So sorry I've taken forever to update recently. I'd love to put out a chapter everyday, but I can't seem to get it right. I guess I'm just picky, so bear with me :)
As always thank you for the reviews, suggestions, etc.
It was wrong, and she knew it, but Elena was more excited to see Damon Salvatore out of his usual scripted, business oriented, surprisingly unique world, than she was to have a pre-wedding honeymoon.
Maybe last week they'd gotten a little too tipsy, but it was an open bar. The Mikaelsons had to have seen that coming.
They'd joked about how his character in Night Stalkers was eerily similar to himself. He'd explained to Elena that even though his track record in relationships, quite frankly, sucked, he figured it was a hell of a lot better than being like his brother – brooding and uninvolved, unless Katherine decided that that day she wanted him. Elena had been surprised that Katherine seemed to switch between the two brothers, but then again, it wasn't any of her business.
They'd discussed Elena's career, and then Damon's, each revealing what exactly it was they wanted. They played twenty questions, each quizzing the other over their dates, who ironically had seemed to disappear. Damon wanted details on the wedding, how much time she had left of what he called the single life, even though she was nowhere near single, and Elena wanted to know about his rendezvous with Katherine, and why she was so dead set on being with him 90% of the time, and Stefan the other 10%.
"She's just like that. Always has been, since Stefan and I met her." He'd begun to explain, but was cut off by the bartender removing his glass. Apparently, they were being placed on a water-only diet for the rest of the night in order for them to "remain professional." No more bourbon, martinis, beer, nothing, but that didn't stop them from having a good time.
It wasn't until the end of the night that Elena met up with Matt again, but the thing she held on to most about that night, eight days prior, were the last words spoken.
Damon had lifted his hand off the small of her back before he returned her to Matt, who was with Katherine walking toward them. That same lop-sided grin played on Damon's lips as she turned back to face him.
"I guess I'll see you next week." She smiled up at him.
"Looking forward to it, Gilbert." He smiled, and looked like he was about to plant a kiss on her when Matt and Katherine stepped into the picture, laughing. Matt slipped his arms around her waist and called his goodbyes over his shoulder as he'd led her out of the building, but for whatever reason she kept her head over her own shoulder as well, her eyes once again, locked into the blue staring back at her.
Now, as she shoved the last of her "vacation clothes" into her suitcase, she was almost giddy.
Matt strolled into the bedroom, ready to haul her bags out to the town car that Katherine had sent to pick them up. "You look awfully excited." He said, kissing her cheek. "I'm glad."
She let him carry the bags downstairs, loading them into the car without a complaint. It was silent as they rode, heading to meet Katherine and Damon, ready to board the private jet that would take them into the Caribbean island.
Forty five minutes later, the car was parked beside a good sized aircraft in the middle of a deserted runway. Nobody was in sight until Matt opened the doors, stepped out, and began unloading.
Elena sat alone in the car for a moment, gathering herself. She wasn't supposed to be excited (or nervous) to see another man. It was only because he was a celebrity, right? She and Matt were ready to jet off to a beautiful island with a pair of celebrities. This wasn't an everyday matter – which is precisely why she was excited. That was it. Her nerves were simply her fear of flying over water. That's all, nothing else.
She watched silently as Damon emerged from the plane, heading straight for Matt.
Elena clutched her purse and opened the car's door, going to help carry the luggage. She hadn't exactly packed light.
Damon tried to contain his smile, "Morning." He said, pulling the last of the bags from the trunk.
"Let me help." Elena said, trying to pry one of the smaller bags from his hands.
"No need." Damon insisted, ignoring her persistent attitude and following Matt up the stairs. A flight attendant of some sort took their bags, storing them elsewhere in the plane, but leaving the smaller carry-on bags for them to deal with.
Katherine was perched in a pillow like seat, sipping coffee and awaiting take off. "Good morning." She smiled. "Ready for St. Barts?"
Matt nodded and looked at Elena. "I think we are."
The place was beautiful. Elena couldn't decide whether it was the blue-green water smacking against the rocks outside the massive windows, the crystal clear pool that also overlooked the ocean, or the impeccable villa that she was most impressed with.
The minute their feet hit the boardwalk to the private retreat, Katherine seemed to disappear, leaving Damon to do her dirty work. Elena silently wondered why he put up with her, but soon remembered Katherine's seductive techniques, and stopped thinking about it. She didn't want to think about Damon with another woman... er, any woman. No, that's not right either. She didn't want to think about Damon naked. That's it. No nudity in regards to Damon Salvatore. She didn't want to think about it, or see it, or...
Matt's voice cut through her thoughts. "Elena?"
She shook her head, blinking her eyes a few times. It was just the two of them now, she couldn't see or hear Damon anywhere. "What?" She asked, still dazed.
"I said, where do you want these?" Matt picked the suitcases up off the ground. Their designated room was huge, white, and provided stunning views.
"Uh, I'll deal with it." She said, taking her bags and hauling them over to the closet. She didn't bother unpacking, not right now. Instead, she shoved the stuffed suitcases into the closet and went to see if the guys were done unloading everything.
Of course she got side-tracked. How couldn't she? Inconspicuously, she made her way down the wooden staircase, nothing covering her feet, and tramped into the white sand below the house.
Tiny grains clung to her toes as she walked slowly over to the water's edge. Her thoughts were still jumbled, but she decided it was from the plane. Long flight, Katherine's voice droning on and on about new stores and this and that.
They'd decided to sit paired, Katherine-Elena, and Damon-Matt, so they could "get acquainted." Matt's idea. Elena wasn't too pleased, but Damon caught her scowl and didn't do a very good job at holding back his laugh. At least he took enjoyment in it.
She was sitting now, her clothes a sandy mess when Damon's voice startled her. "Oh, I thought you were Katherine." He sighed. "Do you know where she's run off to?"
Elena just shook her head, standing up.
Damon looked at her for a minute, not sure what to do or say. He decided Katherine was a safe subject. "We're nearly a mile down the beach from any other villa, and yet she finds a way to leave. Typical."
"What do you mean?"
"She runs whenever something doesn't go how she plans, or after a fight, or apparently, even when she thinks she'd possibly be expected lug in her crap." He was irritated. First, she'd dragged him to St. Barts with Elena and her fiance, then, she beat it out of there as fast as possible when they finally got there? It wasn't like her, but at the same time, he couldn't say it wasn't possible she was just being selfish.
"Maybe she just needs some space. I mean, we're going to be crammed in one house for a week. She obviously couldn't take me for the length of the plane ride. She should have conditioned herself to my presence."
Damon laughed. "Maybe, but I'm hungry." He said. "With or without her, I'm getting dinner."
Elena smiled as he flicked his hand and raised an eyebrow as if asking, "coming?" She nodded, and walked beside him back up the stairs and into the villa.