She hated it when he smoked, but something just wouldn't be right if he was without those dreaded death sticks. What did he have to worry about? Cancer? Not to mention he never paid any attention to 'no smoking' signs. Disregard of 'no' signs must have been in the job description of Big Bad.

From her usual place at the table surrounded by her friends she watched him, not really paying attention to the newest Scooby drama. The only things that stood out in that dark corner was his shockingly white hair and the burning cherry of the cigarette he held in his fingers, that burned brighter with every drag.

The way his lips wrapped around the filter, those same lips that made her body go crazy, it sent shivers down her spine. In a weird way she was jealous that the cigarette was receiving the attention of those lips and not her. And those fingers... Though it had been hours since he had last touched her, she swore she could still feel the calloused yet gentle extremities ghosting over her arms, down her chest. How she longed to say screw the meeting and invite him to go along with her and 'patrol'.

Roughly she was pulled from her reverie. "Buffy!"

"Huh, what?" She sat up straight in her chair, shaking her attention from the smoking man in the corner and directing it to the concerned face of Xander.

"Still with us space cadet?" He had that goofy grin on his face that always brightened her day.

She offered him a small smile and nodded. The meeting continued as usual.