The second part…Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 10: Irish Coffee

Bonnie felt him before he uttered a word or she turned around. Stefan was reading some of the logistics regarding the renovations in Revel and the vision for the reopening, so he was preoccupied. She wasn't. Before the door opened, she felt heat radiate from her neck to her cheeks and then the door opened, she knew it was him. It was at that moment, that she realized that she missed talking to him or even being in the same city with him.

"Hi Damon," she stated after turning to face him.

"Hi Bonnie," he greeted her from the stairs with a trademark smirk.

Stefan looked between the two best friends and cleared his throat before saying, "Good Afternoon Damon, what brings you by?"

Damon descended the stairs with his eyes on Bonnie. Did she look different? Was it a different kind of happiness she wore on her face? Did that Marcel guy put it there? He couldn't tell, "I need to get some stuff done before we close down for a few weeks and you know, I have my rule…"

"He only does work here," Stefan informed Bonnie.

"Yes, my home is my sanctuary and besides, Sandy would never let me get any work done."

"Right," Bonnie nodded.

"Bonnie brought the latest specs for the reopening once we're done and it's pretty impressive," Stefan slid the paperwork over to Damon to look over.

"Yes, we're actually starting a gorilla campaign two days before you close for renovations, in fact, we plan to have the materials ready before you close—you know, build the excitement for your regulars so they are ready to bring friends to the reopening," Bonnie explained excitedly as she searched her folder for glossy black postcards handing two to Stefan and two to Damon.

Examining the card, Damon noticed the couple from the picture that Bonnie sent him a couple weeks before. The postcard was black with purple writing in italics and it said, Revel in Your Desires…September 9th.

"They are four different cards with four different sins. We also rented 3 billboards throughout the city with the theme and the words, so we are planning for a huge reopening in 8 weeks!" Bonnie beamed.

Damon admired her enthusiasm and he had to admit, it was addicting. Stefan was grinning from ear to ear as well.

"Well you've been busy despite your trip," Damon answered.

"Well you know, I have to earn my money somehow and I think this is the first test and then when the second place opens three months later—we will kick off another campaign."

"So with this theme, no one will think we're a sex club…will they?" Stefan reviewed the rest of the cards with a raised eyebrow.

Bonnie shook her head with a laugh, "I don't think so. I think you are portraying the sexy and grown atmosphere that Revel is known for, but kicking it up a notch," Bonnie explained, "and hey, if Revel is somewhere people meet up to get to know someone they have no business getting to know…" Bonnie gave Stefan and Damon a seductive look, "then so be it."

The Salvatore brothers exchanged a look between them. Who was this young woman who had come into their lives and pledged to make it better business-wise and for one, maybe personally as well. "You know what Bonnie, I'm going to leave that little statement alone," Stefan wiggled his finger at her before picking up the postcards, "and on that note, I'm going home for a few. I have something to do tonight, so I won't be here tonight—so you're on your own brother."

"Great," Damon deadpanned as Stefan gave Bonnie a nod and headed out of the lounge leaving the two friends together.

Bonnie smiled almost shyly looking up at Damon. It had only been three days and they don't necessarily see each other every day, but seeing him again after being in Detroit with Marcel was different. She noticed how Damon's handsomeness had a ruggish feel to it, especially when she saw a slight stubble on his cheeks and his chin. Then there were his eyes, they looked as if they could see right through her. It was unnerving, it was sexy and it was almost forbidden for two friends.

"So how was Detroit?" he asked taking a seat at the bar and she followed.

Bonnie could virtually feel Marcel's lips on her neck as soon as Damon asked the question, "Umm…it was fine. I had a good time. Bianca is the same…"

"And Marcel?" Damon asked.

"He's nice…very nice…we had a nice time," Bonnie answered noticing Damon give her an amused grin, "whaaaaaaat?"

"Nice," Damon nodded mockingly.

"Damon…"

"I'm glad you had a nice time."

Gasping, Bonnie hit him on the arm lightly, "Marcel is a good guy. He took me on a nice date, cooked me dinner…he was a perfect gentleman."

Damon watched Bonnie's eyes as she tried to avoid looking directly at him. Something occurred between she and Marcel, but he wasn't sure exactly what. Whatever it was, it made his stomach turn. He was well aware of the fact that they were friends and it's where they needed to stay, but there was a part of him that really didn't want to know about anything she did with other men, "A perfect gentleman, I see," he widened his eyes looking down at the postcards.

"What is that look for?" Bonnie prodded searching his eyes.

"Nothing at all."

"So what about you? How was your weekend?" Bonnie asked.

"Stefan believes that I need to get out there and explore my options, so I went out on a date," Damon declared watching Bonnie's eyes flicker.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, it was great," Damon smiled.

"Was she eligible for Medicare?" Bonnie teased.

"No actually she's a teacher. Middle school."

Bonnie's eyes were stuck in place, because if she allowed them to do what she wanted—they would roll onto the floor and out of the doors of Revel. Damon was dating a teacher. Of course, he would go from Ms. Robinson to a wholesome teacher. She didn't like it…at all, "A teacher, well isn't that nice."

"I thought so," Damon slid off of his chair and went behind the bar, retrieving a water from the one of the mini refrigerators and handing it to Bonnie following with one of his own, "that is until she started telling me that she's actually separated from her husband and erupted into tears right there at the table."

Bonnie gasped, "No!"

"Oh yeah," Damon took a swig of water, "she cried, I handed her tissues…it was an entire ordeal. So yeah, I'm back to square one. No dates. No women. Just Sandy and you my best friend," he winked at her, "that is—if Marcel will allow you to still speak to me."

The roll of the eyes that Bonnie gave Damon at that point made him give her a cocky grin, "Marcel is just a friend. A close friend and he knows that I have friends, including you."

"Yes…I'm sure we're just one big circle of friends," Damon agreed.

"Absolutely."

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

Later that evening, Bonnie and Elena found time to shop around the mall looking for dresses at the very last minute. Finally stopping in one of the popular boutiques, they went into the dressing room ladled with dresses of different colors.

"So how did you manage to find time off to come shopping today?" Bonnie slipped her shirt over her head in the large dressing room that they shared.

Elena turned to her, "I've worked 8 days straight, I deserve some time off to at the very least find a dress to wear for the gala and to spend time with you. I want to know everything about your trip."

Bonnie turned around admiring herself in the red, strapless mermaid style dress, "What would you like to know?"

"Well how was Bianca's apartment?" Elena questioned receiving a surprised look from Bonnie, "no I'm kidding, how was it with Marcel. What did you do?"

Bonnie smiled, "We went sightseeing the first day, it was fine. He pointed out some sights that I hadn't seen before. He took me to karaoke one night and sure enough made a fool of himself for my amusement…"

Elena giggled, "Cute."

"And then he made me dinner the next night at his place," and at that statement, Bonnie had Elena's full attention, "it was nice, one of the best meals I have ever tasted. Apparently, his mother gave him the recipe. It was so good."

"Uh, huh and…" Elena waited with baited breath.

"What?"

"What happened after he made dinner for you?" Elena leaned forward barely containing her need for the sexy gossip.

Bonnie felt her cheeks get hot. Even though she was a woman in her early thirties, she still got weird about detailing her exploits with men, "What do you want to know?"

"Oh come on Bonnie! I've been in the same relationship for years, give me a bone!" Elena whined.

Bonnie shook her head with a shy smile, "Ok, we didn't do what you are thinking. There was an oral transaction of some kind and it was very, very nice."

"Nice…" Elena blanched.

Bonnie huffed, "What's wrong with nice!"

Elena shrugged, "Well hot would be better. I mean, did your toes curl, did you eyes roll in the back of your head, did the neighbors come knocking on the door?"

"I was completely satisfied, went to sleep right after," Bonnie slipped into another red dress.

Elena grinned, "You went to sleep right after, so that means he got nothing?"

"Well I wouldn't say nothing. As Bianca would say, He got to experience something not many others have."

"That Bianca," Elena shook her head, "but she's absolutely right. So do you think that you two will see each other again, maybe have some more nights together?"

"Of course, he's a good guy. I think we're both on the same page about wanting a relationship—we don't, but I don't want to do too much and give him the wrong impression, you know?"

Elena shrugged, "If you're both on the same page, then it's ok. Is he coming to the gala?"

Bonnie shook her head, "No, it's mostly a work thing for me...making nice with various business owners in town, so Marcel would just be bored."

"And you don't want to flaunt Marcel in front of Damon," Elena supplied.

"Noooo…that's not it."

"Sure…surreeeee, it's not."

"It's a work event and yes, I will see Damon there—but that's it."

"Right."

"Right," Bonnie ended the conversation on that note with a glance in the mirror.

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

Days later, Bonnie stood in front of her closet staring at the dress that she bought to wear to the gala. It was a royal blue strapless asymmetrical hem gown. It was safe. Then she looked at the black gown that Bianca bought her a couple of months ago to wear to another charity gala. It was sexy, it was beautiful and Bonnie hadn't been brave enough to wear it. The split went up her leg and it was almost ungodly, but tonight? She felt like wearing it.

Picking up the dress and holding it up to her body, her cell rang on her bed. She placed the dress back on the closet and picked up her phone, "Hi."

"Bon, how are you?" Marcel asked on the other end.

"Good, getting ready for the gala tonight."

"Oh right…you know, just give me the word and I can be in Mystic Falls in 2 hours on your arm as your date."

Bonnie smiled, "You're in Utah. Bianca told me that earlier."

Marcel laughed, "Ok you got me. But if you wanted me to come there, I would have. In fact, I have a couple of days coming up and I wanted to come to Mystic Falls to visit."

Bonnie paused in front of the mirror. He wanted to come to Mystic Falls to visit?

"Bonnie?" Marcel chuckled as if he was starting to doubt saying anything.

"Oh it's fine, just tell me when you want to come and I will figure it out. I have some things coming up for work…"

"Oh you mean the lounge that you are helping them to rebrand?"

"Yes, but sure—let me know when you are free to visit and I will make time in my schedule for you."

"Sounds good, I will text you as soon as I know," Marcel added, "and send me a picture of you before you go to the gala."

A smile spread across her face, "Will do."

She ended the call and picked up the black dress from the hanger, "Well Bon, he asked for a picture."

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

"Yes Stefan, I will be there. I just need to make sure that Sandy is fine with her sitter," Damon spoke through his earbuds standing in the kitchen mixing Sandy's dinner for the evening. Hearing his brother chuckle, he stopped shredding the cooked chicken, "what is funny?"

"My big brother is more attached to a dog than he has ever been attached to a woman. It's actually kind of heartwarming," Stefan stated mockingly.

"Whatever. Sandy is nice and all but she can never take the place of a woman. She's sick and I just want to make sure she's in a good place before I take off for the gala tonight," Damon looked over at Sandy crouched down in the doorway of the kitchen on her front paws staring back at him with sad eyes. Eyes that broke his heart. He would never forget waking up two nights previously to Sandy crying beside him and gasping for breath. Moving like The Flash, he rushed out of the condo with her cradled in a blanket and drove to the nearest emergency vet he could find. Sandy was diagnosed with a severe cold and would be fine after a few days of antibiotics. Nevertheless, he ordered a dog nanny for the evening while he was at the gala to keep an eye on her until he made it home.

"So don't be too late. I don't want to sit there with mother and Julian all night," Stefan sounded less than enthused.

"I will be there as soon as I can."

"If you don't show up, I will make sure to entertain Bonnie alllllll night," Stefan stated before being rewarded with the call abruptly ending on Damon's side.

Damon turned to Sandy, setting down her food bowl watching her barrel over and digging into her food. Heading out to the living room, he picked up his tuxedo jacket from the couch and slipped his arms through it as the doorbell began to ring. He picked up his bow tie and threw it around his neck before opening the glass front door to a rather young, college aged petite woman staring back at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

Damon smiled, "Good Evening."

The girl stammered, "Umm…hi…I may be at the wrong place…umm…" she fumbled with her phone trying to open up the app to make sure she was at the right place. The blue eyed God standing in front of her could not be the man that ordered the dog nanny.

"No, you're at the right place. You're here to keep Sandy company, right?" Damon asked.

The young woman nodded, "Yes, I'm Anna."

"Hello Anna, I'm Damon…come in," he moved out of the doorway.

Anna plastered a smile on her face entering the condo.

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

Bonnie looked around the hallway in front of the Grand Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton eyeing the guests situated around the various cocktail tables sipping on passed hors d'oeuvres and cocktails. Her job for the evening was to intermingle with various guests and cultivate new and old relationships. Every company and business was represented at the gala and more than likely had the same idea in mind. Dressed in a body hugging, one shoulder black gown with asymmetric neckline and a mid thigh split, she felt confident and sexy. Two things that would help her with speaking to strangers and maybe make some new connections.

She sipped on her glass of champagne as she stood scoping out her first opportunity to find a new client. "What a dress," a cool voice whispered in her ear. Just hearing the voice did something to her. She could feel it between her legs.

"Tyler," she turned to the person who owned the voice and was pleasantly surprised. No one could wear a suit/tuxedo better than Tyler Lockwood, "I figured that your firm bought a table."

"Of course, you know what this night is about."

"Raising money for the Children's Hospital?" Bonnie asked cheekily.

"That and drumming up new business," Tyler answered.

"I guess, so are we going to help each other out here?" Bonnie smiled.

Tyler raised an eyebrow, "In the coatroom?" he wiggled his eyebrow.

Playfully slapping him on the chest and laughing, she became serious, "We set up meetings with each other's respective companies and we each get a point."

Tyler looked around, "Sounds like a plan Bennett, you know the number."

"The same," Bonnie responded.

Tyler nodded, "Well, excuse me while I look for another client. Save a dance for me?" he asked.

"To a fast song," Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"We'll see," he winked before heading over to a few attorneys gathered around one of the cocktail tables.

"You and Tyler making plans for tonight?" Elena walked up with Matt grinning from ear to ear.

"No, we were setting up a business meeting," Bonnie shook her head, "you know Tyler."

"I do and that's why my question was warranted," Elena stuck out her tongue.

"Where's your date Bon?" Matt asked with her arm snaked around Elena.

"I have no date Matt, this night is dedicated to finding new accounts and I can't do that with a date exactly," Bonnie scanned the room. She loved Elena and Matt individually and as a couple, but being the third wheel in their love fest sometimes could grate. They had a way of being very 'You're the best!' 'No…no…you're the best!' and it made Bonnie want to vomit just being in their presence.

Looking around she looked all over for an escape and that's when she noticed a foursome entering the hallway through the archway. Stefan was cloaked by a pretty blond wearing a knock out white evening gown, with slits that gave peeks to pretty much all she had to offer. Standing next to them was Lily Salvatore, Bonnie remembered her from the restaurant with Damon and next to her was an attorney that Bonnie recognized from some other functions. Bonnie felt herself looking for Damon without even knowing it and her mouth turned downwards when she didn't see him there.

Maybe he went to pick up his date, a voice inside of her head explained and she felt a stir in her stomach. Even though they had a friendship, she maybe had a teeny tiny crush and she did not want to see him with a date at this event (or any event).

"Bon, we're going to go and sit at our table…see you later?" Elena asked turning to her and then following her gaze, "oh," she whispered taking in Stefan with his date. The look on Elena's face caught Bonnie off guard. Her best friend actually looked crestfallen that Stefan wasn't alone. She wondered what happened there, but she would tuck that away for another time—when Matt wasn't standing right there.

Elena and Matt moved into the ballroom along with some of the other guests who were tired of the beef wellington and cocktails. She made eye contact with Stefan, who smiled and guided everyone over to her. "Mother, Julian, Angel…this is Bonnie Bennett, she is the mastermind behind the reopening of Revel and our new club 'Name Yet To Be Determined'," Stefan stood next to Bonnie.

"Yes, I've met Bonnie, we met when I went to dinner with Damon a couple of weeks ago," Lily smiled warmly at her, "it's nice to see you again, Bonnie."

"Thank you and Stefan is being far too generous. He is contributing as much to the reopening as I am, I only have the ideas…it's his money and Damon's that will make it work," Bonnie grinned.

"Well my sons can't be that easy to work with considering that they agree on almost nothing," rolling her eyes Lily leaned over and pinched Stefan's cheek.

Bonnie watched Stefan shake his head at his mother's fawning over them.

"Well shall we go inside?" Lily asked looking around at the almost empty hallway.

"Yes," Julian answered as he moved towards the door with Lily.

Bonnie smiled as Stefan leaned closer to her, "He'll be here soon," he whispered.

"I have no idea who you are talking about," she replied cheekily.

"Right," he winked.

"Right," Bonnie turned and walked away from him into the ballroom.

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDB

Following speeches, videos of sick children and award presentations, the dance floor opened up and just like every high price charitable dinner—the rich people let loose as the alcohol flowed generously. Bonnie sat in her chair swaying to the music and laughing at the VPs of her company, dancing and drinking in front of the large speakers. Sipping her champagne, she smiled at the various people totally believing that they had any trace of rhythm.

"You know, I expected to see you out there."

The sensation of excitement flowed throughout her body as she turned to see his crystal blue eyes staring back at her, "Oh so you finally showed up," she sipped her champagne.

"Yeah, well thought I would make a fashionably late entrance," Damon looked over at her and then looked down at his drink, "something came up."

By the way he looked at her and then spoke, she believed there was so much more to the story, "Right…"

Damon stood up from his seat and Bonnie checked him out. His tuxedo was nicely tailored, he was a well dressed man on a regular day—but standing in this ballroom, in that tuxedo—he made Bonnie's mind go to all different types of places, "So Bon, why don't we go out there and join the madness?" he asked holding out his hand.

She stood up smoothing out her dress for a moment, "That dress," Damon bit his lip slightly shaking his head in appreciation, "somehow I don't think that you will be dancing with me for long."

Bonnie felt her cheeks turn pink and thanked God for her darker complexion as she took his hand, which sent sparks up and down her arm as he led her out to the dance floor. Maybe it was the champagne or the fact that she was wearing the sexiest dress she'd ever slipped into, but she felt 'herself' sashaying onto the dance floor and joining Damon. The song wasn't a slow one and she was grateful. Dancing with Damon on this night, with him dressed the way he was and looking the way he looked couldn't be a good thing.

Dancing to the mid-tempo song, with Damon holding onto her fingers made her laugh more than she had in months—mostly because Damon's dance skills left a lot to be desired, Bianca would be traumatized.

After dancing for three songs, Bonnie and Damon found themselves at the bar with Stefan. The guests were now dining on dessert and coffee. Bonnie had an Irish Coffee in a nice finishing the last of it and Damon picked up one of his own from the bar and Stefan watched both of them as if they were the most sickening non-couple he had ever laid eyes on, "So did my brother tell you why he was so late?" Stefan gave both of them a Cheshire cat style grin.

"Nooo," Bonnie looked over at Damon, who rolled his eyes into his glass of Bourbon.

"Stefan thinks its funny that Sandy was sick," Damon turned to Bonnie causing her to gasp, "Oh my god, is Sandy ok?" she asked with concern.

"She's getting over a cold, she's at home with a sitter."

Bonnie's nose wrinkled, "A dog sitter?"

Damon gave Bonnie and his brother an incredulous look, "Yes, a dog sitter. I want to make sure Sandy knows that someone is there with her. It's some college girl, who I hope listened to what I had to say about Sandy's medicine. I went over it at least ten times…" Damon trailed off in deep thought.

"Wow, just like a worried Dad," Stefan mused as Bonnie grinned.

"Let me go call her and make sure," Damon stated excusing himself and walking out of the ballroom.

"My brother…" Stefan shook his head, "I never thought I would see the day when he cared about a dog that much, especially when we had to force him to get the dog in the first place."

Bonnie nodded.

"He told you didn't he?" Stefan looked over at her.

"Told me what?"

"About his accident," Stefan clarified.

Bonnie shrugged.

"He did. Damon has changed for the better and I'm actually happy that you two are friends. He didn't want to move to Mystic Falls and he definitely didn't want the dog," Stefan chuckled, "but he's happier and every time he's in the mere presence of you, I see a smile that's different than usual."

"Stefan…" Bonnie warned him wagging her finger causing him to hold his hands up in submission, "Hey…I know, I know…you two have taken some Platonic Pledge. But I am just stating facts," Stefan smiled, "now will you dance with me?"

Bonnie giggled, "Of course," she took his hand.

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

After the music finished and the last drink was poured, the guests at the gala began to gather their things to leave. Bonnie looked down at her phone to call a sedan to bring her home. Elena and Matt had an emergency at the hospital, so they both rushed out halfway through dinner. "Hey, hanging around for awhile?" Damon walked up next to her while she gathered her purse.

"Actually, Elena and Matt had to go do their doctor stuff…so I need to catch a ride," Bonnie held up her phone.

Damon smiled, "I can give you a ride."

The double entendre that Bonnie read into that statement was so very wrong, "Damon, I can just call a car…"

"Actually, I think Sandy would be happy to see you. I just need to go home, check on Sandy and then I will take you right home. I promise," he gave her a grin that would make any other woman's panties drop for him in the middle of the ballroom—but Bonnie had no intentions of falling prey to that.

"You take me right home after I give Sandy a rub."

"Of course, I'm a gentleman," Damon bowed to her slightly.

"Of course you are," Bonnie headed out of the ballroom with Damon following admiring her backside.

BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD

Damon turned the key to his condo door and walked in with Bonnie following, "Anna!" he called as the the young woman stood up from the couch, "Mr. Salvatore, hi…you're back," she stated with a smile that quickly faltered when she laid eyes on Bonnie.

"How was she?" Damon asked completely oblivious to the change in Anna's face at the sight of Bonnie.

"She's fine since the last time you called," Anna stated as Damon walked over to Sandy in her doggie bed on the floor rubbing her head, "umm…you can just pay me through the app. Thank you, she was very good," Anna gathered up her bag and made a quick exit before Damon could say another word.

Bonnie chuckled.

"That was weird," Damon stood up from Sandy on the floor who barely stirred under his touch.

Bonnie shook her head, "Only you think so. That little college girl was probably hoping to get lucky tonight."

"That wasn't going to happen," Damon snorted going into the kitchen for a moment as Bonnie took a look around. She wasn't sure what she expected Damon's place to look like, but his condo did not disappoint. The entire living room was picturesque, as if an ad agency put it together for Town and Country magazine. The wall art, the décor on his coffee table, the large television and the entertainment system that encased it—all superbly decorated. She stood in the living room looking around in awe. Did Damon Salvatore have a keen eye for interior decorating?

"My mom," he stated from the doorway of the kitchen.

Bonnie turned to him with a quizzical eyebrow.

"You were wondering who put this masterpiece together right? Lily Salvatore, interior decorator extraordinaire. She's convinced that if she left me and Stefan to decorate our own living spaces, we would be sleeping on futons," Damon explained before walking into the dining room, which consisted of a glass table with four highback chairs stood in the middle. He whistled and Sandy awakened from her slumber and barreled over to him. He scooped her up in his arms and Bonnie nearly melted right there in the middle of the living room as Sandy nuzzled his neck and closed her eyes as he slowly placed the syringe full of medicine in her mouth and squeezed, "she usually sleeps in my room, but I think she got tired of me checking on her every five seconds—so she came down here to her bed and she's been here ever since," he set her down softly on the floor, "Sandy, look who came to visit you!" Damon grinned.

Sandy, who's attention had been solely on Damon looked over at Bonnie standing in the living room and let out a yelp before taking off towards Bonnie. Bonnie couldn't help but giggle as she kneeled down and rubbed the top of Sandy's head, "Hi Girl…not feeling well?" she whispered scratching Sandy's ears who closed her eyes in pure bliss.

"She's much better than she was two days ago, but gotta finish out the antibiotics," Damon stated kneeling down next to Bonnie and Sandy.

"Damon Salvatore, the worried dog daddy."

He nodded with a grin, "I will cop to that. I took her to the emergency vet and didn't even care when they gave me a bill for $500.00."

Bonnie was impressed. The man that she'd been admiring the entire night in his tuxedo, turned into an old softie when it came to his pup. If Damon wasn't attractive to her before, he was downright fuckable at that moment, "Well I guess she really is your child," Bonnie looked over at Damon while massaging the top of Sandy's head.

Damon looked down at Sandy, "She's a dog," clipped rising to his full height and went in the kitchen, while Sandy trotted back over to her bed covering her eyes with her paws slowly falling back to sleep.

Bonnie watched Damon wash his hands under the vast kitchen sink. His kitchen looked as if he hadn't prepared one meal in the stainless steel heaven. She stepped over the kitchen threshold, "You know, you fawning all over Sandy is definitely a good thing."

He smirked. Bonnie's gaze was steady and she wore a smile that made him want to poke his chest out a little more, "Well, she was my first friend after the whole getting hit by a car thing," he moved out of the way as Bonnie washed her hands in the sink and then dried them on a hand towel, "Bon…" he began causing her to look up at him, "I want to thank you, I thought when I told you about what happened with Sabine that you would go running for the hills. I thought that you would think that I was too much drama or too much of a mess to be a friend to you. I actually got a little scared," he chuckled nervously running his hand through his jet black locks.

"I wouldn't do that," Bonnie shook her head, "yes, I took off but…that was…it was a little jarring to hear your confession and I didn't know what to do with it. I'm sorry for that, I shouldn't have done that. We all have pasts…some more colorful than others, of course," she joked.

Damon smiled.

"But I love that we can talk to each other and there's no expectations. We support each other, we laugh, we are able to just be," Bonnie moved closer to him, "and despite what you think Damon, it's ok for you to mess up and it's even ok for you to get seduced by some old lady," she wisecracked while walking out of the kitchen.

"Very funny Bennett."

"Damon, you can be yourself around me and I can be the same around you," she declared.

Moments passed by as Bonnie walked over to the coffee table and picked up her clutch. Damon watched her with what he was sure would be described as a goofy grin. Bonnie Bennett was the perfect woman for him—if they weren't best friends and if he actually knew how to have a relationship with anyone of the opposite sex that was a human being. The way her dress hugged all of her curves, her long hair all swept to one side with big curls and her eyes were purely hypnotic this evening. He needed to get her out of here before he crossed a line, "Hey Bon," he shook his head as if the thoughts in his mind would disappear with a shake of the head.

She was studying the pictures along the shelf over his fireplace. The family pictures that his mother made a point of decorating his shelf with, "You and Stefan look like you were troublemakers," she laughed staring at a picture of them as kids, he was at least 8 and Stefan was 5. They were standing in front of the cabin that the family owned for over 20 years until their mother sold in a year after Giuseppe died.

"He was. I was the perfect child," Damon walked over joining her in front of the fireplace.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Somehow, I don't believe that," she commented reaching for another framed picture. One of Damon, Stefan and Giuseppe. It was Lily's favorite. It was Damon's college graduation. Damon had his arms wrapped around his father and Stefan's shoulder and all wore the same bright smiles, "this one is nice…this your dad?" she gestured pointing to Giuseppe.

Damon looked down at the picture taking it in his hands. He remembered the day so clearly. It was the first time that he was sure that his father was unequivocally proud of him, "It is."

"You look like him. You have the same chin," Bonnie commented.

Damon shrugged, "That's what my mother says," he placed the picture back onto the shelf.

"When did he pass away?" Bonnie asked.

"Uh…a couple of years ago. Heart attack. It was uh…sudden," Damon rubbed the back of his neck indicating his uncomfortableness over the subject, "I was in New York, I didn't make it home in time," he remarked regrettably.

"Wow…I'm sure he knew how much you loved him," Bonnie stated quietly.

Damon looked at her with a small smirk, "That's nice of you to say Bon, but me and ole Giuseppe were less than friends."

"That's right, you were father and son and sometimes it's a rough road, but the love is always there. No matter what. Family is always the one consistent thing in anyone's life," Bonnie looked over at a picture with Damon and Lily.

Her last words solidified it, Bonnie Bennett was an amazing woman and it was no wonder that the Marcel guy was doing whatever he had to in order to make her his girlfriend. If he were a better man, a better boyfriend, he would pursue her—but he couldn't. She deserved better than him.

"Damon, you ok?" she asked bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, yes…you ready to go. I want to make good on my promise not to kidnap you," he straightened up.

"Umm…I guess," Bonnie asked a little thrown by Damon's change in tone.

"Well let's get you home, I don't want to be blamed for keeping you out this late," Damon picked up his keys from the table and made his way to the front door opening it.

Confused Bonnie raised an eyebrow before heading over to the door, taking a glimpse of Sandy who looked up at them for a moment and then quickly went back to sleep. Bonnie walked out towards Damon's Camaro and he opened the door for her. His attention was unfocused as if she had said something wrong—only she had no idea what she said. Damon pulled out of his driveway without one word uttered between them.

As Damon drove along the expressway back towards Bonnie's townhome, she stole glances at him. He stared straight ahead without a sideways glance at her. Her brain replayed their conversation in the house searching for the words, the sentence that she said to bring about this change. She only wanted to make him feel better about not being there when his dad died. It was weird. Damon was always warm and open with her, even when she was playing a mean trick on him (their first meeting) or snapping at him (the night that he met Bianca for the first time). Now? He was different and it happened within seconds.

The sound of pop tunes playing over the radio was the only thing that filled the air. Bonnie sat back in the passenger seat with her arms crossed staring at Damon. He being a moody son of a bitch was annoying her at the moment. Even though he had a face that looked like he belonged in movies or on magazine covers and normally his personality was one that made a girl blush, laugh and gasp all in the same moment—he was annoying the shit out of her at the moment.

"You have reached your destination," Navigation Samantha announced as Damon stopped on Bonnie's tree lined street.

"It was a good night, they raised a lot of money for the kids," Damon commented.

The look she delivered at him was enough to wither a flower, "Thanks for the ride home, Damon," she rolled her eyes before getting out of the car. It took everything within her not to slam the door. She stomped up her stairs and she refused to turn him around and give him anything. Whatever stupid crush that she developed over the last couple of months was non-existent now.

"Bonnie," Damon stated from the bottom of the stairs.

She rolled her eyes and turned to face him, "What Damon?"

He shook his head and walked up the stairs towards her. He was wearing a smile that almost made her anger melt away, "Are you mad at me?" he gave her a smirky smile.

Pursing her lips, she answered, "No."

He moved closer, "Sorry for switching up back there…"

"Oh really, so you realized that you were being a meanie?" Bonnie teased.

He chuckled, "Sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"Right."

He leaned over placing his hands on her bare arms sending tingles up and down her arms, "I was thinking about my dad and I don't do it often, so it just affected me. I'm sorry."

"You better be."

"Come here," he held out his arms allowing her to go into them. He wrapped her in a hug, while she wrapped her arms around him. His embrace was tight and Bonnie inhaled the smell of his cologne. It was woodsy and intoxicating all at the same time. She leaned in to fully enjoy the scent and her lips brushed the exposed skin on his neck. It was light and only lasted a few seconds, but it still happened. She felt Damon tighten his hold on her and suddenly, it was as if, a part of her brain—the part that told her that they were just friends—shut off and her lips found their way to his neck for a few more moments, long moments, moments that consisted of her sucking his neck.

His hold on her increased as he moved his head to look down at her. He said nothing before removing his arms from around her and she almost whimpered at the slight coldness that she felt, but then he placed his hands on her cheeks and looked into her eyes, almost stealing every bit of self control she had at that moment.

That's when a choice was made. The choice of two best friends and that choice was one that they could regret, but didn't spend one moment contemplated what it could mean past this moment. Damon gazed at her in the moonlight for a few moments, before turning his head slightly and placing a slow, soft kiss on her cheek, "You looked beautiful tonight," he whispered in her ear before letting her go. The heat from his body and his scent still lingered on her as she looked back at him almost shell shocked. Damon nodded with a smile and then headed down the stairs of her brownstone, leaving Bonnie completely and utterly hornier than she had ever been in her life—but even with that, she couldn't leave the spot that she was frozen in.

Well…well…well…Bonnie and Damon almost crossed the line, how long can they keep this up?

Marcel doesn't want to be counted out, so how will Bonnie did with that?

The reopening and Revel and the new club will bring some revelations and unexpected actions.

Sabine is a ticking time bomb…when will she decide to explode?