Chapter 8

She had forgotten everything, who she was, what he was, her future and her self-respect. All she could do was feel and ache, seeking for something she never known. The musky sent of his powerful male body filled her nostrils. Buffy hesitated, but then her fingers found the zipper, her knuckles brushing against the hard, bulging male flesh. Angel groaned, a hoarse aching sound. Her eagerness seemed to snap his last control and he rolled away, pulling her on top of him as his powerful body moved explicitly beneath her.

"God! I want to," he muttered breathlessly.

She placed her trembling hands in the sides of his face, seeking the lips she seemed to need so badly.

"Angel?"

"No!" He rejected the claim in her voice. "I haven't forgotten what you think of me, Buffy. There's no way you're going to tell me tomorrow that I seduced you when you were in shock or too drunk or too tired to resist. When I take you you're going to be with your eyes wide open. I don't want you to regret any of this."

He ran his hands over her, his dark eyes burning at the aroused passion showing in her breasts. "At least I know what it will be like."

"Angel?" Her voice was a shaken sob in her throat. His eyes moved back to her.

"I know...it hurts. Marry me, and it won't hurt anymore."

She knew it would hurt. Angel had made the fact that he wanted her for all wrong reasons. He would be with her when he wasn't with Cordelia or some other woman. She pulled her face away ashamed of herself.

"It's too late for that I know what you look like and how you feel."

"No, you don't. An experienced lover could do that to anyone."

"And more," he finished derisively. "Marry me and I'll give you everything. Any dream you have, I'll make it come true."

"How could you? I'll be dreaming of someone else."

"Someone else? Who? Finn?" He looked so angry, that she abruptly felt afraid.

"I don't think so," he murmured sarcastically. "From now on you'll be dreaming of what almost happened here." His eyes narrowed intently. "If I thought for one moment Finn had done more than just hold your hand you would not be lying there giving me any reply."

He walked towards the kitchen and she flung herself off the couch, and hastily picked up her dress and slipped it on.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry I impose myself tonight. I was afraid you'll go out with Riley again and I tried to prevent it. Pathetic, isn't it?" He shot her a wry smile. "I suppose that makes me worse than ever?"

He didn't wait for a reply. "Go to sleep." Before she could stop him he slapped her behind. She had an irresistible feeling of intimacy, as if she had known him all her life, as if she knew him better than anyone.

He went to the door and she watched him nervously. Realizing how handsome he was. She wondered if he knew how he looked. Yes, he probably did. He was arrogant, no sign of gentleness. If he was ever gentle to her she would be lost.

She flushed and looked away quickly.

"Sleep tight." He looked at her again and left. She was all alone with her thoughts. She went to her bedroom to sleep and surprised to feel herself dropping into a relaxed sleep. She didn't even realize that the storm had hit with tremendous force. She could still feel his arms around her, the taste of his kiss, and she felt no regret.

She must never fall in love with him. It was her last thought before she fell asleep.

The next morning it was still raining. Faith's flight arrived late and instead to Magic Mountain they decided to spend the day in a warm and dry place. Faith suggested a quiet place she'd heard of.

"Faith, trust you to find the liveliest place in town. What happened to the quiet place?" she prompted, laughing. It was good to see her; she had missed her enormously.

"Hey! I want to have some fun with my dearest friends." Faith smiled at her friend. "But I have to tell you Buffy, you look different...radiant. Don't tell me you and Riley finally hooked?"

"No! Riley and I are just friends." Buffy stated firmly.

"Does Riley know? I'm certain he's under the impression you are more than that." Faith persisted.

"I'm afraid it's my fault. I should have been honest with him, from the start." Buffy looked down at stared at her hands.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Faith looked to where Riley was playing pool with the other guys; she noted he kept glancing in their direction constantly.

"I...I like Riley...I like him a lot, but I don't have feelings for him." She said quietly.

"Okay...and do you have feelings for someone else, lets say Angel?"

"What? What makes you say that?" Buffy said quickly, too quickly in Faith's opinion.

"Oh my God! You're falling for him, aren't you?" Faith asked surprised.

"Of course not!" Faith snickered, and Buffy relented. "Okay, I may be liking him a little bit more than before."

"Do you think that's wise? I know he wants to marry you, but do you honestly believe he'll be faithful."

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"That bad, huh?"

"I don't know." Buffy was feeling frustrated.

"Think fast, because he's coming this way."

"Who?" Faith pointed at Angel who looked totally out of place. Served him right; he wasn't invited, Buffy thought with a smug smile as he walked into the bar and looked around.

"What is he doing here?"

"Actually I invited him over. Truth is, he's not as bad as I first thought. He cares about you." Faith signaled Angel to come closer.

"Buffy, would you like to dance?" She looked up and saw Riley smiling face, he tried to take Buffy's hand and Angel chose that moment to intervene. Stepping forward, he effectively blocked Riley from taking Buffy's hand. His black eyes narrowed and shuttered, he studied the younger man. "Introduce me to your friend, Buffy," he demanded hardly, not asking but ordering.

Buffy looked from Riley to Angel. They were both tall, both incredible handsome, but where Riley's face was open and laughing, Angel's expression was one of mild politeness. Her eyes clashed with his and she felt a shiver ran through her. There was something in his stance, a threat of aggression barely held in check.

"Buffy." His lips tightened, as if her silence angered him, and quickly she spoke.

"Angel...this is my good friend Riley," she turned to smile at the younger man. "Riley. My boss Angel."

"How do you do, sir?" Riley held out his hand.

"Please to meet you, but Angel will do," Angel said curtly, looking anything but pleased.

"Thank you sir...I mean Angel," amended Riley, confused by the obvious antagonism emanating from the other man. "Would you like to join us, sir...Angel?"

Buffy and Faith, listening to the exchange had to stifle their giggles. Angel did not like the 'sir' one bit. It made him feel older.

"No. I just came to apologize to Faith. Sorry but I can't stay, I have an unexpected business meeting." he said, and with a casual wave of his hand he added mockingly, "Enjoy yourself, kids." Then he was gone.

"Buffy, are you sure you're just working for that man? I got the distinct impression he considers you his property," commented Riley frustrated.

On Monday Angel was acting like nothing happened. He never looked at her or mentioned something about it. For the rest of the week he was only focused in his work, she was starting to feel she'd imagined the whole thing. Only her feelings of excitement every time she looked at him, told her otherwise.

It was hard to see that for Angel it had not meant a thing, only a moment of desire. She worked like a slave in the office listening intently to everything Angel said, and following his orders promptly.

She saw Riley at lunch on Friday. He was complaining about how little of Buffy he saw. "Why don't we go to Las Vegas for the weekend?" he asked as she looked at the clock and grabbed her purse. "You're working like crazy and, I only get see you once in a while and we always surrounded by friends. A weekend together would bring us together."

"I'm sorry Riley. But it's just not possible."

"Why not? Do you think I'll force you to have sex with me?" Riley asked offended.

"Of course not. Look Riley this has gone too far, I...I need to talk to you." She explained everything to Riley. She saw the betrayal show on his face and she felt so guilty.

Angel wasn't pleased when she returned to the office. She was half an hour late and she felt his eyes following her when she was walking towards the elevator.

"That was a long lunch break. Are you trying to piss me off?"

"I'm not trying anything. I just couldn't get away."

"Were you being held too tightly? He seemed to tower over her in the confined space of the elevator. "I remember telling you to drop that particular admirer."

"Well I didn't want to!" Buffy said, refusing to be intimidated. "It's no use trying threats because his leave is almost up."

"Who's threatening? I can afford to be indulgent." He remarked as he walked out of the elevator leaving a stunned Buffy behind.

The following day Angel was clearly in a fowl mood. He glared at her and looked as if he was going to say something to her, but desisted to do so.

Buffy had not even made it to her desk before he burst out of Wesley's office. "What time do you call this?" his dark eyes swept over Buffy from head to toe.

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but Wesley answered. "Eight-twenty, Angel. She's ten minutes early."

With a hard look at Buffy, Angel switched his attention to Wesley. "Never mind, get in here. We have work to do."

"Good morning to you too," Buffy muttered. What was his problem? She wondered as she switched on her computer and sat down at her desk.

Two minutes later Angel's office door was flung open. "What is keeping you?" Angel growled.

Buffy looked up. "I...I didn't realize you meant me," she stuttered, the fierceness of his expression temporary unnerving her.

"You never do," he grated inexplicably. Leaning against the door, he added, "Move it," and waited for her to walk past.

All morning he barked orders at her and made her work extra hard. He was simply showing her that she would never be anything but what he had intended for her...his hostess and the mother of his child.

The thought gave her an odd pain inside and she couldn't really bear to look at Angel at all because she kept seeing a dark-haired child with deep brown eyes. It shook her utterly, twisting her up inside, and she wandered away, not wanting to be close enough to see him because it was beginning to hurt her in a strange way...bitter-sweet.

Finally by the end of the day Angel decided to call Buffy to his office, and when she went in he was looking at her with a mixture of anger and frustration on his face.

"You're truly learning, aren't you?" He asked abruptly, leaning against his desk and staring at her disconcertingly. "I'm discovering new traits of you every day. First I found out you go wild in my arms and beg to be possessed. Now I find you are very deceitful."

She didn't know about deceitful, but his remarks about her in his arms were enough to silence her completely, and he looked at her for a moment before saying, "I just had a phone call from your admirer. As I understand it, I'm a fiend who stole you of your home and who is going to fire you in a few months."

"Riley! He called you?" she looked surprised.

"You have other admirers I don't know about?" He enquired sarcastically. "In this case was Finn. Apparently he's not going to let you endure this. He's planning to marry you and take you with him to wherever he's going." His lips quirked at her anguished face. "Don't worry. I assure him of your possible survival. I also refused the proposal on your behalf. Obviously he hadn't got the whole picture. I told him he wouldn't be able to marry you, as you would be marring me."

"I'm not..." he reached for her, and pulled her close.

"You mean you're willing to live with me? No Buffy. I want to marry you. I refuse to be just your lover."

"You won't be anything." She struggled but he held her tightly, slowly drawing her closer. "I'll be leaving you, very soon anyway." Buffy flung her head, refusing to avoid his eyes. She had done enough of that already and it had got her nowhere at all. "I'll be free to do as I wish."

For a second his hand tightened in anger but he controlled it and looked down at her imperiously.

"You're not free Buffy. You know that, just admit it." His fingers came to stroke down her cheek. "You've changed my love. You've come to life and you want me. It alters things in my favor."

"I do not want you."

"No?" he caught her to him, his lips crushing hers, his arms tightening until she could feel the power of his stomach pressed against the shaking softness of her own. It was possession, her arms slowly moved around his neck, clinging to him in surrender, and his knee moved impatiently to part her legs and move her closer. She could feel the victory in him but it didn't seem to matter anymore. She wanted to be here, close to Angel.

"I like you better with no clothes," he muttered against her mouth. "I'm not waiting for you much longer, Buffy."

The evidence of his desire throbbed against her, and her hips move on their own to accommodate him, until he grasped her soft curves with brutal passion and pulled her to bend completely against him. His irresistible mouth was open, and Buffy moved to where he led, not a thought in her mind but the burning force of his kisses and the hard demands of his body.

His hands slid over her, touching her breasts and stroking her thighs until she tightened her arms in his neck and gave herself up to bliss and pleasure.

"How much of this do you think I can take?" he demanded huskily, leaning her face to his. "You're not a kid. You know what you're doing to me. Marry me now! Stop hiding from me. If you want to go on working, then for God's sake do it, but marry me before I go crazy for you!"

Buffy had no idea of what to say. She was filled with desire, so enraptured that at that moment she would have promised anything. But she never got the opportunity. The door opened and Cordelia Chase was there, looking at them with unsmiling eyes.

Tbc...