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It wasn't long before Bonnie heard the thud of his boots cross the threshold.
"Oh, Dam—" her sister started but was cut off by his very gruff, very angry voice.
"Where is she?"
The ice caging her spine thawed from the match under her ass, and she hopped up from her seat, ready to bolt.
His boots got louder, and her nails bit into the table as he rounded the corner, brows heavy and accentuating the fire in those pitted black coals.
The smallest of squeaks chirped from her lips, and she took off.
But he was faster. Even without using his vampire speed.
He came around the island and blocked her only means of escape before she could make it out of the dining room.
She stood straight against him, hanging on the breath inflating her lungs, hoping it might inflate her courage as well.
But he only strode closer. Adrenaline lined her veins, pumping her muscles.
"Is something wrong with your phone?" Damon asked.
He already knew the answer.
His eyes were like those hot stones they made people walk across in foreign countries. She was surprised steam wasn't pouring from his ears.
Taking a step back, Bonnie prayed her jittery feet wouldn't give out. "N-No."
Why couldn't she lie?!
He followed her step back with one forward, towering over her. She had no choice but to tilt her head up.
"I text you, ten times," he gritted, upper lip itching to pull back in a snarl.
"I-I didn't notice …" Well, she hadn't read them, anyway.
Each step he took brought him dangerously close to her body, filling her up with some kind of otherworldly heat. It was a test, a game to him, possibly a dance to her onlooker sister.
"Then why are you trying so hard to block me out?"
Grabbing the top of the chair for stability, she let it ground her in the world outside of Damon, knowing she was running out of space. "I d-didn't know you were—"
"Cut the bullshit," he snapped, and her back hit the wall. She molded to it, flattening her hands to the dry blue paint. Tears stung her eyes as they raised to his.
"You fucking hung up and then refused to talk to me like a child. All for what? Because you didn't get your way?"
Bonnie swallowed around the lump beginning to make everything ache. She had to get out. She wouldn't let him see her break down. She wouldn't give him that power.
Turning, she was stopped by his arm, then the other, boxing her to the wall.
"Not a chance. I had to leave my date to come all the way over here. You're going to talk to me."
Tears spilled down her face, freeing her voice from its compression. She shoved at him. He didn't budge. "Well, I'm so sorry checking on your best friend is such a chore for you!"
He straightened, keeping their distance at arm's length.
She hit his chest again, the impact bouncing off all the muscle there. "I've barely seen you since you started dating her. You used to come here almost every day. I haven't complained, I haven't said a thing! But the one time I need you, you blow me off. For a girl that you barely know! I've known you for years, I've been there for you through everything. Is it that easy for you to replace me?"
Through blurred vision, she saw Damon's hot coals melt to the inky pools she often found herself swimming in. It was no secret that there were feelings on her side. He had even indulged her a few times. Yet they always found themselves at this point of ignorance, like nothing had ever happened at all.
Without a word, Damon's hand slid into her curls, cupping the back of her head and bringing her into his chest. She wanted to resist, but the fingers massaging her scalp were so soothing. She molded into his embrace, snaking her arms beneath his leather jacket.
"You're irreplaceable to me. You know that. There's not another like you," he breathed into her ear, hugging her tight to his body.
Bonnie struggled to get a full breath, but she didn't protest, happy with the little sips of musky pine stitching all the holes he'd left open.
"I needed you today," she mumbled, sniffling into the shirt crumpled in her fists.
"I'm here. I'm right here." His thumb swiped back her hair, and his lips found their way to her cheek, kissing away the wetness there.
"Well …" Mary began, catching their attention. "I'd like to eat the rest of my dinner, if that's ok? So, would you like to stay for dinner, Damon? I can fix you a plate. I think there's also sandwich meat in the fridge."
Damon turned to her with an appreciative grin. "I already ate, but I'll sit down with my favorite McCullough's."
Mary nodded at him and made her way to the table.
"My apologies. I didn't mean to barge in like that," Damon said, pulling out the chair for Bonnie.
With a sheepish grin, Bonnie sat down and scooted in, heavily avoiding her sister's gaze as she composed herself with a sip of water.
Mary smiled at Damon's old-timey formalities. It was one of the things she liked best about him. "You know you're always welcome, Damon."
"Thank you, Mary."
"Mhm," she hummed into her glass as she took a swig of water, her side eyeing strong.
Under the table, Bonnie swung her foot into her sister's leg, but it only made her laugh.
"So, how is everything with um …" Mary searched for the name.
"Gemma?"
She pressed a finger to the tip of her nose, pointing her other at Damon. "Yes! Sorry, nurse-brain."
He snickered. Bonnie tipped her eyes to the ceiling.
"We're good. It's going well. She's working on her MBA right now, so … We don't get to see each other as often as you may think." Bonnie shrunk under his accusatory stare.
"It's more than we've seen you in the past month or so." Mary chewed her rice and chicken.
"That's true. I am sorry about that. I'm just trying to figure out a balance. Gemma's very um …"
"Needy." Her sister stated, no question implied.
Bonnie forced the corner of her lips down.
"For lack of better term," said Damon.
Bonnie's eyes rounded out into their doe-like form as he leaned close to her ear. "Not unlike someone else I know."
Warmth painted her cheeks pink, and Damon smirked.
"Are you staying?" Mary asked, popping up from her seat to clean up.
"Um, I wasn't planning on it." Damon stood, clipping his hands over the back of the chair.
"You should stay. Keep Bonnie company. She could use it after her day."
Hope battered her small body. Damon hadn't stayed in so long. Maybe she could weasel her way into his arms like last time.
After the dark dimension—just before Elena had announced her plans with Stefan—Damon had snuck into her room at the boarding house. He'd claimed boredom, but as he sat down and began venting, Bonnie realized it was so much more. He'd begun with things like how angry he was to be human, how frustrated he was with Stefan for wanting such a thing, and then how scared he'd been. He hadn't been mortal in so long, the thought of dying had been terrifying. Which was why, when she'd followed after him, he'd been so upset.
He'd intended on a suicide mission. To die alone if that was his fate. But with the addition of her, he became more determined than ever. He'd had a reason not to die on his journey, because he wouldn't let her mourn him, because he couldn't leave her alone in such a place. But then when they'd taken her, he'd felt like he was dying all over again. Because suddenly, the thought of finding her lifeless was the worst outcome.
In the darkest hour of night, he'd turned and he'd thanked her, for giving him purpose to fight, for motivating him to be a better person.
It had driven her to tears, and instead of telling her how silly she was and giving her a quick kiss, he'd crawled into her bed in nothing but loose pajama bottoms. He'd gotten under the covers with her and let her bury herself into his chest. He'd held her close, soothed her, and then he'd tipped her chin up to kiss her. It wasn't long, but he'd flicked his tongue against hers, and it had blossomed sweetness in her core just the same.
That was almost a year ago. Not that she'd been counting.
"Sure, uh … just let me make a quick call then."
Bonnie flattened under the dullness of his voice, trying not to hold onto its meaning as he stepped out. He was staying. He was staying.
Mary plopped back into her chair with an elbow on the table. Her stare dug in like a shovel, slowly chipping away at the rough to get to the treasure underneath.
"What?" Bonnie bit.
Mary's eyes bugged. "What do you mean? What was that?"
Bonnie's stare mirrored her sister's as she feigned ignorance, her head shaking in tiny sweeps.
Mary smacked her hand on the table. Bonnie jumped, leaning away as Mary swooped in like a bird ready to harass her for food.
"You told me he didn't care. He just barged in here—which he never does by the way—and pinned you against the freaking wall! I think he cares, Bon! In fact, I think he cares way way more than you think." Her hushed tone was the equivalent of a storm cloud trying to whisper.
"Yeah well, don't get your hopes up. He does this all the time. He kisses me and then we act like nothing happened." Bonnie stabbed her spoon deep into the rice box.
There was a tiny gag, and then a cough, and Bonnie looked over to Mary, her eyes bursting from their sockets as she patted her chest.
Had she forgotten to mention—
"You've kissed?!" Mary yelled in as low a volume as she could get. "When? How many times has this happened? What the fuck?"
"Like …" Bonnie squinted at the ceiling, trying to recall each time. When she popped her fifth finger out, she gave up with a throw of her hands in the air. "I don't know. Some."
Her sister's jaw widened impossibly. "Five times?"
Bonnie felt her face beginning to heat, her brain cells mangling into a clump outlined in his face. No. She wasn't going there. She wouldn't be upset when nothing changed again.
Mary's hand clamped around her forearm. "Bonnie, friends don't just make out randomly."
"We weren't making out!" Bonnie whisper-yelled back, and then the front door was creaking open.
Both girls broke apart, straightening up, grabbing anything as his footsteps approached. Mary fumbled with her phone, going to the first app she saw, the weather. Bonnie half-rolled her eyes as she spooned her cooling food.
Way to be inconspicuous.
Damon bent over the island, hanging his head between his shoulders. "I guess my schedule is clear for the night, and probably the next few days."
Mary gave her a look before twisting toward Damon. "Gemma's upset?"
"She's not happy." His breathy laugh was dry, holding little humor.
When had staying over become so dreadful for him?
"Well why don't you—"
Slapping her hand on the table, Bonnie stood. She swiped her box of rice off the table, spilling grains in the process, and walked it to the trash. "You should just go then. If it's gonna be that big of a deal, then go comfort your girlfriend. I'll be fine."
She barely had time to rinse her spoon in the sink before she was grabbed by the arm and spun to meet his furious gaze. But all she could focus on was the marshmallow softness she knew his lips held.
"Do we need to talk about something?"
Bonnie swore she saw her sister nodding in her peripherals. "No."
"I already told you I'd stay." He must've noticed her drifting eyes, because he dipped, forcing her to meet his pinpoint pupils. "Is that not what you want?"
Feeling like a scorned child, Bonnie flushed to a boil. Who was he to yell at her? To be mad at her? She tried to yank her arm from his grip, but he only tightened it, digging his fingertips in.
"If you want me to leave, I will."
Her lower lip slipped in between her teeth as she stared at his mouth, needing something to suck on, to distract her salivating tongue. "I don't."
"That's what I thought." His voice faded into a soft melody.
The fingers around her arm loosened, going to her lip. The pad of his thumb pressed in, unfurling it from her teeth.
"And stop chewing your lip," he reprimanded, grazing the tiny split she'd made.
His eyes never left hers as he brought his blood-tinged digit into his mouth, sucking her taste from his skin. Heat rolled all the way to the pit of her stomach and trickled out into her panties.
She knew what he wanted. What he refused to take from his little girlfriend. What he always came back to her for. His little bird's sweetness on tap. She knew he wasn't proud of it. It always took him a while to ask. He'd go months, resisting. But eventually he'd crack, having yet to find anyone better.
Was this his way of asking?
"Sorry," she muttered, running her tongue over her lip until she felt a sharp sting.
Damon's eyes dropped, blew for the slightest second, and then he turned to Mary.
"Is it ok if I take the couch?" Damon asked.
"Don't sleep there," Bonnie said right as her sister spoke up.
"The couch is broken."
Damon cocked his head at Mary, her drink cracking as she tried to sip its millimeter of leftover contents through her straw. Bonnie pinched two fingers into her brow bone, spreading them out to her temples. Maybe if she prayed hard enough, the ground would split open and end her misery.
"Broken?" Damon questioned. Bonnie cringed at the repetition of such an absurd statement.
Mary waved him off. "You know what I mean. It's old. It's got springs out of place. You don't want to sleep there."
"Ok. Where would you prefer—"
"Sleep in Bonnie's room," Mary rushed.
Bonnie's cheeks burned as she pressed her palms into them.
"As comfy as the floor is, I think I'd rather take my chances with the couch."
"No, no. Bonnie has the roll-out mattress in her closet. You could use that. You should." Mary smiled.
Bonnie wrung her hands. "I can lay it out for you. I-If that's ok?"
She could see the reservation in his face, stern and set in its ways. His jaw ticked before he switched to guest mode and spawned a polite smile. "Guess I'm taking up your floor tonight, then."
The giddiness in Bonnie's stomach was short-lived. She knew she'd be hearing about this later.