AN: I apologise profusely for how long this update has taken me but school has been hectic! Thank you for all of your lovely reviews, I got a PB of 38 last chapter! I'm really hoping to finish this story by Christmas and we are nearing the end *cries* Anyway, on with the chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Vampire Diaries' or 'How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days'.


Day Nine

Damon let out a soft moan, his eyes scrunching against the bright glow of the room in a desperate attempt to ward off his impending consciousness. His eyebrows crinkled, trying to clench his eyes shut as his lips tilted down into a frown. He rolled over onto his side and slid his hand across the bed, striving to connect with the warm body that would offer him the comfort he needed to send him back into a peaceful sleep. His eyes opened wearily when he felt the cold sheet beneath his palm, his hand grasping the white material in a tight grasp as he stretched his spine. The sunlight beamed brightly through the window, taunting him with his stupidity of having not closed the curtains the previous night. He rubbed his cheek against the pillow, burrowing deeper into the soft cushion, and tried to clear his muddled brain. Where was Elena?

His question was answered almost immediately as he caught a flash of toned skin out of the corner of his eye. He tilted his head, sweeping the messy black hair from his forehead as his eyes focused on the woman that had successfully turned everything upside down and inside out. A sly smirk covered his face as he gazed at her, immensely enjoying the show she was - unknowingly - putting on for him. He chewed on his lip thoughtfully, nearly groaning at the flash of bare bottom he was gifted with when she stretched up onto her tip-toes, his shirt riding up deliciously on her, and grabbed one of his football trophies from his shelf. He tamped down the need to have her in every sinful sense of the word - seeing her in his shirt and nothing else sent a primal and possessive throbbing through his body that finally came to pulse in his loins - and simply watched her. His shirt complimented her figure beautifully, overpowering her small frame yet still moulding to her womanly curves when she moved; he debated whether it was his favourite look on her but then he remembered that he'd seen her with nothing on her body but the glow of satiation.

Damon interlocked his fingers and stretched his arms behind his head, propping his head up from the pillow. His eyes followed her every movement; the swift flick of her fingers as she curled her hair behind her ear, the soft smile on her lips when she peered at the framed photos depicting his childhood that were hanging on the far wall, the delicate fingers that trailed over the various books on his shelves from the colourful form of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to the battered copy of 'Macbeth', the subtle sway of her hips as she moved gracefully around his room and the long expanse of legs that had been anchored around his hips as they had joined so intimately the previous night.

She wasn't perfect, by any means; she hogged the covers, purposely moved the furniture in his apartment and giggled heartily when he frantically corrected her mistakes and finally, she made him doubt everything he'd ever thought he'd known about love and did so with a beautiful smile on her heart-shaped face. So, yes, he conceded, she wasn't perfect. But she was perfect for him.

"Oh!" Elena gasped, causing Damon's eyes to flick up from their position on her legs to meet her brown orbs as a grin spread across her face. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," Damon agreed, a leering smirk teasing his lips, "but I guess my body knew that you were putting on a show and decided to wake my mind up."

"That's not the only part of your anatomy that woke up." Elena arched her eyebrow and stared pointedly at the bulge in the sheet that was draped over his lap. She rolled her eyes when he simply smirked and thrust his hips towards her, not an ounce of embarrassment on his face but something more akin to pride.

"I would call you cocky," she grinned, stalking towards the bed, "but I'm afraid you'd get the wrong idea."

"Honey," he teased, reaching down to cup the back of her knee as he tugged her closer until she stood beside the bed, hovering above him. "I can only think of good ideas when it comes to me being cocky."

His hand slid up her thigh, gliding over her silky skin and the curve of her bottom until he grasped at the indent of her waist, just above her hip. Elena opened her mouth to make a snappy retort but her words were replaced with a loud, high-pitched yelp when she was suddenly thrown into the air, twisting and turning in nothingness until her back collided with the mattress. She didn't have time to catch her breath before Damon's hard body was stretched over hers, practically crushing her with his weight but she found that she didn't mind. Not. One. Bit. Especially when his arousal was pressing so pleasurably against her core and their hips were oscillating subconsciously in teasing circles, a mere shred of fabric separating their joining.

Damon slumped, losing the strength in his arms as his lips collided with hers. It was a kiss like none other they'd shared before, it was both tender and carnal, soft and hard; teeth were embedded into lips, soothing strokes of tongues to flesh, hands grasped at skin, bodies rocked together sensually and drugging kisses were exchanged.

"Damon," Elena moaned breathlessly, her brown eyes hazy with lust as she stared up at him towering above her.

Damon palmed her cheek delicately, his thumb swiping across her cheekbone as he stared into her eyes, an indecipherable emotion there that had Elena freezing in place. Her eyes locked with his, never once breaking eye contact even as his hands trailed over her body and caused tingles to spread over her skin.

"Elena," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers before closing his eyes tightly.

With a sigh, he leaned back and brushed his lips over hers in a mere whisper of a kiss. She frowned, utterly confused by the stiff posture of his spine, the frown that furrowed his brow and the almost timid and scared look in his clear, blue orbs.

"Is something wrong, Damon?" she asked, moving her hands so that they palmed the sides of his neck. "You can tell me," she murmured, silently pleading with him to let her know what was going on in his head. He looked so lost and she would do anything to relieve him of his worries.

He shook his head negatively. "Nothing is wrong, Elena," he uttered, taking a deep breath before continuing, "there's just something I need to say. Something that I've said before but never truly meant."

Damon watched her face flicker between emotions; curiosity, confusion, bewilderment and understanding. It was right now or never. He was about to put his heart on the line, something he'd sworn never to do again, with a woman he'd known for just over a week. What was he thinking, he chastised himself before he came to a sudden realisation. Time and rationality held no purchase on him in his current state. Not now. Not with what he was feeling.

"I'm falling in love with you."

Elena's body shut down. That's the only way she could describe it. Her heart froze momentarily before thudding in her chest with a rhythm that had her fearing she was about to go into cardiac arrest, the beats reverberating through her body until it overpowered her hearing and encompassed her like a cocoon. Her hands fell from his neck, folding over her chest as her eyes fluttered dazedly. Her head shook from side to side in confusion, her mind unable to control her body in such a befuddled mess. Her brain became active again when she felt him begin to pull away, the look of utter devastation shining in his eyes and nearly tearing her heart in two.

"Damon," she gasped, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly before the words rolled off her tongue so easily, so effortlessly, that she wondered why she hadn't said them before. "I'm falling in love with you, too."

Damon smiled, a true, honest, carefree smile. He could see it now, that look in her eyes that had always confused him; it was love. Her love for him that she was declaring so openly. He breathed out her name, in a hail Mary, a chant or a plea, he didn't know. All that he did know was that saying the words wasn't enough, he needed to show her. He needed to make love to her, needed her to know that was what they were doing. It wasn't just sex anymore, they were lovers, expressing their feelings in the most intimate way possible.

He rolled back on top of her, regaining his rightful position nestled between her legs as he laid kisses along the soft skin of her throat. "God, I love you," he groaned, feeling her hips arch up to meet his. His lips located hers and his hand grasped her chin as he tilted her head so that he could deepen the kiss. His tongue tangled with hers expertly, low gasps and moans transpiring between their mouths.

Damon chuckled against her lips as he felt her hands claw at the sheet that was wrapped around his - otherwise naked - body. He broke their kiss and kicked his legs against the mattress, trying to aid her in her endeavours until the sheet fell from his waist and he swept it onto the floor in a pile of white fabric. He crawled over her, resting his hands beside her head, and stared down at her, a salacious smirk across his lips and a devilish twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm going to make you scream," he promised, bending forward until the tip of his erection pressed against her slick folds, so close to where she needed him most. His chest filled with pride when her eyes closed involuntarily, a breathy moan falling from her lips as he rubbed his length along her little bundle of nerves.

"Please," she begged when he withdrew, though her disappointment was short-lived when his hand replaced his penis. She heard the sound of a drawer opening but then he curled his fingers inside of her core and had her forgetting everything but the feel of him, completely and utterly surrounding her.

"Damon," she whined, feeling his fingers slip out of her centre. Her eyes flicked open when she heard the tear of foil and she spread her legs wider in a silent invitation, noticing how his eyes darkened with lust.

He rolled the condom onto his arousal with a victorious grin as he lowered himself onto her body. "You r-"

"Damon?"

The couple froze, their eyes darting to the door as the soft knock echoed through the wood.

"Mom?" Damon called out warily, reluctant to move from his position; on top of the woman he loved and poised to complete their mating which would bring them the indescribable pleasure they were both dying to experience. "Now is not a good time."

"Oh," Luciana exclaimed, her voice an octave higher. "Breakfast is ready so... you know, make it a quick one so it won't get cold."

Damon's eyes bugged out of his head at his mother's words, though he couldn't help but join in with Elena's laughs when she buried her head into his chest in embarrassment. "Guess we should make the most of our quickie, huh?"

"No, no, no," Elena shook her head, bracing her hands against her chest and closing her legs together at the knees, pushing them against his stomach. "We're not making love when your mother knows."

"Come on, Elena," he scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically as he gently tried to prise her legs open. "I'm pretty sure she's already guessed that we've had sex before."

"That doesn't matter," Elena refuted, pushing Damon away. He surrendered with a loud groan of disappointment and collapsed onto the bed beside her, throwing his arm over his eyes in exasperation. "I don't want her to actually know." She stood up from the bed, pulling the shirt down from its position around her hips.

Damon mumbled, what she took to be, his agreement though he made no effort to get up and ready for breakfast. She stalked towards him, slipping onto the bed beside where he lay, proudly naked. "How about," she mused, trailing her fingertips over his stomach before tangling them in the dusting of dark hair of his happy trail, "I make it up to you in the shower after breakfast."

Elena would have laughed, if she wasn't still so sexually charged, at how fast Damon moved, his legs carrying him around his bedroom as he frantically slipped on a pair of pyjama pants and a T-shirt. She shook her head, a small smile on her face, and quickly shrugged on a pair of sweat pants underneath Damon's shirt. She let out a yelp of surprise when Damon grabbed her hand, tugging her from the room as she did her best to avoid being swung into the walls and the door.

"Woah," she giggled, pulling him to a stop. "What's the rush?"

Damon paused at the top of the staircase, turning to face her as he put his hands on her shoulders. "The faster we get through breakfast, the faster I get to have my way with you." He nodded, clearly agreeing with his own judgement before placing a resounding kiss to her lips and pulling her along behind him, once more.


"Good morning," Luciana smiled when Damon and Elena entered the kitchen, their hands swinging happily between their bodies. She flipped the pancakes from the pan and onto the plates before setting them on the table. She smiled softly as Damon pressed a kiss to her cheek and Stefan, one to her hand in gratitude.

"So, Elena," Stefan mused, grinning wildly as Elena sat down opposite him and picked up her glass of orange juice. "Damon's stamina must not be the best, that sure was a quick round."

Elena sputtered on her juice, throaty coughs racking through her chest as Damon rubbed her back soothingly. "Sorry," she croaked, dabbing at the tears that were clouding her eyes.

Damon sent Stefan a glare, though his little brother paid no heed to the threat burning in his azure orbs and continued with his hearty laugh. "Real classy, Stefan. For the record, my stamina lasts longer than that, much longer."

Lexi rolled her eyes, swatting Stefan on the back of the head reprimandingly. "Don't embarrass the poor girl." She sent a sympathetic smile to a red-faced Elena, though a devilish spark was ignited in her eyes when she flicked her stare over to a smug Damon. "I mean, Elena is probably the only woman in the world who can actually stick Damon, we can't scare her away or he'll end up alone."

Damon laughed, throwing his head back dramatically before immediately sobering, a scowl masking his face. "You're so funny," he said in a monotone voice, "I can't wait until you and Stefan get married and make your very own little demon children."

Lexi's jaw dropped, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she stabbed her fork into the soft, fluffy pancake, the metal of her fork scraping against the ceramic of the plate loudly. Stefan placed his hand over hers, gentling her movements of the fork. "Elena, I'm sure Lexi and I have plenty of stories about Damon that we'll just have to tell you."

"Oh, please," Damon scoffed, waving his hand dismissively, and leaned back in his chair nonchalantly. "None of those will scare her away, she loves me."

Luciana paused mid-bite, her fork raised in the air as she found her eyes drawn to Damon and Elena. Her gaze softened, noticing the loving smile on Elena's face and the light twinkle in Damon's eyes that ignited at her silent agreement. It seemed that they had talked through their feelings for each other and she had never seen her son happier. His face held a smile of pure contentment, one that he had not worn since his childhood, as Elena ran her fingertips over his hand that rested on the breakfast table. Luciana's heart swelled with joy; seeing her son happy and in love was something every mother wished for and she was lucky enough to be able to say that it was true for both of her sons.

"Boys," she chastised, shaking her head. "No fighting."

"It's not me, Ma," Damon shrugged, holding his hands up in defence. "Steffie's just jealous because I am clearly the better brother."

"You're definitely better at being a first rate jackass," Stefan smirked, nodding his head smugly along to Lexi's giggles.

"Oh, sorry what was that, Steffie?" Damon frowned, cupping his hand around his ear. "You wet the bed until you were eight."

"Hey!" Stefan protested, slamming his fork down onto the table. "That was one time."

Elena smiled as the two brothers sparred, constantly trying to best each other. Lexi rubbed her hand over Stefan's shoulder soothingly, nurturing his wounded pride. "At least," Lexi protested, coming to her boyfriend's aid, "Stefan didn't lose the last football tournament. I mean, what was the score? Nineteen touchdowns to seven?"

Damon's jaw clenched, his eyebrows narrowing as he gritted out, "You know I let him win. It was you and him against me because he was so terrible!"

"Well, brother," Stefan smirked, cracking his fingers leisurely. "How about a re-match then? I mean, you have Elena now so there will be even teams."

Elena met Damon's gaze, the questioning look in his eyes evident, not wanting to make a decision for her, but it was the childlike pleading in his blue orbs that sealed the deal for her. "Okay," she smiled, intertwining her fingers with Damon's before adding snarkily, "get ready to have your asses kicked."

Damon whooped loudly, twirling their tangled hands around her shoulder as he pulled her towards him and placed a loud kiss to her temple. "That's my girl."

"No." Everyone at the table turned at Luciana's rebuttal, comical expressions of confusion mirrored on each of their faces. "Mixed teams; Lexi with Damon and Elena with Stefan."

"But," the brothers protested simultaneously but they quieted when their mother raised her hand.

"No buts," she smiled, winking, "I'm the referee, remember?"

"Game on," Damon declared, eyeing Elena suggestively.


"So, how do we do this?" Elena questioned, bending down into a stretch so that her legs were straight and her palms rested on the grass. She looked through her spread legs and shook her head as she caught Damon ogling, not subtle in the least as he tilted his head to check out her ass. She arched up off the ground, twirling around in the same movement and propped her hand against her hip as she arched her eyebrow at him.

"What?" he chuckled, moving towards her and grabbing her around the waist. She went willingly into his embrace, her chest colliding with his as they swayed from side to side. "Just appreciating the merchandise, babe."

Elena giggled, rubbing her nose against his before tip-toeing up to kiss him. Damon placed chaste pecks on her lips, his hands anchoring her to his body by her waist before he dipped her dramatically. Her laugh bounced off the trees and echoed through the garden and when he looked up, he could have sworn he'd seen his father watching them from the window. A blink, and whatever Damon had thought he'd seen was gone but he'd had the strangest vision of his father smiling, a distinct quirk of his thin lips.

"Damon!"

Damon's head snapped from the upstairs window to his mother as she walked from the house. He swung Elena up and wrapped an arm around her waist, tightening his grasp on her curves instinctively when she snuggled closer against his chest. "Yes, Ma?"

"Maybe you shouldn't be fraternising with the other team, son," she laughed, moving to sit in her honorary referee chair at the edge of the garden.

"Oh, yeah," Damon scowled, pushing her away with a swift slap to her ass.

She jumped, a high-pitched squeal falling from her lips as the sting of his palm sent a thrilling jolt of lust straight to her core that she hadn't expected to feel. She wagged her finger at him warningly as she made her way over to stand beside Stefan, giggling when he promptly engaged her in some sort of guy's handshake.

"What are the rules?" Elena asked, straightening her T-shirt over the leggings that Lexi had let her borrow.

"Well," Luciana sighed, a small smile on her face, "the boys still act like juveniles so, rule one is no funny business. Damon, that means no tying your brother's shoelaces together."

"And, no wedgies," Stefan added, a painful expression covering his face.

Damon grinned widely, sending Elena a wink. "No double teaming either. That's the only reason you won the last time."

Stefan scoffed, "Oh, please. You just think that because you were captain in high school that no one can beat you. Truth is, you were the best of a bad bunch, unlike me, football extraordinaire."

Damon rolled his eyes dramatically, nudging Lexi playfully when she cheered Stefan on. "He's on the other team now, Lex. We're enemies."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you!" Lexi exclaimed, her eyebrows jumping up her forehead.

Damon scowled, folding his arms across his chest as he turned to face her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't even give me that oblivious look. This, right now, is the only time that you've taken your eyes off of E-lena," Lexi smirked, rolling the 'E' off her tongue.

Sure enough, Damon's eyes flicked over to the woman in question. The sunlight shone down on her, bathing her in its gilded glow which made her celestial beauty shine brighter than her lush surroundings. The sunlight emphasised the golden highlights in her hair and caused her olive skin to sparkle. Her clothes wrapped around her like a second skin, emphasising her womanly curves that never failed to turn him on. He was transfixed, every time he looked at her he found that his eyes didn't want to move away because he didn't want to miss a thing about her. He wanted to memorise her, to know every facet of her very being, if she'd let him. And she did, she opened herself up for him to indulge in. She trusted him so completely and loved him so wholly that his heart thumped erratically every time she stared at him with those penetrating doe eyes of hers.

"See," Lexi complained, waving her hand between Damon and Elena. "Now they're both doing it. Why don't we just switch teams so Stefan and I can score lots of touchdowns while they make googly eyes at each other."

"Lex, you and Stefan were exactly the same," Damon groaned.

"I think we get it, children. You're all sappy and in love, now can we get on with the game?" Luciana grumbled, reclining back into the deck chair and pulling her sunglasses over her eyes.

Damon and Stefan stared at their mother wordlessly before their eyes connected and the laughs bubbled from their lips. Lexi and Elena failed to hold back their own laughs for much longer and soon, the two couples were bent over at the waist as tears stung at their eyes.

"Are we boring you, Ma?" Stefan chortled, standing with his hands on his hips.

Luciana smiled softly, "Of course not, dear, but I know how long these tournaments can last. So, on with the game!"

~CA~CA~CA~CA~CA~CA~

"Okay, so we're drawn at fourteen touchdowns to fourteen," Luciana declared. "The next team to score a touchdown wins."

Stefan wrapped his arm around Elena's shoulder, whispering into her ear. Damon watched on from the other side of the garden, noticing the calculating look in Elena's eyes and the small, smug quirk of her lips. She met his gaze, winking at him subtly when he smirked at her.

"Damon, are you even listening?" Lexi exclaimed angrily, slapping the back of his head.

"Ow!" Damon protested, rubbing at the aching spot. "What was that for?"

Lexi folded her arms across her chest in indignation. "You know what. Stop ogling her for two seconds because there is no way I am losing to Stefan. You know what he's like, he'll hold this over both our heads."

Damon's brow crinkled; she was right, his brother could be an annoying, smug bastard when he won. "Okay, what's the plan?"

"You," Lexi pointed her index finger into his chest, a stern expression on her face, "are on Elena duty. Don't let her get to you with those doe eyes of hers because they make you weak."

Damon scoffed, "They do not make me weak."

"Oh, please," she refuted, jutting her hip against his, "you practically melt. Anyway, I'll get Stefan and distract him somehow. Then, when you get the ball off Elena, pitch it down-field to me and I will score the winning touchdown."

"Why do you get to score it?" Damon whined, pouting pitifully.

Lexi rolled her eyes at his childishness. "Because," she drawled, "Stefan finds it impossible to resist me, I'll slip right by him. Seriously, this one time-"

"No!" Damon interrupted, squeezing his hands tightly against his ears. "I don't want to hear about your sexcapades with my brother. Ugh," he shuddered dramatically, dodging the hand she aimed at his arm.

"Are you all ready?" Luciana questioned, pushing herself from the chair and coming to stand closer to the make-shift pitch. As they nodded their heads, she continued, "Okay, Elena you have the ball. And... GO!"

Elena skipped forward slowly, a delicious thrill of excitement running through her body as she watched Damon stalk towards her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Lexi make her way towards Stefan and she only hoped that what Stefan had told her about his so-called control when it came to Lexi's tempting nature was, in fact, true. She froze, slowing to a stop when she met Damon head on, only a few feet separating them. Her eyes flicked to the spaces beside him, trying to decide where she wanted to go. Damon didn't give her any time to think, however, when he immediately charged for her. She squealed, dodging his outstretched arm as she she feigned to the right. Damon followed her movements and she grinned inwardly as she immediately sprung to the left, noticing how his stance faltered. She bypassed him, their make-shift touchdown line in sight. She smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth when she began running towards her victory. Her progress was halted when she felt two iron bands wrap around her waist and she was hoisted up into the air.

"No!" she protested, feeling Damon's laugh vibrate against her neck as she lifted the ball above her head. She moved her arms from side to side, desperately trying to avoid his hand that was incessantly trying to grab the ball from her. She struggled in his grasp, though it didn't falter and, in fact, she felt his arm press her against his chest even tighter. She groaned in defeat when his hand finally grasped onto the leather ball, tugging it from her hands.

"Aha!" Damon exclaimed, raising the ball into the air victoriously as he lowered Elena to the ground. "I win!"

Elena pouted, trailing her hands over Damon's chest sensually. Her fingers tips marked the outlines of his abs and she stared up at him, tilting her head to the side. "I never was any good at football."

"Nuh-uh," Damon shook his head, cradling the ball to his chest as he attempted to step out of her hold. Her hands moved to his biceps, cupping them in her palms and massaging the muscles with her thumbs. "You're not guilt-tripping me into letting you win."

"Damon!" Lexi called, scowling when he failed to acknowledge her presence. She quickly shrugged Stefan off and moved into the middle of the garden, preparing herself for Damon's pass. "Now, Damon!"

Damon tore his eyes from Elena's crestfallen face and turned his head, a small smile spreading over his lips when he saw Lexi across the garden, waving her arms wildly as Stefan began to run towards her. Damon spun around, pulling his arm backwards but as he swung it forwards and felt the weight leave his hand, he frowned in confusion. The ball wasn't soaring through the air like it was supposed to.

Elena giggled, hugging the ball to her chest when Damon rotated his head around to look at her. She backed away quickly, her eyes never once straying from Damon's as he watched on helplessly. She dropped the ball down onto the ground, just past the tree that marked her end zone.

"Yes!" she yelled, jumping up and down happily. "Unlucky, Damon!"

"Oh, really?" Damon chuckled, catching her up in his arms and spinning her around in the air. His heart warmed with her carefree giggles and he set her down slowly. His hands cupped her face and he tilted her head up for a kiss. She moaned softly against his lips, her fingers gripping onto the soft cotton of his T-shirt. "You are such a little cheater," he hummed against her lips, "but I love you, anyway."

"Good," Elena murmured, taking a teasing bite out of his chin, "because I love you, too."

"Damon, you suck!" Lexi exclaimed, breaking up their embrace as she swatted at Damon's chest with her hands.

"Elena," Stefan smirked, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "You rule." He pressed a swift kiss to her hair, basking in the glory of their win as he watched his girlfriend berate his brother.

"Well done, Elena," Luciana interjected, pulling her in for a hug. "Although," she whispered into Elena's ear, "I think Damon actually won."

Elena pulled back, a small frown puckering her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Honey," Luciana smiled softly, reaching forward to tuck a stray lock of brunette hair behind Elena's ear before palming her cheek. Elena leaned into her warm touch subconsciously, craving the gesture that her mother had once done to her so many times. "He really hit the jackpot with you."


"Damon," Elena groaned playfully, tugging at his hands that were covering her eyes. "I don't like surprises."

"Oh, hush," he cajoled, shuffling her forward. "And... open!"

Elena felt the pressure of his hands disappear and her eyelids fluttered open, squinting against the bright light. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she took in her surroundings. The cold, grey bricks surrounded her on every side with various tools littering the walls and childhood bicycles hanging from the ceiling. Her eyes stared at the vehicle in front of her though it was obscured from her view by the dark, black sheet that was draped over it. Damon followed her eyes and moved forward, sweeping the cover off of the vehicle in one swift motion.

She gasped as the electric blue Camaro was revealed. Her fingers glided over the sleek body effortlessly as she rounded the car. "It's beautiful. My father was always into old cars, he would have loved this."

Damon tossed the keys between his hands, watching as she admired his most prized possession. After much deliberation, he finally weighed the keys in one hand. "Catch," he called, tossing the keys towards her.

She caught them in her cupped hands, looking at him wide-eyed. "You're going to let me drive your car? I don't even know how to drive!"

"Well," he began, "now is the time to learn."

Before she could protest, he climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door behind him. She stood there, silently shifting from side to side as she chewed on her lip thoughtfully. With a sigh of defeat, she climbed into the driver's seat, her heart thrumming nervously in her chest. "You love this car, what if I crash it?"

"You won't," he refuted. "I love you more, anyway, so even if you do crash my baby, I'll forgive you."

Elena stared at him, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly before she launched herself at him. Her fingers threaded through his hair as she laid a carnal kiss on his lips, practically crawling into his lap. His hands found their way to her waist, steadying her as he returned her passion-filled kiss. He nibbled on her lips sensually, slipping his hand below her thin T-shirt.

"You're amazing," she breathed out against his lips, moving up to kiss his nose lightly. She moved back into her chair awkwardly, her leg brushing against the bulge in his jeans and her hand covering his thumping heart.

"So," she whispered, "what do I do?"

"Put the key into the ignition and turn it," Damon commanded gently. "Good, now put you hands on the wheel and put your left foot down onto the brake. Release the handbrake and push the gear stick into drive. Slowly take your foot off the break and gently ease your right foot down onto the accelerator."

"I'm doing it!" Elena cheered as the car rolled forward slowly.

As she left the confinements of the garage, her excitement only increased. She followed Damon's instructions and soon, she was driving down the road like she had been doing it for a lifetime. She turned onto a single track road, it's lack of use shown by the grass growing down the centre of the road.

"Now, just pull in here." Damon motioned towards a lay-by that was shrouded by trees.

Elena eased her foot onto the brake, slowly coming to a stop as she put the car into park. "That was so much fun!"

"I thought you might enjoy it," he grinned, interlocking his fingers with hers and giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Onto the second part of your surprise."

"What?" Elena exclaimed, following Damon as he got out of the car. "There's more?"

"Of course," he scoffed, motioning for her to follow behind him.

She held onto his arm as he led her through the thick underbrush along an eroded pathway. She decided that he must be familiar with wherever he was taking her because there was no way someone would be able to find their way through the forest with just the barely-there pathway.

"Here we are."

Elena gasped, her mouth falling open wordlessly. It was beautiful. The soft rush of water echoed through her ears as the river flowed into the pool causing ripples to spread across the surface. The water was clear with the exception of the reflections of the white clouds in the sky. Lush, green grass surrounded the pool and wild flowers littered the whole area; pinks, blues, purples and whites blooming from within the greenery. The sunlight trickled through the canopy of trees so that she was able to see the small, white dandelion seeds floating through the air.

"I know it's nothing compared to the Falls that you had during your childhood but I think it's pretty good," Damon murmured softly, scratching the back of his neck.

Elena shook her head, smiling widely. "It's better. Are we going for a swim?"

"Why else would I bring you here?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "There's just one rule: no clothes allowed."

Elena arched her eyebrow, nudging him with her hip. "Is that what you say to all the girls?"

"Actually," he protested. "You're the first woman that I've brought here. I used to come here when I needed to get away from... everything, but I want to share it with you. Now, start stripping, Gilbert."

Elena giggled, following his orders as she shrugged off her T-shirt, leggings and shoes. She stood there in her lacy underwear, wrapping her arms around her body self-consciously. She made a move for the water when she felt Damon pull her back against his hard body.

"Where do you think you're going?" he grinned.

"The pool."

"Not like that you're not," he shook his head negatively. "The underwear comes off, too."

Damon let her go, pulling his boxers down his legs and shucking them off his feet. He stood before her, not a shred of clothing covering his body, and then ran towards the water, leaping over the edge with a shout. She ran to the edge and watched as he surfaced, sweeping the hair from his face.

"Come on, babe!"

Elena giggled, reaching behind to unclasp her bra. She felt Damon's eyes on her, roving over her body shamelessly as she slipped out of her panties. She met his lustful stare before diving head-first into the cool depths of the pool. She swam up to Damon's body, surfacing directly in front of him as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they began to tread water.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she found herself lost in his eyes. His blue orbs were swimming with so much emotion and were framed by inky black eyelashes that fluttered against his cheeks with each blink. Her lips found his almost tentatively as she gave him a slow, drugging kiss. His lips slanted lazily over hers and goosebumps rose on her skin when she felt his fingers trail over her thighs. She hooked her thighs around his hips, an involuntary moan slipping into his mouth when their tongues met and her hips rocked against his. Their tongues twirled, their bodies undulating together as her hard nipples scraped deliciously against the hard planes of his chest.

"We should stop," Damon mumbled, his lips moving along her jaw. "I don't have a condom."

Elena nodded, jerking her hips forward to meet his. "I'm not on the pill."

Damon swam forward until Elena's back hit the edge of the pool and her chest arched up against his. "This is dangerous," he purred, feeling his engorged head slip between her folds. "Really dangerous," he grunted, "but I can't stop."

"Then don't," she whispered, brazenly lowering herself down onto his erection.

They both groaned; Damon from the tightness of her core that encircled him so deliciously and Elena from how full Damon made her feel. Their eyes met and everything around them froze. They were connected so intimately, as they had been before, but this time, there was nothing separating them. The sensations were so much more intense and as Damon retreated his hips and snapped them back, Elena saw stars. She tilted her head back, ragged breaths leaving her throat as his lips trailed down her chest. He suckled on her nipple, causing her hips to roll against his and a groan to be torn from deep within the recesses of his throat.

"I'll have to pull out," he said through gritted teeth. Elena heard his words and though they didn't completely register in her brain, she found her head nodding along mindlessly.

"Damon," she sighed. Her hand reached behind her head, tearing at the grass as her eyes scrunched in pleasure. Her walls tightened with each thrust of his hips into her core, she just needed a little more... something.

Damon, apparently reading her mind, rolled his thumb along her clitoris until she came with a keening wail. She shuddered, her centre contracting sporadically as Damon painfully removed his cock from her warm heat. He buried his head into the crook of her neck when her small hand encircled his aching member and she jerked him off to completion.

He snuggled into her body, purring softly at the feel of her fingers sifting through his hair. He raised his head wearily, completely spent from their love-making, and placed a chaste kiss to her lips.


"What happened to you two?" Luciana laughed when Damon and Elena emerged through the entrance of the parlour, completely soaked. Noticing the heated look the couple shared, she shook her head and muttered, "On second thoughts, I don't want to know."

"You're right, Ma, you probably don't," Damon grinned salaciously.

"Damon, Elena," Stefan greeted, bypassing the couple and tugging Lexi down onto the couch beside him. "You up for a game?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. Poker?"

"What else would we play?" Stefan laughed, wrapping his arm around Lexi and pulling her against his chest. "You up for a game, hun?"

"Fine, but only if Elena plays. That way Damon won't win." Lexi poked her tongue out at Damon and sent him a glare; their loss at football not yet forgotten. Stefan rubbed her arm soothingly but she didn't miss the secret smile he sent Elena, a reminder of their victory.

"Yeah, yeah." Damon waved his hand dismissively. "We'll be down in ten."

Ten minutes later, Damon and Elena joined Stefan, Lexi and Luciana around the table. The cards rested in front of them and Luciana set up the dealer's deck.

"What are we playing for?" Elena asked, leaning into Damon's side as he raked his fingers through her hair.

Damon smirked, "Bragging rights, of course. I'm going to win this time, though." He bit Elena's earlobe teasingly, holding onto her tightly when she tried to squirm away.

"Nuh-uh," she protested.

"Okay!" Stefan interrupted. "Let's play, shall we?"

~CA~CA~CA~CA~CA~CA~

"I don't get it," Damon growled. "How am I losing to you of all people?"

"Oh, thanks!" Elena muttered indignantly, holding her cards to her chest. "Maybe it's because I'm better than you?"

"But you barely know how to play!" he groaned. Pouting, he continued, "It must be beginner's luck."

Elena winked at Luciana as she got up from the table. "It's just me and you, Damon. The final hand."

"Let's do this." Damon picked up his cards, his eyes squinting as he studied them carefully. Luciana moved behind him, her eyes glued to the cards until she reached Elena and made a gesture with her hands to show that all Damon had was a pair.

Elena smirked, looking down at the cards in her hands that held the royal flush. Damon groaned at the smug expression on his girlfriend's face but his eyes narrowed in on his mother when he caught her silently conversing with Elena. His eyes widened in realisation, "You cheaters!"

Everyone at the table looked up, completely wide-eyed as Damon tossed his cards onto the table and waved a pointed finger at them all individually. "You've been telling her my hands. She knew exactly when to fold and when to keep going and it was because of you, Ma! I can't believe it!" Damon reached forward, tugging Elena into his arms as she screamed in protest. He mussed up her hair and tickled her ribs, not relenting even when the tears began streaming down her face.

"Damon," his mother admonished. "Leave the poor girl alone."

He stopped his torture, scooping her into his lap as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're lucky I love you."

Elena stared up at him, her eyes shining from her previous tears. "I know," she confessed, rubbing her palm against his cheek.

"It's late," Lexi declared, pushing herself up from the couch with a yawn. "We should probably head to bed."

They all tidied up the parlour before heading up to bed. Stefan and Lexi disappeared first and Luciana followed soon after being shuffled away by Damon. Damon wrapped his arms around Elena's waist, kissing her neck softly. "Hmm," he sighed. "Let's go up to bed."

"Okay," she agreed, pulling out of his arms. "I just need to get a drink so you can go and warm up the bed." She pushed him lightly in the direction of the stairs, slapping him on his ass. He wagged a finger at her in silent warning, the threat of punishment sparkling in his eyes. She supposed she shouldn't get excited by that prospect but he had the most pleasurable of punishments.

She strolled into the kitchen, flicking the light on and tugging at Damon's shirt. Her bare feet tip-toed over the cold tiles and goosebumps rose up on the skin of her legs not covered by her tiny shorts. She stretched up, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and walked over to the sink, filling it to the brim with the icy, cold water. She turned around, her heart jumping in her chest as she saw a figure in the doorway. The water spilled over the rim of the glass, splashing to the floor as her breath hitched in her throat.

"We need to talk."

Guiseppe.


I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter but I hope you liked it! Tell me what you think! Please forgive me for any typos :) Amy xo

Twitter: _amygerrard