A/N: Before I get started I just wanted to clear up that the call Eric made to the main number of the hospital from Sookie's house in the last chapter will not be traced back to her. Well I guess it technically could, but it can't be traced back to him making the call from her house. That's not my intention. If the phone was in Octavia's room, that would have been different. You never know, the call may end up getting Eric in trouble down the road, but if it does, it would be for a different reason. It wouldn't be because it led people to Sookie.

With that out of the way I wanted to thank everyone who has taken the time to review and thank those of you who have alerted this story. I appreciate hearing what you're thinking! Also big thanks to nmarie3. This wasn't the direction that I originally intended for this chapter. I wasn't sure about the direction it took, and she gave me the push I needed to post. Thanks hon!

Sadly, I don't own the characters.

Chapter 7 – Water, Water Everywhere

I had spent the entire run at a fast pace. I wasn't feeling playful like I was the first time I ran with Sookie. This time I felt as if I could have run straight to New York, I had so much pent up frustration in me. Instead of following Sookie like I did last time I led the way. I ran down towards the pond we were at last night, when everything seemed right in my new world. It was a couple miles run down to the pond and then I turned around and headed back. I passed Sookie as I ran back towards our road. She wasn't too far behind me. For someone who didn't have long legs like I did she ran pretty fast. I was impressed. I brought my phone with me and kept willing it to ring as I ran. I had no such luck.

I made it back to my house surprised that I did lose a good deal of stress and tension along the run and went straight for the garden hose. It was hot out and I was drenched from running. I pulled my shirt over my head, took the up the hose and drenched my hair. I was just starting to slurp water from it when Sookie ran up.

"I thought I'd find you back at my place."

"Sorry. I was on autopilot."

"I could tell that."

I moved the hose towards her.

"Water?"

She shook her head. I continued to drink.

"What's going on with you today? Last night I was thinking that you were finally starting to relax. Today you're wound tighter than a two-dollar watch."

I had to shake my head for a moment at the colloquialism. I had never heard that expression before.

"I told you before, Dawson just managed to piss me off a bit. I'll be fine. The run helped." I felt guilty a bit about giving her the brush off, which I knew she was smart enough to realize she was getting. There was no way though that I could tell her what really is bothering me. I just hope that she doesn't think that it has anything to do with last night. "A two-dollar watch huh? Never heard that one."

"It was one of Gran's expressions."

We stood silently for a few moments observing one another. It was about the most awkward silence I'd ever had with Sookie. Usually whatever silence there was, was comfortable. I think perhaps it was awkward because I was feeling guilty that I couldn't really tell her what had me so worked up. I watched her stand there with her hand on her hip, a bead of sweat dripping down her neck and disappearing between her breasts. I had noticed that she was beautiful before, but now… God I hope I don't fuck this up.

"You know, I think I'll take some of that water now."

She reached her arm out towards me, holding her hand out for the hose. I watched her grasp it and bring it up to her lips to drink. I thought of her lips on mine last night. I immediately got pissed off at myself because as I was busy eye fucking my neighbor, Octavia was sick and I couldn't talk to her or her doctors. As I was mentally berating myself for such a lapse I didn't realize that Sookie had stopped drinking. It wasn't until I felt the sting of freezing cold water on my bare chest that I realized that I was now engaged in a one-sided water fight.

I let out a scream that was probably not very masculine. The water was absolutely frigid.

"Is there a problem there big fella or after that should I say big gal?"

"Hell yes! That's fucking freezing!"

I set out chasing her around the yard. She was squealing and running around with the hose, occasionally turning around to spray me. Her smile was infectious and I found myself laughing in spite of myself. I chased her around for a few minutes and got even more drenched in the process before I got a good idea. I ducked behind a bush and turned the spigot shutting off the water and ending Sookie's attack.

Coming back around the bush I found Sookie standing with the hose in her hand and a frown on her face as the once heavy flow of water was now nothing more than a trickle. I walked slowly to her and took the hose. She looked up at me and giggled.

"You look a bit like a drowned rat."

"You really know how to make a guy feel special don't you?"

"Mm-hum." Her giggling had stopped. "I thought you looked like you needed to cool off and chill out."

She was closing the distance between us and rubbed one of her hands up and down my arm. It sent a shiver of pleasure through me. She was biting her lower lip as she stood on her toes to reach me. Her arms snaked around my neck and I found myself bending down to cover her lips with my own. I was still a little cool from being continually sprayed with the cold water and was immediately struck by the heat radiating from her body as I kissed her. I wanted to pull her even closer to me. I wanted to feel her warmth and feel her silky soft skin touching mine. As her hands moved from around my neck and started running up and down my back I couldn't help but moan.

She stopped kissing me at that moment and looked up at me; the smile in her eyes matching the one on her lips. This was it. I had gone without for far too long. And if I thought about the last time that sex had real meaning for me rather than to satisfy a basic need, I had gone without for far longer. I knew sex with Sookie would be more than just a means to an end. I took her hand in mine and started walking towards the house. I would steal glances at her to make sure that she was okay coming inside. It was fairly obvious what would happen if she did. She took my hand she was holding to her lips and kissed it. Perhaps it was her way of letting me know that she wanted this too.

We made our way into the house hand in hand and started walking up the stairs. I walked her toward my bedroom and stopped in the doorway. Looking down at her I took her face in my hands and tilted it up towards me to kiss.

"Is your room an en suite?"

I was puzzled. I nodded my head.

"Good. Show me."

I walked her to the bathroom and stood at the door as she walked in, appraising everything in the room.

"Could you get some towels? I'd like to clean up a bit after running."

I couldn't speak, I just nodded my head again and went to get some towels from the closet in the hall. There was something about this southern woman that got to me as no other woman had before. Sookie was confident and self assured. I'd known that since she brought me dinner the first night we'd met. The women I would see in New York were almost begging for approval. Not Sookie. She seemed to be able to handle me pretty well, which she's done on more than one occasion. There's only one other person who I allowed to handle me, but I didn't want to think about that right now. I grabbed a handful of towels and made my way back to my bathroom.

During that short walk I had determined that Sookie was just good for me. And I wanted to give in and just enjoy it and her. I heard her humming as she showered; and instead of putting the towels down and giving her some privacy I decided that was the last thing I wanted to do.

As I watched her silhouette through the steamy glass, I quietly took off my waterlogged shoes and socks and dropped my shorts and boxer briefs down to the floor. I couldn't believe how fast my heart was racing as I stepped into the shower behind her and watched her run the soap along her skin. She didn't seem to realize I was there, so I slipped my arms around her waist and asked if I could help. She replied by leaning back into me and letting what I would describe as a moan of agreement escape her beautiful lips.

I took the bar of soap from her hands and began to rub it between mine to work up a good lather. I turned her to face me and began to run my hands first up and down one arm and then the other. My hands moved down to the flat plane of her stomach and rubbed the soap in circles, grazing her hips before sliding down one of her thighs. I looked up at Sookie and saw her with her head back, her eyes closed and bottom lip between her teeth. She had one arm extended to grab the rod that the removable shower head was on, the other was bent so her hand could grip the groove where her neck met her shoulder. I watched as beads of water cascaded down her body. I was becoming almost painfully aroused.

After giving attention to both of her thighs and calves I stood back up and turned her around to start on her back. I massaged soap into her shoulders and could feel small knots loosen as I did. I soaped my hands again and allowed them to roam over her amazingly soft, pert and very real breasts causing her to lean back into me and whimper. She reached behind her to wrap her arms around my neck, exposing herself fully to me. I paid special attention to each of her perfect globes as it seemed to prompt her to squirm against me; the friction it caused was tantalizing.

After getting to the point I could hardly stand, I stopped my attentions to her breasts and began to wash her back. The soap glided gently over her smooth skin. I moved lower and began to wash her bottom, stopping to nip at one of her cheeks. She squealed and jumped a little before turning around to face me. I grabbed the shampoo from the shelf and poured some into my hands. As I began to lather the shampoo in her hair she leaned forward and teased one of my nipples with her tongue. While I removed one of the showerheads to wash the shampoo from her hair she moved across my chest and took the other nipple in her mouth tugging on it gently. My eyes rolled back a little at the feeling. After ensuring that all of the shampoo was washed from her hair, I grabbed the conditioner and repeated the process. She had taken the soap and had begun to wash my chest, her thumbs taking time to tease as she went.

After I had returned the showerhead back to its place she pushed me back against the wall. The cool tile against my skin was in sharp contrast to the heat I felt under her fingertips. She inched her way down my body with her soapy hands, stopping and paying special attention to my straining erection. She stroked and rubbed and caressed it, making me feel as if I would lose all control. When she became eye level with my erection she stopped, looked at it and then and looked up at me with a playful glint in her eye.

"My, my, what big…. Teeth you have." Who knew red riding hood could be a turn on?

"The better to eat you with my dear."

She proceeded to lick my length and planted a single kiss on its tip before I pulled her up to me and into a frenzied kiss. She wrapped her leg around mine causing me to pick her up and lean her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around my waist and her hands grabbed my hair. I couldn't get enough of her. I needed her completely. I reached over and shut the water off before carrying her out of the shower. We stopped kissing one another long enough to grab towels and dry each other off.

As she wrapped a towel around herself, I scooped her up to carry her to the bedroom. I do not bother to cover myself with one. I lay her down on the bed and gently remove the towel from her. I am struck taking her in fully as she lies still before me. She is truly a sight to behold. My hand traced down her curves. They were perfect and beautiful and just for me.

"Eric…" She called to me breathlessly.

I descended upon her quickly. My lips drawn to her neck, while my hand raised to her breast. After brushing her nipple with my thumb and feeling it strain from the contact with my skin I couldn't wait to take it in my mouth. As my tongue twirled around the rosy peak Sookie arched her back into me and moaned with delight. Her hands roamed through my hair, reaching my shoulders and grabbing whatever they could hold. Not to leave the other breast out, I moved over to her other one repeating my ministrations.

"Eric…" She called to me again.

She started to tug to try and bring me up her body. I rolled to my side to give her easier access. Her hand immediately grabbed my length and began stroking it up and down. Her leg went up over both of mine, opening her most private area up to me. My hand instinctively went between our bodies and down to the small triangle of soft curls that lead to her center. My fingers worked their way to her folds and found them slick and warm. For a moment she is still and sucks in a breath in response to my playing with her nub. As she released her breath she began to stroke me again in earnest all the while her tongue moves with mine in a passion fueled kiss. It has been so long it is getting painful how badly I need to be inside her. As if our bodies are communicating to each other without words again Sookie calls to me,

"Eric, please. Please I need you now."

I don't need to hear another word. I jump up from the bed and dig through a bag in my closet. I know that it is inconvenient and ruins the mood, but I really wasn't planning on this today. I rifle through and find a few foil squares. Victorious I grab them all and move back to the bed. I climbed back onto the bed and hovered over her for a moment just to take her all in. She was beautiful. I dipped down to kiss her.

"God I want you."

"What are you waiting for?"

Fuck if I know. I didn't need to wait another second. I opened the packet and rolled the condom quickly down my length. My body ached for her; I found myself so anxious to bury myself inside her, I almost forgot to make sure she was ready for me. I dipped my hand between us and slipped one then two fingers inside her. She squirmed beneath me as my thumb rubbed her most sensitive spot and my fingers twisted inside her.

I removed my fingers and lined myself up ready to slip myself into her warm velvety center. I grabbed her hips and slowly pushed inside her, allowing her time to adjust as I am larger than most. Her hands cupped my cheeks and her eyes never left mine as I moved further and further inside her. When I was finally fully sheathed, she closed her eyes briefly and a faint smile graced her lips. After giving her time to adjust I began to move slowly; pulling myself almost completely out of her before pushing all the way back in again. Sookie responded by wrapping her legs around my waist, her heels digging into my backside. The nerves under my skin seemed to tingle everywhere our skin touched. The feeling of her taut nipples brushing against my chest coupled with the slow almost teasing pace of our joining was almost electric. The feeling of Sookie's nails gently scraping up and down my back was almost hypnotic… and then it changed.

Her fingers curled and her nails dug into the flesh of my back, her legs tightened around my waist.

"Harder."

I obliged. I plunged in and out of her faster and harder. She rose to meet me thrust for thrust. The only sounds in the room were moans of pleasure. The harder I thrust into her, the quicker I felt myself ready to explode. Every nerve ending in my body was on fire. I could feel the telltale feeling of release building in me. I wanted to make sure that Sookie came with me. Mid thrust I rolled over and pulled her on top of me as I lay back into a heap of pillows. She got a devilish look in her eye as she bent over close enough for me to take one of her breasts into my mouth. Her hands gripped the headboard and mine gripped her hips, holding her tight as she rocked against me.

She rode harder and harder until I could feel her rhythm falter and she pulled her head back all the while calling my name. After coming down from her high, her rhythm picked up again. She sat straight up and leaned back so her palms were resting on my thighs. One hand snaked around and fondled me as she rocked. It didn't take long after for me to find my release. She still moved on top of me slowly, tenderly prolonging the aftershocks of my high. I pulled her close to me and kissed her temple, running my fingers through her hair.

She gently pulled herself off of me and rolled into my side.

"I'll be right back. Don't move."

I got up to dispose of the condom and came back with a warm, damp cloth for her. I gently stroked the inside of her thighs with the cloth and set her to rights before putting the washcloth on the nightstand and getting back into bed to snuggle next to her. I pulled the down comforter up over both of us as the air-conditioning caused a chill. Sookie snuggled under my arm and rolled into my side, draping one leg over mine and rubbing her hand up and down my torso. I had one hand behind my head and with the one that was wrapped around Sookie I started to play with her hair. I turned to place a kiss on her head.

"Thank you." I whispered into her hair.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For some reason you have an uncanny ability to know just what I need."

And that's when it hit me. The longest relationship I had been in lasted about 48 hours. I was going to have to work to make this one last much longer.