Chapter Ten:

Riley walked down the long hallway that lead to the elevator in Buffy's apartment, his hands full of Chinese take out boxes. The smell that wafted up to him, spicy vegetables, sautéed chicken and beef, sweet and tangy sauces, made his mouth water. He could only hope that she would accept this for what it was, a kind of apology for this morning, for making a fool of himself in her bathroom. Even though he'd never forget the way she'd felt in his arms, her petite form pressed against his chest, her breasts soft and naked but for the towel that had been the only barrier between them.

"Damn," he cursed as he felt his body start to stir, just from the memory. "Down boy," he ordered as he pushed the button for the elevator with his knuckle. This wasn't about seduction. This was about making amends.

The doors slid open and he stepped inside, turning and knuckling the button for her floor, watching the doors slide shut slowly. He stood at the back of the car, watching the numbers slip slowly upwards as the elevator crept its way towards her floor.

Leaving the elevator, he hurried down the hall, knocking on her door with his knee.

"You're early..." Buffy started to say as she pulled open the door. Her hair was wet and she was wrapped in her robe. She stared with confusion at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, geez, thanks for the warm greeting, partner. I guess I'm not who you were expecting." He stepped past her, dropping the box of Chinese on her kitchen counter. There were pots bubbling on the stove, the spicy aroma of spaghetti sauce, garlic and onions, basil and oregano, filling the air with mouth watering aromas. "I didn't know you could cook," he said, looking over where she still stood by the open door.

"You never asked. It was the one skill my mother made me learn, and truthfully, I never minded. But you didn't answer me. What are you doing here? I told you I was having company tonight."

Riley lifted the lid on the red sauce, pulling open a kitchen drawer with the ease of familiarity and taking out a small spoon. He dipped it into the sauce, blowing on it before tasting it. "Needs more salt," he said, putting down the lid. "I guess I forgot. I thought we could have dinner and do some work tonight." He dropped the spoon into the sink, staring at the red stain that splattered on the white porcelain. He heard her close the door with a small click and then sensed her move into the kitchen. He could feel her eyes upon his back as she waited for him to turn and look at her.

"We need to talk."

He smiled as he stared at the red stain. "But now's not a good time, is it?" He turned, lifting his hand and touching her cheek. "You have a date to get ready for. We can do this some other time. You keep the Chinese. You could eat if for leftovers tomorrow or something." Riley managed to keep the smile on his face though he wondered if it looked as strained as he felt. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, partner. Have fun tonight." He walked past her and towards the door. "Don't forget the salt," he said, opening the door and slipping through.

Buffy felt the single tear slip down her cheek and wiped it away angrily. He had no right to come in here when she was trying to have a personal life and make her feel guilty. No right at all. And then to just walk out on her, she turned and glowered at the boxes of food he'd left, murdering them with the glare she wished she'd been able to use on him.

When they just sat there, instead of boiling over and flaming in response to her ire, she grabbed them and pushed them into her fridge. Slamming the door, she turned to the food she was preparing. "Needs more salt, damn him. God! He can be such an asshole!"

She lifted the lid on the sauce, dipping her own spoon in and tasting it. She closed her eyes and sighed, reaching for her small bowl of salt and adding some before stirring it again and then putting down the lid. She turned down the heat and then went back to her room, reaching into her closet for something comfortable and sexy, but not too sexy. She didn't want to seem too eager, but after her coffee date with Angel today at the hospital and the kiss he planted on her lips before she left, a kiss that had curled her toes, she knew how she wanted tonight to end.

Settling on satin pants and a soft cashmere sweater, both in a shade of green just a few shades lighter than her eyes, she slid on matching underwear and pulled the sensuous material over her skin. The sweater's v neckline left a great deal of skin exposed and clung to her curves as if it were a lover's hand. She ruffled her wispy curls with her hands, shaking her head to make them fall into place then applied a light coat of makeup. Leaving her feet bare, she hurried to the intercom when it buzzed. "Yes?"

"Hi." Angel's smooth, sexy voice sounded over the intercom, and Buffy couldn't help but smile at it.

"Come on up," she said, pushing the button for the door.

She hurried to the refrigerator, pulling out the bottle of wine she'd picked to go with her dinner. Leaving it open upon the counter, she went to the door and waited. When the knock came, she mentally counted to twenty then reached out and turned the knob.

He stood just outside the door, his eyes roaming over the picture she made. "Wow," he breathed. "You look absolutely stunning." His eyes took in every detail, including the bare feet. He handed her the single white rose he'd brought her. "I thought I'd be slightly more traditional this time. Maybe we won't have a murder investigation interrupt our evening."

She smiled, accepting the rose and reaching up on tiptoe to place a light kiss upon his cheek. "And I've already fixed dinner, it's ready any time you are, Doctor."

Angel inhaled, breathing in her scent, a mixture of floral perfume and spicy woman. He let his hand rest lightly against her lower back, feeling her skin against his fingers where the sweater pulled up as she reached for him. Her breasts brushed against his chest and he smiled, enjoying the way she felt against him. "So what did you make?" he asked lightly, following her in and watching as she got a bud vase down to put the rose in.

"Spaghetti with my father's special sauce and his secret garlic bread. I had to blackmail the recipe out of him and it wasn't easy." She took the vase over to the table and then went back to the kitchen, pouring the wine she'd gotten out. "Oh, no. I forgot to ask, are you on call tonight?"

"Nope, I'm all yours, for however long you want me," he quipped, taking the glass she handed him. He raised the glass, tapping it gently against hers, "To a beautiful woman, a lovely dinner and a night that can go anywhere," he said, taking a sip of the wonderful wine before letting his lips find hers for one intimate and incredible moment. Her face was flushed when he pulled back, her eyes bright and he had a hard time trying to keep it at that one kiss for right then. Not when he wanted more, when he wanted to taste her mouth and see if her flavor was sweeter than the wine or dark like passion. He wanted to touch her skin, slip his hands under the clinging fabric of her sweater and see if she was as soft and warm as she seemed.

"That was..." she stopped, unable to come up with the word.

"Yes," he said, smiling down at her. "It was."

She laughed as he'd meant her too and then went into the kitchen, adding the finishing touches to the dinner and rescuing the seasoned bread before it burnt. Then they sat and she beamed as he raved over her spaghetti, laughing at his jokes and listening to his stories of the ER. He asked questions about her cases, understanding when she couldn't get into detail about ongoing investigations. But he was interested, genuinely, which was something she wasn't used to with any date she'd gone on.

"So how long have you and Riley Finn been partners?" he asked, sitting back a little and picking up his refilled glass.

"Almost five years now," she said, sipping her own wine. "He trained me when I started homicide. I must have driven him nuts with all my questions and that puppy dog eagerness that you see in the newbie detectives. I was so damn proud of that gold badge, I think I stuck it in anyone's face that would look at it." She pushed her plate to the side, leaning her elbows on the table. "He even held my head when I saw my first torn up body."

"You sound like you two are close." Angel felt a little flare of jealousy. He tamped it firmly down, arguing with himself that if she were interested in Finn, he would be here.

"He's like a brother to me and in some ways even closer. You learn a lot about someone when you're on a stake out for twelve hours in a small car and the air conditioner doesn't work."

"Hopefully that he wears a really strong and long lasting deodorant," he said, listening to her laugh with a tingle of pleasure. "You don't do enough of that."

"Wear deodorant?" she asked cautiously.

"No," he laughed, shaking his head. "Laugh. It looks good on you."

Buffy rose to take the dishes to the kitchen setting them into the sink and putting away the leftovers while Angel did his best to "help" but in this instance it was to stand in her way. He touched her when he could, brushing his hand against her body by accident, handing her his plate and letting his hand slide against hers. It was as arousing as his scent, as inviting as the looks he was giving her.

He finally took her hand, pulling her into the teddy bear decorated living room and sitting down on the sofa, pushing the big gray bear out of his way. Pulling her down on his lap, he kissed her softly. "I've wanted to do this all night, since you opened that door. You really got to me with the bare feet, detective," he said, grinning.

"Great," she said, her fingers tracing along his face. "I'm dating a guy with a foot fetish. I swear, homicide finds the freaks quicker than vice does. But I guess you are no worse than my last boyfriend."

"Really, and what was his deal?" he asked, though not really interested. He kissed her neck, nibbling on the long muscle of her throat.

"Oh he had this thing for handcuffs and nightsticks." She moaned, her hands running through his dark hair, feeling his arousal against her thigh. He felt so good and was very inventive with his mouth, stirring all kinds of feelings deep inside of her.

"You might have to show me that one day," he said, his face buried in the bend of her neck where it met her shoulder. He reached up, gently pulling the soft sweater off of her shoulder, his tongue sneaking out to savor her heated flesh. She tasted like sin, hot and dark and completely too tempting.

Buffy moaned, moving against his mouth as he teased her senses, sweet shivers of need made her nipples harden and her head tip back. "That's the good thing about dating a cop," she whispered. "We have all the good toys."

"I'll say," Angel sighed the words, his hands slipping up the soft material of her sweater to cup her breasts, lifting them with his hands. "These are some pretty nice toys."

A surprised laugh bubbled out of her and she cupped his face in her hands. "I like you."

"I like you, too." He pulled her closer, kissing her lips. "Wanna go steady?"

"Hmmm, let me think about it," she murmured against his lips, deepening the kiss for an earth shattering moment. "No," she decided. "But I would like to go to bed. And I would like for you to come, too." She stood, her legs slightly unsteady and held out her hand to him.

With a grin, he sat there, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. Her lips were slightly swollen, her short hair tousled from his hands. Her eyes were half closed, sexy bedroom eyes that shot green fire at him. Her sweater was still off of her shoulder, revealing smoothly rounded satiny skin.

She was spectacular.

"With me?" he asked, putting his hand on his chest. "You want to go to bed with me?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, with Mr. Bear. Of course with you. Now are you coming or do I have to get physical?"

Angel took her hand letting her pull him up and off of the couch. He followed her back into her bedroom, watching the swing of her hips under the satin pants. She was sexy and funny, sweet and tough. She had a cop's mouth and a siren's provocative passion. And he couldn't wait to sink into the hot flesh of her body.

Play turned to passion quickly and he couldn't help himself. He pulled back on her hand that he held so that she turned and fell against him. With a groan, he pushed her against the wall, his hands pulling her up and against him until she was on her toes. Grinding his hips against her, he took her mouth in a kiss of pure demand.

Buffy gasped, feeling that kiss in every part of her. Her hands rose, going around his neck, one twisting into his hair as his tongue insisted she respond, thrusting into her mouth to tangle with her own. Before her world could right, he was tearing her sweater over her head, throwing it to the floor next to them.

His mouth found hers again, refusing to let her catch her breath. He flicked open the back hooks of her bra with ease, pulling it from her body without taking his mouth from hers.

When his hands touched her breasts, Buffy thought she'd explode, desire, tension, need all boiled low in her belly, compounded by his kisses. He cupped her breasts, stroking them, squeezing and toying with her nipples until whimpers came from her mouth.

Angel dropped to his knees, his mouth at just the right level to draw her hard nipple into his mouth. Listening to her cries of pleasure, feeling her writhe under his hands and mouth were all conspiring to drive him nuts. He played with her nipples, torturing her with slow laps of his tongue until she dug her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her.

"Hmm," she moaned as he suckled her, trading nipples until both were hard and pointed, throbbing with the pleasure he'd given her. She shrieked when he rose suddenly, lifting her with an arm under her bottom to throw her over his shoulder.

He dumped her in the middle of her bed, following her down. "Take off my shirt," he said, his lips finding hers.

Her hands shook as she found the buttons that ran down the front of his shirt. Fumbling with them, she finally managed to get it undone, pushing it down his wide shoulders and off his arms. Her hands came up, touching him, feeling his hot skin. She kissed his chest, finding his flat male nipples and sliding her tongue over them until they hardened and he gasped at the contact. His chest was well formed, wide enough to cushion her head and to lean on, his stomach was hard, defined without being bulky. A small trail of dark hair led from just below his belly button to disappear inside the pants that he wore. She traced that trail of hair with her fingers, feeling his muscles contract under her searching hand. "This isn't the body of a pencil pushing doctor, doc. How'd you get so hunky?"

Angel felt her tormenting fingers tease just under the waistband of his pants and groaned. "I'm not a normal doctor."

She pushed him back, rolling with him until she was straddling his hips, her satin pants gleaming in the light from the hallway that shone through the open door. "I would say you weren't," she drawled slowly, sliding her fingers down his chest and over his stomach in a long continuous stroke. She leaned over him, her hands busy undoing his pants and reaching inside. "I want to check out your bedside manner though, doc." She pushed under his shorts finding his erection with her smooth palm. He was long and hard, throbbing against her skin. "Oh, yes," she said with a grin as he inhaled at the way her hand felt, "very nice bedside manner, doc."

"I aim to please," he growled. "But I don't remember this being in the Hippocratic Oath."

Buffy laughed, sliding down his legs a little to get a hold of his pants to pull them down. "Maybe next time you should check out the fine print," she said, getting off of him to pull off his shoes and socks.

"Do you come with the fine print?" Angel lifted his hips, helping her finish stripping him naked. He laid on the bed, his cock hard and pointing straight up.

Buffy smiled, her eyes on the blatant display of his attraction for her. "If that does, I will," she said.

Angel snagged her hand, pulling her back down on top of him, finding her mouth with his. He felt the slippery satin of her pants rubbing against his bare legs, brushing coolly against his cock as she moved against him. He tried to roll her under him but she resisted, pushing down on his shoulders and sliding down his body once more. He could feel her breasts rubbing against his chest and then his stomach. Then his cock was caught between those heaving mounds, rubbing around him as she squeezed them together with her hands. The feel of those soft breasts around his cock was amazing, soft warm flesh that held him with tight sweet friction. He closed his eyes, savoring the way it felt.

When her mouth slid over the tip of his cock, he jumped, staring down the length of his body to find her lying between his thighs. Her lips were stretched around the width of his cock, her tongue slipping under it to tease with little flicks against sensitive skin.

Buffy watched his face, her green eyes huge as they looked up at him. He tasted so good and felt so wonderful in her mouth. She'd never been big on oral sex but she'd wanted to do it for him. Her lips covering her teeth, she bobbed up and down, taking as much of him as she could.

His hand tangled in the short strands of her hair, his breathing became heavy and deep. Her mouth felt so good, like hot, wet suction, driving him mad with her slow deliberate movements. He wanted to touch her, to taste her flesh, to slide between her thighs and lose himself in the heat and tightness he knew he'd find. "Come here."

She crawled up the bed, her eyes gleaming, a soft smile upon her face. His hand caught in her hair, pulling her face down to his. Their lips met, open mouthed kisses meant to arouse, wet and sweet. He groaned into her mouth, feeling her lips curve.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he said between kisses.

"I don't think I'd be doing this if I didn't enjoy it," she said then ran her hands through his hair, pressing her naked breasts against his chest as she found his lips again.

"That's not what I meant."

She lifted her head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are enjoying twisting my insides up, making me think about you when I should be concentrating on my patients. I can't get you out of my head," he paused, bringing her back down to kiss once more. "I think about you, wonder what you're doing, whether I'll see you or not, if you're okay. I think I'm falling in love with you."

Buffy felt her heart stop then start beating harder. Her mouth opened but no words came out.

Angel laughed. "You don't have to say it back, Buffy. We haven't known each other that long."

She laid her fingers against his lips, silencing his words. "I don't know how I feel, but I do know that I am attracted to you and that I want to be with you. You've kind of blown me away." For a moment, a vision of what Riley had looked like when he'd walked away from her apartment popped into her head. She pushed it away along with the sadness that had come with it. Tonight was for her, and she wanted to be right here with him.

"I know another way to blow you away," he said, rolling her over onto her back. "But you are definitely wearing too many clothes for what I have in mind." He pulled her pants off, leaving her clad in only a tiny lacy silk thong in bright red. Against her slim pale stomach, the red was like a flag, drawing his eyes and hands to her hips. He pulled the band away from her stomach, letting his lips sink to her stomach, feeling her muscles contract under his mouth. He could smell her now, her arousal a tangy earthy scent that made his nostrils twitch. Sliding his hands around and under her, he squeezed the taut curves of her ass, loving the way they felt on his palms. His hands stroked down her legs and then back up while his mouth explored her stomach and ribs, moving down and then back up, then down again coming ever closer to the wet flesh between her thighs.

Buffy moaned and squirmed, her breath coming out in panting gasps, lifting her hips when his hands finally came back, pulling down the thong before dropping it over the edge of the bed. He stared down at what he'd uncovered, letting his fingers slide over the sleek curls that covered her mound before moving lower. "God, you're driving me nuts. Touch me," she ordered.

"Is that a command?" he dropped a kiss on her pert nipple before sliding his fingers between her thighs.

Buffy felt his long finger slip between her swollen pussy lips, running along her wet slit to the tiny bump of her clit. He circled it, teasing her, making her hips move with a mind of their own as she desperately craved more from him. Her hands twisted against the sheets, fisting the material as the pleasure coiled inside of her. Her legs spread and then closed as she trapped his hand against her, begging for more.

He took his time, watching her slender body writhe on the bed, her slender form undulating against his hand as he pleasured her. He heard her gasp as she passed over the first line of ecstasy, saw her hurtling toward the next.

"Please," she gasped, begging as her eyes opened to stare up at him. "I want you in me."

He moved over her, pushing her thighs far apart, slipping between them. The heat and wetness of her cunt slipped over his cock and then around it as he pushed inside of her. She was tight around him, almost too tight, making him grit his teeth at the sensations spreading from his groin.

Buffy's hands went to his ass, pulling him closer, forcing him to move in her. He was taking her places she'd never thought she was able to go, making her feel things she'd never felt before. He thrust into her hard, his head back as he felt every pulse of her spongy walls around his hard shaft. She watched him even as her own desire tried to pull her in the erotic world of passion's bliss. He was one beautiful man, even with his face contorted in concentration. His body seemed to shine in the dim light, his muscles moving under his skin as he made love with her. His hands seemed huge against her, his fingers stroking and touching parts of her that had never felt so sensitive. He touched her with a gentleness that amazed and tormented her, making her feel things that she hadn't thought she'd ever find with a man.

She reached up and touched his face, pulling him down, finding his mouth with hers. Emotions, raw and intricate, seemed to coil inside of her until she was moving under him with a purpose that was driven by a mixture of caring and lust.

When the pinnacle was reached, when his hands found hers, pulling her arms to the side and entwining with her fingers, she cried out in infinite joy. He pulsed inside her pussy, feeling the spasms of her muscles around his cock that seemed to milk every little bit of his come from inside of him.

Then it was over, his breath harsh and rasping, hers still catching as he collapsed, his elbows barely holding his weight from off of her body. She could hear his heart racing along with hers, and she stroked his back enjoying the contact.

"Angel, I..."

He lifted his head as she paused. "Yes," he urged, stroking his hands through the short wispy tresses of her hair.

"I..." she stared up into his face, her eyes suddenly uncertain.

What she was about to say was lost as the phone on her night table started to ring.