Chapter 2

 

I’m a ball of nervous energy when I leave my apartment. Jake decided to stay home even though he had the possible opportunity to see Sookie in real life. I keep telling myself she won’t be here so it makes it easier to be here. I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do if she is.

 

When I walk in I’m greeted by Amelia Broadway. I’ve never been her biggest fan, but I’m still polite. I’ve always been a nice guy.

 

“Hello, Amelia,” I smile. I can see familiar faces walking in and out of the hotel conference room that the party is being held in.

 

“Eric Northman ohmygod!” she squeals. I’m certain I hear dogs bark.

 

“How have you been?” I smile, trying to avoid the hug she gives me. I give her an awkward pat on the back as she squeezes my neck. She was a cheerleader so I spent every Friday night football game watching her and the rest of the cheer squad cheering for us.

 

“I’m excellent, thanks to my husband, Dr. Bob.” She cups her own tits.

 

“Uh… Dr. Bob did great,” I compliment. I don’t know what else to say. “I should go in and get a beer.”

 

“No Mrs. Northman?”

 

“Nope. Free as a bird,” I chuckle.

 

“Dr. Bob better watch out,” she winks.

 

I’m concerned she calls her husband Dr. Bob.

 

“Have fun, Amelia,” I smile as I sidestep her and walk toward the entrance of the conference room. When I walk in I scan the room. I see half of the old football team sitting by the bar. On the initial scan I don’t see Sookie which eases my mind. I feel like I can be myself. I walk up to the bar, standing next to John Quinn, one of my old buddies. I haven’t seen him since graduation. He ended up moving to Philadelphia to try to get into MMA fighting. Last I heard he’s married with two kids and coaches little league.

 

“Quinn, how’s it going, man?” I ask as I lean against the bar, clapping him on the shoulder.

 

He does a double take when he looks at me. “Holy shit, Northman. You shrunk.”

 

“No, you just let the steroids take over your life,” I laugh. Quinn has always been about an inch taller than me and about twice as wide. I’ve beefed up some since high school, but nothing like this huge fucker.

 

“This is all natural, fucker,” he says smugly.

 

That’s bullshit, but I don’t call him on it.

 

“Do you live in the gym with a side of cow you’re constantly gnawing on?” I joke.

 

“You might say that. What about you?”

 

“I work out twice a day…” I trail off when something shiny catches my eye. I look to my right and there she is. Sookie fucking Stackhouse in a short silvery dress, looking like a million bucks. “Jesus,” I whisper to myself without taking my eyes off of her beautiful face.

 

“Whoa,” Quinn mutters. “Excuse me, Northman.” Fucker picks up his beer and heads right for Sookie.

 

I’m not going to be a douchebag. I’m not going to run and clamor all over myself trying to talk to her. If she comes close or talks to me first, maybe I’ll talk to her. Shit. Quinn is giving her a hug. Ah… his eyes go straight to her tits. He just unknowingly lost his shot. Hopefully.

 

I turn toward the bar and raise my hand to call the bartender over. When she comes over I order a Heineken. Of the two beers they have here that’s the better choice. It’s a hosted bar, so it’s no cost for the beer. I leave a two dollar tip and turn back around. My knees go a little weak and my mouth goes dry when I see Sookie Stackhouse right behind me, on her way to the bar. Looks like she had no tolerance for Quinn.

 

She flashes me one of those friendly smiles that showcase all of her perfect, pearly teeth. Sookie steps up to the bar and orders herself a glass of champagne. She smells like citrus and pineapple.

 

This is it Northman. Don’t be a pussy.

 

“Hi,” I smile, making sure to look at her beautiful eyes. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I’m terrible at eye contact with girls I’m attracted to.

 

“Hi,” she replies. Her eyes travel to my name tag. “I remember you. We had English together senior year. You’re the one who tried to argue that Green Eggs and Ham is great American literature so you should have been able to write your research paper in it.”

 

I can feel my face flaming with embarrassment.

 

“Yeah, that was me. I remember you too,” I say nervously. I pull up my big boy britches and add, “I had a ridiculously huge crush on you.”

 

“You did?” Sookie doesn’t look like she believes that. At all. She pays for her drink since it’s not readily available and tips the bartender.

 

I swallow, trying to wet my dry ass throat. “Yeah… I did,” I reply. “From the first time I saw you walking across the quad freshman year until the day we graduated and I realized I lost my shot since you moved out of town… I was just too shy to say anything.”

 

“I don’t remember you being shy. I do remember you getting shitfaced at Bobby Burnham’s house junior year and jumping off the roof naked into the pool like you were Russell Hammond,” she laughs.

 

“Oh my god,” I groan, covering my face. As soon as I can I uncover and tell her, “I was so drunk ’cause I thought a little liquid courage would loosen me up enough to tell you I had had a crush on you. Clearly that didn’t happen. Sorry you had to see me like that,” I chuckle.

 

“It was funny,” she assures me. “It was also the first set of boy parts I’d ever seen. Impressive.”

 

“Thanks…” Yeah, I’m blushing again. “Sorry, I’m probably making you uncomfortable. I’ll stop embarrassing myself now.” What the fuck is my problem? I want to keep talking to her, but I don’t want to sound anymore like a fucking idiot. I know that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

 

“Well it was nice seeing you again, Eric.” Sookie sips her champagne and starts to walk away.

 

This is it. If I don’t…

 

“Sookie,” I say quickly to get her attention.

 

“Yeah?” She turns her head to look at me, sending her hair flying.

 

“Um… uh… Are you… would you mind talking with me a little more?” That sounds so lame. “I mean, if you aren’t here with someone or looking for someone specific…”

 

“I am, actually. Dawn Green,” she says.

 

“Oh, I haven’t seen her yet,” I tell her. I think I fucked Dawn at one of those parties in high school. I say think because I was so fucking drunk I don’t remember, but we woke up half naked on Quinn’s parents’ bed.

 

“I think I’ll take a lap. She’s the only reason I’m here.”

 

“Oh,” I frown. I feel my shoulders sag without thinking. I know she didn’t show up for me. I’m just being an idiot thinking I’m worth her time. I don’t want to be pushy so instead of offering to take the lap with her I say, “Maybe if you don’t find her maybe we can catch up some more?”

 

“Sure,” she nods.

 

“Thanks,” I say with a ridiculous grin. I feel like I’m seventeen again.

 

Sookie turns to walk away and I go back to my beer. My mind is racing a million miles a minute as soon as her scent disappears. She’s unreal. No one should be that beautiful. Fuck, maybe I did want to marry her then. I’m not saying I want to now, but I definitely want to get to know her while she’s in town. I’ll probably fuck everything up though.

 

I’m done with my first beer and ordering my second when I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I turn to see Aude. My first… everything.

 

“Aude,” I smile and immediately turn to wrap my arms around her in a tight hug.

 

“Hi,” she says as she hugs me back. “It’s been a while. How are you?”

 

“I’m good,” I reply, taking her in. She’s put on a little weight since high school, but she still looks good. We dated for about a year during sophomore and the beginning of junior year. We broke up due to rumors of cheating, but that’s all it was, rumors. I’ve never been the type of guy to cheat. “How are you?” I ask as I pull back.

 

“Excited to have a night off from my kids. I had twins in January,” she tells me. “Two boys.”

 

“Aww, congratulations,” I grin.

 

“Thank you. What about you? Kids? I don’t see a ring and you don’t look exhausted…”

 

“Still single,” I confirm. “No kids yet. I’m still looking for the right girl.” Sookie Stackhouse would work.

 

“And you have your eyes on Sookie? I saw you drooling over her.”

 

“I was not drooling.” I subconsciously wipe my chin to make sure. “But I did admit I had a crush back in school,” I tell her. Aude figured that out after we broke up.

 

“She’s not quite the Sookie I remember. Maybe she’s been seeing Dr. Bob too.”

 

I chuckle and say, “I highly doubt that. Those are real.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“I can tell by the way they bounce.” She’s not wearing a bra.

 

“A really good surgeon can hide that they’re fake,” she shrugs. “I’m surprised you haven’t seen any of her work. Looks like Charles has.”

 

I decided against looking up her movies. I don’t want to see her fucking other people. If I see her O face I want to be the one to cause it.

 

“I haven’t looked it up and I don’t watch those kinds of movies too often,” I admit. Charles is talking to her tits the same way Quinn did.

 

“My husband loves her girl/girl stuff,” Aude tells me. “I haven’t seen it but I know he watches.”

 

I glance back at Sookie and get a sudden flash of her face buried in another girl’s pussy. Ugh. I don’t need to think about that kind of stuff here.

 

“That, I might look up,” I snort.

 

Aude rolls her eyes.

 

“Just try to imagine how tiny Quinn’s balls are.” Any boner I might have had is gone.

 

“Thank you. You know he claims that’s all natural?”

 

“It’s possible,” Aude says. “It’s also possible that my husband might get a picture of me kissing Sookie, but it’s not probable.”

 

“That’s too bad. I was going to offer to take the picture,” I say with a flirty smile.

 

“Oh I’m sure my husband would have it under control, but thanks,” she laughs.

 

“Anytime,” I laugh with her. “Would you like a drink? Or are you breastfeeding?”

 

“I am, but I’m getting a beer for Dave.”

 

“The lucky fucker that got to marry you, I assume?” I ask as I move out of the way so she can get to the bar.

 

“That’s him.”

 

I glance back to find Sookie. She found Dawn. Good. Maybe I can spend so she some time getting to know her better. Maybe not. Maybe she thinks I’m ugly and boring. There’s only one way to find out.

 

SPOV

 

Dawn is every bit as trashy as I remember; only now she’s a tweaker, too. I can tell by the splotches on her face and the fact that she looks like she’s sixty. If it wasn’t for her name tag I wouldn’t know it’s her. She sniffles every few seconds and she keeps twitching. Jesus.

 

“Would you mind if I sent Jason your picture?” I ask her.

 

“Not at all,” she smiles, showing me she’s missing two teeth on the right side of her mouth.

 

Classy broad.

 

I take the picture and text it to my brother. I’m sure Jase isn’t going to believe it’s really Dawn, but oh well.

 

“Thanks.” I finish off my champagne. “I need a refill. It was nice seeing you, Dawn.”

 

“You too, Sookie. I look forward to hearing from Jason.”

 

Oh I’m sure she is.

 

I turn and head for the bar again to get another glass of champagne. Eric is talking to a woman who looks familiar, but the conversation breaks up while I wait for my drink.

 

“I see you found Dawn,” Eric comments as the girl walks away.

 

“Yeah. I’ve seen walkers on The Walking Dead that look better.”

 

“That bad, huh? I haven’t seen her close up in about eight years. She wasn’t looking so good then either,” he says. “Mind if I buy your drink?”

 

“Not at all,” I reply. “I haven’t seen her since graduation. It’s hard to believe we’re the same age.”

 

“I know. I heard she got caught up with Mack Rattray and that’s how she got hooked on the shit,” Eric explains as he pays the bartender for my drink.

 

“That’s too bad.” I sip the champagne and start to walk toward a vacant table. Eric follows me and pulls out the chair to help me sit before he takes the seat next to me.

 

“So, now that I’m not as nervous.” He holds up his beer. “What happened to you when you left Tahoe? I mean, where’d you move?”

 

“Los Angeles. I had a scholarship to UCLA and I intended to get involved with the music business. I was interning at a big label when I met Trey Dawson,” I explain. I’m sure he’s seen the tape. It seems like everyone has.

 

“That guy in that one band?” he asks with a surprised expression. “Sorry, I can’t remember the name of the band. Are you still with him?”

 

“God no. We’re friends now but I was furious with him for a while after the tape got out. I didn’t intend to get into this industry, but it’s been kind to me and I keep making the bosses money,” I smile.

 

“Ah, I only recently found out about your profession. I haven’t seen any of your work,” he admits. “I was looking forward to seeing you and I didn’t want to sit here imagining you naked the whole time,” he chuckles.

 

“You haven’t seen any of it?” I’m surprised. That’s rare anymore.

 

“I saw your recent Hustler interview and of course I looked at the pictures but no videos.”

 

“Ah ha,” I nod and sip my champagne again. “Eric, I’m used to people talking to me while they have my work racing through their heads and tenting their pants. It’s part of the job.”

 

“Any tents I get in my pants are for the sweet girl sitting in front of me. Not for a naked girl getting fucked on a video. I wasn’t lying earlier. I had a ridiculously huge crush on you,” he tells me, keeping his eyes on mine.

 

“Well I hate to burst your bubble but those girls are one in the same,” I tell him. “I like what I do. I’m good at it. Really good.”

 

“Now I’m a little sad I didn’t watch,” he winks. “I know you’re the same girl, Sookie. I’m just telling you I’m not talking to you while imagining all the positions I can get you in. I’m just trying to get to know you since I was such a fucking idiot ten years ago.”

 

“What are you up to these days?” I ask him.

 

“I’m a supervisor at a call center about an hour down the hill,” he says. “It was either that or look for a job as a dealer at a casino. I couldn’t handle being in all that smoke all the time.”

 

“I don’t blame you. Most of the sets I’m on are gross that way.” I tried smoking for about a year before I simply woke up one day and didn’t smoke anymore.

 

“I can imagine,” he chuckles.

 

“I did one movie – a fetish film – and the Dom kept blowing smoke in my face. It was torture.”

 

“Do you mind if I ask, do you get paid more for those types of films?” he asks curiously.

 

“Yes, I do. And I will only work with certain guys. That’s how he knew about the cigarette smoke bothering me.” Rogan could be a dick sometimes but it makes for hotter scenes.

 

“Since we’re on the subject, what are your favorite types of movies to make?”

 

“Honestly, it’s more about who I’m working with than the scenes. I’ve gone through phases and tried different things. The fetish stuff I don’t mind doing on camera because I feel safer. There are witnesses so if I use the safe word the guy has to stop,” I explain.

 

“Gotcha. May I ask a non-movie related question?”

 

“My favorite kind,” I smile.

 

“Good. How long are you in town?”

 

“I drive back on Tuesday evening,” I answer.

 

He takes a deep breath before blowing it out slowly. “I’ve waited ten years to ask, but would you like to go on a date with me before you go?”

 

He’s adorable, I’ll give him that. It’s nice to see a guy be nervous for a change. Most of them are arrogant or cocky. They saw me in a fetish film and decided it’s okay if they call me a slut on the street. They’re always stunned when I correct them. I’m not afraid of putting an asshole in his place. The women can be meaner than the men, sadly.

 

“I’d like that,” I say with a smile. Eric looks like he might puke a rainbow.

 

He leans in a little closer and asks with a flirty smile, “What’s your favorite flower, Sookie?”

 

“Calla lilies. The scarlet ones.”

 

“Perfect.” It’s obvious by the change in his tone he’s a little more confident. “Tomorrow okay? Lunch on the beach?”

 

“That would be nice,” I agree.

 

“Good. We can make it a picnic. Are you allergic to anything?”

 

“Shellfish,” I reply.

 

“You’re in luck. I hate shellfish,” he chuckles. He looks at me for a moment before asking, “Would you have said yes in high school?”

 

“If you had asked me out?” He nods. “Yeah, I probably would have. You were… silly. I like silly. I like people who don’t take themselves too seriously.”

 

“Well, shit,” he snorts. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you then.”

 

“Everything happens for a reason right?” If he had asked me out back then it wouldn’t have ended well since I wouldn’t have stayed here instead of going to school.

 

“Right,” he agrees. He reaches over to grab my hand, without taking his eyes off of mine he lifts my hand to kiss the back.

 

“Flirt.”

 

“I know I can flirt now and you like that I sound like a cheesy moron,” he says, threading his fingers with mine.

 

“I do?” I tease.

 

“If you liked that I don’t take myself too seriously, then yes,” he nods.

 

“Can I ask you something?” This is important.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Are you okay with the knowledge that I will fuck other men while we’re seeing each other?” I ask. It’s a blunt question but one I need to ask.

 

He thinks about it for a moment before answering. “If I’m being honest, it’s weird to think of, but as long as I know it’s for work and you’re not fucking them off camera just for the hell of it, then I’m okay with it. I’m asking you out, knowing what you do for a living. If I didn’t think I could handle it I wouldn’t have asked. That being said, it’s natural for people to get jealous. If we work out past the date, then know any jealousy would be because the other men are getting to see you more than me, not because of what you do on camera. That’s my problem to deal with. I would never try to make you feel guilty for it.”

 

I nod my understanding. Sam said a lot of similar things and it didn’t end well. We try to be friendly but it’s not the same. I can see the jealousy in his eyes when I come home.

 

“I have my eyes on a place up here. I’m tired of Los Angeles,” I tell him.

 

“Really?” he says, trying to hold back the grin.

 

“Yeah. Edith, my dog, needs room to run and I’m tired of having neighbors up in my grill all the time or playing paparazzi dodgeball,” I chuckle.

 

“Do you have Edith in town with you?” he asks.

 

“I do. She’s at my brother’s. He’s taking her hiking tomorrow. She’s a forty pound pit bull.”

 

“Ah, still a baby, huh?”

 

“Her first birthday is on Halloween,” I smile.

 

“I look forward to meeting her,” he smiles back.

 

“She’s sweet but not terribly bright sometimes. That’s how she got her name.”

 

He laughs and says, “That’s cute.”

 

“I thought so.” I sip more of my champagne. 2004’s top 40 is being played by a chubby DJ with bad highlights and a worse spray tan.

 

“Wanna dance?”

 

“Sure,” I smile. “Do you like dancing or just looking like you’re dancing.”

 

“I actually like dancing.” He stands up and reaches out his hand to me.

 

I finish my champagne and give him my hand. Eric leads me to the semi-crowded dance floor. I don’t even remember who is singing the song that’s playing but it’s got a good beat. The hem of my skirt swishes around my thighs and I’m careful about the way I move since I’m not wearing anything under my dress.

 

Eric moves pretty well. He doesn’t get handsy he dances a few inches away. I can tell he wants to touch me, but he’s trying to be good. He gets his chance when a Destiny’s Child song starts. I move closer to him and turn so my back is to his chest. My hands guide his to my hips as they sway with the music.

 

I feel his breath on the shell of my ear before he whispers, “Keep moving like this and I’m going to try to talk you into leaving here with me tonight.” His hips move perfectly in time with mine.

 

My arm goes up to curl around his neck. I look up at him and ask, “Is that a bad thing?”

 

“Mmm, not at all,” he purrs. He pulls my hips closer so I can feel his cock twitch against my ass.

 

“Ten years is a long time to wait.” I rub against him slowly.

 

“A very long time, Miss Stackhouse.” I feel his teeth scrape my earlobe before he slowly sucks on it.

 

I moan softly and say, “Keep that up and I’ll be dragging you out of here.”

 

“We are at a hotel,” he reminds me.

 

“I know. I have a suite.”

 

He growls softly. His arm snakes around my waist to hold me tight against his body. I can feel him getting harder by the second.

 

“It’s your call, Sookie.”

 

“I think if we get any more reunited here we’ll get arrested,” I reply.

 

“Lead me to your room,” he whispers before kissing the side of my neck.

 

I peel his hand off of my waist and hold onto it as I lead him out of the conference room. This isn’t how I saw the night going, but I’m not complaining one bit.