Parts: 11 - 15
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~Part: 11~
Willow was awake when Angel came back. She was pacing in his room, dressed in a white nightgown, biting her lower lip. "You're awake," he smiled as he came into the room, shutting the door behind him. "When I left, you were sleeping soundly."
She nodded. "I was having trouble sleeping. On and off."
"Oh." He took his coat off, and hung it up on the hook behind the door. She had resumed pacing; he wondered why she was so tense, slowly wondering if he should put the conversation he wanted to have on hold. "Is there something in particular you wanted to talk to me about?"
She nodded. "Actually, yeah."
"Okay," he responded. "Go ahead."
The quiet redhead took a deep breath. He braced himself for something negative. Instead, she said something he found pleasing. "There's a lot of sexual tension between us, isn't there?"
"I was going to mention this," he responded, condeding that there was some tension between them. He had been feeling it especially since the bath he gave her. He didn't know how long she was experiencing it. "I didn't know if it was one-sided or not."
She shook her head, cheeks flushed. "Definitely not."
"What do you want to do about this?" He asked the pacing girl. She was so high-strung. She shrugged, and kept moving back and forth. He sighed. "We might get more figured out if you'd stop burning a whole in my carpet."
She faltered. His tone was lighthearted, and he thought she knew that. He wondered if he was threatening her. She stopped pacing, but didn't stop biting her lip. "I'm not supposed to like boys anymore. I don't like this."
He gave her a gentle smile. He couldn't imagine how she felt, but he understood her confusion. "Is there anything I can do?"
In contemplation, she knitted her eyebrows together. After a couple seconds, she looked up at him. "Maybe this is just a fluke thing... because we're here, and there's danger, and we're lonely, and-" Angel didn't know what she was saying, but her lips were so irresistable; he grabbed her by the shoulders, and planted his lips on hers. Sparks flew. He felt her hands on his chest, gripping him, digging into his flesh. He gasped when he heard and felt her rip his shirt open. Buttons fell to the ground. When his mouth opened, she took advantage, using her tongue to deepen the kiss. She was nothing like he expected, so much more passion and excitement underneath her surface than he ever would've imagined. He reached for her, but she shied away. She pulled away, panting heavily. Her eyes were dark. "That was supposed to get you out of my system."
He stepped forward, closing the gap, keeping her near him. "Didn't work."
"No," she frowned. "It didn't."
"What-" he struggled for breath he didn't need, needing time for his mind to process the recent event " She shrugged. "I don't know. I can't rush into anything. I'm not like that." She smirked. "No matter how sexy the vampire is, I'm not the easy kind."
"I can respect that," he smiled reassuringly. "Although, I have to admit you were a little wild earlier, ruining a perfectly good shirt, and all."
Willow blushed a deeper shade of crimson, if that was even possible. "I do feel awful about that. I can buy you a new one when we get out of here and in the land of capitalism."
He shook his head. "I have a better idea. How about you let me do that to you the next time we get out of control?"
She smiled shyly. "I think I can handle it."
Angel put his hands on her arms, sliding them down until his fingers met hers. "I won't rush. I won't push. We'll take this one step at a time, while we figure out what's going on with The First." He kissed her forehead; he heard her pulse quicken. "Deal?"
She sighed. "Deal."
~Part: 12~
Spike looked up when Kate came into his room, wearing a bathrobe. They had come back from their swim, to shower, and hang out. He knew that he wanted to talk to her about everything that had happened between them that night. They hadn't kissed, but the naked swim and the meal she offered him were cast in a very sexual, romantic nature. He wanted to know where they stood, if he stood anywhere with her at all.
"I'm all dry now."
"Is that so," he raised an eyebrow, a smirk stretched his lips. He was only wearing a towel; he knew that would pose problems later on, if she stayed in the room. "Did you enjoy your show'r?"
She nodded. "It was nice, and warm, and relaxing. I no longer smell like icky chlorine."
"There's no way you could smell Oicky.'" She blushed at his comment. He moved to the stereo, and put a classical music CD in. Earlier, Kate had told him she loved that disc; he wanted to put her at ease. Slow cello music floated into the room from the speakers around the room. She closed her eyes, and swayed briefly, before snapping herself out of it. She watched him intensely. He could practically see her mind calculating what he was up to. "What're you thinkin' about?"
"Nothing," she answered, avoiding his eyes. He reached out, taking her chin in his hands so she would be compelled to look at him directly. "I've done anything like that before. I just feel weird, that's all." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not comfortable with my body, so I just-"
Spike cut her off, realizing what a huge deal the evening had been for the young girl; he hadn't thought twice about it, having over a century to become comfortable in his own body. "You're a danc'r though. Aren't you used to having peopler stare and judge and-"
Kate cut him off next. "It's different. Being a dancer, they watch how you use your body, how athletic it is, how skinny it is. It's never a man looking, appraising with a sexual nature. I don't date," she admitted, cheeks flushing. "I don't have time. Dancing is my life. I've kissed boys, but never.... well, let's just say all my clothes have stayed on," he smiled and nodded; he didn't know what kind of response she wanted, "So, you're right when you think that I'm just a little girl, and I don't know anything, and I'm already prepared for the speech where you sit me down and tell me it was nothing for you, so it should be for me, and-"
He wanted to kiss her, but he didn't know how she'd react. Instead, he grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to give you any sort of speech. I wanted to make sure you were okay. That's all, Luv."
"Oh." She responded distantly. "Okay. That's good. I just didn't want you thinking I made a habit of skinny-dipping with strange vampires I just met."
Spike smiled. "I hardly thought that."
"Good."
"Kate," he said her name strongly, but it rolled off easily with emotion. "I want you to stay here, with me, tonight." She shook her head. "Why not, Luv?"
"You're horny and want me only because I'm the only girl here not attached to Angel."
His jaw dropped. "I can't believe you'd think that."
"I'm not going to put myself in the position to get hurt while we're here." Spike could barely stand to listen to her words. He thought that she had felt the same thing he did; perhaps the connection wasn't as strong as it had felt. "I have no problem feeding your hunger, but I won't feed your desire." She sighed. "I have to protect myself, here, Spike. I don't expect you to understand, but I do expect you to respect it."
Spike nodded. He didn't want to push her; she seemed set in her ways. Hurt and confused, he reached for the cigarettes on the bedside table and lit one. She moved away when he started smoking. "I wouldn't force you into a situation you didn't want to be in, Luv."
"I know," she smiled. "I just wanted to tell you how I felt." She started to turn her body. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Of course."
~Part: 13~
Spike had been sitting in the salon for twenty minutes, smoking, when Angel came in. Although he wasn't Spike's direct sire, the blond still felt a strong blood connection to the older immortal. He felt a pull of desire, seeing the hard chest through the gap the top three buttons left from not being fastened.
"Give me one of those, would you?"
He chuckled. "Long night?"
Angel nodded. "Yeah, something like that." He took the offered cigarette, and lit it with the lighter Spike handed him. "Willow... she drives me wild."
"Have you two done anything Obout those long looks of desire, Mate?"
Angel shrugged, exhaling while he spoke. "We've decided to take it slow."
Spike chuckled. "At least you're doing better than me."
He turned and looked at him, shock and confusion on his face. "I thought you two were already-"
"Oh, no, of course not. That would be too easy. The silly chit seems to think that I only want her cuz Willow's with you. She doesn't want to get hurt or used." He flicked his cigarette. "All I want to do is love 'er, and she's makin' it awfully difficult."
"Love?"
He nodded. "I could see it going that way. Well, before tonight." He flicked the ashes in the tray. "She told me I'm horny and she doesn't want to be the girl I use to relieve my pressure."
Angel shrugged. "It's an understandable reaction."
"I know, but, I thought we were goin' places. The whole night, talkin', and stuff. And," he added, "The swim! I thought I was making myself perfectly clear. I didn't once touch her in an inappropriate fashion. I was-" he shivered " body."
"Seriously?" Angel was shocked; he had assumed Spike would make a more aggressive move towards Kate. "Have you told her any of this?"
"I tried," he replied, "But, she didn't entertain me."
"But, I saw you two in the pool," Angel tried to make sense of it all. "And you two were intimate. I assumed that you two were already together. I mean, you were so close, and I had never seen you feed like that before. You were-"
"Soft. I've gone bloody soft for a girl that doesn't ev'n-"
"Sweet," he rolled his eyes, "Was what I was going to say." He inhaled another long drag off his cigarette. Spike saw the glimmer in his eyes, and thought he saw a plan forming in the older vampire's mind. "Now, Spike, I think I have an idea or two. It's been a while since I've courted a girl, but I think that I have a couple ways to make her melt."
"Tie her up until she takes me?"
He chuckled. "No, Spike, not quite. You've got to court her. Woo her. Make her think she's the most important to you for all time."
"She pretty much already is."
"She has to believe it." Angel grinned. "C'mon, Spikey, where's your sense of adventure?"
~Part: 14~
Willow had been listening to the vampires talk for quite some time. She wondered if they could sense her nearby, but they were so focused on their conversation, that she doubted they could hear her.
"This slow thing won't kill me?"
Angel laughed softly. "No, boy. It's slow and painful, but in a good way."
Willow blushed. She hoped he was talking about her. She kept listening to their conversation, feeling nothing except a burning curiosity.
"So, what are you going to do first?" Angel asked, reviewing their plan.
Spike sighed. "The li'l things. Nothing too drastic. Pullin' her chair out, holdin' the door, stuff like that." He added: "Maybe I should get her flow'rs, too."
"That would be nice," Angel reflected. "Pick them before the sun rises, I guess?"
"Yeah," Spike nodded, puffing his chest out, feeling better about the situation. Willow peeked from her position in the hall, and smiled. He was cute when he had a project. She knew that Kate had her reasons for holding out; but she also sensed that Kate would enjoy having the special treatment. "Maybe I should go do that now."
"If you want to," Angel responded with a slow nod. "Did you want any help?"
Spike shook his head. "I think I can handle it."
He stubbed his cigarette out and rushed out of the room. His face, Willow thought, was lit up as a child's at Christmas. He was excited and hopeful and very optimistic that his plan would work. Angel chuckled behind him, but paused when he saw Willow walk down the hall towards him.
"Kate's gonna like her present."
Angel shrugged. "I hope so. You should've seen them earlier." When Willow asked him to explain, he quickly summerized his evening: "I went for a walk and saw them skinny-dipping in the pool. She offered her neck to him; he fed from her, with his human face. He didn't push her to even kiss him. It was... intense, and you could tell she liked him, but then she froze and told him nothing would ever happen."
"Ohh." Willow nodded, feeling better that she understood the story now. "That all makes more sense."
"Any tips?"
"The bath was a good idea."
Angel raised an eyebrow, his grin growing. "Really?" Willow nodded and came closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. She looked up at him, eyes sparkling. "Well, I'll have to remember to run a bubble bath for you more often."
"Oooh."
He held her close to him, but didn't push for any more contact. Willow wasn't as skittish as Kate, but he still didn't want to scare her off. The redhead rested her head against his chest and listened to the quiet inside his chest. "I don't know how I'd handle not having a pulse."
"It's strange," he admitted. "But, you do get used to it."
She nodded. "I'm sure I will," when he heard her words, he found himself grinning like a fool. She smiled too, chuckling. "Yes, you heard me right."
"Good," he said before kissing the top of her head. She sighed and snuggled deeper into the embrace. "How about we go for a walk before the sun rises?"
"That sounds nice."
Together, arm in arm, they left the living room and headed out of the house.
~Part: 15~
Spike looked down at the bouquet of flowers he had picked for Kate. They were perfect, he thought, and he hoped that she would like them. He hadn¹t courted a woman that wasn¹t a vampire in so long; even with Dru, there hadn¹t been much courting. Just sex and blood and a love that had grown through all of that.
He couldn¹t share sex and blood with Kate before love. She wasn¹t that kind of girl; she would need the sweetness and light, and she might not accept the darkness at all.
That was a risk he was willing to take.
On his way back to the house, Angel¹s scent caught his attention. The dark vampire was with Willow, and they were talking; he could hear muffled voices. He walked in the direction his senses were pulling him. Behind one of the gardens, Angel and Willow were sitting down on the grass; she was pulled into his chest, resting comfortably in his arms. He was talking softly in her ear. One of his hands was on her shoulder and the other was on her knee Angel bent down a little and kissed her neck. He didn¹t bite or prick the skin; it was merely a kiss. That simple gesture warmed the blond.
He turned on his heel and walked back to the house, not stopping until he saw her bedroom door. He wanted to knock the wooden door It wasn¹t time yet.
Instead, he set the flowers down outside her door and headed into his own room. He took a long cold shower, and then tucked himself into bed.
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