\u201cYou should wear something loose,\u201d Angel suggested to Cordelia as they walked toward her grandmother\u2019s house. \u201cWe could make a start on your training tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel obviously had not seen any of her workout gear if he thought the word \u2018loose\u2019 actually applied. \u201cGeez, don\u2019t you think school, Mrs. Finkle, and patrol are enough of a workout for one day?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDemons don\u2019t really care if you\u2019ve had a tough day, Cordy. They\u2019ll attack you whether you\u2019re tired or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Figuring that Angel was just looking for something to fill the time while they waited for midnight, Cordelia agreed with his plan. Everything so far had come almost at the stroke of twelve. She doubted tonight would be any different. That meant they had over three hours to kill before time to kick off patrol duties, which was plenty of time for what she had in mind.<\/p>\n
This was going to be fun, and Cordelia was going to make sure that she was not the only one having it. Grinning at the thought of her little secret, Cordelia glanced up at Angel to find him staring back. They paused long enough for him to turn to question her. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny? You need to be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel was on a very different wavelength, still thinking about defensive skills. Fine. She could try to focus on that, too. \u201cYou\u2019re probably right. I should change. This dress is not made for too much stretching or bending.\u201d<\/p>\n
Testing her theory, she lifted her hands over her head. Out popped the lacy edge of her lavender bra and a generous amount of cleavage. \u201cSee what I mean? Sometimes I wish I had a little less up top. Designers seem to think you have to be flat-chested or have humongous hips.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia was inwardly cursing some of her favorite designers while covering up again. It took a little bouncing around to get things back into their proper place, which caused her to laugh at her little dilemma. At least it was just Angel who had certainly seen enough boobs back in the day that hers were probably pass\u00e9. Nor was she expecting him to comment on her issues with the fashion industry, especially now that she could neither afford tailor-made designer clothing and was forced to save up for dresses directly off-the-rack.<\/p>\n
Smoothing her hands across her dress, she looked back at Angel half-expecting him to look bored, impatient, or as stoic as usual. Instead, she caught him staring. He coughed out a nervous laugh and turned his head away so swiftly that she wondered if it made him dizzy. Sheesh! \u201cLooking isn\u2019t a crime, doofus.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a guy that was almost two hundred fifty years old, you would think he would actually have a little more confidence when it came to women. He had spent all of those months playing lapdog to Buffy, but Cordy knew he was not always like that. She had seen it, sensed he could be different. Maybe it was just that he was different with her.<\/p>\n
Whatever! Who wouldn\u2019t be different? Buffy was just a magnet for weirdness, so it was no wonder that her boyfriend was a social pariah, but he did not necessarily have to stay that way. Angel just needed some exposure to things that did not involve demons or scary prophecies.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure you want to do this?\u201d Angel asked her again clearly still determined to keep her under lock and key for her own safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, I\u2019m not going to let anything Dru said stop me from doing what I want to do.\u201d She was starting to get impatient with the over-protective vibes. It was one thing to make her feel safe, but another to smother her. \u201cPlease drop it. Just for tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
They had stopped in the middle of Quincy Street having passed the half-burned out neon sign flashing in front of the motel. Angel looked torn between pleasing her and sticking to his original decision to leave her at home. Whatever Angel had on his mind, he was not about to share it. He simply continued on in the direction of her grandmother\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
Cordelia was not sure what that meant. Finally, they arrived. Strangely nervous about Angel seeing the place and meeting her grandmother, she fumbled with her keys for a moment finding it hard to put it in the lock. His hand closed over hers, deftly inserting the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked curiously. Leaning up against the doorframe, Angel graced her with a smile as if he had figured her out. \u201cI\u2019ve shown you mine. Time to let me see yours, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
Stricken by a sudden brain-freeze, Cordelia finally realized he was talking about the house. Idiot! Of course, he was talking about the house. That didn\u2019t mean she was not going to make him pay for making her think about other stuff that was totally not a good idea to think about.<\/p>\n
\u201cBev has a very strict rule about not letting vampires into the house,\u201d Cordelia turned the knob and stepped over the threshold.<\/p>\n
Disappointment was not the half of it. Angel looked like a kicked puppy dog with those big brown eyes delving into hers. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t apply to friends, you big dork.\u201d Cordelia reached out grabbing the lapel of his jacket to pull him inside. \u201cC\u2019mon in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel and Cordelia had not made it past the small front hall before the television in the living room went from loud to mute. Gasping, \u201cOh crap!\u201d Cordy warned him, \u201cBev heard us come in. There\u2019s no getting out of meeting her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWouldn\u2019t miss it,\u201d Angel said quite honestly. Meeting her grandmother was just another way to know more about Cordy herself.<\/p>\n
Using hushed tones, Cordelia pointed out, \u201cBev doesn\u2019t know vampires or demons are real.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
A nervous hitch sounded in her voice as she reminded, \u201cDon\u2019t talk about patrol.\u201d Cordy reached up to straighten the lapel she had scrunched. \u201cIf she asks you about what we\u2019ve been up to, let me do the talking. No mentioning training or me going to the mansion.\u201d Tucking a stray strand of hair into place, her fingers grazing down his neck to rest on his shoulder, she added, \u201cBev may be clueless about the Hellmouth, but she\u2019s not stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bemused, Angel asked, \u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust be yourself,\u201d she suggested all too seriously. Catching his expression, Cordy realized she was probably overreacting. Wryly adding, \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean biting is allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Impulsively, Angel curled his hand around the nape of her neck to playfully tug her close. \u201cBut Cordy, your neck is so tempting.\u201d Angel leaned in not quite sure what he was going to do once he got there. Between Cordelia\u2019s sudden squeal and the sound of her rapid pulse beating close to his ear Angel heard the distinct clack of heels on the hardwood floor.<\/p>\n
Cordelia felt Angel\u2019s thumb brushing along her pulse point, his lips skimming up the cord of her throat, teasing her. It was a joke, a game, not anything he meant as seduction, but it left her tingling all the way down to her toes. She still had a grip on Angel\u2019s shoulders, her body pressed close to his, head thrown back as she laughed at his sudden act of foolishness.<\/p>\n
That was when Bev walked in. Cordy felt Angel tense up. She did too, trembling just a little as his hand slid down her back to meet the other at her waist. Carefully setting her aside, Angel automatically moved into a position slightly in front of her, an instinctively protective stance as he took a moment to assess the woman watching them from the doorway.<\/p>\n
Standing nearly as tall as her granddaughter, Beverly Quinn was not exactly what Angel expected. Though the soft lines of her face and silver hair showed her maturity, she was still quite beautiful. It was not hard to see that this was where Cordy inherited her looks.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be Mrs. Quinn,\u201d Angel made the first move much to Cordelia\u2019s surprise. She figured he would still be tongue-tied over the fact that Bev was not exactly the wrinkly old lady type. Considering that she was in her late sixties, she was still something of a hottie.<\/p>\n
Bev seemed to be sizing him up. Her gaze slid up and down Angel\u2019s long, broad frame before sliding back over to Cordelia. \u201cSo this is Angel. You didn\u2019t tell me that he was so edible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOmigod!\u201d Cordelia gaped hardly believing that her grandmother would say such a thing in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou obviously think so, darling. Why bother to deny it?\u201d Bev shrugged her slender shoulders. \u201cNo wonder you\u2019re never at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
This time Cordy only managed a choked gasp. She looked toward Angel expecting a horrified expression, but he seemed to be enjoying this. His face was calm, but she could tell he was finding this hilarious.<\/p>\n
Angel idly wondered if lack of tact was genetic.<\/p>\n
Bev approached Angel stopping a few inches away. Retaining her pleasant smile, she spoke seriously, \u201cCordelia is my only granddaughter. She has more sense in her pinky finger than her mother ever did. So I suppose that means you must be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandmother,\u201d Cordy uttered from between clenched teeth. She grabbed Angel by the elbow and tried to tug him down the hallway, but found he was not budging from the spot. She sent him a harsh stare, which was answered with the subtle quirk of his mouth. \u201cAngel really doesn\u2019t need a lecture.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll young men need a lecture, dear,\u201d she rolled her eyes and continued on. \u201cThat brings me to my point. You tend to keep Cordelia out rather late. Now, I have not set a curfew because that would just be silly. She\u2019s already eighteen, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Actually, Angel did not have a clue having assumed her to be, well, old enough. He was not sure why everyone kept getting the wrong idea about him and Cordelia, but Beverly Quinn had clearly placed him in the role of boyfriend to her granddaughter. Catching him with his mouth on Cordy\u2019s neck might have given her a false impression, so he could excuse her being so quick to judge. He was just curious to see how far she was going to take this and just how far Cordelia was going to let it go.<\/p>\n
Not far, apparently. \u201cWe\u2019re just friends,\u201d Cordy blurted looking to him to back her up on it. \u201cFriends,\u201d she emphasized.<\/p>\n
Not bothering to respond to that, Bev simply addressed Angel, \u201cYou\u2019ll learn that I prefer to be up front about these things. After all, it\u2019s a dangerous world these days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is,\u201d Angel agreed. He wondered if Bev might be more aware of Sunnydale\u2019s situation than Cordy realized.<\/p>\n
Bev looked him in the eye. \u201cCordelia has a bright future ahead of her. I would not want anything untimely to happen. Protection is the key. Just promise me that you\u2019re keeping her safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mortified over the whole conversation, Cordelia blushed a fiery shade of red as Angel cluelessly assured her grandmother, \u201cProtecting Cordy is my top priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d Bev seemed pleased with herself for covering the subject. \u201cIn that case, you two have fun tonight. I won\u2019t wait up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia collapsed against the front door to watch her grandmother heading back into the living room. As soon as the sound of the television came back on, she turned on Angel with a fury. \u201cAre you completely insane?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe seemed pretty open-minded,\u201d Angel defended his response, completely in the dark as to why Cordelia was angry. Grabbing her arms to stop her when she pushed at his shoulders, he asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s so bad about me telling her I\u2019d protect you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAarrrgh!\u201d Cordelia tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but just managed to rub up against him. He pushed her back against the door, holding her there until she calmed down enough to explain, \u201cYou just told my grandmother that we\u2019ve been having sex.\u201d<\/p>\n
Breathing hard, Cordy listened to her own heaving gasps and the noisy sound of a laugh track coming from the television while trapped against Angel\u2019s hard frame. \u201cSex?\u201d That word on his lips sounded so sinful.<\/p>\n
Lashes fluttered closed, her lips parting in automatic response as a little wanton mewl escaped her throat catching them both off guard. That fiery blush suffused her wholly, a jolt of raw awareness passing between them. \u201cCordelia.\u201d Her name muttered so close to her mouth forced her eyes open.<\/p>\n
This time it was a whimper of panic sparking her reaction. \u201cGeez, Angel, let go!\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel waited a moment trying to temper his body\u2019s reaction to having her close, the heavy sensation in his loins close to a deep throb. Dammit, he did not want to let go. He wanted to savage that sweet mouth, and fill his hands with the curves he had already memorized. The dark glint in his eyes turned dull as he remembered the line drawn between them. He had a curse and their friendship to consider.<\/p>\n
Slowly, he released her wrists leaving a blanched impression of his fingers on her golden skin. He watched the marks fade as the blood rushed back in within the space of a couple of seconds. Wordlessly, Angel straightened up, his eyes focused on hers.<\/p>\n
Pushing past him, Cordy immediately headed toward her bedroom at the end of the hall. She flung the door open and stormed inside, but turned still glaring as if expecting him to follow. Angel\u2019s long stride brought him to the threshold in mere moments, but he stayed out in the hall.<\/p>\n
Dropping the subject would probably be the wise thing to do, but Angel could not just let it go. \u201cI didn\u2019t say anything about sex,\u201d he denied throatily.<\/p>\n
\u201cProtecting Cordy is my top priority,\u201d she mimicked. Grabbing a pillow off her bed to fling at him proved to be a useless choice of weapon. He caught it, of course, but it felt good to let off a little steam.<\/p>\n
Angel dropped it back on the bed beside her. \u201cWhat does that have to do with sex?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared open-mouthed. He was honestly clueless. \u201cSeriously? We\u2019re not gonna have that conversation. Just get in here and let\u2019s forget Bev brought it up. Sit there while I figure out what I\u2019m going to wear tonight,\u201d she pointed to her bed.<\/p>\n
Still confused, Angel chose to sit down. It gave him a chance to think about the fact that Bev Quinn was certainly a surprise. He was pleased that she seemed to have Cordelia\u2019s best interests at heart, even if he had somehow misread their entire conversation.<\/p>\n
He listened to Cordy muttering to herself as she opened up her closet and started to sift through the clothes, which were packed thickly in the small space. Half of what she said sounded like nonsense, but he definitely heard the words \u2018boinking\u2019 and \u2018safe sex\u2019.<\/p>\n
The proverbial light bulb suddenly flashed over his head. Bev had been talking about safe sex? No wonder he did not understand her. Angel excused himself for not picking up on it. It was not exactly an issue for a vampire.<\/p>\n
Cordelia was clearly embarrassed and angry, but the fact that her grandmother had practically given him a nod of approval left Angel feeling pretty damn good. For about five seconds. He knew that he should not be thinking about Cordy that way, imagining her with him. It was a hopeless fantasy.<\/p>\n
She obviously did not want him that way. Both yesterday and again today, Cordy could not seem to get away from him fast enough.<\/p>\n
There were other things to consider, perhaps too many to believe that he could ever possess her. Wanting her was such a simple thing, as reflexive as breathing when he did not have to, but it created complications. He was suddenly afraid that if he pushed too fast or too hard that their fragile relationship would crumble.<\/p>\n
Desperation stabbed deep at that thought. Angel surrendered to the idea that his feelings involved more than base desire, but he could not identify them. They had crept up on him out of nowhere. This was different than before, filling up a void he never knew existed and to his surprise one having nothing to do with Buffy Summers.<\/p>\n
Could he really give up what he wanted in order to keep what he needed in his life? Angel wondered if he even had a choice in the matter.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what do you think?\u201d Cordy swung around holding the contents of two hangers out for his inspection. \u201cRed or blue?\u201d<\/p>\n
Somewhere in the jungle of her closest, she had left her anger behind. Her ability to shift gears so quickly surprised him far less than her ability to make him do so. Angel figured he probably had a stupid grin on his face, but he did not really care.<\/p>\n
Answering, \u201cTake a guess.\u201d<\/p>\n