“She seemed nice.” Buffy told Spike as he joined her at the veranda for the couple photo shoot.
They were leaning casually on the rail and facing each other while they waited for Warren to change the lens of his camera.
“What do you mean?” He asked
“For an owner of a big place like this, she seemed to take bonding with her guests pretty seriously. So what did you guys talk about?” Buffy asked him as she straightened out the lapels of his shirt.
“Oh, you know stuff.” He answered, watching her closely. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, with her long blond hair dancing freely from the light breeze. The cascading waterfall behind her seemed to frame her petite form magnificently. So captivating and yet…so very distracting.
“Stuff?” Buffy waved her hand over his face as he continued to stare at her, motionless. ”Spike?”
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“ I said - what stuff did you talk about?” she repeated.
“She’s just asking about the wedding date, wishing us luck and all that.”
“See? Nice.” Buffy repeated proudly. “Except for her cocky grin and smirk that wears like a second skin, she’s pretty likeable.”
“Kinda like me then?” he asked in teasing tone as he tucked a light strand of hair behind her ear.
Buffy’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes. Kinda like you.”
*************************
“Can I ask the both of you to sit on that bench, please?” Warren instructed from behind his camera.
They nodded and did what they were told.
As Warren looked through his lens, he couldn’t help but winced. “You know, you guys are a bit too far from each other. Can you move closer?”
Hands on their lap, the couple moved closer. As soon as one leg lightly touched the other, the feeling of heightened awareness instantly brewed between them.
“What the hell’s the matter with these two?” Warren muttered under his breath. He once again looked into his camera.” You’re still not close enough. Ms. Summers, why don’t sit on Mr. Finn’s lap while you, sir should put your arms around her.”
At the mention of the world lap, Buffy’s face reddened instantaneously as the memory of their hot kiss a few moments ago went crashing back into her mind. Nervously, she followed Warren’s instruction and settled herself conveniently on her best friend’s lap while one of Spike’s arms secured itself around her.
“Alright, that’s much, much better.” Warren told them as he looked into his camera once more.
Just breathe nice and slow. Buffy coaxed herself silently, her eyes avoiding Spike’s. Before you know it, this entire ordeal will be over…Just have yourself concentrate on the waterfall behind you. So calm …So peaceful….comfy and cozy… Hey! It’s actually working!
“Now, look at each other and smile.”
Her heart started to race. Uh-oh! Comfy feeling gone again!
Reluctantly, she turned to him and saw a feeling of discomfort reflected in his eyes as well. Tentatively, they gave each other a nervous grin.
Bugger! This is crazy! Spike thought irritably. We’re best of friends. We’re supposed to be having fun and not feel edgy around each other. There must be something I could do …
Suddenly, Buffy felt a light feathery touch that was slowly coming to rest on the side of her waist. She looked-up and saw a mischievous smirk played across his mouth. Before she could react, she felt him tickle her on the side. “Eeep!” She shrieked in surprise then burst into a fit of laughter. CLICK! “Stop it! (laughs) Please stop!- “ CLICK!
Buffy tried to pry out the arms that were firmly holding her in place but to no avail. So instead she slipped a hand inside his shirt and started tickling his abdomen. A deep timbered roar of laughter exploded from the bleached blonde while he struggled to keep the both of them from tumbling out of their seat. CLICK!
“You little minx!” He tickled her more.
“Hahahahaha! Stop Spike! (laughs)” She muffled between giggles, throwing back her head and writhing uncontrollably. CLICK!
“(laughs) Not until you say uncle.”
“Okay! Okay! Uncle…” She squealed at him and true to his words, his fingers stilled. So did hers. The only difference was, hers remained inside his shirt. She was still giggling when she looked up and caught him staring at her with an unfathomable expression. CLICK!
“ What? (giggles) Do I have something in my-“
And the rest of her sentenced died as Spike suddenly captured her lips with his. CLICK!
Buffy welcomed his kiss eagerly. Her hands automatically wandered to the back of his head, loving the way his hair felt as she entangled them with her fingers
Still panting, they reluctantly withdrew. CLICK!
He looked into her flushed face and smiled.. A fellow could get used to this.
********************
“Well aren’t they a sight for sore eyes.” Lorne told Glory as she joined him and Gunn by the bar.
“Indeed they do.” She answered, looking back at the couple fondly.
“So what up’s with you and the bleached boy wonder?” Gunn asked, earning a light chuckle from Glory.
“Oh…just a little a mix-up I guess.”
“Mix-up?” Gunn furrowed his brows in confusion.
“Long story.”
Beside them sat Lorne who was getting bored by the minute. The photo session was taking longer than he expected. Anxiously, he searched the area for something to do. Then his face instantly brightened as he spotted the piano just a few feet from them.
*******************
Meanwhile, Spike and Buffy were already done with their photo session.
“My secretary will call you as soon as the photos are finished.” Warren told them.
(Piano version intro to “What hurts the most” by Rascal Flatts)
As they came back inside the ballroom, the sound of a piano being played instantly caught their attention.
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don’t bother me
I can take a few tears now
and then and just let them out
“Wow! I didn’t know our wedding planner could sing like that. “
Spike turned her to face him, “ OUR wedding planner?”
Before Buffy could react, Spike slowly pulled her towards the dance floor.
I’m not afraid to cry every once in a while,
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me,
There are days every now and again I pretend I’m ok
But that’s not what gets me
“What are you doing? I thought you hated sappy country music?” Buffy questioned.
“Actually, I hate country music period.”
Buffy looked at him sternly.” So what are we doing in the middle of the dance floor? I thought the plan was to finish the photo shoot then leave.” She told him, her worried eyes glancing over at Gunn and Glory by the bar.
Spike smiled and lifted her face to meet his eyes. “ Buffy look at me. Just one dance, luv. That’s all I ask. I promise that I’m not gonna bite.”
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
At her nod, he quickly placed one arm around her waist while the other held her hand tightly against his chest.
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin’ to do
He’s right. It’s just one dance. Nothing to fret about. Nothing to…” Spike?”
“Yeah?”
“Are we going to be all right?” she asked him softly as they gently swayed to the music.
“Of course we are, pet. What makes you think otherwise?”
“It’s just this had been a pretty strange day for me.”
“I know what you mean.” He whispered. “But luckily, we got we came here for. You got the Wedding reception of your dreams. “
“Yes, Riley’s gonna be thrilled.” She told him, feigning a cheery tone.
It’s hard to deal with the pain of losing you
everywhere I go
But I’m doin’ It
It’s hard to force that smile
when I see our old friends and I’m alone
“Yeah, I bet he is.”
So close and yet so far…, he thought bitterly. Savor the moment. His heart twisted painfully at the thought that their next dance will have to be on the day of her wedding. When she already belongs to that ponce, Riley Finn.
Still Harder Getting up,
getting dressed,
livin’ with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words
that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken
Unknown to Spike, Buffy was thinking of the exact same thing. As She buried herself in the hollow between his neck and shoulder, she bit her lip. Her tears threatened to spill as a moment of clarity finally filled her head. She can’t do it!
What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
Who was she kidding? She’s way in too deep to further delude herself. She needs to see Riley right away. The last time he called, he’d said that he’d be back the week after. That would be far too long. Too long to wait, for her do what she should’ve done months ago…Break-up with him. She can’t go through with the wedding. Not after all that had happened…. Not when her heart completely belongs to someone else.
While it is true that Spike may not feel the same way about her, she’s convinced that a certain amount of mutual attraction between them exists somehow. With Dru still out of the picture, she knows that she has a chance. She just needed to make him realize that she’s the right woman for him.
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
As he heard the sound of faint sob coming from Buffy, Spike pulled her away slightly from him to carefully search her face. “Buffy, what are you thinking, luv?” He asked as his thumb came up to wipe the tiny droplets of tears that escaped through her eyes.
(Piano instrumental)
“Riley.” She told him simply.
His jaw clenched and unclenched.
“Oh.” It was all he was able to say as he once again pulled her close to him. He didn’t want her to see the hurt that flickered through his eyes at the mention of her real fiancé. Of course, she must be thinking that Riley should’ve been there with her instead of him.
What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
Not seeing that loving you
That’s what I was trying to do
“I’m sorry.” Buffy told him, moving away from his arms. “ I- I just need to get some air.” And to call Riley ASAP.
Buffy stepped out towards the veranda and pressed the speed dial for Riley’s number. There was no answer. She looked at her phone in bewilderment, thinking that it was pretty unusual for Riley not to answer his cell phone, so she dialed it again.
Unknown to her, just outside of the ballroom, the man hiding behind shadow jumped slightly at the sound of his cell phone ringing. He had just witnessed the dance between Buffy and Spike and it took much of his willpower not to the step into the scene and punch the bleached blonde on the nose.
The cell phone rang again.
“Just let it ring,” said the woman beside him. “We don’t want to let them know what we know. Not just yet.”
“I don’t think I can let them be like this, Dru. I have to go in.” The man whined.
“This is not why I brought you here, Riley. If you go in there right now, it will surely be over between you and Buffy so quickly. We have to think of a plan.”
“A plan?” Riley laughed insultingly. “If you think I’m going to work with a lunatic like you, you have another thing coming.”
Dru growled. “Do you want to marry sunshine or not?”
“I do.”
“Then you have to listen carefully.”
TBC
A/N: Thank you! Thank you for continuing to read my stories. Appreciate all your reviews, they help me write faster ad better.
Hope you guys like my latest update. Again, let me know what you think of it.
Song used was “What hurts the most by Rascal Flatts
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to my beta, Hotmomma MB for working on this with me.