Title: Dot Com
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, it all belongs to Joss (he is evil but he is a god nonetheless), the WB, Fox, and Mutant Enemy (Grrr Arrrg). Please don't sue, I have no money!
*~*~*
Strangely enough, she found herself glaring at him through the glass door of his office as she strode past, which was, to say the least, dumb. You don't glare at your boss, no matter how annoyed you are with him. Even if he did put in a bad word for you to the editor, therefore preventing her from moving up in the business. Even if he did do that, she still shouldn't get on his bad side any more than she already was. He was still senior to her, and could cost her a job.
Buffy held his gaze for only a few steps after he looked up and met her glare, before quickly averting her eyes and turning into her office directly across from his. He was speaking into his headset, so she figured he probably didn't catch the meaning in her stare. Tossing her furry jacket and purse onto a nearby chair she lowered herself into her desk chair and switched on her computer.
From her position behind the desk she could still see her boss through her glass door. The name-plate on his door restricted only her view of the top of his head. Angel Connery. What a jerk.
Buffy found herself still staring at him and tried to force her gaze away, but somehow she couldn't. He had such an air to him, a certain mystery. She knew he was a major flirt, and probably had kids all over town, but he still managed to possess a sophisticated exterior. The day she'd met him she'd basically fallen in love with him on the spot, and when he gave her the job she was thrilled to be able to work so close. She knew he was attracted to her as well, she'd always caught his looks and glances at office meetings or parties.
Yet over the years they'd worked together they'd both begun to realise that an office relationship was nothing that they wanted. And now that Angel had practically ruined her chance with the editorial, her crush seemed to have turned into wrath.
For the rest of the day Buffy worked on the kimono article in her office, sneaking glares at Angel whenever she had the chance. At about four o'clock, however, she heard a knock at the door and looked up to find Angel himself.
"Buffy," he spoke her name smoothly as he opened the door.
"Yes?" she replied coolly.
"Have you got the data for the Ethan Hawke article?" Angel asked, his gaze never wavering.
"Of course," Buffy said, reaching into her desk drawer and removing a folder. She pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to her boss. "It's 43 to 57, I think."
"Thank you," Angel replied. He seemed to pause for a moment. "Buffy, I just wanted to say - "
Ring ring! Ring ring!
Buffy jumped, startled. "Just a minute," she said to Angel, reaching for her headset.
"No, I'll go," he replied quickly, backing out the door with the data. "Thanks again."
Buffy sighed as he left and switched on her headset. "Hello?…Willow, hey!"
*~*~*
"So what's the problem?" Willow asked again. "I still don't get it. He seems like a really nice guy to me."
Buffy sighed. "Yeah, that's because you haven't met him. He's a jerk, really. He has no respect for me, he totally ruined my chance to move to editorial, just because that would mean I was in a higher position than him, and I swear he was giving me dirty looks all day!"
"Was that because you spent all day glaring at him?" Anya asked suspiciously. She'd been to visit Buffy at work during lunch break and had seem the looks she gave Angel whenever he walked past.
"Maybe…" Buffy replied.
"I think he sounds hot too," Willow cut in. "Hot and a nice guy. Don't get many of them in Los Angeles, Buffy."
"But he's not a nice guy!" Buffy replied. "That's just the thing. He's so gorgeous, but he's so rude!"
"Come on Buffy, I met him last week," Anya said. "He seemed charming to me."
"He seemed charming to me too, when I first met him," Buffy replied. "Things change."
"But still Buffy, if he's so nice sometimes, maybe the rudeness thing is just an act," Willow suggested. "Something to keep people away from him."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"A lot of people do," Anya replied. "I used to do it in college, to keep the disgusting college boys away from me. Maybe he just doesn't want people getting close."
"Come on Buffy, when was the last time you had a boyfriend?" Willow asked. "A year? Two?"
Buffy sighed. "This isn't getting us anywhere. I admit that he's gorgeous, and maybe not always an asshole, but why would I go after him?"
"How about this?" Willow replied, reaching into her bag and pulling out her compact. She flipped it open and held the mirror out to Buffy. "This is you, Buff. You deserve to be with someone."
Buffy just stared at her face in the mirror and grinned. Okay, maybe Angel wasn't all that bad. Suddenly she felt a bit of a challenge, and was determined to win Angel.
*~*~*
As she walked through the glass double doors printed with the name of the magazine, Core, Buffy heard the fourteenth wolf whistle in ten minutes. The short walk had drawn the attention of more males that if every one of the Dallas Cowboys decided to walk down the street. Mostly, though, she had to thank her skirt for the attention. Black and short, very short. Not something she would usually wear to the office, but usually she didn't have a challenge like she did then.
She sauntered out of the elevator at her floor and began her walk down the hall. She was well aware of the turning heads of several male co-workers but ignored them. Finally she reached the glass doors of Angel's office and glanced in.
"Mr. Connery?" her voice swept through his office and he glanced up. Almost immediately he did a double take. Like everyone else at the office, he was used to seeing Buffy in pants. His eyes traveled appreciatively up and down her body, finally meeting her eyes.
"Yes Miss Summers?" he replied coolly.
Buffy stepped forward and handed him a stack of papers. "The kimono report," she replied. "The deadline is tonight."
"Great," Angel stated, taking the papers from her and trying not to stare too obviously at her legs. "I'm sure this will be excellent."
Buffy cocked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him and twitched a corner of her mouth. Then she spun on her heel and flounced out of his office, showing off her rear. Angel finally let out the massive breath he'd been holding as she left, and switched on his computer.
*~*~*
Buffy dropped her purse and coat on their designated chair and sat down at her computer, booting it up and pulling up the files on the endangered Sumatran Orang-utan. This was her next assignment, for which the deadline was three days. She was confident that she could get it done in that time.
Suddenly an electronic voice said to her, "you have three new messages". Buffy clasped her mouse and clicked on her Inbox, scanning the senders of the emails. The first was from Willow, a joke about a donkey followed by a demand of a detailed account of whatever happened between her and Angel. Buffy chuckled and sent a reply promising to tell her everything. The second email was from a fellow journalist Kassie, asking for the September 17th debate data, which Buffy sent to her.
Finally she opened the last email, from Angel himself. Buffy quickly scanned the email, did a double take, and read it again quickly. She gasped and had to giggle.
To: Buffy Summers: buffy@core.com
From: Angel Connery: angel@core.com
Why Miss Summers, you surprise me. I hardly thought you were the type to come to work only half-dressed. I was going to request that you make me a coffee, but it appears I've already had my morning fix, due to your non-existent skirt. I really hope this turns into a habit.
Angel Connery
P.S. Love the legs.
Buffy leaned back on her desk chair, gazing into Angel's office. He was on the phone again, but saw her looking and winked. Buffy winked back and turned back to her computer. She clicked 'Reply' and quickly typed a message.
To: Angel Connery: angel@core.com
From: Buffy Summers: buffy@core.com
Angel,
So thrilled to have woken you up for the day. I'm extremely glad the management approves of the new dress codes. Perhaps as time goes by it will become a habit as you so clearly want it to.
Buffy Summers.
P.S. You call that a morning fix???
She watched Angel's expression out of the corner of her eye as he received the email and read it, quirking an eyebrow and glancing in her direction. Buffy chose to ignore him for the moment and tried to work.
She worked hard for the rest of the day, only stopping for a lunch break during which she had a lot of fun bending over in front of Angel to pick up her dropped pencil. She'd straightened up just as he walked past, unobviously patting her behind as they went their separate ways.
*~*~*
The next day Buffy's attire was similar, an even shorter skirt, but also a tight, low-cut shirt which showed a lot of cleavage. She pointedly made a visit to Angel's office on the way to her own, and he promptly choked on his gum as soon as he saw her. Buffy had simply winked and handed him the stack of file dividers he'd asked her to pick up. She walked into her office and instantly switched on her computer, not at all surprised when she saw a message from him.
To: Buffy Summers: buffy@core.com
From: Angel Connery: angel@core.com
Well, well. Was today any closer to your version of a morning fix? I see it is becoming a nice little habit after all. You should have picked it up six years ago. Did I mention that I think you forgot to put your bra on this morning? Naughty girl. I think you're beginning to enjoy this new role you're playing.
Come to lunch with me today. I want to see if you've forgotten to put on anything else.
Angel.
P.S. Your tits look great in that shirt.
Buffy's eyes widened as she read the last line, and quickly clicked 'Reply'. She could see that these emails were getting more serious…
To: Angel Connery: angel@core.com
From: Buffy Summers: buffy@core.com
I agree that time has been wasted. But we can still start now. Lunch sounds great. I assure you that I'm very forgetful, who knows what else might be missing besides the bra…
I love your shirt. I think it would look a lot better without the tie though. And a few buttons undone. Or more than a few. Or all of them.
See what you can do about that…
Buffy.
P.S. My tits look even better without the shirt…
Buffy giggled as she clicked 'Send'. She couldn't believe the way she was acting. Just something about Angel…
She saw him read the email, and smile and sort of shift in his chair. Then he looked up at her, flashed her a brilliant smile, and raised his hands to his neck. He pulled his tie open and took it off, tossing it onto the floor. His perfectly sculpted hands then began to undo his shirt buttons, one at a time, until it was open and showing off his stomach and abs. Buffy sucked in a breath and stood up, sauntering out of her office, across the hall, and into his.
"Hey," his voice was like honey.
Buffy grinned. "Hey." She eyed his chest, and suddenly reached behind herself and locked the door, pulling down the blind across the glass. Angel smiled and stood up, eyeing her up and down. She moved into his arms, and their lips met in a passionate clash. They melded together perfectly, neither objecting as they moved towards the desk. With a single, sweeping motion, Angel knocked everything to the floor and lowered Buffy onto the desk.
Their lips fused together again as the couple proved that office relationships could definitely work…
*~*~*
The End