#DESP: chapter 12: Jazz club
Title: Jazz club
Author: dunedesert / arwen01
Word Count: 3867
Rating: M
Summary: Damon takes Elena to a jazz club
Notes: AU/AH. Set in the Spring Break Universe. Part of a Round Robin challenge: Table of Contents.
“Where are you taking me tonight?” Elena tugged nervously at her little black dress. She was
glad she’d thrown it into her suitcase at the last minute before leaving, ‘just in case’.
With Damon, one never knew. He was so crazy and had so many ideas it sometimes freaked her out.
She glanced in his direction and her breath hitched; it happened a lot, lately. There was a
certain aura of authority surrounding him when he was wearing a suit. He could model for
Armani any day, she thought as she tried not to stare at him. She made an actual attempt to
watch the scenery they passed sitting in the shiny black limo, but the glass was tainted and it
obstructed her view, much to her annoyance. She had accidentally left her cell in the room so
she couldn’t even entertain herself with angry birds. She cursed herself, feeling the need to
jab and kill something, Damon exhausting her mind and her body, yet she still couldn’t get
enough of him.
With a deep sigh her gaze wandered back to him, secretly admiring the nonchalant
elegance as he leaned against the cream coloured leather seat, sipping at his champagne
absentmindedly. She watched the movement of his lips as they gently touched the rim of the
flute and the liquid sparkled up for a second before he took a mouthful of his champagne.
She couldn’t take her eyes off his lips once she’d started to watch him. She recalled the
first day they met; she thought there was nothing more beautiful than those cerulean eyes.
But once she’d gotten a taste of his lips, she had craved to devour them again and again,
mesmerized by the strawberries and cream flavor that always lingered on her tongue
afterwards. These past few days, she had got familiar with those talented lips and she
couldn’t stop dreaming about what they were capable of.
She swallowed thickly as the memories of their escapades started to drift into her mind,
teasing and torturing her mercilessly. Squeezing her thighs together she tried to hide the
reaction of her body to his presence, but with every effort to stay calm and collected, she
became more and more aroused.
She watched his adam’s apple as he swallowed the champagne down and her traitorous eyes
watched the trail of the soft chest hair disappear beneath the collar of his crisp white shirt.
Damon finally released the champagne flute being well aware of what was going on beside
him. He heard her breath hitch, a faint smirk adorning his lips as the sound floated into his
ears, but he decided to ignore it, knowing that the one thing Elena truly hated was being
ignored. He smirked inwardly at the memories popping up in his head. He could never truly
ignore her, he knew exactly how beautiful she was when the passion took reign over her
perfect body; it felt like she was specifically molded for his needs and desires and it took
every ounce of strength not to turn and claim her this very second.
He loved how she responded to his touches and caresses, practically purring beneath his
fingers moving over her skin, expertly, something he had perfected over the years. He asked
himself why it felt like every step he made, led him to Elena? Maybe he slept with all these
women to try and block her out and convince himself that he didn’t want her but each random
girl only made him surer of the fact that Elena was the one he wanted.
He flashed his smile at her when he recalled his plans for tonight.
And there it was, Elena actually blushed in response. She had never shown so much affection
before towards any man she dated. She had always been so collected, nothing could scratch
her perfect looks and here she was, blushing like a schoolgirl on her first date.
This is not a date, she reprimanded herself inwardly. It’s only a night like any other night
in the year. She had been out with Damon a couple of times before and it wasn’t anything
special. Why did she feel differently then?
Lifting her gaze toward Damon again, her breathing picked up as she saw his knowing smirk.
He knew what his presence did to her.
Damon’s gaze on her body felt like a touch. She could practically feel his lips on the smooth
skin of her neck and as his gaze moved south, her nipples hardening in response. The soft
fabric brushed against her sensitive peaks, adding fuel to the raging desire between her legs,
and she tried so desperately to tame it.
“Are you going to answer me?” She asked after clearing her throat, smoothing her dress over
her knees though she’d rather hike it up and straddle him…
“What was the question?” He asked as if he missed her question; but she knew better. He
loved to annoy her to no end and when she became totally desperate, he would gracefully
answer all of her questions.
“Don’t play your silly games with me.” She spat at him, immediately regretting her harsh
tone “I just… I feel a little anxious, I guess.”
He placed the champagne flute on the silver tray and leaned closer.
“Why would you feel anxious, Lena?” He asked, concern written all over his face.
“I don’t know…” She lowered her gaze, feeling suddenly very interested in her fingers resting
in her lap “You and I… this limo, you in a suit, me dressed up, drinking champagne… like we
are rich and famous…” She shrugged helplessly “I just don’t get it.”
She felt tears pooling in her eyes, knowing she was about to ruin this wonderful evening.
All of a sudden, Damon stretched his hand and tipped her chin up gently, until their gazes
locked.
“Hey, don’t freak out,” His velvet voice had an instant calming effect on her nerves “It’s only
you and me having a great night. I wanted to make it special…”
“Why?” She blurted out, swallowing her tears.
“Maybe because you are not the worst company in the world, Elena Gilbert.” He teased her
with a smile “Besides, there’s nothing wrong in going out as good friends.”
Friends.
The word stung.
She downed her drink before placing the flute next to Damon’s and quirked her brow.
“Friends?” She asked with disbelief.
His gaze became dangerous and intimidating.
“I didn’t want to offend you” He started but was soon cut off with Elena’s lips molding his in
a searing kiss. He didn’t even recognize the moment she launched herself at him; one moment
he was talking and in the next she was kissing the hell out of him.
Not that he complained. Kissing Elena was his favourite pastime lately; she was so sweet
and he loved to unleash the sexy woman in her. She rarely initiated anything between them;
she was rather that girl who needed to be wooed and coaxed until she gave in. Damon briefly
thought about tonight’s plan before responding to her kiss with a groan.
The moment their tongues met she whimpered and spread her legs, crawling onto his lap,
straddling him. She let her fingers sink into his raven hair, reveling at the softness of the
silky strands and her head started to spin. There was something utterly hot in the way Damon
kissed her, expertly, knowingly, fulfilling her needs to the dot.
Damon wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, not sure about what she
wanted. He was always the one to make the first move, but tonight, for some reason, he
needed her to take charge.
He didn’t have to be afraid though. Once her heated core rubbed against the hard bulge in
his pants, the animalistic desire took over and soon she started to unbutton his dress shirt,
and loosen his tie. Damon cupped her skirt covered ass in response before sliding his palms
beneath the fabric. He needed to feel her naked skin against his as she slid her cold little
fingers over his chest, grazing one of his nipples in the process.
“Elena,” He panted, throwing his head back onto the leather seat as her soft lips trailed small
kisses along his neck.
All of a sudden, her kisses halted and he had to open his eyes to see her devilish smile.
“What are you…” He trailed off realizing she was only playing with him to prove how much
of friends they became these past days.
His hold tightened on her hips and he yanked her body closer, capturing her lips in a
passionate kiss. This time he didn’t let her pull away. One of his hands went into her hair
holding her in place while he ravished her mouth, the other hand making quick work of
unfastening the fly on his pants.
When his hardness sprung free he deepened their kiss and pulled her panties aside. He eased
himself into her tightness, slowly, savouring every moment as he buried himself deeply, to the
hilt. Elena shuddered at the intimacy of the moment as he pried his lips away from hers and
their gazes locked just as she lifted her hips and started to move against him.
There was something different in his stare this time. All the teasing was gone from his eyes
and she dreaded to get the deeper meaning behind their actions.
They were just having fun, right? Why was he watching her then with such an intense stare?
Why did every moment they shared feel like it meant something to him? She felt tears pooling
in her eyes and she couldn’t stand looking into his eyes anymore. The second his fingers
found her clit she threw her hair back and sweat broke out on her forehead. Her hold tightened
on his suit jacket covered shoulders and let the sensation wash over her. Closing her eyes she
shut the world out and focused on the feeling deep inside her. She didn’t let her feelings drift
to question why it felt so special with him? Only he knew how to touch her properly. Only he
was able to turn every second into a passionate ride. Only he knew how to bring her deepest
desires up to the surface…
What was happening to her? Why were their bodies communicating so easily but when it
came to words and expressing their feelings, they remained so silent?
Her breath caught in her throat as he bucked his hips beneath her and started to move harder
inside her. He drew small, firm circles around her sensitive clit and pulled the top of her dress
aside, his lips closing around one of her nipples.
“Oh my God…” She wanted to scream but the words left her mouth in an agonizing whisper.
Every sensation run through he veins like a poison, meeting in the center, deep in her belly
until her body convulsed violently, her orgasm washing away every thought, every single
piece of doubt and there was nothing else, just the pleasure and this man who transformed in
front of her eyes.
One second he was a good friend with benefits and now…
She was afraid to name the feelings he evoked in her.
He pulled her lips into a smoldering kiss as he let himself go and his hips convulsed violently
beneath her, a loud growl pouring from his mouth to hers. She swallowed his cry of passion,
feeling him closer than any other time as she fell onto his chest feeling spent and sated.
Moments later they felt the limo slow down and the chaffeur’s voice informed them through
the speaker they were close to their destination.
“I’m too tired to move,” She mumbled into his chest, resting her head on the opening of his
shirt, listening to his steady heartbeat.
“We need to get out love, before our table reservations expire,” He replied with a soft chuckle
and for the first time the words remained stuck in her throat.
He called her love.
It was a term of endearment he frequently used, but somehow it felt different this time. She
slowly pulled away, and averted her gaze, smoothing her hair and pulled her dress back
in position. She felt his release slowly trickling out of her and squeezed her inner muscles
promising herself to clean up once they were out of the vehicle.
Damon watched her curiously, trying to figure out what caused the sudden change in her
demeanor. One second she was filled with desire, giving herself over to the passion they
shared, looking at him like he was everything she needed… and hell, for a second he felt the
same, like he was connected to her in more ways then one.
And the next moment she regarded him with an impassive stare like nothing happened
between them seconds before.
What was happening to them? They were having fun and tonight he decided to take things
further…he grinned knowing it was going to be a beautiful night if everything’d go according
to his plans.
“Where are we?” She asked, accepting his hand as he helped her to step out of the car.
“It’s a jazz club, Lena.”
Her eyes met his for a second.
“A jazz club.” She was clearly disappointed.
“I thought you’d like see what makes the Bahamas so special…” He explained while taking
her by her hand and leading her to the entrance of the luxurious restaurant “And the annual
jazz festivals of this area are world renowned. Since they are mostly held in the summer, I
thought a dinner at a club like this would serve the point.”
“Oh.” This was all she said, her face unreadable. She really wasn’t into the jazz music and
she’d clearly read more into his gesture than what it really meant. Damon just wanted to be
nice and she couldn’t help but feel crushed a little.
She excused herself to the bathroom once the waiter led them to the table. She cleaned herself
up and reapplied her make up, sending silent thanks to Caroline who taught her the basic rule,
to always have travel sized articles of make up in her purse.
“Get a grip, Gilbert,” She hissed at her reflection in the mirror “It’s just Damon.”
She repeated this mantra several times until she felt ready to leave the bathroom. Looking
around she felt pleasantly surprised to see how elegant the whole place was. Somehow she’d
always pictured the jazz clubs like some dark places, with smoke and the smell of the beer.
She never liked the sound of the saxophones and she wondered how on Earth Damon could
come up with this plan…
This place was anything but. Her first impression was that this place was light, elegant and
trendy. White leather covered seats circled the mahogany tables, the walls were covered with
paintings of famous jazz artists and mirrors. There was a hardwood dancefloor in the middle
of the place and a stage, with a light purple curtain and a shiny black baby grand piano.
Damon stood up as she approached the table and she tried to hide her surprise when he held
the chair for her in an elegant gesture. This was so unlike Damon and she felt puzzled.
“I already ordered a drink for us, if you don’t mind,” He smiled sheepishly and she blushed.
Words left her again and she could only nod. The waiter delivered their drinks and she
regarded her glass suspiciously.
“Martini?” She asked with a tight smile “I have a feeling you want to get me drunk, Mr.
Salvatore.”
“I only wanted to…” He trailed off and she shuddered beneath his intense stare. “Are you
cold?” He asked with concern and before she could respond he shrugged out of his jacket
to cover her shoulders. The scent of his cologne surrounded her immediately as the jacket
radiated the warmth of his body… she felt more and more confused.
Before she could comment on his demeanor, a loud applause of people welcomed the artist
coming onto the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this song is dedicated to a very special girl,” He spoke into the
microphone and Elena lifted her head in his direction. She missed Damon’s darkening stare
as he turned his attention to the musician. “The song is called A Single Petal of a Rose and is
dedicated to a wonderful…Elena.”
Her eyes grew wide as saucers and all she could do was to accept Damon’s hand as he helped
her out of his jacket and led her onto the dancefloor. There were some couples already
dancing so it didn’t feel weird yet the whole situation felt surreal.
“What are we doing here, Damon?” She asked with a trembling voice as the soft tunes of the
piano surrounded them in the dim light.
“Dancing.” He smiled at her, swaying to the music “You don’t like it?”
“I’m not a fan of jazz but I must admit this feels nice,” She said nervously.
They fell into a comfortable silence and she let him take the lead. As the seconds passed she
felt the weight of the whole day falling on her shoulders.
“Damon, please… what are we doing here, for real?”
“I told you. Dancing. Having a nice night with my… best friend,” He finished the sentence
shifting uncomfortably. All day long he thought he was ready to say those words and now he
felt like a coward, unable to bring himself to talk openly. She looked so scared and he was
afraid she’d leave him on the dancefloor if he said something inappropriate… it’d crush him
completely.
“Best friend?” She fought against the tears threatening to make their presence known “That’s
all we are right?”
“What do you mean?” He asked feeling the tension rise in him.
“How do you see your future?”
“You know everything about me.” He squeezed her fingers “I guess I’ll be a successful lawyer.”
“That’s all?” She asked sharply.
“What do you want to hear, Lena? You want me to make some promises I won’t be able to
fulfill? I’m not a hero and you know it.”
She took a step away from him, feeling utterly disappointed and torn.
“Why can’t you be like…” She halted, too late. The recognition dawned in his eyes. Stefan
had always been attentive, open and loving and if it wasn’t for his gambling problem, Elena
thought, they may still be together.
“Come on, bring it on. I know what you want to say,” He taunted her; the beautiful song he
had requested for her tonight, long forgotten.
“No. I’m not going to play by your rules,” She turned away and he followed her to their table.
“You are disappointed in me because I’m not like Stefan?” He asked mockingly and that was
the moment she snapped.
“Yes, if that’s what you want to hear!”
“I just want to hear the truth,” He stated quietly.
“The truth? Okay. Tell me, where’s all of this leading us?”
“I thought we agreed to have fun during the spring break.”
“It seems it’ll always just be fun for you, right?” She asked bitterly. “Stefan would never…”
“And here we go again, the hot topic of Saint Stefan…” He spat angrily “If he’s such a saint,
then tell me, where is he right now? Are you forgetting all the pain he caused you with his
addiction or has that miraculously slipped your mind?”
“I’m sure he’s acting like a perfect gentleman at this moment…” She lied through her teeth
and regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She saw Damon’s face fall before his
wall came up and his features hardened.
“I’m not Stefan.” He hissed as he stood up, the legs of his chair screeching “How about you
stop trying to turn me into him?”
“Damon, please…” She tried to stop him, to explain herself but he pulled his arm from her
grasp and left in the crowd.
She looked around and saw the waiter stand aside discreetly. She pulled her credit card out of
her purse with a sigh but the waiter shook his head.
“Mr. Salvatore covered everything, Miss.”
She nodded in response, feeling ashamed and disappointed, and this time, in herself. Her
body felt lifeless as she dragged herself towards the exit when she felt a finger tap on her
shoulder. She turned around in a hope, which died immediately when she saw it was only the
waiter giving her Damon’s suit jacket, he’d left on her chair. Her eyes flickered in sadness as
she grasped the jacket in her hands, the smell of him lingering under her nose.
He had been so romantic tonight; the thoughts clouded her mind as images of him giving her shivering form his jacket flashed before her eyes. Why couldn’t he just tell her how he really felt? His actions did not match his words and it frustrated her beyond belief.
She took the first cab that parked close to the restaurant and staring out of the window she
wondered how she could ruin this beautiful night with her stupid words and hopes. She
clutched Damon’s jacket in her grip, inhaling his scent deeply.
She felt so alone, so abandoned and she couldn’t blame anyone but herself.
Later in the hotel room a piece of folded paper paper tied with a lavender satin bow, fell onto
the comforter from the pocket of his jacket. She watched it like it was her enemy and decided
to put it back into his pocket when her gaze fell on the dedication: Elena.
Her body froze before unfastening the bow with shaky fingers and her breath caught in her
throat as her eyes ran through the poem written with Damon’s elegant handwriting.
‘A whole forest of them,
Or just a single petal of a rose,
Is enough,
Grasp it in my hand,
Grasp it I shall,
In hurricanes or normal rainy days,
It won't leave my caring palms,
That one petal of a rose,
To remind me of the rose in all her beauty,
But the rose is gone,
In some other forest some place far,
A forest forbidden to me,
There it blooms without me,
Only because of this fool's mistake,
So please do not escape or leave me,
Petal of a rose.’
With love, Damon
“Oh my God…” She whispered, her fingers clenching around the piece of paper and she fell
back on the bed, her tears spilling down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She ruined the night. She ruined the moment he chose to confess his feelings. She compared
him to Stefan, hurting him deeply…
She cried herself to sleep.
Hours later she felt a soft hand removing her heels and pulling a comforter over them. She felt
the strong smell of the bourbon as a pair of muscled arms surrounded her, pulling her tired body
against a hard, shirt covered chest.
“I’m so sorry…” She whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Shh… it’s okay…” She reached for his hand and their fingers entwined. And for the first
time in hours, a smile tugged at her lips as they fell asleep in a tight hold.
---
this chapter is a result of a collaboration between leanne90 and me, also she was so kind to beta this chapter for me.
Author: dunedesert / arwen01
Word Count: 3867
Rating: M
Summary: Damon takes Elena to a jazz club
Notes: AU/AH. Set in the Spring Break Universe. Part of a Round Robin challenge: Table of Contents.
“Where are you taking me tonight?” Elena tugged nervously at her little black dress. She was
glad she’d thrown it into her suitcase at the last minute before leaving, ‘just in case’.
With Damon, one never knew. He was so crazy and had so many ideas it sometimes freaked her out.
She glanced in his direction and her breath hitched; it happened a lot, lately. There was a
certain aura of authority surrounding him when he was wearing a suit. He could model for
Armani any day, she thought as she tried not to stare at him. She made an actual attempt to
watch the scenery they passed sitting in the shiny black limo, but the glass was tainted and it
obstructed her view, much to her annoyance. She had accidentally left her cell in the room so
she couldn’t even entertain herself with angry birds. She cursed herself, feeling the need to
jab and kill something, Damon exhausting her mind and her body, yet she still couldn’t get
enough of him.
With a deep sigh her gaze wandered back to him, secretly admiring the nonchalant
elegance as he leaned against the cream coloured leather seat, sipping at his champagne
absentmindedly. She watched the movement of his lips as they gently touched the rim of the
flute and the liquid sparkled up for a second before he took a mouthful of his champagne.
She couldn’t take her eyes off his lips once she’d started to watch him. She recalled the
first day they met; she thought there was nothing more beautiful than those cerulean eyes.
But once she’d gotten a taste of his lips, she had craved to devour them again and again,
mesmerized by the strawberries and cream flavor that always lingered on her tongue
afterwards. These past few days, she had got familiar with those talented lips and she
couldn’t stop dreaming about what they were capable of.
She swallowed thickly as the memories of their escapades started to drift into her mind,
teasing and torturing her mercilessly. Squeezing her thighs together she tried to hide the
reaction of her body to his presence, but with every effort to stay calm and collected, she
became more and more aroused.
She watched his adam’s apple as he swallowed the champagne down and her traitorous eyes
watched the trail of the soft chest hair disappear beneath the collar of his crisp white shirt.
Damon finally released the champagne flute being well aware of what was going on beside
him. He heard her breath hitch, a faint smirk adorning his lips as the sound floated into his
ears, but he decided to ignore it, knowing that the one thing Elena truly hated was being
ignored. He smirked inwardly at the memories popping up in his head. He could never truly
ignore her, he knew exactly how beautiful she was when the passion took reign over her
perfect body; it felt like she was specifically molded for his needs and desires and it took
every ounce of strength not to turn and claim her this very second.
He loved how she responded to his touches and caresses, practically purring beneath his
fingers moving over her skin, expertly, something he had perfected over the years. He asked
himself why it felt like every step he made, led him to Elena? Maybe he slept with all these
women to try and block her out and convince himself that he didn’t want her but each random
girl only made him surer of the fact that Elena was the one he wanted.
He flashed his smile at her when he recalled his plans for tonight.
And there it was, Elena actually blushed in response. She had never shown so much affection
before towards any man she dated. She had always been so collected, nothing could scratch
her perfect looks and here she was, blushing like a schoolgirl on her first date.
This is not a date, she reprimanded herself inwardly. It’s only a night like any other night
in the year. She had been out with Damon a couple of times before and it wasn’t anything
special. Why did she feel differently then?
Lifting her gaze toward Damon again, her breathing picked up as she saw his knowing smirk.
He knew what his presence did to her.
Damon’s gaze on her body felt like a touch. She could practically feel his lips on the smooth
skin of her neck and as his gaze moved south, her nipples hardening in response. The soft
fabric brushed against her sensitive peaks, adding fuel to the raging desire between her legs,
and she tried so desperately to tame it.
“Are you going to answer me?” She asked after clearing her throat, smoothing her dress over
her knees though she’d rather hike it up and straddle him…
“What was the question?” He asked as if he missed her question; but she knew better. He
loved to annoy her to no end and when she became totally desperate, he would gracefully
answer all of her questions.
“Don’t play your silly games with me.” She spat at him, immediately regretting her harsh
tone “I just… I feel a little anxious, I guess.”
He placed the champagne flute on the silver tray and leaned closer.
“Why would you feel anxious, Lena?” He asked, concern written all over his face.
“I don’t know…” She lowered her gaze, feeling suddenly very interested in her fingers resting
in her lap “You and I… this limo, you in a suit, me dressed up, drinking champagne… like we
are rich and famous…” She shrugged helplessly “I just don’t get it.”
She felt tears pooling in her eyes, knowing she was about to ruin this wonderful evening.
All of a sudden, Damon stretched his hand and tipped her chin up gently, until their gazes
locked.
“Hey, don’t freak out,” His velvet voice had an instant calming effect on her nerves “It’s only
you and me having a great night. I wanted to make it special…”
“Why?” She blurted out, swallowing her tears.
“Maybe because you are not the worst company in the world, Elena Gilbert.” He teased her
with a smile “Besides, there’s nothing wrong in going out as good friends.”
Friends.
The word stung.
She downed her drink before placing the flute next to Damon’s and quirked her brow.
“Friends?” She asked with disbelief.
His gaze became dangerous and intimidating.
“I didn’t want to offend you” He started but was soon cut off with Elena’s lips molding his in
a searing kiss. He didn’t even recognize the moment she launched herself at him; one moment
he was talking and in the next she was kissing the hell out of him.
Not that he complained. Kissing Elena was his favourite pastime lately; she was so sweet
and he loved to unleash the sexy woman in her. She rarely initiated anything between them;
she was rather that girl who needed to be wooed and coaxed until she gave in. Damon briefly
thought about tonight’s plan before responding to her kiss with a groan.
The moment their tongues met she whimpered and spread her legs, crawling onto his lap,
straddling him. She let her fingers sink into his raven hair, reveling at the softness of the
silky strands and her head started to spin. There was something utterly hot in the way Damon
kissed her, expertly, knowingly, fulfilling her needs to the dot.
Damon wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, not sure about what she
wanted. He was always the one to make the first move, but tonight, for some reason, he
needed her to take charge.
He didn’t have to be afraid though. Once her heated core rubbed against the hard bulge in
his pants, the animalistic desire took over and soon she started to unbutton his dress shirt,
and loosen his tie. Damon cupped her skirt covered ass in response before sliding his palms
beneath the fabric. He needed to feel her naked skin against his as she slid her cold little
fingers over his chest, grazing one of his nipples in the process.
“Elena,” He panted, throwing his head back onto the leather seat as her soft lips trailed small
kisses along his neck.
All of a sudden, her kisses halted and he had to open his eyes to see her devilish smile.
“What are you…” He trailed off realizing she was only playing with him to prove how much
of friends they became these past days.
His hold tightened on her hips and he yanked her body closer, capturing her lips in a
passionate kiss. This time he didn’t let her pull away. One of his hands went into her hair
holding her in place while he ravished her mouth, the other hand making quick work of
unfastening the fly on his pants.
When his hardness sprung free he deepened their kiss and pulled her panties aside. He eased
himself into her tightness, slowly, savouring every moment as he buried himself deeply, to the
hilt. Elena shuddered at the intimacy of the moment as he pried his lips away from hers and
their gazes locked just as she lifted her hips and started to move against him.
There was something different in his stare this time. All the teasing was gone from his eyes
and she dreaded to get the deeper meaning behind their actions.
They were just having fun, right? Why was he watching her then with such an intense stare?
Why did every moment they shared feel like it meant something to him? She felt tears pooling
in her eyes and she couldn’t stand looking into his eyes anymore. The second his fingers
found her clit she threw her hair back and sweat broke out on her forehead. Her hold tightened
on his suit jacket covered shoulders and let the sensation wash over her. Closing her eyes she
shut the world out and focused on the feeling deep inside her. She didn’t let her feelings drift
to question why it felt so special with him? Only he knew how to touch her properly. Only he
was able to turn every second into a passionate ride. Only he knew how to bring her deepest
desires up to the surface…
What was happening to her? Why were their bodies communicating so easily but when it
came to words and expressing their feelings, they remained so silent?
Her breath caught in her throat as he bucked his hips beneath her and started to move harder
inside her. He drew small, firm circles around her sensitive clit and pulled the top of her dress
aside, his lips closing around one of her nipples.
“Oh my God…” She wanted to scream but the words left her mouth in an agonizing whisper.
Every sensation run through he veins like a poison, meeting in the center, deep in her belly
until her body convulsed violently, her orgasm washing away every thought, every single
piece of doubt and there was nothing else, just the pleasure and this man who transformed in
front of her eyes.
One second he was a good friend with benefits and now…
She was afraid to name the feelings he evoked in her.
He pulled her lips into a smoldering kiss as he let himself go and his hips convulsed violently
beneath her, a loud growl pouring from his mouth to hers. She swallowed his cry of passion,
feeling him closer than any other time as she fell onto his chest feeling spent and sated.
Moments later they felt the limo slow down and the chaffeur’s voice informed them through
the speaker they were close to their destination.
“I’m too tired to move,” She mumbled into his chest, resting her head on the opening of his
shirt, listening to his steady heartbeat.
“We need to get out love, before our table reservations expire,” He replied with a soft chuckle
and for the first time the words remained stuck in her throat.
He called her love.
It was a term of endearment he frequently used, but somehow it felt different this time. She
slowly pulled away, and averted her gaze, smoothing her hair and pulled her dress back
in position. She felt his release slowly trickling out of her and squeezed her inner muscles
promising herself to clean up once they were out of the vehicle.
Damon watched her curiously, trying to figure out what caused the sudden change in her
demeanor. One second she was filled with desire, giving herself over to the passion they
shared, looking at him like he was everything she needed… and hell, for a second he felt the
same, like he was connected to her in more ways then one.
And the next moment she regarded him with an impassive stare like nothing happened
between them seconds before.
What was happening to them? They were having fun and tonight he decided to take things
further…he grinned knowing it was going to be a beautiful night if everything’d go according
to his plans.
“Where are we?” She asked, accepting his hand as he helped her to step out of the car.
“It’s a jazz club, Lena.”
Her eyes met his for a second.
“A jazz club.” She was clearly disappointed.
“I thought you’d like see what makes the Bahamas so special…” He explained while taking
her by her hand and leading her to the entrance of the luxurious restaurant “And the annual
jazz festivals of this area are world renowned. Since they are mostly held in the summer, I
thought a dinner at a club like this would serve the point.”
“Oh.” This was all she said, her face unreadable. She really wasn’t into the jazz music and
she’d clearly read more into his gesture than what it really meant. Damon just wanted to be
nice and she couldn’t help but feel crushed a little.
She excused herself to the bathroom once the waiter led them to the table. She cleaned herself
up and reapplied her make up, sending silent thanks to Caroline who taught her the basic rule,
to always have travel sized articles of make up in her purse.
“Get a grip, Gilbert,” She hissed at her reflection in the mirror “It’s just Damon.”
She repeated this mantra several times until she felt ready to leave the bathroom. Looking
around she felt pleasantly surprised to see how elegant the whole place was. Somehow she’d
always pictured the jazz clubs like some dark places, with smoke and the smell of the beer.
She never liked the sound of the saxophones and she wondered how on Earth Damon could
come up with this plan…
This place was anything but. Her first impression was that this place was light, elegant and
trendy. White leather covered seats circled the mahogany tables, the walls were covered with
paintings of famous jazz artists and mirrors. There was a hardwood dancefloor in the middle
of the place and a stage, with a light purple curtain and a shiny black baby grand piano.
Damon stood up as she approached the table and she tried to hide her surprise when he held
the chair for her in an elegant gesture. This was so unlike Damon and she felt puzzled.
“I already ordered a drink for us, if you don’t mind,” He smiled sheepishly and she blushed.
Words left her again and she could only nod. The waiter delivered their drinks and she
regarded her glass suspiciously.
“Martini?” She asked with a tight smile “I have a feeling you want to get me drunk, Mr.
Salvatore.”
“I only wanted to…” He trailed off and she shuddered beneath his intense stare. “Are you
cold?” He asked with concern and before she could respond he shrugged out of his jacket
to cover her shoulders. The scent of his cologne surrounded her immediately as the jacket
radiated the warmth of his body… she felt more and more confused.
Before she could comment on his demeanor, a loud applause of people welcomed the artist
coming onto the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this song is dedicated to a very special girl,” He spoke into the
microphone and Elena lifted her head in his direction. She missed Damon’s darkening stare
as he turned his attention to the musician. “The song is called A Single Petal of a Rose and is
dedicated to a wonderful…Elena.”
Her eyes grew wide as saucers and all she could do was to accept Damon’s hand as he helped
her out of his jacket and led her onto the dancefloor. There were some couples already
dancing so it didn’t feel weird yet the whole situation felt surreal.
“What are we doing here, Damon?” She asked with a trembling voice as the soft tunes of the
piano surrounded them in the dim light.
“Dancing.” He smiled at her, swaying to the music “You don’t like it?”
“I’m not a fan of jazz but I must admit this feels nice,” She said nervously.
They fell into a comfortable silence and she let him take the lead. As the seconds passed she
felt the weight of the whole day falling on her shoulders.
“Damon, please… what are we doing here, for real?”
“I told you. Dancing. Having a nice night with my… best friend,” He finished the sentence
shifting uncomfortably. All day long he thought he was ready to say those words and now he
felt like a coward, unable to bring himself to talk openly. She looked so scared and he was
afraid she’d leave him on the dancefloor if he said something inappropriate… it’d crush him
completely.
“Best friend?” She fought against the tears threatening to make their presence known “That’s
all we are right?”
“What do you mean?” He asked feeling the tension rise in him.
“How do you see your future?”
“You know everything about me.” He squeezed her fingers “I guess I’ll be a successful lawyer.”
“That’s all?” She asked sharply.
“What do you want to hear, Lena? You want me to make some promises I won’t be able to
fulfill? I’m not a hero and you know it.”
She took a step away from him, feeling utterly disappointed and torn.
“Why can’t you be like…” She halted, too late. The recognition dawned in his eyes. Stefan
had always been attentive, open and loving and if it wasn’t for his gambling problem, Elena
thought, they may still be together.
“Come on, bring it on. I know what you want to say,” He taunted her; the beautiful song he
had requested for her tonight, long forgotten.
“No. I’m not going to play by your rules,” She turned away and he followed her to their table.
“You are disappointed in me because I’m not like Stefan?” He asked mockingly and that was
the moment she snapped.
“Yes, if that’s what you want to hear!”
“I just want to hear the truth,” He stated quietly.
“The truth? Okay. Tell me, where’s all of this leading us?”
“I thought we agreed to have fun during the spring break.”
“It seems it’ll always just be fun for you, right?” She asked bitterly. “Stefan would never…”
“And here we go again, the hot topic of Saint Stefan…” He spat angrily “If he’s such a saint,
then tell me, where is he right now? Are you forgetting all the pain he caused you with his
addiction or has that miraculously slipped your mind?”
“I’m sure he’s acting like a perfect gentleman at this moment…” She lied through her teeth
and regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She saw Damon’s face fall before his
wall came up and his features hardened.
“I’m not Stefan.” He hissed as he stood up, the legs of his chair screeching “How about you
stop trying to turn me into him?”
“Damon, please…” She tried to stop him, to explain herself but he pulled his arm from her
grasp and left in the crowd.
She looked around and saw the waiter stand aside discreetly. She pulled her credit card out of
her purse with a sigh but the waiter shook his head.
“Mr. Salvatore covered everything, Miss.”
She nodded in response, feeling ashamed and disappointed, and this time, in herself. Her
body felt lifeless as she dragged herself towards the exit when she felt a finger tap on her
shoulder. She turned around in a hope, which died immediately when she saw it was only the
waiter giving her Damon’s suit jacket, he’d left on her chair. Her eyes flickered in sadness as
she grasped the jacket in her hands, the smell of him lingering under her nose.
He had been so romantic tonight; the thoughts clouded her mind as images of him giving her shivering form his jacket flashed before her eyes. Why couldn’t he just tell her how he really felt? His actions did not match his words and it frustrated her beyond belief.
She took the first cab that parked close to the restaurant and staring out of the window she
wondered how she could ruin this beautiful night with her stupid words and hopes. She
clutched Damon’s jacket in her grip, inhaling his scent deeply.
She felt so alone, so abandoned and she couldn’t blame anyone but herself.
Later in the hotel room a piece of folded paper paper tied with a lavender satin bow, fell onto
the comforter from the pocket of his jacket. She watched it like it was her enemy and decided
to put it back into his pocket when her gaze fell on the dedication: Elena.
Her body froze before unfastening the bow with shaky fingers and her breath caught in her
throat as her eyes ran through the poem written with Damon’s elegant handwriting.
‘A whole forest of them,
Or just a single petal of a rose,
Is enough,
Grasp it in my hand,
Grasp it I shall,
In hurricanes or normal rainy days,
It won't leave my caring palms,
That one petal of a rose,
To remind me of the rose in all her beauty,
But the rose is gone,
In some other forest some place far,
A forest forbidden to me,
There it blooms without me,
Only because of this fool's mistake,
So please do not escape or leave me,
Petal of a rose.’
With love, Damon
“Oh my God…” She whispered, her fingers clenching around the piece of paper and she fell
back on the bed, her tears spilling down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She ruined the night. She ruined the moment he chose to confess his feelings. She compared
him to Stefan, hurting him deeply…
She cried herself to sleep.
Hours later she felt a soft hand removing her heels and pulling a comforter over them. She felt
the strong smell of the bourbon as a pair of muscled arms surrounded her, pulling her tired body
against a hard, shirt covered chest.
“I’m so sorry…” She whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Shh… it’s okay…” She reached for his hand and their fingers entwined. And for the first
time in hours, a smile tugged at her lips as they fell asleep in a tight hold.
---
this chapter is a result of a collaboration between leanne90 and me, also she was so kind to beta this chapter for me.