A/N: I was back at the beach hanging out with my good friend (and my brother's dog) Beau and was able to get a little writing done. I forgot my phone at home (eek!), so I actually wrote most of this on my computer. While taking a few breaks to watch the waves, of course. Peace and solitude and the smell of the ocean. Just what the therapist ordered. :P

Chapter 13

Sookie leaned back against the door when she got inside. Hot and bothered didn't come close to how she felt. More like scorching and unnerved. Her resolve had been tested, but she wasn't going to have sex with anyone until she'd made some sort of decision. She had no intention of sleeping around. Still, she couldn't deny that she wanted him, and she knew he wanted her. But if he wasn't willing to wait until she was ready, even if it took until the third or fourth or even fifth date, then he wasn't worth seeing. She certainly had a couple of other options.

She noted that she didn't really like the sound of that.

She made sure to drink a whole glass of water and take two aspirin before she went to bed. She fell asleep with her lips still swollen, remembering how it felt being in his arms, her tongue in his mouth.

She woke up a little late but still had time for a couple of cups of coffee before she had to leave for work. By the time she got there, she wasn't feeling too bad and she gave Sam a big smile when she went into his office to stick her purse in the deep drawer in his desk.

"Hey, Sam!"

"Good morning, Chère. How are you feeling? You don't look that much worse for wear."

She laughed.

"Nope. I'm doing okay."

They just looked at each other for a moment or two. The silence felt somewhere between charged and awkward. She was still very attracted to him. Not rip her clothes off attracted — not like with Eric — but she liked the fact that there was space with Sam. She liked Eric, but she wondered how much there was between them without the sexual tension. Of course, the sexual tension was nothing to sneeze at. But was it something she could build a relationship around? And was he even offering one, outside the bedroom?

"I guess I'll head on out and get the prep work done."

Sam wandered into the bar as soon as Sookie turned the sign to open. It would be a while before the lunch rush started but, soon, a few people started trickling in. Sam poured her a couple of Cokes from the bar and she leaned up against it after she dropped them off at a nearby table. The silence between them was more awkward this time. He cleared his throat.

"So, I see you made it home last night."

Her hackles went up a little bit.

"Yup. Safe and sound."

"Hmpf."

She decided to ignore that and change the subject. Only she didn't really know what to change it to. After a moment or two, she took a breath and blew it out.

"So, what are we going to do on Saturday night?"

Sam smiled.

"There's a carnival in town over in Monroe. I thought we might go and check it out."

She smiled back at him.

"That sounds like fun. It's been a long time since I've been to the fair. Maybe back in middle school."

Monroe was a bit of a drive but she had Sunday off, and she was quite sure that was by design.

Fortunately, she also had Saturday off. Good thing, too. She was pretty sure Friday would be a very late night, as well.

The trickle soon turned into a steady stream of people and Sookie was busy enough that she didn't really have a chance to talk with Sam for quite some time, other than a few words here and there. But seeing him every day — Hell, flirting with him every day — was definitely working to soften her up a little. And, without Eric and now Alcide around to make him jealous, she really enjoyed his company. She got a smile and maybe a bit of conversation for every Coke he poured and every pitcher he filled. Their hands touched a couple of times and the touches lingered.

The shift went by quickly. He didn't corner her in the walk in or storeroom for a kiss and she was mostly relieved. But, the longer she was there, the more she was really looking forward to Saturday night.

But Friday came first, and the thought of being held by Eric on the dancefloor — and, even better, on her front porch again — made her tingle inside.

Dating two guys was pulling her in two different directions, but it sure was exciting. And she liked it.

Later on that evening, after she'd gotten home and had a shower and eaten some leftover lasagna and watched a little TV, she went outside and looked up. It was a clear night and the sky was peppered with a million stars. The moon was a thin crescent, barely able to be seen. She'd checked the calendar hanging on her kitchen wall when she'd gotten home from work and the full moon was less than two weeks away. She shivered. She was going to have to ask for that day off, along with the ones before and after. She hoped Sam wouldn't mind.

She saw a shooting star and wished she wouldn't turn into a wolf again. It was certainly possible. Hell, she only had one month to go by. She knew in her heart, though, that she wouldn't be that lucky.

The next day seemed to fly by. It was Friday. That evening was date night with Eric, and she was really quite excited. Sam was a little subdued and she wondered if it was because of her date or if something else was bothering him. Still, they managed to find time to talk quite a bit and he did catch her for a short kiss in the storeroom that made her have to catch her breath.

The lunch rush was nearly over when Alcide walked in. He was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The muscles in his forearms bulged. Tall dark and handsome was an understatement. She smiled when she met his eyes but she didn't shiver this time. Still, she felt some kind of thrill. He smiled back. She glanced at Sam, who looked less than happy. She ignored that and turned back to Alcide.

"You can sit anywhere you like."

"Doesn't matter to me, just as long as it's in your section."

She felt the little thrill again. She led him to a booth near the back of the bar and handed him a menu.

"Fried catfish is the special. Can I get you something to drink to start?"

"A sweet tea. And I'll take the catfish."

She smiled.

"I guess I'll take that menu back, then."

"Now about that phone number…"

She laughed but didn't answer. Sam was on his way over with a scowl on his face and Sookie turned and went to put Alcide's order in. Even halfway across the bar from them, she could hear their conversation.

"Sam."

"What are you doing here, Alcide?"

"Just like last time. I was in the area and thought I'd stop in for lunch."

"I'll bet. And I guess you're going to keep coming back."

Alcide smiled.

"That's the plan."

She had to tend to her other tables and couldn't just stand there and listen in. She shouldn't have done it in the first place but eavesdropping was kind of like reading minds; sometimes she just couldn't help but hear things she shouldn't hear, especially with her newly acute senses. And sometimes she just couldn't resist.

Sam was still talking to Alcide when his order was up. Sam gave her a look when she brought it to the table and she was sure he was still there just to keep Alcide from talking to her. She shot him a bit of a dirty look and set down the catfish and fries.

"There you go, Alcide. Can I get you anything else?"

He opened his mouth to reply. She beat him to it.

"Anything other than my phone number, I mean."

He laughed.

"No Ma'am. I think I'm good."

After she left for another table, Alcide looked at Sam. He was finally starting to be a little pissed.

"What, are you marking your territory? You gonna whip your dick out right here or can I eat my lunch?"

"It is my territory. It's my bar."

"That don't mean everything inside belongs to you. Or everyone."

"Hmpf."

Alcide smirked.

"You know, by the looks of things, you aren't doing yourself any favours."

Sam saw the truth in that but couldn't seem to stop. She just pinged his possessive side. He muttered to himself and finally walked away.

She checked on her other tables and then leaned against the bar, massaging her leg. It was aching some, but she only had a couple more hours left of her workday, and then she had two days off. And two busy nights. She would have to take a tylenol before she spent the evening on her feet in Eric's arms.

Sam asked, "Everything okay, Chère?"

She smiled at him.

"I'm doing okay. Just a little sore, is all. I'll be fine."

Sam smiled back.

"How about you sit down and I'll take over your tables for a few."

Sam's smile wasn't nearly as open as hers had been. She looked over at Alcide and then back to Sam. He had an ulterior motive, she was sure. She narrowed her eyes.

"No, Sam. I've got it."

Sookie ran out a couple of chicken baskets and an order of onion rings and filled up some water glasses with a pitcher. She wrote up Alcide's bill and paused before scrawling her phone number down just below the total. She bit her lip, excited but unsure. It felt like she was almost pursuing him, despite the fact that she had a date with another guy later that night. And another one with a different guy the next day. She almost turned around to write up a new cheque but she just kept walking and set it on the table upside-down. When he turned it over he smiled. She smiled back.

"Anything else I can do for you?"

His smile widened.

"Nope. I'm good."

He tucked the bill in his shirt pocket and patted it. He dropped two twenties on the table and almost strutted out. Sookie watched him. She was nervous about what she'd done but, for the time being, she was just going to enjoy watching his butt all the way out the door.