Hi everyone! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm gonna work really hard to get the next chapter up faster, I appreciate your patience. I don't always have a lot of time to write, but I really enjoy working on this story.
Reviews definitely encourage and spur me on, so thanks again! :)
Damon felt the woman wriggle on his lap, bouncing lightly as she clapped her hands and giggled over his good fortune at the card table. He noticed the none-too-subtle view of her heavily perfumed cleavage as she thrust it prominently forward.
He had been winning all evening, and this pretty little blonde had latched herself onto him early on. She was one of many ladies of the evening that worked at Gladwell's Gaming Hall. She was new though, he'd spent many evenings here at Gladwell's, and he'd never seen her before. Her name was Jillian. Or maybe it was Julie. It was very loud in the hall. Either way, she'd do.
He won his last hand of poker, told the dealer, Frank, to have his winnings converted to cash and to have it ready for him tomorrow morning.
"Take the price of a room off my winnings, would you?" He asked, tossing Frank a twenty dollar chip as a tip for his trouble. "I'll be taking my usual, room 210."
"Of course, Mr. Salvatore." Frank said, nodding in thanks at the generous tip.
Damon pulled the little blonde behind him as he went to the front counter to get his usual room key.
Once in the room, he closed the door behind them and pressed her up against it, crushing her lips with his own. She responded eagerly, pulling at his dinner jacket, and working it off his shoulders. She loosened the tie around his neck and pulled it easily over his head. He watched her undo his buttons slowly and then open his shirt, licking her way down his body.
As she got down on her knees in front of him, he found himself thinking again how very bored he was. She unbuttoned his pants, but he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her again and laid her down on the bed. He pulled down the bodice of her gown and undid the laces of her corset enough that he could pull her breasts free of the contraption.
Elena didn't wear a corset.
Damon pushed the unwanted thought out of his mind, concentrating on the beautiful woman in front of him.
Her breasts were large and pale, with pale blue veins visible through her nearly translucent skin. She was beautiful. As he took her breast in his mouth, she moaned and he watched her a moment. Her pale skin was flushed with desire and her eyes were closed. Her blonde curls had come loose from the pins that had held them and surrounded her like a cloud of silk.
There was no doubt, this girl was ravishing. He simply wasn't interested in being the one to ravish her. He sighed deeply as he rose from the bed and walked over to his dresser to splash a shot of bourbon into a tumbler. He heard the girl (Julie?) sashay up behind him to wrap her arms around his waist, pressing her ample curves into his back.
"What's wrong, handsome? Need a little help?" She ran both hands across his abdomen before dipping them into his unbuttoned waistband. Damon let her fondle him a minute, hoping something would spark enough interest in him to make his evening end the way he'd wanted it to. But while his body responded predictably, his mind was unmoved.
Finally, he pulled her hands off of him and moved over to where his jacket lay on the floor. He grabbed his bill fold out of his inner pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. He pulled the woman's corset together and laced her up, before pulling her bodice back up.
He put the cash into her hand and she pouted at him. "This is way too much. We didn't even do anything."
He gave her pretty, pouty lips a swift kiss. "Exactly, sweetheart, sorry I wasted your time." She opened her mouth to argue, but he just shook his head. "Another time, maybe."
He hustled her to the door before giving her a pat on the behind and pushing her out into the hallway. He locked the door behind her and plunked his forehead against it. As he heard her retreat down the hall, he banged his head against the door two more times.
The thumping did nothing to dislodge the vision that swam into his mind's eye, the vision that was always waiting there to float up, unbidden.
Dark eyes filled with passion looked up at him. Soft skin glowed golden in the candlelight, and full red lips were parted, her breath coming fast and hard. Her voice whispered his name into his ear. His body was instantly hard. God, he couldn't go on like this. It was pathetic, he was pathetic. He had tried nearly a dozen times over the last two months to forget that image in the arms of another woman. He had not succeeded.
Elena stayed with him no matter where he went.
At work, he would get sudden flashes of her cheeky grin that would make him completely lose focus. If he went to a ball, or a formal dinner he couldn't help thinking how much more entertaining it would be if she was there to laugh with him. He would dance with countless beautiful women and wish that every single one of them were her.
It was simply too much.
He went back to the bourbon and did his best to drink the images out of his head.
At his solitary breakfast the next morning, he was nursing a raging hangover and trying to decide if eating the eggs in front of him would make him feel better or worse. As he sipped his coffee, his butler, Grant, brought in the morning mail. Damon sifted through the usual bills and invitations before coming upon an envelope that bore his brother's handwriting. He opened it and nearly let out a whoop of excitement as he read it.
They were coming to visit. Stefan had a medical conference he would be attending and it worked out well as they would be able to spend Christmas in the city. If they were staying over Christmas that meant they were definitely bringing Lizzie with them.
And if she was coming, so was her governess.
Three days later he stood on the steps of his brownstone as a rented hack pulled to a stop at the end of his sidewalk. Stefan exited first and helped Caroline down out of the carriage. Lizzie bounded out after them and Damon realized he was holding his breath. Then the carriage rolled away and he realized it was just the three of them.
He felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He tried to hide his disappointment and gave his brother and sister-in-law a hug before scooping Lizzie up in a bear hug. He knew he'd failed however, when Stefan pulled him aside as Grant and two maids took the luggage from them.
"Elena is still at the train station. They've misplaced her bags. The carriage driver has instructions to go back and wait for her. She should be here soon."
Damon tried to look nonchalant and hide his overflowing relief. "That must be frustrating for her; I hope they can find her things."
Stefan gave him a deadpan stare that let Damon know his brother didn't believe his nonchalance for a minute.
They all bustled into the house and out of the snow that had begun to fall. Damon showed them to their room personally. The guest room they were staying in had a smaller room that adjoined it where Lizzie could sleep. It had originally been intended to serve a lady and her maid, but it would suit their needs nicely.
"This is wonderful, Damon." Caroline said, smiling. "Do you have a room for Elena? Just for tonight. I'd like to give her these two weeks as a kind of vacation. She's never been to New York and I'd like her to have the chance to see it. I'll need her to watch Lizzie sometimes, but mostly, I'd like to take Lizzie around with me. I'd like to put her up in a hotel, and I wondered if you could find a reputable one for her. You know the city so much better than we do."
Damon wanted to say that Elena could stay in his bedroom and in his bed for the two weeks, but he knew that wouldn't fly. "I'm sure we can find space for her upstairs tonight; there are a couple of empty servants' rooms. I'll find a beautiful hotel room for her beginning tomorrow night."
"Wonderful." Caroline said, smiling. Damon thought he caught a look pass between Caroline and Stefan, but it was too quick to decipher.
Damon left to let them get settled. He went to his study to try and get some work done. He was not successful. He just kept listening for the sound of a carriage pulling up outside.
Finally he heard the unmistakable sound of snow crunching and bridles jingling. The carriage was back.
He tried to walk calmly to the door, but he was practically running and he chastised himself for acting like a sixteen year old debutante meeting her beau.
Pathetic.
"What exactly is going on beneath those beautiful blonde curls?" Stefan asked. "I don't recall you saying anything about a vacation for Elena until now. Where is this coming from?" His arms were crossed and he stood in front of his wife, blocking her from reaching the wardrobe where she was hanging their clothes as she unpacked them.
Caroline wore her most innocent look, big blue eyes wide and warm. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said, pushing past him, and hanging up his formal dinner jacket.
Stefan continued to stare at her, disbelieving.
She gave a little huff. "Look, we both agreed that Elena has been miserable these last two months. She barely says two words outside of her time with Lizzie. She needs to get him out of her system."
"You mean Damon?"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, Damon. Who else would I be talking about? She needs to spend time with him so she can understand how inappropriate he is for her. She needs to see that he is a terrible choice. As long as she has him like a tick under her skin, she'll always pine for him. If she spends enough time with him, she'll get to see the real him and lose interest."
"What do you mean the real him? What are you trying to say?" Stefan asked, not sure he liked what she was insinuating about his brother.
Caroline put her hand on Stefan's forearm. "Stefan, I understand he's your brother and you love him, I mean, so do I when it comes down to it. He's much too charming and likable not to love him in the end. And he sure does love my husband and daughter a lot. He would do anything for you two, and by extension, me too." She smiled and gave his arm a pat before turning back to their suitcases and continuing.
"But do you really think he's the right choice for sweet, innocent little Elena? He's terrible when it comes to women. You know that. He goes through them like handkerchiefs, practically a new one every day."
Stefan shrugged, conceding that Caroline had a point about his brother's rakish reputation. "But, didn't you notice his face this morning when he saw that Elena wasn't with us? He looked like someone had punched him. I've never seen him act that way about any other woman."
Caroline shrugged as she put away their last piece of clothing. "Well, all I know is nothing is going to be resolved by keeping them apart or always in a group. They can only get through the situation if they spend some time together and realize how bad they are together. And to do that, they will need some privacy."
Stefan looked slightly scandalized. "You want them to have privacy? Be alone together? Isn't that a little inappropriate?"
Caroline scoffed. "And isn't that a little hypocritical?" She walked up to him and placed a long, lingering kiss on his lips. "Don't you remember how much we enjoyed our privacy before we were married?"
Stefan pushed her gently up against the bedroom door and began kissing a path down her neck. "Yes, I do. Speaking of privacy, lock the door."
Damon waited with bated breath as the front door opened. When Elena walked in, his breath rushed out of him. Good God she was beautiful! Her hair had been swept up into a twist, but as she'd travelled wisps of it had come loose and now brushed gently against her cheeks. She wore a gray, wool, two piece dress, the uniform of a governess. But the plainness of the dress only managed to showcase her natural beauty. Her golden skin contrasted against the dark color beautifully and the curve of her breasts and hips were outlined well by the way the soft wool clung to her.
She met his eyes, and the happy surprise in her expression was quickly overridden by heat and desire. Damon blamed that look for his next heedless actions. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her quickly after him into his study. He closed the door and immediately crushed her up against the bookcase beside it, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss.
He was instantly and completely lost in her. He had been starving for her lips every day since he'd left. He pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking it as though it was a delicious piece of fruit.
His hands moved hastily, trying desperately to reach every inch of her, but the damnable wool was not yielding, not giving him what he wanted, so he ripped it apart. He pulled the bodice of her dress off, leaving her in her skirt and chemise. His lips moved to her neck and he kissed the pulse point there, nipping it gently and then lapping it with his tongue to soothe the spot.
Elena let out a sound that was partly a groan, but also sounded close to crying. Damon stopped immediately and looked at her face properly for the first time since coming into the study. "Elena?"
She opened her eyes and sure enough there were tears there that spilled down her cheeks. Immediately contrite, Damon cupped her cheeks. "God, Elena, I'm so sorry. Are you alright? I don't know what came over me."
But Elena was shaking her head. She pulled his lips back to hers and Damon could taste the salt of her tears on her lips. He pulled back and looked at her, confusion and desire warring in his expression. "Elena?"
She shook her head. "Please, Damon. I just...missed you. I don't know why I'm crying." She laughed lightly, shaking her head. She wrapped her arms around him, slipping her hands under his jacket, kneading the muscles in his back. "Please don't stop."
Damon scooped her up and carried her to the couch. He laid her down on it, before climbing on top of her, covering her completely. He rejoiced at the feeling of her soft, yielding body beneath his. He kissed her again, knowing that what they were doing was stupid. People would be looking for them shortly; he hadn't even locked the study door.
But he couldn't stop kissing her, tasting her. He pulled her chemise down off her shoulder. He let her breast overflow his palm as he cupped it and swallowed Elena's cry of pleasure.
He ground himself into her softness, cursing the layers of clothing that still separated them. He was seconds away from ripping the clothes from both their bodies, desperately aching to ease the desire and want he'd been swimming in for the last two months when the door swung open.
He covered Elena the best he could with his own body before looking up to see Grant stop abruptly, hand still on the door knob. "I'm…my deepest apologies, Sir. Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore are looking for you and…" he looked delicately to the side, away from the scene on the couch. "…and the young lady. Shall I tell them you'll join them in the dining room for lunch in a few minutes?" He paused a moment. "Or, perhaps the young lady will be a while longer? No doubt, she'll want to change after…travelling."
"Thank you, Grant. Yes, tell them we'll both be along to lunch in ten minutes but that they should start without us." Damon responded, grateful that it had only been his very loyal and very discreet butler who had walked in.
Grant gave a short bow and walked out.
Damon climbed off of Elena, pulling her to her feet.
She was the color of a ripe tomato. "Oh no, Damon! What if he carries tales to the other servants? I could be fired!"
Damon shook his head. "He won't. He's not like that."
He tried to smooth down her hair where his hands had tangled it. The sight of her mussed hair and kiss-swollen lips made him want to throw her back down and tell his guests to leave them alone for the rest of the day. But she moved out of his arms to pick up her dress bodice which he'd dropped it beside the door.
She put it back on and started to button it. Suddenly she spun back around, her face stricken. "Damon! I have no buttons left! And I don't have any other clothes. They lost my bags completely. They think they ended up on a train to Boston. This is the only dress I have." She looked down at the pitiful bodice of the dress. All of the buttons but one were gone because of Damon's vigorous removal.
For some reason, the sight of her, completely disheveled, buttons missing and her chemise all wrinkled made him both lust after her and start to chuckle. Elena was not impressed with his humor at this situation.
"It isn't funny, Damon! What on earth am I supposed to wear?"
He raised his hands in surrender, still grinning. "Alright, look, let's see if we can find the buttons." They began searching and between the two of them found all but one of the little silver buttons.
He put them all in her hands, and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll show you to your room and get Mrs. Simmons, my housekeeper to send up a maid with thread and an extra button. You'll be able to sew them all back on right?" She nodded. "I'll tell Stefan and Caroline that you were too tired to come to lunch after your frustration at the train station. By the time supper comes around, you'll be all buttoned up again."
He grinned at her. She pouted slightly.
"But I'm hungry."
Damon laughed and kissed her again, deeply but quickly. "I'll send up buttons, thread and lunch."
Elena smiled and Damon felt like the sunshine had emerged from behind the clouds, melting something inside him.
He checked to see if the coast was clear before leading Elena up the stairs to the room he'd told Mrs. Simmons to have ready.
She went inside and Damon grabbed the door before she could close it.
"Please let me come back here tonight." His voice was a whisper, and he knew he was pleading, but he didn't care.
Elena didn't say anything for a minute, but then she nodded and raised up on tiptoe to place a quick kiss on his lips before dashing inside and closing the door. He rested his head there for a minute before finding the strength to go down to lunch.
It was going to be a very long day.