A/N: There is a little sexy time towards the end. Proceed with caution.
Thanks for reading and falling in love with Stefan!
Elena shoved another piece of debris into her garbage bag as she walked around the yard, helping Stefan and Ric clean up after the storm the next morning. The new day was such a contrast from the evening before. Not a cloud in sight and it was getting warmer each hour with the sun high above her. Elena tossed her full garbage bag into the back of Ric's truck and wiped at the sweat on her forehead. If she was hot, she could only imagine that Stefan was hot too. She looked out towards the pastures and saw his truck way out there. He was putting the fence back up and had been since before even she got up that morning.
Elena went back into the house and grabbed the jug of tea out of the refrigerator. She poured herself half a glass and downed it within seconds. She was used to the heat because she grew up in the South. She just wasn't used to working in it.
Elena poured another glass for Stefan and put the tea back. Then she left the house and began her long walk out to the pasture. The tall grass grazed against her bare legs as she walked and birds flew in and out, probably searching for food or nesting.
Once Elena got close enough to see Stefan, all she saw was shirtless sex appeal in Wrangler jeans. His skin glistened under the sun from a mix of sweat and summer tanned skin. It was a sight she would miss for sure.
Stefan looked up when he heard her approaching. He smiled as he placed another nail in the post. "I'm really hopin' that glass of tea is for me" he said, dropping his hammer onto the grass. Elena handed the glass to him and accepted the slow, needy kiss he gave her in return. "Thank you" he told her, taking a drink. Then he too downed it in just a few seconds before setting the glass down. He turned back to his fence to continue working.
The sight of him shirtless was getting her riled up. "Hey Stefan?" she asked, coming up behind him and placing her hands on his hips.
"Yeah?" he asked, leaning back into her.
Her lips pressed against his back with a smile. "How much longer are you going to be out here?" Elena asked him.
Stefan felt himself suck in a small breath. Her voice was innocent mixed with seduction. "Not sure. Why?" he replied. He had a feeling he knew why.
Elena smiled again. "Remember what we did last night?" she asked. She heard him let out a raspy breath as he nodded. "I was hoping we could do that again today."
Stefan turned around quickly and kissed her hard. When he reluctantly withdrew his lips from hers, he looked at her like he wanted her just as much. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" he asked her.
Elena smiled innocently as she looked up at him. His eyes gave him away every time. She knew exactly what she did to him. "I need as much alone time with you as I can get right now" she said softly. "The river, the barn, your truck. I don't care. I just want you." She backed away suddenly and he reached out for her. Elena shook her head slowly and smiled. "You've got work to do" she reminded him.
Stefan felt his throat go dry. "I can do it later" he replied, reaching out for her again.
"Nope" Elena said, jumping back. "I have some things to do too" she told him.
Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" he asked her. He didn't really care about the fence anymore.
Elena shrugged. "Put my laundry away. Finish my book. Take a shower …" she told him.
Stefan stepped forward and grabbed her hand, tugging her back towards him. "A shower?" he asked. "Funny you say that 'cause I need a shower too" he said, giving her a small smile. He leaned in and kissed her, resting his hands on her hips and pulling her close. His hands fisted the hem of her tank top. There were so many things he yearned to do to her and with her right then. It was a shame that they were interrupted.
Ric honked his horn on his truck as he approached them, causing Elena to pull away from Stefan and wipe at her mouth. She looked embarrassed to be caught as she turned away and smiled. Stefan waved at Ric and hid his amusement.
Ric's truck rolled to a stop. "Hope I ain't interruptin' anything" he said, eyeing both Stefan and Elena carefully. "I need ya to go into town and pick up some things" Ric said, handing Stefan a piece of paper through his window.
Stefan looked over the list. "I'll be back in an hour" he said, grabbing his t-shirt off of the back of his truck and slipping it on. Ric gave them a nod and drove away, heading back for the ranch. "You wanna go?" Stefan asked.
Elena's face brightened at the invitation and she was already running around to the passenger side of the truck.
When they got to town, Elena had wandered off to the back of the store while Stefan ordered his items. She ran her fingers along different bags of grain, reading the information and learning what each grain was used for. She had to smile because while she was clueless, Stefan would have been able to tell her all about them.
A low whistle caught her attention, as did footsteps walking towards her. When Elena turned around, she was surprised to see a guy, probably a little older than her, standing before her, looking her up and down. The way his eyes undressed her made her skin crawl.
"Didn't expect to find a pretty little thing like you back here" he drawled out. She recognized the accent as not from around there. Even when Stefan or Ric got going, their accents weren't that defined. Texas. Maybe Mississippi. It didn't matter.
Elena stepped forward to leave, but he just stepped closer and blocked her path. Worry gathered in the pit of her stomach when she realized she couldn't hear Stefan anymore. He must have gone outside. Again, Elena tried to step around the guy, but he reached his arm out to stop her.
"What's the hurry for?" he asked, shooting her a predatory smile. "You and I's just gettin' to know each other."
Elena's entire body stiffened. "Leave me alone" she told him, her voice calm and slow.
His eyes gained a little twinkle of amusement, clearly enjoying the challenge. "A pretty lil' thing like you probably ain't ever been shown a good time" he smiled, taking another step closer.
Elena pressed herself against the grain shelves as her heart began to pound in her chest. The guy was gutsy to intimidate her in public. "I said, leave me alone" Elena repeated, looking him square in the eye as she said it. "I'm not interested."
Her blunt rejection seemed to irritate him. "I don't recall givin' you the option" he told her, his eyes telling Elena he was serious about his pursuit as his hand came to rest against her hip.
"Stefan!" Elena screamed, shoving him hard in his chest.
He didn't budge, but used his other hand to cover Elena's mouth as he pushed her against the shelves. "Shut up" he demanded. Elena continued to scream, but her pleas were muffled. She tried kicking and hitting, but he anticipated her every move.
When her teeth made contact with the inside of his palm, he yelled out, then stumbled back with a look of pure surprise that she had just bit him. He shook his hand and cursed. "You little …" he began, reaching out for her. Elena closed her eyes and tried to shrink up as small as she could to avoid him.
But she never felt his hands touch her. She only heard him yell again.
And Stefan yell. "You low life son of a bitch" Stefan growled, holding the guy up by the collar of his shirt and pinning him against the shelves.
"Hey man" the guy said, defensively raising his hands up in surrender. "She came onto me" he claimed.
Elena's eyes showed her complete shock at such an accusation. But Stefan wasn't even looking at her because he knew it was a lie. "Don't talk!" Stefan barked. "I know you ain't from 'round here. So you best listen 'cause I'm only gonna say this once" Stefan told him harshly. "We don't treat women with disrespect 'round here. And we sure as hell don't put our hands on 'em either" Stefan told him, with so much anger that Elena couldn't steal her eyes away from Stefan. "So If I ever, ever catch you back in this town, I will bury you out back on my property where ain't no one's gonna find you. Do you understand me?" Stefan asked, looking the guy directly in the eye.
The guy just nodded quickly, clearly taking Stefan's threat seriously. "I'm sorry" he told Stefan. Stefan shoved him back into the shelves and the guy groaned. But as soon as Stefan stepped aside, the guy walked quickly to get away. "Just one more thing" Stefan said, causing him to turn around. "That's my girlfriend you just put your filthy hands on. She deserves the apology, not me" Stefan told him.
"I'm real sorry, Miss" he stuttered, looking at Elena. She looked away, refusing to accept his apology. "Can I go now?" he asked Stefan.
Stefan drew his fist back suddenly and punched him, sending him down to the ground. The guy cursed and held his face before he scrambled up and ran out of the store.
Stefan placed his hands on Elena's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Elena?" he asked, his eyes and words much softer than moments before.
Elena nodded. "I'm okay" she said. She felt much better now that he was standing in front of her. "Your girlfriend is okay" she said, smiling softly as she fully acknowledged that she was in fact his girlfriend.
Stefan smiled just a little, but he still looked concerned. "He's gone" Stefan said, bringing her closer to hug her. He despised men like that.
Elena wrapped her arms around Stefan tightly and breathed a sigh of relief that he was there. "Would you really bury someone out back on your property for me?" she asked quietly.
Stefan hugged her tight. "Without a moment's hesitation" Stefan promised.
Elena sat in the truck while Stefan finished loading everything Ric had requested. She heard Stefan telling the store employee about the guy harassing her, right down to his truck make and model and license plate number. When they shook hands and Stefan got back in the truck, Elena let go of the breath she had been holding. "Dave's uncle is a deputy in the next town over. We reported the guy and the police will find him."
Elena looked at Stefan nervously. "Will I have to make a statement?" she asked.
"Nah" Stefan told her. "The deputy will put the fear of God into him" Stefan promised. "He'll run his information and make sure he doesn't come back." Elena sighed with relief. "I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner" Stefan told her, reaching out to hold her hand.
"You got there. That's all that matters" she said, turning his way and giving him a small, reassuring smile. She didn't want her last few days revolving around this. "You're shaping up to be a real hero. My hero" she told him. He had saved her quite a few times in the last three months. Stefan's eyes brightened some. "Can we stop for ice cream?" she asked. It was ridiculously hot out and she wanted the calories to make her feel better.
"Sure" he told her, starting up his truck and backing up. Hero. He had never really thought of himself as a hero before.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ice cream had been just what she needed. Along with a nice phone call with Jenna at the end of the evening that had gone surprisingly well considering the entire conversation was about the tornado the evening before. Elena told her aunt exactly what Stefan had done, protecting her and putting his own life in danger.
Jenna had been so scared when Ric had called to tell her about the tornado, but she also found Stefan's bravery romantic. Elena decided not to tell Jenna about the guy at the store. She didn't need anything else to worry about. "Love you too" Elena said, hanging up.
When Elena got off of the phone, she felt much better despite the encounter with the sleazy guy at the store. She had encounters with guys like that before. They all seemed to want one thing from her. Something she was only interested in giving Stefan.
"Goodnight Ric" Elena said, walking through the living room.
"Night Elena" Ric told her, continuing to read his newspaper.
Elena continued upstairs, dragging her sweatshirt off of herself and tossing it on her bed when she made it to her room. She had seen Stefan briefly at dinner, but he had gone back out to work on the fence. She was content with taking a quick shower and then going to bed. Too much excitement in the last few days.
She grabbed her towel and brought it with her into the bathroom. She let her hair down and ran her fingers through it, wondering if she should cut it shorter when she went back to school. She wondered if Stefan would approve. The thought alone made her smile.
She wasn't in the shower but five minutes when she heard a tap on the glass door. Elena pushed it open just a bit to see who it was, and smiled when Stefan poked his head in. "Can I join you?" he asked, being a true gentleman and keeping his eyes on hers.
Elena's excitement got the best of her as she pushed the door open for him. She watched as he quickly pushed his jeans down, tore his t-shirt off. When he was completely undressed, Elena grabbed his arm and yanked him inside the shower with her. As soon as the door was closed, her arms were around his neck and her lips were on his in an urgent, heated passionate kiss.
It was Stefan who had to push her away so that he could let them both breathe. His eyebrow rose just slightly, questioning her sudden eagerness to jump him in the shower. Elena gave him an innocent smile as she shrugged one shoulder. "I've missed you" she told him.
Stefan laughed a little. "You just saw me at dinner a couple hours ago" he reminded her.
He laughed again when Elena shoved at his shoulder. "Shut up" she told him, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling a tad bit self-conscious now that they weren't tangled up in one another anymore. "You know what I meant" she added.
Stefan smiled as he stepped forward and placed his fingers lightly against her waist. "Do I?" he asked, his eyes penetrating hers.
Elena watched him carefully, anticipating his next move. She fully expected him to behave himself. Probably just a slow, passionate make-out under the steamy water and innocent touching.
So when he dropped to his knees in front of her and pulled her hips towards him, she gasped out in surprise when she felt his mouth on her. Elena gripped his shoulders to steady herself. She closed her eyes when she felt Stefan squeeze her backside, urging her even closer.
Elena didn't know where the sweet cowboy had gone, but she was really loving the one sitting on the shower floor with his mouth between her legs. She tried to say his name, but it just came out in a raspy whisper. It was just too good, and the sudden unpredictable nature of it added the right amount of excitement that was driving her crazy. She had to bite her lip from crying out too loudly. "Oh please" she moaned softly.
She couldn't help the way her nails were digging into his skin as she held onto his shoulders. His lips and tongue were moving like he couldn't get enough of her. She was pretty sure she would never be able to get enough of him either.
Her toes curled against the tile floor of the shower as she felt herself close to the edge from such intense pleasure. Elena had to continue to bite her bottom lip hard to keep from screaming, knowing full well that anyone in the house would hear her. So instead, she panted out his name in short breaths. As much as she wanted her release, she never wanted him to stop either.
Moments later, his middle finger slowly entered her, stroking her two or three times before she came undone and lost it. She swore her knees buckled as she fell forward and he caught her, bringing her right back up and leaning her against the shower wall.
Her eyes were still closed and she could barely keep her head up, but she managed a smile when she felt him nuzzle the crook of her neck and kiss the skin there gently. "When I can think straight" she told him, taking slow, shaky breaths as she gasped for air. "I'm going to return the favor" she told him. Because that had to go down as one of the best things he had ever done for her.
Stefan kissed her neck again gently as he wrapped his arms around her. "I don't want the favor returned" he said against her ear. "I wanted to make you feel good. I just wanted to you smile" he told her.
Elena's head rested against his as she continued to smile. "You made me feel incredible" she said, trying to rein in her shaky breathing. "There must be something you want tonight?" Elena as him.
There was. "I want to cuddle with you, and then fall asleep with you in my arms" he told her.
Elena's heart tightened in her chest as she thought about how in a few days, she wouldn't be able to fall asleep with him every night if she wanted to. "I want that too" Elena told him.
They spent another ten minutes or so actually washing up since Stefan had been a sweaty mess from a long day's work. Then they had grabbed their towels and went their separate ways to dress.
Stefan was much faster though and came to lean against her bathroom door when he was finished. A pair of black sweats and he was ready for bed. Elena heard him but didn't acknowledge him, keeping her back to him as she searched for something to wear. When she dropped her towel, Stefan was torn between admiring her and doing the gentlemanly thing and looking away. He couldn't help but look at her though.
Elena reached into her closet and grabbed a tank top and a pair of cotton shorts. And Stefan watched her slowly slip into each one. "Are you watching me?" Elena asked as she looked over her shoulder.
Stefan quickly averted his eyes to the floor. "No" he replied quickly. She smiled as she turned towards him and saw him smiling too. Stefan held out his hand and watched as Elena walked towards him. Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Yes, yes I was. I can't seem to take my eyes off of you" he whispered.
Elena reached up and gave him a quick kiss. "That's nice to hear" she told him, taking his hand and leading him back towards her bed. Stefan switched the light off and climbed in with her. Then he pulled Elena close, wrapping his arms around her. He sighed contently and it made her smile. Life was amazing when it was just the two of them. One day, she wanted to live on a ranch with him, far away from anyone else. "I'm really happy when I'm with you" she said quietly as she rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.
Stefan trailed his fingers down her arm slowly and kissed the side of her head. "I thank God every day for lettin' me meet you" he told her. She was really special to him.
Elena thought about what he said until she heard his breathing even out, telling her he was asleep. She too was thankful for getting the chance to meet him. Elena didn't want to think about what her life would have been like over the summer had she not met Stefan. He had helped her more than anyone, even when she was at her worst. "I love you" she whispered, knowing he wasn't going to hear her. She noted the anxiety she felt when she said it out loud.
If she could picture a future with Stefan, why couldn't she tell him she loved him?
A/N: Elena is so broken.
