Chapter 27 – The first official date
Finishing our song list Kol switched back to the DJ and gave drinks
"Why am I the only single around?"
he complained with a pout.
"Because you hit on everything and everyone brother"
Klaus told his brother without looking away from Bella. The song she had dedicated to Finn and Sage earlier had reminded him of the day she spent with them, once upon a time.
"Are you ready to go?"
Klaus hopped from a barstool and walked to the girl talking and laughing with his brother. He had watched as she argued with a couple cold ones before the concert and was amazed at how much he wanted to run over, kick them out and protect her. The only other person he had ever felt anything similar was his sisters and not in that 'must kill whoever upsets her' way.
"yeah, let's go"
she smiled but all Klaus could see the sparkle in her eyes. It took him a moment to gather himself and take her hand in his.
"Everyone leaves me"
Kol fake sniffled behind them. Klaus raised the hand that wasn't entwined with hers and waved goodbye over his shoulder. stopping at the bar, Bella took a small purse and a red jacket from Lexi who bid them goodbye. When they got outside, he opened the door for her and they were on their way.
They drove out of Forks and headed towards Lake Crescent, he was driving at the speed limit enjoying the way she had closed her eye and breathed in the salty air as well as the way the wind would tousle a silky lock and bring her in her eyes.
The pair arrived at La Luna about an hour later. Klaus pouted when Bella got on her own out of the car but clasped her hand in his, feeling irrationally hurt at the fact she could open a car door on her own. It was a quaint, beautifully decorated place that sat on a large dock, so they were literally on the water, and the back wall of the restaurant was one large window so you could see all of the lake.
As soon as they stepped inside, a woman with a huge bosom and a nameplate with the name 'candy' greeted them and led them to a table in the back with a beautiful view of the lake. To Bella's surprise, not only Klaus paid no attention to the admirable bosom (frankly it was a miracle how she didn't topple over) but thanked her for the table without the excessive tipping that always annoyed her when Edward did it.
noticing her scrutiny, Klaus felt pleased that she didn't complain when he pulled her chair for her even thought she chuckled shaking her head a bit.
"What is it?"
he asked unable to stop a mirroring smile on his own lips
"nothing, just it's really beautiful and normal here"
"normal?"
he asked tilting his head a tiny bit on the side. Bella blushed
"you feel normal, like you do this on your own and not impress me or anything, which sounds really stupid when I say it out loud"
she finished bowing her head embarrassed.
"you only say that because you never knew me before. if you did, you'd be horrified to be with me"
he whispered his mind traveling to all the unnecessary killings he'd done in another life. realizing where his mind traveled and feeling bad about Bella reached a hand on the white table cloth and touched his gently
"and if you met me before the vampirism you'd say I'm a pathetic little doormat"
she said softly bringing him to the present. his deep blue eyes set on her bottomless brown ones.
"we all have pasts"
she finished shrugging one shoulder. he tried very much not to dwell on the soft blue bra strap that revealed itself as he replied
"a clean slate"
he offered with a smile and Bella nodded just as a waiter came to them. they jerked back at the waiters soft cough only then realizing they were just millimeters apart from one another.
"What are the two of you drinking tonight?"
the young man asked with an amused expression watching the Klaus' furious expression and Bella's blushing one, pulling out a small pad of paper.
"I'll take a scotch, neat and"
Klaus turned to her.
"an Island Breeze please"
their waiter nodded and with a smile in Bella's way that she completely missed, walked away.
"Island breeze?"
Klaus asked amused with the small pink tongue tip that appeared between her teeth when she smiled.
"Renee has a policy of try before you diss. So when I was fourteen she hired a bartender to make me all the drinks he could think off. Needless to say I was seriously buzzed and checked out before my cake came"
She explained with a faraway expression on her face.
"do you miss her?"
"Honestly? I miss the 'before' version. the Renée that's as happy-go-lucky as they come and isn't afraid to speak her mind. The 'after' version is far more annoying from the little I've heard"
"I'm sorry"
Klaus shook his head feeling bad. Squeezing their intertwined fingers Bella was quick to reply
"don't be. I'm the one who sang about vampires in a vampire infested bar and grill"
she bit her lip
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"sure"
he replied slightly worried
"be yourself. not what you think I want or need or anything else"
with a brilliant smile he nodded and their waiter returned with their drinks.
"cheers"
they clinked glasses.
"So, what do you do now?"
Bella asked trying to steer them to a light and meaningful topic. Klaus smiled hearing the question
"I draw. Esther wants me to have a gallery opening"
he replied blushing a little. Bella's mouth fell open in a cute way.
"you mean you did the drawing I got this morning? it was amazing, well it looked nothing like me, but it was beautiful"
his spirits deflated hearing that it looked nothing like her
"what do you mean?"
he asked in a 'trying-not-to-show-how-hurt-I-am' tone.
"The girl you drew had my hair and eyes but she was far too beautiful and shone"
she said in a tone that showed she wasn't editing her answer. she truly believed in her words. he threw his head back and laughed.
"You look that way to me"
he spoke the truth loving the blush that colored her cheeks. the only other person he'd ever felt attracted to and not in a purely physical way was Caroline but she was battling his evil side when, now thanks to the brunette sitting across from him, his evil side was a smidge.
Unlike his crush on Caroline, he really was enthralled with this young woman, Bella, and could only thank his lucky stars she was single. He was sure every man she met was as taken with her as he was, and just sitting across the table from her made him feel like the luckiest guy in the restaurant.
"So, how was your day?"
he asked, hoping to get her talking again.
"It was great! I can't say I miss school but watching Rebekah being a teacher's pet while Stefan loves to bring all teachers down is amusing. Did they date at some point?"
"Many points"
he said seriously making her laugh again. He loved the sound of her laughter and squeezed her hand that he had no intention of letting go
What is wrong with him?
Just then, another waiter came to get their orders. Eyes locked they both asked for the chef's choice that was salmon. The waiter placed the plates in front of the couple, and then returned to the bar to refill their drinks, while the couple broke eye contact with a blush and tasted their meals.
"This is great! I love salmon"
Klaus exclaimed at the dish. Bella looked at him intensely before reaching over and wiping a piece of butter from his chin as he blushed.
Cute, gentleman and actually eats. He is one of a kind..
Soon they finished their dinner while talking about Finn and Sage, Klaus would never admit it out loud but being a thousand years to the day with someone was his idea of true love.
Feeling the need to move before he jumped her, he suggested to take a walk in the back deck and at Bella's happy nod he took hold of her hand once again and they made their way out the door leading to the deck. The almost full moon was making its way upwards in the sky and a gentle breeze ruffled Bella's hair making look ethereal in the slight blue hues of the lights above them. Bella leaned on the railing on the edge of the deck with her eyes closed just breathing in the evening air.
Klaus stayed back against the call, hands in the pockets of his dark blue jeans observing her, imprinting her in his memory already knowing what he'd draw tonight. this girl was pure, opinionated, had no problem to put him in his place when he stepped out of line but wouldn't even flinch when he explained how the sacrifice had worked, even ash he shared how it felt killing three people. she was one of a kind and she would be his.
feeling eyes on her, Bella turned around to look at him but the playful retort died on her lips seeing his amorous look and a blush colored her cheeks as their eyes locked once again.
This was not a teenage crush like she had before. It wasn't the 'thread carefully he's made out of glass' she felt when she was around Edward even though she had loved him.
Klaus was a strong, responsible man that had put his siblings in vampire-coma quite a few times and had no problem killing three people to free himself of a curse a witch with a god complex had placed upon him and his baby sibling. the way she felt around him was more set on that she had felt when they sat next to each other a thousand years ago and it excited her.
Klaus took a step towards her and then one more without breaking their eyes away. klaus took a deep breath. He felt as if this would be his fist kiss and if her slightly accelerated breathing was anything to go by, she felt the same. He leaned forward slightly as she stretched closing the difference.
and of course they had to be interrupted by a loud thunder as they sky opened up and poured down on them.
"damn it"
he swore looking the wooden deck beneath his fist. Bella shrieked, and broke in uncontrolled laughter as she tilted her heated face towards the sky and the pouring rain.
her voice tingling with laughter broke through his angry feelings like the sun shines after the rain
"Welcome to Forks"
without saying a word he wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss that left them both breathless.
