He felt it in his gut, the aching, the longing for a woman he shouldn't long for, Caroline, it had been months since he met her for the first time wrapped in his friends embrace.
She often said she felt he didn't like her and Klaus preferred it that way as opposed to admitting how he truly felt for her.
Most days he could barely stomach the feelings he felt growing inside of him which is why now he was stumbling home which seemed more than a few blocks away now.
He had tried the usual vices but his mind always wandered to her, he even thought about breaking his hand to keep from sketching her eyes.
In the end he just settled for another drink in his favorite bar snuggled in the darkened corner observing the crowd around him to be much happier than he was at the moment.
In hindsight he should have just gone to a liquor store and gone home instead of stewing in his dilemma the whole evening playing scenarios in his head about things he shouldn't have been conjuring.
He frowned as he thought back to what had transpired in the last hour wishing he could rip his clothes from his body to keep from smelling her on him.
He was about to settle in with another bottle from the top shelf when he heard the melody of her laughter without meaning to his eyes shot to her.
His breath hitched and he ignored everything else watching her take a drink from the bar and sit in between her two friends he'd met on occasion.
He quickly looked away when he felt she had caught him staring he tried to ignore the smile that grew on her face as he watched from the corner of his eye.
He left a few more bills than necessary on the table before he stalked off deciding to instead call it a night and walk back home to continue commiserating.
What was she even doing in his bar, he thought miserable as he reached the exit farthest from where her party was forcing himself to exit without looking back.
It was then he got the whiff of her scent and he felt his body go rigid as the smell of papaya and citrus goose bumps forming on his body but he blamed it on the cold air.
"I didn't know you'd be here," she called catching up to him her hand touching his shoulder making a shudder run through him at her voluntary touch.
"Technically, I'm not anymore," he said not looking behind him trying to brush off the feeling of the alcohol taking over, lowering his inhibitions.
"True," She agreed and he felt her smile, "Klaus can we talk," she asked with such hope in her voice he knew he would hate himself in the morning because he was about to crush it.
"Actually Caroline I'd rather not," he said sardonically waving behind himself in the hope that she would leave him be hating when he felt her hesitate staying just a moment longer.
He hand came off of his shoulder, "Okay fine then shut up and hear me out," she huffed surprising him, impressing him as he turned to look at her.
With a tilt of his head he told her she had his attention she crossed her arms giving him an ample view of her breasts in the short blue strapless dress had on.
His eyes lingered there for a moment before she spoke drawing his attention back up to her face, he felt his eyes widen, his pupils dilate as he watched her.
She was magic, he thought forcing himself to stay stoic even as he longed to brush his fingers down her arm and warm her from the cold night.
"You don't like me very much do you," she asked but it wasn't a question he realized even as another part of his brain longed to tell her just how wrong she was.
"I can't think of a thing I've done that could have offended you so I've decided this is your problem," she told him without pause the definitive glare sent his body into a frenzy.
He felt his brain short-circuiting and suddenly he was closer, much closer his senses filling up with her as he leaned her against the back of the door his body crowding hers.
She didn't resist or blink for that matter and every time she took a breath he felt her chest brush his her pants caress his face as their gazes locked.
He let out a low laugh that was manic if possible forming a crease on her forehead as his hands moved up from her sides along the door.
His hands cupped her face forcing her head up, "You think I hate you," he murmured against her lips, "That I don't like you," he whispered.
"Yes," she hissed her eyes unfaltering as she stayed where he wanted her he saw no fear only a glint of intrigue as if she was secretly thrilled to be pressed against him.
Almost asking him what he planned to do now that he had her where he wanted her, "You're right," he said his words with a bit of an edge. "It is my problem."
"My problem with you is that I want to kiss you until your eyes roll back and your nails dig into the sides of my back," he disclosed to her a light dawning in her eyes.
"That I crave to touch you and have you touch me like the most intimate of lovers," he said as one hand slide down from her face grazing her arm as he set it around her waist.
His knee nudged at her thighs sliding in perfectly pressing his lower half to her smirking when she moaned, "And I shouldn't want that," he told her.
"Because I know what it's like to have someone and have another I trust take that someone away," he said as he pulled away from her.
His body grew tired quickly the bottle he'd had weighing on him as he spotted the bus stop in front of his building and felt relief flood him.
He marched across the side walk reaching for his keys as he grasped for the staircase to keep his footing his nose crinkled in confusion as he fought with his pants in trying to locate his keys.
He cursed under his breath when he realized where they might have fallen and wished his door would just open and he could forget all about this evening and deny it's existence for all of eternity.
"Klaus," he heard her tiny voice behind him as he slammed his head into the door frame he heard her rush up the steps her heels and his eyes rattling as she went.
"Are you alright," she asked concerned as she took his face in her hands his eyes met hers finding worry in the little flecks of green.
"I'm fine," he slurred as his body slugged against the door, "You stole my keys," he mumbled as she touched his face.
He winced when her finger touched his brow, "That looked painful," she told him, "Hang on, let's get you inside," she said using his keys to unlock his door.
"You did steal my keys," he mumbled upon seeing the metal as she let herself in dropping her coat on the floor and coming back outside to him.
"Like my heart," he murmured against her cheek as she helped him back up and into the brownstone he had inherited from his mother.
"You dropped your keys," she reminded him as he held on to her his nose burying itself in her soft hair his scruff scratching at the softness of her neck.
"Why are you here," he asked as he felt himself fall on his couch dragging Caroline with him as the world around him fell and they sat in darkness.
"Your keys," she tried to explain again but Klaus found himself brushing his lips against hers his veins singing when she tried to follow his lips with her own.
His fingers brushing her cheek before his hand cupped her face, "Why do I feel this way," he asked her feeling as lost as she looked when she shook her head that she didn't know. "I don't want to, it isn't fair."
"I know," she whispered leaning into his touch accepting how he felt her tongue darted out licking her upper lips tasting him.
"I shouldn't want this either," she stated stunning him into silence, "But you're tired and drunk and won't remember this in the morning."
"Yes I will," he replied his heart hoping he would recall it no matter how much it would hurt when he did, "I have to Caroline," his cheek nuzzled hers before he rested his head on the couch.
"Go to sleep," she whispered kissing his cheek as she wrapped the throw blanket Rebekah had given him last fall around his side.
"Could you stay please," he mumbled holding on to her hand as she tried to go he heard her sigh as she slid out of her shoes.
A moment later he felt her settle into him with a smile he wrapped his arm around her, even if he couldn't have forever with her he could have this.