A/N: It's my longest chapter to date, I just had so much I wanted to get in and the end of the chapter sort of took on a life of its own. I do love the holidays and at this time of year, Thanksgiving takes top billing. I'm a week late, but here's the Danger gang's turkey dinner. Warning, there's an extra citrusy post-dessert treat for all of ya! Enjoy!!
Beta'd by the fantastic chisaii-kitty, any remaining mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris owns most of them but Alan Ball owns Daphne and Jessica.
The next week flew by in the blink of an eye. Eric and Sookie had developed a comfortable pattern while spending time together. They would meet at the gym every morning at ten o'clock to work out together. With Sookie's gentle guidance, Eric found himself in the weight room, trying to get back in the shape he was before apathy ruined his physique. After separate showers in the locker rooms, the couple would get lunch together, occasionally accompanied by Amelia or other friends from the gym. They would then venture back to his home to spend the afternoon together.
They would sometimes watch television while talking, sharing more details of their lives. Other times, they would just enjoy each other's company with Sookie snuggled in Eric's lap while he wrote. No matter what they found themselves doing over the course of the day, kissing was definitely part of the plan. Neither could get enough of the taste of the other's lips. Whether they were talking or sharing comfortable silence, they could feel the fledgling relationship growing every day.
Thanksgiving was soon upon them and Sookie was over bright and early to start prepping the meal. Without fail, by nine everyone was in the apartment, excited for the start of the parade. Pam and Amelia looked very cozy in their greeting. It was obvious to Eric that his relationship wasn't the only one getting deeper. Jason, Crystal, Hoyt, and Jessica arrived together letting everyone know that Sam would be there soon with his date. Sookie was excited to see her boss and friend enter with one of the new waitresses she had hired, Daphne. The girl might have been dumb as a bag of rocks, but she was sweet and a good match for Sam. Tray was the last to arrive and looked a little dejected at how comfortable Pam was sitting with Amelia. It seemed he didn't like to share as much as Amelia had hoped.
It was hard to believe that everyone in the room was over the age of twenty-five, let alone over the age of six. They were discussing their favorite balloons, arguing over which was the best. Considering the mild temperature, the friends found themselves on the balcony to watch the bands and floats go by. Every now and then, someone would wander back in the house to check on the turkey or start preparations on one of the many side dishes. As the parade began to draw to a close, Eric sensed a change in Sookie. She was nearly bouncing with excitement as the crowd's cheers grew louder.
"Sook, are you okay?"
She blushed when she realized she was caught. She couldn't think of a mature way to express her feelings but luckily Jason was more than happy to do so for her, "She's spazzing out because every year Santa closes the parade. Sookie's a little kid when it comes to seeing Santa. She drags my ass to the mall every year to get our photo taken with him."
She wanted to bury her head in her hands to hide her embarrassment, but hesitated from doing it so she wouldn't miss her favorite part of the parade. Eric held her a little closer, placing a reassuring kiss on her temple, whispering in her ear so only she could hear "Don't worry, dear one, I love all things Christmas too. I won't think any less of you if you freak out when he passes below us."
With that, she took her place back at the edge of the balcony, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she looked north up Central Park West for the jolly one's arrival. As soon as the majestic sleigh was in sight, she shouted, "Santa's here!"
Never was she more glad to be surrounded by friends, as in addition to laughing at her, they joined her in waving down to him, cheering over the roar of the crowd. Eric saw out of the corner of his eye even Pam cracked an amused smile when the float went by. As Santa marked the end of the event, they made their way back inside to begin setting up the dining area for the highly anticipated meal.
During the preparations in the days before the meal, Eric and Pam had done a little shopping to help get everything ready. In a rage during the first few days without Felicia, Eric had destroyed most of the items around the house that reminded him of her. This long list included their dishes, many kitchen appliances, Felicia's favorite linens; he even managed to tear apart their mattress with the kitchen knives. Some pieces had been replaced quicker than others, but Eric found his cabinets without anything proper to serve guests on. Pam had remedied everything within a few hours, she was a beast when it came to shopping and was more than happy to make all major decisions on patterns and brands for him. She was superb at spending other people's money.
Over the next few hours, the table had been set and decorated beautifully with candles and other finishing touches that set the festive mood. By four o'clock, the long table was covered completely with food and was surrounded by good friends who acted as family today. Before the start of the meal, Sookie insisted everyone share what they were thankful for this year. To get everyone in the mindset, she opted to start.
"I'm thankful for having all of you in my life and a good man who puts up with my crap at my side. When Gran first passed away, I was terrified to realize that the only family I had left was Jason. I realized how wrong I was when I felt how close we all had grown. My life feels complete once again, and it's all because of you guys." She tried to fight the tears that were threatening to spill and gladly looked to Jason to chime in next to take the attention off of her.
"I'm thankful for good friends and for having a good financial year. I'm very happy to be back in the black once again, completely debt free."
This tradition went around the table, some making heartfelt remarks as Sookie had, but others had opted to go different route. Pam had been thankful for her Christian Louboutins and Amelia's tongue. After the laughter died down it was left to Eric to make the closing remarks.
"I'm thankful for every second chance that has been granted to me in the last few weeks, plus a few third chances. I'm thankful to once again be able to say I have friends in my life, as well as someone who I care for and who inspires me every day."
Eric and Sookie's eyes met and the depth of emotion felt in that moment was not missed by either of them. Their silent exchange voiced everything that needed to be said. Jason was quick to end the silence by saying grace and ended with, "Let's dig in!"
The table was full of everything you could possibly imagine; a beautifully carved turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green beans almandine, corn bread, and several bottles of wine. Serving dishes were being passed around the table, with requests being shouted to either end for the next plate to be sent down. They ate in silence for a while, simply enjoying the great bounty of food placed before them. Eventually several conversations had broken out around the table. Eric was glad not to be the new person at the table, as Daphne took her turn in getting grilled. He was sure to pass her a glance that said 'been there, done that'.
As the eating began to wind down, Eric felt Sookie reaching for his hand under the table. Their fingers intertwined, and he pulled her chair a little closer to his own. He took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her, trying again to master the gesture that almost cost him everything. She curled into his side in response, tucking in perfectly with the lines of his body. The conversation around her started to hum gently into the background as she felt her eyes slowly shutting. Eric's soothing hand ran effortlessly along her side, lulling her deeper in to sleep. He felt her breathing even out and smiled down at his tuckered out chef.
"Cooking all this for us tired her out."
Sitting opposite them at the table, Jason was the first to notice Sookie had checked out. "Nah, she lives for cooking marathons like this. She's just tired from waiting up for Santa."
Letting Sookie take a break and leaving Eric to act as her pillow, the rest of the guests began clearing the table of dirty dishes and leftovers. Some milled about in the kitchen, but most of the guests had found their way to the couch to watch the game. Jason was soon flipping through the channels to watch as many at once, much to the dismay of his collected friends.
Despite all the activity in his home, he was blissfully ignorant of all of it. The apartment could have been burning down around him, but all he was focused on was the joy he felt at having Sookie asleep in his arms. Her gentle breathing was hot against his neck and her small fingers were gripping the front of his shirt. He allowed himself to get lost in the moment, eyes shut, as he fantasized about having her in his arms like this again and again. Nothing in his mind was sexual; he wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up with her, a mess of limbs and blond hair, tucked away where no one could bother them.
As if the room could read his thoughts, a sudden mass of shouting roused him from his thoughts and Sookie from her slumber. It appeared as though some team scored and everyone was happy. Sookie on the other hand was horrified. She tried to jump out of Eric's arms, but he was stronger and held her tightly in place. No one was taking her from him today.
"I can't believe I fell asleep during dinner! I should be helping clean up, or setting up dessert or something."
"The only thing you have to do right now is calm down and relax. You prepared all of this basically by yourself, you deserve a break. Everything is being handled so please just stay here with me."
A glance around the room confirmed what Eric was telling her. Dessert was being taken care of and the first few cakes were already on the table. Everyone was happy and no one needed anything from her. She looked up at Eric as she tried to find a new comfortable position.
"I'm sorry about that. My gran raised me to be a proper hostess, not to make your guests want for anything. I just was worried I let someone down."
"Well if that's the case, I'm the one at fault. You are all my guests, after all, and I'm just as curled up as you are. Why don't we just let someone else play host today and stay here together? They'll all be back at the table soon for dessert anyway."
Within a matter of minutes, the table had been reset by Amelia and Crystal's expert hands and a fine spread lay before them. Cakes and pies of a few different varieties, along with a tray of cookies and brownies, were tempting everyone from the couch. As soon as Daphne set the coffee pot down, there was a mass exodus of the living room back to the table to dig in. Every trace of chocolate and pastry was soon wiped from the table, the only evidence of the final course being the crumbs and serving utensils. Night had descended on the city and everyone sat around the table in a post-turkey coma. Sam was the first one up, "Daphne and I are going to head out. I decided to open the bar up tonight for a few hours."
Eric questioned this move, "People go out to a bar after Thanksgiving dinner?"
Sookie answered him with a laugh, "You'd be amazed at how many people want nothing more than to drink themselves stupid after a family gathering. Sam, you need any more help or can you and Daphne can handle it all?"
"Nah, we got it. Lafayette's meeting us there in a bit. We should be able to take care of it. If I need anything I'll be sure to call you. You were the only one to get a nap in today."
The newest couple left with a round of hugs and kisses. Hoyt and Jessica were the next to go, even on Thanksgiving the curtain would be going up. The rest of the group debated moving their gathering to the bar. This idea was quickly shot down when they realized no one wanted to move from the table let along across town. Taking their cue from the other guests, Amelia was the next to voice her intended departure.
"Pam and I are going to head back to her place. I don't think I need to say what we plan on doing." Their good byes were met with hoots and a few winks. Just as they were about to walk through the door, Pam turned back to the group. "Tray, you sure you don't want to join us?"
Tray sat for a moment, deep in contemplation. "Aw, what the hell, I'm in."
He ran from the table with a wave, leaving only Jason, Crystal, Sookie and Eric. Sookie shot her brother a look that made it clear she was hoping he would be gone soon too. This was not lost on Jason, who after a big hug for his little sister was out the door, date in tow. Eric stood to stretch, realizing he had been sitting at the table since the meal first started. He and Sookie began to clear the remnants of dessert from the table, stealing glances full of desire from across the table. They worked in tandem to clean the dishes that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher, and after some work, the kitchen and dining room were once again spotless.
Sookie went with Eric for a casual stroll through the park with Clancy to work off the full feeling that lingered after dinner. From the outside, they appeared to be a couple with years of experience on their side, not one that had only known each other less than two weeks. The walk was quickly over, since as night came around the city, it brought a chill to the air that had not been present during the day.
Back inside, they quickly looked for a way to warm up from the unexpected cold. They settled into the couch, wrapped under a warm blanket watching whatever old movie they both recognized. Within a matter of minutes, the movie was long forgotten as the couple got lost in each other. Sookie crawled into Eric's lap, straddling his legs and reaching up to kiss his face. She placed delicate kisses on each of his cheeks before he captured her lips with his in a sweet embrace. It was neither innocent nor rough, just enough pressure and passion to stir something inside them both.
Sookie felt moisture pooling between her legs as her hips began to move subconsciously, finding Eric as aroused as she was. Their kissing was getting more passionate, fingers gripping hair, arms pulling warm bodies tighter together. Eric was the first to break contact, stilling her hips with his hands.
"What happened, did I do something wrong?" Sookie asked, her voice full of concern.
"Nothing wrong, it's just that we agreed to go slow and things were starting to move a little too fast."
"I'm sorry; I guess I just got lost in the moment. It just feels too good to be this close to you." She took the chance to move closer to him, molding her body to his, pressing her full breasts firmly against him. Her lips found their way up his neck to his ear where she whispered, "I just want to make you feel good."
His head rolled back against the couch, his eyes closed as a moan was pulled from somewhere deep in his chest. His hands clenched on her hips. "It's been a long time for me, Sookie. I don't thinkā¦"
"Stop thinking so much. Don't you want to feel good?"
"Yes, more than anything right now, but don't you think it's too quick?"
"I'm not proposing a night of kinky sex, Eric. I just want to explore your body a little bit more with a little less clothing. If it makes you feel better, I can keep my clothes on the whole time."
In their time spent getting to know each other, clothing had stayed on. While he had entertained ideas of what he would like to do with Sookie, he never gave them much weight. He was dead set on taking things slow, making sure everything was right for their first time together. She wasn't suggesting sex, but he wondered what ideas were playing in her mind.
As if she sensed his confusion, she took his hand and placed a kiss in the center of his palm. She worked her way with kisses towards his fingertips. When she reached her destination, she took his entire first finger in her mouth, sucking on it eagerly. His hips bucked forward in response, and she took this as her green light.
She pulled his shirt over his head, taking a moment to study the lines of his chest. She started kissing his neck again, alternating between open mouthed kisses and playful nips with her teeth. As she moved down to his shoulders, he pulled her shirt off, craving the feel of her against him. He moaned at the first touch of her hot flesh. The lace of her bra was rubbing down his chest as she worked on covering every inch of his torso with her mouth. The different textures of smooth skin and rough lace were working him into a frenzy. He couldn't say no now even if he wanted to, but not one aspect of his being wanted to. His mind, heart, and cock were all in agreement for the first time in years; they all wanted Sookie.
She worked her way down to the waistband of his pants, easily undoing the belt that interfered in her journey. The button and zipper were the next in her path and she undid them with similar ease. Pulling his pants and boxers down his hips a gasp of shock left her mouth. She eyed his manhood in front of her and licked her lips in greedy anticipation. She had only seen two men naked in her lifetime and both paled in comparison to Eric. She wondered if she would even be able to fit its entire length in her mouth at once.
She settled between his legs, pulling the blanket with her and placing it under her knees for padding. She licked him from base to tip at a pace that was excruciatingly slow. As she finally reached the tip, she wrapped her lips around the head of his member and sucked gently, savoring the taste of the liquid that gathered there. Eric moaned as her hot mouth encased him, another ripped from his lips as she slid down his length. She repeated the motion several times, before bringing her hand to his base to stroke what she could not reach with her mouth. She found a slow, steady rhythm and her hand worked in perfect pace with her mouth.
He couldn't take his eyes of the angel between his legs. Her full lips around his cock was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. As she sensed him watching, her eyes looked up at him without missing a beat and met his gaze. He brought a hand to her head and let her silken hair fall through his fingers. He gently found a handful and followed her bobbing; letting her set the pace, just happy to have another point of contact with her.
He could feel his release building. It had been a long time since he felt the touch of a woman and feared he wouldn't last long. He dug the fingers of his other hand into the couch in an effort to fight the burning that was growing within him.
Sookie could feel him pulsing slowly in her mouth, could hear his breathing get shallow and his moans getting louder. He was saying something completely indecipherable; a language she could only assume was his native tongue. She broke contact with her mouth, "It's okay, come for me. I want to taste you." She returned to her ministrations, doubling their effort in the desire to bring him over the edge.
As her hand tightened around him, he screamed out, "Oh God, Sookie," and came undone. He felt his orgasm rip through him, lighting every nerve ending on fire as he came inside her mouth. She swallowed every drop he had to give her, releasing him from her mouth when he finished. She helped him fix his pants back into place before returning back up his body, molding herself to his side. His head was resting against the couch, eyes closed as he willed his breathing to return to normal.
His eyes opened a crack and connected with hers, a playful smile gracing her lips. "That was amazing. Thank you."
"No need to thank me. I've wanted to do that since our first day in the diner. Oh, jeez, did I say that out loud?"
She buried her face in his shoulder. He pried her away, finding her lips in a soft kiss. "After what you just did, now you chose to be embarrassed?"
He flipped their position so she was lying down on the couch, with him on top of her supporting most of his own weight. Her act of boldness had inspired his own. Their mutual desire was obvious and if she was willing to take the step she had, she surely wouldn't mind him returning the favor. His lips found her ear, and the delicate place right behind it where it met her neck. He had learned she loved to be kissed in that place. "I'd love to reciprocate, to take the chance to get better acquainted with every inch of you."
She moaned and arched her body into his so every available area of skin was touching. He returned the attention she had paid to his neck, loving every moan and gasp it pulled from her. He moved his hands to caress the skin of her sides, tracing from the waistband of her pants up to the strap of her bra along her ribs. She shuddered under his delicate touch, and moaned as he repeated the motion with a greater amount of pressure. He palmed her breasts over the fabric of her bra, fumbling slightly with the clasp due to his lack of practice. Within seconds, he had it off and gently pulled it away from her revealing her breasts.
Every instinct in her mind told her to cover herself out of modesty, but her prior actions pulled her far in the opposite direction. She also worried if she moved to cover her body, it would hurt Eric's ego or feelings. She quieted her mind so she could take her own advice to just enjoy the feeling and get lost in the moment. The feel of Eric's lips on her skin was setting her ablaze. As soon as his lips wrapped around her nipple, all traces of modesty and ladylike behavior went out the window. She gave in to the feeling, moaning loudly, begging for more. Her wanton actions spurred Eric on his exploration. He lavished the same attention on her right breast as he had her left, licking and sucking until the nipple had pebbled tightly. He worked farther south, kissing along her ribs following the same path his hands had created before.
He looked up to her for a sign to continue. "More, Sookie?"
"Please, for the love of all that is good, don't stop. I need to feel you on me."
That was all the encouragement he needed. He flicked the button of her jeans open, pulling the zipper down slowly. He helped her stand so he could pull the offending garment down past her hips and the curve of her legs. He had her sit back down on the couch and situated himself between her legs, reversing their earlier position. He kissed along the inside of her leg from knee to the crux of her legs, only to stop dangerously close to the line of lace created by her panties. He repeated his trail on her other leg, starting this time at her ankle to increase the anticipation. His decision was rewarded with another phrase of encouragement from Sookie, "Please, Eric, touch me. I need to feel you on me, in me."
As soon as the words left her mouth, her underwear joined the rest of her clothes in a pile on the floor. He inhaled the scent that was distinctly Sookie. He placed one leg over his shoulder, spreading her legs before him, opening up her most intimate of places to his touch. Her hands found their way to his hair, grabbing tightly, urging him towards her center. She was not being as gentle as he had when she was in his position. She needed him and was not afraid to show him how great her need was.
Her whole world stopped the minute his tongue touched her clit. All she could feel, could think, was centered around him. He was thankful for his neighbors and their level of deafness, as he had no one else to worry about hearing the moans and screams he drew from her. They were all for him, and he drank them in, using them to fuel his movements. He inserted a long finger inside her, working it in sync with his tongue on her nub. As a second finger found its way to her core, he angled it just right to rub along her G-spot and had her trembling in his hands. He stroked her, alternating his pace's speed to build her growing desire. Every time he slowed his touch, her hips would buck wildly, begging for more. Each time, he was happy to indulge her.
He used her own words against her, "Come for me, Sookie. Just let go and come for me." The fire that was brewing in her belly spread to every inch of her body as the orgasm began. He refused to stop what he was doing and soon a second, and then third orgasm washed over her, leaving her a trembling mess.
He sat back on the couch, pulling her still shaking form into his lap, stroking her hair and placing small kisses on her temple and every other inch of her face he could reach. They sat like that, lost in their own post-coital haze for what felt like hours. Fingers continued their journey across each other's skin, both partners craving as much contact as possible.
Sookie forced herself to be the voice of reason. "It's getting late, I should be heading home. Unless I could spend the night here?"
Eric considered her question. Could he share his bed with another woman? Should this even be taking so much thought to come to a decision? He did enjoy having her sleeping in his arms at the dinner table. After the intimate acts they had just performed, sharing a bed should be easy and wanted. She sensed his hesitation.
"I don't have to stay, Eric. If that isn't a step you're ready for, then it's not one we should make. There's a big difference between a blow job and sleeping together. I shouldn't have even asked."
"No, you shouldn't feel bad for asking; it's a fair request. I just don't think I could share my bed that easily. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Spending the night with each other is a big deal. It was just the part of my brain temporarily killed off by those orgasms speaking."
She placed another searing kiss to his lips before she stood up and started to get dressed again. He threw his shirt back on, and walked her to the door. Before she left, he said to her, "I'm getting there, Sookie, be patient with me. Just know that someday soon, I will take you in that bed all night without a moment's reprieve. You will fall asleep in my arms and wake to my lips against yours. But not a moment before we're both ready."
She shivered at the imagery in his words, knowing they were promises he intended to keep. "Just make sure I'm the first person to know when you're ready, because I'm letting you know now, I'm ready."
He smiled, loving the bold streak she showed today. "Well then, we're just waiting on me. Patience is a virtue, dear one. It will pay off in the end."
He closed the door behind her, sliding down its length to sit on the floor. Clancy ran over to him and began licking his face. "She's special, isn't she, boy? I hope you like her as much as I do, because I have the feeling she's going to be sticking around a while."
A/N 2: Wowza, that's a big step for our little Eric! What do with think of Bold Sookie and Hesitant Eric? I'm liking the role reversal, it's not something I see very often in fanfiction. I think it fits well with the AU world I've created with these characters. I like a bold streak in my Sookie, hope you feel the same way since she's sticking around. Keep posted for the next installment! Love you guys!
