‘So it’s a test drive she wants, is it?’ Spike thought with glee while marshalling every bit of his control to maintain a cool exterior. Inside he was singing. ‘She thinks she’s going to check out the merchandise. But I’m going to turn the tables on our little Slayer, and she’s not going to know what hit her until it's too late.’
If she had given him permission to court her, Spike’s plan had been to slowly and methodically tease the Slayer into a fever of arousal. Buffy’s prior impression of Spike as impatient, impulsive, and impetuous was largely accurate. But there was one exception: sex. He had learned from decades of practice with Drusilla, his dark princess, that in the art of love, slower is most definitely better. Amorous play between the two vampires had often spanned days, ultimately culminating in an explosive completion that left them both totally spent.
By denying him her permission, and attempting to play coy, Buffy had given Spike a gift. His one worry about initiating this seduction was that he might lose control. Playing this game with an experienced partner was one thing. Drusilla had always been as invested as he was in prolonging the excitement. But Spike couldn’t be sure Buffy would play her part in what had always been a game of cat and mouse, the roles switching constantly back and forth from predator to prey. He simply didn’t know if he could hold out if Buffy offered herself. It wasn’t a risk he wanted to take; he’d come too far to settle for a one night stand.
But Buffy’s request that she ‘try before she buy’ created a perfect safety net for Spike. With a test drive you don’t get to do your grocery shopping, go out to dinner, or commute to work. There are restrictions when you test drive a car and there would be restrictions for this trial as well. Within these parameters Spike could safely build the sexual tension without the risk. He was determined not to consummate their relationship before he persuaded Buffy that she wanted him even more than he wanted her.
‘I already know I can get her body going,’ Spike mused. ‘Her scent has given that much away on several occasions. What I’m wanting now is the whole package. Aw, bollocks, you hopeless git, you might as well just face it, you want her bloody heart.”
Speaking of Buffy’s heart, Spike suddenly noticed the steady beat of said heart very nearby. He started as if from a dream and found Buffy, still seated at his side on the bed, staring at him with curiosity.
“Hello!” she said, prodding him in the ribs with her finger. “Anybody home?”
“What? Was I lost in thought then?”
“If the thousand mile stare is any indication, pretty much,” she replied, clearly amused. “Care to tell me what you were thinking?”
For once, Spike was speechless. “Thinking?” he asked. “Oh, well, yes…just that…that is…that a t-shirt and jeans never looked so fetching. That’s all.”
Buffy squinted at him, not really believing his cover story, but flattered nonetheless. “Thank you. I have to admit they fit a lot better than I would have guessed.”
“Yes, yes they do,” Spike agreed. “Well, I like the way they fit anyway. I don’t know who those twins you mentioned might be, but you don’t look anything like my twin in those clothes.” Initially unnerved at being caught in deep day-dream, Spike quickly regained his footing. “And speaking of clothes, I’m thinking we need a few guidelines for this test drive you’ve suggested.”
Buffy proved easily distracted and quickly took Spike’s bait. “Guidelines? You mean, like, rules?”
“Yes. Rules, guidelines, same idea.” Back on track now, Spike smiled at her. “For example, clothes stay on – assuming, that is, that what you mean by a test drive involves the possibility of some…”
Not really wanting him to finish his sentence, Buffy interrupted. “Yes, I mean, yes there could be some, you know, touching. And yes, clothes on seems like a good idea.”
Spike noticed, despite Buffy’s prim pose perched on the edge of the bed, that her heart rate took a little jump. ‘Clothes on or off this is getting to be fun already,’ he thought. Emboldened by her quick assent to his first guideline, Spike continued.
“And I suppose we should also establish, just for the record, that ‘no’ means ‘no’ and ‘stop’ means ‘stop,’” he said, his expression innocent.
Buffy looked thoughtful for a moment. “That sounds good,” she said. “’No’ and ‘stop’ with the usual Webster’s definitions. Anything else?” she asked.
“That’s it for me,” Spike answered. “Any guidelines you’d like to add?”
Buffy looked away for a moment. When her eyes returned to his Spike could see just a trace of insecurity. “Yeah, just one,” she said, hesitating.
“And what would that be?” Spike asked, his light tone belying the excitement he felt that she was playing along.
Buffy took a deep breath. “You don’t call me Slayer…and I don’t call you vampire.”
“We’re Buffy and Spike then?”
“Yeah, just Buffy and Spike,” she said, blushing.
“Isn’t that really two rules, love?” Spike said, totally charmed by the pink tint of her cheeks.
“You had three,” she said, laughing. “Can’t I have two?”
Spike reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “No problem, love,” he whispered. “You can have all the rules you want.” His fingers remained pressed very lightly against her check.
Buffy swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, as a shiver ran the length of her spine. “I can’t think of any others right now,” she said in barely a whisper.
“That’s okay,” Spike said, slowly tracing the curve of her jaw from her earlobe to her chin. “If you think of one you’d like, we can add it later.”
Buffy just nodded agreement, her eyes never leaving his. Spike’s thumb came up to rest on her mouth, lightly outlining the shape of first her upper and then her lower lip.
“Would it be alright if I kissed you now, Buffy?” he asked.
Buffy answered, her voice so soft it was almost as if she had only mouthed the word, ‘yes,’ against Spike’s thumb. Of course, he heard her. As his fingers slid back to tangle in her hair and gently curved around to cup the back of Buffy’s head, it seemed that everything was moving in slow motion. His eyes darkened to a stormy blue and his cheek bones became even more pronounced as he took a deep inhalation of completely unnecessary air. When Buffy blinked it felt like she was taking a picture with a camera set at a very slow shutter speed. Her heart rate dropped to a sluggish pace and throbbed loudly in her ears. It took forever for his lips to descend toward hers. But then the cool, yielding urgency of his mouth was suddenly pressed over hers. Buffy closed her eyes as she savored the sensations: the texture, the taste, and the temperature. He quite literally took her breath away. And before she had time to gasp for air, everything went black as she passed out.
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“Would it be alright if I kissed you now, Buffy?” he heard himself ask. She said ‘yes,’ although anything less than vampire hearing might have missed it. Spike plunged his hands into her hair. He’d wanted to touch it for so long now he’d lost track of when the craving had begun. The silky strands were warm to the touch and fragrant. The pleasant realization his hands would wear her hair’s perfume flashed through his mind. He returned her intense gaze, wondering if he could drown in her eyes. The longer he looked the more colors he saw: flecks of gold and grey mixed with greens from pale sea foam to deep jade. He knew he was awake this time, but he couldn’t stop expecting to wake up and find himself alone.
Spike dipped his chin, bringing his lips close to hers while he inhaled to fill his nostrils with her scent. Already intoxicated, he finally brought his lips in contact with hers. He felt her mouth melt against his and relief poured over him. This was not a chaste thank you or a fleeting tease of a kiss. This kiss wasn’t a whim or a taunt. This was a deliberate kiss, exploratory but intentional. This kiss was premeditated. “To hell with my stupid plan,” he thought. “She can have me any way she wants me.” But just as he resolved to abandon his plans for a torturously long seduction, Buffy’s body slumped unconscious into his arms.
Tbc….
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A/N: I know some of you will think this is just too evil. But this story is writing itself and this is what had to happen. Don’t worry, it’s just small a case of hunger and dehydration exacerbated by close proximity to a very hot vampire.