A/N: Thanks so much for all your comments on the last chapter. I love that you guys are getting excited about this story. Thanks for taking the time to read and review!

Special thanks to EtheHunter for looking the chapters over for me. She is my flour, without her I'd just fall flat.

Disclaimer: I do not own them, but I like to pretend they're mine once in a while.

Failing in Love

Chapter 2

Most of my weekend off was spent in the yard. It was warm enough that I could wear my bathing suit and work on my tan a bit while I helped Gran weed the flower beds and get rid of the loose pine needles that had settled over the winter.

It had also given me a lot of free time to spend fantasizing over one Eric Northman. Dinner had been a fascinating thing. He was an amazingly talented flirt. On more than one occasion, I had found myself blushing and averting my eyes. It had been a long time since I'd met someone who could say something that seemed so innocent, but meant something completely naughty.

Where I thought I was practically a medal away from Olympic flirting, Eric made it seem like it was as easy as breathing. It wasn't a sport to him, just something that came natural. I wondered, for probably the thousandth time, when I would get to see him again.

Originally I had suspected Eric and Pam to be a couple, but that idea was debunked when she eyed my cleavage one too many times. Pam was definitely more into women than she was men. I didn't have Pam to worry about as far as competition went, but there was every other single (and probably married) straight woman in the world that would undoubtedly want a piece (or six) of Eric Northman. Hell, maybe even a few men too.

The fact that I was going to have to pull out a few tricks was very appealing to me. It had been too long since I'd played the game, and I was determined to win Eric over. He was too beautiful for even me. I was going to have to up my game.

I had him in mind while I was getting dressed for work on Monday. He and Pam had said they would be stopping by the first part of the week to go over a few changes with Stan they'd wanted to be made as far as operations went.

I honestly didn't want to be a part of that conversation. I knew I'd get it all secondhand from Stan either way. But I wanted to look damn good when Eric showed his handsome face. My first impression hadn't been a bad one on my part, but I was going to let Eric's memory think it hadn't done me justice with the second one.

A good fitting pair of slacks with the right cut can be just as sexy, if not more so, as a skirt. In my opinion at least. They were charcoal grey, and I paired them with a white fitted button-down that accented my boobs really wonderfully. A wide black belt completed the look and made my waist look teeny-tiny.

Men were carnally visual creatures.

Gran was over at Ms. Fortenberry's house as she was most weekdays. I'm not sure what all they did, but I assumed it was a lot of gabbing and maybe a little crocheting. Gran never was a big gossip, but most of her friends were. Really though, I was glad she had some friends to keep her from getting lonely.

Life hadn't been easy for her. Losing her daughter, and son-in-law just a few years after they had given her grandchildren, had to have been difficult. I didn't have kids, but as a woman, I suspected that I'd never want to live to the day I had to watch my children die.

Pappy, her husband and my grandfather, had left her alone with two pretty young kids six short years later. Jason had been almost sixteen, but I was still thirteen, and a baby in many ways. As well as I thought she did raising us, we hadn't exactly made it easy on her some years. Maybe that was part of the reason I was still living at home at the ripe age of twenty-seven. I loved her too much to let her live in that big old house by herself.

Jason came around, but not often enough for my liking, and never for much longer than it took to eat a good meal and pack some leftovers. I loved my brother, but he wasn't exactly the most thoughtful person when it came to others. I wouldn't particularly call him selfish, just oblivious at times.

I envied him that simplicity sometimes, I'll admit.

I pulled up at the hotel a few minutes before nine. I was actually early again. Of course, I could probably attribute that to the fact that I was anxious to see Eric again, but I'd never admit to that. Well, that was a lie. I was obsessed with the man, and not ashamed to admit it.

Amelia attacked me as soon as I was in the door. "Oh. My. God. Is it true? They said the new owner is a panty melter." She was so...brash. "Marie, in housekeeping, said he was mucho gusto," she snorted.

Amelia sucked at Spanish. I doubted Marie said that at all. Or maybe she did, but there was probably a lot more too it than that. That just happened to be all that Amelia could pick out of it. Gossiping and making streetwalkers blush was Amelia's forte. Speaking foreign languages, not so much.

"He's in there with Stan right now. I haven't seen him. Have you seen him? Did y'all go out to dinner the other night? Tell me. Why aren't you talking?"

I laughed. "'Cause you haven't shut your trap long enough for me to get a word in edge wise." I fluffed my hair a little. Eric was in the office. With Stan. Flutter bunnies were having babies in my tummy. Amelia rolled her eyes at me. "He's gorgeous, Amelia. Good-looking does not come close to covering it."

I let out a dreamy sigh as I remembered.

Amelia squealed, making me cringe and shush her. "Look at you! You've got him marked already, don't you?" she teased as she poked me. "Not fair."

I smiled, vicious. "All's fair in love and war. Besides, I saw him first." I winked. "Dibs," I giggled.

She huffed. "I hate you. Also, you know you're going to have to tell me all about it. And I do mean every single, dirty and naughty little detail." She narrowed her eyes at me and smiled mischievously. "I'm not sure how long they've been in there, but I don't expect them to be too much longer."

"I've got to get a few things done through the hotel. Mind keeping an eye out for me?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Ok, text when they come out." I turned to walk away, but then remembered something. "Oh, Meal's, Pam, his associate, is pretty hot too." I winked.

Amelia squeaked and bounced, clapping her hands like a child. "Ooh, I can't wait to meet her."

I left Amelia with a laugh. I knew she'd be more interested in Pam than she would be in Eric. Of course, had I not claimed him off limits, she would have totally been all over Eric and Pam. She simply didn't have a preference. She was a care free and very loving spirit. Had been since kindergarten. I couldn't find it in myself to begrudge her that, no matter how hard it might have been for some to accept something so different.

I went down to check on housekeeping and look inside a few rooms before heading over to make sure maintenance was getting on some repairs and upkeep that needed to be done. Stan was good at books. I was good with the people. They listened to me even though I was never really hard-handed with them.

I kept checking my phone, even though I knew I didn't have it on vibrate. I guess I was more than a little excited about seeing Eric again. Once I was certain the behind-the-scenes things were running like a well-oiled machine, I made my way back to the office. I stopped for a moment to fix a cup of coffee while I was in the lobby. Amelia was busy at the counter with a couple of guests checking out.

Even though we'd turned over to self check-out years ago, like most hotels, I think some people had a hard time breaking old habits. They come down and did it this same way for years, may as well keep on doing it. Gran would have said, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Really, it hadn't ever been broken. This was simply a way to save guests a matter of two or three minutes of precious time.

Time was a priceless thing nowadays. And a commodity.

I'd just powered up my laptop and set my coffee in its holder when the door to Stan's office opened a crack. I think my heart fluttered a little. I walked to the other side of my desk, positioning myself so Eric couldn't possibly walk by without passing me.

Smooth, I know, but not at all subtle, I'm afraid. Being subtle was overrated anyway.

He came out of the office with a smirk curving his lips, drop-dead gorgeous just as I remembered. Eric was dressed slightly more casually, with a pair of navy slacks and a baby blue shirt. Still, he looked edible to me. I think I licked my lips in preparation of doing exactly that.

Eric closed the distance between us and took my hand in his, leaning to whisper in my ear. "You've stolen my breath, Sookie," he whispered. I may have whimpered, but at the same time I stopped breathing. Eric chuckled. "Now, I've returned the favor."

I was the color of blood when he pulled back, because every last drop had rushed to my head. Quickly, but not without effort, I was able to make my lips curl into a hopefully demure sort of smile. "Good to see you again, Eric," I said, my voice shaking only slightly.

He gave me a real smile then and winked. "Have dinner with me tonight?"

There wasn't even a smidgen of hesitation when I answered. No was no longer in my vocabulary. "Okay. What time?"

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Stan said from somewhere. I'd managed to create a bubble of ignorance around me and Eric since the moment he walked fully into my office. "Do you not prefer to keep some rule on fraternization?"

I could really strangle Stan sometimes. Eric winked at my frown before turning to face Stan. "No sense in that rule, since by simply having it you're making the prospect of fraternization that much more appealing. Date or hang out with who you'd like, as far as I'm concerned. As long as it doesn't affect your professional environment, of course."

I smiled at Stan's gaping mouth. He was catching flies, looking back and forth between Eric and I. Stan frowned as his eyes finally settled on me, and I tilted my head, curious. He looked odd. Pissed? Stan definitely looked upset, but before I could ask him what was wrong, he turned and closed his office door behind him.

Eric squeezed my hand, making me hyper-aware of how close he was and how warm and strong the caress of his fingers were. "What time do you normally call it a day? I could pick you up from here?"

What? I frowned and looked at my clothes. "I'd need to change," I said, as if he should already know this.

Eric shook his head. "Don't you dare. You look absolutely beautiful."

While that was true, it sort of made me feel like it was more of a work date than it did a regular one. And while I may have been making the wrong assumption on how he was asking me, I didn't think I was. I smiled and gave my lashes an extra flutter when I looked up to him. "All the same, I'd prefer to put on something a little less...business-y."

Eric's eyes raked me over with a hungry look. I could feel my skin prickling and heating under his scrutiny and my breath was coming out in short harsh pants that I tried, and failed, to regulate. "I think I'd like to see you in something a little more..." his eyes snared mine, and they were molten, "comfortable."

I smiled and gave Eric directions to my house after telling him I'd be ready by about six-thirty. I had to work during breakfast on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I didn't want to be out too late.

Eric turned my hand in his, pulling the back of it to his lips. "I'll be looking forward to it all day," he purred.

"See ya," I said sweetly, blushing but still able to add a little twist to my hips as I walked back towards Stan's office. Eric waved a little over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner. I took a deep breath, holding in the squeal until I was in private.

I wasn't completely insane.

I was still grinning when I opened the door to Stan's office. He looked up from a stack of papers with a very serious expression. "I don't think this is a good idea, Sookie."

"What? Why not?" I knew he was talking about my date with Eric, even without having to ask. I knew from that look moments ago he was going to have something to say about it once Eric had gone.

He shook his head. "It's like asking for something bad to happen. What if things don't work out between you? What if you hurt him or he hurts you? Will you still work here? Will he fire you?" I rolled my eyes. "Stop it, Sookie, you know I'm right. There's just too many things that could go wrong in this scenario."

"Relax, Stan, it's not as if I'm marrying the guy." I sat down in the chair on the other side of his desk, adjacent to him, and crossed my legs. "It's just dinner, a date. You're too serious all the time."

"And you don't take things seriously enough, Sookie. Think about it. Eric is the owner. Not only could he fire you, but he could also make it that much more difficult for you to find a new job." He held up his hands as I tried to speak. "I'm not saying it's going to happen. I'm just saying, if it does, it could be really bad."

I knew he meant well, but Stan really did worry more than one person should. I smiled as I crossed my arms and leaned over towards his desk. "I appreciate it, Stan, thanks." he nodded and looked down at his papers again.

I wasn't done. "You know what this means, right?" Stan looked up, confusion wrinkling his brow. "It means you and I can hang out, too." He turned the color of my favorite red nail polish, and I grinned brighter. "Gran's been dying to have you over and feed you a good meal. Says you're too skinny."

He gave a nervous chuckle and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not too skinny. But I'd love to have dinner with you sometime, Sookie," he shifted his eyes behind me and then to the floor. "I mean with you and your Gran, of course."

Stan was just too cute for words. "Of course," I teased, giggling.

Stan grinned and looked away trying to hide it. When he looked back, his face was sober and serious once more. "I really don't know if I like the idea of you going out with him,Sookie. Well, I know I don't like the idea of it, but I guess I'm not going to change your mind, huh?"

"Stan, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous." I sat back again, raising my chin just a notch higher. "You're not jealous, are you, Stan?"

Stan had done nothing but thwart my every attempt. Not that I'd really been throwing myself at him or anything, since the previous owner frowned upon dating within the company. But I hadn't exactly acted like all the feelings I had for Stan were purely platonic. Stan had never once shown any interest.

Stan's jaw tightened and twitched. I'd never seen that look on his face, and I had to admit it was pretty damn sexy. Especially when he pushed his glasses up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, Sookie. I'm not jealous," he finally said. "I just want you to be careful, is all."

I smiled gently at him. "I will be, Stan. I promise."

I'd kinda been hoping he was jealous. Darn.

A/N: Woo hoo! And there's chapter 2. I hope you liked and will take the time to leave your thoughts. Sadly, this was the last chapter I'd had anything written on. But I'm hoping I can get a little bit of writing done this week. If not for this story, then for one of my other ongoing ones.

Thanks to everyone for their patience and support. You guys amaze me daily! Sometimes I give up on myself, and you guys bring me back in with gusto!

KISSES!