Disclaimer: The characters, and the premise upon which they are based, are definitely not mine. To be honest, they're a lot of responsibility - that doesn't mean I don't enjoy playing with them once and awhile.
Disclaimer #2: This contains adult scenes. You've been warned! (And yes, I'm aware that you all read the word "warned" and translated it into "encouraged to keep reading!" Carry on.
Author's Note: This one is a bit of everything all thrown into one. Friendship/Romance/Humor/Angst...oh my gosh, just read the darn thing.
P.S. - Please keep reading, but especially reviewing and writing your own pieces. Trust me; it's nerve wracking and hard work, but you couldn't ask for a more supportive community. *Round of applause for you folks! Yes, you, right there at the computer!*
Angie sighed loudly as her already unwelcome company for the evening ignored her for the fifth time since their arrival to the bar nearly an hour ago. Not that anyone would have been able to hear the sigh; the vociferous noise emanating from the speakers hardly qualified as music in her book. She was here because she had promised Betty a "girls' night out," and the splitting headache that was settling in was a very obnoxious reminder to highly reconsider any subsequent outings with the redhead.
Speaking of the doctor, Angie used the time that the pig - sorry, man - next to her at the bar was using to check out other females to seek out her friend. Across the room, she could barely make Betty out in the dark room as she threw her head back in laughter, essentially petting the man's shoulder who was sitting close beside her. Betty, although she meant well, was akin to the high school flirt that every boy wanted, and every girl wished she could be. Angie, on the other hand, was the flirt's second-in-command: just pretty enough to be seen as unattainable by the rare upstanding gentleman, but somehow still nice enough to attract the losers. Go-freaking-figure.
Turning back towards her acquaintance, she excused herself to the ladies' room; reveling in the progressively dampening noise as she headed back down a dimly lit hallway. As she stood in front of the mirror, she stared intently at the half-hidden dark circles under her eyelids while washing her hands for the third time. No, her hands weren't that dirty; yes, she was purposely wasting time and avoiding her venture back into the crowded bar. For a moment, Angie genuinely wondered whether Betty would even notice that she went missing. Finally drying her hands, Angie checked her hair once more before trudging back toward the bar.
Nearing the end of the hallway, she felt her phone vibrate against her hip in her right pocket, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Part of her felt horrible that she wished for a dead body, but she oh, what she wouldn't give for this evening to end. Retrieving the phone from her pocket, she squinted against the bright light illuminating her face in the darkness; slightly disappointed when the message was from Betty in the corner of the other room.
Where r u? Eye candy alert.
Angie rolled her eyes at the text on the screen, quickly replying as she walked down the hall:
Ladies' room. Be out in a minute.
Shoving the device down deep into her pocket, Angie pushed a few stray blonde curls back behind her ears as she stopped at the entrance of the room. Purposely taking a wandering path to the far corner of the bar counter, Angie ordered a fresh drink and made her way towards Betty's corner of the room. Angie glanced around quickly before sliding into the booth across from her friend, shooting a curious look in the doctor's direction.
"He went after more drinks," Betty replied simply, nodding in the direction of the bar and her newly acquired companion for the evening. "How are things with Chuck?"
"Chip," Angie replied dryly, taking a long sip from the drink in front of her.
Betty cringed, sliding over to make room for the pretty boy who just happened to be Betty's intended target. Easily ten - possibly even fifteen - years her junior, Angie rolled her eyes as she watched her friend and the young man whisper and giggle with each other like middle school crushes. Clearing her throat loudly, she waited for the two lovebirds to disengage before voicing her question. "So, uh, your message?"
A fleeting expression of confusion passed across Betty's face before she reached out with a manicured hand and patted Angie's forearm comfortingly. Watching as Betty made a strange face; it took Angie at least three times to figure out exactly what Betty was doing as her eyes shifted with brows lifting toward the end of the bar behind her. Attempting to remain discreet, Angie carefully looked over her shoulder in the proper direction, only to quickly turn back to the redhead with eyes wide in surprise.
"What the hell?! Betty - no! God, what the hell is he even doing here?!" Angie whispered fiercely, quickly peeking over her shoulder once more to see the one and only Oscar Vega across the room.
Betty just shrugged her shoulders in mock innocence. "Oh, I don't know, sweetie. Looking for a good time, or maybe just a good woman," the redhead replied with a wink. Emitting a soft giggle as the Greek god of a man nuzzled in close, Betty was briefly distracted by her date until Angie spoke up once more.
"No, seriously. I'm pretty damn sure you're behind this. There's absolutely no way he'd step foot in a place like this without some encouragement," Angie ground out, throwing back the remnants of the bourbon in front of her. Sighing as her friend just laughed at her, Angie just shook her head and stood to head for the bar once more. She knew she should pace herself, but she was only a drink and a half in; she had opted to abandon her drink from earlier in favor of the now abundantly clear form of cruel torture she ultimately found in the company of her calculating and conniving redheaded friend.
"Oh, get over it. You're miserable, and I thought you could use some cheering up. Who better to do that than your "best friend"? Betty asked rhetorically as she shared a look with the man beside her while using air quotes.
"Can I get either of you two anything?" Angie asked, more out of well-mannered habit than genuine curiosity, as she ignored her redheaded friend. Not waiting for an answer, she swept carefully through the crowd toward the bar, carefully avoiding Chuck - no, Chip! - she scolded herself.
"Invite him to join us!" Angie heard her friend's muffled shout, followed by a loud laugh, from behind her. Shaking her head in disbelief, Angie tried to blend in as she approached the bar. From where she stood, she could look to her right and see her partner, or she could look to her left and just make out the back of Chip's head as he struck out with another long-legged brunette in red. Laughing quietly to herself, she ordered herself another drink and turned to watch her partner out of the corner of her eye.
Picking up the tumbler from the hardwood and sliding a few bills toward the bartender, Angie breathed in deeply before turning to approach her partner in hopes of easing his obvious discomfort. Slipping onto the bar stool to his left, she leaned over to bump his shoulder with her own as she took a small sip of bourbon from the glass. Relishing in the smooth chill that crept down her throat in a slow burn, Angie chewed her lip thoughtfully as she slowly settled into his company.
"Hey, partner," Oscar's rough voice pierced through the deafening beat.
Turning to smile at him, she shook her head as her mouth hung ajar speechlessly. "Sorry about...you know..." Angie replied as she gestured around the room. "I didn't realize Betty would drag you into this," she added.
Oscar simply shrugged as he finished his drink and ordered another. "Well, I guess you could say it's not exactly my scene," he joked with a small smirk.
Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she saw Betty waving animatedly and gesturing at Oscar. Catching the sly wink the redhead threw her direction; Angie cringed as she turned to face her partner once more. Pointing to his empty glass, Angie then settled a warm palm upon his broad shoulder as she stood from her chair; "When your refill gets here, come join us over in the back corner over there," she stated as she hitched a thumb over her shoulder.
As he nodded, the partners shared a gentle smile before Angie turned to return to the dimly lit corner. Sliding in across from Betty, she ignored the pointed stare from the doctor as she stared intently at the ice cubes dancing around her glass. "Oscar said he'll be over in a minute. In the mean time, remind me to shoot you later," Angie spoke down into her drink, raising her eyes to shoot a glare at Betty.
Betty just smiled as her boy toy slung a muscled arm around her shoulders. "You wouldn't; your partner would have to lock you up, but hey, you may be into that sort of thi-," she said slyly, interrupted by a sharp nudge to her shin by Angie's boot. Lifting her eyebrows, Betty shot a quick look over Angie's shoulder with a grimace. "Trust me; you'll thank me," she muttered into her drink so softly that Angie nearly missed it.
"Andi! Andi!" came a district yelp from across the room, closing in on the safe haven that she had found amidst the darkness.
"Oh, Angie, look! It's Chuck," Betty spoke through a fake smile at the intruder, causing Angie to emit an unladylike snort into her small glass.
The nervous man stood beside the table as he introduced himself to the rest of the table; "Uh, it's Chip, actually." As he tapped his toe nervously, Angie contemplated the easiest and nicest way to turn the man down. He was a man, she reminded herself; men, though dense by nature, were still sensitive creatures. Just as she was about to disclose some horribly exaggerated and admittedly deceitful reason as to why it just wouldn't work out, she was cut off by jovial shout from Betty's side of the table.
"Oh, my God, Ang! You didn't tell me your boyfriend was back in town!" Betty yelled so loudly, Angie was fairly certain that the Queen could hear her from her tea room in Buckingham Palace. Eyelids flying open, Angie's eyes bugged out as Betty stared over her shoulder. Whipping her head to her left, a confused Angie had just caught a glimpse of a startled Oscar behind her as her blonde hair flew into her face and stung her eyes.
Jumping up from her seat on the leather bench in surprise, Angie's sudden movement jarred the table and sent the beverages sliding. Fortunately, Betty's date was quicker than he appeared and managed to still the movement before any grave damage was done. Paying little mind to her audience, Angie's attention zeroed in on the man in front of her. While her mind told her to laugh at the joke, and her gut told her it was just a ruse, it was the rapid beating in her chest that suddenly made her realize that this was more than a simple game.
"He-," Angie squeaked out; "Heyyy...honey..." she tried again; her own voice sounding foreign as it echoed in her ears. Tugging her ear nervously, she reached out with the other hand to gently punch his bicep; almost regretting the decision immediately as she knew how awkward it must have appeared.
Oscar's eyebrows inched up his forehead as he glanced over to Betty and back to her; the redheaded doctor enjoying their discomfort to its fullest extent. Flinching as their friend shouted once more, "C'mon, Ang, welcome him home properly."
Flicking her eyes briefly to the clueless intruder who had been making passes at her all evening, Angie swallowed nervously as she stepped forward to loop her arms around her partner. Left hand spread wide in the middle of his back, her right hand climbed up Oscar's neck and into his thick hair, gripping it softly as she closed the gap between them. What began as a timid touch evolved into a careful and deliberate caress of lips and tongues, as if the partners were discovering one another and committing each other to memory all at once.
Slowly drawing back from the kiss, Angie's eyelids fluttered open as she lightly trailed her fingertips back down Oscar's neck, dragging gently over the slope of his neck. With his eyes still closed, Angie took a moment to quietly observe him as he shuddered under her soft touch; smiling as his eyelids flickered open to reveal warm, unfocused eyes. As he regained his focus, Angie stared intently as the soft brown of Oscar's irises quickly disappeared to intensely dark pupils dilating with desire.
Biting her lower lip nervously, the flutter in Angie's chest was quickly replaced by heat spreading throughout the length of her body. As her toes curled in excitement, Angie blinked in confusion as she heard a muffled cough behind her. Turning toward the source of the noise, Angie suddenly remembered one of the main reasons she had decided to give into the moment and play along with Betty's scheme.
"Wow...I guess I just - uh - I didn't know you were - um - well, congratulations," Angie's admirer spoke up, having the decency to look slightly ashamed. 'It's about time he got a clue!' she thought to herself as she simply smiled. Before she could speak up, Angie was distracted as she felt Oscar's ragged breaths breeze across the back of her neck and the side of her face.
"Better luck next time, Chucky," the talking centerfold that was Betty's date chimed in.
Turning on his heel, the smaller man turned to walk away; grousing to himself and anyone that would listen that his name was Chip. Not Chuck; no, no, his name was Chip. C-H-I-P, Chip. Like the snack food, Angie rolled her eyes; maybe even that cute little teacup from Beauty and the Beast. He, however, was not a cute little boy cursed with immortality as he lived out his life as piece of fine china.
"Holy shit," Angie heard from Betty's direction, causing her to stifle a small laugh. Glancing over at the redhead, she watched with amusement as Betty fanned herself with the small coaster from beneath her drink. The man seated next to the doctor just winked at her as he took a drink from the beer bottle in front of him.
"That. Was. Amazing!" the doctor shouted with a huge grin breaking out across her face, followed by a short burst of applause and excited laughter in response to the kiss. As Betty recovered from her emotional high, her companion leaned over to whisper something in Betty's ear; a favor she quickly returned as she caused the younger man to blush. Pointing a bright red fingernail at Oscar, the redhead squinted mischievously at the two partners.
"Can I count on you to get her home safely? I have some...business...that needs my attention," Betty stated, laying the innuendo on thick, with a pointed look. Dragging the same fingertip down the chiseled chest of her latest conquest, she barely waited for an answer before following the object of her affection toward the bar's exit. Reaching the door, Angie could just see Betty turn in the crowd and throw another wink in their direction, and then she turned hastily to make her departure.
Angie rolled her eyes as her shoulders sagged with an exasperated sigh. At her partner's soft, amused chuckle, she turned around to shoot him a glare. Lifting a curious eyebrow, she challenged him to keep laughing; a challenge he wisely turned down as the chuckle faded into a sheepish smirk. Unable to remain serious, his smirk made her lose control herself as she released a soft snort as she shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, Gosh. Look at us...," she sighed quietly.
The innocent and endearing expression on Oscar's face disappeared as he stared down intently at his shoes, nervously scratching at the back of his neck. Looking back up to her after a brief moment of silence, he shoved his hand into his back pocket to still his fidgeting. Breathing in deeply, Oscar decided it was now or never as he decided to take the plunge. "Do you want to get out of here?" he inquired, leaning closer for her to hear him as he looked increasingly uncomfortable in the loud bar.
Angie barely waited for him to finish the question before grabbing his hand and making a beeline for the exit, sending Oscar almost tripping over his feet as he was not expecting the movement. Blowing through the heavy door, Angie's momentum came to a sudden stop as her body adjusted to the cold night air in stark contrast to the stifling heat inside the establishment behind them. Unprepared for change in direction, Oscar grabbed her hip tightly as he attempted to keep her from toppling over.
Squeezing her hip briefly, Oscar muttered a soft apology as he stepped around her to the curb to wave down a taxi. He had barely had an opportunity to flag one down when a cab rounded the corner to pull up next to his outstretched hand. Opening the back door in a gentlemanly fashion and escorting Angie over a small puddle to the awaiting vehicle, she folded her small hand into his as she pulled him into the warm cab seat behind her.
Sliding onto the backseat bench next to his partner, Oscar was startled when Angie leaned forward to tell the driver their destination; rattling off the address for his own condo across town and settling back into the worn leather seats. Watching Angie as she sat gazing out the window as the city lights passed, Oscar had to remind himself to breathe when she never let go of his hand throughout their journey. Swallowing thickly, he attempted to return her confident smile as she looked at him; nose and cheeks flushed pink from the fluctuating temperatures. Gently squeezing his fingertips before returning her gaze to the window, he admired her joyful expression as she returned her focus to the passing headlights; blurred by streaks of raindrops racing across the window.
As the driver pulled up to the curb, Oscar pulled his wallet out to pay for their ride as he watched Angie climb from the backseat out of the corner of his eye. Long limbs and graceful movements, he attempted not to stare as he followed her to his front door and unlocked the door to let her in. Closing the door behind him, he flicked the lock closed out of habit and stared intently at the grooves of the woodwork as he attempted to steady his breathing once more. Oscar really wasn't sure why he felt so nervous, with the exception of the fact that he would swear that he had felt something shift between them tonight.
Turning towards his partner as she toured his living room, he observed her closely as she inspected the sparse personal effects he had strategically placed around the space. Clearing his throat, Oscar was about to speak when Angie crossed the distance between them predatorily. He could feel the doorknob stab him in his back as backed up against the door to give her space; eyes widening as he became uncertain of what to do once he ran out of room.
"Can I - um -," Oscar stuttered, closing his eyes in frustration. Breathing in a deep breath, he cleared his throat as he attempted once more to offer Angie a drink. "Uh - would you - um," he tried again, cut off by Angie's quiet voice.
"Oscar...," Angie interrupted softly, warm breaths ghosting across Oscar's lips, "do I make you nervous?" She watched silently as her partner dropped his head back against the front door with a muffled thud, eyes closed, and nod hesitantly. Inhaling a shuddering breath of her own, Angie worried her bottom lip nervously as she rested her trembling hands upon his firm chest in front of her. Beneath her hands, she felt his heartbeat quicken as his breath froze in his chest. "Breathe, partner," she said with a smirk as she watched his eyelids flutter open, Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed nervously.
Oscar's uneven breaths mingled with her own for a brief moment before Angie closed the gap between them for the second time that evening, her own eyes fluttering closed at contact. With Angie's fingers clawing gently through his curls, Oscar's eyelids fell closed at her feather light touch as their lips moved together as one. Bringing his own shaking hands up to embrace her face, Oscar drew her in as close as he could as his thumbs traced across her sharp cheekbones.
As their lungs screamed for air, the two parted unwillingly as Oscar traced his right thumb down the length of her jaw to brush the soft pad of his thumb across Angie's swollen lips. Eyes flicking down to her lips and back up again, Oscar was struck by the darkening of her irises from their usual cool azure to a shade of sapphire darkened with desire. Not waiting a moment more, he drew her back to him for another deep kiss; fighting a smile as he felt he grip his shirt collar tightly in an attempt to close the impossibly small gap between them.
When they broke apart a short moment later, he rested his forehead against hers as she only slightly loosened her grip on the collar of his plaid shirt. Thumbing the fabric lightly, Angie frowned for a moment as she glanced down at his chest and then back up at him. "How have I never seen you in this?" she asked, genuinely curious about the enigma that was her partner's current wardrobe choice. Obviously the man had to own articles of clothing other than formal attire, but the change from his typical work wear always left her curious.
Dropping his chin to his chest, Oscar followed her gaze down the length of his chest and looked back up to her curiously. Raising an eyebrow, he swallowed nervously as he asked, "What? You don't like it?" Feeling her move her hands down his chest, he blinked in surprise when he felt Angie snag the shirttails and drag him closer, nodding for him to lower his head toward hers so he could hear her whisper.
Gripping the fabric tightly, Angie smiled as she felt him shudder when her lips brushed the edge of his ear as she whispered quietly into it, "I love it, but do you think we can get rid of it for now?"
Turning toward the bedroom without awaiting an answer, Angie's grasp remained tight as she led him through the living room and through the slightly ajar doorway, into the dimly lit room. The dark woods of the furniture and simple fabric screamed masculinity, while still exuding an air of elegance about the room; a perfect fit for her partner, Angie smiled to herself. Leading him toward the edge of the bed, their momentum slowed as Oscar reached for her hands to stop her.
"Are you sure about this?" Oscar asked uncertainly, almost appearing as if it were his first time with a woman. As she was about to smile at his apprehension, she was blown away by the realization that his nervousness was a direct reflection upon his feelings for her. A fear that whatever happened here tonight would change everything, and how it would break him if it were all for nothing but a cheap and easy lay, evidently etched into his features.
Blinking back the moisture that had gathered in her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him tightly and sunk into his embrace. Hesitant at first, he returned the embrace when he heard her muffled voice against his shoulder; "You're a good man, Oscar Vega, and I certainly don't deserve you."
Burrowing his head down into her soft curls, Oscar breathed in Angie's lavender conditioner as he buried his nose against the crown of her head. A beat of silence passed as he collected his thoughts before pulling back from her embrace, lifting her chin with a light touch of his fingertips so she could meet his gaze. "They say you don't have a choice who you fall in love with; I think love is simply the desire to choose one person day after day, or even fight after fight, and I chose you a long time ago," he whispered to her softly.
As she felt Oscar's fingers grip her hips tightly, she slipped her own under the fabric of his button down; smiling as his skin erupted into goose bumps as she raked her fingernails over the tight flesh of his lower back. Sliding the shirt up over his torso, she tossed it over his shoulder as she pulled him over to her as she sat back on the bed. Tugging at the hem of her grey cashmere sweater, she pulled the item up and over her own head with his assistance and laughed gently as he carelessly tossed the article over his shoulder to join his own.
The two set to work on removing the remaining garments between them, crawling back onto the soft mattress behind her without breaking the gaze between them; only stilling their movements as Oscar froze in suspension a couple inches above her with elbows locked. Gazing admiringly into her deep blue eyes, Angie felt her body flush under the intensity of his stare; amazed at the respect he showed her by not simply staring at the rest of her body, but meeting her gaze if he were seeing the depths of her soul. While she could feel his arousal where it pressed up against her, his eyes never broke away from hers until he began to lower his head towards hers.
"God, you're beautiful," Oscar mumbled softly as he took the time to lay soft kisses upon her forehead, down the slope of her nose and chin, before pulling her soft lips into his own. Settling his weight down upon her carefully, he noticed a small droplet of moisture escape from the corner of her left eye and trail a dampened streak down across her temple as it got lost amidst the blonde curls. Kissing the path lightly, he brushed the pad of his thumb over it lightly as if to heal a wounded piece of her. As Angie's eyelids fluttered open, he could have sworn he could see the depths of her heart in the pools of moisture.
"I'm sorry," she whispered up to him, sniffling softly as she laughed in embarrassment. "Oh, God; I'm a wreck," Angie muttered, rolling her eyes in exasperation, and exhaling a sigh from deep within. Laughing quietly, Angie took a moment to burrow her forehead into the crook of his neck; inhaling the calming scent of his aftershave to calm her frayed nerves.
Oscar offered her gentle smile as he continued to stare at her lovingly. Shaking his head in disagreement, he lowered his lips to her ear and whispered, "Never." Gently kissing the slope of her earlobe, Oscar shuddered as his body reacted to the soft, breathy moan Angie let out when their two bodies joined together as one.
Exceedingly attentive, Angie reveled in Oscar's slow pace as he discovered the lines and curves of her body as if he were studying a detailed map. Paying little attention to his own needs, he was considerate of every hitch of her ragged breaths to ensure her own pleasure before his own, and even after as she came unhinged in arousal once again. Angie trembled as he lightly traced his fingertips over her soft skin; nerves tingling in the wake of his path, only to be quickly soothed by the light touch of his lips as they followed.
Oscar's weight heavy atop her own body, Angie had held him tight to her as their breathing slowed; two bodies fused together as one as they slowly recovered from their climax. Rolling to his right off of her slick and satiated form, Oscar resituated comfortably as he threw the dark sheet over them to ward of the chill of the room as it settled across their dampened bodies. A soft smile spread across his face as he felt Angie curl into his side and settle against the joint of his shoulder; brushing a feather light kiss across the crown of her head, he allowed her soft breaths to lull him into a light slumber.
Awakening in the dark hours of the early morning a few hours later, Oscar blinked blearily at the clock on the nightstand. Squinting against the bright light, he peeked through one open eyelid to watch the red numbers flick to 2:38 as he breathed in deeply against the soft pillow. Closing his eyes once more, he burrowed his face in the fabric as he bit back a groan, rolling over from his chest to his back. Noting the empty bed beside him, Oscar stared up at the morphing shapes of moonlight on his ceiling and allowed his thoughts to wander.
Shortly into his mental journey, a muffled noise came from the doorway effectively drawing his attention toward the illuminated figure in the pale moonlight. Biting back a grin, Oscar huffed a quiet laugh as he took in Angie's rumpled appearance; blonde bed head, his plaid shirt hanging loosely on her petite frame as the sleeves reached the tips of her fingers and shirttails brushed against the expanse of her thighs, while her supple lips munched thoughtfully on a strawberry.
Oscar sat up against the headboard and watched intently as she licked juice from her soft lips while closing the distance between them; stopping by the bedside to pass him the carton as she climbed back up on the mattress. Holding the carton in his left hand, he reached over to caress her right thigh before dragging it over his lap to cause Angie to straddle his hips just above the comforter. Setting the carton down on the mattress, Oscar carefully chose a bright red strawberry from atop all of the others and bit into it.
Barely giving him enough time to chew the fruit, Angie swept in and kissed him hard on the mouth; fingers splayed across the scruff of his beard as her tongue swept in to duel with his. The refreshing burst of the fresh flavor of the strawberry spread through their kiss. Pulling back slowly, her eyelids fluttered open to meet his surprised gaze as she shyly smiled down at him. "Mmm," she moaned, "that's good," she mumbled as she bit her bottom lip softly. Feeling Oscar chuckle softly beneath her, she revealed a bright grin.
"Gee, thanks," Oscar replied, eyes glinting mischievously in the dim room. "Midnight snack?" he questioned her as she reached for another strawberry for herself.
"More like a two o'clock snack," Angie responded as her gaze flicked to the clock and back again. "But before you ask; no, I did not eat dinner, so yes, I'm still hungry," she explained further and punctuating her claim with a bite into yet another strawberry.
Waving a hand towards the carton, Oscar shrugged; "I learned a long time ago not to ask when it comes to you and food; what's mine is yours. I know better than to get between you and food," he joked, dropping his hand to the pale slope of her thigh. Softly caressing the exposed area, his touch was one of comfort, not desire. Granted, he wouldn't mind another round with Angie, but he definitely wanted her for more than his physical attraction to her body.
Nodding understandingly, Angie simply smiled as she enjoyed the sweetness of the fruit. Stopping abruptly, she quirked an eyebrow at him and then squinted in mock accusation. "Hold up - what do you mean you learned a long time ago...?" she inquired, smiling to herself as she felt his body respond to hers beneath her.
"Seriously?!" Oscar scoffed, setting the now empty carton on the small bedside table to be taken care of later. "Two weeks, Ang - we'd been together barely two weeks when you decided to claim half of my lunch as your own!" Oscar shouted incredulously.
Angie knew it was irrational, but she felt her stomach flip at Oscar's use of the phrase 'we'd been together;' her mind flashing to them enjoying a similar moment to this one in the future, years from now after they really had 'been together' for an extended period of time. Jumping back to the present, she jabbed him in the side as she spoke back, "it's not my fault you decided to order what I wanted."
Eyebrows shooting upward, Oscar's mouth hung open in shock. "No, no. I ordered what I wanted, which just so happened to be something else you wanted, but couldn't decide between the two," he laughed as he squirmed. "I didn't realize your indecisiveness was equivalent to my charity. Speaking of giving, I do believe that's my shirt," he declared, flicking open a button.
Running her hands down the length of his chest, she stopped at the fading indentations of his abs; Oscar may not have been chiseled, but he was far from being out of shape. Squeezing lightly, she laughed as his hips bucked her once more as he squirmed beneath her; firmly pressing into her through the layers of fabric. As he attempted to lock her wrists within his larger hands, she tightened her thighs as she raised her hands in mock defense to keep them away from him. "Okay, okay!" Angie giggled; "I admit that I may have had selfish motives when I got you out of it earlier," she replied with a wink.
"It's all about you; isn't it?" Oscar growled playfully as he fingers crept further up her thighs, disappearing under the plaid fabric.
Angie leaned forward to give him better access, smiling as she whispered against his lips, "Of course it is, but I may be willing to negotiate." Running her palms back up his solid chest and into his hair, she drew him to her once more as her lips covered his; lightly nipping at his bottom lip, then deepening the kiss. With her right hand still buried deep in the waves of his curls, her left hand withdrew to fumble for the bedding to remove the obstruction from between them. Finally grasping the edge of the fabric, she tugged impatiently until it broke loose from under her weight.
Hands roaming underneath the fabric of his stolen shirt, he slid them up Angie's torso; his soft touch causing her stomach to tighten as her breath caught in her chest. Continuing further up her trembling body, pausing to gently massage the supple firmness of her breasts with his palms, he lifted the shirt over her head and brought his hot mouth down to continue the ministrations in place of his fingers. Encouraged by her breathy moans in his ear as the flesh as her nipples peaked, Oscar leaned forward to leave a burning trail of desire with his tongue and nipped at the base of her neck with his soft lips.
Gripping his shoulders tightly, Angie rocked gently as she released another soft moan as she threw her head back to allow him better access. In the fog of her mind, she felt him roll them over and settle his weight on top of her once more. Poised at her entrance, he awaited the subtle nod of approval from her before hitching her calves further up his hips to get a better angle as he sank deeper into her. Slowly allowing her to adjust and rocking against her, he painstakingly took his time as Angie eagerly clawed at firm expanse of his back; fingernails painting red trails as evidence of her desire. She wasn't sure how much longer she would last as she heard him grunt in arousal, holding himself back until her soft moans gave way to a muffled scream into his shoulder from beneath him, and only then did he allow himself to release as she bit down lightly.
Burying his head in her soft blonde curls, Oscar smile was hidden as she breathed her approval in his ear; "Oh...my God. That...that was...oh, God," she struggled for words. Lifting his head from beside her, he quirked an eyebrow at her in amusement, kissing her breathless lips soundly, before withdrawing as he trailed light kisses down her chest. Pulling her tight nipples into his mouth, his tongue danced around each one before continuing his journey down her stomach, stopping as Angie's fingers quickly thread into his hair.
"You don't have -," Angie began, still catching her breath.
Oscar simply smiled, beard brushing against the insides of her thighs and continued. The softness of his lips with the lightly scruff of his beard against the flesh of her thighs set her nerves on fire; one hand still gripping his curls as the other splayed across the sheets next to her. The first touch of his lips and tongue against her core jolted through her, as Angie's body jumped and shuddered as she gripped the sheets and his dark hair even tighter. Gently massaging her folds, it didn't take long for her to reach another climax; chest heaving in the dimly lit room as he settled down next to her once again.
Propping himself up on his elbow and throwing the blankets over them, Oscar watched admiringly as Angie willed her body to calm down. Turning her head toward his, eyes still closed, she sighed contently as her breaths slowed. Blinking at him in the dark, he could see the dark pupils and bright blue of her irises adjust as they bore into him with love and desire. Her fingers thread through the curls at the base of his skull and pulled him towards her, closing the gap between them as he dropped his lips onto hers; lips moving in silent promise for a long time until it was mutually decided that air was necessary.
Sliding back to his own side of the bed, Oscar hadn't made it very far when Angie reached out a petite hand to still his movements; drawing him back towards the middle of the bed to settle in against him. Smiling softly, almost sadly, to him, she settled across Oscar's chest where it met his shoulder; fingertips ghosting across his chest. "Where do we go from here?" she whispered into the darkness.
Bringing his hand up to cover hers, Oscar stilled her nervous fidgeting as his chest tightened. Leaving the question hanging in the thick air, Oscar's brows furrowed thoughtfully as he attempted to find the motive and answer to Angie's question. After a long moment, Oscar sighed as his eyes closed and fingers threaded through hers; "Where do you want us to go?" he asked nervously.
The silence stretched between them as Angie thought about her answer, broken by the deep breath she took before answering the question. "I want to go where I've never gone," she said, "I've never been here before. Not just this moment, but this feeling, is like nothing I've ever felt before. I'm standing on the edge of the unknown and -," she paused, thinking carefully. While her chest felt tight with uncertainty, her stomach flipped with the thrill that came with receiving an unexpected gift, or experiencing the thrill of a new adventure.
"You're scared?" Oscar whispered into silence.
He felt her nod slightly before she answered, "Yes, but for once it's not the commitment that frightens me. I'm scared of messing this up; I'm scared of losing you." Lifting her head from his shoulder, she kissed the joint softly before she rolled over atop of him and rested her chin upon her folded hands on his chest. In the soft moonlight, he could see her eyes glisten with unshed tears. Leaning forward, he brushed a soft kiss across the crown of her head; the wrinkles he found there fading as she relaxed. At a loss for words, he wasn't sure how to tell her that she wasn't the only one who was afraid.
As her eyelids closed with exhaustion while her forearms wrapped up underneath his shoulders, Oscar pulled the blankets up around them and tightened his embrace around her. Breathing together as one, he traced light fingertips over the smooth surface of her back; mentally counting the gentle protrusions down the length of her spine. He didn't deny her concerns; he validated them in his mind for the reality was that this was something frighteningly new for both of them. Neither one could see what the future held, but he knew her revelations were a step in the direction that they had been ignoring for a long time.
Angie awoke to soft rays of sunlight peaking through the dark curtains along the far wall; streaming through like golden spotlights leaving abstract shapes of light throughout the room. Yawning softly, she carefully rolled over beneath the heavy weight of her partner's forearm where it secured her in place and smiled as was met with his head a few inches away on his own pillow. In the depths of sleep, Oscar's eyebrows furrowed together as if he was in deep concentration; ridges forming beneath the soft tufts of curly hair resting on his forehead.
Pulling a hand out from beneath the sheets, Angie traced the pad of her finger over the prominence and down the slope of the bridge of his nose rhythmically until the tension dissipated under her caress. Face flinching softly, Oscar's hand twitched at its resting place upon her hip while she cautiously withdrew her hand. Slowly sliding out from beneath his outstretched arm, Angie smiled as she slipped his shirt on once more and headed toward the bathroom to search for a spare toothbrush in her quest to freshen up.
Emerging a few minutes later, Angie slid back into the bed beside Oscar and underneath his arm once more; noting how he had turned his head away from the migrating sunlight as it had crept toward his face. Propping herself up on her elbow, Angie tucked stray curls behind her ear as she took in the sight of the man beside her. She never imagined that she would be the early riser between the two of them, but maybe that was just because he had done most of the work evening before, she thought as she smiled to herself.
Reaching forward, Angie traced a soft fingertip over the angry red lines that had emerged overnight on his upper back. The soft flesh over his collar bone shown the beginnings of a mottled bruise from where he had bore the brunt of her abuse in the throes of passion; territory marked specifically by and for her, she realized. As she trailed her nails lightly down his spine, Angie heard Oscar breathe a sleep laden sigh before he rolled back over as he turned to face her. Eyelids blinking open sleepily, he brought a heavy hand up to rub roughly at his beard.
"Mornin'," Oscar mumbled softly, with his eyes still closed, and greeting half obstructed by the soft pillow beneath his face.
"Good morning to you, too," Angie responded as she laughed gently. Running a hand through his thick curls, she lifted the dark hair from his forehead as she dropped a kiss to it, followed by a firm kiss to his lips below.
"Morning breath," he muttered softly to her as his eyes reopened. Lifting himself to a sitting position, he glanced around the room in search of a decent article of clothing to cover himself for his journey to the bathroom. "Ugh, screw it," Oscar grunted as he grabbed the pillow from behind him and walked into the bathroom with his backside exposed for her viewing.
Emitting a loud squeal, Angie's hands flew up to cover her mouth as she giggled loudly. "Oh, my God; Oscar!"
Peeking around the door jamb, Oscar just raised an eyebrow with his hair sticking up and toothbrush dangling from his mouth. "Whuht?" he asked innocently, voice obscured by the white foam of his toothpaste. Quickly disappearing back into the bathroom, Angie heard the water start in the distance; her mind using the opportunity to wander. She was startled moments later when his voice echoed into the bedroom; "Jeeze, Ang!" Emerging with a towel slung low on his hips and a grip on his trusty pillow a second later, Oscar pushed on the bruise lightly as he reentered the bedroom; stopping to snatch his jeans from the carpeted floor.
Sliding the denim up and over his hips with his back turned, he spun around again and threw the pillow at her; using his diversion to cross over and sit at her side of the bed. When she pulled the pillow away from her face, Angie didn't have time to react as Oscar pulled her face toward his and kissed her eagerly. After a minute passed, Oscar pulled away as he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks lightly; "Sorry; I wanted a do-over. Good morning," he whispered softly with a bright smile.
Returning his smile shyly, Angie picked nervously at a button on the borrowed shirt; looking down as she felt her cheeks flush red. "I thought about making you breakfast, but I didn't think you'd want food poisoning," she joked softly, meeting his loving gaze once more. "I just found you; there's no way I'm chancing it with my horrible cooking," she whispered with a soft smile.
Oscar chuckled lightly as his eyes danced over her illuminated face; memorizing the way her radiant smile made her blue eyes shine even brighter. Kissing her once more, Oscar stood up to exit the room, pausing in the doorway; "Make it quick. I need your help," he threw at her before heading out for the kitchen.
Following him out of the bedroom a few moments later after adding his boxers to her award-winning ensemble, she paused in the entryway of the kitchen as she admired from afar as she watched him bend over to retrieve the necessary ingredients from the refrigerator. Letting out a low whistle, she chuckled as he emerged a second later and threw her a questioning glance. Setting his items on the counter, he turned to offer her a hand; spinning her toward him as he inspected her choice of attire with a smirk.
The two of them set about preparing breakfast; Oscar standing behind her as he guided her movements carefully, while admittedly occasionally distracting her. As he served up the eggs into the awaiting plate, Angie turned to perch herself upon counter near the stove and reached over to flick the coffee maker on. As Angie pulled back her extended arm, Oscar observed her with a quirked eyebrow as he pushed the hot skillet back from the edge.
"How'd you -," Oscar started.
"You always prep it for the next time when you're finished. You do it at the precinct all the time because you're such a nice guy," Angie replied mockingly, but smiled genuinely at him. Picking up the plate beside her, she cut a small piece to sample the finished product. Slowly removing the metal tines of the fork from between her lips, Angie bit back a smile as Oscar moved between her legs and watched his expression carefully. From her position, she studied his face as his pupils dilated and his Adam's apple bobbed thickly.
Cutting off another small bite, she offered the fork to her partner, who accepted graciously. Watching his jaw work quietly, she observed the muscles flexing and working beneath the surface of his skin. The two shared their breakfast in comfortable silence, occasionally laughing as Angie squirmed when Oscar would tickle her bare legs, or when she finally wrapped her long limbs around him to put an end to his evil plot. Releasing him long enough to allow him to wash the dishes and utensils they had used, Angie and Oscar conversed quietly as she dried the few items they used as he handed them to her.
The domesticity of the scene may have been new, but the fluidity of their thoughts and motions were only a further extension of the bond the two shared as partners and best friends. As they finished with their job duties, Oscar pulled the towel from her hands and settled between Angie's thighs. Wrapping his arms around her torso, he hugged her tightly to him as he burrowed his face into her soft curls with a deep sigh. Angie didn't break the quiet as it stretched between them; the heavy silence broken only by their soft breathing.
"I'm sorry," Oscar mumbled in her ear; his voice sending shivers down her spine as she felt his breath tickle the nape of her neck. With his chest pressed up against hers, Angie couldn't tell whether it was her heart or his that was pulsing so quickly. Before she could question why he was apologizing, Oscar continued; "I know I didn't respond last night -,"
Grasping a fistful of his hair, Angie pulled lightly until he had removed his face from her shoulder. "Oh, Oscar...don't - please don't," she whispered fiercely. "I confided in you because you deserved to know where I was coming from; to know that your patience and confidence in me hasn't been in vain, even if I am nervous about this." Lowering her gaze to meet his in an intense stare, she ran her hand over his broad shoulder and settled on his chest. "This," she began as she brushed her thumb back and forth over his heart, "this is what I want."
Dropping his forehead back down to hers, Oscar closed his eyes in quiet relief as the two embraced once more. Gently unfolding himself from around her, Oscar reached for Angie's hand and helped her down from the counter with a small smile. As he led her back down the hall towards the bedroom, his movement came to a sudden stop as he jerked his head to face hers in expression that Angie could only describe as concern. "Uh - Ang? How are we going to explain this to -?"
"You know what? I don't care what he thinks! I mean, my God, it's none of his business," Angie ranted as she cut him off. Pulling away from him, she threw her arms in the air with a huff of frustration, circling the room to gather her strewn articles of clothing. Settling her palms on her pointed hips, she stopped her pacing, but continued her hunt as she carefully observed the room around her through squinted eyelids.
Dropping to her knees, Oscar watched in amusement as Angie pulled a black lace bra from beneath the corner of the bed. Lifting her eyes to meet his, Oscar's eyebrows shot up when he took in her frenzied appearance; cheeks red from exertion and anger. "Ang?" Oscar questioned apprehensively. Attempting to hide his grimace, Oscar tried once more; "Ang, I was going to ask you what you thought about telling Betty...you know, the one we can kind of blame for this. Not Mark, or anyone else for that matter," he explained as he chuckled softly.
Angie blew out a deep breath; the breeze of her sigh sending her blonde bangs flitting off of her forehead for a brief second. "Oh, well, I don't know that blame is the right word. Thank may be more appropriate," she said, shaking her head at her propensity for jumping to conclusions. Rising to her feet once again, Angie crossed the room to stand in front of him once more; leaning in close with a soft kiss that ghosted across Oscar's bearded cheek, she turned to walk back into the bathroom to change.
Oscar stood rooted in place, momentarily dazed by her simple elegance. "Should I send flowers?" he joked, calling out to her as he heard the sounds of her puttering about in the bathroom, followed by the muffled sound as she turned the shower on. Sitting back against the headboard on the unmade bed, he ran his fingers lightly over the sheets; thumbing a stray blonde hair from where it rested on the pillow by his side. Pulling it tight between his pinched fingers, he looped it around his knuckle as warmth spread through him at the memory of the night before.
Returning from her trip to the other room a short while later, Angie was finishing toweling her hair and still pulling the soft sweater on as she walked back into the room. "I'd say flowers beat a fruit basket any day," she smirked to Oscar as she tossed him his borrowed shirt; settling behind his back as he pulled it over his head. Pulling him back against her chest, Angie looped her legs around his waist and ran her hands up the tight muscles in his neck. Massaging gently, she worked at a knot methodically as Oscar massaged her right foot, then moving over to work on the left. "Any plans for the rest of -," Angie began her question, only to be interrupted by the sharp ring of her cell phone.
Feeling her partner release a sigh, she watched begrudgingly as he leaned forward to grant her access to the pocket of her jeans beneath him. Pulling the obnoxious device from deep within her pocket to check the screen; Betty's name flashed up at her, almost mockingly. Answering the phone with a quick swipe of her finger, Angie wedged the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she reached out to tug on Oscar's earlobes to draw him back toward her.
Sitting back willingly, Oscar relaxed into Angie's embrace as she continued her gentle ministrations around his neck and up into his scalp. As his eyelids fell closed, he allowed the soft sound of her voice to wash over him as he focused on the gentle patterns she drew underneath his thick hair; nerve endings tingling at her touch. Oscar had never realized how physical either one of them were, but he knew that it would be near impossible to stop now that they had started this new adventure. As the motions slowed, his mind zoned in on the present as he realized Angie was ending the call.
"That was Betty; body down at Coal Harbour. She sends her regards, by the way," Angie mumbled quietly into his ear with a soft smile.
Nodding quietly, Oscar did not move away from her immediately. Finally looking over his shoulder, he brought his left hand up and across his chest to cup her right cheek as he drew her in to kiss her lips softly. Unwillingly pulling away, he returned the soft smile before rolling off of her toward the edge of the bed. "Lilies or Orchids?" Oscar threw over his shoulder as he walked away to change, leaving Angie smiling at his idea of sending the devious, yet endearing doctor a bouquet of exotic flowers suited perfectly for her.
Comments/Questions/Suggestions? - Please let me know!
And there you have it, folks. I was begged to write a smut-piece (*cough*Skylarcat*cough*), but these two are worth so much more than physical lust. They're bond is far deeper than that, from what I can tell.
Thank you to all the fantastic readers, and especially reviewers and writers. The work is hardly easy, but always worth it in the end. Much happiness to you all :-)
