Accattivante

It had been three years today. Three years since the car accident that changed her life.

During those three years Elena Gilbert had been able to accept what had happened, but time could only heal so much. Whenever the anniversary of her parents' death came, it was hard for her. She wasn't herself on this day, more touchy and emotional than any other day of the year, and her childhood best friend and college roommate Caroline Forbes knew that. Which is why Elena was surprised of the day's events as she kept recalling them over and over.

Looking back on it as she got in her car and drove with no particular destination in mind, she had probably over-reacted. She was just so upset that Caroline would pick this day of all days to bring up the past.

Elena realized how ironic it was that she was driving on the one day where being in a car frightened her the most, but her best friend didn't leave her with much choice. She had to leave, get away for a while, so she hopped on 95 North and just drove.

As Elena coasted, she passed a street sign announcing she had just crossed state borders. She began to slow the car a little to try to see if any of her surroundings looked familiar; Virginia was not a place she traveled to often. She hadn't really been paying attention to where she was going, how long she had been driving for, nor even any particular landmarks. She knew she should be focusing more of her attention on the road. After all, this was how it happened all those years ago.

One second of her father's inattention was all it took before the car carrying her and her parents went careening across the road and off the bridge. Everyone had said it was a miracle she had survived. Her parents, unfortunately, were not so lucky.

As tears began to well up in her eyes, Elena knew it was no longer safe for her to be on the highway. She pulled off at the nearest exit, stopping in the first parking lot she could find.

After turning the engine of the car off, Elena looked up to see a brightly lit sign that read "The Mystic Grill." Food should have been the last thing on her mind, but surprisingly enough, her stomach let out a loud rumble indicating that was not the case.

Knowing she probably looked like hell and a stop would do her some good, Elena grabbed her purse and stepped out of her car to make her way to the Grill's entrance.

Her first stop was the bathroom.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror above the sink and grimaced at the sight of herself. After splashing some cold water on her face to erase the tear stains of the last few hours, she settled on applying a light coat of lip gloss to make herself look at least halfway decent and so she could feel normal and order some of the delicious food she had smelled since she walked into the restaurant.

After running her fingers through her dark hair, she felt not quite satisfied but a little better at the very least – appearance-wise. Emotionally, she was still a wreck, and her path as she walked out of the bathroom led her straight to the bar. Drinking was probably the last thing Elena should be doing, especially so far from home, but she decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered two tequila shots and a cherry coke.

The bartender handed her both her drinks and a food menu and informed her he would return shortly to take her order. Elena downed one of the shots and chased it with her soda before even opening the menu. She let the alcohol seep through her body, warming her for a minute, and then decided she should get something in her stomach prior to taking the other shot.

Once she had ordered her food, she took a look at her surroundings while she waited. The restaurant was fairly large for a town this size and had a sizable bar. It was furnished with a few pool tables, a stage for live entertainment or a karaoke night, and enough booths to possibly hold the whole town's population. She also noticed that, despite being a Wednesday night, the place still held quite a few people. Most seemed to be high school age, and there were a few elderly couples, but there were also some people around her own age — mostly guys.

The guys near the pool tables turned to look in her direction and began talking amongst themselves. Feeling somewhat self-conscious, Elena turned in the bar stool and used her hair as a shield from their lingering glances. She fingered the remaining shot glass in front of her before lifting it to her lips. Knowing deep down it should – but wouldn't – be her last, she threw the drink back with practiced ease, wincing a little at the taste.

In fact, when the bartender arrived with her food and asked if she needed anything else, she ordered two more shots of the golden liquid even though she had already begun to feel the previous ones quite a bit if the fuzziness in her head was any indication. The bartender looked at her curiously, but said nothing as he refilled the empty glasses in front of her.

She was grateful that he didn't ask for ID. Her trusty fake one, showing she was twenty-two instead of her real age of twenty, had its fair share of use and she didn't question in the slightest that it would work. However, it was always a hassle to pull it out, and she could never help the nerves that erupted whenever she had to hand it over.

Half of the cheeseburger and a large amount of French fries were eaten by the time Elena picked up another shot. She had tried while she was eating to not think about the day's events or about anything really. However, she was unsuccessful on both accounts and drank the two shots one after the other. She was getting ready to signal the bartender for more when a voice to her left startled her.

"Rough day?" the stranger asked and Elena turned in annoyance, ready to tell him off.

She swallowed the angry retort when she saw the guy sitting next to her. She had not seen the stranger during her first perusal of the bar – there was no way she would've forgotten him.

He had dark hair that was a bit messy but looked good on him and his eyes were the deepest blue Elena had ever seen. She didn't think the color even existed in the most extensive of crayon boxes. And the way he was looking at her with his head slightly cocked, like he was staring directly into her soul, it was enough to enflame her cheeks and other parts of her as well.

She looked away quickly, mindlessly picking at the fries on her plate as she wondered where he had come from. She hadn't even heard anyone approach.

The newcomer reached out to her and tucked the bit of hair hiding her still-flushed face behind her ear. Normally, she would be angry with someone assuming it was okay to invade her personal space, but as his touch lingered for a moment just below her ear lobe, she found herself craving more. The thought scared her.

"Who are you?" she asked, turning to face him again.

Instead of answering her question, he lifted his hand away from her and signaled to the bartender to bring two more shots. The bartender complied and the mysterious man set one glass in front of Elena, keeping the other for himself.

"No names," he said, tilting the shot in her direction and giving her a half-smirk.

Elena shivered slightly at his smooth voice, knowing this guy was going to be trouble. She stared at the shot in front of her and thought for a moment before making a decision. Maybe trouble was just what she needed tonight.

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Damon Salvatore, who had lived in the small town of Mystic Falls for a few years, was a regular at the Mystic Grill. He would come to the bar and grill a couple times a week to eat a good meal, drink a little, and ease the boredom of living alone by people watching at his favorite table in the corner.

He was sitting at said table when he saw her walk in. She made a b-line to the bathroom, and when she finally emerged she looked extremely distressed and headed straight for the bar. He watched in silent curiosity as she threw back shot after shot and looked around the place. It was obvious that she was a stranger to Mystic Falls, and Damon wondered why she was here.

He could sense a fiery personality behind the sad exterior and had the urge to know more about her for some reason other than her gorgeous appearance. Plus, if the dumb jock townies who were staring at her had their way, she would be going home with one of them, and Damon couldn't have that.

He downed the rest of his drink in front of him, the remaining ice cubes clinking together as he set the glass down. Standing up, he made his way over to the intriguing girl at the bar thinking that maybe it wouldn't be another uneventful Wednesday evening after all.

Damon observed her look of cautious hesitation when he first approached but was surprised by her cheerful banter after they had drank a little together; it seemed to contradict her actions from earlier in the night. He enjoyed her company and was glad when they moved their conversation from the bar to a pool table, knowing he would get to spend a little more time with her.

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Elena didn't know how many shots her and the tall, dark, and handsome guy had shared, but she knew she was well on her way to being smashed - as was evidenced by the fact that her speech filter seemed to be disappearing by the minute.

The two had wandered from the bar to one of the pool tables, and as they were collecting all of the pieces needed for game play, Elena found herself talking more and more.

"So, I can't really keep calling you 'hottie' in my head all night… What's a good nickname for you?" Elena blurted out before realizing it.

His eyebrows quirked up and he smirked. He was obviously amused.

"You think I'm a hottie, huh?" He chuckled and placed the triangle on the table.

"Oh please, you know you are. I'm sure I'm not the first girl to say so."

"Nope," he responded and looked up, making direct eye contact.

Elena flushed and her eyes widened at his obvious confidence.

"Okay then, I'm going to call you what I first thought when I saw you."

"Which was?"

"Trouble," she said with a smile.

He looked at her and gave her a half-smirk.

"I suppose I've been called worse," he teased.

"Well, what would you call me then?"

"In a word," he walked closer to her and stared into her eyes. Elena held her breath as she waited for him to finish. "Accattivante," he whispered.

"Octa whata?" she asked in confusion, her head tilting to the side.

"It's Italian," he said simply, grabbing the chalk and rubbing it on the tip of the pool stick.

"Italian for what exactly?

"It's not something dirty is it?" she asked a moment later.

"Maybe."

Damon gave her a cocky grin before racking the pool balls. As he searched the table pockets for the cue ball, he wondered why he had called her that. It was the first thing that came to his mind after she asked, but why?

"Looking for this?" she asked.

He looked over to her on the opposite side of the table and saw she was holding up the round object he was seeking.

"Yes, actually," he replied and walked over to her.

He held out his hand, waiting for her to give him the ball, but she refused. He gave her a questioning look.

"Not until you tell me what you called me."

He smirked. Two could play this game.

"You want to know?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you really want to know?" he asked again and tilted his head down toward hers.

She nodded but hesitated to speak. They were only a few inches apart, and she stared into his eyes before her eyelids fluttered closed. When he saw this, Damon smiled, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. He blew softly on her lips before he drew his face back and waited.

She felt his warm breath against her mouth and parted her lips a little. When his kiss never came, she opened her eyes and was surprised when his face was no longer in front of hers.

Instead, he stood a few feet away and was holding the cue ball as one would hold an apple. She saw him toss it up in the air before catching and snatching it out of her reach.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," he teased and placed the ball on the table.

Elena didn't know what she was more upset at, the fact that he got the ball without telling her what she wanted, or that he didn't kiss her. She smiled as an idea for payback popped into her mind.

"Fine, don't tell me," she said, acting as though she didn't care. "So," Elena pointed at the set-up pool table. "How do you play?"

He looked at her in disbelief.

"You don't know?"

Elena shook her head.

"You've never played pool before?"

"I wouldn't say never… Do you mind teaching me?" she asked with a dazzling smile.

He lifted the triangle from the balls before walking to the other side of the table where she was standing.

"Okay, you can break."

He motioned toward the pool table and watched as she grabbed the pool stick and bent over the table, lining up her shot.

"You're holding it wrong," he told her. "Here, let me show you."

Elena felt him come up behind her, and her stomach did a flip-flop as he placed his hand over her own, adjusting her fingers until they were in the right position.

"See? You just allow the stick to slide across your thumb like this."

He stepped even closer as he helped her. Elena tried not to let his proximity affect her, but couldn't help the involuntary physical reactions of her body; her breathing had shortened and her heart was pounding hard in her chest. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to concentrate.

"Take a deep breath," he whispered in her ear, startling her and causing her to jump and hit the cue ball lower than she intended. The ball bounced along the felt table and failed to make contact with anything. It landed nowhere near the others, and she saw him trying to hide a smile as he went to retrieve his own pool stick.

"That's called a scratch. It's okay, this will be a practice game," he told her.

She thought about blaming him for the scratch, but decided against it. If he wanted to know why she had a hard time concentrating, she didn't want to explain the real reason.

She moved to the left side of the table and watched as he lined up his shot. His break went a lot better than hers, and he managed to sink the solid "3" ball.

"You're stripes."

Elena nodded her head and watched as he took his second shot. He missed, but did it on purpose so she would be able to have a turn.

She searched for a suitable striped target. It was pretty easy, and she managed to hit the green "14" into the corner pocket.

She smiled happily for hitting the ball in. Now she knew she got another turn, but there weren't any easy openings.

Damon noticed her hesitation and assessed the pool table, looking for the best shot. He nodded to himself and then pointed to the "12" ball.

"You're going to have to get the cue ball to hit it on this side, right... here," he said as he pointed.

Slight apprehension was still etched upon Elena's face, so Damon decided to slide in behind her to help line it up. He placed his hand gently on her arm and slid it downward to rest behind her hand. He could see the goosebumps that erupted along her arm.

"You're not going to freak out on me again, are you?" he teased in a low, deep voice.

Noticing her blush and take a deep breath, he smiled and leaned over her a little to adjust her aim.

"Nice and easy, it's just some geometry. Hit the cue ball here, it will bounce off the wall and, in theory, hit the '12' into the side pocket."

Elena nodded at his directions, following them perfectly and resulting in another striped ball in a hole.

"I did it!" she exclaimed and turned excitedly to wrap her arms around him without thinking.

"Good job," he told her and returned the hug.

Elena felt an odd sense of comfort with his arms wrapped around her like they were. She reluctantly pulled away and continued the game, missing this time around.

His turn ended up taking him to the opposite side of the table, and Elena watched him. His face was set in concentration, eyes calculating as they flicked from the cue ball to the target to the pocket and back again in rapid succession.

Her gaze moved from his face to his arms as he pulled the pool stick back and hit the cue ball quickly, his biceps flexing as he did so. She vaguely heard the ball sink into the pocket, but couldn't tear her eyes away to look.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped to hers and he smirked. She quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks warming in embarrassment. She was caught.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked as he leaned over her side of the table and hit another ball in.

Elena took a quick look at the way his jeans tightened while he was bent over the table.

"As a matter of fact…"

He stood up and smiled at her with bright teeth, maneuvering himself to her other side for another shot. As he passed, his hand grazed her lower back, barely making contact yet still eliciting a small shiver from Elena.

She wondered if she was ever going to get another turn as he continued to sink ball after ball. Finally, when what remained on the table were a majority of stripes, Elena decided she had enough.

She nonchalantly walked over to where he was standing – about a foot from the table examining his next shot – and eased herself in between him and the pool table, making sure to subtly rub her chest against his. Then, turning so her backside was to him, she leaned forward to reach for the chalk, slightly arching her back as she did so.

She stood up while rubbing the chalk along the tip of her stick, not wanting to look too obvious about what she was doing. Elena tried her best to hide her smile as she felt his eyes on her, effectively taking his attention away from the game.

She turned around and looked at him. This time, he was the one to lower his head, embarrassed at having been caught.

"It's still your turn," Elena said innocently.

He glanced from her to the table, his eyes roaming along her body with an obvious desire on his face before clearing his throat and stepping up to take his shot. As Elena intended, he missed, and she finally got her turn.

It was short-lived, however, when she missed and he finished up the game, winning by an outrageous amount.

"I'm glad that was a practice game," Elena giggled and began setting up for round two.

After helping her retrieve the balls from all the pockets, Damon allowed her to finish racking while he went to the bar. He ordered a couple more shots along with two pints of whatever beer the place had on tap, not wanting to pass out from an overload of alcohol consumption.

He had already shared quite a high number of shots and was surprised his companion was still as lively as she was. The girl could obviously handle her liquor, even though he was fairly certain she wasn't old enough to drink legally. He figured she must have been in college to have this much control over her faculties because she was pretty intoxicated. Damon smiled at how he had gotten her to drop her guard and let loose and have a bit of fun.

He returned to the pool table, drinks in hand, and was a little astonished when he hadn't spilled a single drop. He saw her smile at his approach, looking sexy as she was waiting for him patiently with pool stick in hand, the game all set up and ready.

"Do you mind if I try breaking again?" she asked and he nodded, handing her the last shot of the night.

She quickly downed it and slammed it on the edge of the pool table before expertly completing a perfect break.

Damon's eyebrows rose as he watched two solids and a stripe roll into the pockets.

"I guess I'm solids," she said with a giggle.

Damon was not expecting what happened next. He watched with increasing awe as one by one she sunk all the solids on the table. He felt there was no way this was only her second game of pool with the way she was completing even the most difficult of shots. He was starting to think he had been duped in the previous game, and was impressed at her gumption.

Sexy, smart, fun, and cunning to boot.

"Corner pocket," she called before leaning over and lining up for the "8" ball,
and Damon was broke from his thoughts of how he wanted to bend her over the pool table.

From his vantage point he was able to see a perfect amount of cleavage as the top of her shirt lowered due to her position over the table. He was transfixed on the graceful way in which she moved, how her breasts bounced as she finished up the game, and decided the alcohol was finally starting to hit him judging by the lusty turn of his thoughts.

Damon's jaw dropped when he realized she had just won and he never even got a turn. He turned to her, seeing the wicked gleam in her eye.

"Damn," he said in amazement and threw his shot of tequila back, knowing he had just been totally and completely hustled.

"Piccola volpe astuta."

"What?" she asked, giggling at her victorious payback.

"Crafty little fox," Damon replied, still in shock of what had just happened.

She laughed. "Beginner's luck?"

He gave her a steady look. "Don't even try that."

"Well, didn't I mention there's a pool table in my dorm's common room?"

Damon looked at her quickly, realizing she had just told him something about her. He had guessed, but didn't know for sure that she was in college. He suddenly realized he wanted to know more about her and her life; for example, what such an amazing, sexy, and spirited girl like her was doing getting wasted on a Wednesday night in this shitty little town.

He knew it was his idea to keep things anonymous, more for his benefit than hers, but the small little fact she had divulged made him hungry for more.

"So… what happened today that got you so upset?" he asked casually, genuinely wanting to know the answer.

"Nuh uh," she replied loudly and waved her finger at him, indicating the last drink she had taken had carried her beyond a limit of inebriation. "No personal details, 'member?"

He smiled and leaned closer to her. "We only agreed on no names. I don't believe other personal details were off-limits."

He was close enough to where his breath fanned hotly over her face, and his eyes were staring into hers. Elena closed her eyes, trying to avoid the gaze that she believed could make her bare her soul to him. They were having a good time, and she didn't want to ruin it with her sob story and over-emotional tears.

She felt said tears starting to form as some of her more distressing thoughts escaped through the drunken fog that had begun to settle in her mind. She squeezed her eyes tightly to stop them, shook her head a little to clear it, inched her face back, and opened her eyes.

"New rule!" she exclaimed. "Nothing personal, just fun!" she finished her exclamation by lifting up the pint glass in front of her. The amber liquid sloshed back and forth as though it were trying to escape from the cup.

Damon laughed a little at her obvious intoxication, raised his own glass to the toast, and drank heartily from his beer before setting it down. He then took a step closer to her, trailed one finger down her bare forearm, and smiled at the goosebumps that appeared once more.

She looked so vulnerable and sad before her toast, and he had the urge to kiss away whatever pain she felt in that moment. His lips were within reach of hers, and he had to control the need to kiss her right then, not wanting to spook her; although their obvious flirting from earlier made him believe she may actually welcome it. Instead, he placed one gentle kiss on her shoulder and let his nose barely graze her neck on his path to her ear.

"Is this too personal?" he whispered, noticing the small shiver from her as he did so.

"N-no," she whispered back, turning her head to look at him directly.

His fingers still doing light traces along her arm, combined with his proximity and the alcohol in her system made Elena secretly beg for more. She saw that he wanted to kiss her, and stole a glance at his full lips before looking into his eyes again. They were mesmerizing, drawing her in.

Damon noticed the slight tilt of her head and took it as an invitation to close the distance between their mouths. He brushed his lips across hers lightly, allowing her the chance to pull back if she wanted. To his surprise, she did the opposite, molding her lips firmly against his.

The kiss was exploratory, each testing the other, seeing how far they would take it. After a couple minutes he deepened the kiss by snaking his tongue out, silently asking for permission. She granted it more than willingly, turning her body and pressing herself against him.

Damon found himself wanting to be closer to her, and moved them until the back of her legs were against the pool table, one hand burying itself into her soft hair as the other slid down to her hip, drawing her close.

Elena's head was swimming and she felt like her whole body was going to spontaneously combust, especially after being so keyed up from the flirting during the game. Each touch sent an electric wave of energy through her, leaving her breathless and wanting more.

She arched her back as he brought her closer and felt him break the kiss only to continue leaving a trail of fiery kisses down her jaw and neck. She tilted her head to allow him better access, and a low moan escaped from her lips as he softly nibbled on a sensitive spot.

Having heard the moan, Damon took this as further encouragement to continue and lifted her up onto the pool table before recapturing her lips with his. She wrapped her legs around him, bringing him closer.

For some reason, Elena didn't believe it was just the alcohol that ignited the passion inside her. There was something about this dark and mysterious now-not-so-stranger that just called to her.

She lifted her arms up and around his neck, pressing herself flush against his chest before nibbling playfully on his lower lip. Feeling him smile against her lips, she returned it with one of her own.

Elena had a few more ideas in mind, but before she could indulge in them, the two were interrupted by the bartender announcing to the restaurant's patrons that the Grill would be closing soon.

He still held her close, but she pulled back, reality returning to her. Slowly, the sounds and sights of the restaurant began to flood Elena's senses. It had been as if she were sucked into another dimension with only her and him... and the pool table. Now the bright lights and surrounding people were intruding on their moment. She had never been one for public displays of affection and was slightly embarrassed. Luckily, the place was nearly empty, with only a few patrons left, and they didn't seem to notice the PG-13 show she had just put on.

She realized in that moment that she hadn't really thought this night through. Here she was, in a strange town, a different state, who knew how many miles from home, and she'd been drinking. A lot. It was a wonder to Elena that she could even manage to think as clearly as she was right now.

Driving was obviously not an option.

She felt a loss when the guy in her arms disentangled himself and started walking away, announcing he'd be right back. Elena merely nodded her head, trying to think about where she could stay for the night. She inwardly shuddered at the thought of sleeping in her small little coupe in the parking lot, but knew the chances of her sobering up enough to drive home were slim.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of her mystery man handing her a glass of water. She smiled in appreciation and took a couple of gulps from the frosty glass before hopping off the pool table.

Looking at him again, she felt a little sad at the idea of leaving. He had brought her out of her misery for the night, allowing her to have a little bit of fun and just forget her problems for a few hours. She was extremely grateful to him for that and felt the need to express it.

Elena walked up to him, placing her palm lightly on his chest, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

He looked at her in both surprise and need – her soft lips reminding him of earlier events – before bringing his thoughts back to the present.

"For what?"

"For tonight," she sighed and looked up into his eyes. "I really needed a distraction, and you helped with that."

He gave her a cocky smirk and wiggled his eyebrows in a manner that suggested what other kind of distraction he could provide, and she felt herself becoming light-headed – and not from the effects of the alcohol – all manner of thoughts running through her head. If the kissing and flirting were any indication, the night could turn out to be a wonderful distraction indeed.

Elena stepped away and picked up her water glass, drinking heartily and hoping it would help to clear her head.

"Don't thank me yet," he told her in a low voice as she was just finishing the last remnants of the water.

"Why?"

"Well, when I went to get the water the bartender offered to call us a cab, knowing how much we had been drinking. I want you to know that I am not presuming anything, but I declined… My place is within walking distance from here, and you're more than welcome to come. I haven't seen you here before, so I figured you're either new to town, or not from around here. Judging by your earlier state, I'm guessing the latter."

She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued, cutting her off before she could say anything.

"Like I said before, I'm not making any assumptions as to where the night may lead," he said in a rush. "I have a house with a few different rooms. I was merely extending an invitation for you to sleep there for the night. Feel free to decline. I'll even call you a cab to take you to the nearest hotel, but you should know the closest one is around 20 miles east of here."

Elena tried to make sense of everything he was saying through her drunken haze. She understood that he was offering her shelter for the night, and in thinking about the alternative she already knew her answer, but decided to mess with him.

"Do you always use such big words when you're drunk?" she teased.

He smiled. "Maybe, but you didn't answer my question."

"I don't recall being asked one," she challenged.

He surprised her by closing the distance between them, cupping her face with his hands.

Elena felt her breath hitch in her throat and her heart started to race once more.

"Would you, la mia piccola volpe astuta, like to take a one a.m. stroll with me to my place, where you may choose anybed you would like to sleep in for the night?"

As he spoke he inched his mouth closer, until it was almost grazing hers.

She bit her lip and pretended to think for a moment, although that was difficult to do with him this close to her. She hadn't missed his innuendo about the rooms, nor the Italian that just screamed sexy. She also recognized the nickname from when she beat him at pool and smiled.

"I would love to," she replied and pecked him quickly before pulling away - needing to put a little space between them for a minute - and half-walked, half-stumbled toward the front door.

He chuckled as he followed her, catching her around the waist from behind once they were outside before she could trip completely.

Damon had no idea when he first approached the dark-haired and sad-looking beauty at the bar that the night would ever end up like this. He had been debating on whether or not to leave her alone as he watched her eat and drink in silence, but there was something about her that just drew him in. Thinking of how things had been progressing throughout the evening, he was glad he had interrupted her silent melancholy.

"So, Mr. Trouble, which way?"

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"We're here," he announced and pointed to a large house after they had been walking for a little while.

Elena looked at the dark house: it was much bigger than she had expected. She was thinking he lived in an apartment, or maybe a small house, but nothing like this.

It reminded her of an old Victorian style building, with shutters over the front windows and large steps leading up to the front door. Giant trees surrounded the majority of the property and Elena thought it gave the house a somewhat spooky feel. Of course, that could have just been because it was the middle of the night.

"This is where you live?" Elena asked as they climbed the steps, and he opened the front door.

"Yes," he replied and turned on a light.

Elena gasped as she looked around. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior, with a large winding staircase off to the side and hardwood floors throughout.
She looked at him quickly, thinking there was no way he lived here by himself.

"You don't have a wife and kids you're not telling me about, do you?"

"No, definitelynot," he replied, sounding almost offended.

"Do you have something against marriage?"

"Not really. I just haven't found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. Forever is a long time."

He shrugged and Elena let the issue drop.

"I'll give you the short tour since I'm sure you're pretty tired."

Now that he mentioned it, Elena realized just how long and trying the day had been. She stifled a yawn and followed him around the house as he pointed out the basics: living room, dining room, downstairs bathroom, kitchen.

With every new part revealed to her, Elena was more impressed. The kitchen was immaculate, something her mom would have dreamed to have.

She braced herself for the sadness at the thought of her mother and was surprised when it didn't come. Instead, as her hand brushed along the dark granite counter top she recalled happier times when they would bake cookies together or when her mom would teach her old family recipes.

"Would you like something to drink?"

His voice brought Elena back to the present and she smiled at the fond memories.

"Water would be great."

She watched as he filled two glasses with ice and filtered water from the door of the fridge. He passed her one and they drank in silence for a minute.

"Where'd you learn to speak Italian?" Elena asked out of nowhere, and he looked up in surprise.

"I lived in Italy for a while."

"Wow, really? For how long?"

"A few years," he said simply.

"Why? I mean, was it for business?" Elena asked in curiosity.

"Is this twenty questions or something? I thought you said no personal details."

Elena stood in quiet thought for a moment. She had said that because she didn't want to talk about the anniversary of her parents' death and made the rule thinking it was the best way to avoid that particular conversation. Now though, she wanted to know more about the guy whose house she was going to sleep at. She didn't think he was the serial killer type, but it didn't hurt to know a few details about him.

"Sorry," she said, walking over to put her empty glass in the sink. "Just one more question though."

"Okay, but then I get to ask one," he replied with direct eye contact.

Elena hesitated for a minute before agreeing. She was worried he was going to ask the
same question from earlier, but hoped that wasn't the case. She watched him as he moved to stand next to her, following her movement from earlier and placing his own glass in the sink.

"Deal," she said quickly before she could change her mind and turned to face him.

"What was the Italian word you called me earlier tonight? The octa something one."

Damon was taken aback. That wasn't what he had been expecting her to ask, and he smiled inwardly at the fact that she not only remembered, but cared enough to bring it up again.

"Accattivante," he replied, the word rolling off his tongue smoothly.

"Yeah, that one," she breathed with eyes half-closed.

Damon saw and heard how affected she was by the Italian and smirked. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, looking straight into her eyes. He noticed how her chest rose and fell as her breathing picked up and kissed the back of her hand, allowing his tongue to graze along her skin lightly.

"Lei e una ventosa per l'italiano, non e vero?" he whispered and let go of her hand.

Elena was completely fascinated, gazing at his mouth as he spoke the words to her. It didn't matter that she didn't know what they meant and he could be completely insulting her without her knowing. She was awestruck at how much a few words in another language influenced her body so much. Adding to that the slightly innocent yet tantalizing kiss and she felt like her body was on fire. She didn't think she had ever been this affected by a kiss on the hand before.

"It means captivating."

It took Elena a minute to realize what he was talking about.

"The word from earlier? Actaviante?"

"Yes," he replied, failing to mention she had completely butchered the word.

"So, you called me captivating?" Elena asked, staring at him.

She saw him nod and felt butterflies in her stomach at the compliment.

"What did you say when you kissed me?"

"You only get one question," he teased and Elena felt a little disappointed that she wouldn't know what else he had said. Maybe she could Google it tomorrow or something… if she remembered.

"And," he continued, "That wasn't a kiss."

"It wasn't?"

His lips curled into a half smirk and he glanced at her.

"No. This is a kiss," he said and surprised her by cradling her face in his hands and crashing his lips to hers.

The momentum of the kiss drove Elena backward until she was against the island in the center of the kitchen. She fisted his shirt tightly and returned his kiss eagerly, pulling him closer to her. Too soon for her liking, he pulled away.

"C'mon, I'll show you upstairs."

Elena was working on catching her breath, thinking about how even though it was short it was still one of the best kisses of her life. Her fingertips slid over her lips as she followed him up the stairs to the second floor where all the bedrooms were located.

He let her roam around, inspecting each room for herself. Every bedroom was furnished with at least a bed and a few other pieces of furniture. Elena could immediately tell which bedroom was his – not only because of the size of the room, but the fact that it seemed to have more character and personal touches than the others.

She turned around and walked back into the hall. When she saw her host she pointed to the room down the hall from his, thinking it had the second-most inviting looking bed, the first being his, but she wasn't about to steal his room for the night.

"I think I'll sleep in here," she told him.

"That's fine. There's also a bathroom on this floor, besides the one in my room. It's that door on the right."

Elena looked to where he indicated and nodded.

"Thanks again… for everything. It's really nice of you to offer your house like this to a complete stranger."

"I wouldn't say completestranger." He smiled and walked toward her. "And the pleasure is all mine."

The way he sauntered over to her, almost in a predatory way, gave her goosebumps and sent a shiver down her spine in anticipation. His eyes glowed in the near darkness, and Elena found herself unable to look away as he finally approached her.

"Good night, my captivating little fox," he said while tucking her dark hair behind her ear.

"Good night," Elena whispered as she felt his lips touch her cheek.

He lingered for a moment longer, almost as if waiting for something, before pulling away.

Elena watched as he began to walk down the hall toward his room, surprised that she felt a little disappointed that he was leaving.

She started to turn the door knob to her room for the night but thought better of it. She looked over her shoulder and saw he was almost at his room. If she didn't react now, it would be too late.

"Wait," she called, catching up to him and grabbing his hand to turn him while he pushed open his door.

Before he could say anything, Elena quickly stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips firmly to his. She didn't give him an opportunity to respond before pulling back and looking into his eyes; they were looking at her questioningly.

Suddenly nervous, Elena took a step back before speaking. "I…um… I just… I wanted a proper goodnight kiss," she finished before looking down at her shoes in embarrassment.

She wasn't sure why she did what she did. She felt this sort of pull to him and didn't want that to end just yet, not before she felt his soft lips one last time.

"I thought you said a proper goodnight kiss," he said and Elena looked up at him.

Suddenly, his lips were on hers once again, and it reminded Elena of earlier in the kitchen. His kiss just evoked something in her that she couldn't explain. Desire and lust definitely, but something more as well.

Elena felt him start to pull away and clasped her hands tightly around his neck to prevent it. She could sense his surprise as he paused for a minute, and took the opportunity to pull him closer and take his lower lip in between hers, sucking gently.

That seemed to be all he needed to respond and take control, and soon he had her back pressed against the wall of the hallway, his tongue intertwining with hers as he gripped her hips tightly.

He pulled away and trailed his lips to her ear.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered softly.

"You," she replied and Damon crashed his lips to hers, communicating how much he wanted her too.

Their kissing was frantic and desperate, both fighting for dominance. Damon slid both hands from her waist around to her butt, cupping it and easily picking her up. She wrapped her legs tightly around his hips, using the wall for support.

He pushed her further against the wall, bringing them closer. Suddenly she felt his mouth everywhere at once, kissing, nibbling and sucking, driving her crazy. She pulled back far enough to grab the hem of her shirt and lift it over her head, letting it fall from her hands as his lips traveled to the newly exposed flesh.

He kissed all along the lines of her bra, pausing every so often to suck at the exposed cleavage. When his tongue grazed her nipple, Elena cried out in pleasure, arching her back and pushing more of her body into him.

"Maybe we should move this to your bedroom..."

Damon practically growled at her suggestion and cradled her in his arms, carrying her into his room.

She licked along the shell of his ear as he walked which spurred him to move faster toward the bed. After smoothly depositing her on the blanket, he watched as she shifted her body into a more comfortable position on the pillows. She reached over and grabbed him by the waist of his pants deftly unbuttoning and unzipping them and pushing both his jeans and underwear toward the ground.

He removed her clothes as quickly and efficiently, so she was left lying naked on his bed. He sat back on his knees for a minute, admiring her before bringing his lips down to hers.

"You - are - so - sexy," he said in between kisses.

"Stop talking and keep touching me," Elena responded, wondering if she had lost her mind somewhere along the way from the hall to the bedroom for being so forward. The tension that had been building up between them all night was enough to drive her crazy. It had resulted in this raw sexual energy and Elena's body was buzzing with it.

"As you wish," he replied in a husky voice.

His hands and lips slid along her body, stopping to flick his tongue along each nipple, before continuing down.

She cried out when his mouth was suddenly on her, moving expertly along her most sensitive spots and quickly bringing her close to her peak.

"Oh, God," she moaned as he added his fingers to the mix, sliding them in and out at a steady pace.

With every touch, chills rippled through Elena. His caresses made her feel as though she was slowly losing control. Her breath came in short gasping pants, her mind began to feel fuzzy and light, and her toes started to tingle.

"I need you now," she said huskily and sat up to grab him, running her hand along his hardened length while guiding him toward her entrance. He looked at her while pushing in slowly, allowing her to adjust for a minute before beginning to move.

Wanting to feel enveloped by him, she wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him down so he was completely on top of her. She brought her lips to his and kissed him with all the passion she felt while wrapping her legs around his, lifting her hips in time to each of his thrusts.

He was hitting all the right spots and Elena was quick to tip over the edge: her eyes were closed, she clenched the pillow behind her, and her body trembled at the waves of pleasure.

Looking up, Damon watched her chest as it heaved. He licked his lips which were forming into a triumphant smile - she was having trouble catching her breath. They stared at one another for a few moments before Damon leaned down to kiss her, hard and repeatedly.

When the need for air became too great, she moved her lips away and rolled them both so she was now on top. She moved her hips in a circular motion, her breasts bouncing to the same rhythm. She now had the perfect view to watch his face twist with pleasure and was amazed to see the animalistic desire in his eyes.

Damon sat up to cup her breasts and slid his thumbs over her hardened nipples, eliciting a low moan from her lips. He brought his mouth to replace where his hands had been, kissing and sucking while his fingers trailed down to her hips to control her speed. At the rate she was going he wouldn't last very long, and he was enjoying this far too much for it to end so soon.

She leaned forward so her chest pressed against his, burying her head into the crook of his neck and enjoying the new angle as she tumbled into her second orgasm.

Damon basked in the sounds and sensations of her trembling above him and continued to thrust, not letting her come down from her high. He knew she was close once again and continued his motion until he felt her walls tightening around him.

Elena couldn't believe how close she was already after her last two orgasms. It was like he was keeping her in a constant state of near-climax, and it felt absolutely incredible. She lifted herself up and arched her back to drive him even deeper, digging her hands into his bare chest.

"Oh, my God!" Elena cried loudly, her breathing absolutely rampant.

She was unable to keep her thoughts straight, constricting around him as her third orgasm hit her like a blissful freight train. Elena began to match each of his hard thrusts with her own, urging him to go even faster and deeper, and getting lost in her prolonged pleasure that hit wave after wave.

She was nearly screaming as she writhed above him, squeezing him so tight and soaking him with her gratification. The rhythm and building pace made it almost impossible for Damon to hold on.

"Baby, I'm going to…" he said in a strangled voice and dug his fingers into her hips.

All she could manage was an enthusiastic nod, and he pumped into her a few final times. They gradually slowed their speed until finally coming to an earth-shattering standstill.

Elena could do nothing but collapse next to him and try to catch her breath, never having experienced something so intensebefore. She had completely lost track of how many orgasms that was, thinking that she must have at least encountered a double or a triple at one point. She felt so out of control and just kept going and going. She giggled at the thought, thinking how she sounded like the Energizer Bunny.

Damon turned his head from where he lay on the bed when he heard her quiet laugh.

"What?" he asked, still reeling from the mind-blowing sex.

"Nothing, just…wow!" she said in amazement, her speech having no filter as she basked in post-coital bliss.

Damon smiled at the fact that he had made her so speechless.

"Yeah, I know."

He felt the exact same way. It had been quite an experience, that was for sure. Damon had a feeling she would be good, but who knew his little fox would be such a tiger in bed?

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her try to cover a yawn. He walked into the bathroom, cleaned himself off, and tossed his boxer-briefs on before heading back to the bed.

After handing her a small towel to clean up, he lifted the covers and brought them over them both. He scooted closer to her and, after a favorable reaction from her, gathered her up in his arms.

"Goodnight, little fox" he whispered sleepily before placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Goodnight, Trouble" Elena responded, smiling.

Feeling satisfied and strangely content in his arms, Elena wrapped her arms tighter around him and quickly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

.

.

.

Elena awoke to unfamiliar surroundings. As she looked around at the dark blue, Egyptian cotton sheets and large bed she was lying in, events from the previous night came rushing back to her.

She sat up quickly after realizing she was alone, wondering where the amazing guy from last night had gone. Her answer came in the form of the sound of running water from the adjacent bathroom. She quickly gathered what she could find of her clothes and went in search of the rest before he could finish his shower.

Her shirt was spotted immediately after walking out of the bedroom, still lying on the hallway floor where she dropped it. After throwing her shirt on, she was assaulted by the welcoming smell of coffee coming from downstairs. She was headed in that direction when she noticed a couple of picture frames slanted in a haphazard way on the wall. Remembering the spot where they were making out last night, she stifled a laugh and took a closer look at the pictures themselves, hoping to find out more about the guy.

She was both disappointed and amazed by the nature and landscape shots; they were beautiful, but they didn't seem all that personal. On closer inspection she found there weren't any family pictures hanging on either wall, only twelve or so picturesque photos, and she wondered why that was. Shrugging and adding it to the mystery of the man, she tore her eyes from a gorgeous tropical sunset and made her way downstairs.

Elena debated on whether to stay and wait for her host, or to make a quick escape while he was showering in order to avoid that awkward morning-after-an-amazing-one-night-stand conversation. She decided the latter was probably best for both parties – despite the rich coffee scent that taunted her, practically begging her to raid his kitchen for a cup – and headed in the direction of the front door.

"Trying to escape already, huh?" A loud voice called from upstairs, startling Elena.

She turned to him with wide eyes, trying to think of a quick excuse.

"I – um – I was just..." she trailed off, her eyes flicking helplessly between him and the front door.

"I guess my hospitality needs a little work, huh? Or maybe the sex wasn't to your liking despite all your screams last night?" Damon teased, a playful smirk pulling at his lips as he watched her face tinge with pink.

He saw her mouth open and close, trying to come up with a rebuttal. She looked a little like a deer caught in headlights, and he moved quickly down the steps to prevent her retreat.

"I'm just kidding. There's coffee in the kitchen already made if you'd like some."

Elena was sorely tempted to take him up on his offer of coffee, and maybe more judging by the twinkle in his blue eyes. However, she was feeling a little uncomfortable standing in the foyer of some name-less guy after she had just gotten caught trying to leave without a word, let alone how she would feel sitting down and having coffee with him.

"Thank you, but I really should get going. I have quite a drive ahead of me."

Damon tried not to let his disappointment show as he nodded.

"Of course, at least let me walk you back to your car. It was pretty dark last night, and I wouldn't want you to get lost or anything," he said with a smile that wouldn't allow refusal.

"That would be great," she replied, returning his grin.

Their walk back to the Mystic Grill was quick and filled with silence. Elena felt like whatever magic bubble she had been encased in last night had disappeared with the morning light. She looked around the small town, not quite sure what to say to her companion. The rules they had both set to not divulge any personal details made it difficult to come up with any conversation topics as they walked, and she was grateful when the sight of her silver car came into view.

"I believe I still get a question," he said, his voice breaking the long silence after she fished her keys out of her purse.

Anxious about what he may ask, especially after everything that happened last night, she turned to him. His dark hair shone in the sunlight peeking through the morning clouds, his eyes matched the color of the blue sky, and Elena thought he looked even more handsome during the day than he did in the moonlight.

"What's your name?"

Her eyes widened not expecting that to be the question he asked.

"Elena," she replied.

He smiled at her with the same cocky smirk from the night before and leaned closer to her.

"Well, Elena…" he began, putting emphasis on her name, "Do you think I will ever see you again?"

Elena tried not to focus on the proximity of his lips, their inviting look, and the way they had felt against hers.

"That's two questions," she teased, meeting his eyes.

"Humor me. I gave you way more last night."

His words brought back memories of exactlywhat he gave her and she blushed. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him for possibly the last time.

"I guess we'll see." And with that she got in her car and started the long drive back to campus, wondering the exact same thing.

*Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters, places, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. The rest of the story belongs to me.

**A very huge, special thank you to my beta and friend, MistyFate, for all that you have done with this. It would never have been finished without you, or at the very least, wouldn't have been half as good :P

***To everyone who came over from the Twi-fandom, thank you for giving this a chance. I hope it was worth it!

****This is a one-shot for now. It may be continued at a later date. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed my first venture into the TVD realm. There is a banner for this story made by the lovely, daydreamingaway. You can view it on my profile or here: http:/bit (dot) ly/ohi5Rv

Note: I used google translator for the Italian. I am not fluent in the language and apologize for any mistakes.

"Accattivante" means 'captivating' and I thought it fitting for the story title.

"Lei e una ventosa per l'italiano, non e vero?" means 'You're a sucker for Italian, aren't you?'

*XoXoX*