A/N: Sorry again darlings - this one came out kicking and screaming and I got stuck with the Black Dagger Brotherhood for a few days... man those boys are all kinds of tasty.
Charlaine Harris owns SVM characters of course, I'm just playing house.
Chapter 25 – SPOV
I nearly died of embarrassment when we walked into the kitchen and Pam and Amelia were teasing us. Then I nearly jumped out of my skin when Amelia screamed and grabbed my hand. I had completely forgotten it was there, overnight my new ring had become a part of me and I didn't even think to show it off until everyone started screaming.
"I'm so happy for you honey" Gran said, kissing my cheek and grabbing my hand for another look at my ring. "He's a perfect match for you, you make each other so happy, I just know that your life together is going to be amazing"
"It will be amazing because we have amazing families" I said gently "I wouldn't be half the person I am without you, thank you Gran"
"That's so sweet" Alexis sniffed "Congratulations Sookie, you make him so happy, I couldn't have asked for anyone more perfect for my son than you are."
"He's a wonderful man Alexis" I said hugging her tightly "he's better than I could have dreamed, my own personal Prince Charming, and I have you to thank for that, so… thank you."
"Oh now…" Gran said with a sniff, hugging Alexis and I together "you've gone and made me cry too"
They pulled back smiling and sniffled together for a minute, completely freaking me out and I looked to Eric for help, but he was being used as some kind of jungle gym equipment by Pam and Amelia and seemed to be in need of help more than I was.
Gran and Alexis moved over to congratulate Eric as Pam and Amelia came back over to me. "This is so great Sookie" Amelia said, hugging me tightly
"Thanks Ame" I smiled "I hope you're going to be a bridesmaid"
"Of course!" she squeaked "can I just ask you don't ask me to wear something completely hideous?"
"I think Pam would kill me if I put you in something hideous" I laughed as she joined us "Pam would you be a bridesmaid too?"
"I'd love to Sookie" she smiled, wrapping me in a hug "If you put me in something hideous I'll dye your hair blue"
"At least it'll match my eyes" I quipped, making them both laugh.
I ended up spending hours going through magazine after magazine with Pam and Amelia looking for a dress while Gran and Alexis were looking over invitations, flowers and writing up a draft guest list.
"We should go dress shopping while you're in Cali" Pam said decisively
"Why would we need to go now?" I asked, completely confused
"Well for a start we need to see what style looks best on you, then we need to order it and get it fitted and make sure it goes with whatever theme you end up picking" Pam blurted out, her eyes shining with excitement at a new project.
"Now I know why Eric is scared of shopping with you" I laughed
"Oh Em Gee! I just had a great idea! We can go shoe shopping first and try to find you a pair of blue heels to wear for your something blue" she squealed, clapping happily
"Sookie, you have to go shopping with this woman" Amelia said firmly "it's going to be the biggest day of your life, you don't want something ordinary"
"Listen to Amelia" Pam said seriously "She's very wise"
Amelia and Pam then lapsed into a detailed conversation on whether I should go with Amsale, Vera Wang or Maggie Sottero … it was all over my head, a dress was a dress as far as I knew, and as long as I liked it, that was enough for me.
"What's the theme going to be Sookie?" Alexis asked while my head was still buzzing with conversation on the difference between chiffon and organza overlay
"Theme? Why do we need a theme? I thought it would just be a little family wedding and a few choice friends?" I managed to stammer out
"Small doesn't mean boring Sookie!" Amelia chimed in
"Well I have no idea what I want the theme to be, I thought we could just get married on the beach in Cali or here in the back yard, I don't want anything other than to be married to the man I love" I said in a daze.
I couldn't believe how quickly the wedding seemed to take over all rational thought for everyone around the table. Eric and I weren't looking to have a huge celebration, we weren't even going to be getting married any time soon, and when we did it sure as heck wasn't going to be a huge affair with ice sculptures… GAH!
Eric seemed to be just as overwhelmed as I was by the fuss that was made when we told them it would be after graduation and even though it was cold, it was nice to get out in the fresh air and be a normal human being again.
Eric made the day by telling me he was close to finishing his doctorate and might be able to graduate sooner than he thought. I think I was more excited about that than a wedding months and months into the future. I teased him about always saying the right thing, but it was one of the things I loved most about him.
He always seems to know when I need to hear sweet nothings and when I need it told to me straight, but even then he finds a way to take the sting out of something that I might not like to hear and will give me a shoulder to cry on when I need it.
I knew he would always be there for me, even if we were fighting or not physically together, he would be there when I need him and I'll always be thankful for that. It's a rare thing to find someone who will actually listen and pay attention when you have a meltdown and still know the right thing to say to cheer you up.
After our walk; all I could think about all day was going back to bed with Eric, maybe I had been too quick to deny his request to stay in bed this morning. Last night had been fantastic for more reasons than one and his suggestion of graduating early made me love him just that much more. I knew how hard he was working on his doctorate so for him to say he'd work harder was just… I couldn't wait to get him alone again.
There was a brief stretch of sanity in the afternoon while Gran was showing everyone photos of me growing up, although there were a few there that I could have done without everyone seeing. The picture of me in my Dad's tennis bag with just my head poking out was funny, and the one where I had ice cream all over my face and in my hair was cute, but the one two pages later where I was stark naked except for the grin on my face was completely embarrassing and the one where I was pulling a face with my fingers up my nose would definitely need to be hidden or destroyed...
"Sookie I think that would have to be the most disgusting face I have ever seen! And I grew up with Eric" Pam said with a laugh
Eric poked his tongue out at Pam until he got to see the picture and then he had to cough to hide his laughter "It isn't the best photo of you I've seen" he chuckled
"Hush" I said with a smile "I was six, everyone pulls faces at the camera when they're six"
"I certainly didn't pull faces like that" Pam said with a chuckle
"Yes you did" Alexis laughed "I'll pull out Pam and Eric's photos when we get to Cali" Alexis said to me soothingly as she chuckled over the album "Trust me, your photos will seem tame"
I laughed loudly at the looks of terror Alexis received from her children. I could imagine there would be some very interesting photos hidden away somewhere, both of them being too mischievous to have been perfectly behaved children all of the time.
Jason came bouncing in to congratulate us as we were packing the albums away ready to set the table for dinner…
"What did you drug him with?" he joked, catching me in a bone crushing hug
"Oh, so your sister is too weird to have some guy want to marry her unless she's had him drugged?" I laughed "Thanks so much!"
"Well…" he smiled cheekily "Congratulations both of you" he added with a joyful laugh and hugged me again.
"Thanks Jason" Eric said after a quick man hug from my brother "It means a lot to both of us that we have everyone's blessing"
"I won't say I'm not hurt that you never gave me a pretty ring, after everything we shared" Jason sniffed "but if you have to leave me, at least it's for my sister"
"I figured one Stackhouse is as good as the other" Eric laughed, kissing me on the head and pulling me into a hug "Besides, she smells nicer"
"Hey, I've been working all day" Jason laughed "I don't stink, I'm manly!"
"Well, would you mind going and washing off the manly before dinner?" I laughed, shoving him toward the stairs
Jason came back down as we were dishing up dinner, he asked a few questions about our plans and we had to start the whole conversation again. By the time we had cleaned up from dinner, I was dizzy with all the different names of designers going round in my head and I kept seeing bouquets flash in front of my eyes every time I blinked.
Eric's arms bought me some sanity as we settled in to watch Duck Soup, Amelia didn't laugh as hard as the rest of us, but some people just don't get the Marx brothers. Eric was laughing so hard he was crying at one point and I think I was laughing more at him than the movie.
When Eric finally asked me about Amelia coming to NY, I nearly squee-ed at the cuteness of it all, Trey was obviously nervous and it made me like him that much more to know he was so invested in the relationship. Amelia was actually putting work into this one and it was looking so hopeful for her that I couldn't help but get excited about her future.
I let Eric know that Amelia was thinking about joining me anyway, so the fact that Trey wanted her to visit would make her decision easier, not to mention she would be able to stay with him so I could get some one on one time with my intended.
The thought of us being alone at his house must have reminded Eric where we were and before I knew which way was up I was being brought to a fantastic release while I tried to do the same for him. I complimented his fingers as being magical but the man's true talent was in his tongue, not only did he always say the right thing, but the moans he could produce from me would scare a grizzly.
Completely blissed out and tired I climbed onto his chest and settled in, checking he was comfortable and, moaning with a different kind of pleasure as he ran his hands up and down my back. I loved when he did that, it made me feel like a big puddle of goo, I just wanted it to go on and on.
I fell asleep on his chest, running my fingers through his hair which he said he loved. I really hope I didn't drool, but I figured I must have started snoring because I woke up a little later on the mattress instead of him.
He was so protective and loving, even in his sleep. He curled around me like he was trying to keep me safe and warm without the aid of blankets; his arms wrapped around my body practically covering me from shoulder to hip, his torso firmly against my back and his face nuzzled into my hair.
His warm breath moved over my neck, doing all kinds of things I'm sure he didn't intend to do… or maybe he did judging by the firm rod pressing against my ass. Despite the spike of lust it sent through my body I was asleep again almost instantly, the steady sound of his breathing lulling me toward slumber and the heat of his body keeping me deliciously warm.
Hours later it was early morning and natures call demanded to be answered. Although I would have loved to stay in bed with my Eric sleeping bag I shuffled my way out trying not to disturb him… it didn't work.
"Wha? No…" he mumbled, grabbing at my legs and trying to pull me back
"I need to go to the bathroom" I whispered "I'll be right back and you can warm me up all over again" I kissed his cheek a couple of times and ran a hand over his hair… he was just so cute I felt bad for waking him up.
"Mrrph" he said, rubbing his face into his pillow and letting me go. I figured that meant ok and hurry back so I shot down the hall to the bathroom as fast as I could.
I ran into Amelia coming out of the bathroom already showered…
"You're up early" I blurted out, surprised "Did you sleep ok last night?"
"I certainly did" she smirked "Probably not as well as you did though"
"I don't know what you mean" I said, blushing hard and running into the bathroom, closing the door before she could embarrass me further.
As soon as I climbed back into bed Eric pulled me into the warmth of his body, he wrapped himself around me again as though we had been doing this for years instead of a couple of days.
I turned in his arms to face him and gently traced the lines of his face; his strong jaw, the elegant curve of his eyebrow, the straight line of his nose, the sweep of his high cheek bones, his soft lips that were oh so kissable, all set off by the cute dimple in his chin. His eye lashes fluttered as I kissed the tip of his nose and his lips pulled into a soft smile as my hand rasped across his morning stubble.
"Why are you waking me up woman?" he growled playfully, his eyes still closed.
"Sorry" I chuckled "you just look so cute when you sleep I couldn't keep myself from touching you"
He chuckled softly "Go back to sleep Sookie, I'll still be here when you wake up"
"But I'm awake now" I said with a smile
"Mmm but I'm not" he replied with a smirk "See my eyes are still closed, that means I'm sleeping, now kiss me and turn over."
I chuckled softly and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Rolling back over, I shuffled back into his lap, fitting my head under his chin and twisting my fingers into his. He gently kissed my hair as he pulled me tighter against him and I smiled as my eyes drifted shut, I would never have thought Eric would be such a big snuggle bunny.
We woke up together an hour or so later and spent a little while kissing, morning breath be damned…
"Any plans for today?" I asked as we snuggled a little more before getting up.
"Nope" he said happily "just the way I like it, we're always doing stuff when I'm home in Cali, I think Pam is allergic to relaxation… would you be ok with watching movies today?"
"I would be totally ok with watching movies all day" I chuckled "can I stay in my pj's?"
"I insist you stay in your pj's" he chuckled "Until I am free to get you out of them"
I pushed him off with a laugh and went downstairs for breakfast to ask if a couch potato day was ok with everyone, only to find them dressed and ready to leave the house.
"Where are you all off to?" I asked with a laugh
"We're going to get our nails done, it will probably be a while" Alexis said with a wink
"We'll be out for lunch," Gran said with a twinkle in her eye "I want to show Pam and Alexis the town… there's chicken in the fridge would you and Eric mind putting dinner together for us all?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind Gran" I laughed "I might even manage to make something edible"
"If you're too… busy… call me and we can pick something up on the way home" Amelia offered with a laugh
"I'm sure she'll be…busy… as soon as we're out the door Ames." Pam said with a glint in her eye and a smirk on her face.
I chuckled and stood on the porch to wave them off as they went up the drive. Pam and Amelia were making kissy faces at me until I couldn't make them out anymore.
I pulled the slow cooker out and after buzzing around the kitchen for a few minutes I threw all the ingredients in for a creamy chicken casserole and settled the lid into place. I made a couple of pieces of toast and waited for Eric
Eric came into the kitchen a while later and was a little confused to find me sitting there on my own.
"Where is everyone?" he asked, pouring himself some cereal
"Out for the day, they're getting their nails done" I said with a smile "they kindly let me know they'll be out for most of the day"
"So we have the house to ourselves?" he asked, raising his eyebrow and smirking
"Uh huh" I chuckled
"Do you have your heart set on watching movies today?" he asked, rinsing his bowl
"Not particularly" I said, biting my lower lip and looking him up and down.
A growl came from his chest and a look of pure lust crossed his face. I ran up the stairs so fast I was close to breaking the sound barrier, Eric hot on my heels…