Chapter 11
“Angel, hi! Did you see Cordy? Didn’t she look gorgeous? I helped with her hair. That was fun. Isn’t she lucky?”
The perky physicist was about to get her neck snapped.
**Reach down that scrawny neck and pull out her vocal cords before we make that short millionaire fucker even shorter.**
Angel stormed past Fred and opened the weapons cabinet.
What do you think? Broadsword or ax? It’s been a while since I’ve dismembered anyone?
“Angel? Whatcha doin’? Did you find a vampire nest while you were out? ‘Cause that’s the only reason I can think of why you’d need that big sword. I mean Cordy didn’t have a vision, did she? She didn’t mention it before she left on her date.”
Fred jumped back a step when Angel whirled around, a dark foreboding gaze piercing her.
“Where. Did. They. Go?”
Fred wondered how he was able to enunciate so well without actually moving his jaw or lips. She looked at the sword and then his black, insane eyes. She wasn’t sure what chilled her the most.
The sting of her teeth biting her lip shocked her into minimal coherent speech. She stuttered, “Um, where d-d-did who go?”
**Oh, yeah, baby. Make me suck it out of your skull.**
Angel pinched his eyelids shut. Fred could actually see his head vibrate from the air he forced between his clamped teeth.
“Where. Did. Cordy. And. Nabbit. Go?
There goes that talkin’ without movin’ thing again. Angel would make a great ventriloquist. Wonder what kind of dummy he’d have? Prob’ly not a wooden one ’cause of the possible self-stakin’ factor if he tripped and the dummy’s arm rammed into his heart. Maybe a nice felt one, like a Muppet…
“Fred!” Angel’s mouth moved that time.
“What?!” Fred jerked out of her dummy thoughts and found herself staring into a cavern with fangs for stalactites.
He tilted his head into the perfect position for biting and inched forward.
Fred couldn’t take her eyes off his teeth. She backed up until the counter was cutting into her spine and subconsciously brought her hand to her neck in a protective gesture.
His glazed eyes shifted to the movement of Fred’s hand to her throat. His features slid back into his softer human guise and he took a calming breath. Letting his head fall back and the tense muscles in his back relax, he stared at the ceiling and swallowed before speaking.
“Please, Fred. Just tell me where they went. I only want to make sure she’s okay.”
Fred slowly sidled her way left and backed around the counter putting it between her and the crazy vampire ventriloquist. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure telling Angel where they went was so smart. Even if that was what Cordy wanted, Fred couldn’t believe how downright ignorant it would be to send a jealous vampire after a crippled woman and defenseless nerd.
But, then, she was a defenseless nerd and a woman to boot. Only one person could handle Angel when he was like this. And it was her plan. Besides, Cordy was counting on her.
“You promise you won’t do anything too stupid if I tell ya?”
**Right now the only stupid thing you can do is NOT kill this bitch.**
How does that get us anywhere? Watch and learn.
Angel’s shoulders slumped and his chin dropped to his chest. Slowly he lifted his eyes to Fred, a slight mist transforming them into creamy dark chocolate pools. With every ounce of whine in him, he begged. “Fred. Please. Just tell me.”
Oh, my, God. It’s the puppy face. He’s pulling out the sad, puppy face. He really, really loves her.
Fred sighed and smiled. Bobbing her head back and forth, she relented. “They went to Morton’s. But, you’ve got to promise…”
Her words echoed in an empty lobby.
***
“Gotcha, Fred. No…yes…really? Good work. Now go find your black knight and rub his head for luck.” Cordy shut the cell phone and stuffed it back in her clutch.
Turning back to David, the warm leather of the limo seat tugged on the back of her legs causing some pinching and embarrassing noises. Cordy nervously giggled when she saw the questioning brown eyes of her date.
She could tell he was at this very moment wondering what that call had been about. Who could blame him. Telling someone to rub another persons head for luck wasn’t an everyday conversation expression one would use while “on a case.” And, that’s exactly what David Nabbit, computer genius and billionaire, thought they were on. A very hush-hush, highly important, demony-dangerous case. The kind of case he alone could help the hapless investigative team of Angel Investigations with.
Yes, David Nabbit, nerd extraordinaire, was essential to cracking this puzzler. If only Cordelia could think of a reason they might actually need him for anything, this night should go perfectly.
She knew she shouldn’t have put off making up a story until the last minute. This should have been decided days ago, but with a couple of back-to-back visions and the shopping, it sort of slipped her mind. It took two days to find the dress, shoes…okay, only one shoe was actually needed…and purse for this fake date. Hobbling on crutches actually doubled shopping time. Who knew?
“Ahem. Was that about our assignment?” A grown man in a tux, in a limousine, with every platinum credit card known to mankind in his pocket was staring at her with the excited face of a ten-year-old about to get his first computer for Christmas.
“Um, yeah. That was Fred. She was just telling me that the mark is on the move. He’s taking the bait.” She mentally rolled her eyes at her cornball words.
“Is the mark “the black knight?” David asked, eager to get the skinny on the P.I. lingo.
Cordy’s eyes widened with excitement as a story began to take shape in her mind. “Yes! We decided to call him the black knight instead of his real name to protect you. I don’t want to frighten you, David, but there’s a slight…and I mean wee teeny tiny…chance that you could be taken captive.”
Sometimes, Chase, you amaze even me.
It had been a tough decision whether or not to tell David the truth. Cordelia truly liked him and didn’t want to abuse his friendship or lie to him. But, she honestly felt if he knew this was merely a way to make Angel jealous and admit he loved her, he never would’ve agreed. Not because he wasn’t up for playing a game with Cordy as the prize. After all, he was a gamer at heart. But, because he would be scared shitless of a crazed, jealous vampire.
And that was the big problem. David would never be able to carry off the fake date scenario if he was terrified every second. How could she make Angel jealous of a man on the verge of peeing in his pants constantly?
Helping with a case, on the other hand, even if truly dangerous, would be a dream come true for him. It had been obvious ever since they’d met him that he’d wanted to be part of their team. This would be a fantasy that David would play out with his best bravado and have fun doing it.
Seeing him tonight in his double-o-seven, debonair David mode confirmed she’d made the right decision. He was giddy and more alive than she’d ever seen him.
When it’s all over, he’ll thank me. Or have me exiled to Nicaragua. Never can tell with these rich eccentric types.
One rich, brown eye twitched and his neck muscles constricted with a dry gulp. Bucking up his courage, he shook his head and cleared his throat. “Do you mean captive as in bound, gagged and tortured?”
“Now, ya see. That’s exactly why you’re on a need-to-know basis.” Now might be time to start filling up on the champagne, she thought. Stretching her body across his lap, Cordy poured some bubbly into a crystal flute and handed the first to David who took it with a telltale tremble.
“You’re new to this spy stuff and, I’m guessing, never been tortured before. Am I right?” Cordy asked, her face never wavering from false sincerity.
“Well, probably not the kind of torture you’re talking about. Hours and hours of financial reports and dry chicken box lunches torture I’m used to.” As much as he wanted to swig the glass in his hand dry and empty the bottle next, he waited for Cordy to fill her glass.
“Um, no. And eww, you poor thing. I’m talking about the hot poker and bamboo shoots under the nails kind of torture. If that one in a gazillion chance happens, you’ll be ignorant of all details and can’t, ya know, betray us. You’ll die a real hero.” Cordy smiled and clinked his glass to toast his bravery.
“Good for me?” David’s suave exterior cracked a bit when some of his champagne dribbled from the corner of his mouth.
“You betcha good for you.” Never missing a beat, Cordy grabbed a cocktail napkin and dabbed at the leaking liquid on his chin. “It’s the best feeling in the world to die knowing your death is saving others. It’s the only way to go.” Cordy’s voice squeaked the last words in tune with the limo’s brakes as they arrived at the restaurant.
David gulped the rest of his champagne and forced a timid smile. “I can’t wait.”
***
Morton’s was nestled in a small corner on Melrose and N. Robertson. It was a small, unassuming building, the perfect disguise for a celebrity hotspot. There was only one picture window located in the bar area that gave away its highly polished, pine and brass interior. Intimate tables for two were placed haphazardly near the bar while the majority of the restaurant sprawled a few steps below and out of sight of passers by.
The dark blue-green foliage that blocked the building from the street looked almost black in the moonless evening. The tall shrubs afforded the perfect blind for Angel’s massive body. A bored valet attendant looked in his direction hearing the leaves rustle but couldn’t distinguish anything out of the ordinary or threatening in the shadows. As his gaze swept over the area, the yellow eyes of a demon blinked just before the valet’s attention was drawn by a couple who needed their Jag pulled around.
It had taken Angel less than fifteen minutes to drive there, park his car inconspicuously in a lot a block north and run to his perch. He had no recollection of how he did it. The car drove itself pulled by an invisible string flowing from wherever Cordy was. His feet barreled a path to her without the need of brain impulses to push his muscles forward. And his entire body instinctively knew the perfect vantage point and how to disappear into the shadows unseen to watch and wait.
As soon as his eyes locked on his target he stilled. As luck would have it, his quarry was in clear view framed in the center of the picture window.
His quarry. It had been awhile since he’d hunted anything and even in the midst of his jealousy the excitement of stalking his victim tingled in his fingers as they searched the sword’s grip for purchase.
**Why are we just standing here? It’s perfect. Break the glass, slice off his head, pick her up and carry her back to our bed. It’ll be like old times. Remember the matador in Madrid? Stuffing those bull balls down his throat after I cut off his head? That was a party!**
Yeah, but getting the balls off the bull was a bit hairy. And I don’t remember that actually impressing the senorita unless you call puking while screaming a testament to your manhood.
**Cordy wouldn’t puke.**
And she wouldn’t be impressed if we killed her date. I’m thinking the bull had it easy compared to what she’d do to us.
**Damn I’d love to see that! She’s a fuckin’ hellcat. I’ve got chill bumps just thinking about what evil things she’d come up with to punish us. Come on! Break, smash, tear some heads off. We’re wasting precious torture time.**
Angel was teetering on the edge of doing just what Angelus wanted. The window framed the two would-be lovers perfectly creating a picture of innocence he both envied and ached to destroy at the same time.
He watched as she talked – or, rather, yammered. His mouth quirking up involuntarily as his eyes focused on the movement of her mouth – so red, wet and warm. Such a small measure of velvet skin but it had smoothly and expertly traveled his body and tasted him completely mere weeks ago.
His eyelids shut as he remembered. He could feel her lips, the ones now sharing her secrets with another man, as they circled his penis and sucked him into her welcoming throat.
He could hear the gentle caressing sounds they made as she brushed feathery kisses on his sensitive head and the sensual moans that slipped between them when she lapped up the spilled results of her loving attention.
He could taste them as they parted and razed his mouth again and again, tongues moistening and laving them to keep them supple and pliant and ready for more. Those same tongues slid through those lips cuddling and tugging each other until gloriously, painfully swollen only to be softly stroked and teased to start the onslaught again.
The bushes trembled from the growl that shook his entire body.
That mouth, those lips and that tongue had belonged to him and him alone briefly and could be his again. All he had to do was take it. Cross a few yards of asphalt, shatter some expensive tempered glass, take her in his arms and worry about making her love him later.
**What does she see in that moron? He doesn’t even have a fuckin’ chin and he’s what? Three foot two? His prick’s probably the size of our little toe. We’d be doing her the biggest favor of her life getting her away from this dickless midget. What are we waiting for? Do it. Do it. Do it!**
Angel’s foot stepped from the shadows and dirt and made contact with concrete. His face parted the hedge and his arm brought the sword up and free from the entangling vines. The beam from the streetlight glinted on the blade, the intense white blinding his vampire vision for an instant.
Regaining his focus, he halted. She was laughing. Her head thrown back, her eyes shut from the pressure posed by those round cheeks that were pushed up by the curve of those lips as they stretched impossibly wide over her incredibly bright and perfect teeth. The kind of laugh that said she didn’t have a care in the world. The one that said she was happy.
Angel let out a breath that felt like it had been trapped in his body for decades.
**What’s the hold up? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how to pillage. It’ll come back to you with the first crunch of bones. Let’s start with the valet just to warm up.**
Cordelia’s face was glowing and carefree, her body animated with life telling a story to the man across from her. The normal, rich, perfect human man sitting with her in a restaurant, having real food and a real date with the woman he loved. A man who could keep her safe and never let her want for anything again. A man with whom she could have a family.
Suddenly he saw them, on a beach running through waves, laughing and tossing a child in the air playfully while the brightness of the sun did nothing more than kiss their skin and turn it gold.
A peaceful glow settled in his chest and tendrils of warmth radiated through his limbs. The vision of Cordy as she should be, as she deserved to be moved farther away and blurred as his amber eyes turned brown and wet. The polished steel of the sword felt like lead and dipped, the tip trailing sparks as it scraped the ground.
**Oh, no! Are you kidding me? Get that Brady Bunch shit out of our brain right now. **
Shut up!
**Who do you think she is? Martha fucking Stewart? She’s a warrior. A fighter. She’s nasty and tough as nails and we like it that way. Hell, she likes it that way!**
Angel turned. I said shut the fuck up! He swung the sword and sliced a path through the innocent hedge leaving his dream behind.
***
The sight that greeted Angel as he entered his home was probably not the best thing for his mood.
Fred and Gunn were snuggled on the couch laughing as Gunn did his best to find all the ticklish spots on her body. Fred wiggled her way free from his grasp and stood when she saw Angel on the landing. With his back toward the door, Gunn didn’t see Angel and continued to poke at Fred while she unsuccessfully kept swatting at his roving hands.
“Angel,” Fred yelped. “How did…um…did you see what you needed to see?”
The difference between this person and the one that had left merely an hour ago was astonishing. One had been bloodthirsty, amped and ready to fight for what he wanted. This one was…well as dead as an undead creature could be. Death oozed from every part of him – from his lifeless, glazed over eyes to his heavy, stilted gait. The sword that he’d brandished in true white-knight-to-the-rescue fashion earlier was now like a chain, the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.
Gunn turned and watched Angel cross to the cabinet and drop the sword in haphazardly, the sound of clanging and crashing metal not even registering on the vampire’s demeanor. “Yo, man. Where you been? You look like you just lost the biggest fight of your life.”
Fred slapped his arm and silently mouthed a “shhh” to him.
“What?” Gunn gave Fred a puzzled look and rubbed where her palm hand smacked him. “Since when can’t a man ask what’s up?”
“Nothing’s up, Gunn. I’m just tired. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Angel didn’t bother to turn and look at them before he started up the stairs. He took each step as if he were walking to his own hanging.
Fred watched every painstaking step and had to bite her tongue to not ask what happened at the restaurant. Obviously nothing good as far as Angel was concerned. And if he was this depressed, she didn’t really want to know how devastated Cordy must be.
***
“You’re killing me! Stop it.” Cordy was about to choke on her chicken.
“Th…that…that really wasn’t the funny part,” David said, his eyes shifting to the table and his fork as he pushed a scared radish around his plate.
Cordy sucked in a breath and powered down her giggles to an embarrassed grin. “It wasn’t? So you were serious about the lederhosen and Maypole dance?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Oh! Well, huh.” Catching her breath she smiled, reached over and patted his knee. “I’m sure it was the best corporate merger party Munich’s ever seen.”
“It was Bonn and it was a birthday party for the German Chancellor.”
“Oops. Sorry. Guess my mind’s on…you know,” she whispered conspiratorially, “the mission.”
Where is that asshole? He should have been here embarrassing himself by trying to drag me out of here by now.
At the mention of their impending danger, David sat up straighter and his eyes started to dart around the room looking for suspicious evil doers. He leaned toward Cordy and tried to speak without moving his lips in case a demon lip reader was watching them. “Do you think we should be sitting here so conspicuously? Maybe we should have asked for a dark corner table to sleuth from.”
Cordy played along smiling broadly, her lips just as rigid. “We’re the bait, remember? The first rule you learn in bait school is be seen.”
David pulled back nodding his head in understanding. “Right, right. I forgot. So, you think we’ve been seen yet?”
“Good question. I think I’ll just find out how the plan’s progressing. I’m going to pretend to go to the lady’s room while I make a call to home base.”
As she bent down to retrieve her crutches from the floor, David met her under the table and asked, “What if that one in a gazillion thing happens and they take me while you’re gone?”
Cordy didn’t know what the hell he was talking about for second. “Huh? Oh! Right. Well, if they take you the most important thing to remember is not to fight. Go with them willingly. Oh, geez, I almost forgot!”
She sat back up resting her crutches against her chair as she dug through her purse. Pulling out a small object, she handed it to David. “This is a transponding thingamajig.”
“A what? It looks like a tube of lipstick.”
“Of course it does. Hey, we’re state-of-the-art at Angel Investigations. Who would think to look in a tube of lipstick for…you know…what that is.”
“A transponding thingamajig?”
“Yep, only the best, too. If anyone grabs you, we’ll know exactly where you are every minute as long as you don’t lose that.”
“But, won’t they think it’s suspicious that I’ve got a tube of lipstick?” David looked like he would crawl into a hole if anyone discovered such a girly thing in his possession.
Cordy sighed, exasperated and anxious to make her call. You’re lucky. I could have handed you the tampon.
“David, don’t be silly. A man with a woman’s lipstick in his pocket? That’s almost as good as her panties.” She growled at him like the hunka, hunka burning love she wanted him to think he was. The aw-shucks grin and twinkle in his eye told her she still had it.
Finally standing and steadying herself on the crutches, she winked and limped as quickly as she could to the restroom.
***
It had only been about ten minutes since Angel’s death walk to his room when the office phone rang. Fred had been unable to recapture the lighthearted mood since his return, and she was finding it more and more difficult to fend off Charles’s questions about the vamp’s sour mood. She jumped at the chance to put off telling more lies to her boyfriend and raced to engage anyone about anything on the other end of the line.
“Angel Investigations, we’ll help ya out anytime, anywhere, just say the word. Like right now would be good because we’re not busy. Nope, we can be…Cordy?” Fred glanced back at Charles who had picked up his Game Boy and was currently smashing something. He just had that “I’m smashin’ shit” look on his face that meant he’d be too preoccupied to pay attention to her conversation.
“Cordy, are you alright?” she asked, lowering her voice just in case.
“I’m fine, Fred. Is Angel there?”
“Yeah, he got back a little while ago. I’ll go get him.” She had the phone halfway to the desk when she heard Cordy’s shout.
“No, don’t. Don’t! Fred, you there?”
“I’m here. You don’t want to talk to Angel?”
“No! I’m on a date here, remember? Why would I be calling him?”
Fred could hear the unspoken “duh” in her voice and slapped her forehead. “Oh, right. That would really not be something you’d do, because then he’d think you weren’t having a great time without him and that’s what we want him to think, right?”
“Yes, that’s the plan. It was also the plan that the big dumbass would storm in here and claim me as his own in front of God and apparently Harrison Ford and that really skinny chick, who by the way so needs to sniff on a Big Mac once in awhile. But did that happen? Since I’m standing here in the lady’s room in a hobbit-sized stall because some smartass locked the handicapped one from the inside and calling you on the phone, I think we can surmise that that’s a big whoppin’ no!”
Oh my, God, Cordy sounds just like me. This is bad. This is Pylea crazy bad.
“Cordy, calm down. I’m sure there’s a reason Angel came back here without doing what he was supposed to. He is a dork, right? He probably just didn’t realize what he was supposed to do being all dorky and all. Should I give him a hint?”
“And what hint would that be? ‘Oh, by the way, Angel. Did you forget something when you went to maim Cordy’s date and carry her off? Like say…doing it?’ I don’t think that…wait a second. You said he’s there. Did he say anything? How did he act? Was he all vampy?”
Fred swallowed hard and cleared her throat. “Weeelllll,” she said as her throat constricted and she channeled Minnie Mouse. “He was pretty quiet. Really didn’t say much at all. Just put his sword away and went up to his room.”
“That’s it? He didn’t do that clenchy jaw twitch or growl or break anything? Not even a nail?”
“No, nothin’ like that. In fact, he seemed…well…,” she twisted the phone cord around her finger until the circulation was cut off, “He acted like… Ah, hell, Cordy. He looked like he wanted to die, and I think if there was a drive-up, self-stake window opened 24 hours a day he would’ve gone through it. I’ve never seen him like that. It was like there was no hope left in the world. At all.”
The silence on the other end of the line was interrupted by the sound of industrial flushing.
“Cordy, are you there?”
“I’m here, Fred. That wasn’t me by the way. In case you were wondering.”
“No, I wasn’t. Oh, okay. I did think for a second, but then you bein’ who you are and all I figured you’d be way too classy to…ya know…while we were talkin’.”
“Thanks, Fred. Let’s make a note to put that on my tombstone. ‘Cordelia Chase. Too classy to take a whiz while on the phone.'”
The sadness choked every word she spoke. If Fred could see the hopelessness in Angel, she could hear it in Cordy’s voice. “Cordy, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just. He gave up, ya know. He didn’t even try. He doesn’t really want me. He doesn’t love me.”
“No, that’s not true. He did try. If you coulda seen the look in his eyes when he left here, that was a look of someone trying really hard. It was scary how much he wanted to get you back.”
Fred heard a faint sniffle and Cordy’s voice trembled slightly. “Then why didn’t he take me?”
Sighing, Fred’s ginormous brain clicked at light speed to figure out the answer, but she just didn’t have the knowledge about men and relationships that she needed to come to a logical conclusion.
“I don’t know, sweetie. Cordy, why don’t you just tell him that you remember? I’m sure if he knew how you felt…”
“NO! Maybe before I would have, but not now.” Fred cringed a little at how adamant she was and how suddenly strong her voice sounded. “If he wants me, he’s got to show me. I’m tired of being the one who does all the talking and practically has to beg him to say one nice thing to me. It’s time Angel grew a pair. Well, at least used the really fine pair he’s got anyway.”
“Cordelia!” Fred was sure Cordy could sense the redness in her cheeks even over the phone.
“Stop blushing. I’ve shared a lot more intimate details than that with you. Besides, I think I know what the problem is and just how to handle it.”
“What?” Fred asked, impressed by Cordy’s ability to analyze the situation and come up with a solution so fast.
“I’ll tell you later. Let’s just say if Angel wants to corner the market on nobility, he can have it. For me, I’ll take a ‘shove it in your face’ with a side of ‘up yours buddy’ anytime. Right now I’ve got some explaining to do to a really nice nerd.”
“But I thought you said you’d tell me later.”
“Not you, Fred. David Nabbit. The other white meat.”
“Huh?” The line went dead and Fred stared at the phone for a second. “Did she just compare me to pork?”
***
There’s a look a man gets when he just doesn’t understand what’s happening and it’s pretty much universal. You think they’re thinking about what you’re saying, but actually there’s nothing there. Men can truly go completely blank when maximum overload hits.
David Nabbit had that look.
“David?” Cordy waved her hand in front of his blank eyes. “Yoo hoo! David! Are you still with me?”
He blinked once and his eyes began to follow Cordy’s hand that was still moving from side to side in front of him.
“Huh? Here? Yes, still here.”
Cordy felt very bad for having deceived him all evening, but she prayed he’d understand and still help. Everything depended on it.
“Like I said, I’m really sorry for lying to you. I was just afraid you wouldn’t help me if you knew the real reason.”
David’s eyes had cleared and the stare was replaced with an all-too-familiar dejected, unloved look that broke her heart.
“That’s okay. I understand,” he said. “Hey! When you’re rich everybody uses you for something at some point. Why should you be any different? I’m used to it.”
Damn, why wasn’t I just upfront with him? He didn’t deserve this. Cordy, sometimes you can still be a major bitch.
“David, no, it’s not like that! I didn’t call you to do this because you’re rich. Heck, I’m paying for dinner. Didn’t I tell you?” She smiled sweetly and he grinned quickly unable to stay upset with her too long.
“You want to know the real reason I chose you?”
“Because you don’t know any other single men who know what you guys do and more than likely has absolutely nothing to do on a Friday night?”
“There’s that.” She chuckled softly and took his hand. “And there’s the fact that you were the only man I could think of that could possibly make him jealous. Angel’s a hero and a warrior. It would take one helluva man to make him feel inferior.” She squeezed his hand. “You, David Nabbit, are the only man I know that could pull it off.”
He blushed and for a moment couldn’t meet her eyes that were desperately trying to capture his. Then he sat up and pulled his shoulders back. Boldly he stared into her shining eyes and said in the most sincere and honest tone she’d ever heard, “If you were my girlfriend, I’d be jealous of the air that passed between your lips.”
Cordy gasped. Oh my, God. Where did smooth, sexy David Nabbit come from? For a moment she wondered if maybe Angel was right. Maybe David did want her and maybe she was crazy for not even considering it. It would be so easy with him. But then a picture of Angel as he fondled her breast and brought his lips to hers with a look of awe and desire so strong it made her shiver reminded her of where she belonged.
Shaking herself out of her momentary daze, she looked at the still doe-eyed man in front her. “Wow, David, that was the sweetest most charming thing any guy’s ever said to me. Tell me again why you aren’t taken?”
His self-effacing smile returned and once again he was her old David. “Maybe because the only women I’m interested in are damsels in distress, and they’ve already got their heroes picked out.”
“Tell you what. After we get Angel and his stupid noble ways taken care of, I’m going to make it my mission to find the perfect damsel for you. Because right now, your hero status is about to jump off the charts.”
“Really?” Skeptically, he asked, “What do I have to do?”
“How about being my White Knight for one more night? I promise you won’t regret it and you’ll have the pleasure of my company again! Won’t that be fun?”
He stared at her seemingly debating what she thought might be fun compared to what they’d just been through. Then his eyes cleared and he smiled excitedly.
“Do I get to wear my shiny purple cape?”
Cordy’s face fell for an instant but she recovered smoothly. “I don’t think that will be proper dress code for where we’re going, but maybe after dinner? Come on, I’ll fill you in on the ride home.”
Cordy got her crutches and asked David to carry her clutch for her. When they reached the door, she whispered to him over her shoulder.
“By the way, because you’ve been so great tonight, you can keep the lipstick.”
She winked and his fingers rubbed the tube in his pocket. He stood a little taller as he waved for the valet thinking about how jealous the guys were going to be Monday morning when he pulled that little number from his pocket at the board meeting.