**As always this has not been looked over by anyone but me so please forgive any mistakes. Others notes at the bottom of the work.**
Why is it Bonnie was ever only the woman who could successful set out to avoid him? Most women would get on the end of his panty melting grin and the blue flame burn of his peepers and the female will would give way to his desire. But no, not little Miss Bennett. He'd had to work to keep her from killing him, to be her acquaintance, work to be her friend; so why would it be any different when he wanted to make her his?
Damon was tired of waiting. He'd been waiting nearly his entire life. Wait for his father to think better of him. Wait for Katherine to turn him, waiting to free Katherine, waiting to kill Katherine. Then came waiting for Elena to choose him and now waiting on Elena to wake up. Why wait on what could be, when now he sees the prospect of what can be. Elena had taught him to want to be better, for her. Bonnie made him better but she did it from inside him, subtly, craftily, from the back of his mind, from deep inside his heart. She was so graceful at it he was changing without realizing it but he was doing it for him as well as her. He wanted Bonnie, he wanted her now.
Bonnie had thought she was fearless. She had faced death, multiple times. Normal people stood at the edge of a precipice and looked over thinking they were brave while they yelled things that echoed back at them. Bonnie had always run headlong into the void. So why was she scared of her best friend?
After the kiss she had been furious. It's much easier to hide behind anger than to admit her feelings for him. The fact she had feelings was terrifying. Toss in a comatose best friend that would never understand she was having feelings for one of the 'loves of her life'. But how could Damon lay an earth-shattering kiss on her? That had been no fumbling seduction like with Jeremy or the rushed kisses of Scott. She would never admit that one Salvatore lip lock had laid waste to all other kisses that came before it. It held promise of the ruin that could come next. Worse, it brought out the over achiever in her, the fighting competitive champion always under the surface. She wanted to scorch his sheets, rob his brain of thought, fry to oblivion the reminder of every other woman he had been with. She should feel shame at wanting to blot out both names behind the face of the doppelganger - just as she had promised him she could when she had taken the bait and slapped him with her words. That was so wrong, right?
It wasn't like he hadn't gotten hot and heavy with a girl since Elena had been locked away even if later he had seemed to not even enjoy his slip ups. Damon had never been a monk. Even after having professed being in love with Elena he slept his way through women. Same with his wait for Katherine. Perhaps that is why Elena had told him to 'live' during his wait? She must have known that Damon had too much sex drive to pant like a dog for years.
None of these thoughts stopped Bonnie from wanting to have a wild night with the Elder Salvatore…or maybe twenty nights. Nearly bursting with angst she had confessed the insanity of her thought to Caroline, after swearing her to secrecy. Just what she would need, her sun-haired best friend running to tell her almost boyfriend, the brother of the man starring in all her heated fantasies that he DID play the staring roll in her XXX mental movies. It would have only been a matter of time before Stefan caved to big bad older brother's inquisition. Caroline had surprisingly been encouraging of the witch-vampire pairing.
"You don't think Elena is gonna wake up ticked at me? I somehow doubt that Care." Deleting another un-listened to voice mail and unopened text message from Damon, Bonnie settled herself farther back into the cushiony sofa at Casa De Forbes. It was her new place to hideout crash.
"You know I love Elena, Bon, but the world doesn't stop because she has been sidelined for a little bit. She knows he's not a saint. She also wants him to find some happiness." Bonnie stopped in the middle of swallowing down her red wine to look closely and her friend.
"You're serious aren't you? You really think she expected him to move on to another girl as her place holder?"
"Not necessarily a place holder but maybe a chance at something… different. You guys are good together and to be honest with you I think she already had the thought that you could become… more than friends?" She shot Bonnie a grin before popping a cube of cheddar in her mouth.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore. The kiss was a fluke and I'm with Scott even if I do want to… test out Damon's skills for myself."
"But Bonnie…"
"Enough Caroline. I thought you would be excited to help me pick out this gown. I need to order it tonight or it won't get here in time for the Founders Ball and Scott will be dateless."
"Please, he should have asked you sooner. Besides leave it to me and you will be the most gorgeous gal there, even more than Moi. And you know that is a major feat!"
The week passed fairly easy as Damon's attempts at tracking down Bonnie had all but ceased. Bonnie and Scott's relationship crashed and burned but she agreed to accompany him to the Ball as friends. He had said they were both too distracted with life right now, that when he spoke to her she seemed diverted. With the nearly nightly erotic dreams of a certain blue eyed vampire Bonnie knew it was for the best. She was still going to play the smiling girlfriend to impress his peers and hopeful connections but it would be their last hurrah as a couple.
The Founders Ball was in full swing. A multitude of candelabra were lit and flickering giving the gargantuan room and elegant feel. The music and champagne flowed freely. Everyone glittered in their black tie and evening gown garb. Caroline, blond locks curled to frame her face wore a blue high color sleeveless knee length cocktail dress. Bonnie went a little more suave; her scarlet hem brushed the floor. Caroline had talked her into a plunging neckline in crushed velvet. The dress and her hair were somewhat reminiscent of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.
Standing to the side of the room watching Stefan waltz Caroline around was actually pretty wonderful. Now that her friend had finally fallen prey to his charms she seemed to smile all the time. Bonnie was glad to see the both of them happy.
"Care to dance Bonnie?" A sing song voice called out. The smile immediately slid off her face and she braced herself before spinning around.
"Dancing isn't really our thing Damon." She was not prepared for his devastating evening attire. The man could fill out a tux like no other.
"We could make it our thing. If you won't give me dances at lease consider being my arm candy for the rest of this evening." His eyes raked her from head to the peep-shoe encased ruby painted toes peeking out from under the skirts of her red dress.
Although his perusal of her brought excitement and knee trembling Bonnie cleared her throat to bring herself back into focus.
"I have a date Damon." She made an attempt to infuse irritation in the statement.
"If he was smart he wouldn't have left you all alone. Where is Price Charming? He's obvious not where he's supposed to be, attached to your side before someone else snatches up his date." The corner of his mouth pulled up as he scanned the immediate vicinity and saw no sign of Scott.
"He's discussing some prospects with a big potential contact."
"Hmm. If you had bothered to respond to any of my tests or phone calls or here's an idea had actually spoken to me in person, you could have enjoyed the event with the best looking guy in the room." She looked mouthwatering and he had wanted her as his date to the event but she spoiled it by evading his every attempt to see her, talk to her, and invite her. He enjoyed Bonnie's company even when they fought. She was intriguing, irritating and entertaining but more and more lately she was arousing. He would have had a lot of fun with her and he couldn't deny secretly wanting to see her all prettied up. It was a rarity to see her dressed to the nines which was odd because there was usually some excuse to put on airs in this little town.
"There's my girl, come meet Mr. Armond Bonnie. You will excuse us Damon." Scott stood next to Bonnies arm and cupped his hand with hers. Bonnie wasn't sure who the act was for but she narrow her eyes at him before letting her herself be tugged behind him. Damon's wicked smile promised this would not be the last she saw of him this evening. He gave one last little too-da-loo wave before she disappeared into the crowd.
"What was that about Scott? That was very rude and I'm not your property. You could have given me a moment to talk to my friend." In a perfect world she and Scott would have been perfect for each other. He was only about two inches taller than she, skin tone a few shades darker. He was smart, sophisticated for his age and had ambition to advance his life. When they had first gotten together she had been fascinated by the thin mustache above his lip now she spent nights being annoyed by it and wishing she could shave it off in his sleep.
"Heh. Yea friend." Bonnie skid to a halt with an 'Are you out of your mind?!" expression marring her pretty face.
"What are you implying?"
"Why do you think I broke up with you so easy? I can see the look on your face when you talk about him and I can see with my own eyes how he looks at you. I knew it would be losing battle to try to hold on to you when you were already half in love with him." Before Bonnie could open her mouth to refute his words they were already in front of Mr. Armond so she put on her happy mask while she simmered internally.
"Looks like your quarry has gotten away brother." Stefan uttered while handing Damon a champagne flute and joining him in a lean against the wall to watch Bonnie inanely smile at her beaux.
"Only for the moment Stefan." The fizz felt great sliding down his throat. Any distraction was a good one. If he didn't get another taste of Bonnie soon he might go on a murderous rampage just like the good ol' days.
"Are you sure you want to do this? She's your best friend. And Elena's."
"You don't think I know that? You don't think I've forgotten the girl in the casket that I've sworn to forever love. I meant it when I said it. I mean it now. I will always love her. " The fury pulled his handsome face tight.
"But?" The younger Salvatore spoke softly. Stefan watched as his brothers face softened once again the moment his eyes landed back on the young witch in red.
"But I can't let her go. I can't let Bonnie go and I should feel guilty but I don't, not any more. I should feel awful that it hasn't been quite three years since we entombed Elena and already I"
"YOU, might as well be honest with yourself." Stefan interrupted. "If it's just a curiosity with Bonnie it's not fair to you or to her and you need to let her go. I somehow think it goes deeper than that."
"Is that so?" Damon asked smarmily without looking at him, eyes too busy taking in his petite beauty.
There was a moment of silence before Stefan dared to speak again.
"I'm afraid it's much worse. I think you love them both."
** Hello lovely people. A big thank you to those of you who have faved and commented. I am very pleased when what I write has an affect on people and when I get to see the affect it's a bit mind blowing. I have a feeling this story is heading into the M rating and I may have to change said rating for any future lemon(s) that may occur. If you are a reader that wants to stay with this story and the change would make you uncomfortable, let me know via message or comment and I will probably steer clear of doing that. Thank you all for reading!
