(Post "Not Fade Away". Angel/Nina. The characters are Joss's, of course. *Sigh* No infringement is intended.)
She walked along the beach, pausing occasionally to kick at the sand as the water swirled around her ankles. It was night and the clouds shrouding the deserted beach matched her mood. She was wearing shorts and a man's shirt with the ends knotted under her breasts. She swung her shoes back and forth in her left hand as she absent mindedly toyed with the shirt's buttons with her right hand.
He probably didn't even remember that she had taken the shirt home after their last night together. When she had got up after they had made love that morning, she had rummaged in one of his closets and picked this one out. Although clean and pressed, somehow she could smell him when she buried her face in the fresh cotton. Maybe it was her heightened senses, but she thought she could STILL pick up his scent on the shirt.
She smiled, recalling that last time they had been together. They had started with supper, a sweet romantic one with candles and wine and the lights turned low. The food had been delicious, but she hadn't been able to keep her mind on anything but him. He never understood the effect he had on her. Maybe the stories the others told her were true about what a frightening monster his other side was, but to her he had never been anything but caring and once she had broken through his defenses, loving.
They had made love all night long. The next morning she had teased him about being perfectly happy. It wasn't him though who was that happy, it was her. He had got up to answer the phone and then climbed into the shower. She had slipped out of the bed, originally planning on joining him. For some reason, when she had seen the shirt hanging in his open closet, she had crossed the room and donned it.
She had been looking at herself in the mirror when he came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist He had liked the way she looked in it. Just that shirt. Large enough to modestly cover her, his eyes had bounced back and forth from her legs to where she hadn't quite fastened all the top buttons. Not fastening them was a good thing. When she had looked in the mirror he had moved behind her with the stealthy grace and speed that always took her breath away. His hands had encircled her waist and he had lowered his head to kiss and gently nibble the side of her neck.
She had leaned back against him, enjoying the feel of his lips and the touch of his strong hands on her sides. He had whispered how much he enjoyed the picture she made in that shirt, but that he was going to have to take it off her. She started to protest, then subsided as his fingers stole around her waist and began to undo the buttons she had fastened.
She turned her head and tried to kiss him. Soft laughter had answered her as he switched to the other side of her neck and then began to lick up to her ear. The shirt was fully open by then and he released her just long enough to slide it down her arms and toss it onto a nearby chair.
Fair was fair. The moment the shirt came off she had spun around and her hands had pulled free the towel around his waist. She had jumped up into his arms and he had caught her and carried her back to the bed. He had tried to lower her to the mattress but she had wrapped her legs around him along with her arms and refused to let go.
He looked at her with a grin and demanded to know if this meant she wanted to get on top. She hadn't thought of that, but it seemed like a great idea. She nodded and he turned and fell backwards on to the bed, carrying her with him.
She had straddled him, leaned forward and kissed him. She felt his chest against her breasts and wiggled slightly, allowing her nipples to brush back and forth against his cool skin. At the same time she reached between them, taking his cock in her fingers and guiding it to her. It had only taken a moment for her to slide down onto him, impaling herself on his shaft.
She had straightened, her eyes closed and braced her hands on her hips. He had reached up, taking her breasts in his fingers. On her knees over him, she had risen and fallen onto him, each time allowing herself to fall harder onto his cock. She had ground her ass against him, moving the hard shaft inside her, the head touching her soft spot and rubbing against it.
Faster and faster she had moved. His fingers had been so gentle, stroking her breasts, caressing and teasing her aching nipples. As she felt them both near the peak she had grasped his hands and pulled them down to her hips, where he had helped her ride him until they both came in a long, delightful orgasm.
After they had laid together and teased each other. She adored being in his arms, her head pillowed on his shoulder. He had finally been forced to admit that he was late to a meeting and left her back in the bed with a smile and a goodbye kiss. Later, when she dressed and went home, she had automatically picked up the shirt and taken it with her.
She never thought of it when they were together, but sometimes when she thought about the simple, loving, affectionate gestures, especially when he would kiss her neck, she would shiver. It was one thing to accept intellectually what she knew about his past, what he had freely confessed in fact. That same caress the made her feel so warm and cared for had meant something quite different once upon a time.
She put the thought firmly from her. That was who he had been, not who he was now. "You're MY hero." she had told him, and she meant it. Innocent people were in more danger from her now when the moon was full.
She tensed and broke stride as the moon peeked out from the drifting clouds and shone onto the long expanse of white sand. It was safe, she was safe. Not even half-full yet, the waxing orb would not have its effect for a couple of weeks yet.
She stopped and turned to face out towards the ocean. Her thoughts were in turmoil. What was she going to do without him? What was going to happen when the moon exerted its influence next time? She had followed the news from LA. It wasn't a front page article, but the collapse of a large downtown office building had not gone unnoticed. The story had said it looked like something had sucked the prestigious law firm's headquarters into the ground.
