Having determined that he had to come out of his room sometime, or else be a bad example to Fred who still kept to her bedroom seventy percent of the time, Angel settled on the couch in the lobby trying to focus on the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Cordelia had told Wes she was just going to be gone the rest of the morning, which suggested she\u2019d be back.<\/p>\n
The fact that they had argued left him unsettled. Though disagreements between them were hardly uncommon and the occasional verbal battle wasn\u2019t even unprecedented, Angel knew this was different.<\/p>\n
To top it all off, he had no clue what Cordelia had come to harp about to begin with. He\u2019d just gone off and assumed the worst thinking she\u2019d somehow discovered the fact that he\u2019d slept with Darla after telling her that he hadn\u2019t. Outside of the blonde vampiress herself, there was nobody else who knew they\u2019d had sex that night.<\/p>\n
So unless Darla was in communication with Cordelia, which seemed highly unlikely, he would\u2019ve been fine just keeping his mouth shut and playing dumb.<\/p>\n
As if he didn\u2019t have enough on his mind worrying that the revelation had damaged his recently renewed friendship with Cordelia, he was paid a little visit by Gunn and Wes. Now sitting alone in the lobby, Angel wondered if the hotel hadn\u2019t been taken over by another paranoia demon.<\/p>\n
Cordy was after him about his lies while Gunn and Wes seemed to have grown concerned about his treatment of Cordelia.<\/p>\n
After letting them do most of the talking, having earlier been reminded not to open his mouth in the presence of his friends without careful forethought, Angel realized that neither one knew about the nature of his argument with Cordelia.<\/p>\n
Whatever they were trying to say for the first ten minutes or so came out in vague questions and too-subtle hints that only left him baffled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you getting at?\u201d Angel finally gave up trying to guess.<\/p>\n
\u201cBarbie is off limits,\u201d Gunn cut to the chase.<\/p>\n
Wes nodded vehemently. \u201cAbsolutely. I completely agree with him. Consider Cordelia sacrosanct.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hurt her again and I\u2019ll stake you.\u201d Gunn had his arm around Angel\u2019s shoulder and then gave it a friendly punch. \u201cThat said, bro, we gotta work on gettin\u2019 you some.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some what?<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel had a sneaking suspicion that he\u2019d just caught onto the gist of this convoluted conversation. Avoiding the topic, he switched back to Cordelia just to reassure his friends, \u201cI have no plans to hurt Cordy. Not in any way. We just had an argument, but I\u2019ll fix it\u2026somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo doubt,\u201d Wes commented dryly remembering quite well how Angel settled things between them the last time. He recalled being quite put out at how easily Cordelia had accepted Angel\u2019s apology. The vampire certainly hadn\u2019t worked very hard to earn it. \u201cJust remember what we told you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I might if I understood any of it,<\/i> Angel gave them a smile which was apparently enough to convince them of his agreement with whatever they were trying to say. All he could get out of it was that they all agreed Cordelia was a beautiful young woman and that he needed to avoid hurting her.<\/p>\n
Gunn and Wes, secure in the fact that they had done well, went off on a Starbucks coffee run. They hadn\u2019t been gone fifteen minutes when Cordelia arrived back at the hotel. Wondering what he was supposed to say,<\/p>\n
Angel kept staring at the black print on the newspaper even though it blurred before his unfocused gaze. He heard the clickety clack of Cordelia\u2019s shoes along the lobby floor until she stopped directly in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes making like a lump on a log actually work with some people or do you think I\u2019m that unobservant?\u201d Cordelia tapped her foot expectantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Cordy,\u201d Angel slowly lowered the newspaper to his lap. \u201cYou\u2019re back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax, broody boy,\u201d she told him with a smile curving the corners of her lush mouth. \u201cI\u2019ve decided to let you off the hook. I forgive you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel pulled his gaze up from the long expanse of bare leg flashing beneath the tiny black skirt she wore. Forgiven so soon and without the groveling or gift-buying? He wasn\u2019t certain what happened to change her mind in the last couple of hours, but he wasn\u2019t going to knock it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay?\u201d Cordelia had anticipated a little more than that. At least a lousy apology, not this quick agreement to her terms for his surrender. Since starting another argument was likely to ruin any attempts at flirtation, Cordelia realized she had better drop the subject. \u201cYes, okay. Behind us. Completely forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt might help if you stop mentioning it,\u201d Angel pointed out bemused by her behavior as she tucked her hands behind her back and sashayed closer.<\/p>\n
Cordelia left out a long sigh, staring into his eyes for a moment before letting them dart away as she nibbled on her lower lip. It drew his gaze to that plump lower lip, which was just her intent.<\/p>\n
She wondered, was it just an automatic response or was he thinking of kissing her?<\/p>\n
\u201cI just had the longest, loveliest soak in my tub,\u201d Cordelia commented. \u201cAll that hot water sluicing over me and the bubbles piled high. I could\u2019ve stayed there forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel dragged his eyes away from her mouth to say, \u201cYou needed it considering the fact that you looked more like a mud wrestler than my seer.\u201d<\/p>\n
They laughed over the incident, Cordelia flashing him her megawatt grin and Angel responding with a smile so wide that it had her mesmerized. Just when she was about to say more, he turned back to his newspaper. \u201cGuess I\u2019ll get to work. I\u2019d hate to take you away from your\u2026sports news?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHockey scores,\u201d Angel pointed to the section of the paper where he figured the box indicating the game results would be. Catching the headline from the corner of his eye, he told her, \u201cKings versus the Dallas Stars.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh,\u201d Cordelia raised her eyebrows and walked over to her desk. She hoped a quick glance over her shoulder would reveal Angel staring at her swaying hips, but he was completely engrossed in the paper.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s so used to ignoring signals that subtlety is lost on him.<\/i> Cordelia sucked on the tip of her pen as she stole glances at Angel from across the room.<\/p>\n
When the phone rang, she perched on the side of her desk knowing that the sound of potential business always grabbed Angel\u2019s attention. Flashing that much leg was not her usual style, but it seemed that she might need to take the obvious route when it came to making Angel realize that she was way more attractive than any blonde Gunn and Wes could come up with.<\/p>\n
There was an audible rustle of papers as Cordelia straightened back up, but it was impossible to tell if Angel had been watching her or if he simply straightened out a crease that detracted from his reading.<\/p>\n
She waved the post-it note in the air, but Angel still had his nose in the newspaper. Walking over, Cordelia felt a little irritated by the lack of attention. Any other time she wore this top, Angel\u2019s eyes would be glued to her chest. Not that she\u2019d made a big deal about him looking. It was a guy thing and Angel was most definitely male.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a message for you,\u201d Cordelia told him. \u201cPotential client. Wants you to call him back in five minutes at this number.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel always looked happy about business. \u201cGreat!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoops!\u201d The yellow post-it note fluttered to the floor before she could hand it to Angel who still had his hands on his paper. Bending over from the waist, she reached for it at the same time he did putting her cleavage at face level. Cordelia wondered if that tactic wasn\u2019t blatant enough to get noticed.<\/p>\n
For an instant, Angel was tempted to forget the note and bury his face between the soft pillows formed by her breasts. Her fresh womanly scent was just a little stronger there, drawing him in. Then recalling his own determination not to do anything that would potentially harm their friendship, Angel reeled his libido back in and focused on picking up the post-it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a clutz today, Cor,\u201d Angel laughed sitting back on the couch spreading out and looking completely comfortable. He didn\u2019t so much as glance at the perky way she filled out her tight top. \u201cFirst the mud-slinging fiasco and now you\u2019re dropping things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia blinked a couple of times as she stared down at his smirking face, \u201cClutz.\u201d<\/p>\n
So much for studying that article on flirting. This was so not what Cosmo had in mind by \u2018Baiting Him With Your Body Language\u2019.<\/p>\n
Moving, Cordelia attempted to make a fast exit so Angel wouldn\u2019t see her frustration with his apparent blindness. Her foot caught on his ankle as she tried to step over his outstretched legs, unintentionally sending Cordelia tumbling toward the floor. The newspaper and post-it went flying as Angel grabbed her in a midair catch.<\/p>\n
He held her close to his chest after shifting her into a normal hold, his arms around her waist and under her thighs. Never mind the hasty movement of his hands across less acceptable zones, Angel simply sounded concerned, asking, \u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s heartbeat thundered in her chest having not expected to go flying like that. Not wanting to admit that maybe she was distracted by her own plotting, she commented seriously, \u201cFine. I was just testing your reflexes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meeting his dark brown gaze, now twinkling with amusement, Cordelia\u2019s mouth gave a reluctant twitch before she broke into a wide grin. Hugging him, she couldn\u2019t hold back her own laughter. Giggling into his ear and cupping his face with her crimson-tipped fingers, told him, \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was possible to exceed your clutz-factor, broody boy. Guess that just proves I\u2019m the best at everything<\/i> I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Wes\u2019 voice called out from the door. Concern sounded, \u201cVision?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn was thrilled at the possibility of a little demon bashing. \u201cAlright!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo vision,\u201d Cordelia told him to reign in his enthusiasm for something that resulted in mind-splitting migraines. Then noticing what they brought back with them, \u201cOoh! Starbucks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wes had a to-go tray with five Grande coffee cups. \u201cWe took a chance that you\u2019d be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s with this?\u201d Gunn pointed a finger at them making Cordelia realize she was still in Angel\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n
With one last laugh, Cordelia slid to her feet enjoying every millimeter of hard torso and thigh that brushed against her. She ventured a peek from beneath her eyelashes only to find Angel focused on the mess on the floor. His strong hands were on her hips, but only to move her out of his way as the vampire squatted down to gather up the newspaper and stray post-it note.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a vision,\u201d Angel told Gunn as he held up the yellow square of paper, \u201cbut we may have a client.\u201d<\/p>\n
Back to business,<\/i> Cordelia let out a tiny huff walking across to take her coffee from Wesley.<\/p>\n
Watching her footing, she headed back to her desk where she tossed the plastic coffee lid into the trash can and sat down in her chair. Crossing her legs, she bobbed her foot up and down noting that the action and the position of her mini skirt against her supple golden thighs was certain to draw male attention.<\/p>\n
Only it seemed to be just Wes and Gunn who were incapable of keeping their eyes in their heads. Angel was too busy concentrating on the numbers she\u2019d written down on the post-it note.<\/p>\n
Glancing at the whipped cream topping her coffee, Cordelia decided to find out if Cosmo was right about the benefits of calling attention to your mouth. She took a hasty sip, smearing foamy coffee across her upper lip just as Angel held out the note for her perusal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that a one or a seven?\u201d<\/p>\n
Blinking, Cordelia glanced forward to confirm, \u201cA seven, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the note again. \u201cGuess I\u2019ll try it both ways. Cor, you\u2019ve got coffee\u2026,\u201d he motioned with his hand across his firm male mouth.<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s eyes followed the path of that finger and watched as his tongue swiped along his upper lip. Thoughts of kissing those lips weren\u2019t far behind as she managed to find her voice, \u201cHere?\u201d<\/p>\n
She licked slowly at her lip, letting the pink tip slide across its plump surface. \u201cDid I get it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Having picked up the phone on her desk, Angel looked distracted. Not by her mouth, Cordelia realized, but by thoughts of a prospective client. He gave her lips a quick glance, \u201cNo, you didn\u2019t get it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t go around the office all day with coffee on my face,\u201d Cordelia complained with just enough of a hint in her voice that Angel dropped the phone into its cradle long enough play the chivalrous hero.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me take care of it,\u201d his voice sending anticipatory shivers down her spine.<\/p>\n
How would he do it? Use that slightly calloused male thumb to wipe her lips clean? Kiss the evidence away with those lips she suddenly ached to taste? Maybe just a long cool swipe of his tongue over her mouth tasting her and the creamy coffee at the same time.<\/p>\n
With a confident move of pure efficiency, Angel snatched a tissue from the box of Kleenex on her desk and dabbed twice. \u201cAll gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he was back at the phone again dialing up the numbers she had scribbled down on the yellow post-it. Maybe if she wrote \u2018Kiss Me\u2019 on a post-it and stuck it to her own forehead, Angel might just get the hint.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Cordelia was determined not to brashly force the issue into the fore. That might prove disastrous. She wanted to be certain that there was a chance for something more than friendship before she revealed her love to him.<\/p>\n
Sure Angel loves me, but can he LOVE me, love me? What\u2019s not to love? Extreme want might be acceptable.<\/i> Unfortunately, the rest of the day and most of the evening were tied up with Angel Investigations\u2019 new client.<\/p>\n
As were the next three days & evenings following.<\/p>\n
Flirtation took a back seat to work though Cordelia grabbed every opportunity that came along to touch him. She wasn\u2019t happy unless she had her hands on him, a fact that Angel seemed totally oblivious about.<\/p>\n
If anyone was being seduced around this office, Cordelia was convinced she was seducing herself.<\/p>\n
Tonight signaled the end of their contract with their new client. They\u2019d finally tracked down the metaphysical source of his problem and vanquished it. For once, they were triumphant and there was no demon goo involved to muck up her appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did it,\u201d Cordelia gave Wes and Gunn a quick celebratory hug and then wound her arms around Angel\u2019s neck. Naturally, he hugged right back, but Cordelia leaned close needing to feel his strength against and surrounding her. Mmm, he felt good.<\/p>\n
Angel let go the moment Cordelia\u2019s warm breath emerged as a sigh against his throat. The temptation to smooth his hands up and down her back pressing her even closer came as something he found difficult to resist, but he was determined to do so.<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s natural tendency to touch seemed ever more pronounced the past few days, but Angel was certain that it was just him imagining it. Focusing on every little move, every heartbeat and breath, only served to drive him mad with wanting.<\/p>\n
It made Angel all the more determined to ignore what he thought his imagination was stirring up. Feelings for Cordelia Chase that went beyond the bonds of their friendship were forbidden. He needed to do something to fight these emotions that threatened the one thing in his life that truly meant everything to him.<\/p>\n
As his hands dropped away, Cordelia pulled back just a little, her eyes sparkling with the knowledge that it was time to turn up the volume on her little seduction game. Her hands curled over his shoulders, lightly running down the length of his arms and back up again. That little move had him staring down, his eyes dark and intent.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t look so glum now that the case is over,\u201d Cordelia told him. \u201cTonight, I\u2019m on search and rescue, broody boy. My mission is to save you from a dull night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s left eyebrow quirked upward just a fraction until she named a popular dinner club, \u201cI say we all go celebrate at the Starlight Terrace. Wes, go get Fred.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley was strangely quiet. Normally, he\u2019d jump at a chance to bring Fred anywhere that got her out of her room for more than an hour at a time. His silence did not go unnoticed by Cordelia who realized that none of the guys seemed to have an opinion on her suggestion to celebrate.<\/p>\n
Finally, having moved to a safe distance, Angel revealed, \u201cTonight isn\u2019t such a good night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d Cordelia gaped at him. \u201cI was just joking about you being broody, Angel. That\u2019s no excuse not to have a little fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn assured her, \u201cOh, he will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel\u2026 have fun?\u201d Cordelia\u2019s eyes narrowed as they turned on the vampire. \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really just work,\u201d shrugged Angel trying to downplay the fact that he knew Gunn was trying to set him up. \u201cWe\u2019re patrolling around the East Hills Teen Shelter. Gunn asked me along to check things out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this is about Miss I Help the Homeless,\u201d Cordelia plastered a bright smile on her face knowing exactly what, or rather who, Angel would be checking out. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen Anne in\u2026 forever. Why don\u2019t we all go patrolling and then we can head to the club afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel let Gunn do the fast talking. He was already feeling tongue-tied and wasn\u2019t at all certain that this was a good idea to begin with. Thoughts of dating, other than the fact that he hadn\u2019t done that in a while, seemed almost like he\u2019d be cheating on Cordelia.<\/p>\n
Ridiculous idea, but there it was. Angel couldn\u2019t get it out of his head and that made him all the more determined to go through with it.<\/p>\n
Seeing that Gunn had all the bases covered, Cordelia decided that it was best to pull back and let her vampire take care of their friend\u2019s matchmaking ploy with his own social ineptitude. Waggling her fingers in a wave of goodbye, she told them. \u201cHave fun at the shelter. Watch out for stray Zombies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then muttering under her breath, \u201cAnd if you lie to me about what you do tonight I\u2019ll personally kick your ass back to the Himalayas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you\u2019d forgiven me,\u201d Angel commented quietly as he stepped closer feeling the need to say goodbye.<\/p>\n
Damn vampire hearing,<\/i> Cordelia realized he overheard her threat. \u201cYou\u2019ve used up your Get Out of Jail Free card, buster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia caught her lower lip between her teeth, nibbling on it as her gaze darted up to Angel\u2019s dark, penetrating eyes and down again to his tempting mouth. The urge to kiss him goodnight caused her heart to flutter in her chest.<\/p>\n
Damn, she wanted to curl her fingers in the lapels of his jacket, pull him close and devour those lips like he was hot fudge on her ice cream sundae.<\/p>\n
\u201cWes can give you a ride home,\u201d Angel suggested as his fingers grazed her elbow.<\/p>\n
He looked sheepishly guilty about something. Enough that it made Cordelia\u2019s eyes dart away in anger at his determination to let Gunn fix him up with the very blonde Anne who, let\u2019s face it, had a lot more in common with the vampire having a mission all her own, than Cordelia wanted to admit.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, I think I\u2019ll do a little catching up with Fred,\u201d she commented airily. \u201cWes probably wants to catalogue the details of our triumph in his journal anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat would be a smashing idea,\u201d Wesley cut in. \u201cI\u2019d like to record everything while the details are still fresh in my mind. I can give you a ride back to your apartment when I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSee,\u201d Cordelia told Angel brushing her hands together. \u201cOne loose end all tied up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel wasn\u2019t oblivious to the neat little smile that stretched too tightly across her beautiful face. She was pissed at him. Again. \u201cDammit, Cordy, you\u2019re not a loose end. I\u2019m not tying you up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Snorting, Cordelia\u2019s little smile turned devlish, \u201cI\u2019d like to see you try.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2019mon, dawg,\u201d Gunn urged. \u201cWill you stop messin\u2019 around with Cordy. We got to be at the shelter in fifteen minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n