The longer the day seemed to drag on, the more Angel wished he had taken up on that joke about canceling work for the day. He was sure he had looked at the clock at least a hundred times in the first hour or two of being in the office and his brain was absolutely not on anything relating to work. And it was showing.
Hell, he didn't even know he had even agreed to in the last meeting he had, he just basically nodded and hoped for the best, unable to pay attention to a damn thing going on. Harmony, of all damn people, seemed to be doing a better job of keeping track of what he was supposed to be doing today than he was.
Leaning his head back, he said a silent prayer that the day would pick up its pace already as he tried to prepare for the next series of phone calls he needed to get through. Even lunch seemed like a fucking lifetime away, he really hasn't a clue how in the hell he was supposed to make it all the way to five, right now this office was the last place he had any business being.
He'd even tried and failed to have Buffy called to his office after his first meeting this morning, but of course Lindsey had been quick to shoot that shit down, sometimes he really made him wonder who was the real boss around here. Hell this morning he'd practically shooed him away, after leaving Buffy's coffee he'd tried to stick around until she got there but Linds wasn't having it. Practically forcing him back towards the elevator all the while muttering on about how everyone would be too damn nervous to get anything accomplished with him hovering around.
OoOoO
She had made a promise to herself before she even got out of the car this morning that she was going to keep any and all thoughts of a certain boss of hers out of her mind until at least lunch time. Though that was proving more and more difficult as the morning crept on, first there was her usual coffee, which she'd expected but not long after that a stream of text started. Without even looking she knew who they were from, and even though she told herself she wouldn't look until after she got through her morning to do list Lindsey had set out for her, curiosity got the better of her about half way through.
Peeking at her phone, she tried not to grin too hard at the lines of text. He'd finally answered her last question about his favorite memories from childhood which she was surprised to learn included a story about getting stung by a jellyfish, but what had her really about to lose her composure was the question he'd fired back.
'In a perfect world, what would have happened this morning?'
Instantly her mind was flooded with a million images of how she'd imagined things could have gone had it not been for Lindsey's interruption this morning. Hearing someone clear their throat she quickly finished typing out what she hoped would throw him as much as he had her, he really wasn't playing fair.
"A certain someone keeps sending that sister of mine down here under the pretense of needing you to go over something or another for that Christmas party you got planned."
Sitting her phone to the side, she looked up to see Lindsey with that playful grin she was getting far too used to staring at her from the doorway. "Is that so?"
He nodded, "Uhuh, and I keep sending her back to tell his ass he can wait 'till lunch like the damn rest of us."
She laughed, getting a handle on the relationship between those two was still something she had yet to accomplish, but she was nothing if not determined. "Well I'm sure he's loving that."
Lindsey shrugged as he came the rest of the way into the room, closing the door behind him.
"Uh oh," she sighed, "Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?"
"You're not," he shook his head, "But I did want to talk to you."
"You and Angel," he started, easing into the chair across from her. "I think we both know there's something going on outside your typical work relationship there, and I just wanted to tell you that I think you should be careful."
"Careful?" Buffy echoed, hoping and praying that he wasn't about to dump something on her behind Angel's back knowing they were all going to be together all weekend.
He nodded again, "Around here, I mean at the office. Despite the puppy dog appearance he gives off whenever you're around, Angel's a powerful man. There's a reason he doesn't get involved with very many people Buffy, his net worth alone puts a target on anyone's back that he's close too…"
"I don't care about his money, Linds…"
"I know that," he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "But there's people, a lot of people around here that do. If word gets around that there's something going on between the two of you, well," he grimaced, "I just want you to be prepared for everything that's probably going to be said about you."
Her eyes went wide, "Oh," she sighed, "You meant be careful around here."
"Well duh woman," his hands went up in the air, "What the hell did you think I was talking about? Jesus Buff I'm not that big of an asshole, give me some credit."
She couldn't help but laugh then, "Well thanks for the warning Linds, but I'm not sure what you're talking about Angel and I are just friends." Even she had a hard time getting that out this time around with a straight face.
His eyes narrowed, "Uh huh."
Even though he'd pretty much reduced her to a fit of giggles this morning in the car, she still hadn't full out admitted there was anything going on. Sure he'd pretty much walked in on them making out this morning, but somehow Angel had managed to pull away at the last second. When it came down to it, he was Angel's friend and therefore she didn't feel like it was her place to fill him in on anything especially not when she wasn't certain herself.
She grinned, "Just friends."
Whatever smart ass reply he'd been about to make was cut short by a knock at the door, yelling for whoever it was to come in, his eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head when his sister appeared in the doorway.
OoOoO
After a string of curses, Lindsey finally sent Harmony on her way, then held his hand out to the door for Buffy to follow. Suddenly regretting that little text she sent him, she tried to fight the blush from creeping over her cheeks as Lindsey followed her to the elevators. More than anything she wanted to ask him just what he thought he was doing but she figured she deserved as much after their little conversation. Besides, the look on Angel's face when he realized she wasn't alone was bound to be worth it.
He was halfway through his latest conference call when his phone finally went off. Had he any sense left in his damn brain he would have waited until after he was off the phone with one of his top account executives to read it, but in his defense it was pretty much the last thing he'd expected to read. Stopping mid sentence, he had to ask Barry to repeat what he'd asked a total of three times before he was able to come up with some sort of answer, any and every thought relating to anything except her now completely obliterated.
After somehow managing to get off the phone with some shred of dignity, he immediately paged Harmony telling her to get Buffy, and not to take no for an answer. Hell, at this point he was rethinking his whole damn plan from this morning and just sending out a mass email letting everyone know there was no need to return after their lunch breaks and to just go enjoy their damn long weekend already, to end this new found form of torture he was in the middle of.
It took all but a glance in Angel's direction to know there was no need to question if he had already gotten her latest text message or not and her insides to go into a frenzy all over again. She was pretty sure that had Lindsey not followed in right behind her that she would have found him doing his best to rectify what had been missed out on this morning right here and now, the rest of the building and the world just be damned at this point from the way he was looking at her. Crazier than that, she was absolutely sure she wouldn't have given even an ounce of resistance to it either. Not at this damn point.
"What in the hell do you need, Linds? Not once did I include anything about wanting to see you."
Lindsey pretended to be hurt by that comment then laughed. "Well damn, you're up here sending Harmony down there every fifteen minutes and all, I figured you were in some sort of crisis mode about the stupid party. And being the good friend that I am, thought hey, two heads are better than one and I could offer my input, get this handled, then Buffy and I can get back to business without all the damn interruptions from you."
Angel found himself just staring for a long moment with his jaw clenched, he hadn't actually put any thought into an actual reason she might need to be up here and with how muddled his mind was right now he wasn't finding it any easier to just throw something up in the air off the top of his head either.
Lindsey finally raised his eyebrows and twisted his lips together. "Or maybe you really didn't need a damn thing and are just trying to throw a wrench into my already carefully laid out plans to get shit done on my end. Hmmm."
OoOoO
Not having much other choice in the matter, Angel had to slow his role some and get some sort of handle on the rushing hormones with Lindsey having shown up but all the same, the second Harmony was finally of any use and came to steal him out of the room he was immediately on his feet, barely having time to whisper a quick "Hi" before his fingers were finding their way to either side of her hips.
Not even giving her the opportunity to return any sort of greeting, his mouth dropping down to hers. Buffy lifted up on her tip-toes to draw him closer, her body perfectly leaning into him, and he couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't been doing this the entire time.
"Just where in the hell have you been my entire fucking life?" Angel asked when they finally came up for air in such a way that managed to both make her heart swell and feel like it was going to break into a million pieces all at the same time.
"Oh, you know... I was just wandering around out there in the world... waiting on you to come along, just about plow me over on my way to a new job one day and be a total jerk over the whole thing," she shot back with a slow grin, just before Lindsey pounded on the door and gave them a warning he was coming back in.
"Ten, nine, eight..." he slowly shouted on the other side of the door.
"I don't think I'm going to make it through this fucking day," Angel groaned then kissed her until her brain was nothing but a puddle all over again.
OoOoO
Just before they were all being dismissed to go on break for lunch, which the fact it had finally come was enough to about make her cry with how this damn day had been going so far, Lindsey announced to the team that obviously a little holiday magic was working in their favor for all the hard work they had been putting in lately and that the team was free to go ahead and start their Thanksgiving vacations right now.
Giving Lindsey the side eye as he practically started a redo of earlier, trailing along as she started her way up to Angel's office, unsure of just what to expect now.
Angel looked completely confused as Lindsey explained how he had let his team go early and now he was apparently coming upstairs to now relieve him of any and all duties as well, offering himself up to take over the reins for the rest of the afternoon.
"What in the hell is happening here!?"
"I am being one hell of an amazing best friend, that's what... and you... are getting the hell out of here right now. Both of you."
OoOoO
Buffy wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting to be walking into with everything the day had held so far, but she still felt a little thrown as Angel started to corner her almost as soon as they got on the elevator together, having apparently pushed some button or switch that had them staying in place after the doors closed.
Every single emotion swirling inside of him seemed to shine through those dark eyes, including, very much so, how badly he wanted her right now, and her breath was already coming out uneven before he even dared to touch her.
"I don't do this. Ever," he whispered, his hand almost trembling as he finally did reach for her, one hand falling to her hip while the other gently cupped the side of her face. "And I need to know that this... you and me... is okay," he asked for the second time.
"W-why wouldn't it be?" she barely managed to get out.
"I don't know," he whispered, shrugging his shoulders a little, looking utterly vulnerable in that moment. "Because of who I am? Because I'm your boss? Because I don't want you to feel like you're in a position where you feel like you are being pressured into doing something or to feel like you're expected to... do... anything... you don't want to because of any of that-"
"I can absolutely promise you that has never once crossed my mind," she quickly cut in, shaking her head, not for a second wanting him to think of things like that at all. "And..." she huffed out a bit of laughter, "If you only knew how much time and energy that I have spent daydreaming and worrying and hoping and everything else under the sun for for some substantial sign that you felt the same way as me-"
"...Well, I might have had some idea..." he almost smirked, his entire body seeming to pull closer. "But I have also spent the last several years pretty damn convinced that I'm not allowed to have any sort of happiness in my life, fully believing there's no sort of light at the end of this dark tunnel for me... and you're kind of fucking that up."
OoOoO
She'd no sooner gotten the key in the door and stepped inside before Angel was spinning her around to pin her back against it, mimicking his actions from earlier. "Pretty sure I'm done with all this spending time apart," he whispered once they finally came up for some air.
Grinning, she was pretty sure he'd been about ten seconds from turning into a toddler when instead of just leaving her car for the weekend she insisted he follow her to her place. "Guess it's a good thing I'm yours for the next four days then," she whispered back, slipping her fingertips over the top of his belt to rest just inside the waist of his slacks.
He was pretty sure he full on growled as he leaned further into her, letting his eyes fall shut. "Something tells me that's nowhere near enough time."
He wasn't sure he'd ever felt like this before, that he'd ever wanted someone so much, and not just physically either, though he was nearing his limits on that front as well. He had always demonstrated nothing less than a pristine professional appearance when he was within those walls, and yet today he found himself making out with her in the elevator like some damn pubescent, and given the chance he already knew he would do it all over again without question.
OoOoO
He watched her eyes flicker over towards the bed when they finally made it to her room, "You have to pack," he reminded her, even though he was making no move to let her go.
"I know," she breathed, turning in his arms so she could lock her own arms back around him.
She was completely and utterly drowning in everything that was him. Walking backward, she pulled him with her until she felt the back of her knees hit the edge of the mattress, and then she pulled him further until he was settled above her. "Angel," she questioned, but didn't even wait for him to respond, "I've never really done this before."
Watching his bewildered expression, it took her a second to realize just what he thought she meant by that statement. "Umm," she stuttered, "I mean, I didn't mean," she could already feel her blood rising to the surface, no doubt tinting her cheeks. "I've definitely done that," she finally smiled, and watched as the panic slowly dissipated from his eyes, "I've just never been so casual about it before."
Realization seemed to finally dawn on him, trailing one of his hands down her side he slowly guided one of her thighs up to cradle his waist. "Is that what you think this is," he asked softly, "Casual?"
Without meeting his eyes, her shoulders gave a tiny shrug, "I don't know," she finally sighed. Her mind was quickly losing focus, Angel had seemed to lose all sense of the conversation at hand. Instead his mouth continued to explore uncharted territory, making his way down her neck until her blouse got in his way and he went about creating a new path up the other side. Finally his head shook against the crook of her neck, "There's nothing about anything between us that I would ever consider casual, Beautiful, at least not on my end."
Her fingers alternated between toying with his tie, and scratching at the small hairs on the back of his neck, "Why Mr. Angelus," she grinned, and he shot her a quick glare, "Are you saying you want to be my boyfriend?"
That made him chuckle a little, and he made quick work of flipping them so that she was the one straddling him. "Maybe," he smirked, letting his hands come to rest around her waist. "Though I'm not even sure I know how to be one of those these days."
OoOoO
Once she finally managed to pull away, the packing seemed to go by rather quickly even though Angel was absolutely no help, constantly pulling her back in his arms, or distracting her, coming up behind her and pressing his lips just about everywhere he could manage. Thankfully she had gotten the majority of everything she planned on taking either in her bag or set aside earlier in the week, because had she not, she just knew she would have ended up with less than half of what she needed with the way he was keeping things up.
Once they were both settled in his car and back on the highway, he glanced at the clock and mentally groaned, where earlier all the hours seemed to be shoved into minutes, now it seemed like the rest of the day had been launched into fast forward in some effort to make up for it. He wasn't sure what time Lindsey was planning on heading over, but they only had a couple of hours before the office closed, and as for Wes he wasn't really expecting him until the next morning, but there was honestly no telling if Lindsey would somehow manage to convince him to ditch his plans and head over anyway.
It wasn't that he didn't want the guys over, they all looked forward to this weekend all year, it was just that he now had a whole list of other things he planned on doing while enjoying his weekend, and very few of them included anyone outside of his damn car.
OoOoO
She wasn't sure she would ever quite get used to pulling through his giant private gate. Most of the time she hardly even thought about who he was or what any of that entailed, but sometimes it was just too much to ignore. His house, his car, his lifestyle, sometimes it was a lot, no matter how much she tried to tell herself it wasn't a big deal.
"Now that's a look I'm not sure what to make of," he told her softly, coming up behind her. "Everything okay?"
Meeting his eyes in the large mirror above his dresser she couldn't help but notice how perfectly they seemed to fit together. How even though he was so much taller, she seemed to fit so perfectly against him, how her blonde hair almost seemed to glow next to his dark shirt, how his eyes seemed like endless depths that she could almost drown in.
She nodded, "Everything's fine."
He let out a long sigh, "You sure?" he asked, brows raided.
Her teeth raked over her bottom lip, "You're sure about this? I mean this is what you want... I'm what you want I mean. 'Cause any way you spin it I'm pretty sure there's a whole laundry list of girls somewhere who would kill to be in this position. Girls that are way smarter, prettier, girls that know how to act in high society or whatever it's called. Girls that-"
He'd been inching her towards the dresser ever since she started rambling, as soon as he felt her bump up against it he lifted her with almost no effort at all and spun her until she was seated on top of the hardwood, her eyes level with his own. Then slotting his mouth over hers he effectively cut off whatever nonsense had been about to come out next.
"Anything else?" he asked, barely a breath away from her. "You know, besides all this self deprecating bullshit we need to get out of your pretty little head."
"H-huh?" she muttered, eyes remaining closed a few seconds too long before the conversation at hand returned back to her fuzzy brain. "I just..." she blushed, reaching her hands up to the top of her head, smoothing hair out before raking fingers back down, "Angel, I'm pretty sure you could have anyone on the planet that you wanted."
"The only person I want is currently propped up on top of this dresser."
The look on his face matched with the tone of his voice when he said that was so earnest it nearly stole the breath right out of her. Her mouth fell slightly open but as his head tilted and those eyebrows creased together once more she couldn't find a voice to speak with, instead pressed her lips back together trying to make sense out of this man.
Angel's hands laid flat on top of the dresser beside her as he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, an unreadable look taking over those handsome features. "The fact that you don't see yourself the way I do is truly this side of infuriating," he finally sighed.
"Hmm. It's like the same could be said about you," she answered softly.
The corner of his lips ticked up the tiniest bit but his head shook. "No, no, I'm a complete fucking disaster... my whole life is... which that I could understand being a voiced concern here, but not this whole you being this perfectly crafted amount of magic walking around in this world and yet somehow you still think you're less than anyone. You are the most adorable damn person on this planet. You are impossibly fucking adorable, Buffy... and sweet and kind, and endlessly random and so funny without even trying. You get excited with your whole entire being and intoxicate everyone around with that feeling too, when you're mind is running a mile a minute when you're working on some grand idea or another you hum theme songs to old time tv shows so softly I was convinced for the longest time I was imagining the whole thing, your eyes light up like Christmas lights whenever you speak to someone and make them feel like they are seen and are the most important person in the room every time. You say "Hi puppy" to every single dog you see, even though ninety nine percent of the time there's no way the creature or person with it could have possibly heard you. I'm pretty sure you're so small I could fold you up and fit you in my pocket... and yet I'm pretty sure if pushed to it, you just might lay me or hell someone even twice my size out with a single punch all the same. You are so wholesome every moment of the day... whether that's calling strangers assholes in the elevator," he smirked, "or thanking someone for the smallest of things as if they just gave you a kidney."
"That's just being a good person," she tried but he shook his head again.
"Not when you do it," he argued. "I'm pretty sure you make everyone you cross paths a better person for it... I know that's certainly the case with me. From the second you stepped into the elevator I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. And I'm going to admit to doing way more of that than one probably should but it's the truth. Every single time I am around you it never feels like it's been enough time and I just crave more, because you make me feel more alive than anything or anyone has in years... if not ever, and no matter how much times I spend with you or how much I might learn about you... it's really just not enough and I always want more."
"You're making me out to be something I'm very much not. Angel. Really. I'm just-"
"Adorable," he cut in. "And fun. And breathtakingly beautiful in every way a person could possibly be."
Buffy dared looking back up at him, feeling pretty sure that in a matter of minutes he had just made her feel more loved and wanted than anyone else she had ever bothered giving the time of day to combined. And that alone was both thrilling and terrifying... which really did seem to be the Liam Angelus Special.
OoOoO
"So... seeing as you and I seem to be in agreement on what we want, and you maybe wanting to be my boyfriend and all," she grinned, undoing the last of the buttons of his shirt before slowly helping slide it off his shoulders and out of her way, "What exactly do we do now?"
The newly discarded garment fell to the ground, landing next to the tie she'd already helped him out of. "Whatever you want I suppose."
"Well, I definitely have some ideas," she whispered, her arms wrapping back around his neck, pulling him back to her. "All of which start with you kissing me," Buffy smiled. "Like, a lot."
OoOoO
Between their time over at the chest of drawers and moving the show over to the inviting bed Buffy had also managed to lose her top and Angel wasted not a moment when it came to exploring the newly exposed skin, peppering kisses across her chest before making a warm path following along the curve of her bra before Buffy gently tugged him back up to her.
The little moan she let out just before his lips reached hers was officially his new favorite sound in the world, and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue inside her warm mouth, earning her thighs pressing tighter against either side of him, her fingers tangling back in his hair before lightly scratching their way down his neck.
Not yet done with the image she was making in the satin and lace, Angel followed a similar pathway down her body, diving lower toward her lean stomach. Buffy's eyes seemed trained on his every move, watching as he kissed and nibbled at her flesh, hands roaming over every new inch of her he was gifted with being able to see.
ButImBroken:
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