Tuesday………
READ THE WARNING ABOVE - ENOUGH SAID
Before arriving at work, Buffy had resolved to make herself seem too busy to engage in idle chit-chat with her co-workers so she didn’t have to put up with any of their fake sympathy, telling her how ‘sorry’ they were she didn’t get the promotion. However, her plans went out the window when Spike suddenly rang her over the speaker phone after only being in her cubicle for a few minutes.
“Mornin’, pet. I need you to bring whatever files you have on the Nelson account to my office.” Spike was anxious to familiarize himself with the company’s clients but even more interested to see what his lovely assistant was wearing today. He knew it would be nothing close to the fantasies he’d concocted the previous day, but was sure she’d give him enough to feed a few new ones.
Picking up the receiver, she spoke with a sugary falsetto. “I’ll get right on that for you, Mr. Giles.” Then dropping her voice to a deadly bass, added, “And the name isn’t pet.” Erghh! He was going to make her life miserable on purpose; she just knew it.
“Got it, luv. Oh, and grab me a cup ‘f coffee on your way in.” Yes, it was good to be boss.
“Wh-” The receiver went dead. “Arghh!” That-that… sonuvabitch! This proved too much for her. What am I, his mommy? He can get his own damn coffee! Being an extremely organized person, she didn’t even have to search before quickly pulling all the material he asked for from her filing cabinet and got up.
His office was at the opposite end of the large, open area of cubicles, making it a long walk she normally wouldn’t mind if it weren’t him she needed to go see. Knocking on his door, she gritted her teeth as she heard his voice bid her entry.
“Come in.” As she entered, his breath caught in his throat at the lovely vision before him. Beautiful! Simply beautiful. A form fitting, below the knee red skirt like those of the sixties, a long sleeved white blouse, hair pinned neatly back in a French twist… she looked like a librarian. The kind he had dreams about. Except for the scowl on her face when she threw the reports on his desk, never offering him a ‘hello’ or even a glance of acknowledgment.
“And my coffee?” That made her head snap in his direction. To his credit, he suppressed a chuckle at the look of outrage on her face.
“What am I, your slave?”
“Hmmm, my slave? I don’ usually use the word delicious, but tha’s a right delicious thought, luv.” He felt the heat of her green eyes boring into him and bloody hell if it didn’t excite him!
“Let’s get a few things straight right now, Mr. Giles. I am not your secretary, your gopher or your slave. I’m your assistant,” she ground out. “So I suggest you get it yourself because if I have to bring it to you... you’ll be wearing it.” She quickly spun on her heel to leave.
“Wait-wait, wait a minute.” Turning around to face him with a hand on her hip, he couldn’t help but adore the flush of anger in her cheeks.
“What?” Tapping her foot impatiently, she wondered what he was going to ask for next, a binky and a blanky perhaps?
“I appreciate the fact you have your own work to do, but I could really use your help.” She looked at him as if to judge whether he was being honest or not. “Please. I need you to brief me as to where we stand with this account.” He pointed to the folders she’d flung at him.
“Fine.” She was already taking a seat on the couch when he’d gestured towards it.
“Just a mo’. I’ll be right back.”
He shed his dark grey suit jacket then headed for the door. Her eyes unconsciously drifted to his retreating form, her head tilting in appreciation of his lean, muscular body and the expensive slacks that didn’t hide the perfect contours of his buttocks. Stop that! she scolded herself. However attractive he was, he was too young, irksome, cocky and on top of all that, he’d stolen her job. Liam may consider him an asset, but she felt he was off by two letters.
Wearing a smile and carrying two mugs when he came back, he walked over and handed her one. He hoped this show of kindness might soften her cutting attitude and produce a truce between them.
“Here. Wasn’ sure how you take it, so I added some cream and two sweeteners. Hope tha’s alright.”
He proceeded to drag the coffee table closer to the couch, set his cup down then retrieved the folders off the desk before sitting down next to her. Crossing an ankle over the opposite knee made his legs spread wide enough that his thigh was flush against hers. She instantly shuffled away from him, but the small piece of furniture left little room for avoiding contact so she crossed her leg in the opposite direction from him. And why did he have to smell so good? The nicotine she picked up on right away but it was overpowered by the scent of... his shampoo? Maybe it was his soap or after shave or was it cologne? It was probably a combination of all the products he used that made it seem like he’d just stepped out of the shower. She blushed at the thought of him stepping out of a shower. His close proximity and scent was making her normally unshakeable nerves a bit frazzled. She was rarely so close to a man that she could actually smell him and here she was in a position where she’d have to remain for God knows how long. Snap out of it, Buffy! You hate his guts, remember?
“You expect me to drink this?”
He noticed her looking skeptically at his peace offering. “You think I did somethin’ to it?” He cursed at her accusing stare. "Oh, for Chris' sakes!" He took it from her, drank some then handed it back. “There. Satisfied now?” She wrinkled her nose in disgust and made it a point to turn the cup around, taking a sip from the opposite side. However cute she looked doing it, he rolled his eyes at her childish behavior.
“I don’t want to catch anything,” she defended herself. “God knows where your mouth has been.”
He knew exactly where he’d like to put his mouth. It made the blood between his legs boil as he thought about kissing her, learning her taste, feel her warmth as she responded, discover what made her tremble as he lowered his lips down her body. He quickly squelched the image from his mind. She may act like she didn’t welcome his attentions, but it wouldn’t last. He had all kinds of time to figure out what made the feisty blonde tick and when he did, she’d be begging for another go.
He threw the arm nearest her over the back of the couch, causing her to jump. She scolded herself for allowing him to get to her on any level and tried to disguise the involuntary movement by snatching up the first report, busying herself with scanning it as he loosened his tie.
“Now then. Where do we sit on this one?” he asked, fully prepared to be bored to tears. He easily could have read it for himself, but the chance to sit so close to her was worth it. The light scent of vanilla that came from her was driving him crazy, a good kind of crazy he enjoyed.
For nearly twenty minutes, he listened as she went over the particulars about the unsecured account, occasionally asking key questions to which she had a ready answer or solution to the problems surrounding the high profile company they wished to land a deal with. By the time she finished he was more than impressed. Her knowledge went beyond what lay on the papers she pored over; it was her ideas when discussing a strategy for securing their business. The fact she’d done her own research, had her own set of ‘informants’ that provided hidden information is what had him gob-smacked. Her plans were bloody brilliant and he couldn’t help but wonder why Liam hadn’t given her this position instead of him. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, he knew the reason why Liam made him VP and it had nothing to do with or against Buffy, but setting that aside, he couldn’t help but reevaluate his opinion of his ‘assistant’, thinking that together, they would make a formidable team.
“What do you think, Mr. Giles?” He hadn’t said much during her speech aside from a few ‘mm-hmm’s’ and a couple of questions.
“I think-” he began carefully. “-what I’d like is to have you bring every file you have on all the potentials and clients we’ve lost and brief me like you did with this one.” Good one, mate! Now he could have her all to himself… all day long.
“You do realize I have my own workload?” It would take all day and probably most of the next to go through them properly… something she did not have time for. “I have deadlines that need to be met.” He nodded knowingly at her.
“I can get your deadlines extended or reassigned to someone else. As your boss,” he added for good measure so she understood he had the authority to free up her schedule.
“I’d rather you not.” The arrogant way he said it, as if he already had his mind made up and was telling her rather than asking had her fuming. She hated the fact he held that kind of power over her and if he chose to exercise it, she’d have no choice in the matter and would be obligated to work more closely with him. God, that was the last thing she wanted, needed... being made to work for hours on end with the very pervert who had the job she rightfully deserved.
At his questioning look, she decided to lay her cards on the table. “Look, Mr. Giles I-”
“Call me Spike.”
“Spike.” God that charming smile of his was annoying. “Since it’s not in my nature to lie, let me just say I don’t think it’s such a good idea that we work together any more than we have to.”
“And why’s that?” He smirked as he tilted his head, fingers resting beneath his chin, awaiting her answer.
“Because everything about you rubs me the wrong way.”
Amused, he chuckled lightly. “There are other ways I can rub you, pet, that I’m sure you’d find… very right.” And bloody hell but he longed to do just that!
Her jaw dropped at his audacity, but she quickly recovered. If this is how it was to be, then she would fight fire with fire. “If you think for one second you’re going to intimidate me or get away with sexual harassment, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Do I?” he challenged. “Intimidate you?” After her reply of ‘not in the least’, he asked, “You gonna run and file a complaint `gainst me?” If she did, he knew Liam wouldn’t do anything about it. If Buffy chose to complain, Liam would most likely suggest replacing her.
And Spike had no intentions of doing that.
He had no plans of imposing anything on her other than a few sexual innuendos here and there. It was unthinkable to use his authority to make her have sex with him. No, she’d have to want it… and he’d make sure that she did! No woman had ever resisted his charms and she wasn’t about to be the first. It might take him a little longer and he may have to work a bit harder to achieve his goal, but he was nothing if not persistent.
Buffy knew it’d be her word against his if she cried sexual harassment and that in the end, nothing would be done about it. But living here in the big apple, he wasn’t the worst she’d ever dealt with. Granted he tried her patience and the fact he was her boss would undoubtedly make life difficult, but she could live with it... after laying a few ground rules first.
“If you continue acting like this, then you better prepare yourself for the consequences.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Be warned, Mr. Giles. Whether you’re my boss or not, I won’t hold my tongue.”
“Was hopin’ you’d say that.” He sat back and grinned wickedly. “Whatever you care to start with that tongue of yours... I jus’ pray you’re woman `nough to finish.” Oh, he definitely liked her spunk. All the verbal sparring matches he imagined them having would feel like foreplay. If he got under her skin often enough, she just might cave and sleep with him in an effort to put an end to it all. Angry sex, when two people loathed yet longed for each other made for the best shag imaginable in his mind. He had no doubts whatsoever she was attracted to him either. Most women were and she was no different, her body language gave it away.
“I’ll finish, alright, but I doubt you’ll like the end result.” She made a show of chomping her teeth together.
He slid a thumb inside the front of his pants and spread his fingers over his groin. “I don’ mind a li’l nibble... if you don’?” He slid his eyes down her body and licked his lips.
She stood abruptly, closed her eyes and raised both hands. “And a huge ewww to that.”
“Don’ knock it `til you try it.”
“So not going there.” Picking the files up, she stood, having had enough of this. “If you don’t mind, I have things to accomplish.”
“Actually... I do.” This had been fun but it was time to get back to business and assert his authority. Affixing a serious look to his face, he spoke matter-of-factly. “I want you to walk that pretty arse of yours back to your desk and get those files I mentioned so we can discuss them.”
“Excuse me?” she asked in disbelief. “You can’t read them for yourse-”
“It isn’ a request.”
God damnit but she hated being constantly interrupted by this man. “Ooooh, I get it. This is where you decide you’ve had enough and go back to being my boss. Ordering me around?”
“It is.” He smiled through his condescending tone. “And since you’re beneath me, I suggest you do as you’re told.”
Arghh! The man was insufferable! She had a few colorful metaphors ready to let fly from her lips when someone knocked at the door and Spike said ‘enter’.
“I’ll see you back here in less than five, Miss Summers.” He nodded curtly at her as Snyder walked past, saying his good mornings to both, eyes buried in his own paperwork he’d brought.
‘Fuck you’, she mouthed to him from behind Snyder’s back to which Spike merely smirked.
“Make that three minutes... and I’ll see if I can… fill that request for you later.” Snyder sat on the couch, eyes still glued to his work, affording Spike the perfect opportunity to lick his bottom lip seductively at her and wink.
~~~*~~~
Spike was enjoying himself immensely as he spent the entire morning sitting next to the spicy blonde goddess, watching her lips move as she elaborated on each account, giving her opinion whether he asked for it or not. Buffy was a go-getter, driven, just like him. And the more he listened to her ideas, the more convinced he became there wasn’t any account they couldn’t land if they worked together. True, it wasn’t his style to have a partner whenever he went outside the office to meet with clients, but he could admit there was more to be gained by including her. He considered himself lucky that not only did he have a competent and intelligent assistant, but a totally shaggable one at that.
Beauty and brains. A desirable yet deadly set of qualities in this particular woman. Desirable when it came to business, potentially lethal to his ego when it came to the pursuit of her person. Sure, he preferred girls who didn’t play hard to get but he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge either, especially if he felt it was worth the effort. And his gut instincts were telling him she would be more than worth it since she’d managed, however unknowingly, to only make him want her more. And so what if he had a few ulterior motives disguised in the form of work? Success was the name of the game... and his game as well.
He checked his watch when he heard her stomach grumble. “Feelin’ peckish, luv?”
“Peckish?”
“Hungry.”
“You heard that, huh?” She blushed and clutched her belly.
“Didn’ realize what time it was, sorry. Le’s say we go grab some lunch. Yeah, pet?”
“No... thanks anyway.”
“Why not? You’re hungry, right?”
“Because you and I are strictly business associates,” she said as if that were explanation enough, but at his blank look she added, “While sometimes I do lunch with the company’s clients and my female friends, it’s a rule of mine never to do so with a co-worker of the male variety.” Especially not a skirt chasing pig that just got out of diapers!
“`S jus’ lunch, not a marriage proposal.” He gestured between them. “You’re hungry, `m hungry, we go somewhere to eat then come back to work.” He watched her stand and begin gathering the files they were finished with.
“And again… thanks, but no thanks.” Her arms were loaded as she went to the door and fumbled with the handle.
“Wha’s your problem?” She was back to being snotty and he hadn’t done or said anything to deserve it, he just about sulked.
He practically breathed the question down her neck as he leaned around to end her struggle by opening the door for her. She stepped out before turning to answer him. “Did it ever occur to you that I might need a break?”
He leaned a shoulder against the door jamb and slid his hands inside his pockets. “If memory serves me, lunch is `bout takin’ a break from work.”
“Not from work. From you.” He looked stunned right before his jaw tightened in an angry expression. “I’ll be back in one hour.” Turning her back to him, she left him like that.
“Hold on there, Goldilocks.” And didn’t she keep right on walking away from him? Yeah, he was a bit surprised and upset over this unprovoked attitude of hers but then again, she proved to be difficult right from the moment they met. “Tha’s alright,” he muttered to himself as he watched the sway of her hips until she disappeared around the corner of a partition. “We’ll be spendin’ all kinds `f time together. Very soon.” He made an executive decision right there and closed his door, prepared to make a phone call to set things in motion. Miss ‘Just Plain Buffy’ was in for a surprise.
Still with me even if the road might be a tad bumpy? Don’t worry about Buffy, she doesn’t take Spike’s shit, she gets her digs in on him thru the whole story, trust me, *winks*. Have a fab week everyone.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
WARNING: Let it be known that Spike is a womanizing ass in this story, there will be sexual harassment in the workplace issues that will be addressed BUT from a different standpoint and not to be taken seriously as I do not condone real cases of it. As for the Spike/other & Buffy/other, it’s in here but nothing even remotely graphic whatsoever…. cuz ewww! If any of these RL issues offend you, I strongly urge you NOT to read. Please enjoy the update and my thanks go out to Dusty273 and Sotia for all their help – I love you guys, you’re the absolute best - kisses. And a personal thank you goes out to galatea for her emails of encouragement – hugs you tight sweety.