Klaroline AU Week: Day 3 – Adversaries
Rival tennis players, Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes don't get along, well until that steamy night in a Paris hotel room, that is. Although now they are set to face each other in the Wimbledon mixed doubles final and have to deal with their unresolved feelings.
Game, Set, Match
Wimbledon Players Entrance - Thursday AM
"It's okay ladies, there's more than enough of me to go around," Klaus boasted, trying to calm the hoard of screaming girls surrounding him and waving pieces of memorabilia and body parts for him to autograph.
It wasn't the first time this had happened and it wouldn't be the last, especially while he was one of the top ranking male tennis players on the world circuit. He had multiple titles under his belt and was working his way towards another at Wimbledon this week.
Being one of England's best hopes meant that the reception he received on his home turf was intense, not that he minded. Klaus knew he was talented and figured the adulation was well-earned.
"Excuse me, coming through!" A female voice yelled above the din, pushing through and parting his throng of adoring fans.
"There's no need to push in, love," he murmured, his eyes taking in her golden waves tied back in a ponytail, expressive blue eyes and delicious curves fitted into a short, white dress with her long, tanned legs that stretched for days peeking out from underneath. "I know that's difficult given how irresistible I am."
"I was just trying to get past," she shot back, her eyes blazing angrily. "Your little groupies were blocking my path to the change rooms."
"Oh Caroline, I didn't recognise you amongst all my groupies," he teased, using her terminology. She pushed past him purposefully and stalked away, almost hitting him with her racquet in the process.
"Excuse me ladies, just for a moment," he apologized, before sprinting away to catch her.
"Looking good, Forbes," he whistled, at her retreating back. Caroline Forbes was one of the best up and coming female players in the competition, it didn't hurt that she was also one of the most devastatingly beautiful either.
"Shame I can't say the same about you," she called out, without a backward glance.
"Funny, that's not what you said in Paris," he added, licking his lips hungrily.
"I suggest you concentrate on your game in the mixed doubles, you're going to need it, Mikaelson."
The one thing Klaus loved was a challenge, whether it was on or off the court and he fully intended on accepting.
Wimbledon Practice Courts - Thursday PM
"Ouch, Caroline!" Matt groaned as the incoming yellow ball hit his leg. "Last time I checked we were playing tennis, not dodgeball."
"Oh stop complaining, it didn't hurt you big baby," she growled, bouncing the tennis ball on the spot a few times and preparing for her next serve. "Although I was the class dodgeball champion I'll have you know."
"I'm not surprised what with your intense competitive streak, Forbes," he agreed, hitting back her serve with a strong forehand towards the top right corner of the grass court.
"Hey! I thought you said that was our secret weapon?" She asked, puffing slightly and returning his shot with her trademark double-handed backhand.
"That, and your stubborn determination to beat Klaus Mikaelson at all costs," he joked, returning the ball with ease.
"I couldn't care less about him," she huffed, watching as her shot sailed straight into the net.
"I think that poor excuse for a volley is saying the opposite," he replied, raising his eyebrows at her from across the net.
"I thought we were practicing for the semi-finals tomorrow, not talking about possible final's competition," she added, throwing up her tennis racquet in frustration.
"I think you and I both know the chances of facing Klaus and Hayley in the finals aren't just possible they are highly likely, Care."
"Even so," she murmured, pursing her lips. "I'd prefer to focus on tomorrow's match, you know I don't like to get ahead of myself."
"Or talk about Klaus."
"Oh no, what has my brother done now?" A female voice demanded, walking onto the court an all access pass hung around her neck.
"Just being himself," Caroline answered Rebekah. She looked immaculate as usual with her long, glossy tresses hanging loosely at the sides of her white Chanel sundress. Her oversized Gucci sunglasses, nude Jimmy Choo wedges and matching Birkin tote finishing off her designer outfit.
"I have a feeling I'll be apologizing for his idiotic ass the rest of my damn life," she muttered. "So, how's practice?"
"It's been taken hostage by Caroline's mood," Matt quipped, earning a dirty look from his tennis partner and best friend.
Caroline and Matt had met when they were both competing at a junior level in their hometown of Florida. They'd formed an easy friendship which had helped form the strong basis for their professional partnership. Her mother had immediately warmed to the blonde haired, blue-eyed tennis pro and had hoped marriage was also in their future. Caroline figured Liz would have to make do with her being his tennis partner as opposed to his life one.
While Caroline loved Matt's wife of six months, Rebekah, she couldn't help but think how differently life would be without her arrogant brother hanging around all the time. Although not a stranger to Klaus Mikaelson because of their professional careers, they'd first met at the Engagement Party eighteen months earlier and had been exchanging eye rolls and barbs ever since. There was no denying he was gorgeous with those dark blond curls, stormy blue eyes and sinful crimson lips, but unfortunately he knew that all too well.
Caroline refused to ever let herself fall for his charms knowing that it would make her just another one of his pathetic sycophants. She'd been doing so well until the French Open last month. Her last remaining shred of willpower had worn away at the Ritz Hotel bar and before she knew it Caroline was naked and entangled in his sheets after some of the best sex she'd ever had.
She could still feel his hands roaming across her bare skin, his mouth tugging on her nipples and his impressive erection straining against her leg, and that was just foreplay. She shuddered knowing that if she thought past that point there would be no leaving this bed and before she knew it round five would be well underway. Caroline would never openly admit it but it was the most sensual and intense experience of her life.
Doing everything she could to ignore just how adorably peaceful he looked sleeping, she detached herself from his bare arm that was slung lazily over her waist and snuck out of his bed. There was no way she wanted to be there for the awkward moment when he awoke. Why couldn't he be some random one-night-stand that she would never see again?
In the glaring light of day, Caroline had decided to put her lapse in judgement down to her emotional state at the time after receiving bad news from home. Well, that and copious glasses of Moet. She always was a sucker for French Champagne. Forgetting their night together was the best thing, for everyone. So much so that Rebekah and Matt had no idea, it was better this way.
"I am not in a mood," she snorted, walking off the court.
"I thought we were practicing?"
"No, I was practicing, you were just being mean," she shot back, locating a bottle of Evian and taking a swig of the cool liquid. Although it was summer, London was hotter than usual this year and she needed all the hydration she could get.
"No, you were just being a Princess," he teased, ducking for cover as her water bottle flew through the air toward him like a missile.
"Now, why doesn't that surprise me?" An all too familiar voice piped up from the sidelines. She didn't even need to look up to know that Klaus was flashing those dimples in her direction. They needed to come with a warning they were that disarming.
"Don't you have better things to do than spy on the competition, Mikaleson?" Matt asked. Even with the rivalry that their careers brought they were still good friends, go figure.
"I thought I'd come past and give you some pointers on where you're going wrong," he chuckled. "Starting with that t-shirt, Donovan."
"You're just jealous Adidas doesn't sponsor you," he joked.
"I think I'm more than okay with Nike, mate," he shot back. Caroline chose to ignore them, hoping that it would make him leave as quickly as he appeared. "I see you have that usual disapproving expression on your face little sister? What did I do this time?"
"Apparently you were just being yourself," she drawled, glancing briefly towards Caroline. Great now he'd never leave, the one thing Klaus never backed away from was an argument.
"I have been nothing but a true gentleman," he argued. "It was Caroline that nearly hit me with her racquet earlier and judging by her little water bottle tantrum just now she clearly needs assistance with that temper."
"I do not have a temper," she growled, swiveling in her chair and glaring in his direction. "I just have limited patience with men acting like little boys."
"No need to get all worked up. Wow, you really need an outlet for all that rage, love," he grinned, his eyes dipping lower and flickering across her chest. She didn't need to guess what kind of outlet he was referring to. She shivered involuntarily trying to ignore the heat spreading between her legs.
"What a great idea," she replied, licking her lips slowly for his benefit. "In fact I'm going to employ that outlet right now, let's go Rebekah." The obvious confusion now etched on his face was worth it.
"Huh?"
"Yes, we're going to do some retail therapy," Caroline smiled deviously, his deflated expression not lost on her.
"But, I thought we were going to get something to eat?" Matt whined, childishly.
"I think I've just lost my appetite," she said, flouncing away with an exaggerated wiggle in her step just for his benefit.
The Savoy Hotel – Friday PM
"Congratulations on that convincing straight set win today," he murmured, joining her at the bar and taking a seat on the neighbouring stool. "They never stood a chance with that lethal backhand of yours."
"If this is your attempt at small talk, don't bother," she snapped, swirling the clear liquid around in her glass.
"I told you yesterday, it's not healthy to harbor so much tension, especially on the eve of a Wimbledon final," he offered, gesturing to the barman for a drink.
"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked, not bothering to address his comment. "Don't you have your own place in London?"
"I do, but I was feeling restless."
"Oh, so you decided to trawl random hotel bars for some action," she concluded. "How very predictable."
"Well coming from someone who has an impressive track record with the opposite sex you'd get more action if you tried smiling once and a while. That permanent scowl does nothing for you, sweetheart."
"You'll have to excuse me if I don't take your advice. Why did you decide to invade my hotel, the one place I thought I could seek sanctuary from your whoring ways."
"Now, that's not a very nice way to speak to someone you know so intimately."
"Urgh, don't remind me," she hissed, looking around defensively. "That's a few hours of my life I'll never get back."
"Well, that wasn't how it seemed when you were screaming my name, love."
"Blame the Moet."
"I think we're past excuses, don't you think?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know exactly what that means, Caroline," he murmured, regarding her seriously. "I have no idea why you're so hostile when you were the one that walked out on me in Paris."
"It was just sex, Klaus. Excuse me if I didn't feel the need to stay around and cuddle."
"Was it though?" He implored, inching closer and unnerving her considerably. She shook her head trying to break the spell knowing this was just his way of trying to get into her pants again.
"It was and the sooner you realise that the better," she replied, sliding off her stool and striding towards the elevators.
She looked around the lobby and sighed in relief noticing that he hadn't followed. Try as she might Caroline had attempted to erase him from her thoughts the past month, Klaus was a womaniser after all and she was probably just another conquest to him. The sooner she got over him, the better. The elevator arrived and she stepped in quickly, determined to create as much space between them as she could. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror on the far wall, thinking just how tired she looked.
"I know he hurt you," he whispered, his reflection coming into view before the doors could shut, his warmth breath tickling her earlobe.
"You don't know anything about me."
"You'd be surprised," he murmured. "I remember everything from that night, Caroline. I couldn't find you at the after party, I looked everywhere. Matt mentioned you'd left something about being tired. I found you drowning your sorrows in expensive champagne at the bar, tears rolling down your cheeks."
"I'd rather not rehash that night again."
"You told me your ass of a boyfriend had cheated on you with your best friend while you were out of town." Just hearing those words stung and she closed her eyes attempting to shut them out because the memories were just too difficult.
"I should never have admitted that to you, I was tired and emotional." She felt his hands grasp her shoulders and turn her around slowly.
"Open your eyes, Caroline," she did it, albeit reluctantly. Scared of the feelings his close proximity might arouse. "He was an idiot to ever do that to you, but I'm not the same."
"Well, excuse me if your behaviour says otherwise and I should know given I dated a guy just like you," she mumbled, trying not to get lost in his dark, blue eyes.
"I'll admit I do play a role in public life but it's the only thing that keeps me sane," he explained. "It's bad enough that everyone wants a piece of my private life. So if I give them that person publicly then privately I get to keep something for myself."
"So you're saying that..."
"I'm not the guy you think I am, Caroline," he interrupted. "The night we spent together meant more to me than you know. I remember every kiss, every touch; I even remember that small residual clay mark on your leg from your fall on court earlier that day."
"How do you expect me to believe that when everything I've seen is to the contrary?"
"I suppose you're just going to have to trust me then, love," he promised, just as the elevator dinged announcing their arrival at her floor.
"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to do that, Klaus," she murmured. No, he wasn't Tyler but Caroline had been hurt enough the past month to risk putting herself out there again.
"How about if I win tomorrow you agree to have dinner with me and I'll prove it to you," he suggested, brushing a stray piece of hair out of her eyes.
"And if I win?"
"Well, I guess the ball is in your court then."
To be continued? Thoughts?