"Was this a mistake?"

"I don't think so."

"Of course you don't."

"Elena, you and I both know that wasn't a mistake."

"Then why do I feel so bad about it?"

"Because," Damon murmured, "you've spent so long loving Stefan you don't know how to love anyone else."

She twisted around to face him, looking right into his startlingly blue eyes. "I think I do now," she whispered.

A very primal look shadowed over Damon's face as he took her face in his hands. Every line of her naked body was pressed against every line of his, and he had to admit that it felt even better than he imagined it would. Elena had told him, in the hours they had been lying in the hazy firelight of his room, that she and Stefan never did this. They always had their pleasure and put their clothes back on, went to sleep and didn't talk about it until the next morning. Elena seemed to think that was normal. Damon thought that was the weirdest thing he'd ever heard.

As mind-blowing as the sex was, Damon was almost enjoying this part more. Whenever he had his hookups in the past—even with Rose—as soon as one or both of them were done, they were done for the night. They slept, Damon pretended he was asleep, and usually he ended up outside Elena's house, wishing he could have her asleep in his bed. At least they were somewhat romantic. But ever since Elena fell into Damon's arms that night, they'd been unable to keep their hands off each other.

Elena went with him to get blood bags for the two of them, purely so she could hold his hand while they went. He kept her in the circle of his arms after they slept together, just so he didn't feel like this whole thing was an elaborate dream. Between rounds, they just talked. Damon would stroke her hair; she would play with his fingers. It didn't really matter what they did. They just talked all night, and never lost physical contact with each other.

Because, as the two of them had found out from the moment their bare skin touched, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. And that was why they were still naked, still under the sheets. It was maybe 3 in the morning, and they were still in the same state. They had only moved to take a bath together, which resulted in some serious bath sex. It was almost impossible to stop.

So Damon kissed her again, slowly, languorously, just reveling in the fact that he could do this now, do this without any guilt or fear or nagging sense of responsibility. He didn't have to feel selfish anymore, like he was stealing some flirting or kisses here or there that really should have belonged to Stefan. Because the best part of this whole thing was that Elena chose him. Elena wanted Damon, not Stefan. For once, the woman Damon loves wanted to be with him over his brother.

Elena pulled back for a second. Damon slowly opened his eyes, somewhat confused as to why they weren't kissing. She looked at him seriously as a tear slipped out of her eye. Damon was scared by the crying and the serious expression. He put his hand up to her face, with his fingers lined up with her temple, and gently stroked her face.

"What is it, Elena?" he asked gently.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and put her hand on top of Damon's. Damon suddenly had the feeling that maybe Elena was about to tell him they made a mistake. But she had to feel what Damon felt, right? He would wait for her to feel it. If for some absurd reason she didn't feel the clear electricity between them, he would wait every day of every year for the rest of eternity for her to realize it.

"I love you," She whispered, her eyes darting between the two of his. "You know that, right? When I came here with you tonight, and not Stefan, I made a choice. And my choice was you. I chose you, Damon. It will always be you."

Damon looked into her eyes for several moments, an unreadable expression on his face. It was only when his face cracked a smile and his eyes crinkled that she realized he was trying to reign in his joy. But he couldn't hold it anymore. Damon gasped and feverishly pressed his mouth to hers.

"I love you too," he murmured against her lips. "I have every moment of every day since the day I met you. I was only hoping you would see it."