Chapter 1


Buffy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, smiling as the fresh smell of wintergreen flooded her senses. She could hear the water rushing in a nearby stream and she sighed contently as she opened her eyes.



"Its great, isn't it?"



"Its fantastic," Buffy smiled at her driver as he unloaded her bags from the trunk. "It's exactly what I need. No phone, no TV, no distraction, no Men!" She added, blushing slightly at the look on the drivers face. "Sorry," she mumbled.



The driver chuckled softly as he sat her last bag down before standing and looking toward the cabin. "Don't apologize," he grinned. "I'm sure whatever you've been dealing with will only be a bad memory by the time I come back up to get you."



"That's what I'm hoping," she smiled brightly.



"Now, if anything happens and you need emergency assistance there's a lock box in the inside closet of the bedroom," the driver told her as he lifted her bags and started toward the cabin with them. "Whatever you do, don't break into it unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't think you want four rangers, the highway patrol and the resort owner's up here because you broke a nail, now do you?"



"No, definitely not," Buffy laughed. "Believe me, there is nothing that would get me to call back down there and ruin my vacation."



"That a girl," the driver smiled after depositing the last of her bags just inside the door. "The cabinets are stocked just as you requested and everything you need has been provided."



"I hope so for what this is costing me," Buffy grinned.



"I'll second that," the driver smiled back. "Have a lovely vacation, Ms. Summers."



Buffy watched as the driver started the SUV and started back down the mountain. She smiled as she took in the surrounding scenery and listened as the wildlife stirred around her. She felt absolutely giddy as she turned and went back inside.



The cabin was more than perfect. High vaulted ceilings in rich dark wood hung invitingly over the upper loft where she could see the bedroom. Furnishings in dark oranges and reds adorned the entire room as she let her eyes scan the living area and her smile widened as she saw the large ornate fireplace and soft rugs and pillows that were scattered around.



Large picture windows that made up most of the outer walls brought the lush greenery of the outdoors right inside her little paradise and she smiled as she walked toward the sliding-glass doors that led to a small wooden deck and stepped outside. "Heaven," she sighed as she saw the stream that wound its way through the trees and trickled small waterfalls right below the deck.



With a large smile she turned, walking back inside before going to retrieve her bags. She had been waiting for almost six months for this vacation and she wasn't about to waste a minute of it. Carrying her bags up the stairs to the upper loft Buffy hurried and deposited her things on the floor. The attraction that led her to this particular cabin and had her spending half her life's saving came to mind and with a happy smile she grabbed a towel and set off to find the hot spring.



~~~~~~~~~~



"Enjoy your stay,"



Spike gave the driver a nod as he watched him pull away before picking up his bags and starting for the cabin. He made a mental note to thank his manager for picking such a secluded place for him to write as he stuck the key into the door.



The door opened easily and he shrugged at the idea of the cabins not being locked before he lifted his things and carried them inside. He couldn't help but smile as he took in his surroundings. It was everything the brochure said it was and more. He noticed quickly the lack of TV and even though he came to write and work on his music he wasn't sure how long it would take him before he went stir crazy with no outside noise other than that of nature.



Walking into the large Kitchen that sat off to the left, Spike made his way to the refrigerator and smiled as he opened it. "God bless you Curt," he grinned as he reached in and grabbed the imported beer he had specifically requested. Popping the top he closed his eyes as the cool liquid slide its way down his throat.



A contented sigh escaped him as he lifted his head before he carried his beer toward the living room. Grabbing his guitar on the way, he walked to the sofa that sat facing the large fireplace and opened the case before pulling the instrument out and taking a seat.



Laying his beer on the side table, his fingers leisurely strummed the chords out of the song he had been working on. The gently sounds of the stream outside lulled him into playing the soft melody that was almost as haunting as he felt. His life had been pure chaos and time away from the outside world was just what he needed. Sitting back he laid his guitar aside and stared into the unlit fireplace before leaning his head back and closing his eyes.



~~~~~~~~~~



Buffy didn't know how long she had been sitting in the hot spring and her body protested as she moved. She had never felt so relaxed. Every burden she had been carrying around seemed to melt away the longer she sat there and she wondered if she would ever want to leave.



She smiled as she saw small woodland creature scurry along the spring collecting their food and she closed her eyes as she leaned back against the rock that naturally sloped on the side of the spring. She wondered if it were truly a comfort of nature or one that was man-made to seem that way.



The entire area was like something from a dream. The steam from the spring lazily made its way into the air and the breeze that rustled the trees carried with it the scent of mountain laurel that fragranced the air. The strong smell of pine from the trees was everywhere and Buffy sighed at how perfect this all seemed. "My own little slice of paradise," she muttered sleepily to herself as she settled against the rock and let that demons that had chased her away from LA to the mountains of Colorado slip away. She had no doubt that by the time she left, her life would be different. She would be stronger and more confident and above all else, Angel Conner would be a distasteful memory she would soon forget.



~~~~~~~~~~



Spike didn't know how long he had been sleeping but upon opening his eyes saw that the sun was resting low over the mountain. The room was almost completely dark and a slight chill hung in the room. Standing slowly, he made his way to the large fireplace and began building up the wood to start a fire. Although he knew the days were quite comfortable, the nights could get cold, especially to someone who was use to the hot weather of southern California.



As the first flames began to dance and the wood began to pop and burn, Spike stood and went to his bags. Grabbing a few things he made his way to the door and the only thing about the cabin he didn't like, the outdoor plumbing.



~~~~~~~~~~



Buffy rushed in the front door, shivering as the cool mountain air stung her wet skin. The room was almost dark except for the light coming from the burning embers of the fireplace. She stopped just inside the door looking at the large fire blazing in the fireplace before looking around. Her brow scrunched up in confusion as she looked around before the warmth of the fire reached her. Walking quickly across the room to the fireplace, she smiled as she dropped her wet towel and warmed herself.



"Automatic fireplace," she smiled slightly as she hugged her arms around her waist trying to warm herself. "Gotta love this place," she said to herself before looking behind her and seeing the blanket draped across the back of the sofa. Turning, she walked toward the sofa and froze when the front door opened wide.



Spike stopped and blinked repeatedly when he saw her. She looked as surprised to see him as he was at seeing her and it only took him a minute to realize that there was a beautiful blonde standing in front of him wearing nothing but skin. With a growing smile, Spike leaned his head to the side, looking at her as she stood there with wide eyes staring back at him. "Well, hello there cutie."



Buffy's mouth slowly opened and her eyes widened further as she looked at him before she took a deep breath and screamed.

Chapter 2





Buffy felt dizzy as she let every bit of air in her lungs out as she screamed before she rushed forward and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself. She looked around the room frantically before looking back at the door where the intruder was still standing. "Who the hell are you?" She yelled before looking around her and reaching for the small glass figurine sitting on the nearby end table and holding it up in the air. "You have exactly five seconds to explain what you're doing in my cabin before I crack your skull open!"



Spike couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he looked at her standing there, half wrapped in a blanket and holding what she assumed was a suitable weapon. He took a small step inside the room and shut the door behind him and held back the chuckle threatening to escape him as the arm wielding her weapon rose higher as she stared at him.



"Here on vacation," he finally answered her. "And I hate to burst your bubble pet, but this is my cabin."



Buffy felt her entire body shaking as she stood up straighter and jutted her chin out. Her blood seemed to be rushing through her body faster than it ever had and she was sure he could hear her heart pounding in her chest even from across the room. "You're delusional," she spat out angrily. "I booked this cabin months ago. It's mine. I don't know who you are but do yourself a favor and crawl back to wherever it is you came from if you wish to remain among the living."



Spike forcefully tried to pull the smile off his face but was unsuccessful as he stared at her. She was five foot nothing, standing there threatening him like a mountain lion ready to pounce at any minute. He could see her shaking from across the room and knew he had scared her. Hell, she had scared him. He didn't expect to see anyone standing in his living room, especially not a naked woman. Leaning back against the door, he looked around the room before crossing his arms over his chest.



"Well, I know for a fact that I booked this cabin," Spike started off softly. "And the shuttle dropped me off here a few hours ago. Now how did you get up here?"



"The shuttle," Buffy told him with a shaky voice. "I've been here since around noon."



"I see," Spike said as he looked at her. "Well, looks like someone made a mistake somewhere."



Buffy snorted back a laugh as she looked at him. "You think?" she said sarcastically as she slowly lowered her arm.



Spike grinned before pushing himself off the door and standing up straight before holding his hands out in front of him when Buffy lifted her weapon again. "No need for that kitten," Spike told her. "I'm not going to hurt you."



Buffy held the blanket around her tightly as she watched him lean down, placing the things in his hand back into the bag beside the door. There were several suitcases and various bags and she didn't know why she hadn't notice them when she first walked in. Looking around she spotted a guitar sitting on the sofa before she looked back up at him. "I suppose this is yours?" She asked, pointing to the guitar.



"Yes," Spike told her, taking a small step toward her and watching as she stumbled backwards. "Look, why don't you go put some clothes on so you'll be more comfortable, and we can try to figure out why we're both here when only one of us should be."



Buffy watched him for a few minutes before tossing the object in her hand down on the sofa and grabbing the blanket with both hands. She took a slow step backwards before glancing over at the stairs. Looking back at the man still by the door, she gave a small nod of her head before she turned and quickly made her way to the stairs.



Buffy rushed up the steps to the bedroom with her heart still racing in her chest. Her thoughts were a jumble of confusion from the sudden shock of someone just strolling into her cabin. Her mother had been worried about someone making their way up the mountain and she had assured her that it wouldn't be a problem. The resort was very safe, even their more secluded cabins. The thought never even crossed her mind that someone might find her, alone and unable to defend herself, and now, she had to wonder if her mother hadn't right.



Grabbing the first suitcase she came to, Buffy tossed it up on the bed and unzipped it before frantically grabbing the first thing she saw. Glancing over the rail to the lower section she looked for her intruder. After seeing him walk to the sofa and retrieve his guitar, she moved to the farthest wall and quickly slipped her clothes on.



Spike sighed heavily as he placed his guitar back in its case before walking back to the door and picking up the small blue bag he knew held his cell phone. He had brought it, just in case. One never knew what could happen and as long as it was off, it wouldn't become a bother. Hitting the "on" button, he waited as it charged up. Surely the resort manager could figure out why there was a woman in the cabin he had rented.



"So, you're still here I see," Buffy said as she made her way down the stairs.



Spike turned at her voice and was struck speechless by the sight of her. Seeing her naked was one thing, but seeing her now, when he could actually look at her without his body responding was something entirely different. The light from the fireplace cast shadows across her face and made her hair shine in the dim light. The pale yellow dress she was wearing flowed around her legs and made her exposed skin look like it has been dusted with gold. She looked like an angel descending from heaven. When she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, he took a deep breath before shaking his head and turning from her. "Hadn't planned on going anywhere princess."



Buffy let out a small chuckle before crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the railing of the stairs. "Well, you're not staying here."



Spike laughed at that before he opened the door to the cabin and stepped outside. His phone had no signal inside and once he stepped out, he frowned at the display. "Stupid, bloody, useless thing."



Buffy arched one eyebrow as she heard him mumbling to himself before he walked back into the room and threw his phone back into a bag at his feet before slamming the door. She sighed uninterested as he continued to mumble to himself before she rolled her eyes and made her way to the couch. "So, do you normally talk to yourself or is this psychotic behavior something new?"



Spike looked up at her, seeing the wide smile on her face before he grinned. "Well, I was trying to call you a cab, but I guess now you'll have to walk."



"Me!" Buffy screeched. "I'm not leaving, you are!"



"Oh, now there's where you're wrong ducks. This is my cabin and I'm not leaving."



"No, it's my cabin and stop with the stupid pet names," she spat out. "My name is Buffy."



"And such an elegant name it is," Spike chuckled. He watched her, seeing her mouth fly open and her eyes widen before he slowly approached her. "But, I guess we could always come to...some sort of arrangement," he added as he leaned his head to the side slightly and gave her a good, long look from head to toe.



Buffy thought her jaw would pop out of its socket any minute as he leered at her before she stood up straight and snapped her mouth shut. Who does he think he is? "Listen here buster," she said, poking her index finger into his chest as she stood toe to toe with him. "There will be no...arrangements of any kind! This is my cabin. I paid for it. It's stocked with my favorite foods and the only one leaving is you! Now, if you hurry, you can make it back to the resort by sun up."



Spike grinned down at her. He couldn't help it. Her face was bright red, her chest was heaving with every harsh breath she took and he wasn't sure why, but seeing her get so worked up over the whole thing amused him. Just seeing that much fury contained in such a small package was the most thrilling thing he had been witness to in over two years, pathetic as it was. With a small chuckle, he stepped back away from her and reached into his pocket and pulled out his smokes before pulling one from the pack. "You know damn good and well I'm not going to do that. The resort is ten miles from here and I'm not about to walk that far, for anyone."



"Well, I saw a nice little cave on the way up. It didn't look too far away. You can always go sleep with the animals and don't even think about lighting that thing up in here," she told him as she watched him put a cigarette in his mouth and reach for his lighter.



Spike sighed as his amusement started to wane. She was becoming bitchier by the minute and no matter how much fun it would be to see her get riled up even more, he wasn't sure he was ready for what she may do if he pushed her too far. Pulling the unlit cigarette from his mouth, he gave her a grin before placing it behind his ear and crossing his arms over his chest. "So, what do we do now?"



"Um, you leave so I can go to sleep?" Buffy grinned.



"Not hardly," Spike snorted. "You leave."



"Not gonna happen blondie!"



Spike stared at her, watching her jut her chin up defiantly before he grinned. Taking a step back away from her he turned and walked around the couch and sat down, fluffing the pillows stacked up at the end before lying down and closing his eyes.



"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy asked him disbelieving as she stared at him.



"I'm being a gentleman and letting you have the bed, but if you keep up all that bitching, I may just change my mind."



Buffy stood there, completely speechless as she stared at him. She didn't know what to do or say. This total stranger had just lounged out across her couch and made himself at home. "Look, Billy."



"Billy?" Spike asked, opening his eyes and lifting his head to look at her.



"Yeah, you got that whole Billy Idol look going on and besides..." Buffy stopped talking as she finally looked at him before she gasped softly. "Holy shit...you're Spike Williams!"



Spike sat up slowly, grinning from ear to ear as he looked at her. Her eyes were once again wide as saucers and that cute little mouth of hers was gapped open. Cocking his head to one side, he lifted a scared brow and gave her a nod. "Bout damn time you recognized me. Now pipe down, I need my beauty rest."

Chapter 3



Buffy stood rooted to the floor until her mouth had gone completely dry from hanging open before she finally felt her heart rate slow to normal pace. She blinked a few times before she finally closed her mouth and stared at what she now knew was the very famous, although troubled musician, Spike Williams.



Staring at his now silent form as he lay on the couch, she wondered what to do. She toyed with the notion of breaking into the emergency box and calling back down to the resort, but didn't want to lose her security deposit for making an unnecessary call, especially on the first day.



The thoughts of actually sharing the cabin with him lasted about as long as it took for her mind to register how bad an idea that was. The last she had read, he had been in rehab for substance abuse, not to mention the lengthy court battles after he attacked someone at one of his shows.



Spike lay silent, knowing she was still there. He could almost hear the wheels turning in her head and it took everything in him not to smile. She had looked completely shocked when she finally realized who he was and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little disappointed it had taken her so long to figure it out. He was use to screaming girls recognizing him from four blocks away and he had been almost thrilled that she treated him just like he was some random stranger. Now, he wasn't so sure.



Finally hearing her begin to walk away, he let out a long breath and listened until she topped the stairs before he opened his eyes. He didn't know what to do. His cell phone didn't work and calling back down to the resort was expensive. After his last manager ran off with over half of his savings, money wasn't something he looked at lightly anymore. He knew his music career could fall apart at any minute and he had done enough damage in the past two years to almost see to that single-handedly. Sighing heavily, he sat up and stared into the fire, trying to think of a way out of what he knew would be a very stressful day come morning.



~~~~~~~~~~



Birds were singing their praises to the early morning light. The fluttering of life outside was what she heard and it brought a smile to her face. Buffy opened her eyes and looked out the picture window to her left before she turned and grabbed the blankets, pulling them under her chin and staring out into a new day. This is what she had wanted. Peace and quiet.



"Bloody fucking hell!"



Buffy jumped at his voice and listened to a montage of colorful words before she rolled her eyes and sat up in bed. She sighed heavily before throwing the blankets back then walked to the railing and looked down.



Buffy watched Spike as he flung open the cabinet doors in the kitchen before he would slam them back shut and curse under his breath with every movement. She watched him for a few minutes before she cleared her throat. "Do you mind? Some of us enjoy peaceful mornings, not the obscene ramblings of the clinically insane."



Spike turned his head, looking up at her before he smiled. "Well, good morning princess. Sleep well?"



"Knowing the insane Englishman is sleeping under my roof? Oh sure. Best night of my life," Buffy replied sarcastically.



"That's what most women say," Spike grinned before turning back to the cabinets.



Buffy stared at him for a few minutes before she rolled her eyes and stepped back from the rail. Walking over to her luggage she almost growled in frustration at the smile trying to form on her face. He is not cute! She said to herself as she hunted out her clothes. He's smug and arrogant and his hair looks stupid all curly and wild like that.



Spike could hear her coming down the stairs and smiled when he heard the front door slam behind her as she left. He chuckled, shaking his head slightly as he made breakfast before he looked up and peaked out the window, watching her make her way to the bathhouse.



Buffy slammed the door to the bathhouse and locked it behind her before she threw her things down on the bench along the right side of the wall. She sighed heavily before looking around the room. She smiled as the bright morning sun filtered through the tinted glass that made up the ceiling. "Wow," she said quietly as she took in the room. It looked different than it had the previous night. It was as large as her apartment back home and the rustic look of the exposed beams and rock facade walls caused her smile to grow.



She unbuttoned her shirt before turning to the shower and turning it on. Waiting for the temperature to adjust she removed the remainder of her clothing before stepping inside under the spray. Water ran down the rock walls inside the shower and it felt like she was in a waterfall. The sound of the water against the rocks seemed to calm her frustration with Spike and soon all thoughts of him were gone as she enjoyed her shower.



~~~~~~~~~~



Buffy's hand stilled on the front doorknob when the smell of bacon and eggs reached her and she straightened up before she opened the door and entered. Spike was sitting at the kitchen bar reading a magazine when she walked in and he looked up at her briefly before returning to his food. "Smells good," she said as she laid her things down and walked into the kitchen.



"That it does," Spike grinned as he kept his eyes on his magazine. "Tastes even better."



Buffy looked at him and her smile fell away when she looked around the kitchen and only saw one plate. His. Her lips tightened into a thin line as she practically stomped to the cabinets and started opening them. Finding the assorted boxes of cold cereals, she pulled one from the cabinet and slammed it down on the countertop before searching for a bowl.



Spike hid his smile behind his coffee cup as he watched her over the rim. She was mumbling to herself as she fixed her cold breakfast and when she turned around, his eyes immediately went back to his magazine.



Buffy sat down at the bar, chewing the hard, crunchy bits of cereal as she stared at Spike. He ate in silence and the smell of bacon and eggs made her own meal even less appealing. How dare he she thought as she watched him eat. I would have made enough for both of us. Well, if I could cook that is.



It was all Spike could do to eat as he felt Buffy's eyes on him. He knew he had pissed her off and truthfully that had been his intention, but now, hearing each crunch of her cold breakfast made him regret his actions.~ He kept his eyes on his magazine, not really seeing the words printed there and the incessant crunching from Buffy finally stopped. He watched her rise from her seat and walk to the sink, rinse her bowl and turn to look at him. He couldn't help the smile that automatically came to his face when she looked at him. Her face was almost red and her lips were pressed into a thin line.



Buffy narrowed her eyes, watching the smug look on Spike's face and she almost growled in response. Two can play this game she thought as she stared at him. We'll just see who gets the last laugh.



Spike watched her stomp off toward the stairs and he took a deep breath when she was out of sight. He stood up, dumping his plate of food before rinsing it in the sink. He and Buffy still hadn't spoke of their situation and he knew that now wasn't the time. Walking to the couch, he picked up his guitar and tried to forget about the small blonde upstairs.



Buffy finally took a few minutes to unpack her suitcases while she contemplated her situation. She had fallen asleep with every intention of coming to a suitable arrangement for their predicament but waking to Spike's outburst had completely sidetracked her. Now as she stood in the middle of her room, the only thing she wanted was him out.



Walking over to the railing, she looked down and took a breath to try and discuss their situation but stilled her words as she saw him on the couch. He was picking out notes on his guitar and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face.~ She had to admit the thoughts of him really being here were just incredible. She knew her best friend Willow would freak out when she found out she had met and slept under the same roof as Spike Williams.



Seeing him glance up at her, she watched the same irritating smirk he had thrown her too many times to count cross his face before she rolled her eyes and stepped back from the rail. She sighed deeply before shaking her head and trying to clear her thoughts. Glancing out the window a smile bloomed across her face before she walked to the dresser and grabbed her bathing suit and threw it on the bed. A spare blanket in the closet caught her eye and she pulled it out before she jogged down the stairs.



"Have you seen a hammer?"



"Why would I need a hammer?" Spike asked, never looking away from his guitar.



To knock some sense into you Buffy thought before rolling her eyes at him. "I want to hang a curtain."



"What for?"



"So I can have some privacy."



Spike turned his head to look at her and grinned before raking his eyes over her form. "Don't worry princess. I'll try to refrain from peeking in on you in your knickers."



"You're a pig," Buffy spat out before stomping off to the kitchen in search of a hammer and nails.



Spike watched her go through the kitchen cabinets, slamming them shut before going to the next one before he sighed heavily and laid his guitar down. Walking to the closet by the door, he opened it and pulled out a small toolbox he had seen in there the night before. "Where do you want this curtain?"



Buffy turned to look at him as he walked toward the stairs and she held back a smile as she saw the hammer. She watched him as he topped the stairs and look down at her before she finally spoke. "Across the rail," she said as she started for the stairs.



~~~~~~~~~~



Spike stared out across the mountains as he stood on the deck of the cabin. A lit cigarette dangled from his lips and he inhaled deeply on it before tossing it to the floor and crushing it under his boot.



Thoughts of Buffy rattled through his mind and a smile came to his lips as he remembered the look on her face when he had picked up her bathing suit from the bed. A bright shade of red had colored her cheeks before she'd snatched it from his hands when he made mention of how little there was of it.



Leaning on the railing, Spike tried to see where she had went and knew there was a hot spring somewhere close. Searching the vegetation, he smiled as he saw the path before he straightened and walked back inside.



~~~~



Buffy sighed as the warmth from the hot spring and the noon day sun relaxed her muscles and she straightened her legs before reclining back into the molded rock she rested on. The morning had been less than pleasurable and she tried to push thoughts of Spike out of her mind.



She wasn't sure what to do about him. She didn't know if she could spend the next month, day-in and day-out under the same roof with him and not go completely insane. Less than twenty-four hours and he had already brought on thoughts of violence. She knew they needed to find a solution to their problem, but seeing how he hadn't mentioned it, she figured he was as determined to stay as much as she was. Shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts, Buffy closed her eyes and sighed as the sounds of nature surrounded her.



~~~~



Spike walked the trail through the woods and listened to the small trickle of water from the stream before he rounded a corner of trees. The hot spring came into view and the steam it produced lofted through the air and made the whole scene look like something from another world. He smiled as he saw Buffy, lounging back along the side of the spring and as he walked closer, his eyes fell to the bronzed skin of her breast that peeked out above the water. He stopped and just stared at her as he tossed his towel to a nearby rock and his smile widened as she shifted.



Buffy opened her eyes and jumped slightly as she saw Spike standing by the side of the spring removing his boots. She didn't know how long he had been standing there but from the smile on his face, it was longer than she would have liked. "What do you want?"



"Just a little peace and quiet, luv," Spike smiled as he reached for the bottom of his shirt.



Buffy watched the thin material of his shirt uncover hard, toned muscles, inch by inch and she swallowed heavily as she realized she was staring. The smirk was back on his face and she mentally shook herself to regain focus. "I'm using the pool at the moment." Buffy winced as her words came out in a breathy whisper and the smile on Spike's face only increased.



"Don't mind sharing," Spike said as he tossed his shirt aside.



"Well, I do," Buffy told him as she sat up straight. "I came out here to get away from you."



"Oh, I'm crushed," Spike laughed. "You can always just leave."



"I don't think so," Buffy said loudly as she watched him reach for the buttons of his jeans. "You better have a bathing suit on under those," she said as she watched him pop each button, exposing more skin with every second that passed. If possible, the smile on his face only brightened and as the thin patch of fine hair that ran from just under his navel and disappeared into the confines of his jeans came into her line of sight she found her heart rate increasing before she averted her eyes.



Buffy stared off into the vast greenery of the forest and her breathing increased until she thought she would hyperventilate. She could see him out of the corner of her eye and her eyes widened then snapped shut as she saw the black material pass over his hips. He was wearing absolutely nothing. A small chuckle from him was all it took before she quickly stood up. Her footing slipped and she held on to the side of the rock she had been leaning on as she saw him move. The small splash he made as he climbed into the pool caused her heart to literally skip a beat before she saw him sit.



Spike kept his eyes on her as he found a comfortable sitting position while she stood there staring out into the forest. He knew his little strip tease would shut her up and he was right. He could see her chest rise and fall rapidly as her breathing seemed to be out of control and the bright pink flush he found himself loving was once again staining her cheeks.



Buffy knew she had to move. She could feel Spike's eyes on her and her flesh burned because of it. Taking a deep breath, she turned and faced him. The smug look on his face made her instantly regret looking at him. She rolled her eyes before taking the few steps to the edge of the pool, then climbed out.



"Don't leave on my account."



"Drop dead," Buffy mumbled as she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her. Spike's laughter had her biting her tongue as she slipped her feet back into her sandals.



"Have to admit, kitten, that that little scrap of material looks much better on than it did in my hands," he told her as he leaned his head to the side while he stared at her. "Although I'm sure you without it is just as appealing."



Buffy rolled her eyes before she shook her head and turned around to look at him. She grinned before securing the towel at her waist. "Well, I'm glad you approve," she said with a wide smile. "I guess I can just live out the rest of my life knowing that bad boy Spike Williams found me attractive. How fortunate I feel to have met your approval."



Spike just smiled and the fact that he didn't say anything caused Buffy's temper to flair even more. Grabbing her things, she turned and stomped off into the forest.



A low chuckle was the only response Spike could come up with. He didn't know why he felt compelled to rattle her every chance he got, but he just couldn't help himself. As he sat there in the stillness of the forest, the appeal of the hot spring wasn't as attractive now that the fiery blonde wasn't anywhere in sight. Standing up, Spike climbed from the pool and slipped his jeans back on before grabbing his boots and shirt and running up the trail after her.



~~~~~~~~~~



The evening light was slowly fading and Buffy stared at the fireplace wondering if she should light it or just wait for Spike. He had been gone for hours now and she half-expected him to follow her back to the cabin as soon as she left the spring.



She tried to convince herself that his little stunt of stripping down to nothing had upset her but to be honest, her heart rate increased every time she thought about it. She could still see the hardened muscles that defined his body in her inner eye and the thoughts of it caused a slow ache to form in the pit of her stomach. It had been months since she had had any physical contact with the opposite sex and even though she knew nothing would ever happen between the two of them, her mouth practically watered at the thought. "Come on Buffy, you're being stupid," she said out loud to no one as she started pacing the floor. "He's a famous musician who probably has a girlfriend, not to mention more girls than he knows what to do with draping themselves all over him. He's not even remotely interested." She sighed heavily as she glanced at her watch and her brow furrowed as she realized exactly how long he had been gone. The last of the sun had disappeared behind the mountains and for the first time she felt a panic come over her. She was alone.



Walking the short distance to the front door, Buffy opened it before stepping out into the darkness. She let her eyes adjust before looking back toward the path that led to the hot spring. "Spike?" The only thing to greet her was the sounds of small animals that scurried around. No sign of Spike anywhere. Walking to the bathhouse, Buffy knocked briefly before opening the door. "Spike, you in here?" Nothing. Buffy exited the bathhouse and made her way to the path that led to the spring before she stopped. She peered into the darkness of the forest before looking back to the cabin before the cool mountain air caused her flesh to cover in chill bumps. "If this is your idea of a joke, I'm not amused." Buffy listened for any sound before she turned and walked back to the cabin. As she made her way back inside the stillness of the room engulfed her. She sighed heavily as confusion gave way to fear. Where was he? Why wasn't he back yet?

Chapter 4



Spike slowly opened his eyes, blinking into the blackness of the forest as he tried to let his eyes adjust to the low light. His head was throbbing and the smell of dirt surrounded him. Hearing a sound off to his right, he let his eyes follow the noise and smiled as he recognized Buffy's voice. She was calling for him. Sitting up, Spike's head began to swim as his vision blurred. The ache in his head increased and he raised his hand to the side of his head where the pain seemed to be concentrated. Wet, sticky blood coated his fingers and he growled in frustration as he slowly remembered falling. "Stupid bloody animals," he mumbled as he remembered the brown furry creature that had darted out into the path. He had screamed like a girl and he hoped Buffy hadn't heard him. Seeing how it was dark, he assumed she hadn't.



Scratching the side of his neck, Spike slowly picked himself up off the ground and tried to steady himself but the shooting pain that radiated from his ankle brought him to his knees. "Fuck," he hissed as he tried to look at his ankle. It was so dark he could barely even see his hand in front of his face. Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly and closed his eyes as the pain from his injuries left him suddenly dizzy.



~~~~



Buffy paced the floor, alternating between staring at her watch, the large pictures windows at the darkened sky and the front door. It was nearly eleven pm and still no sign of Spike. The anger she had felt when returning from the hot spring was now gone. She sighed heavily before she walked back to the door and opened it. It was completely quiet outside. The wind had picked up and the air was chilled from the mountains. Walking back inside, she ran up the stairs to the loft and grabbed her jacket before darting back down the steps. Stopping by the closet at the door, Buffy searched its contents and smiled happily when she saw the flashlight sitting on the upper shelf.



~~~~



Spike was dreaming. Warmth engulfed him and soft hands roamed his body. The scent of jasmine surrounded him and he smiled as his aching muscles seemed to relax. Soft music was playing and an angel hovered above him. He heard his name, whispered on a breath, and the fluttering of butterflies skated across his cheek.



"Spike, can you hear me?" Buffy sat by his side trying to wake him and was getting more worried by the second. It had taken her close to twenty minutes to practically drag him back to the cabin. She still didn't know how she had managed it. He was out cold when she found him lying face down by the path. Blood covered the whole left side of his face when she turned him over and she had panicked when she saw him.



She didn't know what had happened to him. An animal attack was the first thing that crossed her mind, but other than the cut on his head, he looked fine so she ruled that idea out. He hadn't moved since she had found him and she found herself checking for a pulse more than once. Seeing a ghost of a smile on his face and his eyes flutter open, Buffy sat up straight on her knees. "Spike, can you hear me?"



His eyes felt like they had steel weights on them and he tried with every bit of energy he had to open them. Pain radiated through his body and a slight move of his legs caused his eyes to shoot open. "Bloody hell. What happened?"



"Spike?" A smile covered Buffy's face as she realized he was finally coming to and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in.



Opening his eyes and focusing on her face, Spike smiled slightly as he saw her. It was an angel. "Hey."



"Hey," Buffy smiled as relief flooded her. "You okay?"



"Define okay?"



Buffy's smile widened at his attempt at humor before grabbing the wet towel she had been cleaning his cut with and rewetting it. "You have a nasty cut on your head," she told him. "Looks pretty bad. Probably needs stitches."



"Hmm," Spike mumbled as his eyes closed again.



"What happened?"



Spike sighed lightly as the details came back to him. No way was he going to tell her a damn squirrel was the cause of this. "Can't say that I remember exactly."



"Okay," Buffy smiled. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"



Spike opened his eyes and looked over his body and remembered his foot. "Twisted my ankle."



"Which one?" Buffy asked as she looked toward his bare feet.



"Right."



Buffy scooted to the foot of the couch and lifted the bottom of his pants leg to look at his ankle. Sure enough, it was a violent shade of purple. "Sure it's not broke?"



"No," Spike told her as he scratched the side of his neck. "Hurts bad enough though."



Buffy looked up at him briefly before reaching out for his ankle. The slightest touch and he was yelling. "Sorry."



"Just leave it be," Spike spat out as he clenched his jaw and stared at her. "Bleedin' thing hurts enough without you poking at it."



Buffy looked up at him and bit her tongue. She knew he was just reacting out of pain, but his harsh words still stung. "Um, do you need anything?" She asked him quietly.



"A sponge bath would be great," Spike smirked as he scratched his arm. "I feel like I rolled in hay."



"Your neck is pretty red," Buffy told him. "But the sponge bath? Not happening."



Spike managed a tiny smile before his eyes once again became heavy. He inhaled deeply as sleep called him and the crackling of the fire slowly lulled him to sleep.



~~~~~~~~~~



"Fuck!"



Buffy's eyes snapped open and she sighed as the previous morning played over for her. Loud, obscene words filled the cabin as Spike ranted on as usual. Crawling from the bed, she walked to the stairs and looked down. "Have you ever tried not acting like an insane man in the mornings?"



"Piss off!"



"Excuse me?" Buffy asked as her hands went to her hips and she stared down at him.



"I said: Piss. Off." Spike yelled up to her.



"You, are the biggest ass I have ever met," Buffy huffed as she started down the stairs. "Where the hell are you going?" She asked as she finally realized he was leaning on the back of the couch.



"To take a piss. Not that it's any concern of yours," Spike spat out as he turned his head to look at her.



Buffy rolled her eyes at him as she made it to the bottom of the stairs and she watched him as he tried again to take a step. His right leg gave out and she held back a smile as he cursed and hit his knees. "You know, all you have to do is ask me nicely and I would help."



Spike looked over at her smiling face and growled in response. "I don't need your help."



"Oh, is that so?" Buffy asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, by all means, go about your business." She walked past him on her way to the kitchen and could hear him mumble under his breath. She hid her smile as his cursing got louder before she heard him whisper her name. Turning to face him she couldn't help but smile. He was on his hands and knees and his face was completely red. "Did you need something, Spike?"



Spike stared at the floor and sighed deeply before he turned his head to her. "Can you help me up?"



"What was that?" Buffy asked, putting a hand to her ear as she smiled. "I didn't quite hear you."



"Bloody hell," Spike hissed before turning his head to look at her. "Can you help me?" He shouted as he looked at her before looking back at the floor. "Irritating little bitch."



Buffy's eyes widened as she heard his whispered comment before she grinned. "Now Spike. I know you didn't just call me a bitch, now did you? Because that would be one sure way to end up in the floor for the rest of the day."



"Christ woman, can you stop your blathering for one bleedin' second and help me off this fucking floor before I piss myself!"



Payback's a bitch and her name is Buffy she thought with a grin as she walked over to him and grabbed his arm. She helped him stand and walk back around the couch and let him fall back onto it amidst more colorful words. Walking to the kitchen she searched the cabinets until she found what she was looking for before walking back to the couch. Grabbing the blanket he had thrown in the floor, Buffy threw it on his lap and held her hand out.



"What?" Spike asked as he scratched his arm and looked at the jar she was holding.



"For your little problem," she smiled as she glanced at his crotch.



Spike followed her eyes before looking back at the jar. "You want me to take a piss in a jar?" He asked wide-eyed before her smile confirmed his thoughts.



"I'm not taking you to the bathhouse, if that's what you were thinking."



Spike gritted his teeth before a smile bloomed across it. "Suit yourself, luv."



Buffy didn't like the look in his eyes and knew her little plan had just taken a major turn. When he snatched the jar from her hand and grabbed the waistband of his jeans, she yelped as he snapped all the buttons on them before she turned around. "Jesus Spike, I gave you the blanket to cover up with."



Spike chuckled as he grabbed himself and looked at her briefly before emptying his bladder. "Hard to take aim when I can't see what I'm doing."



Buffy bit the side of her cheek as she heard his quiet laughter and walked to the kitchen. She opened the cabinets and grabbed the first thing she found. She could still hear him laughing and rolled her eyes as she reached into the drawer for a spoon.



"So, you gonna empty this or just make me stare at it all day?"



Buffy turned back to him and smiled before walking back to the living room. Holding her hand out, she took the jar from him and held out the bowl she had brought him.



"What's this?" Spike asked as he took it from her.



"Breakfast."



Spike looked down into the colorful floating circles that swam in milk before raising a brow as he looked back up at her. "Breakfast? What am I? Four?"



"If the shoe fits," Buffy grinned before walking to the door and walked outside.



"Let me guess," Spike said when she walked back inside. "I get to watch you eat bacon and eggs this morning?"



"No."



"No?" Spike asked grinning. "You can't tell me this whole morning hasn't been some twisted little payback on your part."



"I'm not the one who did a nose dive in the forest," Buffy smiled as she walked to the sink and washed her hands. "You managed that one all by yourself. As far as your breakfast? That's all you'll be getting from me. You want something better, fix it yourself."



Spike watched her as she pulled another bowl from the cabinet before she reached for the cold cereals that lined the cabinet. He sat quietly and just stared at her before it finally dawned on him why the cabinets were so full of heat and serve foods. "You can't cook?"



Buffy turned her head as his quiet laughter reached her and the smile on his face earned him one in return. "No, I can't."



"Well, this is just beautiful," Spike chuckled. "Guess it really did burn your ass watching me eat a nice warm breakfast while you munched on the best the Captain could offer."



Buffy laughed along with him as she ate her breakfast before she laughed harder when he stopped and looked at her with wide eyes. "Did it finally catch up with that pee brain of yours?"



"You cannot possible expect me to eat Ravioli for every bleedin' meal!"



"Well, I could just let you starve," she grinned. "Not that it would take much."



Spike looked over at her before he snorted out a laugh. "Don't go throwing stones, luv," he smiled. "That ass of yours is barely even a handful."



"Never had any complaints before."



"Yeah, and I suppose you've had them just lined up around the block, yeah?"



"No, that's more your style," Buffy grinned. "I watch TV. I've seen all the ho bags that line up just to touch you. Absolutely pathetic."



Spike chuckled as she rolled her eyes and continued to eat her breakfast. If she wanted to play dirty, so could he. He leaned forward, placing the bowl of cold cereal on the coffee table before reaching up and scratching his stomach.



Buffy watched him as she ate quietly and she had to wonder what was going on in that head of his. She knew without a doubt he was contemplating his next move. What had started out as a nightmare had taken a turn in her favor. With Spike out of commission, she had the whole place to herself.



"Um, Buffy?"



Buffy focused her eyes on him and stood. "Yes," she smiled as she walked to the sink and rinsed her bowl.



"Can you come here and take a look at this?"



Buffy turned to look at him and noticed he was looking down at his lap and laughed as she shook her head. "I don't think so!"



Spike looked over at her before rolling his eyes. "Get your mind out of the gutter you silly bint. I have a rash."



"A rash?"



"Yes, a rash," Spike sighed before reaching up and scratching his neck. "Been itching like crazy all night."



Buffy finally crossed the room and as she looked at him she saw the red splotches on the side of his neck where he had been scratching it. His chest was covered, as were his arms and the more he scratched, the redder it became. "Stop scratching it," she said as she took a step closer to him.



"I told you I needed a shower," Spike told her as he looked down at himself. "Probably wouldn't have been this bad if you would have helped me."



Buffy rolled her eyes at him before shaking her head. "Well, getting you to the bathhouse isn't a problem, Spike but you can't stand up. There is no way in hell I'm going to help you shower."



"Might like it," Spike grinned as he looked at her.



"I doubt that," Buffy lied as she snorted out a laugh.



"What do you think it is?"



"What? I look like a doctor to you?" Buffy asked. "Could be anything."



Spike sighed before leaning his head back on the sofa and closing his eyes. "Why does my life suck so bad?"



"Because you're an asshole and have no manners?" Buffy asked cheerfully while she smiled.



Spike opened one eye and turned his head to look at her. "You're not nearly as cute as you think you are."



"I don't think I'm cute at all," Buffy grinned. "Just honest."



Spike watched her walk to the stairs before he sighed again. The way things were going, he'd be completely nutters before the month was up. First Dru, the court battles, his money disappearing - now this. What would be next?

Chapter 5







Buffy made her way back down the steps and looked over at Spike as she reached the bottom. He was lounging against the back of the couch with his legs stretched out in front of him. His eyes were closed and she took a minute to look him over. He was still only wearing the jeans she had found him in and she reminded herself to go back to the hot spring and retrieve his shirt and boots. Red, angry looking splotches covered his chest and arms and she rolled her eyes when he reached up and scratched the side of his neck. "You keep scratching at that and it'll only get worse."



"Yeah, well don't have much choice seeing how you aren't going to bathe me," he grinned before opening his eyes to look over at her.



Buffy bit back a smile before tossing him the bottle of cream she had retrieved from her suitcase. "Put this on. It'll help with the itch."



"What is it?" Spike asked, reaching beside him and grabbing the small white tube.



"It's for poison ivy," she told him as she headed for the kitchen. "Just put it wherever it itches an stop scratching," she practically growled when his hand went to his neck again. "The more you scratch it, the more it spreads."



She heard him sigh as she started cleaning up the few dishes that had accumulated in the sink before she looked over at him. He was reading the bottle. Why couldn't he just do as told?



"It says to wash the infected area first," Spike said, still reading the side of the bottle. "So see, you have to bathe me."



Buffy looked over at his smiling face before she chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not bathing you, Spike. No matter how much you whine."



"Ah, come on, kitten. I promise you'll enjoy it."



"You, are a pervert," Buffy laughed at his smiling face. "Now put that on. I'll be back in a few minutes."



Spike chuckled at her as she walked to the door and went outside. He knew she wouldn't bathe him, but the red tint her cheeks took on every time he mentioned it was enough for him to keep asking. Not that he would mind her actually taking him up on his offer. The thoughts of the small blonde naked and squirming underneath him caused a smile to grace his face and a strain in his jeans that he hoped to rectify before the month was over. Four weeks was a long time to be celibate.



~~~~



Buffy walked quickly to the hot spring to retrieve Spike's boots and her mind was swirling with thoughts of that bath Spike kept claiming he needed. Was he actually serious? Could she really allow something to happen between them? Did she really want it to? She laughed quietly to herself when she practically screamed yes to her unspoken question.



Seeing his boots where he had dropped them, Buffy bent over and picked the clunky black leather Doc Martins up before reaching for his shirt. The thin black material felt smooth in her fingers and before she even realized what she was doing, she raised the shirt to her face and inhaled deeply. A smile bloomed across her face as Spike's scent filled her and she caught herself as a small sigh tried to escape. "You are pathetic," she said before she laughed at her own actions. "I'm sure Spike would love to know you were out here sniffing his shirt like some sex-crazed groupie."



Turning and making her way back to the cabin, Buffy's mind once again went to the bleached blonde waiting inside. Would it make me a bad person to have an affair with a rock star? A smile lit up her face as she quickened her pace.



~~~~



"Hey, be a luv and help me put this on."



Buffy held back her smile as she entered the cabin and heard Spike's request. "Your hand broke?" She asked raising one eyebrow as she looked at him.



"No," Spike grinned. "I just know how bad you want to get your hands on me."



Buffy rolled her eyes before shaking her head and dropping his boots and shirt to the floor. "You are completely full of yourself, you know that?" Buffy had to look away when Spike grinned and rolled his tongue up under his teeth. Willow had spent an entire hour discussing the things that tongue could probably reach and Buffy felt her face flame as she remembered the conversation.



"Come on kitten," Spike prodded.



"I'm not at your beck and call, Spike. This is my cabin and I do as I please."



Spike grinned and watched her walk to the kitchen before turning in his seat so he could see her better. "But I can't reach my back."



Buffy sighed before turning to look at him. He was giving her the puppy dog eyes and was he pouting? Oh, pouty lip. Snapping out of her musings, Buffy sighed dramatically for effect before rolling her eyes. "You're going to owe me big time for this."



"Anything you want, luv," Spike grinned before raking his eyes over her form.



Buffy was looking at him when he spoke and she knew she didn't imagine the look he just gave her. Maybe he did want something to happen. Hello, horny male. Of course he does. You could be a nun and he'd want it. Buffy took a deep breath and tried to clear all the naughty thoughts of Spike from her mind as she walked to the couch and took the bottle of lotion from him. "Turn around." A wide smile curved his lips and Buffy held back a smile as she removed the cap from the bottle. Squeezing out a small amount of the lotion, Buffy took a deep breath before looking at his back. "There's nothing on your back Spike."



"Sure there is."



"Uh, no there's not," Buffy told him as she looked at the perfect skin before her. "Not one little blemish."



"Well it itches like crazy," Spike said as he reached around and gave what he could reach a scratch.



Probably needs a bath she said to herself before recapping the bottle and tossing it on the couch. "Well, there's no rash," she told him as she turned and walked back to the kitchen to wash her hands. She heard him sigh as she turned the water on and she spared him a glance. He was still scratching and at this rate, he'd be completely covered before nightfall. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head before turning the water off and drying her hands. "There's a hot tub out on the upper deck. That'll probably help dry it up."



Spike turned his head to look at her when her soft-spoken statement reached him and he smiled when he saw her looking at anything but him. Her cheeks were red again and he held back the barb ready to fly when he saw it. "And how do you suppose I'm to get up there?"



"You could crawl," she finally smiled when she looked up at him.



"Or you could carry me."



Buffy laughed before throwing the hand towel she held onto the counter and started for the living room. "All ready did that and have the back pains to prove it."



Spike stared at her for a few minutes when he realized what she had said. How else would he have gotten back to the cabin? "Yeah, thanks for that."



Buffy stared at him before her smile increased. "You're welcome."



They both stared at the other, lost in their own thoughts before Spike smiled and grabbed the side of the sofa arm and tried to stand. Buffy was at his side almost instantly and he found himself increasingly thankful she was there. Looking toward the stairs, they moved with Spike trying to keep as much of his weight as he could on his left leg and off of Buffy. The steps were not fun and curses flew as they slowly made their way up them.



Once they stepped out onto the deck, Buffy helped him over to the tub and sat him down on the side. Turning back to the cabin, she quickly went inside for some towels before returning. Her eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of his naked backside just before he sat down. "Do you not own a bathing suit?" She asked before tossing the towels to a nearby chair.



"Can't say that I do," Spike grinned as he turned and leaned against the side of the tub and looked at her. Her cheeks were red again and he wondered how anyone could blush so much. "You going to join me?"



"No," Buffy laughed as she shook her head.



"Why not?"



"Well let's see," Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't like you for one," she lied as she looked at him. "You're irritating to be around and crawling into a hot tub with a naked man I cant stand isn't my idea of a good time."



"So, what you're saying is," Spike grinned, "that if you liked me, you'd be in here faster than I could say foreplay?"



Buffy watched as his smile widened and her cheeks grew hotter by the second. He was staring at her again and that tongue of his was poking out from behind his teeth. If he didn't stop doing that Buffy was sure she'd show him just how easy she could be. Swallowing hard, Buffy turned and went back inside. There was no way she could stand there and stare at him and not give in. She busied herself by making her bed and every time she glanced outside, Spike's eyes were on her. She held back her smile and almost laughed out loud when she realized she was bending over more than necessary. You are a skanky ho Buffy said to herself before tossing the pillows to the top of the bed and turning to look back outside. Spike's smile grew as she looked at him and he tilted his head to the side before raising one hand and hooking a finger in invitation to her. Do I or don't I? She asked herself as she stared at him before she could hear Willow's voice fill her head. You're an idiot Buffy! There's a hot, sexy, naked man just outside your door waiting for you and you're standing here asking yourself what to do? With a growing smile Buffy turned and walked to the dresser and pulled her bathing suit from the top drawer. Her heart was racing in her chest and her hands shook uncontrollably as she picked the small pink bikini up in her hands. Glancing back over her shoulder she was glad she couldn't see Spike from where she stood. You're nuts she said to herself as she smiled before laying her bathing suit on the top of the dresser and grabbing the edge of her shirt.



Spike's smile was blinding. He held back a chuckle as he stared into the full-length mirror on the inside of Buffy's closet door and watched her lift her shirt up over her head. A white lace bra covered her small breasts and when she reached for the buttons of her shorts, he shifted in his seat. Matching panties met his eager gaze and he inhaled deeply as the small scraps of material slowly fell away from her body. His smile vanished as he stared at her and he couldn't explain the tripping of his heart in his chest. She was breathtaking. Toned, bronzed skin covered her body and he swallowed hard as she put on her bathing suit. Just watching her adjust herself into the small wisps of material caused a small moan to escape him. When she walked away and the view in the mirror left nothing to see but the dresser his eyes fell back on the door.



Buffy inhaled deeply as she reached the door and let out a long cleansing breath as she opened it and stepped outside. She paused when she looked at Spike. He had the most unreadable expression on his face and if she didn't know any better she could have sworn his eyes were black instead of the bright blue they had been before. A shy smile covered her face before she walked quietly to the hot tub and lifted her leg and climbed in.

Chapter 6







The heat from the hot tub relaxed her almost instantly and Buffy closed her eyes as a small moan threatened to escape her. She leaned back against the wall of the tub and took a deep breath and let it out slowly before leaning her head back. She could feel Spike's eyes on her and knew if she opened them he'd have that irritatingly cute smirk plastered on his face. She held back her smile and lowered herself into the water further. The heat covered her shoulders and she sighed softly before letting herself completely relax.



She tried to think of a good excuse as to why she was here. She had already said she wouldn't be joining him, but here she was. Sitting in a hot tub with a very naked Spike Williams. The thought sent a chill up her spine and she tried to think of anything that would distract her from this fact. Nothing came to mind so she wondered what her friends would think. Willow would be so proud. The smile she tried so hard to control fought its way to the surface and won.



"What's with the smile, goldilocks?"



"Nothing," Buffy said, still smiling.



"Doesn't look like nothing."



Buffy opened her eyes and took a deep breath as she looked across the tub at Spike. He was still sitting in the same position as he was when she climbed in and, as she suspected, the smirk was firmly in place. Just looking at him made her want to jump across the length of the tub and give herself to him. "If you must know, I was thinking of how pruned you're going to get sitting in here all night," she lied.



Spike raised a scared brow at her and leaned his head to one side. "And what makes you think I'll be staying in here all night?"



"Well, let's see," Buffy smiled. "You can't possible get out and make it down the stairs by yourself and there's no way I'm helping you. So, you spend the night."



"You helped me in. Why can't you help me out?"



"Because now you're naked." Spike smiled and Buffy closed her eyes. She could almost hear his next words before he spoke them. There was no way she could look at him when he said it.



"Most women like me naked."



She could hear the underlying taunt in his voice and she swallowed heavily, trying to convince herself that she wasn't in the same group. "Well, I'm not most women." Buffy could hear the soft purr of the jets in the tub over his laughter and the gently lapping of water brushing her shoulders and neck caused her body to melt like Jell-O. Spike's taunting didn't bother her as much as she put on but it was nice to keep him thinking it did. At least this way she didn't seem like every other skanky ho out there.



She heard the water splashing the sides of the tub and lifted her head when a gentle wave of water splashed her face before she opened her eyes. They widened when she saw Spike sitting right in front of her.



"I think you want me as much as I want you," Spike said as he slid onto his knees in front of her.



Buffy stared up at him and her eyes widened even more as he moved closer. She opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out until he was hovering right above her. "What are you doing?" She cringed inwardly as her words came out in a breathy whisper and the smile Spike gave her made her knees weak. It was a good thing she was already sitting down.



"I'm going to kiss you," Spike told her as he reached down and grabbed her legs, parting them before crawling in between them and moving closer to her.



Buffy's mouth flew open and she stared up at him in shock as he settled himself between her legs. His hands moved dangerously close to her center as they traveled up the length of her thighs and she swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. She felt his naked flesh slide along her thighs and she gasped softly as he lowered his head. She kept her eyes on his face until he was close enough for her vision to blur. When his lips brushed hers - her eyes closed.



Her heart was hammering away in her chest so fast that she knew he could probably hear it but at the moment, couldn't find a reason to care. His lips were the softest she had ever felt. He smelled heavenly and she took a deep breath before leaning forward and returning the kiss. Warmth flowed to every nerve ending in her body as his lips roamed over hers and when his tongue made a small swipe across her lip she moaned as he slipped it inside her mouth.



No one had ever kissed her so thoroughly. Her limbs felt weak and she fought to keep a coherent thought as his tongue mapped out the surface inside her mouth from one end to the other. She was breathless when he finally pulled back. Her eyes opened and stared up into the bright noonday sky as he lowered his head to her neck. Her breathing was erratic and she moaned as her eyes closed involuntarily. She felt alive for the first time in months. His hands were rubbing small circles on her hips and she swallowed heavily as they started moving up her sides. His thumb brushed the underside of her breasts and she gasped softly as he kissed his way up her neck to her face. She could hear him saying her name and she was puzzled by it as his lips never moved. She dismissed it as his hands cupped her breasts and leaned forward, catching his lips with her own and closed her legs around his hips. She could feel his hardened length brush against the thin material of her bathing suit and pulled him closer to her. Her body ached for him and her hips moved against him as she shuddered in his arms while pleasure coursed through her body. Her hands roamed his back, feeling the muscles she had admired ripple under her hands. She heard him say her name again.



She was lost in the sensations he was causing and she broke from his mouth as his hands massaged her breasts. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. When his face came back into view she stared up at him and watched him as he smiled before he spoke. "You know you want me."



She let out a small scream as she felt her body slip and water cascade over her face. She sat up straight and coughed as she looked around before her eyes landed on Spike. He was sitting up and looking at her with wide eyes before his jaw clenched and his eyes hardened. "Me screaming at you won't wake you up but a little water does?" He asked as he looked at her. "Didn't your Mum ever tell you falling asleep in the tub can kill you?"



Buffy looked around her, disoriented for a few seconds before she looked back at Spike. She felt heat cover her face as she looked at him. She swallowed heavily and stood up quickly before getting out of the tub. She grabbed a towel and half-wrapped it around her before she practically ran into the house and down the stairs. She vaguely heard Spike calling for her as she ran out of the cabin and headed for the bathhouse.



The door to the bathhouse slammed loudly before she turned and locked it. She was panting for breath as she leaned her head against the door. She turned and leaned against the door before looking around the spacious bathhouse. The vivid memories came back like they had actually happened. Did he know? No. He couldn't. What would he say? What would he think? What would Spike think if he knew she had had an erotic dream about him? "He'd probably say, `I told you so.'" she thought before she rolled her eyes. "Just face it Buffy. You want him."



~~~~~~~~~~



The cabin was quiet as Buffy finally went back inside. She didn't know how long she had hidden out in the bathhouse but knew Spike would know something was up. She was still wrapped in the wet towel and she sighed heavily as she started for the stairs. She stopped at the top when she saw Spike.



He was lying on the bed, apparently asleep. He was wearing his jeans and she couldn't help but be glad. Although a part of her wanted to see all he had to offer, she didn't think she'd be able to handle it at the moment. Walking quietly to the dresser, Buffy grabbed her discarded clothes and turned back to the stairs. She gave him another quick glance before walking quietly back down the stairs.



Spike lifted his head and watched her walk down the steps. He sighed heavily when she was out of sight before laying his head back down on the pillow. The blankets and pillow coverings smelled like her. Jasmine with a hint of lilac surrounded him and he couldn't think of any other place he wanted to be at the moment.



He had lifted himself out of the hot tub shortly after she fled and dried himself off before slipping his jeans back on. Making it back inside had been as painful as he knew it would be. His ankle still throbbed like a dull toothache and the sprain would probably take days to heal. He couldn't figure out what had happened with Buffy. She fell asleep, that much he knew, but couldn't figure out why she had practically freaked out and ran. Maybe falling asleep in the tub had just scared her. "Or maybe you screaming at her like a complete git did," he thought before shaking his head.



He could hear her puttering around downstairs and wished he could just walk down the stairs and find out what happened. He knew he'd have to eventually get out of her bed. No way would she share it with him no matter how much the idea appealed to him. Sitting up on the bed, Spike threw his legs over the side and put both feet on the floor before applying pressure to his right foot. Pain shot up his leg and he clenched his jaw and tried to swallow the pain before he stood. The short walk to the stairs was painful but he bit it back and tried to steady himself before starting down them. He could see Buffy in the kitchen apparently fixing something to eat and he stopped and watched her for a few minutes before starting down the stairs.



Buffy was so immersed in what she was doing she never heard Spike come down the stairs and sit down at the island bar. When she turned and saw him, she screamed and jumped before raising a hand up to cover her heart. "Shit Spike! Don't do that."



"Sorry," Spike grinned as he looked at her. "I didn't mean to scare you."



Buffy stared at him for a few minutes while she tried to get her breathing under control. The longer she looked at him, the more vivid the images from her dream became. She felt the heat rising to her cheeks before she turned quickly back around to face the cabinet. "So - um, you hungry?" She asked quietly as she removed a dish from the microwave.



"Depends," Spike said, leaning up to try and see over her shoulder.



"Well either you are or you aren't" Buffy told him without turning around.



"Well, if that's a big ole can of ravioli you're heating up, then no. I'm not hungry."



Buffy finally glanced over her shoulder and couldn't help but smile at the look on his face. "It's not ravioli," she grinned. "It's chicken teriyaki."



"Real food?" Spike questioned with a wide smile. "I thought you said you couldn't cook."



Buffy chuckled as she turned and placed a bowl on the island and looked at Spike briefly before turning and grabbing plates and forks. "I can't. It's microwave. That I can do."



"So it's rubber food that imitates real food?"



"Something like that." Buffy busied herself and tried to think of anything but her dream. As long as she didn't think about it she was okay. Dinner would distract her. That is if Spike would stop looking at her like that. His hair was dry but had curled in a wild mess on his head. She could see his dark roots lying just below the bleached locks and she had to admit that the look was sexier than the bleach was. His eyes were shining like pale blue crystals and she had to look away. How could anyone just sit there and still be so delicious? Smiling to cover her lust, Buffy served them both before she sat down and tried to eat her meal. Not an easy feat seeing how Spike was becoming a distraction. Just the sight of him was distracting. She'd have to find a way to overcome that. No way could she survive the rest of the month with him if she wanted him this bad already. She wasn't anyone's fling. She'd been there and done that. Had the T-shirt to prove it. And she really wasn't ready to be a rock star's flavor of the month. No matter how hot he was.

Chapter 7







Buffy had helped him over to the couch and smiled as he thanked her. No snide remarks or irritating smirk. She had to give him credit for that. Buffy still couldn't get the thoughts of her dream out of her head. She was currently washing the few dishes they had used while staring out the window of the cabin. They had eaten almost in total silence and every time she had glanced up at him, he had been staring at her.



Turning her head, Buffy looked back over her shoulder at him and saw him leaning down over the coffee table, writing. He had been looking at something for over a half-hour now and she sighed as she went back to staring out the window. The dishwater was getting cold and her fingers were wrinkled and pruned from being submerged so long. She sighed as she thought of her situation. She had to find some way around the attraction she had for him. There was no way to avoid him and although leaving was an option, it wasn't one she wanted. Truth be known, she enjoyed him here. Who wouldn't? There's a rock star under the same roof as her and she leaves? Her friends would never let her live it down. Not to mention in twenty years she'd be kicking herself for it. No. She'd stay and make the best of it. Whatever that may be.



The first strings of music filtered through the cabin and Buffy looked back over at Spike. She watched him as he played his guitar and knew it was something new. Willow played his CDs endlessly and this was one she had never heard. It was softer than his usual hard notes and jazzy rhythms. A ballad? "Spike's writing a ballad?" She thought. "Surely not."



"That's nice." The words were out of her mouth before she even had time to realize she had thought them. He turned and looked at her and the smile he gave her made her stomach clench tight. When his eyes met hers she blushed before turning back to the sink.



Spike continued to play the few notes he had written while he stared at Buffy's back. He had seen the bright flush her cheeks had taken on and his smile widened. Maybe she wasn't as uninterested as he thought. She had always been slightly standoffish and her almost constant bitching didn't look very hopeful. But he had definitely seen the blush and it wasn't the first time. Maybe a little more time? "So, you liked that?" he asked, hoping she'd talk to him.



"Yeah," Buffy said as she drained the sink and dried her hands. "Is it new?"



"Yeah," Spike said as he stopped playing and looked at her when she turned to look at him. Buffy gave him a brief smile before she looked away. "It has a long way to go yet, but it's the first thing I've written in close to a year."



Buffy looked back up at him and took a small step forward before he looked away and started playing again. Her heart nearly stopped when he started singing and she smiled. It was a ballad. He was signing to softly for her to make out the words from where she was standing and her feet were moving her across the room without a second thought. He stopped just as she made it to the sofa. "Is there more?" She asked as she looked down at the notebook he had been scribbling in.



"Afraid not," Spike told her as he leaned over the table again and closed the notebook. "New territory and all. Not sure if it'll amount to much even if I do get it done."



Buffy frowned when he closed the book but gave a little smile when he looked back up at her. "First ballad?"



Yeah," Spike laughed as he leaned back and played what he had penned so far. "Don't think it'll make me look like a poofter do you?"



"No," Buffy said before grinning. "Not that I know what a `poofter' is though. But I'm sure Willow will like it."



"Let's hope so," Spike said as he looked up at her. "Who's Willow?"



"My best friend," Buffy told him before inching her way around the front of the couch and sitting down. She burrowed herself into the corner as far from him as she could and smiled when he flashed her the smile that was slowly causing her knees to weaken every time he threw it her way. "She has all your CDs."



"Is that right?" Spike said.



"Yeah," she grinned. "She's in love with Oz."



Spike laughed as he thought of his drummer and turned in his seat so that he could see her better. "Well, he will be pleased to hear that," he said.



"Lord, don't tell him. Willow would kill me," Buffy laughed as she thought of her friend. "She prefers her lusting from afar. It's a completely different thing when the object of said lust knows it."



Spike grinned as he looked at Buffy and raised one brow as she looked at him. Her cheeks flushed pink before she turned her head and he laid his guitar down on the coffee table before bending his leg and sitting completely sideways on the sofa to face her. "He's single, you know."



"Who?" Buffy asked trying not to look directly at him.



"Oz."



"So," Buffy said.



"So, we can get them together."



Buffy laughed as she shook her head. "I don't think so! Matchmaker Buffy is no longer in service. My last attempt backfired in a major way. And besides, her idea of matches for me are more disastrous than mine are."



"What does hooking her and Oz up have to do with you?" Spike asked her.



"Because playing matchmaker is a two-way process. If I hook her up she does the same for me. It's just the way it's always been done."



"Can't be that bad, now can it?"



"Seventh-circle-of-hell bad," Buffy grimaced as she looked back up at him.



Spike laughed at the look on her face. "Loser or jerk?"



"Much worse," Buffy told him. "Sweet, attentive and loving."



"How's that bad?" Spike asked. "Thought you girls liked all that crap?"



"Well, I wasn't the only one he was sweet, attentive and loving to."



Spike watched her pick at the fabric of the sofa and the little smile on her face. He could tell it was forced and he couldn't explain the need to find this guy and beat him until his head popped like a grape. "He cheat on you?"



Buffy chuckled before nodding her head. "Kind of," she said before looking up at him. "He was married."



"Oh. You didn't know?"



"No," she said. "He kept that piece of information to himself." Buffy looked away from him before she cleared her throat and stood up. "Think I'll go on up," she said as she walked around the side of the couch. "Do you need anything?"



"No," Spike said as he shook his head. He watched her as she gave him a small nod before she practically ran for the stairs. The blanket he had hung over the railing of the loft completely blocked his view but he could see her shadow pass in front of it. She sat down on the edge of the bed and he sighed as she leaned down and laid her head in her hands. "First decent conversation you have with her and you stick you foot in your mouth," he thought as he watched her. "You'll never learn."



~~~~~~~~~~





For the first time since she had arrived, Buffy woke to a peaceful silence. The only sounds were that of the birds outside. She stared at the mountain just outside her window and sighed. Sleep had been a long time in coming the previous night and even then it was troubled. Thoughts of Angel and his pretty lies had her tossing and turning all night.



Spike had opened up a whole can of bad worms and Buffy wondered if she could put them back now. She had come here to forget about him. Reliving the memories was just as painful now as ever. It had been over a year since she had found out Angel's little secret but it still hurt. How could it not? Spending two years of your life with a man you realize too late was a complete stranger left a sting that was almost impossible to erase. Angel had used her. He used her and felt no remorse.



Sitting up, Buffy crawled from her bed and walked to the stairs. The cabin was quiet and the only light was that from the windows as she made her way down the steps. Spike was still sleeping and she took a few minutes to look at him as she stopped by the couch. The rash on his neck was slowly fading and the purple bruising on his ankle was lightening up. He was once again shirtless and she couldn't help but admire him. The blanket was resting at his waist and her eyes scanned his exposed flesh. Her smile grew and she took a deep breath as her eyes traced every line his muscles made as they ran across his stomach. She had seen many of sculpted men and they were all hard, corded muscles where they should have been and Buffy was sure that Spike's was no exception. His milky flesh would have been soft to the touch she imagined and her fingers twitched to find out. Not a single imperfection marred his skin and the small, dusky nipples that sat on his chest seemed to beckon her to touch him. He was pale, like the sun had never been blessed enough to caress his flesh. Impossibly high cheekbones drew her attention to a full, pouty lip and she wished his eyes were open. They were the most amazing shade of blue and she was sure the summer skies were jealous. He was beautiful. No other word for it. Her mouth practically watered just looking at him.



His head tilted and he moved and Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin before she quickly scurried to the kitchen. She felt heat crawl up her neck and cover her face before she smiled so brightly her mouth hurt. She looked back over her shoulder at him as he lay there and watched him for a few minutes before shaking her head and grabbing a bowl for her breakfast. As she reached for a spoon, she looked up as she heard a car door being shut.



Buffy's eyes widened when she saw a truck outside the cabin. It was a forest ranger. As she saw him walk around the front of the truck, she turned and started walking to the door as he knocked.



"Morning, Ma'am."



"Good Morning," Buffy said, smiling as she held the door and looked up at him. He was at least six-foot tall; broad-shouldered and had an almost "innocent" look to him. Sandy blonde hair and eyes that seemed to sparkle looked back at her. He smiled widely at her and she couldn't help but return it. "Is there something I can do for you - officer Finn?" She asked as she looked at the badge on his chest.



"Riley," he said as he smiled. "Riley Finn." He told her as he removed his hat and stared down at her. Of all the resort guests he had met this morning, this one had to be the most shocking. A small, petite blonde wasn't what he was expecting after meeting what seemed like every retired couple in the state. He had had more coffee and breakfast than he could possible consume and the thoughts of having to endure it for the tenth time this morning was disheartening, until now. "There's been a report of some wild animals making a fuss just down the mountain. I just thought I'd give everyone a heads up."



"Wild animals?" Buffy asked with slightly wide eyes as she stared at him.



"Yes, ma'am," Riley said.



"Buffy."



"Excuse me?" Riley said as Buffy smiled.



"My name," Buffy said. "It makes me feel old to be called Ma'am."



"All right, Buffy," Riley chuckled. "If you see anything bigger than a dog, be sure to stay clear of it. We're not sure what we're dealing with exactly."



"Okay," Buffy said.



"Is your husband around?"



"No. I'm not married."



"Oh," Riley smiled. "Your boyfriend then?"



Buffy couldn't help but notice how his voice had softened. If possible, officer Finn's smile widened when she looked up at him and the way he looked at her left no doubt in her mind what he was thinking. "No. No boyfriend either."



"Well, if there's anything you need don't hesitate to let me know," Riley said as he took a step closer to her. "I'm just a phone call away."



Buffy returned the smile, looking up at him and leaned against the doorframe. "There isn't a phone here," she said.



"Oh. Well I can loan you one of the walkie-talkies, if you'd like," Riley said. "Just in case you need me for anything."



"Don't think that'll be necessary."



Buffy's eyes widened as she heard Spike's voice and she couldn't believe she had forgotten he was there with her.



"Oh, good morning," Riley said as he looked at Spike before his eyes widened slightly and he looked back at Buffy.



Buffy turned her head and her own eyes widened. Spike was standing by the couch and she was glad the lamp on the small end table was there. He was completely naked. Her eyes scanned his exposed flesh that wasn't hidden by the lamp as he stood there before she finally looked up. The smirk was firmly in place and she rolled her eyes before turning back to officer Finn. "Sorry," Buffy said quietly. "He uh...I mean...well..."



"Aren't you going to invite our guest in - Buffy?"



The way he said her name sent a chill all the way up Buffy's spine and her eyes closed momentarily. She took a deep breath before opening them and looked back up at Riley. She smiled hesitantly before she heard Spike move and as she turned to look over her shoulder, he walked around the end of the couch. It was only a "flash" but she had seen enough to cause her face to burn so hot she felt her skin grow slick with perspiration. Her eyes were wide as she stared out the door and as her breathing started to return to normal, it caught in her throat when Spike walked in behind her and placed both his hands on her shoulders.



"You didn't forget about me already now did you, princess?" Spike whispered to her as he leaned down and rubbed his nose on the side of her face.



Buffy swallowed heavily and she knew her eyes probably looked like they were ready to fall out of their sockets. Spike had moved closer to her and it was apparent he was a happy boy this morning. The lump in her throat enlarged and she found it difficult to swallow as he leaned down and kissed the side of her neck. It was only a small kiss but she felt the tip of his tongue touch her heated flesh and she felt the last bit of fight go out of her.



"Officer Finn, was it?" Spike asked as he looked back up.



"Yeah - Uh, I mean yes," Riley finally sputtered out. "Riley Finn."



"Well Riley Finn. Nice of you to drop by," Spike said with a grin as he wrapped both arms around Buffy's shoulders and pulled her to him. "Me and the missus here appreciate the heads up but we have some - unfinished business to take care of. Isn't that right, kitten?"



Buffy still hadn't gotten her brain to work properly and was only able to nod her head as she looked back up at Riley. Spike's soft laughter in her ear and his hardened length pressing against her backside left her unable to hear or say anything. Her brain had melted to mush. She watched as Riley spoke, smiled then turned and walked away. As he climbed back in the truck, Spike pulled her back from the door before he pushed it shut. His laughter finally snapped her out of her lust-induced haze.



She stood there for a few minutes trying to catch her breath as she stared at the closed door before she inhaled deeply and turned. "Are you insane?"



"Did you see the look on his face?" Spike asked as his laughter died.



Buffy stood there looking at him and her eyes traveled the length of him. She felt her face once again flame before she forcefully met Spike's eyes. They were sparkling like brilliant sapphires and the laughter in them caused the corner of her mouth to twitch before she bit her tongue to keep her smile at bay. "Don't ever do that again."



"Or what?" Spike asked as he leaned his head to the side and gave her a look from head to toe.



Buffy took a deep breath as he leered at her and goose bumps crawled her flesh. He was doing that tongue thing again and she knew if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to. Rolling her eyes at him, she turned and started for the stairs. His laughter followed her up the steps and she managed to get to the top before her legs wobbled. She could still hear his laughter and it sang throughout her body as she sat down heavily on the bed. She stared up at the blanket that hung from the ceiling to give her privacy and she was glad it was there. One more minute of looking at him in all his naked splendor and she knew without a doubt she would have won "skank of the month" when she threw him to the ground and had her way with him. "God what am I going to do with him?" she whispered to herself before she heard him sit back down on the couch. His light laughter still echoed through the cabin and she shook her head before flopping back on the bed. Her situation wasn't getting any better. Spike's behavior was that of an adolescent boy and it was apparent he had no problem going to any extreme. He had done nothing since he arrived but provoke her and his last stunt was the last straw. Her mind worked quickly and a huge smile covered her face as her plan began to form. "You're going to pay for that, Spike," she said quietly to herself. "And revenge is the sweetest nectar known to man."

Chapter 8





Spike crossed his jean-clad legs on the coffee table and glanced up to the loft when he heard the floorboards creak. He smiled as he remembered the look on Buffy's face when he had walked around the couch when officer Finn was there. It was priceless. If her eyes would have gotten any bigger he was sure they would have fallen from her head. He chuckled as he strummed out the notes to the song he was working on.



Seeing her blush that vibrant shade of red made his blood race through his veins and the direction it traveled made him almost wish Buffy was like every other woman he met. Being able to fuck whomever he wanted whenever he wanted had spoiled him. He knew it. Which only made his current predicament even harder. Buffy had to be the only women who had gotten within ten feet of him and not made a pass at him or give in to his advances. It was a little depressing if truth be known. It wasn't natural. He should have already shagged her blind. Almost a week of teasing her and all Buffy had done was turn bright red or roll those beautiful eyes of her.



He looked up when he heard the steps creak under her weight and his eyes widened when he saw her. She was wearing the shortest robe he had ever seen. The blood red satin was wrapped around her like a second skin and his eyes scanned her body as she slowly descended. His blood was once again traveling south as he stared at her and her toned, tanned flesh had his mouth practically watering. The length of her legs was exaggerated by the shortness of the robe and he followed the shapely appendages all the way to her bare feet. Bright red polish kissed each of her toes and Spike had never felt the need to lick the red off anything like he did now. Her hair was bouncing with every step she took and the light from the skylights made it glow as it fell around her shoulders. She wasn't looking at him and he shifted in his seat as she stepped off the last step. "Where you going?"



"Out," Buffy said before glancing at him.



"Out where?"



"None of you business," Buffy smiled as she made her way to the door.



Spike stood as she reached the door and before he could say another word, she was gone.



Buffy glanced back, looking in the window and smiled as she saw him walk around the couch. "Sprained ankle my ass," she said to herself as she watched him before walking to the path to the hot spring. She knew he would follow so she slowed her steps just enough to let him catch up. The path to the hot spring was wide and bare. Dirt clung to the bottoms of her bare feet as she walked the familiar path and she turned her head when she heard a noise behind her. She smiled, knowing it was Spike. Perfect.



Spike walked as quickly as he could. The foot still hurt but not as much as it had in the past few days. And besides, no way was he going to get stuck in the cabin all day while Buffy soaked up the sun without him, especially with what she was wearing. He could only imagine what sinful little bathing suit she had on under that robe. As the hot spring came in to view Spike slowed his steps. He looked past the trees and his brow furrowed when he saw that she wasn't there. He looked around him, wondering if she knew he was following her before walking the short distance to the spring. She was nowhere in sight. "Where'd the hell did she go?" he asked himself as he looked around him. "Here kitty, kitty," he whispered. A smile formed on his face as he saw the bushes behind the hot spring moving. As he rounded the spring he was surprised to see another path. Not as clearly worn as the one he was on, but it was there. Walking cautiously, he moved past the shrubs and followed.



Buffy hoped this path led her to the falls. The brochure had said it was here but its exact location wasn't listed. She had seen the path the last time she had visited the spring and not knowing where else to look, hoped this was it. If not the wild goose chase she was leading Spike on would be revenge enough. For now.



The path was grass lined. Soft, downy blades replaced the hard dirt she had been walking on and it cooled her feet. She smiled as she heard the first signs of the falls. The soft rush of water filled her ears and the sound grew louder as she made her way through the vegetation on the path. She glanced back over her shoulder and hoped Spike was still following. Knowing him, he was.



The trees opened up and Buffy stepped into the clearing and gasped. She had never seen anything like it. The waterfall was breathtaking. The high cliff seemed to rise all the way to the heavens and the sun glistened off the water like diamonds littering the surface. The sound the water made as it splashed into the pool below rang in her ears and flowers lined the area in every color of the rainbow. It was beautiful. Smiling as she ventured closer the sun's heat beat down on her and she sighed before tossing the towel in her hand to a near by rock.



Spike heard the waterfall and quickened his steps. He grinned as he hobbled along the path. The ankle was throbbing now and he knew without being told that any healing it had done was all in vain. As the path opened up he stopped dead in his tracks. The area was breathtaking, but not as much as she was. She was standing by the pool and the flowers that surrounded her swayed in the breeze. The sun was shining off her hair and the halo effect it threw off made her look like an angel straight from heaven. He took a step forward and froze when she moved.



Buffy knew he was there. She could feel his eyes on her. She took another step toward the pool and took a deep breath and grinned. "Payback time, Spike," she said to herself before looking down to the belt on her robe. She squared her shoulders and raised her head as she untied the belt. The material slid away from her skin and the breeze caressed her flesh like a lover's touch. Smiling as she stared up at the waterfall, she raised her arms and slid the robe from her shoulders.



Spike was frozen in place. He watched her robe slid over her shoulder and down her body and he gasped as her skin was revealed to him in agonizing slowness. Her hair fanned over her back and as the material slipped from her body he released the breath he was holding in. She was glorious. Naked as the day she was born and he smiled as he admired her backside. She was perfect. As she walked to the pool he shifted his weight before he glanced to his left and walked to the tree that stood by the path. He leaned against it to take the weight off his feet and watched as Buffy stepped into the pool.



Buffy wondered if this crazy idea was worth it as the cool water covered her feet. She gritted her teeth and almost turned to make sure Spike was still there before she ventured forward. The water was cold and as she walked further into the pool she almost laughed at the lengths she was going to. As the water brushed her thighs Buffy bent at the waist and captured a handful of water and splashed it on her chest.



Spike groaned as she bent over. His mouth had already gone completely dry and the desire to strip and join her was causing his whole body to tingle with excitement. The muscle in his jaw was twitching and he smiled as she dove head first into the pool.



Buffy came to the surface of the water with a gasp. Her body stilled for a moment before she took a deep breath and ventured further into the pool. She glanced back over her shoulder as she turned her body slightly and smiled to herself when she saw Spike. He was standing by the trees and if it weren't for the un-Spike-like white T-shirt he was wearing she probably wouldn't have seen him at all. She swam toward the falls and the mist that floated from the surface of the water wrapped around her like a breeze.



She turned just before the downpour of water hit her and Spike inhaled deeply and straightened his spine as her breasts met his eager gaze. Even from this distance he could see her nipples were pebbled and he smiled as they beckoned him forward.



Buffy turned her head and saw him move. She treaded water and watched him and his smirk was firmly in place. She met it with one of her own. "You know, you're beginning to become stalkerish with the way you follow me around," she said to him as he stopped by the edge of the pool.



Spike chuckled as he sat on the rock Buffy's towel was on. "I have tons of practice at it," he said. "Well, not from this end but I've been followed for years. Only right that I turn the tables."



"Uh-huh," Buffy smiled as she slowly swam back toward him. "I take it that lame ass story about your poor, sprained ankle was just your way of getting me to wait on you hand and foot?"



"I never got my sponge bath so I'd have to say no."



Buffy watched his smile grow as she got closer to him. The look on his face as he stared at her was one she had never seen directed at her. It made the goose bumps that littered her flesh crawl over her skin ten-fold. The blue of his eyes had darkened and the tilt of his head as he watched her had her throat closing off and making it difficult to breath. The harsh bite from the cold water had already caused her fingers to go numb and Buffy took a deep breath before swimming close enough to shore for her feet to touch bottom. She watched his face as she stood and as the air hit her wet skin she shivered.



Spike's smile only grew when she stood up and started making her way out of the pool. Her flesh was exposed to him one delicious inch at a time. Her breasts were firm and glistened with hundreds of tiny beads of water that slid over her flesh and his tongue darted out of his mouth to wet his suddenly dry lips. His fingers twitched to caress the soft flesh he knew he'd find and his eyes traveled the length of her. Her taut stomach gave way to rounded hips and as his eyes traveled to her sex he knew that all available blood in his body was collecting in his dick. It throbbed in time with his heart and the strain of the material of his jeans was barely felt as Buffy completely submerged from the pool.



It took everything in her not to run and as she stood there in all her naked glory, Buffy held her breath. Spike's eyes were glazed over and he made no attempt to avert his eyes. He was drinking her in like expensive champagne. He finally met her eyes and Buffy couldn't help but smile as she stepped toward him. "You're sitting on my towel."



Spike smiled before leaning to the side and pulling her towel from under him without taking his eyes off of her. He unfolded it and held it out to her and grinned as she took a slow step toward him.



Buffy felt invigorated as she walked to him and his very obvious ogling only encouraged her. As she stopped directly in front of him, she looked in him the eyes before she held her arms up over her head.



Spike groaned when she stopped and he took a minute to admire her up close and personal before he wrapped the towel around her back. She was staring at him and he couldn't believe this was the same girl who blushed every time he let a little sexual innuendo fly. He stared at her as he wrapped the towel around her and as he brought it around to her front, his fingers grazed her breasts on either side.



Her eyes closed at the feel of his warm fingers caressing her flesh and she fought to keep them open. A shiver ran up her spine as the towel slowly closed around her and she lowered her arms and took the edges of the towel from him before she smiled. She licked her lips to try and give some moisture back to her dry mouth before she stepped between his parted legs and leaned down. The towel once again opened as she placed both hands on his shoulders to brace herself before she leaned into him.



Spike's hands went to her waist as her breasts were only inches from his face. Her nipples were hard and tight and he licked his lips when she leaned over him. It took everything in him not to pull her into his lap and pull her rosy nipples into his mouth.



Buffy felt high. Her head was light and what seemed like a million thoughts ran through her mind as she leaned down and skimmed her lips across the side of Spike's face. She could hear his breath panted out in small shallow gasp and she extended her tongue and ran a wet path to his ear. "I know how to play this game too, Spike," she whispered in his ear before sucking his earlobe into her mouth. He moaned and his hands tightened on her waist when she fisted his hair in her hands. "Probably even better than you do," she said.



Spike heard the words but weren't really sure what they meant. His eyes had shut against his better judgment and his brain had one thing in mind. To throw her to the ground and fuck her until they both passed out. When he felt her tongue in his ear all coherent thought left him. As he reached up to pull her to him, she pulled away from him. He opened his eyes and saw the wicked smile on her face before she backed up and pulled the towel around her. She winked at him before she turned and walked away.



Buffy glanced back over her shoulder as she made it to the path and Spike was still sitting in the same position. She giggled before she quickened her steps and quickly walked the path back to the hot spring. Her mind was still reeling from her brazen act. Willow would be so proud. She laughed as she walked through the shrubs that lined the hot spring and as she rounded the pool she ran. Her laughter was almost hysterical as she ran up the path and past the cabin to the bathhouse. Once she was inside, she locked the door and leaned back against it before her laughter had her doubled over.



Spike limped up the path as fast as he could as he clutched Buffy's robe in his hands. He cursed his ankle with every step. The erection he was sporting wasn't helping matters as his jeans practically rubbed him raw. When the cabin came into view, he quickened his steps. It had taken only a few minutes for his brain to un-cloud once Buffy had left him sitting by the waterfall and he couldn't get back to the cabin quick enough. His smile was still present as he thought of Buffy. Seems like the shy little kitten was a minx after all. If she wanted to play he was more than willing to be pawn in her game.



Buffy finally got her laughter under control and had thrown her towel on the bench before turning on the shower. The warm water felt heavenly after the chill of the pool as it cascaded over her body. The look on Spike's face was still fresh on her mind and as the adrenaline high was slowly receding she shook her head at what she had done. The whole thing went a little further than she had thought. The most she had conceived was Spike getting a quick flash like she had. Just enough to let him know she wasn't beyond his little games. She never thought she'd be so brazen as to actually walk out of that pool of water and let him see it all. "You are a slut," she said to herself before she laughed and grabbed her shampoo bottle. Angel had always liked her submissive and dainty. He liked being the "man" and initiate all sexual activity. She had never tried to seduce him. There was no need for it. She couldn't believe how liberated she felt now. The previous doubts she had about Spike wanting her had vanished the minute she looked into his eyes. She would have had to have been a fool not to see it and the feeling it gave her made her feel like a woman instead of a small, inferior child for the first time in over a year. She felt beautiful and empowered. Something Angel had stripped from her and she couldn't find again. One look from Spike and she felt sexy. She laughed at her thoughts as she finished her shower and turned the water off. As she picked her towel back up and dried off her smile was once again in place. "Time for phase two," she said to herself as she walked to the door. "Ready or not, Spike, here I come."

Chapter 9





She could see him pacing back and forth in front of the couch as she passed the window. He was limping slightly and the look on his face was one of full concentration. Or maybe that was irritation? It was hard to tell with Spike. Her smile was still in place and when she stopped in front of the front door she took a deep breath and wiped the smile away. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves before placing her hand on the doorknob. Straightening her shoulders, she shook her wet locks out before opening the door and walking in.



Spike stopped and turned to the door when Buffy walked in. "What took you so long?" He asked as she shut the front door.



"I had to wash my hair."



She was still wrapped in her towel and her hair hung in long, wet trails down her back. She only gave him a brief look before she walked to the steps and climbed to the loft. When she was out of sight Spike closed his mouth with a snap before staring at the blanket he had hung.



She had barely even given him the time of day. How could she pull a stunt like she had at the waterfall and just walk in like nothing happened? She was the biggest contradiction he had ever seen. She switched from shy, blushing girl one minute to fiery minx the next. He wasn't sure he'd ever figure her out. Not that he wanted to. She was too much fun to put in one category and leave her there. He took long laps in front of the couch as he tried to wrap his brain around what she was doing. He knew she was up to something. She had to be. She was playing with him and enjoying every minute of it by the look on her face when she came back in. He stopped and his smile slowly formed as he figured it out. Tease and retreat. Classic. He laughed quietly before falling on the couch and draped his arms over the back as he stared up at her privacy blanket. He could see her outline through the fabric and his smile remained as her silhouette once again gave him a front-row seat.



Buffy tossed her wet towel to the floor and walked to the dresser and grabbed her hair dryer. She glanced at the blanket hanging from the ceiling and wondered if he could see through it. Giving her shoulders a slight shrug she lifted her arms and started drying her hair.



She wasn't sure how far this little game would get her. How far did she want it to? A smile formed as thoughts of things getting hot and sweaty popped into her head. She knew without a doubt that before the month was over that she would sleep with him. There was no way she could resist the temptation. No one with half a brain would. Hell, her unconscious mind had already played out her fantasy with the erotic dream she had had earlier. Her experience with men was limited. And Angel was the brunt of that. But Buffy knew one thing for sure. Spike was no Angel. Whatever naughty little tricks he knew she was sure would give her hours of pleasure.



Turning off the hair dryer, she unplugged it and tossed it to the bed before reaching into her dresser and searched the contents. Red lace? Would Spike like those? She wondered. He seemed to like the robe. He was still holding it when she came back inside. Picking up the lace she slipped them over her legs before adjusting them. They weren't the thongs she normally wore but just as sexy. A small pair of wide briefs that barely covered her ass but plunged low enough in front to draw your attention to all the right places was paired with a matching bra. Shorts and a tank top finished off her ensemble before she once again ran her brush through her hair.



Spike was enjoying the show Buffy was putting on so much that he almost growled when his stomach did. It was well past lunch and he hadn't even had breakfast. As Buffy turned and started for the steps he grinned as she topped the stairs.



Buffy looked at him as she walked down the steps but the smile that tried to form was pushed away and she dug her fingers into her palm. That irritatingly cute smirk was back on his face and if she didn't know any better she would have thought he knew something she didn't. She watched him as she stepped off the last step and when he darted his tongue out and wet his lips she rolled her eyes. "You're not nearly as cute as you think you are."



"Yes I am," Spike chuckled as he gave her a look from head to toe. A barely there tank top hugged her breasts and she wore shorts so short he was sure her ass was hanging out the back only fueled his thoughts of her.



"What are you going to do for a whole month, Spike, with no one here to stroke that ego of yours?" She asked as she passed the couch.



"Don't worry about me, luv," Spike grinned. "I'm sure I'll get all the stroking I need."



Buffy raised one brow as she looked back over her shoulder at him and she laughed softly before shaking her head. "As long as you stay out of my thirty-dollar lotion you're free to stroke anything you like."



"That include you?"



The question took her by surprise. Why, she didn't know. It was such a Spike thing to say that she should have seen it coming. She practically walked right into it. With another small chuckle she walked to the refrigerator before opening it and leaning down to look inside. "I'm starved," she said quietly. "What do I want?"



"I know what I want."



Buffy looked back over her shoulder and the look on Spike's face sent a tingle straight through her body. She smiled before she straightened and turned to face him. "Only if you're a good boy," she said with a coy smile.



Spike laughed at her kittenish behavior. "Oh I can promise you it'll be good, goldilocks,"



Buffy stared at him for a few minutes before she smiled and turned to the cabinets. Her mind ran rampant as she searched for something to fix. The ravioli caught her eye and she grinned as she pulled it from the cabinet.



"I'm not eating ravioli," Spike said firmly as Buffy walked to the electric can opened.



"I wasn't fixing it for you," she told him as she removed the lid and tossed it in the trash. "I'm not your servant or your personal maid. If you're hungry, get up off your ass and fix something."



"But I'm hurt," Spike whined.



"Yeah and I'm playmate of the year," Buffy laughed.



"You've got my vote."



Buffy stilled her hands and the smile that curved her lips was joined with that delicious tingle that caressed her flesh every time he said something the slightest bit flattering. She shook her head and took a deep breath before dumping her lunch into a bowl and placing it in the microwave. She watched it as the bowl made slow circles and nibbled on her bottom lip as Spike's words flittered through her mind on constant repeat. The Doubting Thomas in her kicked in before she rolled her eyes at her foolishness. He's just like every other guy, she told herself. He'd say anything to get into your pants. The microwave beeped and she sighed before opening the door and removing her unattractive lunch. As she stirred the near boiling pasta she jumped as Spike hands appeared on either side of her, trapping her against the cabinet.



"Why so quiet all of a sudden?" Spike asked her.



"No reason," she said quietly before trying to move. He was right behind her and it was apparent he didn't plan on moving.



Spike watched her as she stirred her pitiful excuse of a lunch. He couldn't see all of her face for the mass of golden hair that fanned over her shoulders but she was nibbling on her lip and a light pink flush stained her cheeks. "Surely the fact that I find you attractive isn't the reason for the shy kitten act," he said bending over her back to try and see her face.



Buffy swallowed heavily and bent her head when Spike pressed against her. Being this close to him had her second-guessing her "plan". Sure the thoughts of sleeping with a rock star were attractive but what would that make her? A groupie? Easy? Hell, he had plenty of those. She sighed before she stilled her hands and stared down into her bowl.



"I'm sure I'm not the first man to tell you you're attractive?" Spike asked, smiling as he looked at her. "Quite beautiful actually."



Buffy felt her heartbeat speed up before Spike leaned over and kissed her neck. Her eyes closed at the feel of his lips on her skin and she inhaled sharply when she felt his tongue on her flesh. She jerked away from him to break the contact and his arm around her waist held her in place before she could run. "Please, don't."



"Don't what?" Spike asked as he held her still.



"Don't say things to me just to get what you want." Buffy turned her head slightly as saw him out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at her as she sighed before once again lowering her head. "Make all the jokes you want and try as hard as you like but don't lie."



Spike was complete taken aback by her words. Was she kidding? "I'm not lying to you," he said. "I may be many things but a liar isn't one of them. I think you're remarkably beautiful."



Buffy glanced up at him then and gauged the look on his face. No smirk. Not even a tiny smile. He looked completely serious. His eyes held hers and she could see the truth in them. He wasn't playing her.



Spike finally gave her a smile and watched as her head once again lowered. "You can't possible expect me to believe that your ex didn't ever tell you that you were beautiful."



"No," Buffy said quietly. "I mean, yeah, he did. But I believed all his pretty lies." She looked up then and tried to force a smile before looking away. "They're just words."



Spike finally let her go when she pulled away and he watched her as she sat down at the bar. He just stood there staring at her and let her words play over for him. Surely this ex-boyfriend had to be the stupidest git in the world. He let it go, knowing she was already apparently upset and went to make his lunch. A quick sandwich later and he was sitting in front of her and he glanced at her briefly as she mostly played with her food.
"So, when's act two coming? I want to be prepared this time."



Buffy looked up at him and watched him as he took a bite of his sandwich before she raised one brow at his question. "What do you mean, act two?"



Spike chuckled as he picked up his beer. "Act two of the `Let's torture Spike by showing him our naught bits and running away' show."



Buffy's smile was slow to form and she ducked her head as she felt her cheeks flame. His laughter only made it worse. "I wasn't torturing you," she grinned as she stood and walked to the sink.



"Oh I beg to differ, pet," Spike laughed. "Bloody cruel if you ask me."



Buffy smiled as she emptied her bowl and busied herself with rinsing it before she felt her blush calm. Finally able to face him, she turned. "That was payback for all the male posturing you've been doing. Nothing more. Nothing less."



Spike laughed as he picked his sandwich back up. "Oh, well in that case I'll be sure to run around naked more often," He said before looking at her and taking a big bite of his sandwich.



"Sure you can handle it?" Buffy asked with a huge smile as she looked at him.



"Only one way to find out," Spike told her. "What you got on under that?" He asked looking at her.



Buffy laughed before shaking her head. "Not telling."



"It's red, that much I can see," Spike said as he looked at the red straps from her bra peeking out from under her tank top straps. "You might as well just show me. It's not like I'm not going to see it eventually."



Buffy laughed before crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the counter. "Someone's quite sure of themselves."



"Can't afford not to be," Spike said as he finished off his beer and stood. "Standing around wishing for what you want doesn't actually make it happen. Besides," he said as he walked across the kitchen and stopped in front of her, "I know you want me."



Buffy laughed as she looked up at his smiling face before she brought her hands up and pushed him away from her and turned to the living room. "You're completely full of yourself."



Spike laughed as he threw his trash away and turned to the living room. He watched Buffy as she walked around the couch and just as suspected, her ass was barely covered. "No need in denying it, pet," he told her as he walked to the living room. "Most women I meet want me."



"Well, I'm not most women," Buffy told him as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch from her.



"Now that I believe," Spike grinned. "It's been almost a week and I haven't gotten so much as a kiss from you."



Buffy couldn't help but smile as Spike's tongue eased out between his lips as he looked at her. He knew all to well how to play this game. "Does that act usually work for you?"



"What act is that?" Spike asked her softly.



"That whole `I'm a sexy rock star and you can't resist me' routine?"



Spike grinned big as he looked at her before be cocked his head to one side. "You think I'm sexy?"



Buffy couldn't lower her head fast enough. The burn started in her chest and by the time it reached her face she knew she was the brightest shade of red imaginable. Spike's laughter only confirmed it. Her breathing had increased and she wanted to slide completely under the couch. All the teasing in the world and one simple statement turned her into a blushing mute.



She felt the couch cushions shift and taking a deep breath she hesitantly looked up and saw Spike sliding across the couch toward her. He was still chuckling softly and when he was directly beside of her, she swallowed the lump in her throat and looked back down as he wrapped one arm around her and pulled her flush up against him.



"Do you even know how much I enjoy that blush of yours?" Spike asked.



Buffy looked up at him and still felt the burning of her cheeks. His smile was almost blinding and if anything, she was only fueling that already overblown ego of his. I guess he was right about the ego stroking, she thought as she looked at him. Trying to steady her voice she took a deep breath before she spoke. "I never said that I think you're sexy."



Spike's laughter once again echoed in the room. "Yes you do," he said softly before lifting his hand and picking up a piece of her hair.



Buffy stared at him as he twirled her hair between her fingers. She watched the laughter in his eyes before seeing the smile that matched it. If anything, his confidence made him sexy. It wasn't the cobalt blue of his eyes or the dazzling smile and outrageously hot body or the way the sound of his voice ran over her flesh like the fluttering of butterfly wings. It was him. Just him. As his smile faded she looked back up and met his eyes. They were still bright with laughter but they had darkened in color. It was like watching a storm grow over the horizon and being mesmerized by it while fear told you to run. It was hypnotizing.



"So, tell me, kitten," Spike said softly as he stared at her. "Are we still playing the game or are you going to give up and let me kiss you?"

Chapter 10





Buffy waited for her heart to resume beating as she stared at Spike. She knew it had stopped or at least skipped half a dozen beats after he asked for a kiss. She couldn't stop the smile that curved her lips. Spike wanted to kiss her. She was almost light headed at the thought. Should she let him? Lord knew she wanted to.



She could only imagine how soft his lips were. His full bottom lip just begged to be nibbled on as she stared at it. It glistened with moisture when his tongue slipped out to run over it and she knew her staring was bordering on gawking. The slow smile that lifted the edges of his mouth confirmed it.



"Well, I'm waiting, princess," Spike said, softly. It was all he could do to keep from grabbing her and taking what he wanted. It would be so easy to do. He knew she wanted it. He could see it in her eyes but he had had enough of easy. He could get easy every other day of the week. Buffy was a challenge. He grinned as he thought about it. Not many of those walked into his life. Truth be known, the chase was turning out to be more fun than a threesome with edible body paints. Now there's an idea, Spike thought as he remembered the chocolate syrup he had seen hiding in the back of the refrigerator.



That cocky smile was back and Buffy stared at him as his finger moved from her hair and danced along her collarbone. The slight tilt of his head and the way he looked at her said it all. He wanted her as well.



Her smile increased and she leaned toward him slightly. She was so close now that she could feel his breath exhaled across her face as she looked up and met his eyes. They had darkened even more and she licked her lips before titling her head. "I can't kiss you, Spike."



Spike almost moaned when her softly whispered words played across his lips. Just another inch and he would be able to taste her. "Why not?"



Buffy's skin tingled from his light touch and the sound of his voice in that one, simple question rippled through her body. She glanced back down at those waiting and eager lips of his before she smiled. "Because that would mean you win the game and I don't like losing."



Spike grinned as he looked at her before he closed the distance between them and brushed his lips lightly over her cheek. "Come on, kitten. I'll let you be on top," he whispered.



Buffy laughed hard before she pulled back from him and stared at him with wide eyes. "How the hell did we go from a kiss to me being on top?"



Spike laughed at the look on her face. "Because kissing always leads to sex," he said as he ran his tongue over his lip and let his eyes roam down over her body. "But if you prefer we can skip the kissing and go straight to the part where you're naked and screaming my name."



Buffy laughed harder as he raised an eyebrow at her and his tongue poked out between his lips. She knew her laughter was just a nervous reaction on her part. Her stomach clenched tight at his words and her breath hitched in her throat. God she wanted him. Heat was radiating throughout her body and she had never wanted anyone as much as she did right now. Just the look on Spike's face made her body tingle. If he could turn her on with just a look, she could only imagine what he could do when given free reign to do what he pleased.



Spike laughed with her before wrapping both arms around her and lowered his head to her neck. "Come on, luv," he said. "I promise you'll enjoy it."



Buffy laughed harder as he licked her neck before raising her hands and pushing him away. "Get off me you perv." When he chuckled and leaned back, she looked at him and laughed harder when he stuck his bottom lip out. He was pouting. If he only knew how hard of a time she was having trying to resist him, he'd never leave her alone. That pouty look alone would be the death of her resistance. The more he played the yummier he was. Her laughter died before she smiled. "Play me a song."



Spike sat up straight at her request and leaned his head to one side as he looked at her. "Play you a song?"



"Yeah," Buffy smiled. The look on his face was priceless. It looked like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on him. "Come on. We've been here almost a week and you haven't even sang me a song yet."



Spike's smile was slow to form but it finally reached his eyes. He stared at her and she was practically beaming. Her eyes were shining and the smile on her face and slight tilt of her head said it all. The game was still on, he thought as he looked at her. Fine. He'd play the game for as long as she felt it necessary. When she purposely batted her eyelashes at him, he laughed before shaking his head. She wanted a song? Well, he'd give her one. He stood from the couch and walked to the chair and grabbed his guitar. Buffy bounced lightly on the couch as she turned sideways and brought both her legs up to sit Indian style. The look on his face when he turned back to the couch made Buffy wonder if she hadn't just made a fatal mistake. Her heart started pounding before he even sat back down.



He strummed a few notes and she watched him as he adjusted the strings before he looked over at her. A tiny crooked smile was on his face and she couldn't help but giggle. As he straightened his back and hit the first chord, her heart raced in her chest.



"Wonder how you sleep

I wonder what you think of me

If I could go back

Would you have ever been with me

I want you to be unused

I want you to remember

I want you to believe in me

I want you on my side."



"Come on and lay it down

I've always been with you

Here and Now

Give all that's within you

Be my savior

And I'll be your downfall."



Buffy's breath caught in her throat when he looked over at her as he sang the last verse. Her flesh pimpled with goose bumps and she wondered if he could hear her heart pounding in her chest. His voice when he sang was deeper than his normal speaking voice and it caressed every inch of her flesh. The muscles in his arm flexed with every pass over the guitar strings and Buffy couldn't take her eyes off of him. The look on his face was almost orgasmic and she swallowed heavily as she stared at him. The sexy rock star image she had teased him about was in full bloom and she smiled when she realized it wasn't an act. He was sex. It poured off of him in waves. It came through in his voice and in the way he practically made love to the song as he sang each word to her. I'm doomed, she thought as she stared at him.



"Now I'm back on my own

Hear my feet, they're made of stone

Man, I make you go where I go

Well hell, you, can I take you home

Well, I'm coming home on my back

Kissing me, your lips painted black

Saying oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Let me be your downfall

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Let me be you downfall, baby."



The minute the last note died Buffy took a breath. She inhaled deeply while looking into the cerulean blue of Spike's eyes and she knew she was drowning. There wasn't another word for the shortness of breath or the weightlessness of her limbs. She was losing herself in him. In the sound of his voice and the way he looked at her. God help her but she was already doomed.



Spike stared at her as he propped his guitar up against the coffee table. He had no idea what she was thinking as she looked at him and her silence made him nervous. He almost laughed at the thought. He was never nervous. When she suddenly sat up on her knees and crawled across the couch to him Spike's eyes widened before she threw herself into his arms and kissed him.



He fell back against the arm of couch and gasped when she forced her tongue in past his lips. Her fingers fisted in his hair as she pulled him to her and when she twisted her body and planted herself in his lap he lost it.



Buffy tried to brake for air when Spike grabbed her head and his tongue entered her mouth to meet hers. The feel of his arms around her caused her body to sag against him. She felt weightless. The fire in his kiss was like molten lava. He tasted of danger and excitement and she felt her body clench in anticipation. The feel of his hands on her back and the soft moan he let out when she pressed her bottom into his lap caused her head to spin. All conscience thought had left her. All she knew was the feel of him and the way he smelled and tasted. It had been so long. She could feel his hardening length pressing against her thigh and her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest any minute. There wasn't an inch between them. Her breasts were pressed tightly against him and the slow ache between her legs made her squirm in his lap.



"Buffy."



She opened her eyes and looked at him when he broke the kiss and whispered her name. They were both breathing heavily and the glazed over look in his eyes let her know with a certainty that she hadn't ever felt before. He would be her downfall. No matter how hard she resisted, she'd fall. And she'd go willingly. Only question was - could her heart survive it? Looking into his face she knew the answer.





[Author's Note]



The song used was `Downfall' by Matchbox 20. Great song. Give it a listen if you haven't heard it already. Thanks to `Shan' for sending it to me. Love ya girl!

Also, Thank you for all the lovely reviews! You're comments always bring a smile to my face. I appreciate them.

Chapter 11





Spike's smile was slow to form as he looked at Buffy. Her eyes were glazed over and glassy and a tiny smile curved her lips. She seemed to be looking completely through him and when he sat his guitar on the floor his smile turned into a soft chuckle. Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers in front of her face and grinned when she blinked several times and finally focused her eyes on him. "Nice dream, luv?"



Buffy felt her cheeks redden immediately as she looked at his smiling face before she glanced down at the guitar sitting by the coffee table. His quiet laughter only caused her blush to deepen before she took a deep breath and tried to get her flushed cheeks back to normal. If he only knew, she thought as she recalled her dream. She was getting better at them. They almost seemed real now. She returned his smile before leaning back against the arm of the couch. "Actually no," she told him. "I was trying to figure out how you managed to get a room full of girls to go all swoony with that routine. They obviously see something I can't."



Spike stared at her for a long minute before his smiled widened. He knew she was just grasping at straws now. He knew the song had gotten to her. The deep shade of red her cheeks turned proved that. He leaned back against the couch and stared at her before letting his eyes roam over her form. "And what do you see when you look at me - Buffy?"



Buffy felt her stomach clench when he said her name. The sound of it seemed to roll off his tongue and caress her flesh like a lover's touch. Her breathing increased just thinking about it. She forced a smile on her face to hide her body's reaction to him and lifted her chin and inhaled deeply. "I think you think too highly of yourself," she said. "I think you buy into the whole rock star image and all the flirty looks and tongue rolling is just your way of being something you're not."



Spike stared at her as she sat there looking at him and let her words run through his mind on repeat. Did she actually believe what she was saying? He smiled when he saw her chew on her bottom lip and knew his answer. She was just covering.



She wasn't sure if it was the look in his eye or the way his shoulders relaxed but Buffy knew he didn't believe her. Why would he? It was a complete and utter lie. She knew it. And obviously he knew it, so why was she trying so hard to get him to believe it? Because if he really knew how much she wanted him all hope was lost. She'd fall so hard she'd never recover. Her little daydream while he sang to her was proof of that. She could barely even look at him without letting some nasty little thought in and she wondered how long she'd be able to hold out. It was getting harder by the minute now. The only thing she could hope for now whenever they talked was a distraction to turn the conversation around.



Buffy almost laughed out loud when someone knocked on the door and interrupted her thoughts. Ask and you shall receive, she thought as the door was rattled once again. She watched as Spike turned his head and looked over at the door before he looked back at her. "Aren't you going to get that?" He asked.



"What? I look like the maid or something?" She asked.



"No, but one of those cute little outfits would probably look splendid on you," he grinned. "Maybe some fishnet hose and some nice, tall heels. But no knickers. Just trouble if you ask me."



Buffy rolled her eyes before laughing lightly. "You're a pig," she said as she stood from the couch, looking back at Spike before walking to the door.



Spike watched her walk to the door and smiled as he watched the way her hips swayed from side to side. He could only imagine what she would feel like under him and he was determined to find out before the month was out. When she opened the door, he looked up and his smile immediately vanished when he saw who was standing there.



"Hey," Buffy smiled as she looked up at Riley.



"Hey," Riley smiled before glancing over her shoulder at Spike. "He has on clothes this time, doesn't he?" He whispered as he looked back at Buffy.



Buffy giggled before looking back over her shoulder at Spike. "Yes," she told him. "You'll have to excuse him. He's not fully housebroken yet."



"I see," Riley smiled.



Buffy stood by the door, staring at Riley as he just stood there smiling at her. He kept looking over his shoulder at Spike and she inhaled deeply before taking a step closer to him and blocking his view of Spike. "So, what brings you by?"



"Oh," Riley grinned. "Well there's a storm coming," he said. "I didn't want you up here all alone when it hit with no way to contact help if you needed it."



"She's not alone," Spike said from his position on the couch. "She's in good hands."



Buffy looked back over her shoulder and rolled her eyes as Spike wiggled his eyebrows at her before turning to look back at Riley. "That's very nice of you, Riley," she said. "And very thoughtful."



Riley's smile widened before he looked down and unclipped a walkie-talkie from his belt and looked back up at Buffy. "It's pretty simple to use," he told her. "Just turn it on here and press this button to talk."



Spike watched them from the couch, rolling his eyes several times as Riley gave Buffy the fundamentals of talking into a box. Listening to their small laughs and giggles were almost enough to make him lose his lunch. Riley was propped against the doorframe and his bulky form overpowered Buffy's smaller one. His laughter was enough to grate on anyone's nerves and Spike was almost positive he was looking down Buffy's shirt. Watching her giggle her way through the conversation wasn't doing much for him either. He never got flirty giggles from her. All he got was "you're a pig, Spike" or those little eye rolls she was so fond of. He grunted softly before he stood and walked around the couch to the door. "Well, thanks for stopping by," Spike said. "I'm sure if anything life-threatening happens, Buffy will just run for your aid."



Buffy turned and looked at Spike as he stopped beside her and she couldn't help but notice the look on his face. His lips were set in a thin, tight line and his eyes were narrowed slightly as he looked at Riley. His arms were crossed over his chest and when he leaned his head to one side, she saw his jaw clench. She raised one perfectly shaped brow at him before looking back at Riley. His posture wasn't much better. They were staring each other down and she suddenly felt invisible.










"That wasn't necessary," Buffy said as she walked back to the couch and sat down.



"I didn't do anything," Spike said as he walked to the kitchen. He hid his smile as the light from the refrigerator illuminated the darkening room when he reached for a beer. "Not my fault your precious officer Riley is so sensitive."



"He's not mine and being sensitive has nothing to do with it," she said as she studied the walkie-talkie Riley had left. "And how the hell did you come up with captain cardboard anyway?"



Spike laughed as he pulled the cap from his beer and made his way back to the living room. "Surely you've noticed how uptight that git is?" He asked. "He walks around all prim and proper with that stick shoved far up his ass I'm surprised he doesn't have a limp."



"Do you believe everything that comes out of your mouth?" Buffy asked as Spike took his seat at the other end of the couch. "And he's not stuck up."



"Oh really?" Spike said. "All that `yes ma'am' and `no ma'am' shit is right irritating."



Buffy laughed before laying the walkie-talkie on the coffee table and turning to look at Spike. "So, because he has manners, unlike you, he's stuck up?"



"I have manners," Spike told her. "I just don't use them."



"I'll agree with you there," Buffy said as she watched him take a drink.



"You want one?" Spike asked as he looked at Buffy.



Buffy grinned before shaking her head. "I don't think so," she said. "Buffy and beer is a bad combo. All I ever get out of it is a massive hangover and visions of ugly cowboys dancing in my head for days."



Spike grinned at her, trying to imagine her drunk. She didn't look the type at all, but then again he was a terrible judge of character. Drucilla was proof of that. He sighed as she entered his mind and he closed his eyes before laying his head on the back of the couch. He knew if he lived another fifty years she'd still be there haunting him. Love was a wicked bitch and she loved playing him for the fool. Never again, he thought to himself before sighing heavily. He finished off his beer in silence and only opened his eyes when he felt the couch cushions move. "Where you going?"



"Upstairs," Buffy said as she stood and made her way to the steps. "I left my towels out on the balcony and Riley did say a storm was coming."



Spike watched her until she was out of sight before looking over at the large picture windows that made up a good portion of the right wall of the cabin. He could see the dark clouds rising up over the mountain and small flashes of lightening lit up the sky in the distance. From the looks of it, it promised to be a spectacular sight and it was probably still a few hours away. He turned and looked at the fireplace, noticing the small amount of wood that sat by it before he sighed and stood from the couch. Tossing his empty beer bottle in the trash, he walked to the front door before walking outside. He could smell the rain in the air and the wildlife scurried along the trees. "It's going to be a long night," he said to himself before turning and heading for the woodpile.










Buffy woke with a start as the loud crash outside her window startled her. The sky lit in shades of gray and white as lightening streaked across the sky. Her heart raced in her chest and a fear as old as she could remember gripped her. She had always hated storms. Ever since her father had left her and her mother, she had been terrified. He was the one who always made it better when a storm hit their small town and she had never forgiving him for leaving her when she needed him. As another flash lit up the sky, Buffy swallowed heavily as she counted. When the "boom" sounded, her breathing increased immediately. It was practically on top of them. She threw herself under her blankets and tried to think of anything she could instead of the storm but as her room was once again lit from the storm, she clenched her eyes tightly and counted to ten before taking a peek out.



Spike jumped as another bolt of lightening streaked across the sky. The noise level alone was enough to keep anyone awake and he immediately thought of Buffy. He glanced up the stairs at the darkened loft before sighing heavily and reaching for his cigarettes. He lit one quickly and smiled as the rich smoke filled his lungs. Buffy would surely kill him for smoking inside but at the moment, he doubted she would care. The small light above the stove was the only light in the cabin other than the flickering shadows the fireplace cast around the room. He watched the shadows from the fire dance across the walls and listened to the storm raging outside before glancing to the kitchen when he heard a small sizzle. The light above the stove flickered a few times before going black. He stared at it for a few minutes before reaching for the lamp on the end table. Hitting the switch on it several times produced nothing and he cursed softly when he realized the power was probably out. Stubbing out his cigarette, he stood before walking to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door and was met with the darkened interior. He sighed heavily before closing the door and turning back to the living room. He stopped when he saw Buffy at the bottom of the stairs. "Power's out," he said quietly as he looked at her. He watched her as she stood there looking at him before she jumped when another streak of lightening lit the room and turned to look at the windows.



Buffy stared out across the darkened mountains and swallowed heavily as she saw the lightening streak across the mountaintops. She laid in bed for what seemed like forever listening to the storm and jumping every time another crash of lightening interrupted the silence of the cabin. She had heard Spike moving around and had immediately climbed out of bed and made a beeline for the stairs. She could barely make out his form in the low light thrown off by the fireplace and she gave him a week smile as he walked back toward the couch before looking back out the windows.



Spike was glad the room was so dark. He wasn't sure what made Buffy come down the stairs dressed as she was but he hoped with everything in him it was for him. The small spaghetti-strapped top she wore cut off short at her waist and the high cut panties she had on made her legs look twice the length they were. Her arms were wrapped around her body and made her breasts press against the thin material of her shirt and he sucked in a large amount of air as he looked at her. He stopped by the couch and watched her as she stared out the windows and when she jumped as another bolt of lightening flashed across the sky, he smiled. "Scared of storms, luv?"



"Yeah," Buffy whispered.



Spike smiled as he watched her and even though he knew she was scared and he shouldn't be gaping at her, he couldn't help but let his eyes roam over her. She looked glorious in the filtered light. Her hair fell around her shoulders and her tanned skin glowed with flickering flames of light from the fireplace. Just watching her made his blood travel south and he inhaled deeply to try and calm himself. "Its just a little noise and light. It'll pass."



Buffy glanced over at him and tried to smile but turned to look back out the windows. "I've always hated storms," she said softly. "Where I grew up we always had them and they always terrified me."



"Why?" Spike asked her before leaning his hip on the back of the couch.



Buffy gave him a tiny nervous laugh before turning her head and looking over at the fireplace. "Lightening struck the house next to ours when I was little and burned to the ground. I was always afraid it would get us next."



"It can happen," Spike told her. "But the chances of it are slim."



"I guess," Buffy said as she studied the fire. "Still doesn't make it any easier to sleep through."



Spike watched her for a few minutes, noticing every time another streak of lightening lit up the room, she'd jump. He smiled before straightening himself and walking toward her.



Buffy turned to look at him when she saw him move and the smile he gave her when he stopped in front of her almost made her fear reside. Almost.



"Come `ere," Spike said as he held out his hand to her.



"What?" Buffy asked as she looked at his hand.



"Do you trust me?"



"Never."



Spike smiled when she did before reaching out and grabbing her hand. "I'm going to show you there's nothing to be scared of," he said as he pulled her to the large picture windows.



"No, Spike," Buffy said as she tried to dig her heels into the carpet as he led them to the windows. The flashes of light outside seemed to crawl across her skin and nothing she did seemed to shake the grip Spike had her hand in. When they stopped at the windows, Buffy thought her heart would burst from her chest.



Spike smiled at the effort she gave at resisting. To be so small, she had a lot of strength. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Buffy."



Buffy looked up at him and swallowed to try and moisten her throat as Spike moved behind her and pushed her closer to the window. "Now, just look at it. It's just light and noise," he told her. "Its actually quite beautiful if you let yourself see it."



Buffy's chest heaved with every breath she took and she jumped when another flash lit up the sky. She took a step back and gasped when she ran into Spike and she instantly relaxed when he grabbed her arms and held them by her side.



"Just light and noise," he told her again before slowly walking her closer to the windows.



Buffy watched the storm outside. Rain pelted the glass in a musical dance that left streaks in their wake. She watched as the water ran against the glass before looking back out over the mountain. Lightening ran across the sky, illuminating the mountains and turning night into day in a blink of the eye. The jagged edges of lightening left streaks of color in pale pinks and blue across the night sky and she moved closer to the glass before lifting her hand and laying her palm against it. She watched the storm for what seemed like forever before she smiled. "It is kind of pretty, isn't it?"



"Beautiful."



Buffy's eyes closed when Spike's softly whispered reply caressed the flesh on her neck. Her heart rate increased when she realized how close he was standing behind her. She could feel his chest rise and fall against her back and when his hands moved to her hips, she swallowed heavily. "Spike."



"Don't say anything," Spike whispered in her ear before nuzzling his face into her neck. "I just want to feel you."



Buffy's eyes remained closed as Spike peppered kisses across her neck and she unconsciously moved her head to the side to accommodate him. His lips were warm and soft and she felt her blood rushing through her veins. She wondered if he could hear her heart beating in her chest as it hammered against her rib cage and inhaled deeply before leaning her head back against his shoulder when the sensation caused her entire body to relax against him.



"So beautiful," Spike whispered as he kissed the soft skin of her neck. "So soft. I want you, Buffy. I want to feel you against me. Smell your perfume on my skin. Taste you."



Buffy swallowed heavily as he spoke and opened her eyes before letting her hand fall from the glass. The storm outside the windows raged on and she inhaled deeply before turning her head to the side when Spike kissed a trail across her jaw. She looked at him in the dim light and her eyes fluttered when he let his hands slid from her hips to her stomach. The warmth of his hands against her flesh caused a small sigh to escape her before she opened her eyes and looked up at him. The blue of his eyes was mesmerizing as he looked down at her. She saw his need and desire and when he leaned down and captured her lips with his own, she felt all her willpower dissolve. Raising her arm, she slid it around his neck before returning the kiss.

Chapter 12


The rain was still beating out its tune against the windows as nature exploded in a frenzy of light and ear-shattering booms. The scene outside the window was like a frantic musical with its own light show for all to see. Buffy's heart sang out a rhythm of its own as the kiss lingered and she was nearly breathless from its intensity. Spike's kiss was everything she imagined it would be. Fire and passion that felt dangerous and wild and left her feeling out of control. The warmth of his hands on her flesh seemed to burn her skin and the silky smoothness of his lips left her feeling dizzy. A week of fantasies and not one of them even compared to the feel of him. Her arm was still around his neck and her fingers were threaded through his hair. Her back was pressed firmly against his chest and his arms held her tightly to him. She felt protected and wanted - desired.



She gasped as he ran one hand up under her shirt while the other trailed down the front of her leg. His fingers trailed her flesh in whisper soft caresses and she shivered from the contact. She was losing herself in the sensations. Images from her dreams played before her closed eyes. Images of sweat-soaked bodies and words of love whispered across her skin. She clenched her eyes shut tightly as the images changed and that traitorous tiny voice inside her head began to whisper of old heartaches and wounds that were hard to heal. She broke the kiss, gasping for air and trying to block the painful memories as Spike attacked her neck and his hands continued to explore her flesh.



"Tell me to stop and I will."



Buffy's mind was screaming for her to stop him as Spike whispered against her neck and the hand he had under her shirt climbed its way up her stomach toward her breast. Her breathing was out of control and she arched her back as her head fell to his shoulder when he reached his destination. Her throat seemed to have closed off and nothing other than the small moans she couldn't seem to control escaped. She knew this was a mistake, that if she let it go to far she'd be lost. The heartache of betrayal and promises that held nothing more than pretty words whispered themselves to her and she tried to focus on anything that would push them away.



Spike smiled against her neck when he cupped her right breast in his hand and heard the small moan she let out. Her skin was soft and warm and she smelled of jasmine and a summer's breeze. She felt glorious. "I'm going to make you love a storm," Spike said as he massaged her breast in his hand and kissed along her shoulder. "The smell of rain in the air will make you eager for it. The sound of it will excite you. You'll long for them. You'll crave them...and you'll think of me."



Buffy could feel his need against her backside and her head fell to the side when the hand on her leg climbed it way to her inner thigh. She was lost in the sensations he was causing and her rational mind continued to sing its song of betrayal to her. Her breath was released in short bursts and she curled her fingers in Spike's hair as his words flowed through her. She looked out across the mountain, watching the storm as Spike continued to talk to her. His lips brushing her neck, the feel of his hands on her flesh and his rich, honey-dipped voice purring in her ears sent her spiraling to the edge of no return. When his fingers grazed the thin material of her panties, the pain she remembered all too clearly finally broke through. She looked out over the mountain and watched the lightening kiss the darkened sky outside the window and illuminate everything around them. She stared at the rain-soaked window before sighing heavily and closing her eyes.



Spike's face was buried in her neck as his fingers worked at the edges of her panties. The lace tickled his fingers and her warmth seemed to invite him in. He smiled against her neck before running his tongue lightly over her flesh before sliding his fingers into the edge of her panties. She gasped and stiffened in his arms before she softly whispered, "stop." The air rushed from his lungs in a wave of disappointment as his smile vanished.



"I can't do this," Buffy said before she reached for his hands and moved them off of her as she slowly untangled herself from his arms. She stared out across the mountain as images of Angel and what he had done played in slow motion before her eyes. As another flash of lightening lit up the room, she turned and ran for the stairs.



Spike turned and watched her disappear up the steps before he leaned back against the windows. He stared into the darkened loft before raising his arms and running his fingers through his hair. He sighed heavily as he thought of everything that had happened and he couldn't help but feel pleased. It wasn't exactly what he had expected, but beggars couldn't be choosy. As the loft was once again lit with the light from the storm he smiled as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "Just you wait, princess," he said softly as he stared up at the loft. "You can't resist me forever."





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




The sun rose over the mountain and Buffy didn't realize how beautiful the sunrise actually was. The first pink beams of light peeked over the mountain and lit the sky in a rainbow of colors. She had watched the sky turn from black to pink to purple before the bright blue of another day smiled down upon the earth.



She had laid awake most of the night, staring out at the storm as it raged beyond her windows and it only took the small act of inhaling to remind her of what she walked away from. His scent still lingered on her skin, and if she concentrated long enough, she could still feel his hands caressing her flesh. Her body ached for him but the images of Angel and the pain he had caused wouldn't let her forget.



If she had followed her body's needs, she would have slept with him. It's what she wanted. She knew now that she had from almost the very beginning. But her stupid conscience wouldn't let the past be. It wouldn't let her forget her past mistakes. It wouldn't let her move on. Angel wasn't a part of her life anymore but his ghost was still there to torment her.



Sighing heavily, Buffy threw back the blankets on the bed and sat up before staring out the window. She turned her head and looked toward the stairs and listened to the eerily quiet cabin before standing up and grabbing her robe. Tiptoeing to the railing, she peeked around the edge of the blanket Spike had hung for her before looking down into the living room. He wasn't there. She scanned the areas of the cabin she could see and wondered only briefly where he was before turning and grabbing fresh clothes and her toiletries. She checked the lights to make sure the power was back on before making her way out of the cabin and to the bathhouse. As she stopped in front of the bathhouse door she immediately wondered if that was where he was. She debated on knocking before grabbing the doorknob and giving it a turn. She sighed in relief when she found it unlocked. Pushing the door open she gasped as Spike suddenly appeared before her.



"Morning, goldilocks," Spike grinned as he stared down at her.



Buffy swallowed heavily as she looked at him. He was freshly showered and water still clung to his body. Small beads of it glistened off his skin from the sun coming through the skylights. A white towel was slung low on his hips and his hair hung in soft, wet curls. He looked delicious. She looked away before stepping back so he could leave but looked back up at him when he didn't move. "Are you leaving or not?"



"Depends," Spike grinned. "You inviting me to stay?"



Buffy looked up at him with slightly wide eyes before she smiled. "Not hardly," she said before she looked back down at her feet.



Spike smiled as he looked at her. "'M just trying to be helpful."



Buffy looked up at him and her smile widened. How could he be so charming and completely dangerous at the same time? "Making breakfast is being helpful. Harassing me in the shower isn't."



"Had no intention on harassing you, luv," Spike said as he closed the distance between them.



Buffy swallowed heavily at his response and looked away from him. Just the sound of his voice let her know exactly what he had in mind. The previous night's activities flashed before her mind's eye and she blushed before she could get the images to go away.



Spike grinned as he saw the dark red her cheeks took on and held back a chuckle as he stared at her before leaning down and brushing his cheek against hers. "Well if you find a spot you can't reach, you know where to find me," he said.



Buffy looked up at him when he took a step away from her and tried to get her rapidly beating heart to resume its normal pace. He winked at her as he walked out and she stood by the door and watched him walk back to the cabin. She entered the bathhouse and shut the door, double-checking the lock after laying her things down just to make sure he wouldn't surprise her later. The steam-covered mirror was wiped clean and Buffy stared at her reflection. She had dreaded facing him and just as she imagined, it was as awkward as she thought it would be. Spike didn't seemed fazed at all, although she really didn't think he would be. There probably wasn't anything that would make him uncomfortable. He was so full of himself, always confident and every word out of his mouth was laced with some sort of sexual innuendo. She smiled no matter how hard she tried not to as she thought of him. She knew he wouldn't give up now. If anything, he'd try harder, which only made things worse for her. If she couldn't let go of the pain that came with a relationship, of any kind, she'd spend her life miserable and alone. But how did she forget? How did she let go of the past and move forward?






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



Spike dressed quickly, slipping into faded jeans and a T-shirt before towel-drying his hair and setting to work. He had thought long and hard about Buffy after she left him the previous night and he knew he needed a plan. She wasn't a groupie, which meant - he'd have to work hard at getting her in his bed.



He hadn't had to actually work for it in so long he wasn't even sure he knew how. Most women came to him. Not the other way around. Buffy was the first woman in years that didn't jump him the minute he spoke to her. He was as exited by the prospects of actually having to chase her as he was disappointed by it. What if he failed? He laughed when he thought about that. No way would he fail. Buffy would be screaming his name before the month was out. This, he was sure.





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




Buffy walked slowly back to the cabin, dreading going inside every step of the way. Prancing around naked in front of Spike at the waterfall hadn't been as humiliating as she felt now. How could she look him in the face after last night? Sure it was only a kiss. A very hot kiss but she let him touch her. He had touched her in places no one had in longer than she could remember. Trying to get her burning cheeks to calm, she took a deep breath before opening the cabin door and going inside.



It was Deja. vu as she walked in. Spike was once again sitting at the bar and the enticing aroma of bacon and eggs filled the cabin. Only this time, she could see her own plate filled and waiting for her.



"'Bout damn time," Spike said as he looked up at her. "I was beginning to think I went to all this trouble of cooking for you for nothing."



The blush was back and Buffy bit the side of her cheek to try and hold back the huge smile trying to form. She glanced away from him briefly as she laid her things down before walking to the bar and sitting down. "Sorry," she said quietly before picking up her fork. "I had to wash my hair."



"I'm surprised your hair hasn't fallen out as much as you wash it," Spike told her as he watched her cheeks go from pink to red.



Buffy smiled as she stared down at her plate before she glanced up at him. He was sitting there staring at her and she couldn't help but laugh when he wiggled his eyebrows at her as he took a bite of his toast. She could already tell this would be a day for the record books. How many times could he make her blush in one day? Only time would tell.



They ate in silence and no matter how many times she looked up he was staring at her. She could tell he was dying to talk. He was fidgeting in his seat and she didn't know of a time other than when he was asleep that he didn't have something to talk about. He looked like an eager puppy ready to bounce on command and she almost felt sorry for him. Willow was the same way. Leave them to their own devices for too long and they'd combust.



"This is good," she finally said to try and break the silence. "Thank you."



"You're welcome," Spike said as he looked at her. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her. Every second he sat there his thoughts were consumed with the way she felt in his arms and how long it would take to get her back there. He knew he would but first he needed to find out why she left so abruptly the night before. What was holding her back and how could he get her past it?

Chapter 13





Buffy sipped her tea as she looked out over the forest. She had retreated to the balcony after Spike had practically ran her out of the kitchen while he cleaned up the breakfast dishes and she wondered what he was up to. It was something she was sure. He was being too - nice. Not one question about the previous night, no hint of what they had done. Nothing. The whole thing was so un-Spike like it was scary. She figured he would be nagging the hell out of her about it, yet what was he doing?



She turned her head and looked back inside. The kitchen appeared to be clean and she could see a basket on the bar. He was darting around the room and she leaned up in her seat and craned her neck to try and see what he was doing. When he turned his head and looked at her she quickly turned back to the forest. She smiled as she took a slow sip of her tea. Whatever it was, she knew she should probably be worried. With Spike, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.



Spike grinned as he saw Buffy looking in at him before he continued his task. The idea had come to him while he washed the dishes and he fought to keep the wide grin from his face as all the details clicked into place. It was nearly ten and the last hour had been spent scurrying around the kitchen preparing everything. He looked down into the basket one last time, making sure he had everything before he walked to the closet. He pulled two of the spare blankets outs before laying them with the basket. He stared at his supplies before looking around the room. Everything was packed. All he needed now was her.




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





Buffy stared at the back of Spike's head as she followed him through the heavy foliage of the forest. She asked herself for the tenth time what she was doing. No way did she agree to this. She must be completely insane. What in the world possessed her to agree? Spike turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder and the smile he gave her caused her stomach to flip over itself. Right. Now she remembered.



A wide, melt-in-your-shoes smile and those damned blue eyes of his and she had barely even protested. She was now convinced he was the devil. He had to be. No way could anyone be that devious and completely lickable at the same time. A friendly lunch on top of the mountain and all of it completely innocent - or so he said. So why did she have this sinking feeling he was up to something?



Spike led them up the path with a smile planted on his face. He couldn't believe how easy it had been. A few smiles, a slight tilt of his head and Buffy had caved. He almost laughed out loud as he remembered the conversation.



"Okay, Spike. What are you doing?" Buffy asked as she leaned against the bar.



"Making us lunch."



Buffy watched him as he looked through the basket again before he turned his head to look at her. She swallowed heavily at the smile he gave her. Her heart rate increased instantly and she had to look away. "Why is our lunch in a basket?"



"I thought we could take a little walk," he told her. "Picnic up at the overlook."



"What overlook and why?" She asked him curiously.



Spike laughed softly before turning his body toward her. "The overlook that the brochure said was here and `why?' Well - because I want to."



Oh, there it was again. That smile. Buffy felt her stomach clench as she looked at him. His eyes roamed over her form and her already rapidly beating heart tripled its tempo. How the hell did he do that?



"What do you say, luv?"



His voice was soft and sensual and Buffy knew she was doomed the minute he spoke. Her skin tingled from just the sound of it and she wondered if he practiced it or if it just came natural. The head tilt he had perfected. The eyes - well everyone knew those things could capture you and turn you into a blubbering idiot but that smile, now that just made you want to melt into a puddle and agree with anything the man said. Oh yeah. Spike Williams had it all and right now Buffy wanted it.



"It's not much further," Spike said as he looked back over his shoulder at Buffy. She hadn't said much after they left the cabin and he wondered what was going through her mind. He had to bite his tongue several times to keep from asking her about the previous night. If he played his cards right, he'd find out what her problem was and then they could move on.





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




"Are you sure you know where you're going?"



Spike looked around at the trees surrounding them and smiled before turning to face her. "Of course I know," he said before he was again started walking.



Buffy raised one perfectly shaped brow at him before she sighed and followed. They had been walking forever and she was beginning to wonder if this wasn't some ploy on his part to see if she'd follow him endlessly. So far it was working. She sighed before shaking her head and slowing her pace. "Okay, we've been walking forever," she said. "If you get us lost I'm going to kick your ass."



Spike chuckled as he continued to walk. "You're free to do anything you wish with my ass, Buffy. But let's wait until we have a scenic view, shall we?"



Buffy almost growled as he turned his head and winked at her before he laughed. That just proved her theory. He was playing with her. "Alright, I'm not taking another step until you tell me what this is all about, Spike."



Spike stopped and turned around to look at her before he smiled. She was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and her chin jutting out defiantly. Her cheeks were flushed and the breeze caught the few strands of hair that had managed to escape her ponytail to whip around her face. She looked adorable. No other word for it. Puffed up and trying to look all mighty and all she was doing was making him want her more. He walked the short distance to her and stopped directly in front of her before he leaned down close to her face. "I just wanted to spend the day with you is all," he said softly.



Buffy looked up at him and had to remind herself to breathe. His scent surrounded her and those eyes were like liquid pools of molten glass. She felt her lips twitch as a tiny smile pulled at the edges of them before she let her eyes roam over his face. She sighed automatically when he smiled at her.



"What do you say, kitten?"



"If you're playing with me Spike I'm going to kick your ass."



Spike grinned widely as he looked at her. "Don't tease me, Summers. Hard enough just looking at you without letting my mind wander."



Buffy held back her smile as he turned and started walking again. Not a day went by without some snarky remark. Did you expect anything less? She asked herself. Sighing again she finally grinned as she followed him. Whatever he was up to, she was certain she was going to be sorry.




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





"How the hell did you know about this place?" Buffy asked as she stared out over the mountains.



"It's in the brochure," Spike told her as he laid the basket and blankets down before looking over at her.



"Oh," Buffy said as she took in her surroundings. The mountains stretched as far as she could see. Colors ranging from blue to purple to black met her eyes and the sky looked as if it sat on the very top of each snowcapped mountain. It was breathtaking. The breeze was surprisingly warm and Buffy slipped her jacket off as Spike spread one of the blankets out. She eyed him curiously as she walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down over the railing that had been placed there. "What else was in the brochure?"



Spike looked up at her as she spoke before he walked the short distance to where she stood. "Just the usual," he told her. "Nature trails, the hot spring, waterfalls - lions, tigers and bears."



"Oh my," Buffy said as she turned her head to look at him and smiled as he winked at her. "I guess I really should have paid more attention to my travel agent then, huh? She worked extremely hard at getting me this place."



Spike chuckled before he stuck his hands in his pants pockets and looked at her. "Probably wouldn't have hurt," he told her. "Then again if your travel agent had done her homework you would have had the cabin to yourself." Buffy grinned at him and was about to agree when he stepped closer to her. "Remind me to thank her when I get back home."



Buffy's smile widened as he turned around and walked back to the blanket. She stayed in her spot, staring out across the mountains and she inhaled the evergreen scent that lofted through the air before silently reminding herself to call the travel agency. A little friendly thank you wouldn't hurt, now would it?



Spike sat down on the blanket and leaned back on his hands before crossing his feet one over the other. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh mountain air as he stared at Buffy. He was content to just sit there and watch her all day but he had other plans. He leaned his head to the side and tried to figure out a way to get her to open up without it being too obvious what he was doing. Buffy may be blonde, bleached he was sure, but she was far from dumb. She was already suspicious of him. There was no reason to throw a big red flag in the air and set her alarms off before necessary. If everything worked out like he hoped, Buffy would spill her secrets without any prompting from him at all.





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




"You're lying."



"No I'm not," Spike laughed as he looked over at her. "The crazy girl was just laying there naked as the day she was born."



Buffy laughed again before shaking her head. He had been telling her of his more exuberant fans and his latest tale seemed almost too scary for words. "What did you do?"

The look he gave her made her mouth gap open and her eyes widen. "You didn't?"



"What?" Spike laughed. "She wanted it, so I gave it to her."



"God, you really are a pig," Buffy told him.



Spike grinned before lying back on the blanket and propping himself up on his elbow. "Okay, so I had security escort her out. Besides, Drucilla was ready to rip her a new one and if I would have taken her up on her offer hard telling what she would have done to me," he told her.



"I can imagine," she said. "So what happened?"



"Well, she was quite pissed, that's for sure. I didn't think much of it after that until she started calling my manager endlessly and showing up everywhere I went. No matter what part of the world I was in, she was there. Front row center."



"Stalker?" Buffy asked.



"Oh, I'd call her more than that," Spike laughed. "I've had groupies follow the band before, but this girl - now she was in a class all by herself."



"What do you mean?"



"Well, she could talk her way into any restricted area, managed to get my home phone number and my address. Anything she wanted really. I was told to ignore her so I did. Completely blew up in my face. We had this huge signing when the second album came out and fans lined up for blocks just to get an autograph. The rest of the guys were blown away by all the attention and after four hours, fans were still coming. I was having a hell of a lot of fun - until I saw her. The look on her face literally made my skin crawl."



Buffy stared at him as he told his story and she could tell it was going to be bad. All the other stories had been funny or light-hearted, but the look on his face told her this wasn't one of them.



"Anyway, when she finally made it up to the table, I just smiled at her and shook her hand. I guess when I didn't acknowledge her as more than a fan, she snapped."



"What happened?" Buffy asked, almost afraid to know.



Spike laughed bitterly before shaking his head. "The girl went crazy. Started screaming at me about `how special what we had was' and `how could I just pretend she didn't mean anything.' I knew right then that getting close to fans was a big mistake."



"Where is she now?" Buffy asked.



Spike looked up at her before shaking his head. "No clue," he told her. "Last time I saw her was before I went into rehab."



Buffy gave him a tiny smile after his last statement and watched him as he stared out across the mountains. She had read of his ordeal with drugs and alcohol but knowing the tabloids she was sure most of it was false.



Spike looked over at her when she got quiet and smiled at the look on her face. He could see the questions bouncing inside her head. "Go ahead and ask," he told her.



"You don't mind?" Buffy asked, not sure if she should.



Spike laughed quietly before looking back up at her. "I'm sure it's nothing that hasn't been printed already, so what's the harm?"



Buffy stared at him for a few minutes and watched him as he looked out over the mountains before she took a deep breath. "Did you really overdose?"



Spike glanced over at her before giving her a tiny smile. "Yeah, I did," he told her. "But it wasn't intentional like the tabloids made out. Just a stupid mistake brought on by way to much liquor and drugs and a broken heart."



"Drucilla?" She asked him quietly.



Spike nodded his head as that night replayed itself to him before he sat up and cleared his throat. "Yeah," he said. "Funny what a man will ignore in the name of love."



"Not only men," Buffy said. "You see all the little signs and you choose to ignore them."



Spike nodded again before he smiled to try and break the sullen mood they both seemed to have fallen in. "Glad to see I'm not the only one who ignored them."



Buffy laughed quietly before shaking her head. "I still can't believe how blind I was to it all. I mean, it was all right there, I just chose to not see it. In all the time Angel and I were together, I never once saw where he lived. He just kept telling me it was more convenient to stay at my place. And all the little secret phone calls, broken dates and the looks his friends would give me." Spike watched her as she was again fell silent before she turned to him and smiled. "How about we change the subject before I get all weepy and whiney?" She asked.



"Fine by me, luv," Spike said before giving her a smile. "Any more of reminding myself what a disaster my life has been and I'm going to throw myself over the cliff."



Buffy laughed before shaking her head. "I don't think so," she said. "I'd never be able to find my way back down the mountain."



"Living on the mountain wouldn't be that bad. You could live off the land and wear a bear skin bikini."



Buffy laughed before shaking her head. "Living off the land I might could do but the bikini? Not happening."



"You're right," Spike said. "The bikini would be a little much. I'd much prefer to see you in nothing."



Buffy laughed hard before shaking her head and grabbing the picnic basket and opened it. "What makes you think you're going to see me naked?"



"Already have."



Buffy looked over at him and grinned when he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows at her. She shook her head before she started pulling the food from the basket. "Well, once is plenty."



"Twice," Spike reminded her.



"Twice?" Buffy asked as she looked up. "Have you been spying on my in the bathhouse?"



"No. First day we got here, remember? Warming your luscious, naked self by the fire?"



Buffy blushed and looked away from him as his smile caused her face to burn. She cleared her throat before digging into the food. "So," she said quietly. "Hungry?"



"Depends on what's on the menu."



The look on his face made her to realize that Spike was back to his normal self. Sexual innuendo was in full swing. She rolled her eyes at him before tossing one of the sandwiches in the basket at him before grabbing one for herself. "I hate to break it to you yet again, but I'm not sleeping with you."



"Why not?"



Buffy looked up at him when his softly spoken question reached her and the look on his face was priceless. He truly looked baffled as to why she wouldn't sleep with him. "You do realize I've known you a whole nine days, right?"



"So," Spike grinned. "I've shagged girls I've known for nine minutes."



"And where exactly are those girls now?" Buffy asked him.



"Hell if I know," Spike answered.



Buffy studied him for a few minutes as he stared at her and ate his sandwich before she sighed lightly. "Is that all you want?"



"Is what all I want?"



"A quick shag," Buffy said. "Are you going to spend the rest of your life chasing some girl just to get her in your bed?" The minute he looked away, Buffy knew the answer.



"Not interested in anything more than a quick shag," Spike told her and he stared at his food. "Already had the hearts and flowers stuff. Wasn't much impressed."



"Well, maybe you didn't have the right girl." Spike never replied and Buffy watched him as he stared out over the mountains. The tabloids were full of stories of his rocky romance with Drucilla Elliot and if the stories were even half true, she could understand his reluctance in getting into another serious relationship. Hell, the whole Angel fiasco seemed like a walk in the park compared to the life and times of Spike and Dru. Every paper from coast-to-coast had their faces plastered on them and it wasn't always pretty. Their tumultuous affair was always front-page news. Funny how one man's tragedy was the next man's entertainment.

Chapter 14





Buffy hated to admit that Spike's idea was even remotely good but their quiet lunch on the mountain had been surprisingly pleasant. They ate and spent most of the afternoon talking and so far she had learned more than any tabloid had.



It didn't take her long to discover that the "Bad Boy" persona Spike tried so hard at projecting was all an act. Oh, he'd never admit to it but it didn't take a brain surgeon to see through it. Hearing him talk about his family and his love for writing had been the first clue. He had sworn her to secrecy when he told her of his childhood and she was shocked to learn he had been ridiculed and picked on as a child by his classmates.



Being forced to move in with his uncle after his mother's death had caused him to withdraw before he found himself with a group of friends who were less than ideal. His eventual rebellion as a teen sent him spiraling into a world that was too fast and hard and with the help of Drucilla, he evolved into who he is today. Of all the things he had confessed to her the hardest to believe though was that Spike, rock star extraordinaire, was actually a poetry loving, hopeless romantic.



"I take it she didn't like it?" Buffy asked as she picked through a bowl of strawberries.



Spike's light laughter confirmed her suspicions. "Understatement of the century," he told her. "Bleedin' bitch said I was beneath her."



"Ouch," Buffy said quietly as she watched his face.



"A very big ouch," Spike laughed. "I burned my journal and never spoke of her again," he said. "Well, until now."



Buffy gave him a tiny smile when he looked over at her and she wondered why he was suddenly baring his soul to her. Not that she minded, but it seemed so unlike him. "So was that when the first incarnation of Spike appeared?"



"That it was," Spike grinned. "William died with the laughter of those prissy bitches and I never looked back once I met Dru."



"And the rock star gig?" Buffy asked with a wide smile.



"Now that was a complete fluke," Spike laughed. "I met this guy who knew a guy who asked me provide the voice on the recording of a new song he had written to try and sell it. The right person heard it and the rest is history."



"And millions of squealing girls the world over having been beating a path to your door ever since," Buffy grinned.



"Exactly," Spike said. "Can't say that I've complained too much though."



"Oh, I'm sure," Buffy said.



"So, what about you?" Spike asked. "What exactly do you do for a living?"



Buffy looked over at him as he shifted and she crossed her legs before stretching out her back. "Well, I'm half-owner of a art gallery," she told him. "It's in LA."



"An art gallery?" Spike asked, surprised. "I wouldn't have guessed that one."



"Why not?"



"Well, most art critics are stuffy and boring," he said. "You're far from that."



Buffy smiled before looking out across the mountains. "Well, my mother opened it four years ago. It does pretty good business and it gives me something to do," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "There are worse things to do for a living I suppose."



They both shared a smile smiled before looking away. "So, where do you live now?" Buffy asked after several minutes of tense silence.



"New York," Spike told her. "Where else?"



Buffy grinned before shifting her position and grabbing one of the strawberries. "Where else, exactly."



"You'll have to come visit me," Spike grinned. "I'll show you the town."



Buffy laughed at that before shaking her head. "I don't think so," she said. "Like being trapped with you up here isn't bad enough. I don't think I would willingly put myself at your mercy."



"Scared?"



"Not hardly," Buffy laughed before looking up at him.



"Yes you are," Spike told her. "You're scared of me."



Buffy laughed before tossing a strawberry stem at him. "The only thing scary about you Spike is your inability to understand the word `no.' "



"Hey, I understand the word, I just don't like it."



"Obviously," Buffy told him.



"Well, I'm just use to getting what I want," he grinned. "And I usually get it one way or another."



Buffy looked at him before she smiled. "Well, there's a first time for everything."



Spike smiled at her as she bit into the strawberry in her hand and he had to stifle moan as she licked her lips. She had been eating those strawberries for what seemed liked forever and he was trying to ignore her as much as possible. His obvious reaction to seeing her tongue push past her lips to lick the juice from them made him squirm in his seat. Just the sight of her pink tongue and her soft lips sent his mind to the one thing it always came back to. "So, tell me pet, are you really not ever going to sleep with me?"



"Here we go again," Buffy laughed as she closed the container the strawberries were in and sat them back in the basket. "And for the hundredth time, no. I'm not going to sleep with you."



"See, just proves you're scared of me," Spike grinned. "Or rather scared of getting involved." Spike watched her as she sat there looking at him and wondered if the whole day was going to backfire and blow up in his face. Hours of talking and they were finally getting to the point he had been dying to bring up all day.



"Me?" Buffy asked. "This coming from the man with severe commitment issues."



"I don't have commitment issues," he said defensively.



"Really?" Buffy grinned. "You chase women endlessly with only one thing in mind. You have no desire to become emotionally attached to anyone and you can't go fifteen minutes without thinking with your dick. You - have commitment issues."



"Do not."



"Do too."



Spike looked at her and the huge smile on her face before he smiled and leaned his head to one side. "Okay, suppose I do," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "What's so wrong with it?"



"There's nothing wrong with it," she told him. "It'll just make you a lonely, bitter old man in the long run."



"How you figure?"



"Because humans need to feel a connection with someone," she told him. "If all you're doing for the rest of your life is getting a few hours of sexual gratification and nothing more then you'll wake up one day and realize you have nothing. Sure you might have fancy cars and tons of money, but that won't make you happy. Sharing your life with someone who cares about you and who loves you."



Her eyes were shining with tears by the time she stopped talking and Spike watched her as she quickly stood from the blanket and walked to the edge of the railing. Her arms were crossed over her chest and he just sat and watched her. Maybe baiting her wasn't such a good idea after all. "All men aren't like him."



Buffy chuckled harshly before looking back over her shoulder at him. "No, they aren't. They're much worse."



"And how do you figure?"



She frowned before shaking her head. "Well, they're either complete liars like Angel or just trying to get laid."



"Which is what you think I want?"



"Isn't it?" Buffy asked him.



Spike stared at her for the longest time. He couldn't answer her. He wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. At first, getting her into his bed was the only thing he had on his mind but after spending the past few days talking to her, he was becoming more confused.



Buffy was the first person he could ever remember who just sat and listened to him without judging him. She hadn't spent useless amounts of time trying to tell him how to live his life or how and when he fucked it up. If he was honest with himself, he could say that if he hadn't sworn off serious relationships all together, that Buffy would probably be someone worth the trouble of it all. But trouble he knew it would be. Sure she was beautiful and sexy but nothing was ever puppies and roses like all his favorite poets seemed to believe. No, love was messy and hard and quite frankly, not worth the trouble.





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





The air was getting cool and Buffy closed her jacket around her as she followed Spike through the winding trail through the woods. They had made so many twists and turns she had been lost ten minutes after they packed up and headed back to the cabin and she only hoped he knew where he was going.



Their day had been pleasant and her theory that he was up to something vanished quickly. Other than a few lewd remarks, he had been true to his word. What the rest of the night would entail once they made it back was still a mystery but she was sure it would be as smooth as their day had been. That is if they ever made it back.



The sun was just beginning to set and the filtered sunlight through the thick trees made it more difficult to see as they walked. Stumbling over every stray limb she passed was bordering on irritating and she fought to keep from screaming. As they turned past a large tree, the forest opened up and Buffy's brows scrunched together as she looked around. "Okay, call me crazy, but didn't we just past this place a few minutes ago?"



Spike stopped and looked around before shrugging his shoulders before he once again started walking. "Nope, don't think so."



Buffy watched him walk off before she gave the clearing one last look. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts before she jogged to catch up with him and a slight tingle of fear crept up her spine. If he gets us lost, I'm going to kill him.



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



She ran into him when he suddenly stopped and the small "humphh" noise she made was enough for him to look back over his shoulder at her. Their was barely even enough light to see the path they had been on and the air had cooled enough for Buffy to officially call it cold. The thin jacket she wore had little effect and as she drew the material closer to her body she took a step back away from him and looked around. Her eyes widened when they landed on the clearing. "Oh. My. God."



"Guess we took a wrong turn somewhere." Her eyes were as wide as saucers and if she wasn't on the verge of a major freak-out he would have laughed. Her mouth was wide open and her breath puffed out in fast, short bursts.



"How could you do this?" She yelled, the words echoing through the forest before she looked up at him.



"What? It's not like I did it on purpose," Spike told her as he looked from her to the clearing. "Just got turned the wrong way is all."



Buffy shot him a look that actually made him take a step away from her and she studied his face. The look of concern that stretched across his featured looked strained and she almost felt bad for yelling until she looked into his eyes. They were dancing with mischief and she had never wanted to kill anyone like she did now. "You did this on purpose!"



"What?" Spike yelled. "Are you daft? Why the hell would I purposely get us lost?"



Buffy laughed loudly before shaking her head and walking off. Her steps were hard and her head shook from side to side as she laughed bitterly. "I knew it!," She yelled. "I knew you were up to something. You planned this from the very beginning."



"No I didn't."



"Yes you did! This is the part of the plan that I knew was coming. Get me out here, get me to trust you and then - BAM! You so conveniently get us lost."



"Buffy, just calm down," Spike told her as he walked over to her. "I can get us back."



"Oh, because you've done such a great job of it so far?" She asked. "God, I'm such an idiot!"



Spike watched her as she started pacing and her yelling was borderline amusing. Her arms were thrashing about almost as fast as her mouth was going and if she weren't pissed at him he would have laughed at the scene she was causing. "Buffy?"



"But did I listen?" Buffy asked herself as she continued to pace. "No, of course not!"



"Buffy."



"I should have known," she continued to rant. "But what did I do? I followed you out here just like you wanted and now look," she said turning in a circle and pointing at the forest as she did. "The middle of no-fucking-where!"



"Buffy!"



Buffy stopped and turned to look at him and she inhaled deeply before letting it out slowly. He was standing there staring at her with the picnic basket in one hand and the blankets in the other. She watched him as he put the basket on the ground and set the blankets on top of it before walking the short distance to her and stopping in front of her.



"We're not lost," Spike said calmly.



"Oh really," Buffy said, sarcastically. "Then what exactly do you call it?"



Spike sighed heavily before running a hand through his hair and looking around. "Okay, maybe a little lost," he said quietly, "But I can get us back."



"Then why haven't you?"



"Bloody hell, woman!" Spike finally yelled before he started pacing. "It's bleedin' dark out here for one thing and your constant chattering hasn't helped. Do you honestly think I want to spend the night out here with your bitchy self?"



Buffy shrunk back as he started yelling and watched him talk to himself as she had done only moments before. She sighed as she looked up at the darkening sky before looking back at him. He was still pacing and running his hands through his hair. What he was saying totally escaped her as it was littered with unusual words she had never even heard before but it didn't take her long to realize he was getting just as irritated as she felt. With another long, cleansing breath, Buffy's shoulders slumped before she sat down on the basket and propped her head in her hands.



That's the way she was when Spike finally stopped cussing and he couldn't help but smile when he saw her. "Comfy now?"



"Might as well be," Buffy grinned.



Spike sighed before shoving his hands in his coat pockets. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean for it to turn out like this."



Buffy watched his face and he seemed to be sincere but she still had her doubts. He was almost completely bathed in shadows from the trees and what little light was left danced along the outskirts of the trees. The wildlife seemed to have sprang to life in a matter of minutes and she looked around her nervously. "So, um - can you get us out of here?"



"Tonight?" Spike asked. "Not sure."



Another long sigh before Buffy scrubbed at her face with her hands. "Okay, so I guess we're camping then?" She asked.



Spike held back a smile before looking around at the clearing. The trees would block the majority of wind but they'd still need a heat source. Sighing heavily he turned to his left and kicked the leaves and grass out of a small spot before turning back to Buffy. "Well, I guess we need us a bonfire then, yeah?"



Buffy looked over at him when he spoke and for a brief second she thought she saw him smile. Would he go to so much trouble just to get her alone and have her completely dependent on him? She thought about it for a minute before she smiled to herself. You bet your sweet ass he would.

Chapter 15





Buffy grinned as Spike cursed a blue streak as he tried unsuccessfully to start the fire. He had been trying for over fifteen minutes and she had held back her laughter when he let out a frustrated yelled and tossed his lighter when all it would do was shoot off small white sparks. She was surprised when he found it and the look he gave her when he finally spotted it in the dying light told her clearly to not say a word.



The thoughts of him actually planning this little campfire routine were short lived. His lack of preparation was her first clue. What idiot purposely gets lost in the woods and can't even start a fire? The fact that they barely had enough food left for any type of breakfast and the thin blankets he had brought along were the other hints that this was not a planned seduction.



The small sparks that lit up the darkened area and the constant "clicking" sound from Spike's lighter made Buffy's smile widen as she watched him. "You want me to find you some sticks, Sparky?" Buffy asked. "I'm sure you're attempts to light a fire with those will be about as good as that useless lighter."



Spike's growl was clearly heard and Buffy bit her tongue as he turned his head and glared at her. "It's just low on fuel," he told her, remembering now what he had forgotten to do earlier. "I'll get it in a minute."



"You said that half an hour ago," Buffy said.



Spike rolled his eyes before returning to his task. He couldn't believe he had forgotten to refill his lighter before leaving. That nagging feeling telling him he had forgotten something had bugged him all day. Now he knew why.



The day hadn't turned out like he had hoped. He spent most of it telling Buffy about himself and learned little about her. Now, stuck in the dark with a useless lighter and no way to find his way back to the cabin in the blanket of darkness that engulfed the forest, caused him to rethink the whole adventure.



The first flicker of a flame sparked to life and it startled him out of his reflections. He grinned before cupping his free hand over it and lowering it to the small pile of dry leaves and twigs he had gathered. He glanced over at Buffy briefly and watched her gaze off into the darkened forest before looking back at what he was doing. The small blaze worked quickly and adding a few more twigs proved helpful.



Buffy looked over as she saw the light out of the corner of her eyes. "Oh, fire pretty," she said before smiling when Spike looked at her. "And here I was beginning to doubt your manliness."



"Very funny, Summers," Spike grinned before he stood and took a few steps toward her. "Do you think you could get off that cute arse of yours and help me find some wood to keep this thing going?"



"What? And miss my chance to see a real man in action?" She laughed. "I think I'll keep my role as damsel in distress and sit right here. Beside, there's - things out there," she said gesturing toward the darkened forest.



Spike grinned at her as she once again looked around them. He could hear the signs of life just beyond the trees and knew it wasn't anything more than a few furry critters that were more scared of them then they were of it. "Fine," he sighed before turning and walking into the line of trees that surrounded the clearing.



Buffy sat on the picnic basket and stared at the spot where Spike had disappeared and listened to his booted feet stomp the twigs and dead leaves into nothing before the sound grew distant and then stopped. She sat up straight and squinted her eyes into the darkness and jumped when she heard a twig break behind her. She was frozen in fear at what might be behind her and stared wide-eyed at the spot she had last seen Spike.



Spike sighed heavily as he once again reached down and picked up stray limbs for the fire. He knew he couldn't really complain seeing how the whole day had been his idea. Gathering up his findings he walked carefully back to the clearing stopping only once to try and figure out where he was. As he stepped out of the woods, the look on Buffy's face froze him in his tracks. "What's wrong?"



Buffy looked up at him, her eyes still wide and her breaths panted out in harsh, sharp pants. She swallowed heavily before lifting her hand and pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.



Spike looked behind her, leaning his head to one side before he grinned and walked to the fire. "Relax, Buffy," he said before dropping the wood. "It's only a squirrel."



"You sure?" Buffy whispered.



Spike turned his head to look at her as he placed the limbs he had found onto the fire. "Might be a groundhog," he grinned. "Hard to tell in the dark."



Buffy finally turned her head and looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, there sat the small, brown creature that had almost given her a heart attack. She inhaled deeply before releasing it and quickly standing and making her way to Spike. When he looked up at her and grinned she rolled her eyes. "What? I'm cold."



"Sure, Summers," Spike said. "Anything you say."



Buffy snarled at him as he stood up and chuckled then walked back to where she had been sitting. She watched him grab the blankets and spread them out close to the fire. One laid out on top of the other. The small gesture didn't escape her. "Where are you gonna sleep?"



Spike turned his head before giving her a look from head to toe. "Where would you like me to sleep?"



Buffy smiled at him before crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not sleeping with you."



"Yes, I've heard," Spike said. "Almost daily now as a matter of fact."



"You know what I mean, Spike," Buffy said, gesturing to the blankets.



Spike looked down at the blankets and grinned before looking back up at her. "Well, that fire will only keep us so warm," he told her. "And I for one don't fancy sleeping in the dirt."



"And that has exactly what to do with me?"



Spike rolled his eyes before placing his hands on his hips. "We lay on one and cover up with the other."



Buffy studied his face in the low light from the fire. It was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking without being able to clearly see his eyes. "We both have jackets," she said. "We each get one to lay on - separately."



Spike sighed before rolling his eyes. "Fine," he said. "Have it your way, princess."



Buffy watched him pull the top blanket up and walk around to the other side of the fire before laying it out. His movements were jerky and she could tell he had thought the entire evening out already.



"Now," Spike said as he straightened. "I hope that wind breaker you're sporting keeps you snug and warm."



Buffy looked at the heavy black leather duster he grabbed before leaving the cabin and it didn't take her but a second to know who would be freezing their ass off tonight. She sighed before walking around the fire and sitting down on the blanket and wrapping her arms around her knees. "Now what?"



Spike grinned as he sat down and tossed a few more limbs on the fire. "Well I'm sure my suggestion for campfire activates will be vetoed before I even finish the sentence, so I guess it's your call."



"You never give up, do you?" She laughed.



"Not when it's something I want."



Buffy was glad the light was low enough that he couldn't see the blush that covered her face. He was staring right at her and even though she couldn't see his eyes clearly she was sure they held his desire for her within them. Spike had to have the most intense eyes she had ever seen. They held every emotion he felt and left her feeling naked with just a glance.



She had to admit the idea that he wanted her thrilled her. Why wouldn't it? Any woman would be flattered. Spike was sex personified. Beautiful, walking sin. She questioned her resistance to his advances almost hourly now but it only took the gentle reminder of Angel and the betrayal and the total devastation he left her life in to keep her firm to her beliefs - no man was worth the pain.



"You're thinking about him again."



Buffy looked up as Spike spoke and stared at him for a few seconds before looking away. "Thinking about who?"



"Your ex," Spike said.



"What makes you think that?" Buffy said.



"I can tell by the look on your face," Spike told her. "You get these little frown lines and you look like someone just kicked your puppy."



Buffy wrapped her arms tighter around her legs and sighed before resting her chin on her knees. "It's not something easy to forget."



"Why?"



She looked up at him and for once there wasn't anything showing on his face but curiosity. "Because it's not," she said. "What he did isn't something I'll ever forget."



"And what exactly did he do?" He asked. "I mean, yeah he was married and lied about it but you act like he burned down your village and massacred your people."



"Graphic much?" Buffy asked with a tiny smile. "And it's a whole lot of things."



"Like?"



Buffy sighed and stared at the fire for a few minutes before she spoke. "He asked me to marry him."



"Oh," Spike said quietly. "Guess that one did kind of hurt then."



"Oh you have no idea," Buffy laughed sadly. "Do you know how humiliating it is to plan a wedding to a man that's already married? He even helped me. The bastard got just as involved in the planning as I did."



Spike sat quietly. He could see the pain written across her face and even if he did have something comforting to say he doubted it would help. "How did you find out?"



"His wife invited me to their anniversary dinner," Buffy said. "Angel had bought her a painting from the gallery and she loved it. She started visiting the gallery quite often, little did I know that the woman I was coming to know as a friend was actually my boyfriend's wife."



"Damn," Spike said. "It must have been a shock for her as well."



Buffy laughed before shaking her head. "Actually she knew all about his affairs. Just didn't care one way or the other unless it cut into her spending account. Which in my case, it did."



"She knew about you?"



Buffy didn't answer him, just inhaled deeply before sitting up straight and giving him a tiny smile. "I'm tired," she said softly. "Think I'll try to get some sleep."



That was answer enough for Spike. She didn't have to say the words out loud. Buffy wasn't only played by Angel, but by his wife as well. No wonder she was so gun shy. Dru's affair had hurt, but it wasn't like the other party flaunted it in his face. He could imagine what that must have felt like.



He knew he didn't have the whole story but from what little she told him he could see why she was so reluctant to get involved with anyone again. But she couldn't completely isolate herself, now could she?



You did. Spike clenched his jaw as that little inner voice whispered in his ear. He had completely shut himself down emotionally when it came to women. Sure he'd shag them silly but that was about it. No warm fuzzies or hours of cuddling. Just fuck `em and leave `em. Easier that way.



But that wasn't any different from what Buffy was doing, really. The only difference was she refused to let anyone in at all. He watched her as she lay there and wondered if she would be different. Would his heart be safe with her? Would she treat him like a thing instead of a man? Would she love him?


Spike sighed before shaking his head and lying down. He crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the stars as thoughts of Buffy and what it would be like to actually have someone in his life that cared about him clouded his mind. He smiled in spite of himself. The long-lived fantasy of having someone to love who loved him back played like an old movie reel.



He turned his head and looked back over at her. He could see himself waking up with her every morning. A golden goddess with sun-kissed skin and a smile that brightened any day. The smile that accompanied the thought was short lived though as he remembered who and where he had come from. If anything, Buffy was out of his league. What could he possibly offer her? A burned-out musician with a shaky career? Not exactly something a girl like Buffy looked for in a life partner.



Spike sighed heavily before turning his attention back to the stars. The "what ifs" of his love life were just as useless to think about now as they always have been. After years of avoiding every woman who even remotely acted interested in anything other than sex, one comes along that makes him finally question his decision to avoid them. Lucky for you she isn't interested.





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



Buffy shuddered as she huddled under the small, thin jacket she wore and wearily opened her eyes. The light from the fire had died to practically nothing. She could barely make out Spike's form on the other side of the fire and she wondered why she had resisted sharing a blanket with him. He didn't look the least bit uncomfortable.



Her bones ached from the cold night air and she was sure her nose wasn't even attached to her face anymore. Forcing herself to move, she put an arm under her and slowly lifted her body to a sitting position and stared into the darkness. The forest was calm and peaceful with little to no movement except for the gentle swish of wind that rumpled the tree limbs. The clearing was almost completely black and she looked around before wrapping her arms tighter around herself.



The sound of Spike moving brought her attention back to him and she watched as he sat up and pulled his coat off his shoulders before standing and walking around the fire. When he reached her side and wrapped his coat around her she found herself speechless. He put a few more logs on the fire, stirring the dying embers until a small blaze was once again licking the cold air around them before he walked back to his blanket and laid back down.



Spike knew he'd more than likely be dead by morning from hypothermia but no one could ever accuse him of not looking after his lady - even if she fought him tooth and nail on it.˜ He had been watching her sleep for hours. He could see her body shudder in the cold night air and more than once he had attempted to take her the coat. The vision of her screaming like a banshee and accusing him of just trying to get close to her had stopped him before he was even sitting up completely.



When he saw her finally sit up he knew she wouldn't be able to sleep in the current conditions. Not that he could either but her comfort was more important. It was his fault they were here anyway.



Buffy knew it was the cold affecting her brain as she stood and gathered up the heavy leather coat and blanket and walked around the fire. Spike was on his back with his arms crossed over his chest and as she stepped on the foot of his blanket, his eyes opened. He never said a word as she tossed the coat back over him followed by the blanket before she bent to her knees and looked at him. "Just for tonight."



Spike barely heard her softly spoken words before he nodded his head at her and watched her crawl under the blanket with him. He shifted to his side, trying to get close enough to her so the warmth of the coat could protect them both and her hand grazed his arm. It was like ice. "You're frozen," he said as he grabbed her hands in his and tried to warm them.



"Why else would I put myself in this position?"



Spike grinned as she looked up at him and smiled. "So, you're just - using me then? Miss Summers, I'm shocked."



Buffy giggled before burying further into the blanket. "Yeah well, I've been used by the best of them. Only fair I return the favor to someone else."



Spike grinned as she wiggled under the blankets and made herself comfortable. "Well, I'm outraged," he said. "You make me feel so - cheap."



Buffy laughed and unconsciously moved closer to him. "Well, I can compensate you for your trouble," she said.



"Oh really?" Spike grinned. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"



Buffy hid her smile. How he could change the tone of his voice and make the simplest statement sound dirty was beyond her. "I can cook for you," she said. "Well, that is if we ever get back to the cabin."



Spike laughed before moving the arm under him and lying his head on it. "I think I'll pass on fruit rings in milk or that cardboard-flavored chicken you tried to kill me with the other day. I'll do the cooking from now on if you don't mind."



"Oh well," Buffy sighed, dramatically. "If you insist."



Spike smiled when he saw the grin covering her face. "Did I just volunteer to cook for you?" He asked her.



"I believe you did," Buffy told him. "And I'm going to hold you to it."



"Evil, that's what you are, Summers."



Buffy continued to smile as the warmth from the coat and blanket slowly began to warm her body. The tingling in her fingers was disappearing quickly and she brought both arms up in front of her and cradled them close to her body. "Only when I want to be," she said softly.



Spike watched her as her breathing evened out as she fell asleep. He lifted his hand, moving a stray strand of hair from her face. Even in sleep she looked like an angel. He smiled as he watched her and let himself believe, if only for tonight, that she was his. He had to admit that it felt pretty nice. Maybe he needed to rethink this whole "women are evil and should be avoided" campaign he had lived with so long. Maybe Buffy was different. Maybe she was worth the pain. Maybe she was what he had been searching for all along.



Only question now was, was she ready to let go of her past and see what is right in front of her?

The roar of the crowd was deafening. Screams echoed through his head and the sound of it vibrated through his body. He could feel it crawling along his skin as if it was a living thing. It was at this moment he felt truly alive. He gazed out among the crowd of the packed arena and smiled at what he saw. A sea of bodies that chanted his name and they couldn't get enough. He was why they were there.



He exited the stage and grabbed the bottle of JD held out to him by one of the roadies, as they congratulated him on another terrific show. His spirits were as high as they could get and he smiled as he passed the many people lining the backstage area. This was the part he loved. The feeling of being on top of the world.



His dressing room door was blocked by a mass of people that had managed to fuck themselves the privilege of being backstage. It happened at every concert and who was he to throw stones? It wasn't like the company of beautiful women was a burden. No, he loved this part as well. Girls of every size and age smiled and grabbed at him as he passed by them and he only had to give them a tiny smile to cause them to scream out invitations of sexual pleasures of any nature. The offers were always stored away in that little place in the back of his mind to remember when he was old and burnt out, but for now - his heart belonged to one.



His princess. She was a sight to behold. Waves of ebony hair and skin like fine china. She was fire and passion and the sound of his name on her lips scorched his heart unlike anything else. She was his life. His passion. She was his soul. The sight of her caused the romantic in him to surface without a second thought and hours were spent writing and reciting poetry to her. She was his muse.



Spike sighed as he finally closed his dressing room door after entering. He leaned back against it as the sounds of screams were still heard from the other side but he relished it. Absorbed it like a precious entity and surrendered to it willingly. The cap to the JD bottle was removed and thrown across the room before he lifted the bottle up to his lips. The liquid burnt as it slid down his throat and he enjoyed the feel of it.



Her small feminine giggles caused his head to turn and he lowered the bottle before he smiled. "Daddy's back, princess," he whispered before pushing his body off the door and straightening. He slowly stalked to the other side of the room, pausing to look into the mirrors before reaching the only other door in the room. His personal dressing room was just to the left of the band's common room and he could only imagine what he'd find. His mind had been on her all night as he sang song after song and as his feet moved him across the floor the thought of her wrapped in blood red satin caused a tightness in his jeans. As he reached the door he paused as she let out a small, gasped moan and his smile grew in anticipation before he reached for the doorknob and turned it.



White, hot pain shot through his body as his eyes landed on her. His chest tightened and his breathing became difficult. Her porcelain white limbs were gracefully entangled with another. The harsh, forceful movements on her body caused her hair to swing with every push as she arched her back over the arm of the sofa and the gasps and moans from her lips caused his body to tremble. Her eyes opened and her lips curved into a smile as she looked at him before her hands entangled into the hair of the man he thought was his best friend. Time stood still as he watched another man fuck his love and every second that ticked by took a piece of his heart with it.







Buffy lay perfectly still as she listened to Spike's erratic breaths being blown across her hair. She had felt his body jump a few times in his sleep and instantly wondered what had happened but a tiny glance up at his face and she could see the pain written across his features even in sleep. She had looked into the mirror at her own face enough to know the cause of it. Betrayal left a stain easy to recognize and she felt a small piece of the wall she had built around her heart chip away. As much as she tried to deny it, Spike wasn't much different from her. He was just better at hiding it. But that was a guy for you, now wasn't it? They are always better liars and when it came to affairs of the heart - they could outplay a woman any day of the week. She sighed as her confusing thoughts clashed together. Had Spike ever lied to her? Her inner thoughts were at war and she was becoming more confused by the second. He hadn't, not that she knew of, that is. So what exactly was the problem? He wasn't Angel. What would it really hurt to let go and have a little fun with him? Because you'll get attached and he doesn't want anything but sex. She frowned as her last thought whispered its way through her mind before she let it go. A girl could go crazy trying to figure it all out.



The morning sun was just cresting over the top of the mountains and the air was crisp and clean. The smell of evergreen was everywhere and she inhaled deeply to take it all in. She could see a small, brown furry creature just by the path over Spike's shoulder and she smiled as she watched it. Wild creatures weren't something she came across everyday and getting the chance to see one now was the most exciting thing she had witnessed so far on her vacation. Her inner voice laughed at her as she realized how ridiculous that statement was. The sight of Spike's bare ass won that prestigious award and Buffy felt her cheeks grow hot as she closed her eyes and ducked her head. The smell of leather and cigarettes surrounded her and she smiled as images of Spike flooded her mind. She snuggled closer without thought until a noise caught her attention. Lifting her head she looked over his shoulder. Her body stiffened as she stared with wide eyes at what she saw.



It wasn't real. It couldn't be. How could she betray him that way? She loved him. Didn't she? Hadn't she said so repeatedly? He stared at his reflection in the mirror, watching as the first tear fell before his features hardened and he wiped away the proof of his pain. The sound of his name being said repeatedly caused his head to turn in her direction. There was no remorse on her face. No pain. His dark princess stood there in all her naked glory looking at him and he knew the rumors he had heard were true.



"Spike."



"How could you, Dru?"



Spike's eyes shot open as he was pulled from his dream and his body stiffened as he inhaled quickly. He looked around frantically as he tried to find his bearings, as the constant tugging at his arm and his name being whispered harshly finally caught his attention.



"Spike! What do we do? Spike!"



Spike looked up then, surprised to see Buffy looking at him. She was practically lying on top of him and he smiled at her as he let his dream slip away. "What would you like to do, pet?" He asked as he moved his hand to rest on her waist.



Buffy stared at him like he was insane before she quickly glanced back over his shoulder. "He's still there," she whispered. "Oh god, we're going to die."



Spike stared up at her and he raised one eyebrow as she frowned and buried her head in his chest and mumbled to herself. It was only then that he took in his surroundings. The fire had died completely. Only a few lines of smoke filtered through the ashes. The sun had just barely risen and was making its way into the clearing where they had camped. His eyes scanned the area around him and didn't notice anything life threatening enough to cause Buffy's early morning panic. That is until he heard the rustling of bushes behind him. Turning his head he looked over his shoulder, he froze at the sight.



Not more than twenty feet away from them - was a bear. Not just any bear, but a very large and apparently very hungry bear. It was currently helping himself to what was left of their picnic from the previous day, as it lifted the basket and slammed it back to the ground. The contents scattered and the basket itself was in pieces. He watched it root around the contents of the basket for what seemed like forever until the small, hushed whispers of Buffy finally caught his attention. He turned his head and looked down at her wide-eyed gaze before shushing her quiet. "Do you want the big bear to eat us?" He whispered. "If not I suggest you keep quiet."



"Oh, that's great advice Mister get us lost in the woods! This is all your fault," Buffy said as loud as she dared.



"My fault? Why is everything my fault?"



Buffy could only stare at him. They were both nose to nose and her blood was racing through her veins. How could he even question this not being his fault? The fact that they were up on the mountain was HIS fault. Getting lost was HIS fault. Almost freezing to death in the woods? HIS fault. The very real possibility of them getting eaten by a bear was again - His fault. It was ALL, his fault.



She couldn't believe their luck. She had thought long and hard the previous night about everything that had happened and the way she had figured it, a little hike through the woods this morning and she'd be back at the cabin by lunch. No real harm done, right? Now - there was a real potential of not making it back to the cabin at all. When she had first seen the bear, her whole body had been momentarily paralyzed. She had prayed it was just a hallucination brought on by her frostbitten body but a second look had confirmed it. The bear was real.



Spike was almost scared to look behind him. He wasn't sure if the sudden movements would alert the bear and cause it to attack or not, so he lay perfectly still and tried to figure out what to do. His mind was still clouded by his dream and he fought the dull, aching pain that little beauty always left him with, as he tried to concentrate on one thing at a time. Not an easy feat with Buffy's body pressed so tightly to his. He lowered his eyes to look at her as she lifted her head and looked over his shoulder. "What's it doing?"



"Still eating," she whispered.



"There wasn't that much food left. Surely he's almost finished."



"Well, he sniffing at the ground. Maybe there was something other than what was in the basket."



"Like what?"



"I don't know," Buffy said. "Maybe he has one of those furry things that were running around earlier."



Spike chuckled softly before laying his head back down. "One of the furry things?"



"Shut up, Spike," Buffy said as she looked up at him. "You know what I mean."



"Yeah, but its just too cute when you refer to them as `furry things'."



Buffy sighed as she watched the bear, before her eyes widened slightly as it stood up. "Oh - he's doing something."



"Preparing to attack?" Spike grunted as Buffy pinched him before looking at him. The look on her face wasn't a friendly one and he smiled in spite of the pain in his arm from her rather painful pinch. The sound of the bear moving around behind him caused his head to turn slightly to try and see what was going on but the minute Buffy's head once again buried itself in his chest, he thought better of it. No use in drawing any more attention to themselves, than necessary.



They laid there for what seemed like forever before Spike heard the bear coming closer. It was almost if the ground was moving beneath them. Buffy's mumbling sounded more like soft whimpers as time passed and he noticed her body begin to tremble. He tightened his hold on her waist slightly to try and calm her and wondered how much longer they both had to live. Surely the bear would get tired of cheese and strawberries eventually and come after something "meatier." He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing as the bear moved around behind them and just listened. Buffy's erratic breathing was the most prevalent sound. The thought of her actually hyperventilating crossed his mind before he felt something nudge his back. Now - it was his turn to panic.



The common notion of ones life flashing before your eyes wasn't as cliche as once thought, as Buffy started going through her past mistakes and the things she had yet to accomplish in her life. All the things she thought she'd have plenty of time to do almost seemed like some long forgotten memory as the real threat of being eaten alive had her holding on for dear life to the only thing she had. At the moment, that was Spike. The material of his shirt was twisted between her fingers and her face was buried as far into his chest as humanly possible as she listened to the bear come closer. She felt Spike's fingers dig into her waist and her hold on him tightened as she felt his body move slightly. Her need to look was overwhelming and she lifted her head just enough to see. It was the biggest mistake she had ever made. Staring her right in the face, was the bear.



Spike heard her gasp before her body went completely limp. Her head fell to the ground and his eyes widened as the bear's nose nudged him in the back. His heart raced in his chest as he tried to figure out what to do before the soft nudging became harder. Closing his eyes, he grabbed Buffy and rolled with the next "push", placing her body almost completely under his. His face was buried in her neck and he prayed to whoever was listening that this wouldn't be how he died.



He wasn't sure how long they lay there. Buffy had obviously passed out, as she hadn't made a noise since she looked up the last time. Just as well. She would have probably gotten them killed quicker with all her mumbling. The fact that the bear was still within touching distance wasn't helping any though. It wasn't using him as a pull toy at the moment, so all things considered; he was hoping things were going to go his way for once.



The sound of the bears heavy footsteps started drifting further away and Spike lifted his eyes to see where it was. His view was obstructed by a mass of Buffy's hair but he could see well enough to catch a glimpse of the bear as it walked away from them. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding before he closed his eyes. The adrenaline rushing through his veins was mind numbing. He hadn't felt a rush this wild since his last concert and this time he didn't have drugs or alcohol helping it along. Maybe his counselor was right. He didn't need artificial stimulants to make life exciting. Nope. You just needed a real good case of death staring you in the face.



He almost laughed as that last thought crossed his mind before he once again looked up when he heard the shrubs rustling in the distance. He smiled as he saw the bear slowly making its way back into the forest and his head fell back to the ground in relief. His sighed heavily before he let his body relax.



Buffy slowly swam back to consciousness and looked up into the early morning sky before looking around franticly. She sighed in relief when she realized the bear was gone before her eyes closed. She concentrated on breathing and thanking every god known to man for sparing their lives before her eyes once again opened. It was only then that she realized Spike was lying on top of her. "Spike?"



"Yeah?"



Buffy was relieved when his muffled words ghosted across her neck. She glanced down at the top of his head before becoming completely aware of his body pressing her into the ground. She had to admit it felt nice. His scent swam around her and she inhaled deeply to take it all in. The weight of him was warm and comforting and she almost hated to have him move. She could have stayed like that for hours. Spike was so much nicer when he didn't let his mouth get in the way. She smiled at her silent thoughts before she felt a light pressure on her breast. Her mouth flew open instantly before she narrowed her eyes and grabbed his arm. "Spike, if you don't move your hand, I'm going to break your fingers."



Spike looked up then when Buffy started tugging at his arm and he couldn't help but smile when he realized why. Right there nestled in his right hand was one, firm little globe and before he could even ask himself why, he gave it a little squeeze. "I guess I don't have to keep wondering if these things are as soft as I imagined."



Buffy screamed before grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing. He was laughing as he finally rolled off of her and she quickly got to her feet. "You're such a pervert!"



"Hey, no name calling," he said as he looked up at her. "I saved your life if I remember correctly."



"Saved my life?" Buffy asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "The fact that the bear didn't eat us had nothing to do with you. He probably took one look at your retro ass and got bored."



Spike smiled up at her before slowly getting to his feet. "And how would you know Miss tremble in fear, until you pass out."



Buffy gritted her teeth as she stared at the smug smile slowly cover his face. Why did he have to be so obnoxious? She couldn't understand the attraction to him at all. Her eyes widened as her last thought before she stomped her foot in frustration and turned to the forest. She wasn't sure she would find her way out alone, but at the moment she'd try anything. She couldn't be near him at the moment. Her thoughts were a muddled mess. She flip-flopped from being annoyed with him to wanting to jump him and she was getting more confused by the minute. She slowed her steps after stepping amongst the thick trees and looked behind her to the clearing. She could see Spike gathering up the blankets and she sighed as she watched him. Her body was screaming at her to get as much distance from him as possible while her rational mind screamed BEAR! She looked around her then, fearing she'd find the creature before she groaned and headed back for the clearing.



Spike smiled as he heard her walk back through the shrubs into the clearing. He could see her out of the corner of his eye and ignored her as she stood by the forest edge with her arms crossed over her chest. He had to admit, he loved her like this - all high and mighty and completely adorable. He paused mid-step as his last thought fully registered. He stared up at the morning sun as he thought about it. Loved her? He shook his head before laughing lightly. Not love, mate. Lust. He turned his head and glanced over at her, giving her a long look from head to toe before nodding his head. Definitely lust.