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Author's Chapter Notes:
Wow-but reviews are awesome. Thanks so much to all my reviewers!!!

Also thanks to whoever nominated my fic at the Cradle of Humanity Awards.
“Buffy…honey we have to go. Are you ready?” Joyce called out while checking her appearance in the mirror a final time. She smiled at her reflection.

“Yeah Mom. I’m ready.” Buffy answered as she came into her mother’s room. She gave a little turn. “What do you think? Do I look like someone headed off for evening of classy fundraising?”

Joyce nodded, feeling a few tears gather as she looked at her very grown-up looking daughter. Buffy had chosen a simple silver-blue cocktail dress and pulled her hair up into an uncluttered twist. “You look lovely Buffy.”

She smiled. “Well it must run in the family.”

Joyce grinned before doing her own turn. “You like?”

“Oh yeah. I think the men are going to be drooling all over you.”

Joyce laughed. “Well I hope not; I just bought this dress.”

Buffy giggled and handed her mother her wrap. Grabbing the one she was borrowing, she followed her mom down the stairs and to the car.
***************************************************
Two and a half hours later, the evening was in full swing. The Silent Auction was a great success and several local companies had made generous donations. Anne surveyed the room with more than a touch of pride. She was also thrilled to see that people seemed to be genuinely having a good time. There was a band playing mostly swing era hits and more than a few people were dancing. Her expression grew more wistful as she watched.

William noticed the sudden change in his mother’s demeanor and came over. “Mum, is everything all right? I thought that you were counting the evening a success.”

She smiled. “Oh I am. Everything is fine. I guess I was just thinking about your father.”

William nodded and slid his arm around his mother’s shoulders. He followed her gaze to the dancers and realized what he had to do. He smiled. “Would you like to dance Mum?”

Anne nodded. “Who wouldn’t want to dance with the handsomest young man here?”

William rolled his eyes as he offered his mother his arm and led her over to the dance floor.


Joyce and Buffy walked out from the back room.

“Thanks for your help Sweetie.”

Buffy smiled good-naturedly. “It’s no problem mom.”

“Wasn’t Angel coming tonight?”

“Yeah he said he was going to be late, but I thought he’d be here by now.”

Joyce gave her a sympathetic look. “Well I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” She suddenly stopped and nodded towards the dance floor. “Oh look…how sweet.”

Buffy followed her mother’s gesture and watched in surprise as William danced with his mother. Her eyes widened. William could dance.

As the song ended Anne gave her son a hug. “All right now, you’ve done your duty by your mum. Now go ask Buffy to dance.”

William shook his head. “Oh no. I don’t think…”

“I do think. Now go ask her. Trust me.”

William led his mother back to where Joyce and Buffy were watching and turned nervously to Buffy. What the hell, he thought; if nothing else it would give him an excuse to hold her for a few minutes. Well it would if she said yes, he amended. “Buffy, would you like to dance?”

“Oh but I can’t.” She shook her head. “I mean I wish I could but I don’t know how to do that stuff you were doing. That was all like, Fred Astaire. I’m more familiar with the shake it if you got it stuff.”

William smiled, relieved to hear the reason for her initial rejection and shook his head. “It was pretty basic really, I…I can lead Buffy.” He ducked his head shyly for a moment before laughing. “Well I could if you let me.”

Buffy’s mouth opened in surprise. She grinned. “Are you saying that I’m bossy?”

He held up his hands at her mock indignation.

“I am not bossy…okay well, I’m not that bossy.” She joined his laughter.

He grinned. “Well then, would you like to give it a try?”

She nodded and clutched William’s arm before he even had a chance to offer it.

William didn’t bother to hide his smile as he led her over to the dance floor. He gently helped her into position and talked her through the first few steps. They danced for a moment somewhat awkwardly before he pulled her closer, fitting her body against his. He blushed at her startled expression. “I…if you’re closer it should help you follow my lead. You have to sort of feel what I’m going to do next.” Of course, he thought, that may not be all you end up feeling. He swallowed and concentrated on stopping his body’s reaction to the perfect feel of her in his arms.

Buffy nodded and forced her mind to stop reeling. Just follow, she ordered herself before realizing that she was already doing just that.

“Don’t watch your feet love.”

Buffy looked up at him and smiled sheepishly.

William gave her a big smile. “You’re doing fine, better really; you’re a natural.” He held back the part about her natural grace.

They didn’t notice that they’d caught the eye and the lens of the event photographer. She quickly took several shots of the handsome couple as they danced.

Anne turned to her friend with a smile. “What do think?”

Joyce chuckled. “It definitely looks promising.” Grinning, she gestured towards the couple. “Have you noticed that Buffy selected matching clothing for them?”

Anne turned back to look at her son’s black suit and pale blue shirt and nodded. She reached over and hooked her arm through Joyce’s. “Come on; let’s get a drink and pretend we’re not watching before we get caught.”

Buffy grinned up at him. “Thank you for this; I feel like Cinderella.”

William’s eyes grew soft, but he kept his gaze on hers. “Only I’m not Prince Charming pet.”

Buffy frowned slightly as she tried to figure out the meaning behind his words.

He quickly covered his momentary lapse. “For one thing, even I wouldn’t wear a jacket with those silly tassels.”

When he finally walked in, Angel quickly realized that he’d made two big mistakes. First, he thought with a frown, he shouldn’t have come to this damn gallery thing so late. Second he should have realized that William was after his girl. Angel watched the man dancing with his Buffy and scowled. He really hadn’t had a problem with them hanging out; it just hadn’t occurred to him to have one. He’d been sure that Buffy loved him and he hadn’t really thought that William was potential competition anyway. Hell, he thought before making his way towards the dance floor, he’d thought that the guy was gay, especially after he’d gone with Buffy to that skating thing.

*****************************************************************
William went home on cloud nine. Sure Angel had shown up while he was dancing with Buffy and claimed “his girl”, but that didn’t erase the feel of her against him or the memory of her smiling up at him so excitedly. And, he thought fervently, she had looked at him differently tonight; he was sure of it. For the first time, William felt like Buffy had looked at him as a man.

Lying on his bed, he soon realized that replaying the evening’s events was doing nothing to alleviate the increasing uncomfortable situation in his pants. With a quick glance to make sure that his door was firmly shut, William closed his eyes and slid his hand down his body and under the waist band of his pajama pants. He groaned as he grasped his already full erection and began stroking quickly up and down. The memory of her scent and touch were still fresh and as he remembered their dance he imagined that he had instead impressed her with a series of witty remarks before sweeping her off her feet with a romantic Hollywood style kiss. He came quickly, imagining his name gasped softly by her lips, and was soon immersed in sleep.
**************************************************************

Buffy was not sleeping so easily. Hitting her head against her pillow, she groaned. Stupid, stupid Buffy, she thought; you have a boyfriend. You have a boyfriend who loves you and is nice and good-looking but, she thought angrily, can you just be happy and love him back. No, she answered herself; no you have to screw everything up by falling for someone else. She flipped over on her bed and buried her face in her pillow to muffle her scream of frustration. And not just anyone, she continued to taunt herself, you have to go ahead and fall for your best friend, a guy who has been nothing but sweet to you and has made it abundantly clear that he is not looking for a girlfriend.

Buffy groaned again, fisting her hands in her pillow, and returned to her stupid Buffy chant.





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