Chapter 07: Odd Beginnings

I took mom, dad and gran to the airport on Monday morning before work and it felt odd to say goodbye this time. I actually enjoyed them being here. I knew it was tough on Gran to leave, she was trying to find a way to stay, the lotto tickets she bought were a bust but she said she would keep on trying.

Little did she know that I bought a ticket when I left the airport that night it was drawn as a winner, if I did my math right I would be collecting $150,000.00 this time. The guy at Lotto headquarters told me the last time I was there that most winners hit more than once if they keep playing. I figured what the hell I could use a better nest egg for the kids futures.

I let Alcide know that I was a winner again and he chuckled at me and told me he would start calling me LUCKY as a new nickname. I told him I preferred Sook. We laughed and talked a lot that week especially when he asked me to marry him once again. I told him that if he wasn’t my very best friend and if I hadn’t thought more of him as my big brother and if he wasn’t in the friend zone already then maybe I would be able to say yes. But since he fell into all three categories then that was where he would remain.

He said he was okay with that but he would always be there for me or the kids. He loved us all dearly. I told him I knew that but he wasn’t the marring type; he enjoyed bachelorhood too much. He was always welcome in my home and I didn’t mind snuggling up to him in my bed but that was as far as the relationship would ever go.

The week was flying by and Alcide had told me about meeting the next door neighbor, he was a nice guy who told the kids if they ever needed him and he was home just knock on the door. Alcide repeated to me that he was a nice guy, a cop and HUGE. I laughed at him about the HUGE comment since Alcide was not little himself.

Alcide played by Joe Manganiello

Alcide let me know my neighbor’s name was Eric Northman and he was single, that his partner Jake had been his friend forever like I had been his and that his partner had a sister named Pam. I put two and two together and found the missing links in my theory of who lived next door; that I had met him when he was looking at the house next door on the day I moved in.

I smiled a bit knowing that indeed the man that lived next door was the star in most of my erotic dreams for the last few months.

The week ended and since Alcide had to take his rental back we said our goodbyes at the house. He told the kids him and Gran would be back for Christmas, it would be his treat to Gran. I told him he didn’t have to do that but he said she is as much his gran as mine and he enjoyed her company. Apparently ever since we moved away Alcide had been spending a lot of time with Gran so she wouldn’t feel lonely and so he wouldn’t miss us as much.

I wondered what he would do if she ever moved down here? I am sure he would follow despite his roots in Shreveport.

Life had started getting back to normal for me. A couple of weeks had gone by and I still hadn’t seen my neighbor. I had decided that this weekend would be it. I was going to introduce myself to him and see what happened. Besides I needed to know that is was okay for my kids to knock on his door, even if Alcide had said it was I still wanted it confirmed that he had said it. Plus it was my in to speak with him.

I was on my way home Wednesday evening and there was a lot of commotion going on down my street as I slowly crept forward I realized the police were at my house.

Oh my god what happened?

Are my kids okay?

I did not see them anywhere. I parked my van in the middle of the street and ran to my front door but I was stopped by an officer, his name was Compton and I was not happy at all that he was holding me back. The worst part was he kept brushing his hands against my boobs, WTF, was he serious.

Creeper much.

I looked up and saw my dogs in kitchen and Eric was with them. Eric spoke up and told the officer to let me in. I took my chance and ran to them but the closer I got to them all I wanted to do was hold them so I fell to my knees and slid to my dogs; I hugged them and looked up at Eric. He was like GOD standing over me. I smiled up at him and he helped me up. I had tears in my eyes but he said nothing except come on lets go home—did he really say that or was my mind playing tricks on me—he had already leashed the dogs and his hand fell in place into my own.

By god that felt right.

I leaned on him more than I should of that night, it went by in a fast motion and I couldn’t keep up with all of what was happening around me. I just wanted to sit down and cry but Eric was there helping me along and I never wanted him to go. But then he told me he had to leave to go to Nevada, I was devastated to say the least. I wanted him. I wanted him in every way and he was running away from me.

When he told me why, I was chastising myself for what I was thinking, he was trying to get his son back and I was thinking he was running away from me already.

What kind of person am I?

I would do anything for my kids and I am sure he would do the same for his son.

So I did what any good girlfriend would do, I would support him in any way necessary. Hmmm, girlfriend that had a nice ring to it. It was the first time I had ever felt this way about anyone in like forever. The last time was in high school but that wasn’t reciprocated so it didn’t count.

I followed him into his office and I put my arms around his shoulders from the back of the chair to give him moral support. I didn’t know I was crying until I realized his shirt was all wet. I needed to be strong and all I was doing was falling apart. He was taking care of me, not the other way around. I looked up into his eyes and I smiled to myself, I could spend all eternity wrapped in his arms and looking into his blue eyes but for the time being I was going to live out a dream. I leaned my face up to his and he moved his down to mine.

I heard him speak: “What are you doing to me WOMAN?”

“Reliving a dream; Kiss Me Eric, please just kiss me.”

And he did, it was glorious and I turned into a hussy with my wanting kiss and the words I spoke prior but by god I wanted this man with every fiber of my soul. Our lips separated and he breathed out, “Sookie we need to stop, I need to leave soon so that I can make my flight. Please little one, I don’t want to stop either but we need to. We can finish this conversation up when I get back.”

I looked up at him and I knew I was blushing by his words. “Eric… I …uh… I wish we had more time. I wish you could make love to me right now. You are all I have thought about since the day we first met. I need you my warrior, I need you.”

“Sookie, you are killing me. I want you too, but now is not the time. Let us put some distance between us or the children will see what you have done to me.”

I looked down at his lap and gasped. OMG he was huge underneath those tight ass jeans of his. And ALL I could think of was YUM and I believe I blushed even redder than I already was.

See hussy that was me.

“Min Älskling, your blush makes me want you more and to see if it goes all the way down.” He gave me a glorious eye waggle and his smile melted my panties but I knew it would have to wait until another time. He needed to leave soon.

I smacked his shoulder and got up, heading for the living room so that he could say goodbye.

He followed me shortly after and gave instructions to the boys and Jake. I was a little upset about how high-handed he was being but I knew he was worried about me after I cried and to be honest I felt overjoyed that there was somebody who finally wanted to take care of me….. ME…Just Me…..

He hugged the boys goodbye, gave Jessica a kiss on the cheek but with me I think he was unsure of what to do. I think he didn’t want to overstep his bounds in front of my kids but I would be damn if he didn’t give me a kiss goodbye. So I moved to hug him and then he leaned down to give me a kiss. I knew it would be chaste but I didn’t want that. I wanted a goodbye kiss that would leave me breathless.

Well let me just say, I was breathless and Pam was laughing at me after Eric and Big Jake walked out the door. Damn, I think I am in love already.

Everything felt right. I felt a warmth spreading over me that comforted me. This had never happened before so it must be love. How long would I keep it a secret … would it be reciprocated? I would have to wait and see.

After they left Pam and I sat down and had a long talk, I told her what had happened in the office and how I felt in my heart and head. Her only advice was when he came home try that kiss again and if it curled my toes once again then he was in love with me as much as I was in love with him. Not to panic, I only had to wait a couple of days to find out.

I walked the dogs early so that it was still a little light outside, I know Eric wanted Pam to walk with me but I needed an escape from myself and the house.

I needed to think.

I asked Pam for Eric’s phone number and she gave it to me. I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do with it but I decided a text or two wouldn’t hurt.

I decided I wanted to see if he really felt something for me so I thought flirty was best. The dogs were good while we walked and I was able to get a couple of texts off to him. He was teasing me with his responses but I was okay with that.

As I was nearing the last corner Jake pulled up beside me and told me we had to talk, to put the dogs in the car and we would drive around for a few minutes.

I got in and asked him what was up.

He said that Eric would be upset with him and me when he finds out that I walked the dogs alone. Eric was in his protective mood and was highly susceptible to an occasional mood swing when his orders were not carried out. Plus with the whole court case, his nerves were already on edge. Jake told me he understood that I was a grown woman and I had been taking care of myself but the whole break-in scared Eric a little too much.

He probably won’t admit to it but it did scare him. Why, because it hit close to home and to be honest about the whole thing he thinks Eric is in love with me, which in his mind will make him as ornery as a bull. In his mind the kids and I are his and he will pull out all the stops to protect what is his.

I didn’t know how to feel, on one side I felt honored and on the other side I was pissed as hell. But I thought about it some more and realized if a total stranger like Eric could really care for me and my children so instantly, I would not be the one to interfere; since I already wanted him in my life upon his return.

I told Jake I would follow his lead until Eric got back and then whatever happened from there would be his and my mistakes and no one could be blamed.

So as we started to head home I asked Jake if he had a twenty on him to stop at Dairy Queen for treats. His face lit up like a kid in a candy store and said hell yah. We stopped, left the dogs in the car, bought our treats and some for our family. Jake insisted on getting small cups of vanilla ice cream for the dogs. I never gave them ice cream before so this would be a rare treat for Caesar and Cleo.

Upon our arrival you would think Big Jake was Santa Claus or maybe just the Tooth Fairy since the kids were ecstatic about their treats. We had them go out to the patio as not to make a mess and we sat in the kitchen and listened to their chatter. You would never know they were in someone else’s home or that anything happened today.

How quickly they bounce back.

I heard my phone go off later on that night as I was lying in Eric’s bed. It felt surreal lying in his bed, being in his house without him and I wished with all my heart that he was there with me. I had wished my first time in his bed would be where he was making love to me, but instead I had a fitful girl kicking me in her sleep. I knew this would be a bad idea but it would only be for a couple of days, I could suck it up.

…NOT Happening….

I got up and went to my purse, it was Eric texting me that he got to the hotel safely and he would text me about his flights in the morning. He had a 4 hour layover so he was going to get some sleep and get back to the airport to catch his early morning flight.

As I laid there I wondered what type of boy Hunter was and why there was a court battle going on for him. I knew Eric would fill me in upon his return but it didn’t make me stop running different scenarios through my head.

But my biggest question was: where was Hunter’s mom during all this?

Was she trying to get back in the picture?

Was I going to lose Eric before we even got to know one another?

Would Eric even want to start a new relationship when he would be having a new one with his son?

I tried to sleep but it never came to me. So I trudged out to the kitchen to make some coffee. At least he had a Keurig and I didn’t have to make a whole pot and my nirvana would be instantaneously.

I sat in the dark for a little while until I heard a noise to my left, I thought it may be the dogs but when I looked up it was Jake.

But damn Jake can’t you wear something other than a pair of shorts. DAMN I need to stop drooling.

Jake Purifoy played by Stuart Reardon

He asked me why I was up so early and I told him Jess is a kicker and she is hard to sleep with. He told me that might be part of it but he felt like there was more.

So he sat on the other stool next to me and told me to spill.

I let out a big sigh and told him my concerns. He told me not to worry about any of that. He knew it wasn’t his place to tell me about Eric’s life but it would make the next few days easier until he got back to explain himself.

He let me know that Freyda had been a ghost since the baby was born, she didn’t even want Hunter, she was using the baby as a weapon against Eric, and she almost succeeded. Once the baby was born he moved to Nevada with his grandparents. Eric and I were stationed in Oklahoma already teaching new recruits so Eric was able to be close to Hunter while he was being raised by his maternal grandparents in Nevada until we got out of the service. Once we were out and Eric was stable in Florida things started to domino.

He had a night job at BSO, so Hunter could not join him on a regular basis but once he went days he asked for his son back and the de Castro’s sought for custody. Funny thing is they never wanted Hunter, nor did they want to raise him and would tell the boy on a regular basis they were only doing it so child services didn’t take him away. I am not even sure how often he saw his mom; she was in the wind once he was born. But now the bitch has joined forces with her parents to hurt Eric, but he has an email that is between them stating the fact that if she helps them retain custody they will give her more money. I don’t know what Eric ever did to deserve this from them; he is a good father and was always there for his son when he could be. He loves his son, he pays Hunter’s way and that boy wants for nothing. The de Castro’s have money so I am unsure what is all going on. But give Eric the time to tell you everything because he will once he gets home.

What Jake said was all a rush of thoughts and ramblings but what he said next was deliberate for me to take heed in their meaning.

“I know he doesn’t want to fuck you guys up before you even start.”

“By the Way, the couch is comfortable, so sleep for a little while there before you need to go to work, things will feel better once you have a good night sleep.”

“And Sookie, I can see through your nightie. Thanks, that look will give me some sweet dreams.”

He ran quickly away and I looked down to realize I grabbed the sheer nightie I bought for a special occasion. Dammit I need to cover up if I plan on sleeping on the couch.

I went to Eric’s bedroom and realized I didn’t bring over a t-shirt to wear, dammit. So I went over to his dresser to grab a t-shirt out. I slipped it over my head and it was oohh so comfy but damn it was like wearing a dress, it was long enough and it would cover me up in case someone caught me sleeping on the couch in the morning.

I guess I over slept because when I woke up, Pam was shushing the kids so I could sleep and to eat their breakfast; and Jake was coming back into the house with the dogs from their walk. I guess the couch was a bit too comfortable.

Jess ran over to me and told me she was sorry she kicked me too much last night, that she will sleep on the couch tonight so that I can have the big bed. I told her that was okay she could have the bed, the couch was very comfortable.

She ran back over to her breakfast and finished it up. Jake caught me in the hall and told me I had very sexy bed head from the couch and Eric would be jealous if he didn’t get to see it. So he snapped a shot on his camera.

I knew I blushed red and I punched his shoulder and ran to Eric’s room to get ready for work.

As I was leaving for work John stopped me by my van and asked me what was up with me and the neighbor. I told him we were friends and that since he was out of town I was using his house until mine was fixed. He told me he didn’t like it, it wasn’t right. I told him it was none of his business and since Eric and I were dating on the down low it definitely wasn’t any of his business. I was a single woman and he was a single man and we both had kids so what was the big deal. Besides he (John) was married so why should it bother him. I turned on my heel and told him to stay out of it and I left for work.

I didn’t like his implications like I was his. It made no sense, besides he wasn’t my type and he was married to my friend, ewwwww.

I was hoping to hear from Eric all morning long and I didn’t, my afternoon hit and I got a text that he now had Hunter and they were coming home. There were some issues so they would not arrive until tomorrow, he would explain later. I had forgotten there was a three hour time difference so I beat myself up over that.

When I got home, Jake was waiting for all us with news from Eric and dinner out on the counter; we were having a Taco night.

I told him I can cook and he told me that ERIC said to take care of dinner, so take care of dinner he did.

He filled us in on what was going on and how Eric and Hunter had to take different flights to get home, and he said he would text us when they arrived in Dallas, which would be 11:20pm our time. They would be here tomorrow afternoon around 1pm and he was picking them up at the airport and bringing them home.

The kids pouted and said they wanted to go. I told them it was a school day.

They still pouted.

I asked Jake if he wanted to walk with me and the dogs, I had something I needed to talk to him about.

He told he would go, to give him a few minutes to clean stuff up. Pam offered and we set off early.

Let me just say talking to Jake is an easy thing; he made me very comfortable just like his sister. I was sure we would be great friends.

As we walked we got waved at and honked at like usual. Jake asked me what that was all about and I explained that the dogs are very popular and they have a fan following, so for Eric to be nervous about me walking by myself is unfounded but I appreciated his concern none the less.

I asked him if he thought it was a good idea if me and the kids went with him to pick up Eric and Hunter at the airport. He thought it would be a great idea and he knew that Eric would be over the moon about it. He was nervous about what Freyda may do and what plans she had cooked up to manipulate the situation. But he thought it would be a great idea to get all of us down there even Pam and Joseph and to make sure the dogs went with us too.

A welcome home party befitting their win.

I told him I didn’t know about the dogs and he said he thinks it would be a great idea. He already had a BSO officer lined up to be there in case Freyda followed so he would also be there to tell whoever asked why the dogs were in the building to go to hell.

I chuckled at him and told him okay. I would call work in the morning to let them know my doors were being fixed and I needed to be there and I would have the kids go to school for a partial day and surprise them by taking them out early.

He told me it sounded like a plan.

He asked me what I was going to do with my free morning and I told him, sleep and clean Eric’s house.

So here I stand at Ft. Lauderdale airport waiting for the love of my life to come home to me. This morning while I was by myself I realized how much I missed this man and it had only been two days. I also realized that if you think about someone when you rise from your sleep and then think about them upon your rest, you are in love. But the kicker was the littlest things had me thinking about my blond Adonis. So I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was madly and deeply in love for the first time.

I was fidgeting while we waited and the kids were beaming with bright smiles. But the biggest smile was Eric’s when I saw him notice all of us standing there waiting for him and Hunter. But it was Caesar who whined first and Jake let him go to his new master. Cleo followed but at a slower pace and she bowled Hunter over with her love and affection and of course all of her doggy kisses.

It was surreal to hear the other people around us Aahhing and Oohhing at the sight but it made me feel warm all over.

And when I approached the man I loved, I gave him the biggest warmest smile I could muster. He enveloped me in his arms and kissed me.

Once he pulled away I looked into his eyes. I knew it was the right time to tell him.

“I Love You, where have you been all my life?”

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