Title: The Doctor, The Vampire, & Little Blue Boxes
Author: samsom
Posted:
Email
Rating: R for groping
Category: Romance.
Content: C/A
Summary: Cordelia & Angel follow a case aboard a cruise ship, and Angel gets jealous over Cordelia’s flirtation with Malibu Ken.
Spoilers: None, but this takes place right after Fredless, S3.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: Just ask
Notes: Warning: This might get schmoopy, get the insuline shots ready.
Thanks/Dedication:For Gabriella who requested jealous Angel and a romantic cruise. I hope it’s what you were wanting.
Feedback: Duh!
As the ship sailed from the LA harbor, Angel leaned against the rail and watched the skyline as it disappeared. The sun had set approximately ten minutes ago and the sky was threaded with red streaks running through the underbelly of the white clouds, and the light was enough to set a pang of longing through his body.
He closed his eyes, the scent of the ocean sharp in his nostrils.
In his ears was the laughter of his Seer, carried by the breeze.
He turned his head to the sound, like a hungry moth drawn by the fire’s flame.
She was seated in a deck chair, her hair floating around her bare neck, tucked behind her ears in a way that was both innocent and highly provocative, as only she could be.
His lips quirked up at the sound, even if she was laughing for someone else.
Dr. Jake Bennett, plastic surgeon, sports enthusiast and all around nice guy, smiled back at her.
Angel sniffed him while shaking his hand earlier, but could not detect anything demonic in the man.
He told himself he was not disappointed.
Cordelia’s smile rivaled the light show nature had put on, and Angel knew the doctor was taken, even if he couldn’t see the glazed look in the man’s pale blue eyes. He knew the feeling of getting caught up in those rays, though, of feeling as though anything were possible as long as she smiled at him like that.
***
“Did I tell you about his charity work?”
Angel looked up from his slow perusal of Cordelia’s body hugging black dress and focused on the back of her head as she fixed her mascara in the mirror over the bureau. The cabin was smaller than he liked, having been one of the last available, and Cordelia’s perfume pervaded every inch of the space they shared, her clothes hanging up next to his in the closet, generally keeping him at the knife’s edge of control every second since they’d first walked in.
“No, you didn’t.” He replied, and pushed back the spark of irritation from his tone.
“He goes to Africa with a bunch of other doctors twice a year and operates on kids with clefts.” There was real admiration in her tone and no doubt she was thinking of the tan Dr. Jake had come back with, the sun-bronzed golden hair a result of studiously saving orphans rather than surfing in Malibu.
He cursed the vision she’d received three days ago, the one that said the ship’s unofficial manifest would include a vampire looking for passage down to Mexico, one that would help himself to the buffet of drunk, horny passengers during the cruise there.
Dr. Jake had been behind them as he boarded and as soon as Cordelia had dropped her bag, he’d been there to pick it up, and smiled at her with his shiny white teeth while he did it.
The idea of pushing the good doctor overboard, within swimming distance of the pier, of course, had crossed Angel’s mind briefly but he doubted he could get the guy alone to do it, what with the walks he invited Cordelia to join him on, and the dinner he’d invited her to while Angel stood next to her, glaring.
“Does he?” He asked as he smiled through his teeth.
“Uh-huh.” Cordelia nodded enthusiastically as she dropped the make up back in her bag and turned to face Angel. “Well, what do you think?”
He didn’t answer right away, running his eyes over her body again from head to toe, taking in the dress and heels, the toe ring that peaked out from the hem and the wrist tattoo she got after the Doximol incident two years ago.
His gaze focused on her bared neck again before he raised his eyes to hers, noting her expectant look.
“Very nice,” he whispered, voice like warm velvet.
Her smile faltered for a second before notching up in brightness, but he heard the way her pulse picked up.
“Well, uh,” she laughed nervously and grabbed her bag from the bed. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t say anything on the way to dinner and he was content to let the silence stretch between them, reveling in having left Queen C momentarily speechless.
When they got to the entrance of the dining room, his smile dropped away.
Dr. Jake was waving from one of the long tables, already half full of hungry diners.
***
The doctor was at his charming best during the appetizer course, detailing his last vacation to a Switzerland ski resort just enough to make it interesting, but without sounding as if he were bragging.
During dinner, Angel took a serving of rare roast beef, and a glass of deep red wine, running his tongue over his elongating teeth when he cut the meat and it bled over the green beans.
He listened to the good doctor as the man seduced his Seer with carefully dropped hints of his suitability as her mate, and didn’t say anything when he reached out and covered her hand with his during his story of the reality of life in Africa.
Angel just waited.
When dessert came, he chose a flaky concoction filled with real cream, and cut into it carefully.
He leaned over with his spoon full of heaven and tapped Cordelia’s shoulder.
“Try this.” He whispered into her ear. She glanced back at him, and then the dessert and nodded.
He brought the spoon up and she parted her lips, allowing him to direct the dessert into the warm cavern of her mouth. Her eyes closed briefly at first taste and she made a noise in her throat that caused him to harden uncomfortably behind his zipper.
She opened her eyes and looked at him, waiting for him to remove the utensil but he didn’t right away. Instead he turned it over so her tongue pressed against the curved side, and slid it out slowly, capturing her bottom lip with it before withdrawing it completely.
“You missed some,” he said quietly before popping the spoon into his mouth and licking her taste from the tempered metal.
Her eyes darkened and he caught the piquant scent of her sharply drawn arousal in the air between them.
“Did you like it, Cordelia?” His tone was lazy with desire, eyelids drooping as she stared back at him and licked her lips.
“What?” She asked. Then she blinked and shook her head. “Yes.” She nodded. “I did.”
“Mmm, that’s good. How about more?” He scooped more and held the spoon up between them.
She shook her head, looking as if she was clearing her mind.
“Angel, take me for a walk?”
He dropped his napkin and slid his chair back, glancing at the doctor who’d watched the entire play with a resigned look on his face and a twist of his lips.
“You’ll excuse us?” He rose and took Cordelia’s elbow, helping her out of her chair and steering her towards the exit without looking back.
He brought his hand down and cupped the curve of her hip, feeling the warmth of her skin under her dress.
When they got outside she stepped away from him and began to walk.
The night was mild, the sky clear with glittering stars. The full moon hung low, casting a sliver light over everything, and the ocean waves lapped against the hull of the ship quietly, the sound soothing.
“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” She asked, turning her head to look at him as he walked beside her.
“Yes it is,” he agreed as he watched her hair ruffle in the breeze.
“So, what was going on back there?”
Direct and to the point, that was his girl.
Before he could answer however, she stopped walking and thrust a hand against his chest, her face alarmed.
“Angel, look.”
He followed the direction of her gaze and saw a woman struggling in the embrace of a man.
A vampire feeding.
Angel’s face shifted as he caught the scent of freshly spilled blood in the air, and growled as a part of him responded to the smell, feeling a hint of excitement at the sight of the girl’s struggles.
He rushed forward, grabbed the girl away, pushing her towards Cordelia’s reaching hands before facing the other vampire.
“Hey,” it growled with blood around its mouth. “I wasn’t done yet.”
“You really are,” Angel replied as he pulled his stake out of his dinner jacket and plunged it into the stunned vampire’s chest. Looking stupidly caught off guard, the thing exploded into dust.
Angel watched as the particles swirling in the air before being blown out over the water.
He turned back to see Cordelia cradling the girl on the deck as she cried. Cordelia’s left breast was half revealed as she leaned over, half shadowed by the moonlight, and he sucked in unneeded air at the sight, feeling the blood thrum through his body.
“I think she’s okay, just scared and stunned. I don’t think he had time to take very much.”
He stooped over and helped her up, taking the girl’s other elbow and leading them indoors.
***
An hour later they were back on deck, the tension reinforced by the late hour.
Music from the dance room filtered out, the sound of the sax like hot sex in sweaty sheets drifting above their heads.
“Dance with me?” He asked, taking her elbow.
“Okay,” she replied before stepping into his arms. He pulled her flush against him and began to move slowly, brushing his hips over her belly with each step.
“You’re seducing me.”
He chuckled and held her closer, breathing into the pink shell of her ear.
“Not much gets by you, does it?”
“Not when it’s rubbing against me, no.”
He leaned back at the wry tone of her voice.
“Does this bother you?” He asked in seriousness.
She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head.
“No, I’m just wondering why now.”
He craned his neck forward and planted an open mouthed kiss against the skin below her collarbone, making her breathing erratic.
“Well, seeing as how you just met the perfect guy, one who could offer you everything I can’t, I thought it might be a good time to make sure you have all the facts.” He kissed her jaw line and her head fell back, bring her pelvis right up against him, and he rubbed against her, letting her feel the desire he couldn’t hold back anymore. “Let you make an informed decision.”
She sighed and leaned her head forward, chuckling softly.
“You’re such a dork, you know that?” She huffed against his cheek.
His hand ran up and down the center of her back, counting her vertebrae.
“Why? For thinking you might want more out of life than darkness, death and pain?”
“For thinking a beach house in Malibu and little blue boxes were what it took to get me.”
He opened his mouth but she cupped her hand over it, silencing him.
“I’m not saying it wouldn’t be nice. It would be.” She laughed. “It really, really would be.” Shaking her head as if to clear it, she looked directly in his eyes. “But that’s not the only thing I’m about anymore, Angel, and you really are crazy if you think I’d be happy with any of that if it didn’t include you too.”
It was a second before her words sunk in, and when they did, he smiled, genuinely feeling as though he might lose his soul if she said anything else.
“That’s good, Cordelia, very good.” His hands dropped to her hips and he squeezed her against his hard on. “Because I’m not sure I could let you go at this point anyhow.”
“That’s sweet, Angel. And vaguely stalkerish, but I’ll let it go this one time.”
She lifted her head and parted her mouth against his in a kiss he deepened before she had a chance to withdraw, opening his mouth against hers and gently thrusting his tongue between her lips.
Minutes went by and he became lost in the taste and sensation of her, his hand roaming up to push aside the halter strap of her dress and palming the round bone of her shoulder.
Her breast popped free and he tore his mouth away with a growl, bending to capture one hard nipple, sucking deeply until her knees buckled and her body arched back in his hold.
Instead of falling into his arms, however, she lifted his head and kissed his wet mouth.
“Hey sport, not really into exhibitionism.” She stepped back and he reluctantly let her go, watching as she covered her breast. He stepped into her space again, hands reaching and she stopped him again with a laugh.
“The case is over, we’re not even half way through the trip, and there’s an empty bed in our cabin. Can you think of anything we could be doing between my trips to the sun deck?” Her playful tone was warmly seductive and the punch of desire hit him again, low in the belly.
She had him, well and truly now, and he wasn’t going to let her go, ever again. The curse was an issue, one he thought about more frequently as his feelings for her grew, but he’d find a way to stay inside himself when she made him fly apart, because he couldn’t go back to being just her friend.
“Don’t worry, you won’t lose your soul,” she said as she read his worries on his face. “I know how to slap and come at the same time.”
Her words acted like gasoline on a fire and he grabbed her elbow, leading her through the double doors, into the warmth of the corridor.
“What makes you think you’re going to be rested enough to get up and go tanning tomorrow?” He growled playfully as they stepped into the elevator.
The doors shut on her laugh.
End
