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Straight and Narrow
Part IV - The Dinner
by Spirit
Author: naughtyspirit@cableinet.co.uk
Pairing: Lindsey/Kate
Rating: NC17
Summary: Before all the madness of Angel, Kate and Lindsey meet.
Disclaimer: Not mine, although I really wouldn't mind borrowing Lindsey from
Joss if he did this. Of course, I'd give him back afterwards. Promise.
Notes: Sometimes I really wish I'd copied all the wonderful Lindsey
conversations I've had with Lar as she makes any obsession I have look mild.
And she comes up with wonderful seduce-the-man suggestions.
~~~~
Lindsey stares out the window as he narrates into the little machine. The
shaded glass can't quite keep out the flare and he squints a lot, wondering
what he's looking for. He's not dumb enough to believe that he could see one
person out there among thousands, or that she'd be anywhere round here. He
makes himself walk away, closing the blinds and refusing to work out how
many hours lie between now and nine tonight.
In the past four days he's busied himself with work, easy to do and far more
sensible than giving in to the urge and going to her. Lindsey's only picked
up the phone once to talk to her, establishing that yes, he did say nine and
did she want to bring her PJs? He catches his reflection in the mirror as he
speaks to her, noting the lazy grin that looks unfamiliar. After she hangs
up, her voice still echoing drolly in his ear, he realizes what it is and
asks himself how long it's been since he's been able to smile without an
ulterior motive.
Too long.
Lee walks in now, smugly dressed, expression suiting management ass kisser.
The files under his arm are all uniformly tucked - this guy ever leaves
anything to chance, never resists an opportunity to push his case. For the
first month, Lindsey wondered if that was the way to go, but he's never been
that good at sucking up. He always feels false and doing it makes him look
like an ass. So whenever it's required, he always walk away with a sour
taste in his mouth. Lee on the other hand is a pro and whatever his reason
is for being in his office, Lindsey's sure it doesn't entail cream cakes and
an invite to the summerhouse.
"What do you want, Lee? I'm busy here."
Lee holds his free hand up. "Came by to whisper a little something your
way."
"Delivering sweet nothings now?"
"More like a forewarning. Holland's on his way up here and I hear he wants
to see you."
Lindsey frowns at the news, sickened by Lee's cheery conceit, trying to work
out what he's done lately to draw Mr. Manners' attention. If Lee's
delivering the news, it isn't going to be an invite upstairs.
"Word is that you've got yourself a little inside information downtown."
"What?"
He knows his tone is too sharp, winces as he sees Lee pick up on it. He
tries to think what interest Holland would take in his personal life,
realizes too late that within this corporation, he isn't entitled to one
without governing approval. But he's not just one of the flock here -
Lindsey's good at his job, good at taking the right risks and he's sure he
can talk his way out of this one. Besides, it may only be that Holland wants
to know if it's part of some deal he's working, something that would taint
Wolfram and Hart's sainted image if it were made public. How's he supposed
to make Holland believe that he's doing something far simpler and much more
dangerous than that?
"I'll leave you to your execution then. Hope it was worth it."
Lindsey glares at Lee until he slinks out. He stares gloomily at the door as
Holland taps Lee on the shoulder and offers Lindsey his famous noncommittal
smile. He's only slightly relieved that Holland is alone - no bulky security
behind him with loaded guilt.
"Lindsey. I trust we're keeping you busy?"
He nods, wondering if his head is on a string now. He doesn't want to be a
puppet.
"Yes sir, making the most of my time here."
"Good," says Holland, smile transparently a mask, though behind it is still
a mystery, "I'm glad to hear that."
There's a pause and Lindsey knows he's expected to fill it, leap ahead of
the conversation and apologize. But he's damn sure he hasn't done anything
to apologize for, and if his involvement with Kate is in question, he's
going to wait until hears the questions up front. And honesty, weird in this
environment, is about the only way he can go.
Holland nods and Lindsey can't shake the feeling that he's just passed some
kind of test. The older man takes a seat in front of his desk and gestures
to Lindsey to sit down. He sits and assesses the positioning - being put in
power - just how deep is this conversation going to contribute to his
position?
"Lindsey, you're not a stupid man. God knows we have protocol to deal with
those unfortunates, so I can dispense with the preamble."
Lindsey holds his breath and meets Holland's gaze. Never look away - never
back down when you're in a corner.
"The point is, Lindsey, we've received reports that you've been socializing
with a police officer. One," he pauses as though calling the name back from
his memory, "Detective Lockley."
"Yes, sir."
"Good, so.we know whom we're talking about."
Lindsey breathes out slowly, feels the cold air hiss past his teeth and
forces himself to unclench his fists. He should stay quiet, should be still,
but he feels protective and isn't quite sure why.
"Sir, I don't see what this has to do with my position here. I keep that
part of my life quite separate."
Holland smiles and tilts his head to the side. "I don't quite think that's
possible, for you or for her."
"We're aware of misinterpretation, sir. It's not an issue. You have my word
on that."
"Oh I don't doubt you believe that now," Holland brushes an imaginary piece
of fluff off his jacket, "but love has a funny way of turning a man's head."
Lindsey shakes his head, ignoring the tightening in his chest. "With all due
respect, we're talking about a couple of dates, not Gone with the Wind."
And he has to deal with the smile again, hears all the unasked and unwanted
questions and comments. He's dating one of the opposite number and no matter
how much he wants to deny it, Lindsey knows he's a lot more involved than he
'll allow anyone, including Kate, to know. He isn't sure if it's because of
the newness, or the illicit nature of their relationship, but right now he
can't seem to do anything without thinking about her. The smell of her.the
way she tastes.he's becoming the thing he can't afford to be, acting with a
freedom he no longer has.
"Sir, I can understand your misgivings, but I assure you it won't affect my
performance here."
Holland nods slowly, leaving the silence as uncomfortable as possible. "Well
perhaps you can work this out in your favor. I'm sure you can be quite
persuasive when you need to be."
Lindsey clenches his fists round the arms of his chair, out of Holland's
sight, but he's certain the other man knows how sick it makes him feel. He
rises and moves to the door, holding it open as politely as he can,
determined to get the man out of there so he can air the room out. Holland
takes his time and edges out, bidding him good day and assuring Lindsey that
if there's anything he can do, just to call him.
Lee stands forward, enquiring after Holland's health before grinning at
Lindsey. He steps back inside, closing the door behind him and locking it.
And for the first time, Lindsey asks whether this benefit package was worth
it. He looks up at the clock, sees it tick over to just past five and
registers 'four hours' before he can stop himself. That the thought calms
him has got to be because of the distraction.
He's above anything else.
~~~
Kate catches her father's eyes as she steps inside the bar. She sees him
take in her outfit disparagingly before ordering in another round.
Tightening the strap on her purse, she fixes a pleasant smile and sits down
next to him, waiting for him to turn around and acknowledge her.
"Dressed up specially for your old man?"
"I have a date later." She pauses as he hands her the bottle. "Do you like
it?"
Trevor shrugs and reaches for the pretzels.
"Your Mom always looked real classy. Used to make her own."
She stamps down on the hurt and shrugs back the first taste. "Mom wasn't
dealing with assholes every day."
"Your Mom worked hard, Katie." He closes his eyes at some distant memory.
"And you watch your mouth."
They sit silently for a few minutes as the first beer settles down. Each
time they meet, it feels like a ritual she has to go through while he runs
off his checklist of what's wrong with her. And though she's seen other
families act differently, she can't shake the feeling that this is in some
way her fault. She should have tried harder, kept them together when he
wanted to walk away leaving this shell behind, she should have made it work.
She tries hard not to blame him for the distance, but it gets harder each
time and they meet less frequently now - contact more frequently a wave as
they pass at the station.
"So," says Trevor slowly, the words lethargic on his tongue, "who is this
date?"
"Lindsey."
"He have a last name?"
She reaches for the second beer before stopping herself. Kate doesn't want
to have to drink her way through these meetings, and the name feels good
against her lips. "McDonald, Dad. You don't know him."
"He's not on the job?"
"No, he's a lawyer."
She sees the disapproval on his face and wonders if she should have said
doctor, or teacher, or anything else. But Kate's not stupid and knows that
he could be the High King of Peru and her dad would still find something to
dislike.
"Huh, I suppose someone has to date them."
"You don't even know him."
"And what kind of name is 'Lindsey' anyway? I knew a girl called Lindsey
once."
She takes a deep breath.
"Dad, he's nice. He's making me dinner and." she pauses as she goes for a
full body recollect of what Lindsey's capable of, ".I like him."
Trevor grunts and orders in another beer.
"So do I get to meet him?"
"Maybe."
He shakes his head and stares at the mirror behind the bar.
"Maybe I'll get a glimpse when he picks you up."
Kate frowns and rustles in her purse for a tissue. She pulls on out and
wipes the smudged lipstick from her mouth.
"Dad, he's not picking me up. I'm going to his apartment."
"Some gentleman."
She laughs and meets his puzzlement in the mirror. "He is - some gentleman I
mean."
"Well he's got you good and proper. Going over to his place and you wearing
that kind of dress."
He nods at her ensemble - clinging, but simple, enough to bring Lindsey into
the right frame of mind and any reasonable father out of the wrong one. But
not hers, apparently.
"There's nothing wrong with the way I'm dressed, Dad."
She's sees him open his mouth and Kate can't stand to hear another sentence
begin with 'your Mom'. She grabs her purse and kisses him on the cheek.
"I've got to go. I'll see you soon."
"Well if you can't make time, I understand. You're very busy."
Kate flinches, then closes her hand decisively round the strap and hauls her
purse over her shoulder.
"I'll see you soon, Daddy."
She walks out and feels him deliberately staring away from her. This
distance is something she's never going to be able to close.
~~~~
He opens the door with a bottle opener in one hand and what he knows is a
disheveled suit.
"You're early."
"And I'm seeing now that it's a problem," says Kate with an uncomfortable
smile. "If you want, I can come back in half an hour."
Lindsey recovers his composure and shakes his head. "No, no.it's not you. I
got back from work later than I planned."
He takes her hand and invites her in, picking up his dumped work
paraphernalia, as she stands amused behind him. Lindsey winces at the
disarray - this was supposed to be perfect. He offers to take her coat and
breaks the hook as he tries to hang it up. He growls and turns back to her,
ready with an apology before Lindsey sees her properly.
"You're beautiful."
She rolls her eyes, but he knows she's pleased.
"Well even when you forget everything else, the charm's still working on
auto."
Lindsey shakes his head and steps closer to her, sliding his hands up her
arms and working her into his embrace.
"I mean it," he says softly. "You get prettier each time I see you."
She raises an eyebrow and whispers against his lips.
"Even it's just the words, I like hearing you say that."
He brushes his lips against hers, tastes mint and the vague tang of beer.
And though he wants to go get changed, he's hard already, biting back the
urge to lean her back against his sofa and fuck her as hard as he can.
Lindsey slides his hand down her back, registers the lack of bra, reaches
her hips and pulls her against him, pleased when she parts her thighs so his
leg can slip between them. And as his hand cups the curve of her ass, he
teases her lips apart and kisses her deeply. He breaks away as something
occurs to him.
"You're not wearing anything under this, are you?"
"Not a stitch."
He chuckles and squeezes her ass. "How am I supposed to cook dinner when
there's other good things to eat?"
She leans back and casts her imperious detective expression at him.
"It's not ready yet?"
He swallows and offers her up a grin.
"Like I said, I got back late."
"Damn, and I was hoping to be impressed by your culinary skills."
Lindsey gestures to the kitchen without letting her body escape his even by
an inch.
"You still can. Just give me a minute to shower and get changed."
"I like that plan all the way up to the shower."
He nuzzles along her neck, finding the hollow of her throat, licking it as
she moans quietly.
"Can always join me."
"Mmm, maybe another time."
"What?"
He straightens up, unsure where his attractiveness has disappeared to in the
past minute. But she's grinning at him, skin glowing and as he presses
against her, Lindsey feels her nipples, peaked against his chest.
"No offense cowboy, but I'm starving. Chinese okay?"
Lindsey nods and attempts to disentangle himself, but his body fits fine
just there, matches where she dips, slides where she curves. He can smell
her perfume, promises himself that he'll find the aroma and buy her a closet
full. She smells, tastes, feels good and it takes Kate to walk away and pick
up the phone. He listens as she dials in and gives the order before he moves
away and takes a shower. As he steps out, towel in hand, she walks to the
door to watch him.
"Can I help you, ma'am?"
She grins and stretches her arms out against the coolness of the bathroom
tiles.
"I'm sure you can. Anything particular in mind?"
He hears the hesitation in her voice and recognizes that this really is
unfamiliar territory for her. Maybe flirting's not innate after all.
"I could help you out of those wet clothes."
"They're not...oh no Lindsey, no you don't."
She steps back, but it's too late and he wraps his arms around her, whole
body slicked up against the filmy fabric. She opens her mouth to protest,
groaning deeply as he kisses her. And Lindsey doesn't object as her tongue
sinks into his mouth, pushing forward and finding his own. He could kiss her
this way all night, his hands massaging her back as the soaked dress melts
between them. With an effort, he lifts his hand up to find the zipper,
unhitches the clasp and slides it down, fingers tingling at the bare skin
beneath. Her dress slides unsteadily down, sticking on her hips as Lindsey
pushes against her.
She lets out a startled cry as her bare ass hits the tiles and Lindsey picks
her up, walks into the den and lets them both drop onto the sofa. Kate
arches her back, wrapping her legs round his back as he thrusts forward,
mouths nibbling and caressing as he slides the head of his cock inside. They
hear the knock at the door and freeze, Lindsey's ass clenched as he tries to
stop himself burying deep inside her.
"Maybe they'll go away," murmurs Kate against his ear.
He nods and starts kissing her again, leaning forward and feeling the creamy
moistness close around him. He can feel her body throbbing as he slides in,
a different beat than his own, threatening his control. But the knock at the
door becomes more insistent and he hears the voice behind it, assertive and
not willing to walk away.
"It's the take-out," he groans and she lets out a muffled chuckle. "You
really that hungry?"
She grins at him and nods. Lindsey closes his eyes a second and rests
against her neck before pushing deep inside her until the base of his cock
bumps against her body. As she sighs, he pulls back and gets up, passing her
the throw as he calls out to the delivery boy to wait. Lindsey answers the
door in his robe, Kate hidden on the sofa. He opens the door and hands the
money over, ignoring the lascivious look the teenager gives him. Grabbing a
bottle and a couple of glasses from the kitchen, he returns to her,
relishing the glow she wears, determined to make her stay that way all
night.
He passes a carton over, fingers lingering on her bare arm.
"I want to see every last noodle eaten."
Kate laughs and twirls the chopsticks in the box. "You going to spank me if
I don't?"
He shakes his head, sliding his hand under the throw and cupping her breast.
She licks her lips and leans forward until his thumb rubs gently over the
tip. He covers the distance, slipping his cool tongue against the tensed
flesh, sucking it into his mouth as she moans. Lindsey grins against her
breast, slips his free hand down between her thighs, wet against his
fingers. He rubs strokes along the parting flesh, pinching lightly as she
squirms against his hand. Lindsey plays and slips his index finger, up,
erection growing again as her muscles contract around him. As her moaning
grows louder, he flattens his hand and pulls back, loosing her nipple from
his mouth and leaning back.
"Lindsey.you stopped?"
He grins at her. "Every last noodle."
As realization sinks in, Kate shakes her head, half laughing, half panting
as she settles back against the sofa.
"You bastard," she says with a grin. "I was so close."
Lindsey sits back and licks his fingers. "I know, darlin'. I'll make it up
to you, I promise."
"Promises, promises."
Lindsey leans forward, nibbles the chicken off her chopstick and grins at
her. "Call it a contract."
She chuckles and they eat, bantering lightly as he pours out more wine. They
talk, nothing major - nothing involved with work and he begins to relax, a
pressure he wasn't aware he was under seeping away as she tells him about an
incident with someone he doesn't know, doing something he wouldn't do. It's
easy to make her feel good, easy to pay attention and watch as that rarely
used smile comes to the fore. She steers the conversation subtly away from
her parents, and though he lets her, Lindsey stores that information away
for future consideration. And then he stops himself, because this isn't
about winning and she doesn't need that from him.
"You did bring your PJ's, right?"
She takes his hand and rests it on her hip.
"I'm wearing them."
He nods. "I like the color."
She shrugs and flips the throw flat. "Well it was in my size."
It's just so simple now, casual commentary and her mouth fits smoothly
beneath his, lips wet enough to slide over his own. He wraps her up,
covering her body, insistent pressure and dammit, he feels happy. Lindsey
wonders if this is what peace could be like - a place where you don't need
to hold your breath and wait for the fall. He inhales deeply against her
hair, the urge to stroke it overpowering. He closes his eyes and sighs
heavily against her neck.
"You okay, Lindsey?"
He leans back and catches the uncertainty on her face.
"I will be in a minute."
She tilts her head to the side and looks at him closely.
"You got me on a schedule here?"
Lindsey draws a line from her collarbone to her navel. Crosses it at the top
and starts writing times down across her breast. Scribbles across the other
side, pays attention to a really curvy o.
"So what should we be doing now?"
He follows his finger across.
"Ten o'clock?" He scowls and lets out a groan.
"What?"
"We're late."
"For what?"
He stands up and as she takes his hand, scoops her up into a fireman's lift
and runs into his bedroom. Drops her on the bed, hears her giggle as he
checks the clock and breathes a dramatic sigh of relief.
Kate rights herself and sits in the middle of his bed, amused.
"What's your ten o'clock?"
Lindsey crawls forward on the bed, erection swaying from side to side as he
reaches her leg.
"Well according the schedule," he says, easing up and resting above her, "I
should be about here."
She frowns at him and reaches down, caressing his cock with the tips of her
fingers. "Right here?"
"A little lower."
Kate arches her back, legs spread, wet and open. She works her fingers along
him until he's poised; all he has to do is sink forward. But he likes her
hands round him, likes the way he could tease her forever. So he dips his
head, kissing his way along the line of her neck, breath against her ear
until she whispers again.
"You're missing your appointment, Mr. McDonald."
He smiles, finds her lips and eases down, body being claimed as she rocks
her hips towards him. Feels his forehead bump against hers, her fingers
reaching behind his ass as she pulls him deeper and Lindsey finds he doesn't
want to go any faster. Savors the moments when the only person that matters
is Lindsey the man, loses his ambition for a second as she provides the
momentum. And somehow, while he's inside her, tongue brushing tongue,
erection touching somewhere deep within, there's an understanding that this
exists on the outside and that as long as they keep it there, it can go on
indefinitely.
Orgasm comes slowly, her hands in his hair as he fills her, his fingers
stroking her sides. He shudders, loses his breath as it passes, feels the
control come back and is surprised to find the comfort remains. He moves to
pull away, to bring her to climax, but her hands still him, rested across
his back as her head turns to the side. Nuzzles against him and Lindsey
realizes that she's sleeping, content in his protection, his weight a
reassurance that nightmares aren't allowed here. He rolls onto his back,
feels his fading hardness still inside her and smiles.
And he sleeps in safety tonight.
~~~~
End of part four
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