Prompt: about your "flower delivery" drabble: it was so good! i suspected as i read further that caroline knew the flowers were from klaus. would it be greedy to ask for a drabble showing what led to klaus & caroline falling for each other &/or a drabble where elena & bonnie find out who caroline's "secret admirer" is?
Panting, Caroline rolled off of Klaus to settle next to him on the bed. "Best Valentine's ever," she whispered, laughing hoarsely as she tried to catch her breath.
"No arguments here, love," he said, pulling her closer. Their dinner had been wonderfully intimate, hidden inside her apartment. Secret rendezvous had their advantages, including the freedom to give into the game of footsie Caroline had started under the table. Klaus took that initiative and left their half-eaten pasta when he carried her to the bedroom.
"Like you'd know," Caroline scoffed playfully. "I seem to remember several speeches over the commercialization of romance contributing to your hatred of relationships."
Klaus placed a sweet kiss on her temple, smiling into her tousled hair. "I know that we've had this conversation before," he answered. "You seemed to believe my change of heart then."
Late nights at the office were the norm for Caroline, always needing to clear her to-do list before heading home. Klaus usually had client meetings to maintain a steady stream of investors for the company, so she was surprised to find his office still alight.
"Klaus," she called, noting the executive suite was otherwise deserted. "I hope it's you in there, because this place looks post-apocalyptic in the dark."
"No zombies coming for you, love," Klaus said, waving for her to enter when she reached his doorway. He tossed a notebook on his desk, giving her the full force of his attentive smirk. "You're here late."
"Look who's talking," she countered with a smile. "Big project I should know about?"
Actually looking sheepish, Klaus glanced down. "Hiding from my sister," he admitted. "I begged off a double date she set me up with, and I wouldn't put it past her to call my office."
"To check if you're really working," Caroline asked, incredulous. "That's cute. You're scared of your sister."
"I'm not scared of her," Klaus clarified, expression darkening. "Bekah's just a bit petulant when we don't blindly follow her instructions for life."
Caroline nodded, pouring them both a drink from Klaus's personal stash. "Hence the date?"
"A friend of hers that I would just adore," he said mockingly, accepting the glass Caroline handed him. "She thinks I need a wife."
"Do you," Caroline asked with a teasing smile. She sat across from him, but leaned back to place her feet on his desk as she sipped her own drink. "I've never seen you with the same woman twice."
Klaus shrugged. "Why bother with a relationship when I know it's not the right woman," he mused.
Frowning, Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. "You say that like you already have someone in mind," she accused.
"Don't I, sweetheart?"
Eyes wide, Caroline gripped her glass. "Klaus-"
"You never did take me up on that dinner invitation," he pointed out, remembering his dogged persistence in asking her out when she started working for the company years earlier.
Rolling her eyes, Caroline felt on familiar ground. "Because dating the boss is always such a good way to start a new job," she said, looking down at her glass. "You haven't brought that up in a while."
"Just biding my time, love," he answered.
She glanced back up, only to find his expression so soft and focused entirely on her. He had all but admitted that he only wanted a relationship with her. "We work together," she said, coughing delicately as she righted herself in the chair. "You're technically my boss."
"And I'd really like to take you to dinner," he said, unconcerned. "What do you say?"
Her tongue dragged across her lips unconsciously, and she quickly finished her drink with a final gulp. She dropped her glass on the desk as she stood.
Worried he had pushed too far, Klaus tried to backpedal. "Caroli-"
Rather than storm out like she feared, though, Caroline just walked around his desk to kiss him in his chair. Nearly four years of unresolved tension had Caroline straddling him quickly, the kiss taking on a life of its own as Klaus finally processed and reciprocated.
Pulling back, Caroline licked her lips again. "Maybe," she panted, "we should keep this between us. For a while, at least."
Nodding, Klaus stole another kiss. "Fine with me," he whispered against her lips. "I just want you."
Caroline shrugged against him, peppering kisses on his neck and shoulder. "Honestly, I still wasn't sure you wanted a relationship with me," she said.
Frowning, Klaus pulled away to look at her. "And you still let me take you home that night?"
"What can I say," she teased, rubbing her nose against his. "You were really cute, hiding from your baby sister."
Biting his lip to keep from smiling, Klaus shifted to tickle her waist. "That's it," he muttered. "You asked for it."
Laughing, Caroline squirmed out of his reach until she could catch his lips with hers. Resting her forehead against his, she beamed up at him. "I love you," she whispered, a bit hesitant.
Klaus paused, his expression of shock melting into a shy grin. "I love you, too," he whispered back. Frowning again, though, he tenderly stroked her hip with his thumb. "Does that mean we can go public now?"
Pressing a kiss to his nose, Caroline giggled. "It really bothered you that Bonnie and Elena sent the flowers, didn't it," she asked. "You just want people to know I'm yours."
"I just want you," he corrected. "Though, it would be nice for others to know you're spoken for."
"Would it make you happy," she asked softly, watching him carefully.
"You make me happy," he answered shyly. For someone so shamelessly naked in her bed, Klaus Mikaelson was a big softie when it came to real emotions. "I don't want to hide that anymore."
"Okay."
Klaus looked up, looking positively shellshocked. "Really?"
"Really," she affirmed, happily accepting his immediate kiss. They took a breath, and Caroline smiled widely. "Happy Valentine's Day, Klaus."
"Happy Valentine's Day, love."
