There was no word for it other than frustrating. Ok... two words, purely frustrating.

I should just become a nun and get it over with. Buffy thought to herself as Riley rolled off from on top of her, all sweating and grunting. All I want is one good orgasm, just one. Is it so much to ask from a guy?

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Stifling the urge to let out a huge sigh she reached for her clothes and immediately began getting dressed.

“You leaving so soon babe?” Riley asked in a pathetic voice. She didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth, he was too fragile for that. They had been seeing each other for about three weeks. She slept with him after the first eleven days, and had silently prayed it would get better. Now, she knew it was never going to happen. He just wasn't 'doin it' for her.

“I’ve got an early meeting tomorrow morning to prepare for. Sorry” she lied.

“Oh. So can I see you tomorrow night then?”

God he is so pathetic. “I’m going out of town on that business trip for the next few days, remember? After the meeting I have a flight to catch.” She found she was getting good at this lying thing.

“I forgot.” There was a long moment of silence before he spoke again, “Call me when you get there please… so I know you made it ok?”

She stood and turned around putting her best fake smile on. “Sure thing. I'll talk to you later.” She leaned over to kiss him on the lips chastely all the while thinking NOT, just gotta have a few days to figure out how to dump you nicely.

After spending an entire weekend with Riley at his place, she knew she had to get him out of her life quickly, before the boy started developing strong feelings for her. There was no business trip, it was a well-practiced excuse she had come up with to have the time and distance to devise a plan. She would have just told him she was moving out of the country but the chances of running into him in public wasn’t worth the risk. He really was a sweet guy, but after getting to know him better, he was too much the clueless boy next-door type for her taste.

She silently wondered on the drive back to her house if she was being too fussy. The truth was she didn’t necessarily want a man in her life at the present time. She was an independent and successful businesswoman content with living on her own. Dating here and there could be fun, but also time consuming, exhausting and rarely served her basic physical needs. She denied every man she’d gone out with any semblance of a lasting relationship having found something wrong with each one of them, whether it was in or out of the bedroom.

Now all she wanted was one thing, great sex. No, scratch that… earth shattering sex. Why shouldn’t I be picky? After all, not one of them ever seemed overly concerned with MY satisfaction. They get-off every time regardless. What’s the point being born to have multiple orgasms if I can’t even have one decent one?

Though she hadn’t slept with many men in her life, they had quickly fallen into two categories in her mind: the ‘out for themselves’ type or the ‘full of themselves’ “You like that don’t ya baby” type.

Buffy was sick of being pawed at and even sicker of faking it for their ego’s sake. She needed a man, a real M-A-N who knew what he was doing in the bedroom, knew a woman’s body and exactly how to take care of it. Someone who would seduce her, take their time to really work her up, learn what made her feel good and selflessly tend to her desires before thinking of themselves. The type to just plain TAKE her over and over again in that manner till she couldn’t see straight. Where’s a Casanova when you need one? She asked the universe.

Pulling into her driveway, she spoke aloud, “God maybe I should just get a fuck buddy, no strings attached no messy emotional stuff just someone to periodically release a little tension with." Yeah, right, she could hear herself now. Hey, you’re hot, wanna fuck on the weekends and deny we know each other during the week?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a long hot shower and resorting to her fingers to find some release, she settled down in front of her computer in a white terry cloth robe with a hot cup of tea. Logging into her email account, she quickly started sorting through her junk mail deleting all the ‘how2pleaseher’ and ‘viagra4U’ types. “Great, just remind me of what I’m not getting.” She sipped her tea and continued to read the subject lines till one caught her attention.

‘Rencontre Travaillée par Lorne'. Hmmmmmmmmm sounds like an escort service. Would it make me a ho if I hired one? Her index finger hesitated in pressing delete as she contemplated it. Curiosity always got the best of Buffy and usually landed her in trouble, killing the cat in the end. But when weighing the options of a one-night stand or a fuck buddy against hiring a professional with whom she wouldn’t have to deal with the next day, it did hold a certain appeal. Wouldn’t hurt to just look into it, right? Deleting the email in case it held a virus, she signed out and went to Google to see if this Lorne guy’s business would actually produce any results. Well… surprise, surprise! Finding what she thought might be the website within the first five results; she clicked on the link and began to read:

“Whatever your desire, we’ve got it for hire. Simply fill out our questionnaire and state any additional specifications in the text box provided. We’ll get back to you in five working business days guaranteed. For a quicker response, mark the box ‘Urgent’.”

“Seems simple enough.” She clicked the icon for the questionnaire and was surprised at its length.

‘Tailoring the Man/Woman’ was the title. Scanning it more closely, she realized the type of questions it asked, referring to physical attributes of every aspect imaginable. “Wow, this is like Burger King, I CAN have my way, yeah me.” Laughing aloud as she thought about the slogan. She noticed the answers had to be typed in, but if this wasn’t a scam and she could get exactly what she wanted who cared how long it took? If it was a scam, well then…

Reading each question, she decided to be perfectly honest and hope they delivered.

Male/Female/something in-between?
“A big ewww, definitely 'Male'” She typed her choice.

How many/combination?
“Okaaaaaaaaay again with the ewww and it should only take 'one' right?”

Hair color?
Ummmmmmmmmmmm. 'Surprise me’ She typed.

Hair length?
‘Short’

Ethnicity?
‘Caucasian’

Eye color?
‘No preference’

Build/body type?
‘Lean and mean’ Buffy laughed, this was getting more fun by the second.

Height?
‘Not too tall, not too short’. After all, she didn’t want to be dwarfed nor be staring the guy straight in the face.

Breast size (if applicable)?
Skip that.

Penile length/girth (if applicable)?
‘Size matters somewhat but as long as he knows how to use it’

Oh, this is too much fun. She ran through the rest of the list not being able to hide the childish grin that crossed her face, half of her hoping that this was for real, the other half slightly scared it would be. Pushing forward, she made sure to be specific where she felt necessary while other questions she left up open for this ‘Lorne’ to decide.

After a good 15 minutes, she finally reached the end of the questionnaire feeling quite pleased with her self for having created a perfect ‘made-to-order man’. Next came the ‘Additional Specifications’ section. She read aloud underneath the heading:

Specifications can include but are not limited to: personality, fantasy/role play, attire/costume desired, fetish, length of time required (over night costs extra), props/equipment, etc… Read some quotes from other satisfied customers for obtaining ideas.”

“Really rather not go there, thanks anyhow.”

Sitting back, she realized this was where she could have complete control and state exactly what it was she was looking for, rather than a simple ‘eye color’ question. This was it. She was being asked for what she needed. And now that she was her mind drew a complete blank. Sure, she had ideas, but specifically? After a few minutes of thoughtful reflection and inwardly cringing at particular memories, she took to typing again.

Checking over her work for grammar and spelling upon finishing, she read it back to herself:


“I have a history of selfish lovers. Truth of the matter is I have a hard time reaching orgasm, and no it’s not a medical problem so stamina is a must have. I want someone who isn’t going to hesitate to have his wicked way, someone who’s confident in his abilities, unafraid to explore new ways of doing the same old thing, one who leads not follows (no whips or chains though please, handcuffs…maybe).” Buffy blushed at that thought. “I don’t mind talking as long as there isn’t too much of it. I can’t think of any real fantasy per se that I have but I’m NOT into the Prince Charming romantic type. My motto: the hunt is better than the kill, especially when it comes to foreplay. Ride me hard several times AND put me away wet. I don’t want to be able to sit right for a week. I don’t need him to spend the night but it is nice to be held till I’m asleep.

Sincerely, or rather truthfully,
Ms. Desperate”


“Yeah, that about sums it up. Now all I have to do is cross my fingers that this isn’t a scam.” She scrolled down to where it requested her email address or phone number in order to receive a response. By now, she felt so worked up between her thighs after thinking about her ‘ideal lover’ that she opted for the contact by phone and marked the box entitled ‘Urgent’.

“Here’s hoping.” She placed her cursor over the ‘submit’ button, but then hesitated. God what am I doing?

You know good and well what you’re doing. Spoke her inner slut.

Yeah, but what if this is a scam, or worse, a set-up by police? Now it was her goody side.

Yeah riggggght, like they’re gonna call and arrest you over the phone when no money has been exchanged. Stop worrying so much and take a chance, after all we soooo need a good lay.

But a hooker? A hooker!!! Am I really THAT desperate?

Look how well it worked out in The Wedding Date.

That’s a movie, this is reality… there’s no such thing as having your cake and eating it too.

Just press the damn button would you? Stop thinking so much.

Thank God there was no one around that could read her inner thoughts or she would have been carted off to the nearest asylum for the argument that took place in her head.

“Oh god, here goes,” she groaned and pressed enter before her good girl could protest any further. Logging off with a sigh, she glanced at her watch…5:22. Still too early for bed, not too early to break out Mr. Vibrator though. Walking into her bedroom and heading for her nightstand that housed the rubber toy she suddenly changed her mind. “If this thing is for real and I hear from this guy I better go without and be extra horny. Whoever the poor bastard ends up being is going to have his work cut out for him.”



~~~~~
Authors Note: The first two chapters are relatively short and I will be posting the second one shorty. After that, chapters will become longer and a bit more intense, just like our favorite couple.

An hour and a half later Buffy sang to the radio while doing her housework when the telephone rang. Strolling over to the it, she hesitated before picking up. “Oh god, what if this is Lorne? I really should get a phone with caller ID.” Clicking the receiver on, her heart sped up as she chirped out her usual “Hello?”

“Hey Buff its Willow.”

Damn. “Hey Wills, what's up?”

“Well, I was wondering if you wanna maybe hang out tonight at my place? I know its Sunday and all, but we haven’t had much girl time lately, what with the dating of Riley and all. I’ve got movies and junk food and AH… ice cream.” She sounded her usual up beat self.

“Sounds like fun but no, can’t. Alas I’m waiting on a phone call from a, um, ahhhh a new company I might be buying from.” Whewww, quick thinking Buffy. She may be your best friend, but telling her you might be buying a man-whore she’d freak; besides I’m not completely lying.

“Oh. Really? I mean they would be calling this late… and on the weekend?” Damn Willow and her sharp mind sometimes.

“Well, they’re overseas… Europe, ya know… time difference and all. But hey, depending on when they call I might be able to show afterward.” She tried to sound hopeful for her friend, guilty that since dating Riley she’d let him monopolize most of her free time. Nice recovery, she mentally patted herself on the back but felt awful at the same time for the blatant lie.

“Let’s hope they call soon, I don’t want to enjoy the Haagen-Dazs all by myself. So maybe I’ll see you later?”

“You betcha. Well, gotta go, you know...free up the phone. I’ll see ya later then maybe, ok?”

“Sure thing Buff, bye.”

“G’bye.”

Clicking the receiver off, she let out a long sigh. “Whoa, that was…” Ringgggg. The phone cut her off, startling her to the point of dropping it. Ringggggg. “Damn it.” She fumbled trying to pick it up only to kick it three feet in front of her and under the couch. Ringggggg. “Fuck!” Buffy cursed. Lunging towards the couch, she dropped to her knees and frantically groped underneath to find it. Ringggggg. After she’d managed to grab hold of it she stood up fast, banging her knee hard into the coffee table in front of her couch. Clutching her injury and closing her eyes to suppress a groan she answered with an agitated “Yeah?”

“Well hello to you too princess. I’m looking for a Ms. Desperate… and judging from your voice I presume it’s you?”

Her eyes went wide. No way, Noooooo way She started to stammer, unable to form words. To an observer she would have looked like a fish out of water, opening and closing its mouth. Breathe Buffy, breathe. After all, you wanted this.

“Yes, H-hi. I’m sorry I-I just... God is this for real? Are you Lorne?”

“The one and only cupcake. I gotta tell ya, I was reading through your submission and just KNEW I had to call you right away. It breaks my heart when a filly doesn’t have enough pasture to run in. And the answer is yes.”

“Yes…a-answer? I didn’t ask anything… yet.”

“The question is can I help you, the answer… yes. You are clearly a woman in need and I got your breed darlin, pardon the pun, but really…in all honesty I have just the guy in mind for you honey. Not only does he have plenty of pasture but the saddle to ride you with. Minus the whip of course, I remembered that part.”

“OH. MY. GOD, I’m so embarrassed, I just, I didn’t think this was…” Buffy smacked her hand against her head, feeling her cheeks flush.

“Now now, don’t be.” Lorne said reassuringly. “I’m glad you were blunt and to the point deary and ol’ Lorne here has the cowboy for you. How does that song go now? Oh yes, save a horse, ride a cowboy” he crooned.

“Oh I’m not really into cowboys. N-not that cowboys are bad, I just meant…”

“Don’t worry your pretty lil’ head over anything, daaarlin” he quipped in a southern accent. “Lorne likes to see his customers happy and I AM a professional after all. Now, as I said I have just the guy in mind for you, and no I’m not a cop though I do have quite a few of L.A.’s finest as clients and they like my business just the way it is… discreet.”

“OH…. oh my, really? Wait, forget it, TMI. I so don’t wanna know.” Buffy pushed those thoughts out of her mind. “Uhmm, how does this work actually, I mean… well, kinda my first time here.”

“Well, since your area code clearly tells me you’re in southern California and I’m in LA, I’m hoping to convince you to come out to my night club so we can meet. You might have heard of it, ‘The Hide-a-way’ on the corner of 1st and Willard. If not you can look it up on the web, its thehideaway.com. I’ll show you the time of your life AND put any remaining fears of yours to rest. Whaddya say sugar-pie?”

“Well it’s a bit of a drive, but I guess I could always use a night out… when should I come? I just said that didn’t I? Rewind, when should we meet?”

“The sooner the better I say sweetie. Tell ya what, I can arrange for you to have a room at the Raffles L'ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills so you don’t have to worry about driving back if you’d like. I happen to have, well… connections if you catch my drift, so it will be at no charge to you. Does tomorrow night work?”

“Um, sure. Tomorrow works for me, but I’d rather go home afterwards, no offense.” The place Lorne wanted to have her stay was a four star hotel. Although it was tempting, she thought better of it.

“None taken. Now let’s just set a time so I know when to expect you and I’ll give you my personal cell number as well. Boy, ha ha, I am simply thrilled to bits with the idea that we can chat in person. I wanna know all about you. What makes Miss Desperate tick? And I want specifics.”

“Alright then. And please call me Buffy, no need for nicknames, and well, it’s a pathetic nickname.”

They continued talking on the phone for a little over 10 minutes and agreed on a time before hanging up. She liked this Lorne guy already. He was animated, funny and sounded legit as far as she could tell. Unable to stop the shit-eating grin now plastered on her face she let herself feel excited about the prospect that he was indeed exactly what he advertised himself to be.

Skipping around the house she sang ‘nana, naaaa, na naa, na, I’m getting a man-ho’. Not in a million years would she have thought she’d be doing something like this, but if men could, hey why not her? She decided to forgo seeing Willow as she knew her perceptive friend would not only notice her mood and question her on it, but could also tell when she was lying, at least face-to-face. I’ll tell her if and when this actually happens, then just hope she doesn’t wig-out on me too much.

At 3:30 that next afternoon Buffy found herself searching about in her closet to pick out something to wear to Lorne’s club. They had agreed on six o’clock since it would take her a couple hours to drive there and back and she didn't want to get home too late. Settling on a sexy, yet elegant red spaghetti-strap dress that clung to her in all the right places, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The bodice portion cupped to push her breasts together, making her look like she had more in the chest area than she really did. The hem stopped just above the knee, which was perfect for showing her muscular calves off in her new red heels. Thank you Mr. Stairmaster. Opting for minimal makeup and simple jewelry, she finished off her look with red lip-gloss and left her hair down in long smooth flowing waves. With one last glance at herself, she felt as ready as she could be.

She walked over to the desk where her computer sat and logged herself on. Clicking on the address bar, she typed in the web address for Lorne’s club and hit enter. She was instantly greeted with a picture of handsome smiling man dressed flamboyantly, sitting atop a barstool with a microphone in hand and a huge smile.

“Oh you’re a cutie.” Buffy said as if his picture could actually hear her. Finding the directions, she printed them out and folded it in half. Grabbing her purse and keys, she strode towards the door and placed her hand on the knob before stopping to close her eyes.

Do you really want to do this? It isn't too late to turn around and forget about it.

Would you stop already? We’ve gone through this before, there’s no harm in checking it out, it’s not like we’re committed to it. The inner slut had come back, sitting on her left shoulder to argue and smirk at her.

But what if it's some kind of a set-up? I cannot afford to get into trouble and jeopardize my business. The virtuous side came to perch on the opposite shoulder to oppose the naughty side.

Look, just go and at least talk to the man and if we get the slightest feeling something isn’t right, just tell him you changed your mind. Politely thank him for his time and leave, all right?

Good point, ok I can do this, I can do this. She stood still for a few seconds, her fingers resting on the handle as she made her final decision.

Go. Move. Get your ass in that car and drive. Horny here remember? Horny or not, Buffy truly began to think the little slut was getting rather pushy.

Opening her eyes she flung the door open and stepped out, hoping she wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours later, Buffy parked her car in an underground garage about a block away from the club. The drive had been long and she had to distract herself by singing along with the radio to take her mind off the bat-sized butterflies that were bouncing around in her stomach. Contrary to how she felt inside, she strolled down the sidewalk, heels clicked loudly on the pavement as her body exuded an air of confidence. She rounded the corner to see a long line of people clearly waiting to get into ‘The Hide-a-way’. Great, just what I wanted to do, wait forever to get into some bar just to meet a pimp. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Good things come to those who wait Buffy. The image of her wicked side spoke up again. She swore she imagined it just winked evilly at her.

I am losing it, I'm REALLY losing it.

After resolving to take a place in line, she noticed a small geeky looking guy dressed in dark blue with a security badge hung around his neck. He walked up and down the line with a clipboard in hand and spoke briefly with each of the customers waiting to go in.

It took said geek at least 10 minutes before finally stopping in front of an annoyed Buffy who stood there with arms folded over her chest, tapping her toe rhythmically and feeling rather impatient upon noticing the line had not moved an inch. Without much courtesy in regards to her agitated appearance, he spoke.

“Hello, I’m Andrew. Can I have your name please?” Still not bothering to look at her, he continued staring down at his clipboard waiting for her to answer.

“Buffy Summers.” At that instant, his head snapped to attention.

“Buffy? Summers? Ms,” he leaned in to whisper putting his hand up to cup his mouth so only she could hear, “Desperate?”

“Yeah, why? Is there a stamp on my forehead or something?” She glared at him though inside she began to panic.

Seeing that he had clearly pissed her off Andrew stepped back and quickly threw up his hands in defense.

“Sorry, my apologies, truly I didn’t mean to offend you Miss. I just had to be sure who you were. Lorne has given me special instructions to bring you in myself. He’s most excited to meet you.”

“Oh! Right… well in that case.” she shrugged throwing him an apologetic look, feeling somewhat guilty for having snapped at the boy who was just trying to do his job.

Offering her his arm, he proceeded to guide her towards the head of the line where she received dark glares from the people still waiting to get in. Jeez it’s a Monday night people, get a life.

She made small talk with Andrew on their way to the door asking why there was such a long line on a weeknight. He cheerfully informed her it was karaoke night, as if it were something extra special. She thought it strange but dismissed it; it was LA after all. Guess it’s really popular here.

Walking through the door a tall and very good-looking black bouncer had opened for them, Buffy had to wait until her eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings. Guiding her by her elbow down a long darkened hallway with descending stairs, Andrew urged her forward slowly. Reaching the bottom step the first thing she noticed was a stage on the far left side. It had a single spotlight centered on an empty bar stool with a microphone in front of it that she recognized from the picture on the website. The surrounding area had a few tables adorned with simple white tablecloths and a lit candle in the center, all occupied by patrons busy talking and laughing away. The bar to her right was well lit and all around were waitresses scurrying about with their trays while two bartenders worked frantically to keep up with the drink orders. Wow, who-da-thunk karaoke was this big a deal? It was not a huge place by any means, but it looked cozy in its semi-dark atmosphere.

From a door behind the bar, she watched a man walk through wearing a bright green suit with a puffy yellow scarf in place of a tie. In his left hand, he was holding a neon blue drink while his right one held the door open, shouting through it.

“And don’t forget the olives deary we’re running low on those too.” Letting the door swing closed behind him he walked around the bar to plop down heavily on a stool facing out towards the stage. “Good help is so hard to find these days.” she heard him mutter as he shook his head.

“That’s Lorne right there. I’ll introduce you and then if you need anything you just let me know Miss Buffy.” Andrew whispered as he pointed.

Buffy smiled, “Thanks but I’ll be fine on my own.” He smiled back at her and released her arm, nodding politely. She walked slowly towards the end of the bar noticing the appreciative stares from some of the men sitting at the tables closest to her. Ignoring them, she headed straight for Lorne.

Setting his drink down on the bar top, Lorne looked up just in time to see Buffy walk the last few feet that separated them. He instantly smiled brightly, stood and offered his hand, bowing slightly at the waist as if he were a knight in court receiving a lady.

“Good evening milady. I’m Lorne, humble proprietor of The Hide-a-way at your service. It will be my sincere pleasure to attend to your every need. Pray tell, with whom do I have the pleasure of gracing my establishment with a beauty so radiant as to shame the very sun itself?”

She giggled and extended her right hand, “Hi Lorne, I’m Buffy.” She winked, amused when his jaw dropped open in cartoon fashion with pure astonishment written on his face.

Feigning a French accent, he took her hand in his right while his left flew to his forehead, leaning his head backward for dramatic effect. “Non, it cannot be. You are… but-of-course magnifique ma jeune dame dans le rouge. Let me butter your croissant, let me dip my ladle in your…vichyssoise you saucy young thing you!” He punctuated each remark thickly in the accent.

He quickly kissed her hand then took the other and stepped back to hold her at arms length. Looking her up and down at least three times, he released her arms and motioned with his hand for her to twirl in front of him like a model for inspection before the catwalk began.

Buffy smiled and obliged him by slowly turning around in a full circle twice, arms away from her sides, lowering them once she faced him again.

“Poor Mr. Webster will simply have to invent a word to describe how gorgeous you are. Come. Come, come.” Spreading his arms wide, Lorne waved her towards him in hugging fashion and wrapped her up in an embrace that would have suggested they had known each other for years. He quickly kissed each of her cheeks then released her, extending a hand to the stool next to him in an invitation to sit. Buffy couldn’t help but smile at the adoration he was lavishing on her.

“Clem!” Lorne bellowed, and she watched as one of the bartenders snapped to attention at his boss’ voice.

“Get this lovely lady whatever she wants and on the house.” With a quick nod, Clem came over to stand in front of Buffy, awaiting her request.

“Oh thank you, but just a coke for me please, gotta drive.”

“Coming right up Miss.” He promptly left to get her drink before she turned back to face Lorne.

“I have to say you are NOT what I expected.” Lorne had stated it while continuing to grin like a child in a candy shop. He noticed her smile drop slightly before quickly adding, “I mean you sounded simply lovely on the phone, but I am absolutely in awe. You are stunning, and that red dress… oh baby a fruit-roll-up’s got nothin on you. You could easily have your pick from anyone here tonight and yet you came to me. Damn the guy I picked for you...I think I’ll keep you for myself.” Buffy swore her face was going to stay tomato red the way Lorne kept complimenting her.

“Honey, you’re enough to make a man change his religion. I’m officially coming back to the right side of the tracks for you.” He laughed heartily as she continued to blush and lowered her head.

So, that’s what it was about him. The clothes, the personality, yup he was gay all right. “I admit, I’m feeling a little…. awkward about all this.” She looked up at him expectantly, somehow knowing his spirited character would help put her at ease.

“Tsk tsk now” He chided while waving his hand. “No need for that. Tonight is about pleasure not business, and lucky for you pleasure IS my business.” Lorne winked and flashed her his best smile.

“Thank you, however if I may… putting this business before pleasure, I’d kinda like to get it out of the way with first…if you don’t mind.”

“Oh ho-ho,” Lorne clutched his chest and bellowed heartily. “You're precious sweet cheeks. Shoot straight to the heart of the matter, I like that in a woman. For you… anything. Now!” He slapped his palms together and rubbed them vigorously. “Because I was just saddened to tears by the incompetent lousy boys you’ve obviously dealt with in the past, I’m going to give you a special introductory rate I think you'll find quite reasonable. Normally it’s $3000 flat rate up to the first 2 hours, $8000 for an overnight. The fact that you don’t have any unusual requests or a need for props…which by the way can get pricey, I simply can’t see charging you nearly that much.” He quickly grabbed a napkin from a stack in front of him and pulled a pen from inside his suit coat. Quickly scribbling down a figure, he shoved it in front of her. “So, does that work for you sugarplum?” He sat back to sip at the blue liquid in his martini glass.

Looking at the figure, she nodded her head. “Sounds fair to me. Cash, check, or charge?” she joked trying to keep the mood light.

“Cash works fine for me, or charge, it’s your choice.”

Buffy reached into her purse whipping out her platinum credit card and handed it over to him. She didn’t get a single cop vibe from him, so she crossed her fingers and prepared to flee at the first glimpse of handcuffs.

“I will personally take care of this right now and be back before you can blink.” Twirling around on his barstool, he planted both hands on the top of the bar and gracefully hopped over in one swift move, heading back through the door in which he came out earlier.

She sipped at her soda that Clem had placed before her and waited nervously. Setting it back down she started to scan the club, never noticing the dark figure that sat quietly staring at her from a corner table to her far right.

A couple minutes later, Lorne strolled back out and handed her card back to her along with a formal looking receipt. Taking them in her hand she glanced at the receipt noting that it was annotated with the amount they agreed on while the description stated a reservation for the following Monday night, a party of ten at The Hideaway with ‘all amenities included’.

Clever, very clever. She tucked the items back in her purse grateful that she was still a free citizen, and hopefully a very happy one soon.

“Now,” Lorne started, “this is a pending charge as you probably noticed on the receipt. I won’t take a dime of your money until I get a call from my guy and another one from you letting me know he arrived and completed his job effectively. I accept nothing less than a top-notch job performance from him and 100% satisfaction from you.” He watched as Buffy’s face froze in shock from his second statement. He grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it while winking at her. “I don’t need the details sweetie, just want to hear from you so I know everything met your expectations.”

She exhaled in relief. “Oh, thank god… and yes I promise to call.”

“Good. Now that THAT is settled, how ‘bout you and me out on the dance floor before karaoke starts? I want to be the envy of every man here when they see what I have in my arms tripping-the-lights fantastic with.” He stretched one arm towards the dance floor and the other out for her.

Buffy placed her hand in his and he swiftly yanked her to the center of the small dance floor that seemed to have only enough room for about five or six couples to dance at one time. They stood there for a few seconds before Buffy cleared her throat.

Looking up at him hesitantly she whispered, “Uhmm Lorne? I hate to be a kill joy here, but… there’s no music.”

“Oh ye of little faith, see what my magic commands for thee.” He looked to Clem behind the bar and snapped his fingers three times rapidly in the air.

She saw Clem bend below the bar at the far left end, fiddling with what she guessed could only be a sound system. Looking back up at Lorne, he positioned himself in dance-stance and waited for her. She stepped into his form as the music began and with the arm that rested gently on her waist, he guided her to follow him. She recognized the song and blushed at his choice.


Lady in Red:
I've never seen you looking
So lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
I've never seen so many men ask you
If you wanted to dance
They're looking for a little romance
Given half a chance
And I've never seen that dress
You're wearing
Or that highlights in your hair
That catch your eyes
I have been blind


From the shadows of the corner table, the dark figure watched the entire time as Lorne twirled the beautiful girl around in his arms. He watched her smile away and caught brief glimpses of her smooth tanned thighs every now and then when her dress flared from the spinning motion. If he hadn't known already that Lorne was gay, he would have felt envious enough to cut in, in hopes of receiving the same attention she was giving him as they danced.

She was not your archetypal gorgeous, rather she possessed a rare kind of beauty all her own that seemed to radiate from within to pour out and shine through her eyes and her smile. He noticed with some humor that several men in the place, who obviously had their dates with them, were staring at her in much the same way he was. A part of him felt irritated at that, knowing exactly what they were thinking… because he was thinking it too. Naturally some received jabs from their women who hadn't taken lightly to their gawking, while others had gotten cold hard stares thrown their way.

The lady in red is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek
There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know
This beauty by my side I'll never forget
The way you look tonight


Lorne danced with her, every now and then spinning her here or dramatically dipping her there. He moved like a bona fide pro as he effortlessly guided her along. Glancing around, he leaned to whisper in her ear.

“Every guy here has got you pictured right now inside their head, starring in their most private of fantasies. However, you deserve more than that. You deserve someone who wants to star in YOUR fantasies.” He pulled back in time to see her blush yet again, gave her a genuine laugh and twirled her some more.

I've never seen you looking
So gorgeous as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
You were amazing
I've never seen so many people
Want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled
It took my breath away
And I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling
Of complete and utter love,
As I do tonight

I never will forget the way you look tonight
The lady in red
My lady in red
I love you

As the song came to its end he dipped her slow and deep, planting a kiss on her that would have been considered intimate if it weren’t placed on her forehead, before pulling her back up to give her a warm yet brotherly kind of hug.

The rest of the evening the pair of new friends spent laughing and joking away. Buffy and Lorne discussed everything from their favorite movies, to places to shop, and even which celebrities needed the most fashion help with their wardrobe. After much coaxing, he’d even convinced her to get up on stage to participate in karaoke.

She honestly could not have asked for a better night out on the town. Lorne was the perfect host, and gave her his full attention nearly the entire time. Only after each patron had finished a horrible rendition of their favorite tune did he leave her side, even then it was only to speak briefly with them before returning. She could see that his charismatic personality was infectious to those around him and he had a way of making people feel at ease with his smile alone.

She decided Lorne was the kind of person she really wanted to keep as a friend, regardless of if his service met her expectations or not. So, when asked, she happily agreed when he suggested they go shopping and hit the spa for some pampering the weekend after next.

When the evening came to a close and she had to leave, Lorne once again gave her a kiss to each cheek along with a firm hug. He bellowed an order to Andrew to bring the bouncer who was guarding the entrance door earlier to see him. He introduced him as Gunn, “a most trusted friend and employee” and informed her that he would see her safely back to her car.

“You drive home carefully now and remember what we talked about, I’ll take care of all the details so don’t you worry your pretty head about a thing.”

“Will do Lorne. I’ll call you soon. And thanks again… for everything, goodnight.”

The minute she exited the building, the dark figure that had sat watching Buffy all night finally rose from his seat and approached Lorne.

“And WHO was that mate?” The man questioned as he emerged from the shadows, readying to light up the cigarette that hung from his lips.

“That, my dear friend Spike, is your next assignment. That is…” he hesitated before turning to look at him, “IF you think you can handle that precious bundle right.”

Spike jerked his gaze towards Lorne, noticing his serious intent. Holding the flame away in front of him, he questioned him, “S'that right now?” Waiting for Lorne to continue a few seconds after he finally lit the thing up he added, “Come oooon now… enlighten me!”

Lorne motioned Spike to sit in the corner he had previously occupied, pulled out a folded paper from his suit jacket and handed it to him.

“This special lady has to be handled with care. You let me know after you read her specs if you’re up for the job… no pun intended friend.” He had a look of amusement on his face that Spike wasn’t sure if he liked or not. Chuckling in spite of it, he took the paper and scanned over the first portion quickly. However when reading her ‘Additional Specifications’ section, a slow grin began to creep its way across his features.

“Sounds like I’m her kinda bloke.” He tossed it back towards Lorne and lifted the cigarette to his lips to inhale deeply.

“So, what about what isn’t on that paper?” Working for a guy who could read people just from hearing them sing was unnerving to Spike, but he and Lorne had become instant friends a little over two years ago and Spike never knew him to use his ‘gift’ on unwilling people.

“That’s why I thought of you first. Only if you are interested will I give you the unspoken details from what I picked up, for her privacy mind you. If not, I can always call Parker or Angelus if he’s not busy.”

Spike immediately snatched the paper back from the table.

“No, no. I’ll take it. Rent’s due and all that rot.” He tried not to look too interested and feigned indifference by shrugging one shoulder. Inside he did not want to even think about her lovely body being violated by either of those two wankers.

“So the fact she’s a beauty has… nothing at all to do with it then?” Lorne gave him a questioning smile.

“M'not goin there mate, ‘s jus’ a job; you know that.”

Fact was he couldn’t take his eyes off the little blonde all night. He couldn’t believe his ears when Lorne told him she was actually a potential client for his ‘other’ business. An attractive woman like her surely didn't need to pay for sex.

Aside from Buffy's obvious good looks, Spike couldn't really put his finger on exactly why he'd found her so completely alluring. After Lorne explained her lackluster history as the reason why she had sought Rencontre Travaillée, he knew he couldn't fault her for it. After all, turning to this business was a better alternative than just seeking out random partners.

The second Lorne had mentioned the idea of Parker or Angelus taking her case he instantly got jealous. He didn't understand the feeling or even want to at the time, but he was sure she wouldn't appreciate either of their attentions. Both their styles just weren't suited for the type of girl that Lorne had described to him. She was a woman meant to be savored, enjoyed, guarded like the precious jewel she was. Spike snorted mentally as his inner poet came out but didn’t deny the truth of his thoughts. If she hadn’t been given anything by her previous lovers, well then, he intended to make up for every missed opportunity she’d had in his own special way.

Yes, he would take special care with her, though he still wasn't sure Lorne's idea of her seduction was a good one. But, if that's what Lorne thought best then that's what Spike would do. He'd never questioned his friend's accuracy of 'insight' before and he wasn't about to start now. Lorne had been right far too many times in the past for him to do that. Spike grinned; he had a feeling this encounter was going to be one he would enjoy to the very last second.


A/N: Lorne's statement in French is as follows, “Non(No), it cannot be. You are… but-of-course magnifique(magnificent) ma jeune dame dans le rouge(my young lady in red). Let me butter your croissant, let me dip my ladle in your…vichyssoise(bowl of soup – loose translation) you saucy young thing you!” The last two sentences are the property of the writers for the movie The Mask that starred Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz. I merely used them for entertainment as they came from one of my favorite scenes in the movie, which I personally found hysterical.
Special Note: Please remember that I said we'd meet Spike in this chapter, not that he and Buffy would. Good writing needs good development and there is a method to my madness as you WILL see.. The next chapter is when our couple will meet, so stick around as their introduction is quite... unconventional, to say the least. Please review as I appreciate everyones thoughts.

Buffy decided that this ‘business trip’ was just what the doctor ordered. Taking the rest of the week off was easily arranged since she now owned her mother’s gallery, having inherited it after her passing. Her employee and good friend Anya jumped at the chance to earn more money with the extra hours.
She had a quirky way of saying whatever was on her mind at all the wrong moments, but she was an excellent bookkeeper and an even better sales-person.

The moment Buffy got back from LA she called Riley and apologized for phoning so late, claiming she had been too tired from flying and meeting with clients all day. Of course, he instantly forgave her. And it irritated her that he was not the least bit angry or upset, which would have presented an opportunity to dump him.

She had agreed with Lorne to give him her address for the 'delivery' of her purchase but left the timing up to him as to its arrival. The element of surprise had intrigued her at his suggestion, however the apprehension of the entire situation had her nerves on edge and second-guessing her decision with each passing day.

Other than hanging out with Willow for two nights in a row, her week was otherwise uneventful. She had to force herself to forget about when to expect the delivery of her ‘package’ while she restlessly convinced herself; after all, a surprise isn’t a surprise if you expect it right? She’d even purposely forgone any ‘self pleasuring’ just so she could enjoy herself more when the time arrived, but she couldn’t wait forever either.

Friday morning arrived and found Buffy feeling disappointed yet again along with a sense of uneasiness, thinking perhaps she’d been had. After finishing her breakfast, she went upstairs to throw her hair up in a loose ponytail and brush her teeth. Figuring she could get some quality painting time in today, she rummaged in her closet to produce a pink tank top and white overalls that were covered in paint and cut at the thighs. Dressed, she headed back down into her sunroom and settled herself in front of her latest project to begin working.

Several hours had passed before she groaned from the ache in her back and looked over at the clock.

“1:07? Wow, time flies.” Stretching her arms behind her back to get rid of the kinks from sitting so long, she decided a hot bath and a glass of wine to relax sounded perfect before taking a lazy afternoon nap.

Looking back at her work, Buffy snorted as she screwed up her face. She’d been trying her hand at painting the last few months, hoping that her mother’s talent ran through her veins. Although Buffy wasn’t a horrible painter by any means, she was no Picasso either; she mainly just enjoyed the peace and solitude it brought from spending time at it.

She dropped her paintbrush back into the cleaner and shuffled her supplies around till they were back in their proper places before heading to the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of Muscat from the refrigerator, a corkscrew and a wine glass, she slowly padded up the stairs and into the bathroom that adjoined her bedroom.

She turned on the faucet to fill her tub and added a generous amount of vanilla scented bubbles to her bathwater. Thinking it would further relax her she lit several candles and placed them evenly around the sides of the tub. After removing the cork from her bottle and pouring a half glass of wine, she walked back into the bedroom and started shedding her clothes, unaware of the presence that lurked just outside her bedroom window.

Once fully naked she grabbed a thigh length silk nightgown with matching panties from her dresser and threw it on the bed before turning back towards the bathroom, looking forward to the soothing fragrant bubbles. She closed the door half way to block out some of the afternoon rays and shut off the lights, leaving the room to glow softly with the mixture of sun and candlelight.

Before stepping into the water she bent over to reach her CD player on the floor, pressed play and turned the volume up to listen to the dreamy sound of Enya’s song 'Only Time', setting it on repeat.

“Perfect” she sighed, and then gingerly lowered herself in, completely immersing her body and head under the comfort of the steaming water. When she re-emerged, she pushed the water away from her face and reached for the loofah to begin washing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike couldn’t believe his bad luck. He had arrived at Buffy’s house in the early afternoon, leaving his motorcycle parked down the street several houses away from hers. He’d managed to covertly reach the back of her house without anyone seeing him to raise suspicion then got down to creep up close to one of the windows.

Having located her, he watched with interest when she frowned at what he surmised must be a painting she was obviously unhappy about before she stretched and left the room. Being careful to stay out of sight, he moved with her as she walked away then into another room in which he couldn’t see. She reappeared moments later clutching a bottle of wine and a glass before heading to climb a set of stairs. When she didn't come back after several minutes of waiting, he glanced towards the second story and figured she was there to stay. That’s when he noticed the giant oak tree with its sturdy reaching branches that stretched beneath the length of her windows. Oh bollocks! I’m gonna break my bloody neck.

Resolving himself to carry out this mission, he quickly shimmied up the tree and found a suitable spot on one of the branches to sit. There was enough of the green foliage to conceal him while still allowing a decent view into a large bedroom. Now he could only hope that it was indeed her bedroom or he’d have to come up with an alternate plan.

Settling in more so he was semi-comfortable, Spike was soon rewarded with the sight of the little blonde in all her naked glory, walking into what he confirmed to be a bathroom even though she’d flipped off the light. He watched her pull on the door, grateful she left it open just enough so he could continue observing her lovely figure and golden skin which now glowed honey in the semi lit room.

He groaned approvingly as Buffy bent over, admiring the firm 'assets' she unknowingly set on display. The candlelight surrounding the tub illuminated her delicate curves even more as she stepped in, forcing Spike to wet his dry lips with his tongue. As if of its own volition, his body shuffled along the branch closer towards her window in order to have a better view. He was close enough now that if she looked hard enough in his direction through the leaves, she could have made him out. He didn’t care. He wanted to see more of this woman who would be receiving his attentions soon enough.

He thought he could hear music as she disappeared completely for a couple seconds before coming back up to run her hands over her face. He watched in fascination as she took a loofah and proceeded to lather it with soap and run it up and down each of her arms. He damn near fell out the tree when she sat up and arched her chest forward, closed her eyes and began to slowly wash her breasts one at a time in slow circular motions. It looked so sensual the way she did this that he instantly became jealous, wishing he were that loofah now caressing the slippery mounds. Bloody hell, she’s gorgeous. Her breasts… perfect.

He licked his lips again continuing to be mesmerized as she moved to wash and shave each of her toned legs in the same leisurely yet arousing manner, holding each one up high in turn as she took care of them. Spike was already imagining those legs wrapped around his hips as he buried himself inside her. His pants were getting painfully tighter by the second as he cursed himself for it still being daylight, else he would have given himself a quick wank to relieve the pressure.

He was thankful when she stopped torturing him and finally reclined her head back, sipping from her wine glass occasionally with her eyes closed. He thought himself safe until the bubbles began to disappear. Her breathing forced her hardened nipples to peek in and out of view with the rise and fall of her chest. ’M never gonna survive two minutes with her, Christ she’ll think I’m a bleedin joke and tell Lorne to fire my arse. Sunlight be damned.

He looked around to be sure he was indeed hidden well enough before bringing his hand to his zipper. Breathing a sigh of relief as his erection sprang forth, he grabbed the throbbing 9-inch member with his right hand and began pumping it.

He kept his eyes darting between her face and her chest, careful that he kept watch as she might finish with her bath at any moment. As he picked up the pace of his strokes, he imagined her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, moaning in ecstasy beneath him. Oh, he was going take care of this one, you’d better believe that. His breathing increased as the fantasy played out in his mind’s eye:

“Spike pleeeeeeease… don’t make me wait.” Buffy's breathing became labored as she struggled beneath him, encouraging him to increase his rythym.

“Tell me Buffy… tell me and I’ll give it to you, s’all you gotta do luv.” He buried himself deep inside of her in one swift thrust, trying to drive her need higher. Looking down between their bodies, he watched himself disappear in and out of her hot velvety depth. Continuing his languorous pace, he finally heard her whisper.

“Make me cum Spike… I need it, need you… only you.” Delighted with her request, he quickly rolled them over, draping her overtop of him without breaking contact.

“Use me Buffy… take what you need from me… I can handle it. I’m here for you pet… always here for you.” He watched her take command over the situation and began riding him forcefully. Each downward plunge brought the slapping sound of wet flesh as their bodies met one another over and over. Still gripping her hips, he helped her to repeatedly slam down as hard as they both dared to take it, each searching for the pinnacle of the other's passion.

Feeling her inner walls begin to flutter, he flipped her back over. Rising up on his knees, he pulled her roughly towards him by her waist and began pounding into her mercilessly, her knees thrown over his shoulders. He felt the beginnings of his own release stir as her body tightened around him, squeezing him like a vice…

With that image burning in his mind he came hard, letting his hot fluids spill forth to run down his fingers and onto the ground below. Spike had to suppress the urge to growl, keeping his eyes trained on Buffy for any sign of movement as his orgasm continued to surge through him.

As the last of his spendings fell to the earth he did the only thing he could think of… he tore a few leaves off the tree and used them to quickly clean up before tucking himself back in. Still breathing somewhat erratically he carefully inched his way back down the branch to his original position to wait for Buffy to finish, silently wondering what she would do next once she was done with her bath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A second glass of wine and 30 minutes later found Buffy lax and sleepy before reaching for the drain then her towel. Wrapping it loosely around her body, she blew out the candles and shut the music off before leaving the room.

She sat down in front of her vanity, picked up a brush and proceeded to draw it through her long hair until it felt half way dried. Standing up, she let her towel drop on the floor and picked up her favorite bottle of perfume to spray her pulse points.

Walking to her bed, she retrieved her nightgown, slipping the silky garment over her head. She enjoyed the feel of it’s softness against her skin as it slid into place over her body and felt sleep begin to call her. Pulling the covers back to her bed, she slithered under them and turned on her side, drifting off seconds after her head hit the pillow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rousing from her sleep Buffy slowly opened her eyes while stretching her arms over her head. Glancing to the left she watched as the waning afternoon sunlight streamed in through her window, which faced the western sky. She climbed out of bed and walked over to it stopping short to stretch one more time. Extending her arms over her head, she reached towards the ceiling rising up till poised on the tips of her toes.

From a chair in the far right corner of her room Spike sat, silently watching. Slumped slightly and legs spread wide, his left hand rested on the side of his face, the right on his groin, thumb hooked loosely inside the waist of his black jeans. A grin began spreading itself slowly across his sharp features as he took in the sight before him.

Gazing at the girl stretching in front of the window he appreciated her lithe taut figure, clearly silhouetted by the setting sun’s rays as they streamed through her crème colored nightgown, making it appear almost translucent. He leisurely perused the outline of her back all the way down to the curve of her round bottom, which the short garment now barely concealed. His right hand twitched as he felt his manhood begin to stir yet again for this woman.

Continuing his visual journey to the plane of her flat stomach, he raked his gaze slowly upwards to focus on her breasts as she arched her back, forcing her tits to push against the delicate material and pebble. Shifting his position to relieve the growing pressure in his groin, he watched as her arms drop to her sides causing one thin spaghetti strap to drop slightly off her right shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike was glad that Buffy had decided to sleep after her bath; this had greatly helped to facilitate his plan. He had waited in the tree as long as possible until sure she was deep in slumber then edged himself closer to her bedroom. He took his time in prying her window open thankful it wasn't locked. As slowly and quietly as possible he raised it just enough to allow entrance without fear of any noise. Once inside, closing it would have proved noisy, so he opted to close it a few inches from the sill.

He tiptoed over to where she lay and dropped silently to his knees, level with her face. He stayed like this for several long moments, just watching her. Her breathing was slow and he could see her eyes moving rapidly beneath the lids, somewhere deep in a dream that he hoped was comforting to her. She looks like an angel… so peaceful, pure looking, so…

She suddenly stirred and whimpered in her sleep. Spike sat back, readying himself to duck in case she woke. As he held his breath, he saw her face crinkle into a frown and suddenly wished he could enter her dream and soothe away whatever the cause her distress.

Without thinking, his sudden concern for her caused his hand to reach forward, intent on pushing back the strands of hair that fell in front of her nose. He wanted so badly to stroke her head and reassure her that everything was well when he caught himself. He drew his hand back and berated himself for foolish thinking. Wouldn't be very nice to startle the lady awake now would it mate?

It was then Buffy visibly began to shiver. Spike realized that thanks to him, the partially open window was causing a breeze to float over her bare shoulders. He did the only thing he could, he took hold of her bedspread and gently raised it up and over the exposed skin, feeling guilty that he may have caused her any discomfort as she napped. He then stood and began to survey her room, taking delight in the fact there was not a shred of male evidence to be found anywhere. Everything seemed feminine in nature from the pastel blue of the walls right down to the intoxicating smell that was uniquely her.

Spike decided against snooping around in an effort to learn more about her. Even if it aided in his plan should she catch him, it wasn't polite. As he scanned the room, he spotted an oversized chaise-lounge in the corner and strode silently over to settle down and remain until she woke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letting out a sleep-filled groan as she reached towards the ceiling in her stretch, Buffy suddenly felt a slight breeze steal through the window to blow delicately across her chest, making her nipples harden with its chill. Funny, I don’t remember leaving the window open.

Dropping her arms with the intent to go close it, she caught a slight movement out of her peripheral vision to the right. Turning to look towards the darkened corner where the sunset’s light did not reach her favorite reading chair, she gasped when she saw the tip of a black combat boot on the floor escaping the blackness from the shadows.

Knowing that she was now aware of his presence, Spike slowly rose from the chair and emerged into the light.

“‘Lo love.” Acting casual as he hooked both thumbs through the belt of his pants, Spike began a deliberate and seductive saunter towards her, head tilting to the side as he studied her.

Startled beyond belief, Buffy let out a little "eeep" and immediately tried covering her scantily clad form while backing up so fast she hit the wall with a dull thud.

She watched with wide frightened eyes as the figure of a man emerged from the corner. Noticing the smirk that adorned his chiseled face, it clearly implied that he had been watching her, but for how long she wondered. Getting more frightened by the second as he drew closer with each step she blindly began groping with her right hand for any object with which to fend him off while her eyes remained transfixed on the intruder before her. The low rumble of his voice pierced through her fear long enough that she stilled her movements as he spoke in a deep-silken British tone.

“Was wonderin when you were gonna wake. Was thinkin 'bout doin it m’self, buuuuuuuuuut,” he drawled, "knew you were gonna need the rest.”

Snapping herself out of the trance he induced upon her, she snatched the nearby table lamp, poising it in the air in a defensive stance.

“I don’t know who you are or what you want but if you take one step closer…” she tried hard to sound threatening but her voice trembled despite her efforts.

“And what the hell is that suppose to mean… needing my rest?”

In a flash of black, he rushed her before she could blink. His left hand grabbed her right wrist in a bruising grip to prevent the lamp she held from being used against him. His free hand slipped around her neck to draw her ear roughly to his mouth.

Gripping the forearm that held her neck tightly, Buffy felt her heartbeat triple in speed as she breathed in a distinct masculine smell that held undertones of leather and cigarettes. She knew in an instant that she would be powerless to fight him off as his powerful form leaned in to violate the remaining space between them.

“Eh eh eh… no need for that pet… ‘less you like it rough… ay?” He chided her in a hushed tone.

Spike had absolutely no intentions of hurting this beautiful woman, however, if she was going to get violent, well then, he could oblige her and play it that way too. She had stirred such an intense desire within him that he wanted nothing more than to throw her to the ground and take her right there, but the situation dictated he stick to his plan.

The second Buffy felt his breath wash over her ear, her nipples hardened even further and goose bumps sprang up over the entire length of her body. Her mind was racing with fear, heart pounding so hard beneath her chest she thought it would burst. Yet a certain part of her body ignored that fear and responded to his closeness, sending a wave of heat to her stomach and a swarm of confusion through her mind.

His tone was dangerous, serious, threatening, yet sounded so sexy with his accent at the same time that the odd paradox rendered her mentally paralyzed. Ever so slowly, she loosened her grip on the lamp in an effort to let him know she wouldn’t try to use it on him, jumping when he slammed her wrist against the wall, making it drop to the floor with a loud clank.

“There now, tha’s better.” The deepness of his voice sent a shudder through her that did not go unnoticed by him. He felt her hardened nipples through the thin material of his black t-shirt and smiled, releasing his grip to glide his hand down the length of her arm in a ghostly caress. Feeling her relax a bit as she lowered her arm he stepped back enough to take in the features of her frightened face. Making a decision, he swiftly took hold of both wrists pinning them to her sides in case she tried to lash out.

Finally able to get a proper look at him, Buffy made note of all his features trying to commit them to memory for the police if he left her alive. His hair was stark white from an obvious dye job as his eyebrows were darker in appearance, a scar gracing the left one making him look all the more dangerous, yet not unattractive. His cheekbones were set high and razor sharp on his face, complimented by his strong square jaw. Gulping audibly, she moved her inspection to his mouth taking in the perfect shape of his lips, the bottom lip so full and plump that it literally screamed kiss me. Her mouth opened slightly as if wanting to do just that before catching herself to clamp it shut.

“Spike,” was all he said.

“Spike?” Her eyes snapped to his, taking them in for the first time, stunned by their intensity. They were truly an amazing combination of sapphire and glacial-ice blue. Impossibly beautiful and utterly hypnotizing they reminded her of angels, though his hardened features lent them an eerie demon-like appearance cold with intention, she assumed, of enjoying her torture at his hands.

Tilting his head to one side he continued, “Yeah. Figured you'd wanna know what to scream… when the time, hmm… COMES,” he emphasized. He released one wrist and raised his hand, allowing a single finger to drag softly down the curve of her cheek.

“Wanted to be sure you’d had enough sleep too,” he lowered his mouth dangerously close to hers, “since you’ll be screaming it quite a bit.” The tip of his tongue slipped out to trace his bottom lip, wetting it anticipation of what she would taste like.

With the full realization of his intent, adrenaline shot through Buffy as instinct kicked in. She tried desperately to shove him back only to be pushed harder into the wall and held firm while he chuckled at her weak attempt.

“Just take whatever it is you came to steal and leave. I-I… never saw you.” she pleaded as her eyes closed tightly, turning her head as far away from him as possible.

“Now where’s the fun in that luv?” He replied while inwardly groaning at the feel of her body as her struggles only served to add friction against his already aching groin. He seized both wrists again and purposely ground his erection against her abdomen once, twice...

“S’ides, ’m not a thief… though I do have a tendency to take what I want.”

Brusquely he wrapped one arm round her waist, tugging her away to stand a few feet from the wall. He began to leisurely circle behind her, mimicking a predator sizing its prey before the slaughter. A small part of him felt guilty for frightening her like this but the bigger part was relishing in her needless fear. If you had any idea… the pleasure I'll bring your body tonight… Soon enough my sweet Buffy, soon enough and you'll be begging instead of struggling, I promise you.

His fingertips gently trailed her tiny waistline before coming to grip both hips firmly from behind. Pressing his body against her backside, he allowed his erection to nestle inside the curve where her bottom cheeks met. He dropped his head down, placing his lips at her shoulder blade to run them sensuously inside the arch of her neck.

The manner in which this stranger inhaled deeply was similar to that of a wild beast trying to learn her scent… memorizing it so he could track her should she break free to run. Holding as still as possible against him and the onslaught of his mouth, Buffy tensed at the thought of what he could and might do.

Would he tie her up and simply rape her? Or, would he be violent, knocking her around before he took what he wanted? Once finished, would he kill her because she had seen his face? She shuddered once more and vowed silently to herself she would not go down without a fight. The sudden image of him hovering over her, pumping into her body flashed through her mind causing the heat in her womb to grow again. NO… no matter what response he had evoked in her body with his primal actions she could not allow herself to gain an ounce of pleasure from this man, he was a monster, nothing more, nothing less.

His right hand began winding itself round to her front, stopping to rest softly against the expanse of her stomach. He splayed his fingers wide and pulled her against him even closer in a gesture that spoke of dominance. Placing an open mouth over her pulse point and sucking gently, he swirled his tongue in lazy circles, smiling against her skin upon hearing her exhale.

Buffy released a silent breath she didn’t realize she'd held as her mouth formed an ‘O’, dropping her head back to rest against his shoulder. However frightened she felt inside there was no denying that a small part of her found everything he was doing to her highly erotic. He was devastatingly handsome, sexy beyond words, and despite his dangerous demeanor and clear intentions she found herself succumbing to visions of that tongue and its potential on other parts of her body. What is he doing to me? Stop that… no. Stop. Oh God, don't, don't… stop. Her control slipped away as her breathing became ragged with desire.

Spike released her, letting a chuckle slip through his lips. Circling back to face her, he thought he caught a hint of lust cross her features before quickly being replaced with an air of disgust and revulsion as her eyes narrowed.

“Now that we're on the same page, tell me your name luv. Tell me so that I know to whom I'll owe my pleasure to tonight.”

“No!” Buffy surprised herself with the force of her own voice. The reality of her situation came crashing back to her now that he was speaking again.

Spike stared at her lips, taking in their lush appearance for the first time. Out of nowhere, the desire to taste them took hold, growing as he watched her panting, forcing her to lick her lips. Seconds before he caved to his need, William emerged to restrain him.

What do you think you're doin mate?

Spike never kissed a woman… ever, until she either initiated it or asked him. Though he always consented, its only purpose was to keep the clientele happy. Deep inside, he hated this more than the act of sex itself with these complete strangers. Kissing was too… personal, too intimate… something to be shared by two people who genuinely cared for one another.

Look at those lips though, bet they taste like heaven.

He leaned forward ignoring all reason and logic for the briefest of moments before halting.

You can't do this! William pleaded for them both.

Spike reasoned with him. She's gonna want it anyway. ’S jus an act! Jus' acting here.

And he was an actor… a really good actor………………………………… TBC

A/N: Ok, so maybe I am evil. So far I've kept my promises thought right? Next chapter, I promise, will hold all that you've been waiting for.

And he was an actor… a really good actor…………………………………

Lorne had coached William in body language and verbal skills among other things. His first ‘experience’ working for Lorne had been for one whiney annoying Harmony Kendall. She was easy on the eyes and even easier to employ his acting skills on; hell she was just plain easy. His ears, however, couldn’t take it anymore after her fifth request of him. Lorne luckily replaced him, moving him onto more challenging ‘situations’ until his confidence grew and eventually gave way to cockiness. Lorne had to admit that their deal was working out nicely for both of them but never gave William more work than necessary, knowing how he felt inside about it.

Lorne’s other training had been for William to develop an alter ego…Spike. A dash of attitude, some black clothing and a couple bottles of bleach later had Lorne cracking jokes with him about playing for the other team.

William adopted ‘Spike’ and quickly learned to rely on him as a way of separating himself when dealing with clients. He was an iron mask with which to shield the emotions that could run amok from the acts committed in front of William. It kept his sanity in check though he felt sure he was going to pay dearly in hell for his sins when he died. By day he was William, a simple man with a passion for cooking, by night Spike… confident, sexy and supremely skilled in the bedroom. Spike reveled in the ability to bring any women to the height of her sexuality, though to William it never held any real meaning.

Since the inception of Spike, William essentially damned himself to loneliness and longing for something he was sure he would never deserve; someone who he could give his heart to and who would take care of his in return. Well, not while in this business and that’s where Spike came in handy, detaching himself and facing the reality of what he had to do to survive. These weren’t human beings he slept with, these women were paying for his talents and the use of his body not even caring that it left him feeling used, dirty, and empty inside. No, he simply couldn’t entertain the idea of ever having someone special in his life. William didn’t deserve love because of what Spike had to do for the both of them and no woman deserved what would be left over of either of them.

Still, William constantly thought about the lovely creature named Buffy every second of every moment since seeing her at The Hide-a-way. Sure, he’d been with lots of beautiful women and she should have been just another pretty face, but something about her had captured him from the moment he’d laid eyes on her. Watching her dance with Lorne, laughing away carelessly with him as they joked, everything from her warm smile to the way she moved and held herself had called out to him.

On more than a few occasions, he imagined actually meeting her under different circumstances. Would she like him, could she like him? William would probably be too shy for her but ‘Spike’ could woo and seduce her with practiced words. In the end he always discarded the silly thoughts, knowing they would lead to nowhere except a dead end road of useless hope.

After he settled inside Buffy's bedroom, Spike found himself genuinely smiling every time the silence broke with the soft sound of her sleep-filled murmuring. From the sprawling tan chaise lounge where he chose to sit and wait, he couldn't help but notice how small her form looked in the giant bed and wondered what it would feel like to hold her as she slept. Once she rose to stretch herself awake, the sunlight from her window surrounded her figure, giving her silhouette the outward appearance of an angel… all radiant, glowing and… effulgent.

Lorne had given him the rundown of what scenario would appeal to her physical nature… that was standard for any client that willingly sang for him. But it was what he said afterwards that piqued Spike's interest when he prodded Lorne to know more of what he'd discovered:

“Let’s just say she’s a woman with a tremendous capacity for passion that once unleashed would rival even the likes of a 17th century courtesan. Here's the thing my friend, you know her past lovers weren't, well, adequate in their abilities when it came to her. It's neither hers NOR their fault when it boils right down to it. The boyfriend she's currently preparing to drop like a bad habit is the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak, THUS bringing her to us. She's… special. Unique in such a way that not only does she harbor desires no man has ever fulfilled, but so secret some of these desires are that even she is unaware of them. And before you ask it's a flat out NO, even I can't see everything. That being the case, it's going to take some, oh, how shall I put this delicately… forceful coaxing to bring it to her attention. She needs the right key to unlock this side of her and I firmly believe that you Spike, the Don Juan incarnate, holds that key. I must warn you however to be cautious, especially should you succeed. Be careful with the time you spend with her… for both your sakes."

That's what had Spike the most mystified and compelled to see this ‘job’ through. He got the impression from Lorne that she would not only pose his greatest challenge but that she should be considered somehow dangerous. He laughed at the absurdity of the idea and brushed it aside. Though Spike had all but begged for any more information, Lorne had assured he told him all he needed to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No name huh? What should I call you then…pet? Luv? Goldilocks?” He finished this last word by running a hand over her golden mane and down to hover near her left breast. He looked deep into her eyes noticing their beautiful green hue up close, like creamy jade with flecks of gold. God a man could get lost in those eyes. Studying her face for a moment longer, he nodded slightly, “Right then.”

Pulling back, he quickly scolded himself. She was a job, nothing more than another month’s rent. She was using him like all the rest… for her own ends. He always derived the physical pleasure associated with this profession, obviously, but that was all he ever allowed. Feelings and emotions could never take part in his work or his outside life; it was a forbidden indulgence that could only end in disaster.

Taking a step towards Buffy, she halted him with her words.

“Get away from me or I swear to god…I’ll-” Spike glared at her harshly, then interrupted.

“Oh, Ms. DESPERATE here has a sassy lil mouth.” Coming to stand in her personal space, he leaned in so their noses were mere millimeters from each other.

“I’ve got just the thing that’ll shut that sassing gob up of yours up…. put those pretty lil lips ‘f yours to better use.” He pressed his tongue behind his teeth and sneered as his implication was not lost on her.

“Oh God!” It suddenly dawned on her and her eyes went comically wide. This was no intruder at all, this had to be Lorne’s ‘employee’. “You’re, y-you’re…”

“Gonna take what I want, and there’s nuthin you can… or will do 'bout it.” He lowered his voice to a whisper and waggled his eyebrows at her. “C’ept enjoy it maybe. Now be a good little chit and I promise to make it hurt in ALL the wrong places.” He swiveled his hips against her to emphasize his point, hoping that she understood now who he was and that he would not engage her in anything that she wasn't to be a willing participant.

He smiled inside when her eyes widened and lips parted in astonishment. Taking this as a sure sign she knew what he was here for he braved the small gap between them. His tongue came out and slowly caressed the length of her bottom lip, giving her ample time to pull away if she wanted.

Oh, oh that tongue, I wonder how... if he would… As she continued to wander down a mental road that held an image of his platinum head between her thighs, she nearly groaned aloud when he sucked on her lip.

Feeling sure he’d have her bedded and screaming his name in no time, he continued the assault on her mouth by sucking on her lip gently, pulling it back with his teeth to release it. Pleased by the moans that escaped her, he came at her again, this time treating her upper lip with the same affection.

Spike felt her resolve and fear begin to drain within seconds and was grateful, he didn't want to use fear as the weapon to bring out whatever manner of vixen lay beneath the surface named Buffy despite Lorne's instructions. He brought his hand up to cup her face gently. Yes, he would try being gentle with her first, see if this avenue worked to her liking before taking the lead. His fingers wound in the hair at her nape as he lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb.

From the moment she felt his gentle touch on her face, she couldn't help but to respond. She trapped his bottom lip between hers mimicking his moves and sucked at it tenderly, letting her tongue lick back and forth that portion she held inside her mouth. Her legs weakened the more he teased and played with her, sometimes pulling back before she could reach him again. She'd never really placed that much importance on kissing before, but the way this man lavished his talents soon had her re-thinking her position on it.

She heard a low rumbling sound come from him, almost like a deep purring. The vibrations it sent through her mouth had shot through the rest of her body like lightning, ending with a rush of warm liquid that filled her silk thong. It shocked her, how her body had reacted. It felt wonderful and yet strange at the same time. What's happening to me?

When Spike felt his lip pulled inside her warm mouth he knew he was at her mercy. The tickling of her tongue was pure bliss and made him even harder if it were possible at this point. He couldn't help but to groan into her mouth while fighting the urge to ravish her lips with his.

That feeling grew stronger and stronger with each passing sweep of her tongue. Seconds before he knew his will would snap, he heard her breathe hitch in her throat and felt her body go rigid. Hoping he'd done nothing wrong and wanting her to continue, he gripped her waist with his free hand and held them both still, pulling back to look at her face.

Buffy suddenly felt as if she wasn't in control of her body or her mind at this point, and it frightened her. This was unfamiliar territory for a woman who was continually in charge of her actions. She was a heavily guarded person especially with her emotions and especially with the male species. Was she turned-on? Hell yes, more than turned on but not being in command of her senses, responding rather than thinking about what she was doing completely unsettling her. Feeling as if Spike suddenly had all the power she stiffened. When he grabbed her waist, she panicked even further and brought both hands up to his chest to prevent giving in and giving over to the moment, afraid of what might happen if she did.

You're paying for this remember? This IS what you wanted, right? For a man to take control, have his wicked way with us. Any of this ring a bell? Of all the moments she chose to rear her perverse head this was one time Buffy did not want to hear from the inner-slut.

This is wrong. She argued.

For who? You or him?

What do you mean? For me of course! Where in hell had that come from, wrong for him? He was an escort after all, a prostitute, a whore. He's being paid for this for Christ's sake, he held no emotions in the situation, it's what he does… right?

Now her fears turned to confusion. She knew that she had no right to worry over Spike feeling anything, it should be the last thing on her mind… but there it was. Oh my God, I'm no better than him.

"What is it?" Spike's concern clearly marred his looks.

She almost forgot he was there, so engrossed by the conflicting thoughts.

This was a mistake. He may be what he is but I'm supporting it, all because I want to get laid. God I'm horrible, buying a person as if they were a sweater out of some catalog.

"Ican'tdothis." She blurted this thought out-loud, hoping it would aide in her decision to put an end to this charade.

Spike was instantly shocked and upset at her words. A flicker of anger quickly rose up in its place thinking that perhaps she felt guilty that she still had a boyfriend. If that was it then why was he even here? The git obviously didn't take care of her needs and Spike knew that he could, had been dreaming about giving the little blonde a good seeing to, had wanted it, wanted her so badly that he took her rejection personally.

"Oh, I see. This is about HIM isn't it?"

"What?" She threw him a confused look. "Who?" Then it dawned on her that she had discussed Riley with Lorne and he must have passed on that information to Spike.

"No… God no!" taken aback by his insinuating question. What did he care about her personal life anyway?

"It's not like that." Was he bringing her unethical behavior to light? He couldn't be that would make no sense since he himself was the very epitome of depravity in his line of work. Whatever his reasons, he had no right.

"Isn't it? Look, if you’re feelin’ guilty 'bout Captain Cardboard then you're just wasting your money and both our time. He's not here right now, I AM!" He raised his voice as his anger started getting the best of him. If she just gave him a chance, he would make her forget all about him.

"He's not what you want." Back pedaling as soon as he saw her physically flinch from his outburst, he felt remorse for scaring her and immediately softened his tone, "Not what you need."

Deciding a different approach was necessary; he chose his next words carefully.

"S'not his fault you know, or any of the other blokes you've been with. They were too foolish to see what they had, too dumb to know what to do, too selfish to truly appreciate the woman within." He paused to gauge her reaction. When he saw that he had her attention, he spoke again with pure conviction in his voice.

"Mark my words Miss Summers… I won't be making that mistake tonight. You're a treasure far too precious for anything less than complete worship.

"I'm sorry, but… I don't think I can do this. It's not," Still struggling with her earlier thoughts, she sensed the truth behind some of his words but remained unsure who this was more demoralizing for… her or him.

"Tha's your problem right there. DON'T. Think. Jus' feel, s'all you gotta do." Despite whatever reservations she still had, he'd be damned if he would let them get in the way now, he simply wanted her too much. Between his raging hard-on and the fantasies that occupied his thoughts these last few days, he didn't want to break down and beg like a child.

In an effort to quiet her protests he placed his hands over top hers and stroked them softly with his thumbs. She looked as if a battle were warring in her head so he calculated his next few moves and prayed they would sway her.

All she could do was stare at him. His eyes softened as he spoke and she swore he meant every word. He'd come right out and said she was worthy of better treatment than any of her past lovers had given her. He also sounded dead serious when more or less stating his promise to take care of her with no thought to himself. Somewhere deep inside she knew she had nothing to lose, and the way he was looking at her now would surely make her crumble. She watched as he cocked his head to one side and noted how expressive his face became. It was a look that bordered somewhere between concern and lust.

Studying her closely, he slowly raised her hands to his mouth. He kissed each of her knuckles in turn with tenderness, making sure the action conveyed reassurance rather than seduction.

"Please Buffy. Please let me take care of you. You won't regret it kitten, I promise. I'll make sure you enjoy every," alternating his kisses between words, "last, second." He closed his eyes on that final word and left the last one to linger.

Slowly he guided her hands to wrap around his waist, pleased that she didn't resist. He stepped in closer and brought his arms to rest lightly on her hips, linking his fingers near the small of her back. Placing his cheek against hers, he nuzzled her softly while whispering in her ear.

"I'll take you heaven Buffy. Would you like that? I can show you the stars you've only read 'bout, bring the moon TO you if you want. Jus’ leave your thoughts behind baby, jus’ for tonight. Jus’ feel me, be WITH me. It'll be so good Buffy you'll see I promise. We can be so good together.”

At this point Spike didn't care if he sounded desperate or not, he would put every fiber of his being into making her happy if it meant that she'd submit to him.

Buffy knew she was done for the minute he started kissing her hands. His touch was going to be her undoing. Then he had to go and whisper those promising words. To her, he sounded as if he were pleading with her to let him have his way. Nevertheless, he'd put the ball in her court and if she refused, she knew he would back down. But if she said yes… there was no doubt in her mind he would make good on his promise. As the last of her resolve slowly slipped away, she made her decision.......... Fuck it.

Shifting so that she could look once more into the face of her intruder, she intentionally lost herself inside the cool depths of his wintry sapphire eyes. She nodded her head in consent and watched what appeared to be a subtle look of relief wash over his features. Reaching to rest a hand on his cheek, her heels left the ground as she rose to seek out his lips, engaging them in the gentlest of kisses.

To say that Spike was stunned was an understatement. Standing there both dumbfounded and speechless, he didn't have time to react to her kiss. When she pulled back too quickly for his taste, her next words floored him.

"Take me there… to the stars, to heaven. I trust you Spike."

He didn't need to be told twice. Grateful for his answered prayers, he covered her mouth with his and savored the kiss she yielded to him with no reservations. He felt her lips part and grabbed the back of her head to push his way inside her mouth, desperate to taste her. After all, since she initiated the kiss he had to comply… right? Damn the rule anyway, just this once.

She began to feel dizzy as his hungry kisses became more and more demanding, going on for what seemed like forever. Hands flew everywhere but landed nowhere. In her efforts to touch every part of him she hadn't even noticed that one of his hands found its way to her bottom until he pulled her flush against him, squeezing and kneading it forcefully as he rubbed his erection against her shamelessly.

A surprised grunt escaped her lips as she pulled back to catch her breath and take in what it was he was doing to her. Spike took the opportunity to attack her neck. He lavished every inch of her slender column with hot kisses, worrying the skin just behind her ears every now and then with his teeth. He matched her breathy moans with that of his own, turning her on even more as her body undulated against his movements as if already joined in fleshly union.

As she felt his swollen shaft continually grind against her, her brain suddenly registered the apparent size of the bulge. Wow, either it's my imagination or he's genetically gifted. Wanting to validate this she let her hand wander down, trying to create a gap between them so she could touch it.

No sooner had she placed her palm flatly against his length she heard him… growl? Yes, he actually growled, furthering her desire to explore the prize he held between his legs.

He was lost, lost in the sensations that were pure Buffy. Her mouth tasted like a mixture of honey and the wine she had drank earlier. She smelled of vanilla and sleep and he couldn't resist his wandering hand from cupping her backside. He unconsciously snaked his way underneath the flimsy excuse for a garment that was her nightgown and fondled her, knowing it wouldn't be long before he could bury himself between the two sweet mounds.

He growled into her mouth when he felt her small hand find its way to his groin. As he took in the feel of her wandering fingers, he continued to explore every inch of her bottom and pulled her groping hand tighter against his aching cock.

The way she rocked her body in time to his had his blood boiling. Her rhythm so perfectly matched his own he could almost feel himself sheathed inside her slick passage now. What the hell is she doin to me? Gotta slow down… must, maintain, control.

"Christ, ahhhhhhh, drivin me, mmm, insane here luv."

Suddenly afraid he may become too excited to draw this out the way he intended to, he reluctantly broke his hold and pulled away from her. He was gonna service this woman properly and at the same time indulge in some of the fantasies he had entertained about her.

She heard him mutter something between his sighs but she was too far gone to register anything he had to say. Wrapped up in his kisses and fondling the now-confirmed proportions of his manhood, it surprised her when he pulled away. She would have been angry if she weren't so turned on, so she waited to see what he did before pouncing him like a bitch in heat.

Spike instantly mourned the loss of her body but he needed to do this right, so he gathered her into his arms and began stroking her hair as their foreheads leaned against one another.

"Want you so much… don't know what you do to me do you? Did you feel it when you touched me? Wanna know your thoughts, all of them. All your dirty lil desires, fantasies… want very, VERY much to make them a reality for you tonight."

Now, he decided, was the best time to find out what made her tick, what would get her fire stoked to such an intense heat that he could send her into the flames to be consumed and then join her as she burned them both.

"Would you let me? Let me in long enough to explore that hidden side of you? Discover all the lil nasties you've only dreamt 'bout late at night when you're all alone in your bed? I'd wager there isn't a one I wouldn't enjoy doing with you, TO you. And when you cum, I'll be right here to lick every… last… delicious… drop of it off your skin." He finished this statement by leaning in to lick erotically alongside her neck all the way to her ear before grabbing her lobe with his teeth to tug at it.

"Yesss." Buffy responded longingly. As far as she was concerned, she would shit nickels if he asked her too. Her head fell back as he spoke again, his breath ragged, voice coated so thick with lust it practically dripped.

"That's my girl." He purred.

She finally gave in and over to her longing for the fulfillment she had yet to experience. As if possessed, she grabbed Spike's arms and spun him around, slamming him against the wall just as hard as he had her earlier. She clawed at his shirt, yanking it from his jeans with one hand while the other tugged desperately at the back of his duster.

As soon as his coat hit the floor she went for the collar of his shirt, ripping it halfway down his body to expose his sculpted chest. Must have. Need. NOW!

Once again, the little blonde took him by surprise. He definitely had not anticipated this type of behavior from her, nor the amount of strength with which she exerted it. She was more than ready and willing; this woman was the epitome of the word she had used to sign her name with… desperate.

Any other time Spike would have welcomed the vicious attack he was receiving from Buffy but knew he had to stop her lest she went too far. Grasping her upper body and rotating their positions, he pinned her back to their original positions.

"Let's get one thing straight here, we're gonna play this by my rules tonight, got that?" When she acknowledged his dominance with a simple nod, he released her and took two steps back. He shrugged off the remains of the ruined t-shirt from his shoulders and looked down curiously at it with one raised eyebrow.

He stood there before her like a God. His pale flawless skin stretched over his sinewy form making him appear as if he were carved from marble and all she could do was stare in awe. His build was sleek and powerful like a cat with clearly defined muscles that seemed to ripple whenever he moved. In her mind, he was Adonis himself… strong, powerful, handsome, perfect, and all hers.

He knew he needed to go about this slowly not only for her benefit, but for his own now as well. Her earlier actions had driven him so close the edge of his lust's breaking point that for the first time ever he needed to stop in order to gain control of himself.

Placing his index finger under her chin, he engaged her in a short kiss then began trailing them down her throat towards the valley between her breasts. Once he reached the top of her nightgown, his hands came up to hold her hips as he bent his knees, continuing the downward journey over the silky material towards her sex.

When he came close to his target, he stopped and settled on his knees. Pressing his nose against her mound, he inhaled deeply, groaning when her musky scent filled his nostrils through the material. Christ, she smells divine.

"Mmmmmmmmmm." His mouth watered so much he had to swallow. Overwhelmed with the need to consume her, he slid his hands down to the hem of her gown and slowly raised it over her hips.

Buffy kept her hands by her side as he placed one sweltering kiss after another down her chest. When he didn't stop the descent of his mouth, she realized his objective and quickly placed her hands on his shoulders in order to steady herself.

Though she had earlier imagined herself being taken by this man in such a manner, she could hardly have expected or believed that that was exactly what he was about to do. She gasped when she heard him sniff her most private of parts and then raise her gown.

"You don't have to do that." She spoke quickly.

There was no denying the fact she wanted him to continue, but she didn't want him feeling obligated because there was money involved. Only one of her past boyfriends had ever performed this act on her, and though she had started to enjoy it, her partner was less than thrilled with the experience. Since then she thought that perhaps there was something wrong with her, some reason that despite feeling good to her there was something with her body that was unpleasant to her lover, that maybe she didn't taste right.

He felt her grip on him tighten after her statement interrupted him. He looked up to see a face full of apprehension and wondered what could possibly have prompted her to say such a thing.

"Buffy? Pet? Wha's wrong?"

She could hardly contain the insecurity that had taken over since that experience. She spoke hesitantly, not trusting her own explanation for fear of scaring Spike off.

"I, it's just that… you don't have to do that if you don't want to. I don't expect it, really."

Not knowing what was running through her mind but wanting to reassure her it was indeed what he wanted to do, he tried for a casual approach to the awkward situation.

"M' not gonna do anythin to you that you don' want me to, I swear. If there's anything you feel remotely uncomfortable with, I want you to use a safe-word with me. Do you know what that is?

She looked at him confused before shaking her head in the negative.

"S' a word you wouldn't normally use in conversation, something to let me know to stop whatever I'm doin at the moment. Le's choose something simple, yeah? How 'bout… Uncle?"

She understood now what he meant and remembered something Anya had mentioned once when telling about one of her more 'wild' sexcapades. Still, she was nervous about the whole idea.

"Okay, it's just that, well, I've only had someone do this for me once. And it wasn't something to remember… for either of us." She truly hoped he would catch her double meaning and bow out politely without adding to her humiliation.

"Ahhhh, I get it now. Seems to me someone's sloppy attempt at tryin' to please you ended up turning him off to what I consider the best appetizer known to man." He smiled at her knowingly now and did his best to dispatch her fears of herself that some git had obviously instilled in her. Stupid, stupid boy. Ah well, one bloke's loss is my gain. "Am I right?"

Spike had made it sound so simple, explaining away her anxieties as if it were nothing. Was he right? Was she… okay? Though she still had her misgivings, she nodded once again.

"Yes. I just want, you know, for you to stop whenever you feel like it."

"Oh kitten, 'f I had my way I'd give up the ability to breathe jus' to stay buried in your paradise. You jus' relax and let me give you a whole new perspective on this." Inside he was thrilled with the knowledge that he would be the first to bring her some real satisfaction from the act.

That being said he tucked the material of her nightgown under the elastic sides of her thong to prevent it from getting in his way. He locked his eyes with hers and placed one hand between her legs, urging her to spread them so he could continue unhindered. Once he had her where he wanted, one hand strayed to her abdomen while the other played at the seam of her underwear, fingers edging just beneath the tiny scrap of silk. As they slid their way down towards her center, he discovered she was already so wet it had completely soaked the fabric.

Pleased that he had been the cause for her sodden condition, he breathed in her aroma one last time before planting his mouth over the material soaked clit. Exhaling all the air from his lungs in a steady stream, it had the effect of intense heat to her mound, earning him a throaty moan of approval. Slowly he used his fingers to pull aside her panties while his other hand joined to assist in spreading her open with his thumbs. Between her sweet redolence and the site of wet pink folds begging for his tongue, he was starting to salivate again.

That's when he felt he needed even more room to taste all of what she had to offer. He moved one hand away to grasp her behind the knee and quickly propped it over his shoulder, chuckling when she gasped in surprise. Opening her up again, he leaned in and placed a flat firm tongue to the skin just behind her opening and slowly licked her from end to end, allowing time to dip in slightly at her core. He reached her hooded nubbin and lingered to suck and nip at it lightly.

Buffy was absolutely beside herself with pleasure. The burning sensation he placed on her with his breath felt wonderful. Then he surprised her by hoisting her leg over him, leaving her more exposed and vulnerable for the onslaught that was to come next. The second his tongue touched her, a wave of tingles formed deep within her stomach. She cried out as she felt a new stream of wetness flow from her when he tongued her folds then latched on to nibble and tease her clit. She had a sensation like that of a sudden drop on a rollercoaster ride; her stomach was buzzing and she almost couldn't breathe. It had never felt quite like this when her ex had tried; boy did she feel suddenly robbed.

After several seconds he pulled back to look up at her face.

"Taste so good kitten, like nectar from the gods." Her only reply to his statement was a gahhh.

The frozen look of ecstasy on her face was truly a site to behold; head turned to one side, jaw slack in awed expression, honey colored locks covering one side of her features and both eyes shut tight in concentration. Oh no, this won't do. This won't do at all. Time for kitten to wake up.

"NO. Don't close your eyes." His commanding tone immediately had her eyes fluttering open, but not focusing on him.

"I want you to watch me. You need to see what it looks like when a man drinks from you, how he enjoys it, how much he enjoys pleasing you with his tongue. Buffy?" He could see she was listening but she wouldn't look at him. She just kept staring straight ahead as if there were someone behind him. Glancing over his left shoulder, he caught sight of her distraction and just smiled. Even better, he thought as he took in the oval full-length stand-up mirror.

"Nice mirror, it'll come in right handy tonight don' you agree?" He smirked when she finally did look back to him. Her cheeks instantly reddened as pure disbelief clearly wrote itself all over her face at his suggestive question. He knew in that instant that she had never utilized a mirror while engaging in sexual acts before. Oh, she had so much to learn, and he was looking very forward to privately tutoring her every step of the way.

Before she had a chance to say anything Spike dove back in, pushing his tongue deep inside her. She started closing her eyes again from the intensity of it all until he dug his thumbs sharply into her hips to remind her not to.

Not able to keep her hands idle any longer, one hand fell to his shoulder and the other wound it's way around the back his head and into the gelled platinum locks. She looked down into the bottomless wells of his blue eyes as he held her gaze and continued fucking her with his tongue.

Moving his arm between her legs, he grabbed one bottom cheek and pulled her roughly against his mouth. Tilting his head to the side, he thrust his tongue inside her channel as deep as humanly possible, wanting more of her sweet liquid excitement to run down his throat. He could never tire of her taste, ever. If there were a way to bottle her essence, every bloke in the world would line up to buy it.

She watched his head move back and forth as he devoured her like a man starved. Looking at the mirror, her mind absorbed the erotic image of the two of them intertwined. There she was, clutching this gorgeous stranger on his knees before her, the muscles in his back rippling as strong defined arms held her tightly against him. The sensations he was producing in her body were beyond anything she had expected, and the sight had unexpectedly turned her on even more.

Her womb began to tighten as Spike gorged himself on her juices and she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. She could hardly believe when the familiar tingling sensation of the beginnings of an orgasm snuck up on her. It started deep down and ever so very, very slowly began winding its way through her body, making her legs start to tremble and her hand tighten on his head.

Tha's it, start lettin go for me. He could have stayed there forever buried inside her core, face smeared with her fluids, but the situation dictated otherwise. He wasn't going to let her off that easy. He was good, damn good and he knew it, but he promised her special treatment, complete worship and appreciation for her body and what he could make it do. They had a whole evening ahead of them and he wanted to be sure that when she came, it would be a bloody revelation for her and maybe, just maybe she might want him back on another night.

He felt her legs begin shaking and her grip tighten on his shoulder. He plunged ever deeper inside of her and lapped ravenously at her flowing excitement, trying to drive her bliss further. When his tongue sensed the first quaking of her inner walls he slowed his tempo down and relaxed his hold on her. He moaned into her, causing her to jump from the vibrations and buck against his face.

Still, he continued to slow down and pull away to leave a series of light licks around her entire opening in circles even as she tried to pull his head back towards her. He looked up and saw her frustration as she continued watching the mirror behind him, almost feeling sorry for her, almost. He decided to test her a little for what he had planned later in the evening.

"Oh... need. More, ahhh AH!!!" Buffy wanted to scream.

Goddamnit it! I'm just starting to get there, a few more minutes pleeeeeeeese, just a few, that's all I ask. When he pulled away from her and changed gears she wanted to weep her need was so great. Despite urging him to continue, even after trying to pull him towards her, he didn't seem to 'get it' that she was getting excited. What happened next had her practically climbing the wall.

He went back to licking her up and down, each time starting from her protruding arousal and each time reaching further back towards the bottom of her opening. Once, twice, three times and his tongue brushed the patch of skin between her dripping pussy and the puckered entrance of her other passage.

That's when he decided enough was enough and invaded the private space that required the utmost trust from a woman. The fourth swipe from his tongue reached all the way back to lightly lick the place he knew she didn't expect.

"Oh… oh, OH! What are you, EH, doing… oh GOD!" Buffy's body began sliding up the wall as if trying to escape Spike's invasion of her furthest most region. She didn't get far before his hand gripped one hip and the other raised the leg still on the floor to balance over his other shoulder.

Holding her up like that, his strength seemed almost inhuman as she felt his tongue circle over and around the private space in circles. He moved so that both forearms touched the wall, supporting her while his shoulders held her weight at her thighs.

There was nothing she could do but to hold on as he divided his talent between both her areas equally. Her head swam first in fear then with interest as her body began to relax on its own. Every time he touched that hole, he circled it with light, almost tickling strokes from his tongue, making her secretly yearn for him to stay there.

Spike had predicted that she might enjoy this; too bad he had to trick her into this position in order to find that out though. It would be well worth his efforts now as he heavily anticipated his other plans for her. Yes, she would forgive him… especially when he had her coming hard around his cock.

Just as Buffy's curiosity gave way to the pleasure brought on by his cautious touch, he caught her off-guard. With a slip of his tongue, the burning in her belly returned full-force, surprising her with its power. She never expected him to actually penetrate her, especially not with his tongue. She thought she would be grossed out, instead, it had the complete, most opposite effect on her system.

Astounded yet enthralled at the new sensation she, quite literally, could not find the strength to voice her ecstasy. Instead, she whimpered, focusing on the tingling in her womb as her walls started to flutter for the second time at this man's abilities.

And that's when the bastard did it, again.

With one last sweep of his tongue, he lingered on her puckered hole and took pride at the sound of her mewls once he slipped the very tip of his tongue inside her opening, wiggling it rapidly back and forth. He remained just long enough to stir her passion noticeably before pulling out to resume his earlier patterns, slowing them down as he lowered her to the ground one leg at a time.

Spike disentangled himself from her limbs and gently pulled her underwear back into place with one hand while the other ran under his chin to remove her juices. As he stood, he licked each finger as if it were melted chocolate before wiping his palm over his jeans. Observing the look on her face with some amusement, he couldn't help but to smirk, mocking the predicament he placed her in. If looks could slay, he was road kill for sure. Good, s' right where I want you.

Once her feet touched the ground, she waited until he stood eye level with her then glowered at him with all the vehemence of a woman scorned. He had the nerve to grin, as if pleased with himself for abandoning her without release. For a moment she thought that maybe he'd done it on purpose. But why? Why when she had gotten close to what she was paying for? Not once but twice. That she couldn't figure. Either Spike was clueless or downright crafty, in any case she was pissed. Raising her finger to poke his chest, he grabbed her wrist with lightening speed.

"You, you, you…" She was fuming so heavily she couldn't search for the right words to vent her frustration. Raising her other hand, he snatched that one too.

"My, my, how easily we forget. I said we're playing by my rules AND you said you trusted me."

She clamped her mouth shut. She knew he was right and she meant it when she'd said she trusted him.

"That doesn't explain…"

"Good things come to those who wait." He cut her off.

Vu jàdé, the man has a point. And isn't that what I told you? The slut was back to mock her too.

I think you mean déjà vu and helloooo, he's getting paid for a reason. Buffy argued though she knew this too was true. Frightening how the little harlot and Spike had so much in common.

Yes he is, so shut up and let the man do his job. You gotta admit, you loved every minute of it.

During this particular argument with herself, she again forgot Spike was there until he leaned towards her.

He could tell she was thinking of some snappy retort and decided she looked beautiful even mad. Wanting to redirect her anger, he engaged her in a needy kiss, pulling back to speak briefly before going back in.

"Do you like that? Tha's what you taste like. Tha's you on my tongue, your arousal, your excitement." He kissed her fully, letting her experience the flavor that lingered heavily on his palate.

He quieted her protests yet again with those mouth-watering kisses of his. The things he said seemed so dirty, so wrong, nevertheless she did taste herself all over his mouth… and it excited her. Maybe there was nothing wrong with her after all.

Tell me. Did you enjoy it when I fucked you with my mouth?" He recaptured her lips for another searing kiss.

Buffy forgot all about being mad. Something about him had awakened a side of her she couldn't comprehend, didn't want to comprehend at the moment. All she knew is that she didn't want him to stop. Whatever he was doing was working, the dirty words she would have normally cringed at, the fact that he obviously enjoyed doing that to her… Oh yes, he was worth every penny.

He picked her up effortlessly, never breaking the contact of their lips. Holding her close against his body, he strode to her bed in three steps then carefully climbed on with his knees before depositing her in the center.

When he broke their kiss she reached for him, not wanting a moment free from his succulent mouth. His distinct taste mixed with her own was intoxicating and she wanted more.

"By the time I'm through with you, I'll be so deep in your system you'll crave me… ONLY me."

Minutes earlier and she would have scoffed at his prideful boasting. But after that performance, well, let’s just say he was making a fast believer out of her. If he succeeds, my bank account is in serious jeopardy.

"Still haven't answered me, have I changed your mind?" He looked at her, waiting for her say something, anything.

She looked at him as if he'd gone mad. Couldn't he tell?

"God yes! I thought something was wrong with me. I mean, you'd tell me if there was… wouldn't you?"

The look of worry on her face was too adorable for words. William was moved by her question and came out to reassure her.

"Oh Buffy, there's nothing wrong with you. I don' know what happened to you before and I don' rightly care. Whatever that asshole said to you jus' isn't true. You're breathtaking, amazing, best I've ever tas… you're perfect."

Back off mate. Got a job to do here so stay out of it.

Spike had slipped, slipped bad. Buffy looked so apprehensive that William muscled his way forward to speak for the both of them. Spike rushed to put ‘the boy’ back in his place. It would do neither of them any good to think of her as anything more than a paycheck, no matter what kind of feelings she brought out in the both of them.

His soft dreamy look spoke volumes. She thought that maybe he would tell her this anyways since he had a 'role' to play, but she just didn't get that impression from him. His words sounded heart-felt, conveying an innate sense of honesty she hadn't experienced in so long from a man that she lost herself for a moment, wishing she'd met this man some other way. To have a boyfriend like this would truly be…

No, nononononono, stop now! That is a road you can NOT go down. She shook the thought away, since when did she even want a boyfriend? So she took his words at face value, she should just be thankful for that.

"Thank you." She whispered and put her hand over his where it lay on the bed.

"You're welcome. Anytime luv, anytime." William pushed through one more time, astounded that the small gesture of her hand on his felt so right, so very right that he hated the fact she was here with Spike. So he said those last words with a shy, almost goofy grin, then retreated.


A/N: Before anyone kills me, hear me out. I’ve been working (and over-working) the original chapter 5 to death both with and without my muse’s approval. It is simply too long to post, even in 2 parts, so I settled for breaking them up to be refined and polished individually. Try not to be too frustrated with me, I’ll post whenever possible but must feel 100% confident that what I post is my best and not just anything in order to get it out there. Please continue to review, pretty, pretty please???

Cont'd from ch. 5

“Anytime luv, anytime.” William pushed through one more time, astounded that the small gesture of her hand on his felt so right, so very right that he hated the fact she was here with Spike. So he said those last words with a shy, almost goofy grin and then retreated....................

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike mentally shook off the verbal exchange between Buffy and the boy so he could resume the role he came here to play.

Wanting very much to see her naked again, he situated himself near her hips. Hooking his fingers through her thong, he began pulling it down.

A modest woman at heart, Buffy didn't quite feel ready to 'bare all' despite the fact he'd already seen more of her nether regions than anyone else aside from her gynecologist.

"I-I know this part requires my clothes being off, bu…"

"Need to see you." He replied, then without warning ripped the material away from her and threw it to the floor without regard. Sitting up, he jerked her to her knees and grabbed the hem of her gown. He hurriedly yanked it over her head and threw the garment aside in the same careless manner.

Despite the intimacy they'd just shared, she concealed herself as best she could.

"Don't cover yourself." He took hold of her forearms and tugged at them but she remained insistent. "The time for bein' shy s' over."

"I know, just… a little self conscious here." His aggressive conduct wasn’t something she was use to at all. Everything about him and how he went about the things he did was completely different from her past lovers. Actually, he'd done things to her none of her ex's had done. Maybe that's why it's working?

Knowing it was ridiculous to be acting the way she was, she allowed him to pull her arms away from her body. He stared at her. As the seconds ticked by, she felt like covering herself again until he broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Perfect." he whispered. Seeing her up close instead of through a window brought back his awareness of the painful erection confined within his jeans. Unconsciously, his right hand moved to readjust himself.

He moved forward on his knees until they were close enough that her nipples brushed against his chest.

"No need to be self conscious, you're beautiful." He cupped her cheek then dipped his head in to capture her lips. As she parted her lips, he deepened their kiss, inviting her tongue to duel with his. Letting go of her cheek, he placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly dragged them down her arms, stopping to allow his thumbs to brush the soft skin on the underside of each breast. She moaned into his mouth while seeking out his waist with her tiny hands.

She pulled him nearer, placing her chest flush against his. It was Spike's turn to moan when she did this, reveling in the softness of her skin and the feel of the two hardened pebbles as they pressed into him. He felt her hands drift towards his bottom to grab and pull him even closer to her, grinding her hips lightly against his.

Pulling back from their kiss, she needed a moment to catch her breath. It felt as if there were bolts of electricity running between them when their upper bodies made contact. The feel of his incredibly firm ass had her wanting to shove him on his back, rip apart his jeans and ride him into the sunset.

She felt the sudden need to slow this down. When she ground herself against his cock, her clit suffered the delicious friction of hitting the jean material, making her pussy quiver with anticipation. It didn't seem right or fair that a total and complete stranger could have this effect on her and not the men she'd chosen to be partners with in the past.

Right or wrong, her body was singing with desire. All it knew was how sinfully good every inch of him felt; the silky skin that blanketed his impossibly hard muscles, the rock-solid bulge between his legs, the tantalizing kisses that befuddled her brain and those eyes, those hypnotic eyes that reminded her of a thin sheet of freshly frozen ice over the bluest of pools.

"Still trust me?"

Pulled from her thoughts, she answered his question with a nod. He pulled away and climbed off the bed to her confusion until she saw he was reaching for his zipper. The sound it made as he slowly pulled it down had her licking her lips in anticipation. She held a mental breath as he unfastened his buckle and popped the button with his thumb.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion until he pulled apart the jean material. It revealed nothing except light brown curls that surrounded his… Oh myyYYY GOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I knew it felt like, but, oh god, it's, it's………………. HUGE! There's no way that, that… thing is going to fit!

She couldn't drag her eyes away, she wanted to but as he took the long veined member into his hand and gave it a few long strokes she felt compelled to watch.

He observed her face blush heavily as she continued staring while he touched himself. He smiled wickedly, deciding to make good use of this opportunity to bring her further out of her shell.

He stopped to slide his jeans off and picked them up with the intention of putting them alongside his duster. Turning towards her vanity, he all but forgot that particular mirror until he saw more than half her naked form in its reflection. Forgetting the jeans entirely he let them go and turned back towards the bed, crawling onto it like a panther towards one very nervous looking Buffy.

"Wha's the matter? You act like you've never seen a man before." He threw her a saucy grin and set about prowling around her backside.

"I have, just… not one who's so, so well endowed. I think you might break me."

Chuckling, he sat behind her spread legged. Looping an arm around her waist, she let out a tiny yelp when he dragged her back against him and scooted towards the foot of the bed.

Allowing him to settle her between his legs, she stretched herself out. She felt his erection press into her back as he leaned forward and started grabbing pillows.

"Not gonna break you. I'll make sure you're good and ready, believe me." After reaching his desired location, he quickly moved several of her pillows behind to prop them both up.

"It's going to be a long night then." It was just a thought, but instead it flew out of her mouth matter-of-factly. He looked at her in the mirror and cocked an eyebrow before she started snickering. After she composed herself, he asked her a question.

"Ever play a game called show-n-tell, luv?"

"You mean the kids' game? Like at school?

"Sorta, but s' more… adult-orientated." He waggled both brows at her.

"That would be a no then." She was curious but at the same time apprehensive of what he had in mind.

He leaned forward to whisper his next words huskily against the shell of her ear.

"I want you to show me how you masturbate, and I want you to tell me how you're doin' it. In detail!"

She nearly choked. He couldn't be serious could he? He certainly wasn't smiling as if it were a joke. He's not joking. I can't do that, no… there's nooooo way in hell.

"IIIIIIIII don't think I wanna play that game, sorry."

"Oh, I think you will." Letting her know it wasn't a request, he reached underneath each of her thighs and swiftly pulled them apart. Satisfied with the mirror's reflection of her knees bent, feet planted on the bed and legs splayed wide, he released his grip and pulled her hair to one side. He ran his tongue languorously along the side of her neck until he reached the pulsing point of her jugular. Feeling it beat wildly against his lips, he bit down firmly with blunt teeth, making her recoil slightly.

After everything that happened earlier, she shouldn't have been surprised at his audacious manner, still this was different. He was asking, no telling her to pleasure herself in front of him. And say what she was doing.

Okay, again with the 'what am I paying him for' if I'm about to take care of myself? Either there was a method to his madness or he was just plain kinky, with an ultra-weird fetish for mirrors. She'd just have to trust him again, as she said she would and take comfort in the fact she could use her safe word at anytime.

When he released her skin, he spoke in a seductive bedroom voice.

"Don' worry, s' a two way street. You won' be the only one gettin' a show." He knew that by making her do this in front of both him and a mirror it would open her up that much more, and in the literal sense as well. Not to mention everything that led them to this point made his cock so hard that his little session outside her window seemed like a distant memory. He could use another wank if he was to shag her good and proper without unloading himself too early.

Ohmygod, he's, he's going to jerk-off in front of me? The image of stroking himself by her bedside earlier came back. She remembered being fascinated with it, how it looked, how he had no shame whatsoever in what he did and how she couldn't tear her eyes away even when her mind insisted. Masturbation is supposed to be a private act, performed alone, at least in her world. But he wasn't asking her to do anything he wasn't willing to do himself, and that alone distorted her opinion, allowing curiosity to creep in. If he's doing this too, then at least we're on equal ground… I think.

"Lemme help start you off." He placed his hands on top of hers, entwining their fingers together. "Jus' relax," he whispered, "and remember our safe word, 'kay?"

Running their joined hands across her breasts, he stopped to cup each one. Massaging gently in circles using her palms, he pinched both nipples between his thumb and forefinger, rolling them until they hardened like diamonds.

She watched his face in the mirror as he focused on her chest from over one shoulder. She opted to 'play along' moving her hands with his, fighting the awkward feeling of yet another new and unmentionable experience.

The longer he teased her nipples and kneaded her breasts, the more sensitive they became. The warm feeling of his hands assisting her quickly lured her mind further and further away from her discomfited thinking.

It amazed her, his ability to melt her inhibitions away with his touch. If this was only the beginning of their evening together, she wondered to what lengths he could persuade her body to go. It was frightening, it was exhilarating, he was going to be the death of her, killing her with the most taboo of pleasures. But what a way to go.

And that's exactly what she did… let go. As raw need replaced free will, she began taking a more active role in the manipulation of her breasts. After a few seconds, he released one of her hands and placed his own on her abdomen, sliding it downward to cup her soft mound.

"Ahhh… feels good." She closed her eyes as the rhythm of her breathing picked up, opening her mouth to take in more oxygen.

"Talk to me. What are you doin' that feels so good." He nudged her head with his shoulder, indicating he wanted her to look in the mirror.

Her eyes fluttered open to see her own face painted in ecstasy. This was all so new that her mind flooded with thoughts, reasons as to why she shouldn't be doing this, but her physical need won out as the hand that held her sex began rubbing in lazy circles over her clit.

"TELL me Buffy, or I'll stop." He pressed his thumb against her swollen nub then pinched it to let her know he was serious before taking his hand away.

"NO, no. Don't stop. I-I like my breasts rubbed just like yo… just like I'm doing. My nipples, uhnn, ahhh, so sensitive. Feels good when I, ohhh, squeeze them just like this." She finished by taking over what he started, tweaking the rosy buds while using the heels of her hands to push her breasts together.

Spike was positively gloating inside. There she was, his wanton golden goddess pleasuring herself as only she knew best. His right hand left her to that job and joined his left between her legs. He watched in the mirror as he opened the swollen folds beneath her clean-shaven pussy. Using his thumb, he rewarded her by circling her nubbin while his middle finger caressed the tender pink skin inside.

Deciding to take advantage of the state she was in, he slowly inserted his finger as far as it could go, wiggling around until she squirmed before adding a second one. Removing his fingers from her clit, he grasped one of her hands and slowly drew it down to rest on the hand he had buried inside of her.

"What naughty things do you do to that sweet pussy of yours to get so hot when you're all alone? Do you finger yourself? Like this?" He pumped his fingers in and out, stopping to scissor them back and forth when he felt her muscles clamp around them.

"I, I rub my clit really fast, it gets me ready." She watched in the mirror as their combined hands stimulated her core, inserting one of her fingers with his, losing herself in the feeling of being so full. Her other hand left her chest and started rubbing her clit frantically as they both continued.

"Tha's my girl. What else do you do to that delectable cunny of yours? To get off? Show me." Spike became more aroused by the second, watching her as she joined in his ministrations. Now was the time and he knew it, he slid his fingers out and helped to push her own in deeper, replacing his.

"I need my, my…"

"What pet? What do you need?"

"I need Mr. Gordo."

What the hell?

"I beg your pardon? Who?" He didn't know what to make of her request.

"My, my… top drawer, over there, quick!" She pointed towards the nightstand that she grabbed the lamp from earlier to try to protect herself from him.

Spike eased her forward and then back against the pillows after extracting himself from behind her. He reached the drawer she indicated and pulled it out to reveal an average size bright pink dildo with a pig's head painted on the end. Well, well, what do we have here? Pleased with this new discovery he quickly rejoined her on the bed, this time facing her while still leaving a clear view to the mirror. As he kneeled in front of her, he turned it on and handed it to her.

Overcome with the need for release, Buffy seized the pink rubber instrument and quickly placed it against her throbbing clit. Rubbing it up and down to coat it in her juices, she slid it rhythmically along her opening with one hand, the other spreading her outer folds open.

"Buuuuffy, if you don't tell me what you're doin', I'll take Mr. GORDO away." He emphasized her pet name for the toy, highly amused that she would even think to give it one. Truth be told, he was awestruck at the enthusiasm with which she used said toy to pleasure herself.

She was engrossed with watching herself in the mirror until she realized what Spike had said.

"I like the pressure, the vibrations. Need to get it wet enough so I can, ohhhhhh…" In one thrust, she buried Mr. Gordo inside her to the hilt; bucking her hips wildly against both hands.

Unable to take it anymore, Spike grabbed his cock and squeezed with all his might. Rubbing his thumb over the weeping tip, he used his pre-cum to aid in his own quest for relief. The woman before him was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Her legs spread wide, fucking herself in earnest, sheer pleasure and lust composing themselves within her heated expressions. If he didn't take care of himself now he'd surely hurt her by taking over the vibrator's job.

"Uhnn, such a naughty kitten you are. I want you to keep fucking yourself and watch me." Needing release, he started pumping himself furiously. No, it wouldn't be long now as he watched his girl impale herself repeatedly with the toy faster and faster.

Her eyes went straight to his groin, noticing his hand barely covered the width of his massive shaft. With every stroke he administered, she found herself matching his rhythm, imagining it was him inside of her. Caught up in their voyeuristic display, she turned the toy's setting to high.

Seeing her move the vibrator in time with his strokes he broke down and came with a roar. Stream after stream of hot semen shot out, its projection hitting the inside of his thigh to run down and stain her bedspread. His entire body jerked as his spasms continued, slowing down only when the last of it surged forth to run down his fingers like molasses. Gasping heavily, he looked to find that she appeared to be getting close herself. That's when he sprang into action.

She watched his strokes grow more frantic as he growled in pleasure, thick ropes of cum erupting from the monstrous head of his cock. Thrusting the toy in and out, she felt her arousal soar from the visual and physical stimulation, bringing her that much closer to the edge.

As she neared the point of ecstasy, she felt the vibrator torn from her depths. When her eyes registered Spike struggling to shut it off, she cried out.

"NOOO, no, no, NO!" In frustration and anger, she lunged at him, reaching for the hand that held Mr. Gordo. He kept his hand just out of reach but tumbled onto his back when she tackled him, dropping the vibrator on the floor.

"You son-of-a-BITCH!" She cried and immediately started smacking his shoulders angrily as he tried to stop her. In the process, she felt his cum smear against her legs, making her incensed at the knowledge he'd gotten off but had prohibited her own release.

"Buffy! Buffy! BUFFY!!! Spike finally grasped her flailing hands and pressed them to her sides, noting that she was now on top of him wriggling her naked form against his.

She was much stronger than he gave her credit for, and though she was pissed, he was thankful his plan remained intact. Holding her tightly, he addressed her as she wrenched and jerked her body to regain control over her present position.

"I SAID we play this by MY rules. Get it through that pretty li'l head of yours and stop trying to HIT me."

He felt her relent somewhat but she still fought him, though not with as much force as before.

Knowing her struggles were in vain, Buffy settled down. She was so flustered she couldn't see straight. Three times now he'd prevented her. If he kept this up, she was either going to kick him out or take matters into her own hands… somehow.

"Tha's better." He let her go and wrapped his arms around her loosely, massaging circles into her lower back. "You've no idea how sexy you look, touching yourself like that. Mmmmm, bloody gorgeous, drove me crazy." He rolled them over and got up, heading for his duster.

What the hell is he doing now? Ughhhh, I so want to kick his ass. She watched as he retrieved something from his coat and sauntered back to her with a sly grin.

"Roll over." He climbed back on the bed and straddled her just below her perky bottom so he could enjoy the view. "Gonna give you a lil massage, take away some of that… tension." Opening the bottle of massage oil he always carried while working, he poured some into his palm. Rubbing both hands together briskly to warm it up, he started on her lower back, kneading his lean strong fingers into her muscles.

"That's nice, but don't think you're off the hook mister. I'm STILL mad at you." When he'd told her to roll over, she didn't think he was going to give her a massage. But as his fingers worked her back, whatever lingering anger dissolved away. Figures he'd be good at this too… prick!

"Ohhhh, I'm sorry. Do you think you could ever forgive me? Pleeeeease?" He spoke in a playful begging tone as his fingers worked up her spine like a pro. He hoped to continue his plans without her reacting as badly as she had moments ago. If she did, he'd have to rely on Lorne's instruction and coax her 'forcefully'.

He still thought Lorne had seen more than he let on. Was she really somehow dangerous or was he just reading something into it that wasn't there at all? Bugger that. She's no more dangerous than a kitten with claws.

Dangerous to the heart, mate. Tha's where her power lies. Ever the thinker, Spike knew William had foresight whereas he only lived for the moment. Naturally, the meaning was lost on him.

What the bloody hell are you gettin' at?

I dunno 'bout you, but I could easily fall i…

The inner-dialogue was interrupted by a teasing Buffy.

"I don't know, technically that's your third strike. I should send you packing. But if you keep this up, I'll reconsider it."

The banter had turned light and playful now and Buffy liked it this way. She really didn't think she could stay mad at him for long, especially the way he chose to 'make it up' to her.

"Mmmmm wow, you're really good at that. Oh, right there. That's where I'm stiff. Ow, ow, that's tight, careful."

Speaking of stiffness, staring at her derrière while rubbing her back seemed to reawaken his libido. It amazed him that a mere glimpse or slight touch of this girl was all it took to get his motor revving.

His hands worked out her knots as if they were nothing. In less than ten minutes, his expert touch had her cooing her praise. One more run through, then s' time my golden beauty. He worked her entire back over and checked to make sure that every muscle felt loose.

"Hey! You're not stopping are you? I forgive you alright, just don't stop." Buffy was in heaven. His touch was like magic, her muscles yielding their stress so easily under his skilled fingers. Oh yeah, he was forgiven all right, so long as he didn't pull any more pranks like he had earlier.

"Got no intentions of stoppin'. Jus’ got other areas that need tending to." His hands drifted to her lower back again and began the treatment all over again, however this time he went south to the two round cheeks that his growing erection now strained to reach.

Unable to resist, he left one hand to continue his work while the other grabbed the oil. He opened it with a flick of his thumb and poured a small amount on himself then chucked it aside. Taking his member into his hand, he spread the oil around it and gave it a few pumps. In no time flat, he was hard as nails again, aching to take her from behind. His hand rejoined the one still caressing her bottom. Shifting his body forward, the tip of his cock touched the place where her thighs met the swell of her bottom. She jumped with surprise but then settled back down as his words flowed over her like velvet.

"Such a lovely bum you have pet. S' jus' beggin’ for attention." His hips began pumping leisurely against her, cock sliding over and over her crack easily with the oil. With every pump, she spurred him on with her continued oooh's and aaah's. When she started pushing herself back against his forward thrusts, his desire kicked into high gear.

Her hips rose of their own accord to encourage him, unable to resist the slick feel of his manhood as it glided between the crack of her bottom. She hoped it wouldn't be long before they 'consummated' this business deal.

"You're a tease you know?" She kept the mood light while still making her point known that she wanted more. Considering his size, she wasn't sure if this was the best position to start with or not, but her body screamed to be filled, growing ever needy with his teasing.

He angled himself so that he was now pumping his length between her legs along her slit, simulating the action of taking her in this position while keeping her thighs pressed tightly together with his hands.

"Wouldn't want to disappoint now would I?" He snickered and gave her a few long strokes, feeling her wetness coat his already well-oiled cock against her folds. If he moved just right, it wouldn't take much to penetrate her; the mere thought drove him insane. Not yet. Can't, too much… too soon.

Groaning his frustration, he suddenly grabbed her shoulders, hauling her upwards so that her hands supported her body over the bed. Guiding himself back between her thighs with his hand, he struck her clit with each down-stroke.

"Ahh, Spike. What are you, OH!" When his spongy head struck her slick nub, she bucked backwards seeking more contact. Being yanked on all fours like a dog in such a submissive position only heightened the sensitivity of her nerves down there, setting her desire off like a rocket. She felt a fresh rush of juices escape her to run over him and down her leg.

Leaving any trace of nervousness for the situation behind, she moaned loudly and squeezed his entire length as tight as she could between the apex of her thighs.

The little minx was trying to get him at his own game. She had a good hold on him for sure, but that didn't stop him from pulling back.

He gazed into the mirror. When he saw how exquisite she looked arranged in front him, his hips began moving faster. He smiled at his reflection when she tried to grip him tighter. She wants to play it like that huh?

He leaned over her body, placing a gentle hand on her head.

"Turn your head this way and open those lovely green eyes of yours." He checked to make sure she did as he said, then continued.

"Like what you see kitten? Looks so God damn sexy… me takin' you from behind like this. Do you enjoy being fucked like this? Do you want me to stick my cock in that beautiful wet pussy of yours, take you hard? Fast? Bet you would, wouldn't you?" Spike was getting himself turned on even more by his own speech.

"You talk too much." Figuring a little taunting was in order in hopes he would take the bait, she continued goading him.

"I think you're more talk than action. Really, a little disappointed here." She was enjoying this show even more than their earlier ones, but begging was out of the question now. No more would she ask or beg for anything after what he'd done to her. She would have the upper hand from now on.

WHAT? Oh bugger that. You're gonna get yours Missy, just you wait.

"’S that what you think?" He asked menacingly. Tightening his hold on her hips he began pulling her into his thrusts, slamming them together with such force the slapping of flesh became thunderous.

"Yeah." Slap, slap. "That’s," slap, slap, slap, slap, "what I" slap, slap, slap, "think." He continued pounding against her, but judging from the bruising hold he had on her hips and the fact he went even faster now, she knew she was getting to him. Only problem now was the continued beating of his head against her clit. It was over-stimulating it, making her want to pull away.

By telling him she liked her clit rubbed, he tried to take her attitude down a notch or two by using the knowledge against her. All talk or not she liked it, he could tell. Oh, his Buffy was a dirty girl underneath she just didn't know it yet. He knew she was nowhere near ready, but when the time came, he wanted her so desperate that she would beg harder than she had earlier.

Giving her a few more thrusts, he started backing off and loosened the death grip he applied to her slim hips. No sooner had he done this than she leapt away from him, rolling over and back crawling towards the pile of pillows, giggling and pointing.

Buffy laughed wickedly as she watched the look of surprise take hold of his features thinking he looked absolutely gorgeous… just, like, that; panting heavily on his knees, his sculpted stomach muscles rippling in the sunset's light, his huge shaft glistening with her juices bobbing up and down with every breath he took. Oh, she wanted him bad enough, but she was going to make sure he wanted her bad enough to stop all his playing around.

"You…" Spike snarled as he reached her retreating form. Latching onto an ankle he jerked her back towards him with ease. Crawling the rest of the way up her body, he pinned her hands over her head in one of his.

Her laughing was not what he expected, but he could see it was all in fun, even though it was at his expense. Once his breathing slowed enough to speak, he scolded the giggling girl beneath him.

"Minx! Are you quite finished?" He smiled at her, waiting to see what she'd say.

"I should ask you the same." She chuckled a few more times then lay quietly.

"Actually? No. But for that little stunt you just pulled…I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you." His smile turned into a grin laced with malicious intent. When her smile faded, he grinned even wider.

"Oh don't worry. It'll only hurt a li'l."

"You wouldn't?!?!" Would he?

TBC

~~~~~~
A/N: DISCLAIMER: The picture isn't mine. I found it a awhile ago somewhere (bad memory) and had copied it to my computer. I wish I could give credit to whoever did it by name and more importantly their permission. I personally love it and hope whoever the creative genius is can forgive me, it was simply too juicy not to share with everyone.

Con't from Chapter 6

"You wouldn't?!?!" Would he?.......................

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Never put anythin' past me, especially when it comes to you." He hooked one leg under hers at the calf and rolled her half way over, exposing her bottom to his free hand while still holding hers tight with the other.

Crack!!! His hand came down hard on the apple of her bottom and she nearly pierced his eardrum with her scream.

"Good girls get nice things, Buffy." Crack!!! "Bad girls need to be put in their place." Crack!!! "Naughty girls, well..." Crack!!! "Somethin' tells me you're a combination of all three."

"Stop it, owww! That HURTS, you bastard... OW!" She heard what he said but the sting to her flesh was making her madder by the second.

"I can do this harder `f you want. I'm nowhere near usin' the amount of strength I could." Crack!!! "I promised to make it hurt in all the wrong places didn' I? And since I consider m'self a man of m' word." Crack!!! Crack!!! Crack!!! "Had enough?" He released her leg and pinned her back underneath him.

Buffy was livid. Her face as red with anger as her ass surely was, she shot daggers at him with her eyes. Feeling a surge of adrenalin rush through her, she began fighting against him with renewed force. Bucking her hips and twisting her limbs as best she could, her foot gained purchase on the bedspread enough that she actually had him struggling to keep his hold.

One of her wrists slipped free and she used it to bring her own hand down with all her might on his left ass cheek in a stinging blow that sounded as bad as it must have hurt.

"See how you like it huh? Can you take what you dish out?" She dealt him two more slaps before he caught her arm and the fight was over.

"Oooh baby, that hurt so good. You're strong for such a tiny thing, full of fire... I love it." Seeing her face flush with anger, he smashed his mouth against hers, swallowing any protests for several long seconds till she responded back with equal fervor.

Teeth clashed, each nipping at the other's lips between hot open-mouthed kisses. He let her go and was thrilled when her hands reached for his face, trying to pull him in even closer. One hand palmed her breast roughly while the other held her hip. His lust mounted as she fought him with her mouth. He needed to be in her, needed to feel her walls surround him as he drove himself into her soft body.

As the last of his self-control snapped, he nudged her legs apart roughly and settled himself between her thighs. She pulled her feet up, planting them on the bed and arched her back. Feeling his cock slide along her cleft, he groaned and pulled away from her mouth. Leaning his forehead against hers he asked her honestly.

"Are you ready? Are you ready to take me inside of you?" The wait would surely kill him if she said no.

"God yes! Take me now… I'm yours." She stiffened slightly as she felt the head of his cock nudge against her opening.

"Hang on to me; we'll take this part slow. Don' wanna hurt my girl. Jus' relax your body and let it happen."

He began peppering her face with sweet kisses as he pushed his way inside. Hearing her whimper, he stopped and spoke comforting words into her hair.

"`S ok baby. Keep kissin' me and focus on how good it'll feel." He captured her lips in a tender kiss and pushed forward another two inches. When she stiffened again he stroked her hair reassuringly. Distracting her with his lips, she calmed again then moaned into his mouth.

Drawing back a fraction, he pushed forward again. With each carefully measured thrust, he sank further and further into her warm passage. Inch by agonizing inch, her moaning increased, and as far as he could tell they were sounds emitted in pleasure, not pain.

It felt like an eternity passed till he was fully seated within her depths, and he snarled at how tight she felt. Once there he stopped all movement, wanting to be sure she was all right.

"You ok?" It took all his self-control to hold perfectly still, waiting for her to answer.

"I'm fine, just… please go slow right now. You're really, REALLY big… but… uhnn, feels so good, so perfect." And, it did feel perfect to her. She'd never felt so full, so replete until this moment in time with this man. It was as if she'd found a slice of heaven as she held him inside of her.

Desperately wanting him to start moving, she purposely clenched her muscles around him, hearing him growl in that dead sexy way that was all Spike.

"Christ luv, better not do that or this'll be over before it even starts." She gripped him again and he growled even louder. He began rocking, holding her closely against him as he buried his face in her neck. So warm, so bloody tight. She's right, feels perfect.

Felt too right, too perfect for him. His body reeled from the sensation of being inside her while his mind swam in a mixture of emotions. To William, to Spike even, it was like coming home. They fit so well he swore she was custom made for him… and him alone. Being with other women always felt good, but this woman was different, special, perfect, she was Buffy... his Buffy.

He lost himself as she moved with him in perfect unison. The way she danced beneath him, met him thrust for thrust was as if she anticipated his every move and strove to match him.

"Feel so tight, warm… you're so wet for me kitten. Wanna do this to you all night." Bringing his mouth to hers again, they began a passion filled kiss as the last of the sun disappeared, leaving them in complete darkness.

Feeling her body adjust to his size, she pushed against him, sensing a loss every time he pulled out until he was back again. His size was overwhelming at first, but the way he touched every part of her inside with each gentle thrust had her body humming. If they did this all night, he wouldn't hear a single complaint from her.

"Faster Spike. Need… more." So much for not asking anything from him, but begging was still out of the question. She'd never put herself in that position again, not with him, not with any man.

The simple request from her sweet lips did him in. He picked up the pace, gradually building the tempo till they both were gasping for air. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, the angle allowed him to sink in even further. When she screamed his name aloud, he began pounding into her harder, feeling the tip of his head brush her womb with every stroke.

"Buffy!" He snarled her name from deep within his throat and gave her everything he had.

Climbing the ladder of passion, she gripped him tighter with her thighs and locked her ankles together. With each thrust, she felt him strike the opening of her womanhood sharply, and though it hurt, she welcomed the mixture of pain and pleasure.

Damn. He didn't think he could hold out much longer. Reaching back, he took one of her legs and pried it off his hip.

"Don't you DARE even think it!" She'd kick him out of her house bare-ass naked and keep his clothes just to teach him a lesson.

"Not gonna leave, jus' need some light." It wasn't entirely a lie since the sun had set, but he needed a break to get his hormones under control, again.

He was getting highly annoyed at the fact he enjoyed this, enjoyed her a little too much. After cumming twice, there should have been no need or urge to cum again anytime soon despite the fact that they were finally engaging in sex. Never before had he had this problem with any woman. Stamina was his middle name, part of the reason he was so popular and highly requested.

Yes, but she's not jus' any woman. 'The boy' was back to taunt his state of arousal, trying to reason that she was different somehow. Spike knew this, had already admitted it, but it still didn't change the fact this was business and he had to keep that in the forefront of his mind.

Do try to remember the bigger picture and shut your gob.

Well, isn' that the pot calling the kettle black.

Whatever.

He pulled out with a loud plopping noise and rushed to the bathroom. Flicking the light on, he quickly grabbed a few candles and a lighter from the counter then shut the light off and returned. Finding the surface of her vanity, he set about lining them up, lighting each one in turn. It wasn't nearly the amount of light he'd hoped for, but the surrounding area and their reflection was visible enough for his purposes.

As the soft glow of light filled the room, he noticed several scarves of various colors and patterns hanging over one side of the mirror's hinge. He made a mental note of them and turned around to a sight he did not expect.

Buffy lay there spread eagle, three fingers pumping away inside herself while fondling one breast. This is not happenin' to me, Christ, I need a cold shower.

She didn't know what had gotten into her, well aside from him anyway, but keeping herself turned on when he left seemed the right thing to do considering her orgasmic problem. When he looked in her direction, she thought he might self-combust. The combined look of shock and lust made her want to laugh at him again. Instead, on an impulse, she upped the ante and did the unthinkable to herself and to him after he addressed her.

"I see you've been busy." What the hell else could he say? Flabbergasted by her brazen display when only moments earlier she acted like a blushing virgin, he didn't know whether to feel a sense of pride from getting her to drop her inhibitions or upset that she'd continued without him. What she did next caught him completely off-guard.

She smiled seductively at him while she kept herself 'busy' a few seconds longer. Then she stopped. She raised her glistening fingers up for inspection then slowly brought them to her mouth.

"Mmmmmm." Her tongue darted out to lick a digit once in lollipop fashion then wrapped her lips around it, hollowing out her cheeks while drawing it slowly back out.

"Want some?" She held her hand out in offering but didn't wait for him to respond. "No? Oh well, your loss." Bringing her fingers back to her mouth, she intended to suck another one and watched as his expression turn darker than the night itself.

I've created a monster. He jumped the few short feet to the bed and grabbed her wrist, preventing a repeat performance.

"Did I say you could do that?" He reprimanded seriously.

"Didn't say I couldn't." She could tell she was playing with fire judging from his tone, but the desire to tease him became too much to restrain.

"I think another punishment is in order for your insolence." He smiled wickedly. When her own smile didn't fade, he thought perhaps she forgot the harsh spanking he dealt out earlier.

"You're just mad I wouldn't share." She wiggled her fingers to indicate her meaning then stuck her bottom lip out. "There's plenty more where that came from you know. Perhaps…"

"What did I say 'bout that sassy mouth of yours? If you don' shut it, I'll stick somethin' in it that will."

There's an image he wouldn't mind seeing, those exceptional pouty lips wrapped around him, sucking him off. Unfortunately, that was something else that never happened on the job or in William's life for that matter. It was always about servicing the clients, not the other way around. Even Cecily, his first love and only sexual experience prior to working for Lorne, hadn't wanted any part of it. `Course the issue of my size was probably a 'huge' factor. He laughed out loud at his own pun.

Buffy thought he was laughing at her. It irritated her, making her decide to provoke him further. Fellatio was one area she at least had a little experience in, albeit not much, but Lindsey always seemed to enjoy it.

"You're right, it would… but I'm not sure YOU could handle it." Yup, that got him good. His expression went blank for lack of a response. Take that asshole.

At every turn she surprised him more and more, leaving him speechless. Bollocks, I'm even startin' to enjoy arguin' with her. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but he noticed she was too smug right now for his taste. Not for long. Gonna cure that right quick. He couldn't allow her get the upper hand; he was the one in charge.

Suddenly it clicked in his brain, making perfect sense out of what Lorne had told him. She had control issues. It must be the reason for the 'forceful coaxing' part of Lorne's speech. He'd have to 'force' her into total submission so that her passionate side could break free. Her need to control sexual situations and control herself repressed that inner passion. No wonder she had problems reaching orgasm.

"Buffy, I'm warnin' you right now…"

"Oh what? You gonna spank me again? Puleez." Inside she was afraid he might do it again. It hurt like hell, but that fear didn't stop her from ranting on when maybe it was in her best interest to keep quiet. To hell with that, he deserves it.

"I think I can do better than that." Ohhhh, you're askin' for it li'l girl.

"I see your mouth moving but all I hear is blah, blah, blah. Maybe you should stick THIS in it and shut YOUR hole!" His face crinkled in confusion until she wiggled her hand he still held by the wrist.

He looked at her fingers to find she'd lowered all but her middle.

"You're gonna get it now you bloody bint." He let go of her wrist to grab at her body, but she anticipated this.

She rolled off the opposite side of the bed, barely avoiding his grasp.

She giggled and darted further across the room.

"This is what you're doing." Her hand made a munching action like the old pac-man game. "THIS… is what I want you to do." She clamped her hand down, indicating to shut it.

Laughing away, she sidestepped his sudden lunge, and sprinted back to the bed. When she attempted to roll across it to the other side, he stopped her short by the ankle.

"Gotcha!!!" She was in such a fit of hysterics that she didn't even try to fight him as he wrestled her onto her back and climbed on top of her. Her laughter became contagious and soon had him joining in.

Between breaths, he tried to remind her he hadn't forgotten about her punishment.

"This… aha… doesn't change… hahahahahaha… my decision… ahaha… one bit… hahahaha… minx!"

Oh, she knew he probably wouldn't, so she tried to get herself under control and attempted, hopefully, to distract him from it.

"I'm sorry, sorry, AHH… hahaha…. cut it out." He tickled her relentlessly as tears formed in her eyes from laughing so hard.

When he did finally stop, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down for a kiss. She ran her hand repeatedly through is hair, making the last of his gel release its hold from the natural waviness and curls of his hair.

She loved it. It was smooth, soft, and flowed between her fingers like silk, springing back to its original shape each time she released it. Finishing the kiss, she pulled back to compliment him, continually running her fingers through the platinum locks.

"I love this hair. You have beautiful curls... so soft. You should leave the gel off, it looks better like this." She meant every word even though distraction was her goal.

"Beautiful isn' exactly a word you use with a man, luv, but I'll take the compliment anyway, thanks. As for the gel, gotta use it. If I don'…" He trailed off, realizing what she was up to.

"What?" She asked, a streak of apprehensiveness at being discovered graced her face, giving her away instantly.

"I know what you're tryin' to do, and trust me, s' gonna happen regardless." Her frown at being called out was adorably sweet. No, no spanking this time. Somethin' better, a sweeter form of punishment is jus' what you deserve.

"You're not really going to spank me again. Are you?" This time she over-emphasized her pout, hoping to play on his sympathy.

"C'mere." He got up from the bed and beckoned her with his finger. When she didn't follow right away, his tone became sterner.

"Buffy, every second you don' do as you're told will make it worse for you in the end. I said, COME. HERE!" He stood in front of the vanity and smiled when she got up to do as instructed.

I can use my safe word; I can use my safe word. She repeated the chant in her head as she walked to stand before him.

"There's my good girl." She looked like a guilty toddler standing before him, nervously shifting from one foot to the other, chewing her lip, head bowed slightly as she peered up at him, face brimming with dread. Whether she played it up or this was the real her, he found it irresistibly cute.

"Li'l closer." He crooked his finger and waited until she got within inches of him then raised her chin. Looking deep in her eyes, he tilted his head and studied them. Any other woman would have been waiting with baited breath, anticipating his next move and ready to do his bidding with nothing but lust in her eyes. Not Buffy. Her emerald eyes held so much more than just lust: naivety, curiosity, need, anxiety, desperation and... longing. Yes, it was definitely longing, but for what? Those eyes wouldn't give up their secret no matter how long he stared into them. 'The boy's' words echoed in his head... God a man could get lost in those eyes.

He stared at her with an intensity she'd never known before. He didn't just look at her; it was as if he was looking within her, searching for something. She couldn't remember the last time a man looked directly into her eyes, let alone stay like that. His face held a soft hint of wonderment along with the inquisitiveness. It was a decidedly beautiful look on him, matter-of-fact he was a beautiful man with any look he wore, and he wore them all so well. She blinked, and his expression vanished as he straightened his head.

"Wha's your favorite color?"

Huh?

"Huh?"

"`S simple question pet, wha's your favorite color?"

"Uhmmm, pink."

"Hmm, pink. Good choice. Would you say you're a paisley kind of girl, or more of a plaid or even stripes say?"

"Paisley... I guess. Why are you... wait a minute, what does any of this hav..."

"Buffy, Buffy, Buffy," he scolded and shook his head back and forth in disapproval. "and, here I thought you were doin' so well till you kept talkin'."

"Aaa."

"Buffy?!?! You'll make this worse on yourself if you start arguin' with me I promise."

Her mouth clamped shut with an audible click. Damnit! What is he playing at NOW? Whatever it was, it killed her to suppress the urge to say something back, but she did it anyway. She still didn't know what her punishment was or if she could get through it without using her safe word. If he actually chose to make it worse for her because she kept talking... wait... whom was she kidding, he would do it. Arrrrrgh.

"You’re a quick learner, tha's good, VERY good." He smirked when her eyes narrowed. He knew she wanted to say something back. She was positively lovely even while fuming from contempt at her situation.

"Turn around." As soon as she did, he turned sideways and silently retrieved two scarves, one pink, one paisley, and draped them over his shoulder.

He placed his hands above her shoulders, manipulating the muscles and rubbed soothing circles with his thumbs near her spine to relax her. She sighed and dropped her head forward as he carried his massage over her shoulders and down her arms, kneading and rubbing as he went, taking his time as he worked all the way down to her wrists.

Mmmm, Spike hands, hands of Spike... other things of Spike. Her mind drifted. Remembering how good he felt inside made her pussy instantly ache, wanting him back where he belonged.

Confident she was sufficiently distracted, he reached for her wrists. Administering a few traction moves that disguised his intent, he suddenly pulled her arms together and held them taut behind her back with one hand. Retrieving the pink scarf from his shoulder, he speedily bound them, tying it off expertly like a cowboy after roping a bull to the ground.

"SPIKE! What do you think you're doing?" Taken by surprise, she couldn't fault him on his tactics. He must be like the green beret of escorts, downright stealthy. Still, a part of her was a little more frightened than she cared to admit. Not being able to use her hands? That was never of the good.

"Sshhhh." He dropped the other scarf to the ground then leaned forward and kissed the nape of her neck. "You won' regret it."

He just had to go and say that again. He could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo, making her do things, want things that she never thought possible. Damnit all to hell. She relaxed herself as best she could and waited.

Placing his hands at her waist, he turned her around to face him. He smiled approvingly more to himself than her.

"I must say, you look quite ravishing like this." He reached out to caress one breast before lowering his head to take the pert mound into his mouth. Sucking tenderly, he pressed his face into her skin and swirled his tongue over her nipple while tweaking the neglected one.

"Ohhh, I..." She stopped right there when he looked at her sharply. Clearly, he wanted her not to speak at all. Switching his attention to her other breast, she tried not to moan but failed miserably under his expert tongue. She looked at him but noted he didn't seem to mind, it was just talking that was a no-go. Thank you Jesus. Her "Oohs" and "Aaahs" now flowed like The Niagra from her mouth.

Now you're gettin' the hang of it. Not wanting to waste a moment, he nibbled at her rosy peak then dragged his tongue down the middle of her chest, bending at the knees as he went. Reaching the floor, he kissed her mound and nonchalantly picked the paisley scarf up from the dimly lit floor. He brought his fingertips to her ankles with a light caressing touch. Positioning the scarf, he ran it between her feet.

Her legs were parted just enough that he could see her swollen nub peeking out from under her curls. His tongue darted out to lap at her. When she shuddered and pulled back, he growled his disapproval and she stilled. He marveled at how she took his cues, verbal or physical.

He wanted to stay right where he was, just like this; licking rapidly at her arousal, inciting her passion, making her release more of the intoxicating sweet nectar she possessed. Duty called however.

Duty? Who are really tryin' to kid here, her or yourself?

GO AWAY! He snapped at 'the boy'. William not only had horrible timing but was starting to grate on his nerves. Since when do you get off interruptin' my work here anyway?

Since she deserves better than you.

Piss off. I'm exactly what she deserves right now, 's got nothin' to do with you so stay out of it.

Apparently you didn' look deep enough in her eyes.

Exasperated at his ranting, Spike tuned out 'the boy' as best he could.

Admit it Spike you... blah blah! Blah blah BLAH, blah blah...

Turning his attention back to the task at hand, he wove the scarf in a figure eight around her ankles. Now, he thought, then swiftly pulled both ends tight, forcing her feet together abruptly. Tying the ends off in a double knot, he stood up.

I knew that. I knew he was going to do that, no big deal; I'm only bound like a Christmas hog here. Only thing missing is an apple in my mou... Oh god, he wasn't planning on putting his cock in her mouth was he? He threatened her twice before so it was most definitely a probability.

Don't tell me you wouldn't love to wrap your lips around that? Mmmm, bring it, mommy likes.

Good God, honestly. Damn slut, sitting there licking her lips greedily and nodding vigorously like a bobble-head. Okay, fine, I'll admit I thought about it.

Correction, you WANT to... just as bad as I do if I might add.

You do know it's too big for that, right? I mean, major gag reflex here. Do you know how embarrassing that would be?

Improvise dummy, use your hands, your boobs, whatever it takes. Do I have to do all the thinking here or what?

Get lost.

At least think abou... WHOA!

As the object of her personal conversation stood up, the mirror's reflection gave Buffy a very clear view of his ass for the first time, whoa indeed! Adonis himself had nothing on Spike's package. So perfectly round, so obviously muscular. A clearly defined and delectable indentation appeared where his hips met that gorgeous rump. Her gaze immediately went to the front of that package where... yup, luscious looking hip bones that jutted out sharply, just right for licking. Bad Buffy, stop that. He's probably had thousands of blow-jobs from women who CAN get it down their throat. A sudden sense of jealousy hit her out of nowhere. She shook away the thought; he wasn't hers to be jealous over.

"See somethin' you like?" He loved the way she got that hungry look in her eyes every time she stared at his private parts.

"Uh-huh." Humina humina humina.

"Gonna torture you so sweet, but you know that, don' you?" Smirking, he thought let the fun begin.

He walked around her and admired his handy-work. Not wanting to lose a precious second more he pushed her gently forward until her hips touched the vanity and placed a hand on her back to bend her over slightly.

He ran his hands down her back and over her ass, giving each side a firm squeeze and lightly patted one cheek. Getting down on his knees, he parted those lovely cheeks, exposing the wet shiny folds that his mouth yearned for. Leaning in, he gave her several long, very slow licks from the pearly nub to the rosy tip of her second entrance.

"Mmmmmm, so tasty." He continued but kept his eyes focused on Mr. Gordo, reaching for the toy that lay two feet from his knees where he'd dropped it earlier.

"Oh Jesus... Ohhhh, Oh God!" Why oh why did he have to be so very good at that? Why did she have to like it so much, especially when he licked her forbidden zone? Crap, I wasn't supposed to talk. Maybe he didn't notice.

"God can' help you now, kitten... and Jesus won'."

Taking hold of the vibrator, he placed it against her opening and began rubbing slowly along the swollen pink folds while still licking the virgin area he wouldn't mind invading with something other than his tongue.

She'd taken to that quite nicely. Perhaps it was time for something slightly larger.

He turned the vibrator on the lowest setting and inserted it slowly into her pussy, pleased that she pushed back into it. Giving a few slow thrusts, he licked her once more then stood.

He found her staring in the mirror at herself, her face twisted with pleasure. Good girl, he thought as he leaned over her shoulder to nuzzle her cheek with his.

"You're bein' such a good girl, I just might forget about punishin' you." That said, he started fucking her hard with the rubber toy. He watched her sudden look of surprise quickly turn to bliss.

She bucked against his hand, feeling his knuckles hit her ass with every stroke. Of course now that she'd had him inside of her, Mr. Gordo no longer seemed enough. She wanted him back, back within her so badly she gave it no thought when his free hand grabbed her hip, pulling her against the toy faster. She welcomed it and nuzzled his face, moaning as she stared at their reflection.

"Harder... want... do it harder. HARDER!" Though he complied with her request... it still wasn't enough. He's going to ruin me for any other man.

Watching her watch him in the mirror, both gauging the other's reaction to the erotic situation, made his erection ache with renewed force. He still wanted to take her from behind, but that would have to wait. When he did, it would be all the sweeter knowing that she would be completely primed. He wanted her to derive as much pleasure from the act as he surely would when that time came.

"Wha's wrong baby? Am I not givin' you exactly what you want, what you need?" God knows he loved seeing her like this; her body writhing in ecstasy; her golden hair tousled from their coupling, swaying beautifully in front of her pretty face, her exquisite ass taking every inch of the vibrator, hitting his fist with every thrust, and the divine sound of her whimpering... so perfect. His perfect golden girl.

S' time. The hand on her hip moved towards the crevice of her bottom. Slipping his thumb inwards, he coated it with her juices. Sliding up, he placed it against her back opening and pressed down. When she howled he checked her reflection... good, she didn't seem to mind. He kept the pressure steady and began rubbing it rapidly.

Her body buzzed with excitement. She never knew this kind of play with her bottom could be so arousing, so thrilling. She released her previously held notions it was a no-fly zone and welcomed, even encouraged him by pushing back. That's when it happened.

He pushed his thumb inside, causing a sensory overload to sweep through her system, liquid fire rushing through her veins to pulse throughout her entire body. His eyes lit up with delight when she called out his name in unrestrained pleasure.

It didn't take long before that lovely ass of hers swallowed his left thumb entirely. He felt the knuckles of his right hand suddenly covered in wetness as she experienced a new flood of the precious ambrosia he loved so much. Elated, he let her enjoy the sensation from being filled in both regions simultaneously for a moment longer before he could no longer contain his desire. Dropping to his knees, he pulled the vibrator out and drank from her greedily, still pumping his thumb in and out of her ass. He groaned his satisfaction into her pussy, making her buck against her face.

So focused on the sensations his thumb induced, her mind barely registered the vibrator gone until she felt the warmth of his mouth on her dripping sex, tonguing her insides like a kitten lapping cream. Oh GOD his mouth is incredible... he's incredible. He purred deeply within her walls, sending a second shock wave of pleasure through her entire being. Her knees began to shake then buckle. She was so close, so incredibly close to reaching orgasm. But with her limbs bound and only the vanity to support her weight she started to fall backwards from the dizzying pleasure, forcing her to cry for help.

"Spike!"

He felt her start to sway dangerously backwards and immediately withdrew himself from her. Using his hands to steady her hips until he could stand, he held her by the shoulders so she could right herself.

"I got you."

"Lorne didn't send you. I think the KGB did... to kill me." He laughed heartily at her remark, forcing her to giggle.

His laughter and smiles were just as gorgeous as the rest of him. They seemed to laugh so easily together, because of each other. From one end of the spectrum to the other, whether angry or enraptured, they seemed well suited for each other. Her mind went to a place that held thoughts of them in other situations if they were a couple: sitting on a couch watching movies together, laughing while holding one another close, and just enjoying the other's company.

Good Lord Buffy, get it together. He may be laughing at your jokes but everything else is an act. Even as she said this to herself, a place deep within her disagreed, telling her she'd witnessed way too much sincerity from him at certain moments, however fleeting they may have seemed at the time. He could very well be a man of integrity, modesty, and perhaps, even sweetness, underneath the façade of ego and attitude. Her ruminations stopped when his laughter ceased.

It didn't matter how much that part of her thought it might be true. It didn't matter how much she enjoyed him as a person during these moments. She was nothing more to him than another job. He couldn't possibly be interested in someone like her, could he? No. It's not possible. He's here tonight for the money, plain and simple.

A/N: Wait for it... waaaaaaaaait for it....................... OK, turn the page. (You didn't really think I was going to leave you all hanging again, did you? Shame on you. If you would, leave a review for this chapter first before turning that page. If you simply can't wait I understand. But after reading chapter 8, I plead for reviews, after all – this IS the first full sex scene I've ever written so I'd like to know your reactions/thoughts/etc...

As his laughter subsided, he praised her.

"You took your punishment well, I'm proud of you." If it hadn't been for her near fall, he wouldn't have noticed her edging closer to release, so preoccupied with getting drunk off her essence. He needed to be more careful. She was too divine, too delicious for his body to ignore. It had a mind of its own when it came to her. It wanted to take as much pleasure as it gave to her.

"A little bondage is good for the soul." He wrapped his arms around her small waist and kissed her cheek.

"Does this mean you'll untie me now? Please? I'll admit I enjoyed this but... well it's kinda scary being in a situation like this with someone I don't know."

His light mood fled from him the second after she spoke. She was right on both accounts. It would be scary to a woman being in a position where she couldn't defend herself and left at the mercy of a man she didn't know any better than someone off the streets. The thought hurt him, hurt William, but also served as a cold reminder of what he did for the money he earned.

This was good for him. Her words brought the reality of his present situation back into sharp focus. He didn't deserve her any more than the men she'd been with didn't. She wouldn't want anything to do with the shipwreck William was at this stage in his life, not even after he could quit working for Lorne permanently, the remains too demoralized and unworthy to be nothing more than dirt on her shoe. He could only enjoy his time with her tonight and maybe another if she wanted more of his 'talents', but not want him, never him.

"You're right... I'm sorry." He quickly untied her wrists and ankles, taking care to rub them in case they'd been tied too tight.

She realized the implication of what she said as soon as she saw the flicker of hurt in his eyes, instantly making her feel awful that it probably made him feel like a whore. It didn't matter if that's what he was or what he did, he was still a person. How could I be so thoughtless? When he stood back up, she turned around to face him.

"Hey," she spoke softly and raised a hand to his face, touching his jaw lightly. "I didn't mean it like that, I-I... Sometimes my mouth opens before my brain is engaged is all, I'm really sorry. I just meant..." He cut her short before going any further.

"’S ok... you're right. You don' know me from the postman I presume. Don't feel sorry for that." She actually apologized? To him? The concept was foreign.

He was learning more and more about her person as the night progressed than any client ever... period. He'd assured her it was fine, that she need not say she was sorry, but her kind heart had shown itself in more ways than just her words. The look on her face spoke of guilt and concern for his feelings, his feelings for Christ's sake. No use in denying it any longer, she was getting to him, really getting to him... body, mind, and now soul. William was getting dangerously close to the surface again. Bits and pieces of his dialog and taunts ran through Spike's mind. What if William tried to take over... completely? Send Spike back to where he came from... permanently?!?!

"No, it's not okay. I'm really am sorry and I want you to know that. No arguments, okay?" She warned him in a kidding manner while shaking her finger at him, feeling relieved when he smiled. Before her mind could rationalize what she was about to do, she stepped forward to embrace him in a hug.

He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight, murmuring his thanks. She was truly amazing. Her regard for his feelings had touched him deeply and for the first time ever made him feel like more than he was. He would cherish this moment of kindness.

Spike struggled to keep William at bay, but couldn't deny they were thinking along similar lines for once. This woman would be so perfect for him. The way she made him feel had him wanting to write sonnets, take her for a moonlit stroll on the beach, and make love to her in an open field of flowers, the sunlight streaming through her golden hair... She's not yours, the words echoed a sadness that bounced off his heart, even as it beat fiercely for her.

Spike was the first to release his hold from the hug. Bringing his mouth to her ear, he purred.

"Now, where were we?" Not giving her time to answer he engaged her in a passion-filled kiss. He loved the feel of her eager mouth as she accepted his tongue inside to twirl and twist with his. When they broke for air, he took her by the hand, leading her around to the opposite side of the bed and instructed her to sit.

He walked to the freestanding mirror and rotated it to face where she sat.

"What is it with you and mirrors?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Trust me, `s for your benefit, luv." He crawled on the bed to settle behind her, pulled her flush against his chest and straddled her legs to plant both feet on the floor next to hers.

"Why bother askin', it's not as if you don' like it... I can tell." He smiled at her reflection as she blushed.

Was she that obvious or was he just that good. Probably a little of both. Didn't matter, she finally found herself anticipating what he would do next with eagerness. She felt more relaxed around him now. He'd gotten her to do things she only heard about from Anya and even managed a few things she was sure Anya hadn't done. Hell, by the end of tonight she'd have bragging rights over her best friend. Wait, scratch that, not going to tell her or I'll never live it down.

Pulled from her thoughts by his hands on her waist, he hauled her up to settle her directly on his lap. He drew her thighs apart and draped them over his so his shaft sat upright in front of her mound in plain view of the mirror. She marveled at its size as the head of it reached beyond her belly button and the width completely concealed her pubic region. Seeing it like this, she wondered how he fit all that inside without tearing her apart. The mere thought of having him inside her again had her pussy tingling; she wanted to watch as it happened, ah, so that's his plan. She congratulated herself. She was getting good at guessing his little game in advance.

Or was she?

Just as she thought he would raise her up to sink himself inside, he reached for her hand and placed it around the base of his cock, urging her to start pumping it up and down. She saw how tiny her hand appeared as even the longest of her fingers couldn't reach all the way around to make contact with her thumb. His hand joined hers, wrapping his fingers around himself just above hers. She gulped audibly when she saw how much room was still left between his first finger and the head of the beast. Looks like Mr. Gordo is out of a job.

Realizing this was the first time she touched this part of him, she studied it closely. Looking down as they continued their strokes in unison, she noted the bulging veins that ran his length, how soft his skin felt while beneath its surface he was as solid as steel.

"Mmmm, feels good."

She snapped her attention back to his reflection and nodded as if she heard him.

"I think you know what I want you to do next... don' you Buffy?" He smiled and glanced down at their joined hands. When she started pumping her hand faster, he shook his head 'no' at her. He smiled at her confused frown and pink tinged cheeks then took her free hand in his and guided it towards her pussy, leaning back slightly so there was room for the both of them. He found it endearing that she could still blush after all they'd done tonight.

Understanding what he meant, she began stimulating her clit. His fingers sought out her opening and slid two fingers into her well-lubricated hole, seeking out the spongy bundle of nerves. Finding it, he rubbed firmly back and forth with the pads of his fingers.

"Ohhhhhhhh... how do you do that? How do you uhnn, know just ahhhhhhhhh.... where to touch me?"

"Your body tells me everythin' I need to know." He picked up the pace of his strokes to his shaft and she followed his lead, her tiny hand squeezing him slightly, making him groan.

More often than not, it took two hands when he pleasured himself while alone. This was much nicer though. It didn't matter that her hand was smaller than his, it felt wonderful the way she gripped him, stroked him. As his head oozed a pearly white bead, he drew her attention to it.

"Can you hear my body? `S tellin' you somethin' right now."

She witnessed his pre-cum grow slowly into a large sphere before breaking to run like honey over the helmet of his cock. The urge to lick it overwhelmed her, but since her position wouldn't allow for that, she did the next best thing.

She licked her lips, and again, the image of her mouth surrounding his shaft flashed through his mind. He needed to stop this train of thought; it was stupid, selfish, and foolish at best. The only purpose it could serve would be to feed his fantasy as he jerked himself off at home... alone. Oh yes, she would continue to occupy his fantasies for many a night to come. He thought after being with her, being in her, it would squelch his desire, rid his system of the burning need to have her. Now he knew. It only fueled it. The memory of their night together would haunt him... whether he wanted it to or not.

"Oh FUCK!!!" He swore and watched helplessly as she removed the hand she used to pleasure herself with to reach out a finger, wiping his precious fluid up and brought it to her mouth. She smeared it across her bottom lip as if it were chapstick then lazily licked it off, smiling after his taste hit her tongue.

Buffy knew what she tasted like now... had enjoyed it, so when faced with his essence she wanted to taste him too, see if she would like it just as much.

"Mmmmmmm." It was sinful. Their combined taste on her tongue had her sucking her lip inside her mouth to devour the lingering remnants. Salt and musk infused her taste buds, creating an intense desire to have him in her mouth, gag reflex or not.

Her shocking behavior caught him unawares. Would it, would she never stop? He'd had not one but two first-ever experiences, all from the same woman who had her own set of issues, barriers that needed to be broken down. First the apology, and now this. His mind couldn't wrap itself around it and instead went mad with the need to possess her... wholly... make her his.

She looked in time to see his expression go black with lust before he grabbed her roughly, raising her entire body up to hover over his throbbing cock.

"Guide me in Buffy. NOW!" He growled his command at her threateningly, forcing her to scramble in order to carry out his demand. She grabbed at him with both hands, placing the head against her opening not even caring how big he was or how wet she would need to be in order to fit it inside without hurting. When he slammed her pelvis down, she cried out.

She was barely moist enough for the both of them, and it burned with stinging force as he stretched her to capacity. But her aching need to have him outweighed the pain, and she basked in the feeling of having him home inside her once again.

He held perfectly still, unable to relinquish his bruising grip to her slender form. His lips curled back, gritting his teeth as his body shook hard from her scorching heat. The unyielding tightness of her passage held him fast while he waited for her body to stretch and accommodate him. He'd hurt her, must have. The anger he felt at himself that he'd caused her any real harm was the only thing that kept him from moving.

His appearance resembled a wild animal, straining with all its might against the end of some invisible rope, unable to move. She took over on instinct, moving on top of him back and forth, willing away the pain until her muscles relaxed of their own accord. She sighed with relief and reached a hand back to wrap around his tense neck, bending his ear towards her mouth, she whispered her own command.

"Fuck me Spike. Fuck me hard." He roared his frustration away as she pulled his head inwards, capturing him in a kiss that spoke of lust in its purest form.

All concern for her pain fled upon her heated request, his need to have, to own her took over all other thought and controlled his body. The kiss broke as he raised her practically all the way off his cock to bring her slamming back down onto him, screaming her name out in hedonistic pleasure.

In her position, her feet couldn't touch the ground so she clung to his neck with both hands as best she could. Over and over he brought her down hard, spearing her with his shaft.

"Do you see that? Watch my cock as it pumps in and out of that hot pussy of yours. Aaaah, feels so god-damn perfect pet. Gonna fuck you so good, so hard that I'm all you'll dream about for weeks... all you'll want inside of that luscious body of yours. Are you ready to see those stars I told you about?"

"YES!!!" She cried out and continued watching the reflection of his cock, glistening with her juices in the candle light as it reappeared only to be swallowed again and again within her depths.

He suddenly stood and pulled her off him. Turning them both towards the bed, he picked her up and threw her onto it, following closely behind. Buffy rolled to her back and spread her legs wide, expecting him to take her like this. It's not what he had in mind however.

"Turn over" he instructed her. And without hesitation, she obeyed. His mind tried to focus, tried to push the shroud of desire aside and his need to have her. He needed to maintain control. All his plans, all his efforts would be for nothing if he didn't.

She felt like a rag doll as he roughly brought her to her knees facing the vanity. He wore a dangerous, primal look over his sharp features that would have frightened Lucifer himself. Not Buffy. This was the face of her savior... come to liberate her.

The space between her thighs revealed him guiding his lust-engorged cock back to her opening. As he pierced her core, she was swept away, caught in a myriad of sensations that flowed through her body in a river of sweet agony.

Encircling her waist with his left arm, the right crossed her chest to clasp her left shoulder, anchoring her to him. He utilized the leverage to join them, crushing her body tightly against his.

He took her with such feral force she could barely catch her breath before his pelvis came slamming back, hipbones digging sharply into the soft flesh of her ass with every stroke. So rapt in the blend of pain and pleasure, it came as no surprise this time when her womb began to tighten.

"Spike," she gasped, "I think I'm........ uh......I-I'm gonna........"

Uh-oh. That got his attention. He slowed considerably and pulled out.

"Oh no you don't!" She would not be denied this time. Turning on him with a deadly gleam in her eyes, she knocked him over and straddled him swiftly.

"Jesu....CHRIST Buffy... what are you.... UHNN." There was no need for hands, so wet was she, so rigid his erection. She thrust herself down, not missing a beat as she rode him at an alarming rate. He grabbed her hips, nearly caving at the wonderful feel this position brought. Her dominating display made his blood boil, the vixen above him drunk from her moment of supremacy.

It didn't last long; he quickly flipped her, never breaking the contact of their union.

She screamed in a voice laced with anger.

"I'll kick you out of my house so fas..."

"Shut up, Buffy." The tone of his reply was normal, almost soft as he felt her form heaving against his.

"I WILL do it, Spike, and I'll kee..." Damnit!

He crushed his mouth to hers, cutting off the remainder of her threat.

Starting the dance over on a different note, he set the tempo of his thrusts to languorous. This is better, he decided... for both of them. His head tilted and the kiss deepened. Placing her small hands at his face and neck, she drew him in while her body undulated beneath him.

Long moments passed as the couple wound their arms around one another, lips fused, each emulating the other's movements to prevent any loss of skin on skin contact. When the kiss ended lightly, he adorned her face with gentle, feathering brushes of his lips and stroked her hair affectionately.

"You are torturing me... aren't you?" She enjoyed this lazy, unhurried pace. It gave her time to memorize how everything felt, how he felt. Her fingers drifted across his back and down to cup his bottom. She indulged in her urge to squeeze him there. Mmm, she marveled at its feel as he pumped himself in and out of her. God, he can be so tender, so soft, so... oh god! A ball of pleasure pitted deep within her core made itself known. Don't tell him.

"Not torturing................ freeing you."

This broke her concentration.

"Freeing me?" Confused, she asked, "From what?"

He hesitated before answering, before the truth spilled from his lips. If he gave her the answer, the cure to her problem, he might not ever see her again.

"Yourself." He decided her fate must be her own as he uttered the answer. Pushing himself up to his knees, he lifted her legs, propping them over his shoulder and picked up the pace.

"I don't... oh god!" The angle in which he'd placed her reignited her need. "Understand."

"Stop thinkin', forget understandin'. Right now, I want you to FEEL. For once in your life... jus' BE. Give yourself to me and be WITH me Buffy." He felt her walls begin to flutter and knew it was time. If he couldn't get her to submit, to relinquish all control, he honestly didn't know what he would do.

No!!!

"Let go. You're safe with me... take you to heaven and back as many times as you want... jus' give into it.............. to me."

"I-I." No. There was no way. Her walls were built for a reason... protection. They afforded her the option to walk away from anything or anyone at anytime, with no damage to her being or her heart. Men were not to be trusted... any of them.

"Can't."

He couldn't, wouldn't accept her answer. The fighter within him stepped forth. Failure was not an option.

"I made you promises tonight... promises I intend to keep." He shrugged her legs off and reluctantly pulled himself out to reach under her shoulders, bringing her upright until they were eye to eye.

She found herself caught in the 'Nile' blue current of his eyes, her body unable to stop him as he dragged them to the edge of her bed. Her legs still astride his, he planted his feet on the floor and lifted her entire body up. He held her their, poised, waiting. She groaned, willing her concentration not to be broken from the conversation as she gripped his shoulders.

"You wanted me from the moment you saw me kitten, don' deny it. ‘S ok. I wanted you too... from the very second I laid eyes on you... at The-Hide-Away. For days on end I've wanted you... wanted this," he briefly glanced down before pinning her back with his stare.

She couldn't speak. He'd seen her that night? Had wanted her... before this arrangement? She didn't know how she felt about that, or if she should feel anything at all. In the end it was just sex, wasn't it?

"TELL ME Buffy. Tell me you want me and I'll end it. Your sufferin'.... and mine...all of it, right here, right now."

Her indecision hung in the air so thick it was palpable. Praying her need, her need for him would sway in his favor and end their torment.

"I... I, PLEASE!" Distraught from the breadth of emotions ranging from her need for fulfillment to the necessity of self-preservation, the gap, so close yet immeasurable, began closing in around her.

"Tell me, baby... end it!"

Please, her body cried, determined to win the fight against her stubborn mind.

"I need to..." Don't beg, don't beg, don't beg. "I want to..."

"Need what? Want what? SAY IT!" Give in, give in and give yourself over to me.

"I need you... God I need you. Pleeeease... please." Her last two words barely a whisper as her mêlée ended... her longing the victor.

"I didn' quite hear that baby, say it ag..."

"Damnit, Spike... make me cum. Please! I'm begging you, please." She sobbed, every part of her drained from the battle. Both triumph and defeat were hers, for better or worse she would figure out later.

"Tha's my girl."

They met somewhere in the middle, mouths crashed together each needing the other to complete the journey.

Thanking the Gods above, he brought her body down, plunging deep within her.

Twin cries of satisfaction echoed off the walls of her bedroom. She gave as good as she got, writhing on top of him with wild abandon as he pushed back, both racked with the torrid desire for completion, so close... so close.

Not yet, not yet. His senses reached out, seeking a deeper connection with this woman as their bodies melded. He wanted her to remember this, remember him. Grabbing her ass with both hands, he pulled her harder onto his aching cock.

Staring into his eyes, she lost herself in their beauty; swearing he could see straight through to her very soul, could read her every thought, see every secret. She didn't care. All that mattered right now was them, both taking and giving what the other needed, both willing slaves captured in the moment.

The ball of warmth in her belly grew, turning molten as it wound itself deep around her core where they joined. It wouldn't be long now, and this time there was no stopping. She'd given in to him, did as he asked. The time had come for promises to be kept.

He gasped as her passage tightened around his shaft, squeezing harder and harder with every thrust he gave. Gripping her ass harder, one hand dipped beneath to wet itself in her juices. Spreading his first two fingers in a 'V' around his cock, he growled from the feel of her mound as it sucked him inside over and over.

"Thas' it baby, let go. Wanna feel you cum around my cock." He pulled his fingers back and slipped them both into her puckered hole, pumping it in time with his thrusts.

Her eyes went wide when he re-entered her other opening, stretching it further than before. Her body began shaking uncontrollably then ascended into the clouds. The intensity of this feeling began overwhelming her. Moments before she didn't think she could handle it, she broke. With a strangled cry, she came hard. Her muscles clamped down, her body went rigid and time stood still. Clutching his shoulders tightly she searched his eyes, looking for something, anything with which to anchor her body as it fell into an abyss of a realm that seemed otherworldly.

"God yes. So perfect, luv, so beautiful." Her grip on his cock held him so strongly he couldn't move his hips. Her pussy quaked and pulsed around him then released a stream of juices that scorched him as it poured to run down his sac. Repressing his own need to cum, he tried desperately to prolong her orgasm, pumping his fingers in and out deeply within her second entrance before adding a third.

Her ecstasy surrounded him, drowning him physically and mentally. She was a true goddess, and he her humble servant. Time passed slowly until he felt the hold of her body begin to waver. He didn't want it to end; he wanted to prolong her bliss for however long he could. As he willed himself to pull out, he gently laid them back and rolled her over. Pulling out of her heaven, his knees went to the floor and spread her thighs wide. Pride overtook him when he saw that she'd cum so hard the bed became stained with a wet circle of her excitement.

Perched between her legs he dove into her dripping channel, licking deep inside her center as if his life depended on it, wanting to absorb her very essence, everything he'd worked so hard for. He threw her legs over his shoulders and lapped at her spendings, growling when he felt her release a second time, the precious liquid gushing from her to run down his chin.

Buffy thrashed above him, seeking purchase from anything that would ground her when his mouth latched onto her. She had yet to come down from the pinnacle of her first orgasm when he sent her over the edge a second time. She could barely breathe. Her screams locked in her throat until her hands found his head. She held on as he drank from her greedily. When the need for air finally opened her lungs, it sent his name out with a cry that could shatter glass.

Spike never stopped, not even after she ceased to provide him with her essence. When he finally pulled away, he had to assist her in releasing the deadly grip she had on his hair.

"Taste so good pet, mmmm." He licked along her opening, her thighs, anywhere there remained even a single drop of her spent pleasure until she was clean. Lowering her legs slowly, he glanced at her face. The look of a woman well-loved stared back at him. Contentment glazed her eyes as the last of her body's tremors ceased. He smiled at her then stood, heading directly for the bathroom.

All she could do was lie there, feeling almost comatose as her senses tried their hardest to regain composure. Her body didn't know how to handle what had just happened, because it never had happened. Before she could wonder where Spike had gone, he reappeared at her side, pulling her onto the bed and cradling her in his lap.

His instinct was to care for her as best he knew how. It wasn't in his experience to have to, to want to, but this was before her. He never had this particular kind of reaction from anyone... Close??? Not even! As he lifted her boneless body up as carefully as possible, he settled her in his lap and began rocking her gently, murmuring against her head as it drooped forward. Lifting the dampened washcloth he retrieved from the bathroom, he softly patted the perspiration away from her forehead and brow, trying to cool her.

He was an enigma to her. How he could go from treating her roughly to caring for her so tenderly boggled her mind. She tried to understand what he was whispering to her but gave up; choosing instead to focus on the comfort the cold cloth brought her over-heated skin.

"So very proud of my girl."

This she heard and lifted her head to look at him. His eyes had an instant calming effect on all her senses. As she parted her lips to try and speak he quieted her.

"Sshhhh. Don't talk, baby."

He skimmed the washcloth delicately over her chest. Gradually, he made his way down her stomach and between her thighs, nudging them open to soothingly wash her, being careful not to apply too much or too little pressure to the overly sensitive area.

He nearly finished tending to her when he heard her speak faintly.

"I'm hungry."

What?

"What?"

"I'm hungry" she said with more clarity.

He chuckled and shook his head.

"After everythin' that jus' happened, THAT is the only thing you can say?"

She smiled her best and nodded. Reaching a hand to his cheek, she tilted her head up and kissed him sweetly.

"Thank you is the best I can manage right now. After all THAT, I need food. How about it, you hungry, too?"

She tried to mask just how much he'd really affected her. Where others had failed, this man not only succeeded but also exceeded what she thought possible. He tugged imperceptibly at her heart with his warm smile, making her wish this was anything other than a business deal.

He smiled lovingly and nodded in agreement.

"You are most welcome. Any time luv, anytime."

A/N: Whewwwwww, cigarette anyone??? I know I could use one, and I wrote the damn thing. Please review to let me know if you liked it, and before anyone asks - yes I realize Spike hasn't had his own release yet. That's coming next chapter - again: literally.

Con't from Chapter8

"You are most welcome. Anytime luv, anytime.".......................

William came forth again. As if HE did all the work. This time Spike didn't bother to stop him.

Buffy spoke while struggling to get up.

"Let's go." With his help, she stood up on shaky legs. "Need a minute... maybe two. Blood circulation an issue here." She placed a hand on the bed to steady herself, glaring at Spike as he laughed.

Standing upright, she made her way slowly over to the pine dresser and opened a drawer. This should have been an awkward moment between them, especially after the mind-numbing sex they'd shared. Funny that she didn't feel awkward; instead felt as if they'd been dating for years. Wait a minute, since when did that happen?

"Here. These should fit you." She threw a pair of grey sweatpants at him and a white 'Sunnydale U' t-shirt. When he held them up, she noticed him studying their size. "They're mine, don't worry. I bought them big on purpose; I like my lounge clothes to be baggy, it feels more comfortable." As if she cared whether or not he thought they belonged to Riley. Oh God, Riley. A small flicker of guilt ran through her for cheating on her boyfriend.

---Correction, EX-boyfriend. As soon as you make the time to dump him that is.

Her bad-girl side actually came to her defense. Wonders never ceased.

Yes, must dump him... soon. Number one on my to-do list, tomorrow, or maybe this weekend.

---Not that I care, but you at least owe him a face-to-face break-up.

Wow, the bad girl had no problems making plans to dump Riley whereas Buffy herself could barely add two and two right now.

You're right. I'll call him and set a date, er no, tell him to meet at Grisanti's for dinner. On me of course. I should at least pay, to soften the blow a little. Wait... what am I going to say, I mean... the truth is soooo out of the question.

---True. Wellllll, you COULD say something's come up in your life that needs your full attention to deal with.

Like what?

---A bigger schlong???

That is NOT funny.

---Fine. All joking aside, do you really owe him an explanation? I mean come on, you're not engaged or anything. Just say you're not comfortable with, ah no, maybe it's not a good time for... Oh, I don't know. Go talk to Willow; she's always good with that type of stuff.

Right, of course, Willow. Ergh, damnit! What am I going to tell HER?

Spike suddenly appeared at her side, dressed only in the sweatpants she'd provided him, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Still with me, pet?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, here. I'm here... with the here and now. Yup, that's me." Could she be anymore of a space cadet? She scurried away to fetch her terrycloth robe from the bathroom.

She came back, flicked on the main bedroom light and went over to blow the candles out, noting how much they'd melted down. Had they really spent that much time together already? Guess so.

Walking past him, she took his hand and pulled him to follow her. She guided him through the hallway and down the stairs, turning on more lights before reluctantly letting go of his hand. It felt comfortable, much nicer than holding Riley's big farmer hand.

"Kitchen is that way." She pointed towards a room that was already well lit up. "I can't really cook, but I do have stuff laying around... somewhere... I think."

Can't cook, huh? Wheels began turning in William's head. He could certainly cook, and then some. It's what he went to school for, was his day job under the tutelage of one of the best chefs in the area. He made a mean chicken marinara and a superb chocolate cake according to head chef Antonio. He could cook up a feast for her that would... she's not your girlfriend, he reminded himself. A sharp sinking feeling deflated his momentary bubble of joy at the thought of entertaining Buffy at his place over dinner.

He followed her into a kitchen graced with a few simple appliances and took a seat in one of the two high-backed stools set before a cozy center island.

Buffy set about trying to find her 'guest' something, anything palatable. She rummaged first through her fridge and the cupboards.

"Ah, here we go." She gathered several things in her arms, walked over to the counter where he sat and set the items down.

"What exactly are you makin', if I may ask?"

"Peanut butter and honey sandwiches. They're really yummy, and hey," she enthusiastically pointed from one jar to the next, "Protein from the peanut-butter plus nature's royal jelly equals energy back in the body."

She looked like a kid as she set about making the 'energy-laden' snack, spreading the peanut butter in a sloppy manner, honey dripping from the knife onto her counter. He smiled at this, and then agreed with her.

"S'pose you're right on that account, but don' tell me tha's what you eat every night?"

"No, mostly I just order in, out, or grab something on my way home. My mother was the cook in this house. I'm lucky if I don't burn toast."

He cringed at the thought of her having to eat like that. The strong urge to cook for her came back returned. How can she eat such trash and still look the way she does?

"Here." She shoved the plate with her sticky creation in front of him and went back to the refrigerator. After pouring two glasses of milk, she returned and set them down, taking her seat next to him.

"Thank you." He took the milk she offered him and downed half its contents. "So, tell me 'bout yourself."

"Ok, what do you want to know?"

Conversation and questions were another uncommon practice in this business. But this was an uncommon encounter. He found himself wanting to know anything and everything about her that she was willing to share.

"Anythin'." He paused for a moment then tried to start the conversation again. "You said your mum was the cook in the house. Where is she now?"

"Oh, right. Well, she passed away a couple years ago. I chose to stay here rather than sell the house."

"Oh God, I'm sorry, I can be a right git sometimes." He placed a hand over hers where it lay on the counter.

"It's ok, there's no way you could have known. It still hurts, probably always will but I manage alright."

He rubbed his thumb tenderly over her hand, glad that he hadn't upset her with his stupid question.

"Well then, tell me where you pick up this FOOD that you eat since you don' cook."

She smiled at their hands. He was so thoughtful, so genuine in his apology... she melted.

"Well, there's a great Chinese place down the street or the Thai restaurant two blocks from my work. Sometimes I pick up a burger, but if I could, I'd eat at Grisanti's every night. Unfortunately, it's in the next town over but totally worth the drive. I usually order..."

He perked up at the mention of his primary place of employment, not even hearing her rant on about her favorite foods until she came to the end of a particular sentence.

"...and they make the most AMAZING 'Chocolate Decadence Cake' ever, mmmm. It's got three layers with these tiny white chocolate chips in the frosting and this delicious warm chocolate sauce drizzled over the top... I'm addicted to it."

Grinning widely, he beamed with pride inside that something he created was any one of her favorites.

"Have you ever eaten there?"

"Matter of fact, I have, excellent food indeed. And I couldn' agree with you more on the chocolate cake, if I do say so myself."

"I'd like to meet the man who created that sinful treat. I'm not sure whether to marry or murder him. If I didn't run twenty miles a week I'd have to tape the dessert to my thighs."

If you only knew. Spike giggled at her comment and then smiled. Marriage was something he'd probably never see.

"So tha's how you maintain that beautiful figure." She blushed and pulled her hand out from under his to cover her face.

"My passion for running started when I joined track in high school, whenever I wasn't cheerleading that is. It's... relaxing, gives me time to think. That and it keeps the calories from adding up."

"That it does." He agreed all too enthusiastically as he looked her up and down appreciatively. His mind became engulfed with images of a Buffy dressed as a cheerleader; short pleated skirt, form-fitting tank top, pigtails, smooth tanned legs performing jumps and splits and...

"Twenty miles a week huh?"

"Mm-hmm, sometimes more. Depends on what's going on that week. I run more when I have things on my mind to work out or when I'm stressed."

"Guess you'll be takin' next week off then." When she looked at him confused, he waggled his eyebrows.

Catching onto his meaning, she blushed again and lowered her head. He was right though, she had the feeling that stress wouldn't be an issue for quite awhile.

The conversation continued from trivial everyday topics to more controversial like California's present day 'governator'. After remarking on his accent, she asked questions about England. He answered her as best he could without giving too much about himself away.

"I bet every woman loves your accent." Funny, he always steered the conversation away from himself. She assumed he was a private person when it came to discussing himself, especially considering why he was here.

"Oh, I don' know 'bout that." It was his turn to blush and he tried his best to hide it by taking a sip of milk from his glass.

Thinking it was high time to address a certain issue, she continued on the path of this particular discussion to broach a subject that plagued her thoughts since before coming down to the kitchen.

"I do." She smiled playfully when his head snapped up and he swallowed his milk hard, making his Adam's apple bob up and down. Gathering the courage to act on her urge, she took his glass from him and set it down. Standing up, she swung his chair around and placed her hands on top of his thighs, stepping in-between them to bring her face dangerously close to his.

"`S that right?" He could see she was in a playful mood and indulged her. He purred when her hands slid up his thighs and her fingers found their way inside the waistband of the sweats she'd lent him. She affected him like no other, ever, and he felt his manhood begin to respond.

"Very... very much. It's not the only thing I like about you though." She leaned forward to nibble his chin lightly, smiling when he groaned. Emboldened by his reaction, she continued.

"Seems unfair that you've given so much to me, and I haven't given anything to you yet. I think it's time to remedy that. Don't you?" She captured his lips in a searing kiss, reveling in the feel of his response as he grabbed her hips, pulling her closer.

Breaking away from her, he told her honestly.

"Tonight's 'bout you. What you want, not me."

"Yes, it is... and right now there's something I want."

He looked in her eyes, searching for her exact meaning as she smiled at him with a look of a woman on a mission. For the first time ever he wasn't sure quite what to do. Relying on Spike's intuition, William raised a hand to her shoulder and slid the robe off gently with his fingertips. He dipped his head towards her to kiss her again but she stopped him.

"Uh-uh," she scolded. Taking a deep mental breath, she tugged on his waistband indicating she wanted him to stand. When he did, she ran her fingers along the inside towards his hips and slowly lowered them, exposing his shaft, which stood at half-mast. She took it into her hand and pumped him slowly. She was worried about making a fool out of herself for what she was about to do, but she wanted to do this for him, and for her own selfish reasons as well.

He groaned. What is she do...? O-o, CH!

He watched her sink to her knees, his cock still in one hand, the other trailing her fingernails lightly down his thigh. She leaned forward and darted her tongue out to swipe gently across the head of his now fully erect cock. He swore aloud, something William never did.

"Oh fuck. Buffy, what... ahhh..." his eyes crossed then closed as his head fell back. He couldn't believe what she was about to do. His mind got caught between the fantasy that was about to come true and his need to remind her he was here for her.

She looked up to see his head thrown back, one hand gripping the counter with white knuckles, the other on the back of her chair looking equally strained. Encouraged by his reaction she licked along the vein that ran the underside of his length.

"Buf... Oh Christ... ahhh, you don' have to do thiiIIIIIS... ohhh." He tried to focus through the haze of lust she induced with her tongue. Getting a grip on himself, he moved his hands to her shoulders and pushed her away.

"Buffy, I meant what I said... tonight's 'bout you... not me."

She understood that when he said it before, but what she didn't understand was why he was being as insistent as he was. Did he not want her to do this? Perplexed, but wanting an answer, she stood up

"Spike," she started, "I want to do this. Not just for you... I want to do this."

A look of pure wonder crossed his handsome features, which only added to her confusion.

"I-I-I... oh bloody hell. `S not that I don' want you to, BELIEVE me when I say that. `S jus' that, well... no one's ever... I've never... n-no one's ever done this to me before, EVER. And to even THINK that you would want to... especially for me. I don' know what to say." He shook his head in disbelief at her.

"Never? WOW... really?" She threw him a look that bordered on disbelief.

He shook his head no.

"Never, honest. I'll admit I've always wanted it to happen, but it jus' never has."

"Would you... can I be your first, Spike? She looked at him with hope in her eyes. "Please?"

"Oh pet, I'd be... you've no idea. You really want to do this?" Casting a glance of doubt at her, he still couldn't believe what she was offering, hell asking, with a please attached to her request.

"Yes, I really want to do this. Since we're on the subject of confessions, I have one for you."

She rose up on her toes and placed a hand on his neck while the other played lightly at his slim hip. She pulled him gently towards her mouth and whispered.

"I've been thinking about it tonight... a lot." She licked his ear erotically and tugged his lobe with her teeth. "I want to suck your cock Spike, want to be your first. Will you let me?"

She owned him now, lock, stock and barrel. His mouth gaped open as her hot breath spoke the words; he was a goner. He nodded his head dumbly and felt like an awkward teen about to embark on losing his virginity. To think it was his dream girl that wanted this, wanted him in this way had truly humbled both 'the boy' and Spike.

"I'll take that as a yes?" She felt him nod but had to be sure.

"Uh-huh." It was all he could say. She'd stolen his ability for speech as real words eluded his stunned brain.

"Thank you." She turned his head and drew him into a fiery kiss, moaning when she felt his arms surround her, lifting her off the ground to crush her against his hard body.

After several long seconds, he set her back down. As their mouths broke apart, she winked at him and let her nails trail lightly down his smooth chest to his rippling stomach. More than anything she wanted to do this right, wanted to make sure he enjoyed it so much that any other woman who tried to do the same would be a disappointment.

And there it was again, that spark of jealousy. Try as she might, she couldn't deny it. If she could, she'd buy up all of his time and services, clog his schedule so he'd never lay a finger on anyone but her again.

You can't do that. And it was true. The most she could hope for was that he would forever remember her with a fondness that she was his first in this experience.

The task ahead of her was daunting due to his size, but she would take the advice from her inner bad girl; use everything she possessed to makeup for what she couldn't handle with her mouth alone. She was on a mission with a single goal in mind. Make him cum. Surely he couldn't forget that, her, right?

Dropping to her knees, she gripped him using both hands, and began stroking him slowly, squeezing ever so lightly until the tip began to weep again with his delectable essence. Leaving all fear and self-doubt behind, she cleaned it off with one broad swipe of her tongue then placed her lips around to suckle it.

Both William and Spike held on tight as she took him inside her hot little mouth. He wasn't sure if the gods were smiling upon him or not, didn't care as he took in the feel of her tongue swirling around the head of his erection. As she lowered her mouth onto his shaft little by little, he wanted to close his eyes. He couldn't do it, though. Instead, he stared down at his beautiful Buffy, the image he'd held in his mind up until this point held no comparison. Her pink lips moved slowly up and down his length while she used her tongue to lick lightly around his shaft. There was no doubt he was in heaven as he watched her devour him like a favorite treat.

He looked on, captivated as she removed one of her small hands to glide underneath his balls. Taking them in her palm, she used a firm yet gentle grip and began massaging them. He felt her mouth relax, taking more and more of him inside with each descent of her lips while her other hand wrapped itself around the base of his cock, pumping him in time with the rhythm of her mouth. He no longer needed to wonder how it would feel to have a woman do this to him. He'd probably never find another woman who would... and he didn't want to. It felt wonderful, perfect, she was perfect. This sight was far lovelier than any cheesy porn movie had projected it to be, and the sight of himself disappearing into her mouth had him wanting to cum on the spot.

With his shaft still swathed in her own juices, he tasted divine. She lovingly ran her tongue up and down his length, taking in as much of him as possible as she pumped him with one hand and fondled his sac gently with the other. He was enormous yes, but her desire to please him in this way overtook her fears of inadequacy that she might not be able to bring him pleasure. She made love to him with her mouth and moaned around him.

"Oh God pet. So bloody good. Feels so... I've never, NEVER..." He involuntarily thrust his hips forward, meeting her mouth as she took him deeper inside her throat.

She relaxed her throat as much as possible and took him in. Feeling the tip touch the back of her throat, she suppressed the urge to gag and began a swallowing motion, glad that her desire to please him surpassed anything else. She closed around him and continued swallowing, praying he would release soon so she could taste him.

When he felt her throat close around him, he almost lost it. Grabbing her roughly by the shoulders, he hauled her upright.

"My girl." His voice spoke with authority. His words of possession thrilled her to her very core as she thought about the possible implications of those two words. She suddenly found her mouth covered by his, his tongue probing, demanding entrance as two strong arms squeezed her impossibly tight against his hard body. She let him in as her arms wound around his neck, losing herself in his possessive hold.

He could barely think straight as the urge to cum came back strong. All he knew for certain is he didn't want to cum like this, no matter how tempting it became. Breaking their kiss, he held one arm around her waist and his free hand cupped the back of her head. Leaning his forehead against hers, he spoke in a shaky voice filled with need.

"Buffy... that was... no, IS the single most... incredible thing anyone has ever done for me."

Finding her own voice, she replied to him with a question.

"Why did you stop me? I wanted you to... why... was it not good?"

"Oh luv, it was better than good, it was... too bloody good. Wanted to cum in your mouth so bad, but... s'not where I want to be when I do. Wanna be inside you when it happens."

She breathed a sigh of relief but asked again, doubtful her skills could have met his expectations, regardless if he had any or not.

"You're sure? I mean, well... limited experience here so I understand if it wasn't..."

"Buffy." He stepped back to place a gentle hand on each of her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "I don' know what happened before me and again, I don' care. The way it felt... `s beyond any words I could come up with right now. I'm so... so honored that you did this for me. But right now what I want most `f all is to take you back upstairs and take care `f both our needs. Wanna be buried deep inside you so we can both cu............... OH FUCK!!!"

Her eyes went wide as she watched his head drop forward to shake back and forth, the string of curses coming out of his mouth in rapid succession.

He looked back up to a pair of very concerned green eyes. "I'm such a bloody git Buffy, can you forgive me? Cuz if you can', I understand. I'm not sure I can even forgive m'self."

She didn't understand this sudden outburst, so she asked him in a voice filled with dread, not knowing what it was that had him swearing and apologizing so profusely.

"Forgive you for what?"

He hung his head low again but peered up at her with eyes like a teenager admitting to some awful deed.

"I forgot to use a condom." He closed his eyes, waiting for her to erupt in anger. When it never came, he opened one eye to find Buffy smiling back at him.

"Spike, it's okay, really. I have an IUD and a clean bill of health. There's no need to worry... unless you're not sure about, well, you. I mean your health that is." She hated to say that, but she needed to know for her own safety's sake too.

"Oh God, no. No, I always have regular check-ups and always use condoms. Well, at least before tonight that is. `M so sorry, guess my own need got in the way of common sense. I have some upstairs we can..."

It was her turn to silence him with a "Ssshhhhh. I don't think I could go back to riding saddle after going bareback. Unless you want to that is." She smiled when he shook his head emphatically no. "Good. Now, what were you saying about going back upstairs?"

He smiled at her with relief and an eagerness to get back to where they were before this embarrassing confession.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a minx?" She smiled brightly back at him and shook her head no. "Well you are. And I wouldn' want it any other way." She squealed with laughter and wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up and headed for the stairs.

A/N: The next chapter won't be too far behind. I hope you've enjoyed the 'snack'. Please review, pretty, pretty please?

Buffy ran her fingers through Spike's hair and nipped at his ear, whispering how much she wanted him. As a result, he stumbled a few times as he hurriedly climbed the stairs. She was extremely distracting, both in a good... and bad way. After the 'distraction' she'd provided him in the kitchen, he knew he wouldn't last long once inside of her again. Somehow, he didn't think she would mind. Sure, he'd teased her, brought her to the brink and back from release all night long, but in the end, he'd made good on all his promises. That was, in part, what tonight's efforts had been all about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

He'd disagreed with Lorne when he had told Spike the method in which he wanted him to handle Buffy. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy a good rough-n-tumble, but he didn't think she necessarily needed to be tormented like that either. Lorne had remained firm however, and said that if carried out to his specifications, there was at least a fifty percent chance that she would become a regular for Spike.

"I'm telling ya buddy, she may look all 'Sweet Polly Purebread' on the outside, but that's hardly the case. Bring her to the edge and back as many times as it takes and just watch what happens. This filly NEEDS to be broken. And when, if, you succeed... then and ONLY then should you dig in your spurs and ride her into the sunset."

Spike didn't think she would call again for his 'services'. Especially since, he'd given her the answer to her 'problem'. Armed with that knowledge, she would probably run right back into the arms of this Riley guy.

Jealousy flared again at the mere thought of that pillock or any other bloke putting his hands on his Buffy. He might not be able to prevent it, but he damned sure was going to make it hard for her to want anyone other than himself after tonight... at least he prayed he could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they reached the bedroom, he placed her back on her feet. Walking over to the candles, he lit them again and shut the light off, preferring the lower, softer light setting.

"So tell me, what's your real name? I mean 'Spike' is obviously a nickname, right?"

"Yeah, `s a nickname, but one that suits me." He waggled his brows at her and smiled when she snorted.

"Jeez, have a slice of humble pie." She found it positively charming when he did that 'thing' with his eyebrows, but also arrogant at the same time.

---He has every right to boast. This is one hunk of competent, alpha male right here if I ever met one.

No sense in arguing the slut on this one, she was right.

Yes, I suppose. It's just... why can't I find a guy out there like him, like..., on a permanent basis?

---Duh, right here in front of you. No need to look anywhere else.

There's no way that's going to happen and even if it did, I don't share.

---So buy up his time, it's not as if we don't have the money.

Don't think so. After tonight, this is over... done with.

---You say that now, but he's in your system and you know it, just like he said he would be. Face it; no one could possibly measure UP to him.

Not listening, lalalalalalala.

---You'll see.

"Sorry pet, not the kiss-n-tell type. But, when we see each other again, you MIGHT be able to persuade me... yeah?" Okay, he knew this was a bit presumptuous, even for him. But he had nothing to lose at this point, whatever she decided.

Taken aback by his statement, she wasn't sure quite how to reply. She didn't want to offer him any false hope that she would seek his services out again, but wasn't entirely convinced she wouldn’t. The inner slut had made several valid points tonight despite her personal reservations and her conviction it would be the first and last time she would ever do this kind of thing again. What the hell am I supposed to say to something like that?

She answered in the typical 'cryptic' female way.

"Maybe. Depends really." She chose to tease and leave herself a lot of room by doing so.

"DEPENDS," he asked incredulously, then proceeded to speak matter-of-factly. "Really? On what I wonder. Well, allow me to offer an incentive that may… PERSUADE you." And boy would he. Her words were an open invitation to unleash every talent in his arsenal on her. You won' be walkin' right for days li'l girl... count on it!

Uh-oh. He possessed the ability to change her mind on just about anything... and she knew it. The evidence lay in his outstanding performance on introducing her to several new and very taboo experiences, and making her enjoy every second of every one of them. This is just part of his act, she played it off in her mind.

"Yes. Really. It depends." She wore an indifferent, almost bored look and stood her ground as he approached her slowly.

"Oi, Miss Summers, you certainly know how to flay a bloke's ego with that sharp, talented tongue of yours. What ever SHALL I do about that, hmm? Should I punish... or worship you?" He gave her the same jaded look she wore for him right now, all the while thinking this game would be the most fun.

He could flatter her all he wanted, she just stood there and chewed on the nails of her right hand, the left hand propped on her hip.

"Does it matter?" She figured he'd do whatever he wanted anyways, and scarily enough, that was just fine with her.

"No. It really doesn'." He swiftly ducked to hook one arm around the back of her knees and hoisted her over his shoulder effortlessly so her ass was level with his face.

Sure that he'd chosen punishment, she braced herself. He turned sideways so she could see him in the mirror as he raised his hand and paused before bringing it down sharply on her bottom. Crack!!!

"Owww... God DAMN you, Spike!" Crack!!! "That is not," Crack!!! "persuasion. OWWW!" She watched him smile away while she yelped in pain with every slap. Gritting her teeth, she pounded on his back with her tiny fists, determined to get loose… then even. Crack!!! Crack!!! Crack!!!

He suddenly shifted her further over his shoulder and began a series of rapid stinging blows to her pussy. She gasped in shock, unable to do or say anything until after he threw her on the bed.

"You son of a bi..."

"What? You gonna spank me? Puleez." He mocked her earlier words in an American accent. He wanted her mad, wanted her fired up. It would make the taking sweeter for them both.

"Awwww, want me to kiss it?" He jumped on the bed and pinned her down before she had time to blink and spoke with a deep, purring voice in her ear, "Make it better? You know I can baby. Tell me tha's what you want and I'll give it to you............ real good!"

"Errrrrrrrrgh, I swear." All she had to do was say the words, and as earlier, he'd have her begging a few more times before granting her ‘forced’ request. She was growing more helpless by the hour to all his wiles, and found even this rough play unusually erotic because she now knew it was a precursor to what he could and would give her... a one-way ticket to heaven.

"Fine. Yes, please kiss me and make it better." She spoke a little more sarcastically than she intended.

"Sorry pet, tha's not good enough.” He saw her trying to control the situation again. He simply couldn't allow her to take two steps back after he'd gone to great lengths to make her take one forward.

"Guess maybe you don' really want me to?" He paused, but she said nothing.

"Right then. I'll jus' see m'self out." He nodded once, then released her, rolled off the bed and headed for his duster. He smiled knowingly... she wouldn't let this go without some form of fight. If he'd learned only one thing about her, it was that she was a fighter. He sauntered off, waiting to hear her say something or tackle him from behind.

What the fuck?!?! Oh hellllllll no, not on my watch buddy. She started to get up then stopped. Waaaaaaait a minute. Every time he's baited me, I've played right into his hand. Well, not this time.

"Goodbye Spike. Don't let the door hit your BUM on the way out."

He stopped dead in his tracks and whipped around in her direction. Was she serious? No, couldn't be... holy shit, maybe she is!

Judging from the look on her face, she seemed dead serious. He watched in silence as she got up and walked off into the bathroom without so much as a backward glance, then heard the running of water coming from the shower.

He felt helpless and dejected as he realized he might have pushed it, pushed her too far this time. He stood there and waited, and waited, then waited some more, unable to believe she would just dismiss him like that.

---`Course she would. She's too good for you, told you that already.

Piss off, she's jus'.............. jokin'...right? Spike had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach after William reiterated his earlier musings.

---Don' rightly think so. Better jus' leave quietly now. Now... now would be good.............aaaanytime mate.

He just stood there, staring at the bed where only moments before, her warm supple body lay beneath his. Every sensation came flooding back to him in living color; her kisses, the way she moved, felt, smelled, laughed, and the fact she'd asked to be his first in something she clearly didn't have to do.

Bugger that! He went from confused to furious in a snap. He wanted an answer. Then he would leave... for good. He glowered at the door and strode toward it, angry that he'd felt anything for her, that she'd gotten under his skin. Angry that he'd worked harder for her than any client before. Angry that she had the nerve to discard him as if all that he'd done for her and given her meant nothing.

---I wouldn't do that if I were you, 'the boy' warned.

I'm not you… tha's the beauty of it.

Buffy waited after turning the shower on. She hadn't heard a single movement for minutes on end. She couldn't believe he'd just walk out on her like that. Maybe he’d taken her flippant statement seriously. The look on his face when she told him goodbye was truly pitiful, like a forlorn little boy who just had his favorite toy taken away.

She began to panic, and was about to walk back out to see if he had left, hoping to God that he hadn't. She never got the chance; he came barging into her bathroom pushing the door aside to bang loudly against the wall, startling her. What faced her was one very pissed off naked man.

"Spike, I..." She tried to tell him it was a joke, that she was just kidding... he never gave her the chance.

"You want me to leave? Fine, I will. You'll never see my arse again, but at least give me the dignity of an explanation." He observed her stunned silence, unsure of what she was thinking. He hoped she'd have something to say, maybe some legitimate reason, perhaps call him a whore so that he could just forget her, forget everything about tonight and move on with no illusions as to what every woman did... use him.

"I'm waitin'. If you want me outta here then SAY somethin'."

"Spike, look." He was making her nervous. She knew he was mad, that he'd taken her little joke literally, but his reaction was scaring her.

"I was kidding. How could you think I... you know what………… never mind." She waved her hands in the air. "It. Was. A. Joke. Nothing more. You've played me all night long, and the first time I beat you at your own game you act like THIS?" She waved a hand towards the door.

"You come BURSTING through the door when I was ABOUT to come find you. I was worried that you’d really left... God!!!" She felt exasperated. Even though his features visibly softened at her confession, she continued her frustrated rant while shutting off the shower water.

"You frightened me when you came in the bathroom all... grhhh, frightened me the same way you did when I thought you were a burglar. If this is what you really are, a-a..........." She sighed. "I want nothing more to do with you. Maybe you SHOULD leave."

Oh no, please tell me I didn'.

"Buffy, I'm……………… sorry, so sorry, baby please... I didn' mean to scare you. `S the last thing I..." He lowered his head in shame and repeatedly ran his fingers through his hair, searching for the right words to fix things as he paced back and forth in the small space.

She could tell he spoke the truth. A part of her forgave him immediately as she watched him practically wear a path on her floor before he stopped altogether and got on his knees in front of her with his hands clasped in prayer.

"I'm a bad, rude man luv, I admit it. But you gotta believe me. I NEVER meant to scare you; I'd never... harm you in any way, I jus'.... I thought you meant it. I...it made me feel like... like you'd, like I................ all this was nothing."

So that's what it was. He wasn't mad at her; he was upset at the thought that she viewed him solely as a prostitute. Hadn’t she already shown him that he was much than that to her? She didn’t want to fight with him, and she definitely didn’t want him to leave. No, she wasn’t going to let him leave, not like this; she would mend the situation as quickly as possible, no matter what.

"I, wait..." She knelt down to his level and took his face in her hands.

"If I really wanted you out of my house I would have said so long before this. This is just a big misunderstanding, that's all. I forgive you. And I hope you forgive me for how I made you feel… because I sure as hell didn’t mean it."

"You don’t have to say that, I’ll go if tha's what you want, I swear. Whatever you want Buffy, I'll give it to you... anythin'."

She smiled. He was a handful and a half, but she liked him, really liked him. He wore his emotions on his sleeve when it came down to it, despite the bad boy attitude.

"What I want is to go back and forget this even happened. Can we do that?" Satisfied with his nod, she continued, "And yes, I'd VERY much like you to kiss it, and make me feel better." She smiled wider when he looked at her stupefied.

"After all, you hurt me... bastard." She made sure her voice conveyed that she was joking.

"Oh pet." He grabbed her and kissed her hard, grateful for what seemed like the hundredth answered prayer tonight.

"Mmmph." She tried to kiss him back, happy that he agreed with her, but he'd knocked her backwards onto the floor.

He climbed on top of her but quickly rolled them over so it was his bare back against the cold hard tile. Between kisses, she tried to speak.

"Spike, please...ohh mmph, let's go to the... ahhhh, bedroom."

"Yeah, bedroom." He stood, bringing her with him, and hastily dragged her through the door. Picking her up, he carried her to the bed and laid her down gently, then sidled up against her.

"Say it again, for me... please kitten? Need to be sure you really want this."

He stroked her face and hair with his fingertips, looking at her as if she were the only woman in the world. It touched her that he could make her feel like this. Staring back at him, that's exactly what she wanted to be if only for tonight... the only woman... in his world.

"I want you Spike, or whatever your name really is, only you. Now kiss me quick before I change my mind."

The words were like food to his soul...only you. Without hesitation, he kissed her again, slowly this time. He wanted to drag this moment, this feeling out for as long as he could... for all it was worth.

"You're so perfect, pet." He praised her between passion-filled kisses before deciding it was time to take her back to heaven.

Gradually, he pushed her back and lowered his mouth to her breasts. His hands glided along her torso to settle on her hips after paying homage to each of the succulent mounds. He slid lower and lower until he was situated comfortably between her slender legs. His hands ran continuous slow, soothing patterns over her thighs and knees as he delved deep, savoring the tang of her center with his tongue. The sound of his name falling from her lips as he feasted was the sweetest of symphonies, lulling Spike further and further away until all that remained was William.

He could hardly believe she was actually going to let him cum inside of her, with no barrier. This beautiful woman unhinged him, made him positively mad with desire. He couldn't get enough of her, would never be sated; he knew he was ruined. Did he care? That was up for debate.

On the one hand a resounding 'no'. Her touch was like a balm that soothed William's raw, open wounds. She eased his aching heart and gave him hope that he could be worthy of love... someday. She also appealed to Spike, the primal male inside, and satisfied him like no other. She was sexually untried in so many ways, and both Spike and William wanted very much to be the only one she would allow to deflower the rest of her innocent ways.

The rational side of his brain fought to push down all hope and shove aside the wondrous emotions she evoked. It couldn't, and that's where the answer to the debate became an emphatic 'yes'. It would cut him deeply when he had to leave her and he knew it. He would bleed inside for her every moment from there on out.

"Spike, Spike."

Wrapped up in feeding from her glory, he didn't hear her until he felt a pair of hands shaking his shoulders.

"Spike wait... stop."

He heard her that time, and immediately froze.

"You okay? I didn' hurt you did I?"

"No, no, of course not. I'd like to, to uhm... well I'd like to try something, i-if you don't mind." She started stammering, embarrassed that she just couldn't come out and say what she wanted.

"What?" She had his full attention. From the nervous tone of her voice, it sounded like something else she'd never done before.

"I'd like to, uhhh.... oh you know what I mean, please don't make me say it." She turned crimson when he still looked confused.

"No pet, can't say that I do know what you mean. You know I'll do anythin' you want, but you'll have to be a bit more specific." He cocked his head to one side and waited with curiosity to hear what her request would be.

"Okay. Uhmm, just keep ah... doing what you're doing but............" She used both hands to indicate she wanted him to rotate his body around so he wasn't the only one busy with his mouth. When his jaw dropped open, she didn't know whether to curl up and die or laugh. "Forget it, i-it was stupid of me."

"NO!" He shouted, then coughed and lowered his voice. "I mean no, `s not stupid. But I do have to ask if tha's really what you want, because what you did for me earlier was, was...." He trailed off. She literally took his breath away. Could this night get any better? Could she surprise him anymore than she already had? Apparently, she could.

"I really wish you'd stop asking me that. If I didn't want to do something then I wouldn't ask. Honest. So... maybe I should ask... do YOU want to?"

Hell, yeah.

"Hell, yeah." He moved to lie down right next to her then held his arms open, beckoning her towards him. She rolled to her side and he immediately pulled her on top of him.

"You're an amazin' woman Buffy. Don' misunderstand me when I say I consider m'self lucky that you've had a crummy past, or I wouldn' be here right now. You've given me a gift, several tonight, new experiences, sensations. If it were up to me, I wouldn' charge you a dime." Whoa, better back off a bit.

Was this the same man who'd broken into her bedroom tonight? The very man that spanked and teased her unmercifully until she begged for more? Was this all part of his act? Couldn't be. She felt she was a decent judge of character, and all the signs were there that he was speaking from his heart... as a man, not as 'Spike' the escort. Sure, she understood what he meant and was flattered, really, but she was unsure how to react. Truth be told, she wasn't entirely convinced she would call for him again. So she lay on his chest with her head propped up and just smiled. For now, at least, she wanted to believe he was there with her by choice and not because of some paid arrangement.

He wants to be here, with me. Wants me... Staring into the Caribbean blue of his eyes, she barely recognized her own voice when she spoke.

"I would have paid triple." What the hell did I just say?

When he smiled back, she let it go. Their business arrangement was illegal, morally unethical, sinful... and truthfully? She no longer cared. He was stunning when he smiled like that, his eyes tinged with a hint of wonderment. Maybe this 'encounter' had brought them both their own unexpected discoveries to contemplate later.

She pulled her body up towards his face and planted both elbows on the bed. Her hair swung forward, draping their faces in a curtain of gold that shimmered from the candlelight as she brought her lips to his. She brushed them back and forth in a barely there, whispering touch that both tickled and aroused. He strained his head forward to ensnare her in a kiss, but she'd denied him. She was living in the moment… and it was liberating. She was free to seduce, free to feel lustful, free to feel desired. Shame and modesty had no place in this house tonight; the warm and awe-inspiring man beneath her had unchained those shackles... to free her.

"Kiss me, Buffy," he begged. "Please baby." And to think he’d avoided kissing at all costs before tonight. But this... with her... felt so right. Yes, the act was personal, but it had become personal. She was a personal matter to him now.

She granted his request by kissing him wholeheartedly. He was an amazing kisser, an incredible lover, harsh and demanding when she needed it most, sensitive and tender when it counted.

Minutes passed before they broke apart to stare at one another. When he nodded at her, she swung her body around then straddled his chest.

He drooled at the sight of her dewy cleft so close to his face. Grabbing her hips, he roughly pulled her closer to lap at her swollen lips, worrying the pink bud of her arousal with his teeth before taking it into his mouth to suckle it like honey. He nearly forgot why they were in this position until he felt his cock surrounded by the comforting warmth of her hand and the scalding heat of her mouth. He voiced his ecstasy from the sensation into her channel, causing her to jump and temporarily remove her mouth to gasp as she flung back her head.

She loved when he droned into her sex like that. The vibrations were thrilling. They made her womb pulse with need, causing her desire to spring forth, knowing he would be there to collect it. It turned her on that he liked this so much that he was ravenous to consume every drop her body had to offer. She dove back down to squeeze and pump his shaft while kissing the tip of his cock lovingly. Relaxing her jaw, she slowly, very slowly took him in inch by inch, still pumping away lazily at the base.

Her essence trickled over his tongue and down his throat... this was heaven for him. He was not going to last. Her taste, this new position, and the fact she was treating his dick like her personal Popsicle made it difficult to concentrate. The desire to bring her equal pleasure had him focused just enough to bring a thumb to her clit and rub firmly in circles while his other hand kneaded the supple skin of her ass. When she moaned her approval around him, it sent him into overdrive in his attempt to remain focused on her. He removed his thumb to insert two fingers inside her pussy and immediately felt her walls contract around them. He pumped them in and out while gingerly pulling her cheek aside to trail his tongue towards her rose bud.

Buffy became frantic when she felt his fingers inside of her and that talented tongue of his head straight for her...ooohhhhh, YES!!!

He stiffened his tongue and slipped the tip inside to wiggle it up and down as fast as he could. He felt her reaction as her walls closed in tighter around his fingers. He switched gears, determined not to cum just yet. His thumb quickly replaced his tongue and glided in up to the first knuckle with ease. He came back to nip and suck at her clit for a moment before replacing that with his other thumb to stimulate it with vigorous strokes. His tongue was now free to lick around her opening.

She gave him her all, and began bobbing her head steadily faster over his erection, keeping her tongue working by pressing it hard against his length with each stroke. She was able to take more of him inside this time, which personally pleased her. She'd never really cared for giving a man this kind of pleasure, but this man posed a challenge and brought out an irresistible urge to conquer the beast. She now took delight in this act, but could not imagine being as hungry for anyone else, except him.

Her mouth continued its pattern as she began to swallow around him. Releasing her grip on his shaft, she moved to cup his balls in her hand and felt him twitch. When his thumb began pumping inside her ass faster and his attention to her clit sped up, she couldn’t hold back. The moment she broke came when he stiffly began tonguing her insides. Suddenly, everything became a blur of rapid movement and blissful sensations.

He flexed his tongue and sank it deep inside her pussy. He felt her body jerk and spasm, so he doubled his efforts. That's when she abandoned his cock and sat up straight. Her hair flung over her shoulders to splay beautifully across her back and her neck bent as her face strained towards the ceiling. She ceased all movement, gripping his thighs to hold on as her orgasm washed over her in silence.

He sped up, and then carefully slowed his ministrations as he felt her body shaking, trying to come down from the high. Removing his mouth, he verbally encouraged her.

"Tha's it... let it go baby. `S beautiful when you cum." When she finally cried out, he spread her cheeks apart to reap the liquid rewards of his efforts.

As the last of her third earth shattering orgasm subsided, she felt like collapsing. Her body went limp, but she was saved from falling to the side by a pair of steady arms.

He laid her back gently and pushed her body down until she could rest her head against his shoulder. Her entire backside lay on top of him and she could see his erection peeking up from between her thighs. If she could just catch her breath, she'd see to his little, er, big dilemma.

His stamina was beyond incredible. She knew he'd been close to cumming more than once tonight. But he never gave in. He saw to her first… always. Ok, except for that time when they'd masturbated in front of each other, but he was more than forgiven for that about an hour or two, or three ago. She suddenly realized she'd lost track of time. Did it matter? No. She wished time could stand still. Hell, if felt like it did whenever he held her, touched her, kissed her...

"How you doin'?" He stroked her damp hair away from her face as he spoke, and wrapped his free arm over her waist.

"I'm, I, I... good." Great, cave-Buffy come to talk, speak bad, must go back in hole now, grunt grunt.

He kissed her hair and chuckled. They remained silent while she rested a few seconds more. Glancing down, his manhood stared back at her with its one angry eye as if trying to sing-song her, 'it's my turn, a little help would be nice, been holding out for awhile now, no... you go ahead and rest, I'll be riiiiiiiiight here, waiting... and waiting'.

She willed herself to move. Reaching a hand behind her head, she touched his cheek, turning towards him to kiss the opposite cheek in an open-mouthed, seductive manner. Again and again she kissed him like this and reached down between her legs. She caressed the underside of his shaft and pressed it firmly against her sopping mound.

"You're bloody spoilin' me you know that? Doin' things to me… for me I've never... oohhhhh CHRIST..." He would have said too much had she not taken the initiative to place the head of his cock against her opening then push herself down onto it. He pulled her waist inwards and gripped her shoulder with the opposite hand, thrusting up instinctively; welcoming the heat her body provided his length.

He was careful, moving slowly in fear of hurting her by entering too quickly. Mindful of his movements, he let her take him inside at her own pace.

She sighed happily into his ear and assisted him by arching her back and using her hand to guide him until he was fully sheathed within her molten depths. She rocked against him, and he used this to aid in gaining momentum with his thrusts. This position was a particular favorite of his.

The angle made her pussy feel exceptionally snug around his erection. The exquisite torture of her tight walls filled him with contentedness, because he no longer had to restrain the desire to release his passion inside of her. It also afforded him the pleasure of being able to play with her breasts, play around the area where they joined, pull her lust engorged folds apart wider as he plunged deeper, and to stimulate the little button of pleasure above her opening. He took full advantage of each delicious delicacy her body had to offer.

Their pace increased as sighs of satisfaction escaped them both, their bodies rising and falling together in flawless harmony. His sac began tightening, the impending relief of his liquid desire building with immense pressure. As delightful this position was, it was not the way in which he wished to deliver his life's fluid inside of her.

He suddenly gripped her waist with both hands and pulled her off his aching cock. Turning them over so he could take her in the traditional missionary style, he nudged her legs apart and hovered near her opening, ignoring her whimpers of protest at the loss of him.

Looking into her eyes, his seamless reentry was measured in one swift, yet gentle movement. Her gratified cry of his name filled his ears as she stared back at him, her eyes mirroring their mutual bliss as she received his invasion with enthusiasm.

As he surged inside her, their eyes remained locked, each unwilling to miss what the other tried to express without words.

The smell of sex heavily perfumed the air. If a stranger were to walk in, they would have no choice but to be compelled to watch, to become spellbound by the image, to breathe in the fragrant aroma of their coupling. Locked together in a passionate embrace, their bodies playing off one another, their physical beauty was a remarkable sight Michelangelo could not have reproduced with the finest of oils on his best of days. A visual paragon of a man and a woman joined in a union of the flesh… the way God intended.

She saw his desire, felt it, tasted it, experienced it alongside of and with him. Her belly became heavy with a dull ache that signaled the need to free her desire.

He felt her grip on his length tighten as her muscles began fluttering around him.

It was time.

His eyes held hers, not wanting to miss one reaction, one emotion, one feeling as they both reached the pinnacle of the powerful climax that was sure to erupt simultaneously. Neither was disappointed by what happened next.

The contractions of her quaking pussy strangled him. She squeezed him so tight he feared amputation of his member. This was it, he wanted to possess her solely, needed to claim her however possible, mark her body, her soul, never let her doubt who she belonged to now.

She heard a low, guttural growl from deep within his throat build, like a wild creature readying to launch itself. Dear God in heaven how she wanted him, wanted them both to experience their release in unison. That thought sent her spiraling upwards and her mouth opened wide in shock as her orgasm hit first, brutal, hard, overpowering in its dominance of her senses. Her eyes never left his; never blinked for fear of this not being real. She wanted him in her world with her as it came crashing down around them both in all its apocalyptic magnitude.

He felt her gush around him and came hard with a howl of pleasure as thick, viscous ropes of semen spewed forth to fill her womb.

"MINE!" All reason or thought for what he'd said fled his mind as she replied with a strangled "Yes."

All that remained were two bodies connected on many levels, humming in contentment, leaving both to decide later what their words meant to each as an individual.

As her breathing returned to normal, she felt the slick sweat that had formed between their chests and pushed her upper body away from his.

He felt her move, but chose to lie still as his eyes closed until he felt a soft, gentle breeze. He opened one eye to find her mouth formed in a tiny 'o', blowing cool air across his perspiring chest with her breath. The act was so sweet, so thoughtful and caring that his heart swelled with genuine affection for her.

She smiled when he began to purr and blew once more over his chest then stopped. She needed to untangle her body and use the bathroom. When she moved off the bed, he reached an arm out to grasp her wrist gently, with a look of concern in his eyes.

"Where you goin'?"

"Just to clean up, silly." He released her. "I'll be right back." She smiled as his face relaxed and eyes drifted shut again, a look of pure contentment washing over his beautiful features.

She went to the bathroom and used the toilet first. As she relieved herself, she could feel his cum leaving her body. She sighed; this was the part after sex that normally grossed her out. Now, she could only smile and ignore it; her body felt deliciously sore and spent from the night's activities. She finished washing up and chose to leave the light on as she came into the bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar to serve as a night light.

He still lay in the same position where she'd left him. He opened his eyes and smiled as she cleaned him slowly with a warm, wet washcloth. She dried him with fluffy towel then dropped it and the washcloth on the opposite side of the bed and lay down next to him. He extended an arm in invitation.

She rolled to her side and gratefully snuggled against his body. His arm wrapped around her tightly while he fought with the blanket in an effort to cover them both. Once they had settled, he held her as close yet gently as possible.

The candles flickered out as the wick inevitably burned down only minutes later, leaving them with only a thin sliver of light that peeked through the crack of the bathroom door.

"We need more light, yeah?" He whispered, not wanting to break the spell of their post coital bonding.

"Come again?" What did he... hey!

"Don' mind if I do." He moved to try and climb on top of her, but she placed both hands against his chest to prevent him.

"Whoa there marathon man, I need my beauty rest now. You wore me out." She could just make out his face; his eyes turned sad and an adorable pout formed as his bottom lip stuck out.

"You look gorgeous right now; no need for sleep... please?" He returned a hopeful expression when she looked at him as if he'd grown two heads.

"You CAN'T be serious. You just... I mean we both just... Where are your batteries located so that I can take them out? There's no POSSIBLE way you could do it again. Haven't you had enough?" Not that she would mind, but she was seconds away from sleep and she knew it.

He reached a hand under her chin and spoke in a deep sexy voiced laced with need.

"Could never get enough of you kitten... never." He kissed her tenderly and smiled when she huffed.

"Let me sleep for awhile. Then we'll see... we'll SEE. I'm not making any promises." She shook her head back and forth. Where did he get his energy? She smiled when he nodded enthusiastically. He laid back down and pulled her head against his chest.

"You get some rest pet, but I'm holdin' you to make a decision, once you're awake."

"Thank you." She tilted her head up to give him a quick peck on the cheek, draped an arm across his waist and snuggled into his side. As she listened to the sound of his heartbeat, her eyes drifted shut and sleep came to claim her.

A/N: As always, please leave reviews, pretty please with sugar and Spike on top?

Chapter 11: Once More, With Feelings

He wanted her again, it was true; but she was clearly tired and so he would have to wait.

It was no surprise to William that his body had been ready to take her again so soon after what they'd done. He didn't want this night to end.

He looked down at his sleeping goddess and stroked her hair as she slept. It felt so good to hold her like this; she melded into his side perfectly, snuggled into his embrace as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Holding her close helped to quiet his thoughts.

He closed his eyes and sighed, he could think about everything tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow he would sort this all out and hopefully be able to return to his 'life', such as it was.

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it couldn't be helped. Soothed by the sound of her breathing, his mind grew still, and he drifted off, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth slightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

William awoke to an odd sound. Disorientated, he shook his head and took in his surroundings.

Buffy.

They must have shifted during their sleep. They were lying on their sides now, his body flush with hers, spooning her back. Her tiny hand covered his as it held one of her breasts, his other arm outstretched underneath her neck.

Realizing he must have fallen asleep, he panicked. He was supposed to remain awake until she had rested. In all fairness, he was supposed to leave as per her written instructions...

'I don’t need him to spend the night but it is nice to be held till I’m asleep'.

However, she did say to let her get some rest and then "we'll see." He smiled as he listened to her tiny snores. With a will of its own, his body started to respond against the indentation of her buttocks.

She mumbled softly.

Must be dreamin', he thought. He dipped his head imperceptibly into the curve of her neck and inhaled. Ahhh. She still smelled of vanilla, but it was clear that his scent was all over her. Immensely pleased with this, he thrust his hips forward while placing a gentle kiss against her pulse point, purring deeply as he did so.

Buffy stirred at this so he froze, not wanting to wake her just yet. When she appeared to settle back down, he continued to place small, soft kisses against her skin and moved his length slowly along the crease of her backside.

Suddenly, her hand pulled his in closer against her breast as she sighed out her first audible word, "Spike." She spoke softly, a hint of contentment lacing her sleepy voice; it threw him.

His heart swelled in his chest then rose to his throat. He swallowed hard. She's dreamin’ `bout me.

He felt so moved in that moment that he wanted to weep. It didn't matter that she hadn't spoke his given name. She'd said the name he'd told her, said that name while she slept, not 'Riley' or anyone else's... his name. They'd known each other for only a few short hours, but within those hours had shared so much, much more than just their bodies. They'd laughed and joked, argued and fought, teased and played; all this in between worshipping the other's body so very, very well... like a real couple. He instinctively held her closer and screwed his eyes shut to ward off any tears that threatened to come forth, and whispered.

"Don' want to leave."

Her only response was another soft sigh of his name.

William's eyes grew wet as she said it again, but he didn't give into it, he couldn't. It wasn't his right... he had no right; he was beneath her. Part of him wanted to flee, grab his coat and run as far away from her as possible. It scared him to death to be feeling anything at all, let alone this much for anyone, especially her. She was supposed to be just another job.

Instead, he clung to her even tighter. He didn't want to have to leave the haven of comfort she provided him so unknowingly. He wasn't ready to have the veil of emotions she evoked lifted to face the cold reality that tomorrow would inevitably bring. He whispered a plea against her skin.

"One more time, baby... please. Once more... with feelings."

If this was to be the last time, the only chance he could do this again, then so be it. He was damned anyway because he'd fallen for her in the first place.

He threw all rationality out the window and moved his hand from underneath hers to caress her belly lightly with his thumb. Even though the feelings would be one-sided, he was going to worship her one last time.

His 'job' was to pretend, to lie. Why not pretend to himself, just for now, that she cared for him, that they were meant for one another. Yes, he could do that. He would lie to himself. His one wish was to have a woman like this in his life, and now that woman was Buffy. Since that was never going to happen, he could at least indulge in one last fantasy of his own, that she was his and his alone. He would use that illusion and love her body like there was no tomorrow. As his mind slipped into that alternate universe, he began moving against her.

He dragged his hand down her stomach to cup her mound. Inching his middle finger in between her closed thighs, he sought her clit and massaged it back and forth.

Parting his lips, he trailed kisses from her ear to her shoulder then back again. His fingers moved further inward to slide along her cleft. Gently, he parted her folds to draw out her moisture and spread it around. She was amazingly wet and he shuddered at the discovery. Had she been dreaming about him, or was she simply that responsive to his touch? When she moaned, he removed his hand.

Shifting his hips back, he grabbed his erection and poised it between her thighs. Placing two fingers on the underside of his cock, he guided himself forward to bathe in her slickness. When he felt sufficiently coated in her juices, he placed the tip against her folds and pressed forward until the head was inside. Her knees were bent, offering a near perfect angle with which to penetrate her, but he needed just a little more room; removing his hand, he took her knee and gently raised it.

With every beat, he felt the blood in his heart race from his chest, down his body to course through the length of his shaft. He ached with every pulse to shove his throbbing cock deep inside of her in one swift stroke, but refrained for fear of waking her in pain. He cursed himself for being so big. If only he were of average size, he wouldn't have to take his time... God knows he didn't want to.

His hips began to rock back and forth in slow, short strokes, entering her a little at a time. As he sank further and further inside of her, he let her knee back down. He rested his hand on her hip and used it to pull her against each of his thrusts.

Her passage gripped at his length every time he pulled away, making him moan softly into her hair. He hoped she would wake up soon and not be upset with him for entering her while she slept. His fantasy wouldn't be complete if he couldn't look into her beautiful green eyes as he moved within her and feel her hands on his skin, encouraging him. He needed her, needed her with him, right now.

Moving the arm that lay underneath her neck down, he placed his palm against the soft hair of her sex. His fingers curled inward to press against her hooded arousal. As he moved inside of her, the hand on her hip continued pulling her into his thrusts, while the other pushed her against them. She must be exhausted not to have woken up by now, and he could wait no longer, whether she reacted badly or not.

Buffy had been dreaming from the second her eyes had closed. Images of the men from her past faded in and out rapidly. First Lindsey, then Robin, back to Lindsey, then Angel, making her nauseous from the dizzying blur of faces and range of emotions associated with each one of them; disappointment, disgust, anger, resentment, hopelessness... Faster and faster, their faces swirled around her as the emotions took hold of her heart and squeezed, making it feel as if it were breaking from a loss for something she couldn't put her finger on. Just when she thought she might throw up everything went black.

As the darkness receded, the fuzzy outline of a face appeared close to hers. As it slowly came into focus, the first thing she saw was a pair of clear blue eyes staring at her, concern written deeply in them. She could just make out the sound of a deep male voice, speaking to her in soothing tones.

"`S ok Buffy. I sent them all away. You're here with me now baby, no more tears."

She lifted her hands to her eyes. They stung from what felt like hours spent crying long and hard. She pushed the tears away repeatedly until her vision cleared. When she looked back to the face in front of her, the image evaporated.

Everything plunged back into darkness momentarily, and then went bright as the dark figure of a man stepped away from her bedroom window.

She could see his body, clad entirely in black, but couldn't make out his face. She blinked hard, trying desperately to 'see' that face as he slowly approached her. As he drew closer, the same pair of concerned blue eyes that had met hers earlier materialized. They looked so familiar, yet she couldn't place to whom they belonged.

Confusion set in as his face remained hazy, all except for those hauntingly beautiful eyes. She hadn't realized she was sitting on her bed until he dropped to his knees in front of her.

His hands reached out, gently cupping her face, sending tingles across her skin upon his touch. He was speaking again, his thumbs caressing her cheeks in comforting circles.

A familiar masculine scent suddenly filled her nostrils, and she struggled even harder to remember. It frustrated her that she didn't recognize him, couldn't see all of the details of this man she knew she should know.

A wave of calm washed over her as his voice began filling her ears.

"Open your eyes."

Just then, his lips became visible, lush and full, then the strong defined lines of his square chin, his cheeks. Her eyes darted rapidly over the rest of his face as his features emerged one by one. She heard him begging her.

"Please baby, need you so much, need you to look at me."

He leaned in to kiss her full on the mouth. His lips felt so soft, the kiss so sweet; she closed her eyes and gave into the delicious feel of his tongue as it probed inside to tangle with her own before abruptly pulling away. Yes, she knew him. That kiss was unforgettable, the passion he poured into it unmistakable. As the fog of her confusion finally lifted, she whispered his name in recognition.

"Spike."

"Tha's right baby. Look at me."

Her eyes fluttered open to see his face clearly for the first time. His clothes melted away in front of her, revealing the lean hard body she knew so well. He slowly pushed her back on the bed and crawled between her legs.

"Spike," she whispered. He kissed her again, deeply this time and gently entered her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and welcomed the instant passion her body felt from his arousal as it filled her completely.

Breaking the kiss, he nuzzled her cheek and whispered.

"Need you so much."

It felt so good, so... real, am I dreaming?

Everything suddenly intensified, the sound of his voice telling her he needed her, to open her eyes, the feel of him moving above her, within her. She was nearing her climax, her body humming around him when her vision started to grow hazy again.

She blinked once, twice, three times...

She realized she was truly awake now, that it had been a dream, but the bliss between her thighs was still there. Her sleep-addled brain fought to figure out what was...

"Ahhhh. OH, oh God Spike!"

"Tha's it, open your eyes baby, need you here with me."

The full realization that he was indeed pumping away inside of her, that her body was indeed nearing orgasm slammed into her all at once. She turned her head to see his eyes hooded with lust as he pulled her into each thrust.

"Please don' be mad with me, I couldn' wait to have you again." He couldn't read her expression, couldn't tell if she was upset or not. When she hadn't said anything right away he ceased all movement, he had to know.

"Buffy? Are you mad?"

Mad? Was he mad? If only she could wake up this way every morning, er night... er mid-morning... Ah, fuck it, who cares.

She reached around and roughly grabbed his head with her right hand, drawing him in for a bruising kiss. She watched his eyes go wide with surprise before responding back with an eagerness that matched her own. Seconds later, she yanked him back by his hair to say only two words.

“Not mad.”

That said, she pulled away from him and rolled over. Gripping him by the shoulders, she forced him onto his back and quickly straddled him. Her plan was to mount him right then, ride him out for all he was worth. But something caught her attention, made her stop short at what she discovered as she glimpsed into his eyes.

What she found was a startling contrast of emotions, as if he wanted her to read what he was feeling through his eyes. There was lust, confusion, need, worry, desire, fear... and something else: longing. Yes, a longing, but for what? She feared that she could be crushed by the weight of his emotions.

In that moment, a maternal instinct to hold ‘the boy’ buried within the man, to calm the storm that raged in his eyes, became overwhelming. His eyes reflected an aching hunger for something that only she could give. If she could figure out what that was, she would give it to him, freely.

Staring at him, she realized if she searched those eyes too hard for too long, she would surely be drowned, forever lost in the beautiful agony of want reflected there. Heedless of that danger, her gaze remained fixed, exploring their depths.

He wanted to voice to his emotions, tell her every feeling, every hope she imbued in him. The words seized in his throat as he choked on the thought that she would probably laugh, or worse, he would scare her away. But if he did, perhaps he would then be released from the indescribable hold she had over him.

No, he wouldn’t talk; instead he would imprison himself within his fantasy. What he couldn’t verbalize, he would tell her with his body. His confession would be made in the form of his actions as he worshiped her body.

She sat there, just staring at him, hadn’t made a move since she’d flipped them over. His soul felt suddenly naked as her stare went below the surface of his eyes. He could see the wheels turning in her mind, trying to figure out what it was she was seeing. Oh God. Can she see it? Afraid no good would come of it if she did, he reached for her, purposefully digging his fingers firmly into the flesh of her hips to distract her.

Detoured from her quest by his grip, she decided the only way she could comfort him was to give them both what they seemed to want so desperately; one last time. She would hold him to her, wrap him in the fabric of her body and cradle him gently, hoping it would be enough.

Rising up on her knees, she brought his cock to her opening and guided it in, sinking herself all the way down in one fluid motion until their hips were flush. She loved how he stretched her. What little discomfort there was this time didn’t matter, this was worth it, he was worth it.

He closed his eyes momentarily at the feel of his length being taken so readily within her depths. He still couldn’t get over how tight she felt and groaned. She rocked against him, moving her hips in a circular motion and ground down to increase the pressure. His fingers loosened until he was just holding onto her. He was going to let her decide how she wanted him by handing the reins of control over to her. They began a pleasing rhythm meant to draw out every sensation, enhancing the bliss that came from feeling every curve, every nook where their bodies fused.

She had surrendered herself to him tonight in every way but one, her heart. She still wanted so very badly to believe he was there with her by choice that she was tempted to willingly fool herself, again. As she looked back into his eyes and felt him move with her, everything about this encounter seemed entirely different from the others.

Gone was the lewd man who’d broken into her bedroom, forced her to relinquish all control, and spoke delicious words of naughtiness into her ear that brought her to the height of a passion she didn’t know herself capable of; in his place was... someone else. Was this also a planned part of his act? It didn’t feel that way. What would he have to gain if this wasn’t?

Baffling questions about his behavior filled her head. The last time, before they fell asleep, he’d lured her willing mind away from the fact of what he was, of why he was there. She’d allowed herself to make believe he wanted to be there, with her, that she was all that existed in his world. She wasn’t mad at him for that, couldn’t be, that was her own decision. But he was doing it again, damnit. He didn’t even know he was doing it... or, did he?

Yes, she respected him as a man, a person, had felt awful for the instances where she had clearly hurt his feelings. And yes, he did mean more to her than, than... what she cared to admit. It was that, right there that caught her attention.

She had a choice, allow herself to be swept away by this man again, or, treat the situation for what is was. She could ignore his expressive eyes that made her think otherwise and just enjoy the physical pleasure he brought her. After all, the role he’d played to perfection tonight was clearly written for him, and it was a truly Oscar worthy performance. If she could just bear that in mind, it would help her in the days to follow to understand that it was nothing more than that. How much harm could one more daydream be if she were to indulge herself? There was only one way to find out.

She took his hands from her waist, raised them over his head and held them there. Her hair tickled his face as she dipped forward to kiss him sweetly on the mouth. As his soft lips yielded to hers, so too she yielded to her decision, willing to lose herself one last time.

Their coupling was gentle this time, no frantic movements or harsh demands were made. Unlike their previous lustful frenzies where dirty talk was welcome, no words were spoken this time; a silent, yet mutual agreement to just feel had been made. This was a slow dance, performed to the tune of their imagination, though neither acknowledged that fact, so rapt in the other.

After breaking the sweetest kiss he had yet experienced from her, she squeezed his wrists before pushing herself back up, indicating she wanted him to remain that way. His mouth opened, taking in deep ragged breaths as he watched her roll her hips back and forth, side to side, then in a figure eight that had his sac tightening. When her eyes remained on his and she began teasing her nipples, he thought he would lose his mind. She was so God damn beautiful, so perfect... there was nowhere in the world he’d rather be than right here, like this, with her.

The first sign of an orgasm came from low in her belly, light tingles of pleasure twisting and turning in on themselves, and she knew that if she moved just a little faster, the feeling would grow. But she kept her pace steady, not yet wanting to experience it.

Odd that this was the case now, since that was her very problem. Not anymore, not with him, she thought. She merely wanted to draw this out for however long she could. Once he came, she knew it would be over, and she didn’t want that, not yet.

He felt her constricting around him, knew that she would need something more to help her get there. Yet she didn’t change her rhythm, just continued at the pace she’d already set. He wasn’t sure what was going through her mind, but her eyes told him she was enjoying exactly what she was doing, and didn’t want it to stop as she pushed her breasts together and opened her mouth to pant lightly.

He wasn’t sure if he could take it though, seeing her like this, itching to help her fondle those firm breasts, feeling her squeeze his member, milking him slowly... He felt himself getting too excited. The last thing he wanted was to shoot off too early, before she did, before he could help in bringing about her ecstasy. Not gonna happen.

Bringing his hands over his head, he settled one over her hand, helping to knead and roll the ripe mound, slipping his fingers in the crease where they came together. His other hand wiggled in between them, his thumb finding her nubbin to rub it firmly in time with her movements. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back, gasping, then quickly snapped back to look at him. Oh yeah, this was working just the way he wanted it to as he felt her walls closing in around him, tighter and tighter and...

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh.”

He kept his own movements at a minimum for fear of joining her. He wasn’t finished, he still wanted to venerate her body, give her body what it deserved and bring her to release as many times as he could. He wanted to let her know just how much he treasured her and the night she’d shared with him.

She should have known better. He could make her body sing however and whenever he chose. And though it happened as soon as his hands were on her, it didn’t detract from the intensity of her fulfillment. Coming back to herself she realized with gratitude that he hadn’t cum yet, that this was far from over. This made her smile. He was the most thoughtful lover she’d ever had. Her needs were a priority to him, and she would give anything to have this night never end.

When she smiled like that, the world fell away. It communicated pure satisfaction, appreciation for that satisfaction, and he was happy that he had been the one to give it to her, for her first time and every one thereafter; that that smile had been for him and no one else... ever. He should look up all her exes and thank each and every last one of them for their ineptitude.

He sat up, wrapped his arms around her slim waist and rolled her over. She used her hands to pull her hair from underneath her, fanning it out above her; his eyes were immediately drawn to it. He didn’t resist the urge to weave his fingers into the golden tresses and pull her head to meet his, resting his forehead against hers.

As he began moving inside her, he lay her head back down. This time when he kissed her, he didn’t stop. He could spend hours, days, hell, forever just kissing her and nothing else, but since he didn’t have forever, he settled for what remaining time they did have. He would prevent any loss of contact from the two sweet lips that kissed him back as tenderly as he kissed hers.

The minutes passed before something in the atmosphere changed. She couldn’t place what it was, but there was a definite, different... feel to it. As he rocked her body, she tried to pinpoint it. Was it the air? The mood? An... emotion perhaps? It hung so thick around them that it clung to her skin as if tangible. It felt so real so... oh my God!

It felt so much like he was making love to her that she almost pushed him away. But God it felt so... good, he felt so good. Everything he did, everything he was doing to her right now, poured into her like... was... just...

Her mind refused to think, preferring instead to be lost in his arms, the feel of his touch, those lips as they never ceased to kiss her so... affectionately.

William had felt it too, had known the exact moment when things had taken a turn in an emotional direction for which he wasn’t entirely prepared. But the unexpected turn was not unwelcome. It was something he would probably never experience in reality, and so he succumbed to it, not caring how he would deal with it come tomorrow.

Neither wanted to destroy the fragility of the moment as it enveloped them, stealing away their separate fantasies to be replaced by a concept of something each had yet to experience.

As time meaninglessly wore on, he brought her to release several times over before no longer able to hold back his own. In that final time, as they came together, they held one another close, each unwilling to let go of the other.

Her hold on him loosened as she fell asleep. This was it; the time had come for him to leave. He could hear the soft chirping of the birds that signaled the break of dawn. As carefully as possible, he got up and slid off the bed. He dressed silently in the sweats and t-shirt she had lent him, too exhausted both physically and emotionally to think about it. After donning his duster, he walked back over to the bed and quietly covered her small frame with the comforter, then dropped to his knees in front of her face.

"Sweet dreams Buffy." Leaning in, he placed a featherlike kiss to her lips then turned and left, not sparing one glance back in her direction.



A/N: I realize it’s been a long exhausting night for our couple, but I felt I had to ‘go there’, meaning one more time. It’s a tad on the mushy side I know, but necessary. Next chapter we’ll learn much, much more about William and how Buffy is dealing with the day after. As always, please leave a review, they keep me going, thanks.

Cont’d from chapter 11............

"Sweet dreams Buffy." Leaning in, he placed a featherlike kiss to her lips then turned and left, not sparing one glance back in her direction.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at his studio apartment, William sat down hard and threw his head across the back of the couch. Covering his face with both hands, he began laughing insanely. Once he was able to stop, his thoughts went over the events of last night briefly.

And here you told her that she’d be cravin’ you when you were done with her.

He shook his head in defeat. Somewhere between her sweet kisses, soft skin and the sounds she made while climaxing around him, the script had flipped. He wasn’t sure when it had happened exactly, only that it did. He was sunk.

Buffy had made him ‘feel’, something that never happened… until her. That tiny slip of a woman had brought out a range of emotions for him, some foreign, some frightening, all forbidden. William wanted nothing more than to court her, Spike wanted nothing less than to possess her… all of her. And like a caveman, that primal need had driven him to take her over and over again as if to mark her territorially so no other man would dare to come near her.

She'd lured Spike out of the ‘zone’, drawn William out of hiding, and brought them both into the here and now of the moment. And ‘there’ they stayed with her, for every blissful second of their joining until exhaustion claimed their bodies for sleep.

He smiled as he remembered waking up to find himself spooning her. She held his hand against her breast, her fingers lightly intertwined overtop of his. She had made him instantly hard in that moment even as she snored.

Wonder what she’ll be thinkin’ 'bout when she wakes up. God knows she’ll be sore for a few days.

He chuckled, feeling somewhat proud of the fact that every time she sat down she’d inevitably think of him and everything they had done.

Lifting the collar of her shirt from his chest, he inhaled. Mmmm, Buffy. He quickly stood up, taking it and her sweat pants off, not wanting to taint their smell with his own so he could savor it later. Standing there naked, he gently folded then laid them on the coffee table in front of him and sat back down.

He rested his elbows on his knees, clasping both hands together between them and simply stared at the neat little pile. The image of her face twisted in pleasure flashed through his mind, making his cock twitch. He didn’t think he would ever be able to take another job without closing his eyes just to picture her face rather than look at that of whatever random woman he’d have to service.

Suddenly, he wasn’t sure if he could. Would he accidentally call out her name? That would be a bit embarrassing, not to mention he’d have one very pissed off client and then no paycheck to show for it once Lorne found out.

He closed his eyes and tried to imagine being with one of his past clients again. As it played out in his mind, he nearly gagged. The mere thought held an atmosphere of betrayal so thick he could taste it, the feeling as if he were somehow cheating on Buffy... and it choked him.

He shook his head to try and clear it of everything Buffy.

“Get her out of your mind. She could never want the likes of you.”

At least I have her clothes if she never calls. It would be a bittersweet reminder of her and their passionate night together.

He decided the best thing he could do for himself right now was to get some sleep. He still had an eight-hour shift at the restaurant later that afternoon. Heading straight for his king-size bed, he decided to skip showering for now, feeling too exhausted and not quite ready to wash off the lingering scent of sex on his skin.

As he lay down, he realized Lorne would probably still be awake, taking care of some bookkeeping before leaving The-Hide-Away. Better call now.

Reaching towards his night table, he grabbed the phone and hit speed-dial. Two rings later and Lorne picked up.

"Spike, my man, how's it hanging?" He chuckled in spite of himself then coughed. "Sorry, couldn't resist. So, do I have another satisfied customer?"

"I think it's safe to say she'll be feelin’ her 'satisfaction' for a few days."

"Ha, haha…that's my boy. Cha CHING, so she'll be a repeat?" Lorne waited patiently as seconds ticked by. "Ahhhh, Spike? Something wrong?"

"I kinda screwed up... kind of, sort of... maybe."

"You went, she CAME, you conquered. What's the problem?"

"Well, remember what she said 'bout not wantin' me to stay the night?"

"Yeeeees, continue."

"See, things went SO well that when I waited for her to go to sleep, I sorta fell asleep too. I just got in about twenty minutes ago. You're not mad, are you?"

"Well, that depends. Is she upset?"

"Not really. I mean, I sorta woke her up and proceeded to...”

“Spare me the details, I get what you did.”

“Right! She fell asleep afterwards and then I slipped out."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, as long as she's happy it doesn't really matter to me WHAT you do with your free time. Just remember what I said, about how you spend your time with her."

"Been meanin’ to ask you 'bout that mate. Wha…" Interrupted before he could finish, Lorne cut him short.

"Whoop, gotta go. Got another call coming through, sorry. Call me later, we'll talk more then."

"WAIT! Will you at least tell me what she says? When she calls? I... just want to be sure she got her money's worth... you know." Yeah, right! He knew she did, what he really wanted to know is if she would mention any word about wanting to see him again.

"Sure thing, buddy. Why dontcha stop by after your shift for a drink and we'll chat. Ciao."

The receiver went dead and William sighed. Again with the warning and again he got the feeling Lorne knew something he should be telling. Hopefully he'd wheedle it out of him later. Odd that Lorne avoided the conversation whenever he brought it up. Don' know if that's a good thing or not.

Placing the phone back in its cradle, he lay on his back and closed his eyes. Thinking back to when he'd first started this whole gig and everything that led up to it, he still hoped it wouldn't be much longer until he could officially quit.

~~~~~~~~~~

William Jeffery Ivanhoe IV, though born to privilege, power and money, had been cut off by his family after he pursued what they felt was a fruitless waste of his time and efforts.

It didn’t deter his dream; rather, it fueled his goal even more to make it on his own. He would show his parents, more specifically his father that he would succeed.

Anne, his mother, had given birth to him in London. Four years later, both parents had moved to the States for the purpose of expanding their wine empire. The young boy was left under the care of his Uncle Rupert Giles, his mother's older brother. From there he was to attend private schools and then Oxford as per instructions, to follow the family tradition.

William loved his Uncle dearly. He'd been the only real present and steady father figure in his life. Naturally, there were phone calls and trips to California during the holidays and such, but the time spent there was filled with lectures on the family business and doing well in school since one day he was expected to take over the North American end of the Ivanhoe’s business so that his parents could retire and move back to England.

William would listen quietly as his father talked on and on while strolling through the vast vineyards, dutifully following behind him, replying with the expected "yes, sir" here and "no, sir" there. Once back home with Uncle Rupert, all he could do was talk about his lack of interest in any part of his father's plans for him.

His Uncle was an open-minded listener to his only nephew's every thought. Feeling sorry for the predicament of his arranged future, Rupert tried to verbally reason with the youth while still supporting his growing interest in cooking. He felt the boy was gifted, but could see nothing but discontent in his future once he was finished with college and expected to join his parents’ business.


On several occasions, Rupert wanted to share with Anne her son's extraordinary talent. However, that would have led to arguments the minute his father found out, and he felt it wouldn't be fair to William when his father stepped in to crush the young lad's dreams of becoming a chef. For now, he could only hope that William would either outgrow his love for cooking or, if not, that he would be strong enough to stand up to his father when the time came.

Rupert allowed William the run of the house from the time he came to live with him. The household staff instantly fell in love with the blue-eyed, curly brown-haired boy as he toddled from the grounds to the stables, asking a zillion questions as children often do, always delighted to explain. His thirst for knowledge was insatiable and they admired the boy's willingness to learn and to 'help' in their chores as they provided instruction. From dusting bookshelves to saddling horses, William wanted to do it all. Maids and footmen alike all agreed that he would one day grow to be the finest gentleman England had ever produced.

It was the kitchen however, that William loved the most. He couldn't get enough of the fresh smell of bread baking in the oven or the sound of beef as it sizzled in the frying pan laced with onions and mushrooms. The "why's" and "how's" were answered with patience and love for the boy's curiosity. As time went on, they allowed him to 'help' prepare meals almost daily before having to shoo him out to dress for dinner.

By age twelve, William's sole interest centered on the kitchen and everything that went on inside. At that time, Rupert had found a lady-friend, Jenny, with whom he was quite taken, and so, he hired a full time chef to see that every meal she joined him for was perfect.

William still remembered the day the Frenchman 'Jean Philippe' had arrived with his haughty attitude and mile high white chef's hat. He commanded the staff in dictatorship style, insisting the 'best' of every item be brought to him fresh from the market or he simply could not work.

The tween had walked in, two hours before Jenny was to arrive, to help in the preparation of the evening’s meal to find a short, red-faced man barking orders and demanding his 'special' knives be brought to him 'or else'. One hour later found the obnoxious middle-aged man with his pants charmed off by the youth and forever dubbed 'Uncle John'.

Over the years, Uncle John had schooled him on the finer points of taste, proper preparation and above all, presentation of food. Eventually, he was allowed to oversee certain areas of preparation for special, catered events. It especially thrilled William that when his Uncle wed Jenny, the meal was to be supervised by him with 'no questions asked'.

Shortly after the beautiful spring wedding, he finished his Advanced Supplementary Level exams. The celebratory party his parents insisted on throwing for him should have been a happy occasion, but not for William. He’d worn a smile, was cordial to his guests and for appearance sake seemed to be having a good time. Both Rupert and ‘Uncle John’ could see through the façade. They knew that he not only had broken up with Cecily two weeks prior, but that he dreaded the thought of packing his bags in the fall for Oxford. After much debate, Rupert and Jean had come up with a plan.

Four days later, after William’s parents returned to California, Rupert found William lounging under an old oak in the gardens, face buried deep in Shakespeare.

“Ah, William, my boy, there you are.”

“Uncle Rupert.” He nodded politely and promptly closed the book as his Uncle came to sit on the bench next to him.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.” He paused to take off his glasses, preparing to clean them while relaying his plan.

“Since you’re cleanin’ your spectacles, I presume it’s not somethin’ pleasant?”

He really did make William nervous every time he did that. Only two times could he recall his Uncle beginning a conversation with that small act where it had turned out to be something positive. The first had been about the gentlemanly responsibilities concerning the birds and bees, which was followed by a trip to the apothecary for prophylactics. Rupert had been astute about the eventuality of what his nephew would be engaging in when he had met Cecily. The second time came when he announced his intentions of asking Jenny to be his wife.

“As a matter of fact, ahem, quite the opposite.” Placing his glasses back on his face he continued. “It appears that you have been quite down as of late and understandably so. It saddened me to see your relationship with Miss Underwood go sour.”

“We’ve already had that discussion, Uncle. Bloody bint got what she deserved.”

“William! I’ll remind you not to speak in such a manner about a young lady, even if Cecily is a... ‘bint’ as you so aptly put it. I agree with your, eh... assessment where her, shall we say, indiscretions are concerned. Your handling of the situation was nevertheless... Oh dear, allow me to start over, this is not how I intended for this conversation to go. Now see here. My point is that you’ve been in a slump ever since and it has only gotten noticeably worse since finishing school. Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know why either.”

William interrupted him. “I know what you’re going to say Uncle, so spare me the...”

“No, no you don’t. Now if you will let me finish.” He waited until William had nodded and apologized.

“Right then. Now I know you have no desire to attend Oxford or to take over the winery for your parents. If you did, your life would be, shall we say, quite dull and... unfulfilling I’d wager. I’m about to propose an arrangement that I think will be to your liking.”

William quirked an eyebrow. This was certainly going to be interesting. Maybe it was good news.

“After Jean and I had a little discussion, we’ve come up with a plan to aid you in your... aspiration.”

“Aspiration?”

“Yes. If you still desire to become a chef.”

“I do, I want to, you know that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He was practically on the edge of his seat in anticipation of what his Uncle would say next.

“Of course. Now, there is NO way I can convince your parents to allow you to attend culinary school, however, if I didn’t know you went there instead of attending Oxford, well then... do you understand where I’m coming from?”

“Oh, Uncle Rupert! You mean it? Really mean it?” Hope filled his face along with astonishment at this news. It was almost too good to be true. “But HOW? I mean, wouldn’t they... how?”

“You leave the details to me. Jean and I are handling it and that is all you ever need know. Other than that, I fear I may be ostracized once you arrive in California.”

“I don’t understand.”

“In other words, I can only deceive them for so long. And you WILL have to make your appearance in California eventually. I can only hope that once you are there, they will see reason and spare you the leniency you deserve as a man with his own destiny to forge. If not, then it is entirely up to you what to do from there. So, how say you, William, would you attend Le Cordon Bleu if given the chance? It would have to be the London branch of the school I’m afraid, but...”

William never gave him the chance. He launched himself into his Uncle’s arms, nearly sobbing his thanks over and over before realizing they were two grown British men engaged in a hug. Pulling back seconds later, they finished the hug with semi-straight faces and gentlemanly hard pats on the back.

“Yes, well. I presumed that you would accept the offer.” Rupert loved the boy dearly as if he were his own son, and as such no longer cared what his parents thought. “You know, I rather relish the idea of still having you around the house while you attend the school. As an Uncle, I rather feel at times like you are a son to me, and as such enjoy having you around as well as seeing you happy.”

William just smiled.

“I love you too, Uncle Rupert. And I promise I won’t disappoint you.”

“I’m sure you won’t, dear boy, and I... love you, too. You’re like a son to me. I’ve always admired not only your talent, but your drive and dedication as well. Jean and I are both very proud. And I dare say but you do make a splendid Beef Wellington.”

Both men chuckled. It was a private joke that Jean felt his preparation of said dish was superior to any one chef in the world, until Rupert had tasted William’s.

As if trying to convey a sense of secrecy, Rupert leaned in to tell his nephew one more thing.

“And for the record, however much I disapprove of vulgarity, I was quite chuffed when the school called to tell me the exact words you had addressed Miss Underwood with; she was a selfish, boorish, insufferable... bint.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now back in the States, William not only felt like a foreigner, but his parents were complete strangers to him as well. They had the nerve to tell him as if he were still a child, of what his ‘planned’ future consisted of, and fully expected him to comply with their plans without question.

A hot headed and willful William finally rose to the surface, refusing to be molded to any purpose but his own and promptly left his parents’ estate with what savings he had. He knew it wasn't much, but it would allow him to live by himself until he could get work and continue to see his dream through of having his own restaurant. He would show them.

The first 10 months of independence had found him living in a studio apartment in the outskirts of LA where he’d found a job cooking at Grisanti’s. It wasn't long before his funds were being consumed rapidly by the essentials of daily living. Feeling depressed one day, he’d sat down with his friend Lorne trying to drown himself in whiskey and discussed the possibility of giving up and giving in to his parent's desires to run the winery. He’d gotten got so drunk that he got up in front of the crowd in Lorne's club that night to belt out Billy Idol’s ‘Rebel Yell’. He could still remember Lorne’s amused look as he staggered from the stage.

Lorne informed him there would no doubt be some compromises to be made on his self-imposed journey, but if he stuck to it, he would be successful, no two ways about it. What he didn't tell him, was what sacrifices and all of what he would have to endure to attain his dream. For his friend's sake, he chose to remain silent rather than upset 'The Powers that Be' and disturb the domino effect that fate had already set in motion for him. Lorne's 'gift' was a blessing and a bane that constantly needed to be tempered with wisdom for fear of bringing any harm to those who sought his help.

“Wha’s the possibility of me workin' for you, mate? Ya know, every once in awhile, just to pay the bills?” William knew he was taking a chance by asking this of his friend. The thought of reducing himself to becoming a hooker felt demeaning, but it was money…quick and good money, the very thing he needed. William viewed sex as an act between two people that were in love, but he would do it if it meant he could build his savings back up and buy Grisanti’s once Antonio was ready to sell and retire. He’d held his breath and waited for Lorne’s refusal.

“I have no doubt you could do it, William, but are you willing to put up with all that you know it entails?” Lorne could ‘read’ into his friend’s very mind and saw the contempt he held at the thought of crawling back to his parents.

“Jus’ till I have Antonio’s askin’ price.” He slumped back in his chair. “I’d rather live with that than to go back and live a life of my parent's miserable makin'.”

“Tell ya what, since we are friends I’m going to make an allowance I wouldn’t normally, but only because I do see you succeeding in the future. I can arrange for you to have work and I’ll see to it that it’s nothing or no one you couldn’t or wouldn’t want to handle. I’ve been meaning to take on a more, shall we say, legitimate business that I can grow old and retire from. So here’s what I propose.”

Lorne agreed to hire William as an escort, give him an unheard of fifty percent cut from every ‘job’ with the understanding that he wouldn’t touch the money until the time came time to buy Grisanti’s. Then Lorne would go in halves with him and run the business side of the restaurant while William took over as head chef. It would only take them as long as Antonio had planned for retiring, two years, for William to take the right amount of ‘jobs’ to seal the deal.

And Spike was born.

~~~~~~~~~~

Late morning found Buffy awake with a feeling of pure contentment humming through her body. She started to stretch with a smile on her face until the soreness between her legs had her memory come hurtling back like a slap in the face.

“Oh GooooOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!” She pulled her pillow over her face and started laughing her head off, the shaking from it jarring her over sensitized flesh down there. Once her composure returned, she sat up with a wide goofy grin and just knew it was going to be a very good day no matter how much her bottom ached. There was no use in her feeling embarrassed as she thought about everything she and Spike had done last night. He had completely rocked her world in every way possible and even created a few new ways she would think about later. Springing out of bed like a cat, she pranced into her bathroom to turn on the radio.

A song had just finished fading out when the next one started.

---That hunk of salty goodness was worth every sore muscle in our ass. So when are we gonna call him again?”

Ooooh no. This was a one-time deal. I got exactly what I wanted; I am not going to jinx myself.

---And what do you plan to do the next time we get horny, hmmm? Call Riley?

Don’t know, don’t care. Go away, you’re spoiling my good mood.

---Alright, just remember what he said, you know the part about being in our system and craving him? Well, we’ll just see what you do when the time cums.

What EVERRRRR!

Turning the shower on, she hummed lightly to the tune on the radio as it played Breathless by The Corrs.

---‘... the slightest touch and I feel weak...’

Uh oh. The bitch was back, and singing in her head.

---‘... I’m losing the will to try. Can’t hide it. Can’t fight it...’

Aaaaaaaaaargh. Well, it is a good tune. She turned up the volume full blast and began singing out loud.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy had decided to stop by the gallery to see how Anya was doing, and if she wanted to grab some lunch. She walked in through the side door and headed straight for her office before going to find her friend, still humming the tune that was now stuck in her head since her shower. She walked through the door and headed straight for her coffee maker, never noticing Anya who was seated with her feet propped up on her desk, reading a magazine.

Anya looked up from her position at Buffy, curiously watching her bounce to her humming.

“What are you doi…” Then she saw Buffy’s face.

“OH, MY, GOD!” As Buffy looked in her direction, Anya’s shocked expression went comically wide as her eyes practically bulged out of their sockets.

Hearing her voice, Buffy turned and wasn’t surprised at Anya’s unusual position.

“What?” She felt nervous suddenly.

“You got laid!” Anya squealed it out like a fact rather than a question. She watched Buffy’s face go pink. Still, she kept looking closer and closer at her.

“What? I so did not... ok, fine. Did you take mind reading 101 or something?” She ‘humphed’ and turned her attention back to her coffee, trying hard to appear as nonchalant as possible. Anya got up and kept staring as she walked right over to grab her shoulder, turning her as if trying to read Buffy’s face some more. There is no way she’ll get this out of me.

Satisfied with her assessment, Anya released her grip.

“You had orgasms… lots of them! About time, way to go, Riley!” She raised her fist in mock triumph then crossed her arms over her chest, smiling only seconds before the shock returned to her face.

“Not Riley! Buffy, you… spill it, sister.” She had the look of someone who wasn’t going to walk away without an explanation.

“Good God, woman, are you the devil?” Buffy couldn’t believe her friend’s power of perception. Either she really was psychic or Buffy reeked of the sin she had engaged in. She raised her arms to signal her to stop.

“Okay, fine. I got laid, I had many orgasms and no, it wasn’t Riley. There, happy?”

“Not till I get all the juicy details. Aside from that, what ARE you doing here; you're supposed to be on vacation while I make more money.” Now she was back to being the Anya she knew so well.

“I came to see how you were doing and if you felt like going to lunch.”

“Oh… well in that case, yes, let’s. Your treat I assume, seeing how your many orgasms have left you with a feeling of generosity towards your friend and top employee? But I still want the full scoop you… you… you harlot, you. I’m almost jealous, you know, I mean look at you.” She waved her hands in the air around Buffy to make her point. “You’re all… glowy and what not from all the… let’s leave now, I can’t wait to hear how this mystery man actually made the ice queen melt.”

Buffy burst out laughing. She is so off base about who the harlot really was.

“On one condition though. I give you the details BUT… I’m not giving you his identity.” She felt a sudden urge to protect Spike. She knew Anya could probably care less if she knew that Spike was for hire or that Buffy had stooped to hire an escort. It was more about Anya’s reaction if she found out after she gave the specifics of their shared night that worried her. With her carefree attitude towards sex, Anya might ask for Lorne’s number to see how good Spike was for herself. She may be stingy when it came to her money, but she didn’t want to risk it considering the value Anya placed on orgasms. If she knew how amazing her Spike really was, and that he was readily available, well… she wouldn’t put it past her friend. They may share many things, but she was unwilling to share Spike. Wait a minute, since when is Spike my anything?

"Who cares WHAT his name is, I just wanna know HOW he did it!"

Of course she does. Ten minutes and a car ride later...

Sitting in the small coffee shop, Buffy relayed only the highlights in between bites of her turkey and cheese on rye. She didn’t tell her about the ‘break in’ or anything she and Spike had talked about. But far be it from her not to rattle off all the taboo things they’d done, beaming with pride every time Anya would gasp or choke on her lunch in surprise or envy.

"First contact? THE final frontier? You? Whoa, Buffy. Good on you, or rather, in you. So did you like it, was it was good?"

"Would it be too crude to say... Oh yeah!"

"Please. You know how I feel about it. So, are you going to see him again?"

And there it was; the million dollar question. She decided not to think on it too much lest the slut come back to argue with her again. So she stuck to her original decision.

“No, I don’t think so.” A hint of sadness came with her answer.

“WHAT? Are you crazy? The ONE man who brings you not only your first real orgasm, but several? Buffy, you’ve met a man most women would kill for, so I don’t understand.”

“I mean, just because we clicked in the bedroom doesn’t mean there would be any ‘clicking’ outside of it.”

“Well at least keep him as a ‘fucking’ friend.”

As appealing the idea was; it wasn’t realistic. Huh, realistic. She still had yet to sort out what was and wasn’t realistic about last night. Shrugging off the thought, she replied.

“Uhhh, I don’t think he’d be interested. It was more of a one night stand really.” Yup, and if she tried hard enough, she just might convince herself of that. Spike had already talked about a next time, and to make matters worse, had gotten to her on a frighteningly emotional level. Something she couldn’t afford in her life with any man, especially him because of what he did for a living.

“From everything you’ve just told me I’d be surprised.” Full of sarcasm, she continued. “I mean, the guy does all, all... THAT, and wouldn’t be interested? Come on Buffy, even you’re not THAT dense.”

“Maybe. I guess. I don’t know, doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t have his number and he doesn’t have mine.” Not a lie, not a lie.

“Oh, I see. What about Riley?”

“Yeah, uhm, about that. I’m going to take him to dinner soon and break up with him. I’m just not sure what reason I’m going to give him. I knew I was going to dump him last Sunday after I left his apartment, but...”

“Tell him the truth.”

Buffy gripped the table and leaned forward.

“Are you insane? I can’t tell him the truth, he’s a-a-a... sweet guy, he doesn’t deserve...”

“Keep your britches on Miss hot pants; I’m on your side. Personally, I never liked him. There’s something about him that... just doesn’t... isn’t right. Anyway, so when is the break up?”

“Well, as soon as I get back from my ‘business trip’. I’ll call then, ya know, not until I get back, to help in the set up of me dumping him. He expects me to call him almost every day, so when I don’t...”

“Smart. I agree. Give him a silent heads up you’re no longer interested.”

“Yeah, I guess. I’m going to talk to Willow about how to do it smoothly. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but...”

“Enough said. Now, tell me again about the scarves, cuz whoa, bondage is good for the soul.”

Oh my God. It caught her off guard that Anya had said something so similar to what Spike had. Shaking her head clear of the thought, she giggled, and did her best to remain in a light mood as she went over the details of that unforgettable moment.

After dropping Anya back off at the gallery, it was time to call Lorne and let him know she was happy with the ‘service’ he’d provided her. Yes, the ‘guy he had in mind for her’ was perfect; a little too perfect.

Once she got home, she knew her mind would begin the struggle to figure out what had occurred, if anything, between her and Spike in those final moments they were together. If she could just put it off a little while longer... Since it wouldn’t hurt to hang onto her good mood, she decided to go shopping, even if she didn’t need anything. Yes, that would keep her distracted and away from the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night as Buffy readied herself for bed, she couldn’t help but stare at the black denim and ripped t-shirt that were still lying on her floor. She almost couldn’t bring herself to go over and even touch them, let alone pick them up. She knew the minute she would she’d...

She did it anyway, first the t-shirt. She picked up the torn piece of clothing and went for his jeans next. She held them for a moment before bringing them to her nose, inhaling deeply. Spike.

Just then she looked up to see herself in the mirror. Staring back at her was one woman, desperate for one man. Desperate for what she’d already had, paid for less than twenty four hours ago. She almost didn’t recognize herself for a moment.

I shouldn’t want him; it was just, just...

One night. A night that never should have happened, could never happen again. So why did she want it too?

Who was she kidding? As the scent of his clothes, of him filled her senses, her body quivered. As sore as she was, her body craved it, craved him. It was just a business arrangement.

---Keep telling yourself that, and you just might believe it.

She didn’t feel like arguing with herself. Why was the slut even here? Had she come to somehow rationalize that maybe Spike did...

No, that’s all it was for him. She couldn’t think about it; the way he’d made her feel. There were parts that seemed so real, like he was... with her... with her.

She sighed in defeat. There was no denying what she thought had gone on between them; a connection. A connection that ran deeper than she’d ever experienced with any of the men she’d chosen to be with from her past. Still, he didn’t, couldn’t feel the same way, could he?

“This is ridiculous, I’m being ridiculous.”

Even as she said this, she climbed into bed still clutching his clothes and turned out the lights, not even fully aware of the fact she now held them close to her face, just to keep his scent close.

As her eyes closed, she clutched the material closer and sighed heavily, still exhausted from the prior night and her own conflict over what exactly happened between them. Now wasn’t the time to think about it, she needed sleep. The scent of his clothes surrounded her, wrapping her in a blanket of comfort of his familiar smell ... Spike.

She drifted off, to a place that held only images of him. Of the pleasures he’d brought her body, of the feelings he’d filled her with, where she belonged to him, and he belonged to her.

Little did she know how he would continue to plague her dreams in the nights to come... before she could no longer take it.

A/N; Reviews please???

...Oooooooh, ahh- ahhhhh, oh, ah, ah, ah “aaaaaAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Tiny droplets of perspiration beaded across her forehead as the muscles in her legs continued to quiver uncontrollably from the intensity of her orgasm. She struggled to slow her labored breathing even as her heart still beat wildly in her chest.

Three nights in a row he had come to her; lavishing her body with his touch, adorning every inch of her skin with his kisses, filling her up from the inside out with his body and soul.

“God Damnit!”

Her underwear was soaked... again. Frustration consumed her along with an unexpected emotion... anger.

Every night he entered her dreams, and every night he made her body sing. This night, however, the orgasm Spike gave her was so intense it woke her up, her womb still pulsing in time with the release of her fluids.

She got out of bed and raced into the bathroom, flicking on the light. She immediately turned the faucet on and began splashing her face over and over with ice cold water until she felt sufficiently awake.

She remained hunched over the sink for a few seconds longer with her eyes closed after turning the water off. This has GOT to stop. Grabbing a hand towel, she patted her face dry and stood upright to look at herself in the mirror, only to be met with her again; the face of that woman who overshadowed her own familiar reflection day after day. The woman who yearned endlessly for the bleached blonde she’d met only four days ago.

She’d gone over that night at least a hundred times, picking apart every detail. And every time she’d come up empty handed. True, there were some genuine moments, things that happened she knew in her heart could not be faked... by any man. The last time they were together she’d told herself it was all an act, had allowed herself to escape in a fantasy because of it. So why did it feel so much like he was ‘there’ with her?

She was tired of this; tired of him plaguing her thoughts during the waking hours and tired of him haunting her dreams at night. The longer she looked in the mirror at this stranger, the angrier she became. There had to be a way to get him out of her dreams, out of her mind, and out of her life. She needed to prove to herself that it meant nothing more to him than her money in his pocket.

After lunch with Anya and her four hour session of retail therapy, she figured it was time to call Lorne. She let him know right away that she was happy with her ‘encounter’ from his service but nothing more beyond that. They spent the next hour idly chatting and laughing away about much of nothing. She was grateful he hadn’t asked if she wanted another appointment with Spike. She made up her mind that it wasn’t going to ever happen again, however, it seemed her body wouldn’t accept that decision and rebelled whenever she slept.

She stepped back from the mirror and stripped her clothes off. Turning the shower on, she set the water’s temperature to a lukewarm, suffering through the goose-bumps in order to shake any remnants of sleepiness away. She had to figure out a way and fast; she couldn’t go on like this, couldn’t go on pining for a... prostitute.

She dressed herself in boxers and a loose tank top before leaving her bedroom. Padding down the stairs, she decided a hot cup of chamomile and some late night television would help clear her head. She couldn’t come up with a solution if she remained upset, and she damn sure wasn’t going back to sleep. She knew if she did that he would be there, waiting for her.

Settling down five minutes later with her tea, she wrapped a throw around her legs and turned on the TV.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting at The-Hide-Away, William sat quietly nursing his third whiskey of the evening. Tonight had found him thinking about Buffy... again. He knew the minute he’d left her house that he wouldn’t be able to get her out of his mind, so he hadn't even tried. And like the fool for love that he was, he spent every night sniffing her clothes while vividly recalling her kiss, her touch, how she’d stirred a longing buried deep within only to end up calling out her name while relieving himself alone in his bed.

He’d done his best to hide his disappointment several nights ago when Lorne informed him that she had called but said nothing more than she was happy with her ‘purchase’. After hearing that, he figured there was no reason to broach the subject of Lorne’s cryptic statement regarding how he spent his time with her. What would be the point? And what did he really expect? That Lorne would say she couldn’t wait to see him again? He scoffed at the thought. And yet every day and every night a part of him he still hoped, knowing it was in vain, that she would call.

She probably hadn’t even broke up with her boyfriend, didn’t need to since Spike took care of her problem. No, she was probably home right now in her bed with white-bread himself, getting her brains shagged out and screaming his name in pleasure.

That last thought infuriated him, making him gulp the rest of his Jack down and slam the glass on the table.

Lorne had been flitting around the place all evening, talking with staff and catering to the customers when he came upon William at that exact moment.

“Whoa, buddy, easy on the wares.” He turned a chair backwards and straddled it to sit across from his friend, arms resting in front of him.

“Sorry mate. Jus’ tired. Long shift at Grisanti’s.” He damn sure wasn’t going to start singing the Blues; Lorne would see right through him in heartbeat.

“I see.”

Lorne’s tone suggested he didn’t believe him, but William didn’t care. Honestly? He just wanted to be left alone with the bottle of brown liquid that sat on the table in front of him. After he drank the amount needed to get her off his mind he would have Lorne call him a cab.

“Got a job if you’re interested.”

“Anyone I know?” He was grateful Lorne hadn’t needed him this week so far, but of course it was bound to happen eventually. He still didn’t know how he was going to handle getting back in the routine again of being with other women, and apparently he was going to have to face that now, whether he had an answer or not.

“Matter of fact you do.”

At this, William perked up, a flicker of hope filling his heart.

“Really?” Buffy, please let it be Buffy.

“Harmony called.”

William’s heart sank faster than the Titanic.

“I think you mean Harmful. And the answer is no.”

“I knew you wouldn’t want to, but despite having gone through four of my other guys, she still clambers for her Blondie Bear.”

“Stupid chit’s denser than Sherwood. Can’ take the hint I wouldn’ shag her again if...” Hold on, what if... He could just...

Spike came to the forefront to reason with William.

---You need to get back in the game. Got a goal here and we’re too bloody close. Are you gonna let a girl ruin it for us? Gonna run back home to Daddy with your tail between your legs because of her? A girl who doesn’ even want you, used you, remember? Don’ be a nancy-boy.

“You know what, changed my mind, I’ll do it.”

“Really? Wow, uhmm, are you feeling alright? Cuz I see you’ve been hanging with Jack here tonight.”

Spike and William were both on-board. Harmony was the perfect solution to his problem. One night with the annoying bird would straighten him right out. After he finished this job, he’d remember the very reason why he was doing what he was doing, and of why he could never hope a woman like Buffy could ever really care for him.

“Matter of fact, `m perfect.”

“Alrighty then.” Lorne sounded enthusiastic as he slapped his hands together. “Does tonight work for you?”

Spike laughed then answered Lorne’s question with a question.

“Same address right?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forty five minutes later found Buffy relaxed but too sleepy for her taste. When her eyes began to flutter, she fought it. Sitting up straight, she rubbed her eyes and shook her head back and forth; she was still no closer to an answer of how to get Spike out of her head. She couldn’t allow herself to fall sleep knowing he would be there, waiting for her, just as he had every night. Waiting to play her body like a well tuned violin to a solo composed just for her.

She picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels rapidly, searching for something, anything loud or obnoxious to keep her awake.

“That should do it.” She found infomercials to be incredibly annoying, thus perfect for keeping her awake. Listening to some middle aged man rant on and on about a set of self-help audio-books, she snorted, self-help, if she could help herself she wouldn’t be sitting on the couch right now. She’d be upstairs getting a fitful night’s sleep right now with dreams of owning those hot black Prada heels she’d passed on buying the other day.

Her mind emptied as she tuned into the ‘success’ of the people who bought the tapes as they ranted about the impact the product had on their lives before the host with the awful toupee re-appeared.

“...is the answer my friend. Tape number three, Facing Your Personal Demons. This tape will illustrate how facing your fears head on and conquering them will set you free, allowing you to pursue all the success you deserve and ...”

As surely as she was absorbed in the meaningless chatter, one part had clearly caught her attention. That’s it.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, it read 12:23AM. She got up and made her way to the kitchen where her purse lay. Pulling out her cell phone, she hit 2 buttons and pressed call. Four rings later...

“Hello cupcake. How’s my favorite girl?”

“I’m fine. You?”

“Oh the usual, running out of vermouth, in bad need of a manicure; other than that just peachy. Are we still... hold on, too much noise here.”

The sounds of the club’s night life disappeared after hearing the distinct sound of a door closing.

“That’s better. As I was about to ask, are we still on for Saturday?”

“Definitely! I have NOTHING in my fall wardrobe that’s worth keeping from last year and I could use some new boots. But that’s not why I called”

“What’s up honey-bunny.”

“Well, I was wondering if...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

William needed at least two more shots of whiskey, just the right amount of liquid courage to use Spike in his plan to forget all about Buffy. Once he was plowing himself into Harmony, he knew he’d revert back to the man he was before. He poured another shot even as Lorne still stared at him with a look of disbelief at taking the job.

“I’ll call and tell Miss Kendall you’ll be by in let’s say, ohhhhh... one hour?”

“One hour, got it.” He raised his glass in mock salute. “Here’s to one job closer to quittin’.”

Lorne laughed in response and got up, leaving William to his drink and headed for his office to call Harmony.

Deciding there was no time like the present; William slammed back the shot in one swallow. He did this four more times in rapid succession before standing up and heading out the door. It would only take him eighteen, no, make that twelve minutes if he drove fast enough to where she lived. The sooner he could get this over with the better, besides, he knew Harmony wouldn’t complain.

Arriving at the familiar condo in a record nine minutes, he dismounted his motorcycle and strode towards the door with determination and knocked three times. Hearing the familiar voice whining from within made him cringe, but the resolution of his personal mission forced him to open the door and walk in.

He saw no sign of Harmony as he made his way into her living room. The high shrill of her voice rang out moments later, clearly coming from where he knew her bedroom was.

“I’m in here.”

Of course she is. Slipping into character, he swaggered to where he knew she was waiting for him. He stopped to lean one forearm against the frame of the door. Running his hand slowly down his stomach to settle on his crotch, he wore a seductive smile and cocked his head to one side as he took in the sight of her. She lay on her bed in nothing but a purple frilly teddy that left nothing to the imagination, running one finger up and down from her neck to the valley of her breasts and up again.

“Hello Harm. Miss me?”

She pouted.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’ve been avoiding me.” Her whimpering increased and her pout deepened. “Those others Lorne sent me weren’t any good compared to my Blondie Bear.”

Spike eyed the patterns she traced on her chest. Her breasts were more than mouthful, perfect for getting creative as to what to use the two mounds for, and the full curves of her body looked warm and inviting. Oh yeah, `s jus’ what I need.

He shrugged off his duster and draped it over a chair as he headed straight for the bed. Stopping before the beauty that lay waiting for him; he peeled off his shirt, dropped it on the floor and crawled his way onto the bed towards her. She opened her arms wide but he didn’t reciprocate. Instead, he reached for the silk bow on the front of her lingerie and pulled it until her breasts spilled forth, straining towards his capable hands.

“Wha’s your pleasure tonight, luv?” He took one of her hands and brought it to his growing erection. “You want me to take it easy on you? Or... shall I fuck you into the ground like I know you want me to?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy knew she’d done the right thing as she snapped her phone shut. She was going to face her ‘personal demon’ head on, and as surely as the infomercial had preached, she would conquer it. After requesting to see Spike she agreed to let Lorne decide as to when he would arrive on one condition; “no breaking through my window again.” Lorne chuckled and assured her he would use the front door this time.

Her little ploy would not only rid her mind of the memory from four days ago, but once she saw Spike again, she would be forced to see the arrangement she’d made for exactly what it was. It was nothing more than a simple exchange of money for goods and services rendered... it was just sex.

The only downside was the waiting. She didn’t know how many nights she would have to spend dreaming about Spike until he actually showed up on her doorstep. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too long. Her dreams were becoming too much for her, not to mention it cost more time spent doing laundry from the havoc it wreaked on her underwear and sheets.

Sighing, she headed back up the stairs towards her bedroom. She had to get some sleep; it wouldn’t do her any good to remain awake. Flopping onto the bed, she chose to stay on top of the blanket, sure that her sheets were still damp from her wet dream. As she reached to shut the light off, she spotted Spike’s clothes lying just below her pillow, partly concealed by the bedspread.

The desire to pick them up and inhale his scent was overwhelming. Annoyed with herself, she grabbed the clothing and flung it as far away from the bed as possible, “Errrrrrgh.” She would wash them tomorrow and return them the second he showed up, well all except for the ripped T-shirt. She would keep the shirt, no, there will be no keeping of the shirt. That will go in the trash. Suddenly afraid she might try to retrieve it in a moment of weakness... on second thought, I’ll burn it. Yup, that should take care of any impulse to go garbage picking.

Her thoughts now turned to Riley and their last conversation. Just as she had planned, she hadn’t bothered to call him for three days or to answer the messages he’d left for her... until today. There was a hint of irritation to his voice when she’d told him that work had picked up due to her successful business trip and that she barely had time to sleep let alone call or see him. It seemed to placate him though when she asked if he would meet her Friday night at Grisanti’s.

Friday, she thought. Just three more days, well, technically two since today is Wednesday. She needed to break it off before his feelings were too involved, and judging from this last conversation, the sooner the better. Once Riley was out of the picture she could breathe a bit easier, however...

It wouldn’t be until after she’d seen Spike again, to remind herself of the reality of his ‘job’, could she see herself returning to any real sense of normalcy in her day to day life. Soon, very soon. Lorne wouldn’t make me wait a week, at least I hope not. Now she wished she’d chosen a day, rather than leaving it for Lorne to decide. In the end it wouldn’t matter, it was going to happen, and when it did, she’d be released from any real or perceived threat he had over her heart.

With her mind now at ease, she closed her eyes and gave in to the need for sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harmony was fondling Spike’s hard-on and squeezed it firmly when asked if she wanted to be fucked into the ground. Taking that as her answer, he groaned and bucked his hips into her hand.

This was good, no perfect. She didn’t want the Romeo act tonight or any silly romantic words. He could shag her good and hard, make her cum a few times before he did then walk out the door a cured man.

She pulled his belt apart slowly and opened the snap to his pants, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

He hadn’t touched any part of her body yet, not even after palming his cock. Instead, he sat back on the bed and let her do all the work of undressing him. She pulled his zipper down part way then stopped to tease and play her fingers along his abdomen and down to the hair of his manhood.

“My sweet Blondie Bear knows me so well I don’t have to answer that question” she cooed.

“Doesn’ mean I don’ like hearin’ it.”

She giggled and crawled her way to sit on top of him, her crotch seated just below his erection.
He closed his eyes and gave into the feel of her hands as they roamed from his chest back down to the rippling muscles of his abdomen. When she reached for his zipper again, his hand shot out to grip her wrist tightly.

“Say it.”

She looked confused for a moment before catching on. Deciding to tease, she asked.

“Say what?”

“Don’ play games. You know what.” He wanted to hear it, had to, needed to hear the word ‘fuck’ to remind him. That one crude word that embodied what he did in order for his dream to survive long enough to become reality. Only then could he do it. As soon as she spoke the word he could move on, fuck Harmony right into next week and fuck Buffy right out of his life.

He smiled as Harmony lowered her body, bringing her mouth was level with his ear.

"Fuck me, Spike. Fuck me hard."


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon ending his conversation with Buffy, Lorne sighed from the heaviness that filled his heart. He was truly at an impasse as to exactly what he should do. He cared deeply for his friend William, but at the same time adored Buffy and his new-found relationship with the vivacious young blonde.

To intervene or not, that was the question. Despite his ‘ability’, he never knew when it was truly his place to say anything or nothing at all. The bane of his gift lie in accepting what would happen if he chose to tell all, part, or none of what was revealed to him. It was a roll of the dice in the lives of those involved as to how it would turn out in the end, and he hated the fact he had any bearing on it at all.

He was the last one who wanted to upset the balance of the universe and its plans, but the way Buffy hummed to a song coming from her radio in the background when she’d called him the day after Spike arrived... well, he couldn’t ignore what her soul had cried out.

Still, he knew if it weren’t for him, Buffy and William would never have met. Deep in his soul he felt the presence of mind to aid in what he was sure needed to happen. The flip side of the that particular coin was simply this; it held too much potential to end in total disaster for both his dear friends, and leave him with the guilt of knowing it never would have happened if it hadn’t been for him to start with. In the end he would he would help in picking up the shattered pieces of their separate lives, by which point he knew... would be beyond repair.

Trusting the message of his inner-voice, he’d come out of his office to find William first, before calling Harmony to inform her Spike would arrive within the hour. It hadn’t taken a song and dance for Lorne to figure out what William was thinking. Couple that with the fact the bottle of booze left on the table he’d previously occupied was considerably lower than a mere three minutes ago.

Resolving to accept the blame for whatever would happen; he went back to his office, dialed Spike’s number and prayed he wasn’t too late.


A/N: Before you review, if you do, all I have to say is have a little faith in me....... please???

Con’t from chapter 13............

"Fuck me, Spike. Fuck me hard."

His eyes went wide with shock. Of all the ways she could have said what he needed to hear, she’d chosen the exact phrase Buffy had used when he’d tried so hard to hold back after he’d hurt her in his haste to have her.

The vivid memory of his sweet girl and that moment came rushing back to him along with a flood of emotions.

He grabbed Harmony’s shoulders and pushed her upright.

“What did you say?”

Just then, his cell phone rang, playing the familiar song that identified it was Lorne trying to reach him. Grateful for the timely intrusion, he immediately shoved her off him and went to retrieve it.
`
“`Lo?” He shot Harmony a deadly look that said to remain quiet. She nodded in understanding, though it did little to wipe the irritated expression off her face.

“William, my man. Wanted to tell you something, but you’d already left by the time I came out of my office.”

“Right, sorry `bout that. Had to stop home and get a quick shower.” Lorne had no idea that he’d rushed out of The-Hide-Away with his mission in mind, or so he thought.

“Rub-a dub-dub. Anyhow, got a phone call tonight. Seems Miss Summers wants to see you again.”

As soon as Lorne spoke her name, a lump formed in William’s throat, forcing him to swallow hard. Tilting his head towards the ceiling with his eyes closed, he drew in a ragged breath and clenched the muscles in his jaw tightly. His girl wanted to see him.

---Correction, she wants to see me again.

He was in no mood for Spike right now.

You think I don’ know that? Doesn’ matter to me one bit.

---Doesn’ it? I’d think twice before...

Oh tha’s rich. You tellin’ me to think? Do us both a favor and shut the bloody hell up.

Since when did he get off trying to be the voice of reason anyway?

`S not as if you don’ want to see her again either.

---Exactly the reason you shouldn’. Nothin’ but dissapointment down that road, mate. Especially since I’ll be the one shaggin’ her.

“Hello? You still there or did I lose the conne...”

“Still here, jus’...” Grateful.

“Oh good. So, my gigolo, would you be willing to see her again?”

Would he be willing to see her again? He could no more deny Buffy whatever she desired than he could the very air he needed to breathe. And he wasn’t about to let Spike say or do anything to try and keep him away from her.

“When?” His heart swelled at the thought of holding her in his arms again. He was ruined. Between Harmony’s words and an unexpected phone call, fate had stepped in to remind him of that fact.

Stepping out into the hallway, he closed the bedroom door and walked to the living room. He needed to finish this conversation in private and put some much needed distance between him and the ditzy blonde who lay pouting in her bed.

Lorne told him the time, but when William asked what he had in mind, Lorne merely laughed, telling him it was too much to go into over on the phone, but that Spike would be going the whole nine yards, or rather inches, on this one. So he wanted him to stop by the next afternoon to go over the details for Buffy’s next encounter.

As they wrapped up their conversation, Lorne asked him one final question.

“So, do you still want me to call Harmony and let her know you’ll be by tonight?”

“No, jus’ tell her...” Wait, what the hell was he going to say, to do? He was already there, she expected him to perform, to... His stomach turned at the thought. “Tell her I’m ill. When I’m better I’m sure we can arrange something.”

“Got it, ill. I’ll take care of smoothing it over, don’t worry.”

He breathed a mental sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was figure out how to tell Harmony he had to leave.

“Thanks, mate. See you tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, ciao.”

He sat on Harmony’s couch for a full minute searching his mind for a plausible excuse when it suddenly came to him. Standing, he zipped his jeans back up and refastened his belt. Walking back into the bedroom, he looked at her straight in the eyes and counted on the fact she was as dumb as she looked.

“Got a bit of bad news.”

“If this is some lame excuse to...”

He raised a hand to stop from hearing her ramble.

“Shut up, Harm, and jus’ listen. Blood tests from my regular check ups came back. Appears I’m not safe to... to be here tonight. Wouldn’ want you to catch anythin’ `til I’ve seen a doc, get proper treatment and all that, unless you don’ mind?”

Her eyes widened as she pulled the flimsy scraps of her clothing together to cover herself.

“Oh, uhhh, I... ahhhh. I’ll just... You go... take care of that... thing, and I’ll see you, uhmm... whenever.”

Bloody genius. He knew when Lorne called to tell her he wasn’t feeling well; it would only substantiate the lie he’d told to get out of staying. Now all he had to do was make it home in one piece and sleep off the alcohol he’d drank.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As surely as the sun rose everyday, Spike was there. He lay on his side, naked, head propped in his hand.

“`Lo luv. Been waitin’ for you.”

“I know.” For once, she was aware of the fact she was dreaming and that meant she could do or say anything she wanted, she had control.

“Don’ look so glum `bout it, I know you feel it.”

“Feel what?” This was a new thing, the talking, with words other than “oh God” or “yes”, a real conversation was taking place. She went with it, even though it wasn’t really him.

“Heat, desire.” His smile turned devilishly evil.

“I don’t feel anything right now.”

His hand flew to his chest.

“You wound me with your words, luv.” Lowering his voice, he continued haughtily, “Too bad I don’ believe you.”

He reached a hand out towards her cheek but she backed away, evading his touch. No way was she going to let him distract her this time.

“Why are you here? Do you find it amusing to show up every night and...”

“Told you I was gonna fuck you so good, so hard that I'm all you'll dream about for weeks... all you'll want inside of that luscious body of yours, or don’ you remember?” He smiled when her face registered the memory he spoke of. “You can’ hide from me, Buffy, I know where you live now... I’ve tasted it.”

“Get a grip...like you’re God’s gift.” She didn’t like where this conversation was going at all. “You had a job; I was a customer, end of story. You ACT for money.”

A hint of sadness came over his face.

“`S not who I am inside. I’m a good man... and you know it.

“I...” He had her there. Deep down, she knew he was right. He’d shown her more than just a good time.

Her brain told her their night together hadn’t exactly been ‘standard procedure’ for him. Many things happened, moments that forced him to reveal bits of his true personality, the man she was sure lay underneath that he wouldn’t have displayed under ‘normal’ circumstances; anger, remorse, awe, humility, compassion, and a vulnerability that contradicted the cocky bad boy persona he projected. Her heart told her she liked what she saw, liked him.

Those very traits had her uselessly wishing they’d met at her gallery, in a store, or on the street. Anyplace and in anyway other than how their meeting actually came about, all because she saw them outside of the bedroom, as a couple.

In the end, none of that changed, or could change the fact he slept with women for a living, for money. And because of that, she called Lorne.

When she saw Spike, when he finally touched her again, she would be forced to see him in the only light she had any right to, her feelings be damned.

She hadn’t noticed Spike staring at her while her thoughts stole her attention away from their conversation, until she felt his warm hand on her cheek.

“Don’ think. Jus’ feel. Be with me Buffy, please baby.” He leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth gently. There was no one else quite like him; a single kiss and she forgot her name, along with any will to stop him. Yielding to the desire that rose from his touch, she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer. He rolled her over, planting himself between her legs as she opened herself wide, inviting him to take her away, to whatever place he chose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day............

“You’re kiddin’ me right?” Lorne had to be joking. What he suggested was far from anything Spike could have come up with.

“Not at all.”

“`M not second guessin’ you, but, are you SURE tha’s a good idea?”

Lorne patted him on the shoulder.

“Trust me, she’s a hummer.”

“A what?”

“A hummer. She hums, to tunes. When we talked on the phone, she hummed.”

“And this is what she wants?”

“She didn’t come right out and say it but yeah, more or less. Trust me, it’s just what she needs and she’ll enjoy herself if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Jus’ seems... odd. Meanin’ she doesn’ have any trouble reachin’ orgasm with me, so it surprises me.” William would have preferred something of a more romantic nature, but since it wasn’t up to him, he would take what he got, grateful just to be with her again.

“And THAT is exactly the reason why I think it’s a good idea. It holds the element of surprise. That and she didn’t request anything specific, well, aside from you anyway.”

He beamed inside over this, still in shock she had called at all. Despite his good mood over this turn of events, Lorne’s instructions required the best of Spike’s acting abilities, and that bothered him greatly.

It would be a night of bittersweet torture for William being with her again while Spike carried out the job. He needed to remember that for Spike, this was business, and sadly, he was sure it was for Buffy as well. She didn’t request him, she’d requested Spike. All he could do was sit on the sidelines and watch, waiting and hoping for any signs of just one tender moment to be had where he could step in and be with her.

“She’ll benefit greatly from this encounter. And so will you.”

And there he goes again. He’d never known Lorne to be so cryptic, except where Buffy was concerned. It would do him no good to inquire as to what he meant exactly either; he’d tried that already, several times. Best stick to business then.

“So how many props are we talkin’ here?” He looked up to see Lorne grinning with delight over his plans.

“I’m thinking the whole kit-and-caboodle on this one. Anything less and it wouldn’t be... convincing enough. And remember,” he paused to lean forward and pointed a finger at his friend to clearly drive his point home. “No matter what she says, no matter what she does, stick to the plan and keep her focused, lead her into it.”

“Got it. Oh, one more thing. Does she know she’s payin’ extra for this?”

“I’m not charging her extra for it.”

“Really?” This baffled him. He knew it was a pretty penny above the normal rate, so why wasn’t Lorne cashing in on it?

Lorne chuckled at his friend’s look of surprise and curiosity, so he explained.

“She was a hard sell the first time, and if we’re going to keep her as a client I have to make certain allowances... keep her happy. Don’t looked so shocked, I’ve done this sort of thing before, I just don’t announce it. But since you’re my friend and my future business partner, I can tell you.”

“`Spose the boss knows best.” He could understand Lorne’s point.

“I do have certain... flair.” He flipped his head back like a women and brushed aside an invisible mane of long hair. “Now, let’s get you outfitted.”

Lorne was glad he’d caught Spike before anything happened between him and Harmony. If he hadn’t, the likelihood of his plan succeeding at all was nil. He’d created a situation for Buffy’s next encounter that held an opportunity. If his two friends ever stood a chance of being together, she would need to overcome certain things, certain perspectives. Now he only hoped it played out that way. Oh, the scenario had the potential to work beautifully, that he could ‘see’. What he couldn’t ‘see’, or rather control, was their individual thoughts and actions. At least this way, he hadn’t done anything to interrupt fate. Buffy called for Spike, and Spike had agreed. The rest was up to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Guess you’re right.” Buffy sighed heavily. Willow was rarely wrong when it came to handling affairs of the heart.

“And you’ll walk away with a clean conscious because you told the truth.”

“Okay, enough of the Riley talk; its depressing. How’s Oz?” Willow brightened at the mention of her boyfriend’s name.

Buffy always felt a tad envious of her friend’s relationship. Though still somewhat new, they seemed so happy together. She’d only met him once, but instantly felt his affection for her friend as he held the same glow in his eyes that Willow did for him.

“He’s doing great, getting ready for classes in the fall.” She frowned a little. “I won’t get to see him as much between school and his job.”

“Awww,” Buffy cooed “he only has this year left though, right?”

“Yeah.” She smiled dreamily. “So what special plans do you have for the weekend, seeing that you’ll be single gal again?”

“Oh, I can’t wait. I’m spending all day in LA with Lorne. Shopping, lunch then the spa.”

“Who’s Lorne?” Willow raised an eyebrow as if insinuating Buffy had hid something from her.

Buffy could hear the needle scratching across a record in her head. Stupid Buffy. Well, there wasn’t anything to hide, about Lorne anyway.

“Well, during my vacation, I went to a club in LA called The-Hide-Away. I met the owner, Lorne, and we hit it off.”

“And?” Willow gave her that look as if she still weren’t telling all.

“It’s not what you think. We’re just friends.” Willow still looked unconvinced so Buffy added one important fact she forgot. “He’s gay, Willow.”

“Oh. Sorry, I thought... you know, that you were... I’m sorry.” She looked sheepishly at Buffy.

“It’s ok, I didn’t think to mention him cuz we just met and all.”

“I still think you should let me set you up on a date with Oz’s friend, you’d really like him.”

“Oh, no. No blind dates for me. I know you mean well, but the last blind date I had was in high school, and we both know how that turned out.”

Willow nodded but persisted anyway.

“But he’s a really nice guy. He’s good looking, intelligent, super sweet and polite, and did I mention good looking?”

“Twice, and the answer is still no.”

“But I know if you just met him you’d really....”

Buffy gave her a look that read ‘not in this life time’ before Willow finally dropped the subject.

“Ok, shutting up now. Are we still on for the Buffy birthday bash next week?”

“Hey, dancing, free drinks and presents? Looking forward to it. Who’s coming?”

“The whole gang, told them eight PM sharp.” A muffled beeping noise rang out. Willow reached inside her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Oh, oh no!!!” Her arms waving about her head as she stuttered. “Oz, t-text.” She held up her phone and pointed to it. “He text’d me. Its quarter to nine. I forgot he’s coming over. I’m not ready, I still have to take a shower and, and...”

“Shoo then, go home, though I’m sure he’d like regular Willow just as much as dressed up Willow.”

Willow jumped up, fumbling for her keys.

“Thanks Buffy, sorry I have to run out on you like this, but...”

“Ughh, will you just go? I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She stood and went to the door holding it open for her.

“I’ll call tomorrow, bye.”

They quickly hugged and Willow was gone. Shutting the door, she leaned against it heavily, listening to the sound of Willow’s car as it peeled out of her driveway.

Thank God it was still too early for bed. She dreaded the thought of going to sleep. Last night’s ‘conversation’ with Spike had her thinking long and hard today about what really scared her more than seeing him again. That somehow her plan would backfire, that she was wrong in assuming Spike saw her as business, and that everything about their last time had been real. Sure, the probability was one in a million, but it was there nonetheless.

Walking by the couch, she noticed Willow’s cell phone lying on the floor. Figuring she must have dropped it in her haste to leave, Buffy bent over to pick it up when she heard a knocking come from the door. Grabbing it, she sprinted to the door knowing Willow would still be in a hurry to get home. Flinging the door open, she blurted...

“Don’t worry I’ve got yo...”

Again with the record scratching in her head.

Not Willow.

---Indeed. Even her inner slut was completely taken aback by the sight before her.



A/N: Can you guess whose outside her door? Of course you can. Sorry for the cliffie, but it would be too long to include this encounter here. Plus I want you all to savor the plans I have for our couple. Thanks and I hope you enjoy, and continue to review. And for those who have not reviewed, please do, it means more that you drop a one-liner than nothing at all, me and my muse appreciate it.

While William was nervous as hell, Spike was ready as hell... for action. Both had missed her smile, her smell, her touch... The only thing that stood between them now was an inch and a half of wood and a load of apprehension as to how she would react to him.

When the door swung open, he couldn’t prevent his body’s reaction to the vision that greeted him. The front of his pants tented while he fought to stay in character and keep from rushing her. She wasn’t dressed provocatively by any means, but the way she wore that outfit had his mind swimming with ideas as to how he would rid her of it.

A plain, long sleeved white button up shirt and a mid thigh red plaid skirt was all she had on. Her hair was pulled back neatly in a bun with a few loose strands from the top hanging down to frame her face. The only thing missing was a nice set of black heels and a pair of glasses as a fantasy formed in his mind of taking her amongst a stack of books, bringing out the naughty librarian within her.

“Good evenin’ ma’am. I’m looking for a Miss Buffy Summers.”

She truly couldn’t restrain herself and erupted into a fit of hysterics.

Clearly un-amused, the man standing outside her door raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

“I’m sorry, `s there somethin’ funny?”

Not in her wildest of dreams did she think Spike would show up tonight. And dressed like that? Her angst-ridden thoughts from seconds ago vanished without a trace. In their place stood shock, awe, and wow, did he ever look smoking hot!

From burglar to bacon. She couldn’t get over the stark contrast in dress and mannerisms from the last time she’d seen him.

There he stood, in all his gorgeous glory, dressed to the ‘T’ in one very authentic policeman’s uniform.

---Hmm, let’s see. Badge, check. Gun, check. Nightstick... The inner slut’s eyes traveled from his holster to the front of his pants. Double check. Handcuffs? Oh yeah, check.

Ohmygod, Ohmygod, Ohmygod!

---Looks like somebody’s in trouble.

Ohmygod, Ohmygod, Ohmygod!

Weak in the knees didn’t begin to describe how his appearance affected her! Whatever it was she did, lock me up and throw away the keys.

---You go girl.

Well, at least I wasn’t wrong about this being strictly business.

---Meaning?

Look at the way he’s dressed. He’s obviously here to, to... play or whatever, so I guess my plan IS going to work.

---I see your point, but the night is still young.

Still giggling, she tried to collect herself long enough to answer.

“No, nothing funny just, ahahaha, sorry. Yes, I’m Buffy Summers. Haha hmm ahem, what seems to be the problem, HAHAHA, officer?” Her hand flew to cover her mouth, until she could get over the initial shock.

He held a straight face despite her laughter and replied with a calmness that belied his anxiety over seeing her again.

“`M respondin’ to a complaint filed earlier tonight.”

At first he thought she was laughing at him. But as she stifled her amusement, her eyes took on that glint of lust he knew so well. Relieved and quite eager to touch her again, he continued.

“Miss Summers, I...”

“Buffy.” She interrupted him.

“Buffy.” He nodded, face stone cold and serious. “I’ve received a noise complaint about this residence.” He waited, holding his breath for her reply. Would she ‘play along’ or would she disapprove of Lorne’s set-up?

Okaaaay. This is interesting. Weird, but interesting.

“Noise complaint?”

“Yes. Screamin’, shoutin’ of obscenities, things crashin’ about.”

She’d never engaged in any type of role playing or acting, well other than faking an orgasm, but what woman in her right mind could resist a man in uniform? Especially when said man was a total hottie. He made her want to be a criminal if it meant being taken into his custody! Adopting the attitude that this could indeed be very entertaining as well as enjoyable, she embraced her ‘role’ as a guilty, but brazen, offender.

“That can’t be right. It’s...” She took a step forwards, and another, after every word she spoke. “Just. Me. Here. Alone.” She looked up and grinned coquettishly, letting him know just how much she approved of his appearance and demeanor.

His breath caught in his throat when she’d approached him. It didn’t look like she was going to be timid tonight; her bold and deliberate movements were turning Spike on more than even he cared to admit. If she wasn’t careful, she’d find herself full of the ‘long arm of the law’ before he had a chance to read her the Miranda rights.

He clenched his jaw muscles as the familiar scent of her perfume infused his senses. Bloody hell... smells so... good. All he had to do was lean into her upturned face, just a fraction, and her lips would be his. Judging from her audacious behavior however, she obviously wasn’t going to make it easy on this cop to bring her up on any charges.

“This is 1630 Revello Drive, is it not?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” Mere centimeters divided her from what she wanted more than anything, to forget this orchestrated ‘situation’, kiss him and release the monster caged behind his zipper. That ‘nightstick’ had her name written all over it, and she was eager to touch it, stroke it, take it into her mouth and... Of course it wouldn’t do to make a show of him on her porch in case there were nosy neighbors or anyone walking about.

Chris’, if she doesn’ back off `m gonna... he cleared his throat loudly.

“Ahem, could you please take a step back, ma’am?”

“Sure, anything you say Officerrrrr... I didn’t catch your name.”

“Ivanhoe.”

---Why the bleeding hell did you give her our last name?

She doesn’ know that. She’ll think `s made up.

William threw his hands up in the air, exasperated.

---Why not tell her our first name while you’re at it.

“Ivanhoe. Would you like to come in?” She stepped back and gestured an arm towards the living room. Sounds a little too much like I’m-a-ho, she giggled inside but appreciated it regardless.

Nodding once, he stepped over the threshold then hooked his thumbs inside the utility belt at the front of his waist. He could see her kitchen at the end of the hallway, the room she’d given him his very first blowjob. The memory made him shiver. He wondered if she would do that again; he’d never ask of course, but he could always hope.

“As you can see there’s no one here except me, so there couldn’t be any noise coming from my house.”

“Tha’s the complaint ma’am.” He smirked as she shut the door behind him. Turning towards her with all the confidence of Spike behind him, he stood tall.

“Excuse me? I don’t understand.” Crossing her arms in front of her, she waited for an explanation.

“The City Code contains ordinances governin’ maximum noise levels, and your residence hasn’ MET that level.

Hmmmm, okay. Deciding to play dirty, she offered a solution. Walking over to the phone, she picked it up and began dialing.

“I’ll call someone to come over then. I can think of at least two guys who wouldn’t mind helping me reach the required...

Jealousy overtook him immediately. Play or not, no one touched his girl but him. He rushed towards her and snatched the phone out of her hand, slamming it down on the receiver. Turning to face her, he walked her back against the wall so she had no place to go and spoke gruffly.

“Maybe I didn’ make m`self clear. The complaint’s already been filed,” closing his eyes, he dipped his head towards her neck without touching her and inhaled deeply, “and `m here to respond to it.”

The dangerous look on his face thrilled her.

“So where do we go from here?”

“Tha’s entirely up to you, ma’am, if you choose to cooperate or not. Now if you would, please turn around and place your hands on the wall.”

Her excitement heightened at his words. The thought of him touching her again sent the heat in her womb to run down and pool in her underwear. Turning around, she did as told, her nerves wrought with anticipation of whether he’d be gentle or rough with her.

He didn’t need to request that she spread her legs, she’d done that already. Placing them a generous three feet apart, she purposefully arched her back, forcing her rear-end to jut out towards him like a cat striving to be petted.

Chris’, Look at that. So ripe, so wicked, jus’ beggin’ to be violated.

Reaching his hands out, he knew this was the moment he’d been waiting for. Touching her again would send both Spike and William into a frenzy for control as to who would be with her. He stepped forward, keeping the lower half of his body away from coming into any contact with hers. If he didn’t, he’d end up taking her from behind... roughly.

She felt his hands on her elbows first. Their warmth sent tremors through her entire being, making her body quiver with desire as he ran them downwards, stopping near her armpits. His fingers reached around to graze the underside of her breast, thumbs nearing her nipples but not quite touching. She gasped, straining into his touch but he steered clear of the blatant invitation and continued his journey down her sides, the curve of her hips, her thighs and calves. His thumbs gently traced the inside of her delicate ankles before resuming his search in a northerly direction between her long legs.

As his palms slid round to the inside of her legs, she shivered yet again. There was no use denying how erotic she found this; her center pulsed with need as his fingers roamed higher towards her sex. Her skirt climbed her legs along with his hands until she could feel the burn of his gaze on her bottom when it came into view.

He brushed his thumbs along the seam of her thong, spreading his fingers wide to cup and squeeze her cheeks briefly as they stopped just below her waist. His husky whisper had her wanting to push herself against his crotch, desperate for the contact that would sate her need.

“You hidin’ somethin’ Miss Summers?”

“Buffy,” she reminded him breathily, not able to control her excitement from the feel of his slender fingers so close to where she needed them most.

Leaning in, he placed his lips against the shell of her ear.

“Buffy.” He moaned her name. “`S there anythin’ you wish to reveal? Anythin’ you’re concealin’ that could be used as evidence against you?”

She was two seconds away from calling this off and attacking him, so desperate to have him filling her after such a long week of nothing but vivid dreams to occupy her nights. She would first try to encourage him verbally. But if he didn’t take her cue she’d have no choice but to assault the Officer and admit to the charge of doing so to the public servant.

“No, I’m not hiding anything, I swear. I can prove it; show you that I’m innocent.”

“Really?” He was intrigued by what she had in mind. “And how do you propose goin’ `bout that?”

She looked over her left shoulder and directly into his eyes. “Perform a full body cavity search on me.”

FUCK!!! He’d probe her alright, but it wasn’t time. This was not part of Lorne’s instruction whatsoever. He was supposed to take her for a ride in the undercover Impala Lorne provided for the night, drive her to an undisclosed location where he could violate every last one of her civil rights.

Taking a deep breath for the sake of self control, he attempted to ‘keep her focused’ as instructed. Then again, Lorne never said anythin’ `bout what I couldn’ do in an effort to accomplish that. Perhaps there was a way to give them both a bit of what they wanted through teasing.

Slipping a finger under the edge of her panties, he sensuously glided it over the soaked material before permitting himself the pleasure of delving inside her swollen folds. Dipping his finger into her core, he gathered some of the precious liquid, smiling as she closed her eyes and mewled in delight.

Holding his index finger up to her face, he sighed.

“This doesn’ substantiate your alibi of bein’ here alone, ma’am. The evidence is stackin’ against you, unless of course you were takin’ care of yourself?”

Her eyes fluttered open in time to see him wrap those beautiful lips around the finger that glistened with her juices.

He moaned as her taste hit his tongue.

“’M afraid I’ll have to take you in.” With lightening speed he reached for the cuffs on his belt and clamped one end tight around her right wrist, forcing her to wince and yelp in surprise. Twisting her body brusquely around to face him, he secured the other wrist above her head and held her there before speaking again.

“`M gonna presume you won’ try to get away. So I’ll permit you to have your hands restrained in front of you.” He released his grip and guided her arms down between their bodies, then leaned in to brush his lips lightly against hers back and forth.

She closed her eyes against the gentle feel of his mouth and gave in to the sudden urge that welled inside her. In under a second she sunk to the floor on her knees and rubbed her cheek against the front of his hardened length.

“Please. I-I... can’t afford to get in trouble. Tell me there’s something I can do to make you forget all about this.” Her fingers groped at the material of his shirt, succeeding in pulling if from his pants before heading south to grasp his zipper.

Opening her mouth over his bulge, she bit down firmly with her teeth, her desire erasing all thought for the ‘play’ they were engaging in.

¬ Chris’! She’s, she’s... oh FUCK! .

No. Can’. Gotta... focus. `S jus’ business here.

---Good Lord, man. She, she’s gonna... Wants to, to suck... Something no other woman ever...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzip.



Apparently going commando had its advantages after all.

There was no saving him now; the reality that she was about to do that again rendered him speechless and immobile. His chin slumped to his chest as her hands took hold of his erection, the clang of her metal restraints ringing through the silence. His eyes fixed themselves to her pouty lips as they parted, her pink tongue darting out to clean the pre-cum from his weeping tip as she milked it from his shaft.

“Mmmmm, so... mmmmmph, tastes so good, Officer.” Not wanting to waste a moment more she wrapped her lips around him and took him in as far as she could, cupping the base of his shaft with her limited grasp. Twirling her tongue around every delicious vein, she sucked hard and fast. Her lips stretched tautly around his girth as she sought to fuck him with her mouth.

“Buffy... luv... ma’am, stop.” Oh, he tried, useless though it was, he could at least say he’d tried to stop her.

There would be no stopping her from what she wanted. She sucked in earnest, hoping to fill her mouth with his cream so she could swallow it, feel it run down her throat to fill her aching womb.

One hand sought purchase against the wall to keep from collapsing while the other gently held the back of her head, encouraging her, pumping his hips in time with her movements. Neither Spike nor William could form a coherent thought, so rapt in the feel of his girl giving him a pleasure he’d never known before anyone until her. His balls tightened and he felt embarrassed that he could lose control so quickly. He was supposed to be in control. Lorne had told him to keep her focused. His thoughts fled to images of things he hoped would quell his desire to unload himself inside her hot little mouth... fat women, her Majesty naked, Lorne doing a woman... oh, ohhh, uhnn...

“FUCK!!! Buffy, I’m gonna, gonna cum, baby.” He had to warn her lest she find herself with a huge surprise in her mouth. What happened next had him clinging to his sanity for dear life.

Oh, she knew. The moment she moved to fondle his sac and felt it recede, the moment his hand went to her head to assist her in devouring him, she knew. Using her body and hands as best she could, she dug her fingernails into his lean hip bones and rotated her knees and him along with them to force him against the wall.

When she had him where she wanted, she allowed her lust for him to overcome any reflexes in her throat and took him in as far and as fast as she possibly could. When he told her again of his impending release, she did he unimaginable upon instinct. As the first hot stream of his essence hit her tongue, she moved her hands between his legs and inserted the full length of her index finger inside his puckered hole and pumped it in time with his release and the attentions of her mouth.

She swallowed deeply, not wanting to waste a precious drop of fluid that sprang from the man who’d consumed her thoughts and dreams from the second she’d laid eyes on him.

She purred around his cock as his body jerked from the intensity of his orgasm. His spasms slowed only when the last of his spendings seeped into her mouth.

She caressed him with her tongue and removed her finger to wrap her hands around him once more; pumping him slowly to release whatever remained inside, swallowing it down greedily.

“B-Buffy.” He collapsed in a heap in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders to keep from falling to the side.

“Spike,” she whispered. She leaned her forehead against his then nuzzled her cheek into his. “Thank you. That... you... taste so good. I’ve never... done that before you... and, and... God I love it.”

His head jerked up to read the expression in her eyes. She’s not lyin’. If she had he could tell; he was Lord of the lies after all.

---We’re both doomed. Spike had met his match, only this woman wasn’t faking a single thing. It served him right since he hadn’t needed to act for a single moment of their time together, tonight or last weekend.

Awe filled both William and Spike as he squeezed her shoulders hard and placed his lips against hers.

“Kiss me, Buffy, please baby... kiss me now.” Spike retreated. William didn’t need him anymore, at least not now.

He seemed so raw, so real when he spoke she couldn’t resist his plea. Their mouths came together as one, no urgency, no need to rush, just to feel her lover’s touch was enough for her right now.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She’d given in to a simple desire, one that brought her to her knees, and then him to his.

Looking at him now, as the kiss ended, she knew. There was much more to the man behind the name, behind the job. Her deepest fear came true; her plan had backfired. She was caught like a fly in a web of emotions, and panicked. If he didn’t say something soon, if he didn’t become the cocky bastard that broke through her window a week ago, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

William ran his hands underneath her elbows and slowly raised them both to their feet. He couldn’t speak right now. He was sure she wouldn’t want to hear what his heart wanted to say; that he’d fallen for her this quickly. She’d surely laugh in his face. He hadn’t finished ‘performing his duty’, his ‘job’, but the need to leave now for fear she’d break his heart became too much to ignore. He took a step back and brought his hands to his waist with the intention of tucking himself away when she suddenly grasped his wrists.

He looked up to see a face full of questions, none of which he had an answer for. He knew she felt something for him, but how could he presume that it was as deep as what he felt for her?

“Spike. Don’t go.” She didn’t need to read his mind to know what he was thinking, and though she didn’t fully understand what just happened, she was damned if he was going to leave. The rational side of her brain still clung to the plan of wanting to prove she was nothing more than a client in his eyes.

Their eyes locked, each recognizing that this moment had not been planned. No amount of Lorne’s creativity could have resulted in this.

“I-I wasn’...”

“Yes, you were.”

He hung his head in shame.

“Buffy, I can’... pretend with you. I... I’m sorry.”

He hurriedly pulled her to him and kissed her. This would have to be the last time, he simply couldn’t take being near her in this capacity. It wasn’t natural, wasn’t his right as a mere escort. Love would have to wait for him to finish his time as a physical slave for money.

He released her and walked away before she could say another word, slamming the door shut behind him.

A/N: Ok, I realize it’s not the most original of costume choices, but I hope that didn’t prevent you from enjoying it. I feel bad for having left our couple at this type of ending, but its vital for what is to transpire over the next few days – believe me!!! I'm surprised by all the reviews within seconds of posting that some are dissapointed by this chapter. Again, angst is sometimes necessary to appreciate the progression and ending, and I don't do fluff - it simply isn't my forte, sorry. The lovely pic is the sole property and creation of Darkwaif, who has granted her personal permission for me to display it here within this chapter. The picture - due to size limitations, cannot be seen in it's FULL glory, therefore, click on this link to my LJ, to appreciate it more..... http://pics.livejournal.com/imbloodyenglish/pic/0000ert1/

I hope you like it, and as always, keep the faith that everything that happens here is for a reason.

After the initial shock had worn off, Buffy gathered herself together and headed for the kitchen. Reaching for the phone, her hand stilled while she thought things through. She should be mad as hell, but instead, confused was a better way to describe how she felt right now. Deep down, she really didn’t want to get him in trouble with Lorne, but what was she going to say when he asked her how her evening went... I had a blast. Gave Spike a blow job then he left.

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit!”

---Lorne never asked you to call him.

The slut was right. Lorne hadn’t said anything about calling him after this encounter.

---Take your hand off the phone and think for a minute.

Her hand dropped to her side.

Okay, I’m up for suggestions here.

---Well, I wouldn’t bother saying anything, if Lorne even asks that is.

Of course he’s going to ask. And what kind of suggestion is that? Say nothing? Act as if everything went well?

---Yup.

You’re kidding, right?

---Nope.

So you’re saying let Lorne keep my money and forget tonight ever happened?

---Yup.

Elaborate please.

---The man admitted that he couldn’t pretend with you and you need an explanation? If you can’t see it, then hearing it from me isn’t going to make it any clearer. What do you think he meant? Do you think telling Lorne will change anything?.

She stood there, trying her best to pick apart and analyze everything that happened.

What the hell did he mean ‘I can’t pretend with you’? She hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? She thought he would enjoy her going down on him, and he did cum, so what was the problem? What made her so deficient that he couldn't perform his job?

“Oh my God!” She suddenly figured it out. Sure, he had a great time getting paid for receiving a blow job; he just didn’t want to have to fuck her again. He was sick of pretending she was any good at all. What the hell else could he have meant?

From the second she’d met him everything had been an act on his part; a very convincing act that she was stupid enough to fall for. She couldn’t decide which part was more humiliating, all the dirty things she’d said and done to him, the ‘fake’ compliments he’d paid her over the entire evening, or the fact that her ‘problem’ wasn’t that she couldn’t have an orgasm, it was that she was bad in bed.

She felt a major headache coming on as the weight of her realization sunk in; she was such a lousy lay that not even a paid escort wanted to sleep with her again. Seems the slut was right. If she lied to Lorne then at least she could avoid the embarrassment of explaining this to him. Yes, that’s exactly what she would do, accept her financial loss and forget it ever happened.

“I need sleep.” At least her dreams would be Spike free now. She accomplished what she set out to do tonight. Granted it happened in a fucked up kind of way, but it still happened... he was gone from her life, and that was that.

There was only one problem left that needed taking care of before she could head back to ‘Normalville’. Riley. Friday seemed a long way off now that she was looking forward to it. She would just have to keep herself busy until then, running, painting, hanging out with her friends.

She locked her door and headed for the stairs, never once suspecting that her dreams were far from through being haunting by Spike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You WHAT!?!?” If it had been anyone other than William, he would have fired them on the spot. Not once did he think it would be William who would crack under the pressure of the situation. It was supposed to be Buffy.

“I know. I fucked up royally.” He quickly envisioned all his dreams going down the tube because he couldn’t control his emotions over one girl. But Lorne didn’t know how he felt about her. If he did, he might understand how hard it was for him to be around her. As it stood now, he fully expected him to call off their deal concerning the restaurant.

“What happened, man?” This outta be interesting, he thought. Whatever happened must have really blown his mind for him to walk out on Buffy like that.

Little did Lorne know just how much truth there was behind that last musing.

“Nothin’. I mean yeah somethin’ happened but... I don’t know.” He hung his head. “Look, I understand if you want to forget `bout our arrangement and the restaurant. What I did was... unprofessional. `M sorry, for what `s worth.”

“Hold on. First of all, I’m not going to break our deal over this, but I WILL need to know what happened. Then,” he leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily while crossing his arms, “I’ll have to talk to Buffy.”

William took in his friend’s serious expression and thanked his lucky stars that he wasn’t giving up on buying Grisanti’s with him. On the other hand, he wasn’t sure how to go about telling him exactly what happened.

“I... she, she did something that made... oh bollocks.” He felt so embarrassed that he didn’t know where to begin.

Lorne felt, in part, responsible for whatever transpired between the two. Even so, he needed to know whether his plan truly failed or not. William had no idea that he knew of his feelings for Buffy, and he couldn’t force him to say anything he wasn’t willing to. He offered up a solution, one he was sure William wouldn’t say yes to, but at least he wouldn’t have to explain himself.

“Look, whatever happened is done and over with now, but if I’m going to figure out how to rectify the situation, then I have to know. If you can’t say then perhaps you could serenade me. We can do it in the office if you want some privacy.”

William looked up, horrified at the very suggestion. If he did that, Lorne would figure it all out and, and... well, he wasn’t sure what he would say. Then again, the thought of having to verbalize what happened equally horrified him. He slumped further into his chair and pulled out a cigarette, resigning himself to allowing Lorne to read him.

“This stays between us?”

“Absolutely, but I must ask, if she wants to see you again, are you willing? Or should I find someone else to replace you?” Lorne knew the answer to this already, but he wanted to make sure William understood the consequences if he chose to refuse.

“Yes, no. I mean, yes, I’m willin’ to see her again.” The thought of her being with anyone else sickened him. Seeing her again would be difficult if she even wanted to, but he’d be damned if he’d allow anyone else to lay their hands on her. “Le’s get this over with.”

Both men stood up and made their way back to Lorne’s office. After shutting the door, he gestured for William to sit while he took his own chair behind his desk.

“What should I sing?”

“Doesn’t matter, hell, you could hum, it all works the same way.”

“Bloody hell, here goes...”

Unable to come up with anything else, he very quickly sang ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’. The second he finished Lorne broke down laughing.

“I’m sorry. Oh boy, you’ve got it bad, mister.”

He continued giggling which only served to make William feel more uncomfortable. He stood, angry with himself for going along with this idea in the first place.

“I gotta go.”

Before he could push his chair back, Lorne rushed to explain himself.

“Wait, wait. Just sit and hear me out.” He watched his friend run his fingers nervously through his hair several times before sitting back down, looking anywhere in the room except for at him.

“Now,” he leaned his elbows onto the desk and gave William a serious look, “When Buffy calls, which I’m surprised she hasn’t by now, I don’t think she’ll be in one of her ‘humming’ moods. No worries though, we have a little shopping trip planned this weekend and believe me when I say there’s nothing like buying a pair of Jimmy Choo’s to make a girl sing.”

“Can you tell her `m sorry? May not make a difference, but... I jus’ want her to know. ”

“I’ll work it into the conversation somehow, yes. One last thing.” He turned serious. He hated to say it, but there really was no predicting what Buffy would say or ask for once they’d talked, so he needed to prepare William for the heartache should it happen. “You do realize there’s always a chance she may ask for a different escort?” He continued after William nodded, not missing how he fidgeted in his seat. “Our little arrangement is coming to an end here very shortly. There would be nothing stopping you from pursuing her if your feelings remain the same.”

“Not gonna happen, mate.” He couldn’t believe Lorne would suggest such a thing.

“Really? Why? Just because of how you met? You surprise me William, I mean look at you. You could have gone back home at any time to the luxury of your parents money but you didn’t.” He smiled at the confusion that filled his friend’s face.

“`M not follwin’ you.” And indeed he wasn’t. What did that have anything to do with what he felt for Buffy?

“Your passion to make your dream a reality has led you to work for me. I know you hate sleeping with these women, so how is it that you wouldn’t be willing to pursue Buffy if she’s something you want just as much as Grisanti’s?”

“I see what you’re sayin’, but there’s no way Buffy would want me. She’s special. She deserves someone better than jus’ a chef, someone who’s not... tainted.” Lorne had a point, but he was positive Buffy wouldn’t be interested in someone like William, if she could even see past ‘Spike’ and the things, and women, he’d done.

“Isn’t that for her to decide? How can you be so sure if you don’t give yourself a chance? You’re a good man, Will. You have more courage to take a risk than anyone I’ve ever met, so what’s really holding you back?” He could see him retreating inside himself the more he talked. “I’m not trying to give you a hard time, but as your friend, I don’t want you to go the rest of your life wondering ‘what if’.”

“Thanks. I know you mean well, I jus’... I’ll think `bout it. `Kay?”

“Good enough.”

The damage Spike had done wasn’t irreparable; however, it was up to him now to get these two together again. He’d have to use this Saturday’s plans to convince Buffy, somehow. He hated talking shop during his time off, but these were his friends, and he knew how happy they would be if they could just got out of their own way long enough to see it for themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Buffy.”

Riley stood up as soon as she entered the restaurant and walked towards her.

He wrapped his arms around her and moved in for a kiss that she avoided by turning to receive it on the cheek instead. She was here to break up with him, and it wouldn’t do to give him the impression everything was normal.

“How are you?” The look in his eyes said he’d caught what she did.

“Better now that you’re here.”

“If you’ll follow me please?”

Buffy turned towards the maître d's voice to discover it was none other than Willow’s boyfriend.

“Oz, how are you?”

The short red haired man smiled back.

“Hey, Buffy. I’ll be better when nine o’clock rolls around.” He pursed his lips.

“Seeing Willow tonight I take it?”

“Yup.” He looked at his watch. “In exactly one hour and twenty two minutes.”

“Not that you’re counting or anything?” She couldn’t help but tease him. She was truly happy Willow had found someone who adored her enough to count the minutes.

“Not that I’m counting.” He shook his head playfully and gestured an arm outward. “Shall I seat you?”

“Thanks.”

Riley kept one arm around her waist as Oz guided them to a table in the middle of the restaurant. After they were seated, she exchanged a few more words with him and turned towards her soon to be ex-boyfriend. He had an odd look on his face.

“Something wrong?”

“Just wondering why you didn’t introduce me to your friend.”

“Oh, sorry. I thought you’d already met Oz at the Bronze.”

He gave her what could only be described as a plastic kind of smile, tight, like he was preoccupied with some other thought.

“No, I haven’t.” He shook his head and the look disappeared. “Don’t worry about it. So what are you in the mood for tonight?”

They settled back to scan their menus, unaware that the chef working that night would soon be in no mood to cook.

Oz knew Buffy was here to dump her boyfriend and thought he’d take the opportunity to see what William thought of her. He agreed with his girlfriend that their respective friends would get along great, but Willow still had yet to get Buffy to agree to a set up. As soon as she did, he promised he would talk to William.

Walking into the back of the kitchen, he found William leaning over a cloud of steam coming from a pan he was shaking vigorously in his left hand while sprinkling herbs over it with his right. As he approached him, William flipped its contents in the air a few times before turning to slide them onto a plate.

“Wassup.” Oz tilted his head up and stuck out his jaw.

“Scallops.”

“Not a seafood man myself.”

“Ah, but you haven’ tried mine, now have you?”

“Good point.” Deciding to make small chat first, he plucked one of the steamy white bits off the plate, shoved it in his mouth and chewed while looking in the air as if thinking.

“Not bad, eh?” William waited for the verdict to come in. Oz was a man of few words, but at least when he spoke it was something worth hearing.

“It’s good. A little hot, but good.”

“S’pose to be, `s the spices.” He didn’t need to defend his work, he knew if Oz didn’t like it he’d come out and say so.

“Speaking of spicy things, there’s a hot little blonde number out there at table twenty seven you should see.”

“Really?” Okay that was kind of weird coming from Oz. “Thought you and Willow were happy.”

“Oh we totally are, I just remembered you like blondes. Come on.” He motioned for him to follow and headed towards the door the waiters usually came in and out of with their orders. Turning around, he waited till William caught up.

“So where’s this bird you’re talkin’ `bout? You know I don’ know what numbers the tabl...” Looking through the doorway he was greeted with a sight he did not expect to see.

“She’s the only chick out there in a yellow dress, to the left.” He pointed a finger straight at Buffy.

William couldn’t speak for a moment. He felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach. There was his girl, sitting with another guy. From the looks of her laughing and talking away, he surmised it must be a date. He tried to remain calm enough to answer Oz when he repeated himself.

“I asked what you thought, man.”

“Yeah, she’s cute. Got a boyfriend from the looks of it though.” He needed to leave. Right now.

Oz drew a confused look and shrugged his shoulders when William walked back into the kitchen. Cute was a start.

All he saw was red. Thinking about Buffy with another man was bad enough, actually seeing her with one had him wanting to storm out there, squeeze the life out of the guy’s throat and drag Buffy from the restaurant by her hair in cave-man style. He seriously didn’t know how the hell he was going to get through what little time he had left on his shift.

He walked straight out the back door into the alleyway and headed for the dumpster. Reaching it, he clenched his jaw muscles tightly then pulled his arm all the way back and landed a punch with such force it left a small dent against the rusty metal. He looked down as his brain registered the pain coming from his bloody knuckles and laughed like a mad man. It seemed he couldn’t escape her no matter what. Cooking at work was the only time he found any form of break from her being in his thoughts. And now here she was, invading the only space left that afforded him that bit of solitude.

No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t leave. He had thirty five minutes before Antonio would come in and take over whatever he hadn’t finished, it was their routine.

“I can do this, I HAVE to do this.” Patting his pockets, he searched for his smokes. The nicotine would help calm him down. “Ah.” Taking them out, he lit one up and inhaled deeply. A few more drags and he’d go back in, then try like hell NOT to go anywhere near the door that led to the dining room.

Twenty five minutes after they were served, Riley had finished his plate. He’d been chatting all through dinner about his week and how much he missed her when he finally gave up. Buffy was still sitting there quietly staring at her plate, twirling her noodles with a fork.

“Buffy, is there something wrong? Buffy?” He finally startled her into looking up. “Are you not feeling well? You haven’t touched very much of your food, babe.”

“Uhm, no. I feel fine; just have a lot on my mind.” Placing her fork on the table she sat back. She knew it was time, but she still dreaded having to do it. She’d been waiting for him to both finish his meal and stop yammering on and on. How she put up with him for even three weeks she didn’t know. Just give me thirty seconds and two deep breaths to say what I have to say and it’s over.

Taking up a sly grin he offered a suggestion as to how he could take her mind off her thoughts.

“Why don’t you come back to my place? I’ll give you a ‘massage’,” he emphasized the word then winked, “take your mind off all your worries for the night.” That got her attention.

Their waiter showed up at that moment so she had to wait until he finished clearing their plates and asking about dessert before she could get to the heart of matters. As soon as he walked away, she leaned both elbows on the table, interlaced her fingers together in front of her and took a deep breath.

“Riley, I... I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Why is that exactly?”

“Well, with everything going on at the gallery lately, I need to focus more on work. I like you, but I don’t have the time necessary to devote to trying to build or maintain a relationship at this point in my life.” Hey, that only took ten seconds, whewww.

He knitted his brows together.

“Buffy? I can tell you’re stressed right now, and if you think you need to spend more time at work then I understand. So I’m going to forget that even sounded like you were trying to break up with me, cuz that’s not going to solve whatever problems you’ve been facing lately.”

Back in the kitchen............

“`M headin’ out mate.” William grabbed a styrofoam container holding the dinner he’d made himself and saluted Oz, anxious to leave and go have a drink with Lorne.

“Hey, Antonio asked to see you up front before you take off, something about your hours next week.”

Fuck, he thought. He knew Buffy and her date would probably still be there. He’d have to force himself not look their way lest he get the urge to walk over there and make an ass of himself. It wasn’t in his nature to cause a scene, but when it came to Buffy all bets were off. Keeping his head forward, he thanked Oz and said his goodbye’s to everyone else who’d been working that night as he passed them on his way to the front.

“Oh William, I’m glad I caught you before you left. I need you to work...”

Half-listening to his boss, he couldn’t help but notice an unusual hush in the dining room while two clear voices steadily became louder. Antonio kept talking even when Spike looked over in the direction he’d been trying to ignore.

“Riley, have you been listening to anything I’ve said at all?” Frustrated, she slapped her hands on the table a little harder than she intended too, drawing unwanted attention to herself from the other patrons. She lowered her voice. If he didn’t get the message after her third try then she would spell it out for him. “I am not stressed. I am not tired. I don’t have the time OR desire right now for a relationship.”

Riley leaned closer to her from across the table, frustration clearly setting in that she wouldn’t give in to him. His tone of voice took on an aggravated edge to it, making two of the female customers closest to them gasp in shock.

“Why are being such a bitch, Buffy? I’m giving you a chance here to let me take care of you so we can keep what we have.”

“Excuse me?”

Scanning the room for the source of the commotion, William did a double-take when his eyes landed on Buffy and her date. He placed a hand on Antonio’s arm to stop him from talking, after which they both focused on the couple that was quickly becoming the center of attention.

He clearly heard the word ‘bitch’ escape the boy’s mouth along with everyone else in the restaurant and held his breath for Buffy’s reaction. Knowing his girl, she’d put the bloody ponce in his place with that sassy mouth of hers in no time flat. This was going to be a good night after all. Not only had Buffy’s date gone horribly wrong, but he just happened to be standing where he could witness it.

This time she didn’t care who heard her. Even when she saw Oz stop dead in his tracks she continued, her voice becoming both harsh and loud.

“I’m ABOUT to become the world’s biggest bitch if you don’t get it through that THICK. DUMB. Farm-hand head of yours, Rileeeeey,” she drawled his name out to make sure he knew how stupid she thought he really was.

Bloody hell, tha’s Riley? Oh, I wouldn’ miss this for the world.

“I’m breaking up with you, and,” she raised her right hand in front of her chest, “there is nothing you can say that will change my mind.” She sliced her hand through the air in a show of decisiveness as she finished her sentence. “End of story.”

Riley reached out and grabbed her wrist, squeezing it hard enough to make her yelp.

“You’re seeing someone else, aren’t you? That’s why you haven’t been around, haven’t called, didn’t kiss me tonight. You’re fucking somebody else, you little whore.” He tightened his grip, making her wince in pain.

It only took a second after the pillock grabbed Buffy’s arm and William was already half way to their table.

“OW, let go of...”

“`F you know wha’s good for you, mate, you’ll let go of the lady’s arm right now.” His eyes turned deadly. “Or lose yours,” his voice ground out threateningly.

Buffy’s eyes went huge with recognition as she turned towards the familiar voice of her rescuer. There stood Spike, a dangerous expression on his face, poised to launch himself at Riley. She was about to say his name when the owner of the restaurant along with Oz and three other male employees suddenly appeared at his side.

Riley, too, had been surprised enough by the interruption that when his grip loosened, Buffy immediately snatched her hand back and stood up.

“Is there a problem here?” Antonio puffed up his chest; the short, stout little Italian wasn’t having any of this type of behavior in his place.

“N-no.” Riley stammered. Everyone around them could tell the boy was too stunned to say much of anything else.

Buffy felt a gentle hand on her arm, pulling her body behind the small entourage of men in a show of protection. She turned to see it was Oz, who simply nodded once at her as if to say ‘don’t worry’.

“... call the police.”

Buffy picked up the tail end of the owner’s sentence.

“No.” All eyes to include Riley’s turned to her. Feeling the need to get out of there, her words came out rushed. “That won’t be necessary. I’m leaving.” She quickly grabbed her purse and all but ran from the embarrassing situation out the front door, not seeing Spike hot on her heels.

Fumbling in her purse for her keys, she walked as fast as she could towards her car when his voice called out her name.

“Buffy! Buffy wait.”

She turned to see Spike sprinting towards her. Becoming angry, she resumed walking, not even bothering to answer him.

“Buffy, please stop.” He slowed his gait as he neared her and reached out for her arm. The moment his fingertips touched her, she whipped around and glared at him.

“Don’t touch me.” She felt bad for a split second when she saw the shock and hurt in his eyes at her words before her anger quickly returned. “Stay away from me, Spike.” She turned and started walking again. She couldn’t deal with this. It was bad enough what had happened in the restaurant, but throwing him into the mix sent her legs into overdrive with the need to get to her car and drive home.

“Buffy, please. Luv, please stop.” He couldn’t let her leave like this. The need to make sure she was alright overwhelmed him, propelling his legs forwards despite her harsh words and the hurt it filled him with. “BUFFY!” It didn’t look as if she was going to even acknowledge him. She unlocked her doors remotely with her keys and got inside. He stood in front of her car and stared as she turned the ignition over and stepped on the gas, making the engine roar loudly.

Something inside of him snapped at that moment. Quick as lightning he rushed to the passenger door, opened it and got in, slamming it shut behind him.

“What the... get out of my car now, Spike.”

“No.” Now he was the one who was angry. All he wanted was a minute of her time and she wouldn’t even give him that.

“What are doing here anyway?”

Thinking quickly, he held up his styrofoam box.

“Dinner.”

She slumped into her seat and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone,” she whined the words out like a child. “What is it that you want exactly? I’m tired and I just want to go...” He interrupted her, this time in a soft, pleading voice.

“Buffy, look at me, please.”

She opened her eyes and turned her whole body sideways towards him.

“Are you alright? He didn’ hurt you, did he? Cuz if he did I’ll...”

“You’ll what? Go beat him up? That’s not necessary, I’m fine. So if that’s it, then please...” She paused to sigh heavily. “Please,” she begged “Get out of my car.”

“No. Tha’s not it.” He was desperate for her to forgive him for the other night, and he wasn’t leaving until she at least heard what he had to say. “I-I want to apologize... for the other night. I shouldn’ have...”

He never got to finish before Buffy shot back at him with an angry voice.

“Well you did. So save it, I don’t want to hear your excuse.”

“Wha’s your problem?” God, she was being difficult.

“My problem? My PROBLEM?” She pointed at herself and raised her voice. “You should know seeing that you’re the one who made me aware of it the other night.” The confused look on his face made her even angrier. “You’ve made it clear that you don’t ever want to see me again, so spare me the lame attempt at apologizing.”

He couldn’t believe his ears. How the hell had she managed to twist his hasty departure into meaning he didn’t want to see her again?

“`S that what you think?” He asked incredulously. “Buffy, tha’s not...”

“Isn’t it? Oh I think it is, so don’t bother pretending it’s anything but. You can take this ‘ACT’ with you and get the hell away from me. I don’t need your pity and I DON’T need you. There are plenty of guys out there who want to be with me, ones I don’t need to pay to...” She didn’t bother to finish that sentence, the look on his face indicated he knew all too well what she was implying.

She was so determined to shut him out and believe what she wanted that he knew there was nothing he could do or say to convince her otherwise. He opened the passenger door and stepped out. Bending over, he looked her straight in eyes.

“You’re wrong.” Standing upright, he slammed her door shut and watched as she peeled out of the parking lot. She was so strong-willed and stubborn that not even Lorne would be able to get through to her with Spike’s apology, he was sure of it.



A/N: Not a happy chapter, but I can promise the next 2-3 WILL be of the feel-good variety. No angst, and no cliffhangers, just fun, and dare I say... romance? Till next posting, drop me a line to let me know what you think and remember, it’s always darkest before the dawn. Wouldn’t be spuffy if our couple got together too quickly, so if that’s what your looking for, you won’t find it here, sorry.