A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope things stay interesting, this is just a bit of filler before the plot thickens. Enjoy!

***

Buffy sighed again and Gunn grinned.

"Bored?"

She nodded and hopped off of her stool. "I think I'll go check on things inside, I'm sure you can handle things out here."

He chuckled and nodded. "Go for it. It's dead though, doubt you'll find too much trouble."

She shrugged and ducked inside, hoping for some action to pass the time. Her wish was granted only moments after walking in. Off in the right corner she could see a familiar figure crowding a girl barely old enough to get into the club to the wall. She sighed and got Xander's attention.

"Could you have someone grab Gunn for me?"

He nodded and she headed over to the corner. She tapped the guy on the shoulder, sighing when she saw that he was indeed the same guy whom she fought with the night she got her job at the Bronze.

He spun around angrily. "What?!"

Buffy smiled sweetly. "Remember me?"

The last thing she expected was his fist. As her world went black, she reckoned that was probably a stupid possibility to dismiss.

***

Spike heard them before they reached his door.

"It's not a big deal, Xander. I need to get back downstairs."

"Listen, Buff, I've seen you take some pretty nasty hits, but you were out cold. Kind of scared me actually."

Spike stood and met them at the door.

"What are you two talking about?"

Buffy avoided his eyes for a moment before looking up at him and letting him see the large bruise forming on her right cheek.

"What happened?" he asked softly, his fingers ghosting over her cheek. He pulled back when she hissed and winced and pulled her gently into the office.

"One of our regular troublemakers showed up, took Buffy by surprise."

"I should have expected it. It won't happen again, and it wasn't even that bad this time, I need to finish my shift."

"C'mon, Buffy, we can take care of things for the rest of the night."

She glared at the bartender and sighed angrily. "I don't need you and Gunn to play big protectors. I took a job, I knew the risks, and I'm going to finish my shift." Her voice grew louder with each word and had Xander stepping backward.

"Buffy-"

"Wouldn't you rather stay up here with me and let me nurse you're wounds?" Spike interrupted, stepping between the two and giving her his best sexy smirk.

Buffy turned with a retort on the tip of her tongue before she saw the grin on Spike's face. She melted and nodded before stepping closer to him as he ran a hand up her arm.

"And with that I take my leave," Xander said with a roll of his eyes at the couple before stepping out and closing the door.

Spike pulled Buffy closer to him and kissed her unblemished cheek softly. "Let me get you some ice."

He stepped over to the small refrigerator and pulled out a beer and a small ice pack. "Here you are, pet."

He settled down on the couch next to her and pulled her into his arms. "Are you sure you're ok?"

She nodded. "I've been hit a lot harder than that and survived."

He didn't respond, just held her tighter and she sighed. "This is what you hired me for, remember?"

He leaned back so that he could look at her. "I hired you to do it to the other guys, not let it happen to you."

She shrugged. "I'll be more careful. Is that what you want to hear?"

"If it's really what you plan to do, it is."

"Do you think I enjoy getting punched in the face?"

Spike sighed and pulled her into his lap, rubbing his cheek against hers. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to overreact."

She kissed his jaw and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know, I would probably be acting the same way if you turned up like this. I just hate people thinking I can't take care of myself."

Spike chuckled. "I don't think you need to worry about that. Did you see the way Xander started backing away, you scared the living hell out of him, and that was without violence."

She giggled along with him. "You don't think I'm a big wuss do you?"

"Are you kidding me?" He pulled back and looked at her incredulously. "I can't even talk about this with you. If you don't know by now that I think you're amazing, that I have enormous amounts of respect for you, then we have a few problems."

Buffy sighed. "I know, I just feel weird. I hate not being able to finish off something myself. If that guy hadn't caught me by surprise..." she trailed off, her fists clenching at the thought.

"Got a little tension to work off?"

She looked up at his face and smiled at the look in his eyes. "Why? Got some ideas on how we could do that?"

He stood and placed her back on her feet before walking to the door. "Spike?"

He locked the door and smiled back at her before turning off the main light, leaving only the lamp on his desk to illuminate the room. "Just making sure we won't be interrupted this time."

She smiled and opened her arms, sighing softly when he buried his face in her neck. She pushed him gently until he was sitting back on the couch so that she could straddle his thighs. She pressed her forehead against his and met his eyes.

"I'm sorry I made you worry."

He shrugged. "I should know it's part of the work here," he whispered back before kissing her softly. His hands came to rest on her waist, pulling her closer to him while the kiss deepened. He felt her own hands move up and down his chest, brushing his nipples.

He groaned softly into her mouth before pulling her lower body harder against his and letting her know exactly what she was doing to him. She smiled into their kiss and deepened it further. He pulled back for air and she took the opportunity to attack his neck. He threw his head back to rest on the couch and couldn't help but thrust his hips up to meet hers as she sucked his pulse point.

One hand slid up between them and cupped her breast, kneading it softly, his thumb brushing against her nipple, causing shocks to go straight to her pussy. Buffy rubbed herself more firmly against his hard length before pulling back and running her hands down his chest until they rested on his cloth covered erection.

Spike groaned and squeezed her ass harder, his hips thrusting up to brush himself harder against her fingers. She smiled and leaned down to kiss him before unbuttoning his pants.

He pulled back as her palm brushed over the suddenly exposed head and gasped. "Buffy?"

"Shh, it's ok."

She finished undoing his pants and pulled his fully erect member out of his pants entirely. Both of his hands came back to her hips and squeezed tightly. His cock was already glistening at the head and when she brushed her fingers over it, then licked them off moaning, he had to close his eyes and concentrate everything on not coming.

Her fingers wrapped around him and began to stroke in time with her tongue against his. He gasped and moaned, unable to keep his hips from thrusting himself harder into her hand. In seven years, no one had touched him, and it was beginning to show.

"Buffy.. I.. oh God..."

He buried his face in her neck and reached his hands between them, trying to find the way to undo her pants, but it was too late. Her hands began pumping him quickly, and she reached down to fondle his balls. He felt the blood rush to his groin and threw his head back, his hands gripping her waist tightly.

"Buffy, I'm sorry.. I can't... ohhh hell!" His cock erupted between them, splattering his shirt and pants. He looked down and thanked God that he hadn't made a mess all over Buffy. She stroked him until he was finished and kissed him softly. She smiled at the glazed look in his eyes.

"You okay?"

He grinned goofily. "You kidding?" She giggled and he kissed her. "Let's get me changed and clean us both up and I'll return the favor."

She stood and pulled him up with her. "If I had had any blood left in my brain by the time you started I might have figured out a way to get into those sodding pants of yours."

"The clasp's in the back."

"That's not very conducive to naughty fun.”

They stepped into his bathroom and she washed her hands as he pulled out a new shirt and pair of jeans. “Had I known we would have been getting up to naughty fun after work, I would have worn something more easy access.”

He pulled off his shirt and stepped up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist. “Always assume you need the easy access outfits, pet.” He pressed himself against her back and she was shocked to feel him hardening against her.

“Already?”

He smiled. “I’ve got years to make up for.”

She turned in his arms and he lifted her onto the counter. “Didn’t I say something about making it up to you?”

She smiled. “I think you did.”

He leaned forward and kissed her before sinking to his knees and rubbing his cheek against her inner thigh. “You ready fo-”

Buffy jumped at the sound of the banging on his office door. Spike sighed and hung his head. “Shit. Guess I forgot about the job that pays me.”

She grinned down at him. “You finish getting dressed and I’ll take care of whoever it is.”

He stood and kissed her softly. “Thanks, I’ll be out in a minute.”

***

Once Spike finished up the last of the paperwork and everyone had finished shutting down the Bronze he insisted on driving Buffy back home. She wanted to remind him that she only lived a few blocks away, but after she remembered how he had reacted earlier she let it go. They pulled into her driveway and she leaned over to kiss him. He pulled her across the bench seat and lifted her into his lap.

"Mm.. Spike wait.."

He pulled back and tried to control his breathing. "What is it?"

She ran her hands up his chest and cupped his face. "As much as I'd love to let you have your way with me in your car sitting in my driveway... I have class tomorrow morning, and I don't want Willow looking out to see more of me than you have."

He pouted but nodded and she kissed his pout away. "But," she whispered, pulling back so that her forehead rested on his, "tomorrow night, we're having a party.. well Willow is. It's kind of a dinner/cocktail party thing, and everyone's dressing up and bringing dates. It's for all her super-smart engineering friends, and I'd feel much better about going if you were there with me."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "Of course I'd lov-" He let his head fall back and sighed. "I can't, I'm sorry, pet. I've got Dawn tomorrow."

Buffy nodded and kissed him again before sliding out of his lap.

He reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're not upset are you?"

She turned back and smiled. "I can't begrudge you for spending time with your daughter, though I really wish I could find a way to get out of this thing. This guy is going to be there, and he always hits on me while at the same time making me feel like I'm two feet tall."

Spike pulled her close to him again and she could have sworn he had growled. "Well we can't have that, can we?" She shook her head and giggled as he tickled her sides, trying to think of a way to see Buffy and keep his promise to Dawn.

"Come with us tomorrow."

Buffy stopped laughing and looked up at him. "Are you sure? I mean, should I be meeting her so soon?"

"I don't plan on shagging you in front of the bit, so I don't see how it could be so bad."

"But.. you haven't been with a women since Dru have you? How is she going to take it?"

He shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable though he couldn't tell why. He'd been thinking a lot lately about when to introduce Dawn to Buffy. He didn't see a point in waiting, he felt something very strong for Buffy, and seeing how she and Dawn got along would either intensify what he felt, or cause him to have to let her go. He couldn't see a problem coming up between them, but it was better to find out now, before he truly fell in love with her.

"I want you to meet her," he said softly, looking into her eyes. "You mean a lot to me, Buffy. And Dawn is the biggest thing in my life, so it's important to me."

She brushed a stray lock of curly hair off of his forehead. "As long as you're sure this is what you want, then I want it to. I'd love to meet Dawn, you've told me so much about her, and if you love her that much, then I'm sure I will too."

He grinned widely and kissed her. "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

She nodded and kissed him again, pulling away before things could get too heated. "I'll see you tomorrow, Spike."

"Good night, Buffy."





You must login (register) to review.