“So Xander said you were related. You don’t look related.”
Buffy gaped at Anya Harris, not knowing how to respond. The fact that her relationship with Spike was kind of fuzzy by definition didn’t make it any easier to admit that in some way, shape, or form they were family. If anything, it made it more difficult.
“She’s my deceased uncle’s stepdaughter, Anya,” Spike told her, clearly trying to put as much distance between their family ties as possible.
“Oh.” Anya looked thoughtful as she set a bowl of green beans on the table. “So you’re technically not related.”
“No, I suppose we’re not,” Spike replied, looking up at Buffy from under his lashes and smiling softly.
There wasn’t anything uncomfortable or intimidating about the Harris’ which shocked her a little. She hadn’t expected to feel so at ease with them especially not after Spike had warned her of Anya’s blunt way of speaking her mind. But she was finding that she appreciated Anya’s honesty more than anything else even if it did catch her a little off-guard.
Xander was, in comparison, Anya’s opposite. While Anya was outspoken, Xander had yet to say much more than ‘hello’ to her since they had arrived. She could tell he was curious, but he didn’t ask any questions. Maybe he figured Anya would ask them for him.
“Are you going to enroll in school here, Buffy?”
Her eyes darted from Anya to Spike. They hadn’t discussed the whole school issue yet. Seemed a little trivial with everything that had been going on in the last couple days, so Buffy hadn’t even brought up the subject to Spike.
“I don’t think she’ll be able to. She’s kind of a runaway,” Spike said bluntly, taking a drink from his bottle of beer.
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Spike what the hell he thought he was doing by telling these perfect strangers her business, but Anya effectively shut her up.
“So it was bad, then?” Her eyes were full of concern. “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you won’t have to go back to where ever you came from. Maybe you could do one of the correspondence courses.”
Biting her lip, Buffy tried hard not to cry. It was overwhelming, to say the least. First Spike offering her a place to stay and now Anya…
“Are you okay, luv?” Spike asked, grabbing her hand.
Nodding, Buffy tried to regain her composure and her voice. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Cordelia was asking about you yesterday, Spike. I hope you know she is expecting the full story when you go back to work,” Anya stated. She picked up a roll from the breadbasket and set herself to slathering butter on it.
“I figured as much.”
Xander finally spoke up. “I’m surprised she hasn’t tried to call you.”
Spike grinned. “Yeah, I figured that much too. Turned my mobile off and she doesn’ know my house phone.”
She knew vaguely who they were talking about. Spike had mentioned Cordelia a few times and Buffy knew that she was his boss over at The Blue Temple, but that was it. From the sounds of it though, Cordelia was much more than just his employer. She could feel her gut twist into knots at the thought of him with another woman.
Not that she had any claim on him. But despite that, it wasn’t long before Buffy was seriously regretting her let’s-be-friends idea. If she were honest with herself, a friendship was the last thing she wanted with Spike. Maybe it was some childish school-girl fantasy, but she wanted to be with him romantically.
“Hey,” Xander said to her, leaning closely as if he wanted to tell her a secret. “I’m sorry about the other night. If I had known you were only sixteen, I wouldn’t have sent you off to look for Spike alone.”
Only sixteen. The phrase kept slapping her in the face. Like she needed a reminder of how young she really was, she knew quite well already. Being ‘only sixteen’ meant she couldn’t be on her own, couldn’t be classified as an adult, and it surely meant that any chance she had with Spike was a dead point.
What would he want with a little girl like her? He could have any woman he wanted and here she was deluding herself with fantasies of having a real relationship with him. His comforting embraces were just to placate her and as for what happened that morning, it had obviously been a mistake.
Sighing, she pushed her food around her plate. “It’s okay. I found it alright and I’m in one piece, so no need to worry.”
“Well, next time, I can drive you. Anywhere you want to go,” he said, smiling.
If he were anyone else, she would be getting warning bells and flashing lights. But with Xander, she felt safe. He had a sincerity that seemed to radiate off of him. And if Spike trusted him, knowing how protective he could be, then the guy was probably okay.
“Thanks,” she replied, returning his smile with one of her own.
“Buffy?”
Looking up, she saw Anya staring at her with a mischievous grin. “Yeah?”
“Well, I was thinking, since you’ve got some extra time on your hands with the whole not going to school thing and I’ve got the day off tomorrow, you and I could go burn some plastic and shop,” she said brightly, bouncing a little on her chair.
“I’d love to, but I don’t have a lot of money, so I really don’t-”
Anya’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? Just make Spike give you some.”
Oh, she couldn’t do that! Surely, Anya didn’t mean what Buffy thought she did. “I don’t think-”
“Nonsense! Give her money, Spike,” Anya demanded, pointing down to his jeans’ pocket where his wallet bulged out a little.
Wait a minute! What was happening? Buffy glanced between Anya and Spike, then at Xander, who was trying hard to contain his laughter, and then back to Anya.
“I don’ exactly have the kind o’ cash you’re lookin’ for, An’. I’ll make sure she gets some before you two leave tomorrow. Satisfied?” Spike asked, his dark eyebrows raised.
Anya folded her arms over her chest and pouted for a minute. “Fine. But I am holding you to that promise, William. A girl needs her shopping, you know. And it’s good for the economy, too.”
Anya gave Buffy a big hug before sending them both off for the night.
“Not too bad, hmm?” Spike asked as he unlocked the door to his apartment.
Buffy giggled a little before following him into the house. “No, not too bad. I liked them a lot.”
“Yeah, they’re good people. Bit annoyin’ at times, but decent,” Spike replied, flicking on the lights in the living room.
He watched as Buffy sat down on the couch and took her shoes and socks off. A sweet smile curved onto her lips like she was the most contented girl on the planet and it made Spike’s heart fill with happiness.
This bright star was bringing light into his life every second she was with him. It made him wonder how he had ever lived in the darkness. And call it selfish, but he never wanted to let her go.
But that was a subject that wasn’t ready to be broached yet.
“You don’t have to give me money, you know. I have a little,” Buffy told him.
He knew the money issue had embarrassed her. Anya wasn’t exactly known for her tact and he would have preferred to have discussed it in private with her before she blurted out her intentions for the next day. It didn’t change his mind though.
“No, pet. I want you t’ have it,” he replied, sitting down next to her. “I’ve got more than enough for you t’ have your shoppin’ trip with Anya.”
She ducked her head shyly. “I know, but I don’t want you to think I’m just here to take advantage of your kindness.”
“I don’t think that at all, luv.”
Leaning down, he brushed his lips across her cheekbone, lingering too long for it to be a simple platonic kiss between friends. Oh, how he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her until the world ended.
His tenderness for her surprised him. Normally when there was a woman who caught his fancy, hot, wild sex was the only thing on his mind. He didn’t care much for cuddling and holding before, during, or after the act itself. It was more of a race to the finish line, not a round of affectionate lovemaking.
But with Buffy that wasn’t true at all. He wanted to be there for her, to hold her in the dark when she was scared, to encourage her growing confidence. It wasn’t all about being physical with her, even though that was certainly on his mind.
He reached up and smoothed a strand of hair away from her face. “You’re a wonderful girl, Buffy.”
That little crease appeared between her eyebrows and she frowned. “Thanks,” she mumbled.
His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong, luv?”
“Nothing.”
He didn’t believe that for a second. She was a bloody rotten liar, even worse than him.
“How ‘bout we try that one again?”
She glared up at him before rolling her eyes and letting out a loud sigh. “Its just, well, I’m not a little girl.”
“I’m not sure I’m followin’ you around that bend, pet,” he replied, cocking his head to one side.
“I’ll be seventeen soon and I think that classifies me as more than just a girl,” she told him, her confidence gaining momentum as she said the words outloud.
“Oh, I see.” He grinned at her. “Well, I happen t’ think you are much more than a girl. A gorgeous, wonderful young woman that doesn’t even know what she’s doin’ to me would be a better description.”
Her breath hitched and her skin flushed a delicious shade of pink. “You shouldn’t lie to me.”
His expression darkened and he turned her to face him. “I believe we already went over this. I won’t ever lie to you, Buffy. It’s all true.”
Her green eyes bored into him for what seemed like an eternity before she tilted her head up and brought her lips to his in a short, sweet kiss.
It wasn’t enough for him, though, and as she pulled away, he grabbed the back of her head and slammed his mouth against hers. He plowed his fingers through her hair and angled his head to deepen the kiss that was already close to consuming him.
She moaned and it only fueled his desire to mark her lips with his own brand, making her his. It was absolutely maddening! He knew he should stop before things went too far, but he felt like a starving man getting his first taste of sweet pastry and he couldn’t get enough of her.
“God, what you do t’ me, baby,” he said huskily after pulling back for air.
How was he going to be able to control himself with her around? Honestly, he didn’t want to, but it wasn’t his decision to make.
“What…” Her voice trailed off for a minute. “What do I do to you?”
Spike shut his eyes in an attempt to calm the other beast. It was an innocent question but it had him reacting as if she had just whispered the naughtiest, nastiest dirty words in his ear.
“I think I would scare you away if I told you, luv,” he replied after a minute.
He should be telling her not to ask him such a question, not encouraging her. It was a little late for denial though. They had crossed some invisible boundary between a fantasy world where they could pretend that there wasn’t anything between them and the hard real truth of it where they couldn’t deny the spark any longer.
“I-I want to know,” she said, her eyes meeting his and holding onto his gaze.
Just talking, that’s all it was, right? No harm could come from just talking and answering her question.
He scooted up next to her and leaned her down so that she was lying against the armrest. Sliding his body above hers, he held himself up by the strength of his arms, not allowing his body to touch hers. His knee settled in between her own as his other leg braced itself against the floor.
“I burn for you. You set me on fire until it’s so hot that all I can think about is coolin’ off. And do you want to know how I would do that?” He purred into her ear.
“Yes,” she replied in a sigh.
“Touchin’ you, tastin’ you. You’re like water for a dyin’ man, kitten. I’d bathe myself in you until both of us were to the breakin’ point and then I’d let the dam loose, let it wash over you.”
Her breathing was heavy and he could feel it blowing hot and moist against his neck. His tongue darted out and traced the shell of her ear then he sucked her earlobe into his mouth. He felt a slippery slide against his neck and realized with a start that Buffy was licking his burning skin, igniting his need to take her then and there.
He pulled back quickly, breathing hard. “Jesus…”
“Did I do something wrong?” She asked, wide-eyed.
Shaking his head, he slumped against the couch. “No. No, it wasn’t wrong. A bit too right, actually.”
It hadn’t been his intention to lose it like that, but what she could do with a flick of her little pink tongue could blow his good intentions out of the water.
“Oh,” she said quietly.
“Its okay, luv. You jus’ shocked me a little, made me lose it for a second,” he told her.
“Is that a bad thing?”
He smirked devilishly at her, his blue eyes sparkling with lust. “Not in the least. It’s a very, very good thing.”
“Oh,” she said again with a little more conviction and then grinned.
“But a bit too soon for that, I think.”
She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think so too.”
Well, finally they were on the same page, it seemed. Now if they could just stay on the same page, they’d be fine.
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