"Damon?" She sputtered, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I could ask you the same question, now couldn't I," He answered, giving her his signature smirk and leaning on the railing next to her.
"I asked first," She said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Fine, I just wanted to get away from Mystic Falls for a bit. You know. Dead fake girlfriend and all," Damon sighed.
Elena immediately felt bad for asking. She could see the pain in his eyes, as much as he claimed Andy had only been his "fake" girlfriend. She was amazed at how much she'd seen him change since she'd first met him. A year ago he wouldn't have cared less about the death of some girl he'd been fucking. But now, she could tell it mattered to him. It hurt him to see her die.
She was surprised at how good friends they'd become while searching for Stefan that summer. If there was anyone she didn't mind having here on this trip that was supposed to bring her far away from everyone, she guessed it was Damon.
Elena grabbed his hand lightly, and smiled up at him.
"I wanted to get away too. Looks like we're in the same boat," Elena giggled, trying to lighten the mood.
Damon chuckled at her lame joke, staring at their joined hands.
"Want to walk with me?" He asked.
"I'd love to," Elena smiled.
They started along the jogging track, walking slowly, and sometimes passing other people. But it was very quiet and for some reason Elena's heart beat was faster than usual. She was sure Damon would be able to hear it, so she concentrated all her will power on trying to slow it down. Not that it helped, but Damon refrained from his usual snarky commentary, which Elena found very impressive.
She looked down and found that their hands were still linked, and their fingers were intertwined. Anyone passing would think they were a couple. But she found herself not caring. After all, Damon was charming, irresistible, and just the right amount of confident. She knew she could make any woman and probably a few men on this ship want to trade places with her right now...Was that why she was nervous all of a sudden? Why did Damon have this effect on her? It wasn't right. She was technically still with his brother...
At that moment, Damon stopped in his tracks, causing Elena to stop as well.
"You know what, I came here to get my mind off things, and that's what I'm going to do," He said, letting go of Elena's hand and turning toward the entrance back inside the ship.
Elena didn't exactly know where he was going, but if he was about to get his mind off his problems, she wanted in on his plan. She followed him into the elevator, and he raised an eyebrow as if to say "you sure?" but Elena just crossed her arms.
The elevator stopped at deck 14; the second to last deck. She followed Damon out, and before she could ask where they were going, she found herself in a night club. Well, she knew it wasn't really a night club, but it was pretty damn close. She caught a view of Damon's behind as he turned toward the bar, and she rolled her eyes. But after standing at the entrance watching people on the dance floor for a couple minutes, she made her way to the bar and sat on the stool beside Damon.
The bartender looked at her, not bothering to ask how old she was, and asked her what she wanted.
"I'll have...um..." Elena stuttered, not very experienced with drinking.
"Get us a round of shots," Damon yelled over the pounding music.
Elena didn't question him. The bartender set down two small glasses and filled them to the brim with amber liquid.
Damon and Elena each picked up one of the glasses and shot them down on Damon's count. It burned Elena's throat, but she began to feel warm inside almost instantly.
Damon tapped on the counter and the bartender filled up their glasses again. They drank again, and Elena lost count of how many shots she did after that. But she felt good; better than she had in a long time.
"Come on," She shouted, grabbing Damon's hand and pulling him to the middle of the dance floor before he had a chance to question what she was doing.
When they were in the center, she let go of his hand and started moving her hips to the music. Damon decided then and there to just let go for one night, and he moved closer and started grinding on Elena to the beat.
She made no move to back away; in fact she raised her arms above her head and laughed up at Damon with a drunken haze in her eyes.
She moved even closer, pushing her swaying body right up against his. She didn't even flinch when she felt him harden through his jeans.
"Wanna get out of here?" She whispered seductively in his ear, still moving against him.
"That's probably best," he agreed, and they linked hands and made their way through the crowd. Adrenaline was pumping through Elena's body, and she didn't think at all as she pulled him behind her to the Elevator. As they got in, she realized she didn't know what floor he was on. He reached over and pushed the button for deck 10.
They got out, and all Elena was thinking about was how much she absolutely needed him. She had no idea how all this lust had gotten free, but she suspected the amount of alcohol she consumed had something to do with it.
She let him guide her to a door, and as he opened it she noticed his bed was a lot bigger than hers. She started pulling him to it, needing to feel him against her skin. When she managed to get him to the bed, she went straight for the zipper of his jeans. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew he'd be going commando. She was struggling in her drunken state, when she felt his strong hands wrap around hers and push them away.
"Oh good, you do it," Elena sighed happily, lying back in his bed. But, much to her disappointment, he didn't undress himself. Instead, he walked around the other side of the bed and climbed in next to her.
"Why not?" Elena asked, slightly hurt that he didn't seem to want her.
"Shh, Elena, you don't know what you want right now. It's the alcohol talking; I shouldn't have let you drink so much."
"But...I want this, I want us. I didn't know it before, but ever since Denver things just haven't been the same between me and Stefan. Caroline and Bonnie, they just think that you're a bad guy and that Stefan and I are meant to be...but I'm tired of the expected. Stefan's a great guy, but what I felt for him...it's just not there anymore. I love you, Damon," Elena babbled, pouting at the end.
Damon just gave her a strange look, and pulled her close into the warmth of his embrace. "Elena, you know how I feel about you. You just need to sleep, right now. Okay?"
She was suddenly too tired to argue, and Damon's arms felt so extremely good around her...
In less than a minute she was out cold, and Damon was left holding the girl he loved, asking himself if it was possible that her drunken words spoke sober thoughts.