AN: I got an amazing 89 reviews for last chapter and the majority of you wanted an epilogue! I'll reply to all of your reviews now but I thought you might want this last chapter first! And for the last time, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Vampire Diaries' or 'How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days'.

All outfits are available on polyvore. Username: amygerrard

Day Seven Hundred And Thirty-Three

"How's my little boy?" Elena cooed, leaning over the white, wicker bassinet. Her face held a loving smile as she gazed down at the blue bundle; a dusting of brunette hair covered his head, sparkling blue eyes stared up at her, round cheeks were tinted with a rosy hue, little, balled-up fists waved in the air and stubby legs wriggled against the blanket restlessly.

"You want to come and see Mommy, huh?" she whispered, slowly reaching down as she manoeuvred one hand behind his head and the other beneath his back. She pulled him from the bassinet and gently cradled him in her arms as she supported his head against her arm.

"You are so precious to me, you know that?" she smiled, rocking her son from side to side as she ran her fingertip over his cheek. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead as he gurgled along happily.

Even after four-and-a-half weeks, she still couldn't believe that she was a mother. That the baby she had carried for nine months was now nestled in her arms and grabbing onto her finger with such strength. She blinked away the tears that stung at her eyes as she looked down into the wide ones of her son; the icy blue colour, an exact replica of his father's. She studied him carefully, taking in every little detail; it wasn't the first time she had done it since he was born and it certainly wouldn't be the last because, with each passing second, he was changing and she didn't want to miss a single moment of it.

She still remembered when she'd held him in her arms and memorised his features for the very first time.

Day Seven Hundred And One

"That's it, just one more push," the midwife encouraged, her hands braced between Elena's legs as she cupped the baby's head.

Elena looked around her wildly, noticing the hopeful look on the nurse's face as she readied herself with a towel for the newborn, the slight frown on the midwife's brow as she stared intently in front of her and finally, Elena's doe eyes landed on Damon. Her Damon. He was gazing at her so intensely, his face a mixture of anxiety and happiness as he held her hand tightly. She weaved her fingers between his and stared into his blue eyes that were burning with so much love, she found her breath catching in her throat.

"You can do this, Elena," he smiled, ducking his head to press a soft kiss to her sweaty temple as his other hand gripped their joined hands together. "Just one more push."

One more push, she nodded. One more push and then she'd get to meet the little baby she had been growing for nine months. Their baby. Hers and Damon's.

As she felt her contraction cresting, she gritted her teeth and clamped her fingers down on Damon's hand. She ignored his grunt of pain when she gripped too hard, too overcome with her own pain to be sympathetic to him. She pushed with all her might as a burning pain shot through her core, never stopping until it travelled up her spine and came to rest in the back of her head.

Her muscles contracted, desperately trying to force the baby from her body. As her contraction faded, she sat there in a daze as she tried to make sense of the befuddled mess her brain had become. Had she done it? Before she could think any further, a piercing wail filled the room as the midwife raised her hands in the air and held the baby proudly before the new parents.

Elena felt a tired smile spread across her face as she stared at the baby just a metre away from her. She vaguely heard the midwife's voice as she uttered the words, "It's a boy," but her son had captivated all of her attention. She palmed Damon's cheek as he rested his head against hers and breathed out words of love and gratitude, but her eyes followed the medical staff as they carried her son around the room.

The nurse returned a few moments later, her arms full with a bundle wrapped up in a blue blanket. Elena held her arms out, eager to hold her son for the first time and as he was placed against her chest, her arms curled around him naturally.

"Hi," she cried, stifling a sob as she kissed his chubby cheek. His skin was still slightly wrinkled and held a reddish tinge to it but he was perfect. Ten fingers and ten toes and a face that she was sure would be breaking hearts when he was older.

"He's beautiful," Damon choked out, laughing quietly when she wiped a tear from his cheek. He wrapped his arm around Elena's waist as he slid down onto the bed beside her, his finger tracing the small form of his son's hand. "Wow," he breathed, feeling the tight grip on his finger as his son grasped it tightly in his small hand. "He's so strong."

Elena nodded her head along dutifully but she barely heard a word Damon said when her son's eyes fluttered. She held her breath, eager to see the colour of them as, with one final flicker of his eyelids, he revealed his eyes.

"Yours," she grinned, turning towards Damon and pressing a kiss to his jaw. "You owe me five bucks."

He rolled his eyes, nuzzling against the crown of her head. "You're not sad he didn't get your eyes?"

She shook her head negatively, "I always wanted our baby to have your eyes. They're pretty spectacular, if you haven't noticed."

"Oh, I've noticed," he teased, catching the hand she threw his way before pressing a kiss to her palm, reminiscent of their wedding day and by the loving look she sent his way, he realised she'd been thinking the same thing. He gently linked their hands and moved her arm back into position so they were both supporting their son's body. "He got your hair, though."

"Yeah," she murmured, swiping her thumb across the tiny hairs that adorned his head. "I can't believe we made him."

"It's amazing," he nodded, watching as his son yawned and allowed his eyes to drift shut. His eyes followed the gentle rise and fall of the blue blanket as his son breathed, the motion comforting Damon immensely. "Have we got our name?"

Elena looked up guilty. "I might have thought of something," she mumbled, chewing on her lip thoughtfully.

Damon smiled at the nervous look on her face and gently encouraged her, "Let me hear it."
"Well," she sighed. "After everything he did for us I was thinking we could give this little guy Alaric as his middle name."

He gulped harshly, his blue eyes shining with moisture as he thought about his best friend. "I think that's really great. He'll be honoured. What about a first name?"

"I know we said that we'd wait until the baby was born to start thinking of names but you wouldn't let me do anything for the last month of my pregnancy and my mind wondered and-"

"Elena," he grinned, halting her ramblings. He'd known for a while that she'd been reading up on baby names; she wasn't that sneaky when it came to hiding baby books, especially when she thought the best hiding place was underneath the bed. "The name."

She took a deep breath and one last look at her son before she raised her eyes to meet Damon's. "Ryan."

He stared at her wordlessly for a few moments before he nodded, somewhat dazedly, and smiled, his cerulean eyes twinkling brightly. "Ryan Alaric Salvatore, welcome to the world."

"You're getting bigger already, Ryan," she noted, eyeing the blue onesie that was beginning to fit him rather snuggly. "But that's good because Mommy wants you to grow up and be big and healthy like your Daddy."

She slowly moved him in her hold so he was pressed vertically to her chest. She grinned when she felt him nuzzle into her neck as his hand played with her long, brunette locks.

"I don't want you to be exactly like your Daddy, though," she smiled to herself, rocking her hips as she gently bobbed him up and down until she was greeted with his high-pitched giggles that she loved so much. "Seeing as you're close to hitting the big five weeks, Ryan, I think I might impart upon you some wisdom before you get all those father-son talks from your Daddy."

Elena laughed to herself as she ran her hand down Ryan's back soothingly. "You see, your father is going to try and teach you how to pick up women when you're older. He was what I'd call a manwhore. That's right," she murmured when Ryan gurgled, in what she took to be his agreement. "But you're not going to be like that. You're going to respect women and not have sex until you're married."

"Ugh, don't listen to her, Ryan."

Elena spun around, hearing Damon's voice behind her. She arched her eyebrow at his sudden appearance. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

He rolled his eyes, loosening the knot of his tie as he leaned against the door-jamb. He frowned, untucking his shirt and fiddling with his top button. "What, and let you badmouth me to my own child?"

She bit her lip to stifle her smile. "I wasn't badmouthing you, I was just teaching him to respect women."

Damon smirked, pushing himself off of the door-jamb as he stalked towards her. Ducking down, he pressed a tender kiss to Ryan's head before connecting his lips with hers in a sweet kiss. "I must be doing something right. You married me, after all."

"That I did," she smiled lovingly, wiping at the lip balm that had stained the corner of his lips with her thumb.

Day Four Hundred And Forty-Four

"Elena, hurry up! Damon's going to think you're jilting him at the altar!" Caroline exclaimed, storming into the master bedroom. "What are you doing?"

Elena turned around, her white dress swishing around her legs as she moved. "I'm just saying goodbye to this place," she murmured, swiping her hand across the white duvet.

She supposed that she was starting to feel a little bit nostalgic about leaving their home.

Since they'd moved into this three bedroomed house in the suburbs of New York City just a few weeks ago, she'd found that they had manufactured it into their own little love nest. She'd heard from other couples that moving house was a stressful experience but she'd loved every minute.

After moving into Damon's apartment, she'd slowly, but surely, added her own little touches to his monochromatic place so, when they moved into their new house, there were next to no arguments over the décor. She'd found that moving had brought them closer as they'd seen to christening every room in the house. She shivered just thinking about where they'd made love and how many times. She was sure they'd set a record somewhere.

"Yeah," Caroline smirked, winking as her best friend blushed. "I don't think I've really seen you the past three weeks. I've had to drag you kicking and screaming from this place."

"It's just," she took a deep breath before continuing, "this is the last time I'll be in here as Elena Gilbert."

Caroline frowned, picking up her floor-length, sea-green bridesmaid dress as she moved towards Elena. "You're not having second thoughts, right?" she asked warily, rubbing her hand down the length of Elena's arm.

Elena shook her head, her brunette locks curling around her with the motion as a large, cheek-hurting smile spread across her face. "No, of course not! It's just surreal, I've been waiting to be called Elena Salvatore for a couple of months and it's all happening now and I just-"

"You can't believe it," Caroline nodded in understanding, pulling Elena in for a hug. "I'm so happy for you, Lennie!"

"Don't let me cry, I'll ruin my make-up," Elena laughed, pulling back from Caroline's embrace as she linked their hands together.

"You're perfect," Caroline sighed, squeezing her friend's hands tightly. "Promise me one thing?"

Elena nodded, noticing the vulnerable look in the blonde's blue eyes. "Of course."

"Promise me that we'll still get to see each other after you get married," Caroline sighed.

"Caroline, why wouldn't we see each other?" Elena frowned.

"Because Damon will try to sex you up every minute of every day!" the blonde giggled, winking at Elena. The brunette laughed along with her and allowed her bridesmaid to pull her from the room as she smiled to herself. She was getting married.

CA~CA~CA~CA~CA~CA

Damon wrung his hands together nervously as he rocked onto the balls of his feet. She was already ten minutes late but that was natural, right? The bride was always late to the wedding. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. He found it funny that no matter how much he believed Elena loved him - she had said yes to his proposal, after all - he still had the unruly thought floating around in his mind that she might not turn up.

He felt Alaric's hand on his back and turned to his best friend. "Yeah?" he choked out, straightening his tie anxiously.

Alaric smiled, tilting his head to the back of the church. Damon followed his line of sight and his heart pounded in his chest as he saw Caroline and Bonnie enter through the ornate doors in their flowing bridesmaid dresses. As the wedding march sounded, he stood up and turned to face the altar. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when he heard the collective gasp from the guests, knowing that Elena had stepped out onto the aisle in all of her celestial beauty.

"Damon."

He turned, hearing her sweet whisper, and felt his heart stutter at the sight in front of him. Her chocolate curls fell down her back like a waterfall with two curls framing her face. Her make-up was subtle; a rose pink hue coloured her cheeks, a layer of mascara darkened her eyelashes and peach lipstick made her lips look even more full and luscious. Her body was encased in a stunning white gown that hugged every curve she possessed, making her look like the goddess he'd always thought her to be. The lace wrapped around her dress, adding delicate detail to the simple style and the lace straps emphasised her jutting clavicle. Her fingers linked together around her pink bouquet of roses, the position of her hands showcasing her stunning engagement ring for everyone to see.

"You look breathtaking," he declared, taking her hand in his as he sunk into a bow and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

Elena smiled brightly, wrapping her arm around his bicep as he led her towards the altar. "You don't look so bad yourself," she quipped.

"Why thank you, Mrs Soon-To-Be Salvatore," he teased, his azure eyes sparkling with mirth.

The minister gestured for them to stand together as he recited the importance of love and marriage. When it came to the vows, Elena found herself getting choked up as Caroline pushed her cards into her hand and took the bouquet of roses from the other.

"Damon," she began shakily, taking a deep breath as he encouraged her with a gentle nod of his head. "I guess you could say that our relationship has been... eventful. Even at the beginning we had our bumps to overcome but, we did it. We fought for what we have and I'm so glad that we did because I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. You are everything I was searching for even when I didn't know exactly what that was. You're it, Damon. My best friend," she paused, laughing quietly to herself as she turned around and eyed Caroline. "Sorry, there's been a slight adjustment to my vows. My best male friend. My soul-mate. My forever. I love you, so, so much."

The tears began to cloud her eyes and she blinked rapidly in a desperate attempt to stop them from streaming down her cheeks. She smiled in gratitude when Damon stepped forward and caught a stray tear from the corner of her eye on the pad of his thumb. He cupped her face and stared at her with so much love and desire that it sent her heart into a frenzy and had a blush staining her cheeks.

He cleared his throat and stepped back into position. "I think I should have listened to Alaric when he told me I'd need cards because my mind is going, pretty much, blank right now. I never thought I'd see the day that I would be getting married because no one has ever made me feel like you do. As soon as I realised that I was in love with you, I knew that I'd marry you. How could I not think that? You turned my world upside down and made me question everything I'd ever thought I'd known. Like you said, Elena, you're it. I love you and I want you to be mine. You already have my heart but I want you to have my ring and my name. All you have to say are two little words and you'll make me the happiest man alive."

Damon chuckled as Elena bit her lip and tried to hold back her sobs. "Relax," he teased, though he felt as his voice got choked with emotion. "You can still run out of here."

"Not happening," she protested, falling into his arms as she sought the warmth she knew she would find there.

He hugged her back tightly, kissing the crown of her forehead as one hand palmed the back of her head. "Then maybe we should let the minister commence the ceremony."

"Oh, yeah," she laughed, pulling back from Damon's embrace but she maintained the contact between their bodies when she reached forward and tangled her fingers with his. "Proceed."

He laughed underneath his breath at the startled look on the minister's face as Elena ordered him around.

"Do you, Damon Francesco Salvatore, take this woman, Elena Marie Gilbert, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he enunciated, those two words ringing through the silence of the church.

"And, do you, Elena Marie Gilbert, take this man, Damon Francesco Salvatore, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she whispered, her doe eyes locked on his.

"The rings."

She turned in a daze, accepting the silver ring from Bonnie as Damon did the same with Alaric. She smiled up at Damon as she slowly slid the silver band onto his ring finger. A moment later, he reciprocated the gesture and she immediately felt the delicious weight on her finger.

"By the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Without further ado, Damon stepped forward and cupped her face in both of his hands as he leaned down and connected their lips together. Elena moaned softly against his lips as she wrapped her hands around his wrists and pressed her body up against his. Their lips moulded together, as they had done so many times before, but this time was different. They were married now, joined together in holy matrimony. The thought sent a delicious shiver up their spines.

"Mrs Salvatore," he purred as he pulled back. Their noses brushed together as they stared longingly into each other's eyes. Simultaneously, their lips spread into matching smiles before their lips met once more. The cheering crowd behind them were all but forgotten for Mr and Mrs Salvatore.

"Two hundred and eighty-nine days with the missus," Damon sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

She looked up at him in astonishment. "You've been counting the days?"

"I've been counting myself lucky each day that I still get to wake up to you," he murmured, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Damon," she sighed, leaning her head forward until it connected with his chest. "Why do you have to go and say these things and make me love you even more?"

"Because that's my job, sweetie," he grinned, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm going to make sure you never stop falling in love with me."

"As sweet as that is, technically, your job is working at the advertising firm which you should be doing right now," she grumbled, pulling out of his hold as she moved to sit down on the king-sized bed.

Damon palmed his chin, rubbing at the thin line of stubble there thoughtfully. "I was wondering how long it would be until that came up."

"Damon," she moaned, adjusting Ryan in her hold as he began to get antsy. "Alaric's been really good to us. He helped baby-proof this place, gave you six weeks paid paternity leave and has bought so many things for this little guy. The least you could do is go to work."

"But," he pouted, knowing that it would cause her to soften. As if on cue, her shoulders slumped forward as she gently rubbed the empty spot beside her on the bed. He sat down dutifully, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "It's my birthday."

"So?" she scoffed, rubbing Ryan's stomach when he began to whimper quietly. "You've gone to the office plenty of times on your birthday."

"Yes," he acquiesced, "but those weren't my thirtieth birthday and I didn't have a wonderful family to come home to."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine, you're off the hook but that's only because our little man needs his lunch."

She passed Ryan over to Damon, her face tightening as she heard his soft cry; it was something she still hadn't got used to and each wail was like an arrow to her heart. "It's okay, sweetie, Mommy's going to be ready real soon."

She unbuttoned her blouse and freed her breast from the maternity bra she had been forced to wear when all of her others had refused to fit. She ignored Damon's leering as she took Ryan from his arms and placed him against her chest.

"Oh," she breathed as she felt him capture her nipple and begin to suck.

"Still weird, huh?" Damon chuckled, circling his fingertip around Ryan's cheek.

"Yeah, but it's a nice kind of weird," she smiled, rubbing her thumb along her son's arm soothingly. "You still haven't got used to these have you?"

Damon looked up from her breasts and realised that she had caught him staring. "They're bigger," he mumbled, palming her other breast gently. As his finger brushed over her nipple, she gasped out breathlessly. "Still sensitive?"

"Uh-huh," she swallowed, feeling as his hand gently massaged her breast. "You're hoping they're going to stay at this size."

"Well," he drawled. "I can't say I wouldn't mind you staying at this size. They'll certainly be fun to have in the next few weeks when you're cleared for sexual activities."

She slapped his arm when he wriggled his eyebrows at her salaciously. "Oh," she giggled, "it looks like you've got competition."

Damon followed her line of sight and chortled when he saw Ryan's little hand gripping at the creamy flesh of his mother's breast possessively. "Hey, buddy, I can share."
Elena rolled her eyes, pushing a finger underneath Damon's chin as she tilted it up so his eyes were fixed on her face and not other areas of her anatomy. "Now that you're here, you can help me with preparations for this evening. Your parents, Stefan and Lexi will fly in soon."

"Right," he nodded. "I'll collect them from the airport. Then we've got Alaric and Jenna."

"And Bonnie, Jeremy, Emily and John. Caroline and Matt will also be here and, I think that's about everyone," she smiled, slowly buttoning up her blouse as she got up from the bed and strolled over towards the bassinet. She rubbed her hand along Ryan's back until her burped, a small smirk covering her face at the sound. She gently laid Ryan down onto the soft mattress, her heart glowing with love when she watched his eyes flutter closed as he faded off to sleep.

"Actually," Damon interjected, coming up behind her as he palmed her hips. "I invited someone else."

"Oh," she frowned, turning around in his hold and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Who?"
"Elijah." At her raised eyebrow, he continued, "I've actually really bonded with him over the last six months since we took on the advertising case for his bar."

She pursed her lips, running her fingers through his dark hair. "I don't know..." she trailed off. "Isn't it kind of weird?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Well, he's not in love with you anymore if that's what you're getting at. In fact, he's found himself a girlfriend at our company."

"Really?" she exclaimed.

"Yep," he nodded, popping the 'p'. "She's called Kate. She's one of the actresses that we often use in our campaigns."

Elena stared at him thoughtfully, pursing her lips. "Did you sleep with her?"

"What? No," he scoffed.

She looked at him dubiously before sighing. "You can't blame me for asking, you've slept with half of the population of New York City."

"Only half?" he snarked, winking at her.

"Well," she drawled, "unless you've been with any men."

"Nope," he interjected quickly. "No men so, half it is."

"Just out of interest, why didn't you sleep with her?" she wondered.

"To be honest, I would have if I'd had the chance because she's hot. Ah, ah, ah," he shook his head, tapping her nose as he noticed the heated look in her molten, brown eyes. "No jealousy allowed. You know you're the only one for me, I married you, after all. Anyway, Alaric said she was off-limits because she's actually amazing at her job and he didn't want to lose her over a douchebag like me."

"What's she like?" she asked, the little green-eyed monster completely forgotten about after Damon's reassurance. "Is she good for him?"

Damon noticed the protective sparkle in her eyes and it only made him love her more; she was loyal and so warm-hearted that she was still looking out for an old flame. "She's perfect for him. She's... I think the word I should use is eccentric. She brings him out of his shell and, believe it or not, has got him to wear casual clothes."

Elena reared back in shock. "By casual, you mean like without the suit jacket, right?"

"Nope," he smirked. "T-shirt, jeans and a leather jacket. Saw it with my own pretty blue eyes."

"Wow," she mouthed, her eyes as wide as saucers. "I think I like her already."

"Good," Damon smiled, "because Elijah is bringing her over tonight and he told me, under no circumstances, were any of us allowed to chase her away. He told me he was falling in love with her."

"And what did you say to that?" she murmured, sliding her hands down to his chest.

Damon gently swayed them from side to side as he leaned down to whisper huskily into her ear, "I told him that if she looks at him the way that you look at me, to keep on falling."

"Damon," she sighed, closing her eyes as his lips found hers. He kissed her slowly and languidly, their tongues meeting as Elena fisted her hands around the collar of his shirt and Damon's hands grabbed at her hips. "Mmm," she purred, pressing one last kiss to his lips.

He smiled lazily. "I love you."

Ryan whimpered in his sleep, his hands clenching into fists. Damon chuckled quietly when his son calmed down. "Don't worry," he whispered, stepping over towards the bassinet as he peered down at his son. "I love you, too."

"Well, I," Elena smiled, wrapping her arm around Damon's waist, "love you both. Very much."

Ryan yawned adorably, shifting in his sleep. "I'm going to speak for Ryan here and tell you that he loves you, too, Mommy."

She looked up at Damon's face, her heart melting when she realised he was staring down at their son with so much love on his face. It only made her love him more. Despite his worries, he had settled into fatherhood naturally from the very first moment that he had taken Ryan in his arms. She'd been surprised to find he was eager to learn every little detail about their son and even changed Ryan's diaper with only minimal complaints – mainly about the smell.

Damon's soft voice broke her from her inner musings. "Do you remember when we made this little guy?"

"Our honeymoon," she smirked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I think it was that time on the hammock."

"No," she warned, wagging her finger at him. "He was not conceived on the hammock when you were being a horny bastard. That's not the kind of romantic story that's going along with how our son was conceived."

"Then, what time?" he frowned, tapping his finger against his chin thoughtfully. "Against the wall sex? Oh, no, maybe it was the ocean sex? Oh, wait! It was the jacuzzi sex, right?"

She folded her arms across her chest, arching her eyebrow at him. "I know you know exactly what time I'm talking about."

"I do," he admitted. "I just wanted to remind you of all the sex we had on our honeymoon. But, you're right. I remember it like it was yesterday."

Day Four Hundred And Forty-Six

Damon slowly came to a stop, his feet digging into the sand as he stared at the gentle waves and setting sun. An unconscious smile spread across his face as he felt the cool breeze on his face. He spread his arms as the air ruffled the thin, white material of his shirt, his head leaning back as he bathed in the warm, tropical climate.

His eyes opened lazily as he felt two, thin arms slowly wrap around his waist as a body was pressed against his. He reached down, laying his hands over hers, and shivered as he felt her lips on his neck.

"Someone's revitalised," he moaned, feeling her teeth tug on his earlobe. He smirked, feeling her hands trail down from his stomach until they hooked behind the waistband of his shorts. "I like you like this."

"Like what?" she whispered, gripping his arousal in her palm. Her other hand slid underneath his shirt, her fingertips tracing the outlines of his abs as she felt goosebumps rise on his skin.

"All," he coughed as her hand slid down his length, her thumb swiping over the head of his penis. "Promiscuous."

"You're my husband," she retorted, flicking her thumb against his nipple until his breaths turned uneven. "I'm allowed to use your body shamelessly."

He groaned, nodding his head dazedly. "That you are." He gasped as her hand began to move faster, her fingers tightening and relaxing sporadically. "Elena."

"Yes, Damon," she purred, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the head in continuous circles until she felt his heart begin to pound beneath her hand. "Let go, babe."

And let go, he did. He came with a low moan, growling slightly when she tugged on his penis experimentally. She removed her hands from his pants, wiping the evidence of his pleasure down the side of his shorts. After he recovered from his orgasm, he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist. He swung her up against his body and spun around in circles until her lilting laugh broke through the serenity of their own private beach. Without warning he collapsed onto the ground, causing Elena to sprawl across his body.

"I love you, Mrs Salvatore," he whispered, palming her cheek in his hand. He rubbed his thumb along the length of her cheekbone, sighing happily when she nestled into his hold.

She knelt down, pausing momentarily when their lips brushed, simply enjoying the simplicity of breathing in each other's air. Her eyes flicked to his before she closed the space between their lips with a smile. Her lips trailed over his jaw, nibbling at the soft flesh behind his ear until he moaned breathlessly.

She loved this; having this man at her disposal and knowing that his body's reactions were because of her. Her hands trailed over the thin material of his shirt as she slowly unbuttoned it. Pushing the shirt open, she scraped her nails down his chest.

"Easy, tiger," he hissed, feeling the sharp sting as her nails penetrated his skin.

She smirked, gripping his shoulders as she pulled him up so they were chest to chest. Her teeth nipped at the column of his throat as she stripped him of his shirt. She skated her hands down the hard planes of his back, nuzzling her cheek against his as she felt his hands skim down her sides. They dipped beneath the hem of her sun-dress, his fingertips gliding over her skin sensually as he pushed the material from her body. She felt the breeze ruffle the soft waves of her hair as she straddled him in only her red, lace panties.

Elena gasped, feeling his finger circle her nipple as he left open-mouthed kisses across her clavicle and down her sternum. She threaded her fingers through his raven hair, tugging softly on it when he captured her nipple between his teeth.

"Please, Damon," she whimpered as his mouth closed around her peak, the warm sensation of his tongue causing her core to contract. "Yes!"

She rocked her hips against his arousal helplessly as she tried to seek out the friction that she so desperately needed. His teeth scraped at the creamy flesh of her breast, gently sucking on her skin until the red mark that he always loved making appeared. His hands pressed against the dip of her spine as his bottom lip slid over her skin until his lips met hers.

"Mmm," she moaned, feeling his hand slip beneath the waistband of her panties as he palmed the flesh of her bottom. She rolled her hips, her teeth tugging at his bottom lip as a growl rumbled in his chest. "I need you."

Elena pushed him away, standing up in front of him as she shimmied her panties down her long, tanned legs. She blushed at the intensity of his gaze and nudged her foot against his leg as she silently begged him to remove his pants. He huffed, arching his hips off the sand as he wriggled the shorts from his legs.

She smiled as she knelt down, the sand grinding against her knees and the cool air causing her skin to rise in goosebumps. She crawled forward, her hips resting over his, and placed her hands on his chest. Her fingers curled around his pectoral muscles as she arched up over him and slowly lowered herself onto his erection.

Their sighs of pleasure were simultaneous as she slowly began to roll her hips against his. She raised herself above him and Damon thrust upwards when she sunk back down on his arousal, causing him to move even deeper within her core. She moaned throwing her head back as her hair fell down her back and tickled the skin of his thighs.

Damon stared at her in awe; she was perfect. The setting sun bathed her body in its orange glow, the gentle motion of her waves mirrored the rocking of her hips and her soft mewls of pleasure were like music to his ears.

He jerked up, grinning at her shocked gasp at the change in position. She adjusted to it naturally, running the tip of her nose up the length of his forehead as his lips kissed the underside of her jaw. He palmed her back as their movements hastened in the race to reach their impending orgasms.

"D-Damon," she stammered, sliding her hands up his neck until they found purchase in his hair. "Kiss me."

He followed her command and joined their lips as they both fell over the edge, pleasure coursing through their bodies and igniting every nerve ending until they shivered uncontrollably.

"Elena," he breathed, nibbling on her bottom lip as they came down from their highs.

Elena stroked his hair and pressed a kiss to his top lip, giggling softly when his stubble scraped at her soft flesh. She rested her head against his, smiling happily when he pressed his cheek against her chest, and looked out over their own little piece of heaven.

"I have sand in strange places."

"Damon!" she groaned, slapping his chest reprimandingly. "You totally just ruined our romantic moment."

"Let me make up for it," he smiled, holding her to his chest as he pushed himself to his feet. He wobbled slightly, his legs having not yet recovered from his intense orgasm. "We can go frolic in the water."

She half-screamed, half-laughed as he took off down the beach and ran, splashing, into the sea.

"Damon!" Elena called, picking up Ryan in her arms as she pushed a stray hair behind her ear. "Get the door, please!" She smiled, hearing the voices of her family as she made her way down the stairs.

"What are you guys all doing here?" Damon laughed. "Mom, Dad, I was going to collect you from the airport."

"I know, dear," she smiled, patting his cheek. "We took a cab to save you the trouble and it looks like everyone arrived here at the same time."

"Look, Ryan," Elena cooed, smiling happily at the gasps that filled the foyer. "It's the bunch of crazy people that we like to call our family."

As soon as she reached the last step, she was engulfed in the crowd of bodies and passed around as everyone wrapped their arms around her and cooed over how adorable Ryan was. She gestured for everyone to move into the parlour to sit down. With everyone settled, she slid into the armchair Damon had reserved for her and sat Ryan down on her lap so his back was resting against her chest. She stroked Damon's knee when he reclined on the arm of the chair and stretched his arm around her shoulders.

"You must be Kate," she smiled at the brunette in front of her. "It's really nice to meet you."

"You, too," Kate smiled, immediately feeling at ease as Elijah's hand tangled with hers. "You have a lovely home."

"We do," Damon smirked, wincing in mock hurt when Elena slapped his chest. "What? They laughed." He pointed at the circle of their family.

"That doesn't mean you're any less of a conceited ass," she quipped, mimicking his 'eye thing'.

"You love it," he enunciated, stealing a kiss from her lips.

She stroked his jawline and corrected him, "I love you."

"A word of warning," Alaric interjected, leaning forward so he looked at Kate. "They do this disgusting couple thing a lot."

"I don't know," she shrugged, her blue eyes meeting with Elijah's brown ones. "I think it's kind of sweet."

"Oh," Damon exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. "It looks like they're trying to give us competition with their longing looks."

"Damon," Elijah sighed, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?"

"No."

Everyone looked at each other after their simultaneous reply and broke out into laughter.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Yes. You see, for the last two years, Elena and I have been the cute couple around here-"

"Hey," Stefan protested, pulling Lexi into his side. "What about us?"

"And us!" Caroline muttered, palming her growing belly lovingly as Matt pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

"We're pretty cute," Jeremy grinned, nudging Bonnie's shoulder with his own. "I mean, look at our kids." He gestured towards Emily and John.

Emily looked up from her perch on her father's lap and gave a milk-white smile as her brunette curls bounced around her chin. Everyone smiled as the little girl waved her hand in the air, delighted to have the spotlight on her. John whimpered, making his presence known, as he struggled in his mother's grip. His brown eyes fluttered earnestly and he kicked up a fuss until Bonnie bounced him up and down on her lap. His whimpers faded as he giggled quietly, the rocking motion proving a success as he raised his chubby, little fists in the air.

"We're not cute," Alaric admitted, dodging Jenna's elbow as he held up a finger to silence her. "We're fricking sexy!"

"That's my man," Jenna smiled, hooking her arms over Alaric's shoulders as she kissed his stubbly cheek.

Luciana smiled, placing her hand in Guiseppe's open one. He gripped hers tightly, smiling down at her lovingly. After Guiseppe and Damon's issues had slowly been resolved, it had led to Luciana and Guiseppe rekindling their relationship and becoming a stronger couple than ever. "We have you all beaten. Thirty-three years together says it all."

"Okay, pipe down, guys!" Damon grunted, flapping his hands downwards. "Stefan, you're never going to win with Lex Luthor over there. Give up the game now. Barbie and Ken, definitely not. Even with your belly, I can speak for the judges when I say it's not improving your chances. Mr and Mrs Sexy Saltzman? Don't make me laugh. Mom, Dad, no offence but you're past it. This competition does have an age limit."

Elena shook her head in disbelief at her husband. "I'd just like to point out that I in no way agree with what he's saying about you all."

"'Course you do, babe. You're just too polite to say it. Anyway," Damon drawled, wagging his finger at the brunette couple in front of him. "You two, with your cutesy hand-holding. You can't just come in here and think that we're going to lie down and let you take our title. Nuh-uh."

"Damon," Elijah sighed. A small, unconscious, smile spread across his face when he watched Kate duck her head, trying desperately to stifle her giggles.

"Nope," he refuted, gesturing towards Ryan. "Don't you see what we made. Yeah, that's right, you're looking at the cutest baby ever. Because that's what a cute couple does, we make cute babies."

"Okay," Elijah groaned, raising their joined hands in the air. "We accept defeat. You are the cutest couple for a third year running. Happy?"

"No," Kate protested, slamming their hands down onto the couch. "I'm not going down without a fight."

Elijah stared at her wordlessly before a smirk spread across his face. He ducked his head underneath her curls and purred into her ear. "You have no idea how turned on I am."

She arched her eyebrow and sent him a wink before she turned back towards Damon and Elena. "I mean look at us, we're practically wearing matching outfits with our dark jeans and leather jackets."

"No!" Damon exclaimed. "That is my look. You don't get to try and transfer my style onto him. God, Elijah, I think I liked you more in the suits."

"I don't know," Kate mumbled. "I think he looks extremely sexy."

"Please," Damon refuted, his azure eyes sparkling with mirth. "You can't call him sexy with me in the room."

Kate arched her eyebrow, ignoring Elijah's protests as she leaned forward and met Damon's piercing stare dead on. "Elijah's an animal in the sack." As everyone gasped, she arched her eyebrow as a slow, satisfied smirk curled at her lips.

After a beat of silence, Damon declared, "I knocked her up." He pointed his index finger at Elena.

"Okay!" Elena interjected, her face flushing in embarrassment. "Let's stop this now. Presents, right, everyone?"

As everyone nodded, Damon caught Elijah's gaze and gave a subtle nod of his head; she was perfect for him. "Right," Damon rubbed his hands together, "what did everyone get me?"

"Not that you deserve it after that speech," Alaric grumbled, sliding an envelope across the table, "but, here."

Damon tore into the envelope, his brow furrowed as he pulled out two tickets. "No way," he laughed, his eyes widening in delight. "Knicks season tickets! Thanks, Ric, this is great." He flicked the two tickets between his fingers, his eyes darting nervously between Elena and Alaric.

Noticing the deliberation on his face, Elena rolled her eyes. "Take him."

"Yes!" Alaric cheered, fist-pumping the air before swiftly apologising to Jenna who he had nearly elbowed in the eye.

"Here you go, brother!" Jeremy threw the neatly wrapped present towards Damon.

He caught it easily and tore the paper off, throwing it behind him as he ignored Bonnie's complaints about how she'd "spent ages wrapping the present just for him to rip it apart like a child".

"Fathering for dummies," he read aloud. "Oh, is this your copy then?"

"Ass," Jeremy muttered underneath his breath. "Your real present is at the back."

Damon flipped to the back cover, pulling a piece of paper from the book. "A weekend reservation for a lookout range in Maine."

"Jer, Bon, thank you," Elena smiled, nodding in gratitude.

"We've been there before," Bonnie grinned. "The views are spectacular and there's so much to do. It might be good to get away from the city for a while to relax."

"That may be, Bonnie," Caroline acquiesced, "but it is not as good as our present."

"I'm dreading this," Damon whispered into Elena's ear as she fell against his chest to conceal her wide grin.

"Well, you know we're having a girl," Caroline beamed, cradling her bump lovingly, "so, Matt and I have agreed to let this little one marry Ryan."

Damon froze, his face sneering as he subtly shook his head at Elena. "You see, Blondie, here's the thing. I don't want to ruin your dreams or anything but I swear, Ryan did check out some of the babies in the hospital nursery and I'm pretty sure he got some numbers. So," he shrugged awkwardly, making a what-can-you-do face.

"Seriously?" Caroline muttered, flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder in annoyance. "You married this guy, Elena?"

"Sometimes I wonder why," she responded wistfully before soothing Damon's pride with a kiss to his palm.

"Here, man, this is our real gift," Matt smiled passing Damon the box he had concealed.

Damon opened it slowly, attempting to peer inside but he failed to see anything. With a deep breath, he pulled the lid off completely and swallowed convulsively at what he saw inside. "Wow," he murmured, pulling the leather jacket from the box as the rich, Italian leather smell invaded his nostrils. "This is amazing."

"I work in fashion," Caroline shrugged nonchalantly, "I have contacts."

"Ours next!" Luciana smiled, passing him a small box. "This is from your father and I."

He opened the lid and frowned as he weighed the key in his palm. "What's this for?"

"Our, well, your house in Italy," Guiseppe declared. "We signed it over to you."

His mouth curled into a lopsided smirk before he swiftly composed himself. "You're okay with this?" Damon asked, locking eyes with Stefan. "Half of it is yours, after all."

"Not anymore," Stefan countered, wrapping his arm around Lexi's shoulders. "We signed our half over to you. It's all yours."

"Oh my God!" Elena exclaimed, pressing Ryan to her chest tightly. "You hear that, Ryan? We're going to spend our summers in Italy!"

"I'm not sure mine can top that," Elijah chuckled self-consciously, pushing the box in Damon's direction.

Damon flicked open the front, a teeth-baring grin spreading across his face. "This is some fancy-ass bourbon."

"I would know, Damon," he teased. "I run a bar, after all, but you should thank Kate, it was her idea."

"Thank you," Damon nodded. "All of you."

"Hey," Elena protested, "you haven't opened ours yet." She passed him a soft, rectangular present, the card on it stating that it was from Ryan.

Damon arched his eyebrow in confusion. "Did you put his hand in paint?" He pointed towards the small, red hand-print that decorated the card.

"I might have," she admitted shyly, "but Ryan put his hand on the card, hence why it's a little smeared."

"I love you."

She winked at him as he ripped the wrapping paper off, picking the shirt inside up by its shoulders as he rested it against his chest. "Number one Daddy," he grinned as everyone around him aww'ed. "I am number one."

"Your Daddy's so cocky," Elena complained, picking Ryan up. He giggled happily as she rubbed her nose against his and cooed, "Yes, he is."

Damon leaned down and pressed a kiss to Ryan's soft head as he rubbed his hand against Elena's back. "Thank you," he murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Just one more," she added timidly, pulling a thin box from the side of the armchair and placing it into his hands.

"Oh my God!" Luciana squealed, reaching across to clasp Elena's hand in hers. "You're pregnant."

"What? No!" Elena laughed, rubbing her thumb along the back of Luciana's hand in a silent apology when the older woman visibly deflated. "I've only just had this little guy, I think you'll have to wait a while before you get another grandchild."

"Yeah, Ma," Damon teased. "Now you're just being greedy."

"Sorry," she sighed, blushing shyly. "Don't make me wait too long, though, I'd love to have a granddaughter to spoil."

"Ma," Damon frowned, pointing an accusing finger at his brother. "You have two sons, remember? I mean, we've already given you one, don't you think you should be badgering them?"

Luciana shrugged, "They're still young."

"And, I'm not?" he scowled.

Elena sunk her teeth into her lip; his expression was too adorable and she couldn't resist riling him up even more. "I know what you mean, Cici, sometimes I think I should trade him in for someone younger. He is thirty now after all, I'm sure I could find a twenty-eight year old."

Damon eyed her carefully before dipping his head into her neck as he whispered in her ear, "If you hadn't of just had my baby, I would throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed and show you just how young I am."

Elena shivered, the deep, husky tone of his voice had her swallowing convulsively as her heart began to pound in her chest. "Anyway," she choked out, ignoring the incessant stares of their guests. "Your present."

He sent her a smug smile and opened up her present. "Wow," he laughed. "I saw this months ago, how did you get it?" He wrapped the watch around his wrist, the leather caressing his skin as the silver glinted in the light.

"I have my ways," she admitted coyly, tapping the side of her nose.

As a buzzer sounded in the kitchen, Damon sprung to his feet and stalked out of the room. After a beat of silence, his voice called out from the doorway, "Dinner's ready!"

"I'm stuffed," Jeremy groaned, rubbing his protruding stomach as Emily tapped her hands against it and giggled.

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "No one asked you to eat all of that food. It was your own decision to finish the kids' meals and mine."

"He's a human bin," Elena smiled, collecting the empty plates. She squealed lightly when Damon's arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Hey! I have to clean up."

"Not now you don't," he refuted, grabbing the plates from her hands as he placed them on the table.

"How long have you two been married?" Kate asked, resting her head on Elijah's shoulder.

"Two hundred and eighty-nine days," Elena and Damon replied simultaneously, sharing a secret smile.

"Wow," Alaric laughed. "That's not precise at all."

"Today is actually the first anniversary of when we got engaged," Elena beamed, hooking her arm around Damon's shoulders as she nestled against his muscular chest.

Kate clapped her hands together excitedly, "Oh, please tell me there's a story!"

"Well," Damon drawled, his blue eyes twinkling as he gently massaged Elena's jean-clad thigh. "It all happened in a club down-town called Sundown..."

Day Three Hundred And Sixty-Eight

"Damon, come on," Elena pleaded, giggling when she stumbled slightly. "I'm in heels and you're covering my eyes, this can only end in disaster."

"Just a little bit longer," he replied nervously, hoping that she couldn't feel his hands shaking. He nodded in thanks as the manager opened the door for them before disappearing from the club with an encouraging thumbs up. "Here we are," he murmured softly, prying his hands from her eyes.

Elena blinked slowly, allowing her eyes to adjust to the glow of the lights. She frowned, looking around the empty - with the exception of a table set for two – dance floor before realisation dawned on her. "This is where you wanted to spend your birthday?"

"Yeah," he smiled shyly, tugging her against his chest. "It's where we first met."

She nodded knowingly. "Why is there no one else here?"

"Technically, there's a few waiters in the kitchen but, as for why there are no other patrons here, I rented the place out." He gestured towards the table and shuffled her seat underneath her bottom. He sat down in front of her, taking her hand in his as he rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

She stared at him intently, noticing the faraway look in his azure eyes. "You're different tonight."

"H-How do you mean?" he stammered, sitting up straighter in his chair. He groaned when his hand knocked against his glass and he fumbled to catch it before it crashed to the ground.

"I mean this," she chortled. "Where's Mr Suave?"

Damon laughed along, though it sounded more choked than he would have liked. He loosened his tie a little, thankful when the waiter interrupted them with their main course. "I hope you don't mind but I skipped the starter in favour of a larger dessert."

"Mind?" she exclaimed. "Just promise me it's chocolate."

"Promise," he winked, filling his fork with the roast chicken, mashed potatoes and asparagus.

She moaned happily as the first forkful of food touched her taste buds. "Ohhmygah," she mumbled, blushing when she noticed Damon's incessant stare. "Sorry."

"Don't apologise," he shook his head negatively. "It's nice to see you this happy."

"I'm always happy when I'm with you," she confided, looking up at him from beneath her thick eyelashes.

He inhaled deeply, stunned beyond belief by her beauty. And, she was his. "Me, too," he confessed. He coughed, hoping it would clear the lump in his throat.

As they finished up their main course, he pushed himself up from his chair and extended his hand to her. "Dance with me."

"There's no music," she remarked, though still put her hand in his.

He tugged her from her chair just as the first cords began to play. He led her to the middle of the dance floor and slowly spun her under his arm. She collided with his chest as his hands splayed across the small of her back and hers rested against his chest. She sighed happily and buried her head in the crook of his neck as they gently swayed to the beat of the music.

Damon held her tightly, basking in the sweet pleasure of having her in his arms as it soothed his anxious brain. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and moved their bodies in concentric circles. Her lips grazed against his throat in a whisper of a kiss and he closed his eyes reflexively, exhaling harshly through his teeth.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he murmured, sliding his hands around to her waist.

She smiled against his neck. "If it's like what you do to me then I think I have a fairly good idea," she purred, pushing herself against him as she tilted her head and sunk her teeth into his earlobe. "You set my body on fire."

"Hmm," he groaned, feeling her breasts push against his chest.

"What do you say we go home and celebrate your birthday in a very special way?" she winked, tugging at his tie coyly.

Damon's eyes widened, two very different answers resting on the tip of his tongue courtesy of his two heads. One was eager to take her up on her offer and spend the rest of the night doing every sinful thing he could think of to her. The other, more logical, one wanted to whisk her back to her chair so they could sit down to dessert and he could ask her, what was most likely, the most important question he would ever ask in his life.

In the end, it was the waiter who decided for him when he swept into the room, holding the two silver platters. Damon led her back to her chair and waited with baited breath as she slowly prised the lid from the silver plate.

"What's this?" Her voice was high and squeaky as she noticed the diamond engagement ring that rested on top of the strawberry on her large slice of chocolate fudge cake. It was beautiful; one large diamond rested on a silver band and was surrounded by a line of smaller diamonds on either side.

"Elena," he murmured shakily, sliding down from his chair as one of his knees connected with the floor. He reached up and took the ring between his fingers as he held it up to her. "Some people may think that this is too soon and I know we've only been together for a year but, when you know, you know, right? I love you with everything that I have and I know that you're the only woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. So, what I'm really asking is, will you marry me?"

Elena opened her mouth, a gasp falling from her lips as the tears began to overflow from her doe eyes. "Yes."

Damon's shoulders sagged as he slowly slid the ring onto her fourth finger. He pressed a kiss to her fingertip before arching off the ground and connecting their lips together in a passionate kiss.

"Ugh, I'm so tired," Damon groaned, collapsing onto their king-sized bed. He threw his arm over his eyes in exhaustion as Elena clattered around in the bathroom. "Birthdays are so much effort, I'm kind of glad mine is over."

"It's not over yet," Elena countered, leaning against the door-jamb of their en suite bathroom.

The husky undertone in her voice had him removing his arm from his eyes as he propped himself up onto his elbows. His breath caught in his throat and he gulped audibly. "Oh, no," he groaned.

She was... a temptress. Her black negligee skimmed the tops of her thighs and the transparent material allowed him to see the itty bitty panties she was wearing underneath. His eyes trailed up her long legs, over her flat stomach and paused on her impressive cleavage. The bustier pushed her enlarged breasts up and provided him with a delicious image to feast his eyes upon. After a few minutes of staring at her chest, he followed the curls of her hair until he laid his eyes on her heart-shaped face. Her lips looked plump and luscious but it was her eyes that captivated him; the darker shade of brown that portrayed her lust and the fluttering of her long eyelashes had the material of his pants tightening around his crotch.

"Oh, yes," she whispered saucily, stalking towards him. He remained immobile on the bed; his brain was too entranced by the sight of her to control his legs.

"No," he choked when she knelt on the bed and slowly prowled towards him. "You haven't been cleared for sexual activities."

He leaned his lips away from hers, groaning in protest when she nipped at his jaw line. "I know my own body, Damon," she reassured him, her fingers slowly pushing his T-shirt up his abdomen.

"We can't," he panted. "I could hurt you."

"You won't," she refuted, sliding her hips over his until he writhed beneath her. "Let me be in control and, if it's too much, we'll stop."

He started to shake his head, ready to deny her request but then he looked into her earnest chocolate eyes and he was gone. "Okay."

Elena grinned happily and gently urged him to remove his shirt. Her hands fell onto his bare flesh, memorising every contour and dip she could find. Her lips followed her fingers and soon, she had kissed every part of his skin that had been uncovered. During her assault, his hands had not been idle and had been constantly skimming along her sides, his touch igniting a fire beneath her skin.

She arched off his chest, her deft fingers moving to his pants as she flicked open the button and pulled down the zip. She moved from the bed and, ignoring his laughs at her efforts, tugged his jeans off his legs from his ankles. His underwear were close to follow and then, she was straddling his naked body. She ground her hips against his, gently teasing him as his eyes fluttered shut in pleasure.

After a few more rolls of her hips, his blue eyes were suddenly on her as he purred, "I need to see you, now."

Elena raised her arms dutifully as he swept the lace up the length of her body before throwing it to the side; it was forgotten before it touched the floor. His hands moved to her hips, attempting to lift her from his lap when she gently pushed his hands down.

With a devilishness smile, she slid his hands down to the sides of her panties. "Tearaway sides for easy access."

"You will be the death of me!" he grunted, his fingers tugging experimentally at the seam of her panties. With one swift pull, he had her panties in his hands as her warm core settled onto the tip of his erection. "Oh, God!"

Elena grasped his biceps tightly as she slowly moved over him, the head of his penis gently nudging at her entrance. With a deep breath, she slowly lowered herself down onto his length and winced slightly when he slipped further inside of her.

"Elena," he whispered painfully, palming her cheek. "We can stop."

"No," she shook her head. "I'm okay, just a bit sensitive."

Damon's hands cupped her breasts, gently flicking his thumbs across her erect peaks in the hopes that it would distract her from the sensitivity of her core. After a few more rocks of her hips, he was fully seated within her and he sighed in pleasure. "Elena!"

"Need a minute," she panted, requiring a moment to readjust to the feeling of having Damon inside of her. With one of Damon's hands on her waist, she began to gently roll her hips against his as she slowly raised herself from his erection before sinking down again.

Their love-making was slow and intense and, as Damon lowered her onto his chest, their lips finally met in a tender kiss. Their bodies moved together fluidly and, as their orgasms peaked, they stared into each other's eyes intently.

An article had brought them together but when they met each other's gaze, no words were needed, not when the love was tangible in the air between them.

The End.

Thank you all for your continued support of this story, it would not have been the success it was without all of you lovely readers! To all my reviewers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your thoughts with me, they really inspired me to keep on writing with this story! Another massive thank you and I'd love to hear your thoughts, one last time! Amy xo

Twitter: amygerrard