Must Love Dogs

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Klaus tossed his phone on to the ground, hearing it drop as he smiled against Caroline warm lips before he added. "As much time as we need, love."

Three days. That was how long Elena had been back home in Portland. And, surely everything still looked the same. The evergreen trees were just a bit more darker than usual from the heavy rains the city had gotten. However, the sounds of traffic blaring and people yelling outside of her apartment window at night made Elena miss the quieter suburbs of Aunt Jenna's house. Portland was busy, with a night life that she had taken part in throughout her life since she had practically grown up in the city. Portland was home. But, why was it that over the last three days since she had been back, that she was feeling out of place in her own hometown?

"We should go out and explore everything. Maybe dinner at Fireside on 23rd avenue. I know how much you've probably missed their desserts. Like that chocolate pot de crème. And then we could do happy hour at the Portland City grille?" Bonnie asked, a hopeful tone in her voice as she turned to glance at Elena who was wiping her wet hands with a kitchen towel, staring out into her bland and unfurnished living room.

"What was I thinking when I talked my mom into helping me buy my own place? Bon, I hate how loud it is here." Elena commented absentmindedly, her voice sounding as if she wasn't in the bare and new kitchen of her apartment with her best friend at all. She seemed miles away.

"What's going on with you? This is the place you told Jeremy and I to go look at. Honey, we sent you pictures, and you made us look at it three times before you asked your mom if she could come up with a down payment to put a hold for it." Bonnie said to her, sighing as she walked around Elena and went to stand in front of her.

"You aren't yourself and it's weird. You being back here is great and I've missed you like hell. But, Elena. You aren't...happy." Bonnie concluded in an observant tone, sighing out a breath and rubbing her hands over her face vigorously.

"I am. I'm trying. But, he's in love with me, Bonnie." Elena admitted, turning her back away from the empty living room, leaning her back against the counter in her kitchen.

"Who?" Bonnie asked, knowing already who it was. Although, she really wanted Elena to say his name out loud and watch her squirm a little bit.

"Stefan. You know, the real estate guy." Elena said, crossing her arms over her chest and closing her eyes, thinking about him. The way his hands ran through her hair, the moistened and tender feeling of his lips upon hers when he kissed her breathlessly. Elena swallowed deeply. She couldn't be thinking about him right now. She had things to do, places to go shopping for actual furniture so that she wasn't sleeping on a blow up bed anymore in the middle of her living room that was supposed to be furnished already. She couldn't be thinking about Stefan, truthfully because she wanted him there with her.

"Let's go." Elena stated, pushing away from the counter and glancing up at Bonnie who was giving her a confused look. "Tell me that you weren't just silently thinking about him."

Elena lied. "Nope, not at all. Now, let's go to Ikea or something. I need furniture and a distraction." Elena remarked softly, slinging her dark blue tote over her shoulder and adjusting her blue hoodie as she tugged down on her jeans, making them cover her black flats.

"I'd love to go to Ikea. So, Ikea it is. Maybe on the drive there, you can tell me all about how Stefan told you he pretty much loved you." Bonnie added happily, smiling over at Elena who was rolling her eyes.

"He said it at the airport three days ago, right before I left. And, who knows if he truly meant it." Elena remembered, closing her eyes as she thought about the previous events that had taken place before he had even dropped her off. A shiver coursed through her body at the thought of his hands all over her in the back seat of his Porsche.