Author's note: Enjoy! :)

Beta'd by very talented dawnofme and Mabel Marsters.


Chapter 10


Willow fidgeted with her hands, fighting the urge to flee. Or teleport, in her case.


“So… umm… the spell. I… yeah…”


Buffy just stood there gaping like a fish and Spike rolled his eyes.


“Oh, for God’s sake. Came to fix it then?” he asked.


“I t-thought so. But I can… you know… come back later.”


Buffy’s eyes widened. “No!”


“Eager to get rid of me, are you, Slayer?”


She glanced at Spike over her shoulder and her gaze softened when she noticed the slight insecurity in his expression. “No, I’m not. But it’s kind of annoying not being able to pee without you two feet away.”


Spike chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger for a moment longer than necessary.


“So, you’re all… with the togetherness?” Willow asked. “I mean, I did tell you to be nicer to Spike but…”


“We’re not. I mean, I don’t know. It’s all so… new. He’s not that annoying when you get to know him.”


“Hey!”


Buffy ignored Spike’s protest and wrung her hands together as she looked at Willow. “You don’t hate me now, do you?”


“What? Of course not, Buffy. You know I’ll always love you. You’re my best friend. Besides, kinda dated a werewolf and now Tara, so it’s really not my place to judge.”


Buffy sighed in relief and went over to Willow, Spike forced to trudge behind with a grimace on his face at the feminine display of affection when the girls hugged . They could at least make it look sexy.


They parted and Willow asked, “Should I tell Giles?”


“No--I’ll tell him myself. And I can already see him cleaning his glasses. He’ll probably be really wigged.”


“He’ll get used to it,” Willow said with a sympathetic smile. “I should probably take those DNA samples from you now. I’m here on borrowed time.”


Willow took a hair from each of them and put it into a little plastic bag. “I’ll let you know as soon as I reverse it.”


They hugged for the last time, Spike wishing he had his pack of smokes on him then Willow fixed Spike with what was probably supposed to be a threatening expression.


“You hurt her, Mister, and you’ll be eating crackers with Amy.”


“Eh… alright.”


Willow grinned. “See you guys in six weeks!”


Then she went poof.


Buffy groaned. “Not exactly how I wanted her to find out.”


“Look on the bright side, pet. At least we weren’t starkers.” Spike grinned and pulled her back to rest against his chest, circling her waist with his arms.


“Yup, there’s that. What do you want to do, anyway? The sun is still up so going out would be a big no unless we want you all extra crispy.”


Spike smirked and kissed her shoulder. “There are ways to… amuse ourselves while we wait.”


“Like Scrabble?”


“Yeah, that’s what I had in mind,” he answered sarcastically.


“Oh I know… truth or dare!”


Spike groaned and she giggled.


“Minx.”


“You better get used to it.”


“You know… that’s not such a bad idea. The truth or dare game.”


'Oh, the things I can dare her to do. The Slayer has no idea what she’s just gotten herself into.'


“Really?” She turned in his arms to face him and noticed his suspiciously innocent face.


'He is so not fooling me. Probably scheming how to get me naked the quickest way he can.'


Spike bit his lower lip and smiled. “Yeah.”


******


“You didn’t have to pay for the pizza, you know,” Buffy said as she took a big chunk out of her slice.


“Well, I certainly wasn’t gonna let you pay for it. What kind of man do you think I am?”


“Umm… a vampire? One that constantly hits Giles up for some cash?”


“Yeah, but still… I take care of the woman I… kiss.”


“Will you take me to France, Blondie Bear?”


Spike groaned and took a bite of his own extra spicy slice. “You’re evil, Summers.”


“I know. I’ll go first… truth or dare?”


“Dare.” Seeing the mischief in her eyes, Spike wondered if he shouldn’t have chosen the truth instead. Then again, knowing Buffy, he probably didn’t need to be afraid--what with her being such a goody two shoes.


“Hmm… I dare you to call Xander and tell him you have been secretly in love with him. And you can’t--in no way shape or form--let him know that I made you do it.”


“What? No fucking way. Come on, luv… I could sing or do a head stand… or paint your nails.”


Buffy shook her head and handed him her cell phone.


'Evil bint.'


“Do your laundry for the rest of the summer?” he asked hopefully. Buffy seemed to consider this, but shook her head again.


“Nope. Not worth it. But thanks for the tip.”


“I hate you,” Spike said pitifully, as Buffy dialed Xander’s home number and handed him the phone.


After a few rings, Xander picked it up. “Hello?”


“Umm… I love you!” Spike blurted out. Buffy was clutching her stomach as she fought to get in air while she laughed hysterically, muffling the sound with a pillow.


“Spike? Is that you?”


“No! No sir… I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He tried to do an American accent, but Xander didn’t seem to eat it.


“Look, man… I appreciate it and all, but I have Anya.”


Spike wanted to shut the phone but Buffy snatched it out of his hand. “You have to say you’ve been secretly in love with him, not just that you love him.”


Spike sent her a glare and took the phone back. “Right. I’ve just wanted to tell you that all those times I called you a wanker, I’ve been secretly in love with you. And we will never mention this again.”


“I’m flattered, really. I mean, you are mysterious and well muscled, but… You know, I knew you wanted to have sex with me that night when you were tied to my chair!” Xander said, and Anya’s voice came muffled through the speaker of Buffy’s cell phone. Xander’s voice sounded distant as he said, “Just Spike, Anya. I’ll be there in a sec.”


“Yeah, right. Sod off.” Spike shut off the phone, but not before he heard Xander say. “Sheesh, someone handles rejection well.”


“You know, Slayer, I don’t think I can top the humiliation you’ve just put me through.” Spike collapsed on his back and pouted as Buffy chewed on her pizza. “And I think the git has a crush on me. He thinks I’m mysterious and well muscled. Not that I blame him, but I do feel dirty now.”


“Uh huh. Man up. Besides, it’s your turn. And before you ask… truth. No way I’m gonna choose dare and let you make me do something creepy.”


“Truth, eh? Alright.”


'I’d like to know how you feel about me.' Spike grimaced at suicidal thought and finally asked, “My question is… I want you tell me your favorite childhood memory.”


Buffy gazed down at him in astonishment and put her pizza slice back in the box. Her hair fell around his face as she leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips. “You keep surprising me, Spike.”


She straightened up and furrowed her brow. “So, a happy childhood memory… My Dad. He used to take me to the Ice-Capades, and I’d always feel so special because he was usually at work. He’d take me and make me feel like I was the most important thing in his world. He took me every year, until… Well, he and Mom started to have problems and he didn’t have time for me anymore. Or didn’t want to find it. I wanted to be an ice skater for a while. Pretty lame, huh?”


Spike turned to lie on his front and propped his chin upon his folded arms. “Not lame. Cute. But maybe you could give me your Dad’s address. Wouldn’t hurt to give him a scare.”


Buffy smiled. “So… my turn. And anyway, what’s with the serious question? I thought you’d ask me something embarrassing.”


“Oh, don’t worry. I’m definitely saving that for later. I just wanted to know more about you, as Buffy, not just the Slayer part, which I fancy myself knowing pretty well. And I choose truth… feel free to ask anything naughty, pet.”


“I want to hear the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you.”


“Oh come on, luv. I can make even embarrassment look hot.”


“Spike,” Buffy whined. “Just one? Please? Even you must have done something awkward.”


Spike rubbed his face and sighed. “Alright. And this never ever leaves this room, you understand?” Buffy nodded somberly and listened in anticipation. “I used to be a right ponce before I was turned. The way I looked was embarrassment in itself… all fluffy hair and spectacles, writing poetry and what not—”


“You wrote poetry?”


“Yeah…” Spike squirmed in embarrassment and winced at her too eager expression. “Probably shouldn’t have said that.”


Buffy grinned.


Spike sat up and leaned against the back of the couch. “Right. So… I was from the upper class, yeah? Mother’s boy, you could say. Never seen more than a flash of a woman’s ankle during my pathetic life. We had a tea party. I could have been in my teens. I was sitting next to my mother when this woman came in. She was beautiful, all big… ehm, eyes… and lovely hair. I kept staring at her like a right prat with all kinds of nasty images flying through my head when I noticed that a certain… problem arose, if you know what I mean.”


Buffy furrowed her brow. “What problem?”


Spike rolled his eyes and said. “I had a hard on for her.”


She blushed to the roots of her hair. “Oh.”


“Yeah…oh. Sitting next to my mother, who by the way noticed my problem too. So I’m doing all I can to scamper off as quickly as possible when I smack into a maid. She spills all the drinks on me and I stand there, drenched, luckily no longer hard and the beautiful girl laughing her arse off at me, along with the rest of the guests. I felt so humiliated I couldn’t look my mum in the eye without blushing like a git for quite some time.”


Buffy giggled. “Sorry. But look on the bright side. At least you didn’t have to listen to ‘the talk’. Now that can make you want to run off and never come back. I thought I was going to die when my Mom started doing that. It was wiggy.”


Spike bit his lip and crawled on his knees to close the distance between them. “Mmm… I could show you. All the nasty things Joyce would never mention to an innocent girl like you.”


“Eww, Spike. Sex and Mom in the same sentence--not so sexy.”


Chuckling, Spike sat behind her and started massaging her shoulders. The moment his hands touched her skin, Buffy shivered. Every nerve ending went alert at the slightest sweep of his fingertips.


“Mmm… don’t stop,” she said.


“Wouldn’t dream of it.”


How could he so easily turn things around on her? Making her both breathless and relaxed with a single touch? He kneaded her tense muscles, sweeping her hair to the side and her head dropped forward.


“Do you like me?” he suddenly asked, stilling his hand for a fracture of a second as he waited for Buffy to answer.


“Nope,” she said unconvincingly and Spike resumed his massage.


“Liar.” He grinned as she huffed. “Not even a tiny little bit? You don’t think I’m the hottest man alive at all?”


Buffy glanced over her shoulder and suppressed a grin at his pout. “Okay… but just a little.”


Spike chuckled and Buffy squealed as he tickled her. “Someone’s ticklish,” he said in a sing-song voice and started his assault again. Squirming in his grasp, Buffy laughed so hard her stomach hurt.


“O-okay… you’re the… hunkiest, handsomest… man in… the whole world,” she said between giggles and tried to regain her breath when he stopped. “That was mean.”


“Sorry,” he said as if he wasn’t sorry at all and she relented when he started to play with her hair.


After she was putty in his hands, Spike scooted them back towards the couch. Buffy leaned against his chest as he encircled her waist with his strong arms.


“Thank you,” she said and picked one of Spike’s hands up to examine the chipped nail polish.


“For?”


He could get drunk on the scent of her as he nuzzled her hair.


“The massage. Letting me see a different side of you and trusting me with your past. Also, I don’t think I thanked you for… saving my life. So, thank you.”


“You don’t need to. If I hadn’t saved your life, who would I snuggle with?”


Buffy smiled. “There’s that.”


Her whole body tingled from the close proximity. He groaned when she wriggled to get even closer.


“Trying to kill me, luv?”


“I could ask you the same thing,” she managed to get out as his hand sneaked down her stomach to play with the edge of her shorts. Breathing was becoming an issue now.


“Can I?” he asked


“Huh?” How could she concentrate when he was kissing her neck like that? And now he was sucking that place behind her ear that drove her crazy. Evil vampire.


“Touch you. Show you how much I want you,” he whispered.


Could he? Did he even have to ask?


'And oh, God…. If he brushes his fingers against my ‘down place’ one more time I’m going to jump his bones right on the floor. So evil… mmm, good.'


“So, my turn.”


“Wha…?” She needed his hands and his lips--and why wasn’t Spike touching her anymore?


“I dare you to act on what you want.”


“I-I haven’t even chosen the dare.”


He was gazing at her, dark thick eyelashes framing his hooded eyes. So intense. Was it hot in here or was it just her?


“Do you care?” he asked, the deep sultry tone caressing her senses.


Did she care?


“No,” she answered, turning in his arms to face him.


Buffy didn’t know who made the first move, but it ceased to matter as Spike’s lips brushed against hers with animalistic sensuality, hands never ceasing to touch the bare skin of her back, slipping further down to cup her bottom. The passion simmered under the surface of tenderness as their tongues slid together and her fingers buried themselves in his hair as Spike tugged her tighter against him.


She wanted to dive in and never emerge.


TBC


Author's note: When will I ever stop teasing you??