Turning to go back inside, she stilled at the roar of a motor growing closer. Maybe this was Angel coming to pick her up and apologise. Tyres screeched at the corner of the block as a black motorcycle rounded the corner, heading towards the Bronze. Dust flew in the air as it skidded 180 in front of her.
“Will this do, pet?”
“Well...” Buffy stuttered nervously, eyes wide.
“You chits aint half hard to please.” He rolled his eyes and held out his hand. “Hop on.”
She took his hand and gingerly climbed onto the back of the bike. It purred beneath her as she settled in close to William, wrapping her arms automatically round his waist. “Where are we going?”
“Where do you want to go?”
Buffy could feel his back tense in anticipation of her answer. She’d assumed he was taking her home but his open ended question created a multitude of possibilities.
“Anywhere. Somewhere that’s else.” She rubbed her cheek against the soft leather of his duster and closed her eyes.
With a wheel spin and a roar of the throttle, they headed for the town border.
~~
Buffy didn’t know how long they had been riding but as soon as they had passed the Sunnydale exit sign, she had felt a weight lift from her shoulders; a weight she didn’t know she had been carrying. Clinging to William, she used his back as a shield from the wind as they advanced through the winding roads of a neighbouring town.
He’d been very considerate of her apparent nerves, sticking to the strict speed limits and taking extra care on the bends. Her hands were interlocked on his stomach, just above the waist of his jeans. The feel of her body pressed so intimately to his back made it a necessity that he take special care for fear she would distract him completely.
“Are you alright?” He slowed down a little so he could be heard over the growl of the engine.
He felt her nod against his back and her hands tighten a little at his waist. Accelerating slightly as they exited another town, he turned his focus back to the road. He had no idea where they were going, let alone what had possessed him to take the route out of town but he knew the further they got from Sunnydale, everything else seemed to matter less. No Angel, no Joyce, no friends, no awkward ‘appropriate’ behaviour. Just them.
Buffy leant back, shaking her head as she much as she dare to whilst travelling at 100kph, to clear stray wisps of hair from her eyes. The world was suddenly open to her, the boundary walls had been torn down and she was clutching a man who she had desired for so long that her body ached with the rumble of the engine between her legs.
Suddenly, a fork of lightening pierced the twilight followed closely by a long rumble of thunder. Buffy squealed. William squeezed the throttle hard as they hurtled round several bends in quick succession. Big splotches of rain began to fall, dousing them and the already slick tarmac. Ahead, like an oasis in the heart of a desert, lights burned in the windows of what appeared to be a hotel.
Skidding the motorcycle into the parking lot, William jumped off to help Buffy stand.
“My legs are like jelly.” She shouted over the now pounding rain.
Without bothering to seek her permission, he scooped her into his arms and took off at a run towards the entrance. He deposited her carefully back onto her feet, keeping a hand on her elbow to ensure she was steady. “Sorry about that, didn’t want you to get any wetter than you already were.”
Buffy winked at him and poked out her tongue. “Your eyeliner is running.”
“So is yours!” He laughed using his thumb to wipe clean the delicate skin underneath her eyes.
Looking around, Buffy noticed that they were stood in the entrance hall of a rather expensive looking hotel. “Um, William?”
“It’s nice isn’t it?” He rubbed her arm to help soothe away the goose bumps as he looked around for a member of staff.
“It sure is but I think we’re kinda outta place, don’t you?” She whispered and looked pointedly at their costumes and bedraggled appearance.
Before he could answer, they were approached by a man in staff uniform. “Welcome to the San Ynez Hotel. Can I help you at all?” Contrary to Buffy’s expectations, the man seemed very jovial and friendly and did not pay any attention to their less than desirable appearance.
“Yes, we were rather hoping we could shelter here for an hour or so until the storm passes. You were the first place we came across to pull in. We can’t really carry on riding in this weather.” William gestured to the motorcycle in the lot. He slipped his hand into Buffy’s, grateful that he looked a little younger than his years and she looked a little older than hers.
“You’ll be very lucky, sir, if that storm clears tonight. Have you not seen the reports? It’s expected to last the night and much of tomorrow.”
“Then I guess we’ll be here a bit longer than an hour then.” William chuckled, squeezing Buffy’s palm in order to suppress the panic he was sure she must be feeling.
“Indeed. We do have available accommodation if you wish to spend the night.” He gestured towards the reception desk.
“Give us a minute.” William smiled politely, tugging a shivering Buffy over to a couch situated in front of a roaring open fire.
“What are we going to do? Mom will have an aneurysm.” Buffy fought to speak through chattering teeth.
“Call Willow and tell her you’ve gone home because you’re unwell. Call your Mom and tell her you’re staying at Willow’s.”
“But…”
“Look, you can’t speak because you’re shivering so much. And you heard what that bloke said, it’s on for the night. I’m not risking going out again now, the roads will be treacherous.”
“But what about-” Thunder cracked loudly overhead. Buffy visibly jumped. “I’m not a huge fan of storms.”
“Don’t you worry about anything alright? I’ll take care of things.” William looked at her intently, trying to figure out what was causing her so much anxiety.
“What about rooms? Do we, you know, together or do we get separate ones?”
“I was going to suggest a deluxe suite. Same room, different beds. That way, I can make sure you’re well looked after and you still get to keep your dignity.” He winked and stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She shivered again but this time, not from the cold.
“How did we get here?” Buffy whispered, lost once more in the depths of his cerulean gaze.
“I don’t know.” William leant forward, resting his forehead against hers. “You said you wanted to go anywhere, so I hit the throttle and kept going.”
“I like it here.” Buffy smiled.
“So do I.” William smiled back at her.
[Reviews - 228]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 3276 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
This story has been nominated again!!!! *does happy dance* Again, its at the Cradle of Humanity Awards and its for Best Romance! So, in honour of the nomination... here is Chapter 11!
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks to all you lovely readers and reviewers - you are absolutely wonderful.