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Running from the Inevitable by The Enemy of Reality
 
Chapter twenty
 
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A/N: Previously: Buffy and Spike finally cleared the air a bit and then Buffy started to tease the poor vamp once again.

Thank you All4Spike and BloodyHell for editing! :D

 

Chapter 20


Spike gulped at the way her gaze tickled his skin.


“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll stop this car right now so we can hash this out,” he said. The visual of how he would shag her right on top of the bonnet refused to disappear.


“Hash what out?”


And than being the cruel temptress she was, she sat in her seat sideways with her back leaning against the door. One small delicate foot pressed against his thigh and her toes kneaded the muscle as she stretched out.


“Buffy…” he said in a warning voice.


“But I’m all uncomfy.”


“Well, you’re gonna end up a whole lot more uncomfortable when I bite those toes off.”


“You wouldn’t.” She poked her tongue at him and closed her eyes, her back arching as she tried to work out the kinks in the muscles and distracting him with the sight of her breasts. He wondered whether she was aware of the effect she had on him.


“Uh, Buffy? Mind moving those toes? It’s right distracting,” he said carefully. “Besides, thought you wouldn’t want to touch me with a ten foot pole right now.”


“I never said I didn’t want to… touch you, Mr. Grumpy. Can we just see where it goes and not worry about labeling it?”


He frowned. “What happens when we get back to Sunnyhell?”


Buffy let out a heavy sigh and retracted her feet. He didn’t know whether he should feel relief or disappointment.


“I don’t know. I just… I don’t know,” she answered.


Bugger that. They both knew what was going to happen. As soon as she glimpsed the faces of her friends, he would be left behind, discarded like a bad memory. A fling to be regretted.


“Do you even like me, Buffy? And I’m not talking just about the naughty touching or the snogging though that’s been pretty spectacular. I mean do you like me? As a …as a man.”


She blushed and hugged her legs against her chest. “I feel something for you. I’d never have let you so close if I didn’t. And this makes me pretty much the worst Slayer in existence, but I trust you more than I…” She fell silent. “But maybe I should be asking you the same thing. How do I know you’re not just doing this out of boredom or convenience? What do you feel?”


I’m in love with you so much it chokes me.


He swallowed back the words threatening to spill out. “I don’t know. We both know I can’t keep my hands off you and it’s not only because you’re here. It’s you I want. Don’t ask me why because I don’t bloody well understand it myself. I just know I’m not ready to let go of this.” Ever.


 She ducked her head. “Spike?”


“Buffy?”


“How far from Sunnydale are we?”


He looked over at her, his heart sinking. “Not too far. We’ll have to stop once more and then that’s it.”


She nodded. “I’ll miss this, you know.”


“What’s that?”


“This whole being on the run thing. It’s been fun… more fun that I remember having in a long time. Demon skanks notwithstanding,” she said with a grin.


The corners of his mouth curled up in a smile. “Yeah, me too.”


*******


Spike squinted against the harsh neon light as they walked down a supermarket aisle. Buffy had proclaimed she needed something to eat, so he’d stopped. Looking at all the other shoppers steering their trolleys despite the late hour made his fangs itch. Buffy wasn’t the only one hungry.


“Does this lighting make me look dead?” he asked and Buffy turned to him with amusement shining in her eyes.


“Being dead makes you look dead.”


“Thanks ever so,” he grumbled.


She grinned and playfully punched him in the shoulder. “I was just kidding.”


“Too late. You hurt my feelings.” He sniffed in pretense sadness. “You have to make it up to me now.”


“I do, don’t I? How about… a kiss?”


Spike eyes lit up but he played it off by nonchalantly shrugging and saying, “Yeah, okay. I guess.”


Buffy shook her head in amusement at his antics and stepped so close to him she had to tilt her head back to look at him. Then she rested her hands on his chest and leaned in to kiss him.


On his cheek.


She bounded off before he could catch her.


“Hey, not fair, Slayer!”


She giggled. “What? I kissed you. You never said it had to be on your lips.”


“It was implied,” he whined and chased after her.


He caught up to her in the fruits section and banded his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his chest.


“I’m gonna punish you,” he whispered huskily into her ear, reveling in the shiver he caused.


“Okay.”


He chuckled and swept her hair off to the side so he could nuzzle her neck. She went practically boneless against him and he grinned evilly before he started to rain loud smacking kisses on the side of her neck, his fingers deftly tickling her ribcage.


“Spike!” She squealed, wriggling in his arms in a futile effort to escape the assault.


He couldn’t help but laugh when she started giggling uncontrollably. Not even the glare a middle aged woman was sending at them from beneath her rounded spectacles could foul his mood.


“I’ll g-give! Stop!” Buffy gasped out.


“Why should I?”


“I’ll… do anything!”


He gave her one final tickle and murmured into her ear right before nibbling on her lobe. “Anything, you say?” He propped his chin on her shoulder. “Alright. I want my kiss now. A proper one, mind you.”


Buffy twisted around in his arms until she was facing him, rolling her eyes though she couldn’t hide the grin curling up her lips. “You’re so childish.”


“Please?” He chewed on his bottom lip in a way he knew she couldn’t resist. “Or I might be forced to find more of your ticklish spots.”


Buffy sighed and leaned in to kiss him. His hands immediately delved into her hair to pull her closer, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Finally. His whole body relaxed at the taste of her, the feel of her sweet soft lips rubbing against his. If it was up to him, he’d stay like his forever.


She nipped at him, making all kinds of little noises in the back of her throat that made him ready to lift her up and prop her up against the shelf of oranges just before he divested her of the skirt she was wearing. And whatever she wore beneath it as well. Instead he slid his hand down her side and wheedled it under her skirt to squeeze her ass.


Spike grinned when he heard a gasp of outrage and a little kid asking, ‘Why is that man’s hand under the woman’s skirt, Mommy?’


Buffy seemed to be oblivious so he gently pulled away, drinking in the sight of her half-closed eyes and swollen lips.


“Why did you stop?”


He smirked. “We were corrupting impressionable youth. Not that I mind but I thought you might.”


Buffy glanced around then finally noticed a woman glaring daggers at them right before she hurried away with what looked like a four-year-old that curiously looked at them over his small shoulder.


“Oh God! I forgot we were…” She blushed.


Spike gazed at her from beneath lowered lashes. “You forgot we were… in a public place?”


“Kinda,” she said sheepishly and redirected her attention to the array of fruits. “Look! Apples! All that sweet crunchy goodness.”


She took one in her hand to distract herself from Spike’s smoldering gaze. But even that didn’t help. Not when she could sense him stepping closer and closer until his breath fanned across her cheek when he whispered, “Let’s take it then.”


He trailed his fingers down the length of her arm before his fingers grazed hers, making her stomach flop. He took the apple from her loose hold and pressed a brief kiss to her shoulder. It took her a moment to realize he’d swaggered away, leaving her standing there with glassy eyes.


She shook her head to clear it from Spike inspired lusty thoughts and glowered after his chuckling form.


He sent her a glance over his shoulder, that insufferable smirk plastered on his unfairly handsome face. “Come on, pet. Stop ogling me and move that cute little tush of yours.”


She so had not been ogling! She had been glowering, and if her eyes lingered in a few strategic places while doing so, well, who could blame her? Certainly not him, Mr. ‘I like undressing you with my eyes’.


She caught up to him in the breakfast cereals section and watched with amusement as Spike let out a whoop of joy upon spotting some bland looking wheat thingy.


“Weetabix! Been craving those for ages, I have. It’s a bloody miracle you Yanks even have them here.”


Buffy scrunched up her nose. “What’s the big deal about them? They look pretty boring to me. I’d rather eat Doritos.”


“It’s all about the texture, love. I’ll make you an addict, just wait and see.”


He already kind of had, but not to a weird British snack. Unless she counted Spike as one of those. Actually…


“Choose whatever you want. I’ll be in the butcher section. Gotta get me some blood.”


By the time his words registered in her brain, Buffy was left staring after him with her jaw dropped. Wait. Did he say ‘blood’? As in, blood blood?


She ducked into snacks section to quickly grab some cheese Doritos from the shelf and hurried after Spike. And did he get a kick out of making her chase after him? Annoying irresistible vampire.


“Spike! Wait up.”


He slowed his pace. “Got the snacks?”


She nodded and tugged at the sleeve of his duster to stop him. “Spike.”


“Buffy,” he said with a tilt of his head, smile tugging at his lips. She had to drag her eyes away from the lips in question so she could gather her thoughts. Thoughts that didn’t involve pouring chocolate on Spike’s chest and licking it off.


“Something you wanted?”


“Oh. Right. Umm… what did you mean by getting blood?”


He straightened up. “Not sucking the butcher boy dry, if that’s what you mean.” He shrugged though she could sense how tense he was. “They probably have some residual cow or pig’s blood. I’m hungry, Buffy. I figured you wouldn’t let me go around snacking on citizens.” He stared at her expectantly.


“No, but… why would you? I mean I know why, but… why?”


He sighed. “Doesn’t mean I like this, but I do realize you’d kick me out on my arse if I resumed my usual feeding habits. I don’t want this… thing between us… to end. So I’m making concessions, you could say. If I have to choose between being with you and having a nibble from a tipsy coed, I’m gonna choose you.”


That probably wasn’t supposed to touch her, but it did. The fact that Spike-- a soulless vampire—offered this alternative without having to be asked. That he’d trade his long ingrained habits just to be with her. Well, it did make her heart feel melty.


“O-okay. I’ll just… wait for you here.”


“I’ll be right back.”


He smiled nervously and brushed an errant strand of her hair behind her ear, his palm briefly brushing her cheek before he turned on his heel, his duster swaying at the motion.


As she gazed at him, trying unsuccessfully to stave off the butterflies in her belly, someone gripped her forearm. Buffy jumped and looked with surprise at an old lady looking up at her from beneath a feather-stacked hat.


“Sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to startle you. Just wanted to tell you what a nice couple you two make.”


Huh? “Couple?”


The old lady nodded and patted her hand. “You two remind me of me and my George when we were young. It’s obvious he’s smitten with you and you with him. Better keep hold of that one, dear. He’s quite an eye candy,” the woman said with a wrinkled wink.


Buffy was still trying to process the fact an 80-year-old lady called Spike an eye-candy so she only managed to mumble thanks and stared after the woman as she walked away.


A couple? Her and Spike were so not a…


Oh. My. God.


They weren’t, were they? Except with all the kissing and groping, and him buying her a stuffed animal, and feeding her and sleeping next to her and… god, she probably shouldn’t continue the long list of how Spike acted more like a boyfriend than Angel ever had.


Was that what Spike really was? And was she his girlfriend? When and how did they get to this point without her even noticing?


She stared at him, her whole body tingling at the sight of his broad shoulders and ruffled bleached curls she couldn’t wait to stroke and that tight T-shirt that clung to his muscular chest… wait, why could she see his chest?


She looked up to see him arch his brow as he made his way towards her. “See something you like?”


Damn, why did he always catch her staring? Did he have a Buffy-staring-radar?


“Nope, not at all,” she lied. Unconvincingly at that.


“Where to next, princess?”


“Liquor!”


Yes, that was exactly the thing she needed right now. Lots and lots of liquor.


TBC

 

A/N: Who wants to see a drunk Buffy? :D

 

 
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