A/N: I own nothing. If I had my way, these two would have gotten together a long time ago. I finished this one sooner than I thought I would. Enjoy!

Sookie woke an hour later. Silently, she sat up and began collecting her clothing, her mind racing. There was no doubt in her mind that she had very much enjoyed what had just happened, and given the way Eric was looking at her now, she knew she could say the same for him. She stood, pulling on her panties and shorts, feeling the cool rush of air as he followed her lead and dressed himself in mere seconds. She was still looking around for her shirt when it occurred to her that he was leaving the ball totally and completely in her court. It seemed entirely uncharacteristic of him – Eric, the Viking vampire who always seemed to be in control. She snatched her shirt off his desk and pulled it over her head. What had she done?

Letting out a shallow breath she sat down on the couch next to him turned towards him, watching him carefully. She was suddenly very aware of their proximity. His hip was pressed against hers, their arms almost toughing. He was no longer looking at her, and for some reason she wished he would. She wished he would just look at her and smile, lie to her, and tell her that everything is going to be okay. "My Gran would be so mad at me right now," she said, letting out a dry laugh.

Eric looked over at her and arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sookie laughed again and stood up. "'Boys kiss you, Sookie'," she said in a fair imitation of her grandmother. "'Not the other way around'."

Eric chuckled. "To be fair, I think I kissed you," he said. "I think you're safe." She nodded, smiling softly at him and he stood suddenly. "You are my miracle, min Duva," he said, holding her face in his hands. He sounded desperate, almost frantic. "You saved me. You woke me up. You are like coming up for air."

Sookie knew she had two choices, and she knew that whatever she decided could not be undone. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She loved him, and it didn't do any good denying it – least of all to herself. But could she trust him? She had ended things with him – and with Bill – because she didn't know how to trust either of them. But contrary to all her expectations and preconceptions, he was still there; quietly, un-intrusively there.

Sookie opened her eyes.

"And what..." she murmured, reaching up and tangling her fingers in his hair, "makes you think you were the only one who was saved?" He looked confused and she smiled softly, running her thumb along his full bottom lip, inhaling sharply as he sucked the digit into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it. She pulled her thumb back. It was simply too hard to think, much less talk with him doing that.

He chuckled. "So I saved you, too?" he asked.

"Um..." Sookie grinned at him, her eyes dancing mischievously as she ran her hands down his chest, resting at the waistband of his jeans, racking her brain in an effort to form a sentence from the minimal Swedish she'd taught herself over the past few weeks. "Kanske ... ja?"

He let out a boisterous laugh and pulled her closer to him. "Bara kanske?" he teased. Just maybe?, she translated in her head as he continued, "Jag tror definitivt."

She popped up onto the balls of her feet and kissed his nose. "Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"That may be the extent of my Swedish."

He chuckled. "The only thing you can say in Swedish is, 'I think'?" he teased, eyes twinkling.

She hesitated before she shook her head, grinning at him. "Ja," she said proudly. Yes.

He laughed again, and she was struck by the thought that she'd never seen him smile – let alone laugh – as much as he had in the past hour. He seemed genuinely happy, and she couldn't help but feel the same herself.

"May I rest at your house today, my love?" he asked, once his laughter had faded.

"But it's so lovely here," Sookie said teasingly. "So clean and warm and nice…" she trailed off, giggling at the look he gave her. She kissed him gently. "Please do," she said sincerely.

The look on his face made her smile; so boyish and damn-near gleeful, she felt as if she could get away with murder and he wouldn't lift a finger to stop her. The more she thought about that, however, the more she questioned whether or not he'd stop her in the first place, and that raised far too many questions of morality for her to deal with at the moment.

"There's something else I wanted to talk with you about," Eric was saying, and she refocused her attention. "I wanted to–" He broke off and looked at her in surprise as her finger brushed against the side of his cheek, and then it was gone, leaving him momentarily speechless.

She held up her finger for him to see. "You had an eyelash on your cheek."

He blinked down at the eyelash and looked back at her. "So what now?" he asked, slightly dazed.

"Now you have to make a wish," she told him, unable to keep the smile from her face.

"A wish?" he asked skeptically, arching an eyebrow.

She looked at him, confusion spreading across her face. "You blow on the eyelash, make a wish and it'll come true." He frowned. "Oh come on, you big baby," she said, frustrated. "Blow on the eyelash."

"It sounds very scientific, Lover," he teased.

"It is," she assured him, stepping closer. "I promise."

"I'm sure," he answered, staring at her like she was insane. "A wish? Are you twelve?"

"Yes, a wish," she said, ignoring his question.

He looked passed her out into her yard and back, smiling in disbelief. "Are we children?" he asked, his eyebrow a hair higher.

"You've never wished on an eyelash?" Sookie asked with a hint of childish wonder to her voice.

"I'm a vampire," Eric deadpanned.

Sookie raised her eyebrows. "So that's a no?" she asked.

He chuckled. "No. I have not."

She grinned, her eyes dancing. "So what are you waiting for?" she prompted, holding her finger slightly higher. "Wish."

"You're not going to give up on that are you?" he asked with a small sigh.

"Nope."

He set his shoulders, staring at her finger. "At least you're honest," he murmured as he studied the eyelash curiously.

"You can never go wrong with being honest," she replied cockily.

Eric stared at the eyelash for a second longer before looking up at her. "This is silly," he decided.

"You can never be too old to be silly," she said in a slightly patronizing tone. "Make a wish, cowboy."

He hesitated, tempted to let her know just how much he enjoyed hearing her call him 'cowboy', and smiled devilishly. "No," he said, grinning.

Her eyes widened, surprised. "Yes," she insisted.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it's silly and juvenile," he told her, unable to believe that she was seriously making him do this.

"What if we both make a wish?" she offered, obviously ignoring his reasoning.

"Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?" he asked.

"Of course not," she answered dismissively. "Now on the count of three."

"Wait–"

"One."

"–I'm not making–"

"Two."

"–a wish–"

"Three."

Despite himself, Eric found himself leaning forward slightly, his lips pursed, his eyes falling shut and blowing slightly on the eyelash on Sookie's outstretched finger. He'd fallen for it. She had said three and he had just given up protesting and done it.

Sookie pulled back, opening her eyes and looking at him. His eyes were still closed, his lips still pursed like he was going to blow still, and she took the moment to study him. He looked so young, so carefree and boyish in that moment. It was such a sweet image, she hoped that when he opened his eyes, it would stick.

It did.

She could see the child lurking in his eyes. It was adorable, heart melting and annoying all at the same time, and she couldn't help but smile. "What did you wish for?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"World peace," he replied instantly with a rakish grin. "End to poverty, a million dollars…"

"Really?" she asked, taken aback. She certainly did not peg him for much of a humanitarian.

"No." Eric laughed, his lips curling into a smirk. "I'm afraid my wish was far less noble."

Sookie took a step towards him. "What was it then?" she asked coyly.

"I can't tell you."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at him. "Why not?"

"Because – I believe – if I do, it might not come true," he replied.

She stared up at him suspiciously. "Of course."

Eric chuckled, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear affectionately. She was struck by how uncharacteristic such a gentle act seemed, coming from a vampire she knew had the capability to effortlessly tear grown men limb from limb. "What did you wish for?" he murmured, pulling her towards him.

Her hands came to rest on his chest. "You're trying to make my wish not come true?" she asked, teasing him a little. "That hardly seems fair, Mr. Northman."

"Of course not, Ms. Stackhouse," he defended in tones of mock affront. "I was just wondering if you would tell me."

"So it wouldn't come true," she accused.

"No," he said, gazing at her softly. "To see if I could make it come true."

He was staring at her mouth as if he could devour her in a moment; the thought sent a wave of heat along her spine, settling in the pit of her stomach and below. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest; only his darkened eyes betraying his arousal.

Her gaze fell lower, surveying him, memorizing him. She couldn't help the blush that crept into her cheeks. She wanted him, and wanting him was a choice. But it was a choice she wasn't entirely sure she was prepared for.

"You're thinking too hard," he said, his breathing ragged.

Tossing him a come-hither smile she wraps arms around his neck, drawing him closer. "So make me stop thinking," she breathed.

He stared at her, looking into her eyes, recognizing her need for something more that what he thought he could ever give her. Someone she could count on – depend on. Someone she could trust. Her hands drifted down to rest against his chest as she stared into his eyes. He brought his own up to hold her face and he pressed his lips against hers in a soft, tender kiss.

He sucked on her throat, kissing a wet trail up to her ear. He bit down with blunt teeth and tugged, his breath spilling hot against her skin. Her voice melted into a groan and he felt the sharp bite of her nails as they scrabbled against his back. Suddenly he stopped, and before she knew what was happening, she was in his arms as he carried her out of his office, through the empty bar and out into the parking lot towards her car.

"Eric? What are you–"

"Keys," he demanded, plopping her down on the hood of her car and holding out his hand. She blinked at him for a moment before reaching into her pocket and handing him her car keys. He unlocked the car quickly, moving so fast he was a blur of motion to her human eyes. "In you go," he said, scooping her up and depositing her in the passenger's seat.

In the blink of an eye, he was in the driver's seat and starting the car, backing swiftly out of the parking lot. "Eric!" she said loudly as he pulled the car onto the main drag. He glanced at her, smirking. "What the hell?" she demanded.

"Sunrise is in an hour," he told her, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Okay, you could have just said–"

"But that was so much more fun!" he insisted playfully, reaching across the center console to run his hand up her leg, finding her had where it lay in her lap.

She stared at him; he was almost cheery. "If sunrise is in an hour, then–"

"Don't worry, min kärlek," he said, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it softly. "I drive very fast."

To the best of my knowledge, 'Jag tror definitivt' means 'I think definitely'.

Thank you so much for your reviews! You guys are so encouraging.