a/n: A birthday gift for Missus T! Happy Birthday, luv!
"It's a nice morning, Mr. Northman," the Secret Service agent said as a greeting to Eric Northman, Deputy White House Chief of Staff. Eric smiled wryly to himself, as he and Chow had the exact same exchange every morning when Eric entered the West Wing for work.
"We will take care of that in a hurry, won't we Chow?" Eric replied.
"Yes sir," Chow responded stoically, keeping his eyes trained on the door.
Eric walked down the long, winding hallway towards his office while running his schedule through his head.
"Pam, what's my day look like?" Eric asked his assistant as he walked past her desk and into his office. Pam had worked with Eric since he had joined the Norris Presidential campaign a year and a half earlier.
Pam stood from her desk and followed behind Eric with an At-A-Glance day planner.
"You have a senior staff meeting in 15 minutes in the Oval Office, and Stan asked me to remind you to talk to him about you meeting with Alcide Hervaux and Tray Dawson on the Hill about the new gun control legislation. Also, you and Stan will be having a meeting today with the President and someone from the National Security Coucil at two o'clock regarding the military commissions," Pam rattled off before pausing to look up at her boss who was taking off his coat. To someone who didn't know Eric, it would appear that he had not listened to a word that she said. Pam, however, knew him better than most people. "It looks like a fairly light day today."
Eric sighed and plopped down in his chair. Pam tipped her head to look at her boss. He was recently voted Sexiest Political Staffer on the Huffington Post and it was not hard to see why. Eric was classically good-looking with his tousled blond hair and fair skin; he had vibrant blue eyes that darkened depending on his mood.
"That'll change," Eric groaned, wrinkling his nose at the thought of what his day held. Pam just rolled her eyes at her boss.
"Don't make that face at me, Eric. I don't tell you who to see. I just write it down for you."
Eric looked at his assistant as she arched her eyebrow at him with a smirk playing on her lips. She was peering thoughtfully at him over her thick, black glasses. Eric appreciated Pam for many qualities. If it weren't for her Eric wasn't quite sure where he would be some days.
"Alright well I'm going to head down for the meeting. Thanks, Pam," Pam nodded and ducked out the door. Pam was not only Eric's executive assistant, but she was also responsible for three other assistants in their end of the office, so after briefing him she usually took care of briefing them.
Eric leaned back in his chair and sighed. He had signed on to work on the "Norris for America" campaign at the request of Stan Davis. Eric had been a campaign staffer for George Stewart, a Senator from Texas who was the presumptive presidential nominee for the Democrats when Stan approached him about working for the Norris campaign.
Eleazar had gone to Eric four months before the New Hampshire primary and asked him to work for the Norris campaign. Eric was reluctant, but he promised Stan that he would at least go to a townhall meeting that Calvin Norris was holding in Chicago. Eric was frustrated at the time with Stewart's tendency to prioritize politics over his own ideas and convictions, and agreed to do a favor "for an old friend of your father", as Stan had put it. Hearing Calvin speak had changed everything for Eric, and he was so impressed with Calvin's compassion for people, his honesty, and his conviction that he quit the Stewart campaign and switched to the Norris campaign.
When he made that switch he had also managed to bring along his friend Bill Compton.
"Eric!" Pam poked her head in the office, knocking Eric out of his revelry. She waved her arm in a circle, signaling that Eric needed to get a move on.
"I'm going," Eric grumbled, hopping up from his desk. He grabbed a legal pad, and made his way down to the Oval Office.
Eric greeted Mrs. Newton, the Executive Secretary to the President, with his usual boyish grin.
"Good morning, Mrs. Newton!" Eric said cheerfully.
"Good morning, Eric. Would you like a cookie?" Mrs. Newton replied, pointing to the jar she kept on her desk. Eric took one, thanking her politely. Mrs. Newton was a well-respected older woman who was never addressed by her first name (Esther) as a sign of respect amongst the staffers, many of whom viewed her as a substitute mother when they were far from their own homes.
"Good morning, Mrs. Newton! Is the President available?" John Quinn said, his voice booming into the outer office next to the Oval Office that housed Mrs. Newton's and two other desks.
"The President has nothing but free time, John. Right now he's eating Frosted Flakes and watching Good Morning, America! in the residence," Mrs. Newton replied, arching an eyebrow.
"Sarcasm is a disturbing thing coming from a woman of your age," Quinn teased.
"What age is that, John?"
"Mid-twenties?"
"Good boy," Mrs. Newton smiled sweetly.
"Can I have a cookie?"
"No."
Eric chuckled as he munched on his cookie, taking in the indignant look on Quinn's face. John Quinn, Domestic Policy Director, was a hulking man who stood over 6-feet tall and muscular. He looked like he would be more at home with the Secret Service as opposed to the White House senior staff. One thing you don't do is underestimate Quinn; however, was that he was a brilliant political consultant and a lawyer before he joined the staff of the Norris Administration. He had worked on the campaign as a consultant and advisor, and had had owned his own political consulting firm in Chicago. Prior to that, he was a well-known public defender for the city of Chicago. Quinn was infamously a fearless attorney.
If there was one thing Quinn was afraid of, however, it was his wife Maria.
"Hello, gentlemen. You know, last night I flew in on a Boeing 747 and they made me turn off my phone," Bill grumbled, walking into the office.
"Yea, Bill, that's the protocol," Quinn remarked, looking at their slightly surly friend.
"You're telling me that a Lockheed Eagle Series that came off the line twenty months ago and carries a Sim-5 transponder tracking system can still flummox with something I bought at Best Buy?" Bill raised his eyebrow skeptically. Bill Compton was the Communications Director. He was a Louisiana Democrat by birth and a lawyer by trade. He had been working as a corporate attorney when Eric came to him to work on the campaign.
"Good morning, gentlemen!" the chipper voice of Claudine greeted the office. Claudine was a tall, lithe woman with dark hair and big, almond shaped dark eyes She was notorious for being a fashionista and firmly believed that one could work in Washington and still look fabulous. Prior to Bill bringing her on the campaign, Claudine was working in New York as a publicist. She had done some small scale press work for non-profits and political action committees like EMILY's List, but nothing major until Bill walked through her door and offered her a job.
"Hello, Claudine," the guys waved to her.
"The President is ready for you," Jake Purifoy, the Personal Aide to the President said, holding the door open for the staff.
"Stan, what's next?" Calvin asked sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk in the Oval Office. Eric and Bill took a seat on one of the couches while Stan took a seat across from them on the other couch. Claudine perched herself across from the President in a chair.
Calvin Norris was a good-looking, older man. He had dark hair and piercing dark eyes. Calvin was a businessman before he entered the world of politics. He had a Noble Prize in Economics that he received for developing a new theory of economy. Calvin was a brilliant, but humble man with an encyclopedic range of knowledge, and he was known for endless discussions on a variety of topics. Prior to medical school, he was considering becoming a priest.
The meeting was quick and the staffers moved to Stan's office next door. Stan moved behind his desk to address them.
"I have Eric meeting with Congressman's Dawson and Hervaux today on the Hill. It's looking like they're switching their votes to 'no' on the gun control bill."
"That's crazy. Two days ago, Hervaux was on our side of the fence," Eric protested.
"Well a call from the Majority Leader's office today tells me otherwise so go straighten it out," Stan said sharply.
Eric sighed.
"You know, I'm so sick of Congress right now I could vomit," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"We need to do this with as little noise as possible," Claudine added, shooting a quick glance at Eric. "Obviously we're not involving the President."
"What's the press room going to be talking about the next couple days?" Stan asked.
"Well, we have the financial disclosures coming out. I could feed out some human interest around those to distract them if you need me to. I'll feed them details and they'll love how little you guys actually make," she offered.
"Yes, women love my 1992 Chevy Lumina," Bill said with a snort.
"Perfect," Stan agreed, nodding his head.
The staff quickly dispersed and moved out the door, heading to their own offices. Eric and Quinn went one way while Claudine danced off to the press room, and Bill ducked into the Roosevelt Room for a meeting.
"What's the range I should be expecting with these two?" Eric asked Quinn as they walked through the West Wing and back to their offices.
"Well, votes are expensive. Hervaux's going to want something with unions, possible appointments. Dawson, defense contracts it looks like. The point is, the clock's running on this, Eric," Quinn said, snapping his fingers. "We just have to figure out how to answer the question."
"What question is that?" Eric asked, confused.
"How do we get the votes without giving away the farm?"
"How do we--? What? Look, I'm not giving away anything. This is absolutely ridiculous! LBJ wouldn't have taken this kind of crap from Democrats in Congress. He would have told them to vote his way, in exchange for which it might be possible that I remember your name."
"Which explains his popularity," Quinn remarked.
"It's not about that. Look, Quinn, we're being taken advantage of by two members of our own party. We need the win, and I mean, like, we need to take a victory lap on this one," Eric stopped Quinn and looked him dead on. "That's how we get momentum. We get it by being tough and I'm not giving away anything."
Quinn nodded and the two went their separate ways to their offices.
Quinn liked Eric. He was a smart, tough political mind. Eric was cocky and he was witty, and his know-it-all attitude was somewhat charming.
After he left Quinn, Eric paused and then looped back around and to head back to Stan's office.
Eric walked through the open door as Stan had dismissed Hadley, his assistant.
"Eric. When are you going to the Hill?" Stan asked, sitting back down behind his desk.
"I'm going right now. I'm about to leave."
"Well, have you decided what you are going to give them?"
"Nothing more than a wake-up call. I want your permission to kick their ass."
"You want to dangle their jobs in front of them?"
"Yea."
"No," Stan said, shaking his head. "We do that and it doesn't work, we can't do it again."
"If I do that and it doesn't work, I'll back off," Eric said with a nonchalant shrug. Stan looked at him skeptically. Eric sighed. "If it doesn't work, I'll let Dawson order off the menu and I'll give Hervaux some union time, but I think this will give us less problems in the future when word gets out that we're not screwing around."
Stan nodded, muttering, "I should sell tickets to this meeting."
Eric was sitting in Congressman Tray Dawson's office and was ready to throw a shoe at the him.
"You have to understand the people from my district, Eric," Tray said as the two of them sat in the office.
"It's common for your constitutes go duck hunting with an Uzi?"
"I won with 52% of the vote. The moment I'm sworn in, I need to average $10,000 a week to run a reelection campaign," Tray shot back with a sigh.
"You're not doing so well," Eric replied, arching his eyebrow.
"$8500 a week isn't anything I would just squeak by with. If the NRA makes me a target, I'm done in the next election, plain and simple. Ask me two years from now."
"55,000 people will be shot and killed with guns two years from now, but that's beside the point," Eric said, leaning forward in his chair.
"What is your point?" Tray asked, irritated.
"Forgive me for being blunt and I say this with all due respect, Congressman, but vote yes or you're not even going to be on the ballot two years from now."
"How do you figure?"
"You're going to lose in the primary."
"There's no Democrat running against me," Tray scoffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. Eric shrugged.
"Sure there is."
"Who?"
"Whomever we pick," Eric shot back casually.
"You're bluffing."
"Okay," Eric said, giving Congressman Call a look of disbelief.
"I'm in your own party!"
"Doesn't seem to be doing us much good now, does it?" Eric arched his eyebrow. He could see Dawson's resolve teetering. He hadn't been expecting Eric to play hardball or use intimidation when it came to this, but Eric was frustrated with this and he needed to get the job done.
"Against an incumbent Democrat, you'll go to the press and endorse a challenge?"
"No sir. We're going to do it in person. You won with 52%, but the President took your district with 60. I think it's high time we come back and say thanks. Do you have any idea how much noise Air Force One makes when it lands in Port Angeles, Washington? We're going to have a party, Congressman, you should come. It's gonna be great. Then after the food's done, right in the band gazebo, that's where the President is going to drape his arm around the shoulder of some assistant DA we like. And you should have your camera with you. You should get a picture of that because that's gonna be the moment you're finished in Democratic politics. President Cullen's a good man. He's got a good heart. He doesn't hold a grudge because that's what he pays me for."
Eric stood up and walked out of the congressman's office, a smug smile on his face as he made his way down the hallway to Congressman Black's office.
Eric walked through the open door to Congressman Alcide Hervaux's office.
"Congressman!"
"Dude," was Alcide's response, standing up. Eric stood in front of Alcide Hervaux and stared at him.
Eric did not personally care for the Congressman (he mainly thought he was arrogant and a frat boy), but he was here to do a job. Eric belatedly noticed the other people in the office.
"Guys, could you wait outside for a minute? The congressman and I need to have a talk," Eric said, shooing the young staffers out. "Can you close the door please?" After the door shut behind them, Eric turned on Alcide.
"Is that supposed to impress me, you have a staff?" Eric said, a hint of disdain in his voice.
"Eric..."
"I told Stan that he was crazy, no way is Alcide Hervaux jumping the fence. Do you have any idea how stupid this makes me look?"
"Look, about that..."
"Stuff it, dude. We're not in a frat house."
"What the hell, man?" Alcide stood across from Eric, confused.
"Name the weapons banned in this bill and why they should be legal," Eric squared off and stared Alcide down.
"Now look, man--"
"No, let's start here: Name for me the weapons banned in this bill."
"Let me explain--"
"You don't have a clue!" Eric said, barking out a laugh.
"That's not true!"
"Three of them are exact copies of an assault rifle that was banned in a separate bill two years ago. They just changed the grip! How about the Pat-Maxi. It's a gernade launcher!" Eric said, throwing up his hands. "You know, I realize that as an adult not everyone shares my view of the world, and with an issue as hot as gun control I'm prepared to accept a lot of different points of view as being perfectly valid, but we can all get together on the grenade launcher, right?" Eric was exasperated. "I put you in your seat! I got you elected to the House of Representatives!"
"Fat lotta good it does me! I barely have a relationship with the White House! That's currency around here and I need that! I'm not on a leash, Eric," Alcide growled back.
"You're voting down legislation that would restrict the sale of deadly weapons because no one invited you to the cool kid's table?" Eric was in disbelief, his hands shoved in his trouser pockets.
Alcide nodded. Eric shook his head in disbelief, never dropping his gaze from Alcide.
"What do you want?"
"A game of chess, something. A few White House photographers and we're cool," Eric nodded in concession.
"Fine,"
Eric turned to walk out of the office in disappointment. He couldn't believe what Alcide Hervaux had done. Eric turned around in the doorway to have the last word.
"You're a congressman, Alcide. You have to make that real, and trust me when I tell you that right now, it was me in your office and you do not want to have this conversation with the guy who works in that main office. No matter how much of a fucking photo op you want, him coming here isn't the one you're going to want to have."
Eric walked briskly out of the office and headed back to the White House.
"Good morning, Jane!" Sookie Stackhouse cheerfully greeted the receptionist as she walked in the door of the National Women's Legislative Council, a group that she was the Issues Director.
She sorted through her desk, mostly memos and reports that were monitoring a various legislations that were being prepared to pass through the House and Senate for votes. Sookie's biggest concern at the moment was getting a response to a letter that was publicly released and signed by other women's political action committees regarding language in a proposed UN treaty on forced prostitution.
The problem that women's groups had with the language was the use of the word "forced".
"Sookie? You have a call on Line 2. It's Jessica Newton, a PA for Hill Beat," Sophie, Sookie's assistant, said, sticking her head in the office. Sookie nodded. Hill Beat was a daily political show on CNN that filmed out of Washington D.C. that was slated as a more well-behaved Crossfire.
"Sookie Stackhouse," Sookie said, picking up the phone.
"Good Morning, Ms. Stackhous. My name is Jessica Newton and I work here in the production offices at HillBeat."
"Hello, Jessica. How are you today?" Sookie said cheerfully, reclining in her desk chair and flipping a pen mindlessly through her fingers.
"I'm fine, ma'am, thank you. I'm calling regarding a recently released statement from the WCL regarding the call to nationalize a comprehensive sexual education program. Well, our producers wanted to book a discussion between yourself and Eric Northman on Hill Beat, if that's possible?"
"What day were you thinking, Jessica?" Sookie asked, glancing at her calendar.
"Tomorrow, Tuesday, would be best, if you're available. I apologize for the short notice, Ms. Stackhouse."
"That's okay Jessica, don't worry about it! Tomorrow would be fine. Let me get you back in touch with my assistant Sophie to get all the details." Sookie transferred the call to Sophie and went back to work preparing for tomorrow's discussion.
Sookie sighed and sat back against her chair, taking a moment before she plunged back into her work.
As she was walking out of a meeting a few hours later, Sookie's cellphone rang.
Angela Cheney. Popped up on her caller id.
"Hey, Ang! What's up?" Angela was a good friend of Sookie's from their undergrad at Berkeley. Angela had been Sookie's roommate and had just moved to Washington D.C. with her husband, Ben, who had recently taken a job at the FBI.
"Nothing much. I wanted to see if you were free for lunch today!" Sookie took a quick glance at her calendar and saw that she was free of meetings for the rest of the afternoon.
"I am free! Where do you want to meet?" They made plans to meet at a favorite restaurant that was by The Hill in an hour. Sookie left early so that she could enjoy the nice weather and the walk to lunch in some rare moments of quiet at work. She told Sophie that she was leaving for lunch and that she had her cell phone if anything pressing came up.
Sookie was so lost in thought that she did not see the man turn the corner and she crashed into him.
Stunned, Sookie braced for the impact that would be the ground, but it never came. Sookie looked up and gazed into a pair of stunning emerald eyes.
Eric looked at the petite woman that he had knocked over and now had his arms wrapped around. She had deep blue eyes and blond hair that was soft and wavy and accented her pale, clear skin. Her body was thin and had soft curves that were accentuated by the simple black suit she was wearing.
She's beautiful.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Sookie said straightening up and adjusting herself. His eyes were mesmerizing and his hair was a blond that she had never seen before. His body was lean and his muscles felt taunt under his suit. He had fair skin that made his eyes more vivid. Sookie had a feeling that she knew him from somewhere but was having a hard time placing his face.
"My fault entirely. I'm sorry," Eric flashed her a smile, hoping to dazzle her into giving him her phone number. As if on cue, his phone started buzzing.
Sookie smiled politely, excusing herself and continued down the street. She glanced over her shoulder discreetly at his retreating form, still wracking her brain to remember him.
It wasn't until a moment later that she realized it was Eric Northman.
Tuesday found Sookie walking down the hall at the studio that filmed Hill Beat. She was feeling very nervous, having never done television before.
"Is this your first time on the show?" Franklin Mott, the moderator, asked her as they walked side by side to the desk.
"It's my first time doing anything like this."
"Nervous?" Sookie nodded. "Don't worry. As long as you stick to your talking points and don't try to show off, you should be fine. Eric Northman is experienced in all of this and can tend to embarrass the guests, but you should be fine."
If that was meant to be reassuring... Sookie thought. She sat in the chair and adjusted herself as the production assistant gave her a smile and clipped her mic on her. Sookie looked up and was stunned to see who was walking up to the desk at that moment. Eric Northman.
Sookie took a deep breath to calm her already frantic nerves.
Eric saw the girl sitting at the desk and couldn't believe it. The woman that he was supposed to discuss this ridiculous sex ed policy with was the beauty he had crashed into the day before. He never thought he would see her again! He couldn't take his eyes off her as he sat down in his chair and was fitted with a mic.
"10 seconds!"
Eric and Sookie exchanged a smile as they prepared for the debate.
"We're back here on Hill Beat talking to Sookie Stackhouse, Issues Director for the Women's Coucil on Legislation, and Eric Northman, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Cullen Administration, to talk about the WCL's call to nationalize a comprehensive sex ed policy. Eric, we'll start with you. What do you think about such a policy." Eric leaned forward on the desk.
"It is not the government's responsibility to regulate sexual education in the school systems. This is a responsibility that should be left to the parents to discuss with their children. The abstinence only eduction may be inherently flawed, but there is a responsibility within the household to teach their children. Parents don't want the government regulating sex to their children, and while the Department of Health recommends health classes, the school districts should be allowed to decide what is taught to the students," Eric said, looking confidently at Sookie. Disbelief and disgust were clearly evident on her face.
"Okay, Sookie. Why does the WCL disagree?" Sookie arched an eyebrow. Is that a joke?
"I think we can agree that there is still a large problem with teen pregnancy in America. The WCL operates in this from a public health perspective that is rooted in research, the most effective way to achieve this goal is through comprehensive sex education. Experts in the fields of adolescent development, health and education all agree that a comprehensive sex education program that assists young people in developing a positive view of their sexuality, and provides them with the proper information is the best way to go. Teens and their partners need to be given accurate information in making the appropriate decisions when it comes to their sexuality. Ultimately, the best programs regarding sexuality and teens have taught abstinence as the ultimate means to avoid pregnancy, but have also given students accurate information regarding birth control. While the WCL supports teen abstinence, we know that it is not realistically happening and believes that, in concurrence with the Department of Health's recommendations for a health class, sex ed should be budget for and should be nationalized by this administration," Sookie finished, arching an eyebrow.
Eric stared at her, completely stunned.
"Okay! Well, we'll be back in a moment here at Hill Beat with commentaries from Democrat and Republican spokespersons on the military tribunals on Guantanamo Bay detainees," Mike Newton said, smiling at the camera.
"And we're out!" a voice called from somewhere behind the camera.
Sookie looked at Franklin sweetly. "Was that okay?"
Back in the West Wing, Quinn bolted into Bill's office.
"Bill, come quick! Eric's getting his ass kicked by a girl!"
Bill hopped out and followed Emmett to the televisions set up in the Communications Office.
"Lauren, get the popcorn!" he shouted gleefully over his shoulder.
Eric pulled her against him and dipping in for a kiss. It only took Sookie a split second to get over the shock before she began to kiss him back. It was gentle and slow and danced on their lips as they enjoyed knowing that they didn't have anything pressing to do at the moment.
With their lips still connected, Eric reached up and pulled her hair tie out, letting her blond waves cascade down her shoulders. He reached up and tangled his hands in her soft locks, something he'd dreamed about doing from the first moment she'd turned his world upside down. Sookie slid her tongue along his bottom lip and that was almost his undoing. He opened his mouth to grant her entrance. Sookie smiled slightly against his lips and slid her tongue in to taste him.
Momentarily breaking their connection, Eric reached down and swept her into his arms bridal style, moving to the bedroom. Sookie wrapped her arms around his neck and planted small kisses on his face. Eric leaned back in to recapture her lips, and laid her down on his soft comforter. He leaned back into the standing position and took in the sight under him. Sookie was lying on his bed, hair pooled around her framing her face. Her eyes were dark and lustful, and her lips were swollen from kissing.
Eric pulled his shirt over his head and leaned back in to reclaim her lips. Sookie wrapped her arms around his back and ran her hands up his muscular back, eliciting a groan from Eric's lips. She scooted back on his bed, grabbing onto his belt loops and pulling as she went. Sookie laid back against his pillows and looked up at Eric above her. His eyes were glistening with an emotion that was completely foreign to her and he had a soft smile on his face.
"Beautiful," he murmured, running his fingertips down her jaw line. Eric's fingers trickled down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head. Sookie's hair flipped back against the pillows as he discarded her shirt and Edward stared worshipfully at her.
Eric leaned in to kiss down her neck. As he moved along her collarbone to her shoulder, he shifted the strap of her bra away. Sookie closed her eyes and moaned as Eric reverently kissed her pale skin. His hands reached around and expertly discarded her bra. Sookie reached down his body and unbuttoned his jeans, shifting them away from his hips and leaving him clad only in his red boxers.
She closed her eyes and moaned as his mouth circled her nipple, pulling it into his mouth as he gently sucked it. Eric gently massaged her breasts as he moved between them, sucking and licking and kissing across her chest. Sookie's legs tightened and twitched as he moved down her body and removed her pants. Eric gently rested his hands on her hips as he moved back up to stare into her eyes and kiss her again.
I'm in love with you. Sookie thought as their tongues again fought for dominance. Eric slipped her panties away and slid his hands into her hot, wet center. Sookie moaned into his mouth as his fingers began to circle her clit.
"OH!" Sookie moaned loudly and bucked her hips. Eric's lips curved into a smile against her neck as he circled and flicked her clit. He moved his thumb to her already sensitive nub and pushed his fingers through her entrance, massaging her expertly. Sookie let out a gust of breath and moaned again.
"Eric!" she cried, her legs tightening as he sped up his movements. Eric moved his mouth to her breast, taking a nipple into his mouth and flicking it. Sookie's toes curled and she bit hard on her lip. He pushed gently on her clit and she became undone under him.
Sookie felt the tight cord in her body snap and she was lost in her orgasm. She moaned and cried out Eric's name over again and felt her body shake. She panted as she came down and was gazing at him as she opened her eyes.
Eric moved between her legs, removing his boxers, and reached to the nightstand for a condom. He looked back at her before he opened it, silently asking permission. Sookie nodded and he slipped it on.
Eric adjusted himself between her legs and stared into her eyes as he moved into her entrance. Sookie inhaled and closed her eyes. She exhaled when Eric's forehead met hers.
"Open your eyes, love." he said softly. She looked up and was staring into Eric's eyes, sparkling with emotion. Sookie had never felt so complete from someone else before, but she didn't have time to contemplate the emotions that were coming from this. She felt herself fall into the moment and moved with Eric's thrusts. Eric clenched his jaw and closed eyes, moving reverently in and out of her body like he was worshiping at her alter. Sookie pulled his face to hers and kissed him fiercely.
"I'm not going to be able to last," he whispered against her lips.
"So let go." she whispered back. Eric moved his hand between them, and the movement of his fingers against her clit caused her to fall apart again, with him not far behind her. As they came together, Sookie clutched his back and he pulled her closer to his chest, clinging to her as if he was afraid she'd disappear in an instant.
Eric collapsed to his side, next to her on the bed. He pulled out and discarded the condom, each silently mourning the loss of connection. Eric wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close to his chest, which was covered in a slight sheen of sweat. Sookie sighed with contentment against him.
Eric bolted upright in his bed, confused and horribly aroused by his dream. He let out a loud groan and fell back against his pillows.
"Fuck," Eric groaned, looking down at his painful erection. There was no way he could go back to sleep without taking care of it somehow. Eric let out a deep groan and slid his hand down to his dick, moving his hand over the head to spread around the little bead of moisture that was resting there.
Just the thought of how soft Sookie was under him made Eric cum quickly.
He knew what he'd known the moment they'd crashed into each other by the Hill:
Eric was screwed.