A/N: Look at this! A chapter of T&R during Thanksgiving week! I'm hosting a big old dinner here at our house on Thursday, and I know one thing I will definitely be thankful for is all of you and yoru wonderful reviews and love! Truly, I'm thankful for the entirety of fanfiction - the fics out here (from both new and seasoned authors) cheer me up when I'm down, give me something interesting when I'm bored, and just generally entertain and for that I'm thankful. I'm also insanely thankful for the friendships I've made through fanfic. You all know who you are, but you keep me sane, you keep me laughing and you make me feel loved. xo

And, I am insanely thankful for my fabulous beta, Gallathea. She has the tricks of the trade to polish up my writing and help my thoughts come together into something (hopefully) worth reading. Thank you SO much! xo

Music for this chapter (as always, the entire playlist can be found from the link in my profile...we've amassed quite the # of songs!):

Kenny Rogers: The Gambler http://www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=kNnrTNFWcsg (Super cute version!)

Lady Gaga: Poker Face http://www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=Ngf5Oo_XrjI

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell: Ain't No Mountain High Enough http://www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=Xz-UvQYAmbg

Ashtanga:

a system of yoga that involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of postures—a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.

*~*~**~*~*

"Ante up!" ordered Tray as we all tossed our chips into the middle of the table. Tray, who worked as a bouncer for us occasionally, took on the role of dealer and artfully shuffled the cards, waiting to dole them out to us.

"Where the hell is Sam?" grumbled Clancy, wanting to get the show on the road already.

As if he had heard his name, Sam stumbled in from the back, a puff of smoke billowing behind him. I just rolled my eyes, knowing that if he was stoned, it would be that much easier to win the game. Sam actually giggled as he picked up his cards, and I was already counting my winnings in my head. It wasn't a shock when he was out after the first few hands. He didn't seem to mind and busied himself with the bowl of peanuts in front of him, taking forever to open each shell.

With Sam out of the way, I had to focus a bit more on my competition. Clancy was easy; he thought he was a card shark because he sat home all day watching poker on TV, but sadly, he wouldn't make it past the first round of a Vegas competition. Between the rest of us at the table and a few bad hands on his part, we were able to slowly drain Clancy of his chips. Tray was actually pretty good and provided some decent competition. Despite having some skills, he also had a few tells, and I was able to eliminate him not much longer after taking Clancy down.

It was now down to me and…Quinn. I couldn't remember exactly how John Quinn got invited to our poker nights. I think we needed a fifth, Tray brought him along one night, and he just stuck. He wasn't a bad guy, per se, but there was something about him that always rubbed me the wrong way. He was also my biggest competition when it came to the game. I enjoyed some healthy rivalry, but this guy knew how to press all my buttons, and I didn't like that. I took it extra personally, especially since I was the one usually hosting in my bar.

Like it did on most nights, it came down to the two of us. Clancy had gone off in search of more beer, Sam was staring at his peanuts, making two of them dance around the table, and Tray was sitting back with his arms stretched out over his head, watching the hands as they unfolded. Quinn held the majority of the chips after a few rounds due to some poor plays on my part. I was pissed that I was losing, but I wasn't about to go down just yet. The next hand was dealt, and I smiled internally when I saw two beautiful ladies staring me in the face. My only hope was that one or two more would show up. I bit back a grin when another queen graced us with her presence in the flop, and I decided to go all in. The rest of the cards were low, and I just had a good feeling. Quinn's face was impassive, however, and wasn't giving anything away.

Of course, Quinn saw my call and had a look of surprise when I laid down my ladies. I was about to reach for the pile of chips when his hand went down, effectively stopping me.

"Ah ah ah, Northman. Not so fast."

Quinn laid down his cards and I let out a growl. He had a low straight, and I hadn't even seen it coming. I tossed the rest of my cards on the table and pushed my chair away, pissed at my skills tonight. After that disastrous first round, I decided that a beer break was in order, and nobody else seemed to object. Clancy already had the beer taken care of, and Sam headed out for a smoke while Tray reshuffled the cards and sorted out the chips. I headed to the bathroom to take a leak, and when I walked in, saw that Quinn was already there.

Standing as far away from him as I could, I began to relieve myself. I couldn't help but glance over for a fraction of a second in Quinn's direction. I wasn't quite able to gauge who was packing more heat, but I did smirk at the sight of his gold lamé briefs. Tool.

Thankfully, Quinn finished up before I did and headed out before I could open my mouth and say something snarky. I finished, flushed, and headed over to the sink, going over the game in my head and trying to figure out how I could have played each hand differently for a more favorable outcome. While washing my hands, my cell buzzed with a text message from Sookie.

Working late? Just walked by Valhalla and saw lights on. Either that or somebody's breaking in ;)

-S

I chuckled to myself, loving Sookie's sense of humor. I paused before typing out a reply, though. It wasn't customary for girls to crash our poker nights, but Sookie was in the area, it was my bar, and damn it, I wanted to see her.

Poker night with the boys. Feel free to pop in for a beer.

-E

I figured that message left the ball in her court and didn't make me look as eager as I felt. I wondered what her response would be, and didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Hey Northman! Somebody's at the door," I heard Tray call out.

I hurried back into the front of the bar just in time to hear Tray call out again.

"Oh, man. It's two hot chicks. A smokin' blonde and a saucy looking brunette."

I snickered to myself and told Tray to go ahead and open the door.

"Hello ladies," Tray drawled with a low whistle of extra effect. Sookie responded with a giggle while Amelia, who had walked in behind Sookie, gave Tray a slow once over before nodding in approval.

"Hey there, handsome, what's your sign?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at Amelia's question, knowing it was less of a pick up line than an actual query. Tray looked surprised for a moment and scratched the rough scruff on his jaw before answering, "I don't rightly know."

Amelia eyed him thoughtfully before placing her hand on Tray's chest. She closed her eyes and seemed to listen to something before stating, "Virgo."

Tray just stared at her with a look of confusion in his face, while Clancy hooted and hollered in the background, "I don't know about you, but Tray certainly ain't no virgo!"

"Shut the fuck up, Clancy!" I shouted, rolling my eyes.

Amelia just smiled and responded to Tray. "Were you born some time between August twenty-third and September twenty-third?"

Tray's eyes bugged out a little as he nodded slowly.

"September fourteenth. How'd you know?"

Amelia's smile grew impossibly bigger as she leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Tray laughed at whatever it was she said.

"Hey there," he said, offering her his hand. "Name's Tray."

Amelia eschewed the proffered hand and instead, grabbed up Tray into a huge hug.

"The name's Amelia, nice to meet you."

Tray and Amelia stared at each other for a few seconds before Sookie piped in.

"Hi, I'm Sookie!"

I walked up to her and enveloped her in my arms, not caring that all the guys were watching.

"Hey Sookie," I said, giving her a kiss on the temple.

She gave me an extra squeeze before I let her go. Then I introduced both girls around to the guys. Clancy brought back a couple more beers, and I dragged two more chairs to the poker table. We sat around for a bit, drinking our beers and making small talk. Both Amelia and Sookie were animated and engaging, and the guys loved them. My foul mood from having lost the first hand had slowly dissipated. Having Sookie by my side was wonderful, too, and I couldn't help but run my hand down her leg every so often.

Neither of us had said anything in regards to how we knew each other, and I wondered if that would come up. I didn't have to wonder too long, since Clancy decided to go and fuck everything up.

"So, how do you know these lovely ladies, Eric?" Clancy asked with a wink. I wanted to throttle his dumb-ass neck right then. I wasn't ready to divulge my yoga practice to my poker buddies and employees, and I wasn't sure how to even describe the relationship Sookie and I had with each other.

"Well, um, we—" I started, and then Amelia decided to be a huge help.

"Eric takes classes at the yoga studio Sookie and I work at."

There was a palpable silence in the air for a moment while the guys digested this info. I was pretty sure I heard somebody snicker quietly, and I wondered if there was a way to just ignore what was just said and move on to a new topic. Before I could try, the douche sitting across from me had to pipe in with his two cents.

"You practice yoga, Northman?" Quinn asked, a look of incredulity passing over his face.

I realized I had two ways of dealing with this. I could brush him off, effectively dismissing Sookie, or I could man up and take ownership of this whole damn yoga thing.

"I do, so what of it?" I answered, hoping my threatening tone was enough to convince him to back the fuck down. I did not anticipate his response, however. A smile erupted from his face as he gave me a firm pat on the back.

"Well, no shit, me too!"

Sookie perked up at this latest admission, and she turned towards Quinn.

"Really, what do you practice?"

"I favor Ashtanga yoga," Quinn said with a proud laugh. "I like it fast paced and intense," he added with a leer in Sookie's direction.

What the hell?

Sookie giggled, and the two of them launched into a discussion over various techniques and practices. I was lost after the first few seconds and turned my attention to my beer, which I drained in two gulps. After stewing quietly for a couple minutes, I decided I'd had enough of the 'Sookie and Quinn bond over yoga' show.

"Are we here to play poker or what?" I hissed out before grabbing the deck of cards and shuffling them a bit too wildly.

Sookie's head snapped up at the sound of my voice, and she looked at me, concern clouding her otherwise beautiful blue eyes.

"We can just leave, Eric," she started to say hesitantly.

Shit. I didn't want her to leave just because I was pissed at Quinn and couldn't keep these caveman tendencies in check.

"No, it's fine. Stay," I said, placing my hand on her arm. In a softer voice I added, "Who knows, you might just be my lady luck tonight."

At that, Sookie's face brightened. "Oh, really?"

She gave me a devilish grin as she continued. "In that case, I think I'll be my own lady luck and sit in this game, if you think you boys can handle it."

I loved the brass balls on my girl. My girl? I wasn't about to battle my inner monologue and just went with it, enjoying the sound of those two words together. The guys around the table just shrugged and didn't seem to mind the addition of another player. Amelia decided to sit out, saying that she'd prefer to watch the action, but it seemed like she was more interested in watching the man next to her. I chuckled to myself as I dealt the cards, and everyone tossed their chips in.

With an extra player, the game took a bit longer, but was much more enjoyable. Sookie was actually pretty good. She mostly made safe bets and only when she had the cards to back them up. It was fun watching her play, though. Sookie had a way of scrunching up her nose each time she looked at her cards and was trying to figure out what to do. She had a few tells, and I wasn't sure if anybody had picked up on them yet. She bit her lip right before she was about to bet, and she twirled her hair if she wanted to pretend she was going to make a big move, but ended up playing it safe.

Clearly, I was spending way too much time focusing on Sookie and not enough on the game when Clancy was able to get me out within the first few rounds. I grumbled for a bit, but even I couldn't get upset. I had hoped to win back my pride by beating Quinn, but with Sookie by my side, I was past that and was happy just hanging out with her.

Despite taking me out, Clancy soon followed, along with Sam, leaving Tray, Quinn, and Sookie alone at the table. Sam ended up saying his goodbyes, mumbling something about the munchies as he headed off. Clancy grabbed the empty beer bottles from the table and actually made himself useful for once by cleaning up. Amelia, who had patiently sat through most of the game, was now humming to herself and occasionally would lean over and whisper in Tray's ear.

As the game continued, I took a minute to look at Tray and Amelia. They were a study in contrasts, and despite having just met earlier in the evening, already looked incredibly comfortable together. Tray was his usual, scruffy self, wearing jeans smeared with dirt and grease from his motorcycle. His t-shirt was a well-worn souvenir from a Def Leppard concert, and I knew his leather jacket hanging up near the bar would cause a discussion or two with Amelia. On the other hand, Amelia was sitting next to Tray in some sort of brightly colored, gauzy creation that had her looking more new agey than ever. She even had some flowers woven throughout her brown locks. I was surprised, since Tray normally went for the bottled blonde, Barbie look-alikes, but he was clearly smitten with Amelia.

From where I was sitting, I couldn't see where Amelia's arm ended, but I was certain that her hand was under the table resting on some part of Tray's anatomy. Each time Amelia's lips grazed Tray's ear with a whisper, his entire body would shiver, causing the cards in his hand to rattle. After a few more whispers from Amelia, Tray pushed himself away from the table, tossed his cards down and shouted, "I'm out!"

He grabbed Amelia by the hand and headed out the door. Just before they disappeared, Amelia yelled out, "Bye everyone! Sookie, we'll catch up tomorrow."

I looked over at Sookie, who smiled and shrugged, obviously not affected by the quirky behavior of her friend. With Clancy still off doing whatever the hell he was doing, it was now just me, Sookie, and Quinn sitting around the table. Sookie and Quinn split Tray's chips evenly and resumed playing. I took on the role of the dealer and silently cheered every time Sookie won the pot.

Quinn tried making small talk with Sookie, and it took every ounce of strength I had not to bash him over the head. To be fair, neither Sookie nor I had said that we were together, but it would have taken a moron not to notice how close we were. But, if I were to say something, what would I say? Beyond that first talk we had after my massage, we never really defined what it was that Sookie and I were doing. We were dating; that much was clear. I knew I wasn't dating anyone else, and I could safely assume that she wasn't, either…right?

My mind was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't realize the game had ended, with Sookie beating Quinn. Hell, if I couldn't beat the jerk myself tonight, I was more than happy that she was able to in my stead. Quinn extended his hand over towards Sookie, grasping her own tightly. I thought he was just going to shake her hand, but when he brought it up to his lips, I almost lost it.

"Congrats, Sookie," he purred. He actually fucking purred. "I do hope you come back and let me try to strip you of your winnings another time."

I snatched Sookie's hand from Quinn's meaty paws and wrapped myself possessively around her.

"Yeah, we'll see. I don't know if Sookie's coming back to any poker nights," I stated firmly, answering for Sookie. There was no need for her to be around this jackass if I could help it.

Quinn narrowed his eyes at me before turning to Sookie and speaking in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"I think we can leave the decision up to Sookie, don't you, Eric?"

"Oh, it's…um…it was real fun, Quinn. Thanks. I'm not sure I'll be back, though," Sookie sputtered out, looking at me warily.

Clearly I fucked up again, since she must have thought I didn't want her at poker altogether. I had to get the fuck away from Quinn, and I needed to have a talk with Sookie.

"Sookie, can I walk you home, please?" I asked, hoping we could have a chance to talk on the way.

"Sure," she said quietly.

I swept her out of there, shouting at Clancy to lock up, because I didn't need Quinn fucking things up anymore than he already had.

I laced my fingers through hers, squeezed gently, and was startled when Sookie didn't squeeze back. Instead, she stopped us on our path and brought me over to sit on a nearby bench, pulling her hand from mine.

"Eric," she started, her big, blue eyes looking impossibly larger than life at the moment. "What are we doing here?"

I was confused and wondered what she was talking about. "Um, I'm walking you home?"

Sookie shook her head and narrowed her eyes, chewing on her lip before speaking again.

"No, I mean. Here, this…with us. What is it?" she asked tentatively. "It's clear that Amelia and I barged in on your guys' night. And, that's totally cool. I get it, I really do, but you were running hot and cold all night. I thought you wanted me there, then you acted like you wanted me gone. I know we have different ways of communicating, but I just couldn't get a handle on you at all. So, I have to ask, what are we doing?"

Once she was done speaking, I sat quietly for a moment, trying to process everything Sookie just said. I had let my rivalry with Quinn cloud my behavior tonight, and clearly, it had affected Sookie. My mind was still overworked from trying to decide what the hell was going on with the two of us.

To break it down simply, I was having fun with Sookie, more fun than I'd ever had before with anyone else. I didn't want this fun to end, and I didn't want to share this fun with anyone else. I figured I needed to share this epiphany with Sookie so she understood what I was coming from, but first I needed to apologize for my hot and cold behavior earlier.

"Sookie, I'm sorry if my actions earlier made you question anything that's been happening with us. It's not you, I promise. Quinn just gets under my skin and brings out the worst in me. We have a rivalry going already when it comes to poker night, and when I saw him trying to get all close and cozy with you, it just set me off."

After my admission, I looked at Sookie, searching her eyes to see her reaction. They seemed to have softened a bit, and she nodded at me to continue.

"As for this?" I motion between us. "It's us, having fun and getting to know each other. I'm not one for bullshit titles or definitions," as I said that, Sookie's face fell slightly, which pissed me off that I wasn't finding the right words to explain myself. I tried to backtrack and fix it, "…but I'm willing to deal with it, if it means continuing on with you."

"So…" Sookie prompted, clearly not wanting to give me any help with this. I felt like a fish, floundering on dry land, as I tried to figure out what to say without looking like an asshole or a total douchebag.

"Well, we're definitely dating, and I'm only spending time with you. I'm not dating anyone else."

That earned me a huge smile from Sookie. I took an internal breath of relief.

"I'm not dating anyone else, either," she confessed.

"Good," I told her truthfully, glad I didn't have to kill any other fuckers for touching my Sookie. My Sookie. There was that phrase again, and I didn't really mind it at all.

"I'm sorry for springing this all on you, Eric. It's just that I've been burnt in the past and I've learned to guard my heart, you know?"

I nodded, understanding what she meant somewhat. While I had never gotten close enough to another woman to risk breaking my heart, I was starting to understand what that could be like. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I would be crushed if Sookie just up and left.

"These feelings I'm having for you are intense, and I just don't want to rush into things, especially if you're not ready," she added.

I definitely understood what she meant when she described her feelings as intense. I still wasn't sure how to classify my own feelings, but intense was a great place to start. I reassured her, and let her know I was on the same wavelength.

"Sookie, this is all new for me as well, and I guess that's why I can sometimes pull a jackass move like I did earlier with Quinn. I need to figure this all out as well."

"So, can we…can we take it slow?" Sookie asked, as she chewed her lower lip nervously.

I wasn't sure how much slower I could go, truthfully, but if that's what Sookie needed, I was more than willing to try. I had a feeling that "going slow" really wouldn't last all that long, to be honest. I reached over and gently pulled her lip from between her teeth. I bent down, placing a soft kiss on her lips before connecting my forehead with hers.

"We can try that," I whispered. "But I can't say how good I'll be at it."

I felt her shake with laughter beneath me and was glad that the somber mood that had settled around us when we sat down was slowly starting to dissipate.

"You'll find you're perfectly capable of doing whatever you want, once you put your mind to it," Sookie said, and I pulled back to look at her. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears, but the smile on her face told me she was past them already.

I grabbed her hand, linking our fingers together. "Yeah, well, this is going to be a tough one."

"It's going to be tough for me, too, but if we want to make this last, then I think going slow, for now, is probably our best bet."

Make this last. For some reason, hearing those words come out of Sookie's mouth didn't send me running for the hills. In fact, it felt good to hear them, comforting even. We stood up and resumed our walk, finally making it to Sookie's apartment, which was just a few blocks from the yoga studio. I lingered at her door, holding her in my arms, unwilling to let her go for the moment.

"You know, going slow doesn't mean no good night kiss," she giggled. "In fact, I think I need a kiss more than ever right now."

Not one to disappoint, I leaned in and placed a kiss on Sookie's mouth. Sookie responded willingly, parting her lips slightly and sneaking her tongue into my mouth. The feel of her warm, velvety tongue against my lips caused me to moan and tighten my grip on her. I pulled her flush against my body, and I was sure there was no way she could miss what she was doing to me. We stood by her door, making out like two horny teenagers for a few minutes before she whispered breathily, "Good bye, Eric. Thanks for walking me home."

I kissed her chastely and spoke against her lips, not wanting to move apart just yet. "Right…taking it slow. Good night, Sookie. I'll see you tomorrow."

***

Sookie greeted me with a huge smile and a big hug when I arrived at the studio for class the next day. I was glad that our little talk really didn't change anything, other than getting our feelings somewhat out there. Class proceeded as normal, and I was amazed at how much further I could stretch my body in some of the poses.

My back was feeling surprisingly limber, and I knew that a combination of yoga, massage and the acupuncture had most likely helped. It also didn't hurt that I had yet to lift anything heavier than twenty pounds at work. I made certain that Clancy brought up all the heavy crates from the basement, since that was part of his job in the first place.

The fact that my back was on the mend—and that I was in a good place with Sookie—made me feel lighter than I had in a long while. I had an idea for my next date with Sookie and couldn't wait to see what she would think of it. It was a bit different than anything we had done before, but it involved a bit of exercise, which I was sure she'd be into.

After class ended, I waited until everyone had left before walking up to Sookie and enveloping her in my arms. I placed a kiss on her forehead and heard her sigh contentedly.

"So, are you free Thursday morning?" I asked, hoping that she would be available.

"Yeah, what's up?" she asked, quirking her eyebrow.

"I'm taking you out. Meet me at the Elm Street diner for breakfast, and then we'll go from there."

"Any hints?" she asked cheekily.

"You know that's not our style," I winked. "Just be dressed like you would for yoga."

That piqued her interest considerably, and I could tell she was itching to know what I had planned. Thursday came soon enough, and before I knew it, I was sliding into a red, plastic booth at the local diner.

All throughout breakfast, Sookie pestered me for any hint of what we would be doing afterwards. I held strong, however, and wouldn't give in.

"You'll find out soon enough," I told her. "Now finish your eggs," I ordered with a smile.

Sookie rolled her eyes at me and complied, eagerly finishing up in hopes of finding out what we were going to do.

Finally, we were well fed and standing back outside the diner.

"Okay, do I finally get to find out what we're doing?"

I relented as I took her hand in mine and walked towards a local gym.

"We're going to work out?" Sookie asked, a skeptical look in her eye. "I thought you didn't work out."

"I don't," I said, shaking my head. "Just…come on!"

I pulled Sookie into the gym, nodding at the receptionist. "We have a ten o'clock appointment for the wall."

"The wall," Sookie whispered to me. "That sounds ominous."

I chuckled as I filled out some paperwork and handed it back to the receptionist. Within seconds, a woman named Sheila came out and introduced herself. Sookie's face lit up with a huge smile when she realized we had an entire hour to ourselves on the gym's huge, indoor climbing wall.

The first fifteen minutes of our time slot consisted of Sheila describing all the equipment to us and outfitting both Sookie and me in harnesses and goofy looking helmets. After a couple of demonstrations and test runs, she felt comfortable leaving us to our devices, telling us to call her if we needed anything. Once Sheila left, Sookie turned to me with a grin.

"This is awesome, Eric. Now…race you to the top!" Sookie shouted as she quickly rechecked her harness before reaching for a purple colored grip to begin her ascent. Instead of rushing to climb with her, I decided to stand back for a bit and admire the view. And what a view it was.

Sookie climbed above me while I spotted her from below. It wasn't hard to keep an eye on her as she climbed, remarkably well, all the way up to the top. Her tight black leggings hugged every curve of the lower half of her body. Her ass was perfectly packaged beneath the stretchy cotton, and her shapely legs looked amazing as her muscles flexed with each movement. When she got to the top, Sookie rang the bell, breaking me from the lusty haze I had found myself in from staring at her.

She descended quickly, and it was my turn to climb. With a swift pat on the ass from Sookie as I made my way to the wall, I was ready to do this. I moved a little more slowly than Sookie, ensuring that I had the proper footing before releasing each hold for the next one. I didn't want to overtax my body and stress out my back, but I still made it to the top in a respectable amount of time. I proudly rang the bell and chanced a look down at Sookie, who was beaming back up at me with pride. She gave me a thumbs up, and I smiled widely back at her.

When I reached the floor, we switched again, and each of us took a few more runs up the wall, trying different paths to reach the top. After my third time, I realized how hot I had become and stripped my shirt off, which had already become soaked with sweat. I flung it towards the corner with our stuff and turned back, only to see Sookie staring at me with a hungry look.

"What?" I asked innocently, knowing full well she was taking the opportunity to check out my naked torso.

"Oh, um, nothing," she stammered, and I smirked, knowing the effect I was having on her. "You just look…hot."

I grinned as I grabbed a bottle of water that Sheila had left for us and tilted my head back, gulping down a few sips. I held the bottle out to Sookie, who fumbled with it, her hands shaky. She took a few sips, but ended up spilling more than she consumed, dampening her shirt.

"Oh, whoops," she said, although she hardly looked sorry. Instead, she took the slowest time imaginable to peel off her shirt, standing there in just her black leggings and a black sports bra. I couldn't help but stare as a bead of sweat made its way down from her neck, dripping between the valley of her breasts and disappearing beneath the sports bra.

"I, uh…I…" I blurted out, not really having anything to say.

"Ha!" Sookie laughed. "See, it's hard to concentrate, isn't it?"

We both cracked up, and I grabbed her towards me, pulling her into a hot, sweaty hug.

"Ick, Eric! I probably stink!" Sookie exclaimed, playfully trying to escape my clutches.

"I don't care," I said, inhaling her scent. She smelled wonderful, musky and salty, yet with a hint of sweetness. I ran my nose up her sweaty neck and placed a kiss right behind her ear. I could feel Sookie melt into me as she sighed, her fingers playing with the waistband of my shorts.

"Ah ah ah," I chided. "Slow, remember?"

"Screw slow," she said. "I want you."

My eyes widened, and I stepped back to look at her. The look on Sookie's face was absolutely serious.

What shitastic timing.

"Sookie, while I would love nothing more than to take you right here, right now, that's not going to happen. One, I don't think I'd like our first time to be on the floor of a sweaty gym. Second, while I'm not averse to threesomes, I'm not sure how I feel about Sheila possibly walking in on us during our time together. Third—and fuck, this sucks—I actually have a meeting to get to in half an hour. Shit. I want nothing more than to feel your body wrapped around mine."

I groaned, wishing I could cancel, but I knew that this was an important meeting with our biggest supplier. Sookie bit her lip and nodded her head in understanding.

"You're right. We'll just have to plan better next time. Actually…" she trailed off for a moment, deep in thought. "I now have a great idea for our next date. We won't be alone, but we will have plenty of time to be wrapped around each other."

I looked at Sookie, knowing she had some crazy ideas up her sleeve, but I couldn't quite figure this one out.

"Oh," she added, as we unhooked our harnesses and gathered our stuff, our hour drawing to a close. "I hope you don't mind, but Bill will be there as well."

A/N: Doh! hee hee...wonder what the heck Sookie is planning.

So...I have to ask. What are you thankful for?