ct20

~~~Part 20~~~

�Are you sure you don�t want me to wait with you until Angel gets back?� Cordelia followed Willow into the hotel room.

Willow gave Cordelia a weak smile. �I�ll be fine. Besides you look as tired as I am and you need your sleep.� Giving her friend a huge hug, the redhead pushed Cordelia to the door. �Plus you�ve got someone waiting for you.�

Just before the brunette passed through the door�s threshold she paused. �She�s being stupid you know. I could personally never give you up, you are the bestest friend anyone could ask for.�

Willow felt her throat close from her friends honest words. �Bestest isn�t a word.� She laughed as she sniffed back a tear.

�See what other friend would point out my ability to slaughter the English language.� Cordelia stood her ground.

�In a way I knew this was what the outcome was going to be, and I�m glad to have it finally over with. All I want is to curl up next to Angel and sleep for a week.� Willow blushed slightly at her forward words.

�Really is that all you want to do?� Cordelia raised a brow, and Willow wished she hadn�t said anything. Right at the moment she didn�t have the energy for a little girl talk.

�Yes and besides nothing has happened-.�

�Yet.� Willow groaned at Cordelia and started pushing her out the door again. The brunette laughed and hugged her friend before she left, her laughter floating down the hall.

Willow turned back to the room and headed toward the bed. Flopping down head first she was soon fast asleep.

~~~*~~~

Angel walked back through the deserted streets, his thoughts on the redhead that was probably in bed already. The conversation that followed after the other�s departure had been awkward and tense. He wouldn�t be surprised to find Giles and Dawn packed and ready to go at the hotel the next night. But with out Buffy who had made it clear that she would not be going back to her former life.

Walking into the lobby of the hotel, Angel searched the desk for the annoying idiot that kept leering at Willow. But the hotel lobby was empty. With a shrug Angel turned toward his and Willow�s room. He had told Giles that they�d stay for two days, giving them a chance to think about what they wanted to do. That meant two more nights with sharing a room with a little redhead that had his tattoo inked on her backside.

Last night having to dress her naked little body had been pure hell. He had erotic dreams about Willow the rest of the night and well into the day. He had found it slightly hard to look Willow in the eye when he first woke up, feeling guilty about the very sexual dreams he had had.

Now he was faced with yet another night in a bed next to the redhead. Angel didn�t know how much more he could take having her by his side and not being able to show her how he felt for her. To be able to hold her close, kiss her delectable throat, whisper the loving words he felt for her deep in his soul.

Stopping to slam his head up against the wall, trying to banish the images of Willow from his mind Angel only succeeded in making a slight dent into the paint chipped wall. Straightening up after a moment he continued to their room. He could do this. Turning the corner he stopped in his tracks to see the greasy man from the lobby standing at his door putting a key into the lock.

Time froze for a moment the demon inside threatening to verge forward and tear the jerk into tiny pieces that they would be getting out of the carpet for years to come. But he was able to control the beast inside, barley.

�Funny, here I thought that this was my room.� Angel stepped behind the man, trying his best to keep an innocent expression on his face. �I thought for sure that my room number was on the key...��Angel stuck his hand into his pocket and fished out his room key. �Yup here it is, room 121.� Taking a step closer to the smelly little man Angel nearly growled. �I guess the question is what are you doing here?�

The little man looked for a way to escape but the larger, pissed of brunette in front of him didn�t leave any options. �The girl called...something about a leaking faucet.�

Angel nodded his head as though he understood. �Ahh, well then why didn�t you just knock and have her answer the door?�

Panic flared in the little prick�s eyes. �I...umm...�

�Here let me tell you what. You so much as look at my girl again I�ll rip your arms off and beat you with them... are you understanding me?� Angel shook the man before dropping him to the ground. �Now leave.� The man tripped over himself as he raced down the hall. Angel was shaking, he knew that the man was trouble, he should have known. What if he hadn't gotten there in time? Willow could have been hurt, and there wouldn�t have been a damn thing he could�ve done to stop it.

Taking a deep unneeded breath Angel opened the door and shut it quietly behind him. Waling a few steps into the room he stopped and smiled to see a still clothed Willow draped across their bed softly snoring. Taking off his jacket and laying it across one of the cheep hotel chairs he went over to the bed and gazed down at the redhead.

Gently he removed her shoes and socks and tried to move her to her side of the bed without waking her. Taking another look he decided that she�d be more comfortable without her jeans on and tried to roll her over. Willow stirred for a moment, then drifted back to sleep. Reaching for the button on her jeans he struggled for a moment then lowered the zipper. Pulling the pants down past her hips he felt himself harden at the sight of her clothed in only her tee shirt and pretty cotton panties.

Turning from the bed to get ready to turn in, Angel mind went back to the disturbing little man that had been trying to enter their room. Angel knew that they couldn�t stay here for another two days. Not when willow was in danger. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl.

Willow... He could have beaten Buffy for causing the redhead so much unneeded pain. Though perhaps things would be easier without the slayer around, Angel still wished he could have done something to lessen the apparent rejection Willow had felt.

Pulling the covers over her little body, he removed his own clothes, readying himself for another painful night of sleeping next to Willow. Slipping in-between the covers, he pulled her to him and breathed in the unique scent that was purely Willow.

�Angel?� Willow�s sleepy voice whispered in the dark.

�Do you usually find yourself sleeping next to strange men in the middle of the night?� Angel smiled and kissed the top of her head.

�Tons...heaps.� Shifting in his arms she tried to get a look at his face in the darkened room. �When did you get back?�

�Just a little while ago.� Angel contemplated telling her about the desk clerk trying to get into the room and decided not to worry her.

�How did it go after we left?� Willow hesitated in asking, not really sure she wanted to know.

�I told them we�d be in town for two days, that if they wanted to come back with us they were more than welcome.� Nuzzling her neck unconsciously.

Willow�s eyes popped open at the intimate gesture and couldn�t help but lean back into him. Angel moaned as he felt Willow�s body press fully into his and couldn�t resist the urge to taste the skin above her pulse point.

Not wanting to push Willow to far too fast Angel pulled away, nearly laughing at her outraged moan. He wanted her, that was without a doubt and by the sweet smell of her arousal she wanted him too. But he refused to have their first time be in some run down dirty hotel room. She deserved better.

Willow laid in the dark confused. Why would he pull away? She knew that there was something there, she wasn�t that naive. Wiggling back against him, hoping that he�d get the hint she wanted more she was rewarded with his arm stiffening around her keeping her in place. Sighing she closed her eyes it was going to be another long night.

~~~~~~