Buffy panted heavily, her whole body feeling tingly. “Definitely a good morning,” she said. “Damn, you know just how to wake a girl up.”
“I’ve found it’s usually the most effect way,” Spike teased. “Now put your legs around my waist.”
That was a request Buffy had no desire to argue with. She complied quickly, allowing Spike to slide inside of her and immediately set a steady rhythm. There was none of the practiced skill this time, only raw need. He grunted with every thrust, his eyes shut tight and his breathing heavy. Buffy held onto him tightly with both her arms and her legs, her head thrown back and her mouth opened in a wordless cry of pleasure.
Spike groaned and shot into her body, and the feel of him jerking inside of her pushed Buffy over the edge as well. She was panting when she came down and her legs slipped to the mattress. “Okay, now that’s the best way to wake up,” she said, running a hand through his soft brown hair. “My alarm is never going to do the trick ever again.”
“Yeah, that pretty much ruined me for all other wake-up calls, too,” Spike replied, nuzzling her neck with his nose. Then, he sighed and rolled off of her. “Although regretfully, we actually have to get out of bed. I need to take you shopping.”
“Shopping?” Buffy asked, her brow wrinkled. “Why do you need to take me shopping?”
“I’ve got some posh thing to go tonight and I need arm candy.”
Buffy chuckled. “Okay. I guess I can be arm candy.” She snaked her hand down his back and cupped his bottom with her hand. “But you better make it up to me later.”
“Oh, pet, I will have no problem making it up to you,” Spike replied, his voice dropping to a husky purr. “Over and over again.”
Memories of the night before ran through her mind, and Buffy knew he’d have no problem keeping that promise.
Buffy knew the moment they approached the front door that she was way out of her element. Granted, the price tag on the dress Spike had bought for her had been a clue as well, but this…
These people had some serious cash.
She trembled as they walked into an opulent ballroom, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. She stopped a second before she smoothed the dark green fabric of her gown, realizing with her palms sweating the way they were at the moment she’d end up staining it.
“It’s all right, pet,” Spike whispered, his hand resting against the small of her back. “There’s no reason to let these people intimidate you. Most of them are wankers anyway.”
Buffy chuckled, her eyes shifting towards at Spike. He looked absolutely stunning, and seeing him now took her breath away as much as it had when she’d first seen him in his very-well tailored tuxedo. She’d been practically panting as she’d tied his bowtie for him, wanting nothing more than to rip it off instead of helping to put it on. He’d promised her “later” with a smirk, and Buffy knew she was going to hold him to that.
“Wankers, huh?” she asked, whispering as well. “So I’m guessing this isn’t an evening with your closest friends?”
Spike snorted. “Hardly. Oh, bloody hell. Here comes the biggest wanker of them all.”
A short, heavyset man approached the couple, a grin on his face that Buffy didn’t think could be anything but smug. “How good to see you, Lord Pratt,” the man said, taking William’s hand in a firm shake. “And who is this you have with you? Did you invite one of the students your generous contribution benefited to accompany you?”
The man asked the question with the smile still in place, yet Buffy could tell it was truly meant to be more barb than playful tease. Spike smiled back, though a muscle in his cheek was ticking as he took his hand from the man and slid it around Buffy. “This is Miss Buffy Summers, visiting from Los Angeles, California. Buffy, this is Sir Quentin Travers.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Travers replied as he took Buffy’s hand, raising it to his lips for a kiss. Buffy shuddered, but tried to continue to be as polite as possible. “I am sure Lord Pratt has given you a worthy tour of our fair city?”
“Yes, William’s shown me a lovely time,” Buffy replied. She glanced at Spike, wanting approval for what she’d just said, afraid she’d give the wrong response and embarrass him in front of all the rich British people.
Instead, she ended up blushing as he smirked smugly, adding plenty of innuendo to her answer.
“I’m sure he has,” Travers replied with a knowing smirk, making Buffy blush harder. She didn’t think she liked this. It suddenly made her feel very cheap…
“It was good to see you again, Quentin,” Spike said, wanting to cut the conversation short as much as Buffy. “Please give my regards to your wife.” He didn’t wait for a response from the other man as he led Buffy away.
He leaned down to talk softly to her as they walked away. “Sorry about that, luv. He’s just bitter because he can’t get someone young and gorgeous to touch him, and his wife’s uglier than the queen’s arse.”
And just like that, Buffy was over her embarrassment. She giggled, Spike somehow knowing just how to make her feel better. So what if people like Quentin looked at her like she was some cheap floozy on William’s arm? He didn’t look at her that way, and that was what mattered.
“So what’s this about you making generous contributions?” Buffy asked.
Spike coughed, running his hand over his gelled curls and shifting uncomfortably. “Oh. I just gave some money to this charity thing. It wasn’t anything big.”
Suddenly, a blonde woman came running up to them, throwing her arms around Spike and kissing him on either cheek. “Oh, I’m so glad you came, William!” she exclaimed as she pulled away. “I was worried you wouldn’t come to our little gala at all, and what a pity it would be to miss getting to see our man of the evening.”
“Well, I couldn’t rightly miss it, Lydia,” Spike replied, and this time it was his turn to blush. He glanced over at Buffy and wondered if that arched eyebrow meant he was in trouble.
“You’ve been such a recluse lately, you’ve had some of us right worried, William,” Lydia said. She turned towards Buffy. “And who is this lovely creature you’re escorting tonight?”
“This is Miss Buffy Summers,” Spike replied. “She’s a friend.”
Lydia gave Spike a knowing look. “I’m sure she is. And she is just gorgeous.” Lydia hugged Buffy in the same manner she had Spike. “You must be so proud of our William,” she told Buffy. “Donating a million pounds! We don’t get many offers that generous these days.”
Buffy’s eyes bugged. He had that much money to donate? She’d assumed he was rich, what with the estate and all, but…wow. She tried to calculate the sum into dollars, but it made her head hurt.
“It was my mother’s favorite charity, after all,” Spike replied, though the tips of his ears were bright pink. “It was really for her.”
“Oh listen to how modest he is,” Lydia said, patting Spike on the cheek. “You better keep your hands on this one, Miss Summers. He’s a rare find. I would’ve snatched him up myself if I didn’t already have a husband I adore.”
Spike blushed harder. “Lydia…”
“Oh, look at you, getting all embarrassed. It’s adorable.” Lydia patted him on the cheek. “I have some things I must attend to, but I’ll be finding the two of you later in the evening, I’m sure. And I trust you’ve prepared something to say, William?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“Oh, good. Everyone’s dying to hear from you tonight. Enjoy yourselves!”
With that, Lydia flitted off as quickly as she’d come, leaving Buffy feeling almost out of breath. “Prepared something to say?”
“Yeah. Apparently when you give someone a million pounds, they expect you to make a speech,” Spike grumbled. “You’d think the money would be enough. I hate speaking in public.”
“But you do the poetry thing,” Buffy said with a frown. “You certainly didn’t seem nervous about that.”
“That’s different. When I read my poetry, I just retreat into another world. But having to try to say something witty in front of all these posh snobs? Not my idea of a good time.”
Buffy linked her arm with his. “Well, I’ll be in the audience. You can just look at me.”
Spike’s nervous expression morphed into a leer. “And picture you naked?”
Buffy laughed. “If it helps, go for it.”
“Actually, that might not be such a good idea. Then I’d end up shagging you, and then it would just cause problems.”
“For them, maybe,” Buffy replied with a snort.
“Ooh…feeling like a bit of an exhibitionist tonight, are we?” Spike asked, his hand migrating to her rear end.
Buffy giggled. “Spike, stop that.”
“William?”
A soft, female voice made Spike freeze, his hand falling away from Buffy. He turned slowly towards a slender brunette and swallowed hard before managing to say, “Hello, Fred.”
Buffy felt her heart speeding up in her chest. This wasn’t a mere acquaintance. This was someone Spike knew well – and from the body language, she assumed very well.
“Is Wesley here tonight?” Spike asked, trying to appear casual, though his nervousness was still more than apparent.
“Yes. He’s…he’s talking to someone else he knows. I saw you, and I…” Fred looked down, blushing softly. “I saw you over here.”
“Yeah, I kinda had to come to this thing.” Spike cleared his throat. “So, um, how are things?”
“They’re good,” Fred replied. “Really good. I just got an article published in a journal, and they’re wanting me to give a talk at an upcoming physics symposium at Cambridge, so yeah…they’re good.”
Spike nodded. “That’s…that’s good.”
Buffy swallowed hard as she glanced between Spike and Fred. He’d made no move to introduce her, and now it turned out the woman was a physicist? The feelings she had when they’d met Quentin Travers suddenly came flooding back, and she felt very, very inadequate.
“So who’s this with you?” Fred asked, looking over at Buffy.
Spike started. “Oh, right, introductions. I’m so sorry.” He gave Buffy a quick apologetic look, and she replied with a tight-lipped smile. At least he knew he’d just been an ass… “This is Buffy Summers. She’s Rupert Giles’s stepdaughter.”
Fred took Buffy’s hand and gave her a big smile, though Buffy couldn’t help but feel slighted by the introduction. Although she guessed Spike couldn’t exactly announce she was his current shagging partner, especially since they’d only really known each other a week. They hadn’t given their relationship a name yet…
“Giles is just the sweetest man,” Fred said as she shook Buffy’s hand.
“Yeah, he’s a good guy,” Buffy replied as Fred slipped her hand away.
“So are you staying in London long?” Fred asked.
“No, Spike and I are just in town for the weekend,” Buffy said as she slipped her arm into his. She didn’t care if Spike didn’t want to make it obvious they were sleeping together at the moment – she did.
Fred’s smile faltered slightly, her gaze drawn to where their arms were linked, but then she was grinning again. “Well, I hope you have a good time while you’re here. London is really an amazing city. I mean, I’m just a gal from Texas, so I’m probably a bit of a hick, but I fell in love as soon as I got here.”
Buffy didn’t miss the look she gave William at that, and she didn’t like it. Not at all.
And Spike didn’t miss the look in his date’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Buffy and I were about to get something to drink. Did you want to…”
“Oh, I should really get back to Wes,” Fred said. “But it was nice to meet you, Buffy.”
“Yeah, you, too, Fred,” Buffy replied, hoping she sounded genuine.
“You’re a jackass,” Buffy hissed once she was gone.
“Huh?”
“When you very obvious ex comes up, you don’t ignore me until she says something,” Buffy replied, her arms over her chest.
“I know. I’m sorry. Seeing her here threw me for a loop.” Spike put his arms on Buffy’s shoulders and met her eyes, and suddenly, she didn’t feel so angry. “Fred and I were together a long time ago, right after Dru left. I wasn’t really ready for another relationship, we decided we were better off as friends, and she married my cousin. There’s no lingering love, I promise you.”
“I don’t know,” Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest and trying not to give in so quickly. “She looked kind of…lingery.”
Spike gave her a crooked grin and kissed her forehead. “You’re cute when you’re jealous, kitten. But don’t worry about anything. You’re the only woman I want to be with. And really, I’d rather just be back at the flat, alone with you right now instead of having to deal with exes, sycophants, and pretentious arseholes who can’t even get my title right.” He winked at her. “But it’ll be over soon, I promise.”
Buffy chuckled, and Spike knew he’d won her back over. “Okay. But you owe me something good for this.”
Spike leaned in and whispered against her ear, “I’ll eat you out for as long as you want.”
“You’re completely forgiven.”
Spike laughed, a true, rich laugh, and Buffy felt warm again. This was far from her world, but if she was here with Spike, maybe it would be okay.
He linked his arm with hers again and together they walked away.