2: Endless ick- with fringe benefits.<\/b><\/p>\n
“Ewe,\u00a0 I’ll never get used to the smell of this place. – Hate to think how you deal with your super duper doggy-nose,” Cordy tacked on, not bothering to wait for a reply; ignoring his “Hey!” and the way his hand instantly reached up to touch the insulted piece of facial anatomy. Too busy grimacing with distaste at the endless icky puddles of unidentifiable origin.<\/p>\n
“This sucks beyond\u2026suckiness,” she grumbled, unable to think of anything even close to as bad, and took her first step- yelping sharply when her feet suddenly left the icky floor. “What are you doing?” she looked into the vampire’s unreadable face as he settled her more comfortably in his arms.<\/p>\n
“Trying to save your shoes from the ‘ick’. We have about a mile to go before we get there,” Angel explained casually, inwardly enjoying both the chance to hold her warm, soft body in his arms for a long while and the instinctive way she twined her arms around his strong neck, her fingers linking at his nape.<\/p>\n
“Since when have\u00a0you\u00a0<\/i>taken an interest in the health of my footwear- and you said ‘not long’ when I asked you earlier,” she reminded him with a roll of her eyes; then closed her mouth in case he decided to retract his offer and snuggled in.<\/p>\n
Angel had always made her so very aware of her femininity when he did manly things like this. It sent delicious shivers down her spine.<\/p>\n
“Cold?” Cordy shook her head, dipping her chin to avoid his concerned look, and hoping he hadn’t noticed the soft flood of colour she’d felt heat her throat and cheeks. Resting her dark head against his shoulder, she tightened her grip around the Vampire’s broad shoulders, absently scratching the short, coarse hairs on his nape gently.<\/p>\n
Angel forced his eyelids to stay open, brown orbs flecked with amber resolutely stared straight ahead and hoped the purr of pleasure lodged in his chest would stay put; this was going to be a long pleasure\/pain-filled journey!<\/p>\n
3: Eyes are the windows to\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n
“Wow!” Cordy looked around yet again, her glowing hazel eyes widening by the second as she took in her lush, impossibly expensive surrounding. “Wow”<\/p>\n
“I think I get it, Cor; you’ve said it about ten times since we got here,” Angel nudged the awestruck brunette as the owners of the beautiful property approached them, their movements a mixture of anxiety and relief.<\/p>\n
“Mister Angel! So glad to see you here- although you should have took us on our offer to pick you both up in our Limo- the dark windows would have made it safe.” The middle-aged woman’s eyes flicked towards the brunette sympathetically.<\/p>\n
“It must have been awful for you to have to trail through that dreadful place, dear.” She added with a grimace, then reached out a delicate, well-manicured hand. “How remiss of us! I’m Rosemary Bennett, and this handsome man is Daniel, my husband.” She introduced them, adding with a wink “but then you’d know all about handsome men, since you have one of your own.” Cordy grinned, abashed before sliding her annoyed eyes towards ‘her man’<\/p>\n
“Yeah; he certainly has his moments,” she agreed with faux cheer;\u00a0when he’s not dragging me through sewers unnecessarily.\u00a0<\/i>She added mentally, her gaze heating up with a promise of retribution; and conveniently putting aside the fact he’d carried her all the way!<\/p>\n
Angel shifted his feet; hooded eyes seemingly intent on the mud-splashed leather as he attempted to avoid and ignore the glower his Seer sent his way. “So\u2026where did you say the noises were most prevalent?” he asked the man of the house abruptly, practically able to envision his borrowed blood dripping from his cheek as Cordy continued to send daggers from those Death Ray eyes.<\/p>\n
“Oh, yes! – I thought you might like to see your rooms before we got down to the business at hand; but since you asked\u2026” the owner half turned and indicated the way down a side hall that branched off the expansive lobby before commencing walking with the eager-to-get-away vampire at his side.<\/p>\n
Cordy pinned a bright smile on her face as Rosemary hooked an arm through hers before leisurely following the two tall, dark men. “I love your home, Rosemary.” Her smile softened into an appreciative grin as her eyes took in the elegant beauty around her.<\/p>\n
“Wait until you see upstairs; the bedrooms are to die for,” Rosemary giggled like a teenager as she winked suggestively.\u00a0Oh boy!<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordy could only pray that the lovesick woman hadn’t put herself and the vampire together when sorting out their sleeping arrangements; quickly tamping down the pleasurable excitement at such a faux pas.<\/p>\n