Chapter 11: I Don’t Dance

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“Hi,” I smiled at Sookie when I opened the door. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking inviting her over for dinner, but I found I wanted to spend the time with her. Yeah, she’d wronged me, but we both did something wrong when we were grieving. Who was I to judge?

 

“Hi.” She held up a bottle of wine. “Tara and I didn’t get to this one last night but it was tasty.”

 

“Thanks.” I leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Come in. I have a pot roast in the crock pot.” I took a step back to allow her into the house, closing the door behind her.

 

“It smells delicious.”

 

“Thanks. It was the first thing Mom taught me to cook when I moved in here,” I told her. “So how are you doing?”

 

“Better. I was hungover as shit this morning.”

 

“Yeah, wine usually does that.” When we got to the kitchen I reached into the cabinet to pull two wine glasses down. “I talked to Tara this morning. She wasn’t feeling too good either.”

 

“I’m sure she wasn’t. Did she find a goat farm?”

 

“I think she was just drunk. She’s probably not going to get a goat,” I said. I chuckled and added, “She did find a farm though. They’re out of state but they deliver.”

 

Sookie shook her head.

 

“If that goat eats the fence between our properties we’re going to have a problem,” she warned.

 

“I’ll be the one to rebuild it, so yes, I agree,” I said. I pulled two plates down. “Do you want me to dish yours up?”

 

“Sure,” she shrugged. “Got a corkscrew in here somewhere? I can get the wine open.”

 

I moved to the drawer with the corkscrew and pulled it out to hand to her. As she worked on wine I tried to figure out what an acceptable amount of meat to give a little person. Her stomach couldn’t have been nearly as big as mine. I didn’t think she needed as much as me to survive either… I was going to be a shit parent when I had kids.

 

I went with a moderate amount of food. What would be considered snack size for me and slid her plate onto the counter. I invited her over, but I didn’t really know what to talk about. I had already apologized for our break up and I was sure she didn’t want to talk about what she did. I guess she was just desperate and grieving. At least that’s the only reason I can figure she did something so shady.

 

I went back to the corkscrew drawer to grab silverware.

 

“Eat inside or outside?” I asked.

 

“Inside. This smells too good to let the mosquitos get it first,” she said.

 

“Thanks,” I smiled. Sookie carried her plate and wine to the table. I followed suit a moment later. I didn’t know if it was a date thing, so I asked. “So… is this a date or just two old friends hanging out?” I kinda wanted the date.

 

“You don’t know?” Sookie looked surprised. “I thought this was a date but if it’s not–”

 

“No, I want it to be,” I stopped her. “I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page this time around.”

 

“We are,” she said. Sookie took a small bite of the roast and her eyes rolled back. “This is fantastic. Your mom’s recipe? She’s the only one I know of that can make a roast this good.”

 

“I may have had her walk me through it step by step,” I admitted. I could have done it on my own but I was sure I was going to miss something if I tried it.

 

“You both did a phenomenal job. This is delicious.”

 

“Thanks. It makes killer sandwiches later,” I told her. “There’s enough if you want to take some home with you.” I didn’t expect her to stay the night, and honestly, if we were starting over all the sex we were having would be better taking a backseat for a while. We needed to get to know each other, not each other’s bodies.

 

“I might.” Sookie took a drink of the wine she’d brought.

 

“So I was thinking about maybe dancing out by the pool later? I know it’s not the same as if I took you to a dance club, but…” I wasn’t quite sure if I was being cheesy. I usually didn’t put so much effort into to dating a girl.

 

“That sounds nice,” Sookie replied.

 

I nodded. I wasn’t getting a good vibe from her. It wasn’t like things were awkward, but like she was just at my house because she was being nice, not because she wanted to be there. I tried to shrug off the feeling and took a few bites of my roast.

 

“Do you want to be here?” I asked after a few minutes of silence. It was better to get it off my chest than to hold onto it, right?

 

“What?” Sookie looked confused. “Why else would I be here?”

 

“I don’t know, I’m just getting the feeling that you’re just here to be nice,” I sighed. I liked her but it didn’t seem like she liked me back. Maybe she was still hung up on the old asshole, or maybe she couldn’t get over the way we broke up. I wanted a second chance though. I was getting it, but Sookie didn’t seem to be in it a hundred percent. “Look, I like you a lot. I’m probably just reading too much into it, and stop me if I am, but it feels like you’re just here because of… I don’t know… just because.”

 

“I’m not sure how you think I should be acting right now,” she replied. “What am I doing wrong?”

 

“I don’t know that it’s anything wrong,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m just nervous, maybe?” That was probably all it was.

 

“Do you want me to leave?”

 

“No,” I answered. “I don’t want to fuck this up again. I like having you here and I like being around you.”

 

“Okay…”  Sookie still looked confused.

 

“Forget I said anything.” I was probably just looking too far into things. “I just want to enjoy our night.”

 

Sookie went back to eating but that uncomfortable silence settled over us like it did on the beach.

 

After a few minutes of awkwardness I set my fork down and stood up. I held my hand out to Sookie and waited for her to take it.

 

“What are you doing?” She took a drink of her wine.

 

“Can you please just take my hand?” I asked sweetly.

 

She put down the glass and took my hand, as requested. I tugged her a little so she stood up and I wrapped my arms around her, slowly swaying us to the music in my head.

 

“I don’t like it when things get awkward with us,” I said quietly. “We’re beyond that.” I dipped my head to give her a quick peck.

 

“It doesn’t seem like it,” she said with a small smile.

 

“Well, we should be beyond it,” I smiled back. I gave her another kiss, holding a little longer.

 

“Do you think maybe it’s a sign that we’re wasting our time trying to force a square peg in a round hole?”

 

“I don’t think so,” I replied honestly. “I think you and I have a ton of potential. Maybe you still feel bad for the things went down the other day…”

 

“Maybe. Maybe I’m trying to figure out how we go from zero to sixty when it comes to sex but we’re at a stalemate everywhere else,” she countered.

 

“Maybe you just don’t want me for a boyfriend again. I get it if you don’t,” I said with a little sadness. “I want you though, not just for the fantastic sex.”

 

“So you’re saying it’s my fault this is awkward.” Sookie took a step back.

 

“No,” I sighed. “It’s not your fault. It’s my fault for not being the type of guy someone would want to give a second chance to.”

 

“You know, you’re really something. You don’t think you deserve a second chance but instead of saying that, you’re putting it on me when I never said I wasn’t giving you one. I’m here, aren’t I? I accepted your apology, didn’t I? Yet you’re convinced I’m not giving you a chance despite all evidence to the contrary,” she said.

 

“Then how about I get out of my head and we continue this date?” I suggested.

 

“Do you want a second chance, Eric, or are you doing what you think is right?” Sookie asked instead.

 

“We don’t owe each other anything. I invited you over here because I want a second chance with a beautiful girl that I fucked over. I think we had a real shot at being great before and now that I’m in a better head space, I think we still have that shot.”

 

She took a step closer to me and put my hands back on her sides so we could continue dancing. I started humming the song that was in my head. I didn’t know the name of it, but I had heard it on the radio earlier in the day. I so badly wanted to kiss her again, but I also wanted to do this thing right. Kissing generally led to sex, and sex was fucking phenomenal between us, but not where we needed to be if we had a shot.

 

“Want to go back to our food?” I asked quietly as we swayed.

 

“Not yet,” she whispered back. “Even though you’re being weird, this feels nice.”

 

I relaxed the best I could and tightened my grip on her. I kissed Sookie’s forehead before resting my cheek on her head. It did feel really nice. I had a million things I wanted to say, but it would have made things more awkward.

 

“Just so you know, impromptu dancing in the kitchen is a good thing,” Sookie whispered.

 

“I’ll try to remember that.”

 

I paused for a second to tilt her head up. I pressed a soft kiss to her lips, not searching for anything more. I felt her fingers in my hair as she kissed me back. The kiss stayed slow, and insanely sensual. The sweet little pecks turned into more without going too far.

 

“Mmm, that feels better,” I whispered between small kisses. All of the awkward tension I was feeling started to fade quickly.

 

“Mmhmmm,” she hummed her agreement and continued to kiss me.

 

I gradually danced us over to the counter, pressing her back against it. My hands ran down her sides to her hips.

 

“Hop,” I said against her lips. Sookie hopped when I requested to help her up onto the counter. Her thighs parted for me to stand between them. I groaned when her teeth scraped against my bottom lip. I wanted so much more.

 

Her warm fingers found their way under the front of my shirt and they grazed over my skin just above the waistband of my jeans. She licked at the seam of my lips to try to deepen the kisses and nipped at me a little when I didn’t respond right away.

 

I growled as I parted my lips for her. Sookie was a phenomenal kisser, or maybe we were just that compatible. I grabbed her wrists and moved her hands around to my back. I wasn’t trying to fuck her. I wanted to enjoy making out with her. We didn’t have to have a happy ending every time we were together. That being said, I slipped my hands down to grip her ass so I could pull her close enough to the edge that I could rock my hips and she could feel the erection she caused.

 

She moaned appreciatively but damnit if those hands didn’t stay put. Sookie moved them to my chest instead her thumbs grazed over my nipples, something I’d done to her a thousand times but she had never done in return.

 

I was always in charge in any sexual situation between us. I decided to allow her to take what she wanted. I kept my hands on her ass, gently kneading. If she wanted to play and get to know my body I was going to let her. I already knew every inch of her body inside and out.

 

Sookie was just starting to tug my shirt up when I heard the front door open. “Eric, honey, are you here?” Mom called out.

 

Shit. What was she doing at my house?

 

“Mom,” I whispered to Sookie. I turned my head and called out, “We’re in the kitchen.” I pulled away from Sookie and turned to face the island to cover my hard-on.

 

“Who’s car is that in the driveway? Your dad always wanted a Firebird– My stars,” Mom muttered when she saw Sookie behind me. “Sookie?”

 

“Hi, Mrs. Northman. Nice to see you again,” Sookie said politely. When I looked back at Sookie her hair was a bit of a mess and her lips were swollen from the kissing. I was sure I didn’t look much better.

 

“Look who I found?” I said to Mom with a sheepish grin.

 

“I’m gonna whoop you,” she said on her way by me to give Sookie a hug. I could hear Sookie laugh behind me.

 

“Go easy on him,” she told Mom.

 

“I don’t know why I’m gettin’ a whoopin’,” I chuckled.

 

“Because you could use it,” Mom replied in that Mom tone she used when she knew she wasn’t making sense.

 

“Ain’t that the truth?” Sookie winked at me.

 

“What are you doing here? Not that I don’t love seeing you every chance I get.”

 

“I had supper at Bubba Gump’s with Aunt Sandy so I thought I’d swing by and see how the roast turned out.”

 

“It’s delicious, thanks for talking me through it.” My cock had sufficiently calmed down so I turned to lean against the island, facing the girls.

 

“You’re welcome. I had no idea I was interrupting anything or I wouldn’t have come in,” Mom said. “I thought you moved south, sugar. How long have you been back?”

 

“Almost two months. I actually bought the place next to Tara’s without knowing it,” she explained. “Eric and I crossed paths at a bar and that’s all she wrote.”

 

Not all truth!

 

“Tonight is our actual second first date,” I explained.

 

“Well I hope it works out better this time. I’ll let you get back to it. Sookie, it’s wonderful to see you again. Eric, I expect to hear from you tomorrow,” Mom said. She hugged each of us.

 

“Yes, ma’am. I love you,” I said as I hugged her back.

 

“I love you too, Linus,” she replied and Sookie cackled.

 

“I forgot about that!”

 

“Hey, I haven’t touched that blanket in years,” I grumbled. I still had that damn blanket in my storage.

 

“I think it’s sweet you love your blankie,” Sookie smiled. Jerk.

 

“I’m going to wrap your first born in it,” I teased.

 

“Are you pregnant?” Mom looked shocked.

 

“No, I’m not,” Sookie replied.

 

“I’m just making a comment, Mom. If she was pregnant you’d be the first to know,” I promised.

 

She gave me the stink eye and then said, “I’ll see you both later. Enjoy your supper.”

 

“Thanks.” I kissed Mom’s cheek before she left the house. “That was like a bucket of ice water being thrown on me,” I chuckled as I pointed to my crotch.

 

“Poor fella probably needs resuscitation,” she smirked.

 

“How do you suggest we do that?” I smirked back, moving to stand between her legs again.

 

“Well I hear tell orally is the best way, but I think someone is trying to be respectable,” she said.

 

“I’m trying very hard to be respectable,” I admitted. “Unless you don’t think I need to be…”

 

“Would it help if I called you sir while I did it?”

 

“You’re being a naughty little girl,” I growled, leaning in to nip her bottom lip.

 

“I’m offering to suck your cock. I should be praised for that. It’s a big job.”

 

“True,” I laughed. I got a little more serious and said with a smile, “I’m not turning down a blow job, but do you think we should take it slow? If not, I don’t have a problem sitting back and letting you have your way.”

 

Sookie sighed and said, “You’re right. I shouldn’t. We should get back to eating.”

 

“Thankfully it’s still good cold,” I chuckled. I gave Sookie another hard kiss before I pulled back to help her off of the counter.

 

“I think I’ll pop mine in the microwave if that’s okay.” Sookie leaned over the counter to get her wine glass and took a drink.

 

“You’re more than welcome. Since it’s just me and you I don’t even mind if you toss it back in the crock pot and get a new piece,” I told her.

 

“The microwave will be fine,” she chuckled.

 

“Just saying.” I took a seat at the table in front of my plate while Sookie grabbed hers to put it in the microwave.

 

Mom showing up like she did was a really good thing. If she hadn’t cockblocked us we would have probably been fucking on the counter. We already knew we were good at sex. We needed to see if we were good at the relationship thing. I was ready to give Sookie all of me. I held back when we dated before, and that wasn’t fair to her. This was is, all or nothing, and I was going to give her my all.

 

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