I dedicate this chapter to everyone who has stuck with me for this long and supported me in my writing. Your rave reviews are sometimes all that can keep me going and are the reason why I strive so hard to update this story every week. So to all of you aspiring writers and loyal readers, this one's for you!
Special Dedications go out to:
Dom for "Black Lemons" and "Just the Way You Are" b/c I freaking love those stories and check my Blackberry every day for updates
BadBoysAreBest for the hot D/E lemon in Chapter 12 of "Memory Serves"
Jenna (Angel's Blue Eyed Girl) for "Aftershocks", "Fool for Love", and "The Auction". If ever there was a lemon writer who inspired me to start writing my own again, you'd be at the top of the list my dear ;)
Meg (LovexAndxFate) for so many wonderful reviews this weekend.
Love Me Some Julian for all the wonderful words of praise. I may not be a professional writer yet, but I'm starting to consider it a possibility someday. Sorry that FF decided to mess with my chapter on you so soon after I posted it. Hope it was worth the extra wait ;)
More dedications will go out in the next chapter, depending on reviews and/or steamy lemons I get to read :) Love you all!
Disclaimer: If I owned Vampire Diaries, we would have a new episode tonight to watch. Since I don't, this will have to do ;)
Warning: The following hot chapter contains fogged up windows, and naughty fun times. Side effects may include hot flashes, excessive fantasizing, and an insatiable need for your lover that leaves them thoroughly exhausted (but very happy!); especially if combined with the imagery from the last chapter. Enjoy at your own risk ;)
Chapter 9: Warming Up
They're both soaked by the time Damon gets them both back to the car.
Elena shivers in her wet clothes, her teeth chattering.
Damon mentally kicks himself for not planning for a possible change in weather. He wishes he'd at least brought a change of clothes for her; it would have been the smart thing to do considering he'd known she was at least going to get the ones she had on a little dirty.
The thin fabric of her shirt is clinging to her like a second skin, her hair is drenched, and her jeans are likely freezing her legs.
The only thing she's wearing that could provide her any real protection from the cold is his leather jacket; the lining will dry quickly, at least.
Damon turns up the heat, wanting to warm the car up a bit to keep her comfortable.
"You should probably get out of those wet clothes before you freeze," he says, concerned for her.
He's worried she'll catch a chill, and since he hasn't a lot of experience with illness he isn't sure if he can handle taking care of her if she does get sick.
What do they even do for a cold these days? Damon doubts the old remedies his mother Lily Salvatore had on hand in 1864 would cut it today.
Elena shakes her head.
"No, I'll be…f…f…f…fine," she stutters.
Damon doubts that, seeing as how she's shivering uncontrollably and her lips are turning blue.
"If you don't take them off, I'll tear them off," he says firmly.
"If y…you want me n…naked all you h…have to do is a…ask," she teases.
Damon rolls his eyes.
Does she really think that's all he ever thinks about?
Well, yes, he did think about her naked and being inside her frequently, but this time that's not his main concern.
"Honestly, Elena! I know you lust after my body, but can you please keep your hormones in check long enough to realize my intentions are entirely honorable this time? I can't have you catching pneumonia or something due to my own stupidity of letting you stay in soaking wet clothes. I don't know the first thing about taking care of a sick human, after all."
"I w…won't…" she tries to protest even though her legs are starting to feel like ice beneath her jeans.
Damon isn't fooled.
"Humor me," he says, moving to take his jacket off her shoulders and drape it over her like a blanket.
She rolls her eyes and starts to peel off her wet things.
Damon frowns as he notices the jacket doesn't cover her as much as he would have liked. Her torso would warm up, but her legs would still likely be an issue.
As she kicks off her jeans, he notices how incredibly red her skin is; almost frost-bitten.
He makes a decision.
He will simply race back to the house at the ranch and ask the owner for a big blanket and perhaps if he's lucky, some dry clothes.
He's certain he'd heard a young woman's voice somewhere on the property earlier; hopefully she has something that will fit Elena.
If not, well then perhaps they have a fireplace or better yet, a dryer. As it is, he doesn't want Elena to warm up only to have to put on wet clothes again.
He knows he can be quick about it and can always compel the people at the ranch if they don't feel like cooperating. Sometimes being a vampire is his greatest asset; especially when it comes to protecting and caring for the woman he loves.
"I want you to curl up under my jacket," he tells her, unable to hide the concern from his voice.
She's still shivering as she brings her bare legs up to her chest.
It worries him and he doesn't like it at all. What if hypothermia sets in or something equally life-threatening?
He turns up the heat as high as it can go before grabbing the wet pile of fabric off the seat and opening the door, ready to rush out into the downpour.
"W…where?" she starts to ask.
"I'll be quick, I promise," he tells her.
He didn't answer her question.
Before she can say anything, he's already shut the door and taken off in a blur of movement.
Elena rubs her legs furiously, trying to get some feeling back into them.
She has no idea where Damon had gone or why he'd decided to leave her when she is naked and huddled underneath his jacket.
The heater is helping to dry her skin and hair a little bit, but cold air is still seeping in from under the soft top of the vehicle; one of the drawbacks to him owning a convertible.
She stares out the window, straining her eyes to see through the rain-soaked glass for any sign of Damon's approaching form.
It's almost as nerve-wracking waiting for him as it had been the last time she'd been in his car during a downpour like this.
Of course, at that time she'd been more concerned about Stefan and saving him from the crazed tomb vampires that had decided to torture him.
She closes her eyes, remembering how she'd run from the car straight to Damon; he'd been just as soaked then as now, and his expression had been that of helplessness.
She'd fought against his hold on her, determined to get into the house, and he'd held her firmly in his arms. He'd cared for her safety even then. Even while he was terrified for his brother, he hadn't wanted to risk losing her.
Elena hadn't been able to see it then; she does now. She sees with such clarity the depths of Damon's love for her; his determination to keep her safe above anyone else, but at the same time remain honest with her.
He doesn't sugar coat things; doesn't lie to protect her.
He knows she can handle whatever truths he gives her, and if he's really that concerned for her health that he would ask her to remain under his jacket while he ran off to get something, then she won't question it; she's too cold to argue with him anyway.
A good ten minutes pass before she hears the door open and slam again as Damon gets back inside. He hands her a warm fleece blanket and she gratefully pulls it up around her, handing him back his jacket.
"Thank you," she says.
Her voice is a lot steadier now that she isn't shivering uncontrollably anymore.
"I managed to get these for you," he says, tossing her a pair of grey sweat pants and a hooded sweatshirt.
"Turns out the guy I thought owned the place was just a manager of sorts. The real owner was kind enough to help us out; didn't even have to compel her."
Damon smiles to himself, amused at how eager the woman had been to assist him.
It was true; he hadn't needed to compel her at all. She'd even offered him a place to wait out the storm. Had Elena not been waiting for him, he probably would have taken full advantage of her generosity and then some.
She had been unabashedly checking him out the entire time he was there; earning him some not-so-friendly looks from her male companion whom he could only assume was either a jealous boyfriend or jealous husband.
She'd fortunately cooled down a bit once Damon mentioned his girlfriend back in the car and had asked for some spare clothes and use of their dryer, holding up Elena's wet things as further proof.
The young woman had flushed considerably, but complied easily enough. She'd even given him a thermos full of hot chocolate; he'd sipped a bit of it to warm his own skin in case he needed to help Elena warm up with some body heat.
Unfortunately, the dryer had decided to go on the fritz. Luckily the lady happily dug out the pair of old sweats and the sweatshirt, saying his girl could keep them since she never wore them anymore.
He'd thanked her, slipping Elena's wet things in a plastic bag and as soon as he was out of sight of the young couple he'd used his vampire speed to get back to the car before the rain got the blanket and clothes too damp.
As Elena's skin begins to warm up under the blanket, she turns her head to look over at Damon.
She can't help herself, really. His tee shirt is clinging to every single inch of his muscular torso, with little beads of moisture collecting on his skin.
His hair is dripping wet, reminding her of how delicious he'd looked earlier in the shower.
He catches her eyeing him hungrily and smirks.
"See something you like?" he teases.
Elena shrugs, deciding to play with him for a bit first.
"What makes you think I was checking you out?" she says nonchalantly.
"Well, you were staring at me with your mouth half-open," he points out.
"I was just wondering how you were planning to dry off," she feigns concern, knowing the cold doesn't affect him.
"Were you, now?" he arches his eyebrow in amusement.
She nods her head, her expression grave.
"Of course," she tells him in her most serious tone. "We wouldn't want you getting sick, after all."
"And what do you propose we do about that?"
Damon asks, deciding he'll play along for now.
A vivid Nurse Elena fantasy suddenly pops into his head and he can't help wondering if she still has that particular Halloween costume. After all, her blood hadn't been the only thing he'd been lusting for that night; that little white outfit had left very little to his imagination and he'd wanted nothing more than to tear it open and take her like an animal.
He really hopes she still has that costume, or at the very least would be willing to let him buy her a new one.
She licks her lips, making her intentions clear as she pulls back the blanket in blatant invitation.
Her nipples are rock hard little pebbles, but Damon doubts it's due to the cold; not if that sweet scent perfuming his car is any indication.
"I think it's best if I warm you up," she purrs. "But first you'll need to strip down for me. We have to get you out of those wet clothes."
Damon smirks, unable to resist teasing her.
"Would you mind turning around first? This show isn't free, you know."
"Nope," she shakes her head. "But if I see anything I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it," she quips.
He can't help laughing at that.
"I see my sarcastic wit has definitely rubbed off on you; I like it!"
Elena rolls her eyes. "Less talk, more stripping."
"Demanding little thing, aren't you?" he says, amusement in his eyes. "Shall I play some stripper music and do a little dance for you too?"
Elena can feel her lips tugging into a naughty smile at the thought of Damon gyrating his hips for her.
"Maybe later," she purrs. "Right now I just want you."
Damon quickly peels off his shirt and tugs at his jeans. He can't exactly say no when she uses a tone like that.
"Whatever my lady commands," he says, finally baring that sinfully erotic body of his once again.
Elena licks her lips hungrily, her finger crooking in a come-hither motion as she pulls the blanket aside enough for him to be able to join her under it.
"Mmmm," she purrs as he snuggles closer, nuzzling into her neck. "That's much better."
Damon chuckles against her skin.
"I would have thought I'd have tired you out by now," he teases.
Elena shakes her head, sighing with pleasure as his lips brush down to her collar bone.
"It's going to take a lot more than that to wear me out," she moans softly.
She lets out a sharp gasp as Damon quickly dips his head lower to capture a nipple in his mouth.
Her hands automatically slide up his back to rake through his hair.
She loves his hair; it's so soft and thick and just the perfect length for her to grasp hold of during their hungry kisses or when he mouths her body like she's his own private dessert buffet.
She holds him to her breast, urging him on with her soft moans and little whimpers.
Before Damon, Elena hadn't realized her nipples could be this sensitive or how powerfully her body could respond to them being stimulated like this.
Stefan had been far too afraid of biting her to put his mouth on her breasts for more than a quick kiss or two, maybe the occasional lick if he was feeling adventurous.
She'd even tried playing with her breasts during her slow explorations of her own body, but hadn't really felt any twinges of pleasure there and had quickly moved on to her go-to hot spots to get herself off when Stefan had failed to satisfy her completely.
It was as if the true secrets to her intense pleasure had been locked away, and only Damon had the master key.
He closes his lips around her nipple, running the tip of his tongue over it in quick flicks. The throbbing ache inside her core flares back to life as he continues to lavish her breasts with attention, driving her out of her mind with need.
"Need you…now…" she whines, her hand reaching down to grasp his already rock hard cock.
She wiggles her hips forward, trying to get closer but it's difficult in the cramped space.
Lucky for her, Damon was no stranger to car sex. He pulls back to help her lie down across the seats, placing her legs up over his shoulders to keep them from cramping up.
With agonizing slowness, he enters her.
She is already slick and hot for him, practically swollen and incredibly tight. Her eyes roll up into her head at the delicious sensation of his thick, rigid length brushing past the tight little ring of nerves.
He sinks deep inside her, drawing out slowly only to push forward again, keeping a slow but steady pace.
Elena thrashes her head from side to side, her hips bucking up to meet his with each thrust.
"So good," she gasps as he angles his hips to stroke against her front wall.
"Oh god!" she cries out. "There…yes, Damon…just like that…don't stop…"
She can feel the delicious tingles starting up in her hands and feet. They spread like wildfire, licking every nerve ending in her body until it's humming with pleasure.
Her inner walls begin to contract around him, gripping him tightly as he drives her over the edge.
She screams his name, her fingers frantically grasping at his arms; nails leaving deep red scratches down from his shoulders to his biceps as he slams into her one last time before joining her in sweet oblivion.
Damon wants nothing more than to remain inside her, enveloped in her warm embrace, but he knows that the current position he has her in makes that all but impossible since the muscles in her legs are beginning to strain from the pressure he's been putting on them.
He places soft kisses there as he slowly brings her legs down off his shoulders and pulls out of her. Some of their combined juices drip out onto the leather seat.
Elena blushes, searching for something to clean herself as she slowly moves to sit up again.
Damon smirks, reaching into his glove compartment to hand her the small package of baby wipes.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you planned this," she says, giving him a pointed look.
"Hey," he protests, "you're the one who keeps seducing me every chance you get; I was just being prepared."
"So you prepared for my inevitable seduction but not for the weather?" she teases.
Damon rolls his eyes.
"Well, I probably wouldn't have been caught off guard if someone hadn't distracted me."
She shoves at him playfully.
"Because it's so easy for a fragile little human girl to distract the Great Damon Salvatore," she rolls her eyes, only half-joking.
"You're hardly fragile, Elena," he points out. "And yes, in your case, it is," he tells her, eyes raking over her delectable little body.
She hadn't bothered to cover up under the blanket, having warmed up considerably from both the heat in the car and their earlier exertions.
"Any man, human or vampire, would have to be blind not to be driven to distraction around you; especially when you decide to turn on the charm."
"I'm not so sure about that," she blushes. "If I was truly that irresistible you would have jumped my bones a long time ago."
"I won't say I wasn't tempted," he smirks. "You have no idea what sorts of naughty fantasies I'd dream up with you as the star."
She crosses her arms provocatively across her breasts.
"And these fantasies had nothing to do with my resemblance to a certain vampire you were obsessed with?" she asks him.
"Nope!" he tells her seriously. "It was all you, baby. You in that hot little cheerleader outfit, or that sexy nurse ensemble you had on for Halloween. That costume inspired plenty of Naughty Nurse fantasies for weeks. Did you not realize how low cut that dress was? I got a really nice view that night…"
She tries to act offended, though she's actually quite flattered that he'd liked what he'd seen.
Stefan hadn't even batted an eye when he'd seen her in her costume; hadn't even shown the slightest indication that he desired her.
Damon on the other hand had just admitted to blatantly checking her out, even though back then he hadn't even liked her that much; or so she thought.
A memory suddenly comes back to her; she'd felt his hand brushing over her face in a lover's caress as she'd slept; only to wake up and find no one was there.
Had it really been a dream, she wondered?
"Damon, there's something I've been wondering about for a while," she tells him seriously.
"Ask me anything you want," he says. "You know I'll always be honest with you."
She licks her lips nervously.
"That night, after you tried to compel me to kiss you…were you in my room?" she asks, eyes searching his.
She'd expected him to look away or to say something sarcastic; he doesn't.
He smiles softly, almost as if recalling a fond memory; and perhaps for him it was.
"Yes," he tells her. "But how did you know?"
"Just a feeling," she shrugs. "Why were you there?"
Damon doesn't know if he should answer her; the truth is that he hadn't even known at the time why he'd gone to visit her.
"I'm not sure," he admits. "I was just sort of drawn to you. At first my only intention was to seduce you to piss off Stefan, but that lasted all of two minutes after I got to know you. I liked you, Elena, in my own twisted way. You made me feel almost human again, and you genuinely seemed to care about me. And that night I really wanted to see you, because I was so sure that if given the chance you could feel more for me. Your relationship with Stefan was still so new, after all, that I figured maybe I could convince you to give me a chance without trying to get inside your head. When I got there, you had already fallen asleep; you were so beautiful, so peaceful…"
He gives her a wry grin. "Plus, you were wearing one of those sexy little camisoles of yours and you know I'm a breast and leg man!"
Elena rolls her eyes. "And the moment's over," she says dryly.
"Were you expecting me to get all mushy and poetic on you?" he scoffs. "Please, that's Stefan's thing, not mine."
"Having feelings doesn't make you weak, Damon. It makes you human."
"Well it looks like our plans have been rained out," he says, staring straight ahead at the windshield where the rain is pounding heavily against the glass. "Guess we'll have to go with Plan B after all."
Elena can tell he's feeling vulnerable again so she lets him change the subject. She would just have to be patient and let him slowly open up to her.
He isn't Stefan; he's spent 145 years pretending he doesn't have any feelings and she knows it's hard for him to deal with those emotions now.
"What was Plan A, you know, aside from taking me out for a ride," she says, winking flirtatiously at the last word.
Damon smirks.
"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise but since the weather is obviously not about to let up anytime soon I might as well tell you. After we returned from our ride, I was planning to stop by a very expensive restaurant, pick up a bunch of little appetizers and desserts, and then take you to the park to enjoy them all."
He looks disappointed, Elena notices; almost like he'd been looking forward to it even more than the little riding lesson.
"You were planning a picnic in the park?" she asks incredulously.
Damon shrugs. "It's a lot less cliché than your standard dinner date."
Elena sighs. "Plan A would have been nice," she says wistfully.
"We can always try again another day," Damon suggests.
Elena sensed it was his way of solidifying his courtship of her without actually having to say anything.
She smiles warmly.
"I'd like that."
Her stomach suddenly makes a gurgling sound indicating she's hungry again and she blushes.
"Guess that's our cue to get dressed and get you something to eat," he teases.
"What about you?" Elena asks, eyes looking deep into his for a moment.
He looks away when he notices the fine veins in her neck are becoming a little too enticing.
"I'll be fine," he says firmly.
Elena shakes her head.
"Damon, you haven't eaten since yesterday, are you sure?"
He can feel her eyes on him and is suddenly desperate for her to cover herself up.
She's offering herself up to him on a silver platter, and it's taking everything he has in him not to accept. She's the woman he loves, not a Happy Meal.
When he does feed on her, it won't be about hunger; it will be about the connection they share.
"Really, Elena, I'll be fine," he smiles reassuringly.
At her skeptical expression he sighs.
"Look, if I'll stop by the local blood bank later if that will make you happy, okay?"
Elena agrees to let it go for now, but can't help feeling disappointed.
She doesn't know why, but his rejection of her offer had stung a little.
She knows it's ridiculous, but part of her is a little jealous that he'd fed off of all those other girls—including Caroline.
Shouldn't he want to feed off her if he cares about her as much as he says he does?
She sighs as she slips into the dry clothes he'd brought her, wondering just how much longer he's going to make her wait before he finally lets her in completely.