"I… I just concentrate on my studies," William told her, hiding behind the light brown hair that fell in front of his face.
"Come on, you have to have some sort of hobby," Buffy prodded, wanting to get to know more about the young man who would apparently be spending time with her this summer. After all, he was her step-son.
Step-son. That word alone struck Buffy as very odd, in reference to her. After all, she was only twenty-two.
William cleared his throat. "I do write a little. Poetry."
"Really? Wow. I'm impressed. I totally suck with the written word. And, according to several of my high school teachers, the spoken one, too."
"It's not any good," William replied as he blushed. "I have written any since…" Since several of his classmates had found it and taunted him, but he wasn't going to admit that to Buffy. "Not in a while."
"Maybe you'll have some time to write while you're here," Buffy suggested. "It tends to be pretty quiet."
"Perhaps."
Buffy chewed her bottom lip as she watched William finish his dinner. She could tell he was shy—almost painfully so—and her heart went out to him. Maybe she could help him come out of his shell a little this summer before he went away to college.
"Would it be all right if I went back up to my room?" William asked, his gaze still downward. "It's been a long day for me, and I'm tired."
Buffy came to a quick realization: Bringing him out of shell was going to be rather difficult… "Yeah, sure. Do you need anything?"
"No, I'll be fine." William stood. "Good night, Buffy."
"Good night, William. It was nice to meet you."
William replied with a small, sad smile, "I know it wasn't, not with the shock I must've been, but I appreciate you saying otherwise."
Buffy started to protest, but before she could, William had already left the room. With a sigh, she let him go.
It was late before Liam came up to join Buffy in bed, yet as soon as she heard him enter the room, she reached over and switched on the bedside lamp. Liam sighed heavily. "What, Buffy?"
She sat up, arching her eyebrow at his comment. "What? What do you think it is, Liam?"
"Look, I'm sorry about this thing with Darla. If I'd known she was actually going to dump William on me this summer, I would've said something to you. I can find somewhere else for him to be if he's going to be a bother."
"He's not my problem," Buffy replied. "My problem is you."
Liam blinked in surprise. "What? Look, Buffy, I had a life before you. You can't blame me for that."
"I don't. I won't lie and say I'm happy you didn't tell me you had a son, but we can't go back and change that now. What I'm the most upset about is how you treated him today," Buffy tried to explain to her husband.
"What, was he whining again when I left?" Liam asked.
"No. He was actually very quiet, but I think he was upset. You made it clear you didn't want him here with you, and then you completely ignored him. My father used to do the same thing to me, Liam, and it hurts. A lot."
Liam sighed again as he came over and sat beside Buffy on the bed. "I'm sorry. I just have this big deal going down at work, and I was in the middle of dealing with that when Darla showed up. I didn't mean to hurt Will, I was just stressed, and then seeing my ex-wife made it worse. Darla is…well, she's a worthless whore is what she is. I won't even begin to get into the crap she put me through during our marriage." Liam shook his head. "I'm sorry about this afternoon. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you I had a son. I meant to, I just didn't know quite how to say it." His gaze turned down. "Sometimes, being with you, it makes me feel so old. I was afraid if you knew I had a kid, you'd look at me differently."
Buffy softened at his pitiful expression and reached out to place her hand against his cheek. "Honey, I'd never look at you differently because of that. I know you're older than me, but I love you. And I know you had a life before me, too. I… Well, my past wasn't exactly lovely before you either, but you know that." She lowered her hand to place it over his. "You're not a bad man, Liam. You're a good husband, and I'm so grateful to have you—which is why I was surprised to see you treat your son that way. He seems like a good boy."
"He is," Liam replied, his eyes downcast. "I'll apologize to him in the morning. It really wasn't him, I was just all out of sorts with my job and seeing Darla. I'm sorry, Buffy. Please don't think I'm anything like your father."
"I don't. And I believe you when you tell me you didn't mean to hurt William."
"Good," Liam said with his most charming smile. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, then stood. "I'm going to get ready for bed. I want you to still be awake when I get back." He winked, then went towards the bathroom.
Buffy turned off the bedside light, then settled into the bed to wait for her husband.
William didn't know why his mother had insisted on bringing him here. He was eighteen years old—more than old enough to simply stay home on his own. It was obvious his father didn't want him. His father never wanted him. So why make them both suffer through another one of these pointless summers?
He hadn't been surprised by his father's response at his arrival. It was the same way every year, after all. What had surprised him, was the response of his father's new wife.
This was the third one, not including his mother, that William had met. The other two had not favored him with a single kind word and had, in fact, barely spoken to him at all. Lilah had thrown a fit about having a "brat" in her home, and Eve had insisted William was ogling her and trying to watch her bathe, both things that had not even entered his mind to do. That woman had made him much more cold than hot. He still shivered to think of her.
Or the other claims she'd made later on…
However, she had made his father send him away early that year, and William had been grateful when Eve was already gone the next.
But Buffy… She was warm and beautiful, and William wondered what she could possibly be doing with a man like his father. Already he knew she was too good for him.
She had such a bright smile. It wasn't like ones he was used to in his own home. Nothing fake or taunting about it, just open and genuine.
He hoped she wouldn't change her mind about wanting him to spend time with her this summer. Perhaps they could even become friends. William had never really had one of those…
He rolled over and drifted off to sleep, his lips curved up slightly as he thought of Buffy.
William was surprised when he looked at the clock the next morning and saw he'd slept past noon. Normally, he was a much earlier riser. Maybe he had been as tired as he'd told Buffy he was at dinner.
Or perhaps, it was simply because he'd known he wouldn't have his mother yelling at him to "get his lazy ass" out of bed. Either one.
As soon as he was presentable, he went downstairs in search of Buffy. He knew her claims that she would welcome his company could have been no more than lip service, and he resolved to pay close attention to her for any signs he was wearing out his welcome.
He found Buffy by the pool, and he stopped short as soon as he caught sight of her. She was in a tiny red string bikini, and William's mouth watered as he felt a definite stirring in his pants.
As soon as he realized what was happening, he tried to fight it. This was his father's wife!
But she was also an eighteen year old boy's wet dream come true, with her barely-covered tanned skin, pert breasts, and long, golden hair. He trembled.
Buffy's head turned, and she smiled when she saw William, oblivious to his predicament. She gave him a small wave. "Hey, there. Come on over here if you want."
William swallowed, his feet moving without his mind's consent. He sat down in the chair beside her and quickly folded his hands in his lap.
"Did you just wake up?" Buffy asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry I slept so late."
Buffy waved her hand dismissively. "Please. It's summer. Sleep the damn day away."
William gave her a small, shy smile, and Buffy found herself noticing how attractive he was. He didn't look much like his father, though she thought she could see a bit of his mother in him.
Buffy sat up in the chair, catching the quick flicker of William's eyes to her barely-covered breasts as she did. He didn't let his gaze linger, yet he was still too young and inexperienced to check her out discreetly, and Buffy knew she should be bothered.
Instead, she gave into the perverse urge to push her breasts out, giving William a better look. His eyes darted back to her chest for a second, and he swallowed.
Logic came back then, and Buffy had to ask herself what she was doing. She was a married woman with a husband she loved—and this boy was that husband's son. Why was she giving into the little voice in her head telling her to flirt with him? Why was that little voice there at all?
She made up her mind then to firmly bind and gag that voice. William was going to be there for the next several weeks, and during that time, she needed to view him for what he was—her step-son.
It really didn't matter how she seemed to tremble when his ice-blue gaze ran over her body.
Only that was bothersome. Really, it was—it had to be. She needed to set up barriers and make it perfectly clear this relationship would never be anything but platonic.
Yet when she leaned over to speak to him, her hand went to his thigh. She could feel the warmth of his skin radiating from beneath his pants, could feel the strength of his tightly-corded muscles.
He turned towards her, his eyes hazy, and for a moment they were both frozen.
Then, Buffy jerked her hand up, a blush crossing both of their faces even as they resolved to pretend it hadn't happened at all.
"Are you hungry?" Buffy asked, her hands now fiddling nervously in her own lap. "I was about to go in and change, and then get something for lunch. You could join me if you'd like."
Buffy didn't know what she wanted his answer to be until he agreed and she felt relief. She smiled brightly, pushing the momentary awkwardness out of her mind as if it had never happened. "Great. I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes then."
She walked back into the house, unable to prevent the sway of her hips as she felt William's eyes trained on her.
With Buffy gone, William shivered, taking deep breaths to calm himself. He knew he was a teenaged boy and his hormones were raging, but this wasn't something he wanted to deal with at all. Buffy was his father's wife, and to have thoughts like this about her…
Although really, he couldn't completely blame himself. She'd be gorgeous in a parka, but with all of that tanned flesh displayed so tantalizingly, of course he would respond.
Only it was her right to sunbathe in her own home, and he was a total pervert for leering over her.
William groaned and dropped his head into his hands.
It was going to be a long summer…
Glad to see I didn't chase everyone off with my gratuitous author's notes. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter, and please take the time to review!