#couples only

The horror was slow to dawn on her, but when it sank in, Caroline couldn't even blink. "Kat, you didn't."

With an incorrigible grin, her complete bitch of a work wife shrugged. "What can I say? That wine we were drinking turned me into a matchmaker. I didn't know you would win the thing, or else I would have put me down to play your significant other."

Caroline looked back to the blinking email on her screen, promising an all-expense paid couples retreat for her and...him. One happy hour of commiserating over the realities of modern dating, and Katherine had taken it upon herself to help her get a man. And not just any man, but one she loathed to the point to banning him from his own sibling's home in case she was there. Of course, Kat merely considered the antagonistic banter they tended to fall into foreplay. That fated night, she'd also made accounts under their names (and Caroline's work email) for a Vegas wedding chapel, a Target registry, and a Twitter handle for their 'ship.' 

But she'd checked the details of the company hosting the retreat, and everything seemed legit. "I'm not going."

"It's two weeks on a beach resort, completely free," Katherine pointed out, "you're absolutely going. Even you can put up with Klaus for a free vacation. You'll drink, you'll tan, you'll read all the romance books you could possibly want. If we're lucky, you might even take your eyefucking to the next level and put the rest of us out of our misery. You two are exhausting, always dancing around each other. At the very least, you'll have hopefully relaxed a bit, allowing group hangouts to be less tense when you're both invited."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline reluctantly printed the email. "Well, sure, if it makes your lives easier."

Katherine waved as she went back to her own desk. "Don't forget to share the dirty details afterward!"

She ducked her head into her hands, not quite sure if there was any good way to spill the beans that she'd been sitting on a lot of details for far too long. And then her phone buzzed, if only to remind her of the secrets she'd been keeping.

The Devil: I don't know how your friend Katherine got my phone number, but I'm to mark off two weeks in my calendar, then ask you about a beach. Dare I? I find I like the idea of you in a bikini.

Biting her lip, she immediately tapped into her photos to send him a picture of her in a dressing room, trying on her favorite swimsuit.

Caroline: It hasn't even gotten wet yet.

The Devil: We can work on that if you'd like. Am I still seeing you later?

Caroline: After what Kat pulled? Absolutely. You're not going to believe it when I tell you.

Caroline tucked her phone away, knowing from experience that a few minutes of texting Klaus could suck up her entire afternoon - not that anyone was allowed to know about it, or how excited she might have been for the opportunity Kat had dropped in front of them. 

"No, Shoot, I can't. I don't know how. Can't we just... “ ( ˊᵕˋ )♡.°⑅

Part I & Part II

“You didn’t have to pick me up, this isn’t a date. We don’t date.”

Klaus leaned against her front doorway, an exasperated look already on his face. “That hardly means we can’t share a cab to the airport, sweetheart. Friends share cabs.”

Clutching her suitcase and carry-ons, Caroline couldn’t help narrowing her eyes. “Excuse you, we’re not friends.”

“Ah, yes,“ he sighed and hung his head. After a long moment of silence, he peered up at her with a sudden determination. "And here I thought your rules might not apply to an island getaway. A getaway you invited me on.”

“Technically, Kat invited you. I’m just agreeing to get some sun and pampering on someone else’s dime.” It was a weak argument even to her own misgivings on why she was really going through with this sham of a couples retreat. Or, lack of a sham. She hadn’t actually come to any conclusions over the weeks since Kat broke the news, despite hours and multiple bottles of wine devoted to the problem. If she were being honest, there was a vague hope in her heart that two weeks away from their insanely tight-knit (and highly opinionated) group of friends and family would help them get a grip on whatever…this was. 

He seemed to be chewing on his lip, not willing to be the first to look away. For all his many, many faults, directness and how assured he was in pursuing her weren’t on the list - which left her yearning to step into him and let herself embrace what they could have together. As though he could see the indecision she was constantly fighting, he finally gave a familiar smirk that unfairly made the best use of his dimples. "Whatever you need to tell yourself. Are you ready to go?”

After a second’s hesitation, she rolled her heaviest suitcase toward him. “We’re stopping for coffee. I refuse to wait in line at the airport Starbucks.”

“Of course, love." 

Caroline wanted to hate the rush of affection inspired by his beleaguered (yet acquiescing) tone, as well as the warmth of his hand at her back the whole way to the cab. Lord help her, but Klaus Mikaelson just might have gotten under her skin to stay.