A/N – I loved Dead in the Family. If you haven't read it, do it. Now. You won't regret it.

I also love your continued support and reviews. Thanks for reading!

These characters belong to the great Charlaine Harris, who needs to announce when book 11 is going to be released.

EPOV

Eric pulled off his tie as he strode to his car. It was late, and he had stayed in the construction trailer talking to the foreman until long past dark. Ground had been broken today on his new nightclub, and he couldn't contain his excitement. After he had the approval, he had moved quickly to make things happen. He had been planning this for too long to allow any delays.

Eric had made his living owning clubs before he was married. He had worked up from bartending to managing to owning. His first club had done so well, he had been able to open another. After he married and Hadley was born, he was forced to cut back his hours. Felicia had not been interested in "babysitting", so Eric had been the primary caregiver of their daughter. Unable to spend the hours needed to operate and manage two clubs, he had sold one. After Felicia's death, he had continued operating the club until about a year ago. Pam had just fled New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and was looking for business opportunities. She and Eric had met at a club they had co-managed in St. Louis, and she called him to offer him a deal. If he fronted the capital and built the club, she would manage it for a portion of the profits. Eric couldn't refuse. He was ready for the challenge of something new, knew Pam would be highly successful, and the setup would allow him be home at with Hadley. He jumped at the chance.

Things were coming together, and Eric couldn't be more pleased. He lowered the top on his corvette, and sped out onto the highway, the breeze blowing away some of the swampy Louisiana humidity.

The heat made him restless; made him think of a certain blonde, whose lips he hadn't tasted in two weeks. Two weeks was too long. Eric was a sexual animal, and now that the animal had been awakened, he didn't want to settle back down.

He considered driving to Merlotte's. He had stopped in once last week when he saw her car in the lot, but had gone in to find her slammed with customers, and was forced to settle for a few flirtatious looks.

It wasn't long before the bar would be closing, and Eric had time to wait. Hadley was spending the night at her friend Sophie-Anne's house, and they were going to the zoo tomorrow. After hearing tales about Sophie-Anne's father, Eric was a little reluctant to let her stay overnight. But when he met the Sophie-Anne's dad, he felt a kindred spirit with another single father. The man had obviously loved his daughter, and Eric felt Hadley was in good hands.

So, with the remainder of his night free, he found his car driving toward Merlotte's and Sookie Stackhouse.

SPOV

Sookie was exhausted. Waiting tables was not an easy job, and the knowledge of that was one of the reasons she enrolled in college. And although being out of school for the summer was helping her exhaustion level, her feet and head were still throbbing from working another double shift. She ducked into Sam's office to pick up her purse, and then headed toward the front door, waving goodbye to her boss.

Sookie was irritable – had been all week. That darned Eric Northman. No sooner had she decided to enjoy him than he had disappeared. She caught a glimpse of him last week in Merlotte's, but she had been busy, and by the time her tables calmed down, he was gone.

She was confused more than ever about what they were to each other. She didn't think he was a person who would just fool around with his daughter's babysitter, but she also recognized that Eric was a charismatic, attractive man. He could have any woman he wanted – what made her think he was interested in her, of all people? She was not normally casual with her affections. She thought Eric had understood that, and appreciated it. She thought they had an understanding…sort of.

He was probably out in Shreveport right now, wining and dining some woman; a woman who might have a little more class or a better upbringing than she did. What made him think she wasn't good enough for him? What made him think he could just give her amazing kisses and devastating orgasms, and then never even call? She had never done…what she did to him…for anyone else. Didn't he realize how special that was?

Sookie was in a fine lather when she walked out the front door and stalked across the parking lot toward her car. It took a moment for her to register the red Corvette parked next to her Nova, and another moment to notice the long, lean blonde sitting on the hood.

"Hello, Lover," Eric's sultry voice was tempting, and fueled Sookie's fire.

"Don't you 'Hello Lover' me, in your sexy tone, Eric Northman," she stomped right up to him and poked a finger in his chest.

He looked surprised. The swine.

"I gave you…" she hesitated saying the somewhat trashy phrase, "…head, and you don't even call me afterward? And now you show up all hot and tempting and expect me to just fall at your feet? I don't think so, mister."

"Sookie," Eric was obviously taken aback. She waited to hear his excuses. "I'm very sorry. You're absolutely right – I should have called you."

"Darn right, you should have!"

"I didn't know how much you wanted your grandmother to know about us," he continued, "and I didn't have any other number for you."

Sookie was still scowling.

He continued. "I've been swamped trying to break ground for my club in Shreveport, but I stopped in here last week to see you." He reached out his hand to stroke down her arm and tangle his fingers in hers. "You were really busy, and I didn't want to bother you, so I left."

Eric pulled her hand up to kiss her fingers, one by one. "But I missed you. Terribly." He tugged her closer to him, reaching his other hand up into her hair to stroke the nape of her neck. He gave her a slow, heated look. "Did you miss me?"

Sookie nearly answered in the affirmative, swayed by his good looks and smooth charm, before she shook herself and stiffened. "Eric, I will not be derailed. I thought you understood that I don't," she paused, "involve myself with men casually. If that's all you're after, then you're calling on the wrong girl."

"Lover," he purred, pulling her closer to him, brushing his lips lightly across hers, "I told you…I want you in any way I can have you."

Sookie pulled back. "Excuse my French, Eric, but that is a shitty cop-out."

She saw shock and admiration? in his eyes.

"That's saying nothing about your intentions," she continued. "Since you had your chance, now it's my turn to speak." Sookie leaned forward, into Eric's space. "I want you, Eric Northman. More than any man I've ever encountered before. But I'm not a floozy, and I deserve respect. If you want to continue to see me, you're going to have to make an effort, and a commitment."

He crossed his arms across his chest and raised one eyebrow. "Go on."

"I think we need to set up some ground rules here."

A new gleam appeared in Eric's eyes. She had a sudden suspicion he enjoyed negotiation. "Name your terms," his voice had an edge of anticipation.

She took a deep breath. "One: you will take me out on proper dates, meaning you will pick me up at my door, meet my grandmother, feed me something nice for dinner, and return me at a respectable hour."

There was no hesitation. "Done," he said. "Two?"

"Two: we communicate. I understand and respect that you're busy; I am too. But that is no reason to go two weeks after such an intimate act before talking again. You have my number. Use it."

He nodded, his eyes slightly apologetic. "That's more than reasonable. Anything else?"

"Yeah," Sookie stepped closer, leaning into Eric's body, and grasped the front of his button-down shirt. "If you commit to me, then it's to me only, no one else. No dates, no 'late meetings', no one-night flings with anyone else. If you do, I guarantee I'll find out and that will be the end. No second chances. Cheating is a deal breaker for me. I. Don't. Share."

Eric growled, and his hand buried in her hair as his lips claimed hers. The kiss was possessive; a claiming, on both sides. It appeared as though he had no problem with the last term, either.

He pulled back to look at her. "Now my terms."

"Name it."

"You're mine," Eric demanded, and Sookie opened her mouth to protest. Not sharing was one thing, but possession was another. Eric stopped her. "Just as I'm yours. I want you to commit to me, as well. And I have Hadley to consider." The thought made Sookie pause. There was more on the line than just their own feelings.

Eric pulled his hand from her hair and leaned back a bit more. "I haven't openly dated anyone since her mother died," he revealed. "Not out of grief, but out of the need to protect my daughter from unnecessary influences." He didn't grieve for his wife? Sookie couldn't help the curiosity that welled at his statement.

"The truth is, there isn't anyone I wanted to invite into our lives until you." His eyes were blazing, open and honest. "Dating me means being a part of her life as well; being appropriate and considerate of a little girl's feelings. It's a lot to take on, especially in a new relationship. If you can't handle that, then we need to renegotiate our terms."

Sookie was floored. She had the impression that Eric was only after her for sex, and she was more than willing to fight him for more. But, the fact that he wanted her to be involved in his life, as well as his daughter's, was an awfully big commitment. Now she felt nervous.

"What are your other terms?" She asked, delaying.

Now the naughty-boy grin came out. "Sex," he purred. "Lots of it." Eric raised his hands to rub up and down her sides, slowly, lingering on each curve. "You're inherently sexual, Sookie. You have a natural sensuality that I can almost smell, and I want to be the one to awaken it in you. I want that honor."

Her pulse raced. She tried to keep a clear head, despite her arousal. This decision was important, and shouldn't be considered lightly.

"I think I can agree to those terms, Eric." She nodded. "Shake on it?"

He shook his head, then cupped her cheeks tenderly. "Kiss on it," he breathed, and opened his lips against hers. It was slow, deep and devastating.

"Oh," he broke the kiss, "one last term."

She narrowed her eyes. Was this some sort of catch? "What?"

Eric was deadly serious. "No games," he stated gravely. "No mind games, no jealousy games, no backstabbing. That's my deal breaker."

His vehemence made her pause. What had happened to him to make him so serious about this? It wasn't in her nature to be less than honest, and game-playing did not allow honesty. Sookie had no problem answering. "Agreed. You have yourself a girlfriend, Mr. Northman."

He smiled again. "And you have yourself a lover, Miss Stackhouse."