It poured that night. The quick drop in temperature had set off a fierce thunder storm and the sound of the wind knocking things about outside made me all the more glad I had gotten that tricky window closed. It took two of those guaranteed to work fire-starter logs, but I had finally managed to get a small fire going. It was nice. The dry heat and flickering light made the living room feel very cozy, so I settled on the couch with a throw, a book and a cup of hot cocoa. The rain pounded loudly on the roof and I hoped Maggie was inside.
I was two chapters in to a romantic mystery I had found during my shopping trip with William and completely caught up in the suspense of a well-told story when I heard a knock on my door. I jumped and shaking my head, laughed at my own startled gasp. I couldn’t imagine anyone had come for a visit in the middle of the storm and figured it was probably just a branch. I was just about to reopen my book when I heard another knock. Worried whoever it was would be getting drenched, I ran over and threw open the door.
“William!” He was soaked. Grabbing his arm, I pulled him in and pushed the door shut behind him. “What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
Water dripped from his hair and from the tip of his nose. His eyes seemed bluer than normal. I stared at them for several seconds before realizing that he wasn't wearing his glasses. He stared at me with his jaw clenched. His breath came in quick, short bursts as if he’d been running or fighting.
“Are you…” I didn’t even know what to ask. He looked angry or hurt, but I didn’t see any injury. The water had plastered his black tee shirt against the muscles of his chest and stomach. My eyes found the sliver of bare skin between his shirt and pants and my mouth watered. I realized suddenly, William was not just cute. Those baggy clothes were hiding a whole lot of sexy. I tore my gaze away from the front of his pants, which was definitely a spot worth looking at and focused back on his face. The black shirt made him look more pale than usual or maybe, I thought, it was just that he was cold. My fingers itched to touch the side of his face, so I clenched my fists against my sides. “William?”
If anything, he was breathing even harder, his voice strained. “I need to know, Buffy.”
I felt my forehead wrinkle in confusion. “What do you—”
I didn’t get to finish my question. Fast as the lightning that flashed outside my window, he grabbed my upper arms and kissed me. Hard. I was stunned. My knees went weak, but his hold on my arms was so tight I couldn’t have fallen. His lips pressed against mine with an almost bruising force, and when his tongue swiped at my lips, he tasted like whiskey.
He pulled back just as swiftly. I blinked up at him dazedly as I took a step back to gain balance. “Wil—”
“Was that…acceptable?”
I might have laughed if he hadn’t been staring at me quite so intently. “You mean was it a good kiss, or was it okay that you kissed me?”
“Yes, both.” He sounded out of breath.
“Yes.” The time for resistance was over. I cupped his face in my hands and pulled him back to my mouth. He seemed startled at first, but he returned my kiss. I reveled in the taste of him and in the perfect shape of his lips. I realized this had been inevitable. It didn’t matter whether or not I was looking for it and even whether I was ready; William was irresistible. He was that perfect piece of Swiss chocolate even the most dedicated dieter accepted with a smile. Somehow, he had snuck in under my radar. I’d been sure I could keep him firmly planted in the friend zone. He shuddered against me and I knew I had never wanted anyone more.
The desire was almost painful. Every nerve ending in my body was on edge waiting for his touch, but he kept his hands at my shoulders. I reached down and grasped the cold wet hem of his shirt. I pulled it up past his stomach before he suddenly stepped away. His eyes darkened, they were ocean blue instead of their normal, sky on a sunny day hue. I almost yelled out; I just wanted to touch him.
“Buffy, I…”
“I wanted to touch you.” I thought it and said it, no filter.
His head fell back slightly as though my words had the same physical impact as a punch to the gut. “You—” His nostrils flared and he stared at me with wide eyes. I knew he wanted me; I had no idea why he had moved away, but I could see his desire. I took a step toward him but he backed up to maintain his distance. I groaned. He’d marched in like he was going to ravish me, now it seemed he wanted to play hard to get. His mouth opened twice before any words came out. Finally. “I’ve never…”
I was confused for a second. I shook my head, but the fog only thinned slightly. “You mean the whole on vacation thing?” I haven’t either, but it will be okay.” I reached for him again and he backed himself into my door.
“No.” He shook his head and looked up at my ceiling. “I’ve never.”
That is when I finally figured it out. “You’re a virgin?” Surprise dampened my arousal but not fast enough. I was still nowhere near clear thinking, and I hadn’t kept the incredulity from my tone. He’s a grown man; surprised doesn’t even cover it.
William didn’t look at me. “I should go.” His hand settled on the doorknob behind his hip.
I knew I’d hurt his feelings; I just needed a few minutes to process then I could have been all sensitive and stuff. I grabbed his arm. “Stay.”
He looked at my hand on his arm. “Why?” He spoke so quietly, I barely heard him over the noise of the storm.
I tried to think fast. I just didn’t want him to leave. “We can watch a movie or something, I…”
He gave a couple of harsh puffs of laughter. It sounded more like choking. “I’ll go.”
My head finally cleared enough to understand; he hadn’t stopped because he didn’t want me, he’d stopped because he didn’t think I would want him. I was a little surprised that I still did. I’d never been with a virgin. It had been years since I’d even considered the possibility of being with guy who was one. I looked at the way his hair curled behind his ears and at the tight muscles of his stomach and was awed. How the hell was he still a virgin? The baggy clothes weren’t that fine a cover. I tightened my grip on his arm. “Stay.”
William turned slowly to look at me. “Why?”
I took a quick gasp of breath and heart pounding, tried again. “I want you in my bed.”
His hold on the doorknob loosened and he looked at me with a bewildered expression. I wondered if he was going to ask me why again. He didn’t. He just stood there looking like he might turn and run at any moment. My nerves tempted me to talk, but I didn’t know what to say. I had already been bold, bolder than I had ever been before. I’d handed the ball to William; all he had to do was make the play. I’d even preapproved the play.
He brushed his hair back with a few jerky motions and exhaled loudly. “I can see your breasts through your shirt.”
Huh? I looked down at my tank top; it wasn’t see-through, but it was snug and I wasn’t wearing a bra. Given the full on alert state of my nipples, I supposed he was getting an eyeful but still…
“Before too, when I came by. I should have said something.”
He meant yesterday I assumed, when he had come by to see if I needed anything from off-island. “Because it…bothers you?”
His expression said that I was clearly insane.
I pulled his hand up and placed it on my breast. Keeping my hand over his, I looked up at him. “Do you want to touch me, William?” It was siren’s question, but my voice was shaky. I was used to being seduced. I had stepped uneasily into the leading role and felt like I was flailing.
“Oh god, yes.” He inched closer and brought his other hand up to touch my cheek. “But you’re so beautiful.” He shook his head and then leaned in to kiss me again. It was a gentle kiss, more like a taste than the feast he’d presented earlier. “I thought…”
“What?” I rubbed my lips against his cold chin.
“When it seemed like you were—interested—I thought I was losing my mind.”
The hand against my breast moved slightly, and I gasped at the feeling of his palm against my nipple. I laughed softly. “Are you trying to say that you’re crazy about me?”
He smiled and watched his hand cup my breast. “Yes.”
“Good. You are making me want to do all sorts of crazy stuff too. But first, we should really get you out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold.”
His thumb circled my nipple. “That’s just a myth.”
“Then can we take off your clothes because I want to see you naked?”
William’s head came up, and he looked at me with mixture of surprise and amusement on his face. He glanced back down at his hand one more time before stepping back and pulling his shirt off over his head.
Hot. It was my only coherent thought for at least ten seconds. I bit my lip and swept my gaze over the long lean muscles of his torso. “I could lick you all over.” Again, I had spoken without filtering. It was starting to become a problem. It’s not that I didn’t mean it. Cause seriously, William equals lickable. I was just worried that I might scare him away if I kept blurting out my every thought.
“Oh.” He grasped the back of my head and claimed my mouth for another devastatingly thorough kiss.
I slid my arms around his waist and rubbed my hands against his lower back. Stepping closer, my toes touched the shockingly cold tops of his shoes and I gasped. I pulled away and ignored his immediate look of panic. “Seriously William, take off those shoes, and come over by the fire before you turn into an ice cube.” I walked in to the living room, took a seat on the couch and watched as he bent to loosen his shoelaces before stepping out of his shoes. He pushed his socks off as well and stood before me a moment later barefoot and bare-chested. I grinned. “I ought to make you take your pants off too; you’re going to get the couch all wet.” Yeah, I know; I left myself all kinds of open to an array of dirty jokes there.
William didn’t take the bait. He just dropped down on the couch beside me and pulled me onto his lap. “Cheeky little girl.” He kissed my lips and nuzzled a spot behind my ear with his nose. “Always teasing, you’ll drive me out of my bloody mind.”
I giggled.
“Love that sound. It makes me wonder if you’re ticklish.” His fingers ghosted a tickle trail up my side and I flinched. He laughed. “Is that a yes, then?”
I stopped his query with a kiss. I could still taste the whiskey on his breath. “You were drinking.”
He chuckled and gave a sheepish shrug. “Three shots of liquid courage, though I probably stood outside long enough to process at least one of them.”
“So, I don’t need to worry about whether or not I’m taking advantage of you in an impaired state?”
He used his teeth to pull on my earlobe slightly. “Very funny, love.”
“You must have been saving it for something, William.” It had occurred to me that he might be religious, like training for the priesthood religious. I wanted him. Bad. I just didn’t want to be the one that tore him from his path, if he was on some kind of path.
He froze.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
This is the second posting of this story this week, so make sure that you have read the last chapter before you read this one. As always, I'd like to give big thanks to SanityFair for being a brilliant Beta and to my bf, Jhuntnifer, for being my test reader even though she doesn't really understand the power of high cheekbones and pretty blue eyes. ;) Thanks to pixiecorn for the story art :) Please remember to tell me what you think-also I am loving hearing your predictions so keep those coming!