Upon arriving at work, Spike headed straight for the break room while Buffy walked into their office to drop her briefcase and coat off. By the time she went to get her own mug of java, she stopped in the doorway to see Spike standing in close proximity to a leggy brunette who had her back to Buffy.
At first she felt that familiar tug of annoyance she’d held for Spike all weekend resurface but quickly squashed it down. After all, what did she care if he was smiling flirtatiously as he chatted away with the woman? Judging from their hushed conversation, the brown haired girl’s tiny giggles and the fact she handed him a small piece of paper which he casually slid into his pants’ front pocket, well, it was pretty clear what he was doing.
Buffy cleared her throat to alert them to her presence then strode towards the coffeemaker, noticing the other woman stand up straighter as if caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to, saying ‘I’ll see you later’ to Spike before leaving the room.
As Spike turned his attention back to grabbing some sugar and a spoon, Buffy couldn’t keep herself from making a snide comment. “So, I see brunette is the flavor for this week.” When his gaze landed on her, he had the gall to rake his eyes heatedly up and down her body in open appreciation before his sultry tone filled her ears.
“Gentlemen prefer blondes.”
Pig! “Brunette it is then... since you’re no gentleman.” She slammed the mini-fridge door shut and strolled towards the door, stopping dead in her tracks when he questioned her.
“Envious pet?” Turning around and walking back towards him, she confidently positioned herself right in his personal space, making him - for once – a might bit nervous.
“You so wish.”
Boy was her answer ever so calm it was eerie, but he wanted to have the last word in this conversation. “Le’s say, for the sake `f argument, that you were… what would you do?” Shrugging, she answered him as if bored.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Really,” he stated as if unconvinced. “And why’s that?”
“Because that’s what you are to me, Spike. Absolutely nothing.”
And there went having the last word as the object of his infatuation exited the room, leaving him speechless and – surprisingly – feeling genuinely wounded… on a personal level.
Spike suspected that this morning would have gone pretty much like Sunday had, with Buffy being courteous but far from talkative. Except now she was back to ‘business only’. The incident with the brunette apparently brought back the green eyed monster in his girl and reaffirmed his belief that she wanted him. Happy as he should be, her spiteful assessment of what he was to her left a lasting sting and an even stronger desire to get back on her good graces.
Unlike other women he’d known who made an effort to get his attention focused back on them, jealousy seemed to have the reverse effect on Buffy, making her shut down tight and be verbally malicious when goaded. Tha’s jus’ it, mate. She’s not like other women you’ve known… or gone after. He felt like a right git, having forgotten that fact, and as it sunk in - really sunk in - it had a significant impact on him.
Like her hot and cold moods, she had a tendency to see things as either black or white, but… however rare or few, she did have moments where she hung out in the grey. Perhaps if he concentrated on that, capitalized on the hazy middle when it was present, he just might stand a chance with her.
Once lunch time rolled around, Buffy grabbed her purse and coat, saying she’d be back in an hour.
On the elevator ride down to the ground floor, it stopped midway to let more people on. Only it was just one person, one Angel O’Connor with his suit-jacket slung casually over his shoulder by two fingers, wearing a blank expression. As soon as he saw her, however, his face instantly brightened.
“Nice to see you again, Buffy. How’re you?”
“Same old, same old I suppose. And you?”
“Couldn’t be better, thanks. You-ahhh… going to lunch?”
“Yup.” She rocked on her heels, feeling a little uneasy. Not in a bad way, more like how she felt around Spike whenever they were alone and physically close and ughh, I shouldn’t even be making that comparison. But she had to admit Angel was a handsome guy with those chocolate brown eyes, boyish grin and wow but he had some serious muscles going on with those broad shoulders, wide chest, barreled biceps bulging beneath his white dress shirt. It was a shame she had to tell him no to having lunch when she first met him.
After a few seconds of silence, he decided to try his luck again. “Is there… any way I could maybe… change your mind about going to lunch with me?”
With a half smile, she shook her head in the negative. “Sorry. It really isn’t personal, believe me. It’s just a rule I have. I don’t do lunch with any of the men who work here.” He sighed dejectedly and looked down at his shoes in a gesture that seemed somewhat ‘practiced’. Relax, she told herself. Not everyone is as sly and manipulative as Spike. When he finally raised his eyes back to hers with a sad look in them, he asked her a question in a soft, even tone.
“Would it make a difference if I told you I was a lesbian?”
“Wh-what?” The wink and subsequent smirk he threw her made her start to chuckle. She definitely didn’t see that one coming or imagined she’d actually find what he said so funny.
“I’m just trapped in a man’s body. A true tragedy if you ask me.” Oh yeah, now he had her doubling over. Kill them with comedy and they just might let you in… for the kill.
Buffy was wiping her eyes they were watering so badly from laughing. When she was finally able to compose herself, she put a hand on her hip and tilted her head to study him for a minute. “I still stand by my rule, buuuuuut……… I might say yes to dinner.” She could scarcely believe herself when she actually said it. But he was cute and funny and, well, she was nine years overdue for a date and dinner was innocent enough, right?
“Well then, Miss Buffy Summers-” he coughed nervously. “-may I take you to dinner tonight?”
Quirking an eyebrow, she asked, “And why tonight?”
“So you don’t have a chance to change your mind?”
The shy, boyish smile as he looked down and shifted his feet like an anxious teenager made her grin. It was refreshing to see someone as good looking as he was acting so fragile while awaiting her answer. “I guess that would be alright.” His head shot up in surprise.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Th-that’s wonderful, I… What time can I pick you up? Oh-er, I’m sorry, that was too forward of me. You’d probably rather meet me somewhere… am I right?” Though I might have to insist on driving you back to the office in the morning… just to show Spike I had you first! Just picturing the young buck’s face when he saw them arrive together was enough to make this more than worthwhile, aside from the sex of course.
Yup, definitely a shy guy underneath it all. “It’s fine. I’ll give you my address and you can pick me up. Is seven a good time?” She pulled out her business card and pen to begin writing on the back of it.
“S-seven is fine, perfect.” He took her card just as the doors opened to the lobby. Letting her out first, he gave her a little wave and she smiled back at him before going her own way.
As she tucked her pen back in her purse, the one Spike had given her; she had to stifle a small giggle when thinking of him. When she first met Angel, it hadn’t escaped her notice that Spike didn’t seem to care for him at all. But she didn’t even think about it when giving Angel her address. It would be interesting to see how Spike reacted when she told him… no, it was probably best not to tell him. It was none of his business anyhow and it wasn’t like they were on speaking terms at the moment. And I guess he’ll figure it out when Angel shows up to get me anyway.
A twinge of anxiety suddenly gripped her chest. What if she’d just made a bad decision? True, she hadn’t exactly broken her rule, but having dinner with a guy from the same company she worked for made it feel like a fine line she shouldn’t be crossing. The last thing she needed was for things to go well with Angel for some time and then if something happened - and things eventually went sour, well… I’ll talk to Cordy when I get back. She was much better at the whole dating thing plus she missed talking to her since Spike had moved her into his office.
~~~*~~~
As soon as Buffy got back from lunch and found Cordelia, she dragged her into the ladies room, checked for any feet under the stalls then locked the door once she was sure they were alone. She paced back and forth, explaining her ‘ordeal’ while Cordy primped, freshening her makeup as if not even listening. By the time Buffy finished, her friend turned to face her, a sarcastic look on her face to accompany her response.
“Not seeing a problem here, Buffy. I mean hello? He’s totally hot and you’re… well, not hotter than me but I say go for it. You can’t worry over something that hasn’t happened and really, it’s just dinner, it’s not like you’re marrying the guy.”
“You think?”
“I don’t think, Buffy, I’m Cordelia Chase, I know. And if he happens to be the one, just think of the diamond you’ll get out of the deal. I mean, he’s rich, smart, handsome and did I mention rich?”
“I don’t care about that sort of thing.” Cordy looked at her as if she’d grown a third eye.
“Then feel free to toss him my way because you can’t live off how much a man makes you laugh.”
Buffy chuckled at that. Leave it to Cordy to think in terms of her purse. “Okay-okay, I’ll go.”
“Good,” she chirped. “And afterwards you can tell me just how big his-”
“Please, oh please do not finish that sentence.” She rolled her eyes in disgust.
“Jeez, I was going to say bank account, thank you very much. God! Anyway, stop being such a stranger and do let me know how it goes. Oh! And please be sure to wear something from Versace. You can never go wrong there. Remember, you’re going out with a rich, sophisticated man, not Peter Parker from Accounting.”
“Versace. Got it.” Then Buffy got to thinking. “You wouldn’t wanna, maybe, go shopping with me after work, would you?” Cordelia’s face instantly brightened at the idea. “We haven’t really talked in a while, and… well, there’s something I-I, really sorta-kinda need to share with you. A woman to woman thing. In total confidence,” she added to convey the gravity of her message.
“Oooooooo, do I smell juicy gossip coupled with spending? I am so there. Five PM sharp, you come get me and we’re leaving together for Saks.”
~~~*~~~
Fortunately for Spike, during his lunch break, he passed by a shop that gave him an idea to make amends with Buffy. After making a quick purchase, he went straight back to the office, waiting for her to return. When she did, he could only hope her penchant for chocolate would buy him enough of her attention to say what he had to say and set things right.
“Buffy, I, uhmm…” He watched her take her coat off and sit down, all while casting him a weary glance as if to say ‘here we go again’.
“What is it, Mr. Giles?”
So we’re back to that now, are we? Ignoring her sarcasm and formality, he leaned over from his chair to set the small box on her desk and pushed it with one finger so it was in front of her.
“`S for you.”
Without even looking at him, she opened it to reveal the gourmet sweets inside. “Look, I appreciate the gesture, but can we skip past the bullshit and have you tell me what it is you really want?” Besides, she would have thought he’d figured it out by now that she couldn’t be bought!
“For God’s sake, woman. `S chocolate, not a bloody diamond!” She really irked him sometimes, but he tried to control his anger for the sake of achieving his goal. “Fine,” he huffed. If she wanted it that way, then he’d give it to her straight. “I really am very sorry for what happened on Friday. I never meant to upset you, honestly. I jus’… I can’ stand you actin’ the way you have… with all the bloody ‘Mr. Giles’ shite and… I want us talkin’ again. Like we usually do.” He considered saying ‘please’, but he wasn’t going to beg, he had his pride after all.
As she watched him stumble through his apology and fight the temper she knew was brimming beneath his exterior, she smiled. It was obvious he couldn’t take it when someone was angry at him or gave him the cold shoulder. Just like a little kid.
“`S all my fault, I admit it, but I didn’ disrespect you on purpose, I’ve jus’… I’ve jus’ been on my own for so long that `m not used to thinkin’ `bout how my actions affect others. I swear to-”
"You know what?” she interrupted him. “Forget about it, Spike. You have your life and I have mine. We laid the ground rules for living together and that's what's important."
“Yes, yes we did. So can we drop the Mr. Giles crap and-and… get back to normal? Me Spike, you Buffy?” he asked, pointing a finger between them.
She almost laughed at the caveman like statement, but suppressed it. Picking up a white chocolate decorated with red liquid drizzled in a zigzag pattern, she popped it into her mouth and nodded. “Okay. Back to normalsville… Spike.” She gave him a half smile when his shoulders visibly slumped with relief.
Thank God. If she wasn’t being so bloody stubborn about what happened, he’d love to spoil her rotten, take her away from work, spend the day at MarieBelle's in SoHo and personally hand feed her each and every treat they had to offer. Then again, feeding her… with his fingers… so close to her mouth? He had to adjust himself when his cock responded a little too eagerly to the image. Probably not the best of ideas, mate.
~~~*~~~
Cordelia made quick work of their shopping for Buffy, being the fashion expert she was, and in the meantime received an earful about her friend’s living arrangements with Spike and all the things he’d said and done to her.
“How is it you have not one but two gorgeous rich guys after you, with swoon-worthy accents I might add, and I have none?” she whined. “I mean, I’m all with the hotliness here and yet the only attention I’ve gotten so far this week came from the mail boy and some dweeb from the Finance department. This is so unfair. What do you have that I don’t?”
Buffy knew what she wanted to answer her with, but refrained, realizing it wouldn’t be in her best interest if she wanted to get any advice. “I don’t know what to say other than I never asked for any of it.”
“Well, if things don’t work out with Angel, you certainly have another hottie that’s ready to jump your bones and… now that I think about it, why haven’t you yet?”
“Uhmm, maybe because he’s my boss and my roommate? I don’t need the kind of daily uncomfortable-ness that would result from having a one night stand with Spike.” Despite their friendship, she’d never told Cordy of her embarrassing past, romance-wise.
“Excuse me? What makes you think that’s all he wants?”
“I don’t know what you mean, other than I’m sure he wouldn’t mind using me when it’s convenient or he can’t score somewhere else.”
“You are waaaaaaay more clueless than even I gave you credit for.” She rolled her eyes at her friend’s foolishness.
“Ah, be kind, rewind?” What the hell is that supposed to mean?
“From everything you’ve told me, that’s not all he wants from you. It might appear that way, but not to me.” And apparently even he doesn’t see it either.
“Huh?”
“You’re blind, Buffy, and you forget I know you. You only see what you want to see and I am so not going to be the one to tell you because all you’ll do is deny it.”
“Cryptic much?” But Cordy dropped the subject when her eyes landed on…
“Oh-my-God! Look at this dress! It’s perfect for the company ball coming up and this one here,” she pulled out a deep red colored evening gown. “This Vera Wang is so you. C’mon, we may as well get them both while we’re here. That will leave you with about an hour to get ready for your date.”
“Ughh, I really don’t want to go to the ball.”
“You have to. Your position alone requires that you do. Plus hey, good excuse to get all dressed up.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Like I said, I’m Cordelia Chase, I know things and I’m always right, too.”
~~~*~~~
Spike didn’t find it unusual that Buffy came home after he did, she almost always worked late. What he couldn’t understand was her dashing past him, several bags in her hands without so much as a ‘hi, I’m home’, especially since they were supposed to be back to ‘normalsville’ - as she’d so eloquently put it.
He heard the shower start running, also not a strange occurrence, but after fifty minutes, she still hadn’t come out. Shrugging her odd behavior off, he went into the kitchen to start dinner when he heard a knock on the door. Walking over to open it, his eyes went wide then narrowed into slits when seeing the last person he ever expected to be at his doorstep.
“William?” Angel asked in confusion.
“Angelus? What are you doin’ here, or more importantly, how did you find out where I live?”
“You live here?”
Twin expressions of bewilderment painted both men’s faces.
“Yeah, wha’s it to you, pillock?”
This was better than he ever expected, so much better. “I’m here for Buffy.” She never said anything about having a roommate, much less that it was Spike, but he supposed she’d explain it to him since it was obvious she wasn’t with him.
Spike’s brain went numb for a split second before his blood began boiling in his veins. No way was he going to allow her to leave until he’d had a talk with her about the ponce. Slamming the door in Angelus’ face, he turned around to go find Buffy, except she was already walking into the living room wearing a sexy black dress that clearly suggested she was going out.
“Was that Angel at the door?”
“Yeah, it is. You wanna explain to me why the bloody hell he’s here?”
“Jeez, attitude much? What does it look like he’s doing here?” She scowled at him, feeling like a victim of the Spanish inquisition with his interrogation.
“Judgin’ from your clothes, looks like you’re goin’ out with him and I thought one of our rules we agreed upon was never to bring a date here.”
“It is. And we’re not staying.” She approached the door and opened it with a smile. Angel opened his mouth to say something but Spike forced the door shut with another loud slam before the other man could utter a word.
“My God, Spike! Could you be any more rude?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, a frown marring her features. Good Lord, she was a grown woman after all, much older and wiser than he was.
“I don’ like this Buffy.” If she only knew who she was dealing with! To hell with that, he was going to tell her anyway.
“Good thing it doesn’t matter to me what you like. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She barely opened the door two inches when Spike forced it shut… again.
“Buffy! You-”
“Be right with you, Angel,” she interrupted Spike in a pleasant voice to reassure her date before wheeling on the platinum blond with fire in her eyes, hissing at him in a hushed tone, “What-is-your-problem?”
Grabbing her by the shoulders, he ignored her indignant huff and pulled her further away from the door to explain. “You don’ know Angelus like I do,” he started, his voice low and deadly serious. “His only goal is to get in your pants.”
“Oh, and yours isn’t?” Yeah, right! Angel had been nothing short of polite to her, unlike Spike.
“`M serious, Buffy. You have to trust me on this.”
“I’m only going to say this once, so pay close attention. Just like it’s not my business who you choose to whore around with, it’s none of your business who I date. And who said I was going to sleep with him, anyway?” Who did he think she was? Harmony? She scoffed inwardly. She was not that easy or to be quite frank, easy at all.
“Don’t. Sleep with him, that is. Jus’… don’, okay? Promise me. Please, Buffy?”
Wow, he genuinely seemed worried, but her anger overruled any reaction she may have had otherwise to the concern written on his face. “I’m a lady, Spike. I don’t sleep with men on the first date or even the fifth, so you can relax. Now if you don’t mind, I’m leaving.”
And what choice did he have but to let her go? He stared after her until she was out the door, cringing as he heard the low sound of the couple talking and then Angelus’ laughter slowly fading the further they walked away.
Spike paced the room back and forth, panic and anger blending in a maelstrom of other emotions he couldn’t define; his agitation too strong for him to stay still. She said she wouldn’t sleep with him and it should have made him feel better, but Angelus… Suffice to say the wanker had his ways, every man did, and his way was trickery. She’d never see it coming until it was too late.
After ten minutes of walking from the living room to the kitchen and back for what felt like the hundredth time, he knew he couldn’t sit still. He had to do something to occupy the time while she was gone. Oh, he’d be waiting up for her alright, but for now… for now… Going to his bedroom, he fished out a piece of folded paper from his work pants and grabbed his cell phone.
A good shag is what he needed right now, yeah, tha’s it. And making the pretty brunette he met this morning scream his name would definitely take his mind off Buffy.
Or so he thought.
