Buffy was grateful their flight wasn’t until ten AM, and breathed a sigh of relief that Spike hadn’t brought up anything about their ‘almost kiss’ last night… though he was acting strangely. He seemed nervous about something and in an awful rush to leave. Probably just worried about the meeting. It is a pretty big account to land if we can pull it off.
Spike breathed his own sigh of relief when they made it to the airport without Buffy going through her suitcase. His second sigh of relief came when they arrived at the hotel and she went to use the bathroom in the lobby while he checked them in.
Using his charm and a few bills, he was able to persuade the manager to ‘put on a show’ for Buffy’s benefit that the hotel had overbooked and could only accommodate them in a suite with two beds. Naturally Buffy wasn’t happy at all about the news, but she was cordial to the staff and reserved her grumbling for the elevator ride up to their room.
Spike knew there would be no third sigh of relief once she opened her suitcase and dug further below what she originally packed. Fortunately, that didn’t happen until after the meeting.
“SPIKE!!!” Unbelievable, just unbeliev… this is the last straw! “Spike, get your ass out here now!”
Hearing her screech, he got out of the shower and quickly wrapped a towel around his waist, knowing ‘the moment’ had come.
She took in a long, deep lungful of oxygen, ready to call him all sorts of names in one breath that would make a seasoned trucker blush once he came out of the bathroom. When the door finally swung open, however, the sight of him made her swallow that air in one giant, audible gulp.
Her voice seized in her throat while he just stood there casual as you please, leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed while her eyes involuntarily perused every glistening inch of him. Platinum hair defying gravity, spiked up in wild disarray, water droplets clinging to his chiseled chest, abs, arms, his towel hanging so low on his sharp hipbones she nearly choked, and his leg stance created a slit in the white terrycloth that barely stopped before his privates began. Why are hotel towels always so small anyway? She groaned internally, he might just as well be naked. The aroma accompanying the steam slowly escaping from behind him brought with it the provocative scent of freshly showered Spike, clouding her thought process, setting her senses on overload like a pheromone high. What was I going to yell at him about?
“Something wrong, luv?” He smirked when her eyes flew up to meet his. This was so much better than he’d ever anticipated, her reaction to seeing him like this.
Wrong? Not from where she was standing and oh GOD! Embarrassed at her own thoughts and that she was caught gawking at him like some wanton whore; she turned around so she wouldn’t have to face him. Just breathe out of your mouth so you don’t have to smell him. Fat lot of luck that did her, now she could practically taste him! Looking down at her suitcase thankfully put her brain back into commission.
“Look at this!” She stepped to the side and pointed at her clothes strewn across the bed.
“Already have.”
Like she expected a different answer out of him? “What… no, when did you do this?”
“The other night while you were takin’ a bath.”
She kept her voice as calm as she possibly could. “Why?”
“You said, and I quote, ‘the things that are for your eyes you’ll get to see once we’re in Florida.”
“You know that’s not… Yes, I said that, but-”
“You should have known curiosity would get the better of me. 'M jus' a man, pet.” His bed was the closest to the bathroom and since she had her back to him, he grabbed a pair of black shorts and a white tank top.
Good point. “I’ll remember next time I go shopping not to say anything then.” Hearing the rustling of fabric, her eyes went wide. Was he getting dressed in front of, well, right behind her?
"You should be thankin' me for gettin' rid of the Indiana Jones clothin’ line. We’re in Florida for Chris’ sake.”
“They’re practical and you had no right to invade my privacy, my room like that!”
“Better to ask forgiveness than permission," he retorted.
Apparently! “And what gives with packing my black dress, hmm?” She picked it up to look at it.
“You can turn `round now, `m dressed.”
“Answer the question,” she demanded as she pivoted on her heel to face him.
“I threw it in there in case our clients wanted to go to dinner, discuss more business before makin’ a decision.”
Another good point, but… “And I suppose you packed these-” she held up a fistful of her lacy undergarments for him to see. “-for the clients’ sake as well?”
Answering her question with his own and in a tone equally as sarcastic as hers, “How `bout tellin’ me who you had your Brazilian job done for, eh?” That was the burning question in his mind, so self-convinced he’d be seeing it later, up close and personal.
“Uhh,” she gasped in outrage. "Certainly not for you, never mind the clients!”
Bugger! He should have known better than to get his hopes up. But then he smiled inwardly when thinking if she only knew he’d already seen her luscious arse the other night when she was drunk. “Look,” he began coolly. “Le’s jus’ go out to dinner tonight and celebrate. I’ll take you some place nice. We both deserve it for a job well done.” That and he did want to see her in the dress. “Plus we’re already here and all you have to wear is lyin’ right there.” He cocked his head in the direction of her suitcase.
Damnit! He was right. There was nothing she could do about her clothes now and it would be like crying over spilt milk to continue arguing with him. “This doesn’t mean you get to see these on me.” Holding up her underwear, she wanted to make sure he knew she was still mad at him.
“Understood.”
He’d lowered his head, sad blue eyes looking up at her from beneath his beautiful, dark thick lashes and with that irresistible boyish pout of his, too. Evil man! Yet he’d managed to instantly soften her attitude with that look alone.
And he knew it!
~~~*~~~
Spike kicked back on the bed, engrossed in his book while Buffy was in the bathroom. However, when she came out wearing a stunning, and very tiny black bikini, his blood immediately ran south. “Guess hell froze over after all, pet,” he mused aloud as he took in her appearance. The swimsuit was a bit smaller than the standard - as bikinis go - leaving little to the imagination… especially his. It seems she was planning on going to the beach despite the current hour.
“What are you talking about?”
“Can see why you had your arse waxed.” The small scrap that covered her womanhood was quite… scant to say the least, and most definitely required a thorough waxing.
“Yeah, well…” she trailed off when noticing the way he was ogling her. It made her feel naked, like he had X-ray vision, so she went over to her bed and chose a pair of shorts and a halter top, putting them on rather quickly. Since they were the ones Spike placed in her suitcase, she still felt bare to his gaze.
When she turned around, he kept staring at her thinking, bloody hell I’ve got great taste in clothes. He just knew she’d look sexy as hell in those candy pink shorts and white top.
“Whatcha reading?” she tried to change the subject in order to get his attention off her body.
“Huh?” He was still distracted by the alluring vision she made. “Oh, uhmm…” He held the book up he’d use to conceal his raging hard-on, being cautious it was still covered while she read the title out loud for herself.
“A Brief History of Time, From the Big Bang to Black Holes.” Wow, impressive he’d choose to read something by Hawking. “Interesting choice in literature, although I think you picked the wrong book.”
“Really?” Cocking a questioning eyebrow at her, he wanted to hear her explanation to his next question. “And why’s that?”
Shrugging, she replied, “You already make yourself out to be an expert when it comes to banging, but… then again there is that black hole in your head where your brain is supposed to be. So maybe it is the right book for you.”
“You’re bloody hilarious, pet. A right comedian.” Snarky bint!
“What are doing reading that sort of book anyway?” Admittedly, her curiosity was genuinely piqued.
“Man’s one of the greatest theoretical physicists since Einstein. `S a good book. Confronts the questions of the nature of time and the universe.” Buffy expression was that of bewilderment after his explanation. “What?”
“You really enjoy reading that?” And here she would have expected him to have a Playboy magazine instead. After his simple reply of ‘yeah’, she asked, “I mean that’s pretty deep… stuff and… what’s your IQ anyway?”
“A hundred and eighty four. Why?”
With an incredulous look on her face that he could answer her with such nonchalance, all she could say was, “Holy crap! You’re a genius!” He could have chosen practically any career he wanted, so why the hell was he in Sales with an IQ like that?
“Your point?” he asked with a bored look on his face.
“N-nothing, I just didn’t think… never mind.” She shook her head. Yes, she’d known he was a whiz kid but a ‘true’ genius? It didn’t matter though. He was still a womanizing pig as far as she was concerned, just a very smart womanizing pig, but… her opinion of him had nonetheless just been seriously altered.
Meanwhile, Spike went back to eyeing her figure. So much skin exposed… skin and… Then he realized there was bound to be a flock of men surrounding her in no time flat, something he decidedly didn’t like the thought of. “If you’re goin’ to the beach dressed like that, you’re not goin’ alone. `M comin’ with you.”
Slinging her tote over her shoulder, she sighed heavily, thinking this would be her one chance to be alone, get away from him for awhile. “You forget you don’t own a pair of swim trunks,” she pointed out, hoping to dissuade him.
“Don’ need them, `m wearin’ shorts.”
“Whatever, I’m outta here.”
She left their room without a backward glance, leaving him to curse as he hurriedly gathered what he’d need and chased after her.
~~~*~~~
Spike laid his beach towel right next to Buffy’s, ignoring her little huff and the fact she moved a few feet away from him after he did that. Putting the ear pieces of her iPod on and laying down with her eyes closed, he startled her when placing a hand on her arm to get her attention.
“What?” she asked irritated while removing one ear-bud to hear him.
“You’re gonna want some of this.” Holding out a bottle of sunscreen for her, she shook her head instead of taking it.
“I want a tan. That’s what going to the beach is all about.”
“Buffy, pet, you’re gonna get a burn. Look at how white you are.”
Raising a neatly trimmed brow, she jibed, “This coming from Mr. ‘I’m-so-pale-I-look-like-a-vampire’? I tan easily. You’re the one who needs it more than I do. Besides, its four thirty right now and the sun sets around six. It would take several hours in the sun before I came away with a burn, not less than two.”
“Fine. Don’ say I didn’ warn you, though.” He slathered himself all over with the white substance and settled back to continue reading his book, but every now and then when Buffy would hum to her music or shift, he’d glance at her. She looked like an absolute goddess in that suit and it seemed every guy that passed by thought so, too, what with their appreciative stares, leading him to shoot angry glares at each one of them so they got the message she was with him… if only figuratively.
Buffy flipped onto her stomach after a while, affording him a perfect view of her curvaceous bum. She was so bloody distracting, lying there all innocent and oblivious to his lustful thoughts that he finally gave up on reading altogether and shut his book. Turning to lie on his stomach like she had, he hoped it would calm his hormones and hide his erection while he closed his eyes and tried to think of other things… like an ice cold shower.
It worked, too, until he heard Buffy moving around. Peeking one eye open, he saw her start to walk towards the water. “Goin’ for a swim, luv?”
“Yup. Feeling a little sweaty,” she answered over her shoulder.
Turning back over, he propped himself up on both elbows, watching her clip her hair up in a sloppy bun before wading into the water. She didn’t swim; she more or less just leaned back to float, moving her arms against the small waves that rolled towards the shore, smiling with her eyes closed, face turned towards the sky.
It was a beautiful form of torture to watch her walking slowly back towards him, the setting sun making her glow like an angel. Other bikini clad women passed in front of him but he never even saw them, his eyes were riveted to the way her hips sashayed back and forth, exaggerated from walking on the soft sand impeding her normal gait, her body shining wet from the ocean in the waning sunlight, nipples tightened to sharp peaks beneath the black material…
“You ready to head back to the hotel?” he asked when she reached for her towel to dry off.
“Definitely!” Using both hands, she pulled her top away from her skin a fraction to peer down inside briefly before letting go. “That’s the only thing I don’t like about the ocean.”
“Wha’s that?” God, how he wished he’d been standing next to her so he could get a glimpse of her perfect, creamy breasts.
“Sand everywhere. Even beneath my suit,” she answered with a grimace. “I so need a shower before we go out to dinner.”
“Right then.” Standing, he picked up his things and helped her with hers, placing his book inside her tote along with her dry clothes and iPod. She secured her towel around her waist, shivering slightly as she did so. He witnessed goose bumps spring up on her arms and took his own towel to drape it around her shoulders, feeling happy when she offered him a sweet smile of gratitude before they headed out to call a cab to take them back to the hotel.
~~~*~~~
Buffy noticed her skin felt sensitive when she both showered and dressed but shrugged it off until she stood in front of the mirror. Huh, guess I did get a slight burn, she thought when she saw the pink hue of her skin. Nothing a bit of makeup can’t fix.
“You know, I have to give you credit, Spike,” she said through the closed door as she put her earrings on. The dress he’d so stealthy packed for her was perfect for dining out.
“Yeah? What for?” They each agreed to get ready at the same time but in private, her in the bathroom and he in the bedroom.
“Are you decent? Can I come out?”
“Yes, pet.”
Stepping out into the room, she forgot what she was going to say and just stood there for a moment, taken by how handsome he looked. It was a simple navy colored suit, but the pale, sky colored shirt underneath with its white collar and soft pastel yellow tie… Wow! She marveled at how the ensemble brought out his eyes, sparkling in a beautiful and unique shade of blue, like that of a tourmaline gemstone.
Spike was equally enthralled by how exquisite Buffy looked in the black dress and heels he’d chose to pack for her. The material clung to and accentuated her soft round curves and tiny waist flawlessly. She looked so perfectly feminine as she gracefully moved forward to adjust his tie for him that he temporarily lost the ability to speak. And her scent, God, he’d never tire of her scent.
“Thanks, luv,” he told her. When she took a step back from him was when he first noticed the tone of her skin. “Oh, Buffy,” he said softly with concern. “Does it hurt?”
He reached out and gently ran his fingertips across her shoulder, pulling away when she cringed and hissed in pain. “Owww,” she whined. “I knew I was a little pink, but I didn’t know-”
“Pink? I’d say more like red!” He shook his head at her, wanting to say ‘I told you so’ but couldn’t find it in his heart after seeing her reaction to his touch. “Tell you what.” He turned to grab her purse and handed it over. “When we get back from dinner, I’ve jus’ the thing to fix you right up, take the sting outta that burn.”
“You will, I-I mean you do?” His words were so confident that she was curious how he was going to accomplish that because a burn was a burn and hurt regardless until it turned into a tan. “How?”
Holding the door open, he beckoned for her to walk out first before answering. “You’ll see. Trust me.”
Trust him? Not something she thought herself capable of, but under the circumstances, if he could do something about the pain she was in, she’d give him an ounce and hope for the best.
~~~*~~~
Spike took her to a five star restaurant outside of town. With the champagne poured and their orders on the way, he held up his glass. “To our success.”
“Couldn’t agree more.” They touched glasses and sipped from the elegant crystal flutes in unison, setting them down just as the waiter brought their food.
Once their server left and Buffy picked up her fork, Spike suddenly began to giggle.
“What?” She paused, wanting to know what he found so amusing as he pointed at her plate. “What?!?!” she snapped when his chuckles turned into an all out belly laughing fest.
“I, A-HAHAHA, jus’… ahem, s-sorry, `s jus’ a-hahaha, AHEM.” he tried like hell to compose himself when her glare turned deadly. “Sorry, luv. I jus’ can’ decide who’s more red… you or the A-HA, the lobster you ordered, A-HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
“Uhhh! You’re insufferable… you…” But she couldn’t help it. He was right. His joke was not only funny, but well timed, too. She laughed along with him and when they’d both sufficiently calmed down, she asked him with a beaming smile, “But you’re going to fix me, right?”
“Yes… yes, I am,” he assured her. “Tha’s a promise. Now eat up.”
She took a few bites of her lobster then speared one of the sautéed carrots on her fork and popped it inside her mouth. After a couple of chews, she went to swallow and immediately became alarmed as it lodged itself in her throat. She banged her hand on the table loudly to get Spike’s attention.
Looking up from the sudden noise, he saw a panic stricken Buffy, eyes wide, her hands flailing about as if trying to tell him something. “Wha’s wrong? Buffy? Buffy, you’re scarin’ me, luv!” It wasn’t until she grabbed her throat and her face turned pale did he realize she was choking.
She watched him jump to his feet in a flash while she began banging on her chest which, luckily, dislodged the carrot, forcing it to complete its journey to her stomach. Taking in one deep breath after another, she continued hitting her chest and coughed while holding her other hand out to stop him from coming over to her. “Swallowed!” *Cough* “I’m good… no need to-” *Cough* “-panic.” There were a few people surrounding them that looked just as relieved as Spike when she was able to speak normally again. She watched as a devious smirk formed on his face as he seated himself. “What?”
“You had me at swallow, luv.”
“Oh. My. God! You did not just make fun about… forget it!” He’d forever ruined the most romantic moment from the movie ‘Jerry Maguire’ for her with that statement and of course he had to add to it by doing the tongue behind the teeth thingy.
“I apologize, pet.” He held off from snickering to ask, “You okay?” She nodded but ignored him so he reached across the table to touch her hand, getting her to look at him. “`M truly sorry. You almost chokin’ to death wasn’ somethin’ I should’ve made fun `f.” Stroking the top of her hand with his thumb, he tilted his head to the side, needing to be sure she wasn’t mad. “We okay?”
She sighed as if annoyed but caved the second she saw the sincerity in his eyes, damn those eyes! “We’re okay.”
Finishing their meal, Buffy excused herself to the ladies room but not before he told her he’d take care of the bill and to meet him near the entrance. After she left the table, he signaled their waiter over, whispered something in his ear and handed him enough cash to cover the bill and then more besides the boy’s tip. The young man nodded his head vigorously and immediately sprinted towards the kitchen.
Spike was waiting for her when she came walking to the front of the restaurant, holding a rather large brown bag in one hand. “What’s that?”
He smiled brightly and put his hand on the small of her back as he pushed the door open. “The cure for your burn, pet.”
“A doggie bag of food?”
“Somethin’ like that.” Laughing at her confused look, he told again, “Trust me.”
~~~*~~~
Back at the hotel………
“I have to what?!?!” she asked when he told her to put her bikini back on and lay down on the bed.
Holding his hands up defensively, he told her, “`S either that or get naked… which, by the way, wouldn’ bother me a bit.” He waggled his brows at her before heading to the other side of the room.
“What are you up to? Seriously?” She watched him open the windows up wide then walk back to the where the brown sack lay.
Pulling two half gallons of cider vinegar from the bag, he explained his plan. “I need you to expose the areas where you’re burned so I can apply this to it. It takes the sting out.”
“Huh? How is something that’s basically food going to do that?” He pinned her with a serious look.
“It will re-hydrate your skin, prevent it from itchin’, blisterin’ and take out the sting. `S a trick I learned from my Mum when I was little and got a right nasty sunburn. Trust me. Now get your bathin’ suit and go change.”
“Fine! But if you pull any funny business…” She let her threat hang in the air while shaking a finger at him.
“I’ll need all the towels before you go into the bathroom. I’ll ring the front desk to bring us more while you’re changin’. Oh, and be sure to clean your face ‘f any makeup, too.”
As skeptical as she was, she complied and handed him what he asked for then grabbed her suit and shut the door behind her.
Spike called the clerk downstairs and informed her he’d need more towels - and why - so the cleaning lady wouldn’t be surprised and was grateful the woman on the other end of the line understood, saying she’d have them sent up straight away. After hanging up, he rapped his knuckles on the door that separated him from Buffy.
“Yeah?”
“Where’s it hurt the most… your burn?”
“All over.” It seemed to feel even worse than it did earlier, making it painfully difficult to get out of her clothes, never mind the agony of putting her bikini back on.
“Okay. Jus’ needed to know how to prepare things.”
He laid two towels across her bed so she could lie on it then pulled a bottle of water from the mini fridge and the plastic ice bucket. Right after he set them down on the side table, a knock came from the main door.
The maid stood there with an armful of clean towels. “You requested these, sir?”
“Yes, thank you.” Taking them from her and setting them aside, he pulled out two fifty dollar bills. “`S gonna reek bad in here once we’re through and so will the comforter.” He gave her one of the bills and held up the other to make another request. “Would you be so kind as to come back in say, ohhhh, a half hour? I think it would be best if I left everythin’ the vinegar has touched outside the door so you could pick it up and take it straight to the laundry room. Wouldn’t want any complaints from the other guests `bout the stench.” Handing her the other fifty when she replied ‘of course’, he closed the door as she walked away.
By the time Buffy came back out, she was caught off guard. First by the strong aroma and second to see Spike had changed back into his shorts… sans shirt. She crinkled her nose, thankful for the stinky distraction of the half naked man. “Ewww!”
“Come on, Goldilocks.” He patted her bed. “You’ll get through it and it won’ take long. Jus’ lay down.” He wanted to laugh at the way she cautiously approached him, like he was going to pounce on her. Lord knows he wouldn’t mind if the bird weren’t in such pain.
She did as he asked, noting that the towels she laid on were cold and wet with vinegar, causing her to shiver.
“Nothin’ I can do `bout the temperature. Sorry, pet.”
She watched as he doused the remaining towels in the acidic liquid and carefully folded her entire body up like a tortilla, save for her face. The fumes alone were starting to make her cough and she had to breathe out of her mouth when asking, “How come the stench doesn’t bother you?”
He took several tissues, since they were much softer than a washcloth, and dipped them in the ice bucket that held a ratio of one part vinegar to one part water. “We use it as a condiment on our potatoes in England. Don’ mind the smell as much as you yanks.” Wringing them out as best he could, he moved to sit by her side and brought them up to her face.
“Oh no. You are not going to-”
“Stop bein’ so bloody stubborn,” he interrupted. “I diluted it so it won’ be as strong. Now hold your breath.”
“But-”
“Or don’, your choice.” Leaning forward, he began dabbing her face with it, smirking when she finally shut her gob. He made quick work of it for her sake then moved the bucket to the bathroom and dumped it in the sink. When he came back, he resumed his spot by her side and inhaled deeply with his eyes closed. “Mmmmm, you smell good `nough to eat, luv.”
“Uhmm, ewww!” She scrunched her nose in disgust.
He shrugged. “`S a compliment.”
“I smell like a Caesar salad. How is that a compliment?” As he leered at her, she knew she shouldn’t have asked.
“Nothin’ I like better than to tuck into some...” His eyes swept over her body, stopping to focus lustfully at her hips. “Fish and chips.”
“God, Spike!” she cried. “That’s... you’re so......... DISGUSTING! Do you ever have a single thought that isn’t related to sex? Wait… don’t answer that. Just tell me how long I have to stay like this and why there’s another full bottle of vinegar?”
He let out a hearty laugh before answering both questions. “At least five more minutes. The other bottle is for your bath water to soak in right before you go to bed tonight. You’ll sleep better without the friction of your sheets irritatin’ that burn.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say to that.
Once those five minutes were up, he came over and gently unwrapped her from the towels, telling her to stand up, wait until the vinegar had dried from her skin completely on its own then she could get dressed. “I’ll take care of cleanin’ up the mess while you do.”
“I can’t rinse it off?”
“Not unless you don’ want it to work. Don’ worry, the smell will evaporate from your skin as well. Now after you take a bath later, you can rinse off.”
“Ughh,” she complained while grabbing some clothes to change into and headed for the bathroom, flicking the switch to the fan on after closing the door.
To Spike’s amusement, the vinegar had seeped completely through her blankets and sheets. And though he had a feeling he might be paying to replace the mattress, he couldn’t help the wicked smile that curled his lips when thinking Buffy would have to share his bed. Yes, she’d be outraged and true, she would probably break his arm if he tried anything, but to sleep with her again, to ‘accidentally’ put his arm around her… It would have to be enough and hopefully prove to her she could trust him despite the constant sexual innuendos and teasing. `Course if she can’ keep her hands to herself, who am I to deny her?
Dumping everything outside in the hallway, he came back in, closed the windows and turned the air conditioner up. That’s when Buffy walked out of the bathroom, gasping at seeing her bed stripped and a huge wet spot decorating it.
“Oh-my-God!” Running over to it, she didn’t have to bend down to smell the vinegar still emanating from the mattress. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath then looked at Spike.
“You could sleep with me tonight,” he offered with as much innocence lacing his voice as he could muster while holding his breath for her response.
“So not gonna happen.”
Bugger! Her stubborn streak was so bloody frustrating as she stood there with her hands on her hips and a look that clearly said where he could stick his suggestion.
Picking up the phone and ignoring his questioning look, she asked housekeeping to bring up a complete set of clean bedding, because they’d had an accident. She would have blamed Spike for doing this on purpose but knew he was probably just as surprised as she was. Not so surprised he’d try and take advantage of the situation, though. As if I’m going to sleep in the same bed as him. Her body visibly shivered as she recalled waking up in his warm embrace.
“You cold?” he asked. “I can turn the AC down.”
“Ah, yeah, a little.” Fibber, a voice in her head retaliated at the lie.
~~~*~~~
After Buffy’s bed was re-made – a few towels spread out under the sheets to cover the wet spot - she laid there watching a movie while Spike sat up reading.
He hadn’t said a word to her in what felt like hours which should have made her happy, but instead only served to confuse her. Sure, he was still in the same room, but it was like he wasn’t there and isn’t that what she wanted anyway? A little space, a little time away from him, some silence? Yes, yes, she did, so why did it bother her that every time she spared him a sideways glance he never once acknowledged her? And why can’t he put a shirt on? She wanted to ask him to, but that would have earned her some off-handed remark she didn’t want to deal with.
Looking at him for what felt like the fiftieth time, not that she could help herself, he was just so… disturbingly handsome. Whenever he turned a page or readjusted his posture, she watched the play of muscles as they rippled beneath his skin in total awe. No one should be that fit, that… perfect. He must be one of the seven deadly sins come to life… temptation. Er, no, that wasn’t one of them. There was pride, envy, greed, gluttony, lust, a-ha! Lust. That’s him to a ‘T’. Wait, no! Bad Buffy, she reminded herself, lusty thoughts about Spike?!?! So off the list! It didn’t help matters either to know how smart he actually was and the fact he’d selflessly taken care of her tonight when he could have just laughed and said ‘I told you so’. He’s evil, he has to be.
Turning back to the television, she noticed the movie had ended. As she took in a breath to sigh, she noticed she could still smell the vinegar. She sat up and sniffed her arms to see if it was her but she couldn’t tell. Damnit! It was going to be hell sleeping tonight with the disgusting odor lingering in her nostrils.
“Somethin’ the matter, pet?”
“I think I still stink.”
“Which reminds me, since `s gettin’ late, you might wanna take that bath soon.”
Checking the clock on the nightstand, she knew he was right. They had to get up bright and early tomorrow in order to catch their flight back home.
“Be sure the water is tepid, not hot, then dump the entire bottle in and soak for at least twenty five minutes.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she groaned at the thought of being immersed yet again in vinegar, but at least she could rinse off under the showerhead this time.
Watching her get up to grab the bottle and drag her feet towards the bathroom with a sullen expression on her face made him feel bad for her, but he knew she’d thank him tomorrow for making her do this. He heard the water start running before she poked her head out to talk to him.
“Spike?”
“Yeah, pet?”
“Is it okay if I use something on my skin?”
“Like what?”
“My vanilla bath oil? Please?”
So tha’s what makes her smell so delicious. “Only after you finish soakin’ and rinse off.” He definitely couldn’t say no to that!
“Thank God!”
Waiting until she’d retrieved her oil, disappeared in the bathroom and heard the lock click in place could he take his growing frustration out on his aching cock by having himself a good wank. He’d hardly read but a few pages tonight and wasn’t able to concentrate very well on them at all, not with the feel of Buffy’s eyes on him. Oh, he noticed alright, had even seen her lick her lips a couple of times when she didn’t think he was looking. Was she teasing him or testing him? Either way, he was near the breaking point of just going over to her bed, tearing her clothes off and having his wicked way with her.
Thankful to hear her start humming in the tub, he pulled his shorts down over his hips and took hold of shaft, giving it a couple of long pulls, his mind drifting back to this afternoon and how sexy she looked.
Her legs in those candy pink shorts, her puckered nipples in that bikini, the wet, glowing image of her walking towards him as the sun set… It didn’t take long before his strokes became frantic, hand a blur of motion; eyes screwed tightly shut, brow furrowed, breathing labored though he remained cognizant of keeping quiet. He came fast and hard; lifting his head to watch rope after rope of semen hit his stomach, wishing Buffy’s mouth was there so he could coat her throat, paint her lips with it.
As his orgasm subsided, he slowed his rhythm, strangling the last bit of cum from his cock to dribble a thick, lazy path over the ridge of his helmet and onto his fingers. His head hit the pillow and he closed his eyes, still tugging lightly on himself while getting his breathing under control.
Reluctant to move but knowing he had to clean himself; he used a handful of tissues on the nightstand, balled them up and threw it in the trashcan nearest him. Now he needed some sleep, now he could get some sleep. He quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants, turned off his light and crawled under the covers to lie on his side, facing Buffy’s bed.
~~~*~~~
Forty minutes later, Buffy emerged from the bathroom to find a sleeping Spike despite the TV still blaring in the background. Tiptoeing over to her bed, she pulled back the covers and slid inside before reaching for the remote, knocking it to the floor accidentally.
“Have a nice bath?”
She jumped a mile when she heard the deep rumble of his voice. “Uhmm, yeah. Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.” The light from the TV bathed his face in a blue light as he looked at her, accentuating the sharp angles of his face while making his eyes appear a deep sapphire.
“You didn’,” he assured her, it was the enticing aroma of vanilla that roused him as he was just drifting off. “And you can leave the telly on if you want. Doesn’ bother me.” He’d watched her move about silently as if mindful not to wake him and found her consideration bloody adorable.
“O-okay. I’ll turn it down though.” She forced herself to look away from him as he continued to stare at her, a half asleep, half amused look on his face. Laying on her side while looking at the TV, she glanced at him one more time to find his eye’s still fixed on her.
“G’night, Buffy,” he whispered.
“Night, William.”
~~~*~~~
Buffy tossed and turned throughout the night, the stink of vinegar ever present and so strong it kept waking her. Some time after two AM, she finally gave up. There was no sleep to be had with the acidic sting in her nostrils. Please dear Lord, do not let me regret this decision. Getting out of bed, she went over to Spike’s, whispering his name.
“Spike.” No response. “Spike.” she said a little louder, this time getting a response.
“Yeah?”
His voice sounded so groggy she felt guilty for rousing him. “I can’t sleep in that bed. The stench is too strong.” There was a short bout of silence before he suddenly flipped the covers down.
“Get in.”
“Thank you,” she sighed with relief, hoping the bed hadn’t made her stink. And since he had his back to her, she felt it best to lie on her side as well, facing away from him.
Unfortunately, this didn’t last long. Her prayer was not only ignored, it was thrown back in her face in less than an hour.
She woke in the middle of some weird, random dream and needed to reposition herself to get back to sleep. Instead of moving, however, her body went rigid when she found herself cuddled up to Spike. He was lying on his back, the arm nearest her outstretched, the other resting lightly on his stomach. And that wasn’t the worst part. She was the one sidled up against him with her hand on his chest and head on his shoulder.
More than a little freaked out she was responsible for this predicament and not him, she very carefully raised her hand up, placing it on her hip. As she slowly raised her head and began backing away, the movement must have stirred Spike in his sleep, triggering him to unconsciously turn towards her to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her in close to rest his forehead against hers. Oh-God, oh-God, OH-GOD!
It was obvious he was still asleep from the sound of his breathing pattern to the steady beat of his heart she felt where their chests made contact. Now she was stuck… stuck waiting and watching his face to be sure he remained deep in slumber before making a second attempt to get away.
It didn’t work out that way for her either. Her body was so tense as she tried to hold still that she couldn’t keep from trembling, which after a minute or two, must have woken him. His lids fluttered a few times then opened, though it still took a few seconds before it appeared he was able to focus on her. To Buffy, it felt like an eternity passed as they just laid there staring at each other in silence, like neither knew what to say.
Noticing how she nervously shook in his arms as he gazed into her wide eyes, Spike wasn’t sure how they wound up like this. The fact she wasn’t pushing him away told him it must have been an accident. Thinking as fast as he could to calm whatever fears were causing her to quiver, he spoke first.
“Before you pass judgment or react badly here, I want you to listen to me. Can you do that, please?”
“Y-yes.” Her nerves relaxed a bit from the deep, soothing bass of his voice.
“As people…” he began cautiously, “We need touch for our emotional well-being, right from the time we’re born.” Picking her hand up, he rubbed his thumb lightly across the top in a non-threatening manner then lowered it and let her go. “The closeness from physical contact brings comfort to the soul and mind whether you’re a child or an adult. `S a healthy thing we require as humans.” He paused to let that sink in; trying to read her eyes to be sure she wasn’t shutting down on him or getting defensive before he continued. “`M not goin’ to try anythin’ with you here, I promise. So le’s not overanalyze… this.” His eyes swept between their bodies to indicate what he meant. “Jus’… let it be. For tonight. Okay?”
To say she was stunned was an understatement. This was not what she expected to hear. Not from Spike! But it made perfect sense, he made perfect sense, and the fact he looked her in the eyes as he spoke told her he was being honest. Rather than answer him, she bit her bottom lip and nodded, choosing to ‘let it be’ as he’d suggested.
When she agreed with a tiny nod, he smiled. Tilting his neck up, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead then laid his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes. “Now get some sleep.”
As he purred out his last statement, she took note that he hadn’t called her kitten or pet or luv which funny enough, held weight in her decision to stay in his embrace. When she let out the long sigh of relief she’d held in, she felt him take her wrist and gently lay it across his waist then wound his arms completely around her, pulling her in closer against him. It felt good, felt… nice. And though she wouldn’t be making a habit of this, she let herself just enjoy the comfort he was giving her. Pushing back any attraction she denied feeling in the first place, she subtly nestled into him even closer thinking, what happens in Florida, stays in Florida.
Hopefully everyone had a laugh or two? Lemme know your thoughts if you have some time and again, I’ll answer reviews as I can – gotta keep my man happy while he’s home, *winks*. I’ll post again in approximately two weeks. Hugs you all tight!