Body I do not own anything, only those characters which I have created.

Peel Me a Grape

The first in the More than a Song trilogy. The second is Fever and the third will be Do Right. "Peel Me a Grape" written by D. Frischberg, sung by a whole lotta folk.

Peel me a grape
crush me some ice
skin me a peach
Save the fuzz for my pillow
Start me a smoke
talk to me nice

"Oz, where are we?" The small restaurant was dim and smokey. As the couple entered the outside air visibly mingled and swirled with that of the interior. It wasn't as bad as all that, but the atmosphere was certainly not of the Bronze.

Onstage in the front a tall sleekly seductive Black woman sang. Willow was just short of gawking. "Oz, can you afford this," she whispered, turning her head as he stood slightly behind her. "I thought when you said you wanted to go out we were going to the Bronze or maybe to hear the Dingoes but then you told me to dress up and I had to call Buffy and ask her what I should wear and you were being all secretive and --"

"Shh," Oz raised one polish free nail to her lips, "listen to the lady."

You got

to wine me
and dine me
Don't try to fool me
be-jewel me
Either amuse me

or lose me
I'm getting hungry
Peel me a grape

"I'm wining and dining you. Don't like? We could always go home."

Willow shook her head fervently. "I like, I like. It's just . . .different. And sweet." A hostess appeared leading them to their table. It was covered in a deep, nearly black, blue linen table cloth and plushly cushioned wooden chairs. This was a place meant sit and relax and stay for hours, for days if not for the waiters having to go home. "Thank you," she favored him with a brilliant smile.

"Hello, my name is Colvin, I'll be your waiter tonight. Are you ready to order or shall I come back?"

"Calvin?"

"Colvin, Miss." Willow smiled, a little embarrassed. "Don't feel bad miss, happens all the time. My mother decided to be. . .interesting when naming me. I'm sure," he added conspiratorially, "it was to spite my grandmother," eliciting a small laugh from the redhead.

Pop me a cork
french me a fry
crack me a nut
bring me bowl full of bon-bons
Chill me some wine
Keep standing by

"Sounds like Sharna's singing to me," Colvin said, "or maybe to you. So what shall it be?"

Willow and Oz exchanged a glance. "I think just some water for now," the blue haired lover answered for them. "Thanks man." Colvin nodded and moved to check on another station.

Just entertain me
champagne me
Show me you love me
keep lovin' me
Best way to cheer me
cashmere me
I'm getting hungry
Peel me a grape

Elbows on the table, Willow laced her fingers together. "You know I've never had champagne before."

"We could take care of that." The couple shared a smile across the table. Oz took his lover's hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "Are you really having a good time, baby?"

Willow ducked her head wishing, not for the first time, that she still had the long curtain of hair to hide her face. When she looked up her heart was bright on her face. "The best. This was a great surprise. How did you find this place? It's not exactly Dingoes Ate My Baby. Not that you guys couldn't play here...eventually." The girl blushed a bright red.

Here's how to be an agreeable chap
love me and leave me in luxury's lap
Hop when I holler, skip when I snap
I say do it, jump to it

Oz's eyes flicked to the singer. She certainly looked like men jumped when she snapped. "I know Sharna from way back. I came to hear her sing at her first gig here. She kinda owes me."

Willow, too, looked at the cat-like singer. All those books she'd read and she finally understood what those people meant by cafe-au-lait skin. It literally meant coffee with milk and that's what this woman -- "Sharna" her boyfriend and their waiter, Colvin, had called her -- was: a liqued high, spiced and ready to be sipped yet self mellowed. Her short, short black hair was slicked onto her head while tawny cat eyes flashed from the stage. She wore a long shimmering yellow-gold sheath that hugged her slim frame like a smooth second skin. How could Willow compete?

Send out the scotch
Boil me a crab

Taking a quick glance around the room she could see that everyone's eyes were glued to the seductive singer. Waiters stopped, arms full of food for the customers, midway to their tables, entranced. If patrons noticed they forgave easily, the food forgotten once set in front of them.

Cut me a rose
Make my tea with the petals
Just hang around
Pick up the tab
Never out think me
Just mink me

Now aware of the reaction the singer elicited from her audience Willow turned her gaze to her boyfriend. He too was under this, this Sharna's spell. What was she going to do? Hadn't he said they were old friends? It was a mistake coming here. Their carefully rebuilt relationship would crumble all over again as Oz realized that she could never be like Sharna. She could never be that beautiful, that exotic, that talented.

It was Veruca all over again but this time she was losing on equal ground. Sharna was definitely a woman and Willow -- Willow was only a girl playing grown up.

Polar bear rug me
Don't bug me
New fund to bird me

"What?" Willow thought.

You heard me
I'm getting hungry
Peel me a grape

The singer raised her bare arms over her head in one last graceful gesture as the drummer built an ending crescendo on the cymbals. When it was over the entire restaurant, including the bartender, applauded. "Thank you," she said. Spoke with the same velvet tones that she sang in. "We'll be taking a short break. Now might be a good time to eat."

The crowd laughed at her little joke. She smiled appreciatively as she walked off the stage. Willow watched as a near waiter, Colvin, helped the beautiful singer off the stage. Now she could see that the woman wore slinky high heeled sandals. "How does she stand in those things all night?" she wondered sinking further into despair.

Sharna whispered something into Colvin's ear. He in turn pointed in their direction. "Will? Earth to Willow?"

She turned quickly to her blue-haired lover, confused. "Huh?"

"You were spaced out there for a while," he said matter-of-factly.

Willow blushed for the third time that night. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to not pay attention. Were you saying something really important that I missed because, you know, I didn't mean to it's just that this is all so new and exciting and I still can't believe I'm here you know. I mean, look at all these people they're so much older and sophisticated and I--"

Oz put a calming hand on his girlfiend's. "You're babbling," he said with a smile. She couldn't help smile back. "I was just saying that Sharna's probably going to come over here and say hi and I hoped you didn't mind."

"Oh, no, of course not --"

"Good, 'cause here she is." Oz stood and hugged the tall singer. "Hey Shar. How's it been?"

The singer smiled and hugged him back. "Good, and yourself? How're the Dingoes?"

"Working our way up to mediocre."

"Always a place to be."

"Yeah. So, hey, why don't you sit down." He pulled out her chair then sat himself. "Sharna, this is my girlfriend Willow. Willow this is my good friend Sharna."

The two women shook hands. "You know," the singer said, "I was hoping this was your girlfriend Oz."

"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Well yeah, you --"

Colvin appeared at Willow's elbow, startling her. "Someone order champagne?"

She looked at Oz expectantly. "Not me man."

Sharna raised a delicate hand, "That would be me," she said with a smile.

"You didn't have to."

"Yeah, I did. I owe you, remember."

Oz shrugged.

"Look," Colvin interrupted again, "now that Miss Wonderful," he said affectionately, "isn't weaving her magic spell the patrons are hungry. Do you guys want the bubbly or not?"

The wolf and singer looked ready to argue again. "We want it," Willow spoke up before either could say a word.

"I see who the leader of this pack is." Colvin poured her glass first. "For the lady who knows her mind." Willow ducked her head and smiled, mumbling a thank you. "You two can pour your own," he added with a quirky smile of his own.

"See," Sharna said, "this is why I'm glad she's with you."

Oz poured their drinks. Once again, though the subject of conversation, Willow felt left out. "You never told me why."

"Well, it's nice to see you settle down with someone. Devon's not the only cute one in the band. Girl's love bassists." Willow wanted to hide. "Besides, she's obviously good for you. Knows how to make up her mind, keeps you in line. Look at you, all dressed up," she grabbed one of his delicate hands in her own, "no nail polish. Bet you took it off just for tonight."

To Willow's surprise Oz blushed. "And how do you know that?"

"Because there's still some 'round the edges. Admit it, you did this all for her, for Willow." She took a small sip of her champagne. "Besides, she absolutely gorgeous. If you weren't hers I'd have probably made a play for her."

Willow's eyes went wide. Oz chuckled. There was no one like Sharna. She could say the wildest things but with that cat sleek body and pure velvet voice got away with it all. "I should have warned you Will, not only is she a beautiful singer but Sharna is absolutely outrageous." It might have been chastisement but it was said with the utmost respect.

"You forgot bi," the singer added over her laced fingers.

Oz laughed again, taking one of her hands and kissing it. "And bi. Don't worry baby, your safe with me." He looked at Willow, eyes twinkling with merriment.

Sharna looked over at the small redhead. "Don't worry, honey," she said having noticed Willow's worried expression the entire conversation. "I tried getting him years ago. If it didn't work then it most definitely won't now. He's well and truly yours girl. Isn't that right wolf-boy."

Oz blushed again.

"To Willow," Sharna raised her glass.

"To Willow," Oz chimed, leaning over the table to kiss her.

"To...to me," she said with a shy smile as the three touched glasses.

The break was over and Sharna went back up to sing. Polite applause greeted her return. The couple stayed for the rest of the set, dancing a couple of times.

Sharna came down once more before they left. Pulling Willow aside on a bathroom excuse, she said, "Don't worry, honey. I just like to ruffle his fur. It's usually pretty hard, takes me all night most of the time. But with you around, honey, now I have something to stick at him." The redhead looked at her confused. "I saw the looks you were giving us while me an' Oz talked. I understand. I tried getting my manicured claws when we played together. Like I said, didn't happen. But you, your different. You're good for him.

"Now, if only you were a little less attached and maybe a little older . . ." Sharna broke off and laughed at Willow's shocked expression. The sound was rich and deep and husky. "Lord girl, I have got to let you go before me and my crazy tongue make you swoon." She kissed Willow on the cheek. "Be good to him and he'll be good to you. If only the same could be said of everyone." More than a little confused, Willow said thank you and turned to leave. "And take control sometimes girl. Peel Me a Grape is more than a song, it's a state of mind.

"And if you two ever go at it when he's a wolf send me the pictures."

By the time Willow returned to their table and to a waiting Oz, she'd managed to return to her usual coloring. "You ready baby?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment before saying "Yeah, I think I am." He handed put her wrap around her shoulders. On their way out they passed Colvin. "Thank you for being a good waiter."

"And you," he said with a showy bow, "are quite welcome. If you come again I will be more than happy to be your waiter again."

"Thanks man," Oz said.

They walked out into the cool night air, Willow's arm laced in her boyfriend's, head on his shoulder. "Oz?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Do you love me?"

They stopped for a moment. Oz lifted her chin and stared into Willow's eyes, "Of course I do baby. Did Sharna say something back there --"

"No," Willow shook her head fervently, "no, nothing at all. I just wanted to reassure myself."

"I love you, Willow Rosenberg. You captured my heart when I saw you in that Eskimo outfit that Halloween. I'd say you had me at hello," he whispered, "but that lines already taken."

"Say it again -- please."

Her face between his hands he whispered, "I love you, Willow. I love you, Willow. I love you, Willow. I love you, Willow. I love --"

"Stop," she laughed. "Stop, I believe you. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Oz kissed her forehead.

Linking her arm in his and, once again, laying her head on his shoulder. They walked, once again, down the quiet dark street. Nearing the end of the block, Oz prepared to hail a cab.

"Oz?"

He turned, "Yeah, baby?"

"Would you wear a collar for me?"

Fin