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Warning: descriptive, explicit content below. Do not read unless you are 18 or older, and mature enough to handle said content. Thank you.

I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Nothing's Ever Easy

Chapter Two:

A Touch

"I love it when wedding receptions are in hotel lobbies. Makes slipping away so... convenient."

Blushing lightly—heart in her throat after she so courageously accepted to sleep with a virtual stranger—Elena silently followed the elder Salvatore brother to the room he had purchased. She was growing more nervous by the second—doubts infiltrating and plaguing her mind. Her breathing was becoming so rapid she knew Damon could hear it, and the thought unsettled her. She was placing her life in the hands of an unknown vampire.

What the hell had she been thinking?

She only now noticed she had followed Damon into a vacant elevator. For a brief moment, Elena allowed her panic to overtake her and she considered bolting. Then the elevator doors dinged shut and all hope of a swift getaway vanished. Elena tried to swallow down her rising unease and bitter disappointment.

"Elena."

She didn't hear his low, intimate tone. Instead she stared vacantly ahead, waiting for the elevator to come to a stop.

"Elena."

Her heart was fluttering like a bird, and Elena briefly wondered if she might pass out.

"Elena!"

Then Damon was suddenly before her, gentle hands hesitating before lightly cradling her face. Gasping, Elena jolted out of her panicked thoughts and stared into a bright blue and searing gaze.

He looked so concerned.

"We don't have to do anything if you have doubts, Elena."

Frowning, Damon leaned inches away from her face as his gaze took in every nuance of her expression. Elena's heart stopped it's rapid-fire pace, then slowed as a lazy heat began to swirl inside her. A small smile lifted at the corner of her lips, and she leaned into his touch.

She may not know Damon personally, but she'd heard so many stories she felt as if they were old friends—thanks to Ric. Despite the fact that Damon tried to seem like a heartless monster, she knew from their conversation tonight and the way he was concerned over her well-being here and now that it wasn't the case.

The elevator doors announced the arrival of their floor before swooshing open. Damon didn't make a single move to exit, however, his eyes still scrutinizing her.

"Let's go, Damon."

Brow furrowing for half a second, his expression cleared a moment later and he nodded, taking her hand. He led her out of the elevator and through a dimly lit hallway, eyes scanning the numbers on the doors.

"Ugh. Can you believe the carpets in these places? And this is supposed to be a ritzy hotel. It's worse than the interior of the boarding house I grew up in." Damon slanted a small smirk her way, coming to a stop at their door and inserting the key. He tisked mournfully. "They need a new interior decorator. Well. I know who to seek out for my midnight snack." He smacked his lips at her, pretending to take a playful bite out of the air as he swung the door open. Playful gleam still in his eyes, Damon made a mock bow of his head before motioning Elena to enter first.

Rolling her eyes, Elena grinned a bit before stepping into the room, knowing exactly what Damon was trying to do. It was sweet, in an odd soft of way. Peeking through a doorway and into the bathroom on the side, Elena's eyes fell onto the bed next, and suddenly she was thankful for Damon's effort. She had been relaxing.

Hearing the soft click of the door behind her, Elena stood awkwardly in the middle of the hotel room and slowly turned back to see Damon at the door. His penetrating stare glued her to the spot, and Elena found all she could do was manage to breathe until he blinked, the power of his gaze was so riveting.

"So," Elena began, once the spell was broken. Damon kicked off his shoes, looking for all the world as if he was perfectly comfortable being here with her. Inhaling a deep breath, Elena kept her eyes on the man who was now slowly making his way to her. "How do we go about this?"

Keeping his eyes on the carpet—he could sense what their eye contact was doing to her—Damon continued to casually close the distance between them. Only when he was inches away did he dart his gaze back up to hers, and the shock and heat he saw in her eyes at his action made him want to rush and take her and damn going about this at whatever pace was deemed comfortable for her.

His hands found her bared shoulders and he nearly groaned at the contact. Elena's heart seemed unable to make up its mind about the rhythm it was beating.

"Relax," he murmured gently—if not without a bit of wry humor. His hand rose to tuck a strand of hair behind Elena's ear and he watched as she struggled for control.

Brown eyes closing against the intensity of Damon's gaze, Elena forced herself to take a deep breath, hold the air for a moment, and then release it in a bid for some semblance of control. When her eyes opened again Damon's stare was still there. He ducked his head a bit, a small grin finding his lips as he made a show of searching her face.

"There. Are you good now? No more Elena about to pass out?"

With a rough, nervous laugh Elena was finally able to get some of her sense of self back and she pushed him—hard.

"Haha, very funny."

Except Damon was a vampire, so her push didn't actually work. He seemed amused at her attempt, though, which in turn caused Elena to glower.

And glowing Elena was no longer nervous, so she grabbed onto the feeling with both hands.

As if knowing exactly what she was trying to do, Damon made a show of rolling his eyes before stepping purposefully into her personal space, pushing hard enough on her shoulder that she lost her balance and fell—onto the bed.

Eyes widening at the sudden change in events, Elena gasped when she found Damon leaning above her, his expression anything but playful.

"We're not here to put up fronts, Elena."

Gulping—for that's exactly what she was doing—Elena couldn't find the words to speak and so remained silent while Damon leaned over her. He seemed to take her silence as agreement, and his rigid expression relaxed somewhat. A heated sigh caressed her face, and Damon slowly lowered his body flush against hers, his lips and nose trailing soft warmth along her cheek and down to her jaw, then back behind her ear. Elena finally relaxed completely beneath him, but still Damon made no other move to touch her.

"This is therapeutic, Elena. Then it is going to get very hot, and very sweaty. But for now..." Hands ghosted along her sides, causing Elena to bite her lip and lightly arch against him. Humming his pleasure at the effect such a small touch of his had on her, Damon kissed his way down her throat before sucking the skin he found there. Elena gasped, and his hands trailed lower, wrapping under her thighs before firmly pulling her legs up around his waist. Her hands were everywhere—exploring his back and chest and arms as he lavished small attentions on her. Then his hips rocked into hers and Elena couldn't hold back her low, drawn out moan.

"Damon..." His name was a whispered caress, and Elena arched her hips up to his time and again, gasping at the friction and wishing they were both unclothed.

"I know, but if this is going to work we have to do this right, Elena."

If what was going to work? Elena suddenly found she had no idea what Damon was talking about. All she knew what that her nerves were humming and she felt more alive than she had in a very long time. She forgot about everything but the desire she was experiencing in this moment.

"Damon..." His name was released this time with a sound of frustration, and Elena almost growled from underneath him when she felt that damnable smirk of his against her neck.

"E-le-na," He responded, rubbing his hardness against her sweet spot even through the layers between them. Said woman writhed beneath him at the pleasure he bestowed, a soft mewl escaping. Nails raked his back, and Damon found he liked the feel of her responding to the sensations he elicited.

"Get mad, Elena. What is something baby Stefan would never do?"

The dark tone of his words caused Elena to freeze below him. Brown eyes widened in her suddenly pale face.

"Wh-what?"

With a grunt, Damon sat up and pulled Elena with him. His hands started working on the fastenings of her dress as Elena stayed motionless, her mind trying to comprehend.

"Are we seriously going to talk about Stefan when we do this?"

Fastenings undone, Elena wasn't even of the mindset to protest as Damon bunched her dress up and over her head. She merely stared as if he was insane.

"You want to get over him, right? So think about it. What's something he did that always pissed you off?"

Damon's shirt was unbuttoned next, and soon Damon was slipping his arms out of the restricting material and Elena was once again at a loss. She couldn't think when Damon was half naked in front of her. She couldn't help but shiver as his eyes raked over her form, taking in every detail of her red lace bra and matching panties. His thumbs rubbed lazy circles over her hips, creating an inferno within her at his touch.

"I don't know, Damon. I-"

He swiftly interrupted her. "I'll go first. Katherine always worried about herself. She didn't care whether I enjoyed our shared moments together, so long as she benefited. She hated touching. Hated cuddling when we were done. She never once tried to please me, but I was her little puppy and always had to make sure I left her satisfied." Damon's lips curled at that, and Elena gasped at the knowledge he just shared. His mind seemed far away for a moment, but then he came back to the present and his gaze once again focused on hers.

"Damon..." Elena lifted a hand to his face, carefully cradling it as though he was something precious. He almost lost himself in the moment—believed the beautiful stranger before him could actually care—but he quickly pulled away and scoffed at her attempts.

"So I fucked any girl I wanted to fuck for decades, getting over that crazy bitch and making sure I finally got the pleasure I was owed."

He smirked, and suddenly the man crouched before her was someone else entirely. Elena's brow furrowed and she found she didn't like the unfeeling thing he so quickly became. Sitting up more fully on the bed, Elena reached for Damon's face and made him look at her. See her. Just as she saw him.

"But do you think it's worth it? Getting as much pleasure as you believe you are owed? From people who don't really care about you?"

Damon nearly snarled. "Who says I want—"

"Shh." Placing her fingers over his lips, Elena gently shook her head. "This is therapy, remember? Weren't you the one to say we weren't allowed any fronts?"

Scoffing, Damon leaned away from her tantalizing touch. "Momentary lapse in judgment. My bad."

She was losing him, and for some reason that realization affected her more than it should. She did the only thing she could think of to fix the situation. He bared a part of his soul to her. Now it was her turn to share.

"There was so much we couldn't do. Me and Stefan."

The bland expression in Damon's emotionless face flickered, then died as he turned to her in silent question. Elena sighed, wrapping her arms around herself before she gained the courage she needed to continue.

"He couldn't kiss me the way I wanted to be kissed. He couldn't be near my neck as we made love. He wouldn't... do anything if it meant his mouth had to be near my skin. Most nights he would pleasure me with his hands, his faced turned away from me and looking pained. It broke my heart every time it happened. It never felt right. Like it wasn't how love between two people was supposed to be."

Damon's attention was completely hers, now, and Elena turned her face away in humiliation. She didn't want him to see her like this. But there would be no fronts between them. This would be their one chance to bare their souls. Their pain and past transgressions.

"I felt like a hypocrite, because later I didn't even want him to touch me. Not if it broke my heart time and again. I focused all my efforts on bringing him pleasure." Elena scoffed. "I lied, not realizing it was a lie. I told him all I cared about was his release. I didn't care about my own. I was protecting myself. I couldn't handle being so close to him while knowing he was untouchable. I did gain pleasure from taking care of his needs, but... it never felt right. It wasn't what I wanted."

Lost in the pain of past memories, Elena was completely unprepared for Damon's indignant fury.

"Wait. What?"

Tensing, Elena's hesitant gaze darted up to Damon's. Feeling exceedingly uncomfortable and self-conscious, she found she couldn't meet his furious eyes for long.

"It—it wasn't a huge deal, Damon..." She wondered if he might be mad at her. She didn't stick up for herself. Say what really mattered. "I mean, it's over now, anyway. It's not like he and I will ever—"

Two strong hands wrapped around Elena's ankles. Elena frowned, looking down at Damon's firm grip, and only had a second to wonder at it before her legs were pulled out from under her and she found herself flat on her back on the bed. Then Damon was leaning over her, his eyes daring her to move as his lips curled in angered resentment and disgust.

"It looks like Saint Stefan isn't such a Saint after all, to keep a girl wanting."

Elena could only stare, wondering what on earth Damon might be getting at.

"So Stefan never did this?"

Head dipping, Damon lavished heated kisses along both sides of her neck, sucking the sensitive skin into his mouth almost painfully as his teeth teased her flesh but never once broke the skin. Elena gasped, body arching up at the sudden overload of sensation, eyes wide as a strangled cry left her lips. Her nipples stood out to full attention at his onslaught, and Damon groaned against her skin as a hand came up to massage the puckered flesh through the thin lace of her bra. A whimper escaped, and Damon finally pulled his mouth away to look down into Elena's dazed eyes. Her chest rose and fell in heaving breaths, and Damon smirked as his thumb flicked her nipple once more, causing the air to hitch in her throat.

"Mm. I am going to love this."

Smirking, Damon rested his body along the length of hers once again. This time Elena didn't need any prompting, her legs wrapping around his waist of their own accord. Starting a slow, steady rocking motion to keep her in the moment, Damon trailed light kisses up the column of her throat and to her jaw.

"Kiss me, Elena. Kiss me the way you want to be kissed."

Then his lips were lightly caressing hers, coaxing some form of response. It didn't take long. Arching up against him, arms and legs wrapping around him in a way that promised she might never let him go, Elena kissed him with all the passion she possessed, placing her need and loneliness and helplessness into the kiss. Damon was groaning against her, his hips picking up speed as his mouth devoured hers, their tongues twining and beckoning and drawing one another in as gasped breaths escaped barely parted lips, only for the kiss to pick up again right where it left off.

"Damon..." The need in Elena's tone did not go unnoticed. Damon wanted to give in and sink into her wet heat more than anything in that moment. Take her fast and rough. He'd get to that point eventually. First, there were still a few places he needed to explore.

Kissing his way down her jaw, along with throbbing pulse point of her neck, Damon lavished extra attention to her collarbone with his teeth and lips and tongue as his hands slid beneath her back, unclasping her strapless bra and freeing her breasts from their confinements.

"Have you wanted to be touched here, Elena?"

Damon's tongue curled over the darkened skin of her nipple seconds before he closed the entire peek into his mouth, drawing it in and sucking—capturing the bud lightly with his lips and teeth before flicking his tongue over the sensitive flesh in rapid succession. Head thrashing back on the bed, Elena moaned long and loud as her body bowed beneath his skilled mouth, damp heat electrifying the air around them. Moisture gathered and trickled out from between Elena's thighs, and Damon's nostrils flared at the scent of it.

Groaning, he released the sensitive bud from his lips and nuzzled between the valley of her breasts.

"Elena..."

Turning his head, his tongue snaked out of his mouth to tease her other nipple, before placing light kisses and little bites along the flesh. The woman beneath him whimpered and squirmed as she tried to press the hardness trapped within the confines of his slacks more firmly against her moist center.

"Stop teasing me, Damon." Her words were soft, and Damon considered her plea for a second before dismissing it.

"Elena." His tone was humored as his head rose and he smirked down at her. "If my baby brother never had the sense to fully lavish untold pleasures on you, then there is a lot to make up for."

Slight trepidation trekked down her spine at his words, and Elena finally began to suspect she was in way over her head, here.

"Now tell me..." Lips trailed along the undersides of her breasts. His tongue trailed across thinly veiled veins as he moved his attentions lower. When he reached her belly button he felt her tense beneath him, and he smirked against her skin once again. "Has Saint Stefan ever touched you... here?"

His tone was deep and lazy and sinfully sexy, but it was the finger that brushed against her slippery folds, dipping under her lace panties and caressing sensitive, sleek skin, that had her groaning and shifting her hips up against his hand.

"Please..."

A dangerous chuckle caressed the skin of her hip. "That's not an answer to my question, E-le-na. Did my little brother ever touch you here?" His fingers found her clit and Elena almost screamed, a soft sob escaping her as her hips jolted off the bed of their own accord. Damon's fingers were completely soaked with her essence, and he moaned as his own hips dug into the bed in response. Hot kisses trailed over her hips and Elena wasn't even aware as he stripped her of her flimsy underwear.

"Y-yes..." She breathed, wondering how she was supposed to concentrate when Damon was doing these delightful things to her body.

Lifting a dangerously hooded gaze up the path of Elena's body, Damon lightly bit into the fleshy part of her thigh, once again causing her body to bow and buck up and off the bed.

"Damon!"

"Yes, Elena?" His busy fingers remained inside of her, but his touch was slowing to a tease—keeping her body interested, but not satisfied.

"You're a vampire..."

She really needed to try to control her breathing. Damon might have to worry about her, soon, if not. Smirking darker still, he replied with his normal cockiness. "Why yes, yes I am."

"There's an artery... not... safe..."

Dark brows lifting in mock-surprise, Damon asked, "This artery?"

Then his mouth closed over the flesh between her inner thigh and heated center, tongue lapping at the sensitive skin. This time Elena did scream—in pleasure. Teeth scraping lightly against the sweet spot, Damon never once broke the skin. Instead sucked her soft flesh into his mouth, groaning against her and sending small vibrations directly to the one place she wanted him most. His mouth so near her coupled with the fingers lightly circling her clit was almost enough to make Elena come undone.

Intense liquid heat seeped from her folds, and Damon groaned long and low. He wanted nothing more than to be buried in her for eternity.

"Damon-"

"Elena." His tone was dark. Certain. His fingers within her folds ceased their teasing. He tapped one finger gently against her sensitive nub once before slipping his finger away from her pleasure point. "I don't think you understood my previous question. Has Stefan ever touched you here..." He tapped her clit with a fingertip once more, sending little shocks through her system, "with his tongue?"

…

…

To be continued