A/N: Still not collecting any money.

Chapter eighteen:

"Ready for the onslaught of supposed competition?" He asks before jumping out of his side. He is at mine in no time. He opens my door and helps me slide out. We walk up to his friends and hang out until the first bell rings. Alcide points out the trouble makers. I notice Debbie is flirting around with a friend of his. I ask if the guy has a girlfriend.

"No, why?" I explain to him that Debbie is trying to move on. Eric nods. He explains it to Calvin. Are all these guys clueless? I shake my head at them when I spot another person I recognize from my Christmas trip.

"Who is the guy that is talking to Hadley?" I ask him as we sit down in the English class.

He tells me that the guy is Bill, a friend of Sophie's, who is a major horn dog. I tell him I believe it. A look crosses his face as I look at him again. "Why do you say that?" I can hear the edge enter his voice. 'If that piece of shit even spoke to you? I'll beat him until he can't see straight.'

"He came on to me the last time I was out here, when we went to the club. I handled it, and then I dealt with Sophie too. Don't get territorial over this; he probably doesn't realize I'm the same girl." I put a hand on his shoulder and can feel him calm down at my touch.

Eric's teacher asks the class a question about the assignment they had last week. I got done the book two weeks ago. When no one answers it, I hesitantly raise my hand. I answer the question and in doing so answer all the questions that he has left.

"Are you in an advanced English class?" The teacher asks.

"Yes I am but, we haven't read that one. I just got done reading The Divine Comedy for pleasure, two weeks ago." He can't believe it. 'She reads Dante for pleasure?' "May I ask your reading level?"

"It hasn't been tested lately, but six years ago, it was beyond a college graduate's. There were only two of us in my sophomore English class that could read "Julius Caesar" and "A Tale of Two Cities" without the Cliff Notes. " The class gasps, including my husband.

"I didn't know that." 'You are the whole package, smart, beautiful, funny, and sexy as all get out.' He thinks to me, touching my hand so I get the thought through all the background.

"It's not something I advertise. Just because you mostly have seen my vampire and odd ball mystery series, doesn't mean that I don't have a classic collection also. "

At lunch, I am sandwiched between Eric and Alcide. They are making sure that I eat at least something. I settle for a salad, apple and a water. Alcide glares at me, as I get out my Kindle to read. It was my birthday present from my husband. "You need some meat, sis."

Eric hisses at him. "At least she is eating again, don't push it." When I turn to him, he smiles and places a peck on my lips. The boys introduce me to their friends, as Eric's wife. They whistle at the news, and Eric beams at their praise.

By the end of the day, it's all around the school. Hadley comes up to me in a class she shares with both boys. "My sister went home for the day. It's not easy for her admit defeat and she has been having to eat crow all day. Personally, I think it's great. You seem very nice and Eric is completely smitten. I wish someone would look at me like that. "

She tells me she thinks of Alcide like a good friend but her mother keeps pushing and He shows no interest in anyone. I smile at her and tell her to stop listening to her mother on that subject.

"Find someone who wants to be with you." She thanks me and walks to her seat by the door.

Eric asks if I am in any other advanced classes. I chuckle; he sounds a little put out. "English and History only. Math and Science are just regular Senior level." I assure him. He lets out a breath and I smile before facing forward.

The teacher calls the class to order. I pay half attention to the lesson, but decide to get a jump on my History paper. It needs to be twelve pages and I only have eleven done. The subject is an easy one for me to work on, the difference between the Greek and Roman deities.

By the end of class, I have my paper done and have made dent in my English paper on the adult themes in children's stories. I have gotten past the Brothers Grim and Andersen, now I am going to deal with Carroll. His Alice stories are akin to an acid trip. In some ways, Carroll is like his Hatter. Thinking of the Hatter, makes me remember last Halloween and Eric done up like the Hatter. I giggle to myself.

"So did you get any work done?" Eric asks as we drive home for the day. I tell him, I did. "I will only need to print out my papers, when I go back."

He hangs his head. "I'd rather you stayed, I am selfish of my time with you." 'I want you to stay. You belong in my arms each night in our bed. I don't know how I am going to be strong enough to let you leave on Sunday.'

I lean across the console and place my hand on his cheek. "Eric, It's only another month. We will be together again at the end of May." He nods and smiles again.

"That is true. Those jerks won't know what hit them. I have some chores to do when we get home. I will show you where your things are, so you can go through it if you want."

He parks the truck, but instead of being back home we are in a meadow, out in the middle of nowhere.

"Why are we here?" I ask him as he opens my door and helps me out. He closes the door and pushes me against the truck.

"I told you, I am selfish of my time with you. I just wanted to be alone with you for a while, my wife. I love you so much, Baby. It's been hell, not being able to touch you how I want, when I want." He runs his nose up and down my neck, laying kisses along the way. I stop the circuit by turning my head. Our lips meet and Eric presses against me, his hands move from resting on the door to holding my hips to his. I moan into his mouth, eliciting one from him also. I lean back for leverage and bring my legs up around his waist. He rolls his hips into me and I feel his erection against my core. 'I want you so bad. I want to be inside you right now, proving that you are mine and mine alone. Damn! I don't have any condoms with me or in the truck. That shows me for thinking that I could last the day without burying myself in her.'

"Sook, we need to stop. I don't have anything with me." He kisses my neck.

"That's okay, Eric. We can stop if you want to." I bring my legs down and hug him for a while. "I love you. Let's get home. I do want to go through my stuff, but I am going to help your mother out with some things tonight."

We get home and go in different directions to get what we want done. I find Freyda in the kitchen. She is trying to decide what to do for supper. I ask if the guys like pizza.

"Are you kidding me, they're guys. They love all that stuff." I tell her, I have an idea for supper. I go out to the chest freezer and take stock of the ingredients that they already have.

"Mom, do you mind if I head down to the grocery store? I have to pick up a few things." She laughs and tosses me her keys to the BMW.

"I know I can't stop you, but you should know Eric will want to go with you. Run out and get him." I agree to her terms. Eric is finishing up brushing the horses, when I get to the stable. "I am running to the store do you want to come too?"

He arches his brow. "Cooking again?" I nod. He tells me to give him a couple of minutes to clean up. We walk into the Kroger, and Eric grabs a cart while I look at the aisles. It only takes me a few minutes to get what we need. We get in line and wait for our turn.

"So, do I get to pay for these or are we going to have a repeat of Christmas?" I ask him, while crossing my arms. 'Darn tooting, I am paying for this.'

Eric gives me an angelic look. "Seeing as what is mine, is yours, we will pay for the groceries. I guess we need to switch stuff over soon, huh?"

I shake my head at him. "I have already applied for a Tennessee license and a new Social Security card in my new name. The only thing left is my bank accounts. I am closing them and starting one down here, once I move." I tell him as we unload the cart onto the belt.

"We need a joint account too. I would like to have one for paying the household bills. When you get down here to stay, we'll look for a place near Mom and Dad. I just think we need a place of our own. Maybe, we can build on my land behind the ranch, that way I can still work with Alcide and Dad." He says thoughtfully.

He pays and carries the bags in one hand, while holding mine in the other. I unlock the doors, which he opens for me to sit, while he stows the bags in the back.

Once we get home, Eric carries the bags into the kitchen and hops up on a bar stool next to his family. I chuckle about them all gathered to watch me cook. I unload the bags and wash my hands.

We all talk while I set about to make the pizza dough. It rises, while I make the marinade for the wings. While the boys are not paying much attention, Freyda is watching my every move and asking questions every now and then. I smile at her. "Mom, don't worry. I'm going to be here for good soon." I throw the dough up and get it to the right size while the guys stare with gaping mouths.

"Like many things, it's all in the wrists." Freyda and I laugh when all three blush at my comment.

I roll the string cheese into the dough and seal the edges. I build the meat pizza, and repeat with a pepperoni pie. I dredge the rest of the string cheese and fry them. The wings are then fried and coated with the hot wing sauce. Once the pies are cooked, I tell Eric and Alcide to set the table. The five of us dig into the at-home takeout.

"My God, Sook where did you learn to cook so well?" Freyda asks me after moaning about her food.

"The best cooks in my church happened to be my nana and aunt Alzada. Then there's my grandmother and my dad, who should have been a chef. I come from a long line and I love cookbooks and recipes." I explain and sneak another mozzarella stick.

Alcide and Eric clear away the dishes and I grab the dish cloth to wipe down the table. The boys wash and dry. I put them away and the three of us retire to our rooms.

Eric opens the door and carries me over the threshold again. He sets me down next to the bed and pulls out a strip of three condoms.

"I am not going to let that happen again. If my girl wants me, I'm going to be ready wherever we are." He smirks down at me. "I already have put some in the bathroom and throughout the house."

"Someone is eager. I did something else for my birthday, you know?" I draw a finger down his chest.

"Yeah, what was that?" He groans when I push him onto the bed and straddle his thighs. His breath is shaky when I lean in for a kiss.

"Something that needs two weeks to take effect. Yesterday was the two week mark." I lean down and whisper in his ear. "I put myself on the shot. It lasts for three months at a time. If you want to still use the condoms, that's fine. It never hurts to be careful, but we should be fine, Baby."

Eric rolls me under him and starts stripping me. Once I am naked enough, he rips the top of his jeans down. After one quick lick between my legs, he thrusts into me roughly. I climax instantly. "Sook, you are so hot. I can feel your pussy milking me. I love being buried deep inside of you, I never want to leave. Cum with me." He growls as he drives me. I am biting my lip, to keep from screaming as the orgasm rips through me. Eric's lips crush into me as he moans, silencing ourselves. His hips start move frantically as another one grows inside my abdomen. We groan together as it rolls over us, I feel his cock twitch and shoot a stream of cum into me. Eric sags on his arms, his forehead meeting mine softly.

"I love you, baby." He whispers as he withdraws, I whimper at the loss of him. He cups my cheek. "Don't worry; we have our whole life to enjoy each other, Baby." He slightly staggers to the bathroom. I hear the water start in the bath. He comes back and scoops me into his arms. He carries me to the tub and lowers me slowly into the water. He climbs in behind me and pulls me back against his chest.

"So any more surprises to crop up and blindside me at the worst moment." He asks while he washes my back with the sponge.

"No, That is all Eric." I murmur, closing my eyes. He drains the tub after we get done washing each other. He swoops me up again and carries me to bed. I snuggle into his chest and fall asleep to his heartbeat.