The Champagne cork popped loudly in the still air, and was greeted with a round of applause.

"Well, who wants seconds" Kol enquired, perching on the edge of the tube and offering the frosted bottle to the collection of people bobbing around in the hot tub.

"Kol, you missed me… and Elena…" Rebecca complained.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare… sorry ladies" he flashed his brilliant smile at those in the hot tub, the Salvatores, his sister and Elena and Caroline. It had taken a lot of cajoling to get Caroline to even consider joining them, but when she had heard that Esther and Mikeal were away and wouldn't be home at all that evening, she had relented. Truthfully it was hard to deny Kol anything, or hold out long against him. He simply wore you down.

Caroline sipped her bubbly drink, letting it fizz against her throat all the way down. She shifted over in the tube as Kol swung his legs back in.

"Bloody hell it's cold out here" he complained as he sank back into the water, steam rising of the surface.

"Caroline, be a love and warm me up…" he said, his voice dropping to a jokingly seductive level. She rolled her eyes at him and pushed his shoulder to send him away.

"Not likely Kol… anyway…. Klaus would have your guts" Rebecca remarked with a laugh, and Caroline felt her cheeks flush.

"My, really? Why is that? Caroline, care to fill us in?" Damon said, earning him a splash in the face.

"Shut it Damon" she muttered, turning and resting her hot face on her hand, staring out, desperate for the cool air to cool her face down, and taking along deep draft of Champagne. In the days following the auction, she had found it hard to get Klaus out of her mind. He had been keeping to himself, which made every interaction they had tinged with longing, with unspoken feelings. As much as it horrified her, his behaviour, his very person was drawing her closer and closer, and when he withdrew, as he had been since that night, now, it brought her closer to him. She longed to hear his laugh, to have those striking eyes following her. He was on her mind, despite all her best efforts. He had joked about it, but he had kinda been her shining armour knight, defending her but not overtaking the situation, not making it about him. He was... well... he was a difficult man to stay away from.

"Well well… speak of the devil, and he doth appear" Kol suddenly muttered, and Caroline felt alarm shoot through her entire body as she turned back to see Elijah and Katherine approaching, with a shadowy figure trailing them.

"What have we happened upon here?" Elijah was saying with a smile, something that tended to be present a lot lately as he took in the revellers.

"A little indulgence before the Christmas madness kicks off… care to joins up… Katherine?" Kol finished, swinging to look at the dark haired beauty, and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. She laughed, and then surprised both Caroline and Elena by shaking her head. It was then that she saw the smallest touch between Katherine and Elijah, a twining of fingers, a small shared glance.

"I'm going to have to pass… but have fun…" she murmured as they both turned to leave.

"Klaus surely you will not abandon us?" Kol was saying, waving a glass of champagne at him temptingly. Klaus looked around the group, his face hesitant. Kol took the opportunity of his pause to sit back down nest to Caroline and fling a wet arm around her and pull her into his side, despite her protestations.

"Actually, scratch that… too much sausage if you join… throws off the numbers" he said, throwing back his glass. Klaus watched him impassively, his eyes shifting to Caroline's for the fraction of a second and then back to his brothers. Caroline held her breath, and wondered what he would do. He set down the glass, and she thought he was turning to go, when his hand suddenly went to his tie, and he pulled it loose. Kol let out a whoop at that, as the Salvatores cheered him on. Caroline watched as he stripped off this jacket, and looked down at the table fingering a black puddle of material lying on it, before looking at it questioningly.

"I thought yours might have suited me better…" Kol said as way of explanation. Klaus sighed, and picked it up, starting toward the cabana next to the hot tub, his hands already going to the buttons of his shirt. He reached for the wooded door and started to open it, casting a last glance out, he caught Caroline's eye, and she jerked, looking away abruptly, suddenly aware of how hard she had been staring.

When the door opened again, Caroline made sure she was otherwise occupied, playing around with the ipod supplying the music, and currently stuck on Kol's nerve grating playlist. As she sped through the list, she heard Kol whistle as Klaus approached, bringing the bottle of booze with him.

"Here, take our place…" Stefan said as he stood up, helped Rebecca up and swapped places for Klaus.

"Are you driving home, brother dear? Cause some of us are way over the limit… and other just really need a shower, and to get all cleaned up" Damon was saying, snuggling his face into the side of Elena's neck as she squealed. Caroline's heart started to pound as she realise that was leaving only her, Kol and Klaus in the tub. She concentrated on the ipod, smiling goodbye to the rest as they wrapped themselves in towels and made their way off the deck. She felt Klaus moving past her, and deeper into the water, and couldn't stop the fizz of anticipation she felt at the very thought of turning around and seeing his face.

"Are you changing the music or what?" Kol asked as she found one she recognised.

"When the snowman brings the snow

Well he might just like to know

He's put a great big smile on somebody's face"

It was jarringly unromantic and she smiled to herself as she sat back.

"Interesting choice" Kol remarked as her phone started to ring. Reaching out to grab it, he beat her to it, and looked at the display, and happy smile flashing across his features, and he answered before she could stop him.

"Why Miss Bennet… what is this? After you flat out refuse me your number so many times, and now at this hour, calling me up… what is a man to think?" Caroline held her hand out for her phone, and was ignored as Kol stood and climbed agility out the tub, her phone glued to his ear, disappearing in to the house.

"It's not? I could have sworn this was my phone…" he was saying as he drifted out of earshot. Caroline looked sighed with exasperation, and finally, knowing she couldn't avoid it any longer, sat back, wrapped her arms around her middle and raised her eyes to his. The silent spectator whose eyes had been following her every move.

"Your brother" she remarked as she glanced at his face, hoping to pass off the redness of her face as being a reaction to the hot water. God he looked good. As much as she could see anyway. His muscular chest rose out the water, even his throat looked altogether too alluring, how was it even possible, she cursed inside her head as his blue eyes crinkled at her, his dimples flashing. Her mouth went dry at that, and she swallowed down the last of her drink, stiffening as she saw Klaus drift toward her, crossing the space between them, as she scooted back against the wall in alarm. She saw amusement in his eyes at his actions,

"Refill?" he offered dryly and she cringed. Nodding, she held her hand up and he carefully refilled her glass.

She watched the pinkish liquid pour into the glass, the bubbles shooting up, as the music changed.

"I really can't stay - Baby it's cold outside
I've got to go away - Baby it's cold outside
This evening has been - Been hoping that you'd drop in
So very nice - I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice"

Klaus slid back and set down the bottle, now so much closer than he had been before. She sat rigid on the end of the underwater seat, wondering how long she should stay before making an excuse.

"Caroline… I'm not going to jump you.. you can relax" Klaus said with a smile as she looked at him guiltily.

"Maybe it's not you I'm worried about" she muttered under her breath as she slid back. They sat side by side, looking up at the stars.

"I totally get why people would look at the stars to feel closer to someone they miss… knowing they are looking at the same thing… What's that one called… the really bright one?" she asked, pointing to a constellation.

"That's Sirius, the brightest star in our sky… the dog star… he's part of a constellation called Canis Major… in Greek mythology it was said that this one, and Canis Minor were Orion's hunting dogs." Caroline perked up at that.

"I know Orion!" she said and he laughed at her eagerness.

"Sweetheart, everyone knows Orion" she stuck her tongue out at him, and looked back up.

"Fine, Mr Know it All… teach me some that aren't so common, so I can impress someone with it someday" she said, leaning her head back against the lip of the hot tube. Klaus brought his head close to hers, and reached up, his wet, shiny arm sending tiny furls of steam off into the night as he pointed.

"Let's start over here…"

"Caroline" Klaus whispered, hours later, her blonde hair, darkened with water was floating against his shoulder, as he reached around and touched her shoulder.

"HHmmm?" she enquired drowsily. The champagne was finished, the stars had been named and argued about, and now Caroline was dozing next to him, and her bare, smooth leg occasionally touching his every now and again, her arm drifting across his stomach making his jaw clench. He had to get her out of there before he did something stupid, something she had already made it clear she'd prefer to avoid. He stood up and gathered her up under her knees, his other arm going behind her shoulders. She groaned as he picked her up and carefully climbed up the hot tube stairs. With one groping hand he grasped a towel, and lay it over her, seeing her skin already dimpling with the cold.

"Let's get you inside" he murmured as he walked carefully into the house and down the stairs. He wondered what he was doing. She wasn't drunk, just tired, he could have easily woken her, and said goodnight. But this, he wanted this, to be close to her, take care of her a little, while she would let him, imagine what a real relationship with a girl like Caroline could be like… if he was a better person, a person who deserved that chance.

He reached her and Elena's room and knocked, before remembering that Elena had left with Damon and Katherine with Elijah. He opened that door and went in, making his way gingerly over to the bed, he draped the towel on the edge and gently sat Caroline down on it. Her eyes opened as he pulled away.

"I'm so cold" she whispered, her blue eyes so close to him, he swallowed as he knelt down in front of her, and picked up the corners of the towel and rubbed it up her lower legs, and around her feet drying them off. He could feel his heart start to beat a tattoo in his blood. The tension rising between them as she came fully awake.

Caroline felt as though she had forgotten to breathe as she watched him kneeling in front of her, practically naked, water droplets glistening on his chest and across his wide shoulders, his golden hair was still wet, sticking up in whorls and licks.

"Better?" his delectable voice seemed to caress the word as her eyes dipped to his full, pink mouth. Her heart screamed at her, she felt hot all over, as though her skin was literally burning for his touch. She shook her head slowly, her impulsiveness driving her, she slowly raised her arms in front of her, holding them out for him. He studied her a second, before leaning in, once again raising the towel, starting to ease it over her arms, hands, up to her shoulders. His hands moved in long, languid strokes, and every now and again, she felt his strong fingers slipping off the towel and onto her skin. He took it slower this time, coming closer, and closer still as he dried her, their faces inching closer too.

"Done?" he asked, rather hoarsely as no pretence could be made that her arms were still wet, and she shook her head. Feeling bolder than she ever had before, her head screaming at her, and her heart trembling, she leaned back on her elbows, and exposed her stomach and chest to him. He hesitated even longer, unsure of her meaning, unsure of her state of mind. Gradually he leaned forward, his body fitting into the space between her legs as he ran the towel ends across her bare stomach, over and over, down to the waistband of her bikini and up to under her breasts. She was breathing heavily, she couldn't help it, she felt as though it was the most erotic experience she had ever had, and they weren't even kissing, or touching skin on skin.

What about the bet? What about not getting tangled up with guys and wasting her precious time here? These were the accusations running through her head, but lying there, with the man she couldn't stop thinking about bare-chested between her thighs, none of the counter arguments seemed to hold much water. He was watched her closely, his chest seemed to be rising and falling pretty quickly and she wondered that she could be having such a reaction on him.

Slowly she shook her head, her eyes glued to his, the meaning in them clear. His stormy blue stared into her, reading her deeply, seemingly down to her soul as she leaned up a little, tilting her head toward him, and ever so gently, placed the slightest kiss on his lips, just a brush really, before sinking back again onto her elbows, prone underneath him, her breasts barely concealed in a tiny bikini top, rising and falling with increasing frequency, she waited. Waited to see what he would do with her offer. She thought for a moment, he wasn't going to do anything with it, just leave, and she could die of embarrassment right there, but then, she felt his scorching palms on her bare knees. The touch of his hand was like an electrical current and her whole body leapt at it. He waited for her reaction to calm, and then slowly started to slide his hands forward, up her thighs. The tension was unbearable as they maintained eye contact, while his hands had reached her stomach, trailing up the sides, brushing past the undersides of her breast, and then winging lightly over her collarbones, and finally they reached her face, cupped her chin, bringing her up into a sitting position, his font pressed against hers, his chest between her inner thighs and her knees digging into his lower back. He cradled her face, slide his agile thumbs over her cheekbones, while staring into her soul.

When his lips touched hers, the want and denied need that had been building in her overtook her, and she pressed forward, setting the tone, by boldly kissing him back, leaving him in no doubt of her decision. He responded forcefully, and she felt herself falling backwards against the pillows, his hot skin on her, his lips demanding on hers, his hands smoothing her cheeks, and tangling in her hair. She revelled in the sensations as he seemed to drink her in, consume her.

She wasn't sure how long they kissed, it might have been minutes, but it felt like hours, weeks even, her body under his, her legs open around his hips, with only the slightest of barriers separating them. She could feel his hard body, pressing against her, at moments fitting so completely, that only the flimsy material of her bikini prevented entry and that teasing, was so maddeningly good, it awoke in her a thirst for him, all of him, she wanted to be taken by him completely… the longing, she had never felt anything like it before.

He kissed her mouth, and her face, along her cheek and eyelids, he feasted on her ears, doing something with his tongue that made her toes curl, and moved to her neck, where the delicious rasp of his stubble, followed by the soothing caress of his lips made her moan. She matched him move by move, her hands on his back, pulling him closer, always wanting more, demanding more. He moved down again, and when his lips first closed around her nipple, and gently sucked through her bikini top she nearly jumped off the bed.

He smiled against her skin as he continued his lavish adoration on her breasts, and Caroline lost track of all time. He didn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere, and each time he shifted, she expected him to be trying to get to the main event, and yet, he didn't. He returned to her neck and lips, his hands not venturing much further then her stomach, he was so incredibly absorbed with his task that he didn't seem to care where it was going. As for Caroline, the onslaught of sensations, that much attention, care, and genuine skill and effort to cause pleasure was completely alien to her, and she didn't know what to do with it, as wave after wave of pleasure swept through her, chased by her efforts to get a handle on a man that was impossible to predict.

Bit by bit, as tremors faded from her skin, she felt him pulling her down next to him, a pillow going under her head. The physical exertion of not having sex, holding back, and yet, exploring each other as much as they had, plus the long soak and late night had sent her eye lids dropping. She felt him tucking the blanket around her.

"Let's sleep now, sweetheart" he was murmured, reaching an arm around her and pulling her body close in to his.

"But. You…" she muttered, and saw his grin flash in the light starting to seep under the blinds as morning beckoned them.

"Sleep" he reiterated pressing a kiss onto her forehead, and she was too damn tired to argue.

She didn't know how long the slept, as she surfaced as if from under the sea, to find they hadn't moved a muscle in the night it seemed. Her head was still tucked into the crook of his arm, and his arms were still clasping her against his chest. She sighed contentedly. How could something that felt so right, be wrong?

She asked herself as she burrowed into his side a little more. As she started to drift off again, she heard a small sound from the door and glanced down to make sure the cover was in place. She didn't want to scare Elena, or give Katherine a free show, she thought mischievously to herself. That's right, trustworthy, hard-working Caroline Forbes could have fun too… seeing nothing, she smiled to herself as she drifted away.

In the silence that ensued, as both Klaus and Caroline fell into a contended sleep, the door quietly opened, and Esther Mikaelson's face went carefully blank as she took in the scene before her.