Author's Notes: Yet again another chapter. Ya'll will like this one I think. Big thanks to chiisai-kitty for her speedy beta skills. She is amazing!

Disclaimer: I do not own SVM or the characters. If I did, then Alcide would be giving me a back massage.

SPOV

Two days after my violent display in Merlotte's I was back at work for the afternoon shift. Word had spread about me punching Maudette and no one pushed my buttons today. They even remembered to stop gossiping about Jason, Quinn, and me when I came to the tables. I was able to get my work done quickly and efficiently. It was the last hour of my shift, close to six in the evening, and Jason walked in.

He shot me a glance and took a table in my section. I paused before walking over to him to study him. Jason was tense and upset, that much I could tell from his facial expression. He glared at me as I approached him and I wondered what his problem was. I hadn't heard from him since the day at his house so I didn't think he was mad at me. Maybe he was mad at me for punching Maudette, but I really didn't think that was it.

I smiled bright at him as I pulled out my order pad. "Hey there Jason, what can I get you today?"

His eyes snapped to mine, anger making them a darker shade of blue. "Well, to start with, you can tell me if it is true that your a virgin?"

My mouth fell open and I almost dropped my pad at his statement. Thankfully he had kept his voice low so only I heard but still. Where the hell had that come from? Why had Alcide told Jason I was still a virgin? I turned bright red as the words sank in. "What the hell Jason? Where do you get off asking me something like that?"

"Just answer the damn question, Sookie," he growled at me.

I shifted uneasily in place and gave him a stern look. "That is none of your business, Jason Stackhouse and I don't appreciate you coming into the place I work and asking me such personal questions."

Jason slammed a fist against the table, making a noise so loud that it startled me and I jumped. I heard other patrons gasp at his outburst and I saw Sam moving out from behind the bar in my peripheral vision. Jason was staring up at me as he hadn't just punched the table. "Sookie, you answer me and you answer me now."

"No," I hissed under my breath as I waved off Sam. "I won't answer you, I am at work and you will not make a scene. If you can't control whatever bout of insanity that's come over you, then leave."

"I will talk to you about this."

"That's just fine, you go on and wait for me in your car. My shift is over in a hour and you can just follow me home. Then we can talk." I didn't wait for him to respond, I just hurried over to reassure Sam that Jason was leaving.

Jason stared after me for a long time before he got up and leave. Sam pulled me back into his office when the door closed behind Jason. As we entered the small hallway to Sam's office I could swear that I heard the volume pick up and everyone start gossiping about Jason's display. I hung my head in shame as I followed Sam back to his office.

The minute he closed the door behind him, I was apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Sam. I don't know what got into Jason to make him act that way."

"It isn't your fault, Sookie. You don't control Jason," reassured Sam as I collapsed in the creaky chair next to the desk.

I buried my head in my hands. "No, but for whatever reason he's mad, it's because of me."

"You don't know that."

Because it was Sam and I could trust him, I looked him right in the eye and told him what Jason had asked me. "I do because he was all angry then he was demanding to know if I was a virgin. When I wouldn't answer him, it set him off."

Sam rocked back on his heels and studied me. "Did he really ask that?" When I nodded miserably, Sam knelt beside the chair and wrapped and arm around my shoulders. "Oh Sookie, don't you pay him any mind. He's just going through his protective phase, you know that. He's probably all worried about Quinn and what you did with him after all the crap that's happened. He's just being an overreactive, overprotective big brother, that's all."

"I don't care, he didn't have to make a scene here. I work here, he could have waited until I got home from work," I wailed, then added with just a touch of bitterness, "Not that it is any of his business, but I never slept with Quinn or anyone else. I'm not the Stackhouse that can't keep it in their pants."

I felt Sam smile as he kissed my forehead in a brotherly manner. "That's my girl."

When I pulled back and looked at him, he was still smiling, though there was this odd glint in his eyes. Possessive, almost. I'd known for a while now that Sam's interest in me went beyond just that of a boss and an employee on the occasion, but I never thought much about it. It's never been a problem before because I was either dating Hoyt off and on, or I was with Quinn. Sam knew that I'd never get involved with him because he was my boss, didn't he?

I felt uncomfortable under his stare and shifted away from him slightly. Sam noticed and immediately let go of me. "I'm sorry, Sookie, I'm just proud that you think highly of yourself enough not to just go sleeping around like a lot of people do."

"Gee, thanks, Sam," I said with a forced grin. I didn't know what to think about my boss being proud that I was a virgin. Gran, I could understand, because she raised me. But Sam? I guess he just felt like he's another brother to me, since I've been working here for years now and he does get protective of his waitresses.

I stood up and swiped away the few tears that had escaped. "I'll get back out there and finish up my duties. I promise I'll talk to Jason and make him understand that he's not allowed to come in here and make a family scene while I'm working."

"So it's okay for him to come in here and make a scene when you aren't working?" asked Sam.

I opened my mouth to protest when I saw the playful gleam in his eye and realized he was teasing. I punched him lightly in the shoulder and gave him a kiss on the cheek before I headed back out. The minute I walked back out to the main floor, to being cleaning up my tables and refilling the condiments, everyone stopped talking. I rolled my eyes as almost everyone in my section avoided my gaze as I worked. Idiots.

Every so often during that last hour of work, I'd glance out the windows that showed the parking lot and see Jason stomping around his truck, cell phone to his ear. He was still mad from the firm line of his lips and the way he carried himself. Well he could just be as mad as he wanted because I was pretty mad myself. I couldn't wait to get him out to the house and rip him a new one.

I was making my last round, clearing empties and stopped at Rene Lenier's table. He came in several times a week when Arlene, his fiance, was working the afternoon shift. I thought it real sweet of him to come in and wait for her to get off. They had been together for six years and have two children, Colby and Lisa. Just last year Rene had proposed to her on Halloween. Weird, but it was adorable.

I patted him on the arm. "You want another beer, Rene?"

He said, "No thanks, Sookie. I'm taking Arlene out to this fancy place over in Shreveport tonight and I got to be sober enough to drive, or she'll have my head."

"That's real smart of you," I said with a grin. I picked up the empty glass on the table and put it on my tray. "So, you going to take Arlene away on another trip this year?"

"Nah, don't think so. We just can't afford it," he replied with a rueful smile.

"That's a real shame. She just couldn't stop talking about the trip to Daytona last year." I gave him another pat on the shoulder and started back to put the empties in the big sink in the back to be washed. I glanced at the clock and saw my shift was up. Holly came back to grab an apron and I filled her in on my tables, now her tables. Stripping off my apron, I told Sam I was leaving. When I went out the back to my car, Jason was waiting for me.

"Don't even start now. I'll meet you at home," I said, holding up my hand to stop him from saying anything. If I didn't want to have this conversation inside the bar, I certainly didn't want to have standing outsider.

Jason glowered, but with the innate skill of a younger sister, I ignored him and slid into my car. Jason didn't move until I had started the car and backed out. I flicked my fingers at him in a little wave as I pulled out onto the road. Then I cranked up the radio and sang along with Reba as I made my way home.

Jason's truck roared in behind me when I pulled into the long driveway and he was right up on my ass as I drove down the driveway and pulled around back. He was out of his truck before I even turned off my car. Guess he really wanted to have this conversation. I got an idea of just how angry he was by the way he practically pulled the door off the car when he jerked it open.

I gazed up at him coolly. "You break my car, you'll be buying me a new one. And I've had my eye on one of those new Audis."

"Get out," he growled.

I got out, not because he told me to, but because it was hot and sitting in the car out of stubbornness was just stupid. I shut the door to the car and shouldered my purse. As I started towards the house, Jason fell in step beside me. I said nothing, wanting him to speak first and dig himself in a hole.

Jason was completely oblivious to my bad mood and did just what I expected him to do. "Well, Sookie, you a virgin?"

I stopped on the first step to the porch and looked at him. "I fail to see how that is any concern of yours."

"I'm your brother, I have a right to know."

"The hell you do," I snapped as I shoved him back away from me, "I'm far past the age where you have any right to know anything that personal. I'm not a child, Jason."

Jason's voice went low and tight and his words shook me. "You can tell Alcide, but you can't tell your brother?"

So, Alcide had told him. I had no idea what else Alcide had told him, but I was more than a little hurt at this revelation. I told Alcide I was a virgin because it was only fair, given how things had exploded between us. It was private, between the two of us, not to be shared with my brother just because they were friends. What the hell had Alcide been thinking?

I straightened up slowly, ignoring the sting of tears in my eyes. "What I tell Alcide is none of your business. I don't know why he told you, and I don't really care. I won't be telling him anything else. Especially since he'll just run off and tell you. Don't get your friends to spy on me."

I turned to walk up the steps when Jason grabbed my arm. I raised my free arm up over my head. I don't know if I would have slapped him or not, but I didn't get the chance to decide because Jason's next words stopped me.

"He didn't want to tell me, and he didn't tell me why you told him, just that it came up in a conversation. That's why he sent me to you. He wasn't spying on you for me." He paused and looked nervous.

"What is it Jason? How the hell did my virginity come up in a conversation between you and Alcide?" I asked as I lowered my arm.

Jason let go of my arm and rubbed a hand over his chin. He was completely clean shaven, which struck me as odd because lately he hasn't bothered with shaving. "It's complicated, Sookie." his eyes darted away from me and I knew he was hiding something. "Listen, do you like Alcide?"

I blinked at the change of topic. "Um, yes? He's an okay guy."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Well what did you mean?" I knew what he meant but I'd be damned if I told him that I liked Alcide in more than a friendly way.

Jason let out a groan. "Oh come on, Sookie, don't make me say it."

"Say what?" I asked sweetly as he squirmed.

"Are you attracted to him?"

"Why, gonna beat him up if I say yes?"

"No," he mumbled, "I already tried warning him off. He told me to back off."

"Good," I said with a chuckle, "it isn't any of your business."

"Dammit Sookie."

"Dammit Jason," I mimicked.

Jason rolled his eyes. "I trust Alcide, but you are my baby sister."

"Then trust me enough to take care of myself," I said with extreme patience.

"Look, here's Alcide's cell number and address. If something happens and you can't get a hold of me, call or go to him." Jason handed me a slip of paper.

I took it and looked at it. Sure enough, Alcide's number and address was scrawled on it in Jason's chicken scratch writing. I tucked it into my purse. "Thanks."

Jason gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Just looking out for you. I gotta go, tell Gran I said hi."

Without saying another word or giving me a chance to say something, Jason turned and went back to his truck and left. I stared after him, wondering just what in the hell had just happened. One minute he was getting pissed because I wouldn't tell him if I was a virgin or not and then he was giving me Alcide's number after fishing around to see if I liked the man. I loved my brother dearly, but he was more confusing than a woman at times.

I found Gran in the living room reading a book. It had a half naked man who had muscles that strained as he held up a buxom blonde. Gran read more smutty novels than I did. I curled up on the couch and told her what happened with Jason. I left out the part about Alcide telling Jason I was a virgin. I was too embarrassed and pissed to talk about it more.

I spent a couple hours catching up on some of the household chores and fixing dinner for Gran and I. After dinner, Gran shooed me off and I went to my room. I showered and pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top. I could watch a movie, or read a book, but I didn't really have the desire to do either.

Instead, I stretched out on my bed and thought about Alcide. After talking to Gran, I made it a point not to think about or bring up Alcide. My temper had been simmering for hours. I had told him something in confidence, because I thought he had to know, given the response we had to each other after that kiss. I had trusted him. He broke that trust by telling Jason.

I thought about calling him. I'd end up yelling and screaming at him and I didn't know if that would be a good thing. So I stewed over. I raged in my mind at him. I had myself convinced that he was just another guy who couldn't keep his mouth shut. Of course, as soon as I thought that, I told myself he must have had a good reason for telling Jason. I'd remind myself that he never told Jason how the topic came up, just that it did. That he never told Jason we kissed.

You don't tell someone something that someone else told you in confidence. You just don't. Especially if that someone happened to be Jason and it was about me. Jason and Alcide had obviously been friends for quite some time but that didn't give Alcide any right to share personal information like that. He knew Jason, knew how Jason reacted when it comes to me. Just what did Alcide expect to happen when he told Jason I was a virgin? Surely he had to have known how Jason would react to him having that information. Then he sends Jason to me, for me to take care of it? As attractive as Alcide was to me, that stunt did not put him on my good list.

I spent the rest of the week tormenting myself over it. One day I hated Alcide and the next I was willing to forgive him. I never could make up my mind just how I felt. For some reason, Alcide's betrayal of trust hit me harder than Quinn's cheating. Sam had to pull me back in his office and give me a dressing down on Thursday for being distracted and screwing up so much at work. I made my decision then, standing in his office listening to him berate me over spilling drinks on a customer, breaking some glasses, and mixing food orders, that I would talk to Alcide to get him out of my head.

Friday I got a call while working a half day at the bar. It was Amelia Broadway, one of my closest friends. She had been gone the last few weeks on a Hawaiian vacation with her father. Now she was back in town and wanted to see me. I wanted to see her too. Amelia was the one person who I knew could make sense of all the conflicted thoughts and emotions I was having. I made plans with her to head over to her place after work and spend the afternoon and evening getting caught up.

The drive to Shreveport was alright, kind of boring. Dark clouds stained the sky and I hoped the rain held off until I got to the massive mansion Amelia lived in. Her father owned several pieces of property in Louisiana and the surrounding states, but he almost never stayed in Shreveport. So Amelia lived in the Shreveport mansion, as a favor to him. They didn't always get along, and Amelia was a bit spoiled, but we had been friends for almost five years, ever since she broke down outside of Merlotte's and came in to wait for the tow truck.

I pulled into the long ass driveway that led up to the sprawling mansion. I parked outside the front and I had barely gotten out of the car when Amelia came barreling down the front steps to hurl herself at me. She was a tall woman, almost three inches taller than my own 5'6", with long chestnut hair. Her skin had a deep golden tan to it and her hair was streaked with lighter blondish brown highlights, testament to the time she spent in the sun over in Hawaii. I was jealous of her tan. Her father had offered to take me to Hawaii with them, but I couldn't afford to take the time off.

Her blue eyes were full of concern when she pulled back from the hug. "I just heard about Quinn, why didn't you call me?"

I linked arms with her and walked up the steps and into the mansion. "Because, silly, you were on vacation."

She snorted at that. "My best friend's boyfriend gets kidnapped and murdered, you think I would have cared that you called to tell me while I was on vacation?"

I shook my head. "No, I know that if I had called and told you, then you would have canceled the rest of your vacation and been on the next flight home. You were with your father, you don't spend enough time with him and I didn't want to intrude on it."

"Sookie, Daddy wouldn't have minded," Amelia said as we flopped down on the big leather couch in the living room.

"Well, it's too late now."

"Tell me everything."

"I don't want to talk about Quinn," I said. My voice had gone flat, causing Amelia to give me a long look.

"Sookie?" She made my name into a question.

I drew my feet up under me and rested my head on her shoulder. "I found out that he had a criminal record and he was cheating on me."

"What?" Amelia almost yelled the question. "He was cheating on you?"

I couldn't help but to laugh. "I like that about you, Meelz, you pick the cheating as being more important than his criminal record."

She waved that off. "Oh well, I knew about that."

Her eyes went wide when she realized what she said and I sat up straighter and pulled away from her. "You what? How the hell did you know that when I didn't even know it?"

Amelia laughed nervously and patted me on my arm. "Now, don't get mad at me."

"I'm already mad, Amelia, just tell me so you don't make it worse," I said warningly.

There was a long sigh and then she gave me an apologetic look. "Well, when things started looking serious between you and Quinn, I asked Tray to run him."

I stared at her in shock. "You asked your boyfriend to run my boyfriend? Jesus Christ, Amelia!"

"I just wanted to make sure he wasn't like, a serial killer or something, Sookie!" she exclaimed.

I glared at her. I don't know what made me more angry, the fact that she had Tray run Quinn through his little police database, or the fact that she never mentioned it until now. "What did he find?"

"Small stuff, petty shit really," Amelia said with a shrug, "Assault, some stealing, that sort of thing."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked trying to keep the hurt from my voice.

"Because, sweetie, all that stuff happened years ago. He'd been clean for over a year. Tray said it was nothing so I just figured it wasn't worth telling you. Besides, I thought that he'd tell you."

"Well obviously not," I muttered bitterly. I wondered why Alcide said he was scum of the Earth when Amelia said that it was petty stuff. None of this made any sense to me. Maybe Alcide just had a stricter moral code or something.

"So, cheating?" Amelia was cautiously.

"Yeah," I mumbled, "with Maudette Pickens."

"Oh...ew."

I snorted at that. "Well put, Meelz. I punched her."

"What?"

I settled back in next to her and told her everything that had happened in the last two weeks. She laughed so hard she almost peed her pants when I detailed how I had punched Maudette. Amelia let me finish, but I don't think I fooled her for one moment when I spoke of Alcide and glossed over the details. I'd go tense when I mentioned his name and I know she sensed it.

Sure enough, once I finished, she asked about him. "So, what about this Alcide guy?"

"Just a friend of Jason's. A very attractive friend of Jason's." I looked away and whispered. "I kissed him, or he kissed me. There was kissing."

Her eyes about popped out of her head. "Oh do tell."

"It was after we found Quinn in the pond. He took me home and we were in the kitchen. I was upset thinking about how Quinn had lied to me and all. I asked him to kiss me."

Amelia held up a hand. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I had just found out that Quinn had a record and had been lying to me. I didn't want the last person to kiss me be Quinn. Alcide was there and," I paused and thought about what to tell her. Amelia knew about the dreams I'd been having, but I hadn't told her that it was Alcide in the dreams. I wasn't sure if I wanted her to know that because then she'd go on about it being fate and destiny. "Well, Alcide was just handy, alright."

"And he did it?" she asked, completely caught up in my tale.

I nodded. "Oh boy did he." I shivered a little thinking about it. "Amelia, the man can kiss. I felt completely consumed. I got completely caught up in moment and before I knew it, he had me on the counter, saying how he wanted me."

"Oh...oh...OH." Amelia's reaction was just how I expected it to be. "That's pretty intense for a first kiss."

"Next thing I know, I'm telling him I'm a virgin and he's backing off. Then Gran and Jason showed up and I haven't seen him since." I blurted out, "Then Jason shows up at Merlotte's a few days later demanding that I tell him why I told Alcide I was a virgin."

"Wait, you tell him your a virgin then he turns around and tells Jason? What an ass!"

"I know! I'm so furious with him! But, I don't know, Alcide just doesn't seem like the type to go and share something like that without a good reason," I said plaintively. "I don't know what to do."

Amelia hopped off the couch and went to the buffet in the corner that held all sorts of crystal decanters. She got down two tumblers and poured us both a gin and tonic. Carrying it over to me, she thrust one of the glasses in my hand. "First, I think that we should have a drink. You've had a hell of a time in the last couple of weeks. Drink down girl, then we'll plan our attack on Alcide."

I giggled but did what I was told. Two hours and four drinks later, it was raining and I was telling Amelia about Jason giving me Alcide's number and address. She pounced on the idea. "Oh we should call him so you can chew him out!"

I toyed with my glass. "Oh I don't know, that just doesn't seem right." It actually seemed like a damn good idea to me, but if I let Amelia know that, she'd get a hold of my phone and then I'd never be able to stop her.

"Oh come on, Sookie, you gotta let the man know how you feel." Amelia waved her glass around as to make a point and some gin slopped over the side.

"If I wanted to do that, I'd just go see him," I said with a small slur.

Amelia bounced up off the couch. "Sookie, that is a brilliant idea!"

"It is?" I asked blinking up at her.

She nodded and to me it was just a blur. I don't drink that often so four gin and tonics were enough to make me feel a little woozy. I felt all tingly and when Amelia started to dance around the room on the phone, I got up and danced with her. When she tossed down the phone, I blinked. "Who did you call?"

"The driver."

"Oh, we going somewhere?"

"Yes, where is your purse?"

I pointed to where I had dropped it when we came into the living room earlier. "Where we going?"

"Out." Amelia dug through my purse as she spoke and pulled out a slip of paper with a triumphant yell. "Got it!"

"Got what? Amelia, what are we doing?" I asked as what she was holding started to sink in. "Is that the paper Jason gave me?"

"Yup. We are going to see Alcide!" She dragged me over to the front door and shoved a jacket in my arms.

I stared stupidly at the jacket. "Why?"

"So you can tell him how much of an ass he is," she explained slowly.

"Oh." I pulled the jacket on and followed her out to the car that just pulled up. "Alright, let's go."

Amelia laughed and shoved me into the car. She passed the address up to the driver. I started to sober up some on the drive. I got hot so I took off the jacket and stuffed it between us. "Amelia, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Trust me, Sookie, you will feel a lot better once you talk to him," she said and patted me on the knee.

"What if he isn't home?"

"Then we'll go back to my place and order Chinese and trash talk him and men in general some more."

I liked that idea more than confronting Alcide. "I don't think I can do it."

"Yes you can, Sookie. He told Jason something you shared with him in private. Then instead of explaining to Jason how it happened, he sent Jason to you like a little chicken shit. He deserves to have his balls handed to him."

"I'd rather him keep his balls," I said with a snort.

"I know what you'd rather do with his balls," Amelia said with a leer.

"AMELIA!" I yelped in shock, "Don't talk like that!"

"Oh don't act all innocent. You want to hold them, to caress them," she teased as I turned bright red.

"Stop it! He made it obvious after I revealed my little virgin bomb that he wasn't interested."

"To hell with that. He's a man, you are a virgin. Every man wants to be a woman's first. You can bet your ass that he still wants you." Amelia sat up straighter when we pulled into the secluded apartment complex. I didn't even know that there were apartments on this side of the lake.

"His truck is here." I pointed out as the car came to a stop behind it.

"Then he has to be home. I'll wait here for a bit. If you don't come back down, I'll leave. Just text me if you need a ride back to the mansion."

"Why wouldn't I need a ride back to the mansion?" I asked as she opened the door. Amelia just gave me a knowing smile and pushed me out of the car. I stood in the pouring rain and looked at her. "Amelia, I shouldn't be doing this."

"Sookie, grow a pair and get your ass up there." Amelia slammed the door before I could crawl back in.

I had two options, I could stay out in the pouring rain and get soaked because Amelia was not letting me back into the car, or I could haul my drunk ass upstairs and see Alcide. At least if I went upstairs, I'd be dry. I gathered up my liquid inspired courage, gave the car one last look, and dashed up the outer stairs to Alcide's apartment. I knocked on the door and shifted nervously while I waited for him to answer.

I had just brushed my wet hair over my shoulder and tied it back in a messy ponytail when the door opened and I heard his voice. "What do you need now, Mrs. Ferguson, sugar?"

He trailed off when he saw me and I licked my lips nervously. I smoothed the skirt of my sundress and saw his eyes follow my hands. It gave me a little thrill to see him looking at me that way. Then his voice went flat. "Sookie."

"Hi there, Alcide," I said while trying to fight off the sinking sensation in my belly. "Could I come in? I need to talk to you."

He actually looked like he was going to say no, but when I shivered from the chill brought on by the rain that was still coming down, he stepped back and waved me in. "Sure, come on in."

I gave him a tiny smile and stepped in. I rubbed my arms and wished I had grabbed the jacket from the car. "Thanks. Nice place you go here."

"Yeah, it's one of the apartments that my dad keeps for clients. I stay here when I'm in town for an extended period of time. Sookie, are you okay?" he asked.

I gave him a lopsided smile. "Of course I am. Why would you ask?"

"Well you are soaking wet and you look a little drunk."

I wandered into the living room and saw that the sliding doors to the balcony were open. I headed that way and peeked out. The small overhead awning kept part of the balcony dry and I could see a opened beer next to a chair. I had disturbed him. Oops.

"I should look drunk. I am drunk."

"Do you need a ride back to Bon Temps?"

I tilted my head up to look at him as he came over to me. "No, why would you ask?"

"Well, why else would you show up on my doorstep at," he stopped and checked his watch, "8 in the evening?"

"Because I have a bone to pick with you, Mr. Herveaux," I replied as I flopped down on the lounge chair. "A very big bone."

Alcide frowned and studied my face. I tried to look cross but it was very hard to do with him standing there in front of me with his shirt unbuttoned. As much as I tried to keep my eyes on his face and remember why I was here, my gaze kept drifting down to his chest. Then down to his rippling abs. I wondered how much he bench pressed.

"Sookie," Alcide called my name and I jerked and looked back to his face.

"What?"

"The very big bone you have to pick with me, what would that be?" There was a grin on his face and I flushed. He had noticed I was staring at his chest.

As much as I liked staring at that chest, I was glad that he had reminded me why I was there. In my state, it was all too easy to be distracted and that chest was a major distraction. I looked up at him and frowned, my anger slowly cutting through the new lust induced haze I was currently enjoying. "I think you know what it is. Jason."

"Oh, Jason." Now he looked nervous. "Look Sookie, I didn't have a choice-"

I cut him off with a glare. "Didn't have a choice? You told my brother that I was a virgin! You had no right to tell him that."

"You're right, I didn't. And I wouldn't have if I had a choice."

"What, did he hold you down and torture the information out of you?" I snapped. "Somehow I doubt that. No, you made the decision to tell him and then you sent him to me so you wouldn't have to deal with his insanity."

Alcide moved until he was sitting at the end of the lounge chair with me. I drew my feet up and the skirt rode up on my thighs. I didn't notice it until I saw Alcide staring. I was loose enough that I didn't blush and smooth down my skirt like I normally would. Instead I waited until he looked at me and held his gaze. "I trusted you. I told you something incredibly private because given how things, ah, were going between us, I thought you should know. Maybe if I hadn't found out that Quinn had been cheating on me, I wouldn't feel so strongly about this, but I do."

"He was cheating on you? That's why you punched that woman?" I was surprised by his question and it showed on his face. He grinned. "Jason was rather proud of that."

"Yes, he was cheating, but that isn't the point here. Quinn," and I sighed, "I'm not real sure how I feel about Quinn now, except he's in the past. All the crap I've learned about him just showed me that I never knew him and I never really cared for him."

"You can't say that."

"Oh yes I can. If I cared, I would have pushed to learn more about his life, not just accepted that he never told me. I was in denial. I'm past all that now." This revelation was something Amelia had helped me work through. "What I'm not past is you betraying me. Don't give me that look, it was a betrayal. I trusted you, thought I could trust you, and you broke that trust."

Alcide looked away and I saw a glimmer of something, regret maybe in his eyes. When he looked back at me, they were clear and focused, maybe even a little determined. "Sookie, I can't tell you why I told Jason, I wish I could, but at the moment, I can't. I can tell you that it was vital that he knew. If it had been possible, I never would have told him. Never."

His words held a ring of truth to them. I bit my lower lip as I thought about it. "But why? What could be so important that you had to share something so personal about me with my brother and not be able to tell me about it."

"I can't say."

"Was it a life or death sort of thing?" I was joking when I asked it.

He cocked a brow. "Yes."

Great, I knew I was joking but I couldn't tell if he was or not. "I don't understand."

"You don't have to. I promise, when I can, I'll tell you why I told Jason. It just isn't the right time."

"Why should I trust you?"

I had whispered the words and I wasn't sure he had heard over the sudden peal of thunder, until I saw his eyes. The look in his eyes shifted and became very intense. The sheer weight of his gaze on me made me shift again and smooth down my skirt nervously. I shivered when he reached out and touched my hand. Despite the chill brought on by the storm, Alcide's hand was very warm and I felt a shock clear down to my toes.

"Sookie, you have no idea how much I hate the idea that you can't trust me. Sometimes you have to do something knowing that it will come at a high price. That price was your trust and I'd do anything to get it back." There was a slice of pain in his tone, one that told me more than his words that he regretted what he had done.

I felt the need to reassure him. Suddenly I wasn't the one hurting anymore, it was Alcide. I was one of those women who couldn't stand to see a man in any kind of pain. It was painfully obvious from his tone, his facial expressions, and the way he was holding his body that in breaking my trust, it broke something inside him.

I rose up onto my knees and scooted closer to him. When he looked away from me, I framed his face in my hands and turned it so that I was looking at him. He didn't fight me and that worried me just a little since Alcide did not at all seem like the passive type. Not breaking our eye contact, I leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss over his lips. He tasted like beer and honey barbeque.

I whispered against his lips, "I believe you. Just...don't do it again?"

"I'll try not to," he replied and I noticed for the first time that he was completely clean shaven. I have no idea how I missed that, but I did, and only noticed because there was no tickle of whiskers against my face when I had kissed him.

I liked that he said he'd try not to do it again instead of straight up promising not do it again. It said to me that while he understood what he did upset me and that he wouldn't want to do it again, he might have to. It was honest and it did a lot more to chase away my anger than his explanation. Of course, with the anger fading, my lust was returning.

I was suddenly very aware of how close together we were. Our faces were just a bare inch apart, still close enough that with the right movement, our lips would touch. I had to lean forward to kiss him and since I hadn't moved, my upper body was pressed against his arms. He moved his arms and the friction caused my nipples to go pebble hard. He froze when he felt them through my dress.

I stopped breathing when he spoke. "We should go back in."

His lips had tickled mine and it made me shiver. "Uh-huh."

"Don't want to catch a chill," he went on to say but neither of us moved.

There was another peal of thunder and a flash of lightning. His face was illuminated by the lightning for only a brief second, but the naked desire I saw had me leaning closer and closing the distance between us. His lips slid against mine like silk and I moaned when his grazed my lower lip with his tongue.

His kisses did more to intoxicate me than the gin had. One moment we were sitting up and the next he had me pushed back against the lounge chair. I wrapped my arms around his neck to hold him closer. Alcide balanced himself on his hands to hold the weight of his upper body off me, but that only served to press his lower body even tighter against me. I could feel his erection through the stiff denim of his jeans and it made me squirm against him.

I tilted my head to the side when his lips moved from mine to kiss a trail down my jaw to my neck. His tongue laved over the pulse point at my throat and I felt myself go weak with need. When my legs parted on their own accord and he slid between them like he belonged, I almost died. His hard length was pressed intimately against my hot center and I was surprised he couldn't feel how wet I was. When he shifted his hips, he rubbed against my center and the delicious friction had me gasping with surprise and pleasure.

Alcide went completely still. I actually whimpered when he pulled away from me and I felt an aching loss when he rose completely off the chair. I watched and struggled to regulate my panting breaths as he paced under the awning and raked his hand through his hair, which gave him a very disheveled appearance and made me want to jump him.

He wasn't looking at me so I traced my swollen lips with my fingers, recalling the fevered kisses we had just shared. When he still refused to turn around, I made myself get up, smoothing the skirt that had ridden up my thighs. I went to him and placed a cautious hand on his back. I didn't understand why he pulled away. It had felt so good and just right.

"Alcide?" I made his name into a question. His shoulders stiffened under my hand and I pulled away from him. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. "Alcide, what happened? Why did you pull away?"

He kept his back to me. "That wasn't right, I shouldn't have let it happen."

Confusion chased away my drunk lust. "I'm sorry?"

Alcide turned to look at me then and he noticed my shivering. "No, I'm the one whose sorry. You are drunk and I shouldn't take advantage of that. Come on, let's get inside. You can take a hot shower and I'll throw your dress in my dryer. Once you've warmed up, I can take you back home."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him that he wasn't taking advantage of me, but he didn't give me the chance. He hustled me inside and practically threw me into the bathroom. Two thick towels and a white terry cloth robe followed. Through the door I heard, "Just throw out your dress. It won't take long for it to dry and I can feed you."

I obeyed automatically and stripped off my dress, bra, and panties. As I cracked the door and held them out to him, I heard a quick intake of breath, probably caused my the sight of my panties. Oh well, he could just deal with it. Fuck.

I turned on the shower, running the water as hot as I could stand. I probably should have taken a cold shower, but I was chilled from being out in the storm. As much as I wanted to take care of business myself, finish what had gotten started out on that balcony, I couldn't bring myself to diddle myself in Alcide's shower, as hot as it sounded. It was just too embarrassing.

I was completely frustrated with him for pulling back. I had been the one to instigate that kiss, not him. In no way was he taking advantage of me. If anything, I had taken advantage of him. Why did he have to go and be all noble? Just the fact that he pulled away because he was thinking of me made it hard to hate him for stopping what was a really fuckhot make out session.

I thought I heard another voice as I turned off the shower and toweled dry. Maybe he had ordered food or one of his neighbors wanted to borrow something. I wrapped my hair up in the second towel and pulled on his robe. Belting it around my waist, I walked out the bathroom speaking.

"Alcide, I hope I didn't use all your hot water."

I looked up, expecting to see Alcide and a stranger. Instead I saw Alcide and my brother. Jason was standing in the front door and looked completely gobsmacked at my appearance. Alcide was giving me an apologetic look and I realized what I had heard from the bathroom was Alcide trying to get rid of Jason. Oh shit.

Jason's eyes flicked from my robe clad body to Alcide, who never bothered to fix his hair or button up his shirt. I could almost see the wheel turning in Jason's head and I knew exactly what he was thinking. His face went hot with anger and his eyes blazed as he turned on Alcide with a growl.

"Jason," Alcide said quickly as he held up his hands in a gesture of peace, "it isn't what it looks like."

Too bad for that. I regretted my sarcastic thought almost instantly. Before Alcide or I could say anything, Jason balled his hand into a fist and punched Alcide straight in the face. It was exactly how I punched Maudette, only with a lot more force behind it. I screamed and Alcide's head snapped back. I could see blood on Jason's knuckles and on Alcide's face. I ran across the room and threw myself between them before Jason could follow that right hook with another.

"Jason Stackhouse! You stop that right now!" I screamed.

"What the hell, Sookie? You were so pissed that I found out you were a virgin that you just came and slept with Alcide? To take care of the problem?" Jason growled at me as he took a menacing step forward.

His harsh words did a better job than any punch could do. I felt my face drain of all color as I stared at him. I couldn't believe he just said that or that he thought so little of me. Immediately the hurt I felt blazed into anger.

"Jason, you goddamn asshole!" I snarled and punched him in the face. I felt Alcide straighten at my back and Jason was glaring at me as he rubbed his chin. I was now standing between two very pissed off men.

Author's Notes: Uh-oh, standing between two pissed off men does not sound like the place to be at the moment. I have to say, that this chapter is one of my favorites. I love writing Amelia. She's completely awesome, getting Sookie all lubed up on gin then just dumping her at Alcide's. Gotta love her. And Jason, even though he's a bit insane. Leave a review and let me know how you liked the citrusy bone I threw ya'll.

So, if you like this Alcide and Sookie fic, you might like my new one. It will be posted within the next couple of days and it's called It's Your Song. In this fic Sookie is a vet, Alcide is a country singer, and they were high school sweethearts. Key word being were, gotta read to find out what happens and if they get their HEA. If you don't have me on Author Alert, and are interested in the new fic, hit me up wtih an Author Alert. I'm going to stop babbling. OH! Remember the two contests mentioned in the last chapter, 7 Deadly Sins and The Age of Eric.