Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading and leaving me so much love! You're all so wonderful! Since we reached this chapter, I figured to include the song that actually made me want to approach this story from the best friends perspective - well, not so much the song, but the dance. Follow the link http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=MpzsfFlnAO8&feature=BFp&list=PLF9712A4E8F8DE2C4&index=5

Big thanks go to my awesome beta that has a mind just as dirty as mine. ha! Fine, hon, dirtier! Happy? :p

A place to crash

I got you

No need to ask

I got you

Just get on the phone

I got you

Come and pick you up

If I have to

(Leona Lewis - I Got You – excerpt)

SPOV

I tiptoed out of the bedroom when I woke, trying not to stir Eric. He deserved some sleep after what I'd been putting him through in the last few days.

I put on some coffee, and went to grab an old afghan to wrap myself in. It was never really cold in Louisiana, but it sometimes got chilly in the mornings, especially as autumn showed its face.

After pouring the hot coffee, I made my way to the porch, taking care not make the door creak as I went out. That noise could wake the dead. I settled into the rocker on the porch, wrapped the afghan tightly around my body, gathered my feet under myself, and started enjoying my hot drug-of-choice.

I was nearly purring with content. Until I remembered this was the last day I would be living in this house.

I wanted to fucking kill Jason. I couldn't believe how careless he was, and how thoughtless. Actually, never mind that. I could. He'd always been like that. I was actually happy when he left, because that meant I didn't have to take care of him. He was older than me and I still had to be the grownup. That just wasn't right.

I knew what I should do. I should sue his ass and that bitch's ass for forging my signature. I knew I should, but I also knew I couldn't do it. I couldn't get my brother in trouble. Gran was probably rolling in her grave because I even thought about it. He might be an idiot, but he was still my brother and blood doesn't turn into water overnight no matter how many wrongs he did. I know he didn't do it out of bad will, he just never thought ahead. I'd just try and see if I could buy the house back from the bank later on. I had some money stashed aside and would be receiving more as the book got published.

The sound of tires announced the presence of a car at the end of my driveway. The blue hue of Bill's Prius came into view and he looked at me from his driver's seat. He hesitated as if he wanted to stop and come for me, but then his head turned towards Eric's car. He did the smart thing, and continued driving.

Gah! Maybe there was a good thing to come out of moving out of this house – not having to see Bill. I didn't fear him, but I didn't want him close to me either. If I had feared him I would have went to the police when he hit me, but I didn't think he'd ever have the courage of doing more than that.

The screen door opened and Eric's tall figure stepped outside, blanket in hand, along with a steaming coffee mug.

"Mornin'," he said as he came and sat next to me on the long rocker.

"Hey," I said, cuddling into his body after he settled in with the blanket around himself.

I had always been more touchy-feely with Eric, but now his presence brought me more than comfort. I didn't know what exactly it was, but I had a feeling I'd be finding out soon. I let out a happy sigh as his arm tightened around me.

"You snuck out. I think I'm getting used to waking up beside you. I couldn't find you and I was confused for a few moments," he said after a minute.

Did he just…?

"I didn't want to wake you. I'm getting used to it, too. I just got up to make coffee and think things over before life kicks in," I replied, making sure I introduced the important sentence just where he did – the very middle, the part of a conversation that doesn't attract attention. You'd always remember what someone said first or last, but rarely the middle.

"And what have you been thinking about?" he inquired.

"Jase. I don't think I can sue him, you know. He's my brother and he didn't do it to harm me. He's just an idiot," I said.

"I think I'll have to agree with you, on the 'idiot' part. I also think I'd do the same if I were in your shoes. I doubt I'd ever put my own brother in jail, since that's what would happen. What do you want to do about the house?"

"I'll try buying it back when it's up for sale. I want it to stay in the family, you know? I'd feel weird about letting it go. I have some money saved, and I'll see what I can get from Pam."

"I have another suggestion for you, and I want you to hear it out before you yell at me, ok?" he said with caution. I turned my head to look him in the eyes and nodded.

"I'll give you the money to get your house back when it's up for sale, and you can give it back to me when the books get published. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I hope you agree with me. I know how you feel about borrowing money, but I really hope you'll let me help. You know I have the means," he said, but I stopped his rambling with a finger on his lips.

I climbed into his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Thank you," was all I said as I overwhelmed him with my hug. I heard his mug settle on the bench, in the cup holders he'd installed five years ago, and then felt his arms return my hug. I was thankful he'd help me, thankful he was there for me. I was never a big fan of borrowing money, and I always believed you should only stretch as much as your blanket allowed, but now I was happy. I was going to get my house back, and I was going to repay him every cent. I knew I'd have the money soon. It was only a matter of time. However, until I got my hands on the cash, someone else could buy the house.

This was the place where I could see my kids growing up, and I didn't want to throw that dream away just yet.

"You're welcome, Lo…Sookie," he said, and I wondered what he wanted to say in the first place.

I released him a bit and as I shifted in his lap, I felt him again. I knew it was probably inappropriate to think this of my best friend, but damn! He was sporting what I'd call a … gracious plenty.

Our faces were inches apart, and we were both smiling like loons. His eyes weren't trained on mine though, but on my lips. I suddenly felt my throat dry up and my lips itch, as my breath hitched. My pulse was galloping. His eyes met mine and I could see he was in as much torment as I was. His hands tightened on my hips, and he licked his lips as his face tilted a fraction.

My head inclined in the other direction and I held his eyes as I inched my face towards his. I could almost feel his lips on mine. Our eyes closed at the same time. One of his hands came up and rested in my hair as he pulled my mouth to his. Our lips touched for a brief, intense second.

Then his phone rang.

I jumped in surprise, and he groaned in frustration as his head lulled back. I got off his lap so he could disentangle himself from the blanket and shove his hand in his pocket.

"What?" he answered unceremoniously and waited as the other person spoke.

"I don't care, Yvetta. Listen, I don't want to see you anymore and no, I didn't say that the other night just because I was upset. I'm sorry, but I really don't want to see you anymore."

Of course it had to be her to interrupt us. My lips were still burning, and the places he had touched now felt cold without his hands.

"Goodbye," he said in the phone as his thumb found the red button.

He plopped the phone next to him and his eyes sought mine. We stared at one another until smiles crept up both our faces.

"Sookie…" he said.

"Later?" I asked him, hoping he'd agree to give me at least a few hours to think this through.

He nodded and his hand reached for mine.

"Let's move you out!" he said and got up of the rocker.

EPOV

The intensity in her eyes mixed with curiosity and torment as we stared at each other, our faces close. The smile disappeared from her face as she realized I had been watching her lips. My hands tightened on her hips. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted her to know how I felt. I wanted us. My face tilted and I let her take the next step.

Her eyes were full of determination as her face came closer to mine, her lips stopping millimeters from mine. When her eyes closed I couldn't take it anymore. My right hand came up to her head, tangled into her hair and brought her in for the rest of the distance.

Our lips touched for the first time and I felt overwhelmed. I had been dreaming of this for so long. Her rosy lips were soft against mine and her hands clutched at my shoulders.

She jumped in surprise when my pocket started to vibrate and sing. FUCK!

I didn't even look at the caller as I answered. Fucking Yvetta. She had to ruin the moment, didn't she. She thought I had been joking, which in itself was amusing. Here, in front of me, was possibly my best chance at real happiness. I had fooled myself enough. If I was being honest with myself, I'd admit that I had been comparing all girls to Sookie ever since I met her. They could never compare and they could never be her, therefore none ever stuck around for more than a few months.

"Sookie…" I wanted to talk to her about what just happened.

"Later," she said, a confused look on her face. She needed to think about this, so I'd give her time for it. I nodded and urged her to start packing so we could move her stuff. That reminded me.

"Hey, I brought you something last night, but I didn't get a chance to give it to you."

I was digging through my pockets as she turned around and asked me what I was talking about.

I pulled out a pair of spare keys to my house and placed them in her hand.

Her eyes welled up and a big smile crept on her face.

"So you know you're always welcome," I told her and she stepped towards me and hugged me. I rested my chin on her head and wrapped my arms around her. She fit perfectly.

"You're amazing you know that, right?" she asked.

"You're just saying that so you'll get the bigger room," I teased and she smiled.

For most of the day we packed her clothes (the underwear collection had me sweating...) and she singled out some furniture that was dear to her, mostly handmade by her grandfather. Those would go to storage. The rest was too old or worn out to bother moving. She really needed new furniture here, and I made a mental note to see to that when she would move back. My insides ached at the thought. She hadn't even moved in with me and I was anxious about her leaving. What the hell?

We both took our cars, loaded up to the brim with little stuff and clothes, and took the road to Shreveport.

Since there were three other bedrooms empty besides mine, she chose the one that was closer to me. "Just in case," she'd said. She didn't continue, so before my dirty mind continued that line with "Just in case I wanna jump you," I convinced myself that she wanted to feel safe.

I promised her we'd set her desk in the office I had set up downstairs. She would probably use it more than I did, since I preferred to write in bed or in the garden outside.

She already knew the house by heart, so there was little I had to show her. I did, however, instruct her on using the overly-complicated heating system if she ever needed to adjust the temperature.

None of the bedrooms had their own bathroom so we'd have to both use either the one downstairs, or the one across from my room.

She picked out some clothes and went to take a shower before me. I stayed huddled in the living room, with a pillow planted firmly in my lap. I didn't want to go upstairs and risk seeing her in a tiny towel again, because after this morning, I didn't think I'd be able to restrain myself. I'd been sporting wood ever since we kissed. I watched her, for nearly twelve hours, bending to pick stuff up, leaning over furniture, reaching up to grab whatever item from a top shelf. Her ass popped up, her breasts jiggled with her movements, her shirt rode up and gave me a peak at her lean stomach. It was torture. Sweet torture.

So I stayed where I was, and listened for the water moving through the pipes upstairs. That, of course, didn't help cause I was imagining her naked under the shower. I managed to stay there, barely moving, until I heard the bathroom door open and her bedroom door close behind her. I grabbed my own towel and headed for the lower floor bathroom to take my own shower. It was never a good idea to use both at the same time, as I found out quickly enough that the water would either be too cold or too hot. It was more of a gamble which kind of water reached which bathroom, and no number of plumbers managed to figure out why this was happening.

I stripped and walked into the stall, closed the glass door behind me and as soon as the water hit my body, I grabbed my cock and started pumping. Images of Sookie's naked form ran through my head. I could still feel her in my lap this morning, her ass touching my dick as she moved across me. I could feel her hands on me and her lips on mine. I came with a grunt. My body was shaking so badly. I wondered briefly what would happen if we ever slept together, if this is how my body reacted to the thought of her, before casting that thought away. Wishful thinking didn't bring anyone happiness.

I washed off, toweled dry and wrapped the towel around my hips. I walked upstairs and bumped into Sookie. Her hair was damp and she smelled of vanilla. She gasped in surprise as her body collided with mine. Her hands were splayed on my chest and she looked up at me. I felt the knot on my towel loosen and I prayed she didn't step back.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," she said before she took the dreaded step back. The towel fell and her eyes locked on my midsection. Junior was waking up, as he's been doing in Sookie's presence since... forever.

I would have covered myself, but I had European genes in my DNA and was certainly no prude. She seemed to want to look and I let her do it. I might have felt a bit smug, wondering what could have awakened her interest so much. Was Bill a pencil dick?

She shook her head and covered her face. I took that as my cue to pick up the towel.

"Oh, God! I'm sooooooo sorry, Eric!" she said and ran past me on her way downstairs.

I hurried to my bedroom and changed into a pair of sports pants and a wife beater. I followed her in the living room and found her sitting on the couch, her chin resting on her knees. I joined her and took her hands.

"Sookie, look at me," I told her and waited until she did so. "It's ok. It's my fault; I didn't think I'd bump into you."

"I shouldn't have gawked at you like that! You're not some piece of meat," she said and hid her face, putting her forehead on her knees.

"You can look at me however long or little you want, ok? Stop being embarrassed about it. I'd have gawked at you too if your towel had dropped off," I told her and earned a giggle from her.

"You're such a perv sometimes," she said laughing.

"No, I'm not. Well, maybe I am, but that's beside the point. I'm simply not embarrassed by anatomy."

"Ok. Fine. I'm over it. Call in some pizza?" she asked. She must have really been tired if she opted for take-out instead of home-made food.

"Sure. Extra cheese and mushroom on the way," I told her and went for the phone and the number of my favorite delivery place.

After I made the call I went and sat beside her on the couch. Her body relaxed into mine when I pulled her closer.

I draped my arm over her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

"NCIS?"

"You know it!" she said and got up put in the DVD. She then resumed her place.

By the half point of the episode, pizza arrived. Ten minutes later, there was nothing left. I felt proud that Sookie ate well and wasn't the kind of girl who chose a salad over real food. She had some meat on her bones, and wasn't one of those skinny-assed girls you could bruise yourself on when caressing them.

We settled on our sides, the weight of our bellies asking to be laid horizontally. She cuddled into my chest, and I noticed she wasn't paying attention to the show anymore. She was thinking hard about something, so I watched her until she decided to speak. Her eyes rose to mine and she smiled as she turned on her back to watch me more easily.

"Do you still want to talk about earlier?" she asked.

"Of course."

"I feel… I feel something has changed between us, has been changing for some time now… at least for me," she said and bit her bottom lip. I wanted to do that in her place.

"For me, too," I told her to ease her mind.

"I wanted to kiss you this morning," she said.

"So did I. Not only this morning, though," I admitted and she nodded, probably remembering the other near-kisses.

"I'm scared."

"What of?"

"I'm scared of what I'm feeling; I'm scared of losing you as a friend; I'm scared of this," she motioned between us, "not working out," she admitted.

"I'm not. I've liked you for years. More than liked... I don't think we'd ever ruin our friendship, we know each other too well. And about this… I know in my heart that we'd be great together. Don't you?" I asked her and caressed her face. She leaned into my touch and closed her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I do," she breathed out.

Her gaze met mine, her blue eyes piercing me. She smiled and her hand reached for my face, her thumb caressing my cheek. I felt oddly at peace, as if we'd been in this situation a million other times. I could feel an emptiness in my stomach as I lowered my face to hers.

Like this morning, I gave her an out. I stopped an inch away from her lips, my breath tickling her. Her tongue sneaked out to moisten her lips. Her fingers tangled in the hairs at the back of my neck, and she pulled my face down as she raised her head a bit, closing in the distance between us. Her eyes closed and I did the same, wanting to get lost in the feel of her kiss.

Our lips moved together with ease and gentleness, tasting and teasing each other. She tasted faintly of peaches, like her lip balm. My hand tightened on her hair as the kiss intensified. I felt like electric jolts ran through my entire body when her tongue touched my bottom lip, asking for access.

I happily opened my mouth and we both moaned as our tongues touched for the first time. I wanted to devour her. I wanted her to know how I felt, how I've felt for years. I poured my love into that kiss, as our tongues and lips got acquainted with each other. We didn't fight for dominance; the passion was equal on both sides.

Much too soon we had to pull away for breath, but neither let go of the other. We smiled goofy smiles as our eyes opened again.

She settled in my arms her hands clutching me to her. I would have kissed her all night, but it was best if we took this a step at a time. I hugged her to me, caressing her back. I kissed her neck, which made her arch her back, pressing her breasts into my chest and making it hard for me to keep my hands where they were.

"Welcome home, Sookie!" I whispered in her ear before sleep lulled us in.

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xoxo

Gaby