a/n Hey everybody! Of course, I didn't realize until AFTER I had submitted Chapter 5 that I'd forgotten to put a note at the top... oh well. Just a few minor details today - sorry I haven't been responding to reviews lately; it's a lame excuse but it's a real one - Work sucks. I'm a teacher and we're right at that busy end-of-the-year time..... 6 more days, but who's counting?

I hope you guys like date night - it's an extra long chapter (with some lemons) because I love you so much! Thanks, Northwoman, for being an awesome beta! Also, characters belong to CH... blah-dee-blah-dee-blah. Thanks, Ms. Harris for your amazing imagination!

Chapter 6

Eric's POV

Most nights when I woke up, I would leisurely shower and casually stroll into Fangtasia around 9:30. This night, however, was much different. I came out of my dead slumber at around 7:15. I shot around my house at vampire speed – shower, clothes, beverage – and was ready by 7:25. I knew it usually took around an hour to get to Bon Temps from Shreveport, but that was for average drivers. Nothing about me is average.

My drive over was uneventful, although I doubt many humans had registered my Corvette in their rearview mirror before it flew by them. Before I got out, I looked down at myself appraisingly – Pam had given this outfit her seal of approval, and I knew I looked good – black slacks, blood red button up with a black undershirt. All of my clothes were tailored to fit, so I know they showed off my every advantage. Confident, I walked to Sookie's front door and knocked lightly.

It took her a moment to answer, and if I'd needed to breathe, she would have stolen my breath away. Her gorgeous blonde hair was twisted gracefully up off her neck – she sure knew what to show, didn't she? – and her body was enveloped in a simple black and white dress. Her legs looked strong and beautiful, her cleavage looked delicious. Her golden skin contrasted the white bodice in a way I could not readily think of words to describe. My dick tightened at the sight and smell of her. "You are stunning, Sookie," I said as I held out the red rose I had brought.

She smiled. "Thank you. Won't you come in for a second?"

I trailed in to the living area as she disappeared into the kitchen. Adele was working on some kind of handicraft on the sofa. "Hello, Adele," I said. "How are you?"

She looked up and smiled. "I'm doing just fine," she replied. "Take care you get her home safely, Eric."

"Oh, I will. We will call if it will be too late."

She grinned, her eyes twinkling. "I don't care a whit about the time, just so long as she's safe. She's grown and can take care of herself."

Did this Southern matron just give me permission to keep her granddaughter out all night? I believe she did. I gave her a mischievous smile. "I appreciate that."

Sookie reappeared, the bloom of the red rose pinned into her hair. "Are you ready?"

Oh gods, yes. I nodded. We got into the Corvette and headed to Shreveport. The first few minutes of the drive were silent; it took her that long to relax back into her seat. I reached over for her hand. "Have you ever been to Bella Vista before?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Am I dressed okay? I wasn't sure. . ."

I met her eyes. "You are beautiful. Never doubt it. As far as what everyone else is wearing, be assured that your attire is entirely appropriate and that it is the only attire I will notice all evening."

She blushed and I grinned. This woman was not accustomed to compliments, but I would do my best to change that. "Oh," she said, "Gran doesn't need me on Tuesday night, so I'm all yours."

If only that were really true. "Excellent. I will have you meet me, and a few others, at my bar in Shreveport. I wish to speak with you about the business offer I made then. But not tonight – tonight is strictly no business." Unless that business was horizontal and naked.

She smiled. "Where are we going for dinner again? Can you tell me about it?"

"It is called Bella Vista. I know many people who recommend it, and the smells always make me long for Italy when I have the opportunity to go. I'm told the food is quite good. A local family owns it." I had several acquaintances with human companions who strongly recommended this restaurant; I had taken humans to it before with whom I had done business dealings, but never a woman I wanted to impress. In fact, I could not quickly remember the last time I had wanted to impress a human woman.

"That sounds nice. I love Italian food."

We fell into a comfortable silence and remained so until we pulled up to the restaurant. I let Sookie out and escorted her in as the valet parked my car, her eyes staring up at the building in wonder the entire time. We were seated rather quickly in a private booth toward the back; the ambiance of the restaurant was perfect for our dinner date – there was music playing quietly in the background and the lights were dimmed just enough to make our table feel intimate.

As we were seated, our waiter came for our wine selection. I ordered a glass of Royalty Blended and Sookie ordered a glass of white wine, a chardonnay I noted. It wasn't long before she made her dinner selection and we settled back into our chairs. Sookie smiled shyly at me over her glass. "Thank you for taking me out," she said. "I don't want to forget to say it later."

I had to stop myself from smirking – it was doubtless that I wouldn't have her thanking me in my preferred way tonight. "The night's not over yet," I said instead. "Don't thank me until you're certain you have enjoyed yourself." Had I put too much emphasis on the word enjoyed? What was it about this woman that had me second-guessing my every move? It is decidedly unlike me, and I dislike it, but I'm intrigued, nonetheless.

Sookie's POV

Eric's brow furrowed right after he said something about enjoying myself on our date. I missed part of it because I was fantasizing about how I could really thank him, but I shook that thought away. I had been a little creeped out at first about him drinking a glass of Royalty Blended – it was supposedly just what the name said, a blend of blood donated by royals from around the world – but I had forced myself to get over it; it's no different than a TrueBlood, I told myself. It wasn't like he had drained a person right into his glass – yikes. Need a new thought now!

I distracted myself by studying him as he talked to the waiter delivering our food. There was something about him that made everyone he came into contact with know he was the man – vampire – in charge. He got things done; you could see it in his face. He thanked the waiter and turned his blue eyes to me, watching expectantly for my reaction to my dinner, I'm sure.

Those blue eyes; I loved how they would occasionally betray his age. There was some wisdom in them that he couldn't have possibly obtained in the short life his body had lived. "How old were you when you, um. . .?" I trailed off and took my first bite, not sure how to finish the (probably very rude) question I had blurted out when my curiosity overcame me.

Eric smirked. "Guess."

I wrinkled up my face in pretend concentration. "Forty?" I guessed, figuring it was way too high.

His eyes narrowed and he gave a quick shake of his head. "Absolutely not." Lord help him, he was vain.

"Twenty-five?"

"That's better. Actually I'm not exactly sure, if I am truthful. I know I was in my early twenties; maybe twenty-three? We did not keep track of age as closely as humans do now in my time."

I smiled. "And you called me a baby!"

He laughed, but then said, "I have been around, though, for much, much longer than that."

"A century?" I asked, suddenly also curious about his actual age. It was weird to think about how much a person could experience with centuries to spare. No wonder he was such a good kisser. Oh, God I thought how many women. . .? That was a disturbing notion, and I tucked it away for later deliberation.

He looked at me seriously and I could almost see the wheels in his head turning – to tell or not to tell? After a moment, he leaned close and said carefully, "I wouldn't normally tell a human this, Sookie, but I have been a vampire for over a millennium. It's hard to know exactly how many years; time gets away when you never age or never change at all." There was a note of sadness in his voice and I wondered how lonely it had to be, watching the people you knew die time and time again. It was unsettling to think that even I would die long before he would.

Before long, I had finished my dinner and indulged in a piece of tiramisu. When the check came, I reached for my purse and offered to pay for my half. I wanted him to know I was an independent sort, and if he planned on being around for any amount of time – whether it was as a business colleague or whatever – I figured it was better to get it out sooner rather than later. The look on his face about sent me into a fit of giggles, though, it was so scandalized.

"I invited you, Sookie, it is my treat," he said coolly, his gaze daring me to argue.

"You didn't eat anything," I argued anyway. "At least let me pay for my dessert."

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes; I realized I was trying to listen to his thoughts. I was so used to being able to it was strange to only hear silence for an entire date. "I will not let you pay for anything. It's disgraceful and please believe me when I say that the check will set you back a lot more than it will me."

Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes. Did he just imply that I was poor? "I do just fine, thank you very much, Mr. Northman. I don't want for anything." Or much, anyway.

He rolled his eyes and groaned. "Are we back to the Misters and Misses, then? I didn't mean to insult you, Sookie; think about it – what have I had to do for the last 1000 years, but invest and collect money? I've got plenty to spare."

Of course he was right, but I'd never admit it to his face. His ego was plenty big from what I had seen. I wonder if everything of his was so proportional? Holy cow, this vampire basically reduced me to a trembling mass of teenage girl. Finally, I nodded serenely; I knew when I had lost.

He smiled winningly. "Thank you, Sookie. It would have been quite a scene if I had to throw you over my shoulder kicking and screaming to get you out of here," he teased, winking. At least I think he was teasing.

He escorted me out very gentlemanly like, on his elbow, and to the car. He opened my door and helped me in – it was awfully hard to be ladylike having worn a skirt and sitting into bucket seats – and before I was buckled up, he was in his own seat. After looking thoughtful for a moment, he leaned over and asked, "Sookie, can I take you one more place? Somewhere a little more . . . private?" lowering his voice in a way that made my girly parts think naughty thoughts.

"What did you have in mind?" I responded, trying not to sound as breathless as he was making me.

"I know of a place between here and Bon Temps where we could park the car and look at the stars for a while. We could talk a little more. I'm not ready to let you go home, yet," he said with a little half-grin.

This vampire could be romantic; I had to give him that. "You'll take me home if I ask, right?" I asked when what I really meant was 'You won't take advantage of me, right?'

He put his hand on my chin, making me look right into his blue eyes. "Do not fear me, Sookie. I will do nothing untoward. You have my word," he said solemnly.

I nodded, wondering at my sanity. I couldn't even run away from him if I wanted to, for crying out loud, but some part of me wanted to trust him. The lonely part, maybe? "Okay, Eric. Let's go." I could at least learn some more about vampires; maybe you can get some more vampire kisses my brain added helpfully.

He really smiled then, happy I had shown some trust in him, I assumed. He started the car and we were off again, at the same alarming speed we had been going before. He really did drive too fast, but I tried to ignore the scenery flying by at a breakneck pace. Not too long after we'd left Bella Vista, he turned the car off the highway onto a small county road and then eventually he parked on the side of the road. Before he let me out of the car, he got a blanket out of the trunk. Thank goodness the ground was dry or I wouldn't have gotten anywhere in my heels.

He stopped me about ten feet from the car. "Do you trust me, Sookie?"

I looked up at him warily. "Not when you say it like that," I said. "Why?"

He paused for a moment then said, calm as he could be, "Because to get where I want to go, we're going to have to fly."

It took a moment for that to settle in my brain. He meant that he would have to fly and I would have to hold on for dear life. The phrase, "Are you freaking serious?" may have slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. I wasn't afraid of heights, necessarily, but they weren't my best friend either.

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Yes, I am freaking serious," he said without an ounce of humor. "It will be no problem to carry you if you'll let me. But you can't be nervous and twitchy or it'll be harder."

I laughed, nervous-and-twitchily, I was sure. "I weigh more than I look like I do," I warned him. I had curves, darn it. And Gran had seen to it that I was quite healthy, with all her home-cooked meals over the years.

He rolled his eyes and proceeded to pick me up, over the threshold style, before I could protest. I flung my arms around his neck and he leaned down and kissed me soundly. It was several moments before he pulled back. "Don't look down," he warned. "Just look at the stars."

Of course the first thing I did was look down. I was very proud of how well I took it – I only tightened my hold on his neck and squeaked a little. We were flying, all right. Not too high, maybe ten feet off the ground. Don't be a sissy, I chided myself, he probably does this all the time. That wasn't quite the right sentiment to make me feel totally better, but looking up at the stars did help. Thank God for a clear, Louisiana night; out here, away from the surrounding cities' lights, the sky was beautiful.

A few minutes later, he landed gently by a small pond in a clearing. He spread the blanket out and invited me to sit by him. I heeled off my shoes and sat down on my knees, taking in our surroundings. The trees loomed darkly about fifty feet away, and the moon – wouldn't be long before it was full – and stars reflected off the smooth water. "This is a beautiful place, Eric," I said honestly. "How often do you come here?" How often do you bring women here?

He grinned, making me think he knew my underlying question, and pulled me closer. "You are the first person I have brought here; I usually come here to think, or if Pamela annoys me."

I pulled back. "Pamela?"

"Oh. She is my lieutenant. And my only vampire child. And she prefers women," he explained quickly.

"Vampire child? Like, you made her into a vampire?" I asked.

He nodded. "About two hundred years ago. I couldn't bear the loneliness anymore, so I made myself a companion. She took very readily to her new life; we were lovers, for a time. But she very quickly realized that she prefers women to men, and I have not touched her since. The connection from maker to child is very intense; I imagine something like from mother to child for humans. She is the only one I trust fully, and I am the same for her."

It took a minute for this to absorb. "Does she work at your bar?" I asked, interested in meeting her. Was she like him at all?

He nodded again. "You will meet her, on Tuesday. I think once you know her, you will grow to like her."

I scooted back to him again and he put his arm around my shoulders, hugging me gently. "Tell me something else about yourself," I said curiously, snuggling into his side and resting my head on his shoulder.

"What would you like to know?"

I grinned up at him. "Everything."

He chuckled. "We do not have enough time before dawn for every detail," he said, then lowered his voice, "And I wanted to leave some time for kissing."

My heart was about to beat out of my chest. "Fine. For every one thing you tell me, you'll get one kiss," I bargained, knowing full well if he just started kissing me I wouldn't protest a bit.

"For every kiss I get, I will tell you one thing," he counter offered, the rise of one eyebrow daring me to resist.

I started to nod, and before I could get any words out, his lips crashed into mine. He kissed gently, at first, then with increasingly more heat. I found myself leaning over backwards until I was pressed into the blanket by his weight, our legs tangling together in much the same way our tongues were. If the stiff heat I felt pressed to my thigh was any indication, it seemed he was in fact proportional in every way.

Eric propped himself up on his elbows above me and pulled back just a little. "I think you are beautiful, Sookie, and I have feelings for you, which is something that has not happened to me in a very long time. I am equally intrigued and frustrated about it," he whispered, nuzzling the soft place behind my ear and sliding his hips in an oh-so-suggestive way.

Not sure whether to be offended or flattered, I furrowed my eyebrows and said as much. He kissed me lightly. "I know you want me," he whispered, which caused more eyebrow furrowing on my part.

"How?" I asked breathlessly. Other than the obvious I added mentally.

He grinned wryly. "My senses are keener than yours. I can hear your heartbeat very clearly, and right now it is quite accelerated. Your scent changes when you are aroused; it's sweeter almost. And right now you smell very sweet," he said softly into my ear.

I blushed fiercely, I know, which made him chuckle. "Are you saying that you can smell it if I am turned on?" I may just die of embarrassment. This means he knew the other night, and I had rambled on like an innocent school girl. Oh God.

He chuckled again. "I thought it best not to say on Wednesday night. I was afraid to tell you anything else; I did want to see you again." Then, when I tried to hide my face with my hands, he took them in his and stretched them above my head, holding them gently, and added, "Do not be embarrassed, Sookie. I know that humans view sex differently than vampires, but it is nothing to make you ashamed. It's your body's natural reaction." He placed one of my hands on his erection. "I am not ashamed that you arouse me."

No need to be ashamed when you're packing that I thought. "Your fangs are not out," I observed. "You said that . . ." How in the world is my brain still functioning? The regions below my waist were definitely fighting for control.

"I do not wish to frighten you; I can control them with some concentration," he replied.

"I am not scared," I said boldly; only a shade bolder than I felt. His fangs slid out then, and I realized that I was in a very remote place with a being that could drain me dry and leave me in an instant. But he gave you his word my brain reminded me.

"I will not hurt you, Sookie," he said quietly, leaving a trail of fiery kisses down my jawbone and onto my neck. Beginning to feel brave again, I rubbed him through the fabric of his slacks and he growled, a low rumble in his chest. His hands began to roam around my body, settling on my breasts; his mouth followed, kissing and teasing on the outside of my dress.

My hands surprised me by reaching up and untying the halter top of my dress. He touched the top of the zipper and looked to me for permission. I nodded after hesitating for only a fraction of a second. He pulled it down my body and deposited it at the corner of the blanket, then made quick work of my bra; he looked down at my scantily-clad body – how glad I was that I had opted for pretty panties at the last second – like I was the first woman he'd seen in ages.

"You, Sookie Stackhouse, are incredibly beautiful," he said throatily as he returned his attentions to my chest. I reached up shyly and started to undo the buttons on his shirt, and then the fly of his slacks when those were finished. He somehow managed to divest himself of most of his clothing and return to me almost before I missed him.

I knew that I wasn't ready for the whole show tonight, but my brain and body were too far gone to refuse a little fun. I read enough to know what happens in the in-between time, not to mention the thoughts I had heard about it. I sat up a little and he shifted off of me just enough for me to persuade us into the opposite positions. He looked more than a little surprised to find me sitting astride him. He raised his eyebrows in question and I grinned.

I leaned down to kiss him, doing my best to not be nervous. After a few moments, I started kissing down his body, running my fingernails lightly over the places I knew I liked best – his flat stomach, the "v" of the muscles around his hips, his incredible ass. I eventually got to the place where his chest hair became a happy arrow pointing downwards, and, with only a little work, freed his erection from his silky boxers. I had not expected it to be quite so big, but I'd already made it this far – no turning back now. Hoping I would do it right, I began by placing a soft, open-mouthed kiss at the tip and running my hand up and down the length slowly. I was rewarded by a deep growl and his hands clawing into the blanket underneath us.

I chanced a peek up at his face and found his blue stare locked on me. Feeling empowered, I kept my eyes on his as I lowered my mouth onto him slowly, and then back up again. I found my own rhythm after a minute and was happy to have him writhing under me before too long. After a while, he raised a hand to my face; "Sookie," he gasped, "I'm going to come."

I removed my mouth, but kept my hand working and set the other one to work slightly below. He grasped over to the side and covered himself with his undershirt just as he jerked in my hand and the rest of his muscles tightened. I removed my sticky hands and kissed his mouth softly. When he was finished wiping himself off, he gave me the t-shirt to wipe my hands on. After that, I crawled over to where my clothes were and picked up my bra.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm getting dressed," I answered. "I figured we'd head back, now that . . ." I'd gotten you off. It seems like that was how it worked from the thoughts I'd heard.

He raised his eyebrows. "We have several hours left until dawn, and don't you dare think I won't be returning the favor," he said, reaching his hand out to me. I crawled back into the crook of his arm.

"What do you mean?" I asked; I hadn't expected reciprocity.

He pushed me gently back until I was lying down again, and kissed me softly. His fangs slid out again and I could feel his erection beginning once more against my thigh. One of his hands slid sneakily between my legs and rubbed the thin fabric there; I almost moaned at the incredible friction it caused. "You get a taste, I get a taste," he said, a finger slipping suggestively underneath the fabric of my panties then darting to his mouth.

Oh, Lordy. Can a woman die of spontaneous combustion?

Eric's POV

I growled involuntarily when I tasted Sookie on my finger; her eyes widened and she gasped. I had been taken aback when her hot mouth had descended onto my dick – it was a very pleasant surprise, certainly. She had taken a few moments to really get into a rhythm, but – let's be honest – there's no wrong way to do it. Then, once she had brought me to an amazing orgasm she had begun to dress again.

This confused me; I knew that she was a virgin, but I figured that growing up in the current time would have given her an impression of sexual relationships. Were human men so greedy? A pleased woman is a pleasing woman, I had learned long ago. And I planned on doing my fair share of pleasing tonight.

I kissed her lips again, relishing in her quick shallow breaths and her sweet smell, and then kissed my way down her body, pulling her red lacy panties down as I moved. I spent time at my favorite places of a woman's body – the breasts, the swell of the hips, the flat plane of her lower abdomen – before moving on to the best place. I had been touching and teasing during my detours elsewhere and Sookie was pushing against my fingers, practically begging for more.

Before I dipped my mouth into her slickness, I looked up her body to her eyes. "Look at me, Lover," I whispered and her blue eyes, darkened now with pleasure, snapped to mine. I smiled - a fangy predator's grin, I'm sure - then lowered my mouth to her succulent pussy. I took my time, enjoying myself almost as much as she was, licking languidly and sucking in all the right places. After a while, I felt her body start to tighten and convulse in that particular way, and added my fingers again to the equation; I had my tongue, lips, and fingers all working together – licking, touching, teasing, sliding – in perfect time. Sookie's hands were tangling in my hair, her body rising up off of the blanket I had laid down.

When her orgasm ignited, I kept my fingers going gently, and I nuzzled her inner thigh. I hadn't wanted to taste someone so badly in a very long time, but I held myself back – only smelling, licking softly. I felt her hands in my hair, caressing now instead of snarling. I looked up and met her eyes; she smiled. "Do you want to bite me?" she asked quietly, still catching her breath.

I nodded. "Very much." I was not normally so hesitant; I hoped she realized it and understood that it meant I respected her very much. I was also not used to waiting – for so long I had been able to demand anything I wanted – and of course that caused me to want to taste her blood even more. I lay down next to her, holding her close, and forced my fangs back into their least dangerous position.

"Would it turn me into a vampire?" she asked.

I shook my head and kissed her. "No. I would have to completely drain you and then fill you back up with my blood for that to happen."

"Does it hurt?"

"It can," I replied honestly. "I would do my best not to hurt you; I'm told it can be pleasurable, too, if done under the right conditions," I added, waggling my eyebrows a bit.

She blushed a little, then asked soberly, "Like what we just did?" her eyes beginning to darken like before.

I smirked. "Precisely like what we just did." And then I went on, "Or better things," in a whisper as I nibbled her ear a bit. "Did you enjoy yourself tonight, Miss Stackhouse?"

She turned up on her side and looked into my eyes. "Very much, Mr. Northman," she said formally, then grinned and pressed her lips to mine again. She ran one hand down my side and over onto my ass, squeezing it a bit; I mimicked her.

Another blush worked its way up to her face and I quirked an eyebrow in question. "I didn't think that I'd be . . ." she made a gesture that I assumed meant 'aroused,' "again so soon, after . . ."

I waggled my eyebrows. "That is my specialty, Lover."

She smirked at her new nickname and then looked up at me through her lashes. "Do we have time for . . ." she trailed off.

"Another round?" I supplied and she nodded. "It's only 1:00, Sookie. We've got five hours; well, make that three – I'll have to take you home and get back to Shreveport before dawn."

She kissed me again, the softness from before replaced by a persistent heat. She kissed down my throat, scraping me gently with her teeth – which made my fangs pop out before I could stop them – and her hands roaming aimlessly down my body. She began moving southward and pulled my boxers off this time. Right before she placed her lips around my cock again, I halted her with a word. "Wait."

She looked up at me with confusion on her face. "Turn this way," I replied, motioning with my hands, "So I can touch you." She started rotating and I guided her until she was straddling my shoulders; I received a questioning look from over her shoulder.

I grinned and then licked her wet folds in response. Her eyes widened and she turned back to her task. After a few minutes, the simultaneous feeling of her mouth on me and the taste of her in my own mouth had me ready to climax faster than I had the first time. I warned her and she shifted a little, keeping her hot hands on me working up and down. She began to climax soon after and as I continued to rub with my fingers, I licked the inside of her thigh again like before wishing I could taste her completely.

As she cried out in her ecstasy, she said, "Do it, Eric. It's okay."

Only wanting her to be certain, I took the few extra seconds to ask, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she moaned, her hand still pumping up and down on me and my fingers teasing her to keep her orgasm going.

Waiting until she peaked again, I turned slightly and bit into the soft flesh of her inner thigh. She only jerked a little when my fangs penetrated, but as I took the first draw of her sweet and salty blood, her muscles clenched around my fingers and she cried out, "Eric, oh!"

After hearing my name fall from Sookie's lips in pleasure, there was nothing holding me back either – I came into her hands and onto both of our stomachs. I took one more mouthful of her blood, and then pulled back; I licked the pinhole marks my fangs had left to close the wounds. She turned back around and flopped down beside me, laying an arm across my chest, her breath coming in shallow spurts.

She smiled sleepily and closed her eyes. "Are you all right?" I asked.

She nodded. "More than all right, I'd say," she said lazily, a corner of her mouth tucking in and her cheeks flushing a little.

I let her lay next to me for a few moments, until she caught her breath. I ran my hand down her side once more, wishing we had more time until dawn. "We must go, Lover," I said kissing her temple. "I have to get you home."

We dressed again after cleaning up as best as we were able – I left my undershirt off, of course – and she folded up the blanket. I could feel her blood coursing through my system and it was bothersome just how comforting I found it. The flight and subsequent drive to her home were uneventful. She fell asleep after we had been on the road about ten minutes and I grinned to myself. Job well done, Viking.

She awoke when we stopped in front of her house. I opened the car door for her and helped her out. She smiled drowsily, "Sorry I fell asleep, Eric."

I smirked. "It is only a testament to my skills, I think," I replied.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from grinning. "I'll see you Tuesday?" she asked as we walked up the stairs to the porch.

"Yes. Can you be at Fangtasia at 9:00?" She nodded. "Good." I leaned close to her; we were at the door now, and I found myself hesitant to leave her.

She raised her face toward mine for a kiss which I gladly bestowed. "Good night, Eric," she whispered, still so close to me, "I had a lovely time, thank you."

I kissed her again, softly, then said, "You calling my name at the pond was plenty of thanks for me," before rocketing to my car and getting in before she could reply. I liked to have the last word. When I looked over at her one last time before driving away, she had an eyebrow cocked and a smirk on her face that said I would be paying for my remark.

Good. I could think of plenty of ways to relieve my debt.

Well? What'd ya think?