It’s a Woman Thing. 16-20

Chapter 16

Angel laid her on the bed, his body preparing too follow. Cordelia scooted into the bedcovers. Suddenly she shot up. “DENNIS”

Angel jumped. “What?” Angel turned quickly looking around for evidence of the ghost. Angel didn’t know if he could handle any more interruptions or crisis. Dealing with Cordelia’s insecurities had been enough traumas for one lifetime; he really didn’t think he could deal with Dennis’. The ghost just might have to go.

Cordelia scrambled up on the bed yanking off the comforter. “If you weren’t already dead.” She pulled out a wet top sheet, the melting ice cubes still obvious. “Oh, he must have done this when I was in shower. I didn’t even notice. Damn, he must have used all of ice in the refrigerator. DENNIS.”

Angel couldn’t decide whether to rage or laugh. Since it would be very difficult to dismember a ghost and the ice cubes weren’t a fatal interruption, he decided to laugh.

“This is not funny.” Cordelia had bounced up standing angrily her hands on her hips.

Angel’s laugher died in his throat. Cordelia was a vision of beauty and sexiness. Angel stalked to the bed, kneeling before her his hands capturing her waist.

“Angel it’s wet and cold.” Pouting as she kneeled in front of Angel.

Angel growled tugging the comforter and top sheet off the bed. “Gone.”

Cordelia licked her lips, her hand feeling at the bottom sheet. It wasn’t too bad, not any worse than when she went to bed still wet from the shower. If Angel didn’t mind, why should she? And he obviously didn’t mind. Angel had pushed her back on the bed, bringing her legs around him. How did he do that so quickly? Experience, vampire or both? Cordelia decided she didn’t care as Angel’s lips traveled up her neck, to her cheek moving towards her lips.

Cordelia cupped Angel’s head and jerked him up hurrying his travels to her lips. Cordelia sunk deeper into the mattress tightening her grip around the vampire. “Coat.” She grumbled in frustration as her hands tugged on the leather duster.

Angel leaned up jerking off the coat and his shirt at the same time and in an instant was back over Cordelia.

Cordelia clutched at him gratefully, her face and lips brushing against the coolness of his chest.

Angel’s mind was in turmoil, the fire, the heat of her touches were driving him insane. He tried to keep some focus on Cordelia’s earlier nervousness and go slow. But Cordelia was making it very difficult.

Cordelia’s hands and lips were moving too slow, too fast- creating a fire within him. He had a sinking feeling that they had switched roles, he maybe the one with more practical experience but she was the one with life experience. Her every touch was making him feel alive. He wanted more. Angel’s sinking feeling turned to one of acceptance and joy. What was new about this? Cordelia was always the one that taught him how to live. This was only an extension of what she had always done for him.

Angel buried himself further into Cordelia’s body. Cordy’s arms and legs engulfed him, each moving and caressing to bring him closer.

Once Cordelia had made the decision to let her control go, to accept her love for Angel and his for her, her fear went away, now the only thing that existed was desire and need. Cordelia leaned away as Angel touched her breast. She struggled up pulling her tank top over her head, then settling back into the pillows.

She gasped, her hands reaching for the small of his back going as far as she could go while still letting Angel’s mouth caress her breast. Cordelia shot up again. “Off.” She pointed with one hand as her other tugged at her cotton pants.

“Angel. Now.”

A small part of Angel wanted to ask if she was sure, the other – the part engulfed in flames and desire didn’t care. Angel forced himself to listen to his soul not his instincts. “Cordy?”

“Next time can be slow, okay?” Cordelia threw her pants to the floor.

Angel decided that his soul spoke enough for now. Rather he didn’t have much of a choice. Cordelia was nude before him aggressively challenging him, daring him and begging him in all of her glory.

Angel growled, pulling her legs around him as he thrust into her center.

“Angel.” Cordelia winced and bit her lip.

Angel brought his hands up stroking gently against her face, his body stilled. “Cordy, I’m Sor..”

“No. Just give me a minute. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that it would be so much. I’m sorry.”

Angel gently laid his forehead on hers, his lips brushing her cheek, fighting the urge to embed himself in deeper. “Don’t apologize it’s not your fault. I didn’t think. I’m the one that is sorry. I’ll….” Angel made a move to lift his body.

Cordy grabbed at his head. “Don’t. I may not have realized, but I wanted you inside of me, okay.” She brushed her lips against his cheek. “I just didn’t …” Cordelia stopped as her body adjusted and started to ache. “Angel, move.”

Angel immediately started to withdraw again.

Cordelia grabbed him tighter. “Don’t leave me, move.”

This time Angel didn’t hesitate. He just thrust. Cordelia’s hips were starting a rhythm he couldn’t ignore.

“Angel.” He heard her breath against his shoulder. Her lips were frantic on his neck, her inner muscles tightening around him.

“Angel, please.” The same lack of control that had frightened Cordelia on the Ferris wheel, excited her now, she needed it, wanted it.

“Oh, please.” Cordelia tensed waiting for the release from the painful spiraling pleasure that she sensed was possible. “Please.”

Angel grabbed at her lips stopping her pleading as he thrust harder. His tongue thrusting as his hips moved, his hands stroking frantically possessively over the writhing body under him.

Satisfaction filled Angel as Cordelia’s nails tore into his flesh and gave a combination gasp and yell. Cordelia’s muscles contracted repeatedly and quickly around him. Cordelia fell back, her arms holding the vampire. She barely felt Angel still moving within her. Her legs loosened, her hands trailing down as Angel fell against her, his body now trembling.

Slowly, Angel moved again, placing tender kisses along her neck and chin. He shifted turning their still joined bodies relieving Cordelia of his body’s greater weight.

“Is it always like that? I mean before when….Or was…was it just me that felt..” Cordelia buried her heated face into his chest. She couldn’t believe what she was asking. Hopefully, Angel wouldn’t answer. The question had become pretty garbled maybe he wouldn’t understand.

Angel cupped her chin, studying her flushed face a small smile on his lips. “It definitely was not just you. And loving you cannot be compared to anything else. As for always, I hope so.”

Cordelia scrunched up her face. “So it was good…”

“Better. It was beautiful, wonderful and perfect. I love you.”

“Oh.” A smile brightened over Cordelia’s face dimming the redness of her embarrassment. Cordelia thought a moment. “So, when can we do it again?”

“I imagine soon enough.” Angel could feel the beginnings of his desire reignite. He hadn’t been exaggerating. Making love to Cordelia had been the singular most spectacular thing he had ever experienced. One that he wanted to experience over and over again. Angel took a deep breath, slowly withdrew. “But, you should probably rest now.”

“Uh, I’m not tired. I feel wonderful.”

“Cordy, I hurt you.”

Cordelia scrunched up her face, sincerely clueless. “When?”

“Cordelia, when I…”

“Oh, that…I’m fine.”

“You may be sore in the morning.”

Cordelia shook her head. “I feel wonderful.”

“Cordy.”

“Angel, really, I think I know my body better than you.”

“Really. That’s about to change.” Flipping her on her back. Angel wouldn’t have intercourse with her until he knew she was okay. But he could still give Cordelia pleasure and in doing so give himself pleasure.

“Angel what are you doing?” Angel’s mouth was settled firmly on her stomach.

” Am I doing something?” His tongue swirled and teased at her belly button. Cordelia gulped. Everywhere Angel’s tongue touched brought an ache inside.

“Uhuh.”

Angel’s lips moved down further. “Good.” He buried his head into the apex of her thighs.

“Oh.” Gasping as she clutched Angel’s hair, Cordelia’s hips jerking and the spiraling starting all over again.

---

Chapter 17

Cordelia stretched and sat up. She grabbed at the sheet on floor and settled it around her. “Why aren’t you in bed? What are you doing?”

Angel was sitting in the chair a pad of paper in his hand.

“I owe you a portrait.”

“Me?” Cordy grabbed the sheet wrapping it around her. Angel’s hand shot out grabbing the sheet.

“I’m still drawing.” He pulled the covering off.

Cordy tugged at the sheet, finally dropping it when Angel refused to let go and rushed to look. “Oh. Oh. Angel no one can see that.” The sketch was a portrait of Cordelia sleeping her body nude.

“You don’t like it.”

“I….I..I don’t’ have any clothes on.”

Angel shrugged. “Actually, this isn’t my best.”

“Your best? You have more of me?”

Angel nodded.

“Without clothes?” Squeaking.

Angel shrugged again.

Cordelia stared. She didn’t know whether to be angry or flattered. She looked again at the picture. Angel made her beautiful. “The others are better? You’ve never seen me naked how can they be better?”

Angel studied the picture again, his pencil making quick strokes fixing it. “I like this one the best. But technically, it’s a little rough. Too quickly drawn, but the one with the best inspiration.”

“Are you done?” Cordelia scrunched up her face, still not sure how to react.

“For now.” Angel put down the pad.

“Hmmph.” Cordelia grabbed back at the sheet and gathered it around her body.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”

“You said you were done.”

“I still like the view.”

Cordelia looked down at the sheet and then at Angel. He was sitting in the chair unconscious about his nudity. “Hmmph.” She dropped the sheet. “I’ve got to put on the shirt at least.” Her hand reached for Angel’s sweater. Angel watched as his sweater covered her form, the sleeves overlapping her small hands. Angel had to admit there was something very sexy about Cordelia wearing his shirt.

“Okay.”

“Gee, thanks a lot.”

Angel couldn’t help it; his euphoria was suddenly ripped from under him. Thanks a lot was not a good thing. Things had been miraculous he couldn’t take a chance that he screwed up some how. His hand went automatically to his pants.

Cordelia stood puzzled by Angel’s change of expression. The dork was back. Cordelia’s hand covered his as he pulled out the article. They tugged briefly.

“Angel.” Her brows arched, her tone firm.

She scrunched her face as Angel took on a sheepish expression.

Cordelia snatched away the paper and read it quickly. She didn’t know whether to laugh or yell.

“Angel?”

“What?” He tried to snatch the paper back.

“Angel, this is from Comos.” Her eyes widened. “You ripped this out of my magazine. Why?”

“Bob knows what he’s talking about.”

“Bob?”

“Bob.” Angel pointed to the paper. “That convinced me to go to the carnival.” There was no point in hiding the truth anymore.

Cordelia was too flabbergasted to yell, though she was thinking that yelling would be the correct reaction. “Uh.”

“You said fine. See.” Angel pointed to the definition. Cordelia stared again at the vampire.

Wow, Angel really had turned into a major goofball. It was a good thing that she loved the dork Angel as much as the one that had touched and tasted her all night.

“Angel, do you know who Bob is?”

“He’s a published author. Wesley and Gunn said that he was very informative.”

“Wesley and Gunn?” Choking. “He…He is Roberta Randall, a 40 year old house wife that writes a regular humor column for Comos. This is not a treatise but a satire. Humor. Sarcasm- as in not real.”

Cordelia laughed as Angel’s face paled. He didn’t have any blood flowing but he could sure get white.

“Wesley and Gunn believe this? Oh, don’t tell. This could be fun.”

“Cordy?”

The young woman raised her brows at the vampire. Angel stopped. Cordelia said that the article was sarcastic not real, but honestly there was something in the way she raised her brows that he just didn’t want to cross. “Okay.”

“Um, Angel?”

Angel’s eyes shot up at the change in her tone.

Cordelia bit her lip, twisting the sleeves of his sweater around her small hands. “I feel fine, this morning.”

Angel raised his brows, refusing to smile. “I’m glad.”

“I told you I would.”

“Yes, you did. Like I said I’m glad.”

“You said we had to wait…” Cordelia stopped, her blush turning into a glare at the pleased smirk on Angel’s face.

“You’re making me ask on purpose.”

“Ask what?” Knocking away the pillow that Cordelia threw.

“Fine.” She turned to stomp out of the room.

This time Angel wasn’t scared about the fine. He laughed. “You’re just so cute when you blush.” Pushing Cordelia back towards the bed.

---

Chapter 18

“Cordelia what are you planning?” Angel held the young woman back from running up basement steps into the lobby of the Hyperion.

“Oh, don’t be such a fraidy vamp it won’t hurt.”

Angel didn’t budge. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“Angel, you don’t even know what ‘It’ is.”

“Something not good for Wes or Gunn.”

“Pfft. Come on it’ll be fun.”

“Not for them, not for me. They’re going to be mad when they found out that I told you about Bob..Roberta.”

Cordelia shrugged, her eyes laughing. “Oh, don’t be such a worry wart.”

“I don’t see why we had to come back now. I had to leave my car.”

“It will be perfectly safe. And you can walk me home later. Won’t that be romantic?”

“The sewers are now romantic?”

Cordelia rolled her eyes smacking Angel on the arm. “You know this sudden burst of humor guised as cluelessness- is only a little bit funny.”

“I thought it was funny.”

“Hmmph.”

“Cordy, if you hadn’t been so anxious for your revenge we could still be at your apartment- in bed. We wouldn’t have to go back later.”

“And have Wesley freaked.”

“It’s that what you want.”

“Not about us. Now, you just keep quiet while I go find Fred.”

“This doesn’t feel right, I shouldn’t be helping you.”

“But you love me.”

“That’s not fair. Fine.” Angel said at her raised brows.

“FINE….ooh, scary word. Good thing you’re not a woman or I’d be shaking.”

“You know you do raise your brows, A LOT.”

Cordelia stuck out her tongue in response.

---

Chapter 19

“Dorks. Like women are so predictable.”

“So, you ready?”

Fred nodded eagerly to Cordelia. “Angel won’t tell?”

“He better not.”

“Oh. How do we start it?”

“With those two- they’ll fall right into it.”

“Lets go then.”

***

“Angel.” Wesley jumped as the vampire came into the lobby.

“Hey.”

“We haven’t seen the princess yet, she still pissed?”

“Cordy’s not mad.” Angel shuffled at the files on the counter. “Anything interesting?” Avoiding the others eyes.

“She hasn’t shown up yet. And Cordy was giving off major waves of ice when we dropped her off last night.”

“She’s here with Fred.”

“She is? I didn’t see her come in.” Wesley looked questioningly at the front door.

“Must have come in the back. I saw her go up to Fred’s. She seemed fine.”

“Go figure. Women.”

“Moody.”

Angel slumped into the chair. Attitudes like that were just going to get Wesley and Gunn in trouble. He really ought to warn them.

“Hi guys.” Cordelia beamed from the bottom of the steps, Fred close behind.

“Hey.” Wesley and Gunn said.

“Angel, good morning.”

“Right.” Angel mumbled not looking at the women.

“Angel, didn’t you sleep well. You went to bed early enough or did you go…out patrolling or something. “ Fred amended at Wesley and Gunn’s shaking heads. That’s right. Cordelia didn’t know about Angel’s stalking habit. Secrets and plots, Fred was going to have to get the clicks up to speed.

Angel’s head shot up, questioning.

Cordelia gave a slight shake of her head. Cordelia had only explained about Bob’s article

“No, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Oh, must have been all the excitement of the carnival. You had fun, right?”

“Oh, I definitely had fun last night. What about you, Cordy did you have fun last night? Cordelia are you alright?” He said to his coughing seer.

“Fine.” She glared.

Angel didn’t have to turn to know that Wesley and Gunn were starting to tense. Angel hid his face in a folder waiting for the games to begin.

“Cordy, do you want some water?” Wesley said ready to jump up and fetch.

“I’m fine.”

Wesley settled back down and shrugged at Gunn. Sometimes-fine may actually mean fine.

“Anybody for breakfast. Fred?” Gunn said trying to make sure that everything stayed fine. Angel was already off to a rocky start.

“Why was that directed at me?” Fred raised her brows as she leaned against the counter.

“Uh, I just wondered….”

Fred let out a loud sigh. “Oh, go ahead Charles, tell Cordy how you and Wesley think I’m a pig, please do.” Fred’s brows still raised.

“Wh..at?” Both Wesley and Gunn started to stutter.

Angel was impressed; Fred had managed to turn Wesley and Gunn into gibbering idiots with one sentence. He expected it from Cordelia, but not Fred. She definitely learned quickly.

“I’m sure they don’t, do you.” Cordelia raised her brows towards the slack jawed men. “Go ahead, tell her you don’t.”

“Of course, we don’t.” Wesley shook his head in vehement denial.

“It’s morning, I just thought people might want breakfast, that’s all, really.”

Fred let out another sigh. “That’s okay.”

Angel hid his head further into the folder. Cordelia couldn’t help but giggle. Both Wesley and Gunn looked three shades paler, their hands wringing in abject terror.

“It’s not funny. What’s so funny?” Wesley turned to Cordelia.

“Nothing.” Trying to glare but all she could manage was more giggles. Fred joined in.

Wesley and Gunn looked back and forth from the laughing girls, then to Angel.

Angel finally looked up. “Congratulations, I think the both of you have managed to use all of them. Are you done?”

“Spoilsport.” Cordelia smiled and sat on the edge of Angel’s chair, ruffling through his hair.

“Stop that.” Angel knocked away her hand.

“I thought you liked it when I ran my fingers through your hair.” Cordelia’s voice low in his ear.

“Don’t start something you aren’t prepared to finish here and now.” He said equally low.

“Hmmph.” Cordelia got up. “Angel, training five minutes.’”

“Cordy, don’t you think that you better explain that five minutes means five minutes, not an half hour? Who knows what silly advice Angel’s been getting?” Fred smiled at Wesley and Gunn, then swirled and left, following Cordelia out of the lobby.

Wesley and Gunn turned on Angel as soon as the women left.

“You told.”

Angel shrugged. “It wasn’t a secret. Anyway, Cordy wasn’t mad, she thought it was funny.”

“Sure, that’s why she roped Fred into her plot to scare us to death.”

“They were laughing at us. Man, how could you do that? We’re bros, we’ve got to stick together. You sold out.”

“I did not. Cordelia found the article in my pocket. What was I suppose to do- lie?”

“Did you have to bring us into it? Fred was laughing at us. Where’s your loyalty, man?”

“Look it’s not such a big deal. They had their laugh. It’s over. It could’ve been worse, the way you two were shaking they could have made you jump through all sorts of hoops.”

“It ain’t over. That’s what they want us to think. Bob said…”

“Bob’s a woman, Roberta from the Valley. Cordy said she’s a humorist.”

“She told you that and you believed her? It’s just her way of making us believe that what Bob said wasn’t true. The princess is protecting their secret. She’s loyal to her gender. Unlike you. Traitor.”

“Angel, you really should have warned us.” Wesley contemplated the vampire. “Angel, why weren’t you included in joke.

“It wouldn’t have been funny. I already knew that Cordelia knew. I told her remember.”

“Yeah, he’s right, Wesley. So what did she do to you?”

“I don’t believe she did anything to Angel, did she?”

“What? You gave us up, just to protect yourself. Worse than a traitor- a snitch.”

“I told you she found it.”

“In your pocket? Angel, what was Cordelia doing in your pocket?”

“I took it out of my pocket, she saw. That’s all.” Angel felt no need to add that they both had been naked at the time.

“But you obviously knew what Cordy was planning. And you didn’t tell us.”

Cordy….Cordy told me not to.”

“So, you betrayed us because Cordy told you to. Angel, we all were under the assumption that you messed up again last night, that Cordelia was mad at you. But we were mistaken weren’t we.”

“English?” Gunn asked.

“You two did it.” Wesley said.

“What? No. Of course not. We didn’t do anything.” Quickly denying doing anything with Cordelia.

“You did to, you both finally told each other how you really feel about each other. It’s about time. That’s it, isn’t- that’s why you went along with her.”

“Oh that, yeah I guess we did do that. You knew how we felt?” Angel nodded, relieved. It was one thing to tease Cordelia. Angel wasn’t about to tell Wesley and Gunn about last night, not without Cordelia’s okay.

“Damn obvious. Damn basement is like a hot steamy whirlpool of ranging hormones. Can’t go down there anymore, gives me the willies. Well, I feel better. You’re not a traitor just whipped. ” Gunn said.

“Uh, I’m not whipped…, what does that mean? And nothing’s happened in the training room, except training.”

“Sure then, but that was before Angelus took a powder.”

“You know about that too?”

“Yep, no secrets here- Obviously,” Gunn said pointedly to the vampire. Gunn rolled his eyes. “I’m never going down to the basement again. That’s for damn sure.”

“What? We’re adults, not some sex starved teenagers. I’ve got to go, Cordy’s waiting.”

Angel growled at Gunn’s low whisper of ‘whipped’. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but it didn’t sound good. He glared once and went to the basement. Cordy was waiting.

“How much?” Gunn turned to Wesley after Angel had gone.

“That’s not a bet I want to take. But, I will tell you I’m not going down there with out knocking first.”

“Damn straight.”

---

Chapter 20

“Are they still pouting?” Cordelia was in the middle of the floor, going through her sword exercises.

Angel stopped and watched. She was getting pretty good. She held the sword with confident strength, her swings wide and graceful. Everything about her was graceful. And beautiful and sexy.

“Bend your arm just a little, and put more weight on the balls of your feet.”

Cordelia automatically complied. “Well, are they?”

“No. Now they’re contemplating our sex life. Tighter arches.”

“They’re what? You told them.”

Angel went up behind the still girl, reaching around putting his hands over hers as they held the sword. “Like this.” He brought their arms up and swung the sword together. “Cordy, they had to know sooner or later and I prefer sooner. I don’t want to have to keep sneaking out at night.”

Cordelia leaned against Angel’s broad chest, letting him guide her strokes.

“I thought you liked my apartment.”

“Your ghost doesn’t like me.” Angel kissed her on her head.

“He’ll come around.” Cordelia released her sword letting Angel take it to his side. She turned placing her hands on his chest. “So they know, uh.”

“That we love each other, yep. The details- no. You mad?”

“Nay, you’re right.”

“Wow. You just said I was right.”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Hm, Cordy what does whipped mean?”

“You, bad ass vamp, with the evil history are asking me?”

“Gunn said I was whipped.”

“Oh.” Cordelia started to giggle.

“What does it mean?”

“Don’t worry about it Angel. You’re not whipped, if you were I would have a new car.”

The car again. It was the second time she mentioned it.

Cordelia lifted her hands to cup Angel’s face. “Honestly, Angel I don’t want a car.” The humor in her eyes and smile apparent. “I’d have to deal with insurance, parking- it would be a pain, why do I need a car when I have you to drive me around or the use of your car when you can’t. You’re such a goofball. Gunn is just saying that you’re whipped because you’re wonderfully concerned about what I want. Men who aren’t capable of showing their concern about the woman they love say that about men that do, that’s all. It’s purely defensive. Men like that would say that Sir Walter Raleigh was whipped because he didn’t want the Queen’s feet to get dirty. Gunn’s just a Neanderthal, ignore him.”

Angel took her hands gently bringing them to his lips. Gunn was right he was whipped. But Angel didn’t care, looking into the beautiful eyes of his seer. They were so full of love. How could he not try to do anything and everything she wanted of him? And so far and always Cordelia only wanted the best for him.

She had already shown him that by bringing light to his gloom and plastic flowers. Angel smiled. “I love you.”

Angel was tempted to close his eyes at the brightness of Cordelia’s smile, but if he did then he would miss it.

“I love you, too. So, you don’t like it when I rub my hands through your hair.” Fingering the hair on Angel’s neck. Cordelia began comb her fingers upwards onto his scalp.

“It’s a perfectly okay thing to do when it is accompanied by kissing.”

“Oh. That’s good to know.” Cordelia smiled and pulled his lips lower.

***

“Hey, where are Cordy and Angel?”

“Training.” Wesley and Gunn said in unison.

“Oooh, I love to watch them spar. Kyerumption.” Fred headed for the basement.

“Kyerumption” Gunn laughed. “That just can’t be a real word.”

Wesley nodded. “Kyerumption.” Both Wesley and Gunn looked at each other and started to run after Fred.

“KNOCK” They shouted in panic.

The End

OnlyAnne