Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I am putty in your hands. Please excuse the grammar, spelling and editorial mistakes. I do not have a beta.

XxX

"Oh my God Kat. This is such a bad idea. What am I even doing?" Caroline sighed into the phone as she dragged her fingers through her blond curls.

"It's just a date Caroline. Besides I don't know why you are so opposed to just having a fling with him. And from what you told me he sounds ridiculously hot. I would ride it like I stole it if I was in your shoes."

"Kat! You are disgusting. And the reason why I don't have flings is because I get too emotionally invested in sex. The one time I had a fling I ended up going all Single White Female on him. I am too neurotic for that shit." Caroline shook her head as she stood in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear for her date with Klaus.

"Whatever."

Caroline could almost hear Katherine roll her eyes. "Anyway, I need to find the perfect outfit for tonight. Not too sexy because I don't want to give him the impression that he might get lucky, but still sexy enough to make him drool. Does that even make sense?"

"No. Where is he taking you?"

"I think we are going to dinner and then out for drinks." Caroline tilted her head as she pulled out a pretty blue dress only to push it back into her overflowing closet.

"The backless dress with your blue jimmy's."

"You are a God damn genius Kat. " Caroline almost shrieked as she started pushing the clothes back in an effort to locate the dress.

"I know. … and I still think you should fuck that Nik guy."

"No and no. AND no."

"Suit yourself. Anyway, have a good date. Although without sex it isn't going to be that good of a date. And you better call me and tell me every damn detail. Do you understand?"

"Yes Kat."

"Ok good. Talk to you later."

"Bye, and thanks again for the help."

"No prob."

Caroline smiled as she set her cell phone down. How she managed to end up best friends with Katherine Pierce was beyond her. You would think that two bitchy drama queens would repel each other, yet somehow they managed to become the best of friends.

After about 10 minutes of searching Caroline finally managed to find the dress she was looking for. It was a sleek little black dress that was a halter top style, and left her back completely bare. Kat was totally right, this dress was going to be perfect. Laying the dress down she dropped to her knees and started digging around for her shoes. The closet was so tiny that she basically had to stuff everything in it for it to fit. She was a fashion correspondent for God sakes! She should have a walk in. Oh woe is life of a single girl in an expensive city.

"Ah ha!" Caroline shouted as she found her royal blue strappy Jimmy Choo sandals. She stared at them reverently for a moment before hugging them to her body. She forgot how much she loved these damned shoes.

It only took two hours for Caroline to get ready, which was possibly a new record for her. Her hair finally decided to cooperate and actually curled and stayed that way. The backless dress was going to be a Nik killer, the black fabric hugging her slender figure and falling just mid thigh. Short enough to make it interesting and long enough to keep it classy. The stilettos giving the impression that her legs went on for miles. She glanced in the mirror once more, her fingers touching around her eyes cleaning up smokey eye look she had going. It was so freaking hard to keep the smokey eye from looking like she had been punched in the face. With a final dab of some lip gloss she gave herself a smile.

Oh yes, she was going to enjoy shutting him down looking like this. With that the door bell rang, her blue eyes flicking up at the clock. 8 on the dot, he was punctual. She would give him that. Ok Caroline, let's do this. It's just a date. She mentally repeated to herself as she moved across the flat to stop by the door. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and smiled. Klaus stood on the other side with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

"Hi" She chirped. A smirk pulled at her lips as she saw the smile fall from his lips as his jaw dropped. His blue green eyes slowly raking over her body.

Blood hell, he could already feel himself getting hard as he took in every single inch of that delectable body. She was glorious and tonight she would be on his arm and hopefully he would end up in her bed, and once he was in her bed he was going to have her six ways from Sunday.

While he was busy picking his jaw up off the floor Caroline took a moment to look him over. He was dressed in gray slacks, a dark blue button up open at the collar with a dark gray blazer. The way his shirt hugged his chest was enough to make her blush. His cheeks had that sexy stubble that her hands were just itching to touch.

Finally coming to his senses he caught her ogling him and smirked. "You look lovely this evening, sweetheart." That panty dropping accent of his pulling her back to the moment and she was pretty sure her face was completely red having been caught doing the exact same thing he had done to her. Handing her the roses, making sure that his fingers brushed hers as he leaned in to kiss her cheek, his stubble rough against her soft skin, his woodsy scent filling her senses.

"Thank you." Caroline murmured as she graced him with another one of her smiles before turning to place the flowers in water. She was not about to let him know that his innocent little kiss had stopped her heart and then sent it racing for its life. She couldn't help the grin that split across her face as she listened to his breathing stop as he caught sight of the back of her dress. Payback was a bitch.

The six ways from Sunday idea was back into his head once he saw all that beautiful skin exposed. He would just love to kiss and lick every bloody inch of her skin that was on display before him. Then he would remove that poor excuse of a dress to expose more of that delight full skin. He wanted to push her against that table and take her right there. Bend her over and …..the thought was interrupted by the star of his erotic fantasies herself suddenly standing right next to him, her keys and a small purple clutch in her hand.

"Ready to go?"

Oh he was ready to go alright, but refrained from making the innuendo given her tendency to call him out as a pervert, so Klaus just smiled and nodded as he went back through the door and waited for her to close and lock it. Being ever the gentleman he slid his hand along her lower back to escort her through the building. It was even softer than it looked and he smiled when he heard her breathing hitch at his touch. And that was why he was going to take every damn opportunity to touch her back, a little payback for wearing something so damn provocative.

Caroline almost stopped breathing the moment he felt his hand slide against her bare back. She almost wanted to say something, but this was a "date". She couldn't very well tell him not to touch her. Although she wanted like hell to tell him to back off, his hand felt like he was branding her skin. His hand was rough and callused, and oh god was it felt incredible. What she wouldn't give to feel his hands all over her body. No, no, no, no, no! No it would not feel incredible! Pull it together Caroline! Jesus Christ on Crutches how was wearing a backless dress even remotely a good idea? She was going to kill Kat for this.

Her thoughts were pulled away from the mayhem she was about to make of her best friends life when she caught sight of a man in a dark suit holding the back door of a black Range Rover open. Her brows shot up in surprised as she glanced at Klaus and then back to the car. "You have a driver?"

Klaus gave her a wolfish smile as he helped her into the SUV. "I do own my own company, sweetheart."

"Impressive." She smiled as he slid in beside her.

Klaus gasped and covered his heart with his hand. "I must be hallucinating. Caroline actually has something nice to say about me!? Has hell frozen over?" Caroline laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder rolling her eyes.

"Do you really think so low of me, love?" She quipped in her best impression of his British accent.

Klaus laughed at her impression. It was adorable truth be told. "You did make quite the impression, love."

Now it was Caroline's turn to gasp and clutch her heart. "My reputation as America's sweetheart is in tatters! How will I ever go on?!" At that point they both burst out laughing. In that moment Klaus could not help but be enchanted with the lovely blonde at his side. The way her whole face lit up when she laughed was absolutely breathtaking.

They arrived at the restaurant soon enough. It was nice without being pretentious. Sliding his hand along her back once more, they followed the Maitre D to a table next to the window. Klaus could not help but touch her again, the bare skin of her back teasing him. Plus he was still making her pay for the delightful display of her body. Speaking of display, Klaus caught the hungry stares that a few of the men in the restaurant were sending her way and he pulled her a little closer a feeling of possessiveness coming over him, which was odd in itself, Klaus never felt possessive over a woman.

After helping her into her seat, he sat down himself and pursued the wine list that the Maitre D had left with them. "Any preference for wine, sweetheart?" Caroline smiled and shook her head.

"No. Most of the wine I drink tends to be on sale or in a box. So I leave it up to your distinguished pallet." She teased playfully and Klaus could only smirk at her confession. Once the waiter had been over and their orders taken and the wine delivered they finally had a chance to talk again.

"So Stefan introduced you to me as Klaus and yet you ask me to call you Nik. How are those names even remotely related?" Caroline asked as she played with her fork, flipping it over and over as she gazed at the handsome man before her.

"My given name is Niklaus. My mother is a Professor of history and her specialty is the medieval era. So it is not a shock she would give her children names that reflect that time." Klaus said as he took a tentative sip of his wine.

"Niklaus. I like it." Caroline smiled, enjoying how the name tasted against her lips. "So you mentioned children so I can safely assume you have siblings. What are their names?"

Klaus was pretty sure he had never like his given name so much as he did when it fell from her lips. Shaking himself from his thoughts he answered her question with a look of endearment across his face that she had yet to see. "Kol you already met. I have two older brothers: Elijah and Finn. A little sister named Rebekah and a little brother named Henrik."

"Good God! You're actually related to Kol?! Although it's not surprising given the horrible lines you were trying to sling. FYI – you need new ones." Caroline gave a nod of approval at her dispersal of wisdom as she took a hardy drink of her wine. Wow, that was delicious. She almost wanted to say something, yet she held back. His ego was already huge enough. Why add to it.

Klaus just shook his head and laughed at her outburst. Caroline was absolutely something else. Just when he felt he had a handle on her, she would up and change on him again.

"Anyway, you were not kidding when you said your mother loved old names. Plus you have a huge family. I always wanted a brother or sister. Unfortunately I ended up an only child." Caroline sighed with envy.

"And why is that, love?" Caroline paused as she considered her words. "My father finally came out of the closet and left my mother to be with his one true love Steven. "

Klaus blinked, a stunned expression marring his features as he took in her confession. "I'm….. sorry?" He wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to this news.

Caroline smiled as she reached over and took his hand in hers giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's ok. Steven makes my father happy and he is like a second father to me." Her face softening as she thought of her two fathers. It made Klaus's heart clench at the thought of having not only one but two fathers that loved their child. His thoughts flirting to that dark place that Mikael had created. Before he could go further down that path he was pulled back by the little circles that Caroline was drawing on his hand with her thumb. It startled him truth be told. No one really touched him for the pure sake of soothing him.

Dinner arrived soon enough and Klaus felt a bit disappointed as Caroline's hand left his. They made idle chit chat as they ate, commenting on the food, even going so far as to try each other's dishes. Once the meal was over and the bill paid they were back in the Range Rover heading back to the bar where they first met.

"You really like this bar huh?" Caroline murmured as she looked out the window taking in the London night life that seemed to burst forth just outside her window.

"It's called a pub, love and I own it." Caroline laughed at that confession.

"Well don't you own quite the diversified portfolio." Klaus just shrugged as he helped her out of the car and into the pub. Again his hand went to her back and again he pulled her close to his side. She was his for tonight and he dared anyone inside or outside of that pub for that matter to challenge him.

Once they got inside they headed towards the bar where Klaus glowered at a few men to give up their seats and assisted Caroline in taking their place. It wasn't a big shock that he was able to make people leave with just a look. The patrons who frequented the pub knew who he was, who he really was that is. A few demonstrations of his brutality was enough for word to spread. The only one who didn't know was the sexy little blonde that sat next to him. Which probably explained her sass, yet he was pretty sure even if she did know who he really was, she would still be just as impudent.

A nod at the bar tender was enough for the working man to place a scotch and a rum and coke before them. "I don't know if I should be scared or impressed." Caroline smiled as she picked up her drink and took a large gulp. After the wine she was pretty much on her way to hammered and the addition of the hard liquor didn't help. Maybe her whole plan of drinking more to starve off her attraction to Nik wasn't exactly the best idea. The whole plan seemed to have the adverse effect.

"I would prefer impressed." Klaus smirked at the tipsy blonde next to him. They sat at the bar for about an hour, talking about everything and nothing. Klaus taking every opportunity to touch her, whether it be tucking her blonde curls behind her ear or stroking the curve of her spine as he leaned in to murmur into her ear. He could tell Caroline was not unaffected by his small touches with her cheeks blushing a lovely pink and not to mention the appearance of goose bumps at the site he had just teased with his hands.

It was after her second drink that Caroline finally gave into the need that had been gnawing at her moment she met him. He was busy telling some story about Kol before he came to a sudden halt as she reached up to cupped his face in her hands. Fingers reverently stroking the stubble across his cheeks as her head tilted slightly, a waterfall of blonde curls sliding over her shoulders as if to better observe her ministrations. Blue eyes dark with want a she followed the movements of her fingers, utterly entranced with the feeling of his face under her fingertips.

Klaus could swear his heart stopped in that moment when she touched his face. He had always been the one to touch her, save for that moment in the restaurant, yet that was nothing sexual, just something meant to soothe. Finally Klaus had some indication that she was not immune to him as she pretended to be.

With that small revelation he gathered her up in his arms he kissed her. Something he had been longing to do since he first saw her in that red sun dress. He could taste the sweetness of her drink on her mouth. Just like her skin her lips were softer than he imagined. It was only a matter of moments before her lips parted for him, her tongue sliding against his as he explored her mouth. He pulled her against his him, as much as the bar stool would allow, her soft curves fitting perfectly against the hard planes of his body.

Klaus took the opportunity to ravish her mouth. His teeth nipping gently against her bottom lip and then dragging his tongue across it almost soothingly. He almost smiled as he felt Caroline vie for control of the kiss, her tongue flicking across his own, exploring the soft recesses of his mouth.

It took a few more kisses before Caroline finally came to her senses. She pushed away from him, gasping for breath. She did NOT just have a hot make out session with Nik in the middle of a bar. "I need to go home." She whispered against his lips as he leaned in to kiss her once more, even though she had pushed him away she could not help but touch him once again. One hand lifting to cup his face eager to feel that stubble once more as her other hand curved along the back of his neck teasing the skin lightly with her nails. This was a testament that she was obviously drunk as shit and out of her God damn mind. And being said drunk, she would not deny herself touching him once more.

Klaus was only too happy to comply with her request. His mind already cataloging the things he planned to do to her once he got her in to bed. Pulling himself off the stool he held out his hand to her and assisted her to her feet. He smiled as he saw her wobble on her heels. His sweet Caroline was a bit of a light weight when it came to drinking so it seemed.

Pulling her against his side they left the pub and made their way back to the waiting SUV. Once inside he couldn't help but pull the lovely blonde into his lap and kissed her once more, his rough hands taking the opportunity to explore every inch of skin that was on display before him and even the skin that was not as he inched his hands up her dress. Her own hands buried themselves into his hair, dragging her fingers through his curls again and again, unable to get enough. His kisses were downright intoxicating and every place his hands touched set her skin on fire. She could finally appreciate Adel's lyrics about setting fire to the rain because that was damn sure what he was doing to her.

Pulling away from her lips Klaus tilted her head back slightly to attack the graceful curve of her neck. Small kisses pressed against the bronzed skin before nipping her with his teeth just at her pulse point. Caroline pretty much stopped breathing at that point, letting her head fall back to give him better access to the delicate skin of her neck, her tugging at his shirt to loosen a few of his buttons, just enough to allow her hand to slide against his smooth chest.

Klaus flicked his tongue along her collar bone, following the line with his mouth to her shoulder, his teeth sinking into to the soft flesh. Caroline gasped, arching against him before she pulled his head up for another searing kiss.

It was the halt of the SUV that brought Caroline out of her lust induced haze and she realized they were stopped in front of her flat. Gasping for breath she broke the kiss and untangled herself from his arms, pushing the door open and stepped outside, the cool air bring her back to her original objective. Klaus was a bit confused as the blonde was suddenly missing from his arms, but quickly realized where they were and he moved to step out with her but was stopped by her hand, a smirk crossing her lips as she gazed down at him. "Not happening Romeo."

And with that she turned away from him and strode into the building. Klaus watched her at a loss of what to do. He had never been shut down like that before. He watched helplessly at the sweet curves of her hips as she swayed away from him. He was going to need a very cold shower. Maybe even two. "Home." He said almost absently, as he fell back into his seat and shut the door.