Title: Spellbound 6/8
Author: Hayley
email: Lamb@traverse.com
Summary: Giles' visit to Los Angeles has interesting consequences.
Rating: R-some naughty language, and some nudity. . . .all the good things in life.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the toys you see before you have been borrowed from the all mighty Joss.I just take them out and play with them. *yay me* Don't sue.
Feedback: Oh pretty please? Have you hugged your author today?
Distribution: You may put it wherever you desire and I'll be thrilled about it. Just let me know where so I can send all my friends there to check it out.
Spoilers: Most of Angel, and some of Buffy. . . . nothing too specific or earth shattering.
*~*~*~*~*
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Winter Haven
"Yes Briggs, this will do nicely." Seated in the backroom of the obscure book shop Ethan smiled in satisfaction. He'd been halfway home to London when he'd recieved the phone call from the bookseller about the mint condition, first edition of the book he'd been searching for for years. "I can't thank you enough for contacting me. Feel free to add an additional 10% to your usual finder's fee."
"Oh no Ethan. Finding you is its own reward." Giles stepped through the curtain seperating the backroom from the rest of the now empty shop, and grabbed Ethan by the throat lifting him out of his seat.
"RIPPER! You very nearly gave me a heart attack." Ethan struggled for oxygen around the other man's bruising grip.
"I'm going to give you a good deal more than a heart attack if you don't undo your spell Ethan." Giles snarled. "You've done a great many stupid and irritating things in your life Ethan, but this is by FAR the most obnoxious thing you've ever done."
Ethan squirmed against Giles' choke hold, sputtering indignantly. "Don't be an ass Rupert. I've done far more obnoxious things in my life. This was fairly mild."
His only reply was a swift jab to the stomach that doubled him over. "I can't undo the spell."
"How unfortunate for you." Giles punctuated each word with another blow.
"I can't undo it! It's a matter of principal!"
"You don't have any."
"True. It's more a matter of a great deal of money and my own personal welfare." He grinned briefly. "You might kick my ass, but there are those who would do me permenant damage of the most severe kind should I fail."
A vague sense of apprehension washed over Giles like mist. "Who paid you? I knew that this wasn't your usual attempts to interfere with my life!"
"Old friends of yours. They're concerned about your single status. . . ."
"The Watcher's Council?" Giles slowly released his grip on Ethan's throat. "Why?"
"It's hard to have a Watcher's Council if the old Watchers don't make lots of little baby Watchers. You may be in disgrace now, but should you do your duty and produce another generation of Giles you'd be back in the Council so fast your head would spin."
"BLOODY HELL!" Giles threw Ethan against the wall, allowing the other man to draw some much needed breaths. "But why you?"
"Because old boy, I'm the only one they could think of who could get close enough to you to work the spell, not to mention that I am extremely good at what I do."
"Your egotism aside, why Cordelia?"
"She's young, beautiful enough to attract any *sane* man, and will most likely be able to produce more than one child before you cork off." Ethan rubbed his throat. "Plus the Council sees the potential for her to be trained as a Watcher herself. They're also curious about whether or not those visions of hers can be passed down genetically.. . ." He let the words trail off. "Look at it from their standpoint for a minute Giles. If they can breed one of their most successful Watchers with a seer, the results could be very impressive. . . ."
"In case you don't remember Ethan I was booted out of the Council. I'm no longer a Watcher. I can hardly be considered one of their most successful." Giles rolled his eyes at Ethan's lame attempt to flatter his way out of the mess he'd created.
"Rupert! Try and pay attention! You were tossed out by a very small margin. The old timers. But you might have noticed. No one lives forever. You've been away from England for too long. There's a support base among some of the other Watchers. The ones who are thinking about moving the Council forward instead of keeping it stuck in the Middle Ages. If you'd look around you once in a great while you'd notice that the old guard are teetering on the brink with the other Watchers who think like yourself poised to push them over the edge. If you play your cards right, you could be a part of the new regime. . ."
"You really should have gone into the theatre Ethan. You'd make a marvelous Iago. . .always whispering in someone's ear like the rabble rousing bit of trash you really are." Giles snorted. "I am not going to use Cordelia like a brood mare for the Council."
"I'm still marveling at your self-control Ripper. It must be killing you to have such a warm, willing, lovely young thing fawning all over you, and not being able to let down your guard enough to enjoy yourself. . . ." Ethan made soft clucking sounds with his tongue.
"She's a child."
"I suppose I should let you know that the spell I cast merely magnified attraction that already existed. The girl had to have wanted you before the spell was cast or else it never would have worked. There would be no point in casting a spell like this on someone you would just go back to disliking or feeling ambivelent about once the spell was broken."
"You're lying."
"No, actually, for novelty I thought that I would try telling the truth." Ethan frowned slightly. "It's not nearly as satisfying as it's been made out to be. The stronger the original attraction, the stronger the spell. It's the mutual attraction between the two of you that's made it this strong."
Ethan watched as several emotions flitted across his old friend's face. "Beginning to see things in a new light?"
"Possibly." Giles concded. "Except for one thing." Suddenly his fist connected with Etha's smug face. "How pissed I am about the videos."
Cradling his nose, Ethan looked up at Ripper. "I thought they'd make delightful stocking stuffers for Christmas and I would have paid good money to see the Slayer's face. . . " His words were cut off violently.
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Giles' Office
Nursing a glass of scotch, Giles replayed his conversation with Ethan in his head.
bi
"It's hard to have a Watcher's Council if the old Watchers don't make lots of little baby Watchers. You may be in disgrace now, but should you do your duty and produce another generation of Giles you'd be back in the Council so fast your head would spin."
/b/i
How was he supposed to go to Cordelia and tell her that she was chosen to be the mother of a new generation of Watchers? Exactly what words did a man use to tell a woman less than half his age . . .
Lifting the glass to his lips, Giles was surprised when the lights flickered on.
"Giles! Geez! Give me a heart attack why don't you?" Buffy gasped. "What are you doing sitting in the dark?" Her troubled blue eyes fell on the half empty bottle. "What's wrong Giles?" She crossed the office, and perched on the edge of his desk.
When her Watcher said nothing, merely lifting his glass to his lips again, Buffy gasped in shock. Giles' hands were bruised, the skin of the knuckles torn and bleeding. "Giles! What happened to your hands?"
"I had a conversation with Ethan." Giles answered dully.
"Did you at least take pictures of him for my scrapbook?"
"So sorry. I must have forgotten." Giles murmured absently as Buffy retrieved the first aid kit, and began to lightly dab Witch Hazel on the broken skin of his knuckles.
"Well did you get the spell broken at least?"
"I thought that this was something we'd agreed not to discuss. By mutual consent."
"It was. It is. But I'm worried about you Giles. You don't seem like yourself. And since you're not technically my Watcher anymore, and you've always been a good listener to me, I thought I might try being a friend." Tossing the blood soaked cotton ball in the trash, Buffy recapped the Witch Hazel and pushed the bottle of Scotch just out of Giles' reach. "Come on. I can't help if I don't know what you're thinking."
"That's the problem Buffy. Even I'm not sure what I'm thinking at the moment."
"Well, here's a hint," Buffy carefully plucked the glass from between Giles' fingers and set it on the desk. "It's easier to think without Scotch."
"I really don't know how much you're willing to listen to Buffy." Giles answered bluntly, his reserve diminished because of the alcohol.
"What are you talking about?"
"Your interest in my life as of late has been boiled down to making various faces and scolding me for having a life outside the small box you've decided I belong in."
Buffy's blue eyes widened, and she bit her lip. Now wasn't the time for *her* hurt feelings, Giles needed her as a friend, someone to listen. No matter what he was always there for her when she needed him, and this was her chance to return the favor. "Ouch. Good thing I have that Super Slayer healing thing going for me." She quipped lightly. "So maybe I've been a lousy friend lately, but that really doesn't mean I don't care about you."
Giles studied her expression, and realized that Buffy was in earnest. "Ethan was hired by the Council of Watchers to cast this spell."
"Why? I thought you were out of the Council. Why are they trying to make you miserable now?"
"Actually, as incredible as it may sound, that's not their intention this time." He sighed. "The spell was to bind me to a woman the Council deemed suitable for marriage in the hopes we would have children."
Stunned, Buffy gaped at her watcher. "That's TERRIBLE!"
"But not unheard of. The council believes in the survival of its watchers at all costs. The position is passed down from generation to generation. If I die without children, then the council will have lost part of its legacy. Which I'm sure will make Cordelia completely sympathetic."
"I don't know what to say." Buffy confessed quietly.
Giles smiled slightly. "That's quite all right Buffy. I can't begin to tell you how much the fact you were willing to listen means."
"Anytime Giles." Buffy smiled brilliantly. "And I do mean it you know?"
"I'll try and keep that in mind." Not that anything else would fit in his mind at the moment, other than his current situation.
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Cordelia's
"A museum function?" Flipping through her magazine, Cordelia studiously ignored Giles' hints. If he wanted her to go with him to the museum fund raiser then he could just be a big boy and come out and ask her. "That sounds nice."
"Ahem. . . .yes. . . .well, I don't normally attend these types of functions."
"Good! That means you're trying new things." Cordelia barely smothered a grin as Giles toyed with the ring on his left hand. "That's wonderful."
"Cordelia would you. . . ."
"Of course! I'd be glad to help Buffy patrol while you're at the party. I think that between all of us we should be set. . .things seem pretty quiet around here these days."
Before Giles had a chance to respond, a knock on the door interrupted them. "Cordelia?"
"Just a second Anya!" Cordelia dropped her magazine on the table and smiled at the frustrated Watcher. "Don't worry about the party, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time. Anya and I are going shopping, see you later!" And with those words she breezed out of the apartment with her purse and a light jacket.
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The Mall
"What's wrong with this one?" Cordelia pouted.
"You look like a prison matron." Anya replied matter of factly. "I thought you wanted to turn him on. Not make him relive some traumatic experience with his fourth grade teacher."
"You're a lot of help."
"What are you going for exactly?" Anya asked picked through the pile of dresses stacked waist high outside the dressing room.
"I'm going for heartstopping, head turning, jaw-dropping elegance, and mind numbing, body stiffening, libido igniting sex appeal all rolled into one dress."
"Fine. You stay here. I will find you the right dress." Anya frowned mentally reviewing all the possibilities in the store. Leaning forward she grabbed a salesclerk's arm. "Where do you keep the GOOD dresses?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I - said - where - you - keep - the - good - dresses." Anya repeated slowly. "These are icky, go fetch my friend some nice ones. And how about a cappucino Cordelia?"
Choking on her laughter, Cordelia poked her head out of the dressing room. "I could go for a mochachino."
"I still don't understand what you're talking about." The salesclerk scowled at the two very young women.
"This store has a reputation for being *THE* best place to shop in all of Sunnydale. I can't believe you got that reputation with these ugly things." Anya scooped up the entire pile and handed them to the woman. "I bet you've got some really GREAT stuff in that back room." She gestured to a private fitting room.
"I really doubt that you girls would be interested in. . . ."
Cordelia frowned. "Pretty Woman much? My friend and I would like to spend oodles of money in your boutique. But that's not gonna happen unless you find us things we like. And since I am going to the museum gala, which is this little burg's version of the Oscars, I would think that you'd want me chatting up all the patrons about your store. But hey, if this is the best you can do. . . "
"Of course. My name's Katherine, I'll be right back with a selection for each of you."
"Where are you getting all those oodles of money again?" Anya asked curiously as they waited.
"Well. . ."
"Did you rob a bank?"
"Anya, really. . .way too much T.V going on in your life." Cordelia said removing the dress she wore. "There's a law firm in Los Angeles called Wolfram and Hart. They're bad guys that represent even worse guys. Wesley and I found that once the demons and vamps Wolfram and Hart represent die, all the money goes to the law firm. So we kinda got a hold of some banking records. . .and when a vamp or some other nut gets dusted, we clean out his accounts."
Anya's mouth hung open. "You're kidding me right?"
"What? Wolfram and Hart don't need the money, the vamps don't have kids to leave it to. . . and the law's not clear on the rights of the un-dead."
"I am very in awe of you." Anya replied. "Are you sure that you weren't a vengance demon in a former life? But I can't see Angel going for that . . . ."
"We don't exactly *tell* Angel about it." Cordelia explained. Seeing Anya's shocked expression, Cordelia shifted slightly from one foot to the other. "Oh come on! Angel's lived for almost 250 years without a stock portfolio! He's like Peter Pan, not big on the practical side of being eternal. And it's not like we're cutting him out. He gets 1/3. It's set up in an account for him."
Before Anya could say anything more, the salesclerk returned with several articles of clothing of a higher quality than the others.
Not planning to buy anything, but always willing to look, Anya took a dressing room next to Cordelia's. "So you're planning on seducing the Watcher tonight?"
"That's the general plan." Cordelia replied tugging on a red sequined dress. "He's so stubborn."
"But how good a kisser is he?"
"On a scale of one to ten? One hundred million."
"I always thought there was more to him than just a nice set of buns."
"Is that so?" Cordelia's voice lowered slightly, becoming more intense.
"Down girl! Xander is still my number one. But just because I'm deliriously happy doesn't mean I can't look. I always thought it was a shame to have a good looking man go to waste. Giles at least deserved to be someone's devoted love slave or plaything."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Cordelia chuckled.
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Sunnydale Museum
It was his own fault for not asking Cordelia directly to accompany him. Giles thought morosely as he weaved in and out of the displays of Sho-Gun weaponry and armor.
Of course he shouldn't let himself get too attached to Cordelia's company. At some point she would have to return to her life in Los Angeles with Angel and Wesley. . .
He took another sip of Scotch to ease the ache that thought caused. It was amazing how accustomed he'd become to her presence in his life.
A faint hint of an intoxicating perfume brushed against his senses. Spicy, exotic, subtle it was a perfect blend. And out of the corner of his eye, Giles caught a glimpse of one long leg, framed on either side by laquer red satin.
"Did you try these spring rolls? Do you think it would be declasse to ask for a doggy bag?"
Turning, Giles was forced to have another drink of scotch before his mind could formulate intelligable words.
Cordelia stood dangerously close, dressed in a bright red satin gown with a manderin collar, with a delicate pattern of white blossoms. Her hair had spigs of the flowers tucked into the low bun at the nape of her graceful neck. Her green eyes were accented by smokey kohl eyeliner, her lips slicked with bright red lipgloss.
"You -"
"Me." Cordelia smiled. She could tell that beneath his cool, British reserve, Mr.Rupert Giles, Watcher Extraordinaire was about to blow a gasket.
When he failed to close his mouth, Cordelia dipped a roll in the bright green Wasabi and popped it in his mouth.
As Giles' eyes began to water from the heat of the wasabi, Cordelia grinned. "Yummy isn't it?"
Giles looked in vain at his scotch, knowing that would do nothing to put out the fire in his mouth, and glowered when Cordelia held up a cool looking glass of club soda with lime.
"Say 'Cordelia is a goddess'." She taunted, keeping the glass just out of his reach.
Without saying a word, Giles wrapped his arm around Cordelia's waist, and pulled her into an alcove and forcibly removed the glass from her hand. After downing all the soda, Giles regained the power of speech. "Cordelia is a goddess who will be lucky if she can sit down tomorrow." He muttered, feeling the lingering burn on his lips.
"Wouldn't I be luckier if I couldn't sit down tomorrow?" She inquired brightly.
"Cordelia. . . "
"Cor! Would the two of you get a bloody room." Came the impatient voice from behind Giles. "The combination of magic and lust is enough to make a delicate boy like myself blush."
"Spike. . . what are you doing here?" Giles demanded.
"A lot of the weapons on loan are mine." Spike shrugged lighting a cigarette directly below the 'Thank You for Not Smoking' sign.
"You?"
"Yes. I've killed a lot of demons in my day. Some of the nastier ones are packrats. I've got warehouses of this kind of crap."
"And you just donate it out of the goodness of your heart?" Cordelia snorted indelicately.
"No peaches. I donate it with the absolute certainty that it will probably be stolen. . ." He winked at Cordelia. "It's all insured to the hilt."
"Could you go away now Spike?" Giles asked with a degree of politeness he certainly didn't feel.
"Actually, I was going to ask the lady to dance."
"Excuse me?"
"Well pet, how can anyone appreciate how hot you look if the old watcher's got you pinned in an alcove?" He grinned mischieviously. "And just think how nuts it'll make him."
"Well. . .there is that." Cordelia said thoughtfully. "And he didn't even invite me you know?"
"Fool." Spike murmured, holding out his arm in a gentleman's gesture. "Then you're free to spend the evening with me."
"I would be." Cordelia answered. "Except for that whole hating you thing. And the part where I wouldn't trust you further than I could throw you."
"Ooh. Are you going to start with that dirty talk again?" Spike asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Use me ducks. Abuse me. . . ."
"I'm going to stake you in about five seconds." Giles growled, keeping a proprietary hand on Cordelia at all times.
Spike spared Giles a bored glance. . . ."Sorry mate, I don't swing that way anymore."
"Anymore. . . .?"
Giles quickly cut off that line of questioning. Spike's sexuality wasn't something that was fit for discussion either in private or public.
"Will you dance with me Cordelia?" Giles asked holding out his hand, and was extremely gratified when Cordelia slipped her fingers into his.
bi
I can feel the magic floatin' in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I, oh I've
Never been this swept away
/b/i
Giles led Cordelia through the assembled crowd to the grand foyer where a dance floor had been set up. He placed one hand on the small of Cordelia's back, and cradled the fingers of one of her hands in his own.
bi
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away, the only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart
/b/i
"Mmmm. . . .I think I know why I'm so glad I came." Cordelia practically purred as she fit perfectly into Giles' arms.
"As am I." Giles smiled in contentment. All was right with the world at this very moment.
bi
And I can feel you breathe, it's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove, baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch, the slow and steady rush
And baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
/b/i
bi
In away I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumblin' down
Closer than I've ever felt before and I know and you know
There's no need for words right now
I can feel the magic floatin' in the air
Being with you gets me that way
/b/i
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"Thank you for coming tonight Cordelia. You made what would have been an intolerable evening most enjoyable." Gallantly he lifted her knuckles to his lips. "Oh, you're really welcome." Cordelia's grin was brilliant. They really did have a good time at the gala. The wine, the dancing. . .all of it she'd been through a million times before, but never with the same enjoyment that being at Giles' side gave her.
But there was one small problem, no matter how closely they danced, no matter how many times their bodies brushed against one another, Giles *STILL* was determined to keep his inner walking hormone in check.
"You know, I think I'd like a cup of tea. Do you think you could make a pot while I hop in the shower? Some clumsy waiter spilled a little champagne and this dress will be ruined if I don't get it out soon."
Removing his tuxedo jacket, Giles nodded, focusing on his answering machine, rather than the mental image of Cordelia naked under a cascade of running water. "Of course. You go on, I'll start the tea." Once Cordelia turned to her own apartment, Giles unbuttoned his cufflinks, and a few of the studs of the tuxedo shirt.
Next door, Cordelia quickly kicked off her shoes, and went about setting a romantic atmoshpere. She lit a candle only to have it blown out again. "Phantom Dennis. . . please?" This was so not going to work if she had to worry about Dennis dropping a bucket of ice water on Giles. . . ."Please be a good roomie and go next door and watch T.V and drink some of Giles' really good scotch." She turned her pleading eyes upward. "Pretty please? I promise to get ESPN and the Playboy Channel. . . . ." This time when she lit the vanilla scented candle, the flame was met with no resistance, and she could feel a cool breeze brushing past her towards Giles'.
Quickly she ascended the steps to her small bedroom. Running a cool shower, Cordelia plucked a pink and white striped box from the bag in her closet, and opened it, running her fingers over the material of the teddy inside. If this didn't break Giles' resolve, then her old theory from High School was right. The man was dead from the waist down.
Next door, Giles absently scratched at his chest as he prowled his apartment. One would think with as little sleep as he was getting, that it would be easy to wind down. Not as long as his dreams starred one beautiful woman who was making it her life's work not only to drive him to distraction during the day, but to the brink of madness at night as well. Thinking of her continuous teasing, Giles groaned. The incorrigable minx was testing the limits of his self-control.
Hearing the tea kettle whistle on the stove, he crossed to the kitchen, and pulled it off the burner.
"Giles?"
"Water's ready." He answered, feeling shivers run up his spine at the husky sound of her voice. He came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea in his hand, to find Cordelia standing in the doorway that connects their apartments and promptly the cup slid from between his fingers unnoticed.
Her eyes never leaving Giles' face, Cordelia shrugged the pengior slightly off one shoulder to reveal the entire cream colored satin and lace teddy. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia finally settled on the words she needed. "I want you now. And I wanted you yesterday, and I'm going to want you tomorrow too. But I can't do all the admitting, all the wanting Rupert."
He could barely make sense of Cordelia's words as all the blood in his body concentrated between his legs.
"If you want me, you've got to meet me half way."
Giles felt the steady rise of his desire. He'd known that this was inevitable since the spell had been cast. And he understood Cordelia's desire to make him admit his own wants and needs. They were equals. She'd offered herself generously, and now he had to do the same.
Stepping back into the kitchen, Giles grabbed a towel, and returned to the broken teacup and spilled tea on the floor.
Cordelia held her breath. She couldn't believe that he was going to deny them *both* what they wanted. "Stubborn. Stupid. Old. Idiotic. Insensitive. Jerk. Two faced. Eunuch. Self-righteous. Sexless. Impossible man!" Her muttered words were cut off in mid-rant by the sight of Giles walking towards her purposefully.
When he was finally standing directly in front of her, Cordelia noted the passionate, wild look in his eyes and gulped.
One of Giles' hands cupped the side of her face, curving into the dark mane that tumbled wildly about her, the other moving from her bare shoulder, down the satin covering her entire body. When he was done lightly skimming the teddy, his hand cupped the other side of her face, holding her perfectly still while his lips inched closer, and closer.
First, his mouth grazed over the highly sensitive spot just between her jaw and throat, scraping his teeth lightly over the soft flesh there. Giles smiled softly as her head fell back as far as his hands would allow, offering him her entire delectable throat with such innocent abandon he was tempted to devour her where she stood.
Ruthlessly he tamped down on that urge, knowing full well that there might never be another chance for them. That he may never have the opportunity to worship her the way a woman of strength, beauty, and honesty deserved.
So instead of taking her up against the wall, Giles traced her soft, wide mouth with his thumb, delighting in the smokey haze that flashed through her eyes. "Cordelia. . . "
On tip toe Cordelia moved closer, twining her arms around his neck. She rested her chin on his shoulder and sent her tongue out in a teasing flick before whispering. "If you stop I'll set fire to all your books. . .I'll give your name to every telemarketer. . . .I'll tell everyone that you called out Spike's name. . ."
Cutting off her interesting litany of threats with his mouth, Giles took advantage of her gasp, and slid his tongue between her lips. In a quick, easy motion, his arms caught her behind the knees and shoulders, cradling Cordelia against his chest. Looking at her seriously in the soft light, he offered one last chance for sanity to intervene. "You can still say n---" Giles felt her fingers press against his lips before he carried her over the threshhold and up the stairs to her bedroom. Slowly he let her body slide against his as he set her on her own two feet.
When her hands lifted to the straps of the teddy she wore, Giles shook his head. "Oh no Luv. I want to open my own present." He removed the crisp white tux shirt, and belt before coming to stand before her barefoot and only in the tuxedo pants.
"Present?" Cordelia sighed taking in the sight of his broad, muscled chest with its golden skin, and whorls of hair.
"Oh yes." Giles' fingers lifted the straps of the enticing garment, easing them down milimeter by milimeter. "You're the most lovely present I've ever recieved. The kind of present one never expects to recieve."
When the satin and lace slid from her body, Cordelia stepped closer, not wanting to give him time to see her.
"Luv. . ."
"Giles. . .I'm not. . .I have." Cordelia cursed her thick tongue for being unable to form any intelligible words with the feel of Giles' warm body against her own. "I don't want you to be disappointed because your 'present' is kind of . . . .damaged."
Instead of answering, Giles pulled back from her clinging embrace and held Cordelia by the shoulders, walking her backwards to her bed. Once she was nestled among the pillows, Giles came down beside her, solemn in spite of the heated blood coursing through him. "I can promise you that I will be many things tonight Cordelia, delighted, entranced, moved beyond words, but I sincerely doubt that 'disappointed' will fit anywhere in my vocabulary."
A small smile graced her lips as Cordelia licked them. "Show me?"
"With pleasure."
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Author: Hayley
email: Lamb@traverse.com
Summary: Giles' visit to Los Angeles has interesting consequences.
Rating: R-some naughty language, and some nudity. . . .all the good things in life.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the toys you see before you have been borrowed from the all mighty Joss.I just take them out and play with them. *yay me* Don't sue.
Feedback: Oh pretty please? Have you hugged your author today?
Distribution: You may put it wherever you desire and I'll be thrilled about it. Just let me know where so I can send all my friends there to check it out.
Spoilers: Most of Angel, and some of Buffy. . . . nothing too specific or earth shattering.
*~*~*~*~*
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Winter Haven
"Yes Briggs, this will do nicely." Seated in the backroom of the obscure book shop Ethan smiled in satisfaction. He'd been halfway home to London when he'd recieved the phone call from the bookseller about the mint condition, first edition of the book he'd been searching for for years. "I can't thank you enough for contacting me. Feel free to add an additional 10% to your usual finder's fee."
"Oh no Ethan. Finding you is its own reward." Giles stepped through the curtain seperating the backroom from the rest of the now empty shop, and grabbed Ethan by the throat lifting him out of his seat.
"RIPPER! You very nearly gave me a heart attack." Ethan struggled for oxygen around the other man's bruising grip.
"I'm going to give you a good deal more than a heart attack if you don't undo your spell Ethan." Giles snarled. "You've done a great many stupid and irritating things in your life Ethan, but this is by FAR the most obnoxious thing you've ever done."
Ethan squirmed against Giles' choke hold, sputtering indignantly. "Don't be an ass Rupert. I've done far more obnoxious things in my life. This was fairly mild."
His only reply was a swift jab to the stomach that doubled him over. "I can't undo the spell."
"How unfortunate for you." Giles punctuated each word with another blow.
"I can't undo it! It's a matter of principal!"
"You don't have any."
"True. It's more a matter of a great deal of money and my own personal welfare." He grinned briefly. "You might kick my ass, but there are those who would do me permenant damage of the most severe kind should I fail."
A vague sense of apprehension washed over Giles like mist. "Who paid you? I knew that this wasn't your usual attempts to interfere with my life!"
"Old friends of yours. They're concerned about your single status. . . ."
"The Watcher's Council?" Giles slowly released his grip on Ethan's throat. "Why?"
"It's hard to have a Watcher's Council if the old Watchers don't make lots of little baby Watchers. You may be in disgrace now, but should you do your duty and produce another generation of Giles you'd be back in the Council so fast your head would spin."
"BLOODY HELL!" Giles threw Ethan against the wall, allowing the other man to draw some much needed breaths. "But why you?"
"Because old boy, I'm the only one they could think of who could get close enough to you to work the spell, not to mention that I am extremely good at what I do."
"Your egotism aside, why Cordelia?"
"She's young, beautiful enough to attract any *sane* man, and will most likely be able to produce more than one child before you cork off." Ethan rubbed his throat. "Plus the Council sees the potential for her to be trained as a Watcher herself. They're also curious about whether or not those visions of hers can be passed down genetically.. . ." He let the words trail off. "Look at it from their standpoint for a minute Giles. If they can breed one of their most successful Watchers with a seer, the results could be very impressive. . . ."
"In case you don't remember Ethan I was booted out of the Council. I'm no longer a Watcher. I can hardly be considered one of their most successful." Giles rolled his eyes at Ethan's lame attempt to flatter his way out of the mess he'd created.
"Rupert! Try and pay attention! You were tossed out by a very small margin. The old timers. But you might have noticed. No one lives forever. You've been away from England for too long. There's a support base among some of the other Watchers. The ones who are thinking about moving the Council forward instead of keeping it stuck in the Middle Ages. If you'd look around you once in a great while you'd notice that the old guard are teetering on the brink with the other Watchers who think like yourself poised to push them over the edge. If you play your cards right, you could be a part of the new regime. . ."
"You really should have gone into the theatre Ethan. You'd make a marvelous Iago. . .always whispering in someone's ear like the rabble rousing bit of trash you really are." Giles snorted. "I am not going to use Cordelia like a brood mare for the Council."
"I'm still marveling at your self-control Ripper. It must be killing you to have such a warm, willing, lovely young thing fawning all over you, and not being able to let down your guard enough to enjoy yourself. . . ." Ethan made soft clucking sounds with his tongue.
"She's a child."
"I suppose I should let you know that the spell I cast merely magnified attraction that already existed. The girl had to have wanted you before the spell was cast or else it never would have worked. There would be no point in casting a spell like this on someone you would just go back to disliking or feeling ambivelent about once the spell was broken."
"You're lying."
"No, actually, for novelty I thought that I would try telling the truth." Ethan frowned slightly. "It's not nearly as satisfying as it's been made out to be. The stronger the original attraction, the stronger the spell. It's the mutual attraction between the two of you that's made it this strong."
Ethan watched as several emotions flitted across his old friend's face. "Beginning to see things in a new light?"
"Possibly." Giles concded. "Except for one thing." Suddenly his fist connected with Etha's smug face. "How pissed I am about the videos."
Cradling his nose, Ethan looked up at Ripper. "I thought they'd make delightful stocking stuffers for Christmas and I would have paid good money to see the Slayer's face. . . " His words were cut off violently.
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Giles' Office
Nursing a glass of scotch, Giles replayed his conversation with Ethan in his head.
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"It's hard to have a Watcher's Council if the old Watchers don't make lots of little baby Watchers. You may be in disgrace now, but should you do your duty and produce another generation of Giles you'd be back in the Council so fast your head would spin."
/b/i
How was he supposed to go to Cordelia and tell her that she was chosen to be the mother of a new generation of Watchers? Exactly what words did a man use to tell a woman less than half his age . . .
Lifting the glass to his lips, Giles was surprised when the lights flickered on.
"Giles! Geez! Give me a heart attack why don't you?" Buffy gasped. "What are you doing sitting in the dark?" Her troubled blue eyes fell on the half empty bottle. "What's wrong Giles?" She crossed the office, and perched on the edge of his desk.
When her Watcher said nothing, merely lifting his glass to his lips again, Buffy gasped in shock. Giles' hands were bruised, the skin of the knuckles torn and bleeding. "Giles! What happened to your hands?"
"I had a conversation with Ethan." Giles answered dully.
"Did you at least take pictures of him for my scrapbook?"
"So sorry. I must have forgotten." Giles murmured absently as Buffy retrieved the first aid kit, and began to lightly dab Witch Hazel on the broken skin of his knuckles.
"Well did you get the spell broken at least?"
"I thought that this was something we'd agreed not to discuss. By mutual consent."
"It was. It is. But I'm worried about you Giles. You don't seem like yourself. And since you're not technically my Watcher anymore, and you've always been a good listener to me, I thought I might try being a friend." Tossing the blood soaked cotton ball in the trash, Buffy recapped the Witch Hazel and pushed the bottle of Scotch just out of Giles' reach. "Come on. I can't help if I don't know what you're thinking."
"That's the problem Buffy. Even I'm not sure what I'm thinking at the moment."
"Well, here's a hint," Buffy carefully plucked the glass from between Giles' fingers and set it on the desk. "It's easier to think without Scotch."
"I really don't know how much you're willing to listen to Buffy." Giles answered bluntly, his reserve diminished because of the alcohol.
"What are you talking about?"
"Your interest in my life as of late has been boiled down to making various faces and scolding me for having a life outside the small box you've decided I belong in."
Buffy's blue eyes widened, and she bit her lip. Now wasn't the time for *her* hurt feelings, Giles needed her as a friend, someone to listen. No matter what he was always there for her when she needed him, and this was her chance to return the favor. "Ouch. Good thing I have that Super Slayer healing thing going for me." She quipped lightly. "So maybe I've been a lousy friend lately, but that really doesn't mean I don't care about you."
Giles studied her expression, and realized that Buffy was in earnest. "Ethan was hired by the Council of Watchers to cast this spell."
"Why? I thought you were out of the Council. Why are they trying to make you miserable now?"
"Actually, as incredible as it may sound, that's not their intention this time." He sighed. "The spell was to bind me to a woman the Council deemed suitable for marriage in the hopes we would have children."
Stunned, Buffy gaped at her watcher. "That's TERRIBLE!"
"But not unheard of. The council believes in the survival of its watchers at all costs. The position is passed down from generation to generation. If I die without children, then the council will have lost part of its legacy. Which I'm sure will make Cordelia completely sympathetic."
"I don't know what to say." Buffy confessed quietly.
Giles smiled slightly. "That's quite all right Buffy. I can't begin to tell you how much the fact you were willing to listen means."
"Anytime Giles." Buffy smiled brilliantly. "And I do mean it you know?"
"I'll try and keep that in mind." Not that anything else would fit in his mind at the moment, other than his current situation.
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Cordelia's
"A museum function?" Flipping through her magazine, Cordelia studiously ignored Giles' hints. If he wanted her to go with him to the museum fund raiser then he could just be a big boy and come out and ask her. "That sounds nice."
"Ahem. . . .yes. . . .well, I don't normally attend these types of functions."
"Good! That means you're trying new things." Cordelia barely smothered a grin as Giles toyed with the ring on his left hand. "That's wonderful."
"Cordelia would you. . . ."
"Of course! I'd be glad to help Buffy patrol while you're at the party. I think that between all of us we should be set. . .things seem pretty quiet around here these days."
Before Giles had a chance to respond, a knock on the door interrupted them. "Cordelia?"
"Just a second Anya!" Cordelia dropped her magazine on the table and smiled at the frustrated Watcher. "Don't worry about the party, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time. Anya and I are going shopping, see you later!" And with those words she breezed out of the apartment with her purse and a light jacket.
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The Mall
"What's wrong with this one?" Cordelia pouted.
"You look like a prison matron." Anya replied matter of factly. "I thought you wanted to turn him on. Not make him relive some traumatic experience with his fourth grade teacher."
"You're a lot of help."
"What are you going for exactly?" Anya asked picked through the pile of dresses stacked waist high outside the dressing room.
"I'm going for heartstopping, head turning, jaw-dropping elegance, and mind numbing, body stiffening, libido igniting sex appeal all rolled into one dress."
"Fine. You stay here. I will find you the right dress." Anya frowned mentally reviewing all the possibilities in the store. Leaning forward she grabbed a salesclerk's arm. "Where do you keep the GOOD dresses?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I - said - where - you - keep - the - good - dresses." Anya repeated slowly. "These are icky, go fetch my friend some nice ones. And how about a cappucino Cordelia?"
Choking on her laughter, Cordelia poked her head out of the dressing room. "I could go for a mochachino."
"I still don't understand what you're talking about." The salesclerk scowled at the two very young women.
"This store has a reputation for being *THE* best place to shop in all of Sunnydale. I can't believe you got that reputation with these ugly things." Anya scooped up the entire pile and handed them to the woman. "I bet you've got some really GREAT stuff in that back room." She gestured to a private fitting room.
"I really doubt that you girls would be interested in. . . ."
Cordelia frowned. "Pretty Woman much? My friend and I would like to spend oodles of money in your boutique. But that's not gonna happen unless you find us things we like. And since I am going to the museum gala, which is this little burg's version of the Oscars, I would think that you'd want me chatting up all the patrons about your store. But hey, if this is the best you can do. . . "
"Of course. My name's Katherine, I'll be right back with a selection for each of you."
"Where are you getting all those oodles of money again?" Anya asked curiously as they waited.
"Well. . ."
"Did you rob a bank?"
"Anya, really. . .way too much T.V going on in your life." Cordelia said removing the dress she wore. "There's a law firm in Los Angeles called Wolfram and Hart. They're bad guys that represent even worse guys. Wesley and I found that once the demons and vamps Wolfram and Hart represent die, all the money goes to the law firm. So we kinda got a hold of some banking records. . .and when a vamp or some other nut gets dusted, we clean out his accounts."
Anya's mouth hung open. "You're kidding me right?"
"What? Wolfram and Hart don't need the money, the vamps don't have kids to leave it to. . . and the law's not clear on the rights of the un-dead."
"I am very in awe of you." Anya replied. "Are you sure that you weren't a vengance demon in a former life? But I can't see Angel going for that . . . ."
"We don't exactly *tell* Angel about it." Cordelia explained. Seeing Anya's shocked expression, Cordelia shifted slightly from one foot to the other. "Oh come on! Angel's lived for almost 250 years without a stock portfolio! He's like Peter Pan, not big on the practical side of being eternal. And it's not like we're cutting him out. He gets 1/3. It's set up in an account for him."
Before Anya could say anything more, the salesclerk returned with several articles of clothing of a higher quality than the others.
Not planning to buy anything, but always willing to look, Anya took a dressing room next to Cordelia's. "So you're planning on seducing the Watcher tonight?"
"That's the general plan." Cordelia replied tugging on a red sequined dress. "He's so stubborn."
"But how good a kisser is he?"
"On a scale of one to ten? One hundred million."
"I always thought there was more to him than just a nice set of buns."
"Is that so?" Cordelia's voice lowered slightly, becoming more intense.
"Down girl! Xander is still my number one. But just because I'm deliriously happy doesn't mean I can't look. I always thought it was a shame to have a good looking man go to waste. Giles at least deserved to be someone's devoted love slave or plaything."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Cordelia chuckled.
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Sunnydale Museum
It was his own fault for not asking Cordelia directly to accompany him. Giles thought morosely as he weaved in and out of the displays of Sho-Gun weaponry and armor.
Of course he shouldn't let himself get too attached to Cordelia's company. At some point she would have to return to her life in Los Angeles with Angel and Wesley. . .
He took another sip of Scotch to ease the ache that thought caused. It was amazing how accustomed he'd become to her presence in his life.
A faint hint of an intoxicating perfume brushed against his senses. Spicy, exotic, subtle it was a perfect blend. And out of the corner of his eye, Giles caught a glimpse of one long leg, framed on either side by laquer red satin.
"Did you try these spring rolls? Do you think it would be declasse to ask for a doggy bag?"
Turning, Giles was forced to have another drink of scotch before his mind could formulate intelligable words.
Cordelia stood dangerously close, dressed in a bright red satin gown with a manderin collar, with a delicate pattern of white blossoms. Her hair had spigs of the flowers tucked into the low bun at the nape of her graceful neck. Her green eyes were accented by smokey kohl eyeliner, her lips slicked with bright red lipgloss.
"You -"
"Me." Cordelia smiled. She could tell that beneath his cool, British reserve, Mr.Rupert Giles, Watcher Extraordinaire was about to blow a gasket.
When he failed to close his mouth, Cordelia dipped a roll in the bright green Wasabi and popped it in his mouth.
As Giles' eyes began to water from the heat of the wasabi, Cordelia grinned. "Yummy isn't it?"
Giles looked in vain at his scotch, knowing that would do nothing to put out the fire in his mouth, and glowered when Cordelia held up a cool looking glass of club soda with lime.
"Say 'Cordelia is a goddess'." She taunted, keeping the glass just out of his reach.
Without saying a word, Giles wrapped his arm around Cordelia's waist, and pulled her into an alcove and forcibly removed the glass from her hand. After downing all the soda, Giles regained the power of speech. "Cordelia is a goddess who will be lucky if she can sit down tomorrow." He muttered, feeling the lingering burn on his lips.
"Wouldn't I be luckier if I couldn't sit down tomorrow?" She inquired brightly.
"Cordelia. . . "
"Cor! Would the two of you get a bloody room." Came the impatient voice from behind Giles. "The combination of magic and lust is enough to make a delicate boy like myself blush."
"Spike. . . what are you doing here?" Giles demanded.
"A lot of the weapons on loan are mine." Spike shrugged lighting a cigarette directly below the 'Thank You for Not Smoking' sign.
"You?"
"Yes. I've killed a lot of demons in my day. Some of the nastier ones are packrats. I've got warehouses of this kind of crap."
"And you just donate it out of the goodness of your heart?" Cordelia snorted indelicately.
"No peaches. I donate it with the absolute certainty that it will probably be stolen. . ." He winked at Cordelia. "It's all insured to the hilt."
"Could you go away now Spike?" Giles asked with a degree of politeness he certainly didn't feel.
"Actually, I was going to ask the lady to dance."
"Excuse me?"
"Well pet, how can anyone appreciate how hot you look if the old watcher's got you pinned in an alcove?" He grinned mischieviously. "And just think how nuts it'll make him."
"Well. . .there is that." Cordelia said thoughtfully. "And he didn't even invite me you know?"
"Fool." Spike murmured, holding out his arm in a gentleman's gesture. "Then you're free to spend the evening with me."
"I would be." Cordelia answered. "Except for that whole hating you thing. And the part where I wouldn't trust you further than I could throw you."
"Ooh. Are you going to start with that dirty talk again?" Spike asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Use me ducks. Abuse me. . . ."
"I'm going to stake you in about five seconds." Giles growled, keeping a proprietary hand on Cordelia at all times.
Spike spared Giles a bored glance. . . ."Sorry mate, I don't swing that way anymore."
"Anymore. . . .?"
Giles quickly cut off that line of questioning. Spike's sexuality wasn't something that was fit for discussion either in private or public.
"Will you dance with me Cordelia?" Giles asked holding out his hand, and was extremely gratified when Cordelia slipped her fingers into his.
bi
I can feel the magic floatin' in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I, oh I've
Never been this swept away
/b/i
Giles led Cordelia through the assembled crowd to the grand foyer where a dance floor had been set up. He placed one hand on the small of Cordelia's back, and cradled the fingers of one of her hands in his own.
bi
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away, the only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart
/b/i
"Mmmm. . . .I think I know why I'm so glad I came." Cordelia practically purred as she fit perfectly into Giles' arms.
"As am I." Giles smiled in contentment. All was right with the world at this very moment.
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And I can feel you breathe, it's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove, baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch, the slow and steady rush
And baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
/b/i
bi
In away I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumblin' down
Closer than I've ever felt before and I know and you know
There's no need for words right now
I can feel the magic floatin' in the air
Being with you gets me that way
/b/i
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"Thank you for coming tonight Cordelia. You made what would have been an intolerable evening most enjoyable." Gallantly he lifted her knuckles to his lips. "Oh, you're really welcome." Cordelia's grin was brilliant. They really did have a good time at the gala. The wine, the dancing. . .all of it she'd been through a million times before, but never with the same enjoyment that being at Giles' side gave her.
But there was one small problem, no matter how closely they danced, no matter how many times their bodies brushed against one another, Giles *STILL* was determined to keep his inner walking hormone in check.
"You know, I think I'd like a cup of tea. Do you think you could make a pot while I hop in the shower? Some clumsy waiter spilled a little champagne and this dress will be ruined if I don't get it out soon."
Removing his tuxedo jacket, Giles nodded, focusing on his answering machine, rather than the mental image of Cordelia naked under a cascade of running water. "Of course. You go on, I'll start the tea." Once Cordelia turned to her own apartment, Giles unbuttoned his cufflinks, and a few of the studs of the tuxedo shirt.
Next door, Cordelia quickly kicked off her shoes, and went about setting a romantic atmoshpere. She lit a candle only to have it blown out again. "Phantom Dennis. . . please?" This was so not going to work if she had to worry about Dennis dropping a bucket of ice water on Giles. . . ."Please be a good roomie and go next door and watch T.V and drink some of Giles' really good scotch." She turned her pleading eyes upward. "Pretty please? I promise to get ESPN and the Playboy Channel. . . . ." This time when she lit the vanilla scented candle, the flame was met with no resistance, and she could feel a cool breeze brushing past her towards Giles'.
Quickly she ascended the steps to her small bedroom. Running a cool shower, Cordelia plucked a pink and white striped box from the bag in her closet, and opened it, running her fingers over the material of the teddy inside. If this didn't break Giles' resolve, then her old theory from High School was right. The man was dead from the waist down.
Next door, Giles absently scratched at his chest as he prowled his apartment. One would think with as little sleep as he was getting, that it would be easy to wind down. Not as long as his dreams starred one beautiful woman who was making it her life's work not only to drive him to distraction during the day, but to the brink of madness at night as well. Thinking of her continuous teasing, Giles groaned. The incorrigable minx was testing the limits of his self-control.
Hearing the tea kettle whistle on the stove, he crossed to the kitchen, and pulled it off the burner.
"Giles?"
"Water's ready." He answered, feeling shivers run up his spine at the husky sound of her voice. He came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea in his hand, to find Cordelia standing in the doorway that connects their apartments and promptly the cup slid from between his fingers unnoticed.
Her eyes never leaving Giles' face, Cordelia shrugged the pengior slightly off one shoulder to reveal the entire cream colored satin and lace teddy. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia finally settled on the words she needed. "I want you now. And I wanted you yesterday, and I'm going to want you tomorrow too. But I can't do all the admitting, all the wanting Rupert."
He could barely make sense of Cordelia's words as all the blood in his body concentrated between his legs.
"If you want me, you've got to meet me half way."
Giles felt the steady rise of his desire. He'd known that this was inevitable since the spell had been cast. And he understood Cordelia's desire to make him admit his own wants and needs. They were equals. She'd offered herself generously, and now he had to do the same.
Stepping back into the kitchen, Giles grabbed a towel, and returned to the broken teacup and spilled tea on the floor.
Cordelia held her breath. She couldn't believe that he was going to deny them *both* what they wanted. "Stubborn. Stupid. Old. Idiotic. Insensitive. Jerk. Two faced. Eunuch. Self-righteous. Sexless. Impossible man!" Her muttered words were cut off in mid-rant by the sight of Giles walking towards her purposefully.
When he was finally standing directly in front of her, Cordelia noted the passionate, wild look in his eyes and gulped.
One of Giles' hands cupped the side of her face, curving into the dark mane that tumbled wildly about her, the other moving from her bare shoulder, down the satin covering her entire body. When he was done lightly skimming the teddy, his hand cupped the other side of her face, holding her perfectly still while his lips inched closer, and closer.
First, his mouth grazed over the highly sensitive spot just between her jaw and throat, scraping his teeth lightly over the soft flesh there. Giles smiled softly as her head fell back as far as his hands would allow, offering him her entire delectable throat with such innocent abandon he was tempted to devour her where she stood.
Ruthlessly he tamped down on that urge, knowing full well that there might never be another chance for them. That he may never have the opportunity to worship her the way a woman of strength, beauty, and honesty deserved.
So instead of taking her up against the wall, Giles traced her soft, wide mouth with his thumb, delighting in the smokey haze that flashed through her eyes. "Cordelia. . . "
On tip toe Cordelia moved closer, twining her arms around his neck. She rested her chin on his shoulder and sent her tongue out in a teasing flick before whispering. "If you stop I'll set fire to all your books. . .I'll give your name to every telemarketer. . . .I'll tell everyone that you called out Spike's name. . ."
Cutting off her interesting litany of threats with his mouth, Giles took advantage of her gasp, and slid his tongue between her lips. In a quick, easy motion, his arms caught her behind the knees and shoulders, cradling Cordelia against his chest. Looking at her seriously in the soft light, he offered one last chance for sanity to intervene. "You can still say n---" Giles felt her fingers press against his lips before he carried her over the threshhold and up the stairs to her bedroom. Slowly he let her body slide against his as he set her on her own two feet.
When her hands lifted to the straps of the teddy she wore, Giles shook his head. "Oh no Luv. I want to open my own present." He removed the crisp white tux shirt, and belt before coming to stand before her barefoot and only in the tuxedo pants.
"Present?" Cordelia sighed taking in the sight of his broad, muscled chest with its golden skin, and whorls of hair.
"Oh yes." Giles' fingers lifted the straps of the enticing garment, easing them down milimeter by milimeter. "You're the most lovely present I've ever recieved. The kind of present one never expects to recieve."
When the satin and lace slid from her body, Cordelia stepped closer, not wanting to give him time to see her.
"Luv. . ."
"Giles. . .I'm not. . .I have." Cordelia cursed her thick tongue for being unable to form any intelligible words with the feel of Giles' warm body against her own. "I don't want you to be disappointed because your 'present' is kind of . . . .damaged."
Instead of answering, Giles pulled back from her clinging embrace and held Cordelia by the shoulders, walking her backwards to her bed. Once she was nestled among the pillows, Giles came down beside her, solemn in spite of the heated blood coursing through him. "I can promise you that I will be many things tonight Cordelia, delighted, entranced, moved beyond words, but I sincerely doubt that 'disappointed' will fit anywhere in my vocabulary."
A small smile graced her lips as Cordelia licked them. "Show me?"
"With pleasure."
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