Owing (3/7)

Author- Midnight Faith

Spoilers- Blind Date

Distribution- FF.net, AOH, watcherscouncil.com and Neurotica… anyone else just ask :)

Pairing- Lilah/Lindsey

Rating- NC-17

Summary- Lilah and Lindsey go on a date

Disclaimer- they belong to the almighty Joss… I am but a child in his candy store

Notes- many, many hugs and kisses to Seersha, Minim Calibre for the 'americanising,' and Roseveare for teaching me to write in coherent sentences :)

"Morning," Lindsey said, slipping into Lilah's office and closing the door behind him.

Lilah's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too."

"What are you doing here?" she repeated, slower, deliberate, almost taunting.

"Staff meeting, Thursday, remember? Plus- I wanted to see you."

She got up and silently ushered him into her small coat closet, finger on her lips to indicate she wanted him to be quiet.

"What the hell are you doing? This place is bugged!" she hissed.

"So? I sometimes say 'hi' in the mornings."

"They're gonna know."

"Know what? We fucked? So what?" He looked at her in the darkness and inched a little closer before asking, "Did you sleep?"

"What?"

"Did you sleep?" he repeated, almost patronisingly.

"No. My whole apartment stinks of you. I really need to burn my sheets. You?"

"No. My whole apartment stinks of you," he reached out and lifted her chin slightly. "I missed you."

She froze as if absorbing his words before admitting, "I missed you too."

"But I thought you said we couldn't carry on."

"What? Sleeping together?"

"You used the present tense."

"Freudian slip," she offered.

"I can't stop thinking about you," he confessed, "You're in my head and I can't get you out."

"I'd see someone about that."

"Stop." He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her roughly back into the wall.

The tension crackled in the silence. After a moment, Lilah asked,

"So… your place or mine tonight?"

"Pick you up at seven."

"Pick me up?"

"I'm taking you on a date."

"A date?" she asked incredulously.

"We're gonna be late for the meeting," he pointed out, his face suddenly very close to hers.

"Really? I don't care…"

*****

He caught up with her after the meeting that had, naturally, dragged on for hours, trying not to look obvious as he fell into step with her.

"You like Chinese?"

"What?" she asked, thrown.

"Reservations for tonight."

"And when did I say yes to this date?" she asked, a little frustrated, reaching the elevator and pushing the button. The doors opened with a ding. She waited until they were inside to continue. "We're not dating, Lindsey."

"Then what are we doing?" He hit the emergency stop button.

"Whoa, what are *you* doing?"

"I want to talk."

"Well, I don't."

There was a confusing hush before Lindsey said,

"I'm asking for a date, not for you to pick out a house and names for the kids and you didn't answer my original question yet."

"Which was?"

"Do you like Chinese?"

"I prefer Italian."

"So, reservations at Bella Pasta?"

She made a face.

"Sun Valley? How about Guiseppes' in Beverly Hills?"

"You're not a cheap date."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"Why not Chinese?"

"Because with Italian when it says chicken you know you're getting chicken and not… cat or something."

He smiled. "So I guess we're going on a date then?"

"Guess we are. Beats sitting at home with 'Survivor' anyway- plus I'm getting a free dinner."

"And a movie."

"There's a movie now?"

"The Phantom Menace- no arguments."

She pouted before sidling closer, caressing him through his pants and saying,

"Take me to see The Sixth Sense and I promise sexual favours on my sofa. Of the sucking kind."

He leaned into her touch, "No, I get to screw you on your sofa. Then your kitchen table. Then your bed. And then in the morning in your shower."

"So you're counting on there being a morning after?" she asked, beginning to get a little breathless.

"Looks like you are," he said, noting her flushed face. He slipped his forefinger in a smooth line from her lips, down the front of her shirt and inside her panties, taking a moment to stroke a little before withdrawing and hitting the emergency stop button in one fluid motion. The elevator began to move again.

*****

"Did you have fun?" Lindsey asked Lilah on her doorstep, long after midnight.

"No," she told him with a smile.

"You enjoyed the movie," he teased.

"You enjoyed it more and…" she sidled closer and breathed in his ear, nipping lightly at the lobe, "Per our previous agreement you get to screw me on the sofa." She pulled him close and kissed him roughly, somehow opening the door one-handed. They fell inside and staggered for the sofa.

"Lilah?" He drew back and out of her reach.

"What? Isn't this supposed to go sofa, kitchen, bed, morning, shower?"

"Can we skip ahead to the bed, morning, shower part? I don't feel like acrobatics tonight."

"Sure." She shrugged.

He offered a hand, but she declined, simply walking to her room. She flicked on the light and looked half shocked to turn and see him standing there, as if she'd expected him not to follow, though she didn't know why. They stared at each other in the light for a moment before she was over to him, kissing him hungrily. He let her, and eventually she pulled them both roughly back onto the bed.

He scooped her up and lay her gently back against the pillows before she could protest. Lilah half lunged at him again, hands down his pants, teeth and lips assaulting his neck and ears.

"Gently," he almost chided, pinning her arms back against the pillows. She lay there frozen for a second as he began to remove clothing and kiss her softly, linking his hands with hers.

It was the first time they'd done 'holding hands' and Lilah quickly got the picture. Gradual squeezing, soft kissing, gentle pressure of pelvis on pelvis.

Eventually when Lindsey had undressed them both and watched fascinated as Lilah rolled a condom onto him; he eased her back down and slowly pushed inside.

"God, Lindsey this is so…" she gasped, arching out against him, taking him deeper into her.

"What?" he whispered.

"Good. So good."

He watched her beneath him, as he moved inside her. She looked so- fresh. Free of all inhibitions, the bitch persona and the sarcasm had all melted away, her entire world for a brief moment becoming him, this. He stilled, taking the moment just to smile down at her. She looked back up at him, lips parting, pulling his face down to her to kiss him as she came. The dual sensation was enough to send him over the edge.

For a few minutes he held her, recovering, before rolling off, lying down and not touching, knowing the next move had to come from her.

He listened to her unsteady breathing regulate again and then a few minutes later there was an arm across his chest, a nose gently nuzzling against his cheek, and cautious lips kissing his jaw. He slipped his arm around her shoulders, smiling.

She was still for a few minutes before turning away from him, shaking, frightened.

He followed her, pulling her close.

"Hey," he said soothingly, kissing her shoulder, "What's the matter? You’re shaking. Why? Are you scared?"

"No! I don't do scared."

His hands softly traced up and down her side.

She flipped over to face him again, earning a gentle kiss.

"You mind if I get some water?" he asked.

"Go ahead."

He slid out of bed, locating his boxers before inquiring,

"Do you want anything?"

"No. Yes, actually. The same."

He smiled, kissing her once on the forehead before exiting, and in the few minutes he was gone she cleaned up a little, finding her white silky robe on the floor and shrugging it on. She sat on the bed and waited.

When he returned, he handed her a glass of water and they drank in silence until Lindsey noted,

"God, a night isn't long enough. How can it be nearly over already?"

"Come and stay this weekend?" she blurted, without thinking.

Lindsey smiled.

"I'd really like that."

He slipped an arm around her waist and squeezed gently.

Taking his glass from him and setting her own down, Lilah straddled his lap and began to kiss his neck provocatively.

"Lilah," he protested, stroking her hair and face, "I'm really tired. Can't we just… recover for a minute?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

He cradled her in his arms, his nose in her hair to inhale her scent. "What should I bring this weekend?"

"Just yourself."

"A couple of changes of clothes?"

"There's gonna be clothes?" She pouted and kissed him.

"We have to move for food," he pointed out, "And you have apartments opposite and no drapes… so unless you want to end up in jail for indecent exposure…"

"OK *some* clothes. I'll vet them at the door."

"I'll bring food," he said. "Not Chinese. Champagne and caviar?"

"Fish eggs?"

"Scotch and chocolates?"

"Now you're talking."

"And DVDs."

"DVDs?" she asked sceptically.

"Yes, Lilah. It's like a video but on a disc…"

"I know what they are, idiot. You think there's gonna be time for DVDs?"

"If I bring Bridget Jones and we have a 'screwing break' half way through."

She pulled him back down on top of her.

"How about we have a screwing break right now?"

He didn't object.