A/N: I am so glad that you all have decided to forgive me for taking a very, very long time to update this fic. I am also glad that you all are sticking with me.

This chapter had not been beta'd. I was really trying to get it up for you this weekend. Now that my cowboy fic is done, I hope to get back to a regular schedule. Please forgive any typos!

If you haven't read it yet, please go check it out. The title is Electric Cowboy. I plan to continue it after the contest is over too. I had to cut out a lot due to the word limit, but I hope that you will enjoy it anyway. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked I didn't own these characters and unfortunately, I still don't.

EPOV

It had been nearly two weeks since Sookie had agreed to stay with me. I could tell that she was getting a little stir crazy and last night we agreed that, even though she couldn't work, we would go and hang out at the restaurant tonight. Hopefully that will help to bring her back out of her shell that she seems to have reverted into.

I have felt her growing a bit more distant from me and I can't help to worry that it may have something to do with what happened her first night here. Although, I don't really see how she would have any recollection of it. Just replaying the events in my mind caused me to laugh out loud.

"Thanks Trey. I don't know what we gimpies would have done without you." Sookie said with a snort.

"No problem Sookie." Trey replied and then turned to me. "Eric." He nodded as did I and Sookie closed the door behind him.

"Do you have everything you need?" I asked as Sookie nearly fell to the couch, the pain evident in her face. "What, can I get you, lover?" I took the seat next to her and felt her slump against my frame with a sigh.

"Just hurts, is all." Sookie said as she wrapped her tiny arm around my waist. "How are you? Do you need some pain meds?" I shook my head and kissed her forehead. Leave it to her to think about everyone else but herself.

"How about you go get a bath? It will help you relax and make you feel better." I suggested. "I'll get one of your pills to take the edge off the pain."

"The bath sounds good but I hate those pills, they make me feel drunk." She said as she got up and walked towards the bathroom. "On second thought, I'll have one tonight. Maybe I'll be able to get some sleep. It's kinda hard to sleep when you snore so loudly." She said as she looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"I don't snore." I retorted and she shrugged mumbling something under her breath that sounded remarkably like 'keep telling yourself that' and continued to the bathroom.

I heard her scuffle around a bit and then heard the water running as I sought out her bottle of pills on my kitchen counter, which was beginning to resemble a pharmacy from all the prescriptions. I grab a couple of her pills and fill a glass of water for her to take them.

"ERIC!" I heard Sookie shout and nearly tripped over her bag as I made my way through the apartment and back to the bathroom.

I nearly throw myself through the door to find Sookie looking at me embarrassed.

"I can't get my shirt off." She admitted as color flooded her face.

I take a few steps towards her, trying desperately not to think about the fact I am about to take her shirt off. I mean I know she really doesn't need this to be sexual in any way because we are both hurt but, admittedly I am a man and I can't help but to be a little excited.

"Don't you even think about it." Sookie interrupted my silent self cock-blocking battle.

I raised an eyebrow. "I would never." Sookie snorted and rolled her eyes in disbelief.

I grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head as gently as I could, careful to avoid her casted arm. But upon seeing her bruised ribs, all sensual thoughts left my mind and I was fueled by my rage. Sookie, noticing the grimace on my face, lifted her hand to my cheek and I turned my eyes to her, unable to hide my shame.

"You saved me, Eric." Sookie stated. "Stop it! I won't have you blaming yourself for this." She said gesturing with her good hand.

"It shouldn't have happened. I should have been there." I said breaking eye contact and lowering my eyes to the tile floor beneath my feet.

"What are you Eric, a mind reader?" Sookie said annoyed as she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I didn't think so. There was no way you could have known what would happen. Moreover, I probably could have heeded everyone's warnings a little better."

I laughed and lowered my nose to her hair, unable to now keep my body from completely reacting. I felt myself begin to stiffen in my pants and tried to think of anything other than the feel of her warm skin against mine. Leave it to me to get shot by the maniac trying to kill Sookie and then have sexual fantasies about her all in the matter of a couple days.

"Sookie admitting she was wrong. I can hardly believe it." I said in mock astonishment. She slapped my chest playfully with a laugh and another eye roll. "Here, take this." I said handing her the glass and her pills.

"Ok, now shoo! Get out of here." She swallowed the pills and handed me the glass. "I don't need an audience and you don't need to excite yourself any more." She gestured to the growing tent in my pants. I smirked and threw a wink in her direction before closing the door behind me.

After we had both had our baths, we settled on the couch to watch a little TV. I could tell by Sookie's delayed reactions that her medication had taken effect and it would only be a matter of time before she would be asleep. Fortunately, my medication didn't seem to affect me the way hers did. They only seemed to take the edge off the pain.

I pulled her tight into the crook of my arm and ran my fingers through her hair until I noticed she was about to drift off. Knowing I couldn't carry her to the bed, I shifted to wake her.

"Sookie, lets get you to the bed." I said gently and she mumbled against my chest. "Come on, lover. I can't carry you."

"Mmmm, Eric." Her grip tightened against me and I felt her nails dig into my ribs, tickling me slightly. I shook her shoulder and her head popped up. "Heeyyy baabyyy!" She slurred with half closed eyes and a huge grin on her face.

I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled her upright and began to lead her to the guest room. "Are you hurting?" She shook her head negatively. "Ok, come on."

"Wait! Where are we going?" She asked and halted our forward movement. "I wanna sleep with youuu!" Sookie shrieked and accentuated her statement by pinching my rear end.

"Are you sure?" I asked looking her in the eyes and she nodded.

"I love your ass!" She blurted out as we made it to the bedroom and I laughed and proceeded to lay her down. "Eric?"

"Yes, lover?" I kissed her forehead and wrapped the covers around her.

"Kiss me." She requested with her eyes still closed and her arms extended as if in silent prayer.

I lowered my lips to hers gently, careful to keep my weight off of her bruised ribs. Her arms wrapped around me with a strength I didn't know she was capable of and I gasped at the force as she pulled me to her and inserted her tongue forcefully into my mouth.

Could I help it that I thought it was hot as shit? No, I don't think so. I found my body reacting to her in ways it never had before, as she was clearly dominating me in every way. Somewhere in the back of my mind it was screaming at me that this was wrong. Sookie was high on pain medication and we both were injured but I couldn't seem to pull away from her grasp.

Thankfully she did it for me and I forced as much oxygen into my lungs as possible. With all the blood having run elsewhere in my body, I was finding it hard to form any coherent thought. When she spoke it was just a whisper, so much so, I couldn't be sure she actually said what she did.

"I love you, Eric." I stared at her for lord knows how long before the soft snores began resonating in her throat and I found my way back to my side of the bed.

Her words echoing in my head as I tossed and turned uncomfortably next to her. I knew that she was probably over medicated and that was why she said what she did. I tried reasoning with myself. But the truth was some part of me wanted her to mean it. Now what that meant, I still hadn't a clue.

"ERIC!" Sookie shouted breaking me out of my reverie and I looked up to her not knowing what kind of expression was on my face. "Where the heck were you? I've been trying to get your attention for like five minutes." Her hands were on her lips and she looked pissed and positively beautiful.

I smirked at her fierce little kitten expression and spoke as smoothly as I could. "Just thinking about you, lover." I admitted with a waggle of my eyebrows, hoping to discourage her from any further questioning. It worked and she walked off still fuming, but I heard her laugh as she reached the bedroom and I knew she wasn't really mad.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I continued to think to myself. It could be possible, I assume, that she did remember what she said and is now regretting it. Which, I definitely hoped was not the case. Moreover, how did I feel about her?

When I thought I was going to lose her, I know it felt as if a piece of me had been ripped out and seared on burning coals. The idea of not having her was something I didn't even want to think about.

I enjoyed her company more than anything. She is beautiful and sexy and funny and everything that I could ever want in a partner. But did I love her? Could the warm feeling I have in my gut every time I am in her presence be love?

I still wasn't sure if I had the answers and I knew I would never want to do anything or say anything to break her heart. I needed to be absolutely positive about what it was I was feeling before I went confessing anything to her. If my timing was wrong and she got hurt somehow, I don't think I could live with myself. So I brooded silently and decided until I was sure then I needed to keep things as they were.

I didn't even want to think about what I was going to do with myself when she moved back out. I knew that she would want to go back to her own apartment and I had eventually gotten her to agree to wait until after the scumbag was locked up indefinitely. But a part of me had grown accustomed to having her here.

Seeing her face first thing in the morning and being the last thing I see at night before I close my eyes, had quickly become some of my favorite parts of the day. Not to mention the fact that she would cook for me, well us, everyday. If she kept cooking the way she did, I would definitely need to up my work-out regime.

The sound of Sookie's heels clacking against the hardwood brought me back down to earth and I turned to look at her my mouth agape.

"You look beautiful." Her red sundress rested just above her knees and accentuated her delicious curves in the most appealing way. She is wearing a low heel that is the same fire red hue as the dress. Simply elegant, my Sookie is. Everything she wears looks beautiful on her. The fact that she can tighten my pants just by walking in the room should be a red flag, but apparently I have become a glutton for punishment.

Besides, I have the distinct notion that any kind of punishment she could dish out, I would most definitely enjoy.

"Are you ready?" She asked and broke me out of my lust filled haze.

I stood and nodded to her. I hooked my elbow out for her to grasp. She took it and we made our way out and locked the door behind us.

"Why won't you talk to me Sookie?" I asked once we were in the confines of the elevator and she had no where to escape.

She looked to me and I swear I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes but she quickly looked away and cleared her throat as if to will them away. Sookie shrugged and shook her head but said nothing.

I was tired, tired of her drifting further and further away from me. I was tired of her looking at me as if she wanted to say something but then not. We were, for lack of a better term for our situation, living together and I needed, if not deserved, to know. I pressed the emergency stop button and halted the descent of the elevator and turned her to face me in one swift movement.

"Talk to me, damnit!" I demanded and she scoffed instantly reaching for the button on the panel.

I grabbed her hand gently but forcefully and pinned her against the wall, trapping her with my arms. My shoulder twinged with pain at the force but I managed to swallow it down. Her bruises had all but faded and her cast was scheduled to come off tomorrow, but I was as gentle as I could be still demanding her attention.

"We will stay in this elevator all night if that is what it takes. You are running again, Sookie and I don't know why." She rested her arm across her casted one, in her attempt to stare at me defiantly.

"Fine!" She scoffed. "Are you sure you really want to know?" She asked with her eyebrows raised and a total look of disbelief on her face.

I nodded and took her hand and held it tight within mine. "Please." I begged hoping she could see the sincerity in my eyes.

"I love you!" She exclaimed. "I fucking love you." She looked at me hard in the eyes and I stood there speechless.

I took a step back and tried like hell to find words to say, but it was like my brain had fucking disconnected from my mouth. I could hardly thin let alone speak. I turned my eyes to her and she still stood there looking at me as if she wished she could set me afire. Sookie words most definitely did not match her expression and it only proved to confuse me further.

"What's wrong is; you don't feel the same." An emotion flashed in her eyes so quickly I couldn't register what it was before it was gone.

I stepped towards her holding my hand to her and shaking my head, still unable to speak, but not wanting her to give up on us, on me.

Sookie shook her head defiantly and stuck her back against the wall holding her hand out to halt my forward progression. "Tell me you do." She stated her voice wavering a bit as she spoke again more forcefully. "Don't lie to me."

I was silent. I wanted to speak. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to know that I loved her. I wanted her to know that I did. But I didn't. Instead I just stared, speechless and nearly paralyzed.

"See, your silence speaks thousands of words. None of which I want to hear." Sookie said calmly and resumed the descent of the elevator.

The elevator almost immediately stopped again and the doors opened. I stood there frozen and watched her as she walked away.

A/N: OMG! Don't kill me. I love you guys. Thanks again for being so wonderfully patient. I hope to begin work on the next chapter very soon. Thanks for not pillaging me with rotten fruit and other destructive or disgusting things.

You know what to do now, press the button and leave your thoughts.

MUAW!!