Elena

I felt sorry for stringing Stefan along. I should have figured out what I wanted and just been honest about it. Stefan cared about me. I knew it and I was very grateful to have someone so wonderful like him who appreciated who I was and what I stood for.

Caroline insisted I had to get a date to go to the annual medical association ball. Stefan would be the perfect date. I couldn't tell Caroline or Stefan that I wanted to go to the ball with Damon. Deep inside I hated myself for not being honest enough to tell Stefan about how I felt about him. I didn't want to hurt him.

The problem was Damon. When I was with him, he just consumed me. Damon smelled trouble. I should stay away from him. But I also knew, deep down in some unearthed part of me that I couldn't. I was drawn to him like I was drawn to water or air. There was no denying the attraction I felt for Damon Salvatore. And somehow I'd thought it was the same for him, maybe just a little bit.

The last conversation I'd had with him flitted through my mind. You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, an adventure, and even a little danger.

Being with him made me felt so alive. Like everything was possible. I couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face when I remembered how he came to my rescue the other night as he thought I was being attacked. He'd make a perfect knight in shining armour. I wanted to know more about him, but I knew I shouldn't push him. Sometimes I felt he resisted the help, the emotion of other people. He was like a loner, stranded on an island of anger and bitterness that needed rescuing. He just didn't know it yet. Yes, I realised he might be trouble but it wouldn't keep me away from him. Nothing would.

x x x

"I thought you don't cook."

At the sound of the male voice directly behind me, I jumped. I dropped the package of frozen pizza back onto the stack, straightened and turned away from the supermarket's large, glass-walled freezer.

Damon stood in the aisle. Dressed in a black leather coat, black pants, a black shirt and black boots, he certainly stood out there in the grocery store aisle. I swallowed, hard. He was gorgeous. Incredibly gorgeous.

"Sorry," he said, managing to look both amused and apologetic at the same time. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Well, you did," I said as I picked up the package of frozen pizza again and dropped it into my shopping cart.

"Don't tell me you are going to eat this." Damon made a face as he grabbed the package of frozen pizza from my cart.

"What's wrong with this?" I snatched it back from him. Sometimes Damon could be annoying, very annoying.

"Taste like cardboard. I won't eat it if I were you," he shrugged.

"Jenna and her boyfriend have gone away for the weekend. I want a quick meal. I prefer to spend more time on my books than cooking in the kitchen."

Damon said nothing for a moment. He grabbed the package of frozen pizza from my cart and put it back into the freezer.

'Damon…"

"Got an idea," he said after a while.

"I'm listening."

"Why don't I cook for you at your place? Then you can concentrate on your books."

My eyes widened in astonishment. "You want to cook for me?"

"Got any better idea?"

I contemplated that for a moment. Then I gently cleared my throat. "Okay. A proper dinner sounds good."

"Let's get some real food then," Damon said as he pushed my cart along.

I smiled as I walked beside him. I couldn't deny the fact that I actually liked the idea of Damon cooking dinner for me at my place.

Carrying a bottle of beer, I headed into the living room, where we had been sitting after dinner. I lowered myself into the sofa next to Damon and handed the bottle of beer to him.

"Thanks," he smiled.

"I should be the one who says thank you," I said softly. "Dinner was lovely." I thought about the macaroni salad loaded with fresh avocado and smoked bacon tossed in a lemon-thyme dressing and the pan seared salmon with avocado remoulade we just had. A taste of heaven.

"You know what they say; a way to a man's heart is through his stomach." He took a swallow of beer from the bottle. "Maybe you need to learn to cook."

"You think so?" I turned to face him and found myself staring into the eyes of the first man who had brought my blood to a rolling boil since Liam Davis. No, I corrected. Liam had never made me feel as if my body had all the rigidity of cooked spaghetti and as if my head was filled with helium. I was very conscious of Damon sitting so close, not more than a few inches away. My heart began to pound ferociously. Damon's face moved closer to mine, I stared at his mouth, full and tempting.

He's going to kiss me.

I held my breath in anticipation of a repeat wild rush of desire I had experienced the last time Damon had kissed me. His warm breath heated my skin. I was willing to surrender to this man in front of me, right here, right now.

The sudden sound of my phone ringing made both of us sprang apart like two teenagers caught necking in the back of the classroom. I reached into my jeans pocket for my cell phone. I looked at the caller ID. It was Stefan.

With a swift intake of breath, I punched the talk button and jammed the phone to my ear. "Stefan?"

Damon went very still.

"Hi Elena, I'm just wondering whether you would be keen to have brunch tomorrow at the Grill. We can do some studying together after that."

"I, uh, I have some family stuff tomorrow," I lied. "Maybe next time?"

"Oh, okay, maybe next time. Good night." Stefan's disappointment was apparent. I felt so guilty. You are such a horrible person, Elena Gilbert!

"Good night."

"What's going on between you and Stefan?"

I looked at Damon, startled at first, then my brows came together. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he said, his voice brusque.

As he watched, I drew in a deep breath. "Stefan and I are friends." I got up from the sofa and turned to face him. "There is nothing going on between us."

"Why did you lie?" His eyes narrowed. "Your aunt is away this weekend. You are alone by yourself."

I was taken aback. I didn't expect that. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Why did you lie Elena?" Damon stood up, his face closed to mine and his eyes staring at me. I took a step back.

"I don't know, okay?" I glared.

For what seemed like an eternity he just stood there, staring at me. His silence confused me. What did he expect me to say? I took another breath then bit down on my lip. He shook his head and gave a deep sigh, "You shouldn't lie to him. Stefan's a good guy."

I said nothing.

He took another swallow of beer. "You will be happy with him."

I raised my eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?"

He shook his head again. "It's late. I better get going. Good night Elena."

"Damon…" I began, but he had already slipped outside and closed the door softly behind him, leaving me alone with a mixture of confusion and distress.