The next morning, Elena woke up in Stefan's bed. She was wearing nothing but her bra and underwear. Slowly, she turned around to see if Stefan was there, but he wasn't, so she spread out across the entire mattress.
Elena leaned over and grabbed her phone off the side table. She checked to see if anyone had reached out to her. Bonnie texted her asking if she wanted to meet for lunch today, Jer messaged her wondering how long Elena was going to stay at the boarding house, and surprisingly, there was no message from Caroline.
Elena furrowed her brow, worried. Over the past couple days, her internal battle with her feelings for Stefan and Damon had consumed her life. It didn't even occur to her until this very moment that she hadn't heard from Caroline since the slumber party night.
She got out of bed and searched the room for something to cover herself with. She couldn't find anything, so she decided to just leave the room in what she was wearing. It didn't even occur to her that it might not be completely appropriate, seeing how she was living in a house with both Stefan and Damon.
Elena crept down the stairs and heard someone fumbling around in the kitchen. Assuming that it was Stefan, she mindlessly walked openly into the kitchen, staring at her phone.
"Hey Stefan, have you heard from Caroline recen—?" Elena halted mid-step, looking up from her phone. In front of her, Damon was leaning against the counter with his traditional swag. He held a glass of blood in his hand; his eyes were wandering all over Elena's body. His light blue eyes turned dark with impure thoughts as he panned up her legs. He raised his eyebrows.
"Well, good morning Elena," He said, winking at her flirtatiously. Elena gulped.
"I-I," Elena stumbled, "I thought you were Stefan."
"Did you?" Damon accused. Elena stood silent because a little part of her did know that it wasn't Stefan in that kitchen, but she would never admit it.
Damon kept letting his eyes wander below her neck. Elena normally would've felt extremely awkward and even a little angry, but she found herself loving the way Damon looked at her. He looked lost and desperate. His eyes were longing; it was obvious that he loved all of her.
"Do you mind?" She cleared her throat. Damon bowed his head and turned around. Elena desperately searched the kitchen for something to cover herself up; maybe an apron, but she couldn't find anything. "Dammit." She cursed under her breath.
"What's wrong?" Damon asked, "Can I turn around yet?"
"No," Elena said quickly. She thought that she looked absolutely crazy, searching a kitchen half naked as Damon stood on standby.
"What's wrong?" Damon asked again, "Missing a certain something to cover up that amazing bod?" Elena blushed at Damon's compliment and let a smile curl across her cheeks.
"Yeah, actually," Elena said, running a hand through her hair, "I guess I'll just go upstairs."
"That's not necessary," Damon stopped her before she could run off. He turned around to face her again and steadily began unbuttoning his shirt. Elena watched as his hands moved down his torso. Rose wasn't lying when she said 'dripping with sex.' Elena inappropriately thought. She wasn't sure what Damon was doing, but she decided to stick around for the show. She watched incessantly curious, eager to figure out what this unpredictable vampire was doing.
He removed the entirety of his shirt and slowly walked over to Elena. She stood completely still, waiting. She wasn't sure what she expected, but what he ended up doing was draping his shirt over her shoulders. He took a few steps back from her, leaving her feeling empty and cold.
Elena quickly buttoned up his shirt. His shirt smelled of bourbon and smoke from a fireplace she loved the feeling of the remnants of the warmth of his skin.
"Have you seen Stefan?" Elena asked.
"Yep, he said he was going to meet an old friend at the Grill," Damon responded. Elena looked at him with curiosity, "Don't ask me, he didn't tell me anything else."
"Okay…have you heard from Caroline recently?" She asked.
"Oh, yeah. She called me this morning and we gossiped about Tyler and that bitch from school that is ALWAYS wearing the same thing as her," Damon said sarcastically.
"Point taken," Elena responded. Damon smiled at her and began doing his eye-thing that drove Elena absolutely crazy. That's when the doorbell rang. Elena and Damon looked at each other, and then, almost like magnets, they both moved towards the door. When they reached the front door, Elena opened it.
"Rebekah," Elena gasped in surprise.
Across the threshold stood Rebekah Mikaelson, hand placed sassily on her hip. At the image of Damon and Elena standing next to each other, half-naked wearing looks of shock, Rebekah raised her eyebrows.
"So is this a thing now?" She inquired, her British accent adding more sass to the original statement.
"It's not how it looks," Elena pleaded with Rebekah.
"Really?" Rebekah obviously didn't believe Elena, "Do you mind if I get a picture of this?" Rebekah laughed as she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture so quickly that Damon and Elena didn't have any time to react.
"Rebekah, get rid of that picture," Elena demanded. She stood defensively in the doorway, staring down the blonde.
"Why?" Rebekah held up the phone so they could see the photo. It didlook pretty incriminating. "I think it's pretty cute. We could put it on the Christmas card this year. Imagine what your parents will say when they see that! Oh wait…" Rebekah flashed Elena a wicked smile.
"Now, now, Beks," Damon said, leaning against the door, "No need to be so vicious. Don't take your jealousy out on Elena." Elena put her hand on his bare chest to signal him to stop talking.
"There's nothing to be jealous about. Rebekah, listen…" Elena pleaded, "Don't say anything about this to Stefan. There's nothing to it, it would just be hard to explain to him."
"That you're cheating on him with his brother? That is hard to explain." Rebekah responded with a smile.
"No, Damon and I haven't…" Elena said, "It's just…nevermind, just leave it, okay?"
"Trouble in paradise?" Rebekah laughed a bit. Elena and Damon just stared her down.
"Why are you here?" Elena gave up her battle against Rebekah, figuring that even if Rebekah told Stefan what she saw, Elena could probably convince Stefan that Rebekah was just spreading rumors.
"Elijah wanted me to bring you this," Rebekah held out an envelope, and Elena accepted it, "I voted against inviting you, but he insisted."
"Okay, thank yoooou!" Damon said sarcastically as he began closing the door.
Right before he slammed it in her face, Rebekah shouted, "He's good in the sac, isn't he, Elena?!"
"She's a piece of work, isn't she?" Elena whispered to Damon.
"Yeah, but she knows her stuff under the covers," Damon responded. Elena felt an overwhelming amount of jealousy flood through her system.
"Thanks for the information, Damon," Elena snapped. She didn't intend for it to come out as venomous as it did. Damon picked up on her jealousy and smugly smiled. He leaned down to her ear.
"I bet you're better though," He whispered. His breath tickled her neck and she felt her knees weakening. She was surprised that she didn't just collapse onto him right then and there. It occurred to Elena that if she wanted to maintain her relationship with Stefan and friendship with Damon, she should avoid all situations that include her and Damon being half naked. Elena gulped and took a step back from Damon.
"Let's see what this letter is," She ripped open the envelope and read silently for a moment.
"Well?" Damon asked.
"It's an invitation," Elena said, "To the Annual Mikaelson Ball."
"Sooo…" Damon said, "They're trying to kill you again." Elena shrugged and gave Damon the invitation.
"Honestly, I don't know," Elena began walking into the parlor, "I actually think that they sorta genuinely like me. Minus Cole and Rebekah, of course."
"Hmm," Damon followed her into the parlor, "Well, even if that is the case, I'm going." Elena smiled at the thought of being at a ball with Damon. Every time she's been at one with him, she's always had an opportunity to dance with him. Dancing with Damon was one of her favorite activities.
"Fair enough," Elena turned around to face Damon. He was shocked that Elena didn't fight him on the subject. "Well, I guess I should get dressed." Elena said, walking back up the stairs to Stefan's room where the rest of her clothing was.
"Just keep the shirt," Damon called after her. After all, he had plenty of the same kind and there was something very, very hot about seeing Elena wearing it.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this update! Reviews would be great!