I went back to my bedroom, as I opened the door I saw Eric sitting on my bed with his face in his hands. He told me he remembered everything. I was so taken aback, I didn't know what to say, so I just went in the bathroom to wash my face and regain some composure. When I came back in the bedroom, he started talking right away. I couldn't help but being sarcastic. I didn't look at him; I was making a show of folding clothes that didn't need to be fold. But when he said that he had never felt so happy in centuries, I couldn't help but look at him. The expression on Eric's face reminded me of when he had amnesia. He seemed lost, as if remembering made him question his own identity. His puppy-eyed look made my heart melt and I dropped my emotional shell instantly. I let go of the t-shirt I was holding and went to stand between his knees. Softly, I touched his forehead, I followed the line of his nose with my finger and then trailed it along his jaw. I brushed my thumb over his lips and he kissed it lightly. He was so handsome. He did the same to me. His cool hand like feathers brushed against my face and then rested on my neck to feel my pulse. It was as if we were seeing each other differently now that we had a common memory of those faithful days.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid my fingers in his hair.
"You were afraid I would die tonight," he said.
I remembered the feeling I had had before he arrived when I had realized that he could be dead. It was like a smack in the face. The anxiety that had gripped me was so intense that I'd had to fight to stay on my feet. Even though I was always somewhat reluctant to open up to him about my feelings, I said:
"I don't know what there really is between us Eric, but I know I don't like thinking about you not being here," that was an understatement. Just thinking about it made me feel terrible all over again. Eric felt it of course, through the bond and he held me closer. He rubbed his cheek against mine as he sometimes did and I took a deep breath, there was something so comforting about his scent.
"Tonight was quite intense, you were very brave", he said in a soothing voice.
"I can't believe I was wearing my pyjama the whole time!"
"And an ugly one too, he added, no wonder Victor wasn't more impressed by you."
I felt the vibration of his laugh in his chest and I laughed too. It made me feel better and it dissipated the tension. I could tell he felt better too.
"I guess even Vikings need a hug once in a while."
"From you, yes," he said, very seriously.
We stayed in each other's arms. His hands had slipped under my t-shirt and were caressing my back in a gentle way. I could feel my eyelids getting heavier.
I stepped reluctantly away from the safety of his arms. I wanted him to stay for the night, but I was afraid to ask because he might think it meant that I wanted to have sex with him. I'd be lying to myself if I said I never wanted to have sex with him again, but not tonight. For one thing I was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and also I had to talk to Quinn first. No overlapping. I wanted him to stay so he could continue to make me feel the way he did right now.
"I will stay here for the night," Eric said.
Could he really have picked up on such a precise feeling?
"Don't you need to check on your people first?"
"Pam can take care of it."
I climbed under the covers and I said:
"Take off you clothes, they're all dirty, I just changed the bed sheet."
"Is that the real reason you want me naked?" even in the dark I could tell he was wiggling his eyebrows.
"I don't want to... you know, but I want to feel your skin," I said, sheepishly.
"Then you take that ugly pyjama off."
I removed my clothes without stepping out of the bed as he undressed. I was relieved (and a little disappointed) to see that he was wearing underwear.
He wrapped an arm over my stomach and put the other one under my head. I rested my back against his chest and sighed with contentment.
"We're going to talk about this," he said. He meant his recent memory recovery.
"I know, I know, later," I muttered.
"Good night, lover."
I closed my eyes but I didn't fall asleep right away. I wanted to enjoy the precious peacefulness of the moment.
When I woke up, he wasn't in the bed with me anymore, of course. I realized I missed him already. Then, I noticed that Quinn was sitting on the chair in the corner. What with Bill and Eric coming in yesterday, it seemed that all the men in my life thought they could come and go as they wished in my bedroom. He explained that Amelia had let him in. I mumbled something and went to the bathroom, I wasn't fully awake yet. A good face scrubbing did the trick and I felt I could now hold a conversation. When I opened the bathroom door I saw him sniffing my bed. Oh hell no!
"Did you sleep with the bloodsucker?" he asked.
"Which?" I replied, just to piss him off as I was.
"Northman, of course! The whole room reeks of him."
"I did sleep with him but I did not have sex with him if you must know. I needed him yesterday and he was there for me."
Okay, it was a low blow.
I went to the kitchen and he followed me. By the time I sat down next to him with a fresh cup of coffee, I had calmed down. We talked about what had happened and about his family. I realized he didn't have the same effect on me as he had when we had first met. I saw him differently now. I also realized that if I was to be with a man, I wanted to come first in his life. I told him so and he left. I was sad, not because of the breakup itself but because of what could have been but never was.
I worked the lunch shift, but was unable to concentrate because I kept thinking about Eric and what had happened the night before. It seemed to me that my attraction to him was more than sexual. I admired his will to surrender to save his people despite his pride, I loved how he could comfort me and understand what I need and I realized how much I had missed the intimacy we had shared. I also believed that he had done the right thing by not saying he would die for me as Bill had the night before. For one thing, he was being more mature (of course he is a few centuries older than Bill). But most importantly, if he had said such a thing, then Victor would have known his weakness and might have tried to use me to manipulate him. He had tried to protect me instead of trying to "win" me. In my book, that made him the better man.
When I came back from work that night, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the broken door had been replaced. Also, there were two FedEx boxes for me in front of it. It made me feel all tingly, almost like Christmas. I picked them up and used a kitchen knife to open the first package. It was a red cell phone. It came with an apologizing note from Eric for breaking mine the night before. He had pre-paid the first six months and his personal number was the first one on my speed dial list.
The second box contained something more personal, it wasn't quite a pyjama but it wasn't quite lingerie either. It was a camisole and (short) short set in a red silk and cotton blend with a black lace trim. I felt a wide smile spreading across my face as I ran my fingers over the soft fabric. I'd never owned anything so nice to sleep in... or to do other things involving a bed in... or a kitchen table. I blushed heavily and my heart beat quickened at the thought of Eric. There was a note: "I might let you keep that one on" it said.
I heard someone clearing their throat behind me and it made me jump. Eric had entered the house quietly and he was now looking at me with a mischievous smile on.
"What do you think?"
"I think I'd prefer if you didn't let me keep it on," I said, trying my best to sound sexy.
He picked me up in his arms and my legs circled his waist automatically. His eyes were bright and I could tell it was more than lust.
"I'd like to see you try it on before I rip it off you."
His lips reached mine in a toe-curling kiss as he carried me to the bedroom.