Chapter 11

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I got back from my long ass run and found Sookie sitting on the couch in the guesthouse. I kicked off my shoes and headed to the bathroom. While the shower warmed up I brushed my teeth. Sookie appeared in the doorway but I ignored her. I didn’t really feel like talking just then.

“I have some fruit and pancakes here for you,” she told me. “You know, in case you’re hungry. Pam let me bring some eggs over to cook as well.”

“I’m fine, thanks.” I spit toothpaste in the sink. “Take my keys if you want to go exploring.”

“I can wait until you’re ready. It’s not as fun alone,” she replied.

“Well make sure you get your hazmat suit on so I don’t contaminate you,” I told her.

“Eric, if I thought you were going to contaminate me I would be gone already,” she sighed.

“I’m surprised you’re not, actually. I figured you go back to Deputy Dull where it’s safe and nothing exciting happens,” I said.

“What the hell crawled up your ass?” she asked, resting her hands on her hips. “I’m right where I want to be, Eric.”

“Okay.” I rinsed my mouth out.

“Should I get dressed or are we hanging out here?” She’d clearly taken a shower, but was still in sweats.

“I don’t care. Whatever you want.” I pulled off my damp T-shirt and tossed it on the floor.

“I’ll be in the living room.” Sookie turned around and left the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I took my time in the shower. I wasn’t exactly pissed at Sookie but her reaction to Dawn… I understood there was history because of her shithead ex, but I wasn’t at fault for that. There may have been guys who thought it was cool to hook up with a hooker, but I wasn’t one of them. If I had known that, I wouldn’t have hooked up with Dawn, that’s for fucking sure.

When I got out of the shower I got dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a T-shirt. Sookie was sitting on the couch watching Animal Planet. I plopped down on the other end. I didn’t care what we did. In fact, finding out about Dawn kind of made me want to go home just to get away from her.

“You can go check out the strip if you want,” I told Sookie. I was definitely changing my phone number when I got home.

“I came to hang out with you. If we sit here the rest of the weekend, then that’s what we’ll do,” she told me.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sookie. You hang out with me all the time,” I said. It wasn’t just Dawn that was bothering me but I didn’t really want to talk about it.

“I do, and I want to enjoy Vegas with you too,” she shrugged. “If this trip is a bust, I can come back another time.”

I nodded and said, “I’m sorry it got fucked up.”

“I promise I’ve been in worse situations. At least I made it to town this time,” she said with a half-smile.

“Silver lining, right?”

“Right,” Sookie nodded.

I leaned back and put my feet up on the coffee table. My eyes closed. It was strange that I wasn’t really hungry. My phone rang, stopping me from falling asleep.

“Ugh, I don’t want to talk to her,” I muttered when I saw Dawn’s name on the screen.

“I can if you want,” Sookie offered.

I snorted and tossed my phone to Sookie. No doubt she had a few choice words for the woman.

“Go for it, killer,” I told her.

She gave me a small smile before she hit the answer button.

“Hello, you homewrecking whore,” she answered gleefully. There was a small pause. “No, Eric is not available and he won’t be available for your services… No, I assure you he’s getting everything he needs… Oh yeah?” Sookie pulled the phone away from her head with a pout. “She hung up on me.”

“Maybe a john walked in,” I shrugged.

“Possibly. Kinda ruined my fun,” she said, setting my phone down. “And for the record, I don’t think any less of you. You didn’t know what she is.”

“What if I had known?” I asked out of curiosity. I still wouldn’t have paid for it.

“Depends on if you paid for it or not,” she said. “You’re not the kind of guy that has to pay for sex, though. If you did, I would’ve lost a little respect for you, but I wouldn’t stop being your friend. If you fucked her, knowing she fucked my ex, that would’ve been a deal breaker on our friendship.”

“I didn’t pay for it and I didn’t fuck her,” I told Sookie, even though I didn’t have to. She never told me who her ex cheated with, other than a hooker. That was pretty vague. For some reason, though, I didn’t want Sookie thinking I was like her shithead ex.

“I know. You would’ve needed a lot more than brain bleach after live action loose lips,” she told me.

“You asshole, I just got those images out of my head,” I laughed.

“What are friends for?” she smirked.

“Not flaunting loose pussy.”

“I’m not. Mine is nice and tight,” she shrugged. “Not that I’m flaunting it.”

“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t look that close. Damn fog got in the way,” I smirked. I knew she was insecure but what Sookie didn’t know was that I didn’t really like stick thin girls. She assumed I did because media played up that angle, but I liked girls that were curvier and athletic. Sookie never asked so I just kept my mouth shut.

“Were you trying to look?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.

I just shrugged. It was fun to watch her turn red.

“Perv,” she giggled, throwing a pillow at me.

“Oh come on! You know you’ve had thoughts of my bare ass since you saw it,” I teased. I was comfortable naked but mostly I liked freaking her out.

“Yeah, but you’re this big, sexy guy. I’m just short, pudgy Sookie.”

“I don’t see that,” I told her.

“I do. For now at least, I’m starting to feel a little better,” she shrugged.

“That’s good,” I agreed.

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?” Sookie asked after a moment of silence.

“A little,” I answered casually. I ran five miles. I should have been hungrier.

“Want me to make you something?”

“No, it’s okay. I can make eggs… I think.” It couldn’t be that hard. They were tiny.

“Stay. I’ll do it. How do you like them?” Sookie stood up and pulled her tank top down, making sure it covered her tummy.

“I’m not picky, just not sunnyside up,” I told her. I liked the whites cooked.

“You got it.” She had to walk past me to get the kitchen and patted my head on the way.

My phone lit up with another phone call from Dawn. She was persistent, I’d give her that.

“Dawn again,” I said as I picked up the phone. “Should I answer it?”

“She’s just going to keep calling,” Sookie sighed.

Great.

“Hello?” I answered and put her on speakerphone.

“Who the hell was that answering your phone?” she asked.

“My…” I didn’t know why the next word came out of my mouth but Sookie dropped an egg, “Girlfriend, Sookie.”

“You didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend when I asked. I would’ve been more discreet had I known,” Dawn said, making Sookie growl as she cleaned up the egg mess.

“You didn’t tell me you’re a hooker, so I guess we’re even,” I replied. “That’s probably something you should have volunteered.”

“It’s not like I was going to charge you for it,” she replied nonchalantly. Sookie turned to look at me and I could see her face turning red with anger.

“That’s not the point. Listen, I don’t have any interest in this going any further,” I told Dawn.

“Uh huh,” she hummed. “Call me when you’re done with your… Sookie, whatever that is.” With that she hung up.

“What a dirty fucking cow,” Sookie muttered.

“I didn’t even get to tell her that you give better head,” I pouted.

“I probably do,” she said, turning to get another egg.

“Just so you know, I have a doctor’s appointment Tuesday to get tested. I made that appointment before I found out that Dawn’s a professional skank.”

“Good. Your dick’s too pretty to be falling off,” she told me over her shoulder.

I smirked and for some reason asked, “Liked what you saw, huh?”

What she said finally sunk in and she froze with a murmured “fuck”.

“Uh… I was able to see it without a magnifying glass, so that’s a bonus,” she said. I had a feeling she was blushing like crazy.

“And that was when I was relaxed,” I teased, making her cheeks almost purple. “You better relax before you have a heart attack.”

“I’m fine,” she said, waving me off. She was far from fine.

“Sookie, do you think I’m sexy?” I was giving her shit because I could and because I was – in fact – an asshole.

“You’re an attractive man; I wouldn’t call you sexy, though.” Except she’d already called me ‘a big, sexy man’.

“I think your pants are on fire,” I told her. “If it helps, I think you’re sexy.” I knew she wouldn’t believe me.

Her resulting snort confirmed that.

“How many eggs do you want, Big Sexy?”

“Big Sexy? I should put that on my license plate,” I snickered.

“He’s actually a wrestler, but it fit the convo.”

“You watch wrestling?” I pointed to the hand that was holding three eggs instead of two.

“Sometimes. I used to be a huge wrestling fan, well, not really. I watched with my brother and his friends because I had a crush on his friend Mel,” she chuckled.

“You’re adorable,” I told her.

“You’re crazy,” she smiled, cracking an egg into the hot pan.

“It’s possible. I’ve been called worse,” I admitted.

“That’s okay. I like your form of crazy.” She cracked the other two eggs before reaching up to get the salt and pepper from the cabinet, flashing me a little bit of her hip.

I didn’t realize I’d reached out to touch it until I felt her jump under my hand. Her skin was warm and soft. It didn’t feel weird to touch her either, but then I remembered Drooly.

“Sorry.” I pulled my hand back.

“Don’t be, it felt nice,” she said quietly as she seasoned my eggs.

“I don’t know why… You have Ben…” I shook my head.

“We’ve been on one date and that was more than he touched me,” she reminded me.

“He doesn’t know what he’s missing,” I replied.

She hummed in response, but didn’t look back at me. I had no idea what possessed me to do it, but when she turned to give me my plate, I leaned down to kiss her. Her lips were as soft as the rest of her.

“Oh,” she gasped. She didn’t push me away; she actually melted into the kiss a little. I heard the plate land on the counter right before her small hands came to settle on my waist.

Her lips parted for me and I pushed her back against the counter as the kiss got deeper. It didn’t feel weird. Actually it felt like something was falling into place. I hadn’t expected it by any means. It never occurred to me that Sookie and I could be more than friends, but in that moment it seemed possible.

When she pulled back to breathe my lips dropped down to her neck. Her warm hands reached up to play with my hair as I licked and kissed her soft skin.

“Eric,” she breathed, “What… what is this?”

“I don’t know.” My hands kneaded her hips. “You taste good.”

“You feel good,” she replied. Sookie lifted my head again, slipping her tongue into my mouth when our lips met again. The kiss was slow and sensual and… it felt like we’d been doing it for years. It felt right.

Sookie obviously wasn’t expecting it when my hands slid around to grab her ass to pull her closer. No doubt she thought there was no way I could be attracted to her, but the growing bulge in my shorts proved otherwise. She gasped into the kiss, although I wasn’t sure why she was surprised. I’d told her she was pretty more than once. I pulled her along with me when I started to shuffle toward the bedroom. Sookie came along willingly, holding onto my shirt as we walked.

“Are you sure?” she asked nervously when we reached the room. She’d let go of my shirt and had her hands at the hem of her tank top.

“We can stop if you want to,” I told her. Truthfully, I didn’t want to.

Her answer was to pull her tank top over her head and drop it on the ground. Her bra dropped to the floor next so she was standing there in sweats, biting her bottom lip. I knew she wasn’t thrilled with the way her body looked, but I didn’t know the before Sookie. All I knew was the woman in front of me, and I thought she was beautiful. Now I just needed her to believe it and I was intent on proving I was right.

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