Buffy was panicking. Officially panicky girl here, she thought to herself. Why had she ever agreed to this stupid card game? It was supposed to be so easy. Spike always lost against her. Always. She’d figured the type of fight wouldn’t have mattered. And now here she was, cold and topless save her lacy black bra, sitting across from a comfortably clothed Spike, playing strip poker.
Stupid, stupid Buffy! She thought to herself. Stupid vampire pretending to bad at this game at the beginning, and not even cheating! He was supposed to cheat so she’d win by default. But no, all of a sudden mister I’m-the-big-bad-kitten-poker-cheater played fair. She’d been watching him as he dealt the cards, even taking over dealer duty after she’d lost one too many articles of pointless clothing and jewellery to think he was playing fair. And still she lost! Stupid, stupid Buffy! I’m going to be naked soon. Naked with Spike. Naked kissing Spike! So not of the good.
Spike sat across from Buffy watching the various shades of panic erupt over her features. She had started getting the deer-in-headlights look when she was down to her top and jeans with only some delectable skivvies separating Spike from winning. Sure, he’d felt bad for her earlier so he’d allowed her arguments that each earring was a piece of her outfit and therefore usable in betting, but knew that she was soon out of luck. He leaned back on one elbow, naked foot up on the sarcophagus and made a show of leering at her now exposed golden skin. He didn’t want Buffy to see just how ‘happy’ he was to have her down to the last three hands.
“So what’s it gonna be now luv,” Spike licked his lips when she raised her gaze to look at him, causing another hike in her already fast heart rate.
“You know I hate you right? I mean I really, really HATE you,” Buffy said while throwing down the two cards Spike had requested in front of him. She gave herself three and almost sagged in relief when she saw that she could use them. Apparently the Powers were giving her a break.
“Full house,” Spike said, laying each card out in turn on the surface in front of him. “What have you got up your sleeve? Or should I say skin?”
Throwing her four tens down in a flourish on top of Spike’s cards she quickly used her now free hands to cover as much of her exposed skin as possible. Upon seeing her hand, Spike merely shrugged and pulled off his black button down shirt over his head, carelessly adding it to the pile that contained his duster and boots.
Buffy found herself shaking, but not from the cold air in the crypt which had given her skin a nice gooseflesh covering. She was so irritated and angry at Spike. She had won, but he made it look like he’d made the choice to take off the shirt. And she would not look at how the muscles in his arms rippled like those described in romance novels, as he raised the shirt over his head, now left in only a black wifebeater. And she would definitely not notice how smooth and white his skin was in the moonlight, almost like those marble statues you found in Greece. No, she was going to remain angry. But it’s not like it hurts to look at him, she thought, I can appreciate a hot man – uh – vampire when I see one. After all, he’d been ogling her since she’d lost her top.
Spike watched as Buffy again pondered her cards with furrowed brow. She looked so cute when she was concentrating. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders as she had insisted that her hair elastic should count seeing as the hair style was just as essential to an outfit as the clothing. He was a bloody idiot for allowing it, seeing as if he hadn’t, she wouldn’t be wearing that scrap of lace which somehow passed as a bra. Not that he was complaining. The fleeting glimpse of her hardened nipples through the thin fabric was still worth it. He wondered how it would feel to tweak those nipples as he caressed her breasts or how sweet they would taste if he sucked on them. Would Buffy moan or scream as he devoted hours to the pert mounds in front of him? He’d get lost before he ever let his hands wander further down her supple shape.
“Stop staring at my boobs you perv!” Buffy’s voice cut through his musings as her fanned cards effectively blocked the objects of his musings.
“How many?” Buffy asked. Spike hadn’t even looked at his cards and pulled the two lowest denominations from the five in his hand barely noticing the suit. The two new cards did nothing to help him, and he realized he had nothing to work with at all. His loss was rewarded with a shriek of pleasure and giggles from a still tipsy Buffy.
“Two in a row! Take that you stupid vampire! I know I’ll win now. Off with that tank mister ‘The Bloody’, cuz if you can check out my chest, I should be able to see yours!” Buffy’s eyes glittered in mirth, already more relaxed than she had been minutes before. She didn’t even notice her slip of tongue.
“You can do more than just see my chest pet. If you so desire that is…” Spike said with a devilish grin, not about to let such a golden opportunity go. Instead of the expected comeback, Buffy burst into uncharacteristic giggles while reaching for the nearly empty bottle of JD, pouring two full shot glasses. She lifted it toward her lips, psyching herself up for the awful taste when Spike started stripping off his top.
Spike’s slender fingers pulled the hem from the waistband of his black jeans. The alabaster planes of his well sculpted abs were revealed slowly. He noted Buffy’s sudden rapt attention and he took time to flex each muscle group in his torso and arms as he pulled the tank slowly above his bleached locks.
Buffy stared straight into the crystal clear azure depths of Spike’s eyes when they were revealed to her again. His lips stretched into a seductive smile. Licking her lips, Buffy felt her pulse quicken as she remembered how soft those lips were against her own last year. He was a very good kisser. His tongue could do amazing things… To feel that gain may be worth losing.
“So, like what you see Slayer?” Spike again noticed the increase in her heart rate, along with the faint smell of her arousal in the air. He quickly tossed back the shot she had poured for him, giving Buffy another tantalizing view of his muscles at work.
“What?” Buffy had no idea what those beautiful lips had uttered, but followed suit with Spike and downing her shot to clear her mind. “Blech!”
Okay, so mind is not so clear, she thought to herself. Pull yourself together Summers, you could still win this one.
“I’ll take that as a yes then kitten.”
“Sure, whatever you said,” Buffy attempted to shuffle the cards like Spike had earlier, long fingers curled around two piles of cards falling together as if by magic. It looked so easy, but at her own attempt the deck exploded sending cards around the top of the sarcophagus, the two players, and the floor around them.
“Oops,” she said with a coy little smile, noting that a few of the cards had landed on the bulge in his jeans. Spike laughed at her shock and embarrassment, taking the extent to which the cards had dispersed.
“Not quite how you do that pet,” a smirk spreading across his face. “But seein’ as you’re the one who created this mess, you have to pick ‘em all up.”
“What? No way! That’s so not fair!”
“Oh? I’m not the one who decided to throw ‘em around the place? Stallin’ for a little time Slayer?”
“No, but you could be a gentleman and at least help me pick them up!”
“Nah, not a gentleman anymore Slayer. But I’ll count the cards you bring back to me for ya so we know you’ve got ‘em all. After all, I’m not far away from seein’ you in all your golden glory, am I?”
Buffy shot him an indignant glare and shoved a pile of cards into his hands before gathering the ones spread around her. She planned on politely ignoring the ones in his lap.
“You could at least pick up the ones around you!”
“An’ miss you crawling all over me in just your bra? No Slayer, me thinks not.”
“You’re such a pig Spike.”
“Oink oink baby. You’ve found 39 sweetheart, 15 to go.”
Grumbling, Buffy hopped down to the floor of the crypt searching for any strays. It was cold and she shivered slightly as she crawled around collecting the cards. Spike watched her as she stretched to reach a card around the corner of the sarcophagus, noting the light shiver which shook her body. He was surprised to find himself feeling bad about causing her discomfort, but shook it off to enjoy the view before him.
She rose off the floor after having collected nine more cards which had fallen around their makeshift table. While her feet were on the ground she decided to walk around Spike’s body so she could avoid having to crawl over his body to get the cards. She retrieved three cards from behind him, leaving the three that had settled themselves in his lap. She glanced up at him, a self indulgent grin spread across his face, and deftly reached toward the cards.
Two can play at this game, she thought to herself. Not bothering to question her reasons for teasing the vampire, she reached out plucking one card at a time, lightly brushing her fingers over the growing bulge with each card. She turned her fiery green glance to his darkening one as she reached for the last card. She pulled it slowly away trailing her fingers after the card. She didn’t miss the shallow intake of unneeded breath which Spike took at the contact with her fingers.
The chit is trying to kill me, Spike glowered at the Slayer who was obviously fully aware of the effect she was having on him. The faux innocent look in her eyes and the little smirk which toyed at her lips gave her away.
“Alright Slayer, that makes an even 52. Let’s go. I can’t wait to get you naked,” he said in a low drawl, licking his lips for added emphasis. He made a show of watching her as she crawled back up onto the lid and settled cross-legged in front of him again.
“Alright Spikey, if you’re ready to concentrate,” Buffy picked up her cards and smirked at him. Shit, she thought after seeing that she’d been left with nothing to go on. She made an all out effort by replacing all five cards throwing her hand to Chance.
And apparently loosing, Buffy grimaced at her cards before tossing them into a worthless heap on the ground. She sulked even more when Spike proudly displayed a pair of sevens.
She was down to two choices, she could strip off her jeans and be left in her lacy black underwear ensemble, or she could just get rid of her bra while still covering her lower half against the elements. She knew that her night’s choice in underwear would leave little to the imagination, and the cool night air certainly made her lean toward just ridding herself of her bra. She could still cover herself with her hands right?
When Spike won the hand he expected her to toss off her jeans without a second thought, leaving all her sensitive bits still covered, though less so. He didn’t however, expect to see her reach behind her back, unclasp her bra and replace the black lace with her little hands in less than a second. He now had her topless, and obviously flustered by his attention. He curled his tongue behind his upper teeth and smiled at her show of bravado.
“A bold move pet. I thought for sure I’d have your pants off by now.”
“In your dreams fang face,” Buffy said with more courage than she felt. “Just deal me some cards. I’m still gonna win this you know,” she added glaring at him.
“Sure you are pet,” Spike smiled and dealt the next hand. Another winner, he thought to himself as he picked up his cards. And judging by the crestfallen expression Buffy wore, she’d certainly lost this latest hand as well. She had split the cards between her hands, opting to use her cards to cover her nipples rather than risk something popping out behind an arm. All her carefully placed cards did however, was show off the soft swell of her breasts as they were pressed against her chest. He took time to really look at her beautiful body as she considered her next move. The taught lines of her stomach, the golden hue of her skin and the gentle curve of her hips which fell into the hem of her jeans.
Buffy sat up straighter and cocked her head to the side, urgently doing all she could to keep her breasts covered from Spike’s too intent gaze. She realized that she’d lost again. The hand she currently was using to cover herself was a certain loser. How could she ever agree to this? Well I certainly didn’t consider the possibility of loosing did I? Buffy fumed in her mind. She glared at Spike who sat there smugly.
“What have you got?” she asked him.
“Three Aces. Show me yours,” he replied in his most seductive tone, fully intending the phrase to be dripping in innuendo.
“Nothing. Nothing at all, jerk,” Buffy knew she’d lost, and was nearly completely finished.
“Like I have anything to do with your lack of skill at cards pet. ‘M just reapin’ the benefits!”
Deciding not to delay the inevitable, Buffy turned quickly and hopped down behind the sarcophagus leaving her jeans in a heap on the floor. She made use of her Slayer agility and strength and jumped back up on top, allowing her to keep her arms crossed over her chest. Sitting back down, knees to her chest, she resigned herself to what may be her last hand.
Spike dealt the next hand, noting the look of grim determination Buffy wore with a hint of sadness. She knew she was going to loose. He smiled inwardly, but at the same time felt a twinge of something he couldn’t afford to explore. This night was supposed to be about cheering her up. He hoped that regardless of the result of the game, she’d still be happy in the end. He sure as hell wasn’t about to give up his duster just to see her happy. Was he?
The next hand was dealt and won by a still sullen Buffy. Spike made a show of slipping his belt through each of the loops, causing the ghost of a smile to grace the Slayer’s lips. But the final hand was dealt and played, with Buffy as the clear loser.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time out to review. It really helps to get your opinions and I am grateful that you're enjoying the story so far *smiles* So apparently I am just lucky enough to have constant internet problems. It went down for a second time and this time it lasted a whole week. So in order to make up for the wait I'm posting the last two chapters this week. Hope you like them and please review!