Spike saw her again the next morning, sunning by the pool in white bikini. She was wearing sunglasses and had her arms stretched out over her head. The position made her back arch and drew attention to her perky breasts. Spike was torn between stomping over and tossing a towel over her and going back to his room for a cool shower. He didn’t do either of those things, but he also didn’t walk over to say hello. He figured Buffy had made it clear the night before that she didn’t want to take a trip down memory lane. Sighing, Spike headed to practice early.
Oz chuckled when he got there and Spike rewarded him with a scowl.
“Looking good, Pratt.” Oz teased dryly taking in Spike’s rumbled appearance and dark sunglasses.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Charles, the group’s drummer, laughed loudly. “It was that bartender, right? Looks like she ran you through the courses pretty damn good.”
Spike tried to ignore him.
Oz spoke without looking up from his bass. “Saw her leave with one of the waiters.”
Charles turned back to Spike. “The little blonde? She looked pissed. How did you pull that off?”
“I didn’t pull anything off. Just got a bloody headache. Can we just get this done already so I can shower before that thing tonight?”
Practice did not go well.
Buffy spent a couple of hours at the pool, grabbed some lunch, got her nails done and then headed back to the cabin to get ready for that evening’s special activity. The ship was going to stop at a tiny uninhabited island. There would be a big picnic and campfire and then everyone would come back onboard before the ship headed towards the next stop. Buffy had decided that she was done letting Spike Pratt ruin her fun. She was going to have the time of her life if it killed her. She chose a pink dress with spaghetti straps and a flirty skirt. She couldn’t wear a bra with it, but the top fit loosely and a few minutes looking at her image from different angles in the mirror convinced her that the lack of coverage wasn’t noticeable. She took the time to flatten her hair despite the humidity and pulled a couple of sections from the top into a clip. Pouting slightly, she slipped on a pair of flip-flops. Heels were sexier, but even her desire to make sure that Spike regretted not taking the chance with her he had once had wasn’t enough to make her think they were a good choice for walking around on a sandy beach. Her make-up was lighter than the night before, but carefully applied nonetheless. She considered taking her purse, but not having to pay for anything was a perk of taking a cruise and there wouldn’t be anywhere to check her make-up on the island, so she left it on her bed.
She really wasn’t surprised to spot Spike sitting on a stool, playing guitar, surrounded by smiling woman. He’d always had his pick of girls. She’d found that surprising at first, most of the girls at school didn’t seem to mind his tomcat ways, but she’d long since accepted woman were helpless against his pretty blue eyes and sexy smirk. Walking by, she heard a couple of lines from the song he was singing and recognized it as The Rainbow Connection. She couldn’t even blame the girls for being all misty-eyed. She’d once seen him end a gig with a rock cover of What a Wonderful World; there hadn’t been a dry-eyed girl left in the room.
She headed over to the makeshift bar the cruise staff had set up and ordered a Mai Tai. After she finished that one, she ordered a second and while drinking that one she met some frat boys celebrating spring break and ended up joining them for a couple of shots.
During college, Buffy Summers’ friends discovered that she could not hold her liquor. Unfortunately, that had not changed. Well past the point of being tipsy, she found Spike chatting with a girl. Jealousy, which she knew she had no real right to feel, bared its head and its teeth. She marched over and stopped beside the girl. “I hope you have a condom. Spikey here, gets around.”
Spike’s jaw dropped. He stared at her incredulously for several seconds before walking away from the girl he’d been talking to without a word and following Buffy along the path in to the jungle. His long stride had him beside her within a moment. “What the hell was that?”
She laughed. “Oh come on, Spike. It was just a little joke.”
“You’ll excuse me if I don’t find the suggestion that I’ve got a diseased prick very funny.”
Buffy shrugged and moved to walk away.
“What happened to you?” He shook his head sadly.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, same girl as always.”
“Well, I suppose I forgot then that you were a bitch.”
Buffy turned to stare at him wide-eyed. “Me?”
“I don’t what know what you think I did to you, pet.”
“Nothing. You’re right, you didn’t do anything.” Buffy walked deeper in to the jungle.
Spike followed. “I’m gonna need a bit more than that. What is this?”
“Nothing, geesh. I’m sure you can find another girl willing to play hide and seek with your…penis.”
“I’m not trying to…my god, Buffy. I’m working!”
Buffy stopped. She turned slowly and gazed at him with wide eyes and pale skin. “You charge now?”
It was Spike’s turn to look horrified. “Bloody hell! Where is this coming from? I’m the entertainment…standard singing and playing entertainment, nothing to do with my prick, thank you very much.” He shook his head. “Part of the gig is keeping the guests happy. The band can’t play since there’s no electricity, so I play a few acoustic numbers and chat up the birds.”
“Oh.” She stumbled turning back around and continued to make her way along the path.
“Where are you even going?” Spike asked, stomping along behind her.
“Just taking a walk,” she said just as the low, hanging leaf she’d just tried to swat away smacked her in the face. “And you weren’t invited.”
“Have you been drinking?” Spike asked, trying to hide his amusement while she attempted to keep all things green from touching her.
“I’m on vacation. My vacation, that I earned and I’m…I’m having the very best time of my life and your…stupid.” She turned to show him a comically large smile when she claimed to be having a great time.
“I take that as a yes, then.” He chuckled despite himself. She’d just accused him of being a hooker, a sex diseased hooker, and he couldn’t help but find her adorable.
“What?” Buffy turned around and put her hand on her hip. “Why are you ruining all my fun?”
Shaking his head, he sighed. “Not tryin’ to ruin anything. Just don’t want you to break your ankle stalking around out here by yourself. Look, it’s gotten dark. We should head back.”
“You should.”
“Buffy.” Spike sighed. “I’m not gonna just leave you out here by yourself.”
“Stop treating me like I’m a child. I’m a woman. I’m all grown and…grown!” Her fists clenched at her sides. More than anything, Buffy just wanted to be alone. She knew she had made a fool of herself, but she just couldn’t seem to stop. The plan had been to look cool and uninterested, but instead Buffy knew she was coming off like a jealous schoolgirl. She planned to have a good cry when she got back to her cabin.
“Then stop acting like one and walk back to the beach with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you!”
Spike wanted to leave. He really wanted to simply turn and walk away, but he couldn’t. Every time he thought about it, images of Buffy hurt and alone filled his head. He worried she would fall, get bit by a snake, or that one of the jock types he’d seen her drinking with earlier would find her all drunk and take advantage. That thought made his jaw clench. He spoke through his teeth. “Turn around and walk to the beach or I swear to god, pet, I will pick you up and carry you back there myself.”
Buffy watched his face for a moment. “Fine. But when we get back, I hope I never see you again.” She brushed past him angrily and started following the path back towards the beach.
“Brilliant! I’ve sure as hell spent plenty of time in your company for this lifetime.”
Twenty-five minutes later, they were standing on an empty beach and staring at a ship that had already left. Hopelessly, they both ran to the dock shouting.
Buffy yelled herself hoarse. She jumped up and down and waved her arms.
After a few minutes, Spike stopped her with a hand on her arm. “They can’t hear us, love.”
Buffy turned to him angrily. “This is all your fault.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to Dawnofme for the lovely and inspiring banner, thanks to spuffy_wonder for the challenge and big thanks to SanityFair for all her help beta-reading. *Hugs* As always, all mistakes are my own and I still do not own Whedon's characters and use them only for fun. The story is mine though and is completed! (Yeah, I'm excited to say that.) I will post a chapter each Saturday and Wednesday until I run out.I love reviews-so leave me some. Bossy, right? But seriously. ;)
Chapter End Notes:
So...what do you think?