EPOV

As the weeks went by, Sookie and I began to settle into a routine. We'd get up in the morning and have breakfast together, sometimes with Barry, and then get ready for the day and head to Hell's Inferno. She would work on her laptop while I worked on things for the bar. Around 6 or 7 every evening, we'd head back to Hope House, make dinner together, and then we'd just hang out together for the rest of the evening. We spent quite a few evenings talking about all sorts of things from our lives, and things we'd like to do in the future. Sometimes, Barry would join us, and I began to understand why Sookie liked him so much. It was extremely obvious that he was a very trusting, naïve person, but, it was oddly endearing. I found myself pleased to call him my friend.

At least 5 nights a week, I was haunted by the sounds of Sookie touching herself alone in her room, moaning my name. It was killing me knowing how bad I wanted her, knowing she wanted me as well, but that nothing could happen between us for now. The more than time went on, the more sexually frustrated I became. I was worried that I was going to begin loosing my ability to please a woman simply due to lack of practice!

One Wednesday evening, Sookie asked me to come to a meeting with her and Sam. I wasn't sure what was going on, but, I would never pass up a chance to spend more time with Sookie. As it turns out, she was able to get an early release granted for Barry. He would be able to leave here on Saturday, 4 weeks earlier than expected! I was so happy for him, if anyone deserved a second chance, it was Barry. She wanted to do something special, so she, Sam and I planned a fancy dinner, and Sam even decided that as long as there was no alcohol involved, we could use the private dining room at Hell's Inferno, even though we'd be out after lock-down hours started. Sookie invited Barry's sister, and she was glad to come because her new husband had already been sent to Afghanistan, as well as their mother. Sam, Sookie, Quinn and I would be the only other ones from Hope House in attendance.

Sookie said that she wanted this to be a formal occasion, so, I arranged for Pam to get my nicest suit from my home and have it dry cleaned. When the night of the dinner arrived, Sookie and I went back to Hope House early so we could get ready. I wasn't happy about being away from her earlier in the day than I was used to, but, the thoughts of getting to see her in a formal dress made it worth it. Pam had brought me my nicest black Armani suit, and I was pleased to find that it still fit perfectly. I felt a small pain ripple through my heart as I remembered that I'd worn this suit the night I proposed to Cindy.

Sookie had asked me to meet her in the common room at 7pm, so at 6:45, I made my way there, eager to see her. I was surprised to see that she was already there waiting for me. She was wearing a form fitting sapphire blue dress, with a square neckline that hit just above her knees. She was so beautiful, it left me breathless. Her hair was pulled up, but there was a few ringlets left down, spilling onto her shoulders. She smiled when she saw me. I knew at that moment, that I would do just about anything in life to see her smile like that at me every day.

We met Quinn and Barry's family at Hell's Inferno. Sam had arranged to bring Barry himself. When they arrived, I thought Barry would literally burst at the seams with excitement. He was ecstatic to see his mother and sister, and know that he would get to go home the next day. He kept telling Sookie how amazing she was, and how he couldn't thank her enough for this night. I agreed wholeheartedly. Pam had arranged for a caterer to provide a special meal, and I can honestly say, this farewell party for Barry ended up being one of the more memorable moments of my life.

After dinner, we headed back to Hope House. Sookie was exhausted, so, rather than spend more time together, as was our norm, she said she was going to go straight to bed. I had finished taking off my jacket, shirt and tie when there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Sookie, still fully dressed.

"Eric, I kinda need your help," she said. "I can't seem to get the zipper on the back of this dress to go down. Do you think you could come over to my room and help me get it off?" I told her that of course I would, and when she turned her back on me all I could do was think: come on! You have GOT to be kidding me. Not only do I get to see her in this stunning dress, but I'm going to help her out of it, and I don't get to touch her afterwards? I must've done something wrong in a past life to deserve this.

I followed her into her room, and she leaned her head forward, pulling the ringlets off her back so I could see the button. I slowly eased it down, allowing my middle finger to lightly brush against her skin behind the zipper. I felt her tremble at my touch, and knew that she must've been feeling what I was feeling. Once the zipper was all the way down, I knew I should turn around and leave. But, what can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment. Instead, I raised my hands and lightly brush the material aside, leaving her shoulders and most of her back completely bare. I bent down and began placing kisses on her shoulder blades. Her skin felt and tasted better than I ever could've imagined. I continued placing kisses up her neck, and leaned in, and took her earlobe into my mouth and sucked on it slightly. I heard her release a tiny gasp, and hoped it was a pleasurable one. Just as I raised my hands to turn her around and kiss her, she stepped forward, turned around, and looked at me.

"Eric, I'm sorry, I just can't do this." I'd hoped it was because she was still my case worker, but, it was impossible to decipher the look on her face. Once I got back to my own room, I didn't hear a single noise from hers all night.

SPOV

When Eric left my room that night after the dinner for Barry, I was miserable. I wanted him to stay. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to hold me in his arms. I wanted him to make love to me. Which is exactly why I had to send him away. I just couldn't start something with him now. We just had to hold out a couple more months til he was allowed to live elsewhere. Needless to say, I had a harm time sleeping that night.

Although it was a Saturday, Eric and I planned to go to He'll Inferno that morning so he could get a jump start on a new marketing strategy he and Pam were coming up with. Speaking of Pam, about 45 minutes after we'd arrived at the bar, she came in and asked if I would help her. She was looking through catalogs trying to pick out new uniforms for the female staff, and wanted another woman's opinion.

I left with Pam, and we poured over catalogs for over two hours. I started to really miss Eric, so I told her I was going to go back to his office. As I made my way there, I noticed that the door was closed. I'd NEVER seen his door closed before. I honestly wasn't sure what to think of it. I went back and asked Pam, and she seemed shocked as well. As we got closer to his office, we stopped dead in our tracks at what we heard. It was the unmistakable sounds of sex. And Eric wasn't alone. We stood back and looked at each other oddly, just as the door flung open and Ginger stumbled out, still readjusting her skirt.

I felt as if my heart had broken into a million tiny pieces. I thought Eric had cared for me the way I cared for him. I thought he desired me as well. Obviously, it wasn't true. He probably only acted that way because he'd been abstinate for so long, and, he IS a guy, after all.

I turned to Pam with tears in my eyes, and told her just that I had to go. I didn't care that I wasn't supposed to be all alone. I just needed some fresh air and some time to think. Before I realized where I was going, I found myself pulling into the small parking lot attached to the Bon Temps cemetery. This was where my cousin Hadley, and my Gran were both buried. Gran had passed away following a stroke about a month after I moved back from New York. I sat on the ground in front of Gran's headstone, and allowed the flood gates to open. Tears poured down my cheeks. I couldn't decide who I was more upset with. Eric for doing what he did, or myself for allowing myself to become so attached.

I heard the small sound of footsteps approaching, and wondered who else would be here at this time of day on a cold Saturday afternoon. "Well, well, well….hello there, Sweetheart." Cold shivers of fear engulfed my enter body as I recognized the voice, and turned around to see my worse nightmare standing in front of me.