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You Have to Love Her by Sandy
 
Chapter 4
 
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"Hey, Buffy."

Buffy stopped on her way out of Prof. Walsh's class. Riley Finn was bearing down on her with a warm smile on his face.

"Sorry I had to leave you last night. I was enjoying our conversation."

"Oh that's okay, Riley. Turns out I had to leave the party early myself. Uh, family emergency."

"Oh, I hope everything's all right now," Riley said voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, it'll be okay. No biggie. Thanks though." Buffy turned to leave the classroom, but Riley placed a hand on her arm.

"Uh, Buffy, I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to get a coffee or something tonight."

Buffy looked up into his earnest All-American face and felt...nothing. God, why was it one glance at razor-sharp cheekbones and bleached-blond hair caused her entire body to quiver, but an hour staring at this wholesome face left her cold?

Smiling politely Buffy said, "Thanks, Riley, but I'm kinda tied up tonight. Maybe some other time."

"Oh, sure," Riley replied, feeling uncomfortable. "Just let me know." Smiling weakly, he nodded to Buffy and returned to his desk to sort through the papers that had been turned in that day.

****

"Oi! Rupert! How about turning on the telly. Gotta be somethin' worth watching on," Spike's voice whined. Giles was fairly certain that if Buffy did not show up soon, he would stake the irritating little twit and tell Buffy he had escaped. Surely he could vacuum up the dust before Buffy arrived.

Luckily for Spike, Buffy opened the door and entered the townhouse. She was aware of tension even as she passed over the threshold. "Giles?" she called out. "I'm here."

"Thank God, Buffy." Giles appeared from upstairs. "I've just about reached the end of my rope with that one. I'm going out for a bit. You can watch him."

With that, Giles vacated the apartment with an alacrity that bordered on the undignified.

Buffy looked over at Spike still tied to his chair. Sighing she walked over and began to undo his bindings. "Did you have to do everything in your power to piss off Giles?" she asked.

"Well yeah, pet," Spike answered. "It was right boring sitting here tied up with nothin' to do. Had to make my own fun didn't I?"

Buffy stood up as the last of the ropes were loosened. Spike reached out, grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap before she even realized what was happening.

"Thanks for the blood, pet," Spike murmured. Lowering his head, he nuzzled at her neck, wafting gentle puffs of air into her ear.

Buffy felt as if her nerve endings were enflamed. A tight ache began between her thighs and she squirmed on his lap. Spike moved his mouth from ear to cheek to chin and up to brush gently across her lips. His left arm held her snugly on his lap while his right caressed her thigh.

Buffy found herself tilting her head back allowing him access to her neck. Taking advantage of her acquiescence, Spike nibbled and licked his way across her collarbone and back up to her earlobe.

Buffy was panting now. Aware of his erection pressed against her bottom, she wanted nothing more than to surrender to his touch. But a voice inside of her was screaming that this was wrong, that she should not be making out with a vampire in her Watcher's home.

Somehow finding the strength to resist, Buffy pushed aside Spike's restraining arms and jumped to her feet.

"Damn it, Spike, I told you we weren't going to go there. What happened last year was a one-time thing. You agreed! Quit trying to...to seduce me."

Spike merely looked at her. Standing up and adjusting himself, he stated baldly, "Things haven't changed much since last year, Buffy. I still want you. You still want me."

"No..."

Spike took a rapid step to her and grabbed her arms tightly. Giving her a sharp shake he growled out, "Yes! Whatever this is between us, Buffy, it hasn't gone away. I came back because I couldn't stop thinking about you. Dreaming about you. I want you, Buffy. I want you back in my bed." Softening his words and his grip, he pulled her stiff body up to him. "Let me love you again, Buffy. It would be so good. You know it."

Buffy lowered her head until her forehead rested against his chest. "I can't, Spike. Don't you see that? It's wrong, it's wrong, it's wrong." Buffy's voice was an agony of despair. Its sound tore at Spike's heart. Gathering her into his arms he gently shushed her. "It's okay, Buffy. I'm not going to force you. It'll happen in its own time." Pushing her back from him he tilted her head up until she was looking at him. "And we both know it's going to happen again."

Buffy felt tears gather in her eyes. Damnit! She didn't want to have this creature as her lover. She didn't want to want him as desperately as she did. She didn't want to compare every single boy she met to him.

Pulling away from him, she wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "We need to talk strategy about these commando guys."

Spike stared at her for a bit and then nodded his head. He would let her go for now. God knows he wanted her, but he could wait a little while yet for her to come to him willingly.

***

When Giles came home, it was to a rather disturbing sight. Buffy and Spike were sitting side by side on his couch watching TV, a bowl of popcorn on Buffy's lap from which the two were snacking.

It was entirely too cozy a scene for Giles' peace of mind.

They looked up as Giles entered the room, greeted him and then returned their attention to the television. Curious as to what it was that so held their attention, he felt surprise as he realized it was a soap opera. He had never known Buffy to watch soap operas; she had even teased her mother over her devotion to "Passions". In fact, it appeared to be "Passions" that they were watching.

"This is bloody brilliant," Spike said. "You ever watch this, Rupert? Got a witch in it and that little boy there? Is a doll. Brilliant."

Giles just shook his head and asked, "Did you get anything useful from him today, Buffy?"

"Uh, yeah. He gave me a general idea as to where he came out when he escaped the lab. I'm going to try to find the place today when I go back on campus. Then I'll make a more thorough search tonight after patrol."

"Well if you do find something, Buffy, for God's sake do not enter that facility on your own. We still don't know what we're dealing with and I don't want you to do anything rash."

Buffy just glanced at her Watcher and nodded agreement. She didn't really plan on just barging into the place, but if the opportunity presented itself, she would try to take a good look around. Any information they could gather would be helpful. And it was Buffy's job to gather it.

***

Buffy looked around in frustration. Nothing. Nada. Zip. From Spike's description, the exit should have been somewhere in this general area, but nothing looked disturbed. He had said that it was a trapdoor-like device covering an air vent and that it had opened up right out of the ground. You'd think, she thought in frustration, that there would be torn grass at least. But there was absolutely nothing that she could discern. Heaving a sigh, she decided to go back to the dorm. Maybe tomorrow night she'd bring Spike with her. If he were actually with her, then he could point out more accurately where the spot was.
 
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