Buffy walked into the Magic Box to be greeted by Giles and the rest of the gang. However, she didn't expect the gang to include Spike who was casually lounging on the counter. She looked over at him and immediately became nervous. She hadn't seen him since the kissing incident caused by the singing and dancing demon. She knew it shouldn't have been that big of a deal. She wished she could just go back to how things were and forget about it but there was this feeling that was nagging at her and she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Something resembling a friendship had started to form with him. He was the only one she had confided in about what happened to her after she died. They went patrolling almost every night and would have conversations like two normal people even though normal had never exactly been in her vocabulary. When she was with him she felt like an average 20 year old girl and thought it was very ironic that she only felt like that while hanging around with a vampire.

Their eyes met and to her surprise, Spike looked down after only a second like a shy little boy who had just spotted his elementary school crush. Buffy hated that uncomfortable feeling and knew that this would change everything between them. She was enjoying the way things were going and didn't want the normality of their friendship to change. Enjoying his company was something she never prepared herself for but found that it came flying out of nowhere. She started looking forward to seeing him every night and didn't even realize she felt that way until that kiss ruined their nightly patrolling conversations about everything and nothing. She had actually started to miss him but knew she could never ever let him know that.

"Hey guys!" Buffy greeted, deciding that keeping her eyes away from Spike was the best idea for now. "What's the emergency?"

"Buffy, have a seat." Giles requested. "There is something going on in the demon community that I think needs to be investigated."

Giles looked nervous and a nervous Giles was always of the bad. Buffy sat down and patiently waited for Giles to speak again and tried to ignore the feeling of dread that was brewing in the pit of her stomach. He hadn't even told her what the problem was yet and she was already on the verge of having a panic attack. All it took was that one look on Giles' face to let her know that she had to brace herself for whatever news was coming.

"Do you ever watch reality television, Buffy?" Giles asked.

Buffy scrunched her nose and looked at Giles as if he were speaking a different language.

"Uh, yeah sometimes, I guess. What does that have to do with anything?"

"You see, Buffy, there is this reality show and I suspect that it is being run by demons. They did a couple shows within the past year and every couple that were declared the winners have come up missing. We think they may be using the winners as a sacrifice for something."

Spike chuckled suddenly. "I always knew those TV execs just HAD to be evil! There was no way regular humans could have been responsible for Alf."

Buffy's lips twitched as she fought the smile that Spike's comments caused. During their conversations she found that he mentioned old TV shows quite a bit. She always wondered if he had scheduled all his grisly murders around the prime time schedule during his evil days. She always stayed away from that question though. She'd rather not know. She'd rather not think of him that way. She wondered when that had changed.

Her attention had turned back to Giles, waiting for him to get to the point. "What can we do to find out more?"

"Well, that's the thing Buffy. As I see it, the only way we can gather any further information is to get personally involved. That's where you come in."

"What do you need me to do?" Buffy asked, the pang of dread returning.

"I want you to go on this show."

"What? You want me to go on TV! Giles, are you crazy?"

"Buffy, people may be getting murdered. We have to do something."

Buffy stared at him wide eyed. "You don't even know that for sure!"

"I know that but this is the only way we can find out. They have all officially been reported missing. No one has heard from either couple again after the show had finished filming."

"You keep saying couple." Buffy interjected. "Exactly what kind of show is this anyway?"

"It's called Married By America. Several couples are paired up by the television audience and have to live together for three weeks with their every move being captured on film. In the end, the television audience votes once again on which couple they feel should be married."

"How am I going to investigate demons if I'm stuck living in a house for three weeks with a complete stranger?"

At this point, Giles started cleaning his classes and another wave of fear crept its way into Buffy's throat. She swallowed audibly and her heart began to pound as if sensing what he was going to say next. "Actually, I do have one connection on the inside that will be able to rig it so you will be chosen for the show." Giles cleared his throat and sighed deeply. "You will be paired with Spike."

"What? No! No way!" Buffy stood and glanced quickly at Spike and saw a spark of a hurt expression on his face, which quickly disappeared after he noticed Buffy looking at him.

Spike hopped down from his seat on the counter. "Look, slayer, I'm not too happy about this either. How did I get dragged into this anyway?"

"I just thought you would be the logical choice." Giles admitted. "We need someone with your strength to aid Buffy in this in case things get out of hand. We don't have a ton of information about this and don't know what to expect. I just wanted to make sure we had all of our bases covered."

"Ok. Assuming we both go along with this, what exactly is it that we have to do? Since you have someone on the inside we shouldn't have to do much right? He can set it up so we win and then we can find out what happens after that. It's sounds pretty simple I guess."

"It's not that simple Buffy." Giles frowned. "My friend is able to set it up so you get chosen to be on the show but it ends there. The rest is up to you. You have to win on your own."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Buffy asked cautiously.

"By convincing the television audience that you two are hopelessly in love."

Buffy's jaw dropped. "Huh?"

To Be Continued...

The silence became deafening when Giles announced that Buffy and Spike would have to convince an audience of millions that they were completely in love.

Spike felt uncomfortable about the idea but intrigued at the same time. They had barely talked at all after their kiss and he couldn't help but wonder if she were acting so distant because she actually felt something when their lips met.

Xander cleared his throat and stood up, finally breaking the silence. "Giles, don't you think this is a little far fetched? To say that Spike and Buffy are an unlikely couple is an understatement. How do you expect them to pull this off?"

"Yeah." Willow agreed. "They aren't even attracted to each other. Well, maybe Spike is but what about Buffy? There is no way she could make out with someone that she is sickened by in front of TV cameras. The thought of it probably disgusts her."

"Thanks so much Red for those words of encouragement." Spike rolled his eyes.

"Sorry Spike." Willow replied nervously. "I was just trying to make a point."

"I think Spike is very attractive." Anya chimed in. "If it were me, I'd have no problems. I would gladly make out with him for the greater good."

"Uh, Anya!" Xander exclaimed. "Fiancée sitting right here."

"Oh right, I almost forgot the male pride." Anya walked over and sat on Xander's lap. "Xander however, is much more attractive and I would much rather spend my nights caressing his body than investigating demons with Spike." Anya smiled and Xander looked humiliated.

"Ok! Everybody stop!" Buffy interrupted. "What is all this talk about making out? Giles, what are you getting me into?"

"I've seen a few of those shows, Buffy." Xander said before Giles had a chance to speak. "They can get pretty racy. If you want to convince America that you two belong together you are going to have to be prepared to lay it on pretty thick."

"So, what you're saying is that Spike and I have to pretend to be pleasantly in love twenty four hours a day for three weeks?" Buffy asked.

"Twenty hours actually." Giles corrected. "This particular show is a little more lenient than some of the others. They let you have 4 hours a day of free time without the cameras on. Between the hours of one and five in the morning you will be free to be your normal selves."

"There is no way this is going to work." Buffy argued. "Spike and I fight way too much."

"Um, maybe you could use that to your advantage." Tara suggested after thirty minutes of silent observance.

"What do you mean, Tara?" Willow asked.

"Uh, well, sometimes fighting can equal passion. That may be something that attracts the audience. Maybe you two don't have to change much of anything. Well, except for the fact that you guys will have to kiss and stuff." Tara added shyly.

Buffy blushed at the thought of kissing Spike again. Even though no one knew about it, she still felt like she was under a spotlight.

"Ya know, the bird may be onto something." Spike added, pointing at Tara. "It would kind of be like that show Moonlighting. That David and Maddie had quite a relationship and they did nothing but fight. They had great chemistry. It was one of my favorites."

"First of all, how are we going to convince anyone that we love each other if all we do is fight? Secondly, Spike, you watch too much TV" Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Spike looked wounded. "Well, I don't hear any suggestions coming from you, Slayer."

"That's because this is ridiculous!" Buffy said, frustrated.

"Buffy, please." Giles said calmly. "I know how unhappy you are about this situation but there is definitely something out of the ordinary here and my intuition is telling me that it needs to be investigated. Look on the bright side, you won't have to worry about doing any slaying for three whole weeks until you win this thing. Think of it as a vacation."

"Well, if I have to be stuck with Spike for three whole weeks there may be one vampire that ends up getting slayed." Buffy pouted. She sat down and crossed her arms over her chest like a little girl that didn't get the toy she wanted. "Fine. If it's really necessary, I'll do it."

"Great! Thank you, Buffy." Giles said, then diverted his gaze toward Spike. "What about you Spike? Are you in?"

"If the slayer is willing, then so am I." Spike said, trying to hold back a grin.

"Good, then it's settled then." Giles sighed in relief.

"What do we have to do first?" Buffy asked.

"We need to go over the basics." Giles responded. "First of all you have to remember that you are not supposed to know each other. Basically, you are two people set up on a blind engagement." Giles then glanced over at Spike. "And Spike, you've got to stop calling her Slayer and start referring to her as Buffy and in return Buffy will start calling you William."

"No way! I don't want to go by that sissy name again. There was a reason I changed it ya know. If I can't keep my name then the deal is off. Besides, the name Spike gives me more character."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Just let him keep his stupid nickname so he stops whining."

"Hey!" Spike yelled. "I'm not whining but if I have to be stuck in a house with you for three weeks, I'd at least like to keep my dignity in tact."

"Spike, you look like a Billy Idol clone. You have no dignity." Buffy shot back.

"I'll have you know, Slayer, that Billy stole his look from me. The hair and the leather was all my idea." Spike smirked.

"Yeah." Buffy chortled. "Like that's something to be proud of!"

"That's enough!" Giles yelled in aggravation. "Stop acting like adolescents and let's get back to business. You two are going to have to try to co- exist without ripping each other apart every time you try and have a conversation."

Both Spike and Buffy looked down in shame as a result of their immaturity. Giles could make any one of the gang have that reaction whenever he started scolding them like a father.

"That's better." Giles said after five seconds of silence. "Now, if I may continue." He gave a stern look at the entire room. "While you two are on this mission, we will be visiting you a few times a week while the cameras are off to update you on the goings on. We will all be keeping a stern eye on the situation and one of us will visit regularly to let you know how you are doing compared to the competition. There will be two other couples that you must outdo. By giving you the inside scoop on how their relationships are going, you should have no problem keeping up with and surpassing them."

"When do we leave?" Buffy asked calmly.

"You will need to pack your bags straight away. We'll need to head out tomorrow evening." Giles answered.

"Fine." Buffy said softly. "Are we done here? I wanted to go in the back and train for a while."

Giles nodded and Buffy traveled to the back to let out her frustrations on the punching bag.

After three minutes of one-sided sparring, Spike walked into the training room and casually leaned against the wall, tilted his head slightly to the side, and watched her kick the hell out of the punching bag.

She stopped as soon as she noticed he was there. She sighed heavily and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off her brow.

"What do you want, Spike? Isn't being stuck together for three weeks bad enough? Do we really have to be around each other now too?"

Her words stung him but instead of being hurt he became angry.

"You better get over this holier than thou attitude you've had around me lately because if you don't, we're never gonna win this thing." Spike scowled.

Buffy remained quiet and the look on Spike's face softened. He walked over to the mats that were piled up in the corner and sat on them.

"Uh, about that kiss..." Spike started but Buffy spoke before he could finish.

"That kiss meant nothing." She said coldly. "It was because of the spell and nothing more. I hope you remember that during our little excursion because it seems we are going to have to get a lot closer than I'd like to. Let me just say right now to avoid any confusion, that anything we do within the next three weeks won't be anything more than a bizarre form of acting. Don't take anything I do or say to heart."

Spike glanced up at her determined expression. He stood up and walked toward her until he was a foot in front of her.

"If that kiss meant nothing then why have you been ignoring me ever since it happened?"

"I haven't been ignoring you. I'm avoiding you just as much as I always have."

"Give me a break, Slayer. I thought we were becoming friends."

"Friends? That's a bit of an exaggeration don't you think, Spike?"

"You have asked me almost every night for the past few weeks to patrol with you. We've had a couple of friendly conversations and have even had a few laughs. Do you always act that way toward people you despise?"

"Maybe I do." Buffy said crossing her arms across her chest in that way she always does whenever he starts to get too close to the truth.

"I think you're scared." Spike observed her.

"Of what?"

"Of what you felt that night while I was kissing you. You enjoyed every second of it. You wanted it just as much as I did and you're afraid that you are gonna feel that way again the next time we kiss because this time you won't have a spell to hide behind."

He took one step closer to her and looked deep into her eyes. She stared back, never flinching, her jaw clenching in a cross between determination and nervousness.

"We're going to have to do a lot of pretending during the next few weeks, Buffy." Spike's voice got lower and Buffy blinked wildly at the use of her name. "I know the difference between fantasy and reality. I also know when someone is enjoying kissing me. You enjoyed it then and you'll enjoy it next time too. I promise you that."

Buffy swallowed hard and Spike backed away watching her still silence. He turned and walked out of the training room, leaving her with her own thoughts.

She could have kicked herself for staying silent. She wished she could have mustered up the strength to verbally fight back. Instead, she said nothing because as much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was too paralyzed with fear that every single word he had just said to her was true. Deep down she knew that it was and because of her silence, he now knew it too.

To Be Continued.....

After arriving at the TV studio the next evening, Buffy and Spike had to fulfill their technical requirements to prepare for the show. First, they had to sign contracts and the first thing they had looked for was the promise that the cameras would be turned off between one and five in the morning like Giles had said. Luckily they had quickly found that clause which insured their privacy during those hours. The contract also stated that if chosen to be on the show the only room that was off limits to both video and audio at all times was the bathroom. At least they knew there was one place they could go if it was ever necessary for them to talk in private.

The final part of the preparations was the private interview. All contestants were supplied with a list of questions they had to answer in front of a camera to provide the viewers with enough information about themselves so the audience could pair them up. Even though they knew they were already set to be paired up and chosen for the show, they made sure to list similar interests so it looked believable to the casual observer.

Buffy and Spike spent the entire time apart after they arrived and Buffy had to constantly remind herself that she wasn't even supposed to know him. Later, each of the contestants were taken to separate hotel rooms in which they were to stay until the show had started and the decisions had been made.

Buffy stared up at the ceiling as she lay on her bed after the day's events had ended. She found herself to be completely exhausted and utterly bored. Half of her wished that Spike were there so she would at least have someone to talk to but her other half wanted to beat up that half for even having such thoughts. After their last encounter in the training room, she was afraid that any interaction between them would end up becoming awkward.

A light tapping sound on her door brought her back to reality. She quickly stood up to answer it, ready to welcome whatever friendly distraction may be standing on the other side. Her eyes widened as she saw Spike standing there after looking through her peephole. Quick as a flash, she opened the door, grabbed Spike by the front of his black T-shirt, pulled him inside and tossed him roughly onto the bed.

"Well, well, well. Aren't we quite the eager beaver." Spike said with a cocky grin, his eyes seductively scanning her body.

"Spike, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked, ignoring his comments. "What if someone saw you? We aren't supposed to know each other remember? You could have ruined everything!"

"Calm down, Slayer." Spike said as he propped himself onto the bed so his back rested against the headboard. "I got bored." He stuck his bottom lip out in an adorable pout.

Buffy definitely noticed the cuteness of it and it made her visibly relax and silently thank the heavens for the distraction she was hoping for.

She walked over to the other side of the bed and looked down at Spike who made himself a little too comfortable.

"Spike, if you are going to hang out for a while, that's fine, but my bed is off limits."

"What's the matter, Buffy? Afraid you can't handle being in the same bed as me? Afraid you won't be able to control yourself?"

"Get over yourself!" Buffy exclaimed, frustrated.

Spike watched her get onto the bed and sit down next to him with her back also resting against the headboard. He knew she would give in if he challenged her. She was way too stubborn not to try and prove him wrong.

He silently waited for her to speak but the silence lasted so long that he could no longer bear it.

"I wish you would stop being so nervous about this. It's really not that big a deal. Nothing to get all stressed out over, luv."

"I'm not nervous and I'm not stressed. We just don't have anything to talk about. Maybe you should just go back to your own room." Buffy responded.

"Don't even try to tell me that this whole situation isn't bothering you. You haven't even been able to look at me since yesterday."

Immediately, Buffy turned to him and met his eyes. "There. I'm looking at you. Are you happy now?"

Before Buffy was even able to blink, Spike quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss ended as quickly as it begun and it caused her to furrow her brow in confusion. Her thoughts paralyzed her and she cursed herself for thinking about how soft his lips had been and how hard her heart was suddenly beating.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Spike shrugged. "Just breaking the tension. We are going to have to kiss, you know. I just thought if I kissed you now, it might not be so weird later."

"Well, you thought wrong." Buffy said with a lot less venom than she had intended.

Spike looked down and fiddled nervously with the edge of the blanket. "Practice makes perfect, Buffy. I figured it would be easier to deal with if we got used to kissing each other."

"That is not practice, Spike. I think they call that making out." The corner of Buffy's mouth twitched slightly as she fought a smile.

He looked over at her curiously. "What's wrong with you? There is no fist in my face and my nose remains unbroken. Are you sick or something?"

"I just don't feel like fighting right now. Besides, we are going to have to pretend we're in love. I may as well make an effort to be nice to you. It'll be a whole new experience."

Buffy beamed and Spike's heart sang. He couldn't believe it. Was she actually joking around with him? He loved to see her smile. He's never felt this way before. He's never felt this good simply because someone else seemed happy. He figured he was turning into a nancy-boy but he didn't care. He wanted to give her the world even though he knew deep down that she'd never let him.

"I'm about to risk that broken nose I've been waiting all night for by telling you this but I just wanted to let you know this is going to be a lot more difficult for you than it will be for me. When I tell you I love you and show my affection, I won't be pretending. Knowing that will probably make you even more uncomfortable but I needed you to know that."

"Spike, why do you always have to do that?" Buffy said with a huff.

"Do what?"

"Make everything harder than it has to be."

"I'm sorry, Buffy, but I can't help how I feel."

"I can't help the way I feel either." Buffy said and saw a shadow of a smile cross Spike's face. She realized he had misunderstood her so she wanted to clarify before he had any more wrong thoughts about what she meant. "I feel nothing for you, Spike. I can't even stand to be around you half the time. You infuriate me like no one I've ever known. I need you to know that so we can avoid any mixed signals."

Spike studied her carefully. "You're lying. You feel something for me. I know you do. I could feel it in your kiss."

Buffy swallowed audibly. The fact that she felt guilty for what she had said didn't help matters much. The truth was, she didn't know what she was feeling. What she said was true though, she really couldn't stand him half the time but it was the other half that worried her. He was capable of making her angrier than any human or demon she has ever encountered but then there were the times when he has said or done things that were so sweet that she wanted to hug and kiss him. Their kiss outside the bronze after the singing and dancing demon fiasco was proof of that. Her mixed feelings were sending her into a dimension of deep confusion.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Spike coming at her again. He was moving slowly toward her and she almost closed her eyes to welcome the kiss but those damn confusing emotions sent her head spinning and it caused her to do what she does best. She turned into a bitch at super speed and pushed him away from her and off of the bed.

"Ow!" Spike groaned after landing on his tailbone. "What did you do that for?"

"Obviously you're hard of hearing." She sneered, leaning over him. "I don't have any feelings for you, I don't like being around you and I certainly don't want to kiss you! That kiss was just a fluke that you've got to get over!"

Let's make some ground rules shall we?" She continued with a hand on her hip. "We are going to have to kiss, I know that much is true, but there will be no naughty touching at any time during this little project of ours. If you so much as put your hand in my back pocket like the eighties reject that you are, I will give you such an ass kicking while the cameras are off that you won't be able to see straight. Is that understood?"

Spike stood up slowly and gracefully. "I understand completely." He said the words slow, his voice lower than she was used to hearing. He took a step toward her and loomed over her. "I will keep my hands far away from your parts if that's how you want it."

"That's exactly how I want it." She said, her face determined.

"Fine." Spike backed off a little. "I can hold out as long as you can."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked.

"You'll see." With that, Spike left her room before she could get in another word.

To Be Continued...

Two large double doors stood before Buffy, waiting to be opened. She reached for the handle and opened both doors at the same time. She stood there for what seemed like forever, staring at a long hallway that seemed to have no end. She traveled down the extended hallway and noticed a number of doors with an array of colors on both sides. She stared at them intently, trying to decide which one to open first. She decided on the green door and cautiously walked into the room. She saw Parker standing there with that overly charming smile that, once upon a time, she naively thought was for her eyes only. He strolled up to her, never losing his smile and kissed her cheek.

"I had so much fun with you, Buffy. Convincing you to be with me was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Not much of a challenge but fun none the less."

"Why do you have to play with the minds of every girl you meet? Why did you use me?" Buffy scowled.

"Use you? Buffy, we used each other. We both got what we wanted."

"Do you actually think that all I'm looking for is a night of casual sex?"

"Aren't you?" Parker asked, then faded away.

She suddenly found herself in the hallway once again with more colorful doors staring her in the face, however the green door that she had already occupied was now completely boarded up.

She chose the Yellow door this time and saw Riley standing there with his hands behind his back, looking as innocently normal as he always has.

"Nice to see you, Buffy."

Buffy walked to Riley with a sympathetic smile. "I'm so sorry things ended so badly between us."

"It's ok, Buffy. I always knew you didn't love me."

"Riley, I.." Buffy began.

"No, don't explain. I understand now."

"Understand what?"

"I'm not what you needed." Riley stated flatly. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't help the way you felt. You needed someone who sparks the fire within you and that just wasn't me. I hope you find him, Buffy."

Riley suddenly disappeared, just as Parker had and she found herself once again in the hallway with another choice to make. She stood before two more doors, one red and one blue.

She took hold of the blue door's knob. "Let's see what's behind door number three."

Just as she suspected, Angel was standing on the other side of the blue door. So much has happened lately that she didn't even have time to miss him. As she saw him standing before her, mixed emotions clouded her thinking. She was happy to see him but her feelings seemed different now. She didn't know if she should be happy that she had finally begun to get over him or sad at the thought of those feelings slowly drifting away.

She wondered if she just missed that feeling of being in love. Missed the fact that there was someone out there that she always looked forward to seeing. Having someone to confide in, someone who knew her inside and out but loved her in spite of it. Someone she could count on. Someone that would never leave her. Deep down she knew that person wasn't Angel because he had left her. She desperately needed someone to be there for her but he left anyway because he had convinced himself that she would be happier in the long run. He thought it was for the best. He thought he was doing it out of love but knowing why he had abandoned her didn't stop it from hurting any less.

Angel walked up to her and grabbed both of her hands and held them in his own.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know how much I've missed you and how much I'll always miss you. I left because I couldn't give you everything you needed. Things would have gotten much worse if I had stayed."

"You didn't have the right to make that decision." Buffy argued.

"Buffy, how many times were we together kissing and touching?" He swept a hand gently down her cheek. "All that time I knew how much you cared about me. I knew you wanted to get closer than I was capable of."

"That wasn't important to me. I wanted to be with you and if that meant not being fully intimate then we would have dealt with that." Buffy stared at him with regret in her eyes.

"Intimacy always gets in the way, Buffy. I knew about the curse. I knew how much I loved you and how happy it would make me to be with you. I risked everything just so I could make love to you and because of it I almost ended up killing you."

Suddenly Angelus appeared and stood beside Angel.

"Why hello sweetheart!" Angelus greeted with a sardonic smile. "I know how much that night we had meant to you but please you have GOT to stop begging!"

Angelus took a step back and eyed Buffy up and down.

"Ah, look at you." Angelus continued. "You are all grown up and back from the dead. I was so disappointed when I heard that you were worm food. I wanted to be the one to put you in the ground but it looks like I have another chance after all."

Angel stood in front of Angelus and blocked Buffy's view of him. "Do you see now? Angel gave her a sorrowful look. "Do you see why I had to let you go?"

Angel faded and once again, Buffy found herself in the hallway. The three doors she had previously entered were now gone and only one remained. She took a deep breath and entered the room with the red door.

Spike saw her walk in and sauntered up to her immediately. Buffy looked at him and her brow wrinkled with utter confusion.

"Spike? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'll always be here, Buffy. I'll never leave you no matter how hard you try to push me away. Please, just let me love you. I can be good without a soul. I want to be better man for you. I would rather die than ever disappoint you."

A silver tray appeared in Spike's hand and a telephone lay on top of it. It started to ring.

"Answer the phone, Buffy." Spike said.

"Who is it?" Buffy asked in wonderment.

"Your true love." Spike smiled slyly.

Buffy abruptly sat up in bed. Her heart was racing because of the blaring sound of the phone that woke her. She always tends to panic and become disoriented whenever a ringing telephone wakes her out of her slumber. Her mind tried it's hardest to put together what was happening. When she finally came to her senses she reached over toward the bedside table and grabbed the receiver.

"Hello." She said groggily, her heart still pounding a little too fast.

"Good morning, luv. Did I wake you?" Spike greeted.

"Spike?" Buffy rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's eight in the morning. Time for sleeping beauty to get out of bed."

"I'm hardly sleeping beauty, Spike. When I get up in the morning I resemble some of the scary demons I've killed."

"Not possible." Spike said. "Get your cute butt out of bed. We have to go over our game plan starting with that pesky little tidbit about me bursting into flames if I step out in the bright sunshine."

Buffy let his little flirty compliments slide on account of being too tired to argue. She yawned and tried to block out the blazing sun that was shining through the partially opened curtains.

"Luckily for you, Spike, I had enough brains to think about that earlier. Don't worry. Willow will be coming by later to help you with your little problem."

There was a sudden knocking at Buffy's door and since Spike was on the phone she wondered who in the world it could be at such an early hour.

"Hang on, Spike. There's someone at the door."

"It's room service." Spike said before Buffy had a chance to put the phone down. "I ordered you some breakfast. I hope that's ok. It's sort of like a peace offering because of last night."

Buffy sighed. "All right. Hang on ok? I've got to get the door."

She opened the door to a man who rolled in a large cart of multiple plates with fancy looking silver covers on them. She gave him a tip and he left her alone with an enormous amount of food.

After staring at the food for a few seconds, she walked back to the bedside and picked up the phone.

"And who exactly do you think is going to eat all of this food?" Buffy asked.

"Spike?" She called out when she got no answer.

"Spike?" She waited a few seconds and heard nothing but silence. "Where the hell is he?"

Her door suddenly burst open and Spike came barreling through it.

"Ever hear of knocking?" Buffy asked. "And how the hell did you get in here anyway."

"I stole a master key off of one of the maid's carts." Spike admitted with a smirk.

Buffy rolled her eyes and walked over to the window to close the curtains all the way. It almost became a force of habit to protect Spike from the sun.

"I hope no one saw you. One of these days someone is going to catch you coming up here and our cover will be blown."

"I already know that, Slayer. It's not like you haven't told me a million times already. I was careful, ok?"

"Stop calling me Slayer! You have to call me Buffy remember?"

"Nag, nag, nag! You are already starting to sound like a wife."

Spike plopped down onto her unmade bed where she had slept less than a half an hour ago. He could still feel the warmth from her body on the sheets and he breathed her scent in deeply. He folded his hands under his head and stretched out as he observed Buffy in her little cloud covered tank top and matching shorts that she had slept in.

"What is with all this food?" Buffy asked as she eyed the plates curiously. "Did you order everything on the menu or something?"

"Just about, pet. I wasn't sure what you would have a taste for this morning so I ordered a little bit of everything. That's why I came up here. I thought I would help you feast on all the goodies." He said with eyes still roaming over her body.

Buffy uncovered a plate filled with pancakes. She grabbed the maple syrup and drowned her pancakes in the sugary liquid. She sat on the edge of the bed and happily began to devour her breakfast.

"Hungry, pet?" Spike asked and sat up, making his way over to the bed's edge to sit beside her.

"I'm starving!" Buffy answered him. "This is really good! Try some."

She held out a large forkful of the fluffy goodness in front of his mouth and waited for him to take a bite.

He leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the fork, looking into her eyes the entire time. He pulled the contents off of the fork with his lips and made a sound of pleasure.

"Delicious." He stated, slowly chewing and savoring the syrup coated breakfast and his tongue darted out to lick the excess off of his lips.

Buffy unconsciously watched his mouth as he chewed. She never realized how seductive feeding someone could be.

As if reading her mind, Spike uncovered a bowl filled with chilled strawberries and dipped one into some chocolate.

"If you thought those pancakes were good, trust me, these are even better."

Spike brought the coated strawberry up to her lips and held it there. She stared at him for a few seconds, unsure of what they were doing, but that strawberry just looked way too good to pass up. She opened her mouth and took the strawberry into it as well as the tips of his fingers. She could taste the salt from his skin as well as the chocolate, which made for a spine tingling mixture on her taste buds.

Spike noticed some of the chocolate that was now making it's way down Buffy's chin. He leaned forward; his heart set on lapping it up with his tongue, when there was a knock at the door.

"Bloody Hell." Spike silently grumbled.

Buffy quickly stood up in a panic and wiped the chocolate off of her face with a cloth napkin. She made her way over to the door and opened it to be greeting by the smiling face of Willow.

"Hey Willow!" Buffy greeted. "Did everything go well with the spell I asked you to do?"

"I think so. But we won't know for sure until we test it out." Willow replied.

They both made their way over to Spike, who still sat on the edge of the bed.

"Oooh! Sugary goodness!" Willow exclaimed as she grabbed one of the strawberries and ate it after dipping it into the smooth chocolate.

"I think we may have solved your sunshine problem." Buffy said, holding out a closed fist to Spike.

Spike held an open hand underneath and waited for her to drop whatever was in her hand into his.

Her fist opened slightly dropping a ring onto Spike's palm.

"What's this?" Spike asked, studying the ring.

"Congratulations." Buffy said. "It's your very own Gem of Amara."

To Be Continued....


Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews! Your words motivate me!

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Spike studied the ring for a moment in silence. It looked like an ordinary man's ring with a large blue stone in the center. He was certain he was dreaming. How could it be possible that the slayer actually trusted him with something that would make him invulnerable?

"The Gem of Amara?" He asked, mostly to himself, in a slight whisper. "This doesn't look anything like the gem."

"Well, that's because it's not. It's only a replica. Buffy had the original sent to L.A. for Angel but he destroyed it. I just had to find an ordinary ring, work my mojo and BAM, a new gem is born." Willow smiled, pleased with herself, as she continued to chew on a strawberry.

"This is amazing! Does it work?" Spike asked with hope in his eyes.

"There's only one way to find out." Buffy said and took a water pistol from behind her back and started squirting him with it.

Spike looked down at his water stained shirt and quickly stood. "Bloody Hell! What are you doing?"

"It's holy water. You didn't burn so I guess it works." Buffy smirked.

Spike looked toward the window and slowly walked up to it. He brought his hands up and prepared to push apart the curtains and let in the morning sun.

"Spike, wait!" Buffy yelled.

He stopped and turned around to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Just, go slow ok? What if you let in all that sun all at once and it doesn't work? You'll go all dusty in a matter of seconds." Buffy said with genuine concern in her voice.

"Right." Spike replied.

He continued to look at her for a few seconds. Was she really worried about him? Would watching him come to a dusty ending actually upset her? The way that she yelled out in such a panic made him wonder.

He turned back to the window and stuck his arm out between the curtains and placed his hand on the glass. He felt the warmth of the sun seep into his skin and he couldn't help but smile.

"I think it's working." He pulled the curtains open all the way and stood there with his eyes shut, letting his face completely soak up the sun.

Spike smiled wide when he realized how many things he could do now that he couldn't do before. This whole experience is going to be amazing. In his mind's eye he could see himself walking hand in hand with Buffy in the bright sunshine. He suddenly frowned when he realized that as much as he wanted that to happen, it probably wouldn't because she just didn't feel the same way about him. His love for her was all consuming and he would sometimes imagine showering her with kisses at any given time. The best part of that daydream is her acceptance of him. He wanted to kiss her and see the flush of her cheeks and the warm smile of being in love but that just seemed way too good to ever be true.

He didn't want to let what could never be ruin this moment, so he pushed those negative thoughts in the far recesses of his mind. He savored the feeling of the sun one more time before he turned around to face the girls.

He walked over to Willow and wrapped his arms around her in a friendly embrace.

"Thanks, Willow." He pulled back from her and smiled. "You do great work!"

From out of the corner of her eye, Willow caught a look of uneasiness on Buffy's face. It almost looked like disappointment so she decided to intervene.

"Well, actually Spike, it was Buffy's idea. I just did what she asked."

Buffy's eyes shot up and she shot Willow an evil glare. Spike turned and looked at Buffy's panicked expression and an automatic smirk appeared on his lips. Willow mouthed "sorry" at her and shrugged when Spike wasn't looking.

"Buffy's idea? Is that right?" Spike sauntered over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, luv. You don't know how much it means to me to have you trust me with the Gem of Amara."

"Uh, Spike, you know this offer is for a limited time only right?"

"What do you mean?"

"The ring gets destroyed when this whole nightmare is finally over. You do realize that right?" Buffy carefully studied his face.

"Right. Of course." Spike said in an understanding tone.

Buffy knew she had just crushed him. She saw the look of hurt and disappointment in his eyes. She knew him well enough to know that he tried his hardest to hide those emotions but he was just so overwhelmed at that moment that she could read every bit of what he was feeling on his face.

"I'm sorry, it's just that it's not safe to have a ring like that around. What if it got lost or stolen. It could be very dangerous." Buffy tried her best to explain after the sudden pang of guilt she felt.

"It's alright, Slayer. I get it. The gem is good enough for Angel but it's not good enough for me."

"Spike, don't do that! Don't put words in my mouth!"

"Why not? It's the truth isn't it?" Spike waited for an answer, but got none.

"You're silence speaks volumes, Slayer." He didn't hide the bitter annoyance in his voice. "The show is about to start filming in a couple hours. We better get ready." He looked over at Willow and nodded. "Thanks again, Red. See you later." He gave Buffy once last unfeeling glance and headed out the door.


*************************
The TV studio was crazy. There were a ton of crew people running around to get everything set up for the show. Buffy walked past one of the rooms to see a lot of editing equipment. There were workers inside piecing together little snippets of each winning contestant.

Buffy was trying to keep her mind off of what happened with Spike. It never phased her before, after she had hurt his feelings. It was always just another part of her day but somehow it was different this time. She felt awful for what happened but she was only trying to help. She didn't think far enough ahead to see this coming. He had been horribly offended and she never thought for a second that he would ever assume that she would let him keep the gem forever.

Her feelings of guilt were replaced with nervousness as she watched the first couple getting filmed for the show. They kept the men and women separated on different sides of the studio so they wouldn't run into each other ahead of time. Little did they know, Spike had been a part of her life for a number of years now.

She watched the silhouette of a woman behind a white screen with a round hole cut into it. The woman stood there behind the screen as the man settled on the other side on bended knee. They said a few things to each other about how they felt about the situation and expressing how happy they were to be there. The man then asked the still faceless woman to marry him and as she said yes, she placed her hand through the hole of the white screen so he could place an engagement ring on her finger.

The man then stood and waited for the screen to be pulled up so the engaged couple could now see who they have been designated to spend the rest of their lives with.

The screen lifted and the couple smiled at each other. The man stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. They looked so happy even though they had only existed in each other's lives for a matter of seconds.

Buffy noticed a man coming toward her with a clipboard in his hand. "Get ready. You're up next." He said as he passed her by.

Her insides fluttered. After watching the previous couple declare possible future love for each other it became way too real.

The man with the clipboard suddenly appeared again. He placed his hand on her back and shoved her in the direction that he wanted her to go.

She found herself on the same stage as the girl who was just proposed to. She was standing behind the same screen with shaky hands and ragged breath. Her heart was leaping in her throat and she couldn't figure out why she was in such a panic. She figured it must be the cameras. The thought of millions of people watching parts of her life with a vampire that she had mixed feelings for terrified her. She was so used to always having everything planned out and for the first time she had absolutely no idea what the next three weeks would bring.

While she waited, thoughts of chocolate and strawberries were entering her mind. Why did they keep having these weird sensuous moments just to either end up fighting or pretending that it never happened at all? She knew she had to strengthen her resolve so she wouldn't give into those moments anymore. This time with him is going to be difficult enough without letting temptation get in the way. Besides, once he found out that she was having mixed feelings for him it would be all over. She could see it all now, that cocky grin, those wandering hands, his knowing eyes. He would use all of those things to try to pull her into his world, a world that she knew she had to stay away from.

She heard an announcer call out Spike's name but she was so drowned in her thoughts that she completely missed her own introduction.

Before she could blink, she saw Spike's silhouette on the other side of the screen. He was the one on bended knee this time and was about to give his speech.

"I know this is a strange way to meet someone." He started, and she could see his head bow a little from her side of the screen. "In the next three weeks I would like the chance to try and get to know you better than anyone else does. I want to have fun with you and make you laugh. I want to hold you when you get nervous or cry. I want us to feel comfortable with each other. I want you to trust me and maybe eventually love me because I have a feeling that the moment I see you I will fall harder than I ever imagined I would. Buffy, will you marry me?"

Buffy felt a little queasy. She knew that this was supposed to be all for show but she also knew that he meant every word of what he had just said. Now she was expected to talk but after hearing his speech, she had no idea what to say. She knew she would have to go with the flow and make sure to remind him on a regular basis that this was just another way to fight impending evil and nothing more. She knew that the more she told him that it didn't mean anything, the more suspicious he would get of her constant denial but it had to be done. It scared her to admit it, but she really didn't want to hurt him. Her feelings had changed and she would like the chance at a friendship. Him loving her made that more complicated than it should be but she missed those nightly chats they used to have while they were patrolling. She saw how all of that was suddenly thrown away because of one single kiss and was afraid that more romantic feelings would just make any chance at a friendship fizzle and die.

She squeezed her eyes together tightly and took a deep breath. "This isn't exactly the traditional way to get engaged but meeting my match hasn't exactly come easily to me. So, as crazy as it is, I am willing to put my fate in the hands of a million strangers and give this the chance it deserves. I hope we are able to find that maybe this is fate. Maybe this is the way we were supposed to meet and maybe it will all work out in the end. So, yes Spike, I will marry you."

The crowd in the audience cheered and Buffy jumped a little, almost forgetting that they were even there. The lights on the stage were so bright that she could barely see them anyway. They all looked like dark globs of shadows waiting around for her to trip and fall on her face.

Buffy slipped her hand through the space in the screen and waited for Spike to make his next move. She felt his hand gently take hold of hers as he slipped an engagement ring onto her finger.

She pulled her hand away and continued to stare at the silhouette of him standing on the other side, waiting to see her. The screen pulled away and her breath caught in her throat when she saw him standing there, looking more handsome than she has ever seen him. His hair was gelled and slightly curled. He wore dark gray khakis and a dark gray long sleeved button down shirt. His blue eyes twinkled under the bright lights and he had such hope in those eyes that she had to fight her own from tearing up.

He moved toward her and gave her a quick and gentle hug before pulling back and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. They wrapped their arms around each other's waists and grinned into the camera and at the audience, neither of them knowing how they were ever going to pull this off.

Things were already starting to get way more complicated than either one of them had been expecting. Their nervousness increased as they realized this was only the beginning.

To Be Continued....

For those of you who don't already know, Married By America was actually a real reality show and that was how it worked. The whole screen thing with the hole in it for proposing is how it was actually done. The show didn't last long but after seeing it a couple times, all I could think about is how Spike and Buffy would handle the situation and that's how this story was born.

Thank you all for reading this. I will post another chapter tomorrow. I loooooved all your reviews! Please continue to leave your opinions. They make my day.

Their limousine pulled up in front of the place they were to call home for the next three weeks. As they stepped out of the car they saw three beautiful log homes. The homes were attached to each other like townhouses. They were led toward the home in the center and led inside with a cameraman following their every move so he could capture their reaction to their temporary new home.

The interior was even more gorgeous than the outside. There was a large plush black leather sofa in the living room and a coffee table made out of logs. A large entertainment system made the living room look cozy enough for Buffy to want to kick out the cameraman, get comfy and watch a good movie. A large stone fireplace was off to the side of the living room with two large chairs sitting in front of it along with a large black bear skin rug on the floor directly in front of where a fire was already burning. The dining room had a large table that was also made from huge logs to match the house. The two place settings that were already on the table made the home look more like one of those model homes that Buffy used to like to go through with her mom when she was a kid.

They walked over to a closed door on the main floor and when they opened it they saw the one thing that would bring them the most relaxation. It was a large hot tub, big enough to fit eight people. Spike and Buffy looked at each other and grinned. They hadn't smiled this wide since they were little kids receiving the one gift they wanted the most at Christmas time. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

A staircase leading up led to a huge loft where the bedroom could be found. Like practically everything else in the house, the bed frame was also completely constructed of large wooden logs and a soft mattress lay on top just waiting to be slept on. A colorful quilt and an overabundance of pillows lay on top and just a quick glance was making a very tired Buffy want to ignore everyone else and get a good night's sleep.

After capturing Spike and Buffy's initial reaction as they took a tour around the home, the cameraman finally left letting them know that filming was officially starting at five in the morning. They finally remembered the cameras and noticed there was one in every corner of every room just waiting to capture all of their actions and words for the next 21 days. Buffy silently gave thanks for the four hours a day that they would be free from the paranoia of knowing that everyone was watching them.

Buffy sat down on the leather sofa and Spike sat down next to her.

"This is nice." Buffy said, sounding content. "This house is beautiful."

"Yeah, maybe to you." Spike chortled.

"What? You don't like it?"

"It's nice enough but a house made entirely of wood isn't exactly a vampire's idea of a dream home."

Buffy laughed. "I never even thought of that. Well at least I know if you get out of line, there are plenty of weapons around."

"Very funny, Slayer."

Buffy hit him hard in the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?" Spike asked, his hand covering the section of his chest that was now aching.

"Call me Buffy! Why is that so hard for you to remember?"

"I don't know." Spike shrugged. "I guess I just like calling you by pet names better. It's more intimate."

"I don't think pet names are more intimate." Buffy frowned. "Girls always like to hear the guy they like say their name."

"Are you saying you like me?" Spike raised an eyebrow.

"I said no such thing. I was just trying to make a point." Buffy looked away from him, her chin held high.

Spike grinned and turned his body so he was facing her.

"Ok. Buffy." He drew her name out slowly and his voice was low and sensuous.

Buffy shivered. When he said her name she felt it all over. She tried to remain calm so he didn't notice the reaction she was having to a simple thing like her name coming from his lips.

Buffy wanted so desperately to change the tone of this conversation because it was wavering too close to the realm of sexuality. "My mom and I used to go through model homes like this. I used to love to look around the entire house and pick out which room would be mine if I lived there." She babbled.

"Yeah?" Spike inquired but it was obvious he wasn't really listening but instead focusing strictly on her mouth.

"Spike, stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" he drawled.

"Like you are ready to devour me!"

"What if I am?" he smirked.

"Why does everything have to become sexual to you? Is that all you think about?"

"Only when I'm around you." He answered.

"Spike, knock it off and save it for the cameras."

"Calm down, Buffy. I'm only kidding."

"No you're not!" She accused, a slight smile crossing her features.

"You're right. I'm not. But I'll stop if you want me to." He said with a sly grin.

Buffy was about to retort but was stopped by a noise that startled her slightly

"What was that?" Buffy asked, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

"What the hell is that?" She asked again. "Can you tell where it's..."

"Shhh" Spike silenced her and gently grabbed her wrist. "Come here."

Spike tried to follow the sound and lead her closer to it.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

"It's coming from upstairs." He whispered.

They climbed the stairs to the bedroom and the sounds continued to get louder.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

They walked up to the wall where the headboard rested. Buffy put her ear to the wall and Spike stood directly behind her and did the same.

They heard the thumping again and they could feel the vibrations against the wall but this time they heard moans and grunts along with it.

"Bloody Hell." Spike said, looking at the wall as if it contained all of life's answers.

A woman's moan filled their ears followed by a grunt of a man right after it.

"What are they..." Oh!" Buffy said with sudden realization.

Buffy suddenly turned around and became face to face with Spike.

"I can't believe this!" Buffy voiced in a harsh whisper. "They've known each other for two hours!"

Spike said nothing but he kept his ear to the wall and continued listening and Buffy did the same while keeping her position in facing him. He leaned his ear as far up to the wall as he possible could and placed his hand on her waist to steady himself. Well, partly to steady himself but it also gave him a reason to touch her and he never turned down an opportunity to do that.

The sounds of pleasure from the other room were getting louder and the thumping against the wall told a tale of amazing sex that was happening in their neighbor's house.

Against her will, Buffy started to become aroused and standing this close to Spike wasn't helping things in the least bit. Her ragged breathing became impossible to hide and her hot breath on his face made his tight jeans even tighter.

He squeezed her waist slightly but the touch didn't make her push him away. In fact, it made her breathing increase in speed and she knew she had to back away when naughty thoughts of Spike's body upon hers were entering her thoughts. She had never really thought of him in that way before. Once in a while a thought or two would slip in here and there, especially after their kiss but this was quite different. In her mind, his hands, his lips and other body parts she was trying not to think about were doing things to her body that she was also trying to push out of her mind.

Shaking her head slightly as if that would help rid of the fantasy in her mind, she backed away and felt a blush creep up and make her cheeks rosy. She found herself sweating and blamed it on their closeness and body heat but deep down she knew it was only her excitement. She couldn't use the body heat card on a member of the undead.

When they heard an increase in volume of the moans and groans, they knew the couple was reaching their climax and soon after the room once again was filled with silence.

"How are we ever going to win this if the people next door are already bumping and grinding? They are practically strangers!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Well it should be easier for us since we've already known each other for a while. Wanna give them a taste of their own medicine?"

"What? No! Spike, we are NOT having sex!"

"I didn't mean that we would actually have sex." Spike admitted but then paused as if in deep thought. "Unless.."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.

"Didn't think so." He sighed. "Follow my lead."

He headed toward the bed and discarded some of the large pillows that were strewn about it for decoration. He kneeled on the bed, facing the headboard and started pushing his body toward it so the headboard it the wall. Then, much to Buffy's surprise, he started groaning and her eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" She asked incredulously

"I'm trying to show these wankers what real sex sounds like. So, come over here and help me before they think I'm just jerkin' myself off."

"Spike, you're disgusting!"

"Come on, Buffy! Help a fellow out here! Have a little fun!"

She rolled her eyes and crawled up onto the bed. Positioning herself next to him, she too started to push against the headboard so it crashed against the wall.

After about a minute, Spike elbowed her in the side. "Come on, luv. Make with the noises."

"Huh?"

"Let out some grunts and groans. You want them to think that you are enjoying yourself, don't you?"

"Well, maybe you're just not very good." Buffy said teasingly.

"Oh believe me, luv. I'm very, VERY good." He pushed his tongue against his teeth and wiggled his eyebrows.

Buffy sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

As she continued to push against the headboard, she let out some moans of pleasure. The sound made Spike stop what he was doing. Those few precious sounds that she had made turned him on faster than he ever thought possible.

As she continued, he wanted nothing more than to push her down on the bed and have his way with her but he knew that would get him staked. He had to do something though because the pressure between his legs had become unbearable.

He grabbed hold of her wrist to get her to stop pushing on the headboard.

"Stop, stop." Spike practically begged and he leaned his forehead onto the headboard as he tried to control himself.

"What's the matter?"

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He admitted slowly.

"Well, this was your idea. What's wrong now?"

"Nothing. I just think we should stop is all. I'm tried of playing this game." As he said it, she could see that he was desperately trying to catch his breath, which was weird because she knew breathing wasn't a necessity for a vampire.

After calming slightly, he got up off the bed and started heading downstairs. When he was halfway down he heard her speak.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a cold shower, then I'm gonna get myself a few hours of sleep on this comfy sofa down here."

"But what about tomorrow? We didn't plan anything. How are we going to act?"

"No worries, luv. We'll improvise. We'll be fine. Goodnight!" He said quickly and then she heard the sound of a closing door and sounds of a shower starting.

She settled on the bed and closed her eyes. She tried to get the image of Spike's naked body under running water out of her head. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly having these thoughts? It wasn't going to help make this project any easier. Maybe she was just lonely and slightly sexually frustrated. That was the only explanation.

This wasn't going to be easy but maybe she could get all of her frustrations out while they were pretending to have a relationship. Just because she was technically being forced to kiss him on this mission didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it a little but that was as far as it could go. After they got settled, he would definitely be out of her system.

To Be Continued....

Thank you so much for all the reviews. I look forward to reading your messages every time I post. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

Morning came and Buffy awoke to the smell of sizzling bacon. She breathed in deep and enjoyed the scent before realizing exactly where she was. Her eyes opened slowly and she took in the sight of the beautiful log cabin around her. That's when she realized the only person who could have been cooking that wonderfully smelling breakfast was none other than Spike. Spike knew how to cook? She guessed that this was just one of the many surprises she would find out about him before this whole nightmare was over.

Looking at the clock, she realized that the cameras were on and that she would have to be on her best behavior. She grabbed her robe as she slipped on her slippers and headed downstairs toward the enticing smell of breakfast. Spike stood in front of the stove pushing eggs around with a spatula. She walked over, stood next to him and smiled.

"Good morning!" She greeted, kissing his cheek.

"So, how's my girl this morning?" He asked sweetly.

"I'm great! Even better now that I know my man can cook. Looks like I'm set for life."

"You better believe it." He said, pulling her toward him to kiss her neck.

"Have a seat, Buffy. Breakfast is almost ready."

Buffy sat and propped her head up with the palm of her hand. She watched Spike make breakfast, smiled, and tried to ignore the fact that he was playing chef while wearing black silk boxers and nothing else. Never in her life did she ever think she would witness a vampire in a domestic situation so watching him cook was beyond weird.

Spike set a plate in front of her filled with eggs, bacon and toast. He brought her a glass of orange juice and handed her a rose.

Her eyes widened. "Where did you get this?" She asked, smelling the rose.

"I couldn't sleep last night so I took a little stroll and thought I'd get you something."

"Oh, Spike, that's so sweet!" She exclaimed, giving him another kiss on the cheek.

A strange look suddenly came across Spike's face and Buffy wrinkled her brow as she looked at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"Buffy, I think I misplaced that special shampoo I use after I bleach my hair. Would you help me find it in the bathroom." He said, eyes wide and eyebrows raised.

She could tell by the look on his face that he was trying to get her away from the cameras so they could talk alone. She took the hint, followed him into the bathroom and shut the door.

"This isn't working." Spike said as soon as she faced him after closing the door.

"What's not working?"

"This." He said pointing at himself then at her. "This isn't us. We sound like Ward and June from "Leave It To Beaver" and it's really bloody scary. Before you know it, I'll be walking around in a suit and you'll be strolling around the kitchen in a conservative housedress with a frilly apron."

"I tried to talk to you about it last night but you ran off. I didn't know how else to act."

"Well all I know is that there is no way we are going to be able to keep this up for three weeks." He sighed. "We're not about warm embraces and gentle kisses. That's way too boring for us. We've got to be ourselves."

Buffy looked at him as if he were crazy. "If we were ourselves, I'd be punching you in the face every two seconds but I really don't think that's the kind of impression that we want to make."

A look of panic suddenly crossed Spike's face. He lunged toward her and placed his hands on her hips, lifting her onto the counter right next to the sink. He placed himself between her legs and immediately started kissing the left side of her neck. She was too shocked to stop him in the beginning but started enjoying the feeling of him nibbling on the soft skin beneath her ear to even think about stopping him at all.

Pushing away the fabric of her robe, he trailed kisses down her neck and when he reached her collarbone he swept his lips across it. The velvety softness of his lips made her gasp softly. The journey continued downward toward her chest and his hand raised toward her breasts.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, swatting his hand away. "Don't forget our deal. That kind of touching is against the rules."

She put her hands on his naked shoulders and gently pushed him a few inches away. "What are you doing anyway? There are no cameras in here."

"I know. I thought I heard someone." Spike shrugged.

"And what? You thought that a camera crew was going to come bounding through the bathroom door?" She asked, sarcastically.

An instant after her words were spoken, there was a loud knocking on the door. Spike grabbed her around the waist again and held her against him.

"Come on in." Spike said.

The door opened and man in a gray sweater and black khakis stood within the doorframe with a cameraman behind him. The man's dark brown eyes observed their intimate embrace and smiled.

"Hi!" He greeted and shook Spike's hand as well as Buffy's "My name is Kevin. I'll be stopping by to visit you every so often to let you know about plans involving some of the other couples. Tonight you will all be getting together for dinner so you can meet and get to know each other. I'll come by later to get the two of you and bring you to the clubhouse."

"Should we wear anything special?" Buffy inquired, always worried about her wardrobe.

"Not at all." Kevin said. "It's not fancy or anything. Just wear whatever you are comfortable in"

Spike, who was still holding Buffy, leaned over once more and started nibbling on her ear. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to get dressed at all."

"Spike!" Buffy exclaimed, giggling. "Stop that! We have company!"

He reluctantly let her go and they both followed Kevin out the door. They all walked into the living room and stood silently while the cameraman got close up shots of them.

Kevin smiled at them once again. "It looks like you two are getting along pretty well."

"Yeah, I'm really lucky to have been paired up with this one." Spike said with his arm around Buffy as he gently kissed the top of her head.

"Great! Well, I just thought I'd check up on you and tell you about tonight's plans." Kevin turned the knob on the front door, getting ready to leave them alone. He turned slightly before walking out. "By the way, make sure you save the groping for in front of the cameras. It's good for ratings."

After Kevin left, Spike turned to face Buffy. "Feel like boosting the ratings, pet?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Fine. Maybe one of the other birds would be interested in me groping them. I think I caught a glimpse of one of them behind stage during the whole engagement scene. I've gotta say, she was looking pretty hot." Spike looked up at Buffy to see her reaction but her face was void of emotion. "I'm sure some scandal would boost the ratings. What do you think?"

"Spike, we're not here for ratings." She was about to continue on about the missing couples but remembered she had to choose her words carefully. She didn't want to give themselves away in front of the cameras. "We're here to win a dream wedding to someone we hopefully fall in love with."

"But what if it doesn't work out between us?" Spike asked. "What if we meet someone else we fancy better?"

"Well, if you are already thinking about cheating on me with the hot girl next door then maybe you're not the right guy for me anyway." She stormed upstairs and as far away from him as she could possibly get.

She wasn't sure if it was a twinge of jealousy that made her lash out or if it was just her idea of drama for the cameras. Whatever it was, at least the Ward and June problem was finally solved. After that little spat, their 60's family comedy days were over.

After a few passing hours, Spike and Buffy were the first ones in the clubhouse after Kevin showed up to get them. They were patiently waiting for the others to arrive. Buffy wanted their fight just to be a way to stir things up but she was undeniably upset. If this was complicated now, she knew it would only get worse in the future and she was having trouble telling if Spike was serious about what he said or if it was just a way to make waves in their fake relationship. As they continued to wait, she sat as far away from him on the sofa as she could, never speaking a word to him.

One of the other couples walked through the door and she knew in an instant that this must be the girl that Spike was talking about. This girl was beautiful with her long and wavy chestnut hair. Her eyes were large and the green within them sparkled like emeralds. She had full pouty lips and even fuller breasts. Buffy suddenly felt extremely inadequate bordering on homely.

Spike instantly stood and walked over to the beautiful woman. Buffy watched him drool over her like a dog and she felt a pang of something that she would rather die than call jealousy stab her in the gut.

"Hi!" The girl greeted, smiling brightly. "I'm Angela."

"Very nice to meet you, luv." Spike said, taking her hand in his and placing a gentle kiss upon it.

Buffy noticed the kiss along with the fact that she seemed to be appreciating his looks just as much as he was appreciating hers. This infuriated Buffy to the point of making her storm off without even introducing herself. She walked over to the dinner table where she sat in silence, waiting for everyone to come and join her.

She watched the three of them greet each other and overheard Angela's other half introduce himself as John.

The man left Spike and Angela to come over and sit next to Buffy. He held out his hand to offer a handshake.

"I'm John." He said and Buffy shook his hand and gave him an awkward smile. "Don't worry. I don't think she's making the moves on him. I'm pretty sure she's just a flirt."

"A flirt huh?" Buffy tilted her head and observed him. "Which house do you live in?"

"If you're facing the building, we live on the left."

"Oh! Well, she sounds like she was doing a lot more than flirting with you last night."

He blushed. "Sorry about that. We didn't think we were that loud. But I really don't think she's always like that. We just seemed to click right away. It's like we've known each other for years."

Buffy looked up and saw Angela whispering in Spike's ear while she played with the stray curls in his hair. She looked back at John and realized that he hadn't noticed their display. Instead of making some snide remark, she held back. He seemed to like her enough that he was already making excuses for her and she didn't know either of them well enough to get in the way.

"I'm Buffy, by the way." She said, making sure his attention was away from their significant others.

"That's an unusual name."

"Yeah, I know. I don't know what my mom was thinking."

"No, I like it. It's different."

Buffy smiled shyly. "Thanks."

They both looked up to see Spike and Angela on their way to the table with the third couple trailing behind them.

They all sat down and greeted each other before dinner. The new couple introduced themselves as Jason and Lorena. Sharing their names with the rest of the dinner guests is about all they did for the thirty minutes before dinner was served. Jason had the blondest of hair and the tannest of skin. It appeared as if he had finally entered the city for the first time after a lifetime on the beach. Lorena, on the other hand, was a Hispanic beauty. Her full face, dark hair and almond eyes were a complete contrast with the man she had been coupled with.

Lorena remained silent through most of the dinner and the only time Jason said a word was to belittle the woman he was supposed to be getting to know better.

After he made the comment about Lorena not having dessert because she could stand to skip a few meals, Buffy's inner slayer almost came out and leapt over the table to kick his ass. She decided to mind her own business for now and tried to look at the bright side. At least she now knew that the only real competition they had in winning this little reality game was John and Angela.

When dinner was cleared, Buffy hung around the door and wished that Spike would hurry up so they could go home. She waited impatiently as she observed him having a conversation with John about who's the better action hero, Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee.

She was so engrossed in watching the two of them argue about it, that she didn't notice Angela walk up to her.

"You are so lucky." Angela said, startling her.

Buffy jumped a little. "What?"

"You got hooked up with a real hottie. You totally lucked out."

"Your guy is great too." Buffy said.

"Yeah, great in bed." Angela said with a sly smile.

"So I've heard."

Angela glanced at her. "Oh! So you are the ones next door that we heard having a party of their own. Too bad you didn't have as good a time as I did though."

"What is that supposed to mean? I'll have you know that we had tons of fun together last night." Buffy boasted.

"That's not what it sounded like to me." Angela said, honestly. "It didn't sound like it lasted very long. I heard a few grunts and groans and the rest was silence after a very short amount of minutes."

"Obviously you've never had an orgasm so intense that you lost all ability to make sound. Frankly, I feel sorry for you." Buffy said, trying to one up her.

A flash of surprise crossed Angela's features but then she chuckled. "Don't try and compete with me. You won't win. I have yet to meet someone who is able to keep up with me."

"Well, congratulations." Buffy's eyes narrowed. "You've finally met your match."

To Be Continued...

Reading a magazine and sipping some tea, Buffy sat on the leather sofa of their log cabin living room and waited for Spike to come home. After her run in with Angela, Buffy decided to go straight home. It was now after one in the morning, which meant that all the cameras were now shut down but Spike still hadn't returned.

As she flipped through the pages of countless make-up and fashion ads, she tried not to think about what he may be doing and why he had been gone so long. He was getting way too cozy with Angela and as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't like the way she felt when she saw them together. It was almost as if something of hers was being stolen from her. She knew how crazy that sounded but the one thing that she never had any control over was her feelings. No one really has any say over how they feel about someone. You can feel a certain way one day and within a span of 24 hours something unexpected can happen to make you feel completely different the next time you see them.

She hated those unexpected feelings. It all seemed so unfair. She never liked the fact that there could be anything in this world that she didn't have control over and her feelings were the one thing that topped that list. She had no power over them; instead the way she felt always had power over her. Her feelings are what led her to make countless decisions in her life but these new feelings that were forming for Spike were something she intended to fight until the bitter end.

At the same time, she couldn't stand the thought of Angela winning and would do everything in her power to defeat her. She was angry at the way Angela unknowingly made her feel inferior and even if it meant giving into some of those unwanted feelings for Spike, she knew she had to pull out all the stops in able to conquer the other couple.

The sound of an opening door pulled Buffy out of her reverie. She put her magazine down and looked up to see Spike walking in.

"Spike, we have to have lots and lots of sex." She spoke immediately.

He just stood, frozen at first. His eyes were wide and his jaw open slightly with astonishment before he willed himself to speak.

"Did I fall asleep? Am I dreaming?" He said and looked around the room in confusion.

"Where have you been?" She asked, speaking another one of the many things she had on her mind.

"I was just hanging out with John and Angela. You should have stuck around. It was actually a lot of fun." He said sitting down next to her.

"I bet it was." Buffy spat. "So, did you sleep with her?"

"What?"

"You heard me. You seemed awfully chummy with her before. I can tell you are attracted to her and she definitely wants you so.."

Spike cut her off. "Have you gone mad? Where is this coming from?"

"I had a little chat with Angela before I left and she seems very competitive. I just figured she found some way to get you alone so she could jump your bones."

"Buffy, we just talked and John was there the whole time. She didn't exactly have a chance to come on to me."

"But you would have reciprocated if she did right?"

"Are you jealous?" Spike asked with a small smirk.

"Of course not but no one is going to believe that we have feelings for each other if you are getting all googly eyed over someone else."

"I'm not getting googly eyed!"

"Yeah right! You were fawning all over her. There was so much drool I thought you were going to start a flood."

"You ARE jealous!" He pointed a finger at her, accusingly.

"I am not!"

"Then what was with the lots and lots of sex comment that you made when I first walked in?" Spike asked, eyebrow raised.

"I just want to beat them, that's all."

"So, you want to have sex?" He asked seductively, moving closer.

"No!" She answered, pushing him away.

Spike sighed. "Buffy, you're not making any sense."

"We just have to start being more affectionate toward each other. John and Angela already had sex and we haven't even had a make out session yet."

"You wanna make out then?"

"Well, not now. The cameras aren't even on! But we will eventually have to have sex."

A look of hope sparked over his face.

"We're not having sex for real." She said, giving him a swat on the arm after seeing his surprised but pleased expression.

"So, what? We are going to have fake sex then?"

"Exactly."

"And how do you suppose we are going to do that?"

"Easy. We just have to make it look like we're having sex."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to have sex?" Spike asked with puppy dog eyes.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.

"I guess not." Spike sighed, sinking himself down into the couch. " I still think you're jealous though."

"Would you knock it off with that? I am not jealous. Why in the world would I be jealous?"

"I think you like me."

"I SO do not like you!"

"Prove it." He demanded.

"How?"

He sat up straighter and turned toward her. "Let me kiss you. No cameras. No expectations. No excuses."

"What is that going to prove? It's not like we haven't kissed before."

"That's true but I'm talking about a real kiss. A kiss with no boundaries and extra use of the tongue."

"What? No way!"

"Fine. It's ok. I get that you're scared."

"I'm not afraid of anything!" She exclaimed, defensively.

"Ok. Then let me kiss you. If you are so sure that it won't mean anything, then you have nothing to worry about."

"Fine. Go ahead." Buffy closed her eyes tightly and waited for the kiss to come.

"Buffy."

She opened up one eye so she could see him.

"Buffy, you look like a puppy about to get hit over the head with a newspaper. Just relax, alright."

"Right, ok." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again; visibly more relaxed than the last time.

She felt the couch sink a little and heard the leather crackle as he moved toward her. She felt his presence and knew that his face was just inches away from hers.

His hand rose and gently cradled the back of her neck. Lips met lips in a soft gentleness that she didn't expect. More pressure was applied to her lips and his tongue darted out across them, waiting for an invitation to be accepted. She opened her mouth slowly and let him inside. She had to restrain herself from crying out when his tongue met hers. She forced herself to ignore the fire flooding her veins.

Her hand reached out, about to grab the back of his head so she could hold him to her but she stopped it. That one simple movement was enough to admit the guilt of enjoyment. She placed her hand under her thigh and trapped it there to prevent any further involuntary movements.

She forced herself to make no sound, to feel no part of his body or to give away any sign that his kisses were making her thighs light up in flames. She did, however, continue to kiss him and let her tongue duel with his.

He was the first to pull away and that right there was enough to terrify her. He stopped the kiss first, not her. She could have pushed him away. She could have stopped him several seconds ago but she didn't. She did everything she could not to give herself away and by trying so hard to deny her feelings, she did nothing but admit them.

"So, how was that?" He asked in a whisper, leaving his face only centimeters away from hers.

She took a shaky breath and willed her voice not to quiver when she answered. Her hazel eyes opened and met his blue ones.

"It was just a kiss. It was no big deal." She lied, surprising herself with how calm she sounded.

"So you didn't feel anything?"

"Nothing at all." She said, the calmness remaining in her voice. She stood up. "Well, now that I've played your little game and won. I'll be heading off to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

Her last few sentences were said without looking at him and then she disappeared upstairs.

Spike stay seated on the couch and pondered the reason for her lack of post kiss eye contact. He leaned his head upon the back of the sofa, closed his eyes and relived the kiss all over again in his mind's eye. He knew that there was something between them. She could deny it all she wanted but he could feel it. The only thing left now was to find someway to prove it.

Meanwhile, Buffy was upstairs, standing under the spray of chilled water in the shower. The feel of the cool wetness on her skin relieved the heat that once resided. She was amazed at how much one kiss had affected her. Damn her thoughts and damn her feelings. No good can come of this and there was not one thing that she could do about it. She had to remain here with him, alone in this house, for a number of days.

More kissing would come followed by some touching and fleeting glances. Horror would be the best word to describe that, which was slithering through her emotions. If one kiss was that amazing then what is going to happen when those kisses continued. She couldn't pretend to be unaffected forever. She knew her resolve would eventually falter and then he would know for sure. She was starting to fall for him.

To Be Continued...

Time was counting down. Their nerves were jumpy. They only had fifteen minutes until the cameras shut down. There wasn't much time left and they kept looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes in anticipation. Trying to focus on the television and failing miserably, he brought his hand closer to hers and entwined their fingers in an effort to calm her. They were trying to get used to each other's presence without being so nervous but when Spike felt the thin sheen of sweat covering her palm he knew they had a long way to go.

Minutes flew by and they knew it was time. It was time to make their move. Spike leaned his head back unto the soft leather of the sofa and looked toward her. She took a deep breath before doing the same. He looked into her eyes for about thirty seconds before he slowly began to lean toward her. He brushed his lips against her chin then raised to meet her lips. Lips brushed across lips without actually kissing. He teased them hoping that it would drive her crazy enough to make the first move. To his surprise it worked as she sucked his lower lip into his mouth causing him to moan no matter how hard he was trying to fight it.

He knew she would be mad if he got too touchy feely, so he willed himself to keep his roaming hands to a minimum. He rested his hands on her waist and kept them there, trying to avoid temptation.

She had one hand cradling the side of his face and the other was placed on his shoulder. She kept her body as far away as she could while she kissed him because she was starting to enjoy it so much that she was afraid she'd end up crawling onto his lap.

Their tongues swirled together as she fought to suppress her moans. It was getting more difficult not to show any emotion while he was kissing her. She opened one eye and looked up at the camera just as the red light had turned off.

She immediately pulled away from him and got up off the sofa and started heading up stairs.

"What are you doing?" Spike asked, still shaken from the kiss.

"The cameras are off. Our job is done. I'm going to bed." She continued to walk away from him, leaving him on the couch alone.

**************************************

A loud pounding woke Spike from his slumber the next morning. At first he thought it was just a dream but when he opened his eyes he heard the pounding continue. When he realized there was someone at the door he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. His hands ran through his sleep-mussed hair and he stood shirtless with sweatpants riding low on his hips as made his way to the door.

When he opened the door he was immediately hit with a ray of sunshine. He jumped and stumbled back until he realized that he still had the gem of amara on his finger. He lifted his hand to look at it and reassure himself that it was still there.

He looked up and shielded the sun from his eyes. Angela stood before him with a seductive grin across her features. She swayed her hips as she brushed past him before he even had a chance to invite her.

"I knew it was a good idea to come this early." She said, still smiling.

"Why is that, pet?" Spike asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Because this is normally the time when I knew I could catch you in bed half naked and I'm no where near disappointed." Angela eyed him appreciatively.

Spike chuckled. "Right. So, what can I do for you, luv."

"I do love it when you call me luv." She said teasingly as she sat on the leather couch and slowly crossed her long legs. "Actually, I just came by to tell you that I talked to Kevin, our events coordinator. He tells me that tomorrow night is our free night so I wanted to invite everyone over to our cabin for a little get together. Are you interested?"

"I'll have to check with Buffy but I'm definitely up for it."

Angela looked toward his crotch. "That's what I'm counting on."

"Spike!" Buffy yelled as she descended the stairs. "Have you seen my robe?" She came to a screeching halt when she saw Angela sitting on their sofa looking up at a half naked Spike.

"Angela." Buffy nodded in greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, she just came over to invite us to a get together tomorrow night, pet. Do you wanna go?"

"Yeah, sure, I guess so. That is, if you want to." Buffy eyed Spike secretly wishing that he would say no.

"It's settled then." Spike announced. "What time should we be at your place?"

"Party starts at ten." Angela answered then stood up to make her way to the door. As she passed Spike, she placed a hand on his naked chest. "I'm looking forward to it." She smiled and walked out the door, leaving Spike and Buffy alone.

"Are you crazy?" Buffy screeched as she looked up at Spike.

"What now?"

"How could you agree to go to that orgy tomorrow?"

"It's not an orgy. It's just a little get together." Spike argued.

"Yeah, just a little get together!" Buffy yelled flailing her arms in the air. "That is another way of saying orgy!"

"I think you are overreacting."

"I am not!" She then walked over to Spike and placed her hand on his chest in the same spot that Angela just had. "I'm looking forward to it." She repeated mockingly, batting her eyelashes.

"Oh come on, Buffy. The girl is just a flirt. It doesn't mean anything."

"You obviously have a lot to learn about women. It's not just about the chase with her. It's also about winning you over when there is another woman in the picture. It's about you choosing her over....someone else."

She had almost said 'over me' but thought twice about it and ended up stumbling over her words. The action was not lost on Spike because his trademark cocky grin immediately spread over his face.

He sauntered over to her and gently placed his hands around her upper arms.

"Don't be silly. You know I only have eyes for you." With that, he leaned down and placed a soft meaningful kiss on her lips. He knew she wouldn't protest because the cameras were on.

He backed away from the short but sweet kiss and looked into her eyes deeply. She seemed a bit flustered but hid it by rolling her eyes at his actions and walked off into another room to try and locate her missing robe.

**********************************

Later that night they sat down to watch a movie after getting together with the other groups for coffee. It seemed awfully boring but they were assured that more exciting events would be planned for the day after tomorrow. Their meeting was just as uncomfortable as it was the first time. Luckily for Buffy, Angela kept her distance from herself and Spike. She was too busy trying to see how far she could stick her tongue down John's throat to even think about paying them any attention. Lorena and Jason were there and just as quiet as ever. Jason made conversation with Spike and Lorena talked with Buffy but neither of them talked to each other.

She watched Spike who was sitting at the opposite end of the couch. They were sitting too far away from each other and as hard as it would be for her, she knew they had to start showing more affection.

Scooting herself along the cushions, she decided to rest her body against Spike's and continue to watch the movie. He complied by wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her against him. Tilting his face to the side, he leaned his head over the top of hers and rested there. He closed his eyes to relish in the feeling of contentment, wishing that she would agree to this kind of behavior in a real life setting.

She moved her arm to get more comfortable and accidentally brushed her hand across his side. The feeling caused him to let out a strangled cry and squirm away from her.

"What was that?" She turned to him with a teasing smile.

"Nothing." He lied.

"That was NOT nothing. Is my big bad Spikey ticklish?"

Noticing that she has said 'MY big bad Spikey' made him smile but that only lasted temporarily as he realized she had caught him in a weakness.

"I'm not ticklish. I just had an itch."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I don't care what you believe." He responded. "I am NOT ticklish!"

"Let's test that theory shall we?"

Crawling over him, she straddled his thighs. Her fingers moved lightly and quickly over his ribs and across his sides. He squirmed beneath her and let out strained laughs. Trying to get her to stop, he attempted to grab her hands but the way she was tickling him made his muscles weak and she easily pushed his hands away.

He continued to laugh and squirm as he struggled to free himself from her light and evil touch. It was becoming too much to bear and he knew he had to surrender.

"Ok, ok! Please stop! You win! I'll admit it! I'm ticklish!"

Finally stopping her ministrations caused an ease in his stomach muscles, which were strained from an overabundance of laughing. He glanced up at her satisfied grin and caught her hips as she tried to remove herself from his lap. Her eyes became wide as she wondered what he was going to do next.

Suddenly, he stood up with her still resting on his knees and she clasped her hands around his neck to keep herself from falling.

"Spike!" She yelped. "What are you doing?"

He ignored her question and continued to head for the stairs that headed up to the bedroom.

Walking up the stairs with Buffy wrapped around him was no easy feat. Not wanting to drop her, he walked slowly and carefully up the stairs, tilting his head around her so he could see where he was going.

He reached the top of the stairs and stood at the foot of the bed.

"Spike!" She yelled, more anger evident in her voice. "Put me down!"

"As you wish." His voice was low and deep.

He leaned forward so she would fall back onto the bed. Crawling on the bed after her, he hovered above her, his face inches away from hers.

"What are you doing?" She asked nervously.

"Trust me."

Abruptly, he crushed his lips to hers and spread her legs with his body so he would rest between her thighs. Surprised, she let out a throaty gasp as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He grabbed her wrists and led her arms above her pushing them down into the mattress.

His velvet tongue tangled with hers, his chest pressed roughly against her. The kiss was deep, passionate and full of lust. There was no tenderness there, only wanting.

Circling his hips, he ground himself against her. When her lips left his to take a breath a loud moan escaped her throat when she felt his jean-clad hardness press into her.

At that second, he released her wrists and raised himself with his hands to push away from her. He stood up and looked at her lying on the bed, flushed and panting.

Taking steps backward toward the stairs, he watched as she opened her eyes and studied him.

"Where are you going?" She asked, her voice weak.

"Sorry, luv. The cameras are off. Our job is done. I'm going to bed." He said, repeating the same words she used on him after their make out session the night before.

She stared at him in disbelief as he made his way down the steps. She couldn't believe she let herself get so lost in him. Slamming her fist hard into the mattress, her mind tried to devise a plan on how to get revenge on him.

To Be Continued...

Buffy stared at the ceiling unable to sleep and trying to figure out what in the world had just happened between her and Spike. How could she have let herself get so aroused? How could she have gone so weak under his touch that she was unable to hide her lustful reaction to him? And more importantly, why couldn’t she stop thinking about how much she wanted to do it again? She should have been smarter than that. She should have known that he was just teasing her, testing her.

The sound of voices brought her out of her reverie and she walked over to the banister to spy onto the living room below to see what was going on. She saw Willow, Xander and Anya walking through the front door and heard them asking about her whereabouts.

“So, where’s the buffster?” Xander asked, clasping his hands together.

“Upstairs. She’s sleeping.” Spike said coldly. This whole game he was playing with Buffy was making him severely frustrated, sexually and otherwise.

“Well, let’s get her down here! We’ve got work to do. We have to go over the game plan. It’s not my fault that the only time we can have a meeting is in the middle of the night.” Xander said.

“I’ll go up and get her.” Willow volunteered.

Buffy saw Willow heading toward the stairs and she quickly raced back to the bed and got under the covers to feign sleep so she wouldn’t know she was watching over them the whole time.

After climbing the stairs, Willow looked toward the bed to see Buffy lying under the covers. She cautiously walked over to the bed and noticed that her eyes were open.

“Buffy, you’re awake.” Willow observed

“Yeah.” Buffy said, her tone crestfallen.

“What’s wrong?” Willow’s expression immediately turned into one of concern.

“I have to tell you something.” Buffy sat up and stared at Willow, wondering if she should confide in her.

“What is it, Buffy?”

“I’m a little afraid to tell you. I’m afraid you might freak out.”

“You know you can tell me anything. I promise to have an open mind.”

Buffy paused, still unsure of the secret she was about to reveal. “I think I’m becoming attracted to Spike.” She cringed and waited for Willow’s reaction.

Willow’s eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as if she were about to say something but thought twice about it.

“I……um……I” Willow stumbled over her thoughts and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she avoided Buffy’s eyes.

“Oh God!” Buffy exclaimed, putting her head in her hands in utter embarrassment.

Sitting next to Buffy, Willow tried to show her comfort and support by gently patting her back. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what to say.” She smiled meekly.

“I’m a freak!” Buffy cried, her head still resting in her hands.

“You’re not a freak. It’s not that bad. It’s probably just the situation you are in. I mean, I couldn’t imagine having to kiss someone and pretend to be close without feeling something.”

“Yeah but I think I started to feel something before all this started. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.” Buffy raised her head to look at Willow.

“Oh.” Willow responded, uncomfortably “If I weren’t gay and if we didn’t see Spike when he was all evil, I might find him attractive.”

“Really?” Buffy questioned and Willow nodded. “Well, I guess that’s something.”

“And it’s not like anything is actually going to happen.” Willow assumed. “Finding someone attractive who is most likely bad for you isn’t the worst thing in the world unless you let it get the best of you. As long as you don’t act on it everything will be just fine.” She smiled reassuringly.

“Right.” Buffy said, unsure of herself. “You’re absolutely right.”

Willow stood up. “We better get downstairs. We have to talk strategy.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.” Buffy said.

As Willow walked down stairs to join the rest of the gang, Buffy remained on the bed and sighed deeply. Part of her was hoping that Willow would give her some kind of certificate of approval when it came to her attraction to Spike. She wanted someone to tell her that it was ok to want to kiss him. She wanted to hear that all the daydreams she had been having about him were no big deal. She wanted permission to have feelings for him and a thumbs up to the idea of going a little further than kissing. Her friends would never approve and most likely think she was completely out of her mind if she let things get any farther than they already had.

Buffy finally made her way downstairs but couldn’t bear to look at Spike or Willow. She knew Willow would be watching her actions toward Spike more closely now after what she had just told her. She suddenly wished she could go back in time five minutes and erase the entire conversation.

Trying to remain calm, she sat on the couch and faced her friends. Xander looked slightly grim as if he were about to deliver bad news.

“Xander, what’s wrong?” Buffy asked

“Well, the votes are in so far and you guys aren’t doing very well. Even Jason and Lorena who are barely speaking to each other are beating you two.”

“How can that be? We’ve been trying really hard.”

Anya spoke up. “Basically, you guys aren’t hot enough. You need more fire. Sex sells and you guys are lacking appeal. If you two don’t give the audience some hot and steamy action they are going to turn on you.”

Buffy pouted and glanced nervously at Spike. His bad mood caused him not to notice the look she was giving him. She was hoping he’d jump in with some helpful suggestions but the look on his face told her that he was a lost cause.

“We’ll work on it. Somehow we’ll win over the audience. We’ll think of something.” Buffy said.

“Good.” Willow responded. “Between you and me, Giles is getting a little bit nervous. Every time he checks to see how many votes you have, he starts to clean his glasses and we all know what that means.”

“Well, tell him not to worry. There is no way we are going to lose.”

Buffy’s last statement got Spike’s attention and he turned to look at her, eyebrow raised. She ignored him though and kept her attention on her friends.

“We better head on home now, Buff.” Xander said standing up. “Good luck. You are going to need it.”

“Thanks a lot.” Buffy said dryly before giving her friends goodbye hugs.

After they left, she looked at Spike out of the corner of her eye and saw him staring at her. She didn’t want to have a conversation about their little make out session. Slowly turning around, she made her way over to the staircase to head up to bed, hoping that he wouldn’t try to talk to her.

“Buffy?”

She sighed in defeat and turned around. “Yeah?”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Spike.”

When she realized that was all he was going to say, she quickly raced up the stairs and away from him. She couldn’t even put into words how relieved she was that he didn’t try to make her talk about her possible feelings for him. That was the last thing she thought she could handle right now.

As he watched her go up the stairs he became proud of himself. He didn’t let his emotions run away with him this time. He was sick and tired of trying to get Buffy to admit something that probably wasn’t even true. Chasing her was no longer an option. If she wants more than a relationship filled with indifference then she’s going to have to come to him from now on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next night, while getting ready for Angela’s party, Buffy stared at herself in the mirror and began combing out her recently washed locks. She wiped off more fog from the mirror so she could see herself more clearly. Suddenly remembering that Spike can’t see his reflection, she wondered what it must be like not to be able to see yourself. It must be weird to stand in front of a mirror and see nothing.

At the same time, Spike was in the bathroom downstairs drying his hair with a towel. He looked over to where the mirror was and almost didn’t dare to go near it. Every single time he stood in front of something that was supposed to cast a reflection, he would become hopeful that maybe just once he would be able to see himself. He was disappointed every time. Even though he already knew what to expect, he stood in front of the mirror and once again saw nothing but the room behind him. He sighed and started to wonder what Buffy saw when she looked at him.

After putting the blow dryer away, Buffy began fidgeting with her hair and began to put it up so she could show off her neck just the way Spike liked it. When she realized what she was doing, she looked incredulously at her reflection in the mirror and let her hair fall amongst her shoulders. Noises coming from the first floor startled her enough to make her jump. She followed the sounds, stopping when she got to the outside of the bathroom door which was already open a crack. She peeked in to see Spike struggling with his hair and growling in frustration. Buffy giggled and Spike turned to look at her.

“Something I can do for you, luv?” Spike asked.

“What in the world are you doing?” Buffy questioned, grinning.

“What does it look like? I’m trying to fix my bloody hair but it’s a little difficult to do that without a reflection.”

“Why don’t you just fix it like you always do?”

“I don’t know. I just wanted to make it a little different this time. I usually just slick it back because it’s easy, no mirror required.”

Buffy giggled again when she noticed how disheveled his hair was. It looked like there were a million strands sticking up in every possible direction.

“If all you are going to do is stand there and laugh at me, I’d much rather prefer it if you’d leave.” He said, irritated.

“Stop being such a baby and come here.” Buffy ordered pointing a finger down toward the floor in front of her.

Spike obeyed and when he reached her she put her hand on his shoulders and pushed him down until he was sitting on the toilet seat. She then straddled his legs so she could get easier access to his hair. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around her while she began running her fingers through his platinum locks.

Closing his eyes to savor the moment, he wished they could stay like this forever. It felt so good to have his arms wrapped around her and the feel of her fingernails gently scraping against his scalp was like heaven.

Buffy looked at Spike and noticed closed eyes and a contented expression. He looked so sweet and innocent but she knew in the back of her mind that he was anything but. Things have changed so much in the past couple of years that it was almost impossible for her to imagine him hurting anyone. For over a century he was an evil murderer but something in her brain refused to believe that every time she looked at him.

When her movements paused, he opened his eyes to look at her. Their eyes met and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Buffy smiled at him as she inspected the new look she had given him. Her eyes drifted back to his and the look on his face made her nervous. His eyes kept drifting toward her lips and she froze at the thought of what was to come. His head tilted toward her to capture her lips in a kiss but as he moved further forward, Buffy backed away and stood up.

“We better get going. We don’t want to be late.” Buffy said in an overly cheery tone to cover her nervousness. “And don’t worry, your hair looks great.” She rushed out the door after that leaving Spike feeling like the whole situation was completely hopeless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy observed Spike as they walked over to John and Angela’s cabin for the party. She looked at his hair with pride. While fixing his hair, she remembered how sweet he looked when it was curled slightly so she decided to fix his hair to her liking and now she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He noticed her staring at him out of the corner of his eye but he decided not to ruin it by opening his big mouth and embarrassing her. Instead, he smirked to himself and enjoyed the fact that she was enjoying him.

Once they got to Angela’s cabin they rang the bell and waited outside while listening to laughter coming from the inside. Angela opened the door and greeted them with a large grin.

“Hi guys! Come on in!”

As they walked inside, they noticed that once again, Jason and Lorena were as far away from each other as they could possibly get. Lorena was talking to John and they noticed that for the first time since they met her, she had a smile on her face. Jason was on the other side of the room nursing an alcoholic beverage.

Spike and Buffy took a seat next to each other on the sofa and Angela took a seat next to Spike.

Angela looked up at Spike. “Oh! Let me fix that for you.” She immediately started running her fingers through his hair and started spiking it up, ruining the very hairdo that Buffy spent so much time trying to perfect. It took everything she had not to wrestle Angela to the ground. She felt anger flare up in her gut and she wanted nothing more than to punch her out if she didn’t get her hands off of Spike immediately.

“Buffy!” Angela exclaimed. “I love your outfit! Those pants were all the rage when I was in high school five years ago!” Her sarcastic comment made Buffy’s anger flare up even more.

“Well, you know Angela, I really love your outfit too. I think I saw it on a hooker a few weeks ago.” Buffy showed Angela a toothy grin.

Looking over at Buffy, Spike’s eyes widened with amazement and amusement. He decided to intervene before things got worse. “So, Angela, what’s the plan for tonight?” His question also got the attention of the rest of the room. They all awaited her answer.

“Well…..” She began with a saucy grin. “I was thinking about a little game of truth or dare.”

“Truth or dare?” Buffy scoffed. “Isn’t that a little childish?”

“Not the way I play it.” Angela used a sexy tone as she eyed Spike. “I’m gonna start and I pick Buffy. Buffy, truth or dare?”

Buffy could see by the look on Angela’s face that she expected her to chicken out and pick truth. Instead, Buffy looked her straight in the eyes and said, “Dare.”

Angela grinned an evil grin and her eyes started to dart back and forth between Buffy and Spike which was beginning to make Buffy nervous.

“I dare you and Spike to give each other an orgasm without the removal of any clothing and without touching any skin that isn’t already exposed.”

Buffy’s eyes widened and she looked at Spike like a deer caught in the headlights. “You want us to what?”

“Don’t act like you’ve never heard the word before.”

“Of course I have but you want us to do that in front of everyone?”

“Well, yeah that’s kind of the point.”

Spike stood up. “Come on Buffy, let’s go home.” Spike could see she was uncomfortable with the entire situation and that taking her out of there was the best option. He offered her his hand and she took it. She stood and they started to make their way toward the door.

“See John, what did I tell you? These two aren’t for real.” Angela said.

Buffy turned around and looked at her coldly. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I’ve been getting a weird feeling about you two. It seems like you are trying so hard to convince us that you are a hot couple but so far I’ve seen no evidence of it. I think you two are just pretending to like each other so you have a chance at winning. You just want the gold at the end of the rainbow because you know these shows usually give big prizes or money at the end.” Angela accused.

“That may be why you’re here but it’s not why we’re here.” Buffy retaliated.

“Prove it.” Angela hissed.

“Fine. We’ll do it.” Buffy said, grabbing Spike’s hand and leading him over to the couch.

“Buffy, we don’t have to.” Spike said, whispering in her ear.

“Yes we do.”

She shoved him onto the sofa and straddled him much like she did in the bathroom while fixing his hair. It was more intimate this time. Her body and his body were tangled together with no room in between. Spike instantly hardened and Buffy gasped at the sensation.

“Buffy, what are you doing?”

“Trust me.” She whispered.

Suddenly, she smashed her lips to his and he tightened his grip around her. She stared moving her hips in a circular motion that made Spike groan. Their lips parted and their breathing became heavy as she continued to move against him. His hands traveled up and down her back and he wished he could slide his hands under her shirt to feel her hot skin but the dare wouldn’t allow it.

He reached around the back of her head to pull her into another kiss. He pulled her as close to him as he possibly could but no matter how hard their bodies smashed together, it still wasn’t close enough. His tongue swept through her mouth as the kiss deepened. Buffy was still grinding herself into him in a way that made him crazy with lust.

When she started moaning, he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. She grabbed onto his forearms as her little mewls of pleasure continued and with every swing of her hips, her mewls became louder. Her body started to shiver as did his and they both knew their release was coming. They both let out strangles cries as orgasmic bliss set in. They parted slightly and panted, their eyes still closed. They were drowning in each other but the feeling was interrupted when Angela started to speak.

“Ok, party is over.” She said with open-mouthed shock. “John, let’s go to bed.” Arousal was clear in her voice as she pulled John into the bedroom with her and shut the door.

Reality came flooding back to Buffy and she opened her eyes and gave a wide-eyed and confused look to Spike. Panic suddenly filled her features and she scrambled off of him and ran out the door, leaving Spike sitting on the sofa completely dazed.

To Be Continued…………..

Walking slowly down the stairs, Buffy looked around cautiously to see if Spike was around. She had just woken up and hadn't seen him since the party. After running home when realizing how turned on he made her, she hid in her room under the covers and did a great job pretending to sleep even when she heard him come up the stairs to check on her. She remembered lying in bed with a painfully beating heart as Spike stood at the foot of her bed and watched her. The anticipation of his next move made her muscles clench and her entire body cease breath and movement. She half expected him to crawl into bed with her but instead he just stood there for two minutes and quietly made his way back down the stairs.

Shaking her thoughts away, she continued to look for Spike as she descended the stairs and found him lying on the couch asleep. His mouth was slightly agape and his arms were around a pillow, holding it close to him. He looked so sweet that she couldn't tear her eyes away. She stepped closer until she was directly in front of the couch, hovering above him, watching him sleep. Relaxed while watching him, her mind drifted away from her surroundings while her eyes were set on him only. She concentrated on each twitch his face made while he slept and every single movement of his body. Something was screaming at her to turn away but he was simply too mesmerizing to ignore.

When his eyes snapped open, Buffy gasped, jumped and backed into the coffee table. She couldn't hold her balance and ended up falling backward until she was sitting on the edge of the low wooden table.

"Uh sorry. I was just uh…" Buffy stumbled, embarrassed. "Um, did you want some morning bloo…….uh…..coffee…..morning coffee?" Her eyes widened, suddenly realizing that she had almost screwed up in front of the cameras by offering Spike some blood to drink.

Spike seemed to enjoy her little slip up way too much as he looked at her with a toothy grin that she didn't seem to notice. Keeping her head down the entire time, she wouldn't even look at him. He figured she was just embarrassed about the night before but he hated when things got too uncomfortable between them. It always seemed like it was so difficult for her to admit her feelings or to voice what was really on her mind. Sometimes it was easier when she was punching him in the face. Anger was one emotion that was simple for her to convey.

"Regular or decaf?" She asked with a bit of humor in her voice.

Spike smiled. "You know how I like it, luv." He stated with a bit of sexual undertone.

Buffy walked toward him, intently watching the mug in her hand as if she were afraid she would spill some but he knew it was only a distraction so she could continue to avoid making eye contact.

After handing him the mug, she sat down again on the edge of the coffee table and began fidgeting nervously. Spike brought the mug up to his mouth to take a sip but when he noticed her nervousness he stopped. Watching her, he smiled when he realized that she didn't even notice that he was staring. She seemed terrified of looking at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked abruptly.

Her head shot up and her eyes were wide. "What?"

He sensed her panic and rose from the couch to kneel before her. He grabbed her hand and after doing so she seemed to visibly relax.

"Buffy, come with me."

He rose to his feet and extended a hand for her to take. She looked confused for a moment but she took his hand anyway. He led her to the bathroom where they could talk alone and have some peace and privacy away from the intruding cameras.

They reached the bathroom, went inside and closed the door. Sighing, Spike rested his back against the door and closed his eyes, trying to figure out what to say to her.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Buffy. I know last night was just for show."

"I'm not embarrassed. I'm fine. Can I leave now?"

Spike took a step forward. "Don't tell me you're fine. Look at you. You can't even look me in the eye."

She raised her head and looked up at him in defiance. "I can so look at you. I just don't want to. Maybe I'm tried of hanging around you. You knew that this might happen when we started this little job for Giles. You knew we would probably get sick of each other."

"I'm not sick of you, Buffy. I love being around you."

"Stop it! Please!" Her voice was shaking.

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You! You are the problem! Having to see you every day! Having to kiss you and pretend that I care for you! That is the problem!"

Spike looked wounded. "You don't mean that." He said it but felt unsure of his words.

"Just leave me alone! Just stay away from me!" Buffy yelled and pushed her way past him and out of the bathroom.

Buffy stormed out the door leaving it open behind her. Staring after her retreating form, he violently slammed the door after she was no longer in his frame of vision. Sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, Spike ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it roughly as tears flooded his eyes. He whimpered as he began to cry and tugged harder on his platinum blond locks. Growling in frustration he searched for something to take his anger out on. As he stood up he caught a glimpse of the mirror and stared at it and its lack of reflection.

"You stupid sod!!" Spike yelled at the mirror, trying to imagine his face staring back at him. "I can't even see you! You're not even real! How can you ever expect her to love you when you're not even real! You dead disgusting bastard! Can't you see she deserves better than you!" He started choking through his tears as he spoke, getting more and more frustrated that he wasn't able to see the person that he was screaming at. He let out a loud roar and rammed his fist through the glass in the mirror, making the pieces shatter throughout the room.

Face down and gently crying into her pillow, Buffy thought about how much she must have hurt him by saying the things that she did. She felt awful but didn't know any other way to get him out of her mind and force him out of her heart. She shouldn't be feeling this type of emotion toward him and needed to do everything in her power to put a stop to it. After seeing Willow's reaction to her admission of attraction, she knew that it would be impossible to try and get her friends to understand her newfound feelings toward Spike. Being stuck in this house alone together and being forced to make out wasn't making the situation any easier.

The sound of shattered glass startled Buffy. She abruptly sat up and wiped the excess tears from her eyes. Making her way down stairs, she took a deep breath and got ready to face Spike. He was no where to be seen as she entered the living room so she assumed he must still be in the bathroom. When she reached the door she heard the sound of labored breathing coming from the other side.

"Spike?" She gently knocked on the door. Getting no answer she called out again. "Spike?"

"Go away!" His voice sounded strained.

"Spike what happened? Are you all right?"

"I said go away!"

Ignoring him, she turned the knob and began to enter the bathroom.

"Stop!" He yelled. "Don't go any further. I don't want you to step on any glass."

"What happened in here?" She asked, observing the broken mirror.

"Nothing. Just my overwhelming stupidity. Now get out of here before you cut yourself."

When she turned around to leave Spike let out a sigh of relief. He couldn't deal with her anymore right now. Just as those thoughts finished forming in his mind, Buffy returned with a broom and dust pan. Without saying a word, she quickly cleaned up the slivers of glass from the floor and left a second time to dispose of the debris. Much to his surprise, she had returned once again with a first aid kit.

"What's that for?"

Buffy rolled her eyes at the question and ventured her glance toward his bloody and cut up hands. Remaining silent, she sat down next to him, gently grabbed his hand and began to clean his cuts, making sure that none of the glass was stuck under his skin. As she bandaged his hand, Spike looked up at her and studied the concentration on her face. When she finished, she looked into his eyes and smiled sweetly, and suddenly all the anger he was feeling had disappeared and all he could see was the way she took care of him.

"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" Spike asked, eyebrow raised.

"Mood swing?" Buffy offered, making Spike chuckle. "Actually, it's a peace offering. I just wanted you to know that I don't hate you."

"Well, if you don't hate me does that mean that you might like me?" Spike waited for an answer.

Buffy rose to her feet and looked down at Spike who was still sitting on the floor. She sighed, "I haven't quite figured that one out yet." Instead of waiting for Spike to respond, she quickly made her way out the door.

Not bothering to get up, Spike leaned his back against the side of the tub. "Well, I guess that's something." He said solemnly, but then smiled.

Later that night, the gentle glow of the television set illuminated the faces of Buffy and Spike who were stretched out on the couch after another tiring day of pretending to be in love. Every day was getting more and more difficult for them both. The soft kisses that they had exchanged throughout the day made Buffy think back to the more passionate ones they had shared. During those same kisses Spike's heart started to break when he reminded himself that it wasn't real.

With her head resting on a pillow at the end of the sofa, Buffy's eyes began to drift shut . The movie they were watching was both romantic and very interesting but she was so comfortable that sleep started to beckon her. As she glanced down she saw the top of a platinum blonde head which was resting on her legs and his hand resting on her thigh. The amount of contentment she felt was almost frightening. This level of comfort didn't happen with just anyone. The idea that she had reached that level with Spike was utterly terrifying.

Her eyes shot open when she realized the romantic climax was happening within the movie they were currently viewing. The fictional on screen couple had just admitted their feelings for one another which lead to passionate kisses. Buffy felt a tightness in her chest watching the scene play out. She glanced down at Spike once again unable to see whether or not he was still awake. Her question was answered when his hand started to slide up her thigh.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that the rest of his body started to slide up as well. Moving gracefully until he was hovering above her, he stared into her eyes so hard that she thought he must have seen her soul. She began to wonder what he would find out about her if he could see her soul. Would he be able to see how she really felt about him? Part of her wished that he could. Maybe if an outside view could see what she was feeling, they might be able to tell her exactly what it was because at the moment, she had no clue. Was it hatred? Was it friendship? Was it lust? Could it be possible that it was something even deeper than that?

As Spike's face came closer to hers, her thoughts faded away. Her brain felt as if it had literally shut down and all that was left was how he made her feel inside. The thumping of her heart, the fluttering in her belly and the feel of his breath on her skin was all she needed to know at that moment. Keeping his lips toward hers without actually touching, he lingered there until Buffy thought she would burst in two. Finally giving in, she leaned up to capture his bottom lip making him groan. She knew how he loved it when she started a kiss out like that and his groan of pleasure simply confirmed it.

She opened her mouth so his tongue could mingle with hers. The taste of him was intoxicating. The feeling inside her was so intense that she could barely breathe. Running her hands down his body, she suddenly didn't care about the rules anymore. Her fingers glided over his rear and squeezed, causing him to gasp in surprise. Raising his head, he gave her an evil grin and she knew that he planned to exact his revenge on her. Now that she had crossed the line and broke the rules, there was no way he was going to pass up the opportunity to do the same.

Fingertips grazing across her side, Buffy shivered at his touch. His lips swept across her jaw line and down to her neck. He suckled at her sweet and sensitive skin, her hands clenched within his hair as he did so. Expecting to be stopped, his hands rose toward her breasts. Knowing he might be out of line, his hand stopped to rest on her ribs, too nervous to go any farther. Much to his surprise, she noticed his reluctance and helped him along by guiding his hand over her right breast. He lifted his head slightly to examine her as if to get further confirmation that what he was about to do was all right with her. Her head was back and her eyes were still closed. She was very much in the moment of their exploration of each other. Finally, he let her guide his hand to her breast which he cupped and squeezed causing her to groan and pant in excitement. Everything else immediately fell away and he no longer analyzed every move she made, just being with her like this was enough.

Moving away from her neck, he concentrated once again on kissing her. Their kisses became deep and fevered, bodies became more entwined. Buffy's hand glided under the back of Spike's shirt, softly caressing along his back and over his shoulder blades. Her hips lifted, grinding herself into him, their groans becoming more prominent until their mutual sounds of pleasure and the quick shallowness of their breathing was all that could be heard. His cool hands glided under her shirt and drifted across her stomach as his hardness ground into her making her moan so loudly that it instantly brought her out of the cloudy-headed lust she has been experiencing. Her eyes opened and she panicked as she looked over at the video camera in the corner and then at the clock.

"Oh my God!" She gasped quietly, pushing Spike off of her.

She jumped up off the couch and swiftly stood in front of the time glowing on the VCR.

"What's the matter?" Spike asked, sitting up.

"Uh, nothing. Nothing, just……..the cameras are off now……so I uh…..I guess we can stop and go to sleep." She swept the hair out of her eyes, her hands shaking with nervousness.

"Right then. I guess I'll just go out for a smoke before bed."

"Ok!" Buffy slapped her hands together. "Uh…..goodnight then."

Spike walked over to her and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Night, Buffy."

Buffy smiled nervously. "Goodnight." She repeated.

Spike nodded solemnly and headed out the door, his cigarettes in hand.

Sighing loudly, she headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

As soon as she was out of sight, Spike headed back in to grab his lighter which he had forgotten on the coffee table. Bending over to pick it up, his eyes glanced at the clock. He squinted, making sure he was seeing the time correctly. To his surprise and delight it was 1:45 a.m., 45 minutes after the cameras had gone off. Knowing that she had willingly been making out with him for 45 minutes longer than they had to without even realizing it, put a song in his heart. With a large grin, he headed back outside, humming the whole way.

To Be Continued……

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Thanks from the bottom of my heart to Brat, ash, PhotographyNut, Breanna Storm, cordykitten, Sam, Dirktavian, Briana, willowmouse, Besjj, Vo6, Fallen_angel, GreenAppleSweety, Blondiebear, Bridget, Nicki, V4viper, Seraiza, Jane, Tananore, Laura Liz, A Lady Never Tells, Marta, Sara, Pam S, smg fan, ELLIE, Kalahara, Jeanie & chakal for all the amazing reviews.

I love hearing from all of you. Any comments and suggestions are appreciated. They get the wheels of my brain turning for future chapters. Thanks again and please keep the reviews coming!

The sun was shining brightly upon them as they splashed in the water. Buffy watched Spike as he stood there, waves crashing against his body which was glistening from the little beads of clear liquid which lay upon it. She grinned as she studied his expression. She had never seen him more content. His face simply glowed as the sun beat down upon it. When their organizer Kevin showed up that morning to inform them that they would be spending the morning at the beach, Spike was so happy that she was afraid he was going to wrap Kevin up into the biggest thank you hug that she had ever seen. Until now, Spike hadn’t had a good chance to really try out his ring of amara and take full advantage of its powers.

In the distance, John could be seen carrying Angela as he raced through the water while her feminine giggles reached Spike and Buffy’s ears. Buffy nervously glanced over at Spike but quickly looked away. However, it wasn’t fast enough and his piercing blue eyes caught her awkward stare. Trying to get away, Buffy plunged into the water and swam in the opposite direction before he had the chance to get any ideas. When she felt two arms grab her around the waist, she knew she wasn’t fast enough. He pulled her into a standing position, looking deeply into her eyes.

“Feeling neglected, are we Buffy?” Spike purred.

“No! Like I would ever crave any attention from you, which explains the me swimming away from you.”

“Liar” He said, matter-of-factly.

She smiled. She couldn’t help it.

He noticed the slight blush in her cheeks and really took in her appearance. She stood before him in a blue bikini which looked sexy without looking trashy. Her wet blonde hair was slicked back and the green color in her eyes seemed to shine remarkably brighter than usual. As he looked at her, his mind drifted off to the night before and their heavy make-out session on the sofa along with the fact that she tried so hard to cover up how long they had actually been kissing each other. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to feel her lips on his again but he didn’t want to risk things getting uncomfortable between them. Instead, he shoved her away and began splashing her with water. She paused, visibly stunned, after he had done so. Suddenly, she gave him what he likes to call “the evil eye” and then he knew he was in trouble.

Without seeing it coming, she immediately pounced on him, pushing his head into the water. Knowing that he didn’t need to breathe, she didn’t feel guilty leaving him under the water just a little bit longer than she normally would. Just as she was about to pull him back up, she felt him wrap his arms around her.

His mind was clouded, he was trying so hard to stay away and had no idea what compelled him to get that close. After wrapping her up in his arms he began placing gentle kisses on her bare stomach. Feeling her tense up didn’t stop him. After three more kisses, she relaxed completely which surprised him and made him want to continue what he was doing out of mere curiosity as well as pleasure. He felt her squeeze his shoulders and he smiled against her skin.

It took all the will power she had to come to her senses and pull him up out of the water but that’s exactly what she did. By doing so, she realized that they ended up body to body, skin to skin and eye to eye. Everything inside of her that screamed out how wrong this was suddenly shut down completely as she placed her hand at the back of his head and pulled him into the most urgent and desperate kiss that she had ever initiated.

She damned her body for reacting to him and she damned him for making her weak. The welcomed sound of shouting voices made her pull away from Spike’s full lower lip that had been beckoning her all day.

Buffy looked over to what seemed to be the end of an argument between Jason and Lorena. It left the distraught Spanish beauty sitting in the sand with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Glancing over to Spike, she gave him a look that he immediately understood and made her way over to Lorena. As she sat down beside her, Lorena lifted her head and looked at Buffy with red and swollen eyes.

“I want to go home.” she sniffed.

“Tell me what happened.” Buffy said.

“Nothing I do is good enough. Everything I do is wrong, everything I say, everything I wear. He’s always yelling at me.” she replied in a deep accented tone.

Trying to soothe her, Buffy put a hand on her shoulder. “If you are that unhappy, can’t you just leave?”

“I tried. They won’t let me. In my contract it says I must stay until the end. I can not go. They could sue me if I left.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m sorry you are so unhappy. I’m going to help you all I can.”

“How?” Lorena wiped away a tear.

“You can hang around with us more so you don’t have to be alone with Jason so much.”

“Really?” she asked hopefully.

“Absolutely. In fact, I want everyone to come over to our place for dinner tonight. That way there will be other people for you to talk to and you can stay away from Jason all you want. He won’t make a fuss if everyone else is around.”

“All right. That sounds good” she said shyly.

“Great! I’ll let Spike know.” Buffy smiled.

“You were very lucky to have been paired up with him.” Lorena said.

Buffy looked over at Spike who was still splashing around in the water like a child who was experiencing his first time in a swimming pool.

“I am lucky, aren’t I?”

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

Dinner was being made in Spike and Buffy’s kitchen by Lorena who insisted on cooking them a traditional Mexican feast. As she was rolling her last chicken enchilada, Buffy walked in.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help? I know this is the third time I’m asking but I feel bad about you doing all of this by yourself.”

“I’m fine, really. I used to do this all the time for my family. It’s not a big deal.” Lorena shrugged.

“Well, it looks great! It makes me want to learn how to make something besides pop tarts.”

“But don’t you just put those into a toaster?” Lorena looked puzzled.

“Exactly.” Buffy chuckled.

Lorena giggled and shook her head in disbelief. “Well, if you want I can teach you sometime.”

“Teach you what?” Spike said, suddenly appearing in the kitchen.

“ How to cook.” Buffy said “Looks like my days of pop tarts and ordering pizzas are over.”

Spikes hand slid around her middle and he rested his chin on her shoulder. “You don’t need to learn how to cook with me around. I can do that for you.” He placed a gentle kiss on her neck. “I’d do anything for you.”

Buffy’s breath hitched in her throat. “I guess I don’t need those lessons after all. It looks like I’ve got my own personal chef.” She smiled nervously and moved away from him as if she paid no mind to his words.

After Lorena placed the enchiladas in the oven, she began making Spanish rice while Spike and Buffy sat at the kitchen table to keep her company. The three of them stayed in the kitchen and talked leaving Angela, John and Jason in the living room to fend for themselves.

When the rice was finished, a lid was placed upon the top of the pan to keep it warm and Lorena joined her two friends at the table.

“I was really hoping that by doing this show, I could find a nice man.” Lorena said. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you, luv.” Spike said, sincerely.

“It’s ok. I’m over it. I just need to get through the rest of the taping so I can go back home. I guess it took someone treating me like crap for me to realize that I liked my life better the way it was.” She smiled sadly. “I am happy for you two though. It’s weird, I look at you two and it’s like looking at a couple who have known each other for years.”

Buffy chuckled nervously. “Well, I guess it does feel that way sometimes.”

“Yeah.” Spike agreed. “Especially when we fight.”

Elbowing him in the side, Buffy gave him a playful look. “We don’t fight, we banter.”

“You love a good banter don’t you, pet? It turns you on. Isn’t that right?” With that, he leaned forward and placed a whisper of a kiss on her lips and then looked up into her eyes.

“I think you’re gonna win.” Lorena said.

They looked over at her, both flustered after getting so lost in each other. “What?” Buffy asked, almost forgetting about the third person in the room.

“I said, I think you’re gonna win” She repeated. “I mean, there isn’t any hope for me and I kind of get the feeling that Angela isn’t being loyal to John.”

“Not being loyal?” Buffy asked. “You mean, you think she’s cheating on him?”

“Well, sometimes when I can’t sleep, I’ll sit in the living room and read or sit on the porch and look at the stars. It seems that almost every night Angela sneaks out after the cameras go off and runs off somewhere. I never followed her so I don’t know where she goes or what she does but I’m assuming that wherever she is at night, she’s not alone.”

Buffy looked over at Spike to see his reaction to this new information but became distracted by the timer going off on the oven. Lorena rose from her seat, placed oven mitts on her hands and opened the oven door to remove the casserole dish. Wanting to help, Spike walked over toward Lorena who was standing in front of the oven. As she turned around, she was startled by his presence, not realizing Spike was standing behind her. Gasping, she jumped as she faced him causing her elbow to knock into the handle of the pan with the rice in it which was standing on the stovetop. Without thinking, she shoved the casserole dish into Spike’s hands and turned to catch the pan before it fell off the stove.

With the fiery hot dish in his hands, Spike screamed as it burned his flesh. Panicked, he spun around frantically looking for empty counter space to rid of the offending item. After finally finding a spot to dispose of it, he slumped to the floor and looked at the angry red welts on his hands which began to blister right before his eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry.” Lorena said in a panic as she knelt down beside him.

Spike just groaned, the pain too unbearable to form words at the moment.

Lorena looked at his wounded hands, her heart breaking for him. “Buffy, can you bring me a first aid kit?”

They looked up toward the sound of laughing to see Buffy with her hand over her mouth, unsuccessfully muffling the sound. Spike stared at her in disbelief.

“I’m sorry.” She said between chuckles. “But you should have seen your face and you were spinning around all panicked.” She spun herself around to demonstrate and the laughing got louder.

Spike stood up in a huff, trying not to use his hands to do so. Glaring angrily at Buffy, he stomped out of the kitchen toward the living room.

Buffy’s face suddenly turned serious bordering on panic. “Spike! Come on! I was just……..”

After seeing him ignore her, she looked over at Lorena who gave her a look that can only be described as disappointment. She suddenly felt very stupid and very mean and knew she never should have laughed at him like that. Guilt flooded her as she sat down on the kitchen chair. Embarrassed by her actions, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks and although she wanted to apologize, her pride glued her to her seat.

After letting a few moments pass, she tucked her tail between her legs and slowly made her way into the living room to see how Spike was doing. She fumed internally as she walked in to see Angela nursing his burns. Seeing Spike sitting on the sofa while Angela sat across from him on the coffee table reminded her of the night she came back from the dead. She remembered Spike holding her hands gently as he took care of her cuts and scrapes. It should be her, not Angela, cradling his hands as bandages were wrapped around them.

Buffy stood before them, her hands clasped behind her back like a shy child.

“Hey, why don’t you take a break and let me finish that up.” Buffy said to Angela who paused momentarily to look at Buffy and then look back at Spike for a response from him.

“That’s all right, Buffy. Angela is doing a mighty fine job. No need to concern yourself. Why don’t you go upstairs and get some beauty sleep. It looks like you could use it.” Spike said, his voice cold and distant.

After being dismissed and insulted all in one shot, she decided to take her hurt feelings upstairs like he asked and wait to work this out after everyone left. As she ascended the stairs, she looked back once more just in time to see Spike place a gentle kiss on Angela’s cheek to thank her for helping him. Guilt, jealousy and heartbreak consumed Buffy as she made her way up the rest of the stairs.

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

Buffy waited until everyone left and the cameras were off before she made her way downstairs. When she got there he noticed Spike in the kitchen unsuccessfully trying to get the refrigerator door open. His bandages were restricting him from doing much of anything with his hands and she guessed he was hungry and trying to get some blood.

Spike turned, noticing Buffy. “Oh hey! I’m glad you’re up. Could you maybe give me a hand here?”

“Oh! Now you want my help? Why don’t you go ask Angela for assistance? I’m sure she would be more than willing.”

“Has anyone ever told you that jealousy doesn’t suit you, luv?”

Buffy’s brow raised. “You are really stuck on this jealousy thing, aren’t you? I think you are just dying for me to be jealous so your diluted mind can continue to think that I would ever have any interest in you. Well I’ve got news for you. I do not now nor will I ever think of you as anything more than an ego driven, peroxided pest of a neutered vampire!”

Spike took a few steps closer, his blue eyes drilling into her green ones. “You really do want me don’t you, pet?”

Throwing her hands up in the air, she growled loudly in frustration and walked past him to the fridge to get out a packet of blood for him. She emptied the packet into a coffee mug and placed it in the microwave watching it turn around and around as it heated.

“It’s you isn’t it?” Buffy asked softly.

“What’s me?”

“You’re the one who meets Angela in the middle of the night to do God only knows what.”

“Are you off your rocker? Buffy, I swear, I don’t meet Angela for anything. How could you think I would do that?”

Buffy shrugged. “You obviously like her. I saw that kiss you gave her today.”

“It was on the cheek. It didn’t mean anything and I only did it to piss you off.”

“Why would it piss me off? I already told you I’m not…..”

“Jealous? Yeah, sing me another tune, luv.”

“You know what? I’m tired of defending myself to you. This conversation is over. I’m going to bed.” She opened the microwave, took out his blood and put a straw in it for easy access. “Is there anything else you need before I head on up.”

“Well, there is one thing but I’m afraid you’ll take it the wrong way.”

“What is it?” She said skeptically.

“It’s just…..I need to be comfortable while I sleep and…..I…..uh….”

“Spit it out, Spike. I don’t have all night.”

“Look, I can’t sleep with my jeans on all right!”

“And you are sharing this with me because?”

“Well, I can’t exactly unzip my pants with all these bandages on my hands now can I?”

“You mean, you want me to……” Buffy’s eyes widened.

“Help me get my pants off?”

“What are you crazy? I’m sure you can suffer through one night of sleep with your pants on!”

“Come on, Buffy! Help me out! It’s really uncomfortable!” He whined.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “All right. But no funny stuff!”

“I’ll be a perfect gentlemen.” Spike said.

“Why do I not believe that?”

She took a deep breath and lowered her hands toward the button of his pants. After undoing the button, she grabbed a hold of the zipper then paused.

“You better have boxers on under there.” She said venomously.

“No worries, pet. I’m all covered up. Just watch the jewels ok. These pants are kind of tight.”

“So I’ve noticed.” Buffy mumbled.

Spike raised an eyebrow, his head tilting to one side. “You’ve been checking out my goodies, Slayer?”

“You wish!”

“Actually, I do.”

“Would you just shut up and let me do this.”

“You better hurry. The longer your hands are down there, the tighter my pants are getting.”

Buffy’s jaw tightened at his comment and she quickly and roughly pulled his zipper down.

“Ahhhhh!! Watch it! You could have damaged something important!”

“There is nothing of any importance to me down there.”

“Are you sure about that, Buffy?”

He suddenly spun her around and backed her up against the refrigerator door, pressing his body to hers and giving her hips a squeeze. He brought his face close to hers and could feel her heavy breathing against his lips.

“You mean to tell me that after all we’ve done, you still refuse to admit that you’re attracted to me?”

Buffy swallowed hard but said nothing.

“I don’t see you denying it, Slayer. Look at you, you’re shivering.” Spike said.

“That’s because you have me up against the refrigerator. It’s cold.”

Spike smiled and Buffy’s eyes widened in fear as he picked her up, spun her around and set her down on the kitchen table.

He immediately smashed his lips against hers at the very second her lips parted to speak. His tongue took that opportunity to grant itself access into her mouth, making her groan. After a few hard, urgent kisses he pulled away to look at her.

“See, you’re still shivering.”

“I’m still cold.”

“Let me fix that for you.” He said as he leaned in again.

Lips and tongues met frantically for a second time. They parted, breathing heavily, foreheads touching.

“Every time I kiss you, I can’t help but want you.” Spike said.

He leaned in to kiss her again.

Somewhere deep down, Buffy found her strength and pushed him away.

“No. Stop. I can’t.” She jumped down from the table and walked toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Spike asked, disappointment evident in his voice.

“I have to…..I….I just need some air. I’m going for a walk.”

“I’ll come with you.” He started to move toward her.

She put a hand up, signaling him to stop. “No. Please. I just need to be alone, ok?”

“All right then.” Spike’s face fell as she walked out the door.

The crisp cold air helped to clear Buffy’s mind, at least for a little while. She strolled the paths around the house and tried to gain perspective on her feelings toward Spike. Her walk was peaceful but it didn’t help her come to a decision any faster. Her emotions were just as confusing as they ever were.

As she continued walking she heard a combination of whispers and giggles and did her best to follow the sound. When she finally found the source, she identified a laughing Angela with her arms around someone’s shoulders. Her partner was bathed in shadow, making him extremely difficult to see. When Angela’s eyes closed to kiss the mystery man, Buffy took that opportunity to move a little closer until she could identify him.

“Spike!” Buffy yelled as she ran into the front door of the house.

“Spike!” She yelled again, breathing heavily.

He came running out of the bathroom, his hair drenched and a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Buffy, what’s wrong?” He asked, concerned.

“You’ll ever guess who I just caught making out?”

“Bloody Hell, Slayer! Don’t scare me like that! I thought that you were hurt!”

“Sorry, I……” Her mouth suddenly went dry with the realization that Spike was standing there half naked and wet. She wondered how he managed to shower himself with limited use of his hands. Part of her was slightly disappointed that she wasn’t around to help him. She tried her hardest to divert her eyes and get back to the point.

“It’s Kevin.” She said, trying to keep her mind off of Spike’s exposed skin.

“What?”

“Kevin is the one that Angela is sneaking around with. I just saw them in the middle of a very serious kissing session.”

“Wow. I never would have guessed she was running around with the events organizer. But, hey, I really like the bloke so good for him.”

“You barely know him and only like him because he sent us to the beach.”

“So? What’s wrong with that? I’ve grown fond of other people for stranger reasons.” He announced, raising an eyebrow at her and hoping she’d catch on that he meant her.

She rolled her eyes. “Never mind that. You are missing the point.”

“And that would be what, this little adventure of ours is turning into an episode of Melrose Place?”

“There is no way we can lose now!” She exclaimed, ignoring his comment. “Lorena hates Jason and Angela is running around on John with Kevin! We’re a shoe in!”

“But the cameras are off, luv. Angela is just going to continue to try and hide it.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Buffy said. “The truth always comes out eventually.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.” Spike mumbled to himself while trying to dry his hair with a fluffy white towel in spite of his bandaged hands. He was hoping that eventually Buffy’s true feelings about him would come to surface. “So, where do we go from here?” Spike asked clearly, throwing the damp towel across the arm of the sofa.

“Well….” Buffy said, nervously. “There is only one thing left for us to do.”

“What’s that, pet?”

“We have to take our phony relationship to the next fake level. It’s time for us to sleep together.”

To Be Continued……

“Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Buffy replied.

“Then let’s get naked.”

“Spike! This is difficult enough as it is! Why do you always have to say things like that and make it worse?”

“I was just joking, luv. I was trying to be funny to break the tension.”

“Well, don’t.” Buffy sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Come on, Buffy. Relax.” Spike said, sitting down next to her.

Spike began to gently rub her shoulders until she visibly started to relax.

“Mmmm. That feels nice. A little lower please?”

Spike smiled at her acceptance.

As he rubbed up and down her back, Buffy found herself getting turned on by his actions. As she realized this, she squirmed away from him and stood up.

“What’s the matter, luv?”

“Nothing. It’s just….that’s not helping either.”

“It seemed to be a minute ago.”

“Well it’s really not.”

Spike stood up, grabbed onto her shoulders and studied her eyes with his.

“Buffy, calm down. Look, I know this isn’t exactly your idea of fun but I am well aware that this is just pretend. I’ll be a good boy, I promise.”

Buffy just smiled and nodded, not exactly sure how to respond to that. After a moment she looked at him and sighed deeply. “Well, let’s get started then.”

It was time to put on the show but all they could do was stand there and stare awkwardly at each other. Spike stood, hands in his pockets, staring at the floor, waiting for Buffy to make the first move. As they continued to stand there he realized that it was going to be up to him to get things started.

He sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him. A deep shaky breath escaped her lips and she sat down beside him.

“So, how do we do this then?” She asked.

“We’ve gone over this, Buffy. You wear your strapless top and I’ll wear my boxers, we’ll get under the covers and when the clock strikes 5 a.m. and the cameras go on it will look like we’re in the middle of having sex.”

“This is silly” Buffy let out a frustrated cry. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous about this. It’s not even real.”

“Maybe you’re nervous because you want it to be real.” Spike eyes fluttered over her face, down to her lips.

“Don’t start with me Spike. This isn’t……..”

“A bet.”

“Huh?” Buffy looked confused.

“Why don’t we make this a little more interesting.” Spike smirked.

“What do you mean?” Buffy asked cautiously.

“I’ll bet that I am better at faking this sex thing than you.”

Buffy let out a hard laugh. “You’ve got to be joking. There’s no way you’d be better than me. I dated Riley, that makes me an expert on faking it. You’ve got yourself a deal. What are the stakes?”

Spike glanced at her, his eyebrow raised.

“So, you faked it with Captain Cardboard? Why am I not surprised?” Spike grinned, then tilted his head to study her.

“Right, like I’m sure no girl has ever faked it with you?”

“They never needed to.” He responded with a prideful smile.

“Spike, I hate to break it to you but women fake it all the time and the men are rarely ever able to tell the difference.”

Spike looked deeply into her eyes. “Buffy, believe me, I know.” He began, his voice low and deep. “I can tell if it’s real. It’s usually always the same. Her thighs start to tremble, she begins to whimper, her body closes around mine like a vice. She’ll either clench the sheets in her fists or scratch her nails down my back and her legs will wrap around me like she never wants to let me go. Then I make her scream until her body becomes so limp she can barely move.”

Buffy sat there frozen, his deep voice coating her mind until she could clearly picture it happening. At first she felt a stab of jealousy picturing Spike with Dru or Harmony or any number of countless women he has been with but suddenly she began to picture herself as the woman writhing beneath him and screaming his name.

Her eyes opened, barely even realizing that she had let them drift shut. Spike’s face was way too close to hers, his eyes filled with lust. She quickly tried to compose herself and backed away from him before clearing her throat.

“The bet.” She said, a bit more huskier than she intended. She took a deep breath and continued. “What are the terms of the bet?”

He chuckled, noticing her flushed cheeks. “If you win, I will be your slave for the remaining time that we’re here. Cooking, cleaning, pampering. We’ll do anything you want to do, go anywhere you want to go. I will utterly spoil you.”

“And if you win?” Buffy asked.

“If I win, all you have to do is go out on a date with me. A formal date with candy, flowers and me being gentlemanly and you maybe giving good old Spike a kiss at the end of it.”

Buffy stuck out her hand initiating a hand shake. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Spike smiled, knowing that no matter what the results of the bet turned out to be, that he would be the winner either way.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

“Buffy? Are you almost ready, luv? We need to hurry.”

“Just one more minute.” She responded from inside the bathroom.

While brushing through her hair, she could see her hands start to shake. A few deep breaths later, she splashed some water on her face, willing her body to relax.

“Buffy, come on!” Spike yelled impatiently.

“Just a minute!” She screamed back.

She could hear him growl in anger and then pound on the bathroom door.

“Get your stubborn slayer ass out here! We only have two minutes before the cameras go on!”

“Give it a rest, bleach boy! I’ll be out when I’m good and ready!”

“You are going to mess up the plan!”

“Screw the plan! If we don’t do this tonight then we’ll just have to try again tomorrow.”

“Stop putting this off, Slayer. If we don’t do this now, we never will and then what will you say to Giles when we lose? We’re here for a reason. Remember those poor missing people? Ya know, the whole reason we’re here in the first place!”

“Go to hell, Spike”

“Oh, that’s very nice, Buffy. Just let those poor people die or get tortured just so you’re self-involved ass won’t have to do something that you’re afraid of!”

With that, she flung open the door, seething with anger. “I am NOT self-involved!”

After her outburst, she noticed the camera light go on and she panicked.

Buffy looked up at Spike and quickly lunged at him, knocking him into the wall. She abruptly smashed her lips against his making him groan. In turn, he spun them around, backing her into a dresser, causing items to fall off and crash to the floor.

Spike stood between her legs and continued to kiss her passionately, his hand cradling the back of her neck. She roughly shoved him away from her and onto the bed. She thanked the stars above that she had a bout of laziness and failed to make the bed because it made it a lot easier for them to hide their bodies under the sheets since they didn’t have to trouble themselves with pulling back the covers.

Before she could even comprehend what was happening, Spike was hovering above her. He leaned down and began placing soft kisses on her lips, then down her jaw and finally on her neck. He suckled the soft skin beneath her ear hard enough to leave a mark but at the moment she didn’t seem to care.

Traveling farther down her body, he kissed and licked around her collarbone and then slid down even further, placing kisses right above her breasts. Needing to distract him from his obvious destination, she reached down and slid her hands under his shirt and began pulling it up, suggesting that he take it off. Finally, when his chest was bare, she pulled him to her, granting his tongue entrance into her mouth. With rampant pleasure, their tongues gently swirled together and his upper body rested on top of hers.

Since their abrupt beginning caused them to improvise, between kisses, they proceeded to remove any extra clothing they had on which didn’t fit into the original plan. They concentrated on continuing their pleasure play when Spike was finally in nothing but his black silk boxers and Buffy was lacking enough clothing so it made her look like she was nude under the sheets.

With a swift movement, she flipped him onto his back and straddled his waist. A look of shock appeared on his face as she started to move her hips up and down to give the impression that they were having sex. Even though it wasn’t real, he couldn’t help himself from placing his hands on her hips to guide her movements.

When Buffy started to moan, Spike thought he was going to lose his mind. It wasn’t supposed to seem this real. Even when he imagined the scene in his head, he saw it as being very orchestrated and awkward. He didn’t, however, expect it to turn him on this much. Remembering that there was a point to all of this, Spike started to become vocal with a few grunts of his own.

Deciding he wanted to be in charge, he flipped her over so that she was beneath him again. He began thrusting forward and she found herself staring at him as he moved. She almost couldn’t bare any of this. Her mind started racing and she tried so hard to push out any thoughts that were telling her she actually wanted this to be real.

Buffy closed her eyes and against every sense of reason in her brain, she let herself imagine that Spike was really making love to her. Between his grunts and her moans, she almost tricked herself into thinking it was actually happening.

A movement of her arm caused her hand to brush against something long and hard yet soft and smooth causing Spike to groan once more but this time it was because of the sensation of her warm skin touching his erection which unknowingly slipped out of the front of his silk boxers.

Freaked out by this sudden development, Buffy quickly faked an orgasm for the cameras to end this little charade and her eyes, as wide as saucers, met Spike’s eyes which were equally wide with shock.

Buffy gasped again. “Oh my God!”

^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

“Oh my God!” Xander screeched, watching the developments unfold before his eyes.

The gang which included, Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara & Giles, were staring at the television screen in Xander’s apartment, watching the current episode of “Married By America” which included Buffy straddling and grinding into a stunned looking Spike at a party with the rest of the contestants.

Xander continued to stare, his jaw agape. “If this episode was filmed a week ago, I can only imagine what they must be……Oh God! No imagining! I’ve got to stop imagining! Somebody please poke my eyes out!”

“Shhhh!” Anya hushed Xander while munching on a bowl of buttery popcorn. “Stop talking. You’re being annoying and you are going to make me miss the orgasmic conclusion.”

Not able to watch anymore, Xander went into his bedroom and away from the disturbing images on the television.

Frantically cleaning his glasses, Giles rose up from his seat and cleared his throat.
“I think I’m going to….you see, I’ve forgotten to……Uh, I think I’m going to head home now. Make sure you keep Spike and Buffy up to speed on their…uh…progress.” Giles stumbled over his words before blushing a deep crimson and scrambling out the door.

Anya continued to sit, literally, on the edge of her seat. “Wow! They’re really getting into it. See, I was right, sex definitely sells. They’ve got to be fornicating by now.”

Willow remained silent but observed what was happening on the screen in front of her. She felt a pang of worry at Anya’s words. Quietly leaving the room, she walked into the kitchen to get a drink, but mostly to be alone for a few moments with her thoughts.

Tara observed Willow and she felt as though something might be bothering her. Following her into the kitchen, Tara noticed the concerned look on Willow’s face when she turned back around after getting some juice out of the fridge.

“Willow, what’s wrong?”

“Why do you think something’s wrong?”

Tara rolled her eyes, “I know you, Willow. I can tell when something is bothering you.”

Willow sighed, grabbed Tara’s hands and pulled her a little closer to her.

“There is something. It’s about Buffy but If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell any of the others.” Willow whispered.

“I promise. I swear, I won’t say anything.”

“I talked to Buffy in private last time we went to check on her. She told me that she was becoming attracted to Spike.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, Willow. It could just be from the kissing and stuff.” Tara tried to reassure her.

“Well, that’s what I thought too but after seeing them on TV like that, I’m not so sure anymore. It looked so real. It looked like what they felt was real.”

“Willow, Buffy is a big girl. I seriously doubt anything is going on with them but even if there is, there’s nothing we can do about it. She’s old enough to make her own decisions and if something happens between them, the only thing we can do is be there for her if she needs us.”

Willow chuckled nervously. “You’re right. I know I’m just being silly and over protective but I just don’t want Buffy to get hurt.”

“I know you don’t, sweetie.” Tara said, brushing back a lock of Willow’s hair. “Buffy is a strong girl and I’m sure she’ll be careful. She can take care of herself and things will work out just fine.”

Willow smiled, amazed at how a few simple words from the woman she loved could instantly calm her. “Thanks, Tara.”

They walked back into the living room together just in time to see Anya rewinding the sexy scene between Buffy and Spike so she could watch it again.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Still staring at Spike, Buffy froze, unsure of what to do. When her cloudy mind became clear, she slid out from under him and ran into the bathroom.

She stood in front of the sink, grasping the edge of it, her breathing erratic.

“Buffy.”

She jumped at the sound of her name and spun around to see Spike approaching her. He glided up to her, his eyes still hazy with lust. The way he was looking at her made her blush.

Gazing downward, she briefly observed his impressive erection which was bobbing in front of him. She quickly looked back into his eyes, not wanting him to realize what she was staring at. The amused look on his face told her that he knew exactly what part of his anatomy she was studying. He always knew.

“I just have one question for you, pet, and I want you to answer me honestly.” Spike’s voice was deeper than usual.

All Buffy could get herself to do was nod, letting him know she understood.

“Do you want me, Buffy?”

To Be Continued………

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It is so important that you all review this chapter. For those of you who have read this story before, this is the first time I've updated in over a year. I'm so sorry I left so many people hanging and I was afraid I was never going to continue it but my good friend Angela got me motivated to keep writing. She sparked some ideas about future chapters and I became as excited about it as I was when I first began writing it.

You guys inspire me so much and your comments and suggestions are very much appreciated. Sometimes they will even spark a few ideas and that gets me to write quicker. It makes me so happy that there are people out there that are still interested in this story even though it hasn't been updated in so long. Thank you all so much!