Chapter 13: What are we doing?

NOW

He suddenly broke off the kiss. "I need to ask a question. You said that you weren't seeing anyone." I nodded my head and waited for him to continue. "So, who was the guy?"

"Who was what guy?" I was baffled. This has come out of nowhere and between the kiss and the question I was more than a little off balanced.

"The guy you were with at the party the other night. I walked in the door and the first thing I saw was you looking amazing in that little pink cocktail dress on the dance floor with some guy who had his hands all over you. There's no way I wasn't going to break in on you. After all this time, you were right, I have no right to be jealous, I know, but I that still doesn't stop me."

"I told you, that was Tyler! Like I told him, I forget that you two don't know each other. We were good friends in college but he was a year ahead of me and had graduated before you and I met. He's just a friend."

"Well, he certainly must consider you a very good friend from the way he was running his hands all over you. I had a hard time deciding what to do: cut in...or knock him out. I almost left without coming over to you."

"Why?"

"Well, he wrapped his arms around you and you didn't look like you were bothered by his attention. For all I knew, he was your date and I'd just be in the way."

"Whoa, wait, you actually thought there was something going on between Tyler and me? We were just doing a little dancing." I couldn't exactly tell Damon that Tyler had been comforting me because of Damon's sudden reappearance in my life.

"Well, it certainly looked like he had more than a little dancing on his mind. Any other friendsfloating around that I should be warned about?" He made little quote symbols in the air around the word friend.

"Just my old high school buddy Matt. You guys have met. He and I hang out everyone once and a while. But, like I said, Tyler are just friends. Next time, don't be a dick! Why did you have to go all caveman?"

"Elena, there are some things that will never change and my inability to watch you with another guy is one of them. I almost left but the temptation was too great. You did look delicious in that dress. Pink has always been one of your colors. It matches that blush that appears on your cheeks every time someone compliments you."

"I don't blush when someone compliments me!"

"Then what explains that lovely glow that you have right now?" He had started to run his finger back and forth from my ear to my collar bone and my unsteady breathing was bound to give away the fact that I was indeed enjoying his attention despite my best efforts.

"You know exactly what my problem is. Now, shut up and kiss me before I change my mind."

"Wow. You've gotten demanding with age. I guess I better listen." With that, I gave into my wants and forgot what I knew was best for me as I sank into a kiss that I had yearned for, needed even, for ten years. It was only fear that over took me and made me stop. "What's wrong?"

"Damon, what are we doing?"

With a devilish grin he said, "I thought that was pretty obvious."

"You know what I mean," I said as I pushed myself back up to sit against the ottoman. "Damon, I can't fall back into this. I've got to go. I've got an early morning tomorrow and I really don't think that it would be a good idea to continue whatever this is that we just started."

Looking more hurt than frustrated, Damon wrapped an arm around me. "Well, you aren't driving anywhere anytime soon. You've had entirely too much wine to be safe to drive. Let's go to the kitchen and I'll make us some coffee. I'll load the dishwasher and then, when I'm convinced it's safe, I'll follow you home to make sure you get there OK." It seemed like the only reasonable way to end the night so I let him help me up and followed him back to the kitchen.

A couple hours later, he was depositing me inside the door of my apartment. "I'm sorry about earlier," I said though I wasn't sure if I was apologizing more for allowing the kiss to happen or for breaking it off when I did.

"I'm not. I meant what I said, Elena. I've missed you more than you could imagine. You know, you could've stayed tonight if you had wanted to. All it would've taken was for you to say, 'please,'" and, kissing me on the forehead, he turned and walked away closing the door behind him. I wasn't sure whether I was more angry or hurt at his reference to the agreement we had made so long ago.

~~~~~TVD~~~~~TVD~~~~~TVD~~~~~

If I ever needed a day with the girls, it was today. I was thankful that Caroline, Jenna and I had planned to meet for brunch at a restaurant downtown. Having overslept, I quickly dressed in khakis and a sweater and, after pulling my hair back in a ponytail, ran out the door. Caroline had already ordered a pitcher of mimosas and was waiting at the table when I arrived. Jenna had texted that she was running late since she was driving in from Ric's. Once she got there, I would at least be able to focus the conversation on that but first I would have to field questions from Caroline who could easily read that there was something going on with me.

"Talk. Don't give me that innocent look. I tried to catch you at work yesterday afternoon and your assistant told me that you had already left to meet him. Elena, what are you doing?"

"Gee, Caroline, how are you? I'm great thanks for asking. How has your week been?"

"Elena, just tell me. What did you guys do?"

"It was business, Caroline. He wanted my input on what wines to serve at the dinner and for me to see if the kitchen would work for catering the dinner. It should be a pretty easy night actually. He already has the menu decided and, after last night, the wines are chosen."

"I don't give a damn about the wine dinner. Wait, he wanted you to check out the kitchen? You went to his house? Are you kidding me?" Caroline was so puffed up it would be comical if I wasn't completely exasperated by her berating me.

"Hi guys!" I was saved by Jenna as she rushed over to the table. Grabbing the pitcher and pouring herself a glass, she was the picture of happiness and I wasn't about to let Caroline steal her euphoria. "Sorry I'm running late! I went to Ric's for dinner last night and, well, I didn't make it home until this morning." She blushed but I could tell it was more from excitement than embarrassment.

"It's quite alright, Jenna. So, how are things with your boss? Hope Mr. Saltzman isn't being too hard on you. He's making you spend all these overtime hours with him!" I laughed. It was good to have another focus. Caroline shot me a look across the table. She knew I was diverting attention.

"You know, I think this may be the real thing. He's constantly making comments about the future and we are completely at ease with each other. So, how's the family Caroline?"

"They're fine. Their dad is taking them to the park for a flag football game today. I think the real question is for Elena." I wasn't sure where this was going but I might have to hurt Caroline. "How are things with you? Are you having any issues juggling the Saltzman account along with all of your other events? Maybe you should have April handle some more of the events. I hear she did a great job with the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk party. Sorry I missed that by the way. So, how are things?"

I wasn't sure where she was heading with this, it seemed innocent enough. "Well, it's going OK. I'm making some good business connections. And, yes, April did an exceptional job with the party but people schedule events because they want me handling it. I need to be careful about handing off too many things."

"I don't mean hand off a lot," Caroline responded, "just a few of the smaller things. Maybe the wine dinner that Damon scheduled would be a good place to start." So, that's where she was going with this. "I don't think that would hurt anything. After all, it's just a little wine dinner at someone's home. What would you really lose by letting her take the lead on that one?" Her smile was innocent but her meaning was clear.

"Damon specifically booked me for that and asked that I plan it personally. I'm not going down that path again with you right now." I appreciated what Caroline was saying but I was not planning to discuss this right now.

"You know," Jenna interjected," Ric seems to think that you might want to keep an eye on April. He mentioned that he was going to talk to you about that."

"What do you mean?" This was a surprising turn in the conversation.

"He said that several clients have mentioned that she is taking credit for a lot of things that he knows you are responsible for. She's good and I know that she has been with you for a while but Ric thinks she may have ideas of branching out on her own and wants you to be sure she doesn't try to take some of your clients with her."

I had never really considered the possibility of April leaving and starting her own company. I suppose it could happen but I had always assumed that she would stay with Elena Gilbert Events and maybe even become a partner one day. I saw a lot of promise in April. She reminded me of myself. The rest of the brunch was spent discussing Caroline's kids then circling back to Jenna and Ric's growing relationship. Something told me that I may be planning their wedding in the future.

As I was digging through my purse for my wallet, my phone started vibrating because of an incoming text. I was expecting a message about an upcoming Saltzman event so I handed it to Jenna to check.

"Had an amazing time last night only now I miss you more. We need to talk about what happened." She read the message aloud before I could stop her. "This is from Damon. Elena, what is he talking about? What happened last night?"

"Yes, Elena, what did happen last night?" asked Caroline rather insistently for someone who already knew where I had been last evening.

"We met to go over the wine list for his dinner." I decided to see how little I could get by with admitting. "That's all. I guess he just wants to make some changes to what we decided."

"No, he said he wanted to discuss what happened not that he wanted to talk about the wine list." Caroline was relentless once she was on a mission.

"And where did you meet?" asked Jenna. Her expression was completely different from Caroline's. Hers was more a look of curiosity and interest than of cross examination.

"I went to his house. It's a beautifully remodeled craftsman." Diversion-that would be my approach.

"And what, exactly, did you do to make him, how did he put it, miss you more?" added Caroline. "More than what? More than he missed you during the ten years when he was conspicuously absent? Elena, I've kept my mouth shut for the past hour but I'm not going to any longer. What happened last night because it sounds like more than a little wine tasting?"

"Well, if you must know, he cooked and we tasted wine."

"And?" Caroline pushed while I mentally tried to will her to just shut up.

"We had a very brief conversation about the past and admitted that we had missed each other."

Now it was Jenna's turn to be pushy. "Is that it? Because you look like you're not telling us something."

I didn't answer. "Oh no! You didn't!" Caroline knew without my even saying it.

"What?" Jenna asked.

"She kissed him. I've seen that look before. Elena, have you forgotten what it was like last time? How badly he hurt you?"

"No, Caroline, I haven't forgotten! How could I? But I also haven't forgotten how happy he made me before that. I can't just erase that part of my memory. Besides, I am the one who walked away last night."

"Well, it sounds to me like you at least walked away leaving him wanting more so it couldn't have gotten too far." Thank goodness for Jenna and her sunny-side-up outlook.

"She kissed him. That's too far. Don't say I didn't warn you when this all blows up in your face," Caroline said before storming out of the restaurant.

"Don't mind her. Now, tell me all about it." Jenna motioned the waiter over to order two lattes and settled back for a good dish session. I still wasn't sure how I wanted to answer that text but I figured it couldn't hurt to relive the night while I decided.