* * *Part Three -- End Game* * *
"Willow?" Angel called, stepping from his room, shirt
unbuttoned. He could sense her up and moving around
and hoped she was still looking forward to going out
with him for the night. After the previous night's
fiasco with Kate he needed to have a little fun. His
lips softened into a smile as thoughts of spending the
night with Willow went through his head. She had
quickly found a place in his heart over the past few
days, a place no one had touched in ages, not even
Buffy.
"Willow?" Where was she? He buttoned the grey cotton
shirt he was wearing, moving towards the living room
area. "Will-" The words stopped in his throat as he
saw the scene laid before him. A table big enough for
two had been covered in a white tablecloth, a vase of
pale pink roses sitting in the center. He could smell
the aroma of freshly baked bread and his eyes took in
the basket of breadsticks on the table. What was going
on?
He heard her door shut and her heartbeat draw closer.
"Will-" For the second time that night he found
himself speechless, his mind focused solely on the
goddess in front of him. The silky green sundress she
was wearing complimented her skin perfectly, making
her eyes seem to sparkle in the dim light of the room.
"I thought we were going to dinner and a movie..." He
managed to say.
"Oh well." Willow smiled, mischief in her eyes. She
hadnt missed his reaction to the dress. "I thought I'd
cook for you and we could watch some videos at home."
She stepped closer, looking up at him through lowered
lashes. "I hope thats ok?"
Angel shivered unconsciously at the husky tone of her
voice. Could it be that she actually desired him as he
did her? "Thats fine with me." Good, at least he had
said that without trembling. He didnt know what was
wrong with him, he was acting like a nervous teenager
- something he thought he had outgrown a few hundred
years ago.
Willow smiled. "Sit down and let me serve you then."
Where had that come from? She certainly hadn't meant
the one statement to sound so inviting and sexual. But
it did and she couldnt take it back, might as well go
with it. She arched her eyebrow in what she hoped was
a playful way and walked to the kitchen, trying to
calm her racing heart. {So far, so good...} Balancing
a bowl of salad in one hand and two full wine glasses
in the other, she made her way back to the table.
Setting the bowl in the center of the table she held
first one glass up to the light, then the other,
trying to remember which was which. Hoping she was
right, she handed one to her dinner partner.
Angel was floored as he realized what was in the
glass. Blood. Not human, but still relatively fresh
and slightly warm, just the perfect temperature. He
would have to ask her sometime how she knew how to
heat it *just* enough, until that time though, he
simply marvelled at her calm acceptance of all he was.
"Want some of this?" She pointed to the bowl of salad
with the tongs. He shook his head slightly. "K." The
red head helped herself to a small serving of the
salad, spearing a cherry tomato with her fork and
bringing it slowly to her mouth, her green eyes never
leaving his chocolate ones as she took the round orb
into her mouth.
Angel couldn't help but stare. Everything she did was
so alluring tonight. He wondered briefly if she meant
for it to be that way or if it was just unconscious on
her part. Then decided he didnt care. He sipped at his
drink, hoping she couldnt see just how much she was
affecting him.
"So how was your..date..last night?" Willow stumbled
over the words, feeling for the first time since the
night before the sad rage in her heart at what she had
seen. She continued her assault on the salad in front
of her though, making each bite as sensual as she
possibly could.
"I wouldnt exactly have called it a date." Angel
snickered. The change in her tone had not slipped
unnoticed. She was jealous? Of Kate? He couldnt
understand why. He hoped it was obvious to the world
that he only felt friendship for the blond woman.
"Really?" Willow forced herself to sound aloof and
inquisitive. "I thought only dates got a kiss at the
end of the night."
{She saw that? Yep. Thats jealousy.} Angel reasoned.
{I think.} He laughed softly. "Kate is nothing but a
friend, Willow. At least thats all I want her to be."
{Unlike what I want from you...} "She seemed nice
enough at first. But...then she got all clingy and
dependent. And thats not attractive at all." He smiled
at her. "Plus she can't accept the whole vampire
thing. Like if she ignores it it will go away." {While
you embrace it, little one.}
Willow felt her heart lift at his words. He didnt
want Kate. But could he want her? Did she have a
chance. She watched his eyes darken with lust as she
licked the dressing off of one of her cherry tomatoes.
She blushed, realizing that action might have been a
little too brazen even for the state of mind she was
in tonight. She hurriedly popped it in her mouth,
wiping her hands on the napkin. "Do you want me to
bring out the main course? Or do you want to go watch
the movies?" {Movies. Please. Movies.} She silently
pleaded, leaving the choice up to him.
"Well if you're not still hungry, movies sound
great." He pushed back his chair, grabbing their
glasses from the table and leading her out to the
plush leather couch in front of his television. He
watched her move to the vcr, admiring the shape of her
pale slender legs, the way her... He shook himself of
the less than honerable thoughts skittering through
his mind as she turned and walked back to the couch.
On impulse he pulled her down, cuddling her next to
him as the movie started.
{Oh goddess. I'm in his arms. I'm in Angel's arms.}
Willow settled into his embrace when it was obvious he
wasnt letting go, laying her head gently upon his
chest. It was almost too much to be this close to him.
She wanted nothing more than turn her head up just
enuogh to look in his eyes. {OH!} Willow's mind
shrieked as she realized she had done just that. And
he was staring back. She held his gaze, wondering if
he could see all the things she longed to say to him
and didn't have the nerve.
"Willow..." He breathed. Their lips were so close
together. All he would need to do would be lean
forward just a little..
{He's kissing me! Angel kissage! Smoochies!} Willow's
brain went on hyper mode before finally switching off,
leaving her to enjoy the feel of his cool lips on
hers. They pulled back at the same time, their faces
mirror expressions of shock and lust. And love? {Maybe
not love. Not yet. Definitely caring...} Willow's
brain was back, rationalizing. "Kiss me again?"
"Gladly." He caught her lips with his own, kissing
her gently. He teased her lips with his tongue,
sighing with pleasure when she opened them, allowing
his tongue access to the depths of her small mouth. He
pulled away first this time, watching her with a
mixture of pride and amusement. Her pale lips were
rosy from his kisses and there was a faint flush
across her pale skin. {Absolutely beautiful.}
"Regrets?" She asked softly, mistaking his quiet
contemplation for soemthing negative. {Please no
regrets. Please.}
"Huh? No! I want this." He brushed another gentle
kiss across her lips. "I want *you*."
Willow smiled, murmuring, "And I want you," before
letting his lips capture hers again. Neither of them
noticed when the end credits of the movie began
rolling. Neither of them cared.
* * *
Kate smoothed down the skirt she was wearing before
stepping into the offices of Angel Investigations.
Tonight was the night she would let Angel know how she
felt about him once and for all. She was sure that
after his little 'date' the night before with the red
head he would see that he needed a real woman, and not
some little girl.
"Kate." Cordelia didn't try to hide the distaste she
felt for the woman. "Angel's busy at the moment."
{Busy making out with Willow in his office...}
"This is sort of important." Kate said cooly. The
receptionist didnt care for her. It was mutual. She
looked at the closed door to Angel's office and
debated just walking in. Better not to. "Please?" She
forced herself to say the word, trying to sound as
though she actually needed Angel's help for seomthing.
Cordelia rolled her eyes and picked up the phone,
dialing her boss's extension. {Wonder what tonight's
crisis is? Flat tire and she thinks it might be a tire
demon?} "Angel. Kate's here....Yeah...I told her
that....Shes says its *important*....K.."
She hung up. "He says to sit down. He'll be out in a
minute." {Has to put his clothes back on.} Cordelia
snickered.
"Kate?" The dark haired vampire entered the room,
absently fastening the button on the cuff of his
sleeve. "Problems?"
Smiling, the blond stood up and wrapped her arms
around the man before her, hugging him tightly. "Not
really. Just wanted to see you. See if you wanted to
go out and do something tonight."
"He already has plans." Kate released her hold on
Angel, turning to look at the figure in the doorway.
She took in the red head disheveled appearance and the
way her skin seemed to be glowing. Kate felt Angel
move away from her, wrapping the red head in his
embrace.
{No! I did *not* lose to some...college student!}
Kate's mind screamed.
Willow smirked at the look of shock on the older
woman's face and uttered the words she'd been dying to
say, "And please. I dont know how they do things where
*you* come from, but in polite company we dont faun
over someone else's boyfriend." Green eyes grew
steely. "So keep your hands off of *mine*."
Kate watched, still in schock, as the red head led
the vampire back into his office, shutting the door
firmly behind them and leaving her alone with the
receptionist. She met the brunette's laughing eyes.
"Game over, Kate."
*** End Fic***