Chapter 5: Going for It
Elena snuck over to the boarding house as quietly as possible. She had managed to slip past Alaric, who was sleeping peacefully on the couch, without waking him.
Once she got to the boarding house, she found Damon in his usual spot; by the bourbon with a glass in hand.
"Evening, Elena. What brings you here? Find that you can't resist my charms?" He smirked as he took a sip of his drink.
She looked around cautiously as if expecting to see someone. He noticed her looking around and knew who she was looking for, which annoyed him more. As it was, he was still pretty pissed from Stefan earlier and didn't feel like having his heart torn out by Elena now.
"Expecting someone else?" He asked sharply.
Elena inwardly flinched from his tone, but said, "No, I wanted to talk to you. Is he here?"
"Nope." He said, popping the "p." "I told him to leave."
"What? You did? And just like that he left?" She asked; surprised.
"Gee, Elena, sorry if I made your little psycho boyfriend leave. I actually did it because it was for the best. Now, if you're only here to see him, or talk about him, then I've got better things to do. I'm not here to play your second best," he snapped and moved brusquely past her.
"Dammit, Damon! Why do you always have to be this way and make me choose? I can't make decisions at the drop of a hat!" She hissed.
He gave her a cold look. "Because you can't have your cake and eat it too. I'm not here to be your back-up boyfriend. You're either with me all the way or not at all, so make up your mind, Katherine."
She blanched when he spat her doppelganger's name at her and watched him turn to leave; stunned. Her mind screamed, 'Go after him! What are you waiting for?'
When Damon reached the front door, Elena sprang into action and raced after him. She grasped his arm when she reached him; which caused him to turn and look at her hand on his arm.
"Wait! I came here to talk to you, not to see Stefan. He's not my boyfriend anymore! I wanted to make sure that he wasn't here. If he's gone, then I'm glad, because that'll make everything easier," she said.
Damon angrily interrupted, "You can only make your decision based on whether or not he's here? What, your golden boy's absence makes it easier for you to decide? Well, thanks for that, Elena! So glad I can be here as your back up plan!" Then he forcefully shook himself free of her grasp. "Get out of my sight! You really are too much like your doppelganger, you know that?"
Elena bit back a sob, "Would you just let me tell you how I feel? That came out badly and I didn't mean for it to sound that way."
"Well, guess what? It did! You know what they say? Your first instinct is usually correct. Guess you never thought I could be anything more to you. Well, fuck you, Elena!" His eyes glistening with anger, hurt and rejection.
Elena felt like the biggest bitch on the planet. She hurt him and never meant to. Maybe he was right and she really was a lot like Katherine. Another cold, manipulative bitch.
"Well, fuck you too, Damon! I came here to see if you really meant what you said and wanted to be with me. I don't want you as a back up! I want you for you! You were always there for me, always protecting me, and always willing to do anything for me and I was blind! I was blind and stupid! Now, I've gone and fucked things up like I said I would, so I guess I'll go," she said and went to leave.
Damon grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall, closing the door in the same motion and before she could react, he brought his mouth down on hers in a fierce kiss. His mouth branded hers passionately, possessing her thoroughly. She had stiffened at first, but then melted into his embrace, running her fingers up into his black hair and gripping it.
His urgent, passionate kiss had her body reacting to his like quick fire, turning her into putty. Her hands urgently ripped open his shirt and ran along his hardened chest, down his abs and worked their way to the button of his jeans.
As her hands reached his button, he stopped her and pulled away gasping. "No. No, Elena. I don't want our first time to be like this; angry and desperate. That's not how I want you. Believe me, I do want you, just not like this," he breathed and adjusted his shirt.
"Maybe that's how I want you," she moaned as she ground herself up against him. He hissed in pleasure. Surely she was going to be the death of him, but he didn't want it to be like this with her. It was too Katherine like.
He pulled away from her, against his eager groin's protests, and cupped her face. "Elena, if we indulge right now, it will be because we're both angry and hurt. You, because of my ass of a brother, and me, well, let's leave that one for now. What I'm trying to say is that I don't want this to be some grudge fuck. It would feel too much like sloppy seconds and I don't want that with you. You wouldn't want that either, believe me."
She calmed down and nodded. "You're right. We don't want to rush into things and end anything before it even had a chance to begin."
"Okay. Now let's go out," he suggested, holding out his hand to her. She nodded and took it.
They went to the Grill for dinner because Damon wanted her to cut loose and have some fun for a change. While they waited for their food to come, Elena saw Caroline and Tyler come in.
"Ungh," Elena groaned, bowing her head down. "Maybe we should've gone out of town."
"Why?" Damon asked defensively. "You're not already having second thoughts are you?" Then he turned and saw Tyler and Caroline heading their way. "Oh, I get it! You want to be with me, but just not in front of your friends!"
Elena saw his gaze harden, so she put her hand on his and said, "No, that's not it at all. I just don't want the Spanish Inquisition about how you are in bed."
Just as Elena said that, they noticed Tyler and Caroline standing by their table with their brows raised and shocked expressions on their faces.
"Ooh, looks like we came just at the right time, Car. They're talking about my favorite subject; SEX!" Tyler mused and took a seat.
Caroline looked at Elena's stricken face, sat across from Tyler and asked her, "So, Lena, you switched Salvatores? Well, at least this one's stacking way more meat!"
Damon, who had been taking a sip of his bourbon, spewed it out on the floor when he heard what Caroline said. Elena blushed furiously and Tyler began laughing raucously.
"As much as I appreciate the praise, Barbie, aren't you worrying about offending Wolf Boy here?" Damon asked.
"Oh, I have no complaints from Tyler, and he knows it. I like my men VERY endowed," Caroline looked at him and grinned.
Damon smirked at her and Tyler cleared his throat bringing Caroline's attention back to him. Then Tyler said, "Well, as interesting as Vamp sex is, I think we should order something, don't you think, Car?"
"Wha...oh, yeah. Right. Good idea," Caroline said bringing her eyes back to her date.
By this point, Elena looked so embarrassed and Damon reached across the table to take hold of her hand. She looked up at him and gave a little smile. She was beyond relieved when their burgers arrived then. She could now eat and avoid Caroline's rapid-fire questioning. At the moment, Caroline was occupied ordering food with Tyler, so she took the opportunity to stuff some fries in her mouth to avoid any questions once the waiter was gone.
Damon raised a brow when he saw Elena shovel the fries in her mouth like she was starving. "What's the hurry? You might want to slow down a little or you're going to choke."
"No, that will be later when she's going down on you," Caroline giggled.
Then, in earnest, Elena did start choking and Damon sprang up to help her. Once he managed to help her clear her throat of the fries, they sat down. Elena turned to Caroline and said, "God, Caroline! Are you trying to kill me? Don't say things like that when I'm eating," Elena gasped.
"I'm sorry, Lena. I couldn't help that one. I promise, I'll behave."
"That'll be the day," Tyler mused as he swiped one of Damon's fries.
"Hey, Hybrid! Wait for your own!" Damon said.
"Sorry, man. My bad. I'm just hungry." Tyler said. Then asked, "So, are you and Elena and item now?"
Damon and Elena exchanged a glance and answered, "Yes."
"Thank God! The way you two looked at each other, the whole room would fill with sexual tension thick enough to cut! And if anyone else was around to see it, the effects would make them want to take a cold shower!"
Now it was Damon's turn to look embarrassed. Then Caroline added, "God! It was SO obvious that you two had the hots for each other! God, even when you were with Stefan you would think of Damon. At our last sleepover, you were having one HELL of a sexy dream because you were moaning Damon's name over and over."
Elena's eyes grew as wide as saucers and she cried, "Caroline! Do you mind?"
"Oh, I don't. Do tell, Barbie," Damon said, clearly very amused by this.
"You're not helping, Damon," Elena warned.
Damon and Tyler began laughing then and they were rewarded with a sharp glare from Elena. She thought that Tyler looked beyond amused and Damon too smug.
"God, you all just SUCK," Elena said as she reached for her burger.
"Well, we all are…," Damon began but was hit by some of Elena's fries. Then they all laughed.
Elena had to admit; this was the first time in a long time that she had fun and laughed like this. For the longest time she didn't think she could ever relax again because she was always running from someone or something. Now, here she was, with two of her friends, and her…boyfriend. Wow, that was different to say, but she knew that it felt more right than it had when she was with Stefan.
Stefan was too serious and what she needed after her parents died. She needed someone to be her rock and ground her, but then that became too smothering. With Damon, she could be herself again and she liked that. She noticed that when Damon took her to Georgia with him that time. Why the hell didn't she do anything about it then? 'Well,' her mind said, 'I'm planning on rectifying that now.'