Feel the tension in the air

Like everything hangs on that glance.

That's great and all but for me

It is not that pulling us toward each other.

That tension is pulling us in opposite directions

Chapter 14

Caroline raised her eyebrows the fifth time that day. Ever since they had left the cabin and Richard giving them his truck with the promise of returning it back, Klaus had been fidgeting ever since. She didn't know what his problem was and why he seemed so agitated. But even a blind person could guess that it was because of her challenge. She hadn't thought he was going through with it at all, but he had. When she had woken up, he had greeted her nicely, though she could see that he had been trying to fight the urge to scream. And when they were in the truck, he had completely ignored her, not saying anything when she made little comments and she had suspected he had not wanted to engage in a conversation, because then, he had to act nice.

Mystic Falls was the same as she had left it years ago. Except for some houses which had been renovated, but apart from that, nothing else seemed out of place. She smiled, thinking of surprising her parents for a visit. She hadn't seen them in two years and she would have hoped to go to her childhood home without Klaus' knowledge.

He had checked them into a nice hotel, but it could have been nice if there had been two available rooms like Klaus had said he wanted. The only room available was one and they were two of them. None of them wanted to sleep in the same room again, but things weren't going their way according to their wishes. By the time they had reached to their room, Caroline had not wanted to go inside but Klaus had jerked her arm to get moving again. Having thought about it , she had sighed in relief thinking that he would find a solution to their sleeping arrangements or he could find another hotel for them, but she had suspected none of them would suite to his liking.

Avoiding looking towards him, he had stopped, telling her he wasn't going anywhere. It was his room as much as it was hers. There was no need to make a big deal out. Even so, his hand had tightened on her arm, for she had taken an involuntary step backward. He was gone before she could blink her eyes.

Klaus pulled his cap down low. It wasn't that he was worried that he might come across Thomas and be recognized. Still in Mystic Falls? Not a chance. But it would be foolish to flaunt his presence just to tempt fate. He'd changed from the earlier clothes that he had worn the night before. He had retrived his credit cards after he had found his wallet in his jeans pocket. The moment he left the hotel room, he had stopped to get an entire set of wardrobe and was wearing a revealing sky blue shirt and black pants. His long-sleeved shirt was loose for ease of movement, deeply V-necked. Of course, he hadn't forgotten Caroline and her ridiculous challenge. It was why he had to bought her clothes as well, after all that was a nice thing to do. Only the problem was he didn't know what she wanted and what her size was. Not wanting to ask her, he had gotten her cocktail dresses and guessed her size.

It had been an hour now, and when she thought he wasn't coming back, the door opened and he stepped inside. He was carrying tweleve shopping bags and she made a move to help him but stopped herself. Klaus had a habit of misinterpreting everything, and who knows if he would think that she thought the bags were for her. Staying glued to the window, she watched him keep them on the queen sized bed. He had also changed, she noticed.

"Caroline." She heard him say. "I bought you some clothes to wear. They're all dresses." Klaus held forth six shopping bags to her.

"You did?" Caroline queried in surprise.

"Yes."Sensing that she was waiting for him to continue and, with a lame shrug, explained, "Thought it would be a nice thing to do."

"Bet it killed you to say that." She grinned from ear to ear at this.

The look of discomfort that briefly swept through his face conveyed a willingness to do much more if she asked him. "Would you just take it already?" he snapped as he gritted his teeth. Seeing her raised eyebrow and realising what he had done, he quickly repeated in a forced calm low tone, "Would you take it?" The woman was bloody testing his patience.

Not wanting to be the reason for him to snap again, she approached him and took the bags from him, taking a peek. "Thanks, Klaus. I'm sure if you chose the dresses, I'll like them." Caroline had no idea why she said that, but considering her mouth had gotten the habit of blurting out whatever it wanted, she shrugged it away and offered him a smile.

Only Klaus did not return her smile. "I see." His shoulders were stiff with tension. "Why don't you go change and I'll get something for us to eat." He was out of the room before she could say anything. Was it her or does he look like he wanted to get away from her. She was deeply offended by that.

Soon after she was alone in the room once again, Caroline examined the bags with a grin and rushed to the bathroom. She picked an elegant black dress and gingerly tried it on. The dress was sleeveless and backless. The top was made entirely of black lace that went down from her right shoulder to her left breast. It had a V neck that showed off her breasts in an elegant manner. The dress fell just below her knees and it fitted her perfectly which was shocking because she didn't think he could guess her size. She adjusted the mirror in the bathroom and considered the results, turning this way and that to view every angle. She bit her lower lip, knowing there was no way she was going out with this dress. Wearing it around would be an open invitation for everyone to do more than just gape. Even the most casual glance into the neck of the dress would convince the viewer of her lack of modesty. Did Klaus really chose the dress himself or did he let someone did? She only hoped all the dresses weren't like it.

Caroline combed her fingers through her hair and was ready to take the dress off. A light rap of knuckles came upon the door. "Are you decent, Caroline?" Klaus called through it.

"Yes, of course," she answered quickly. "But-" she started to say she needed a few minutes to change but he cut her off.

"Then come out. I don't have all day." Her attempt at modesty, Caroline thought wryly, was like closing the door when the sheep had fled. Upon entering, she saw him sitting on a chair. His brow had become slightly quirked, she had the distinct impression that he had grown rather tired of this nice act. The small table was laden with a rather lavish meal of smoked salmon, crepes with caviar, vegetable ribbons lightly sauteed in lemon butter, toast, pancakes and, waiting to be enjoyed afterwards, a lime souffle chilled on ice and coffee.

"This looks great," she commented, surveying the elegantly presented dishes.

"It does," he chided, lifting his gaze briefly to hers. At that precise moment she became convinced that there were no eyes in all the world bluer than the ones which now gazed at her. But she had always thought hers were. Staring into those darkly translucent depths now, it was easy for her to imagine a woman being swept away by admiration for him without a single word being uttered.

Caroline mentally shook off the spell he unwittingly cast and scolded herself for acting as addled as a dazzled schoolgirl. Why was she even thinking of such things about him? Though she could have sworn she saw his eyes widening when his gaze had swept over her body.

"So what are we doing in Mystic Falls?"

"I thought I told you," he replied rather wistfully.

"Not really," she answered, sipping on her coffee.

"You remember my accountant Thomas McNair?" Klaus looked down as he stabbed his fork on the steak.

"Of course I do." Caroline's brow furrowed. She would remember that short man with beard anywhere. She had never liked the man because she had always thought he was too sweet. Despite being given the death glares from her, he never failed to flirt with her. But she really wondered why Klaus was talking about him.

"He stole the company's money," he explained in anger as he flaked off a piece of salmon with his fork. "I've had my private investigator track him down and the last place he had been is here in Mystic Falls. But I doubt that he is still around."

Hearing that Thomas had stolen money from Klaus came as a shock to her. She knew there was a reason she hated the man, and his niceness must have been fake too. The shock was such that a piece of crepe which she had been in the process of swallowing got caught in her throat. She choked and promptly began coughing, trying to dislodge it.

"Bloody hell!" he declared, rising to his feet. He caught her hand, bidding her to stand as he stepped close behind her. Much to her astonishment, he slipped his arms about her slender waist. "Now bend over as far as you can go, and try to relax and cough it out."

Hanging her upper torso downward over his forearms as he squeezed her ribcage with sharp, quick jerks was the most undignified position that she could have ever been in as far as Caroline was concerned. She felt very much like an awkward in their position. The shoe she was wearing made her clumsy, for in her attempt to keep her backside for a respectable distance from him, her foot got tangled in the table cloth and she stumbled backward, falling literally into Klaus' lap as he dipped his knees to catch her. For a moment his arm clasped her tightly to him, and she felt secure, but as she pulled away from his stabling grasp and tried to stand, her foot slipped once more and she went flying, this time in a lateral direction.

Klaus flung an arm outward to catch her, but while drawing her back he lost his balance. In the next moment they both sprawled backward, he to the floor and she on top of him. Caroline's breath rushed forcefully outward in surprise as she fell, and whatever small particle had hitherto been lodged in her throat came free. Although relieved, she didn't think anything could assuage her embarrassment over her own awkwardness. She could feel her face flaming hotly as she struggled to sit up. Her every thought was on making good her escape, for she was sure by now that Klaus was mentally questioning her propensity for calamity, and she didn't want to lend further weight to any suspicion of that sort.

Too late she realized that in her effort to get up, she was now straddling his loins, albeit from a rearward perspective. The swiftly growing firmness beneath her buttocks made her eyes widen. Hot coals might have had the same effect. Scrambling to her feet, she kept her back deliberately presented to the man upon whom she had landed and made a pretense of straightening her dress as she waited for her hot cheeks to cool.

Klaus pushed himself to his feet. He had known well enough that he was in dire need of a woman in his bed, but he hadn't realized to what extent until Caroline sat on his lap. Her womanly softness pressing down upon his loins had ignited a fuse that had proven far too explosive for a display of coolheaded logic. The fact that he greatly desired to have his way with her this very moment was reason enough to want to strangle himself. At that moment his body didn't mind that she was his secretary. It didn't matter that he didn't like the sight of her face. But he couldn't trust himself around her. He collected his aplomb by gritted-teeth tenacity and, after a moment, was able to gain control of his goading lusts. Returning to the table, he seated himself once more, but he noticed that a deeper blush had invaded her cheeks and could well assume the reason.

Silence prevailed between them as they finished the meal. Klaus' appetite for food had waned with the blunt realization of his own craving for carnal appeasement. He couldn't very well take his secretary to bed, as much as he might have reveled in the experience with such a fresh subject. Neither could he throw her out of his hungering sight without decent apparel. The only choice that remained was for him to stay away from her. Perhaps when he had the time, he could search out for someone who might satisfy his needs. Only then would he be able to act the gentleman in this one's presence.

"I- I-" Caroline started to say, somewhat surprised by the nervous catch in her voice. She wanted to break the silence and tension that in the room. Then, because she couldn't bear to have him realized that she was trying hard not to run out of the room.

"I didn't choose that dress," Klaus blurted out. He had wanted to tell her ever since she came out from the bathroom. Of course, the dress was mixed up the moment he had seen it, yet he couldn't outer a word about it. "It's best you change into a suitable one." He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Not arguing, Caroline had simply stood up from the chair and went to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she came back wearing a yellow dress that fell below her knees. It was safe to say it wasn't as revealing as the first one. He almost breathed a sigh of relief. At least with her in that yellow dress, he could look at her without fearing that in the very next moment he might forget all logic and sweep her down upon the bed. He clenched his fists tightly.

Caroline dared a small, timid smile. "Have you gotten any news from your private investigator about Thomas?"

"Yes."

The intense scowl creasing on his brows made her almost quail. She was unable to discern the cause of his anger and ventured forthrightly, "Why do you look displeased? Shouldn't you be glad?"

"Displeased hardly describes what I'm battling now, Caroline," he interrupted, striding across the room to put a distance safely between them. He faced the windows and frantically sought to divert his thoughts toward a different path. "I made a call earlier. He's not in town anymore." He was fighting the urge to throw something across the wall but he didn't want to scare her.

Turning his attention upon her, he found that she was watching him with equal alertness. "Then where is he? How did that happen?"

"Because Caroline, whilst he was busy running away with my money, we were stranded on a bloody forest or do you not remember?!" he shouted, slamming his hand on a nearest table. She flinched and moved back a little. "Fuck. I did not mean to shout at you, Caroline. Fuck." He furiously ran a hand through his hair.

"Its okay, Klaus. I know you're frustrated, but we will find him," she said after an uncomfortable silence.

"Oh, I know where he is. He's in Australia."

Caroline smiled at the news. "Well that's good, isn't it? Then what are we waiting in Mystic Falls for? We've a thief to catch."

He sighed, knowing his limitation too well. "What do you mean we? You're not going anywhere, Caroline. As a matter of fact, I've arranged for your return back to New Orleans."

She crossed her arms in annoyance. "What if I don't want to go?"

"Oh, I assure you that you will go back." That was all he said, and that was all he needed to say for her to accept his answer as final.

"Why? I know that my presence here is putting you to a great deal of bother to you, Klaus."

"It isn't about me not liking your presence here." He thought he needed to caution her about what she would be getting herself into and tried to do so without frightening her. "Thomas might have stolen that money but he isn't smart enough to plan everything on his own. He had had help from someone. You're not going to Australia with me because I'm not going either."

"You're not?"

"No. My men will track him down and bring him back to America. I can't risk him seeing me and have him run away again. But he has never seen my men before." He blinked his eyes, banishing the vision that had haunted him for the briefest moment.

"But why did you say you had arranged for me to go back to New Orleans. Aren't you coming with me?" she demanded sharply.

"I'm afraid I can't go with you," Klaus announced in a solemn tone.

"Well then, I'm afraid I can't go back too," Caroline muttered stubbornly. A moment later he frowned sharply. A sickening dread crept up from the depths of his soul. All along he had feared that she wouldn't agree to go back; now apparently it came true.

"I'm not giving you a choice here," he said, ready to fly into a rage. He snarled in frustration and then hotly asserted, "Get ready. You leave in an hour."

"I'm staying."

"No!" Klaus broke in sharply, drawing a startled look from her. After a brief pause, he continued in a calmer voice. "Why are so stubborn?" She grinned at him when she finally think she had won. "Fine. If you insist on following me everywhere like a dog, then Caroline, after you. We've somewhere to be."

"What happened to being nice?" She asked, annoyed that he had basically called her a dog.

He smirked. "You refused to go back. What makes you think I'll continue being nice?" he asked. "Let's go. We don't have all day."

THERE YOU GO. Hope you enjoy it. As you can see, things are starting to change between them. Review and make me happy! xo

TBC