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Thank you for the reviews...

Again... warning that a future chapter deals with rape between two main characters.
Chapter 2
Back at the head table, Spike watched Harris and Buffy make their way back to the table. Uninterested in the male, Spike focused his attention on the blond. Her light pink cocktail dress seemed to float behind her as she made her way towards Willow Osborne and her husband. He watched her golden tresses bounce behind her, like she was in a shampoo commercial. He watched their conversation and the way her face became animated and amused. He almost could see the twinkle in her eyes all the way on the other side of the room. He admired her perky nose and bee stung lips. Her skin glowed as she talked to the other woman. All too soon, Harris came back with new drinks and sat down, blocking Spike’s view. Getting up from his vantage point, Spike moved around the room, maybe he could figure out a way to get an introduction.



Thirty minutes passed and Spike was no closer to his object of affection. Four times he was stopped by someone wanting a bit of his time to talk about business. Every time Spike bit his lip wanting to say, “It’s new Year’s Eve. Stop with the work!” Twice a single female would cross his path, in hopes of enticing him, but they just annoyed him. Finally, he was within hearing range. Her laughter rang out clearly and melodically, making Spike close his eyes and savor the noise. Never had a woman entered his being so thoroughly and he hadn’t even touched her or talked to her. He stepped closer to the group at the table, waiting for an introduction, but none was forthcoming. The foursome was so wrapped up in their discussion of the latest Survivor show that they didn’t even notice the bleached white hair of their benefactor. He inhaled, letting the whisper of her scent pass through him. Such sweetness deserved words of poetry written about it. Kicking himself out of his romantic musings, Spike almost missed the man approaching the table.



“Buffy, dear.” Hank said, getting her attention. The occupants at the table looked towards the approaching man.



Buffy’s head snapped up, eyes glaring at the intruder. “How dare you come over here.”



“Sweetheart, please. I understand why you are upset, but…” Hank held his hands up as if to surrender. Oz stood up, prepared to forcefully move Hank away from Buffy. They all knew of her tumultuous past with her father and didn’t want her hurt again.



“There is no excuse, Hank. I don’t want to hear it anymore.” Buffy’s green eyes blazed into a deeper shade with yellow highlights forming around her irises, making her eyes almost brown. Her skin turned from a glowing gold to a more heated color. Red rose in her cheeks as she tried to stave off her anger and humiliation.



“Buffy, please. Let’s go somewhere where we can…” Hank moved forward as if to grab her arm, but she stood up and put distance between her and the wretched man. Xander stood up and Oz came forward, ready to extract Buffy from the situation. Willow sat back, holding her hands against her precious belly, trying to protect it from the harsh words.



“What? Where we can what? Talk? You finally want to talk to me?” Her arms crossed over her chest, making Spike squirm in appreciation of her cleavage. He imagined her skin heated from his touch, writhing underneath him. Lost in his erotic world, he shook his head out of it and listened once more. “I wonder why? I’m sure it has to do with you not wanting me to tell Mom about the latest bimbo you are sporting. Don’t worry, dear old dad, I wouldn’t do that to her. She doesn’t need me to break her heart. She has you for that.” Hank looked resigned and started to back away. Xander and Oz backed down. The threat to their friend has been alleviated.



This was Spike’s chance to meet this vision. It would be difficult to wiggle his way in through Xander and Willow, but with Hank being senior management, it would seem appropriate. Before Hank could totally turn around, Spike came up to the little group. “Is this a private party, or can anyone join?” His eyebrow rose in appreciation as he finally came with in touching distance of the blond woman. She was even more beautiful up close than from afar.



“Will,” Hank stuttered out. “I’m sorry if we got a little loud, we were having a family discussion and…”



Spike waved the explanation off, not breaking eye contact with the green-eyed beauty. “No need, Hank. I just came over to see what this get together is all about. Now, who is this beauty?” No one from the office noticed the change in his accent from cockney to more upper class. He noticed the slight increase of her breath as he talked about her.



Hank turned to look at his stricken daughter. Her eyes were wide and lips parted slightly as she looked at Spike. “This is my daughter, Buffy.”



Spike stepped forward and took Buffy’s slight hand in his. Bending down, he bestowed a soft kiss on her hand. “I am William Winthrop. Glad to meet your acquaintance.” Spike noted the surprised expression on her face and the slight tremble of her fingers as he kissed her hand. Smirking to himself, he reluctantly let go of her warm inviting skin. “Hank, I was hoping I might steal away your daughter for a dance.” Spike watched as Harris stepped forward as if to stop the dance, but Buffy put her hand up to stop him.



“No need to ask Hank’s permission, Mr. Winthrop. I would love a dance.” With that, Buffy left Hank, Xander, and Spike staring after her as she walked slowly to the dance floor. Almost bouncing on the balls of his feet, Spike headed after her. Her hips swayed with every step she made, like a golden jaguar stalking through the forest, instead of a woman walking through the crowd of tables towards the dance floor.



He caught up to her just as she came to the edge of the dance floor. “Want to tell me what went on back there, love?” Spike stepped forward to take her body into his arms. Her hand slid up his well-toned arms to rest on his shoulder as her other hand took his.



Buffy looked up into his blue eyes, startled at this question and term of endearment. Tempted to reply with a scathing remark, Buffy decided to play nice with this man. He was Xander and Willow’s boss and anything she might say could be used against them. “It was just a family squabble, Mr.Winthrop, that got out of control.” She looked away, afraid he might see the pain in her eyes.



Spike was amazed that this little spitfire could go from ninety to zero in five seconds flat. Her eyes returned the sparkling emerald green and her skin returned to glowing instead of heated. She felt perfect in his arms. If he could move closer without appearing to have ulterior motive, he could rest his chin on her soft head, smelling her hair. As it was, he could smell her intoxicating perfume, shifting his libido into hyper-drive. Instead of thinking about her and what he could do, he decided to get her talking. Maybe conversation as a distraction would allow him no embarrassment when the song was over and he would have to take her back to her date. Her soft voice sounded so good when it was directed his way. “So, pet. Tell me a bit about yourself.” Spike looked over at the table where she sat. Hank and Xander were watching ardently as they twirled around the dance floor. A look of longing was plastered on Xander’s face while a grim look was set in place on Hanks. Willow and her husband sat quietly at the table, trying not to stare at the dancing blond couple. Other partiers couldn’t help but watch the striking couple on the dance floor. The image of pale white surrounded by gold struck a beautiful combination.



Buffy looked up again at his question. He certainly was charming and his accent was so sexy. “Nothing much to tell.” She looked over his shoulder at Willow who gave her thumbs up sign. Instead of being encouraged, she spat out, “You know my name and that I am Hank’s daughter, what else is there?” She felt his hand shift lower on her waist, almost unnoticeably, but it did shift. She looked into his eyes and saw something she’d seen before… lust. Growing up, she saw that look in Hank’s eyes when he looked at other women. Indignant, Buffy tried to be pleasant for Xander and Willow’s sake. She knew of men like him, her father being one. It seemed they viewed a woman as property and as a sex object, never as her own person. When she stepped forward, she could feel his erection. Almost fuming, Buffy gritted her teeth, intent on finishing the dance without cutting Mr. Winthrop down to size.



“Oh, I am sure there is more, love. Like what do you do for a living? Is that Harris bloke someone special to you? And, why do you hate your father so much?” Her head snapped up again, and her eyes narrowed. He saw the sparks of yellow forming around her irises.



“Mr. Winthrop, my relationship to my father is none of your business. And if you would be so kind, I don’t feel very well and would like to go home.” She stepped away and ended the dance. Turning on her heel, she moved through the sea of dancers back to her table. Xander grabbed her wrap and purse from her chair, ready for his friend. Stalking past her father she said few words to Willow and Oz and then continued out into the night. All Spike could do was stand there with cold, empty arms and watch the spitfire leave.





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