Chapter 21

Stefan woke to the early light streaming in his window. He felt tired, and a glance at his bedside clock told him it was only six AM. He was about to drift back to sleep when his memory caught up with him.

He sat up abruptly, unsure whether to cheer, scream or throw up.

Had he really declared his love to Bella? What would happen if she really didn't return the feelings? But Bella had said he'd been in love with Stefan for years. So surely they could work it out?

Stefan wondered what would happen if he just marched into Bella's room and climbed into bed with her. His dick was very optimistic about that scenario, but his head reminded him he'd promised to give Bella space. That idea seemed dumber than ever in the morning light, especially because their remaining few days together here were getting shorter by the hour. But he'd promised.

He lay down slowly and deliberately, pulling up the covers. He'd almost managed to find oblivion when his door clicked. He jerked his head up and saw the door gradually swing open. For a long minute Bella just stood in the doorway and they looked at each other.

Stefan held his breath and let his eyes roam over Bella's body. He'd seen the woman almost naked yesterday, wearing nothing but a bikini and lake water. Yet that was somehow different from having Bella standing in his bedroom door with her dark hair tousled and a tiny slip of blue fabric clinging to her body.

"Bella? Everything okay?"

Bella stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Silently she walked to the bed and stood looking down at Stefan. Stefan's eyes couldn't help tracking down to the pair of nubs poking the fabric at her chest but he forced them up to meet Bella's again. Bella said tentatively,

"Do you still want me?"

Stefan was going to ask what kind of question that was, but Bella's eyes were serious so he said simply,

"Yes. Always."

"Okay."

Bella put her hands to thighs and in one fluid motion pulled the dress over her head letting it fall to the floor. Stefan swallowed hard and scooted over to make room in the bed. He flipped the covers back. Bella crawled in and lay on her side looking at Stefan, and then leaned forward for a kiss.

Stefan broke all previous self-control records by keeping it short and dry and then backing away enough to say,

"Maybe we should talk."

Bella grinned at him, but the sexy twist of her lips didn't quite match his eyes.

"You have me naked in your bed and you want to talk? Are you sure you're straight?"

"Oh, I'm sure. I just want to make sure you're not, like, doing this just because I want to."

"Believe me, I do want this"

"So what changed since last night?"

Bella shrugged uncomfortably.

"I'm not sure. I guess, I tried to figure out what I was waiting for, what you could do to make me really believe this would work out long term. And I couldn't come up with anything. So I thought, if I was waiting for you to make some gesture even I hadn't thought of, then that was pretty much cutting off my nose to spite my face. Somewhere around four AM I decided that the only way I was going to get any sleep was if I just made up my mind to jump your bones in the morning and let whatever happens happen."

Stefan rolled on top of her and kissed her nudging Bella's mouth open and invaded with his tongue. Stefan kissed slowly, making it hot and wet, until Bella was panting. Then Stefan looked down at her and smiled. He reached across Bella to the nightstand and came back with his cell phone. Bella blinked at him.

"That's not a condom."

"We're vampires, why would we use a condom?"

"I was kidding..."

Stefan just smiled and hit send a couple of times. His brother's voice was irritated.

"Do you know what time it is?"

Stefan glanced at the clock.

"It's eight in the morning in Mystic Falls. What kind of slug are you?"

"The kind that has freed himself from your exes and wants to enjoy his big comfy bed"

Stefan bit a smile, hit the speaker button and said,

"Hey Damon, we share those exes, remember? Neither is mine alone"

"But they both went after you first"

Damon's voice was childish. Bella had to muffle her snort behind a hand.

"Remember what I told you yesterday?"

"About..."

"Bella"

"I assume you lured her in your bed finally"

Damon grunted. Stefan looked over at Bella, whose face was a stunned blank. Stefan raised his eyebrows, and said,

"Actually she came by herself"

"Actually he has me naked in his bed and opted to call you Is there something I should know about boys?"

Bella spoke up, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Bella! How are you this sunny morning and why aren't you sleeping in your own bed?"

"Horny and I was lonely. And why are you alone? Don't tell me Mystic's run out of bubbly drunk girls finally"

"Cute and no, I just wanted to sleep alone for once. Is that a crime missy?"

"Call me missy again and you'll be missing the body part needed for fun young man"

Stefan's eyebrows were visiting his hairline at the exchange between his brother and his girlfriend. Is that how the two of them always spoke to each other? Damon sounded like a sex-line operator and Bella like the older sister having to look after her brother for too long.

"Are you two always like that?"

He asked aloud. Bella's eyes met his and her ivory cheeks filled with blood as the corner of her mouth quirked up. She shrugged while Damon's voice drifted from the speaker

"Yep. Why do you think I avoid being near you?"

"Bite me"

Stefan retorted but couldn't help his amused smile from showing on his tone

"Listen Stefan."

Damon's voice got slow and serious.

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to have to stake you for hurting my baby sister"

"I'm sure,"

Stefan said his eyes on Bella.

"I'd tell the whole world about her. Including our exes"

So there, Bella, your turn to ante up. Bella shook her head

"If your exes are the ones I think they are, leave me out of your teenage drama. And don't worry big D, if he hurts me I'll sick a few four legged friends after him"

"You'll be around for him afterward?"

"As long as he wants me."

Stefan smiled at Bella hearing her certain, leaving no room for argument, tone.

"You make me so happy"

Damon's laughing-yet-serious borderline unDamon tone had all three of them laughing

"Go back to sleep. You're loopy"

"Like that's happeni.."

Damon's voice was abruptly cut off when Stefan hanged up the phone and his eyes raked over Bella with a predatory gleam.

"I always wondered how far that blush reached"

Bella's lips curled with a wicked gleam of her own.

"Come find out"