Chapter 20

EPOV

What the fuck just happened?

One minute we were holding hands and I even got to kiss her (hair, but it was still a kiss) and the next minute she hardly says a word and turns into Princess Bitcherella. I felt bad for starting our fight over pots and pans in the first place and tried to apologize with my actions without actually saying the words. I thought everything had been going good at first; I held her hand; I tried to soothe her obvious tension over the crowd by rubbing circles over her skin; I did my best to ignore how silky smooth her leg was and kept everything G rated; everything seemed fine.

When it looked like she was going to get pissed about the tequila comment, I realized I’d overplayed my hand and was quick to raise my shirt a little, relieved it actually worked. I was never one for public displays of affection, but found I actually enjoyed holding Sookie’s hand and missed the skin on skin contact. Since she was busy picking out onions (who knew you had to be so selective?) I took a chance and walked up behind her, placing my hands on her hips. Her height placed the top of her head just below my chin and the smell of her shampoo drew me in. It was cherry scented and cherries were my favorite fruit. My kiss to the top of her head passed without an angry comment from Sookie so I decided to push my luck and nuzzled her neck to see what other scents she held, knowing she was unlikely to smack me out in public.

I couldn’t place them all, but the combination made Sookie’s scent irresistible. I could happily get lost in it, not that I would admit to it, and figured she was getting worked up too when she pulled herself away. I couldn’t stop staring at her, fascinated by every little thing she did, but since she seemed to want to shop in silence I kept my questions to myself. Sometimes she seemed lost in her thoughts, like when she stared at the different boxes of tinfoil for 5 minutes straight, so I would reach out and touch her hand or her back and she would seem to ‘come back’.

It dawned on me halfway through the store, as we stood in front of the shelves lined with a fuckton of different flavors Pop Tarts now came in; when she asked me which ones I wanted that Pam was right; I was smitten.

Now what?

I knew it couldn’t be anything more than a crush, but what the fuck should I do about it? She ran hot and cold so quickly, half of the time I didn’t know which way was up or down. Did I want her because she didn’t fall at my feet? Because she presented me with my first real challenge? Or was it something more?

When she asked me to go and find the hot sauce she needed to make dinner that night, I was happy to go so I’d have the opportunity to try and figure out what it was about her that drew me in without having to look at her. Seeing her in front of me was my Achilles Heel, at least when she wasn’t screeching at me, and I wanted to see if my thoughts would clear up if I wasn’t confronted with her perfectly round shorts clad ass.

It took me wandering up and down three different aisles before locating where they kept the hot sauce and as I was trying to find the brand Sookie said she needed I heard the voice of the woman I’d been dreading having to talk to behind me. Sophie-Anne LeClerq was an almost A-List actress, but her reputation around Hollywood was more for her casting couch skills than her acting ability. We’d never worked together before, but on the few occasions we’d run into each other at various premieres and parties she’d been quite vocal in her attempts to add me to her list of conquests.

Her presence alone grated on my nerves, but even if it didn’t, I knew firsthand some of the men she’d fucked in the past and wanted no part of being included in that group. I wouldn’t fuck her with Pam’s dick, but I had to be nice to her now that she’d fucked her way into the lead female role on the movie I was reading for in a few weeks. It was no secret in Hollywood that the director was completely enthralled by her so I had to make nice to her if I had any hopes of getting the part.

“Eric, I didn’t figure I’d run into you here after hearing about your wedding yesterday. What’s wrong, the little woman couldn’t keep you interested enough between the sheets already?”

Bitch. Her hand was touching my arm and I fought the urge to pull away, drawing on every acting skill I had and forced a smile saying, “Quite the opposite actually. We’ve been going at it like rabbits and had to take a break to get some food before we passed out from lack of nutrition. As much as I’d like to, I don’t think I could actually survive on the sinfully delicious creations my wife produces between her thighs.”

I held back the smirk I felt forming seeing the jealousy in Sophie-Anne’s naturally green eyes. She was a fucking cunt to insult Sookie without even knowing her and knowing Sophie wouldn’t like being reminded that Sookie had succeeded where she failed I made sure to add a little salt to the wound saying, “With her I’m more than willing to try though,” and added a wink with a sly smile.

I smiled wider as her hand fell from my arm and her lips formed a thin line as she forced out, “Lucky girl.”

“Nope. I’m the lucky one.” The smile on my face was actually genuine and I didn’t want to waste it on Sophie-Anne, so after grabbing the bottle of hot sauce I gave her a halfhearted, “See ya!” and took off to find Sookie. She was already at the checkout and I was surprised to see the picture of us leaving the casino the day before had already made its way to the magazine rack. Sookie didn’t seem to be too happy seeing it, nor would she let me pay for the groceries, but I figured she’d cool off once we were in the car. I tried to ask her what was wrong, but she completely shut me out with her arms crossed over her chest and wouldn’t even look at me.

The longer she remained silent, the more pissed I became, wondering if there was some medication for a psychiatric disorder I didn’t know about she’d forgotten to take or if she had a raging case of PMS. Whatever it was, I didn’t feel like she should be taking it out on me and planned on confronting her once we were in the house until I saw the monstrosity sitting in my driveway.

“What in the fuck is that?” I asked. It looked like four tires being held together by yellow painted rust.

“That’s my car,” she huffed out. At least she was speaking to me again, but there was no way that thing was staying.

“How does it even still run? That thing should have died along with leisure suits at the end of the 70’s.” There was no fucking way she was going to be driving that thing. No matter how I felt about her, I still wasn’t really sure myself, I wouldn’t feel right letting Sookie drive around in a piece of shit deathtrap. With our luck her car would breakdown on the highway and she’d have to hitch a ride with one of the paparazzi guys.

I parked behind it, not even realizing Alcide’s truck was parked there as well until I got out of the car. He must have towed it to the house because the hitch to pull it was still attached to the back of his truck and he got out, walking over to Sookie with too big of a fucking grin on his face saying, “Amelia figured you’d want your car since you’re starting your new job tomorrow. She packed all of your stuff and put it in the backseat and trunk.”

All of her stuff fit in that tiny ass car? The scowl Sookie had been wearing just for me turned into a sweet smile for him as she said, “Thank you so much Alcide for going through so much trouble. I would’ve been stuck tomorrow for sure. Is there any way I can repay you? Would you like to stay for dinner?”

Before he could answer I interrupted with, “You’re not driving that tomorrow, or ever. You can drive this,” and pointed at the Audi. I was sure a stiff wind could take the windshield out and she could be killed in a head on collision with a ten speed Schwinn.

“What the fuck do you mean ‘You’re not driving that’? You’re not my goddamn keeper and you’re sure as shit not gonna tell me what I can and can’t do!” Ahh…there’s my scowl.

I ignored her and looked at Alcide saying, “Once we empty her stuff from the car, take it with you and have it scrapped.”

Sookie marched closer to him saying, “You will do no such thing! I swear, if you try and take it I’ll call the police and report it stolen!”

Alcide looked from her and back to me when I said, “No one in their right mind would believe anyone would steal that car. Besides, I’ll rip the phones from the walls and throw the cell phones in the pool. You will take that car and if I ever see it again I’ll sic Pam on you.”

Seeing the fear on Alcide’s face at the threat of being Pam’d Sookie decided to turn her argument to me. “Why are you being such an asshole? I realize my car isn’t up to your snooty neighborhood’s standards, but it’s what I could afford and it’s mine!”

“I don’t give a shit about my snooty neighborhood,” I yelled back. “I give a shit that you’ll be driving along one day and get taken out by a fucking hummingbird!”

My argument seemed to make her stop short and after a moment her eyes narrowed back at me as she asked, “So this has nothing to do with how you would look if I were seen driving around in my car?”

Actually, that hadn’t even occurred to me. I’d only been worried about her safety, not appearances, so I honestly said, “No. I don’t want you breaking down somewhere and while I’m sure there would be plenty of cameramen willing to give you a lift, I doubt you’d want that. I usually drive the Corvette so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use the Audi.”

If she refused to give in I’d push the damn thing into a lake in the middle of the night and deal with the consequences in the morning. Sensing our deadlock, Alcide broke in saying, “I’d love to stay for dinner.”

The fuck you will. Before I could tell him to fuck off and leave Sookie turned to him and said, “I hope fried chicken, home fries and biscuits are okay?”

He smiled a little too wide and replied, “That sounds great!” The fucker even had the nerve to lift his shirt a little and rub his stomach. That was MY fucking move!

Sookie was facing away from me so I couldn’t see her reaction and I didn’t want to give her the chance to have one so I walked over and opened her car door, pulling boxes from the backseat and shooting Alcide a ‘Get the fuck over here and help me!’ look. Hopefully the rust bucket would collapse in on itself while he was leaning inside of it, crushing his upper half. Problem solved.

Sookie unloaded the groceries in the kitchen while we carried her things into her room and I almost put a beat down on Alcide when he stared at her bed for a second too long. When we were done, Sookie had already put everything away and was busy washing the things we’d carried in from the garage earlier that morning so I came up next to her and dried each one as soon as she was done washing it. That was a domestic thing to do, right?

She kept eying me suspiciously while making small talk to Alcide and I was getting really fucking sick and tired of him being there. I wanted to get to know Sookie a little better to try and figure out what it was about her that made me put up with the amount of bullshit I’d been putting up with, but I didn’t want to do it with Alcide as an audience. And while she hadn’t really been a ‘good girl’, fighting with me over her car, I was perfectly willing to overlook it and still fuck her.

I let Sookie put everything away in the kitchen since she would be the one using it all and was about to pull Alcide aside and tell him to come up with an excuse and fucking leave already. I had a feeling if I kicked him out in front of Sookie she’d get pissed at me all over again and that wouldn’t work well with Operation Seduce Sookie which was still in effect.

Also not working well with Operation Seduce Sookie?

Pam strolling through the front door without knocking, but waving her hands in the air, each finger having its own diamond ring, and saying, “Knock knock.”

A quick look at Sookie’s face told me this wouldn’t work well at all.