A/N My Sookie's Secret Santa gift for Beatlechicksteph. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the original posting. It killed me that I couldn't respond to them individually saying thank you. I'm glad you all liked this kinda unconventional storytelling idea.
Sookie
I'm not quite sure about this, telling the story of Eric and I. But everybody keeps asking how we met, how did such a match become possible. Which really irks me. Are they insulting Eric or me? Both? Eric says don't worry about it, but how can I not?
So, I decided to record this so that, once and for all, people would see and understand and stop asking questions. Plus, it'll give me a chance to relive it all. The good…the very good….the oh, my God!
Eric
Sookie! I thought you were telling our story, not recording a porno.
Sookie
He's such a party pooper. How about the good, the bad, and the ugly?
Eric
Taken, but it'll work.
Sookie
Okay, then. Well, once upon a time…
Eric
Sookie, I swear…
Sookie
Hey, I'm the one telling the story here. Quit interrupting. Okay, fine. Eric and I met a year ago –
My day, which hadn't been the greatest, got worse when, while walking from work to do some shopping in the city, the heavens opened, and it started pouring. Not just your regular light rain, either. It poured. I tried walking faster, thinking I could still make it to my destination, but then the wind picked up, and it was cold!
I hadn't expected anything like this and didn't even bring a jacket or umbrella. I tried to hug the building I was walking along, but it did no good. My white dress shirt and black pencil skirt were getting steadily wetter, and the cold wind was making it worse.
Still, I persevered, my innate stubbornness making me believe I was okay. It was just a little bit of rain. Then it started to snow. The blowing flakes that suddenly surrounded me, froze me to the spot, no pun intended.
I couldn't believe it. I mean, I know it's New York, and it snows here every year, but it was still September. I hadn't even brought a light coat to work that morning. But yet, here I was, alone on the sidewalk as a nor'easter was building up around me.
Then I started to shake. I saw my shirt had nearly gone transparent, and my skin had permanently turned to goosebumps. I needed to get somewhere, anywhere, where it wasn't snowing, and where it was hopefully warm. Now.
My eyes searched for and found the first door along the sidewalk.
Eric
I've got to interject here to say I did know it was going to snow. All the newscasters were peeing themselves over the "Fall-copalypse."
Sookie
Yes, honey, you're very smart. May I continue?
I opened the door, my eyes barely taking note of the fact that it was old, wooden, and ornate with a heavy metal handle. I wasn't really paying attention and thought maybe I was barging into someone's home, but a bell dinged above me, signalling that I had ducked into a business.
As soon as the door shut, I felt instantly better. I was out of the wind, the rain and snow. But I knew I was a mess. My hair was dripping down my back, my stilettos were ruined and full of water, and my clothes were soaked.
I didn't want to move, as the puddle, forming around my feet, would certainly ruin the highly polished, wooden floor.
"Hello! Excuse me?" I squeaked out, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. I seemed to have stumbled into a sort of bookstore or library or something. It didn't resemble any bookstores I'd been in, which were bright, filled with stacks of hardbacks, paperbacks and various accoutrements. I mean, where was the coffee bar?
Eric, would you stop laughing, please?
As I was saying, I figured it was a bookstore, not a library, 'Cause there was a cash register, and I could see price tags on items. I was about to shout out again when I heard footsteps. The high bookshelves blocked my view of the approaching person, but within a few seconds, he came within view.
He came to a stop as he caught sight of me, and I stared right back. Though at 5 foot 5, a lot of people looked tall to me, I knew he stood well over 6 feet.
His thin frame added to his height, as did the long, blonde hair that fell to his shoulders, straight and silky. Most of it was tucked behind his ears, but a few strands fell in his face. A chiseled, yet soft face with wire rim glasses over clear blue eyes. The sweater he was wearing matched his eyes, and -
Eric
As charming as your first ogle of meis, may I recount what I saw?
Sookie
If you must…
Eric
Sookie – well, I didn't know her name then, but Sookie stood on my welcome rug looking like a drowned kitten.
Sookie
Eric!
Eric
It's true. You were soaked, and your eye makeup had run down your cheeks. But to tell the truth, that wasn't exactly what I was looking at. Her shirt was so wet, it had gone transparent, and I could see the pink lace bra underneath.
Sookie
Okay, that's enough of your point of view.
After we stared at each other for a minute, I found my voice again.
"Hello," I said.
"Hi," the man replied back.
He still didn't make any movement toward me or offer any other conversation, so I kept talking. "It's snowing."
"I know," he said with a nod, taking a couple of steps toward me, his eyes behind those cute glasses looking me up and down.
"I didn't," I said, chuckling a bit, trying to lighten the mood. "As you can see."
"Yes, I can."
I then noticed he wasn't looking directly at me, but at my clothes. My wet, see-through clothes. In a huff of embarrassment and too-late indignation, I crossed my arms across my chest.
"Can you help me, please?"
The movement and tone of my voice must have worked, 'cause the smirk disappeared from his lips, his eyes moved up to my face, and he finally answered me.
"Oh, yeah, of course. Guess it's too late to offer you an umbrella, huh?"
I would've laughed, really, I would have, but my body had different ideas. The rain, the cold, and the snow I'd been bombarded with for ten minutes before finding this safe haven were making their effects known. I began to shiver – almost shaking, really, and I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering.
Thankfully, he saw my distress and told me to stay where I was while he ran back between the bookshelves. Between my teeth chattering and my futile efforts to rub warmth into my arms with my hands, I frowned at his instructions. Where was I going to go?
After a handful of long, cold seconds, he came back with a handful of white terry material. I thought it was an oversized towel, but as he unfolded it and wrapped it around me, I saw it was a robe. A very large, very long robe. He wrapped it around me, and I endeavored to stick my arms through the sleeves. It swept the floor, and after he tied the sash around my hips, he took my hand and tugged me along.
Between my wet, cold feet in three-inch stilettos and the yards of fabric sweeping the floor, I stumbled. "Hang on, I don't think I can –"
Then my words were cut off as he let go of my arm and in one swift move, swept me up, bridal-style, and proceeded to walk me through the store. I could have protested the high-handed behavior, saying if he'd just hang on, I could figure out a way to walk, but I didn't. The robe was beginning to feel really good, soaking up the moisture from my clothes and hair, and I'd stopped shivering.
Not to mention the warmth and security I felt from his body. His lean frame belied his strength – I wasn't overweight, but I wasn't overly skinny, either.
I kept my eyes focused on his neck as we moved through the store. He had a gold necklace on, and my eyes were trying to figure out what hung on it while my mind was wondering where he was taking me. I was about to ask when the bookcases disappeared, and he shouldered open a door.
"Not that I'm ungrateful, but where are we going?" I asked, the odd chatter making my question sound child-like.
"I live back here," my savior said, taking a few more steps in before setting me back on my feet. Unfortunately, I wobbled on my shoes, and the robe's ends weren't making standing on my own two feet easy.
As he let go of me, I felt myself pitching forward and grabbing at his arms. With a steady point of contact, I maneuvered out of my shoes and dropped down to my normal height, my bare feet thankfully hitting firm flooring.
I breathed a sigh of relief and closed my eyes as my equilibrium and body heat began to return to normal. A bemused ahem sounded slightly above me, and I opened my eyes to see my savior smiling down at me, his eyebrows raised at my continued grip of his upper arms.
Eric
Sweetie, as much as I love hearing your voice, are you going to detail every moment? I thought this was going to be a short explanation.
Sookie
You're right, I suppose. I should condense.
Eric
May I take a turn?
Sookie
Of course, this is your story, too.
Eric
She stood there, clinging onto me, still looking like a drowned kitten, but now wrapped in my robe. She'd stopped shivering, but it couldn't have been comfortable covered with wet clothes. After she left go of my arms, I went into my bedroom -
Wait, I guess I should explain that my building is pretty old - store in front, living quarters in back and a few floors of offices. I bought it and restored it several years ago.
I wasn't sure if my clothes would fit her, but I grabbed a thick sweatshirt and some sweatpants, figuring she could roll up the sleeves and legs. I also grabbed a spare towel for her hair.
Coming back out, I handed all of the items to her and pointed the way to the bathroom.
While she was gone, I went back out to the store and locked up. I knew none of my regular customers would come out in this weather. The precipitation had turned to complete snow now, and it started to stick.
Heading back to my place, I saw she was still in the bathroom, so I pulled out my bottle of Jack Daniels. She'd probably still be cold and wouldn't mind.
When the door opened, I was struck dumb by the simple beauty now standing in front of me. Her smudged makeup was gone, giving her a fresh, innocent look complete with big blue eyes. Her hair was pulled up in a knot of some sort at her nape. And my sweats - well, let's just say they never looked that sexy on me.
"I was thinking," she said, hesitating a few feet inside the living room, "Considering I'm now wearing your clothes and invading your space, maybe we should introduce ourselves?"
I was brought out of my ogling by her words and quickly crossed over to her, my right hand extended. "Yeah, yeah. I'm Eric."
She clasped my hand and replied, "Sookie."
Now, I have to say that I'd never heard that kind of name before, and my normal witty self would've made a joke or two, but I couldn't. "Sookie," I said, feeling the sound of her name on my tongue. I have to say, it felt good. "So, how'd you end up outside in a snowstorm?" I asked, motioning her over to the couch.
I handed her a tumbler of Jack, surprised at how she took a healthy mouthful. I was getting to know my little drowned kitten more and more, and liking everything I saw.
"Well, I told you I didn't know it was going to rain – or snow. I'd spent all day in my office, on the phone, talking to my clients. I don't even have a window," she said with a laugh. "I usually just take the subway home, but I'd wanted to do some shopping, so I –"
"Walked out into a snowstorm to do it?" I asked with a smirk, refilling her tumbler.
"It wasn't snowing when I left."
She didn't seem too pleased at my teasing, so I nodded, and –
Sookie
Honey, didn't you say something about condensing?
Eric
But –
Sookie
Let me, okay?
Eric and I talked for a while. The clean clothes helped me, but I have to say the whiskey worked way faster at making me stop shaking completely. Unfortunately, I hadn't eaten since lunch. My shopping trip was going to be followed by supper, and the alcohol on an empty stomach had me drunk quicker than I'd ever experienced.
The last thing I remembered was Eric telling me about how he bought the building and started his bookstore. My work seemed mundane and boring compared to his. I crunched numbers for stock analysts. Eric met and talked with people all day, indulged in his passion, which was buying and selling old – sorry, antique books and documents. He didn't just own a bookstore. He was living his dream.
I fell asleep on his couch, my mind full of my own wishes and dreams of the laughter of children and the smell of a chalkboard.
When I woke, it wasn't where I fell asleep. The hangover and disorientation made me not want to move for a few minutes, and I took the time to ascertain my current circumstances. I was in a large bed – not mine. This had to be a king. The blanket and sheets and pillow were cotton, but soft and comfortable. I should have felt scared that I didn't know where I was, but for some reason, I wasn't. I felt secure and at peace.
That is, until I realized I wasn't alone. I heard Eric say good morning, and –
Eric
Hold on, I gotta do this part.
Sookie
But I'm almost done!
Eric
Please? Great.
Okay, the only reason I'd brought Sookie from the couch into my bed is that I know from personal experience that my couch would have put a permanent kink in her back. My bed is big enough to house a small family, so I figured she'd be more comfortable there.
I was wrong. As soon as I said good morning, she high-tailed it out of there and into the bathroom. Thankfully, I'd already visited the facilities that morning, 'cause it was a good 15 minutes before I saw her again. I figured she'd be five, ten minutes tops, so I got dressed, made the bed, made coffee. I didn't know if she drank coffee in the morning, so I only made me a cup.
After another ten minutes, I knocked on the door. "Sookie? You okay in there?"
She didn't answer, and let me say I was more than a little worried. So I decided to open the door. My eyes focused on the floor just in case she was in some state of undress. "Hey, you okay? I made coffee."
She didn't answer, and I could tell from her bare feet on the tile that she was standing in front of the sink. But she wasn't speaking, and when I raised my head, I caught her reflection in the mirror. She was watching me, and the look in her eyes stopped me cold.
"I swear, Sookie, nothing untoward happened last night. You fell asleep on the couch, and I moved you to the bed."
She didn't look convinced, so I kept talking. I told her how uncomfortable the couch was, and how I made sure to put a couple of pillows between us, and I even looked through her purse that she'd dropped by the front door in case she had someone waiting for her at home, but there was nothing there that indicated she lived with anyone or was married or had children or –
Thankfully, my babbling must have done something, 'cause she turned from the sink and walked up to me, silencing my words with her hand to my mouth. She said she'd love some coffee, and she knew nothing happened last night.
When I asked how she knew, she didn't say anything, but just shrugged her shoulders and pulled me out of the bathroom. We had coffee and talked some more. The snow outside had risen to about a foot, and though New York was used to that and more, it was the middle of September, and not many people had snow shovels ready or snow tires, and the city apparently hadn't even serviced their snowplows yet.
So Sookie and I were essentially snowed in for the day, and let's just say that –
Sookie
Oh, honey, can I?
Eric
If you must.
Sookie
I never left. The bookworm fell in love with the numbers pusher.
Eric
And they lived happily ever after.
Sookie
Oh, I was going to say that.