AN: Thank you guys again for your lovely reviews, honestly makes me pump these out faster haha. I've been writing more and some of the things you guys wrote have inspired me to add more. If you haven't noticed I've been upping the chapter count almost every other post. Right now I think I'll be done at 12, but we'll see. There are a few more scenes that I want to get out before we wrap this little ficlet up, haha.

Chapter 8: Like A Star

I wonder why it is

I don't argue like this

With anyone but you

I wonder why it is

I won't let my guard down

For anyone but you

We do it all the time

Blowing out my mind

Just like a star across my sky

Just like an angel off the page

You have appeared in my life

Feel like I'll never be the same

Just like a song in my heart

Just like oil on my hands

Corinne Bailey Rae

The next morning, or more like afternoon, found Bonnie and friends hunkered around her kitchen table scarfing down bacon, eggs, pancakes, and copious amounts of coffee, water, and orange juice. Pain pills were also in abundance.

Of course Bonnie had prepared it, after years of living alone it was natural that she was somewhat of a cook, Caroline helped, and Elena sulked. The brunette was cute but she couldn't even boil water correctly if she wanted to.

"I did what!?"

Bonnie snickered, stuffing a fluffy cut of pancake into her mouth as she listened to Caroline elegantly regale Elena with her sordid tales from last night.

"Yes, you tramp, you were dancing on the pole in the VIP section while Pimp Daddy Stefan threw ones at you." Caroline rolled her eyes before taking a dainty sip of her coffee.

Elena's face was nothing but scandalized.

"You were lucky Bonnie stopped you when you started taking off your clothes or else I would have had no choice but to show Tyler that embarrassing picture from 9th grade when you were missing a tooth to even the playing field. I can't have him getting any thoughts about you like Danny." Danny was an old ex of Caroline's that left her for Elena and there was obviously some bitterness still there going by the threat that Caroline made. Elena had gotten into a rollerskating accident during the summer of 8th grade. While skating in the park one morning as a form of exercise–a fad that she had read from Teen Weekly was the 'new and cool way' to shed those annoying pounds from Christmas, a young boy learning how to skateboard crashed into her and the rest was history. For half of their 9th-grade year, Elena was missing one of her front teeth. You couldn't catch her smiling fully even if you paid her until the dentist was finally able to put in her replacement. Caroline had one of the only photos of Elena smiling during that time.

"Care, Danny broke up with you in the third grade, you have to let that go." Bonnie eyed her friend pointedly, "Plus I thought you said you wouldn't show that picture to anyone. That's not fair."

Caroline shrugged. "I was only half serious."

Bonnie sighed.

"T-taking off my clothes?" Elena bypassed everything else Caroline said, truly a testament to her mortification, by focusing on the important part. Her large brown eyes looked to Bonnie for confirmation.

"Afraid so, Lena." Bonnie gave her a sympathetic look, but by the bug-eyed look Elena was sending back, it wasn't doing much.

The brunette stuffed her face into her hands with a groan.

"Anyways, enough of that," Caroline chewed on her last piece of bacon, ignoring Elena's typical act of dramatics. She felt justified in her apathy towards her after they finally got to Bonnie's house last night–er, this morning, and Elena thought it was funny to drunkenly rehash the year Stefan came back to Mystic Falls. A sensitive subject since it was not just Elena but also Caroline who had a crush on him that year as well. The overlap of feelings resulted in the two girl's longest beef to date and exacerbated their long-standing rivalry (which incidentally sprouted ever since the Danny fiasco.) After pulling out all of the stops and all of the moves from her repertoire onto Stefan, Caroline had been naturally crushed and left to lick her wounds when Stefan chose Elena instead. Even though she found happiness with Tyler and she was more than satisfied with how everything ended up, it was still a sore topic for Caroline and brought up old ugly feelings of inadequacy towards Elena.

So yeah, she was a little salty towards the girl and mildly satisfied by her mortification. Thus the petty reminder that she had an embarrassing photo.

"So Bonnie, what were you up to after we lost you?"

"At what point? I told you I went to go speak with Jeremy." Bonnie took another bite of her food, pointedly focused on cutting another slice out of her hot sauce-covered eggs.

Lapis lazuli colored eyes narrowed, " After that ," Bonnie acting flippant about getting lost after Caroline complained about Elena doing the same thing all day was more than suspicious. It meant she was hiding something.

Bonnie sighed, knowing that tone in her friend's voice and acknowledging that it was better to just concede now rather than spend all day with two eyes behind her back waiting for Caroline to strike and force it out of her. She placed her utensils down and looked up at the girl. Caroline was the picture of a faux-police detective, probably relaying what she learned from her mother, as she sat up straight, coffee mug in hand steam wafting, and staring Bonnie down with the perfect amount of piousness. "I was just talking…with Damon."

A tumble of brown hair gave way to the red splotched face of Elena Gilbert, "What's going on with you and Damon?" She asked, seemingly forgetting her own woes.

"Damon? You mean the hottie brother of your boyfriend?"

"Caroline!"

"What it's true! I may be with Tyler, but I have eyes."

"Well…" Bonnie began.

Caroline gasped, remembering something. "That's right! I meant to ask you! You guys were all over each other last night! You couldn't slide a piece of paper between you two." The blonde angled her brow, "That's another reason why I was surprised Jeremy even got a word with you."

"You're being dramatic, we were not all on each other like that."

Both Elena and Caroline in a rare moment of synchronicity made the same disbelieving face at her.

"Bon, I didn't think Damon could unglue his hand from your side without ripping his skin off," Elena smirked.

"Pfft," Bonnie flubbed, "You guys can't be serious." The girl took big gulps of her coffee, sweating at the thought of her and Damon being so into each other that everyone noticed.

"Please Bon, a blind man could see that Damon wanted you more than his next breath and you weren't opposed to the idea either," Caroline added sweetly, shaking her shoulders from excitement.

Bonnie bit her lip, her cheeks were so hot it felt like they would melt.

"So you just talked, huh?" Caroline put down her mug and recentered her earlier look of scrutiny. Bonnie thought all she needed was a fedora, a lit cigar, and for everything to turn to black and white, and then Caroline would be in her own crime drama film noir. Elena seemed to think the same as she gave Caroline strange looks.

"Sure…"

"You can't lie to me Bonnie Bennett, I remember how you two looked all night. Almost two hours alone together?" She waved her hand, "Last I saw you two, it looked like you only needed five minutes to start ripping each other's clothes off."

"Okay! Fine!" Both girls jumped at the small beauty's sudden yell, "W-we, had sex okay!"

The once more matching looks of shock that the two girls sported didn't help Bonnie with the anxiety going through her. She felt overwhelmed and after finally saying it out loud she wasn't prepared for the rush of emotions that came through her. Of course, there were the ones that she was used to, the shame, the nerves, those that made her eyes tingle, and her nose stuff. As soon as she did her first sniff, her friends jumped out of their stupor and scooted their chairs closer to her on opposite sides.

"Oh Bonnie, I'm so sorry for pushing you."

"Bons are you okay?"

Tremulously, her crooked smile grew, both warmed by the sincerity of her friends' concern and because of the other feelings that arouse and she recognized she felt. She was surprised by the boldness of her actions last night, proud because if she could do that then it was a sign that her hang-ups would soon be behind her, and happy realizing it all.

"I-I'm fine, honest." Tissue was placed in her hand and she gratefully used it to wipe her face. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was bottling that up."

Caroline gave her a disbelieving look.

Elena brushed Bonnie's hair out of her face, directing the girl's attention to herself. "You're fine honey. We know how hard all of this is for you. That's why we're so surprised by your progress, enough to get intimate with someone new, especially your therapist–"

"Especially in a club!" Caroline chimed in, causing Bonnie to huff out a laugh.

"Yeah, that is unlike me."

"I mean over the last couple of months I've noticed some little changes here and there, as I'm sure Caroline has too, but I really wasn't expecting this much."

"Yeah, I was expecting you to say you made out, not that you did the devil's tango!" Caroline grinned devilishly. "What would Pastor Mike say back in Mystic Falls?" The blonde giggled, "Remember when he did our baptisms together when we were eight and afterward he warned us about the sins we could create with boys?" She wiggled her fingers teasingly.

Groaning, Bonnie placed her head in her hands while shaking her head in embarrassment. "You guys must think I'm such a hoe for fucking my therapist in the club, of all places."

When she got silence back as a reply, Bonnie looked up to her friends fearing the worst.

Caroline was giving her a blank look that was bordering comical and Elena was blushing while playing with the ends of her hair.

"What?" Bonnie asked when the silence grew too loud.

"Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie," the blonde chanted her name, "would I –proudly crowned man-eater of our graduating class and my boyfriend the biggest man-whore of Mystic Falls, really have the audacity to throw stones?" Caroline gave her a pointed look. "Or Miss. Goody Two Shoes here" air quotes, "who dated half the football team and kills us with her and Stefan's PDA any chance she can get really have much to say?"

"Hey!" Elena yelled, throwing an apple slice at Caroline's head.

The blonde dodged it without looking away from Bonnie's widened eyes.

"The point she's trying to make," Elena brought Bonnie's attention back to herself while cutting her eyes at her other friend , "or at least what I hope she's trying to make, is that you really shouldn't be worried about having fun and telling us. As long as you're safe and there was consent you should do what you want Bonnie, we will never judge you, okay?" Elena smiled, her brown eyes glowing warmly.

"Thanks," Bonnie smiled back once again grateful for them. It was cut short at her wince, the thought once again upon her. "But ugh, the club, really? Of all places that I had to let my freak flag fly?" Bonnie giggled.

Caroline snorted but not meanly, "Bonnie, before you guys showed up Tyler and I had sex in the bathroom." She said plainly with a shrug.

Bonnie blinked.

"Stefan and I did too when you guys were off doing your own thing. We also had a quickie in a dark corner somewhere right before I got really drunk and forgot everything." Elena was blushing and pulling at her hair again and Bonnie realized why she made that expression earlier.

Bonnie lifted her head with impressed acknowledgment.

"Anyways," Caroline started, pulling at the caramel-toned girl's arm and Bonnie felt like a ping pong ball with as much as she was redirecting her attention back and forth. "How was it?" Caroline's blue eyes glowed.

Bonnie gulped.

Noticing the look on her face, Elena stepped in, "Bon you don't have to tell us if you're not ready."

"Of course, she has to! That's what girlfriends are for!" Caroline argued earning a look from Elena, her protective side when it came to Bonnie showing.

She wasn't sure if she wasn't ready per se, she was just hesitant. This would be the first time she would have let her besties in on her sexcapades. Elena and Caroline always told her about Stefan and Tyler including the boys before that, and they had promised after puberty to tell each other about their first times. Bonnie had given Caroline the abridged version of her virginity loss at the time but never mentioned anything of the sort to Elena out of respect due to the girl being Jeremy's cousin. She didn't think she would want to know. Also, she didn't think she had much of a story to tell the girls since it sucked.

Now, knowing how amazing having sex actually was and how much fun she had, she had no remorse in telling the girls.

"N-No I want to tell." Bonnie stuttered, slowly gaining confidence as she remembered her night with Damon vividly.

A breath and, "It was amazing…" Bonnie felt hot under the collar just thinking about it. The dance on the dancefloor that started it all, the pole dancing that made her feel sexy, the kiss that created fireworks, and when they'd actually gotten down to it…Damon had taken really good care of her, made her feel so good with his sinful mouth–and, and his hands– oh god . She had exploded so quickly, it was almost embarrassing how wound up he made her feel. Her orgasm was so achingly sweet, but it didn't satisfy her completely, she had wanted more. Remembering how she had basically begged him to take her, made her whole body combust. His cock, although pretty, had looked large and like it wouldn't fit, but she was too gone to care and she wanted him. When he had finally given her what she had wanted, she hadn't thought she could take it, but Damon had made her more than believe she could. She had him all inside of her belly-deep, making her feel full and satisfied to the point he almost made her feel grateful.

Her legs crossed under the table thinking about it, her skin tingled and her nipples puckered. Her body–in a state of what was becoming normal, was craving him, his touch.

She licked her lips.

Bonnie relayed all of this and more to her friends, omitting some parts that may have been too explicit and using flowery terms instead to allude to literal actions.

"Wow."

"Well, he is a sex therapist."

Bonnie took a bite of her toast, Elena ate a piece of her own and Caroline scooped up the last of her eggs. All three girls were in fantasies of their own as they were reminded of some of their better sexual experiences.

Caroline while fanning herself, was the first to distract Bonnie from her reminiscing. "Well, I'm more than happy that this isn't a repeat of Jeremy and this is the start of your journey to being properly satisfied."

Elena nodded in agreement.

"However, no judgment but I have to say I'm surprised you slept with him with no strings attached. I understand that you've changed but didn't you want to be with the love of your life or something? I mean I know Jeremy wasn't quite your one and only but he had to jump over hoops to get you, again no judgment. I'm just surprised." Caroline questioned with a wary giggle.

Bonnie sighed, "Yeah about that…just because I'm more open to sex now doesn't mean my wants have changed."

"What's different about Damon? How do you feel about him?" Elena asked, taking a sip from her orange juice.

"I don't know." Bonnie relayed honestly, "I didn't go into VIP thinking I was going to have my back blown out by my therapist," she ignored Caroline's surprised whisper of them doing that position, "honestly, no point until it happened did I entertain it seriously. I just, wanted him so badly and I couldn't stop thinking about how much I wanted him…but it wasn't all just me being impetuous. I really trust him. I really do. I've trusted him with my body this whole time and it…just…felt natural and easy to take the next step, you know?" Bonnie implored, "I wanted him, and knowing he felt the same way I did just made me want to take that next step with him."

"Do you regret it?"

"No." The word came out smoothly and naturally before she could think too hard about it. Her green eyes widened at the realization.

" Wow ."

"Oh Bonnie," Elena's eyes sparkled at her friend.

"You really like him, don't you?" Caroline breathed, amazed by the open and honest look on her friend's face. "I've never seen you like this before."

Bonnie smiled softly at the girls, "I'm not a hundred percent sure what I feel, everything's so new and intense most of the time. I'm discovering my feelings with you guys as we speak." Bonnie grinned.

"What will you do now?"

A shrug, "I don't know."

.oOo.

Days passed until it was almost a full week and here she was, idly sitting in her car for thirty minutes, watching the clock roll by while anxiously biting her thumbnail and bouncing her knee until the clock showed a full hour had passed marking that she had missed her appointment. Bonnie Bennett was reluctant to admit that she was avoiding him. Damon Salvatore.

Why was she avoiding him?

…

Did she regret what happened between them?

No.

Did she never want to see him again?

No, she actually missed him quite a lot. Their snarky banter, his smirking face.

So what was it?

Bonnie pulled out her phone, pressed in the code, and then went into her messages until she saw his name. With a breath, she opened the text thread. At the top was an appointment confirmation, their usual spirited exchange, then a couple of memes and gifs they sent back and forth to each other until she saw the last message that was sent a couple of days ago. The one and only he had sent since that night and even after the appointment she'd skipped on Tuesday, with only a terse phone call to his receptionist to let him know her whereabouts.

Thinking of you , it read.

Bonnie pursed her lips, ignoring petulantly the pounding of her heart.

Pushing the thumb of her manicured nail into the text bubble, Bonnie started to type.

Heeey~ what's up? ;)– nope nope, too friendly after ghosting for so long.

Sorry about missing our session…and not texting you even a 'got home safely' text after the club–ew, too pathetic.

Thinking of you too . Bonnie stared at that text for a while, her thumb hovering over the send button.

Softly, Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae started playing from the speakers in her car. She ignored how spot on it was to her situation in exchange for the realization that she had stupidly left her car idle the whole time and that her battery and her gas were sure to be in the shitter.

Quickly flicking the car and simultaneously, the song off, Bonnie glared once more at her phone. With one last huff, the girl deleted the text, locked the device, and threw it in the passenger seat. On a defeated cry, Bonnie smashed her face into her steering wheel.

Why couldn't she allow herself to have this?

A gorgeous, sexually competent man is interested in her, wants to be with her and she sabotages it?

She trusts him, they get along–mostly, and he makes her laugh, what more could a girl want?

She was an idiot.

Bonnie cried, smashing her head into the wheel once more, setting off the horn and spooking the pigeons gathered around her car.

Pulling back from her seat, Bonnie ran her hands through her hair.

What was wrong with her?

Suddenly a memory of a recent session with Damon hit her.

"So Bon, tell me again how you're grandmother was a Florist, you know all this stuff about plants, and you love nature to a startling degree, but you don't own any foliage," he made a weird gesture with his fingers "of your own?" The random topic of their conversation.

She and Damon were laying side by side. They had been doing breathwork and meditating after their therapy exercise for the day and even now that class was over, they both were reluctant to get up and end it. Instead, they had sat for the past five minutes chatting and talking about nothing in particular, just enjoying each other's company. Bonnie really enjoyed these moments with Damon but she wouldn't allow herself to admit it was because of her crush on him. Rather–or at least what she told herself, she just thought after meditation his ADHD-level of exuberance was chilled down enough to a point that she could actually handle him, and the aftereffect from relaxing caused his voice to take on a deep and melodious quality that she enjoyed enough to settle into. No, it was not because her feelings for him made her want to soak up any fleeting moments that she could be near him and in his presence…

At the sight of his raised eyebrows and expecting blue eyes, Bonnie went back to their conversation, trying to think of a way to answer him. "Because it's a big commitment that I think a lot of people take on too easily. Like owning a pet, people tend to just buy a puppy as an accessory and forget that you actually have to take care of it and feed it, give it a happy life…" Bonnie huffed, suddenly passionate about the topic, "A plant has a life that deserves to be nurtured and cared for. I am too busy with school and work. I go out with my friends a lot too, I'm hardly home as it is and I would hate to come home to a dead plant because I was being negligent."

"But you wouldn't, you know how to take care of the plants, Bonnie. You could also get one that doesn't need to be watered that often." Damon made a 'duh' face that was remarkably childish, even for him.

Bonnie shook her head even before he was finished speaking. "Sure that could work in the beginning but my life changes so consistently, I recently moved out of my apartment with Jeremy and that was a big overhaul." Bonnie frowned, "I wouldn't want to do that to one of my plants, they can live as long as we humans do–even longer if taken care of properly, you know." She tilted her chin up and sniffed.

Damon snorted, fully turning his body until he was facing her, his elbow up and palm holding his head in his hand. His devious eyes shifted down to her, eyes taking a tour of her silhouette as he was prone to do and Bonnie looked away at the sudden rush she felt from his full attention on her like that. "You know what I think Bennett?"

"No, I don't really care to know but I know you're going to tell me anyway." Bonnie smiled sweetly but it didn't match the mocking look in her eyes.

Damon chuckled, "You're afraid of commitment."

"I had a boyfriend for two years, Damon," Bonnie deadpanned.

"I'm the therapist here, not you Judgy." Damon's smirk grew wider, "I've diagnosed you and now you have to take it."

Bonnie scoffed.

"You're afraid of getting hurt," Damon continued eyebrow arching.

With green eyes deceptively defiant, Bonnie folded her arms across her chest, but the action came across as more protective than challenging.

"But more than that," Damon softened, his gaze lowered to match his tone, "you're afraid to…"

"I'm afraid to disappoint him…" Bonnie spoke blandly into her car. She was afraid to fall into whatever this was with Damon and he not get everything he needed from her. Like the metaphorical plant that she didn't own.

"Jeez Bonnie," after a moment the woman sighed self-deprecatingly. Shaking her head, she reached over and grabbed her cellphone, dialing a number, she waited until the other line picked up.

"Elena, hey! Do you think you can ask Stefan something for me?" Looking at the clock, Bonnie noted that she had enough time to make the pit stop she needed before going to her destination. Pressing the button to start her car, Bonnie finally pulled out onto the street.

.oOo.

Looking once more at the address on the screen of her phone, Bonnie lowered the device and gazed at the small home on the twenty-acre estate.

Green eyes flashed over to a blue vintage Camaro parked in the driveway, sighing with relief that he was home.

Nervously, Bonnie made her way out of her Prius and meandered her way to the door, clutching tightly to the brown paper bag in her hands.

Releasing one last anxious breath, Bonnie lifted her finger and pressed down on the button for the bell.

One moment passed.

Then two.

Blinking, the elfin beauty pressed once more on the bell, adding a little knock to the door as well.

When after a long moment that also went unanswered, Bonnie furrowed her brow wondering if he was actually home. He couldn't still be at work since she was supposed to be his last client for the day and the appointment for that had more than passed. Unless he decided to make another stop before heading home…

She was tempted to look at the address sent to her by Elena one more time, but as she turned around she couldn't ignore the gleam of the newly washed Camaro in front of her. It wasn't a car that just anyone had, this had to be his house.

With a flourish, the door to the house was opened behind her, however, before she could turn, a voice deep and honeyed like molasses was already speaking to her. "Well, I would ask if you're selling girl scout cookies due to the height, but I recognize that behind anywhere and it's all woman . How can I help you Sweet Cheeks?"

"Damon," Bonnie growled sweetly, pirouetting on her feet slowly until she once again faced him "Charming as always, I see."

Damon replied with a wink.

As annoying as it and his mouth were, Bonnie couldn't help but take in how great Damon looked after a week of absence.

He was dressed in all black as she was soon to learn was his customary outside of work, however, instead of club clothing, he looked comfortable in a cotton black Calvin Klein t-shirt that formed delightfully over his defined arms and shoulders, dark-wash jeans, and black, clearly expensive Durango boots.

His hair looked like it was freshly cut, no longer shaggy at the back but more tapered to his head wispily and it made him look younger, as well as naughtier as an aftereffect. The mischief that came with rugged beauty and youth.

His blue eyes sparkling impishly, she watched as his own gaze shamelessly took her appearance in and looked her up and down. When he was done and his tongue licked his rosebud lips, she could only assume that he liked what he saw. She was wearing a 90s-era button-up tucked into admittedly tight jeans that made her butt look amazing, naturally. It should've come as no surprise that her posterior was the first thing he noticed, to be honest. Gold hoops were in her ears, that accentuated the long length of her flawless neck and her hair was done up in a messy bun. Her makeup was light and fresh, with a statement red lip tint and a healthy glide of mascara. Short square heels donned her pedicured feet.

Looking at his quirked brow she knew he thought she'd dressed for him, and the thought made her obstinately push out her chest that his blue eyes zeroed in on. She always dressed nice, but he could think that if he wanted. Bonnie smirked mockingly.

"What do I owe this lovely though unforeseen visit?" Damon asked, finally ungluing his eyes from her chest, the buttons of her shirt were low giving him an unobstructed view of her bountiful cleavage. The glare in her gaze made his smirk broaden and it was then she knew he was doing it on purpose to get a rise out of her.

Through her teeth, she answered. "A peace offering," Bonnie brought the brown bag up in her hands, pointedly covering her chest as she pulled out a bottle.

Brown liquid slushed from within and the label read gleamingly, Elijah Craig .

Damon whistled, taking the bottle in hand after she angled it to him. "A twelve-year-old bottle? Wow, that must have cost you something."

Bonnie shrugged, "You know how my dad is, he gave me a little extra in my allowance this month instead of a call. Thanks to my job that money usually just goes into savings, but I figured it would be put to better use for something else at the moment."

Damon's expression was inscrutable but she assumed he was reflecting on the many gifts she had explained to him before that she got from her dad instead of what she really needed which was his attention.

Angling his head back, Damon opened his door wider. "C'mon, I'll give you the five-dollar tour."

Bonnie chuckled, ignoring the feel of his eyes on her ass as she walked by and the pleased feeling she got from it.

Fifteen minutes later they were back in the expansive living room that Damon had shown her in the beginning. His house was amazing, boasting four bedrooms with five bathrooms, a sunroom, a library, and a vast forest on the rest of his land, but it shouldn't have been much of a surprise for the affluent of the South. With as much land as they had, the rich could afford these things. She was just surprised his house wasn't the kind of sprawling mansion she knew he could afford.

"Your house is big, but not as big as I thought it would be," Bonnie bluntly stated. "It's surprisingly homey." Her shoes had been abandoned on the floor and her tiny feet were tucked under her as she leaned against the couch arm facing Damon. He was in the chair next to her, his boots uncaringly stacked on top of his coffee table in front of them while he leaned back into the cushions comfortably.

The living room they were in was gorgeous, neutral colored walls with a stone-cut accent wall on one side surrounding a large roaring fireplace, two suede couches with a couple of large wingback chairs on their sides, wood-crafted tables, an expansive book collection that she knew grew bigger in the library, and a wet bar.

"I live alone." Damon shrugged, knowing that was more than enough of an answer.

"Sure, but the rest of your life is so," she gestured with her hand down his person, "flamboyant."

Damon smirked, "Is that so?"

"Yep." She popped the 'p', raising her brow challengingly.

They stared at each other like that, waiting for the other to back down and when neither did, Damon laughed. "You know, that's why I like you."

"Huh?" Bonnie tilted her head, confused by the change in subject, but Damon was already on to something else before she could catch up.

"I do own a pretty big house, mansion I guess. But it's mine and Stefan's family home back in Mystic Falls. Back when we stayed there with our parents when we were kids, I hated it. It was too big, too empty, and depressing. Plus, this is a lot easier to clean."

"Cleaners? I'm sure you could afford it."

"I'd rather clean it myself, it's cathartic, plus I don't like people going through my stuff."

"You're rather trusting."

"You don't know the half of it." He emphasized the words dramatically with his voice.

"Why don't you live in an apartment like Stefan then?"

Damon flicked his hand away like he was doing so toward the idea, "Eh, I tried that. Hated it. I'd rather have my own property, plus then I can rent it out later or sell it as it appreciates more value. A lot of wannabe-home-owners coming to the South nowadays you know." He smirked.

Bonnie nodded her head agreeing easily. She didn't know how she got on to this topic with Damon but it was so commonplace for them to go on tangents with each other. They both liked to talk and luckily when one was doing the talking the other was just as willing to listen.

"So about that apology?"

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked, her lip bitten in thought as she slowly looked back at him. Her gaze had been distracted by the beautiful bay window behind him that led to a beautiful garden, she wondered if he did the upkeep for that as well.

Damon the Groundskeeper , learning as much as she did from him, the thought was less and less shocking. He was a really interesting guy with multiple facets in his life, that was for sure.

"Oh Bon Bon, you didn't think you could just get away with everything after giving me some alcohol and that was it after ghosting me for a week, did you? I was really hurt you know." He pouted, walking his fingers along the arm of the chair morosely for added affect.

Perfect brows furrowed, ignoring his sentiment, "That is expensive bourbon you jerk."

"And as appreciative as I am, you know I can't let the opportunity go by of your sweet lips saying sorry to me right? Of course, if your lips want to do other things as penitence I would be fully obliged as well." Damon looked under his lashes at her coyly.

"Do you have an off switch?"

"I thought we established this? I can go all night baby." Damon's grin was suddenly shark-like, subtly lifting his hips slightly off the chair so that his double meaning wouldn't be missed. Bonnie didn't need it, she didn't think an old lady with bifocals and a hearing aid could miss the insinuation.

She rolled her eyes yet angled her head down so he couldn't see the deepened color on her face, "Just so you know, it could have sounded more sincere if you would have kept your mouth shut but," at that she lifted her head slightly so he could see her eyes, "I'm sorry for not contacting you and missing both of our sessions, Damon."

"Thank you," he lifted his lips. He reached out and pulled one of her fidgeting hands away from the fray on her jeans to caress in his palm.

Bonnie shifted in her seat.

"I missed you."

"I know…I saw your message."

Damon's mouth lifted higher, understanding the real meaning behind her words, I missed you too .

"You're not more mad?"

"Bonnie." Damon shifted so that they were face to face, lifting his feet off the table and scooting up, "I would be an asshole–well more of one, to be mad, knowing as your therapist what you've been going through. I don't want to pressure you into anything. Sure my pride took a bit of a hit, but I want what's best for you first, it's what we agreed to in the contract."

Bonnie pulled her hand out of his and straightened.

"That's one of the reasons why I stayed away Damon," Bonnie groaned, "we're supposed to have a professional relationship, this goes against all protocol–hell, probably even some law out there! This isn't right. You need to think about yourself here, I can't imagine that it would be good for business if people found out you slept with one of your clients."

Damon made a contemplating face, "Eh, on the contrary…" he lifted his shoulders.

"Really?" She deadpanned.

Damon laughed, scooting even closer and knitting their legs between each other as he grabbed her hand again and left the other on her thigh. A pout sat firmly on her lips and it took everything in him not to lean over and bite it off.

"Bonnie, I don't care about any of that. I want you . And if you want me too, nothing else matters."

Bonnie's heart skipped a beat, but she ignored it for rationality's sake, "But Damon it does!" She contended, "Get out of your fantasy world and see the consequences of the actions you make! Think about your brand." She sighed, suddenly tired, "Also, how do I know you're not taking pity on me and going on some sense of obligated duty towards me by doing all this? You even said you're following the contract we made. How do I even know you actually want to be with me and not because you feel bad because of how pathetic my life has been?" She cried angrily, a tingle radiating from her eyes to her nose and it made her even more upset. She was tired of crying. She never cried this much in her life before. Hell, it was probably once every five years that she would allow herself to put aside a couple of hours in the darkness of her room to feel bad for herself. Now, ever since taking Damon's help, she feels like she's constantly flaying herself open for people to take a gander at the buttons that make her tick, inevitably causing the waterworks to start. She was sick of it.

"What if I'm not really what you need? Attraction is one thing, but I had to learn the hard way that lust doesn't spell true love and happiness. I can't keep fighting trying to be enough for someone." She cried.

Letting go of his hand once again, Bonnie tried to push away from him.

"Hey," Damon stopped her fussing and gently pulled her arms to him so she could fully look at him, the petulant moue on her lips would be the death of him as irritating as it was endearing. "That's not important to me." Damon emphasized, "You are …and you are more than enough for me Bonnie Bennett."

Bonnie's jewel-toned eyes widened, the light against her unshed tears caused a sparkle that made him feel besotted all over again and he sighed, feeling his insides go all doughy. It was about time he stopped questioning his feelings for her as well.

"We may not have known each other for that long Bonnie and I know it's controversial considering our positions in each other's lives, but ever since I laid eyes on you I knew you were special and I've wanted you enduringly from then on." He smirked, eyes gleaming with something she wouldn't dare name, "I'm not good with my feelings and I'm not romantic or anything like that, but I guarantee you, I am selfish," he chuckled and Bonnie's lips twitched, "being selfish helps me know when I want something and it pushes me to go for it until I can get it. Damn the consequences. I may not be the guy that's best for you, you're an honest, caring, intelligent woman, and I'll admit I don't usually go for that, but I've never felt more myself than when I'm with you."

Bonnie sniffed, "You make me feel like myself too. You make me feel…free." And she needed that, desperately.

Damon's steel blue eyes stared into hers for a moment, really seeing her as only he could. "I don't want to pressure you like I said, you need to make this decision on your own." His gaze shifted between hers. "No awkwardness between us, no questions, no expectations we can consider the other night as a one-off and a good time between friends and we can continue class if you want. Or…we can give us a try."

This time she took his hand in hers, marveling at how his engulfed hers and how smooth his palms were when he naturally laced their fingers together. "I'm not used to acting so selfishly," She spoke, her voice hushed, looking through her lashes to him she continued, "but I like that you bring that out of me. You make me choose me and what I want. You force me to stop thinking about other people all the time." Bonnie pinched her lips to stop the wide grin that wanted to break out on her face, "I want to do this, with you." She finally finished.

Damon's expression mirrored hers. If she could hear it, she would hear that his heart was beating in synch with hers. The warmth that flowed between them was beyond comforting.

"C'mere," Damon commanded.

Before she could move–her body making the action before her brain could decide, he was already lifting her from her chair and placing her in his lap like she was a doll. Bonnie gasped and then giggled at the feel of his breath on her neck. Damon laughed with her and it was so genuine that she found herself staring at his mouth in wonder.

Feeling magnetized, she was leaning down and their lips were caressing before she realized it.

The feel of his lips against hers after so long made Bonnie feel drowned. She didn't realize how much she missed this, missed him until he was right there on the tip of her tongue. Flushing her body against his, she parted her mouth more, begging for him to deepen the kiss further. Hands pulled him impossibly closer until even their souls melded.

At the feel of her soft lips against his, Damon shuddered. The taste of her lips was as sweet–sweeter than he remembered. His hands wandered up past her shoulders until he was cradling her face, thumbs massaging her jaw and relaxing her mouth to coax it open more. She obliged and he was drawing her in. He pillaged her mouth like he would find the key to life, the nectar of Eden, growling into her lips needing to find more, take more from her until she was mewling and moaning feeding him with her essence.

Her tongue played with his, licking at the seam, and then relented to his guidance allowing him to take over and show off years of experience.

Bonnie felt the seat of her panties grow damp, the feel of his hard chest brushing against the silk of her shirt that housed the thin cupless fabric of her bra had her breasts aching. Lifting her leg so she could straddle him, Damon grunted as she started winding her hips against him. His hands molded over her hips, mouthing at her chin and neck as she panted for breath only to then scrape his teeth against her skin until she keened and her hips lost their controlled rhythm, stuttering against him. Damon grabbed a firm fist full of her ass while making a guttural sound from his throat then once again nipped at the sensitive spot on her neck, and just like that Bonnie was soaking wet and more than ready.

She pulled his head back with a fist of her own in his hair until he hissed and she once more plundered his mouth with her own.

They continued to kiss, it growing more and more heated until Bonnie started pulling the hem of his shirt up. Her teasing fingers skimmed the hills of his abs causing his skin to tingle before pushing his shirt up higher and higher–

"Wait," Damon panted, breathing harshly against her cheek after their lips smacked apart and she did the same. "Wait, wait, wait." He mumbled drunkenly.

"Why? I want you, Damon." She husked out in a smokey whisper that still somehow sounded innocent and not as sexual as he was sure she meant it. A confusing but highly arousing paradox.

Damon cursed, using his other hand to pull her by the hip even tighter against him and Bonnie stifled a moan at the feel of him hard and hot underneath her. "Damnit, Bonnie, baby, I want you too."

Wiggling her hips more firmly against him and pushing against the firm hold he had on her hip she replied weakly, "Then why wait? Why did you stop?" Her frustration was mounting. She hasn't had him in a week and it's tearing up her insides now that he's there in front of her. She could barely ignore temptation when it wasn't in front of her, but with him here now, smelling as good as he did, looking hot as always, she remembered with clarity how amazing it was to have him inside of her– fucking her, the amazing feeling of her orgasm ripping through her that he was the maestro of, strumming her to completion like a masterful musician playing guitar. It was doing something to her insides and she would never tell him this but, with as horny as she was, if he kept stopping her–and only in this instance alone, she would resort to other means to compel him. If that was what he was into then so be it, Bonnie wanted him, now . And she would beg him if she had to.

"Damon," Bonnie growled as his hand tightened its grip and she couldn't move at all.

"Bonnie… little bird ," Damon finally answered kissing sweetly down the column of her neck, "Let's keep it PG today…well, PG-13." He chuckled darkly abruptly biting at one of his favorite spots below her ear.

Bonnie squealed involuntarily in reaction to the ticklish feeling, and it was so cute and surprising that Damon pulled back fully to gaze at her with happy bemusement. "You really are like a little Bunny Wabbit." Damon snickered.

Bonnie sneered at him, teeth barred and more lethal than any cute little forest creature's. "You surprised me. I was asking you a question, Damon. Why are we stopping ?"

"C'mon, Bon, let me just kiss you like this for a bit but we keep it above the belt and over the clothes. Kinda like bible camp." Damon wiggled his brows lewdly.

"Whyyy?" She stressed again, ripping her hand from his and folding her arms across her chest bossily.

Damon raised his brows taking her in like this, looking all high and mighty and determined to have sex with him, elatedly discovering it was a definite turn-on. Sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, he was sure his gaze was on a full smolder if the haze that took over Bonnie's verdant gaze and the heat that grew from their melded lower halves were anything to go by.

"Becaaause as much as I'm scared yet oddly turned on that you want to steal my most-protected virtue, Ms. Bennett," He replied even more annoyingly, causing her to roll her eyes and effectively killing the moment yet unfortunately her libido was still there, "I've realized that even though I regret nothing and would happily do it over and over again, this time as your would-be steed," Damon wiggled his brows and his hips causing the girl to tighten her thighs against him, "Having sex with you for the first time with no pretense or commitment was probably not the best decision at the time. I don't want you to think you're just some good time for me Bon, I want to get to know you."

"We know each other well enough," She argued stubbornly, pulling at his shirt before he quickly clasped her wrists in his. With a groan she relaxed, trying not to grimace at his amused look.

"Judgy, as much as my ego is growing and I'm absolutely loving how desperately you want me here, if we're going to make this work…I know we should do it right." Scrunching his nose at the defeated look on her face, Damon realized something, "Since when am I the rational one between the two of us and you're the horndog? Is this the Twilight Zone?"

Bonnie cringed.

Damon's face scrunched further and she started to giggle. He joined her and the two were full-belly laughing at the ridiculous state they found themselves in. It really was as if their personalities switched.

But she couldn't help it, Damon had released another side of her that night at the club. She hadn't been able to forget it as it was unforgettable. As ineloquent as that description was.

But it was true, every night she thought of him and his lips and hands touching her. It caused her to shiver and touch the places she remembered. Her womb engorged then tightened at the memory of him inside of her, spreading her tight folds open and making a home with his name stamped permanently into the walls inside of her. She ached for him every night. She didn't know what to do with herself feeling like she was under a spell. And he called her a witch.

Considering it was her first time feeling like this, and especially over an experience that was highly addictive to most who've experienced it, it couldn't be helped. Basically put, Bonnie was hornier than a cat in heat.

Calming down from her laughter Bonnie wiped a tear of elation from her eye.

With one last sigh, she pressed a lingering sweet kiss on his upturned lips. "You're right." Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Let's see how many times I say that in my life."

"You're judging." Damon sang.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him. "Ha, ha."

"Gimme another kiss." He demanded.

Her malachite eyes glared but she leaned in and kissed him anyway, "You're such a child."

"I may be kinky Bonnie, but that's too much."

"Ugh, I can't stand you." She remarked, there was no bite in her voice, but she replaced that with a bite on his lips.

Damon grinned roguishly. Letting go of her wrists, he smoothed his hands down her shoulders and rubbed a bit before gliding them down and molding them around her ass. His kneading of her flesh reminded him of marshmallows and suddenly he thought of them getting cozied up in his backyard and having a bonfire. A bonfire for his little bonfire .

After he squeezed a couple more times, Bonnie smirked at him, "You're an ass man aren't you?"

"I'm a Bonnie-man."

"Good answer." She brushed her lips against his chin, nuzzling him.

Without warning, he lifted them both up until he was standing. Bonnie yelped before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Damon!"

"I love it when you say my name." He swooned exaggeratedly until she slapped his shoulder.

He walked them to his door, the whole time nipping and kissing her neck while taking noticeable breaths against her skin, indulging in her intoxicating scent.

"Are you kicking me out?"

Damon bit against her ear, "Not so much kicking as in leading." Bonnie pushed away from the ticklish sensation that traveled from her ear and curled down her spine by hiding her ear by her shoulder.

Damon chuckled. "You're way too sexy and horny to be here right now and I don't have that much self-control. So, while I'm still being honorable enough I'm going to let you go home so that I can keep my sanity…and virtue." He winked.

Finally, he let her down and Bonnie missed the same height elevation they were at, especially now that she noticed he brought her to the door without her shoes and purse.

Without a word, she pointed her small painted toes toward him and angled her head with a tinge of sass until he got the picture.

"Right," Damon pointed at her before skipping off for the shoes.

"My purse too, please!"

He rounded back just as quickly with her shoes and her purse.

"Thanks."

"Anything for you my lady," Without a second thought, he got on his haunches and picked up a dainty foot before placing it in her shoe.

Bonnie gasped from his sudden actions and her lack of balance, taking his shoulders in hand to stabilize herself and allowing him to help her. Once both feet were in place, he slowly stood to his full height, intentionally allowing her to feel all of him as he went up by staying close. Pulling her purse from his shoulder he handed it to the steadily breathing girl.

"...Thank you."

Pretty much standing on top of her at this point, he hooked a finger under her chin until she was staring him in the eyes. The look he was giving her brought her attention back to her problem, heated center, aching breasts, vexed disposition, and all.

"Give me a kiss."

Bonnie didn't even think before stepping on her toes and bringing her lips obediently to his. This one was wetter and left a tingling sensation that seemed to connect to the nerves of her clit, as if his lips were fondling her there. She was that close to just begging him to fuck her right then and there at the entryway when their lips parted.

He didn't back away, he kept close to her lips even as she fell back to the balls of her feet. Thinking he was going to acquiesce she tried to once again to push against his lips, Bonnie whined when he held her chin firm and denied her.

"You taste so fucking good," Damon breathed heavily on her lips, "tonight I want you to think of me."

"I will."

He pulled back a bit until their gaze connected, "I want you to release your tension, while you think of me."

"You mean masturbate?"

He grinned, "When you orgasm, put my name on your lips." He brushed his against hers, so softly she wouldn't have felt it if she didn't see him do it, "your name will be on mine."

"Damon, I-I'm not, I haven't…you know." She's never masturbated before, she told him that during their first meeting.

"It's okay. You can do it." Damon whispered, "I want you to know your body as well as I'll know yours." Pulling back further, he brushed his hand across her face. "As hot as it is, I don't like to see you in so much distress like this. You deserve to always be completely satisfied." He took her hand in his palm, flipping it over so his thumb could caress the lines in her hand.

Bonnie smiled softly, nodding.

"Just think about what I did to you at the club," All of a sudden, Damon was pushing her against the wall, crowding her body with his and causing Bonnie to gasp. Before she could question him, a combative look already on her face, Damon took her hand which was in his, and palmed it with his roughly against her sodden center.

Bonnie choked on a gasp.

"Think about how I made you cum on my fingers, and then get off on it," Damon whispered hotly into her ear.

All she could think about was the pulse she felt through her jeans in the palm of her hand, the heat that was humidly burning against her skin. Damon's large hand that fit right there with hers was making her head spin.

Before she knew it, his hand was gone, then back again with his other cradling her head before he crushed his lips with hers soundly.

Bonnie didn't even have time to compute that, as before she knew it his door was open and he was helping her out of it.

"Da–"

His palm hit strikingly against her ass, egging her to step further onto his porch.

"Damon!" Bonnie shrieked, rubbing her bottom painfully as he guffawed. "You asshole!"

"Dream of me, Bon Bon!"

"Fuck you! You'll be lucky if I don't curse you to hell tonight, buddy!"

Damon smiled snarkily while leaning against his doorway, "Awe, love you too!" With that, the door was slammed in her face and she was staring befuddled at his door.

"Damon you jackass." She whined.

AN: Pretty long chapter with lots of emotional ups and downs for our little Bonnie right? Hope you all enjoyed, please tell me what you think!

Speaking of, I wanted to touch on a couple things and kind of explain the direction I'm going in this story.

The emotional aspect: I know I have Bonnie crying and overly emotional a lot in this fic. I'm not sure why I naturally write that tbh, not that Bonnie hasn't cried in the show or anything, I just know it can be off putting to some people. My reasoning is that I just think it works in this situation. For someone to have bottled up their emotions for so long, it can be overwhelming when you release them and even more so when Bonnie sees her progress and reanalyzes them later on. Even though this is a romance she is still going through therapy, so this will be an emotional experience for her. I don't want to minimize the fact that she had sex in a public space with her therapist.

Next, I know I have a lot of religious referencing in this fic, also not my intention. I'm not overly religious or anything haha, but I thought it fit with the theme of sexual repression and they are from the South so it makes sense to me.

Lastly, I know it may seem weird, Bonnie being this sprung over Damon and wanting to have sex with him so badly but think of it like this: she's never masturbated before, never orgasmed, and was overall repressed most of her life. She thought sex was painful and unpleasant. However, all of that changed after Damon made her feel, by opening her sexual chakra, causing her to feel arousal, raising her libido from their therapy and finally blessing her with the big O. As many people out there have a hard time leaving a toxic relationship because of the good sex (Delena), I think it would be more out of character if she dismissed it. Damon currently is her only method of feeling that way again, so if anything I've dimmed down her wantonness toward him in contrast to how I think she really could act. Anyways, some of the inspiration for this fic came from a thread I read on the internet of people talking about how crazy they got after having a really good sexual experience, (one chick said she hid in a man's bushes because the peen was so good, lmao) so this was always going to be a plot point. I love it when Bamon can't keep their hands off of each other.

Anyways, if you didn't need that justification for anything I wrote, I appreciate it, but after re-reading so much during editing I remembered how people can get even over fiction and I just wanted to explain some things, haha. Not that I mind criticism, just please don't take FanFiction so seriously.

Next chapter is going to be another *good* one if you catch my drift, so please anticipate! Love y'all, see you next time! 3