Hello my favorite people in the whole world :) So I really like this chapter so I really hope you do too. As always thanks for the feedback in advance and please keep it coming.

Oh and a question if you guys don't mind... So I'm a little uncertain about adding some, not sexual content but more descriptive passionate scenes to the stories and I wanted to know how you guys felt about it? After all :) I write for you and because you inspire me so let me know...

Anyways... Happy Reading...

Chapter 8

Willow arrived then, "Hey Buffy…" she asked cheerful before noticing her teary face, "Oh god what happened, did Spike show up?"

She shook her head, "No… I… I found the magazines you left and went looking for Angel…" she walked back inside looking at the note in her hand, "but when I showed up… he was kissing someone Will…"

"What!" she said taken back, "that's not possible…"

"It is…" she sighed, "I saw him…"

"But Riley said…"

"It doesn't matter…" she interrupted.

She frowned at her friend, "what's that you're holding…?"

"He came by looking for me I assume and left a note…" she showed it to her.

"Buffy… that doesn't sound like something that a guy that is taken, does…"

"But it is what a player does Will. If you read some of the things they've written about him… they say he always has someone new in his life, women are constantly surrounding him. What I need is to just get over it…"

"God Buffy… sometimes I swear I think you want to be miserable… Have you even considered the fact that the media lies. Riley's mentioned that women are attracted to him, but he's never been unfaithful and he's always been honest in his relationships…"

"Just… let me be…" she said quietly.

/

That same night, Riley went to go look for his friend at the Bronx. Of course he wouldn't be out on the floor, so he headed up stairs to the office.

"Hey man… how you doing?" He said walking in.

"Fine, why?" Angel questioned.

"I heard about Dru coming to look for you…"

"Oh… that! It was nothing, you know her… saw the pictures of Buffy and me on the media and came wanting to get back together…"

"And did you…?"

"Of course not…" he said with a face.

"Good…" Riley responded.

"Good…?" Angel asked looking up at him, "I mean… it is good, but why so interested?"

"Well…" he said heading to the window overlooking the bar, "Will called… wanted to let me know that she wasn't spending the night tonight because she went home to find a very upset Buffy."

Angel got off his chair, "Why… is she okay, did something happen?"

"Uh… no shit…" he said, "She and I came up with a plan to have her go look for you and guess what she found when she did…?"

He ran a hand through his hair, "I knew it…"

"Yeah… you and Dru apparently kissing…"

"No… she was trying, I was stopping her…" he crossed his arms defensively, "plus it's not like I deliberately ignored her like she did to me…"

"Whoa… the problem is not with me, it's with her; and I heard about that, you should talk to her before you assume like she is right now." He saw his friend's features softened as he walked to lean against the window by him.

Riley put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Look, I know she means a lot to you, god knows I haven't seen you have it like this for anyone so… you need to tell her, not me…"

"I tried, I went looking for her but she wasn't home; I left her a note to call me..."

Riley laughed, "She's not gonna call…"

"Why?"

"Because she thinks you're playing her…"

"But I wouldn't, I lov… like her…" he corrected.

"You love her?" Riley said amazed. He'd never heard him say the L word with anyone that wasn't family.

"I… I… I don't know… I just know that obviously, I've never felt about a girl the way I feel about her…" he confessed.

"Then look for her and tell her…" he encouraged.

"I am… I will…" he said, "first thing tomorrow I'll go find her…" They both stayed quiet for a moment, "Thanks…" he finally said.

"Just looking out for you like you've always done for me…"

/

Next morning Buffy got up to find she'd actually cried herself to sleep. The last time she'd been this emotional had been over Spike, her high school boyfriend.

He'd been in a band then and she had been her number one fan and supporter even though she knew about his drug use and such. She hadn't realized that he wasn't the good kind of guy, though his temper should have given it away, until the day that she caught him sleeping with one of his groupies. Only to find out then that she hadn't been the first or was going to be the last…

She'd given him her whole innocent heart, only to have him shatter it. It's why she'd left Sunnydale to study dance in LA, he had managed to alienate her from her family, friends, and almost her career... and for what? For nothing…

"Hey Buffy, how you feeling…?" Will asked just getting out of bed.

"Good…" She lied with a smile; she didn't want her friend to worry.

"I don't believe you…" she said, "hey… do you want to meet for lunch? Have some girl friend bonding time…?"

"I'd love to Will but its opening night of our performance and you know I like to be prepared…"

"Oh that's right…" she thought for a moment, "wanna hang after?"

"We'll see…" she smirked, "If I'm not completely exhausted, I might take you up on that?"

"K… well I'll see you there. I can't miss my best friend's opening night performance…"

Buffy giggled, "Thanks Will… I'll see you…" she grabbed her books and walked out the door.

/

She walked out of Hampton Hall on her way to class when a young man with a rolling coffee cart approached her, "Are you Buffy Summers…?"

She looked at him oddly, "Maybe… why?"

"Oh…" he smiled, "Sorry I'm Tom; I've been hired to pretty much be at your beck and call for anytime you feel like having coffee or biscotti or anything else actually, I can make other stuff…"

"By who?" she asked taken.

"By a Mr. Angel O'Donnell…"

"What…?" she said as a smile appeared on her face, but she pushed the small happiness aside, "Well… thank you Tom, but I'm alright; and tell him I said thank you for gesture, but to not do this."

He nodded and she began to walk away but turned around at the sound of rolling wheels.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, hadn't she made herself perfectly clear.

"Sorry Miss but I'm to follow you whether you want something off the cart or not…"

She sighed, "Fine…"

/

"Did the roses get delivered, Will?" Angel asked on the phone.

'Yes, you psycho… Did it ever occur to you that 50 bouquets of red and white roses was a tiny bit overboard? How romantic though…' She sighed.

"Not really but I'm glad they got there… and thank you for helping me. I should be on campus in a couple of minutes. She just had the one final today, right?"

'Yeah and no problem, I just want to see her happy. Her performance is tonight…' she added, 'are you coming?'

"Of course…" he laughed, "I wouldn't miss it…"

'Good and by the way, good luck…'

"I won't need it…" he said confidently.

'Oh… you will…' she said in a giggle, 'Bye Angel…'

He closed his phone and glanced at the time; running a little behind, he thought, but I'll make it.

/

Though the coffee cart had been an unusual, expensive gesture; she'd actually enjoyed having Tom around for her crazy need and love of coffee… and, she'd been able to share her gift with the students in her class, who were stressed like her, found it neat and distractive.

She thanked the teacher for everything and handed her final in… She stepped out the class distracted and missed the gorgeous man in his black slacks, dark blue button up shirt, hair perfectly spiked and groomed… leaning against the hall holding a bouquet of white orchids.

"Did you know that orchids mean rare and delicate beauty, kind of like yours?" He said to catch her attention.

He'd been waiting for her only for a couple of seconds and he felt it an eternity. The anticipation he'd felt at knowing he was about to see her, had been almost too much to bear.

"Angel…" she breathed stunned. Her heart began to pound in excitement of his presence. He was there… looking for her, holding flowers… She was quickly falling for his charm and she stopped herself but was still unable to say a word.

"Buffy…" he whispered as he strode slowly to her, "I see you got my gift, did you enjoy the coffee…?"

He was now before her, invading her personal space… inches away from her mouth. Her lips parted without permission and she made herself speak, "You shouldn't have…" she moved slightly away from him, getting a grip… "I'm sure your Ms. Chicken Legged Tall and Elegant brunette girl would have enjoyed it more…"

He followed as she walked away, "Buffy…!" he stopped her, "It's not like that… I know you were in my office and I know what you must be thinking but let me…"

"No…" she cut him off, "what was it you told me… NO NEED…" she said getting out of his grip. She needed to go to her dorm and prepare for the show tonight. Her emotional life was not going to come between her and her career… again.

He stood astonished at the fire that he saw in her eyes, such a petite woman but with a flame inside so strong that it reminded him of himself. He'd met a good amount of women, but they caved into his wants and needs to make sure they could keep him around, Drusilla included. But Buffy… was different… not only did she affect him emotionally and physically, but she was a match for his stubbornness and thirst for success in life.

Marriage had never been a thing he'd consider he wanted for himself, and the few times he thought of giving in, he thought to do it as a business transaction to have an heir to the family business and get his parents of his back, but now…

His lips curved up into a smile and hurried after her...

/

Buffy had noticed the bewildered expression on his face and felt proud. Better to let him know that she wasn't one of his many girls that he could just win over with charm, gifts, society position, or anything else. Though now there was a painful whole in her chest… how easily he'd manage to make his way into her heart, she thought, but she wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

She walked into her dorm to find almost no visible piece of floor or furniture as there were a bunch of white and red rose arrangements all over.

She gasped and her eyes began to water at the sight of them. She walked to the one by her bed and took the small envelope on it. She pulled out the card that read:

Here's a rose for every time I've thought of you since the day we met…

-Angel

Angel got to her room and the door was open, she was reading the card while putting a rose to her nose.

He beamed at her reaction and walked towards her whispering in her ear, "There should have been more but I think the school would have frown upon me trying to stuff millions of roses in your room…"

He heard her giggle.

He set the orchids on her bed and turned her around to face him, "Look… I can honestly tell you I'm usually not this kind of guy… the whole typical roses, chocolate, and jewelry kind of guy. But I've also never have wanted to do it for anybody that wasn't related to me…"

She gave him a small smile, but still said nothing.

"I got the hint back there… I didn't give you a chance to explain, so why should you listen to me, right?"

"Right…" she finally answered.

"So why don't we start over… I'll tell you all about the chicken legged brunette…" she laughed softly, "and you… tell me all about the grandpa hair looking guy from the other day… deal?"

She hesitated for a moment… saying yes was having to put her heart in his hands… to believe that he could or would be different, and she wasn't sure she could… not because she didn't want to, but because she was in all honesty completely terrified.

He began to do that thing again where he was leaning into her space and as she glimpsed up into his eyes… sincere passion filled depths surged into hers…