Through Rivalry Comes Love

Chapter 10

His hands were everywhere in those next few minutes. Her hips, her back, her arms, and eventually in her hair.

And she was completely, and willingly, helpless to his touch. She felt her breathing become just a bit erratic as she felt him undo the first button on her coat. His teeth scraped against the bottom of her ear and she let out the tiniest gasp, one that he appreciated. "I heard that" he whispered. He finished unbuttoning her jacket for her while she clung to his shirt to keep herself from collapsing.

Elena silently cursed herself for showing her appreciation. She was a panting, gasping mess at his mercy and he was loving every minute of it. But in all honesty, so was she. "You're arrogant" she told him, aware that his hands were on the move again. This time, they were playing with the hem of her shirt.

Stefan chuckled deep in his throat as he kissed her lips playfully. He had been so busy working on her ear and neck that he had neglected her lips for far too long now. "I think you like my arrogance" he mumbled against her lips.

Elena groaned. "Just shut up and kiss me" she told him, becoming entirely too impatient with him. When his lips crashed against hers again, she felt herself moving backwards as he pushed her. Her back hit the wall in his living room with a thud.

Stefan couldn't help the smile that formed as he had Elena pinned against the wall. Slowly, his hands made their way under her shirt, getting ready to do some serious exploring. "I'd kiss you all night if you let me" he whispered.

Could she let him? Elena wouldn't deny that she was enjoying this moment with Stefan, but when she felt his kisses become needier and his hands begin to move their way up her stomach, something told her she had to stop it. It was wrong, even if it felt so right. If she let it go too far, it might be too late. "Stefan" she said breathlessly.

"Hmm?" he asked, trailing his lips down her chin and down to her shoulder.

Elena opened her eyes and sighed. Damn him for doing this to her. "Please stop" she said quietly.

She felt his lips peel away from her skin as he stepped back some, leaving a gap between them. She couldn't tell if he was hurt or mad or what. "What's wrong?" he asked finally.

Elena let her head fall back against the wall and closed her eyes. "This is wrong" she told him.

"Wrong?" he asked. He never would have picked up on that from her earlier. "What's so wrong about two people wanting to feel something?" he asked.

Elena opened her eyes suddenly and found that he was staring at her intently, waiting for her answer like her answer was important. Maybe it was to him. "Despite what you think about my relationship, I'm still in one" Elena told him. "I can't do this, because I am with someone else." Stefan perked up a bit. She hadn't said she didn't want to do it, just that she couldn't. "Go ahead, criticize me" she told him, feeling the need to get a little defensive.

But Stefan just shook his head slowly. "I admire you" he told her. "It sucks, but ..." he said, cracking a smile that she couldn't help return. "You're a better person than I am" he said, stepping away from her again and turning away from her, running his hand through his messy hair.

"I don't know if that's true" Elena said. She wondered why he would say that, but decided to let it go. She had something else to ask about. "Stefan?" she asked. "I don't understand how your company is doing so poorly. Your profit should still be stable enough to continue growth, despite some recent losses" she said. It was bothering her the more she thought about it.

His back was still to her as he walked away from her, out of the room. Elena stood where she was, wondering if she had stepped over her boundaries. She shouldn't have asked. Nervously, she looked around his apartment before deciding it was best that she go.