AN: So… almost two weeks later, but it's still a chapter, and it's still out before Christmas! And it's extra long just as a special prezzie.
Thanks to the lovely Sunkisz for knocking the hick outta me.
Disclaimer: I am still playing master of the universe with the characters that belong to Ms. Harris.
Chapter 28
EPOV
"Are you okay?" I asked for what seemed like the ten-thousandth time. Sookie had reassured me that she was fine time and again, but I couldn't stop thinking that she looked fragile.
"I'm fine, Eric," she said with a sigh and grabbed my hand. "Really." I watched as she sank back into the rich leather seat of the plane and shut her eyes. She didn't look fine. I'd studied that face far too intimately to not know when something was wrong. She was tense, and it showed. Her lids fluttered open and she gave me a reassuring smile. "Can you please sit back, Eric?" she asked. "I can't have you watching over me like a hawk the rest of this trip. It's unnerving."
Too bad, that was my plan. Fuck. After she'd fallen asleep and I had time to process what happened, a fierce protectiveness of this woman erupted in my body. For all Andre knew, Sookie was mine, and that was exactly why he went after her. I was prepared to call in reinforcements to ensure that she was not vulnerable again. If I hadn't left her alone to begin with, if she hadn't been mine to steal, none of this would have happened; Andre wouldn't had wanted her, wouldn't have even known she existed.
But I did as she asked and sat back in the airplane seat; yet still didn't look away. I watched her as the tension eased out of her face and she drifted into a deep sleep before the plane even started to move. It gave me time to think - to go over what had happened in the last four hours since I walked in and found Sookie and Andre.
When we woke up from the nap, our limbs entwined in one-another's the same as we'd woken every time since we'd arrived in Sweden, she looked up at me with a sleepy smile and it was as if all was forgotten. That had lasted for about twenty seconds. As soon as I sat up, I saw the remnants of Andre's attack in the room. Amelia had done her best to straighten up the room before she left, but there were still signs of what had happened. The bed remained crumpled, and Sookie's dress crumpled on the floor inside the bathroom door.
With as much efficiency as possible, I hurried Sookie through the process of packing up all of her belongings. She left behind anything that she associated with Andre - the dress she had been wearing, and the lingerie I had purchased for her in the states. For as many times as I'd imagined slowly peeling it off her body, even I didn't want to see the offending garments again. I could always buy her more - more that Andre would never get his hands on, more that we wouldn't associate with what happened.
When we'd finished packing and stepped outside of our room, Pam, Amelia and Stav were right there alongside us, ready to leave Gotland and the memories behind. True to his word, Jesper's plane was ready, fueled, and waiting when we arrived at the airfield. I breathed a sigh of relief when we were secured in the cabin, the metal door closing out the world. I was in awe of Sookie's little army, ready to stand at her defense and protect her from the world. I smiled to myself as I remembered having a similar thought that first night that she'd taken me to Merlotte's; though that army had nothing to protect Sookie from other than me. This army had a much more serious threat, and I knew that every one of us would do whatever was necessary to keep Sookie safe.
As soon as Sookie's breathing evened out, I looked out the tiny window of the airplane at the busy traffic controllers on the tarmac. It was with a wry smile that I watched Gotland drift away as the plane took off, unable to tear my eyes away until the island was no more than a tiny dot amidst the blue water engulfing it. I had never left the Gotland house with anything but affection, and I'd assumed this trip would be no different. Hell, with Sookie's finally yielding to me in that very bedroom, I had been sure that this would've been the most memorable trip to Gotland I'd ever experienced, but I would never be able to look at it the same now. Fucking Andre had to spoil it. The bastard had to take something that was mine and perfect, and attempt to ruin it. I supposed I should be grateful that it had been stopped at an attempt, but truth be told, he had succeeded in a way. Little did Andre know, but he had thrown a hell of a kink in my relationship with Sookie. As if it wasn't enough that we had just begun to explore and trust one another more fully, now we had to deal with this. I only hoped that Sookie and I would be able to work this out. I didn't want to stop what we had started this week, not with Sookie.
For all intents and purposes, after our shower and nap, Sookie acted as if nothing had happened. She'd been angry when Amelia had crowded her too much, so much so that she lashed out at her on the car ride, told her that she needed space and to stop acting like a "fricking mother hen." Heck, it seemed as everyone was more shaken by the situation than she was. But, I knew better. I knew that she wanted to put on a brave face; she'd been the support system for her family for too long and being strong in the face of adversity was all that she knew. But I could see through the façade. I'd seen her melt down, I'd witnessed her tears in the bathroom, had seen the wear on her body in the shower, and I couldn't shake that image.
As soon as we were in flight, I looked up and around the plane at the other passengers. Everyone was more shaken than they wanted to let on. Pam hadn't said a word since we'd left the house, hadn't made a wisecrack. Fuck, she hadn't even responded when the flight attendant as much as threw herself at her. God knows that something was wrong when Pam passed up a chance to flirt with an attractive flight attendant. She'd made it a goal from an early age to take advantage of the friendly skies as often as possible. But no, not today. She sat silent across from Sookie and I, as she looked out the window. I could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she calculated what she was going to do to bring Andre Lundgren down. Hell, with Pam in our corner, I knew that Sookie would have her revenge, which she would enjoy, even if she'd never admit it. If ever there was a more fiercely loyal protector than Pam, I had not seen one.
"Pam," I said quietly, so as not to disturb Sookie from her slumber.
"Yes," she said, slowly lifting her eyes from their blank gaze out the window.
"Did you talk to Mom about the ring?"
"No," she said quietly. "I had to leave her a message. I told her about what happened, and told her she needed to call back as soon as she got the message and tell us about that ring. I'm sure she's off with Niall somewhere or other doing whatever the fuck it is they do with their time. God only knows what country she's in, or if they have cell phone reception. Seriously Eric, you know I love Mom, but I do not get this latest craze of hers."
I nodded. It was true that since she'd married Niall Brigant, Mom had turned into a different person. When she was still married to Father, she'd been consumed by her possessions. I couldn't blame her; they were the only thing that brought her happiness in a marriage where little love was lost between husband and wife. I'd always wondered what had made our mother agree to marry Peter Northman. I'd watched as he'd slowly broken her spirit over the years, until she was no more than a shell of the woman she had been when I was a child. They really were nothing alike – mother had always sparkled. She'd showered us with affection, and had been fiercely protective whenever Father saw fit to punish us.
Even when the divorce had been finalized and she had taken Pam to live in the States, she was still a woman ruled by worldly belongings. It was only when she met her Niall at a yoga camp that all things began to change. I thought the whole thing was a bit too new age and hippy to give much credit, but it seemed to make her happy, and it meant that Pam got to take the reins of the family businesses in the States. Without that, I would definitely still be living in Stockholm and would never have meet Sookie Stackhouse.
"I'm sure she'll call when she can. Let's hope that it's before we go back to the States. She seems to be the only one that would know what in the fuck the big deal is about this ring. Maybe she'll know why Thalia Lundgren would care enough about the ring to tell her children to get it at any cost." As soon as Sookie had told us that Thalia had sent Andre to break us up, I'd tried to figure out what her possible motivation could be. I knew she wasn't my biggest fan, but I didn't think that her disdain for me was enough to justify the actions she'd caused; no matter how insane she was. I wanted to get to the bottom of this soon, and I wanted to seek vengeance and bring down that family if it was the last thing I did.
***
Jesper had a car waiting for us when we arrived at the private airfield outside of Stockholm. I would have to figure out a way to return the favor for all that he had done for me today. I knew that he would be the first to say that I owed him nothing in return, but I did not like owing anyone favors, even someone that I knew and trusted as much as Jesper.
With little fuss, we piled into the waiting car and sat in silence as the driver wound his way through the winding streets of Stockholm. I pulled Sookie close to my side as she looked out the window at the passing landscape. Summer in the city had always been my favorite. Even though it was 10 pm, the city was buzzing with activity due to the long daylight hours. I looked forward to showing Sookie my old city, and hoped that she would be able to enjoy it, despite what had happened to her.
I breathed a sigh of relief as we pulled up in front of my apartment building in Ostermalm. I knew that I could keep Sookie safe here. Sure, I hadn't been planning on entertaining Pam, Amelia and Stav at my flat, but I could learn to adjust to the change in plans.
"Thanks for letting us stay with you tonight," Stav said as we stepped outside to get the last of the luggage. Amelia, Pam and Sookie were safely inside and had begun to settle in for the night.
"I think I should be thanking you," I said as I grabbed the last suitcase and sent Jesper's driver on his way. "God knows I wouldn't have been able to stop if you weren't there Stav. Thanks for being there and for taking care of Andre."
Stav smiled and shrugged. "It's the least I can do for Sookie. She's done a lot for Amelia and me. And you and Pam have been so hospitable…okay," he said with a laugh, "well at least you have. Pam… not so much."
"Ah yes," I said, "Pam hasn't exactly been terribly friendly with you, but I can guarantee that she will be after what you did for Sookie."
"Well, either way, Amelia and I will go to a hotel tomorrow. As much as Amelia wants to be there for Sookie, even she recognizes that Sookie needs some space and time to herself. And I'm sure you're not too keen on having everyone staying with you."
That was one thing I could definitely agree with. Not that I minded being around everyone, but I wanted some time alone with Sookie. I knew that if we were going to be able to keep up whatever it was we had, we needed some time alone.
I was glad that Pam had talked me into buying a large flat, instead of the smaller bachelor pad I had wanted. I couldn't imagine fitting five people comfortably in a 2 bedroom flat, especially when that included three women, two of whom had more luggage than was really necessary for two weeks. I showed Amelia and Stav to the larger guestroom as Pam settled into the room she always stayed in when she had visited me.
Sookie was waiting for me in the living room when I returned. She was sitting on the couch, staring out the window and watching as the sun descended over the flickering lights of the city.
"Ready to go to bed?" I asked, and offered my hand to her.
"Hey," she responded with a smile and took my extended hand. "Your apartment is beautiful."
"Thank you." I gently pulled her up from her seated position and led her into the master suite at the opposite end of the flat from the rooms Pam and Stav and Amelia were staying in. It had been months since I'd been back in Stockholm, and was glad that I'd called my cleaning service to come and straighten the place up last week.
The sun was setting on the horizon as we stepped into my bedroom; it cast shadows over the large mahogany platform bed that dominated the center of the room. As much as I'd protested that I would have been fine with a mattress on the floor, Pam had insisted that I hire an interior decorator when I'd purchased the flat, and I could admit that it was a good move. My fears of the decorator cluttering my space were unfounded, and the simple, Scandinavian designs fit the space perfectly.
"This space suits you," Sookie said as she walked towards the window where I had set her suitcase. She reached into the suitcase and pulled out a nightgown, turning away from me to peel off her clothes and slip into the nightgown. Without a word, she went into the adjoining bathroom and began her nighttime preparations.
I quietly undressed and pulled on a pair of drawstring pajama bottoms before I went and leaned in the door frame of the bathroom. I watched as she splashed water across her face, unaware of my presence. She jumped when she looked up and noticed me.
"Jesus Christ, Eric. I need you to stop," she said, and reached for the hand towel sitting on the counter.
"Stop what, Sookie?" Stop looking at her? Stop standing near her? What?
"Stop acting weird around me. Stop looking at me like I'm going to break. Stop… treating me differently."
"Sookie," I said with a sigh, "I don't mean to treat you differently. I just don't know how to act around you, and I don't want to do the wrong thing. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
She let out an exasperated sigh as she walked past me and sat down on the bed. "Acting differently, doing nothing is making me uncomfortable, Eric. I need you to be normal around me. Yes, it happened. Yes, I was scared. But you got there. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't. It would be," she shuddered, "much worse. As it stands, I never want to see the asshole again. He's a creep, and he deserves to get strung up by his balls, but I don't want to be the one who does it. What he did was an attempt to get at you, to ruin us. You, doing this," she gestured her hand towards me, "you hovering over me and watching me like I'm your child, well, you're letting him succeed. You look at me differently, you treat me differently, you stop looking at me as an object of your desire, and he's going to win. I don't want to let him."
I walked towards her and sat down next to her, contemplating her words. As difficult as it was to admit, she was right. I knew things would never go back to the carefree way it had been. Something had switched inside of me when I saw her vulnerable, when she had finally broken down and let me take care of her. Before that moment, everything had been lighthearted. We'd been living in the moment, with very little thought of what lay down the road for us. I knew I would not be able to go back to that place. I realized in that moment that I wanted Sookie to be a part of my life for as long as she would let me. But I also knew that if I tiptoed around her, if I changed my behavior towards her entirely, that it would make Andre successful. There was no way in hell I was going to let Sookie run off anywhere alone, but I also couldn't allow what had happened to prevent us from enjoying the rest of our time together, however long it lasted.
"You're right." I chuckled at the shocked expression on her face, and reached out to grab her hand. I gently tugged her towards me and wrapped her body in my own. "We can't change everything because of what he did. We need to forge ahead and enjoy our time together. There is no doubt that we'll see him at the wedding, but I will be there. Until then, there are plenty of places we can go in Stockholm where we won't see him."
I still wasn't about to pressure Sookie into anything she wasn't ready for. As much as I wanted to get her back in my bed, and continue our explorations of each other thoroughly, I knew that I shouldn't push it. She would have to make the first move, even if it killed me.
"Good," she said with a smile as she looked up at me. "Cause I might have to use some of that Voodoo magic that Tara's momma taught me if I do see him again. I'd try to shrink his head, but I don't think it could get much smaller."
Leave it to Sookie to make light of the situation. Heck, even I couldn't keep a straight face at that image.
SPOV
I was in love, and I wasn't ashamed to admit it.
I'd never felt like this about anything; never wanted to be a part of something as much as I did this city. Every second spent in Stockholm made me love it more, and I knew that was in no small part due to my company.
We'd been in Stockholm for two days. Two glorious days of exploring the city with my best friends and Eric at my side. Amelia and Stav had checked into a hotel after our first night in the city, claiming they needed their own space and didn't want to intrude on the Northman hospitality any longer, but I knew that was Stav speaking. Amelia would've glued herself to my side if it were possible. Heck, it if weren't for Stav's insistence, I knew that she'd willingly have me sleep in the same bed as them, just to make sure that I was okay.
The constant hovering was beginning to wear me down. After my talk with Eric that first night, he'd gotten a bit better, but it wasn't back to the way it had been. He hadn't even tried to kiss me, much less resume the relationship we'd started in Gotland. I'm not saying I wasn't affected by what Andre had done, and yes, it had only been three days, but the longer I went without his touch, the more I was convinced that everything was ruined.
I'd been surprised when Eric woke me up early and told me that we needed to get ready and get going before Pam or Amelia managed to make plans for us. I was excited at the prospect of going on an adventure with Eric. While being with Amelia, Stav, and Pam was fun, I wanted to spend time alone with Eric. We hadn't had a day to ourselves since we arrived in Sweden, since our relationship had taken that next step, and I looked forward to being just the two of us for once.
As soon as we were ready, we quietly escaped the flat and walked to a small outside café on the water. Eric ordered us a simple breakfast of a large coffee and pastry. After the extravagant breakfast that Pam had made us attend yesterday, this was a nice and welcome change.
"So, what do you have planned for us today, Mr. Northman?" I asked as he set down the tray in front of me.
"I thought we might go for a bit of a tour," he said with that devastating smile of his. "You've only really experienced Ostermalm, and while that is nice, there is so much more to see. I thought we could go explore the streets of Soder, maybe grab a bite to eat for lunch and then I want to take you to see a surprise before we head back to the flat."
"Surprise? What is it?"
"Sookie," he shook his head with a laugh, "I'm not going to tell you. That's the whole purpose of a surprise."
"I hate surprises," I said with a pout. It was true. I never liked not knowing what was going to happen.
"Stop pouting," he said. "You'll like this one. I promise."
"Fine." I could tell by the look on his face that I wasn't going to win that argument, but maybe I could use it to win another issue we'd not seen eye-to-eye on. "I won't ask that, but please tell me that we're doing something tonight."
"Well, Jesper is back in town and he invited us to go to Laroy tonight, but I do not think that would be the best idea."
"Eric Northman!" I said, letting out my frustration with those two words. "I have told you a thousand times that I am fine. I cannot be coddled and sheltered from everything. I do not think that going to a nightclub is going to send me into a downward spiral. Sitting in your apartment all night, on the other hand, just might."
I could've laughed at the expression on his face if I wasn't so angry with him. He was treating me like a child; like his younger sister. Like Pam. Though God knows that if I were Pam, I'd have no problem telling him exactly what I wanted - and it wasn't something a sister should want from her brother. I needed to have some fun, to let loose. And heck, if he wasn't going to find an opportunity to initiate our relationship again, I would. Besides, the wedding was only three days away. I knew that I would be seeing Andre again, and even though I knew that nothing would happen, I needed a distraction. Going out to a nightclub where I would be assured that Andre would not be able to get in was just what I needed.
"I didn't realize you found my apartment so boring," he responded.
"Oh hush. You know that's not what I mean. But, this is my first time in Stockholm, I want to experience the city at night. We've gone out during the day, but we haven't been anywhere past 7 pm. I just want to go out and meet your friends, see where you used to work." And, I was hoping that going out with Eric, having a few drinks and loosening him up, would give me the opportunity to get him back to being interested in me. I'd tried dropping hints, but he never seemed to rise to the bait. I felt like Cher Horowitz sending herself flowers and dropping fuzzy pens to no avail, though I knew Eric wasn't a friend of Dorothy like Christian had been with Cher. No, this was a mental hurdle that I'd have to tackle somehow.
"Okay," he said resignedly, "I will call Jesper and tell him we are coming."
"Good," I said with a wicked smile. Oh yes, Eric Northman was in trouble if I had anything to say about it.
***
The morning was a whirlwind of activity. I could see why Eric wanted to show me Soder. After the prim and conservative high-end feel of Ostermalm, Sodermalm was a welcome relief. It was eccentric and laid-back and cool, and there was an air of electricity that wasn't anywhere else we had been. The streets buzzed with activity and fashion-savvy men and women going about their everyday activities. Eric and I wandered the streets hand in hand, taking in the sights while he gave me a history lesson.
"Legend has it," he said as he led me past an imposing and beautiful tower he had identified as Katarina Kyrka, "that there was a coven of witches living in Sodermalm. Child-snatching witches, who took off from the northern cliffs there and flew them to Blåkulla, where they still live. In fact, the Thursday before Easter is Skärtorsdag, where little kids dress up like the witches from Blåkulla and ride brooms as they go door-to-door for candy, a bit like your Halloween."
"How fun!" I exclaimed. I guess it was a bit narrow-minded of me, but I hadn't realized that the Swedes had so many traditions. "Did you and Pam ever participate in Skar… well, whatever it was that you called it?"
Eric laughed and threw his arm over my shoulder. "Skärtorsdag? Yes, we did once. Mom thought it would be fun to take us out and participate, but then Father found out and forbid it."
"Why?"
"He said it wasn't fitting for his children to dress up like witches. That we were going beneath our station in life begging for candy. He took everything we'd collected and gave it to the staff for their children."
"That's ridiculous!"
"That's Father," Eric said with a dismissive shrug. "He is elitism in its finest. You can't understand because you didn't grow up in the same circles, but we were expected to behave like adults from a very young age. Mom tried to fight against it, but even she gave up eventually."
"That's terrible," I said, and wrapped my arm around his waist, trying to give him comfort. My heart went out to young Pam and Eric. While my parents had died at such a young age, at least I'd had Gran, who had always fostered Jason and my creativity and let us be free to be whatever we wanted. Sure, there were advantages to growing up with money, but I wasn't so sure they were advantages I would be willing to trade my freedom for.
"That's life," he said, and smiled down at me. "But let's not dwell on something that happened twenty years ago. Are you ready for your surprise?"
I wasn't able to shrug off the sadness I felt for their childhood quite as easily as Eric appeared to, but I also knew that he didn't want to discuss it any further at this point.
"Of course!" I exclaimed.
Eric led me over bridges and through winding streets until we stopped in front of a large, honey colored building that sat on the edge of the water.
"What's this?" I asked, looking around at the people milling about the building.
"It's the National Museet," he said as he began to lead us up the stairs to the main door. "The National Museum of Art."
"My surprise is the National Art Museum?" I knew I sounded less than thrilled at the prospect. It's not that I didn't like museums, but there were plenty of other ways I'd rather be spending my time on vacation.
"The surprise is not the museum," Eric said and chuckled at the disdain on my face. "But it is inside of the museum."
We walked through the imposing entrance and I followed as Eric led me with purpose through the large rooms. We only slowed down when he reached a doorway into a small room. Eric looked down at me with a smile.
"Shut your eyes," he commanded. I gave him a questioning look, but eventually shrugged my shoulders and did as I was told. He led me another few feet before stopping me. I felt him walk around me until he was standing behind me, his hands on my shoulders. I felt him lean down and his hot breath met my neck and ear, sending shivers down my body. "Okay, you can open them now."
I opened my eyes and was greeted with the sight of a familiar painting. A warmth spread through my body as I registered what my surprise was. "Eric!' I said with a sigh and turned my head to meet his eyes. "That's…"
"It's Bianca Maria and the Trolls," he said with a smile. "I heard that it was on loan to the museum and wanted you to see it in person, wanted to share it with you."
For all that Eric had done for me – and he had done a lot – this gesture touched me more than anything else. That he would think to bring me here, to show me the painting that had inspired my May Day costume, that he would even perform such a gesture, warmed my heart even more towards him.
"It's beautiful," I said, and leaned back against his warm body. "I can see why you love it."
"Like I said that night, you remind me much of her Sookie." His voice was heavy with emotion as he rested his chin on the top of my head and wrapped his arms around my frame. "Beautiful and strong, and capable of anything."
We stood there, connected to one another not only physically but seemingly emotionally, for I don't know how long before we were pulled out of reverie by a group of school children eager to see the painting.
"Come on," he said as he unwrapped himself from my body and grabbed my hand. "We'd better get back to the flat before Pam calls out a search party. And, if you really insist on going out tonight, I know she's going to want to drag you out shopping for a new outfit."
I let out a quiet sigh as my body cried out for his once again. It felt like we were finally getting back to where we had been. The reminder of our initial attraction to one another wiping away the bump in the road on our relationship, but I knew that he was right. There would be plenty of time for us to reconnect later, and I was sure that Pam would help me accomplish that mission.
***
Laroy was like nothing I had ever seen. The high ceilings and sleek, modern design reminded me a bit of Pam and Eric's club at home in Shreveport, but the clientele in Laroy were far different than any nightclub I'd ever been to. Everyone was dressed to the nines and looked as if they expected a fashion photographer to pop out at any minute. Heck, I'd been surprised when I did see a few men carrying around cameras and taking pictures of the patrons as they pulled out ridiculous poses. I wished that Amelia and Stav had come along, but they had decided to stay at their hotel tonight. Stav wasn't much for the nightclub scene, and Amelia didn't want to leave Stav alone, even if only for a few hours.
Jesper had greeted us at the door as we came in, leaning down to brush a kiss across my cheek in greeting. "Sookie, so lovely to see you again," he said with a smile. "You look beautiful." I felt myself blush at his assessing gaze and was glad that Pam had insisted on taking me shopping when Eric and I had returned. Though I had what I considered nightclub clothes, Pam had insisted that fashion in Stockholm was different than what I was used to. It was true, it was far more… eighties than I had expected. After hours of shopping, I'd managed to find a simple strapless black dress with a full skirt that Pam had agreed would suffice.
"Thank you, Jesper," I said with a smile as I felt Eric squeeze my hand. "Thank you for inviting us out tonight. I wanted to see where Eric used to work."
"Ah yes," Jesper said, "Eric was what made Laroy what it is. Without him, we would no doubt only be a blip on the social radar."
"I seriously doubt that," Eric said with a laugh. It was nice to see him so comfortable. For the first time in days he actually looked relaxed, like he could let his guard down.
"It's true," Jesper said with a shrug. "But, more about that later. I set aside a table in the VIP area for you Eric. I'll be by when I can." Eric thanked Jesper and led Pam and I through the crowd until we reached a roped off area. Everyone seemed to know Eric, and stopped by our table to catch up with him and meet me. I should be used to the gawking by this point, but I wasn't. It still felt odd to be an object of fascination to a group of strangers, but as before, that was made a bit easier by a few drinks.
"Sookie," Pam said, pulling me away from a conversation Eric was having with Jesper, "I want to introduce you to someone." I looked up to see a very tall dark haired man leaning against the wall next to Pam. "This is Viktor Martling."
"Nice to meet you," I said, and gave my practiced, dimpled smile. People didn't really shake hands when they meet people here, something I'd learned the hard way.
"You as well," he said with a genuine smile. "We've all been anxious to see the woman that caught the elusive Eric Northman."
For as many times as I heard that exact sentiment, I still didn't know how to respond. Even though Pam had told me as much, Eric's popularity in Sweden overwhelmed me. Heck, it was like being engaged to a movie star, for how I'd been receipted. I'd even made it onto the front page of the daily tabloid – now, that's a weird sensation, seeing your own face splashed across the newsstands.
"Viktor is one of the hottest designers in Stockholm," Pam continued. "He's got a shop just down the street that we'll have to visit with Amelia before we leave. You'll love it. Very fashion forward, but designs that you would like."
"I would love for you to wear one of my designs," he said as he looked over my body. From anyone else, I might have felt slightly violated, but this man was definitely assessing me with the eyes of a designer alone. "I have just the dress in mind for you. You must stop by," he turned back to face Pam, "tomorrow yes?"
"Of course," Pam said, "you're free tomorrow, aren't you Sookie?" I nodded and made small talk with Viktor until I felt Eric's presence at my side.
"You okay Sookie?" he asked, low enough so that only I could hear.
I nodded and smiled up at him. I wondered yet again, what I had done to catch this man's attention. I'd been curious enough when it had been purely physical, but to have someone like Eric Northman take care of you, watch over you, well, that was something entirely different.
After we said our goodbyes to Viktor, with a promise Pam and I would stop by his shop the next day, Eric had me sit back down the couch we had earlier vacated. With my confidence bolstered by the liquid courage coursing through my veins, I realized that now was as good of a time as any to make my move. When Eric flagged down the waitress for another round of drinks and Pam was busy texting on her cell phone, I leaned into his large body and ran my hand along his thigh. I felt his body jerk at my touch and smiled to myself. So, he wasn't as unaffected by me as he pretended.
"Thanks for everything today," I said as I leaned into his body, brushing my breasts against his arm. I raised my mouth to his ear, hoping my hot breath would have the same effect on him as his did on me. "And thanks for taking me out tonight. This is just what I needed." It seemed to be doing the trick if his sudden shift was any indication.
"You're welcome, Sookie," he said with a strained voice. I giggled at the power I seemingly had over him, relishing in the knowledge that I could wind him up as much as he could me. Well, at least as he had done before he decided that he shouldn't touch me like that anymore. Hopefully that would change tonight.
I rested my head on his shoulder and traced patterns on his thigh with my fingers. "I like being with you Eric."
I heard him emit what sounded like a painful groan as he placed his hand over my own, effectively stopping my upwards trail. Not one to be so easily thwarted, I shift myself until my lips were on his neck. "I like being with you too Sookie," he grunted out as I nipped at his pulse point.
"Oh Jesus," I heard Pam say and looked up to see her looking at the two of us with a furrowed brow. "I'm glad that you two are finally back on track, but do you really have to do it in front of me?"
"You don't have to sit there, you know," I said and lifted my head off of Eric's shoulder and gave Pam a wink. She rolled her eyes in return and moved to survey the crowd.
"No, I suppose you're right." She threw back the rest of her drink and stood up. "I saw Victoria come in. I'm going to go talk to her and leave you two lovebirds alone. Don't wait up for me," she finished with a deliciously evil grin over her shoulder.
I watched her walk away until she was swallowed by the crowd of well-clad blond giants before I turned to face Eric. "Good, we're alone again," I said and reached down and grabbed my drink, finishing it in two gulps. "I've missed spending time alone with you Eric." I felt his body thigh tense beneath my hand as I resumed my machinations on his neck and continued between nips, "are you going to dance with me tonight, Eric?"
"Um," he said breathlessly, "I suppose we can dance if you want to."
"I want to." I knew that if I could him on the dance floor that I could break down the wall he still had between us. I stood up and grabbed his hand. "Come on, show me what you can do."
I led him through the crowd until we reached the small dance floor and turned around to wrap my arms around his neck. It felt good to be this close to him again. Sure, we'd touched and he'd held me, but it had all been very chaste, like a concerned parent watching over their child. But there was nothing chaste about what I was planning to do to him.
I pulled his body against mine and began to rub against him, smiling to myself when I heard him grunt as my stomach brushed against his pelvis. If my previous advances hadn't been clear enough, there was no doubt that he could misinterpret what I was asking for after tonight. He responded immediately, pulling my body even closer against his own and running his hands up and down my back as we moved to the music. There were no words exchanged, but I knew that my intentions were clear. After dancing for four songs, I stood on my tip toes and asked Eric if he was ready to go yet. With a quick nod, he led me away from the dance floor and out the door, only stopping to grab my bag before we were outside and headed back to Eric's apartment. We'd walked to the club due to its proximity to Eric's apartment, which was fortunate since Eric appeared to be hell bent on getting us back there. I stumbled over my feet as he dragged me along behind him, and he stopped to make sure that I was okay before forging ahead again.
Eric was quiet the entire walk back, and I only hoped that it was because he was afraid that any conversation would break the mood we'd established back at Laroy. When we were in front of the door to his apartment, I swayed on my feet and reached out to brace myself on the wall as he fumbled with the lock. When he had the door open, he stood to the side and gestured for me to go in first.
As soon as the door was shut behind him, he reached out and grabbed my hand, pushing me up against the wall between his arms. My breath caught in my throat as his eyes scoured my face, stopping on my lips. Unconsciously, my tongue darted out to wet my top lip under his gaze. And, just when I thought he was going to lean down and finally kiss me, he shook his head and pushed himself away from me.
"Why don't you get ready for bed, Sookie?" he said. "I'll be in in a minute."
"Eric," I cried out as I watched him walk towards the living room.
"Yes Sookie?" he asked. I could hear the tension in his voice. Heck, I'd been rubbing up on him all night. The man had the restraint of a monk when it came to me all of the sudden.
"Eric, it's been three days," I whined.
"Three days?" he asked, as if he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. God, the man was frustrating. I didn't want to discount what had almost happened, what could have happened, but I needed to move on. And the longer Eric went without touching me, without appearing to be attracted to me, the more I started to question myself.
"Yes!" I said and flopped down onto his couch. I was sure I didn't look like a lady, what with my skirt flying up and skimming the tops of my thighs, but I didn't care. Gran wouldn't approve of the way I had been throwing myself at Eric all night; the condition of my skirt would be the least of her concern. "Don't you like me anymore?"
His eyes bulged out as he looked at me. "What?!? What makes you think I don't like you?"
"You barely look at me, and you never touch me anymore. I fricking throw myself at you at the club and again just now, and you tell me to go get into bed?!? Don't you want me anymore?"
"Of course I want you Sookie," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "I haven't stopped wanting you. How could you even think that I did?"
Uh, maybe the fact that you treat me like a leper?
He sat down on the couch next to me and took my face in his hand, his thumb tracing along my cheekbone. I sighed and rubbed my cheek against his hand. I'd missed the contact, the intimacy of his touch. Beyond some chaste hand holding, this was all I'd gotten in three days.
"You haven't even tried to kiss me!"
"I didn't want to push you. After what happened…" he trailed off.
"What? You didn't think I'd want you to touch me? Maybe I need you to touch me. Maybe I need you to go back to how it was."
He looked at me with longing in his eyes and asked me if I was sure.
"Jesus Christ, is Kanye West the biggest a-hole on the face of the planet? Of course I'm sure! I haven't stopped wanting you. I've tried to be subtle about it, but you apparently can't take a hint!"
Eric's head fell back as a loud laugh emitted from his throat. "Why don't you tell me how you really feel Sookie?" His eyes were filled with mirth when they met mine again, though the mirth was quickly replaced by something else, something I'd been hoping to see for days.
"Sookie," he whispered, and brought his face down to mine until our breath intermingled. My breath hitched as his hand trailed down my face to my neck and he reached around to cup the back of my head. I sighed out his name once and he closed the gap between us. The touch of his lips on my own sent electricity shooting through my body. Oh, how I had missed this. I didn't have the patience to take it slow. I wanted more, and I wanted it now.
I pushed him back against the sofa and straddled his laps with my legs, my mouth never leaving his. Our tongues battled against each others for dominance as our hands roamed each other's bodies. Yes. Yes. Yes. I couldn't form a coherent thought, I only knew that I wanted more. I mindlessly tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his warm skin underneath my fingers once again. Once it was gone, I sat back and admired the sculpted chest in front of me.
"You are beautiful," I managed to say before he pulled me back down towards him and flipped me onto my back, capturing my mouth once again as he pressed me into the overstuffed sofa. His hands ran up the length of my legs and snaked its way underneath the hem of my dress until his fingers came into contact with the edge of my panties.
"God, I've missed you like this," he said, and began to rub me through the lace fabric. I writhed beneath him and let out a whimper. Finally. Finally, he was back to being the Eric Northman I knew. We continued to rub up against one another and his thumbs were hooked under the edge of my panties when I was pulled out of the haze.
"Eric," I moaned.
"I know," he grunted in return, slowly easing the fabric down over my hips. I half forgot what had stopped me in the first place as his hands continued to remove the offending garment, but was soon reminded when I heard the noise again.
"No, did you hear that?" I asked, stopping his hand with my own. He stilled and lifted his head up as the knock sounded again.
"Mother fucker," he grunted out and pushed his body off of my own. "I'm going to kill her," he continued and stalked towards the door. I quickly sat up, returned my panties to their rightful place, and straightened out the hem of my dress. Yes, Pam knew that we'd have sex, and I was just as frustrated as Eric was to be interrupted, but that didn't mean I wanted her to find evidence of what was about to happen.
"Goddammit Pam," I heard Eric say as he unlocked the deadbolt. "Did you forget your key ag-" he abruptly stopped mid sentence, his words replaced with a gasp of shock.
I stood up and quickly made my way towards the door, wondering what possibly could have surprised someone like Eric. I was rounding the corner when I heard my answer.
"Mom!" he screeched.
Mom?!?
I felt my feet continue to move through no volition of my own, coming to a stop only when I was standing behind Eric's imposing frame, his body blocking whoever stood on the other side of the door. Please let me have heard wrong. Or maybe Mom meant something else entirely in Swedish. Like, maybe it meant "delivery," or "candy gram," or, heck, I'd be happy with "intrusive door-to-door magazine salesman".
No such luck.
"Hello, darling," Hadley's distinctive voice said. I watched in silent shock as Eric took his mother in an embrace and her figure appeared before my eyes for the first time. I stood as still as possible, hoping that my wish might come true and I would be invisible. Heck, it would be better than looking a little tipsy and like I'd just been ravished by her son, even if that was exactly what she had interrupted. But, of course I wasn't that fortunate.
Hadley spotted me immediately as she stepped out of Eric's embrace. "And Sookie Stackhouse!"
This was just great. As if I didn't have a hard enough time convincing people I didn't know that Eric and I were engaged, how in the hell was I supposed to convince Hadley that I was in love with her son? Maybe she hadn't heard. She had been living in some third world country. There was hope, right?
She walked towards me, her hands reaching out to grab my own as she looked me over from head to toe. A huge grin broke out on her face before she looked back over her shoulder at Eric, who seemed frozen in place. "I hear I need to offer you two my congratulations?"
Well, shit.
AN: Oh no, she didn't!!! But yes, I did (and so did Hads).
Guess what kiddies? The mystery of the ring explained in the NEXT CHAPTER *gasp*.
I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! Thanks to everyone for reading, favoriting, alerting and reviewing this little corner of my mind.
And, since we all know I'm not getting another one out before Christmas – Merry Christmas everyone!
P.S. You should all go vote in the Poppin' Cherries contest. They're all wonderful, and you should show them your support!
