Chapter 40
Angel washed the breakfast dishes and waited for Cordelia to come back downstairs. He patted dry the last plate and put it in the cupboard.
He stared up at the intricate designs of the plastered ceiling. Cordelia was obviously not rushing. He decided to drink a carton of blood as he waited some more.
He tossed the empty container in the trash and went upstairs, not wanting to wait any longer.
He opened the bedroom door. Cordelia was oblivious to his presence. His head tilted tracking the movements of her upper body.
She was bent over, her chest, shoulders, and head bobbing as she fingered her dark hair into the hot air of the blow dryer. Angel moved to the bed then sat on the edge and stared. The robe she was wearing couldn’t stop gravity from working its magic on her breasts.
With each bob, Angel saw a glimpse of plush, golden flesh. His gaze dragged to the long dark tendrils that swept the floor as she continued to finger the damp tresses into something manageable. It was where most of the fragrance was centered. Shampoo, conditioner, her– it was all there.
He clenched his fist to stop from reaching out.
“Cordy,” he whispered. “Cordy,” he repeated louder as he stood, stepping back to the door.
“Eek!” The blow dryer fell to the floor as she jerked around. “Scare me, why don’t you?” She clutched at her robe to bring the sides together at her neck.
“Sorry,” Angel said, as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
“What are you doing in here?”
“It’s my room.”
“Okay….” Cordelia bit her lip. “But you put me here–and privacy? Big thing with me.” She tightened the terry-cloth belt around her waist.
“I just wanted to get some clothes. I didn’t realize that you were out of the bathroom.” He shrugged.
Cordelia scrunched up her brow. “You’re a vampire — you didn’t hear my hair dryer?”
“I wasn’t paying attention.” Angel shrugged again.
Cordelia pursed her lips. “Well, get out. I’m not dressed.”
“Can I get some clothes,” he held her gaze,” before you kick me out of my room?”
“You put me here.” Cordelia frowned at him. “Fine,” she said, “just tell me where you want me to put my stuff.”
“You’re okay,” Angel said, as he moved towards his dresser. “I just want to get some clothes to put in the other bedroom.”
“Well, hurry.”
“Cordy, you can keep on drying your hair. I won’t get in the way.”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him for moment. “Errgh,” she grunted, as she flipped her head down to finish her hair.
Angel went straight to his dresser and pulled out some clothes, while his eyes remained fixed on Cordelia. From his new position, he could no longer catch a glimpse of her breasts but he was granted an enticing view of her rounded ass as she bent over.
He placed the handful of clothes that he had taken out of the dresser on the bed. Cordelia was now standing up and looking in the mirror, using her fingers as a comb, blithely unaware of his presence. Or so she wanted him to think. Her stiff shoulders told a different tale.
He didn’t want her to ignore him, pretend or otherwise. Angel took a long stride towards her, knowing she couldn’t see him in the mirror. His fingers clawed out ready to entangle themselves in the richness of her hair. His hand changed direction and lightly rested on her shoulder. “Cordelia,” he said, pulling her slightly to him.
“Arggh!” Cordelia said, stumbling backwards.
Angel’s arm reached around her waist, steadying her against his body. “It just me. Forget I was here?” A chuckle rose in his throat.
“Don’t do that.” Cordelia attempted to shift around. “I could’ve had a heart attack.”
“Haven’t yet.” He shrugged as he held on to her more firmly.
“Only a matter of time,” she snorted. “Let me go.”
“I need to get into my closet.” He brought his other hand down to capture the other side of her waist, picking her up and moving her away from the mirror and the closet door it blocked.
Angel watched as she silently fumed, crossing her arms firmly against her chest. He gave a quick shrug and went into his closet.
“Angel,” she said, as he gathered the clothes he had taken from the closet and the bed.
“Yes,” he said, cocking his head.
“Rules.” She hugged her body tighter. “There has to be rules.”
“Rules?” He raised a brow.
“Yes,” she huffed. “Rules. If I’m going to stay here, then I get to have some privacy. This is my room,” she said, waving her hand around.
“Really?”
Cordelia frowned. “You put me here,” she repeated. “And, you can’t just walk in whenever you want.”
“I didn’t know that you were in here. I just –“
“I know, getting some clothes. Well, you got them,” she said, pointing to the bundle in his hands. “Now, leave.”
“Don’t you need to get to the library?” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Maybe, you should get dressed,” he said as he left the room.
Chapter 41
Cordelia stared at the closed door for a full minute before she let out an undignified grunt. She didn’t get it. Downstairs, cooking French toast with Angel had been fun. He had been nice, charming even, in a stuttering sort of way. But up here, he was just creepy and crowding her again.
How in the world had Buffy put up with his dramatic flips in mood? She shook her head. Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe that was the real reason they broke up: Buffy realized that Angel was nutty.
She groaned, grabbing her jeans out of her bag. It wasn’t that. Buffy never looked at Angel like he was nuts, she just sighed and batted her big green eyes at him.
Maybe the creepiness was caused by the fact he was a vampire? Maybe it was normal vamp weirdness?
She almost wished that she could ask Buffy. She shrugged her shoulders. Angel had helped her above and beyond anyone that she had ever met. She would just have to accept him, weirdness, and all. She couldn’t ignore all the good stuff he’d done for her — that would be way too bitchy. Even for her.
Feeling a little bit more settled, she finished getting dressed and left the bedroom. “Angel,” she yelled as she walked down the hallway.
“There you are.” She nodded, as he came out of a room down the hall. “I need my keys.”
“Okay.” Angel reached in his pocket and placed her car keys in her hand.
Cordelia looked past him into the room. “This is really girly.” Her gaze wandered around the room, taking note of the big canopy bed – without the canopy — thick frilly rose-colored curtains, and the elegant Victorian armoire.
Angel stepped back. “Dru– Spike always let her decorate how she wanted. At least her dolls are gone.”
“Oh.” Cordelia wrinkled her nose in distaste. “This was their room?”
Angel nodded.
“Lovely. Evil’s boudoir,” she said, flipping her keys in the air. “Well, I’m outta of here.” She turned and left.
Cordelia paused at the top of the stairs. Angel hadn’t done his “you can’t go out alone” routine. She shrugged and went to her car.
***
Angel put his clothes in the armoire, his concentration focused on the side door.
Sure enough, just moments later, Cordelia barged in. “Angel,” she yelled, her feet pounding fast up the stairs.
“I thought you left?” He turned to her.
“What happened to my car?” She took up the space in the doorway. “Two,” she shoved up two of her fingers, “Two!” she repeated. “I’ve got two flat tires. What happened?”
Angel shrugged. “Your car was fine when I picked it up from Starbucks.”
“Well, it’s not fine now.” She fisted her hands on her hips. “Two flat tires. I only got part way out of the stables then, Pfft.” She smacked her hands together.
“I heard you the first time.” Angel shoved his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know– maybe you ran over a sharp rock pulling out.”
“Maybe you did it,” she huffed, “last night.”
“Pretty sure that I didn’t.” Angel frowned. “Which ones? The back and front passenger side?”
“See,” she said, pointing at him. “You did do it.”
“No. I just felt a slight pull to the right when I was driving it last night. When was the last time you put air in them?”
“What?”
“Air? Have you ever put air in them? You know that tires need air, right?”
Cordelia scowled at his rolling eyes. “There was nothing wrong with them.”
“Obviously, that’s not true. Probably a slow leak.”
“A slow leak that just erupted?”
“It happens.”
Cordelia narrowed. “Well, go change them.”
Angel walked over to the window, standing off to the side, opening the drapes slightly to let the morning sun into the room. “I don’t think so.” He let the curtain fall back.
Cordelia grunted. “Fine, let me have your car.”
“So, you can give it flat tires?” Angel shook his head.
“It wasn’t my fault.” Cordelia clenched her fist at her sides.
“I can’t help you. Sorry.” Angel kept shaking his head, crossing his arms against his chest.
“I have to go to the library,” Cordelia said.
“I’ll drive you tonight.” Angel sighed.
“I told you, it’s not open at night.”
“We’ll break in,” he offered.
Cordelia’s eyes widened. “I’m not breaking into the library.”
Angel shrugged. “Then I don’t know what to tell you.”
Cordelia glared crossing her arms. “You’d better tell me something that gets my car fixed and me to the library.”
Angel dropped his hands. “Cordy, you’re going to need at least one new tire, or do you have two spares?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Do you even know if you have one?”
“New?” Cordelia’s glare turned into panic. “How much is that going to cost? Oh, God.”
Angel stepped closer to Cordelia, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll call Erik on Monday. I’m sure he can get some tires cheap.”
Cordelia chewed on her bottom lip. “How cheap?”
“Cheap enough, I’ll make sure.” He gave her a reassuring squeeze.
“Can’t he do it today?”
“He doesn’t work on the weekends. But, come on, we can take the tunnels to the library. There’s an access nearby.”
“Tunnels? You want me to walk in the sewer?”
“The tunnels are not the sewer, Cordy. And it’s the only way you’re going to be able to get to the library today. Break, in tonight, or tunnels today.”
“And you’re going to go with me?”
“Unless, you think you can find your way through the tunnels on your own?”
Cordelia let out a long sigh. “Fine, let’s go.” She waved Angel out of the room.
“Shower first.” He shrugged.
Angel waited until Cordelia’s gaze went from his clothing to his face. “You’re already dressed.”
“Yesterday’s clothes. I didn’t think you wanted me to wake you up to get a change of clothes or to make you breakfast in the nude. You don’t recognize the sweater?” He raised his brow.
“Nude? What? Whatever, just hurry up.” She jerked away from him.
***
Angel stripped and stepped in the shower. It hadn’t been too long. Cordy’s scent was still swirling. He smiled as he picked up the duck and Cordelia’s bottle soap. The iridescent soap eased his muscles and fueled the growing ache in his groin. Angel maneuvered the net scrunchy between his legs, closing his eyes when it soothed the ache.
***
Cordelia paced up and down the hall, her hands fisted behind her back. Geez, how long did it take for a vampire to take a shower? She stopped, turning on her heel to stare at the door. Maybe he drowned?
She didn’t want to be at the library all day. She banged on the door. “Angel? Angel!”
She gave a frustrated huff and pounded on the door again.
The door suddenly yanked open. “What?” Angel’s fist was clenched around the doorknob and he wore a serious scowl.
Cordelia gulped, her eyes drifting over his chest and the water droplets trailing down to the towel that was wrapped around his hips.
She braced her shoulders. She wouldn’t let a half-naked, gorgeous, but mad vampire divert her. “Are you done yet?”
“What happened to privacy, Cordelia?” He raised a brow.
“I didn’t barge in,” she said, crossing her arms. “I just asked a question.”
“Can I get dressed? Or should I go like this,” he asked, his hand leaving the door and gesturing to his towel.
“Oh, hurry up.” She turned away. “At least your fashion choices will be quick,” she grumbled heading down the stairs.