she turned away, managed a single step before he caught her by the wrists, tugging so that she fell against the solid warmth of his chest. she opened her mouth to protest, let out a breathy gasp instead when his hand dipped beneath the clinging fabric of her work-out tank. his rough, deliciously male palm heated her already-exposed skin while his fingers skimmed her lower ribs and ignited every one of her nerve endings. the spot was shockingly vulnerable - and incredibly sensitive to the touch.

to his touch.

"damon..." her voice was choked, his touch sending shivers down her spine, his fingers stirring the embers that burned low in her stomach and stoking those embers til they burst into flame. her chest was tight, each breath trembling from her mouth as she leaned into his body, arching her back, offering him more access to her sweat-slicked skin.

"right here," he murmured, "just below the ribcage?" he gently pressed the tender area, fingers slipping further under her top as they traced the curve at the base of her ribcage. "that's the spot. that's the way to a vampire's heart."

she trembled when his lips brushed her ear, the warmth of his breath sending her pulse skyrocketing.

"no one is going to hurt you," he promised, voice soft, tone fierce.

she heard the words but couldn't attach meaning to them; her brain was gleefully surrendering to her body, and she couldn't bring herself to fight it.

his hand slipped lower, thumb brushing her navel, pinky sweeping the hemline of her shorts, dipping beneath the stretchy fabric. her heart hammered in her chest as arrows of heat shot straight to her center.

"wh - what are you..."

"shhhh." the whisper was soft and sinful and impossible to resist. she should be pulling away, shouldn't she? she should be fighting him and the things he was doing to her... right?

but what was he doing to her, anyway? next to nothing. true, the elasticity of her top had his hand pressed snug against her skin; true, if he let that hand lower just a little, his touch would go from innocently seductive to dangerously wicked.

but it wasn't. his fingers flexed, tightening in what seemed an involuntary movement, but they didn't wander, just held her in place. she couldn't step away if she wanted to.

she didn't want to.

had stefan ever done this to her? had he ever undone her so completely with the slightest touch?

had anyone?

damon's right hand had her wrist cuffed and pinned to her chest, which rose and fell with each shaking breath. he whispered something but she hadn't a clue what, couldn't make sense of anything but the thrilling hum of his lips brushing her ear, of his breath fluttering warmly against her skin.

"your heart," he murmured, and the proximity of his mouth had her tilting her head back, angling her neck, silently begging him to close the distance and feast on her exposed flesh.

literally or figuratively. at that moment, she'd have willingly given every last drop of blood for the sheer pleasure of feeling his mouth on her.

"it's thundering..."

he released her wrist and ran his hand along her hip, guiding her til her hips were swaying ever-so-slightly. whenever her body shifted, his left hand moved with it, so that it seemed to advance, to creep lower toward the part of her that was begging for him only to retreat again.

she bit back a moan of mindless pleasure.

"oh, god..." the words trembled out as she arched her back.

"what are you doing?"

she blinked in confusion. "what?"

"your hand," he said, voice husky.

she glanced down and saw that she was grasping his wrist, holding his hand in place against her.

no... she wasn't holding it in place, but pulling at it - pulling his hand not away, but down. lower. closer.

her already overheated skin flushed; she was wordlessly begging him to touch her. but despite the wave of embarrassment, she couldn't seem to loosen her grip, couldn't let go.

in an abrupt move, damon spun her around, hands on her hips, body flush against hers. her face was the picture of pure, unadulterated lust, and her eyes latched onto his mouth. if she was anyone else, any other woman in the world, damon wouldn't have hesitated - that glazed fixation on his lips was nothing short of an invitation, and by now he would've already crushed his lips to hers until his kiss drowned out any possible protest.

but it wasn't any woman.

"elena..."

she licked her lips but remained mute.

"you've got ten seconds to walk away. if you don't, i won't let you."

she was hypnotized by him, eyes dazed as they lifted to meet his.

"ten..."

she trembled.

"nine..."

she wanted to touch him but couldn't seem to move.

"fuck," he muttered, and her mouth opened to respond - and was silenced by the searing heat of his lips on hers.

the world spun. electricity crackled in the air. her brain shut down entirely.

when he finally drew back, the breath she exhaled was tremulous. her mouth was swollen and ripe; she licked her lips again, tasted him, heard a throaty hum of pleasure without realizing she herself had made the sound.

"one," he whispered.