the long forgotten feeling of euphoric bliss began to rise up inside of her.
Watching the subtle expressions of pleasure cross his face, she encouraged his hands to roam over her skin while she rode him.
The feeling of him filling her was overwhelming.
Before long her body was shaking and her legs were aching from the unfamiliar exercise.
"Take me," she pleaded submissively, no longer able to take the lead.
He sat up eagerly and kissed her hard as he remained stationary inside of her.
Sliding off of him, she rested on all fours and waited for him to gratify her request.
He was breathing behind her in razor sharp pants as he aligned himself with her centre.
This felt so wanton and inappropriate, but she had never felt more sensual or aroused.
He kissed his way along her spine and ran his hands through her hair as he plunged inside of her.
She clenched her fingertips into the bed comforter to suppress her impulse to cry out but it didn't work. Moaning loudly she pressed her lips against the material in an attempt to stifle the noise, afraid that the neighbouring hotel guests would hear her.
He met her noises with his own and he was almost as loud as she was. She liked that.
His hands curled around her, one in between her legs and the other against her breast.
She mewed under his touch as he growled against her skin.
He moved harder and faster and she cried out uncontrollably as his manhood stroked her in the most teasing of ways.
Her face was burning and her head was nearly pounding from the build of her orgasm.
Yes, she was going to cum.
"More," she whined as his hips slammed against her backside.
Her thighs clenched tightly and she held her breath in wait for her release.
Every caress of her nipples, every swirl of his fingertips against her clit, and every thrust of his hips pushed her closer.
"Let go, sweetheart," he demanded breathily against her right ear.
She clenched her eyes shut as she chased after that fleeting sensation. Catching it, she grasped it readily and let it overtake her.
Her orgasm shot through her like an explosion and she shook violently as a result. She cried over and over as she clenched around him involuntarily.
His climax soon followed as he thrust erratically inside of her.
She was so disillusioned by her own fading orgasm that she barely noticed the noise they made.
He curled his body overtop of hers, resting his head against her back as he struggled to steady his breathing.
She collapsed under his weight and fell against the blankets. He followed suit, falling beside her.
With her high rapidly subsiding now, reality began to sink back in as she stared absently up at the ceiling.
Yes, that just happened. She just had sex with Niklaus Mikaelson. Now feeling unnerved, she slipped a sheet over her body and turned on her side away from him.
A wave of guilt hit her as he kissed her shoulder blade and slid out of bed for the bathroom.
As the bathroom door clicked shut she considered slipping on her things and making an escape, but he was done before she even had a chance to get out of bed.
With the bathroom free, she decided that was her next best alternative. Picking up her bra and panties, she moved past him silently as he put himself in a pair of boxers.
She used the bathroom and dressed herself in the skimpy underwear she had worn to the bar. Yet another downside to a one night stand, she thought.
The lights in the bathroom were unforgiving and she scoffed as she examined herself in the mirror. She looked terrible. She cleaned her face the best she could and took a drink of water from the tap.
She wanted desperately to leave; to run down to Bonnie's room and spend the night with her instead, but the possibility of Kol spending the night with Bonnie discouraged her and she didn't want to offend Klaus.
She could lie to him and make up some excuse about how she had to work tomorrow, but that would have been a lie. She had wedding commitments all day tomorrow with Elena and she had already asked one of her employees to oversee the store.
At the same time, as much as she wanted to leave, the thought of returning to her empty apartment was depressing.
Sighing, she gave up and stepped back into the room just as he emerged back in the room from the terrace doors. He had been smoking. She thought she could taste it on him when he kissed her. She hated guys who smoked.
"Here, love," he said, tossing her the shirt he had worn earlier in the night.
She accepted it reluctantly, taking it as a sign he wanted her to stay. She slid her arms through the sleeves and wrapped it around herself.
He pulled off his jacket.
"We should get some sleep. I expect Elena and my brother have quite the itinerary planned for us tomorrow," he said.
She nodded quietly as she walked around the bed and climbed under the covers.
He shut off the lights with a switch by the bed and climbed in beside her as if this was their regular routine – perhaps for him it was, she thought.
She welcomed the darkness and closed her eyes in an effort to get any amount of sleep while she lied next to someone who she had only just become reacquainted with hours ago; her Valentine.
A/N: So it's purely coincidental that like Give Me Love, this story depicted an intended one-night stand. That's just where my inspiration took me when I wrote this. Real events that may have happened to me or a friend did very very loosely inspire this one-shot.