Chapter Four

For a long moment Buffy just lay there, breathing hard. Spike crawled up her body and lay at her side, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her. She looked back, eyes wide in almost childish surprise, like the proverbial small animal in the bright light. Say something, his brain whispered frantically, but all his blood was still in parts of his body not known for thinking and he couldn't form a single coherent sentence. He knew he was staring, and the silence was starting to stretch, but Spike couldn't tear his eyes away from her, flushed and glistening from his attentions, the taste of her still on his tongue, and part of him was afraid to break the spell.

In the end it was Buffy who spoke first, a little breathlessly. "You're really quite good at that, aren't you?"

And that was his cue to say something sarcastic and lighten the tension but words still failed him as he fiercely pushed down thoughts of ripping his jeans off and pounding into her. "Thanks," he managed.

As if reading his mind her hands strayed to his belt buckle. Spike flinched as her fingertips brushed lightly over his straining jeans and he snatched her wrists.

"Don't touch me," he snapped.
That did it. Buffy froze, and Spike was cursing himself before the words were even fully out. "That came out wrong, Love," he said as she pulled her hands away and sat up. "I'm sorry-"

"No no no." She spread out her fingers emphatically. "That's really okay. I just thought, I mean you said you were gonna..." She ducked her head and turned away, reaching for her blouse. Spike couldn't help a smile, there was no way in the world his Slayer was ever going to finish that sentence.

"No Love, I was just talking." That one hung there for a second. "Bollocks. That didn't come out right either." He took a deep breath as Buffy got up to get her panties. "Don't be rushing off in a huff now Slayer."

"Just a little naked and embarrassed," she mumbled, sitting down on the bed to get dressed.

"It's the naked part that's addled my brain. I'm only male, Love, and I've not had much practise with this self restraint stuff."

Buffy frowned at him as she pulled on her blouse and he lifted a hand to smooth down the collar. "I'm trying really hard to behave myself but you touch me and I'm going to do things to you you'd rather I didn't."

Buffy blushed still redder and reached for her skirt. "So why didn't you?"

Spike followed her up angrily, stepped in front of her and caught the lapels of her blouse. "Why don't I fuck you when I know you don't want me? Hell I don't know. Cause I really wasn't just talking, I want to do things to you I can't even spell, wanna make you scream. Why should I care you're not enjoying yourself?"

Her face hardened as she looked up at him but for a second Spike had seen the uncertainty and worry there and his anger dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. He busied his hands with buttoning her blouse and sighed. "Didn't we cover this? You really think that badly of me?"

Buffy tied up her wrap around skirt then to Spike's surprise she reached up and stroked his arms. "Sorry. Was only asking. You're not the only person who's not thinking straight, you know."

The warmth of her hands was spreading to unexpected places. Buffy still looked like she wanted to bolt but only, he realised suddenly, cause she really wasn't good with the talking.

"I have that affect on all women."

Buffy snorted but didn't take her hands away. "Lucky you're such a gentleman then."

"No." He finished with her buttons and took her hands. "But I wouldn't hurt you. Not for all the world."

"Yeah. I didn't..." She looked down at their joined hands, traced a pattern with her finger. "It just seemed kinda mean to come here and then not..." She let the words fade away, Spike chuckled.

"Oh it is, Love." She looked up and he grinned. "But you can be mean, I'm evil, I can take it. I'd've settled for a kiss anyhow."

Again she surprised him, stretching up on tiptoes to comply. A chaiste, gentle kiss that he took and twisted into something some passionate, plundering her mouth until she was lightheaded from want of oxygen.

"Buffy...?" he whispered reverently.

The Slayer couldn't think, that seemed to be the status quo for the day. "Yes?" she whispered eventually.

"Piss off would you? I'm dying for a wank."

Willow watched with interest as Buffy 'helped' reorganise the back counter. The Slayer was moving things with enthusiasm but her mind was clearly not on the task and most of the items she touched ended up in their original locations. She'd been distracted through her patrol update with Giles and had avoided her friends eye ever since her lie of omission, knowing Willow had overheard her not mentioning the bite.
And she positively jumped when the basement door opened and Spike sauntered out. There was an interesting moment as vampire and Slayer's eyes met, it was Buffy who looked away flustered, but it was Xander who spoke from his spot behind the till. "It's Deadboy Junior. Don't you ever get tired of being thrown out of this shop?"

"Lovely to see you too gorgeous," pouted Spike and Willow stifled a laugh as he blew Xander a kiss. "Just came for an update on the latest evil."

"You're here. Breaking news, you're leaving. That do for you?"

Spike took a couple of threatening steps towards Xander, Buffy hastily intervened. "We're just looking for a demon I saw yesterday," she explained, not quite looking at either of them. "Willow's working the mojo as soon as Anya gets back so not really anything to do."

"Yeah, 'bout that demon-"

"Of no interest to you, Spike," interjected Giles, in a politely cold voice. Behind his back Buffy gave Spike the same frantic shushing gesture she'd given Willow earlier, he just grinned in return. Curiouser and curiouser, thought the witch, though it wouldn't take a genius to guess at what secret Buffy might be keeping.

"I'm just trying to help you know," said Spike, addressing Giles with wounded innocence. "I can research."
"Think we've got it covered," sneered Xander.

"Think you misfits need all the help that you can get."

"We all know you only hang round in the hope of getting your filthy hands on Buffy and it's never gonna happen, so you can leave now."

Willow thought she was the only one to see Buffy wince at Xander's words. The Slayer stepped forward again but halted as Spike put his face inches from Xander's to growl his reply. "You're wrong, boy," the vampire ground out, eyes flashing dangerously.

Buffy was virtually cringing, rooted to the spot and unable to look away as he continued.

"It's you I can't wait to get my hands on and believe me one day it's gonna happen." Spike stared at Xander just long enough to see fear then relaxed, wandered over to the research table.

Willow assumed she knew exactly why Buffy's shoulders sagged with relief as she processed Spike's threat and realised it wasn't the revelation she'd been expecting. Meanwhile Giles was snatching away a thick volume of demon lore from the vampire. "We don't want your help," he said firmly.

"Something there you don't want me to see, Rupes?"

It was Spike at his most cocky and irritating and Buffy snapped. "Got something to say, Spike?" she asked icily.

Willow watched the vampire's taunting expression soften as he cocked his head to look at Buffy.

"Not an idiot, Slayer, can eavesdrop with the best of them. And if you're looking for a Grekkon I saw one last night."

"What exactly do you know about a Grekkon?" asked Giles. Spike rolled his eyes at the accusation in his voice, and it was Buffy rather than Giles he answered.

"There was one in my cemetery early this morning. It's now poisoning the daisies. That set your mind at rest?"

"Thanks," muttered the Slayer, turning away uncomfortably. The vampire gave her a soft smile that Buffy didn't see.

The End

AN Pushing up daisies is English slang for dead and buried. In other words Spike killed the demon.