Go TeamC/A
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Part 3 - Encounters of the Close Kind The first thing she noticed when she woke up was the large, powerful hand curled around her breast firmly. The second thing she noticed was a heavy leg once again wrapped over her thigh and the third thing she noticed was his other hand dipping down her pyjama bottoms to cup her ass.
Angel was so close to her that Cordelia swore she could hear the phantom beating of his still heart through his naked chest. His lips were placed softly in the crook of her neck, his hands were holding things he shouldn't be holding and his hips were cradling hers. She didn't dare move a muscle just in case she woke him up or things started responding again.
Biting her lower lip, the brunette took a chance and tried to slide out of his full body grasp. Cordelia attempted to roll herself to the side, hoping his leg would simply fall off her body. Gaining an inch away from the vampire, she suddenly lay still as the temptation to stay warm and protected ran through her. Turning back to face him, she relaxed a little and settled back down.
Just for a moment she thought contentedly, just for a moment.***
About half an hour later Cordelia woke back up to find herself laying in an empty bed and the sheets tucked tightly round her. Hazel eyes blinked as she sat up, pushing the blankets off her and got out of bed. “Angel?” she called out, following the delectable scent of cooking food to the kitchen.
He heard her getting up and the pitter-patter of her feet sounding on the floor, heard her heart quickening and her breathing deepen. Sighing, Angel turned around to face the flushed brunette and held up a utensil. “Eggs” he explained “Scrambled eggs with toast. I was, um, gonna make you breakfast in bed”
“Like that would get you off the hook?” Cordelia deadpanned, folding her arms derisively across her chest. “You got grabby again"
"Did I?" Angel asked distractedly as he turned back to his cooking, since his back was facing her she didn't see the dreamy smile floating across his face. He'd felt pretty darn pleased with himself when he woke up seeing Cordelia snug in his arms and sleeping soundly, he'd literally had to tear himself away to make her breakfast. If he hadn't gotten out of bed, then he figured he'd be up for another and much more heated discussion than yesterday. "I was asleep so I can't apologise for an innocent move"
"I also noticed my dividing equator was missing in action" she commented lightly and inspected her nails. She really needed a manicure before her nails got totally ruined.
"I think we should keep this between ourselves" Angel remarked, ignoring her comment about the missing pillows that were meant to keep them apart during the night.
"Keep what to ourselves? Your pervy midnight gropage or your removing my barrier?!" Cordelia asked pointedly as she thought more about her nails and much needed manicure.
"The pillows were uncomfortable for me, I have a bigger body than you and need more space" came his words. "And I meant the fact that we're sleeping together"
"First off, you would have more space if either you slept on the couch or you let me sleep on the couch. Second of all, we're not sleeping together in that sense, we're just sharing a bed until I get my own place and why do you want to keep it a secret if it's innocent?" sometimes she prided herself on being able to turn his words back on him.
"I meant that Doyle likes you Cordelia" Angel countered and finally turned to look at her, "It would hurt him to know that you're with me" and she was with him whether she wanted to admit it or not. She responded to every single touch he made last night, she'd arched into his hands as he caressed her breasts and she kissed him back. Her legs had parted, allowing him to lay between them and she'd held him in return. She was his.
"Doyle only likes me because no other female has caught his eye yet" Cordelia countered knowingly "And he knows that our flirting is just that. Flirting. Another thing, I'm not with you Angel" who was she trying to convince? She wasn't so naïve that she didn't know her own body's reaction and she knew that she'd melted into him last night. Wanting and having were very different things and she couldn't have him because he wasn't hers to have, that was without having the curse to worry about.
But you are with me Angel wanted to yell at her but he decided to wait a little longer before making her believe that, right now it was still too soon and she wasn't all that comfortable around him yet. That would change and Cordelia wouldn't want to be away from him and he couldn't wait to have so completely. Lord he wanted her!
"I know we're not 'together' together" he said instead, "But I still don't want Doyle thinking that I've, you know, gone after who he wants"
"If you did that, you'd be chasing anything in a skirt and heels!" Cordelia remarked with a wry grin at the Irishman's womanising ways. "Now that I mention it, remind me to wear pants will ya?"
Angel cracked an equally wry smile, his lips curling up slightly at one corner with the truth in her words. As a man, he knew what Doyle was like with the female species and he just put it down to the Irish blood in the half demon. "I don't think skirts have anything to do with it, I think as long as the woman has a firm pair of breasts then nothing else matters"
"Well, you'd know about the firmness of my breasts" Oh. My. God. Please tell me I didn't just say that! "Um" Cordelia murmured with wide eyed horror at her own words. "What I mean is…"
"I know what you mean. About your breasts that is" Angel's eyes landed on her blue flannel covered chest, heaving with embarrassed breaths. Plump, full and still pert with her nineteen years, she was warm and alive in every way. When he'd awoke to see her fitted fully against him, he'd felt something so much more than sexual response, he'd been honoured that she felt safe enough to leave herself in such a vulnerable way around him. A vampire with a horrendous past and countless victims to his names, she'd slept almost loving by his side.
Just for a while, he'd held her in total rapture with every part of his being captured by the innocence of his girl. The demon within had purred, content to have his latest obsession so close, the soul had healed some and the man had his heart captured in an instant.
"Can we not talk about my breasts please? I haven't even had breakfast yet and don't feel like I can cope with man talk" Cordelia asked hopefully. "I still haven't forgiven you for taking advantage of me buster and you have some making up to do"
"I've already said I can't apologise for an innocent touch I made while I was asleep" Angel repeated his earlier words again. A burning smell lit the air causing the vampire to gasp in shock and turn quickly to the now ruined scrambled eggs. "Fuck!" he swore under his breath, he really wanted the first breakfast he made her to come out right and he'd screwed it up.
"Did you just swear?" Cordelia asked in shock, she'd never really heard him curse like that before and it was sort of good that he wasn't the total gentleman he made himself out to be. "Cool!" she exclaimed with a grin and bounded over to take a seat at the kitchen table. "But innocent touch or not, you're still making it up to me Angel"
"What do you want me to do?" came his automatic answer as he scraped the semi-burnt eggs onto a plate for her. "They're kind of burnt"
"Still be better than what I could do. Gimme!" Cordelia replied with a happy smile and waited for her yummy breakfast to be served. "I need something and you could use that as a way to get me to forgive your, I quote, innocent touch, unquote"
"What do you need?" Angel placed the plate of scrambled eggs down in front of her and sat opposite her. If she needed something she should know that she shouldn't have to ask, he'd give it to her.
"A manicure!"***
Later that afternoon, Doyle sat watching as Cordelia hummed to herself and typed away in complete exaggeration. A quirky grin flickered at the corners of his mouth as he continued to watch her and his eyebrows began to rise when the brunette started to make a show of pushing her hair behind her ears. Was he supposed to be… Ah! The nails.
"Nice colour Princess" the half demon complimented with a nudge of his head, "Just get em done?" Pretending to have forgotten all about her delicious new manicure, Cordelia beamed and admired her French manicured nails. "Yeah, about three hours ago. I so needed it, I thought I was gonna need a scratching post when I woke up this morning"
"Nah, all ya need is a good back claw!" Doyle commented with a cheeky smile and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sprawling on the couch closest to her desk, the Irishman peered through the open blinds of Angel's office and noticed the vampire sitting with a tiny but knowing smile. "What's up with the big guy this morning?"
"Who Angel?" she asked, purposely distracting herself "Who knows, he's probably got some unsuspecting blonde on his brain" or was it a brunette? She wasn't naïve, she knew male interest when she saw it and she'd seen enough of it in the last two days from the vampire directed towards her.
"Uh-huh. You're humming, he's smiling. Don't tell me the vamp with the over hangin forehead's stole your heart" Doyle commented dryly and knowingly. He wasn't stupid, he knew when something was up and he guessed it was Angel! He couldn't blame the vampire, Cordelia was single and was one hell of a female, if he was seriously interested in her then he'd be in there telling Angel to back off. As it was, Doyle had a suspicion that he didn't have clue about women and this woman in particular. He had his work cut out for him here.
"Pfft!" Cordelia waved his correct assumptions away with a flick of her slender wrist, keeping her eyes focused on the computer screen while she clicked on the online shoe shopping button. "Please, Angel and I have a professional relationship and a professional relationship alone"
A loud cough came from the office, disturbing both Doyle and Cordelia.
"The boss-secretary thing could be kinky" he Commented.
Was that a loud purr coming from the office? As if on cue, Angel appeared at the doorway to his office with an unreadable look on his handsome face. His eyes immediately went from Doyle to Cordelia where he proceeded to undress her in a second before turning his gaze back to his seer.
"You are such a pervert you know that?" Cordelia stated rather than asked. She graced the vampire with a smug look and smirked slightly. So what if he gave her the best manicure and arm massage she'd ever had, he still needed to pay for groping her during her beauty sleep. "You wanna go get some lunch? I'm hungry"
"I could do lunch, I take it I'm buyin?" it was Doyle's turn to make a statement in form of question. Dragging himself up off the couch, he stretched and wondered why she was suddenly being overly nice to him. Refraining from asking, he put two and two together coming up with four, he sent a sad look towards his buddy. Angel was really in the doghouse for something that much was obvious, but what he was in the doghouse for had Doyle's brain ticking over.
"I thought you had invoices to go over" Angel spoke gruffly, stopping Cordelia's moving towards the door. She was his, what did Doyle think he was doing? Didn't he know what pissed off vampires were capable of when their girls were escorted to lunch by perfectly nice half demons?!
"I can do them when I get back, I do need a food break you know" Cordelia responded, pleased that her effort to make him jealous was working like a charm. "I can't work on an empty stomach Angel and besides, it's against the rules for you to be a slave driver"
"Who's rules?"
"Mine!" Cordelia simply blew him a cheeky kiss, grabbed Doyle by his arm and all but dragged him out the door.***
"Okay" she mouthed at her reflection "You can do this. Just go out there, say you're sleeping on the couch and stick to your guns Cor. He's not that persuasive, you could have slept on the couch for the last two nights but you were weak. Remember what happened the last time you got weak over a guy?"
"That's right" she told herself, "Xander Harris happened, look where that got you and he wasn't even a vampire with a rebellious past. No-one else's guy equals bad. Someone else's guy equals bad and bodily harm if she ever finds out"
Tugging her pyjamas into place, Cordelia wiped the remnants of eye make-up remover away with a cotton wool pad before discarding it. Her mind completely made up about sleeping on the couch, she left the bathroom with a firm and unchanging mind. The brunette breezed through the bathroom and straight to the couch, determined to lie about not being tired and fall asleep on the couch.
"Are you coming to bed?" Angel asked, shamelessly walking around in nothing but boxer shorts that clung to the tops of his solid thighs and a muscle shirt that practically stuck to the expansive brick wall-like chest. The vampire sat next to her on the couch, frowning when she inched away from him and putting distance between them. His demon growled in anger, his soul hurt and the man was just confused.
"Not yet, I'm pretty wide awake actually which is unusual for me" she replied, bending her arm she tucked her head into the curve of her elbow and brought her knees up to her chest, hoping he'd just leave her alone and go find someone else to want in his bed. She could lie to him, she could lie to Doyle and everyone else, but she could not lie to herself. That was something she'd never ever do, it just wasn't her style.
She didn't want him to go find anybody else to have in his bed, she wanted to be in his bed but she couldn't take the risk of him hurting her or her ending up with another rebar through her stomach. Unconsciously, Cordelia let her free hand drop down to where her scar marred the left side of her stomach and felt the haunting pain from her injury.
"You want me to make you some hot chocolate?" Angel asked with a deepening frown as he watched a wave of saddened thought dull the brightness in the melted caramel eyes he loved so much. Talk to me Cordy, don't keep me out.
"No thanks, if you're tired Angel go to bed" she told him with a forced smile, it was true she was wide awake. If she fell asleep then she'd lose more of herself into him and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to help herself if that happened.
"I'm not tired either" he replied, refusing to go too bed while she was in a place that made her sad. He wouldn't leave her like this, he wouldn't leave her at all. "I know what you need, come here"
Cordelia looked at him sceptically, "Why?"
"Don't argue" Angel told her with a roll of his eyes, "Just come here" lifting his arm invitingly he watched as a momentary flash of self fear wash through her eyes before trust in him made her move towards him. The demon sighed, the soul felt and the man smirked!
Closing the distance she'd put between them, Cordelia shifted into his protection and just let herself be held. How could she think that Angel would ever hurt her? Guilt passed through her but it was a fear she couldn't help. Though she'd had countless boyfriends only one of them had been serious and he'd managed to get her impaled, so yes she couldn't help but be afraid. Not of Angel but of the thought of being close to someone in that way.
Looking down at the girl now in his arms, Angel watched as her eyes fluttered as she battled sudden tiredness and forced herself not to relax into his embrace. "Close your eyes Cordy, you're tired sweetheart" his arm curled around her side hugging her tightly. Fingers stroked the visible skin of her inner wrist gently before he moved his hand down to rest on the outside of her hip still stroking calmly.
"That's the first time you've called me Cordy" she pointed out, "I like it"
"Cordelia… Cordy… Cor" he tested her name in all forms and relished the way her name rolled off his tongue and how it sounded coming from his voice. He liked it too. "Sweetheart… Baby… Cupcake… Darling…!"
"Don't even think about it" she warned seriously before yawning, she snuggled down against him a little more and totally relaxed. Her body became softer, her muscles became lax and her breathing gradually evened out. Angel tilted her head to a better angle and pressed his lips against hers so softly, eliciting an agreeing moan from her.
"Bedtime" he whispered as he gathered her up and cradling her to his chest to carry her to his bed, careful not to wake her up. Angel laid her down on his side for a change, though he'd already turned the blankets down on her side he wanted her scent to be all over his bed and his pillows. After he'd settled Cordelia, he took off his shirt and lay down next to her, preparing to just watch her sleeping.
"Angel" the whispered and dreamy sigh that was his name brought a grin to his face, turning fully into her as he had done the last two nights Angel went to curl around her when she did it this time. Her hands smoothed up his chest and over his shoulders, a long slender leg wrapped round his waist and she brought him close.
"Lets see what you make of your innocent touching baby cakes!" he commented around a mouthful of chestnut hair!
Part 4 - Just An Innocent TouchA dark flush coated the dewy skin on her cheeks when she woke early the next morning, okay so she'd had what was probably the best night's sleep of her existence but that didn't excuse the fact her body was once again surrounded by the vampire. Blinking her eyes fully open, Cordelia realised it was more truthful to say the vampire was surrounded by her for a change.
Her hands were locked tightly around his back, his legs were between hers and his hands were resting on the sides of her breasts which were crushed against his chest. Angel was practically laying fully on top of her, between her legs and this really had to stop before things went any further!
Seeing how she was the one wrapped around him this time, Cordelia found it easy to slide out of the grasp and out of bed without disturbing him. Quickly scuttling into the safety of the bathroom, she bolted the lock securely behind her and took a few deep breaths to regain her equilibrium.
A hot shower was sorely needed to get her head straight.
“It was just an innocent touch” she said to her flushed reflection. “It didn't mean anything” but it did mean something and that was the problem. To her, it meant everything and to him, it could mean nothing.***
Having managed to avoid Angel while she took a shower, Cordelia peeked out from around the door before exiting the bathroom with a relieved sigh. Heading over towards the small kitchen with the intention of making herself a sandwich before getting ready.
“Hmm, lets see...” she peered through the cupboards to see what Angel had gotten from the store for her. “A-ha! Peanut butter sandwich. Sounds good to me” she set about completing her task of making a peanut butter sandwich which didn't take long.
Taking the plate through to Angel's bedroom where her comb lay waiting for use on the bedside table, Cordelia popped the plate down on the top sheet and sat down next to it. She heard the shower water turn off and sucked in a breath of courage before she faced Angel and the inevitable teasing she'd no doubt have to endure.
“You're eating in bed?” came his slightly sleep roughened voice. Rubbing the towel through his hair, Angel went to stand in front of her with a severely unimpressed look on his face.
“No, I'm eating on the bed not in it” Cordelia replied after she swallowed a bite. “There's a difference” he looked just like he did when she first arrived at his place. Marble skin wet with tiny droplets of water trickling down to his stomach, teasing her with an erotic sight that left her longing to see more. Boxers clung to the tops of his dampened thighs, black and tight the material hugged him like a second skin. Dark hair messily ruffled and shiny with water, short strands flopping into his equally dark eyes as he leaned towards her.
“The only difference is instead of crumbs being just in the bed, there'll be crumbs around the bed” Angel slightly snapped at her, to irritated to see the expression of want on her heart-shaped face. He dropped the towel onto the floor and snatched the sandwich out of her hand. “If you're hungry, go eat in the kitchen because that's what it's there for!”
"Aurgh! You are so anal Angel, it's just a sandwich and I promise I won't get any crumbs in the bed" she snatched her sandwich back and purposely took a big bite out of it. "Mmmm!"
"Hey!" his annoyed voice cracked as it went to a high-pitched whine, "Stop that!" Angel grabbed the sandwich out of her hand and childishly held it away from her. "You are not eating on or in my bed sweetheart"
Swallowing, she graced him with a tight sarcastic smile "Too late for that, I already did. What ya gonna do about it?" she challenged, wrenching her arm out to take her sandwich back and glared when he moved it further away from her. "That's mine, give it back"
"No!" he stood his ground, there was no way he was letting her eat on or in the bed. It was disgusting! The crumbs would itch and get into places no crumb should ever get into. Not to mention the peanuts, the thought alone of what they could do made him shudder.
"I was eating that!" Cordelia rose up on her knees and planted her hands on her hips, glaring him right in his eyes without flinching from a stone cold glare that had sent grown men running. Hazel eyes flashed with an indignant disposition as she refused to let him tell her where she could and couldn't eat! "I can eat in bed if I want too"
"I thought you were eating on the bed not in it" Angel responded smugly, holding the sandwich over her head and just out of her reach. Kneeling on the bed in front of the brunette, the vampire dangled her half eaten sandwich above her head. "If you want it that bad, take it"
"Give it to me" she demanded though she made no move to take it from him.
His voice lowered to a rich, husky whisper and he inclined closer to her so his lips were mere inches from her parting one. Angel licked his lips and his body began to throb deeply with the sudden close proximity to her. Hot human breath fresh from the toothpaste she used, her mouth was soft and fruity from the lip balm she'd applied and hair slightly wet it looked like passionate perspiration. Chestnut waves grazing the tanned skin on her shoulders and her clothes pulled tight around the hidden delicacy that was her body.
"Take what you want" he challenged back, his male reaction to her was sudden and shocking with the fact he was no longer talking about the sandwich. The physical throbbing increased in strength and the sensations aroused him, making him tight all over. Feeling his flesh tighten as his cock became metal hard, Angel's eyes darkened as that tight feeling blazed right through his entire body. Scenting the natural effect his silent response had on Cordelia, pure female perfume clouded the surrounding air teased man and demon alike.
Liquid honey, sweet and thick, melted between her thighs making her legs tremble; Cordelia instinctively parted her legs and her breathing quickened, hitching in her throat. Never one to back away from a challenge, even with the knowledge it could make her into a loser, she stretched her arm up and curled her hand around his strong wrist. "Give me" her voice was just melodic with provocation yet velvety.
His wrist was pulled down quickly causing the sandwich to skid across the sheets, leaving a small trail of peanut butter on the top sheet. A fracas followed, Cordelia took hold of both wrists trying to keep him from getting his hands on her.
The vampire easily got his hands free of her soft grasp on his wrists, "Uh-uh!" he murmured as he was managed to get one of her hands behind her back. Cordelia slapped her hand onto his chest, trying to prevent him from winning while he fought back. Sheets tangled around them as they battled for dominance, causing Angel to lose his balance and fall on top of her. Her body landed on the soft mattress below with him covering her completely.
His hand slipped off her thigh and under her skirt while the water on his chest caused her hand to slide down his chest to his stomach before stilling.
The slowly simmering heat in his charcoal eyes immediately flared into an inferno when Angel felt the burn of her intimate flesh on his hand. "Oh God…" he swallowed, not removing his hand from that place. Her hot and timid hold around his excitement made him grow harder to her touch.
"Angel" Cordelia whimpered in shock, his hand was holding her entirely and her hand was curled around his shaft. She knew from his expression he could feel the arousal causing her panties to become slightly wet, he knew from the liquidated caramel gaze she could feel his reaction.
A breath of unneeded air was expelled harshly through his clenched jaw as Angel looked down into the golden irises. His fingers moved in a slow circle over her, seeking the place that would make her thaw. Her hips involuntarily reacted to his daring caress, raising up slightly and his fingertips brushed over her clitoris. "Uhm"
Cordelia experimentally grazed her hand along his shaft, nails trailing softly down to where his balls were held securely in place by his underwear. Angel purred out a short groan when the tight feeling in body spread to where she was touching, allowing her to feel the arousal instantly lure his balls up close to the base of his shaft.
Time stood still, the world stopped turning and the room began to spin in dizzying circles as dark eyes bore wickedly into caramel orbs. Lightly stroking her, Angel traced the outline of her labia through the flimsy cotton intent on getting her wetter. Cordelia eased her timid hold down further until her palm was cupping his balls softly with her manicured nails gently tickling the soft skin.
They were too shocked to move, say or do anything other than stare at each other wondering if what they were doing was actually happening. Physical responses were real, the scent of sex was real and the rapidly pounding of her heart was real. His intense maleness was real, the thrill shining in the depths of his charcoal orbs was real and the way he was shaking was real.
"Angel man"
The sound of Doyle's voice bounced down the stairs, breaking through the shock and slicing the tension like a sharp knife.
Cordelia yanked her hand away from his shaft like she'd been burned and pushed Angel off of her. Sitting up, she turned her back on the vampire, desperately trying to get her breathing and heart rate back to semblance of normality. Her thighs were aching and shaking, the apex hot and wet from liquid metal.
Though Angel had no heart to calm, he had the difficult task of willing his body to relax before his seer arrived in his apartment to see him and Cordelia like this. Not that he didn't want to be seen with her like this because he did, it would drive the message that she was his firmly across.
"Angel?" Doyle called out again.
"You better put some sheets on the couch" Cordelia spoke first, her voice a tiny whisper with lingering arousal. "We agreed to keep this between ourselves remember?"
"We did" he choked out, his fingers clenching the sheets below with a white-knuckle grip that was slowly getting as tight as his body. "Cordy"
"Not know okay? Not" she gulped loudly, "Now"
Years of tuning out of his feelings, Angel focused his attention on what he had to do. "Yeah Doyle" he called out, whipping the top sheet off the bed to throw it on the couch "I'm down here"
The dark haired half demon strolled into the vampire's apartment and came to stand at the kitchen table. A movement caught his blue eyes and he turned to see Cordelia waltzing out of Angel's bedroom, running a comb through her slightly damp hair and carrying Angel's wet towel. He watched in confusion, wondering why she was coming out of the vampire's bedroom.
Sighing, she sung the wet towel on the leather chair and her comb on the table "Hey Doyle" she greeted with another sigh. "You ever get that feeling that you just can't shower enough? Like something's happened and you're never going to get clean?"
"What?" Doyle half demanded as he looked at her with an accusing expression.
"I don't even know how I look, the guy doesn't even own a mirror" Cordelia complained giving him a stare full of disbelief. "Like it would kill him to not see himself!"
Since it was the demon's will that gave vampires erections, Angel had a very difficult time calming down enough to go and face Doyle. Walking slightly stiffly out to greet the Irishman and plastering an look as possible on his face, he held up his hand pointedly in Cordelia's direction. "You got peanut butter on the sheets"
A silent agreement to continue the charade, Cordelia looked at him in surprise. "Really? I don't think so" Angel help up his hand pointedly for her to see. Holding her hands up in surrender, she got out of her seat, "I'll look"
"Nononono! Angel man, how could ya?" Doyle asked in a pained voice with an equally pained expression.
"How could I what?" Angel asked, trying to make his innocent look convincing.
"Man, you know I was crazy about her," okay so that was a little bit of an exaggeration but that never hurt anyone did it?! "And I was wearing her down, too. But no, handsome, brooding vampire guy has to swoop in, all sensitive mouth and overhanging forehead"
Self consciously, Angel felt his forehead with a frown while Doyle continued to chastise him for stealing his woman! "How about leaving some scraps for the homely looking fellas who don't turn evil when they get some?"
Indulging the jealous half demon, Angel kept up the pretence he and Cordelia had agreed upon. "Cordelia stayed over because something's wrong with her place. I was on the sofa" he pointed to where the top sheet lay haphazardly on the couch.
"Oh" Doyle nodded, "That's okay I suppose"
Raising an eyebrow, the vampire went to ask what gave Doyle the impression he could dictate what was okay for him to do with his girl. Before he could, Cordelia sauntered back into the bedroom in a new outfit. "Angel, at some point in the recent history you got peanut butter on your bed, and it's gross. I think you're gonna have to change the sheets"
"I don't eat" he was not going to get into this with her, she was the one who'd been eating in and on the bed and she was the one who put it there though technically he was the one who dropped the sandwich but that was besides the point!
"Well then, I don't even want to know how it got there" Cordelia told him with a grossed out expression crinkling her face up slightly.***
Angel had been watching Cordelia's interraction with Doyle in simmering rage, all day she had flirted, bantered and openly displayed affection towards the half demon. He knew she was doing it on purpose, for what reason he didn't know. He could only gather she was trying to make him jealous and that was what he didn't quite get.
She should know from this morning's encounter that he wanted her, so why was she trying to make him jealous? Was she attempting to prove something to him or to herself? He didn't know, all Angel knew was that it was pissing him off.
Cordelia kept slapping Doyle's shoulder, laughing with him and smiling flirtatiously all day and he'd had to think of his most violent crime to take his mind off her little game. Angel had closed the door to his office and pulled the blinds down, desperately attempting to block out the sounds of her exaggerated but musical laughter and his seer's response.
Although he knew Doyle wasn't into Cordelia seriously, he was still getting turned on by her behavior and it was driving him insane. His demon was going nuts, the constant internal battle harder then normal while his soul just hurt over her lack of faith in his obvious want of her.
Did she think he thought that little of her? Did she honestly think he'd hurt her the way other people had? Again, Angel didn't know but he intended to figure out what she thought she was playing at.***
The day had passed just as quickly as the others had that week and before she knew it, she was staring at the bed with a nervous look on her face. Cordelia took a deep breath and reminded herself not to give in this time and stick to her guns about sleeping apart from him. Her whole body and soul screamed out in protest at being denied the safety, security and touch of the vampire while her brain agreed entirely with her decision.
Today had gone past the line of closeness, progressing into the danger zone and that was precisely the reason why she wanted to sleep apart from him tonight. "Tomorrow" she whispered thickly, "Tomorrow I'm gonna look for my own place"
Carefully approaching her, Angel coughed softly to garner her attention "You ready to go to sleep, sweetheart?" he asked softly.
“Don't call me that” her voice had also dropped an octave, the words had meant to come out firm but instead had come out on a wave of heated liquid. There was something about the way he called her by that pet name that made her sizzle. Cordelia visibly swallowed the lump of yearning in her throat and Angel's eyes warmed up with the sudden rise in temperature in the room.
“I like calling you that, sweetheart” his flesh seemed to burn with ice cold heated contradictions he was getting from her. One minute she was too hot for him and the next she was so cold he feared he'd freeze. Brushing up against her as he walked past, Angel turned the sheets on the bed down while keeping his gaze pinned on hers.
Cordelia's skin rose up in goosepimples from the sensation of being undressed by his piercing gaze. Brown eyes melting her, slowly dissolving the icy barricade she'd worked so hard to build up around her heart.
“I don't, it's too personal”
“And us sleeping together isn't?” Angel asked, his voice growing rough when the same physical throbs from earlier came rushing back. Tilting. “It was just an innocent touch sweetheart” his rough voice dropped to a raspy whisper. “Just an innocent touch”
How could an innocent touch be so intimate? It couldn't and they both knew it was only Cordelia frantically denying the closing intimacy between them.
"Come to bed Cordy, I won't hurt you" they both knew he didn't just mean physically, but it was the truth. While he was with her, she'd never have to fear anything ever again, least of all getting hurt and he'd never do anything to ruin this. "Let me hold you tonight"
"I can't, Angel" Cordelia denied with a shake of her head, "If you won't sleep on the couch then I will" with those words the brunette turned to walk towards the couch and away from temptation.
Something inside him snapped, Angel caught up with her and spun her round to make her look at him. Deep set fury gleamed in the gun metal black orbs as he all but snarled down at her, seething with the fact she dare deny she was his. "You won't sleep on the couch" he growled at her, the muscles in his taut jaw twitched with control. The vampire hauled her over his shoulder and slung her onto the bed, crawling over her body only to look at her.
Cordelia couldn't breathe, her eyes were so wide they looked like they would swallow her face, her lips were open and unnoticeable pants of air escaped without her knowledge. Her heart was slamming in a bruising staccato against her ribcage and her body reacted with vicious arousal that sent stinging shockwaves straight to her core.
"You won't sleep anywhere but my bed, sweetheart" Angel growled deeply, "And my bed only"
Part 5 - Innocent KissOne moment she had been heading towards the couch and the next she was on the bed with him blanketing her body with his. Her hands were placed firmly at either side of her head, pinned down securely in his unrelenting hold, their fingers loosely entwining and lips barely millimetres away. Cordelia's startled toffee eyes locked onto Angel's blazing gaze, searching for answers to his sudden burst of possessiveness.
A foreshock of made her tense body quiver as the sheer intensity of what was happening crashed down. If she had any doubts about who he wanted, they were long gone now. The physical sign of his craving was evidently pressing against her stomach and it was clearly obvious he wasn't thinking about Buffy.
The quick, panting breaths made her mouth dry, rapid heartbeat thumped wildly in her chest and the furious speed of her blood flow had her pulse hammering with the velocity. Pupils dilated, black orbs swallowing the toffee irises in a wave of desire, her fingers flexed in his hands and made him respond in kind.
Blackened eyes tinted with molten lava turned the hypnotic gaze into untamed tigers eyes as Angel reacted to her. Large, cool hands gripped the small delicate feminine ones in a hardening grip with a silent promise to never let go. Naturally tinted lips brushed her rose pink pliant mouth, inhaling her soft and warm breath, taking the oxygen from her and making it a part of him. Like a gentle wind, the vampire's mouth breezed over hers barely touching except to bestow the most innocent caress on her lower pouting lip.
One transparent moan floated out on an expelled cloud of warm air, Cordelia tilted her face up slightly bringing her lips closer to his. Tongue darting out of her mouth to moisten her drying lips in unconscious preparation for a drugging kiss. His upper lip was captured between hers and her bottom pout was a welcome prisoner between his. Massaging caresses prevented spoken words, locked gazes prevented lying and denial, raw male power and female luring prevented escape.
Angel increased the pressure of his wispy touch, enabling him to feel the tiny pulse in her lips beating against his. His hands seized hers in a more firm grasp, making Cordelia return the gesture timidly but eagerly. Warm pretty lips opened up to him, allowing his tongue to explore the inside of the hot cavern of her mouth and giving him a taste that he instantly became addicted too. Absorbing her human heat, he curled his tongue along the sensitive underside of hers and flicked up over the tip of her tongue softly.
Gasping deeply, Cordelia nudged her mouth up harder against silently asking for a deeper touch from him; dipping into the coolness she swirled her tongue all around his searching for what made him groan and repeating the move again. Angel let his hold on one of her hands go, slipping his own to cradle the back of her head and raising her up to meet him.
"Cordelia" her name came for no other reason than the fact he wanted to hear it roll off his tongue as he made her his and he delighted in how it made her react. Just that one word told her just who he was thinking of and it made her feel more than wanted by him.
The soft, tender innocent kiss was forgotten about as the vampire covered her entire mouth with his and drove his tongue deeply into her. Cordelia's fingertips ran through his clean hair, nails gently sliding along his scalp until she reached the nape of his neck where she pulled him further into the sensational French kiss.
Pouring every bit of his personality into it; darkness, hunger, rage, love, sexuality and loneliness Angel let her feel all of who and what he was without fearing judgement. Like him, she gave every bit of who she was to him; light, love, innocence, fear, heart and a loneliness to rival his own. Just this once, Cordelia let herself melt, let herself become lost in what he gave her and asked it all over again.
He was hard and she was hot, he craved and she gave, she needed and he was there, she wanted and he offered.
He felt her need for air, reluctantly and gradually pulling away from her mouth Angel watched in fascination as Cordelia's breasts heaved with gulped in oxygen he had stolen. "Oh my God!"
"It was just an innocent kiss" Angel whispered against her panting mouth before sliding his body off the top of her to lay contentedly next to his shaken and stirred girl. "A very nice and innocent kiss." Turning her easily onto her side, he ran his fingertips along the curve of her flushed cheek and swept the pad of his thumb across her swollen lips, soothing the fiery burning there.
She was severely tempted to ask for another innocent kiss but she managed to restrain herself somehow, knowing they couldn't go any further and they would if they kissed again. Reaching out to Angel, Cordelia pressed her palms on his chest and felt him flex the pectoral muscles in a classic sign of showing off. He was her friend, she trusted him and knew he wouldn't hurt her, she hoped he wouldn't hurt her anyway.
Could she be with him though they couldn't make love? His kiss alone could sate her for the rest of her life and after his response, she didn't doubt his desire or developing feelings for her. Maybe, just maybe, they could have something. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia took a chance on Angel.
Watching with trepidation, the vampire saw and heard the silent debate going on in her head, hoping she would give him a chance to love her like she deserved. He made the mistake of giving up on love once, he wouldn't make the same mistake with her, the thought alone of either her or him leaving was enough to make him sick.
"Did you just flex?" Cordelia asked with a shy smile he'd never seen directed at him before, her eyes battered sleepily and flirtatiously while she stifled a yawn.
At her words, Angel felt a spark of hope stir within him and a smile threatened to break across his face. "No" he denied when he dared speak, thankful the words in his head didn't come out of his mouth.
"Um-hmm" she gave him a disbelieving look and curled up into a half foetal ball closer to him, "I know you're a vampire with ungodly sleeping habits and all so if you stay up, don't you dare wake me because I'm tired"
"I'm pretty tired too, I think I'll stay here with you under the covers" Angel declined leaving her, if he did that then there'd be no more innocent kisses or innocent touches. Toying lazily with loose strands of chestnut satin, he bit his lip a little nervously as he broached the subject of his curse, sex and Doyle.
"I'm sorry I can't give you anything more" he doubted he'd ever said a more sincere apology in his existence.
"Trust me Angel, I can live without that" Cordelia told him in complete honesty with a secret telling smile that told him why she could live without sex. Her fluttering eyes slowly drifted closed as sleep began to take her over.
Returning her secret smile with an acknowledging one, Angel got to the next point not realising she'd fell asleep. "What about Doyle? A-are you sure he doesn't like you… Cordelia? Cordy? Sweetheart?" taking in the even breaths, the slowing heart rate and her muscles relaxing, he rolled his eyes. "So much for the guy falling asleep" he muttered.***
Whistling a cheery tune, Doyle strolled into the office at his usual time and announced his presence in the usual way. "Angel man, you here?!"
Granting him with a sarcastic glare, "Good morning to you too Cordy!" Cordelia greeted herself in a pathetic and shameful Irish accent. "Morning Doyle, how are you today? Fine thanks for asking Cordy, and how might you be this morning? I'm fine and dandy Doyle, it's so good to know you care!" she set her newspaper aside to fix him with an expectant stare.
"How is my Princess this morning?" the half demon indulged her with a smile as he flopped down on the chaise lounge near her desk.
Scowling when he heard how the seer greeted his girl, Angel carefully opened the door to his office and crossed his arms over his chest. His own little demon demanded he remove Doyle's tongue through his nose for expressing his greeting in such an affectionate manner. Brown eyes latched onto the Irishman's blue eyes and gave a silent warning for him to back off. "Morning" he said nicely, "Cordy, is there any coffee?"
"Can I not read my paper in peace anymore?" Cordelia demanded in exasperation, "You know where the coffee pot is Angel, I maybe your secretary but I'm not your slave or housewife!"
"I don't know, you'd pretty fetching in one of them French Maid outfits" Doyle commented with a cheeky wink at the vampire. He knew there was something going on with those two, he could smell it and from the jealousy in his friend's eyes he figured the vampire had finally opened his blinkers. He couldn't wait to get the details off him over a scotch or three.
"Hello!" the brunette waved, getting the attention back to her "Still in the room here, do you think you could talk about me behind my back when I'm not here to hear you? So not wanting to listen to you two perverts go on and on about a teenage girl playing maid, particularly when that teenage girl is me!"
Angel had the decency to look slightly guilty at the thoughts put into his brain by Doyle, "I wasn't…" he tried to worm his way out of being caught.
Cordelia just gave him a pointed stare that told him she didn't believe a word coming out of his mouth at all. "Oh yeah, Angel I need to pop out for a while today while I go see about an apartment. I was thinking Doyle could come with me so you wouldn't have to worry"
Watching the vampire's reaction so carefully, Doyle saw every single emotion cross the normally stoic expression. Confusion came first closely followed by surprise with anger and hurt taking third and fourth places. This was more exciting than the horses on a Saturday afternoon!
"An apartment" Angel stated blankly, "You can stay with me for as long as you need, there's no hurry" she couldn't leave, he wouldn't let her leave, why did she want to leave? Wasn't she happy with him? Did she think he was a mistake? No, he couldn't and wouldn't believe that, there had to be another reason for her wanting to leave.
"I know" she replied, "But after having my own place for so long, I kinda got used to having my independence and I liked being able to stand on my own two feet not to mention living by my own rules. Like eating on or in the bed for instance"
"You could have independence here" the vampire pointed out with restrained anger that seemed to be increasing by the second.
Giving him a stare, Cordelia got out from behind her desk and walked up to the sullen vampire in the doorway. Her hand curled around the physically powerful bicep and made him follow her into his office. Angel flicked the door shut, causing Doyle to stick his ear to the glass before the vampire hit it from the inside.
"Ow!" came the pained yelp.
"Why do you want to leave?" Angel got straight to the problem, an angered hurt-filled expression crossed his features, creating little worry lines around the corners of his eyes and mouth. The cocoa gaze whirled with confusion and misunderstanding, "Aren't you happy?"
Her heart literally melted into a puddle of mush at his kicked puppy dog face, Cordelia shook her head and explained why she wanted her own place. "Of course I'm happy with you and have been for the last 13 hours or so. Technically, we're not even going out or anything but even if we are it's still too soon for me to stay with you. I want my own apartment Angel, a place that's mine you know"
Her toffee eyes lit up as she spoke from her soul, "If I could just have that it would be like I could be me again" she expressed her point with hand gestures that made patterns in the air. "Punishment over, like welcome back to your life"
Confusion over reigned the hurt and anger as the dominant emotion, "Punishment?" Angel enquired with a slight frown, "For what?"
Shrugging, Cordelia cast her eyes downwards in a show of genuine remorse for days gone by, "I dunno, for how I was in high school" toffee eyes raised up to look at him unsurely, as though she might see judgement there. "For everything I said just because I could get away with it. See? It's just like you"
Understanding dawned on him, curling one finger under her chin Angel tilted her face back so he could look into those expressive eyes. "Working for redemption" he said softly, even a girl who had done nothing but be a normal teenager felt she had to work to put right what she didn't do.
"I meant because you used to have that mansion" she wasn't going to openly admit she was sorry for behaving as spoilt brat in school, she wasn't ready to admit she had that many faults to him just yet!
Not believing her superficial answer at all, Angel glanced over his shoulder at the closed door to make sure Doyle wasn't peeking and listened for a moment to make sure Doyle wasn't listening either. When he was sure the coast was clear, he inclined towards her and stole a simple kiss, using both hands to cup her face. "I'll help you find an apartment sweetheart, okay? You don't need to ask Doyle for help" another chaste kiss was stolen from her lips.
Cordelia glowed with happiness at finally getting back her independence after three days of living with him. Not that she didn't like it, she did but she couldn't stay with him all the time could she?
"Now about that coffee?" Angel asked, returning his voice to normal level and cleared his throat slightly. Seeing the smile his kindness was rewarded with made him almost guilty about the plan he was cooking up to stop her moving out.