The next day I awoke to the smell of coffee and toast.
I got out of bed and immediately regretted it as the room swam in front of my eyes- I was still drunk and it wasn't a nice feeling at all.
I noticed that a black shirt had been lain on the chair I tried it on and once I was satisfied that it was long enough I stumbled out of the bedroom downstairs to the kitchen where Damon flashed me a lightning grin as he handed me a mug of black coffee.
"Good morning! I trust you slept well and you feel nice and fresh this morning, raring to go are we?" The look I gave him made him laugh as he handed me the plate of buttered toast, "still drunk then," he observed as I tucked in hungrily to the toast.
"Since when did you make toast or coffee?" I dared to ask as he seemed to be in such a good mood.
"Oh I learnt a long time ago. Since I'm playing host to you today I'm going to be a good one, how is it?"
"Just as I like it, thank you."
He grinned and sat next to me on the sofa, "thanks for the loan of the shirt as well."
His grin spread and he laughed, looking me up and down evaluating my appearance. "It suits you, you're one of the few people I know that look feminine in a man's shirt."
I grinned at him and put my empty plate on the coffee table, I picked up my mug and curled up with my feet tucked under me. I took a sip of my coffee and smiled at him, "missed you."
That caught him off guard for a second, but being typical Damon he just laughed and didn't respond.
Suddenly his mobile sprung into life, I sighed and began to drink my coffee quickly as no doubt Stefan would be coming to pick me up once he knew I was awake.
"Hello brother, how are you? Good and how's the lovely Elena? I'm so glad, is Bonnie back yet ? She is? That's good, I'll be sure to let Elizabeth know when she wakes up."
Then after a pause he told Stefan, "she was very drunk last night and she's still asleep in the spare room, I'll get her to call you when she wakes up and sobers up a bit.
No, there's no need to do that, I'll drop her off once she's sober enough." He hung up and tossed his phone on the coffee table like an item of junk mail, "that boy can be so irritating at times. Don't you agree?" I laughed and shook my head.
Damon grinned at me "I don't know what you're laughing at, he's not the one who made me leave at least twice."
That wiped the smile off my face, I stared into the bottom of my cup but when I looked up his face remained impassive.
"Thanks for the breakfast and the loan of the shirt. I'd better be going now," I went into the kitchen to wash up my plate and cup as I ran the tap I felt his hand on my shoulder.
I turned around and his hand forced my chin up so I was looking in his eyes, "Elizabeth," I turned my face away and finished what I was doing, "I'll give Stefan a ring so he'll be here once I'm dressed. Sorry to cause you such inconvenience."
I went to storm off but he grabbed my elbow and swung me round, then he pulled me close to his body before I realised what was happening, "don't go. Stay a bit longer, for me." His face was an inch away from mine, it would be so easy to look up and kiss him but I wasn't sure that it was what he wanted- he would have to make the first move.
"That's not much of an apology for the way you've been treating me lately. You'll have to do a lot better if you want me to stay." I tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he held me tight, I was getting annoyed now but Damon wasn't having any of it.
"There's a reason for the way I've been treating you lately.
It started in Atlanta when you told me not to break Bonnie's heart because you'd been told by my brother that I was in love with someone else, then that stupid spell that Bonnie cast brought things to a head, it was safer for me to move out.
You trying to kill yourself because of the way my brother and I have treated you lately was unexpected, but didn't change the fact that I needed to leave the house.
It was time for me to move anyway."
"Get to the point, what's the reason?" Damon grinned at my tone.
"That I didn't realise how beautiful you looked in a formal dress until it was too late.
Stefan and I had already planned everything then you come along with your dress and make up, standing there on the side. To say you looked good enough to eat is an understatement, it took all of my control not to rip your neck out when you stood with us for the photos."
My jaw was fully opened, I'd forgotten about trying to wriggle out of his arms I just stood there dumbfounded.
"I was going to move out rather than tell you, then you walk down here this morning; your hair dishevelled, your make up still on, in my shirt. Elizabeth, you have no idea how much I want you right now, knowing especially that you only have a pair of panties on underneath my shirt and seeing your nipples poking out."
My jaw was unable to drop anymore even if it wanted to, I suddenly felt a bit faint and Damon released me a little bit so I could breathe a bit better. "I gather that wasn't the answer you were expecting.
To be honest, I expected a bit more of a positive reaction from someone who's written stories about me meeting them and kissing them since she was 14, which is how many years ago?" He raised an eyebrow but that last little comment had brought me back to my senses.
"Flippin hell Damon!
I had no idea that you had any intentions other than sisterly towards me, I didn't even see this coming and now you're expecting me to jump into your arms just like that!"
He let me go, his face expressionless but dark, I'd learnt to tell when he was upset by certain little things that people wouldn't normally see. "I want to know things before I jump into this," I said as I flopped into an armchair,
"Your fiction is a lot more romantic," he observed dryly.
"In my fiction it doesn't tell what happened to the girls after kissing you. You're left assuming that things are happily ever after, but happily ever after doesn't exist in the real world.
What do you want from me Damon? Am I going to be another companion? Who were your companions anyway?
Arm candy that you liked to be seen with? Or did you really love them?" He was surprised at this question a little hurt from the way his eyes flashed for a second.
"Would you question a human man this way? I don't think you would, you're questioning me because of what you read in those stupid kids books. You don't trust me do you?" he asked suddenly angry at me.
"I'm questioning you because you've been acting strange lately but I never thought I was the reason for it all.
I mean there's me in my baggy jumpers, jeans and walking boots and then there's Elena and Bonnie always fashionable, always looking good, you can understand why I'm so wary don't you?
I just don't want my heart broken Damon and I don't want to break yours either if things don't work out." I put my head in my hands and let out my breath, frustrated by not being able to get him to understand my fears. "Elizabeth! Why don't you just chill!" I stared at him in astonishment, I wasn't used to phrases like that coming from his mouth.
"That's what you're always telling me to do, so take your own advice. Relax, let's just see where it takes us, like any other relationship."
He sat next to me and looked at me with those fathomless eyes he knew I loved looking into, I relaxed and a smile started spreading across my face.
He suddenly leant across and kissed me full on, I let out a muffled cry of shock but he ignored it.
His lips were cool, not cold and so were his hands which wandered downwards, I turned my cheek to his lips and pulled on his hands, "aren't we going a bit fast for all of that?" I asked pointedly.
"No. You know me, I know you. Why waste time?" Then he started kissing my neck and scraping his fangs across it, I moaned and gave in.
Next thing I knew I was on his bed and he was taking his shirt off me, he tried the fang scraping thing again but as I arched my neck he caught a nerve and I cried out in pain.
Ever the gentlemen he stopped straight away and despite my protestations that I was alright he insisted on having a good look, neither of us heard the door and because he rarely used his powers Damon didn't sense Stefan until he was standing next to the bed demanding an explanation.