Part 2 – That Skirt is TOO Short
Cordelia looked in the mirror, happy with her appearance. She had not done the Bronze scene in forever, or at least it felt like forever. Between taking care of Angel, football games, and getting ready for the SAT's her usual routine was way off balance. It was a little red dress that was a deep dark burgundy color with a scooped neck and short skirt. It was classy and sexy, and great for dancing. That was what was on her agenda for tonight. Drowning her angst in the sounds of loud music and double iced lattes.
She walked down the Mansion stairs and made a grand entrance into the living room. Angel was sitting on the couch reading what looked to be an old book. Pfft...so much for Xander thinking Angel didn't read. "Angel, I am meeting Harmony and Aura at the Bronze, are you sure you don't want to go?"
"No not yet ready for that crowd," Angel said, and then looked up from his book, and looked at Cordelia. She was beautiful, sexy, long legged goddess. She is not going out in that dress, it is too tight, too short, too red. He could not get his fill of her in that dress, that very very red dress.
"What? Is my lipstick smugged?" She touched the corner of her mouth and realized that her lips were fine, Angel definitely liked the dress she had on. Maybe I will get him to come out.
"You aren't wearing that." That dress would lead to boys touching what was his possession.
Cordelia saw the heat in his eyes as he looked her up and down, she definitely was going to be going out in that particular dress. "And what makes you think you can tell me what I can or can not wear?" This should be interesting.
"Well that dress, don't you think it is a little provocative?" Angel asked, he decided to go down the reasonable path argument with her.
"No not at all, it shows very little cleavage." She said, smiling because even though there was not a whole lot of skin showed, it did make her chest look lovely if she did say so herself.
"It is too short Cordelia." Angel decided to lay it on the line.
Hmm he used my full name Angel must really like this dress. "What? I thought it was actually a little long, you should see the length of some of the dresses Harmony wears." Oh this is fun, Cordelia thought.
"I don't care what Harmony is wearing, I care about what you are wearing." Angel tried to keep his voice calm, but could feel his anger building up.
"Angel this is perfectly respectable, I mean just because you come from the olden days of when a girl was a whore for showing her ankles..." hit on his age, good one Cor.
"This has nothing to do with how old I am Cordelia." Angel said.
"Well I am going out, and this is what I am wearing, and that is the end of the discussion Angel. I have had enough arguing today first Xander and now you. You are so not the boss of me." Cordelia let her frustration out about her argument with Xander.
"Does this mean you finally broke it off with Harris?" Angel asked, it had been over a week since she had agreed to break-up with the boy and she had yet to do it.
"No, not yet." Cordelia said, she knew that this would continue to keep Angel in a bad mood.
"You don't plan on breaking up with him do you." Angel said flatly. I am going to loose her to Harris.
"The time just hasn't been right yet, you have seen how much I studied this week for the SAT's and with the whole band candy fiasco, there just hasn't been an opportunity." Cordelia said honestly. She didn't really want to hurt Xander.
"Well you had time enough to argue with him, was it a lover's spat?" a jealous Angel asked.
"No you dumbass, I was coming to your defense." Cordelia shouted back.
"My defense? They don't even know I am alive, I mean un-dead...back. Why would I need defending?" Angel asked, part of his anger subsiding hearing that she defended him to Xander.
"Xander just made some stupid comments about you, Angel, calling you Deadboy and I just couldn't take it." Cordelia said rather than shouted, Angel bringing the argument to a less heated level had calmed her down a bit.
Over the course of the argument they had moved closer to each other, so that they were standing face to face. Angel wanted to reach out and grab her, shake her by the shoulders and not let her go. Instead he had folded his arms over his chest. Cordy had done the same. They were two warriors who felt that if they let their hands loose someone was going to get hit or crushed. Now that Angel felt a little calmer, he unfolded his arms and moved to gently touch Cordelia's bare arm, just below where the sleeves of the dress stopped.
"Cordy, when are you going to tell him it is over?" Angel asked quietly.
"When are you going to come out of hiding Angel?" Cordy asked, at first understanding why he wasn't ready to face Sunnydale, and now just tired of keeping up with secrets. Lying was just not her style, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that it was acting.
"Soon, I am just not ready to face everyone." Angel said, honestly.
"You mean not ready to face Buffy." Cordelia said, adding the unsaid thought she knew Angel was having.
"Yes, partly, and the rest of them, Angelus was quiet a bastard to them all, especially Giles." Angel said, feeling guilty and sad all together.
"But that was not you Angel, once they know that your back, that you have a soul, they will understand." Cordelia said quietly, moving her hand up to rest on his chest where Angel's heart should have been beating.
"But the demon is there Cordy, always there, just under the surface, taunting me." Angel felt he could tell her the truth if no one else.
"Yes, and you are in control of your demon. Angel you are way too hard on yourself." Cordelia said, moving a fraction of an inch closer to his body, love feeling so close to him. "Come out with me, come to the Bronze, they won't make a scene there in front of everyone." Cordy knew there would be a scene, how big of a scene she couldn't even begin to imagine.
"No, you go have fun with your friends, I would just depress you." Angel said, wanting to get out of facing the Scoobies, or worse, Buffy. He felt like music was the last thing he needed and quiet alone time would be perfect. But I want to be with Cordelia, so tired of being alone.
"Are you sure, I mean, what if some handsome man carries me away, looking all gorgeous in this dress." She teased him, wanting to get him to smile, wanting to not have him sit home and brood.
"I doubt there will be any real men at the Bronze, and if anyone carried you away, I would just drag you back." Angel realized that the thought of another man touching Cordelia made his blood boil.
"Yes, I believe you would Angel." Cordelia leaned forward and kissed Angel on the cheek. If she did anymore, she knew she would never leave. "I will be back, but it will probably be fairly late."
"So I can't convince you to change out of that dress?" Angel asked one more time, knowing that it was a loosing argument.
"Not a chance Broody." Cordelia gave him one of her 1000 watt smiles. "Gotta go, Harmony will think I was kidnapped."
"Okay..bye." Angel said, feeling a little pathetic.
Cordelia pulled away from his arms and quickly moved to foyer, grabbing her keys and heading out before she decided to jump into Angel's arms and never leave.
Angel watched her go, sad that she was leaving, but knowing that she would be back.