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It wasn’t until Harmony snootily reminded her the following morning while a still-pale Xander and Spike sipped home-made chicken noodle soup slowly that Buffy remembered the PR event that evening. Cursing under her breath, she went in search of Willow. Unsurprisingly, the little redhead was ensconced in the massage parlour, where she and Tara were entertaining Dawn; the two women had become close friends, to each other and Buffy herself.

The blonde stood in the doorway, smiling gently as she watched the three girls playing snap on Tara’s table. Every so often there would come an excited squeal, followed by an explosion of giggling. Grinning widely now, Buffy cleared her throat and blinked when three huge, unwavering smiles greeted her.

“Sorry to interrupt such an intense game.” They giggled again. “But I was wondering if one of you would be able to baby-sit Dawnie for me tonight? There’s another PR event on and I’m supposed to attend.”

Willow and Tara looked at each other, then down at their charge. The little girl gave an innocent, disarming smile and stuck her thumb in her mouth again. Buffy could almost see their resolve crumble to dust. Willow volunteered with a sigh of adoration before drawing Dawn into her lap. Buffy couldn’t contain her smirk.

“She’s just so adorable!” The redhead defended herself.

Still sniggering quietly, their boss turned to find the two clients. Both had finished their soup by the time she got back to them, as she’d stopped to talk to Andrew and Jonathon on her way. She swept through the door with a dazzling smile locked firmly in place. Xander looked up and couldn’t help but smile a little weakly back. Spike just narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“Gentlemen, I have some news! You’re going to be attending the preview of The Da Vinci Code this evening. It’s a red carpet event, so feel free to make use of the personal stylists whose services come as part of the courtesy package.”

Both men groaned; Xander even went so far as to bang his head on the table, but he stopped when he turned a little green, swallowing hard. While his friend was occupied with trying hard not to throw up, Spike’s eyes glazed over in pleasure as he remembered the crimson dress. He smirked, licking his lips before curling his tongue up in the gesture that made Buffy weak at the knees. His voice was low and husky.

“You comin’ with me again, pet? I might have needs you should… satisfy.”

Xander looked up, shifting uncomfortably as the two blondes devoured each other with their eyes. “Oookay, I’m going to leave now, before I have to cut my way out through the sexual tension. Excuse me.” He fled in search of the blonde maid he was rapidly becoming entranced by.

Buffy leaned against the table, the heat in his eyes turning her legs to jelly. He stood up abruptly, almost lunging around the table to press his lips to hers in a brief, savage kiss. For a moment she forgot her self-imposed ban on all things Spike, but reality came crashing back when he wrenched himself away, leaning his forehead against hers as he panted for breath.

“God, Buffy, it’s not even been a whole day and ‘m dyin’ of withdrawals. You’re like a bloody drug, ‘n’ you’re in my blood now.” He groaned when she whimpered, willing her traitorous body back before his touch and his sweet words intoxicated her and she couldn’t tear herself away. He groaned, burying his lips in hers again for a long moment.

She pushed gently at his chest and his hands flexed on her hips before he could pull back. They stared at each other, jade eyes meeting stormy blue, before he gasped out ‘Shower!’ and fled. Buffy couldn’t help the smile of feminine pride that lifted her lips sensuously; he was in for a shock tonight.

At nine o’clock, an artfully dishevelled Xander and a thoroughly dangerous-looking Spike waited in the VIP lounge of the hotel. A sense of déjà vu washed over the blonde as the elevator bell gently pinged to announce the women’s arrival. He held his breath as the door opened and Buffy and Anya emerged, both wearing dazzling smiles. For a moment he was blinded by that smile, then his hungry eyes dropped to her clothing and he had to swallow hard.

She was wearing black leather pants so tight she must have poured herself into them, the shimmering material clinging lovingly to her shapely legs and the delectable curves of her ass. A thin strip of tanned skin teased his eyes before they rose to take in her top. Oh, bleedin’ fuck, what a top. The strapless corset was moulded to the dip above her tiny waist, its rigid material pushing her breasts up into the picture of feminine perfection. The black material gleamed as she walked, and he could see flashes of red satin behind the laces that crossed all the way down her front.

His now-dark stare lifted to her face, taking in the flawless features, her eyes ringed by a smoky mixture of colours that made their green seem even more bewitching, her pouting lips painted a deep red, her hair falling in golden waves around her face. She was magnificent. Perfect. Effulgent.

Buffy was feeling a little less than composed too. Spike was outfitted in the ‘Big Bad’ outfit he’d made his trademark and he looked good enough to eat. The gorgeous chest she’d come to adore was covered by a skin-tight black t-shirt, underneath a heavy leather duster that she knew would flow with his cocky swagger. His long legs were encased in black denim, his feet supported by clumpy black boots. His hypnotic eyes were ringed with dark eyeliner and he oozed sex appeal.

Her inner vixen purred. Mine, all mine!

Spike wrapped an arm around her waist, roughly pulling her against his side so he could lean down and brush her cheek with his lips, whispering sweet praises and heated promises in her ear so that her cheeks flushed a becoming pink. Xander, clutching an Anya radiant in a silvery grey dress that showed off long, tanned legs, followed them out.

Two limousines, one black, one white, awaited them outside. Spike immediately steered her towards the darker one, grinning at his friend, who scowled before guiding his beaming blonde escort into the sleek white car. Buffy slid into the cool embrace of leather seats, relaxing back into their soft caress. Spike thudded gracelessly down beside her, slamming the door behind him before their chauffeur could.

As the engine purred to life, Buffy shifted uncomfortably. She’d seen a glimpse of what Spike’s life was like before, but now, surrounded by the lush opulence of the car, she was acutely aware of what kind of person he was used to. She remembered Lilah’s easy manner at the ball, surrounded by enough wealth to sustain a small country for years.

She wondered if she’d ever be able to feel comfortable with such luxuries as were displayed before her now; if not, could Spike ever have a successful relationship with someone from such a different world? Doubt gnawed at her, and her fine brows drew down into a sad frown. Spike, who had been studying her face with fascination, slid an arm around her shoulders.

She leaned gratefully against his side, suddenly feeling the tiredness that had accumulated over the last couple of days. Her eyes drifted closed and she let herself fall into that peculiar state between sleeping and waking, where dreams no longer seemed unattainable and the line between reality and fantasy was blurred. A small smile curved her lips as she let herself imagine life with the watchful blonde at her side.

Spike watched her, smiling tenderly. With her head on his shoulder, her face relaxed in half-sleep, she looked so innocent and content that it made his heart skip a beat. His own eyes fell half shut, his mind drifting into fantasies that he’d barely let himself dream of in a deep, hidden corner of his heart. Locked together, they indulged in dreams that were achingly similar, though neither was ready to acknowledge the feeling behind the fantasy.

The jolt as the car slowed to a halt roused him from his trance. He gently shook Buffy to alertness and she tensed when she heard the muffled roar of chatter outside. Seeing her wide-eyed apprehension, he smiled easily.

“Relax, kitten; just remember to smile and look beautiful. Shouldn’t be a problem for you. It’s just business, right?”

She smiled weakly before he glanced at her, took a deep breath and knocked on the window. The door opened and he gracefully slipped out, turning to help her to her feet beside him. There was a sudden silence at the appearance of the petite blonde beside Hollywood’s darling child before an explosion of questions and camera flashes made her jump, though she smiled dazzlingly. They glided up the red carpet towards the building, Spike stopping her with gentle pressure on her arm every so often to turn and pose for a photographer. Just as they reached the doorway, he tugged on her hand. She stopped, looking up at him with a wide, exhilarated smile. He smiled softly back, oblivious to the flashing of the cameras before they swept in through the doors.

They were lead to their seats in the cinema. A grinning Xander and a thoroughly surprised but pleased-looking Anya appeared shortly afterwards. When the blonde couple turned to him in perfect synchronisation and lifted identically questioning eyebrows, he blinked before shaking his head and grinning smugly.

“What did you do?” The suspicious question came from Spike.

“The Xan-man has just ensured that he is the one who will be making the front cover of every newspaper nationwide tomorrow morning.” The dark-haired man grinned smugly.

“So, what did you do?” Buffy asked with a barely-concealed grin at their friendly rivalry.

A starry-eyed Anya looked at Xander with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. “He kissed me! In front of everybody.” She turned to her paramour. “You didn’t tell me you enjoyed exhibitionist acts. Why, we could always...”

They never knew what they could always, as a bright red Xander clapped a hand over her mouth. Spike smirked at him, cocking a brow as if to say exhibitionism huh? just as the lights dim. They settled back into their seats as the big screen bloomed into life and a great swell of sound drowned out Anya’s enthusiastic, if whispered, suggestions.

Spike barely concentrated on the movie. He was totally absorbed in watching Buffy, who had her eyes trained on the screen with rapt fascination, her expressive features displaying her every emotion. She was more interesting to watch than any film, and he found himself unable to look away. She gasped, lips parting on the sound, and he couldn’t help the wave of desire that flooded him.

He glanced around to make sure nobody was watching, then leant down and brushed his fingers over her cheek. She jumped, turning to face him and he cut off her protests by gently pressing his lips to hers. She instantly forgot the movie, twisting in her seat to grant him greater access. His hands fumbled for a grip on her contorted shape, until finally he cupped her face in his hands.

They indulged in a fairly heavy make-out session for the rest of the movie, hastily breaking apart when the lights rose. She exited the building in a daze, hardly registering that she was smiling with bewildered happiness as they moved down the red carpet and into the limo. Spike was grinning smugly, seeing her dazed expression and correctly interpreting it as a sign of his prowess.

They rode back to the hotel in silence, parting at the door to suite with a casual goodbye, now that they were back in the client-employee zone, but both fell into bed with besotted smiles on their faces, and both savoured a repeat of their red-carpet fantasies.





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