As it was, she got lucky the next day. She didn’t get up until after her mom had left for the gallery, and he called when she was in the shower. She left the house without checking the message machine and headed for Sunnydale U to pick up a class schedule for Fall term. She met Willow and Tara on campus and they spent the afternoon together, lunching and choosing their next classes.

When her friends took off to go practice some spells, she headed to the mall for a little retail therapy. She spent a happy few hours looking for outfits that were patrol-worthy but sexy, and just happened to wander into Victoria’s Secret and bought several ensembles in black and red.

It was nearly dark by the time she returned home. Her mother had come and gone apparently, reminding Buffy that it was her book club night and there was a casserole in the fridge she could heat up for dinner. Studiously ignoring the blinking red light on the answering machine, she ran upstairs to pick her outfit and undergarments for the evening. It didn’t take too long since she already knew what she wanted to wear. She changed, fixed her hair and make-up, and dabbed a tiny bit of perfume on her wrists before flying out the front door once more.

When Buffy arrived at Spike’s crypt, she timidly knocked on his door. She was pleased when he opened it and raked his eyes up and down her body. “Well, Slayer, you look bloody wonderful for our patrol-not-a-date.”

“You, too,” she smirked in return, taking note of his deep purple shirt. “Is that not-black that you’re wearing?”

“I’ll have you know that I do own a few things that aren’t black, but they are tastefully dark-hued.” He sniffed and she had to stifle a giggle. “Just don’t have much reason to wear them, do I?”

Buffy smiled and stepped into him. “Then I guess I’ll have to give you some,” she said, and brushed her lips against his. She sagged against him as he kissed her so intensely her knees buckled. When he let her come up for air she stepped back and reminded him they needed to patrol.

“Bugger patrol,” he started to say, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him off his doorstep. He quickly shut the door and followed her into the night. They spent as much time talking as they did kissing, and Buffy enjoyed getting to know the non-snarky version of Spike. He was actually fun to talk to and she enjoyed listening to stories he told from his time as one part of the Scourge of Europe.

The vamps were few and far between, and Spike just hung back and let her do the dusting. He had her back, of course, but she needed no help. And Buffy was only too happy to put on a show for him. They never got to go for drinks; by the time Buffy called patrol over, they were vibrating with sexual tension. They nearly ran back to Spike’s crypt, and clothes were torn off as they vaulted to the bed.

Their first coupling was fast and furious, just a little something to take off the edge. Spike placed Buffy on all fours and made sure she was nice and wet before ramming into her from behind. Buffy had never been in this position before and it was over before she could enjoy it. Spike had grabbed her hips and held her still while he took his pleasure, but he did not neglect his girl. He would slow down briefly and touch her wherever he could reach, leaning over to massage her tits, stroking his hand down her spine, and playfully slapping her ass a few times. When he finally made it to her clit and rubbed it a few times, she bucked and wailed like a banshee as he held her tighter, spilling into her clenching body.

After she caught her breath and her body stopped vibrating, Spike lay on his back and urged her to climb aboard. He got to feel her up some more, and she got to set the pace. She went agonizingly slow for both of them, but she wanted it to last. She didn’t have to think when she was intimate with him; she only had to feel. After what seemed like ages she brought them both off and they lay silently together, Buffy exploring the nooks and crannies of his body, and Spike indulging her.

She felt talked out, worn out, and fucked out, and was pleased that Spike let her be quiet. He seemed to never shut up, but right now she just needed quiet, and he was giving her that. All too soon she felt the nudge to get home to her mother, and bade him goodnight. They made plans to meet up again the following night, and once again, Buffy returned home to a message from Riley.

As her eyes fluttered shut, sleep claiming her rather quickly, she vowed to speak with him in the morning, but she was out before she could think of what she’d say to him.

^^^^^^^^

When she finally figured out what to say to Riley and dialed the number he’d left on his message, she thanked her lucky stars that he was out in the fields, helping with the harvest. His grandmother had answered the phone, and went on and on about her “big boy,” extolling his many virtues and grilling Buffy about everything from her schooling to her desire for children. Buffy finally ended the conversation by saying she had to get to a job interview and Grandma promised to pass along the message that she’d called.

It was a long day and Buffy was getting anxious for sundown. Her mother came home well before sunset and they actually had a nice dinner together. When her mother inquired about Riley she said she had called that morning but he wasn’t in. Joyce asked a few more questions, probing about their relationship, and Buffy was relieved when she saw the darkening sky outside. She kissed her mother on the cheek to take the sting out of leaving and went to get ready for patrol.

While she was gathering a few stakes together she realized she probably didn’t have to wait for nightfall anymore. She was sure that Spike would greet her with open arms no matter what time of day it was. Thinking of him spurned her to get a move on but her luck ran out when the phone rang and she was still upstairs.

“Buffy!” her mother called. “It’s Riley!”

Buffy just wanted to jump out her window and avoid talking to him, but instead she took a deep breath and grabbed her extension.

“Got it Mom!” she hollered downstairs. She heard the click of the kitchen phone hanging up and put a smile on her face.

“Hey Riley!”

“Buffy! It’s so good to hear your voice! You wouldn’t believe how much I missed you.”

Buffy swallowed and tried to sound perky and loving, even though she didn’t feel it. He talked about what he was doing on the farm and how good it was to see all his relatives. He asked about her and what she’d been doing and she told him she was patrolling an awful lot. She finally told him that she was just on her way out to patrol and needed to get going. He accepted that and told her he couldn’t wait to see her in couple of weeks, and told her he loved her.

A pause, then, “I love you, too, Riley.” She tried not to acknowledge the pit of guilt roiling in her stomach as she said that. It was true, she did love him, but she didn’t think she was IN love with him any longer. Nor was she in love with Spike, of this she was certain. Sure, they had great chemistry, but she was just starting to get to know him. They hadn’t spoken about what was going on between them, so she didn’t know what he wanted from her, other than hot sex. She’d never thought she’d find herself in this place; getting groiny with Spike, and not caring if love was present or not. But something felt right, and that’s all she needed for now.

^^^^^^^^

It was a routine patrol; the only thing staving off boredom was the company of her new lover. He was funny, passionate about his “footy” and TV shows, and offered tips on her fighting when they did cross paths with the occasional baddie.

Then they met a Kurlosh demon. He would not go down easy, and threw Buffy against the side of a mausoleum. Spike rushed to her side, but she got up, mad as hell, and finished him off by running him through with a fallen branch.

Spike reached the Kurlosh and prodded him with his boot.

“Tough bugger. You alright, Slayer?” Concern was heavy in his eyes, and even though she was sore and exhausted, a happy tremor flew through her body at the though that he was worried about her.

“Yeah, I’m a tough bugger, too.” Spike chuckled, and reached a hand up to the back of her head to check for bleeding. He felt the hot stickiness, then smelled it, and showed her his hand.

“There’s a wound, but it doesn’t seem to be gushing.” Buffy watched as his nostrils flared, and he closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of her Slayer blood.

“Umm, you’re not gonna lick me or anything, are you?” she giggled, feeling a bit giddy from the fight and her injury.

“I just might. Why let it go to waste?” he grumbled. “We gonna call it a night or you want to keep going?” Buffy was pleased that he didn’t coddle her, even though it was pretty obvious that she was done in.

“Let’s go. Do you have something in your crypt that I can put on this?” she asked, gesturing toward that back of her head.

“Sure. Been beaten on enough to know that it’s good to keep a few things around.”
He didn’t look happy to be admitting that, that before she could ask about it, they were surrounded by vamps.

“Bollocks,” Spike growled.

“Where the hell did these guys come from?” Buffy asked rhetorically, scanning around to assess their situation.

“Your bloody head, most likely,” Spike supplied. “And I mean that literally.”

There was no way she could fight them all off, not in her present condition. “Spike, I normally wouldn’t ask you to do this, but…could I get some help with these guys?”

Her answer was a black blur tackling a vamp who decided it was time to munch on the Slayer. They worked in tandem to dispatch the entire lot, so engrossed in the battle that neither saw one vamp that slipped into the darkness, deciding he wasn’t ready to be dust quite yet.

When at last they stood back to back, no other enemies in sight, Buffy collapsed to the ground with a soft thud. Spike scooped her up and ran to his crypt. Laying her carefully on the bed, he patched her head wound the best he could and brought her some bottled water. As she drank, he started undoing buckles and buttons, peeling off what clothing he could.

“Spike?”

“Hmmm?”

“I don’t think I’m in any shape to…”

“Hush, Slayer. Not trying to get fresh with you. I’m looking for injuries.”

“Oh,” she whispered, her voice trembly. “I’m sorry…I thought…”

“S’okay. Wouldn’t say no to a bit of slap and tickle, but you had it rough tonight. Now turn over and let me see your back.”

She obeyed, and when he was satisfied he told her to stay put. She could hear him rustling around his makeshift kitchen, door to the fridge opening and closing. She gasped when something icy was placed on her head and neck, and she reached around and felt two wrapped popsicles cooling her injuries.

“Just relax now, Buffy. I’m going to give you a bit of a massage and I don’t want you to move. Spike’ll take care of you now, yeah?”

She murmured an assent and nearly died when his strong hands set to work on her stiff body. His fingers danced on her muscles and dug firmly where they found knots. His palms stroked over the planes of her back and legs and it wasn’t long before she drifted off, secure in the knowledge that she was safe and being taken care of.
^^^^^^^^
When she woke it was still dark outside and Spike was lying beside her, fully clothed. He’d been a gentleman, and he’d tended to her. Remembering their fight against the vamps, she also realized he’d killed his own kind for her. She squinted in the darkness to see his face. Lips parted slightly, the severe lines of his face relaxed in slumber, she leaned to kiss him, and kept kissing until he woke.

“Hey,” she said softly, brushing a hand across his cheek.

“How you feeling, Goldilocks?” he said with a smirk.

“Better, thanks to you. I…I really appreciate you taking care of me tonight. You didn’t have to do any of it, especially dusting those vamps, and…”

“Shhh, Buffy, it’s alright.” He captured her hand in his and kissed it. “You ‘n me, well, we haven’t really talked about it, but…” and words failed him for once, but she understood.

“I know.”

She rose from the bed, looking for her clothes, while she heard a metallic snick behind her and realized Spike was lighting a few candles so she could see. She saw the wrappers and sticks of the melted popsicles in two brightly colored puddles on the nightstand and reached around to feel her head. There was a lump, but it barely hurt. Hooray for Slayer healing and ice.

“What about soldier boy?” She looked at Spike who was now reclining against the headboard. She sighed and answered the best she could.

“I’m going to break up with him, but I won’t do it over the phone. He’ll be home in a couple of weeks, and then…” she couldn’t answer since there was a vampire attached to her lips, crushing her body into his.

“Good enough,” he panted, releasing her so she could breathe. “See you tonight?” he asked.

“Tonight,” she echoed, and kissed him once more, before dressing and heading into the early morning dark.