Tai Chi, when done right, requires the utmost concentration.  The mind must be a complete blank, focused only on the movements, the energy from one limb to the next.

All force must be spent, and  it leaves room for nothing else.

Angel’s still heart was always thrown into this art. It gave him strength, both in his body and in his mind.

Nothing could deter him from the task.

Nothing, that is, expect perhaps the clanking of heels on the ceiling above him and the clatter of the same sound on the steps.

Angel stopped his movements, and wiped at his sweaty forehead, peering up at the stairs to see his office “associate” Cordelia Chase come storming down.

“Cordelia.” He greeted the brunette calmly, resuming his actions. “How was the audition?”

She didn’t answer, her face was unreadable, and Angel looked up wearily to see a familiar predatory look in her eyes. Immediately, he was on guard.

“Uh… Cordelia-“

She came forward, grabbed his sweaty arms and stared at him.  “Kiss me.”

“WHAT?!” He sputtered, backing away from her in shock and surprise.

The sultry look disappeared and she crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes with that look that Angel recognized only appeared when she was absolutely determined to get her way.

“Angel. Get over the shock because you’re going to kiss me.”

He kept backing away, hands out in front of him to keep Cordelia at arms length, scrambling for something to tell her.  “Cordelia. I realize… that at one point you thought I was … attractive, and I’d be lying if I said you weren’t quite good-looking but -“

She rolled her eyes and cut him off.   “The fact that you’re hot has nothing to do with this. You think I’d enjoy kissing a dead guy? Please. If I can kiss you, I can kiss anybody, so pucker up.”

She moved forward again and he placed his hands on her bare shoulders to hold her at arms length.

“What is the matter with you?” He snapped.

“My audition? It was for one of those soap commercials!” She huffed, crossing her arms, wrinkling her nose at the thought. “National, to boot! And  I almost got it!”

“What does this have to do with your sudden need for a liplock?” He asked, completely bewildered.

“I’m getting to that. Get your sweaty hands off my shoulders.” She remarked, brushing him off, then pacing back to the refrigerator to get a coke as she kept talking.  “So I had to kiss a guy, and he… well he was okay, but hey! I’m a professional, right? I kissed the guy.  And then do you KNOW what the producer said?” She turned, squinting at him.

Angel was at a complete loss for words.

“He said it was lame. MY kiss, was LAME!” She retorted, running her hands through her hair in obvious frustration. “ME! I don’t give lame kisses, Angel. I NEVER give lame kisses. Somehow, in between Xander’s  rubber lips and Wesley’s and Doyle’s parting one, I’ve lost my touch.”  She looked horrified at the thought.

He cocked his head in bewilderment. “I don’t think that you-“

“So, I need to practice. Purely professional, Angel. I need a good make-out session to get better, and you’re safe. Nothing happened the last time. So it’s okay to kiss you.”

“Okay, you’re logic is just….. not there.” He responded, finally getting some of his senses back at this ludicrous conversation.

“Angel, come on. You’re GOING to help me.”

Did she just order him? What was he, a pushover?  “No, I’m NOT.”

“If  you want me to tell you what happens in my head next time I get a vision, you will.”

His eyes widened. She was blackmailing him?! Where did she get off?

“Cordelia, you’re going to tell me because lives depend on it.”

She raised an eyebrow, not saying a word.

“Well, can’t you get Wesley to do it?” He finally asked.

“Oh, please! He kisses like a fish! The idea is to get better, not worse!”

“I’m not kissing you Cordelia.” He said, his tone stern and leaving no room for argument.

They engaged in a small staring contest, until finally Cordelia huffed, “You know what? Fine.”  She settled at the table, looking at her coke bottle forlornly.   “You know I do a lot for you, and you NEVER appreciate it. You think I LIKE those damn headaches I get? No. But I bear them. FOR YOU.”

“Cordelia, I really don’t think this qualifies as a worker’s benefit-“ Angel began.

“This is my one chance to BE somebody Angel.” She whispered.  “I came to you because I thought I could count on you, because I thought we were friends.”

Oh, dammit, now her voice was trembling.  Were those tears in her eyes? Angel shuffled uncomfortably. He never was able to take woman crying. It bothered him to no end.

If he didn’t know Cordelia’s insecurities, and the blatant truth that he was possibly all she had in this world, and the knowledge that she was all he had, he would have thought that maybe she was playing him, using the crying technique to bend him.

But he did know, and the brooding guilt that usually was a blanket over his soul suddenly became a bit  heavier.

“Cordelia.” He began heavily.

“No, Angel, I understand.” She said softly, using a napkin to wipe tenderly at her face, not looking at him. “Even though you don’t pay me enough, and I need this job to make rent, I still respect your decision.”

Angel suddenly had a brief glimpse of the future in the office, of having Cordelia miffed and her annoying ability to guilt trip him.  It wasn’t a nice thought.

Ah hell. What was just a kiss? It didn’t mean anything, she had kissed him before, and like she said, it was nothing.  If it was going to help her, then why not? He wouldn’t be a true friend if he didn’t at least try.

Anything to get her to stop crying.

“Fine. Five minutes.” He finally said.

“Good!” She said, suddenly chirpy as she got up and walked toward him.  At the sudden change of attitude, he gazed at her suspiciously but she only smiled innocently.

“So we just…. kiss then?” He asked uncomfortably.

“I guess.” She put her hands on his forearms and immediately grimaced, taking them off.  “Wait, you’re all stinky. It’s gross. Can’t you like, shower or something?”

“Cordelia-“ He began, a warning note in his voice.

“Okay, okay.” She said quickly, aware he was about to take back the promise. “This is fine. Icky, but fine.” She added, wiping her hands off on his pants.

They looked at each other for a minute, and Cordelia shrugged, as if to say, let’s just get this overwith, and then lunged, attacking Angel’s lips.

Angel gasped in surprise, grabbing her arms and pushing her back.

“Woah, woah.”  He said, pulling away. “What are you doing?”

She gave him a confused look. “I’m kissing you.”

“That wasn’t kissing. That was…. Hell, Cordelia, I’d hate to ever see you as a vampire. Your lunge is deadly.”

She glared at him and he felt himself smirk, finally assuming the role of teacher, when he saw she desperately needed it.

“No, Cordelia, you start, slowly. Building up the passion, see?” He slid his hands up and down her arm. “First with a touch, you stare into the other person’s eyes.” He gave her a deep soulful gaze, his voice soft and seductive. “Like there’s no one else that’s even existed.”

“Okay.” She  rasped, her voice oddly choked as her hazel eyes matched his.  “Now what?”

“Put your arms around me.” He instructed.

“But you’re all stin-okay, okay.” She said, before he could glare at her.  Hastily she wrapped her arms around his neck, inadvertently bringing her body close against his.

“Good,” he said, a smile on his face. Cordelia smiled at the praise, and Angel found himself nodding.  She really was beautiful when she wasn’t saying a word. He was surprised that she seemed so inexperienced. A woman with her looks usually -

He cut his thoughts off when he realized she was still staring at him, slightly impatient. “Well?”

“Well, what?” He retorted, just holding her, looking into her eyes. “Half the torment of a great kiss Cordelia is the waiting, the sweet pleasure, the anticipating, letting the passion build up-“

“Angel can we kiss now to get this over with?”

“Will you shut up and not ruin the mood?”

Sighing, she nodded, acquiescing.  “Good, keep looking into my eyes.” He whispered, pulling in closer.  “Now, slowly, bring you head closer to mine, and keep looking into my eyes.”

“What is it with you and the eyes?” She murmured, obeying. Her lips hovered millimeters from his, so close he could feel her heat radiating from them. He felt a low warmth spread itself throughout him, felt his body harden in response.

He stared at her lips, found them perfect and open, her breath light and airy as she waited. “Close your eyes.” He said gruffly.

“But you just told me to-“

“Do it.” He growled, his frustration evident in the tone.  She rolled her eyes, but nodded, leaning into him as she murmured.

“Geez. Aren’t we tense.”

He felt his body shudder when she slid her hands down his chest and finally gave up, tenderly nipping at her lips.

She sighed against his cold ones, responding instantly, slowly at first, following each nip of his with a nip of her own.

Her lips were soft and yet, remarkably,  they held their own against his when he increased the pressure. Her hands snaked to his neck and she entangled her fingers in his hair, soft sounds of pleasure coming from her throat.

Angel felt his senses deplete with every touch of her lips, becoming increasingly distracted by the feel of her fingers rubbing against his scalp.

Her kiss was different than Buffy’s. In Buffy’s kiss was a familiar innocence, passionate and sweet. Cordelia’s kiss told of desire, wicked desire and a playfulness that made him crush her body to him, found himself closing his eyes and despite the mind numbing thought that this was supposed to be “practice” lost himself in it, cherishing each moist embrace.

She moaned, a soft, delicate, husky tremor that seemed to go right through him, weakened him so that he found himself gripping her tighter for support.

The added weight caused her to gasp her breath, and when her mouth opened, his tongue swept inside, plundering it in a loss of control that she was only too glad to share.

Their mouths raced against each other, hands moving around, trying to get closer together, and then they suddenly stilled.

Mouths were still pressed together, eyes were closed, but they were completely still, for the moment only reveling in the feel of the soft lips barely caressing each other.

Ever so slowly, their mouths inched apart.

His eyes opened and he  stared at her, felt her breasts pushed against his chest, found himself keeping her close, as his mind whirled, in a fog of desire and self fulfillment.

Her hazel eyes seemed to shimmer and she leaned up, pressing her palms delicately against his face in a loving caress.

“Did you feel anything?” She whispered, gazing into his eyes as if she could peer into his very soul.

“Yes.” He breathed, found himself clasping his arms around her waist, found himself unable to stop from descending his lips again.

“Good!” She said suddenly, launching out of his arms  “Thanks! That really helped. See you later!”  Waving, she smiled and grabbed her purse, skipping up the stairs.

Angel found himself staring after her in numb shock.

He had been about to kiss her again. He found his eyes roving over her body, that shirt and skirt leaving little to the imagination he found himself taking full advantage of that fact.

Oh, God. It was a practice session That kiss didn’t mean anything. This was not a kiss. This was practice.

Just because he had felt-

No. no. Angel, shut up. This is your annoying sidekick.

A sidekick who every guy that had walked into the office had ogled except him.

Angel scratched his head in bewilderment.

And felt himself groan when he realized he had had every intention of kissing her again, and the practice session was definitely NOT in his mind then.

He had the hots of Cordelia Chase.

Oh, dammit.