Who Knew?

Author:  Bren

Rating:  PG on this chapter.eventually R or NC-17.

Summary:  5 years after Chosen, Willow, while at a corporate convention, runs into Tall, Dark, and Broody.

Disclaimer:  Don't own 'em.

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~Part: 1~

5-inch black high heels seem so sexy...to say.  Not so much to wear.  Willow's goal for life, at the moment, was to get back to her cabin and kick the damn things off.   She leaned against the bar, looking down at her crossed ankles, contemplating the many ways women were tortured on a daily basis.   The shoe thing...itchy lace on bras...that whole shaving of the legs thing..Willow sighed without looking up as an oily voice purred in her ear, "You look like a lady who needs some company."  Yes, thought Willow, Lester Higgenbottham was among the "things women find torturous" list.  She looked up, a business casual smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, Lester.  Nice presentation today.  You make spreadsheet conversion simply come alive."

Lester grinned what he apparently thought was a lady-killer grin.  "Yeah, I know a thing or too..."  Willow zoned off, trying to remember to nod her head at timed intervals as Lester droned on and one.  She really hated this end of the business..the meet and greet occasions that arose periodically.  This year she had simply come because the Vendor had hosted in Atlanta, and had rented the exclusive grounds of a luxury resort for it's out of town clients.  All in all, not a bad gig, Willow thought, remembering to nod seriously as Lester's voice rumbled on.   She had made a few necessary contacts, and had skipped an afternoon session to meet up with a good friend who owned a small crystal shop at The Underground.  Her cabin was quiet and at the end of the complex, so her evening last night had been quiet and peaceful.  After a breakfast with a potential new client, she would return to New York late tomorrow morning.  In the meantime, at this banquet, there was an open bar, great hor'dourves..and Lester.  God help her, there was Lester.

Willow started with a squeak as Lester's arm suddenly wound around her waist and he breathed into her ear, "What say we go back to your room and I'll give you a one-on-one demonstration?"  Willow pried his arm from around her middle as her foot lifted slightly and the stiletto heel jabbed down on his toe.  "Oh, gosh, Lester, I'm so sorry.so clumsy.wow, that's gotta hurt."  She held back a smile as Lester squealed and stepped back, glaring at her, his pasty face rigid with indignation.

"These are BRUNO MAGLI, Willow..do you have ANY idea what these COST?"  Lester frantically turned his foot this way and that, looking for damage to his shoe.

"Probably cheaper than a sexual harassment suit, big guy."  Willow sipped her drink.  "And if the shoe fits, they won't acquit."

Ignoring her comment, Lester looked up, suddenly enraged.  Willow stepped back, startled, as Lester grabbed her arm.

"Listen, bitch" he hissed in a low voice.

Willow shook his arm off and straightened up, glaring at him as her chin lifted.  She looked down her nose as she ground out, "I lied.  The presentation was boring.  Try to get me a copy, ok?  That way, if I'm ever in a doctor's office and I find out I have ten minutes to live, I'll just start reading your speech.   Ten minutes will seem like eternity."  Lester stepped back, a red heat washing over his pasty skin.  "Another thing, Lester, the name's  Ms. Rosenberg, not bitch, those shoes are knockoffs, and next time you try to go nose to nose to trowl for some booty, chew a little Dentyne before, ok?"  She turned away, ignoring his sputtering mumbles, and walked straight into a solid wall of man.  Strong hands gently gripped her as she regained her balance.   Her drink sloshed a bit as she steadied herself,  an apology on her lips as she raised her gaze to meet warm brown eyes, amusement lurking in the chocolate depths.

"Hello, Willow.   Good to see you." Angel grinned slightly as he caught her stunned gaze.  "A thousand miles from Sunnydale," his gaze narrowed as he raised it to rest on Lester, still grumbling, "and you STILL find yourself a troll."

"It's a gift." Willow laughed and set her drink on the bar before throwing her arms around Angel's neck, hugging him as she giggled.  She pulled away,   a grin lighting her face.  "What are you doing here?  Oh, I didn't mean, you know, what the hell are you doing here, but, more like, wow, what a great surprise that you're here when I wouldn't have expected you to be HERE,  how did this happen.." Her voice trailed off as his own grin widened.   She held his gaze a moment.  "Geeze, it's good to see you."   She stopped as a terrible thought entered her head.  "Wait a minute.  You're not here because  OCR is...ya know..evil, are you?  Because sometimes they're difficult to deal with, don't even get me started on their IT guys, and I have to say I've always kind of envisioned the board of directors with horns on their heads but that was just me entertaining myself, they're not REALLY."  Angel laughed, taking her arm and leading her towards the French doors that opened onto a stone terrace.

"Relax, Willow.   It's fine.  I'm here on business, but not with OCR.   Wolfram and Harte has a branch office here and there are a few things I needed to personally see to.  We keep a suite here year round.  I was going out and passed by the banquet hall and saw a flash of red fire," he grinned and tugged at her hair, "and saw you cornered by Tony the Troll."  Willow giggled.

"Lester."

"Whatever.  I was going to sweep in and rescue the damsel till I saw you rescue yourself.  Pretty good job."  He laughed softly, lowering his gaze to her shoes.  "You have a license to wear those things?"  Willow grinned, lifting her foot slightly and turning her shoe to examine the stiletto heel.  She missed the way Angel's eyes darkened slightly as his eyes noted the curve of her foot and his eyebrows rising as his gaze slid up her legs and over figure.

She looked up at him, missing the glance.  "No license.   Just a sad way to torture myself.  I really want to get these off.  Hey."  Her eyes widened.  He could see the little lightbulb go on over her head.  "Let's go back to my cabin and order room service.  I don't really want to go to this, and I want to hear all about what you've been up to."

Angel grinned, looking thoughtfully off into the distance.  He looked back down at her face, and smiled.  "Ok.  Let me make a couple of calls.  Why don't I meet you back at your cabin?"

"Great.  Better than great.  I mean, I would have done anything to get out of..oh wait.  You're not" she made air quotes, "ANYTHING..but this is so much better than rubber chicken and I have a lot to tell you about, and I'm dying to know about LA, and.."she grinned as she stopped herself.  "Cabin 108, East End, Angel."  She started to back towards the French doors.  "Come on over when you're ready."  She giggled softly.  "This is so great!" and she turned to pass through the doors.  Angel watched her, his smile slowly draining away as his eyes narrowed slightly.   He didn't remember ever seeing her in a black dress before, especially one so short.  And fitted.  One of the great epiphanies of all time entered his head.  Willow Rosenberg was beautiful.  And had a great ass.   Who knew?

~Part: 2~

"I'm not allowed to have boys in my room."  Willow solemnly intoned as Angel leaned against the doorframe to her cabin.  She peered up at him, a crooked grin curving her lips as he looked down at his foot as it shuffled a bit, a small smile warming his face at the memory.  His eyes raised back up to her face.

"I'll try to behave myself."

She laughed and stepped back.  "In that case, come on in, Angel."  He entered all dark clothing and chiseled features and broad shoulders.Willow mentally shook herself.  Whoa.  Where the hell did THAT come from?  She closed the door and turned to face him, the crooked grin back in full force.  "Lotta time gone bye, Angel." She followed him into the living room.  "Gotta say, time's been good to you." She stopped, blushing at her blunder.  "I mean."

"It's ok, Willow.  Time is just time.  Pretty much stays the same for me all the way around." He sighed, sitting on one end of the overstuffed sofa.  "I guess now it's a little different.  Used to just brood.now I brood in a penthouse suite and drive a Viper, but somehow, it's a better quality brood."  Willow giggled softly as she sat at the other end of the soft.  Angel watched her out of the corner of his eyes.she had changed into dark brown jeans and a loose gauzy top.  A kind of tan top.  And it seemed kind of sheer.  He could see the outline of her bra.  He started and quickly looked around the cabin.  "Nice.  This is nice.  Hotels can be kind of cold, but this is, uh, this is..nice."

Willow looked around.  "Yeah, it's pretty cool.  Kind of a nice change.  You know, right after Sunnydale.."she paused, looking down at her hands resting in her lap.  "You know.wasn't Sunnydale anymore, wasn't.um..well, after that, Buffy and I went to England with Giles.  We spent two years rebuilding the Watcher's Council.  I loved it there, and I had a great set of rooms at this old castle." Angel's eyebrows rose.  "Well, long story short, it was owned by the Council.  The  dead one.  Anyway, Giles inherited it and that was our home."  Willow rose and crossed to the wetbar, bending to open the minifridge.  She peered back behind her.  "Beer?"  Angel nodded.  She turned to pulled two Coronas out and walked back to him, setting hers down before facing him with his beer in his hand.  "Want to see a trick?"

Angel, grinned, bemused.  "Sure.  No one's going to vanish, right?"  Willow laughed.  Taking his beer,  she raised her foot and angled it slightly. "Learned this at a pub."  She brought the bottle down on the heel of her shoe, perfectly catching the cap under the rim and grinning as it popped off.  She handed Angel his beer and did the same to her own bottle before settling back down on the sofa.

"Impressive.  I can see five years has been time well spent."

Willow laughed, throwing her head back.  Her hair fanned about her shoulders and Angel watched, caught by her exuberance.   She raised the bottle.  "I can also turn cards over with my toes and I learned this thing with tying a cherry stem with my tongue." she blushed, realizing how that sounded.  "..which, of course, means nothing."  She looked away, sucking down some Corona, mentally smacking herself.  Angel hid his grin by raising his own beer to his lips.

"Anyhow..England, castle, not so dead Council, and I decided it was time to move on.  Do some real world stuff.  Well, I guess "real world" is kind of relative, but." she crinkled her brow, trying to find the right phrase.  "I guess I wanted.boring.  Boring sounded so good.  Boring is, you know, not smelling like garlic from your garlic clove necklace, or not worrying about demons that bleed acid, that kind of thing.  Boring sounded sooooooo good." She laughed softly and shook her head.

"Not so good?"  Angel took another sip.

"Yeah, not so much.  Turns out boring is pretty boring.  But I'm in a job that I don't hate, I have my own place.  I've got insurance.  Some guy named FICA keeps taking money out of my check, but other than that.."

Angel laughed softly.  "Living the life of a grown-up."

"Hey, spud, I am a grown-up."  Willow rose to cross to the 'frig, tossing her empty bottle in the trashcan on the way.  She grabbed another and motioned to Angel over her shoulder.  At his nod, she grabbed one for him and set it down on the table in front of him.   Angel eyed the beer in her hand.

"Like the cerveza, huh, Willow?"

"Special occasion, Broodster.  I can handle it."

Two hours later, Willow laughed as she punched Angel in the shoulder.  "GET OUT!    No way did Wesley do that.  He was like.the whine king."  Several empty corona bottles lay heaped in the trash can.  Several bottle tops lined up like little soldiers on the coffee table in front of Angel.  He smiled, shaking his head.

"Nope.  Really.  Gotta tell you, he's turned into my right arm.  He's...he's a good guy.  I don't know a lot of those." Angel contemplated his beer before raising his bottle to Willow.  "To Good Guys.  And Good Girls."  Willow frowned, trying to focus.

"Women, Angel.  Good Women."  A little miffed, she stood up.  Angel looked up at her, bemused.   "I'm not a girl."

"Women, got it.  You're a woman."

"Well, now, you're just being patronsising.patrosissor.you're just being a goomba."

Angel grinned, rising and setting his beer down.  "Willow, baby, you're drunk."

"Am not.  I can drink with the rest of 'em"

"The best of them."

"Them too."

"Sure you can."  Angel leaned over, plucking the half-emty out of her hand.  "You're gonna have a grown-up headache in.."   He looked at his watch and frowned.   "5 more hours.  Damn."

Willow  stared at Angel, her hand still gripped around an invisible bottle.  "What is it with you?  Don't need a parent here, Angel.  I survived Sunnydale,   I survived British cooking, and I live in New York.  I can take you.  Give it back."

"Willow, sweets, you're toasted.  Little girl like you isn't built for beer quantity."

She snatched the beer back.  "You GUYS.  You know what your problem is? You're a guy.   I'm  a woman, dammit."

Angel took the beer she was waving around out of her hand and set it down.  Yes, you are, Baby.  A drunk woman.  Tell you what.  Come to my suite in the morning.  Have breakfast with me before you leave."  He laughed softly at her disgruntled expression.
"Willow..got it?"

"Why yes, Angel, you guy.  I'll be there for breakfast .  Sheese."

Angel tried to keep a straight face.  "Okie dokie, Willow.  Get some sleep.  You're a lightweight drinker, Baby."

Willow saw red through the haze.  Sweetie Willow, Baby Willow...someone needed to be bitch-slapped with reality, and it wasn't her.

"WILL YOU STOP CALLING ME THAT?"  Willow rose to her toes and grabbed the lapels of Angel's jacket.  "So not a baby.  Would a baby do THIS?"  He grasped her arms to steady her as she jerked at his lapels, pulling his face down to hers.  Her lips pressed to his, angry and hard, and her breath, mellow with corona, wafted through his senses.  He stiffened in surprise, his arms tightening around her arms.

Wow.  A pleasant fog sifted through Willow's mind.  He could really kiss.  This guy.  This guy who was kissing her..this guy...her eyes popped open and she lurched back slightly.  "ANGEL.   Oh.   Um."  Closing her eyes, she licked her lips before chancing a look at him.  He stared at her, frozen.  He looked...shellshocked.   Like she remembered feeling when she found out Bert and Ernie were just puppets.  "Uh..ya know, there may be something to that whole, "had a little too much" theory.  I am sooooo sorry.  I didn't mean...um...breakfast, you say? Sounds nice.  I'll be by..ohhhhh..I'll call.   That's it.  I'll call when I get up and going.."  Her head was beginning to pound.   "And that way you won't kiss me...uh...miss me."   She stood stock still,   wishing for an interdimentional hole to open and swallow her.

She finally looked up at Angel, who hadn't moved.  "Say something."

Angel's eyes held hers for a moment before he straightened.  "Sounds good, Willow.  Give me a call."  He gave a grin.  "I'm in all day."  He took his wallet out and took out a business card, writing his cabin number on the back before setting the card down on the coffee table.   He looked at the bottle caps, lined up neatly on the table.  As he turned towards the door, he saw the discarded high heels lying on the floor where they had been kicked off.  He raised his gaze to Willow and smiled.  "It's ok, Willow.  Don't worry about it.  It's all good."  He walked to the door and opened it, turning back to her just before slipping out into the inky night.  She stared at him, weaving slightly.  He laughed softly and lifted a hand in a wave before locking the door and stepping out, pulling if firmly closed behind him.  He paused, his hand on the knob, listening to the faint throb of Willow's heart.  Her grown up, stiletto-wearing, beer drinking heart.  He shook his head in wonder, raising his eyes to the sliver of moon.  Willow.

Inside the cabin, Willow remained still, stunned to her core.  Ohmygodijustkissedangel.   She closed her eyes as mortified warmth stole over her.  Not a "hey good to see you kiss" either.  It was better than that.  Really better.  She opened her eyes and made her way to the bedroom, one of her hands rising to stroke her lips as she walked.  She kissed Angel.  And..it really seemed..like he kissed her back.  Holy cow.  Who knew?

~Part: 3~

There was evil, and there was Corona beer.  Willow cringed as she knocked on the door to Angel's cabin.  Sunglasses covered her eyes.   An invisible hammer tapped rhythmically on her head, unfortunately beating a solid "Wipeout" tattoo.  She groaned, lowering her head as she waited.  She heard the soft tread before the door was pulled open, and Angel grinned down at her, standing with his hands in his pockets.   He looked amazingly rested, and hadn't shaved yet, so his face was stubbled with yesterday's beard.  He took in her dark glasses and his grin grew wider.  Willow raised a hand and airily waved it as she brushed past him.

"Not a word.  Not a damn word."   She dropped her laptop case with a soft "thud" and bit her lip as the thud reverbed through her entire body.  She paused to let it end before walking to the wetbar and pouring herself a cup of coffee.  She heard the door close and turned as Angel slowly walked to her.  "I mean it.  I admit it.  I'm a lightweight.  Here I am, all contrition.  So bite me."  Angel's eyebrows rose.  "Or not."   Angel chuckled and held her gaze.  "I wouldn't do that,  Willow.  The way you're feeling is better than any told you so I could deal."  Willow stared back, seeing the flecks of gold that seemed to glitter in his eyes.  She felt her breath catch.  Angel smiled slightly, as if at some private joke.  He reached to her face and gently pulled off her glasses, setting them aside. Willow gave herself a mental shake and stepped back, turning to sip her coffee.   She looked around.  "Wow.  This is..wow."

Angel's cabin was much larger than hers had been.   More nicely furnished, also.   Willow walked to the covered windows and fingered the heavy, lined drapes, closed to keep the sunlight out.  Angel watched, and then spoke.  "Would my drinking my "coffee" in front of you bother you?"

Willow shook her head.  "Nope.  Hung out with Spike enough.   Go ahead."

Angel felt his jaw clench at the mention of the blonde vampire.   He had dealt with Buffy and Spike, but the thought of Willow and Spike...

"Hey.still in there?" He started as Willow gently waved in his face.

"Uh, yeah.  Be right back."  He stepped into the kitchen and poured a mug of blood, warmed, from a carafe.  Willow had sat at the dining table, and he pulled out a chair across from her and sat.  He sipped, watching her over the rim of the mug.  Willow looked back, down at her mug, sipped some of her coffee, and set the mug down with a small thud.

"Well...wow, this was great.    Ya know, if you're ever in New York.."

"I will be.  Quite a bit, in fact."

Willow's eyes rounded.  "Wolfram and Harte are in New York?"

Angel looked at her.  "It's an evil firm of lawyers, Willow.  Of course they're in New York."

Willow giggled and set her mug down.  "There is that.  Hey, let me write down my phone number, and when you visit, give me a call.  Whoa, look at the time."   She felt like she was babbling nervously, but she was starting to feel sucked in by a current in the room..a thick, warm haze.  Because of Angel.    She shifted as she reached down for her purse, grabbing a pad of paper and a pen.   She sighed, feeling a heat between her legs...a heat she hadn't felt for quite a while.   That was it, she realized, with relief.   It had been a long, dry spell.  Single girl was great in some ways, kind of lame in others.  Like sex.  And not getting any.  She blushed, writing her phone numbers down for Angel.

"So.here's my home number, and my cell, and my office.  Really, give me a call.  Maybe we can, you know, do something." And she rose, all wiry tension.

"We didn't have breakfast, Will."

She blinked.  "Oh, not too hungry.   Ya know, with airline security, gotta get there early."  She paused.  "It was so good to see you.  I missed....I miss some of that life."

Angel watched  her with a level gaze.   He followed her to the door.  She picked up her laptop case and slung her purse over her shoulder, smiling up at him.  He felt his stomach tighten, the way it did when he was on a hunt.  He smiled a guiless smile at her.

"Hey Willow...you drunk right now?"

Willow gave a startled laugh.  "NO.  I'm fine.."

"You angry?"

"Uh.."  Willow's brow puckered slightly, trying to figure out where this was going,  "no..not angry."

"Then we're good."  Suddenly, Angel clamped his hands around her slim waist and hauled her up to him.  She danced slightly on her toes as she let out a squeak and grabbed at his shoulders.   Her lips parted at the squeak and his mouth swooped in, settling over hers.   He ran his tongue over her lips before pushing into her mouth, stroking her tongue with a heated rhythm.  His hands pulled her hips into his, and he knew she could feel the thick ridge of his erection against her.  His hands gentled, stroking her hips before sliding around to cup her ass, pulling her in even closer.   Vaguely he heard a thump as her laptop and purse slid off her shoulder and out of her hands.   She moaned, raising her arms to twine around his neck, pressing her mouth into his.  He gentled, sucking gently at her lower lip before softly setting her away.   He wrapped his arms around her and looked down into her flushed face.   "Baby..."   She opened her eyes and stared up at him in wonder.  "Willow...I know just who you are.   And last night wasn't a drunken fluke, and that just now wasn't a mistake."  He reached down and picked up her bag and purse, settling them on her shoulder.  He grinned and reached over and picked up her forgotten sunglasses, placing them gently on her face.  She didn't move, stock-still with heat and longing.  He traced her lips softly with his finger.

"I'll be there in a day or so, Will.  We have some talking to do.  Do you want to, Willow?  Do you want to talk?"

If his he had a heart beat, it would have stopped as he waited for her to speak.

She shook her head and seemed to come back to herself.  She turned and opened the door, stepping out into the sunshine before turning to face him.   Her expression unreadable behind the sunglasses, her voice sounded calm as she said, "Yeah.  I want to talk.  I want.."   She stopped, and looked about before looking back at him again.   "Give me a call."  And she was gone.

Angel stood in the darkened doorway a moment before closing the door.  He picked up the note of phone numbers she had written and walked over to his briefcase.  Opening it, he grinned, slightly, pulling out a file marked "Willow" and opening it, tucking the numbers in with the sheet detailing her phone numbers, address, and the maps that located her apartment and job.   After he cleaned up this mess here in Atlanta, he was headed north.  To talk.

~Part: 4~

Willow  sighed and stretched back in her seat…raising her arms over her head as she lifted her face and arched her back.   Her gaze settled on the dozen or so pencils poking into the foam ceiling and she grinned,  once again mentally patting herself on the back for her throwing accuracy.  It came close to making up for the fact that none of the vending machines carried Fresca, but sometimes close is ok.  She straightened up  as her phone rang and reached to answer it, absently saying “Willow Rosenberg” as she propped the receiver between her shoulder and ear.

“Willow.”

Her heart skipped slightly at the measure of low-timbered murmer.  “Angel?”

“Willow.”  It was quiet for a moment.  “Your turn.”

Willow giggled.  “Hey.   How are you?”

“Good. Better now.”  Willow’s brow furrowed a bit.  “I’m in town.  Just got in.  Paying a few visits,  you know…..closing the deal….following up on a couple of hot issues….cleaning out a nest of Lampyre Demons, the usual.”  Willow grinned at that.

“Your usual is a little different than my usual, Angel.”  She heard a soft chuckle.  “But then you can handle it, you’re not the usual….”  Her voice trailed off.

“The usual…..?” He sounded amused.

“Well, you’re not the usual.  You know that.  So….”  Think, Willow.  “What’s up?”

Angel grinned to himself as he propped his feet on the hotel suite coffee table.  More than you know, Willow.  “Have plans for dinner tonight?  I don’t really know my away around here….”

“Oh please.   You lived here for several years.”

“Yeah.  In the 1930’s.  Gotta say, there’s a lot different.”  Wilow grinned, leaning back in her chair and lifting her legs, crossing them at the ankles as she stretched them out and rested her feet on her desk.  She absently played with the phone cord, twirling it between her fingers.  Angel was silent for a moment.  “I want to see you, Willow.”

Willow stopped twirling the phone cord.

“Will?”

“Yeah.  I mean, yes, I would like that.  That would be…um…..Angel?”

“Yes?”

Willow was silent for a moment.  See Angel, it’s like this.  That kiss rocked my socks off, tilted my world and spun my heart.   All I think about is kissing you.  And stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  Stuff that involves the ripping and tearing of the clothing and the fact that I want every inch of you on every inch of me.  And now here you are, and I want….

“Willow….you there?”

Startled, Willow sat up straighter and tugged her legs off her desk.  Oh God.

“Yeah.  Sorry.  Was just thinking.  So….dinner.   Um…tonight?”

Angel grinned to himself.  He had a witch in the headlights.  “Yeah, tonight.  Why don’t I pick you up from work?  Be thinking of where you want to eat.  7:00 ok?”

“7:00 is good.  Let me tell you how to get to my job….”

“ I know where it is.  OCR, right? “

“Um, yes.  Angel….uh…..”  Willow fell silent.

Angel waited a moment, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.  “See you then at 7.  And Will?”  He waited, a calmness settling in his chest.  “I haven’t forgotten that you’re a woman.”  He gently hung the phone up,  mentally patting  himself on the back for the accuracy of his aim.

~Part: 5~

6:54.    didn't her watch say the same thing 5 or 6 minutes ago?  Willow peered at her watch, and noted the slow and steady sweep of the second hand.  Nope.  Watch is fine.  It's not the watch.  It's something else.  Another reason time is standing sooooo still.  Willow sighed.  Yeah.  A reason like, oh, I have a date with ANGEL.  And he wants to talk.  And kiss, I think.  Willow bit her lip and frowned slightly.  Yes, I'm pretty sure he wants to kiss.  And I think.I'm the kissee.  Oh God.

Agitated, Willow rose and walked to the large picture window in her office..looking out into the night.  She pressed her forehead to the cool glass staring out at the darkness, and wrapped her arms around herself, hugging the chill away.   Oh God.  Oh God.  OHGODOHGODOHGOD.  Willow thought a moment.  Nope, that didn't make the panic go away.  She heard the soft clearing of a throat, and turned to face Angel, who leaned in the doorway, all dark purpose and intent.  What that intent was, Willow wasn't sure, but she knew that as cold as his blood ran, his soul was warm..almost burning.  A walk on the wild side with him, and she didn't know that she couldn't walk away without being singed.

"I don't think I can do this.  I'm so sorry.  I know, strange town, dinner, old friend, but I don't think."

"Willow."

"No.let me finish.  I need to say this.  Um..I think maybe I gave you the wrong idea.I was happy, there was you, there was beer, but the thing is, I don't think this is a good idea."

"What?  Dinner?"

"Geeze, Angel, dinner, the kisses..I mean, wow, the kisses, but then there's the sex, and I don't know..I mean, you're kinda big."

Angel laughed right out loud.  Willow felt a scarlet heat pour over her face and disappear down her chest under the silk cami.  She plowed determinedly on, "big in my life, you idiot, and well, I just don't want to..I mean I like having you..." her voice trailed off as she found herself speechless, gazing helplessly into his eyes.  His chocolately brown, deeply amused eyes.

He straightened from the doorframe and casually strolled across her office to stand in front of her, looking down at her, his hands in his pockets.  She was all contradictions to him; flaming, fiery shyness, sexy, heated naiveté, an open mystery.  One hand rose to brush at a long red lock of silken hair behind her ear.

"Relax, Willow.  Breathe."  Willow obediently took a deep breath.  "It's dinner.  Between two friends." He held her gaze a moment and reached over to pick up the coat draped over the back of her chair.  Wordlessly, he held it open.  She turned and bit her lip as he slipped the coat on her and leaned in, breathing in her ear,  "and Baby, we'll fit just fine."  Willow caught her breath on a soft gasp at the softly growled words and turned to face him..her face pale except for the twin crescents of blush on her cheekbones.

Angel stared back, all amusement gone.  They faced each other as time truly stood still for the briefest of moments.  Willow was sure Angel could hear the sound of her heart; it was beating so loudly in her chest.  He finally stepped back slightly and grinned ruefully.

"Not the place I had in mind, Will.  Let's go.  Dinner."

Willow started out of her fog and moved ahead of him, leading him out the door.  "Right.  Dinner.  Just dinner."

Angel grinned at her back as they walked to the elevators.

That's right.  Dinner.  And then the kisses.And then..he took a deep, unneeded breath.  And then the world.

~Part: 6~

Willow closed her eyes, gripped in ecstay.  Her lips pressed gently together, then parted to slide the fork back in.  She licked the last of the bite of cheesecake off and opened  her eyes to grin at Angel, who watched her indulgently.

"Some people seek the Holy Grail.I have found the Holy Cheesecake."  She grinned and speared another small bite and lifted it to her lips.  She paused, looking at Angel.  "Sure you don't want to try a bite?"  She laughed as Angel's eyebrows rose slightly.  "Of the cheesecake.  Desert."  She wiggled her eyebrows at Angel.  "One bite of this, and you'll think the heavens have opened and that you're hearing harps."

"Thanks, no.  I'm enjoying myself just watching you."

Willow's hand stilled, the fork poised at her mouth.  His gaze held hers and she almost shivered at the current between them.  She slowly took a bite and chewed, holdling his gaze the whole time.  She set her fork down and took a small sip coffee,  her mind working at how to subtly lead him into a conversation.  The small restaurant hummed with hushed murmers between the diners;  an elegant comfort that relaxed Willow's racing heart.

"Angel, are you attracted to me?"  Her eyes closed briefly as she felt a heated blush pour over her face.  Subtle, Willow.  Real subtle.  She sighed and opened her eyes to see him sitting across from her,  his gaze steady.  She took a breath.   "I just want to know.  Because it seems that, you know, back then,  in Sunnydale,  we were, well, just us.  Well, you were still hot, but I was just Willow, and I thought it was good.  I mean,  there was the whole Buffy thing, and I'm not sure...I just want....I want to know.  What are we doing?"

Angel sat silently, relaxed, watching her.

"Say something."

His eyebrows quirked.  She sighed, loudly, and took the last bite of cheesecake.  As she raised it to her lips, he leaned forward and reached across the table, snagging her hand in his.  He pulled her hand holding the fork across the table and slid it into his mouth, chewing the sweet cheesecake.  He took the fork from her boneless hand and brought her fingers to his lips, brushing a soft kiss at the tips.  "I changed my mind.  I wanted a bite."

Willow watched him, aching to trace her tingling fingers over the planes of his face.  She gently took her hand back.  "You're saying I'm the last bite of cheesecake?"

Angel grinned, leaning back again in his seat.  "Nice metaphor, but a little off target.  We met...God, we met 12 years ago, Willow.  I was just learning how to live again.how to live with a purpose."  He gazed down at the table, absently tracing  his fingertips around the rim of his coffee cup.  "There was this whole life I was learning."

"And there was Buffy."

"Yeah.  There was Buffy."  His eyes raised to Willow's.  "I'm not going to lie, Willow.  Everything that  happened did for a reason.  I loved Buffy."  He smiled slighty.  "I don't think I'd change any of it.  You were all teenagers, and in some ways, I was, too.  Falling in love,  losing my  heart."  he paused a bit.  "Losing my life.   You were 16, all red braids and plaid jumpers."  He grinned at her.  "I liked you.  You were a good kid.  You were funny, and smart, and always reminded me about the light that was there along with the dark.   I trusted you."

Willow blinked.  "Oh.  Well, I liked you, too."  Angel grinned, raising his coffee cup to his lips.  "No, really.  I did.  You were strong, and smart, and brave.   And I trusted you, too."

"I know.  When everyone stood back,  when some couldn't forgive, you did.  Not that I deserved it, but you did.  Willow, you grew up, Buffy grew up.  Life went on for all of us."

"Have you talked to Buffy at all?"

Angel shifted, a little uncomfortable.  "Coupla months ago.  She called from England.  It was good.   She's in a good place in her life."  His eyes raised to Willow's.  "She's moved on.  So have I."

Willow held his gaze.  "Is that what this is?  Is this moving on?"

Angel shook his head.  "No.  That would imply I was just trying to prove something."

"Oh?  The fun with beers, the dinner,  the flirting..the whole dreamy eyes..the touching.the kissing...c'mon, Angel.  It's Willow here.  All the directions your life could go,  you're not trying to prove something here, with your old love's friend?"

"Nope.  The fun with beers was running into an old friend.  The dinner is me wanting to spend time with you.   The flirting, the.." He grinned.  ".dreamy eyes.the touching, the kissing is me trying to get into your pants."  Willow's mouth opened slightly and her eyes widened.

 Angel reached across the table and gently tapped at her chin, closing her mouth.  "C'mon Willow."  He rose, walking around to gently pull her chair out.  She rose,  feeling him once again standing at her back.  She walked out of the dining room to the entrance, feeling his gaze on her back as they walked.   Angel held the door open silently for her, and handed his ticket to the valet.  They stood together still and quiet in the night, the city bustling around them.  Angel finally spoke.

"Come home with me."

Willow remained silent, staring straight ahead.  Angel's car pulled up to the curb and  the valet got out, running around to open Willow's door for her.  Willow climbed in and busied herself fastening her seatbelt as Angel put the car into gear and they drove off.  The car was silent;  an expectant air caressed Willow's mind.

Finally she spoke.   "What makes you so sure we should..you can just..get into my pants?"  She rolled her eyes.  "Jeeze."

Angel laughed softly.  "C'mon, Willow.  I saw you in Atlanta, and you were wearing that black dress, and you were all I saw.  And still see.  And you know it."

"What makes you so sure I want the same thing?"

Angel drew a deep unneeded breath.  "Do you?"  He waited, his hands gripping the steering wheel.  An eternity passed.

"Yes."  Whispered so softly,  it was almost silent.

"Come  home with me?"  This time he asked.

"All right."  Her voice was stronger, surer.  A moment passed as they drove down the street.  "Angel?"

"Yes?"

"What makes you so sure I'm wearing pants?"

~Part: 7~

The rest of the ride had been completely silent.  Angel seemed to drive completely lost in his own thoughts.  Willow stared straight ahead, feeling the rightness of her choice settle in her heart.  Her hand rested limp in her lap and she smiled slightly as she felt his cool hand slide over hers, holding it as they drove.

Wow.  Thought Willow.  Who knew that she and Angel……Angel would want…..her.  Who knew Angel would want Willow, and right back atcha, Buddy?   She shifted in her seat, slightly, feeling the need spreading deep in her abdomen, like a warm shot of whiskey pouring through her.  Angel's hand tightened on hers, and she glanced at him in time to catch the knowing grin on his face.  She grinned back, wryly, and looked back out the window.  An eon later, they were pulling into a parking garage of a small, quiet hotel.  Willow looked up, trying to see the name.  Angel caught her gaze.

"It's called the Swenson.  Kinda private.  It deals with… well, its clientele tends to be a little on the demony side."  He sighed.  "I've got a suite here."  They both sat in the car.  Finally Willow spoke.

"Are we going inside?"  Angel started slightly at her words and unfastened his seatbelt, opened his door and climbed out.  As he walked around the car to her door, she drew a deep, shaky breath. Her door opened, and he held his hand out to her.  She took it and rose from the car.  His gaze held hers as he shut her door.  They both stood there, feeling the air crackle between the one inch space between their bodies.  Her gaze fell to his mouth and she bit her lip.  His head dipped and she giggled as she heard a growled curse deeply uttered.  He straightened up and took her hand, walking to the elevator.  He pushed the button and they stood silently, watching the numbered floor lights blink as the elevator lowered to the garage. The doors swooshed open and they entered silently.  Willow stared at the doors, rocking slightly on her heels as they rose.  Beside her, Angel stood stock-still, gripped with more want than he knew possible.  He sniffed slightly and caught the waft of Willow's arousal, sweet and heavy.  Need coursed through him and he damned the slowness of the elevator as it climbed.  Finally, it opened, and they stepped out.  Willow walked beside Angel down the carpeted hall, and lagged a little bit, watching him as he strode with determination.

"Been thinking about it?"  Angel turned a startled gaze to her amused one.

"What?"

"Whether or not I have panties on.  Been thinking about it?"  Angel stopped and turned to her in a blur, catching her shoulders in his hands and jerking her up onto her toes as he pressed his mouth to hers, his tongue parting her lips and sliding through to stroke her mouth.  She grabbed at him to steady herself, a soft moan sounding from her throat.  He held her still, tugging at her lower lip with his teeth gently as he raised his head, his eyes almost golden with heat.

"Yeah, I've given it a thought.  You been thinking about it?"

Willow drew a ragged breath, and realized she still stood on her tiptoes.  "Um…been thinking about what?"

Angel leaned in and her eyes closed, but his lips brushed her ear softly as he whispered, "thinking about how many times I can make you cum."  He straightened and slowly let go of her shoulders and she rocked back on her feet.  Her breath came in short pants and he stared down at her, caught by the earthy moment.

Christ.  They were out in the hall.  He needed to get her into his room now.  All he'd done was kiss her, and her eyes were dark, her lips were swollen, and she looked like she'd already spent a solid week in his bed.  He fumbled in his pocket for the room key as he turned towards his door.  He jabbed the key in the door, cursing as the little red light on the lock repeatedly blinked at him.  He heard a throaty giggle as Willow's slim hand took the key from him and pushed it in, opening the door after the light blinked green.  She strolled past him, her heated gaze taunting him as she entered his room.

"I guess it takes a special touch."  Angel stalked in after her, closing the door with a solid thud.  She turned to face him.  He tossed the key down onto the foyer table, walking towards her with measured tread.   He shrugged his jacket off and tossed it onto a small bench.  His hands reached out to snag her wrists and he pulled her to him, keeping her wrists held in his hands.

He leaned down and gently kissed the shell of her ear before whispering darkly, "Be sure.  You can still go.  Stay, and we'll burn together."  Willow held still, her wrists held firmly by his hands. He watched her.  She tilted her head up and he lowered his, ready to meet her lips.  She parted her lips and teeth and tugged at his lower lip, biting hard enough for him to jerk back, eyes narrowed.  She met his gaze levelly.

"God, I remember when you wouldn't talk.  Now I just want you to shut up and kiss me."

Angel growled as heat poured through him at her teasing words.  He towered over her before swinging her around and lifting her, pressing her back to the door.  She caught her breath as he pressed her into the wood, lifting her legs to wrap them around his hips.  She steadied herself as he reached for her hands, lifting them so that her arms pressed against the door, raised over her head.  He held his body still for a moment, letting her feel him, aroused and heavy through the layers of clothes.  Her breath caught as she raised her body and lowered it a bit, rocking against him.  His hands fumbled with her top, dragging it up across the tops of her breasts.  He breathed in harshly, cupping her breasts and pressing them together as his eyes met hers.  She held her arms still against the door, held them over her head, her gaze on his hands as they filled with her small breasts.  He caressed them, shifting her body a bit higher before reaching for the front-clasp of her bra and releasing it in one smooth move.  Willow's voice was husky with amusement.

"You've done that before."

Angel raised his eyes to hers.  His hands covered her bare breasts. She sighed and pushed herself further into his hands.   Her mouth pressed to his, her tongue stabbing between his lips.  She slowly stroked in and out of his mouth, feeling his body tense at the mimicking movement.  She raised her head and breathed down on him.

"Will it feel like that?"

With a muted growl, Angel dropped her and let her body slide down his.  Her feet had barely touched the floor when he grabbed her coat, tugging it down her arms.  She reached for his shirt, yanking at the collar and trying to unbutton it, biting her lip as two buttons popped off in her frantic haste.  Angel tossed her coat aside and yanked at her top, still gathered up over her now bare breasts.  She raised her arms and it flew off, landing in a colorful heap nearby. She tugged her bra off and let it drop to the floor. Angel reached for the clasp at the waist of her slacks, tugging at it till she heard fabric rip.  He furiously tugged at the zipper, breaking it as it gave.  She kicked her shoes off as he knelt, pulling her slacks down her legs and off.  Willow's breath came in shallow pants as suddenly, all was still.

She looked down to see Angel's face press into her lower abdomen, against the silk panties that rode low on her hips.  He inhaled the sweet musk deeply, reaching for the silk and tugging gently.  After the frantic tugging of her clothes, Willow was charmed as Angel gently slid the panties down her hips and further down her legs.  She stroked his hair, blushing as her body was revealed to him.  A moan escaped her lips as he pressed a kiss to the short red curls between her legs.  His body stiffened even more at the moan and he rose, lifting her and carrying her to the foyer table.  Holding her against him, he swept the fabric runner and decorative bowl off, clearing the narrow table before placing her on it.  The table was cool to her bare skin, but she was so heated she didn't notice as she backed up to the wall, parting her legs for him.  He stepped between her legs, yanking at the fastening and zipper of his pants.  She panted, her back straight, as she heard the rasp of the zipper as it slid down. His hands dragged over her thighs, parting them widely, and she wanted to look away as she realized how much she was revealing….how much she was offering.  But she kept her gaze level…drowning in the depths of his eyes as he slowly stroked between her legs, the folds of flesh slippery and slick.

She did look away, then, embarrassed at how ready how quickly she was.  She heard a soft groan as Angels hands slid to her ass, pulling her forward to the edge of the table.  His hands reached for his cock and he held it, guiding it into her body.  She looked down and parted her lips as she watched him push into her, thick and hard.  Her body clenched as he filled her, stretching her.  Her knees rose and spread even wider as she pressed into him, her legs wrapping around his hips, trapping him.  Her feet tangled in the gaping folds of his slacks, and she giggled, realizing that he was still fully dressed and she was bare.

He rested his forehead against hers as he tried to keep control.  "Think this is funny?"  His voice was heat and rasp…a deep promise of a walk through fire.  She shivered

"No.  Not funny."  Her hips rocked and tilted slightly; his skin cool against the fever of hers.  "But it seems…."  Her hips rocked again, just once.  "….that one of us…."   Her head angled back as she met the dark depths of his eyes.  "….has clothes on…."  She swallowed a grin at his groan while she clenched around his cock.  "…and one of us is naked and bare…."  She caught her breath as he snaked a hand between them, his fingertips finding and flicking at the swollen nub of her clit.  Her lips rounded in a silent O as he stroked her flesh… his fingers teasing, then firmer.

"Just…that…ohgodyes…..just like that….." She panted…her body out of her control…it rocked and bucked and clenched around him….her eyes met and held his….her hands frantically clutched at his shoulders, feeling the muscles beneath the taut skin bunch and tense with each thrust of his body.   His shirt hung open.  His chest rippled as his body tensed, and his skin shone damply.  She drowned in his eyes….her own eyes drifting closed as fire shot through her body.   Her back tensed and she pressed her face into Angel's shoulder as she came, sobbing into his skin.  Ripples  danced through her body…on and on and on…..she heard a deep moan…felt his body tighten more…felt his hands grip her ass….he seemed to shudder and draw in a great breath as his hips hammered into her body.  She murmured into his throat softly, suddenly crying out as his hand reached up and tangled in her hair, yanking her head back.  Her head tilted as she felt his tongue, rough and hot, raking over the skin of her neck.  He muttered incomprehensibly as he reared back….she raised fevered eyes and watched as his game face appeared.  Panting, her eyes closed again as she felt him drag his elongated fangs along her skin...along the silk of her throat.

Her body, just beginning to calm, bucked furiously as his teeth sank in, a deep groan rumbling through Angel's body.  A blinding light seemed to flash beneath her closed eyelids.  She swore she could hear her heart, beating in a perfect rhythm to the gentle sucking at her neck.  Heat engulfed her, and she felt herself giving into an oblivion when he stopped sucking, gently sighing as he pulled his fangs out of her skin.   He rested his forehead against hers, breathing in harshly.  He finally raised his head and she opened her eyes, startled to see the bleak resignation in his gaze.  She watched him for a moment, trying to get her body to calm.  A small drop of her blood smeared at the corner of his mouth.  She raised a trembling hand to drift over the hard planes of his face, feeling the shudder that worked through his body.

She watched him for a moment, and then tugged his head towards hers. Her tongue darted out to flick at the smear on his lip and he jerked up, his eyes flaring at the soft touch.

"Christ."

She grinned, leaning back against the wall, her legs still wrapped around his waist.  He leaned forward, his hands flat on the wall behind her, bracing his body.  His head lowered till she couldn't see his expression.

"JesusFuckingChrist."

Willow stopped smiling.  "Um….was that `wow that was mind-blowing sex' cursing or `I'd chew my own arm off to get out of here' cursing?  `Cause I have to tell you, Angel…"  She trailed off as he raised his head and nailed her with a dark glare.  "Ok.  Now I'm just scared.  Is that what you want?"

Wordlessly, Angel pulled away and stepped back.  Suddenly embarrassed, Willow pulled herself off the table, wincing at the pull of muscles between her legs.  She stood on wobbly legs, mortification beginning to pour through her.  She bent to scoop up her clothes, and straightened stiffly, raising eyebrows as she glared at Angel.  He looked at her for a moment, silent, and then pointed to the end of the hall.  She calmly walked down to the bathroom and entered, closing the door behind her.  She dropped her clothes on the floor and crossed to the sink, turning on the tap before raising green eyes to the mirror.  Her reflection startled her.  Her eyes were deep green, almost lit from within with a secret fire.  Her lips were swollen and full.  Her red hair tumbled in waves around her face and down her shoulders. Don't know who you are, lady, but you look like you just got laid.  Willow stared at herself for a moment and then bent to splash cool water over her face.  Her heart slowly calmed as she tried to think of what exactly had gone wrong.

~Part: 8~

Ten minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Willow.”  Willow sighed and unlocked the door, opening it to find Angel standing outside in the hall, fastened up and all dressed.  He seemed startled to see her standing in her top and panties, her slacks held tightly in her hand.

“Broken zipper.”  She brushed past him as she walked down the hall.  “Do you have any sweats or something I can get home in?”

“Willow…”

Willow turned so suddenly he almost ran into her.  “CLOTHES.”  Angel stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes fathomless.  He nodded and walked back towards a room she assumed was a bedroom; she had only had bone-splitting, mind-numbing sex on a freakin’ hall table.  She wouldn’t really know where the bedroom was.  Angel reemerged with a pair of boxers clutched in his hand.  Silently he handed them to her.  She walked to the foyer and dropped her slacks on the floor, bending to tug the shorts on.  The stillness was suffocating in the room; the rustle of her clothing seemed to echo as she rose, straightening her top.  She yanked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder and turned towards the door when he finally spoke up, his voice gravelly and dark.

“I’ll take you home.”

“No.”

“I’ll take you home.”

“No.”

“Willow, I’LL TAKE YOU HOME!”

Willow turned to him, one hand on the doorknob.  “I don’t know what happened to you.   I….don’t know why you closed down.”

He sighed, closing his eyes.   When he opened them, she stood in the same place, expectantly.

“Willow….you deserved….that wasn’t exactly….I’ll take you home.”

Her eyes seemed to darken as she yanked the door open, stalking out into the hallway.  Angel lunged after her and was reaching for her arm when she spun around, pulling back.  “DON’T YOU EVEN THINK OF TOUCHING ME.”  Her chin lowered and anger shot out of her in massive waves.  “No, Angel, you will not take me home.  God, I thought you were….”  She sighed.  “I thought you were….whole.  You can’t have even have THIS…” she waved her hand about, hurt beginning to temper her anger.  “This….sharing?  This touching, without all the angst?  This was just you and me, Angel.  ‘That wasn’t exactly….I deserved’….WHAT?”

Angel looked up and down the hall, a hint of panic in his eyes.  “Willow, come back in here.  Let’s talk.”

“That ship sailed.  I don’t want to discuss it.  But while we’re here….WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?”

Angel blew out a breath and rotated his head slightly, trying to loosen the tension.  “I wasn’t exactly…” He searched for the words.  “…considerate.  God.  Considerate.  I bit you, Willow…I claimed you.  That is fucking life-altering.  I just wanted and I just took.  Like some kind of animal.  On a freakin’ table.  And there was no foreplay, and I know women like that….” He tapered off, sensing that he was making it worse.  Willow looked at him with such contempt, he almost felt singed.

“No, there was no foreplay.  And now, because you are a total ass, there won’t be any afterplay, either.  You want play, YOU CAN JUST PLAY WITH YOURSELF.”  A deafening silence stretched through out the hall.  A door to one of the other guest rooms opened and Willow glared at the one-eyed slemot demon staring balefully out at them.  Angel was about to speak when Willow barked, “Want to come out here where you can hear better?”  The slemot simpered and hurriedly backed into his room, quietly shutting the door.  She turned to glare back at Angel.

“And you’re such an IDIOT you can’t even….” She broke off, glaring at him, all stoic and still.  She backed off towards the elevator, shaking her head.  “I’d tell you to go fuck yourself, but I guess I took care of that.  Stay away from me.  Don’t call again.”  She punched at the elevator button, praying that it would get there before the tears fell.  The doors swooshed open and she walked in, her body rigid.  As the doors began to slide shut, Angel appeared, his hands in his pockets, his eyes intent on hers.  The doors shut, and the last view she had was of his face…his eyes stormy and his jaw clenched.

Willow stepped out of the elevator and walked to the front door with as much dignity as possible, clenching her coat around her to hide the plaid boxers.  The doorman didn’t even blink as he hailed a cab for her, bundling her into it and shutting the door without comment.  Willow rested her head back against the seat, closing her eyes as the cab sped off towards her apartment and the safety and comfort of her life.

She raised a hand and smacked her own forehead.  What was it about her?  Jeeze.   Just another…..another….she sighed.  Angel wasn’t just another.  She blew out a breath, turning her head to look out the window as the city rolled by.  God.  He was Angel.   He had more baggage than Imelda Marcos fleeing the country.  It wasn’t her.  It was him.  And she had just done what he didn’t need her to do.  She held  still, her heart racing as if she had run a race.  She leaned forward and caught herself for a moment, then made up her mind.  She tapped the cabbie and had him told him to take her back.  Back to clean up the mess.

~Part: 9~

Angel slouched on the sofa, staring into the darkness as if he would find divine guidance there.   He shook his head slowly, trying to remember when he had ever been a bigger shit.  Angelus coming out to play didn’t count;  Angelus was crippled with terminal evilness.  Angel had no such excuse.  He sighed, beating his head against the back of the couch, realizing that it didn’t count as self-flagration if you beat yourself with an overstuffed sofa.

He wondered what was better:  living in the dark all the time and never seeing that light, or having the brightness shine through, even for just a brief moment to let you know what you’re missing.  He had a feeling having the brief moment could be so much worse.  Ohgod.  He had the moment, and he blew it.  He rose, shuffling off towards the hall leading to his bedroom.  He was an ass, and she deserved better.

Just as he passed the front door, he caught a scent.  He stopped and stood completely still, looking around and sniffing briefly.   Vanilla.  Warm, toasted vanilla.  His gaze centered on the door and he walked to it, pausing as he heard the unique muted heartbeat roaring through his senses.  He waited a moment, enjoying the sound as it reverbed through his body.  His hand reached for the doorknob and he turned it slowly, pulling the door open.  Willow stood in the hallway.  Her coat hung open, displaying her eclectic outfit.  He raised an unsmiling gaze to her face and took in the hard resolve in her eyes.  He stepped aside and she entered wordlessly.

She walked into the living area and turned to face him, dropping her purse and torn slacks on the sofa.

“I’m sorry.”

Angel was so surprised, he shook his head slightly.  “Sorry…what was that again?”

“I’m sorry.  I am so sorry.  Something happened here, and instead of facing it, I hit and ran.”

“Willow, I’m pretty sure the ‘hit and run’ crown goes to…”

“Don’t.  Don’t do that.  This isn’t about the sex.  This is about what happened after.  There’s plenty of blame to snark around here.  I’m sorry for my share.”  Willow crossed to him and stood, looking up at him solemnly.  “Do you accept that, Angel?  Can you take my apology?”

Angel felt a tremor rush through his soul; maybe he had fallen into some hell dimension where reality got all twisted up and now he had to wander around all confused till he got his bearings back.  Willow looked up at him, all wide green-eyed open heart.  Neither spoke for a moment till finally she kicked him in the ankle, not changing her expression at all.  Angel grimaced and rubbed his ankle against his other foot a moment before sighing.  Nope.  All was as it should be.

“Willow….you didn’t do anything that you have to say you’re sorry for.  I’m the one…”

“You’re the one who…I don’t know what, because I ducked out and ran before listening to you.  Although I have to tell you, if you’re going to continue the angst over the lack of foreplay, I may have to kick you again.”

Angel smiled softly, looking down at his feet, but Willow noticed that the smile was tinged with sadness.  She thought a moment, then took his hand and tugged.  “Got a kitchen?”  He nodded.  “Show me.”  Angel’s eyes raised to hers, and he motioned with a tilt of his head, leading her into a small, immaculate kitchen.  Willow tossed her coat off and walked to the counter, pulling at a basket of packets of tea bags.  She found a teakettle in the cupboard and filled it, setting it on the stove to heat, her brow furrowed as she seemed to be collecting her thoughts.  He leaned against a counter and crossed his ankles, his arms crossed across his chest, and watched. her move around.  She crossed to the refrigerator and peeked inside, pulling out a glass pitcher filled with blood.  He felt a heat bloom in his soul as she filled a mug and placed it in the microwave to warm.  She grinned at him briefly.

“It’s not my cup of tea, but I don’t mind fixing it for you.”  He chuckled slightly and her grin grew.  She handed his mug to him, and turned to the stove.  After fixing her tea she walked over to him, clutching the mug tightly in her hands, and leaned up to kiss him briefly on the lips.  Startled, he straightened up as she pulled away.  Willow took in a breath; she could do this.

“Angel, the last week has been foreplay.  You sat across from me at dinner tonight and teased and just sat there all Angelly.  And I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.  You asked me if I wanted to come home with you and I was mentally already smoking a cigarette, looking for my other shoe, and wondering where the hell I’d left my car.  Foreplay.  Holy cow.   Trust me when I say I got what I wanted and what I needed.”  She breathed in deeply.  “Up to the part when you turned into an ass.  Now, we’re going to sit on the sofa.  You’re going to tell me what’s going on.  You’re going to beg my forgiveness.  Groveling will be involved.  I will, of course, forgive you, and then, if you’re very very lucky, we’ll try the foreplay version.  Consider it a little goal to work for.”  And she slipped out of the kitchen, leaving one very bemused vampire staring after her.

She sat on the stuffed sofa at one end, sinking into the soft depths and pulling her feet up under her as she took a small sip from her mug.  A long moment passed;  she began to wonder if he was ever going to move again.  Finally, he sat at the other end,  back straight against the back of the sofa.  He held the mug, looking quietly into it.  Willow waited patiently for a bit, letting him gather his thoughts.

Finally, she softly prodded, “Angel.  You, me, a table I will never, ever forget….I’m sure you remember.”  Angel snorted.

“Yep.  That was a moment for the books.  Jesus.”

“Yeah, I think that’s where the wagon wheels came off.  What happened?  It can’t be the rush or the table…I believe I have made myself very clear…”

“No, it’s not that.  Well, kind of.  You deserved more for our first time.  God.   The table.”  He raised a hand and rubbed his eyes.  A pillow smacked into his head and he swung his gaze to Willow, who had risen slightly.

“Will you fucking get past the table?  I want to have it BRONZED for God’s sake.   If we’re going to be anything, that table needs to be a part of our intinerary.  That was the sexiest thing that ever happened to me and I don’t want it spoiled with crappy regrets!”

Angel  stared at her, all fury and red hair and plaid boxers and table-sex eyes.  He opened his mouth to apologise, and somehow, found himself blurting out, “Right there with you, Willow, but the thing is, during the…oh….two hottest minutes you’ve ever had,  I claimed you.”

“What?”

“I claimed you.”

More quietly  “What?”

Silence.  Angel finally raised his gaze to hers,  prepared for the anger and hatred.  “I said I…”  he stopped, seeing the honest confusion in her wide green eyes.  “Willow.  I claimed you.  I took you as mine.”

Willow just continued to stare at him, her brow beginning to furrow.  “Um….I don’t think I understand.”

“You know…claiming.”

Willow shook her head.  “Nope.”

Angel stared back, startled.  “Willow, how can you not know?  You’ve spent the last twelve years of your life…”

“Killing ‘em,  hunting ‘em,  resouling ‘em,  having an occasional drink with ‘em,  but the claiming thing….”  Her voice tapered off a bit.  “Is it a big deal?”

“Yeah.  You could say that.”  He rubbed his eyes again.  Suddenly, he realized his little walk to foreplay land was a huge, jagged, gaping minefield.  “Willow.”  Silence.  “Willow……”    Still more silence.   “Okay.  This is the deal.  Willow.  When a vampire is mating with a woman…”  He squirmed at the giggle that sounded from the other end of the couch.  He shot a look at Willow, and she quickly raised her mug to her lips.  “In the moment when they…when he….”

“Comes like a freight train?”  Willow supplied helpfully.

Angel shot  her a disapproving look before continuing.  “Okay, yeah.  When he wants to seal the deal, he drinks from her.”

Willow started a bit, and raised one hand to the small but visible bite marks on her throat.  Angel watched her.  “I bit and drank, and sealed the punctures.  It only takes a little bit for the hold.”

Willow stilled.  “What hold?”

Shit.  “The claim.  The hold I have…I mean that we have.”

“A hold.”  Willow thought a bit, then sat straight up, slamming the mug down on the coffee table.  “Angel…..are we MARRIED?”

“NO!!!!”  Angel held one hand up at her expression.  “Not that it would be terrible, Willow, of course not, but the thing is….I claimed you.  I saw you last week,  and I swear to God I thought I’d been given a gift.  I thought….oh yeah.  I’ve been waiting for HER.  I had a need for you that…”  He broke off with a humorless laugh.  “I wanted you, and I got you here, and I took you, and instead of asking you if it was what you wanted I drank you and now you have my mark and my scent and everyone will know you’re mine.”  He finished and sat back, watching her.  They both sat there in silence for a moment.  Finally Willow spoke, her voice quiet and tinged with something Angel couldn’t name.

“Oh.  Wow.   Ya know, thinking it was just the table was easier than this.”

Angel felt something twist deep in his soul.  They both sat there for a while longer.

“It’s late.”

He nodded, not sure of what he could say.

Willow rose and put her coat back on and gathered up her purse and her slacks once more,  looking down at Angel who stared up at her,  thinking to himself, take a good look at her.  This is it.  This is all you get.

Willow smiled a small smile and leaned down to kiss him.  “It’s late, Angel.  I’m sleepy.  And I have a lot to think about.  I’m going home now and I’m going to lie alone in my bed and go to sleep thinking about you and me.  I’m going to wake up in a few hours and think about you before my eyes even open.  I’m going to go to work and pretend it’s just another day.  Tomorrow night, you’re coming to my apartment for dinner.  I’ll have you a plasma martini ready;  you’ll kiss me stupid and then I may let you give foreplay another shot.  And we’re going to work this out.”  She walked to the door and he finally rose from the sofa.  She turned to him at the doorway and said, all serious and calm,  “You think about this, though.  I don’t do this lightly.  I don’t care what vampires do, or what dumb rituals they follow, or what you think happened here tonight.  This is you and me.  It’s going to take more than a bite mark to keep me in your life, and its going to take more than a bite mark to push me out of it.  Tomorrow night, after 7:00.”  And she was gone, the door a soft click behind her.

Angel stared at the door, stock still, for almost 10 minutes.  Finally, he stalked down the hallway to the bedroom, surprised to feel the grin lifting the corners of his mouth.

~Part: 10~

Willow stared at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror, reaching one tentative hand to stroke the raised, healing wounds on her neck.  At the soft touch of her fingers, a frission of heat and want danced along her nerves, and she pulled her hand back as though it was burnt.  Get used to it, Rosenberg, she told herself.  You’ve been claimed.  Someone thinks he OWNS you.  She sighed, leaving the bathroom and trailing aimlessly down the hall.  Owns me.  Jeeze.  Under normal circumstances someone who thought they owned another would have a chunky FBI file on them.  But then, nothing about her life had been normal in a long, long time.

She stopped in the middle of the hall.  Normal.  She had tried so hard for normal.  She had tried for a life less Sabrina and more Carrie Bradshaw but who was she kidding?  Normal for her was just a different life, and she could try all she wanted, but she couldn’t ignore who she was, not anymore.  She ambled into her bedroom and dropped facedown across the bed.  Angel may have thought he did the big claim last night, but her life was claimed 12 years ago when a new girl, too pretty to be talking to plain, geeky Willow Rosenberg, asked for help in her classes.  Willow laughed into the covers softly.  The real claiming was done then.  She burrowed into the rumpled, unmade covers and pulled a pillow over her head, trying to create a dark, silent place.

She had called in sick this morning, and had spent the day with her fingers flying over her laptop, reading up on the whole “claiming” issue.  She found a lot.  It was a lot.  Angel wasn’t kidding when he said it was life-changing.  It was.  She would be drawn…attached….to Angel as long as he lived.  As long as she lived.  He had, according to some information, “rights” to her.  Exclusive rights.  His mark was ownership, and protection, and a mark of pride.  She sighed; this was so Neanderthal.  Surely Angel didn’t buy into all that crap; he hadn’t seemed that way with Buffy, and she seemed to be getting on with her life just fine.

Buffy.

Willow sat up, biting her lip.  Buffy.  It had been almost two months since they spoke last, and they were due for a talk.  And Willow felt a tug of guilt pull at her.  Angel was Buffy’s.  At least that’s how Willow had always viewed her.  And now, Willow was…well…she wasn’t sure exactly.  She was still feeling her way around on that question.  But she could begin by talking to her best friend, and making sure that this was ok.  She checked the time.  4 in the afternoon, 11 pm in England.  She picked up her phone, taking a deep breath before dialing.

“Hello?”

“Wanna go to the Mall?”

“Wills!  You skank, what are you up to?”

Willow, grinned, laying back on her bed.  This was the stuff.  The stuff that always grounded her.“Not much.  Just hanging.  Having a little personal day, just kicking back….what are you all up to?”

She could almost hear the grin in Buffy’s voice as Buffy told of the latest scoop.  She settled, letting some of the past roll back over her.

“We miss you here.  Giving up on normal yet?”

Willow choked out a laugh.  “OK…that is just disturbing.  As a matter of fact, my life kind of got smacked upside and I want to talk to you about it.  That’s why I called.”  She paused, wondering how to go on.

“Hmmm.  This sounds so familiar.  Life getting smacked around.  Did you get a big promotion?  Oh, wait.   I know.   You’ve decided to move.  ‘Bout time.  Or maybe it’s something else.  Maybe…”

“Buff.”

“Maybe you ran into an old friend.  Someone with a big heart, you know, for not having one that beats.  Maybe there were sparks, and maybe you got swept up in the moment, and maybe tonsils were examined.  And because you’re Willow, there’s guilt, and remorse, and confusion, and a bit of surprise because you liked a walk on the wild, wild side.”

Willow was silent, biting her lip.  Finally she spoke.  “Angel called you.”

“Yep.  Earlier today.  He wanted to make it ok with me before moving on with you.  Do guys really do that anymore?  Be all the gentleman?”  Willow could still hear the smile in Buffy’s voice, but there was a resigned sadness, too….just lightly under the surface.

“Buffy, I swear to the Goddess I never, before last night, even thought….well, there was breakfast in Atlanta with him last week, but before that, oh. Yeah.  The night before that in my hotel cabin, but I swear, we just talked, and hadn’t seen each other, and nothing happened, and there we were, and there was beer.  Lots of beer.  And Somehow, I’m not in Atlanta, I’m here and so is Angel and last night we just….ohgod.  Oh my god.”  They were both silent.

“Buffy.  I have to know.  Are you good with this?  Tell me now, and be honest.”

“Hmmm.  Met him.  Kissed him.  Had sex.  Hated him.  Killed him.  Hooked up again.  Got dumped.  Not much of a history there.”  Buffy sighed.  “Wills….that was then.  I’ve gone on.  I’m not in high school anymore.”

“Buff, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know that, slut.”  They both giggled.  “Sorry.  It slipped. Wills, are you calling for my blessing?  Is this a “guilty conscience” call?”

“Yeah.  That and a plea for clarity.  Help me break this down into simple terms.”

Buffy snorted.  “Yeah, we were all about clarity.  First of all, I can’t help with that.  Navigating any relationship is tricky and hard.  Those vamp guys….well, that’s a whole different playing field.”  She fell silent.  Willow waited a bit.

“Buff?  Those vamp guys?  You mean Spike?”

“Yeah.  You know what happened.  It’s just all so tricky….”  And her voice trailed off.  Suddenly she piped up again.  “But I can help you with the blessing.  You have it.  Angel and I haven’t belonged to each other in a long long time, Will.  There’s no….claim between us.  There really never was.”

“Oh.  So, the whole claiming thing….there’s an out?”

“What?”

“When he claimed you….it isn’t necessarily permanent?”

“Well, actually, he never CLAIMED me.  Not in the vampire sense.  I never knew him to claim anyone, Will, not since Drucilla.  Certainly not since he was given his soul.”

“Oh yeah, of course.  Heh.” Willow made airquotes with her hands.  “Claimed.”  She bit her lip, deciding to keep silent about fangs and throats and drinking.  She curled onto her side, and she and Buffy talked for almost an hour before Buffy began yawning, apologizing and saying she needed to get to bed.  Willow blew her a kiss and promised to call again soon before hanging up, hugging a pillow to her chest.  Green light from the Buffster.  She sighed, a huge weight lifting off her chest, and then rolled to her side as a thought struck her.  Angel hadn’t claimed Buffy?  And he had her?  She reached two fingers up to stroke the raised wounds on her throat, and this time let the heat pour through her.  Angel had claimed her.  With his soul.  She shook her head.  Who knew?

~Part: 11~

Willow bent over the table, lighting the candles that rose to differing levels.  She straightened up, softly blowing the long match out and staring momentarily into the dancing flames.  She had been fidgety ever since climbing into the shower an hour ago, and now she drew in deep, steadying breaths as she glanced at the clock.  She frowned, noting that it was past 7.    She crossed to the sofa and sat; sipping at the glass of wine she had poured herself to mellow her mood a little.  Angel was coming over.  Soon.

She leaned back in her seat, sipping at the sweet wine.  Angel was coming over, and they were going to talk.  She was going to set down some rules.  She had a list.  She looked over at the small sheet of paper tucked under one of the candles.  She noticed a tendency to get a little wonky when Angel was around; she decided that it would be smart to write down what she wanted to say.  If all went well, if she got her point across, then they would have big jungle sex.   It was a good plan.

She blew out a breath, rolling her neck just as she felt awareness shoot up her spine.  She slowly rose and walked to the door…stopping with one hand on the knob.  Her other hand reached up to trace over the raised marks at her throat, and heat poured through her body, tripping a soft unchecked moan.

On the other side of the door, Angel stood patiently waiting.  He hadn’t knocked; he wanted Willow to understand what the claiming meant.  He heard the soft muted moan, knowing it couldn’t be heard to average ears.  His eyes darkened and he licked his lips, lowering his head as he tampered down the fire rushing through his cold body.  The door suddenly swung open and he raised his head, looking down at Willow as she stood staring at him, her face flushed and looking a little confused.  She stared up at him with her wide green eyes.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t hear your knock.”

“I didn’t knock.  I’ve been standing here for just a moment.”

“Oh.  I must have heard something…”

She looked at him felt her body flood with heat and want.  Her eyes seemed to cloud over as she stared up at the harsh angles of his face.  He watched her intently; then gave a small smile as he brushed past her and entered her apartment.

The moment seemed to pass and she shook her head slightly, clearing it.  “Hey.  HEY.  Have the rules changed?”

Angel looked back at her quizzically.  “Rules?”

“Yeah.  I didn’t invite you in…you just….inned.  I thought there were rules.”

“Well, they’re not ‘rules’ so much as….constraints.”

“Constraints.”

Angel grinned at her before looking around her apartment.   Casual and inviting, it was furnished in a style all Willow’s.   Lit candles lined the low coffee table, creating a soft golden glow in the room.  Angel felt as if he had stepped in from the cold to a place warm and soft.

Willow walked to a small buffet and reached for a decanter that was filled with thick, warm blood.  She poured a small measure into a wineglass and handed it to him, shivering slightly as her fingers brushed against his.  He took the glass, his eyes on hers before looking around again.  He swung his gaze back to hers and raised the wineglass to his lips, letting the warmed thick blood pour into his mouth.  He held her stare, wanting her to understand….wanting her to be used to seeing him drink.

She couldn’t take the thick silence anymore.  “Tell me about the constraints.”  She walked to the sofa, missing the small smile that tugged at his lips.  He sat across from her, in the overstuffed chair that Xander had laughingly nicknamed ‘fat eddie’ and sat back, huge and solid and all dark purpose.  Willow shivered and shifted, rubbing her thighs together briefly.  Angel watched her, taking in her arousal like others take in oxygen.  She truly had no idea.  Now was the time to talk about…..constraints.

“Claiming makes the playing field….more…level.  It strengthens a bond that mutually…..”  Angel tried to choose his words carefully.  Under no illusions, he knew he wasn’t the best communicator in the world.  This was the most important conversation he would ever have; he had to get it right.  He had to be subtle, sensitive, and careful of her feelings and her needs.  “It means I own you, body and soul.  You’re mine.  I get to keep you.”

They both sat there a moment, her eyes steady on his.  Her expression didn’t change a bit.  Angel sighed, finally closing his eyes as his own words echoed through his head.  Subtly of a sledgehammer.  Fuck.

“I read up on it, Angel.”  Her voice was low and slightly husky.  He couldn’t tell if it was husky from her acute arousal, or acute anger.  He was hoping it was the arousal.  “I spent the day learning about claiming.  I could pass a written test on claiming.  Apparently I already took the oral without knowing that was what I was doing.”  Angel sighed.  Anger, then.  “I read and read and read, and I get it. Some things change.”  Angel’s eyebrows went up.  “OK….everything changes.  To you.  I mean, this is all about a ritual that vampires perform, like what I say or want doesn’t even figure.”

“Of course it does, Willow.  I am all about what you want….what you need.”

“Now see, that’s good.  You’re taking a …..modern….enlightened approach.  That’s good, Angel.”  Willow smiled, relieved.  “This is about choice.  This is about mutual decisions.”  Angel nodded.  “So you get it….no one owns me.”

“I do.”

Willow ‘arghed’ and buried her head in her hands. Angel watched, taking another sip of blood.  Finally she raised her head.  “Angel, let’s go back to the beginning.”  Angel nodded agreeably; this should be good.

“We were friends.”  Angel nodded.  “We shared some truly unique experiences over the years.”  Angel nodded again.  No argument there.  “Years go by…yada yada…..we have a few When Angel Met Willow moments….suddenly, there’s us, there’s kissage, there’s…..” her voice got a little reedy  “soul-blowing sex…”  her voice trailed off a bit and her fingertips raised to touch and stroke the bitemark at her throat.  Once again, heat poured through her already sensitive body.  Oh goddess.  She started a bit as Angel quietly cleared his throat, hiding the wicked grin lifting his lips by sipping at the blood.  “Where was I?”

“Soul-blowing sex.”

“YES.  Yes.  The sex.  And the bite.  I’m on board with the sex, Angel, I don’t regret it.  Not at all.”  Angel felt a flutter of relief pass through him; he would never take her against her wishes.  Knowing what happened on that table was wanted so much by both of them made all of this easier.  “But….this….this bond.  What is it.” She rose and walked, agitated, to stand by the window.  “I mean, I know what I read.  We’re…connected.  I have “Angel” written all over me to other vamps.”

“To anyone else at all, Willow.  Anyone.”  All amusement had gone out of Angel’s voice.  She bit her lip, trying to read the expression on his face.  The silence lengthened and she turned to look out the window so she could think.  She raised one hand and placed it on the cool glass, fingers spread, as she looked out into the night.  Suddenly, a larger hand spread over her small one, fingers spacing between hers, pressing her hand flat to the glass.  Angel’s body pressed slightly to hers from behind, and she raised her eyes to see the emptiness behind her reflected in the window.  His other arm reached around her, caging her in as his other hand flattened against the window.  He looked over the top of her head into the glass, seeing her muted expression as she looked where he would be.  He leaned in close to her ear.  “You didn’t invite me in, Willow….this” and he leaned down and licked at his mark “this is an engraved, permanent invitation.  I can go to you anytime.  I can enter where you are.  This is my key in the lock.”

Her breath caught at the rasp against her skin.  Her hand flexed, her fingers rubbing against his.  He raised his head, and rested his chin on the top of her head, holding perfectly still.  Her voice, breaking the silence, was low and fierce.  “I have a choice.  I don’t live that life…that….way.”  She yanked her hand away and ducked under his arm, moving a few steps away.  He held still, watching her closely.  “Angel, I want…us….but this….” She faltered.  “This is more…it’s too….”  She blew out a frustrated breath.  “It’s fucking archaic.”

He turned and leaned against the windowsill, crossing his arms over his chest.  “Willow, when I took you”  Her eyes flashed at him.  He narrowed his gaze.  “When I TOOK YOU….I knew what I was doing.  It wasn’t some out of control thing followed by regrets.”

“You were all upset afterwards….you got all cranky…”

“Well, yeah, I felt bad about the…” He started to say table, then changed his mind “lack of finesse on my part.  You’re….Willow.  I wanted to do it better.”  Willow flashed him a brief look of humor, and Angel looked away, taken by her spirit.  “But you need to know this, Willow.  I feel bad how sudden it was…I feel bad that I didn’t lead you to that place better.  But claiming you was right, and it was the time.  I know it’s…” he grinned “archaic, but claiming is as urgent for me as the need to feed is.”  He walked to her and gently took her hand, leading her back to the sofa.  She trailed along, lost in her thoughts.  He sat on the sofa and pulled her down to his lap, grinning as she squirmed a bit settling in.  “Here it is.  I’ve claimed you for mine.  You’re a mate.  You’re not a vampire; you’re not immortal; you’re not impervious.”  He sighed.  “Well, apparently you are to me, but we can deal with that.”

Willow turned suddenly, so that she straddled his lap and faced him.  Surprised, he leaned back so he could see her face clearly.  She looked into his eyes for a long moment.  He was sure she could see all the way into his soul.  She seemed to find something in the dark pools that answered a question, because she nodded once and raised one hand to lightly caress his brow.

“So Angel…how does bi-coastal claiming work?”  He felt a jolt go all the way through him.  This was going to work.  They could do this.  His eyes held her as his soul partied with the knowledge that the road ahead was a little less bumpy than he thought.  Then her words really sank in.

“Um….it doesn’t.  The bi-coastal, that is.”  Willow stared at him.  The silence stretched on.  She sat back, dropping her hand.  Angel now saw the road ahead pitted with deep chasms and gaps.  “Will, I don’t think either of us could function that way.  Think about it.  Do you have any idea what we have now?  Earlier, you didn’t hear me knock….you just knew I was there.  You sensed me.  I heard your heartbeat the minute I set out for your apartment tonight.  I could find you even if I didn’t have your address.  I could find you packed in with 3 million people and no guidance.  Your heart calls to me and leads me on.  Across the continent from you, I can’t function.  Neither can you.”

Willow sat very still.  “So…..you move?”

Angel watched her carefully.  “Uh…no…that’s not the plan.”

Silence.  “I move?”  Angel nodded.  “I see. Well.  Thank Goddess you’re letting me know about that now…I mean…” She pushed away, trying to climb off his lap, but he gripped her hips and held her still.  “Stop that.”  She swatted at his hands, but he held her still, and watched her, resignation on his face.  “Gee.  Nice of you to tell me THE PLAN since I had no input in it and would look pretty stupid wondering why I was suddenly driving across the country with no advance knowledge.”  Her voice began taking on an edge of hysteria and Angel winced slightly.  “Thanks for letting me in on the MASSIVE CHANGES MY LIFE IS GOING TO FACE.  Nice to be in on some of that.” She gave up trying to move and stared at him.  “Do you get this?  Do you have any idea?  Angel, this is more than getting sticky everytime I hear your voice or see your eyes.  You want me to give up normal.  My job, my apartment, my friends who do tan and drink many many different things that aren’t given intravenously.  You want me to go back to a life that tried to kill me.  And here’s a kicker.  Not only do I get to go back to the good old days of fighting evil, but I get to do it in close proximity to evil, central.”  She broke off and buried her face in her hands…her long red hair falling about her as if to shield her.  Angel reached to gently brush some tousled strands behind her ear.

“Willow.  I know.  I know what I’m wanting…what I’m…” he paused “ASKING.”  He heard a snort from behind her hands.  “You’re alone here.  You sit in a box and crunch software each and everyday.  Are you happy doing that?  Is this what you really want?  Because if it is….”  He paused, closing his eyes.  “Shit.  Willow, if this is what you want, tell me.  If you want to reject the claim, you can.  I’ll go.  We can’t go back, you know that.  If this isn’t what you want, I’ll step back and deal.  I haven’t’ given you a choice and I couldn’t live with it if this isn’t what you want.  You decide.”

They sat there for several minutes.  Willow didn’t move, her face hidden by her hands.  Time stood completely still for Angel.  He didn’t move; he didn’t speak.  Finally, she lowered her hands and stared at him, her eyes expressionless.  “Angel, you….”  He held her gaze.  “You are so full of crap.”  Startled, he reared back a bit.  She shook her head slowly, a small grin beginning to tilt her lips.  “Right.  ‘I’ll step back and deal.’  You have no intention of letting me walk away.  Be honest.”

Angel slid his gaze away sheepishly.

“OK then. Here’s the deal.  You’ve got your version of ‘constraints’, I have mine.  I don’t care what the reality is for you, lose the Neanderthal crap.  If you can’t lose it, fake losing it.  Your knuckles might be all scraped up from dragging the floor all the time; I don’t need it in my face.”  She paused.  “Agreed on the job thing.  I wanted normal, and nothing has felt really normal for me since I became lost in the world of Dilbert.  Maybe Sunnydale was my normal all along.  I can move.  I can make a difference.  But Angel….”  He listened, anticipating a deal-maker coming.  “I’m not your thing….I’m your partner.  I stand with you, not behind you.  I don’t take orders, I’m not a doormat, and I’m not helpless.”

“Shit.”  Angel didn’t realize he said it aloud, till Willow laughed softly.  “No, sorry, you’re right.”

“About the fact that you lied to me?  You couldn’t ever walk away from this?”

“No…well, yeah, I lied on that part.”  He grinned.  “But…damn, Willow.  This is going to work.  You don’t hate me.  Shit.”  He shook his head.  “I had some last resorts lined up.”  Willow narrowed her eyes.

“Really?  Like what?”

He laughed, tilting his head back against the sofa and stroking the taut length of her thighs as she straddled him.  “No, no, no…..can’t tell.  Might need future reinforcements, and can’t play too much of my hand too soon.”

Willow looked at him, suspicious.  “None of this involved being forced to go somewhere I didn’t want to go, did it?  I got your number, bucko.  A little pinprick, oblivion, waking up tied to a bed in LA.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”  He laughed out loud.  “You think I’d KIDNAP you?”

“Hey.  It could happen.”

“No…not by me.”  He laughed, watching her. “My big plan involved tossing you down on a bed and fucking your brains out till you just gave in, bowled over by my virility and charm.”

Willow, giggled, leaning down to press her forehead to his.  “Oh…I feel indecision coming on….maybe I shouldn’t go…..”  He growled and rose in one fluid movement, holding her slender frame to him by grabbing her ass and holding her as he strode towards the hallway.  Her legs wrapped around his waist and she grinned.  “This all seems so deja vuey.”  They entered her bedroom and Angel stood braced in the doorway, Willow wrapped around him and filling all his senses with her fire and essence.  He pressed his lips to her ear and chuckled a dark wicked growl.

“Baby, you decided for the both of us when you wore that short black dress and those shoes.  All bets were off.  You’re done running.  I’m done chasing.  And now…”  He slowly walked towards her bed and grinned at her, grasping her waist tightly.  She took in a dizzy breath as she flew backwards and landed on the bed, feeling her heart race as he climbed onto the bed and backed her up, his face intent.  “Now, I’m going to let Mr. Neanderthal out to play.  Hold on tight, Willow.  Time to seal the deal.”

~Part: 12~

She backed slowly up the bed, her stomach clenching as he laughed a low, wicked chuckle while he stalked her progress with his much larger, harder body.  His hands trapped her legs as he crawled over her, pausing to run up her jean-clad thighs.  She came to a stop back against the wrought-iron spindles of the headboard and watched him progress up her body, his lips pressing to her through the layers of her clothing.  He tugged her so that she lay on her back and rose over her, careful to support his own weight.  His face lowered and one hand reached to gently grasp a handful of silken fiery hair.  He tugged her head to the side and blew softly in her ear...his lips kissing at the shell softly before tracing down to lick and suck gently at the two small perforations along her throat.

“Sweet…sweet…” His rough voice seemed to chant softly.  Her hands brushed up his arms, over his shoulders, her fingers pushing up to tangle in his hair.  She tugged at his head impatiently, and felt a flash of heat at his low growl.  His head lifted and she pulled him to her, parting her lips and taking his mouth to her own.  She sucked at his lip before teasing his tongue with hers.  Greedily they kissed soft muted murmurs and teasing hands.  All of a sudden he rolled over onto his back, pulling her with him, so that she lay on top.  She sat up, straddling him, and looked down at him.  They both held very still, then her hands slowly raised to the buttons of her sheer blouse.   She slowly unbuttoned it…fingers taunting him with their slow carefulness.  As her fingers unfastened buttons, she gently parted the folds of the blouse, offering more and more pale, smooth skin to his view.  She watched him, her breath steady and slow.

He rested his hands alongside her thighs...softly stroking her through her jeans. Her eyes were luminous with pleasure and promise.  A crooked grin tilted her lips.  When the blouse was open all the way down, she paused, holding the panels that gaped open. Willow grinned at the his intent stare, steady on the shadow of cleavage revealed by her bra.   She whispered down to him “should I stop?”

Willow started as her cell rang; straightening up; she fumbled with the steering wheel as she reached for her phone, smiling slightly as she saw the caller id.  She put the earpiece in and chuckled.

“’Lo, Angel.”

“Where the hell are you now?”

“About 20 miles further than I was when you called me last.”  Willow grinned.  “Wow.  I can HEAR you brood over the phone.  That’s amazing.”

“I’m not….dammit.  Ok.  I’m a little cranky.”

Willow nodded her head.  “Comes from not getting any for a few days.”

Silence.  “You’re probably right, Baby” Willow’s eyebrows rose.  She’d probably never hear the phrase ‘you’re probably right’ ever again.  Angel went on, a deep smugness in his voice.  “Only two thoughts are keeping me sane.”

“Yeah…what are they?”

“One, that I know this is as hard for you as it is for me,” Willow shifted uncomfortably; more truth to that than she would ever share with him.

“…and two, I’ve got lots of time to plan how to let you make it up to me when you get here.”

Willow laughed.  “Make it up to you?  Oh, I’m starting out with a debt?”

“Yeah.  Deep, deep debt.”

“How do ya figure that?”

“You could have flown here and been here in a morning but noooooo…..you have to drive here.  Alone.  For three days.”  Willow heard the teasing smugness leave his voice.  “Fuck.”

“We talked about this.  I want to bring my car.  Somethings I didn’t want to ship…” She paused.  “And I wanted time to think.  Not to rethink, Angel, no second thoughts or second guessing here….I just wanted time.  You get that right?”

He was silent for a long moment.

“Angel?  Try to be less of a guy here, ok?”

“Yeah.  Ok.  Got it.”  Willow pictured him, sitting at some big old desk at the Wolfram and Hart building, itching to call her a lot more than he already was.  “So…where the hell are you now?”

Sigh.  “In between Columbia and Kansas City.  I’ll probably stop in KC for the night.  I’ll call you when I get all checked in.”

“I fucking hate this.”

“Yeah, I thought the fact that you’ve managed to curse more in the last 5 minutes than I’ve heard you curse in 12 years of knowing you was kind of a clue.  Here’s a clue for you, sweetie.  I’m all grown up now and I’m fine.  I’m just drivin’ and enjoying myself, and soon I’ll be there enjoying you.  And you’ll like it, too.”  She grinned.

He looked up at her.  His rough voice belied the calm steadiness of his gaze.  “Don’t test me.  You control it right now, but Willow…” she waited, holding her breath “you won’t for long.  And payback’s a bitch.”

A shudder rocked through her.  She licked her dry lips once, not noticing how his jaw clenched as he watched.  Her hands tugged the blouse off her shoulders, and she tossed it aside.  She watched him…almost unaware of her own movements.  Her hands rose to the fastener of her bra and she unhooked it, pulling it slowly off; her hands caught it in the front before it fell.  Slowly, she peeled it off.  Her voice, when she spoke, was all soft and low.  “I think of your hands here...” and she stroked at the small, firm mounds of her own breasts.  Angel watched, his eyes intent, his hands stilled on her thighs.

“I think about your fingers here…” and she cupped one breast, closing her eyes, as, with her other hand, she circled the satiny nipple…feeling a tremor reverb through her body at the slight touch.

“More.”  Angel’s voice was gravelly.  “Pull at it, Willow.  Please.”

Willow’s eyes opened and her body rocked against his as she tugged gently at the nipple, feeling it pebble.  Angel’s hands flexed and tightened on her thighs as he growled, a low, throaty sound that skittered all the way up her spine.  She met his gaze as she slowly leaned towards him, still cupping one breast.  His head raised slightly and he held her stare as his tongue flicked out at the pink soft skin.  She breathed in on a gasp and felt his lips lift around the soft skin that he licked and sucked.

“Baby, do you want me to stop?”

Willow shook her head wildly, still cupping her breast for him.

“I think you’re very good at teasing, Baby.” He spoke against her skin, tugging with his teeth lightly.  Her back arched with each tug;  she barely heard what he was saying.  “But now it’s my turn…” and he grasped her head, pulling her face to his.  Their earlier kiss paled to this; her mouth was taken and used…she moaned beneath his lips helplessly, wanting him to hurry, wanting him to slow down.  He rolled them back over and crawled off her body, leaning down to tug softly at the zipper of her jeans.  His hands teased the skin of her legs as he worked her jeans down her legs, she watched silently as he reached for the delicate silk panties that rode low on her hips…his lips quirked in a sexy grin as he gently pulled them down her body and off.  He bent and softly licked at the skin just under her knee…tender, light flicks that caused her blood to roar through her body, pooling at the damp folds between her legs.

His mouth worked its way up her legs.  Her thighs parted restlessly as Willow reached up to grab at the spindles of her headboard, hanging on as if her life depended on it.  Angel growled as he inhaled her scent, thick with arousal.  His body draped between her parted legs as he blew softly at the dampened curls between her legs, one hand softly stroking the slick folds…

Her phone chirped impatiently at her again.  Willow smiled and sighed, looking at the caller id.

“Lo, Angel.”

“Did you check your spare before you left?  Is it ok?”

“Yes, it’s fine.  Had a tune-up,  had an oil change.  We talked about this, Angel.  It’s all good.  Car’s great.” She maneuvered the car over to the exit lane and pulled off, spotting the Hampton Inn sign.

“Ok.  Just wanted to make sure.  A lot could happen, and I’m not there….”

Willow snorted.  “Yeah, because if I had a flat, you’d evilly stare it into fixing itself.”

Angel’s voice was measured and steady.  “No, Willow, I’d change the goddamn tire.”

“Angel, I’m at the hotel.  Let me get settled and I’ll call you back.  Sweetie…it’s ok.”

“Yeah.  Will….”  She waited, patiently.  “Nothing.  Talk  to you in a moment.”

She stared at the silent phone.  He seemed to be making a career of unsettling her.

She bucked her hips, his fingers tracing fire over her skin.  He chuckled hoarsely.  “Such a sweet taste” and his tongue lapped softly at her.  Her hands tightened even more around the iron spindles as her back arced, raising her hips to his mouth.  He licked and sucked at her as if he had wandered in the desert for three weeks and she was his first drink of water.   Willow panted, feeling heat beginning to pour through her…a sob caught in her throat.  He looked up.

“What is it?  What do you want?”  Two strong fingers gently pushed into her tightness.  Slowly, they pulled out, twisting slightly, and then plunged back in.  Willow rocked her hips against his hand, trying to get more.  More.  More.

She hadn’t realized she had sobbed the words aloud till she heard Angel’s throaty groan.  “More.  Yeah.  I can do more.”  And he rose above her, yanking at his shirt and throwing it off.  He unzipped his jeans and pulled the zipper down, his eyes on hers as the thick ridge of his erection jutted out at her as he tugged the jeans down his body.  Her eyes widened and her breath caught.  Angel faced her, his eyes so dark…and yet she could see the gold demon shining in the depths.  She shuddered and Angel paused, waiting.

“No…no…it’s just…”  Willow licked her dry, dry lips.  “Goddess, Angel.  You’re beautiful.”

Angel moaned and slid back over her body, kissing her abdomen softly and working his way up her body, plumping and sucking at her breasts.  Her hands feverishly tugged at him, wanting him to go on, wanting him to stop, she wasn’t sure anymore, because all rational thought had fled.

He rose up, covering her body…his chest a massive wall of strength pressed against hers.  She ran her hands up and over his shoulders even as her legs parted and lifted, leaving him cradled between her legs.  She felt the blunt tip of his cock pressing to her…tentatively pushing in.  Impatient, she bucked up and wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him in deeply and suddenly.

Willow smiled softly, enjoying the Colorado air.  Driving had been a good thing.  She needed this; a time to reconnect with herself a little bit. She hadn’t realized, till she turned in her notice and spent time packing up her belongings, how much she had missed some of her old life.  And here she was, not testing the waters, but diving headfirst.  With an angel.

Her phone chirped.  Sigh.

“Lo.  Do not say ‘where the hell are you?’  Say something sexy.”

Pause.  “Wanna fuck?”

Willow laughed out loud.

“Ok.  Now, where the hell are you?”

“Just passed through Denver, Angel.  Thinking I can make it to….”  She looked at the GPS system Angel had installed before she left New York.  “Rifle.  Hmm.  Rifle, Colorado.  A good night’s sleep, set out early, and tomorrow night….”

“Tomorrow night….yeah.”

“Yeah.”  Pause.  “Been thinking about it?”

“Whether or not you’re wearing panties?  I solved that mystery, Sweets.  Several times.”

“No, about us.  In general.  Stuff.”

“Willow.”  He fell silent, trying to find the right words.  “I’ve been thinking of the way you look when you’re nervous, and when you’re excited, and when you’re smug.”  Willow frowned a bit.  “And the way your brow furrows when you frown like you’re doing now.”

“Am not.”

Angel went on.  “I’ve been thinking about the ways I do know you, and the fun I’m going to have discovering the things I don’t.  I’ve been thinking about your heart, and how solid and good it is, and how you call to me from across the country.  I bet I’d hear you across time and space.”

Willow’s breath caught.  “Angel….”  She stopped, not knowing what to say.

“And I’m thinking about getting into your pants.”

Willow choked on a laugh.

“and I’m thinking of how nice it will be to wake up next to you.  To have you….here.  With me.  By me.”

Willow smiled softly.  “Wow.  All this thinking.  All this calling. How are you getting any work done?”

“I’m not.  Get here soon and make everyone happy.  I’ve been a bear…”

“NO….I doesn’t believe that…”  Willow grinned, picturing all the cowering employees outside his office.

“More to the debt, Willow…you’ve got some big payback…”

“Promises, promises….listen, here’s the Rifle exit.  Let me get a room and call you back.”

“Will….”

“Yeah?”

“Nothing.”

They held perfectly still, almost suspended in time.   Her legs wrapped high around his waist, trapping him and holding him deep within her body.  He supported his weight on his forearms, looking down into the depths of her green eyes.  Slowly, he rocked his hips into hers, groaning when she matched his movements with small circular rocks of her body.

They slowly moved together.  A fine sheen covered her skin, giving her an earthy glow.  Her breath came faster, more shallow…more frantic.  Her heels dug into his ass as he drove in harder, deeper, claiming her soul and heart even as his body claimed hers.  She gasped, “Angellllllllohgoddessssssss” as her body arced, shudders raging through her, as she tumbled into the fire.  On and on she fell, her mind a blank.  Vaguely she heard an animalistic growl above her, and she felt his body still, taut and rock hard.  A great shudder seemed to rack his whole body before he stilled, pressing his sweat-dampened brow to her throat.

Willow lay beneath him, unlocking her ankles and feeling her legs tumble from around his hips.  He gently pushed into her twice more before raising his head and letting his sated gaze catch hers.  He slanted his lips across her face briefly before gently pulling his body off of hers and rolling over onto his back with a heaving sigh.  Willow lay on her back, beside him, trying to catch her breath.  Her eyes closed, and she drank in the feeling of sated exhaustion.  A crooked grin tilted her lips as she felt his hand creep over hers, his fingers tangling with her boneless ones.

“Willow….”

“What?”

Silence.  She didn’t open her eyes.  “Say it, Angel.  You’ve been trying to for the last two weeks.  I don’t expect to hear it all the time.  But say it once.”

“I love you.”  And suddenly, he felt as if for a moment, he walked in the sun and it embraced him with gentle fire.

Willow rose onto one elbow and leaned over him, looking down into his face.  “I love you too.”  She shook her head.  “12 years.  Who knew?”

Angel grinned up at her.  “Welcome home, Baby.  Took you long enough.”

The End

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