PART THREE

 

 

 

I think I’m dead…

 

She could barely move.  Every muscle of her body ached with a sumptuous soreness that made her feel like she had been oh so naughty the night before.  A smile of utter debauchery spread across her face, she had been naughty…very naughty, and it had been very, very good.

 

She had to admit that when she took the plunge into unchartered territories last night that she never thought she would feel so scrumptious the morning after.  Disappointed, embarrassed and possibly a little humiliated was what she expected, not this warm fuzzy feeling of…rightness.

 

Mmm…why was that exactly? Why did she feel like she had been doing something that she should have been doing a long time ago?  And damn it, why was that sense of familiarity still haunting her?

 

Screw it, don’t think about Buffy it will only make your head hurt…just…enjoy it.

 

That was easy, too easy, everything felt so yummy that she didn’t want it to fade. She just wanted to feel it as long as she could.

 

Like forever, yeah…forever sounds good to me

 

God, she could get used to this. She didn’t want to do anything that would destroy the blissful state she was currently in. So she lay still, afraid to open her eyes. If she did, would she be hit with a sharp pain to her head? That’s what usually happened when she woke up after a night of heavy drinking - hung-over and miserable.  

 

Feeling the need to stretch, she took the chance.

 

Carefully and slowly she lifted her lids, first the left and then slowly the right.  She waited for the inevitable burst of bright blinding lights that would instantly slam inside of her head. But it didn’t happen. She felt…pretty damn good.

 

That’s a switch

 

Shrugging it off because she was too relaxed to ponder it any further – and really, who kicked a gift horse in the mouth anyway, not me - she lazily stretched.

 

Her hands reached across the bed sheets as her eyes took in the rumpled sheets, the pillow with the slight indentation, and the now vacant spot next to her. She idly caressed that spot, her mind going back to the many hours before when it had not been so bare. When there had been a warm muscled body there, someone to touch and feel, someone who she never imagined in her wildest dreams she would ever know in such an intimate way. 

 

She sighed with gratification; yes, last night had been a major eye opener for her in two ways. No dreams and how stupid she could be sometimes.

 

Well maybe stupid wasn’t the right word; uptight and sexually frustrated were more accurate.  She should have listened to Spike and Faith because they had both nailed it on the head. 

 

She was convinced that the dreams were a result of sexual frustration and her priggish attitude toward casual sex only made her frustration worse, which ultimately made the dreams hotter and more frequent.

 

Take that Dr. Rupert Giles!

 

Everything seemed so simple this morning, clear, but still would she really be able to go out and have casual sex with a stranger?  Last night she’d enjoyed it – immensely – but it wasn’t with a stranger. It was with someone she trusted, someone she had secretly lusted after since the first day she met him. Would it be different if her partner last night had been someone else? Would she feel different? Would she be utterly disgusted with herself right now?

 

She sighed; she didn’t have an answer.  She would just have to go out, meet someone, and see what happened.  At least now she agreed with Faith, there was nothing wrong with a woman going out and taking what she wanted. Men did it all the time.  Angelus did that all the time. What made him any different from her? Just because they had different equipment didn’t mean that she couldn’t do it too. Of course she could never turn into a different-lover-every-night person like Angelus was.  That just wasn’t her. But taking and receiving pleasure - a normal bodily need and function - once in a while, was something that she could do and she wasn’t going to deny her body’s needs anymore.

 

She chuckled; she found it funny that it was Angelus, Mr. Sex Scoundrel himself, that proved that to her. Even funnier were the many times that they had argued over their difference of opinion when it came to sex.  She should probably be feeling like a hypocrite right about now but here she was feeling anything but.  She frowned slightly, he was going to be obnoxious as all hell today, there was no doubt about that in her mind.

 

Her hands continued to caress the sheets. She leaned over and took a big whiff and she smelled…male…she smelled…him.

 

Mmm…wonderful...

 

God, his delicious male scent was everywhere. On the sheets, on her skin, on the pillow…just everywhere and it smelled so damn good.

 

I can’t believe I had sex with Angelus McBain!

 

Her eyes lit with carnal delight, no…not sex, she had spent the entire night getting plundered by a modern day warrior and it had been amazing.  He was amazing.

 

She had felt so many things last night, so unlike anything she had ever experienced before that it was a little hard to wrap her brain around everything.  But she knew one thing for sure and that was that she had no regrets. 

 

Yeah now you don’t but what happens later when you see him, along with everyone else?

 

Her smile faded; another question that she just didn’t have an answer too. And just like that the warm fuzzy feelings turned into nauseating panic.

 

She pulled the covers over her head, her face heated with shame as her mind rampantly wandered into territory she really didn’t want to think about.

 

What if he told them already?

 

What if right now they were all having a good laugh over her hypocrisy?

 

What if…what if, what if, what if…shit, get yourself together girl!  He didn’t say anything last night to Spike so why would he this morning?

 

Her arms flung the covers down and she sat up. She was right, she had no idea what awaited her at Owen’s and she would never know if she didn’t get her ass out of bed and face the music.

 

She slowly got out of bed and headed into the bathroom for a shower. As she painstakingly walked she felt the air around her shift, wafting the scent that lingered on her body up to her nostrils. She breathed it in, absolutely loving his scent on her skin.  She frowned.

 

Whoa, hold up…that can’t be good…

 

She did love it. She loved it too much. It was so good that she was almost turning herself on.

 

No, this really wasn’t good, at all.

 

The smell was fantastic but what bothered her was the fact that she was reluctant to take it off.  The idea of stepping into the shower and washing her body with soapy water was just…well it was just repugnant. 

 

Do I have to take a shower? 

 

She lifted her arms and took a whiff, her nose crinkling.

 

Oh yeah…

 

Morosely she reached in and turned the water on. If only she could stay in her bedroom all day and just…smell it, she’d be happy, content.

 

She snorted, yeah like that would ever happen. She could never have the luxury of staying in bed all day, especially after last nights little slugfest.

 

Slugfest…Riley…

 

Her breath sucked in, her eyes bulged in horror as snippets of her outburst on the beach rapidly fired back at her. Her face reddened with shame.  She couldn’t believe what she did. What she said – loudly!  All those personal details of their sex life or rather how unsatisfactory it was for her – shouted out for the world to hear. What exactly had she said?  She didn’t remember everything but she knew it was very personal and very private. Her head tilted as she tried to remember; did she say something to the affect of her pleasuring herself?

 

Oh my God, I think I did! 

 

Her hand flew up and covered her mouth.  She had been loud…very loud, everyone heard every freaking embarrassing word she said.

 

Okay, now she really didn’t want to show her face – ever again! She could just imagine the pitiful glances that would be thrown her way when she showed up at Owen’s. 

 

And what about Angelus?  He had heard her – up close and personal. Did that mean that last night had just been a pity fuck for him?  Jesus, that thought was more mortifying than anything else!

 

This was just great!  Not only did she have to worry about facing the friend she had spent the night screwing – because that was going to be weird no matter what they said last night - but she was also worrying about whether or not he told everyone, which would be beyond horrible.

 

Her humiliation just kept growing and growing!

 

She just wanted to crawl back into bed and hide forever. But she couldn’t. If she didn’t show up at Owen’s sometime today they would all be knocking her door down wondering where the hell she was. 

 

Left with no choice, and grumbling unhappily, she stepped inside the shower.

 

Too bad I can’t wash away my shame…

 

 

*****************

 

 

Thirty minutes later Buffy stood at the gate to Owen’s backyard. Her panic had increased with every step it took to get to where she was right now. And now she stood here biting her nails, so unsure about what awaited her on the other side of this gate that her stomach was doing flip-flops. 

 

She listened and heard…nothing.

 

It’s pretty quiet back there, that’s strange… 

 

She could make out the soft sounds of Led Zeppelin playing but nothing else.  No talking. No laughing. It was just eerily quiet. Could it be that no one was there? Or maybe they were but then left? Could she be that lucky?

 

Hell no!

 

Well she couldn’t stand out here all day. Besides it would be better to walk back there when it was empty as opposed to walking back and being the center of attention. 

 

Okay, she could do this.

 

Stand tall, back straight, take a deep breath and go!

 

She took that breath, stood tall, and squared her shoulders back as she opened the gate then closed it. She closed her eyes, inhaled one last time and then she opened her eyes, exhaled and turned around to see… the plunderer.

 

For some reason seeing only Angelus in the yard eased her a bit. She walked further in, a shy smile on her face as her eyes collided with his.

 

Angelus lay on the lounge chair drying himself off, he’d just finished doing some laps when he heard the gate open then close.  His eyes shot to hers immediately, and he smiled at her very warmly…almost too warmly for Buffy, whose breath hitched in her throat when she saw him.

 

He knew his eyes darkened as he watched her supple body sashay over to him. That smile was still there lingering on her face, her eyes were bright with an energy that he hadn’t seen in a long time. She looked invigorated and just fucking radiant. He frowned slightly, there was no way they were going to pull this off, she was too apparent, and he was certain that his own gaze was way too proprietary for what a friend’s gaze should be.

 

Proprietary? Is that what that annoying feeling is that’s been nagging me since last night? What the hell is up with that? I don’t get possessive over lovers!

 

She walked over to where he sat and threw her towel on the empty chair besides his. “Hey.”

 

Whatever he was thinking or feeling was pushed away as he easily rolled into their normal every day ‘friend’ rapport.

 

“Morning milsean.”

 

Buffy snuck a look at him as his voice - which was like hot chocolate all thick and warm - rolled down every inch of her body. Every syllable reminded her of the night they’d spent together and she couldn’t stop the heat that entered her eyes as she fully turned her gaze to his.

 

“Where is everyone?”

 

The question was spoken low and raspy, her eyes were hot on his, and his body responded to it…tightening with lust. Shit, if they were going to keep their night together a secret then he had to control his reaction to her.  Seeing how easily his body betrayed his mind, he knew that accomplishing that goal was not going to be easy.

 

When he left her sleeping at seven this morning, he immediately came here and did twenty laps. It was what he usually did on Sunday mornings after a late night of drinking; it made him feel like he was swimming away all those extra pounds he put on the night before.  He usually used the time to think about the next game that he had scheduled. But this morning instead of fellow hockey players swimming with him in the pool it had been Buffy.

 

His morning ritual had become a brooding rite. He was still trying to figure out the complex emotions that had controlled him as she fucked him, that still made no sense to him at all. Then there was the rampant desire to haul his ass back to her bedroom and fuck her again that had to be killed.

 

Then he couldn’t help but speculate how she would react toward him when they saw each other today - the dreaded morning after.  They had shared a night filled with such intimacy would they really be able to just go back to that friend relationship and act as if nothing happened? Would he be able to forget how perfect they were together when their bodies were joined?

 

Shit, that was easy enough to answer. NO!  He could never ever forget the taste of her, the way she felt wrapped around him - so perfectly, so hot and tight - so much creamy wetness just for him. There was no fucking way he could forget those things. And the tiny voice in the back of his mind that was telling him she was his knew he would never be able to play the ‘just friends’ routine with her anymore. 

 

That should have troubled him and in a small way it did but what really bothered him was how little it didn’t bother him.

 

Is that what I wanted?

 

He nodded toward the house. “Spike and Oz went to pick up Spike’s guitar. Everyone else is inside bringing the food out.”

 

She nodded as she sat back in the chair, her legs stretching out.  She sighed contently as the sun shone done on her already tan skin. “I’m glad they’re not here. I feel like an idiot.”

 

He frowned. “Why?”

 

She turned and looked at him. “Why? Are you kidding me! In case you forgotten, my mouth was a freaking run away train to Shamesville last night.” Her eyes crinkled threateningly seeing his smirk. “Why are you smiling? You find my humiliation funny?”

 

He chuckled; she was so hot when she was riled. “I think you’re being dramatic. Buffy, these are your friends; they’re not going to think any differently of you because of what you said. Besides they don’t blame you they blame Riley, as they should. It’s not your fault he was an inept…unskilled…little-dick…pansy-assed boy.” He laughed harder with each word that he said, repeating her words from last night.

 

Buffy smiled at him, “I said that didn’t I?”

 

“Oh yeah, that and a whole lot more.”

 

Looking into his handsome face and seeing his humor with the situation made her realize that he was right. Her friends would not condemn her for speaking the truth.  “I guess you’re right, thanks.”

 

His smile turned into a slow and sensual smirk and his eyes were steady on her face as he spoke. “That’s two times you’ve thanked me in less than twenty-four hours. I think I like it.”

 

She chuckled, “Yeah well don’t get used to it.” 

 

She rearranged herself on the lounge chair by pushing back against the chair and sliding down just slightly, getting comfortable. The movement caused her chest to push forward and her back to arch sensually as she bent one foot on the chair and started tapping it to the music.

 

Angelus’ gaze turned hotter as he watched every muscle of her body move. Remembering every single time she had arched against him last night. 

 

“How do you feel milsean?” 

 

The question was deep and dark, and it drew her eyes to his, her response echoing the same tone as his. “I feel…”

 

She wasn’t sure what word to answer him with. If she answered honestly would he turn into his swell-headed self and show his true colors? She didn’t know but she was going to find out. She was going to answer him honestly.  He had been an incredible lover and she felt no shame in admitting that. He would take her answer any way he wanted to, she had no control over that. And whereas before she had been concerned of seeing and hearing his conceit with how good of a lover he was, right now she didn’t care.

 

“…relaxed and utterly fantastic.” She said smiling at him.

 

With lightning speed he reached over and grabbed her hand, startling her. Her eyes shot to the doorway of the house - it was empty - then quickly back to his face as he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her palm, his tongue lightly licking her skin.

 

“I’m glad. You look radiant this morning.”

 

The compliment was unexpected and totally thrilled her. Her mouth dropped open, she blushed, and her heart sped up to a completely unhealthy level as her core suddenly turned to fire.  “Thank you.”

 

He released her hand - with that sexy smirk lingering on his face - slowly almost as if he didn’t want to and then he warmly chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “That’s three.”

 

He winked at her as he sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, his ears enjoying the husky sound of her light laughter.  God, it sounded so good.  It was like tiny licks of flames on his skin. “You should soak in the hot tub, you must be sore.”

 

Funny that statement didn’t embarrass her at all, it actually made her smile deepen. He was looking out for her.  It also reminded her that he was right. She shifted, suddenly uncomfortable on the stiff lounge chair as her face crinkled with the slight soreness she felt.

 

“That sounds like a good idea.”

 

She stood up and headed over to the hot tub, Angelus’ eyes followed her as she walked thinking that there was nothing better to stare at than Buffy in a black string bikini.

 

Well, except a naked Buffy that is…

 

She slowly stepped into the hot tub and with each step she took all sorts of delicious sounds escaped her parted lips and each one made his body hum a little louder with desire.  He reached over to the table and grabbed his sunglasses. Putting them on, he sat back and covertly watched her. 

 

“Oh man, this feels so freaking good.”  She drawled out as she closed her eyes and leaned back.  She could feel the soreness draining away as the hot water seeped into her muscles. It felt like a little slice of heaven.  She smiled contently as the tension eased and she felt complete relaxation.

 

Angelus however, could not relax. His eyes would just not look away from her no matter how many times he told himself that he had too.  Instead he was sitting there watching her, hungering for her, and feeling sort of…

 

He scowled.

 

Just what the hell am I feeling?

 

For the life of him, he could not figure out a single thought or feeling that he was currently harping on as he looked at her. Except lust - that was abundantly clear.  Everything else was just a mishmash of ambiguity, and he really hated that. He was not a man that fell prey to his emotions. Usually they were all tidy and where they were supposed to be - the correct emotion for the corresponding situation. That was just not the case now nor had it been since last night, and he was getting rather surly with the whole thing.

 

“Were you able to get any rest?”  Buffy asked. She leaned back against the tub her eyes closing and her mind thinking of the hockey game he had to play tomorrow night.

 

Rest? What the fuck is that?

 

“Yeah, some, I’ll sleep on the bus tonight.”

 

“There she is…” The patio door opened and Faith and Willow stepped out carrying a tray of food. “…little Ms. Ali.” Faith said smiling.

 

“Morning Buffy.” Willow happily added.

 

Buffy smiled at her friends, her hand lifting in a wave of greeting. “Good morning ladies.”

 

They chuckled at her, “Well by the sound of your voice apparently it is a good morning.” Faith said.

 

Buffy shrugged trying to come across unfazed even though she was feeling a bit uneasy with her jovial greeting, which even to her ears sounded so not like her.

 

“I guess that’s what happens when you lay into your ex.” Faith commented as she put the tray of food down on the table next to the barbeque. “B, I got tell you that was the best Riley degrading action I’d seen since Angelus shaved his eyebrows off that night Riley passed out.”

 

Willow giggled and Buffy couldn’t help but smile with the memory.

 

Angelus’ smirk which had previously been kept at bay from Faith’s previous comment was now bright on his face with all the arrogant smugness he felt from doing that past deed.

 

Yeah, that was a good night…

 

Buffy looked over at him, her own grin on her face. “You know after that he totally hated you.”

 

Angelus shrugged, “like I care.”

 

Faith and Willow settled down on the lounge chairs across the pool from where Angelus was just as Owen stepped out. “Hey Killer has arrived! Nice work last night Buff.” He winked at her and she smiled back feeling very proud of herself. “Thanks.”

 

Owen turned the music up then turned on the barbeque and started to cook the food. They all sat back and hung out quietly, relaxing in the warm early afternoon sun.

 

Buffy sat in the tub feeling so relaxed that she almost didn’t even feel like herself. Everything she had been worrying about was for naught. No one gave a shit about what she said last night, and it appeared that they took her good mood as a result of her explosion on Riley, which suited her just fine.

 

She peeked at all of them from under her lashes. Yup everything was as normal as normal could be. Except…she looked over at Angelus…there was no mistaking the frown on his handsome face. Something was bothering him and that unknown something was now bothering her.

 

Unfortunately, Angelus was as lost to what that something was as Buffy was.  He should be the happiest man alive right now and instead he was a bit pissed off. Why?  He had spent the night fucking his fantasy. It had been the best sex he ever indulged in. She had enjoyed it. He definitely enjoyed it. It didn’t appear that their friends at any idea of what went down. He should be relaxed and enjoying the day with a smile on his face.  Instead he felt strung out.  His body was incredibly tense. His head was pounding him with questions and uncertainties that just would not shut the fuck up. His cock was semi-hard and aching. And his heart…his fucking heart felt like it was going to explode. 

 

Basically, he felt like a completely different person and had absolutely no idea how to handle it.

 

Well mostly…

 

He looked over at his addiction.

 

Her head was leaning back, her eyes were closed, her mouth was turned up at the corners in a small secretive smile. The water bobbed around the tops of her breasts causing them to shimmer in the sunlight and make his mouth water, and her long slim graceful neck was beckoning to be bitten and sucked on. This he knew exactly how to handle…throw her down on the ground, spread her legs wide and then sink inside of her - deep and hard – take her again and again.

 

Abruptly he turned away from her and looked at anything but her. His anger was rising with his unrelenting, greedy and totally unsatisfied lust, and the hard cold truth that he wasn’t going to get anymore of that delicacy. 

 

Who said that?

 

A new light sprang in his head, a new question that was brighter than all the others.

 

No one. She never said that it was one night only. Yes, it was implied but it was never actually, vocally spoken, was it?

 

No. It wasn’t.

 

He grinned suddenly feeling lighter than he had before.  Maybe, just maybe he could hop on that ride again.  If he played his cards of seduction right who’s to say she wouldn’t let him in again. The prospect was exceedingly exciting and this time as his cock itched and twitched he let it. 

 

What would it take to get inside of her again?

 

What the fuck am I thinking?  She’s my friend not my personal fuck toy! I can’t treat her like all the other women I’ve taken to bed.  She’s different, special, and she deserves more than me trying to get back into her pants.

 

His mind stopped short of his previous happy thoughts and a dark frown of distress settled across his face.

 

Christ, I really need another outlet.

 

He tried to not look at her, he tried to think of his game tomorrow night but twenty minutes later he was still staring at her, still hungering for her, still as agitated as he had been all freaking morning.  Well at least his short attention span was good for something, she’d spent enough time in the hot tub.

 

“You’re going to wrinkle milsean if you don’t get out.”

 

Angelus’ voice rang out through the silence. It was low with a slight edge to it. Buffy recognized the tightness in it and so did Faith and Willow.

 

“Someone’s a grumpy bumpy this morning.”

 

Willow said it under her breath but Buffy and Faith heard her, and Buffy suspected by the slight stiffness in Angelus’ shoulders that he heard her too. 

 

She sighed and breathed out the unexpected warm fuzzy feelings that settled in her stomach from his comment.  Yesterday if he would have made that comment she would have snapped back something bitchy to him but this morning she didn’t feel any animosity with his highhandedness only feelings of…warmth?   How freaking odd is that!

 

“Yeah, what’s a matter A woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Faith asked.

 

More like the wrong bed…

 

“Bite me Faith.” Angelus snarled his answer, totally not in the mood to play word games with his feisty friend.

 

Faith’s eyes darkened with his clipped reply, and being the type of person that didn’t take shit from anyone she spoke back to him just as shortly. “Fuck you Angelus don’t take your sexless night out on me.”

 

Buffy slipped under the water to avoid the obscene cackle of laughter that was definitely going to make itself heard over that comment.  Sexless…indeed.

 

Angelus watched Buffy disappear under the water only to reappear a second later with a knowing look in her eye. Though he still wore his sunglasses it didn’t matter, they looked right at each other – fiercely - their eyes expressing their intimate knowledge of each other and both of them finding their friend’s words amusing, to say the least. He didn’t respond to Faith’s comment though, too ensnared by Buffy’s gaze – fuck, it’s not just her eyes it’s just…her - and Faith had already shut him out by turning to say something to Willow so she missed the intimate exchange.

 

Buffy smiled at him, as she laid her hands on the cool bars of the ladder and stepped up on to it.  She didn’t know why she held his gaze and she didn’t know why she stared back at him with all the hunger and lust that was roaring through her. What she did know was that she had his attention and she didn’t want to lose it. So she took each step slowly – provocatively. Letting the water recede down her body and roll down the crevice of her bathing suit, fully knowing the picture she was portraying just for him.  

 

Angelus’ head tilted down - not too much so Faith and Willow would notice but just enough to get a better view – as he looked over the rims of his sunglasses to watch her. And watch he did…with desire and heat in his eyes, with his blood ready to boil over, and his cock painfully aching for the attention of the sexy female that was stepping out of the tub.

 

Her eyes held his for all of two seconds before his slid down her wet slick flesh that was shining under the suns rays.  He swallowed down the urge to go over there and grab her, to sink inside of her hot body, and take what she was flaunting right in front of his face.  He looked back up to see the twinkle of lust and mischief in her eyes.

 

She was totally playing him.

 

Tit-for-tat McBain…

 

Without any shame, he reached down and boldly adjusted his Johnson. 

 

With comprehension in her eyes, Buffy flashed him a commanding smile as she fully emerged from the tub and walked over to him and her lounge chair.  She settled down in her seat, still grinning like an idiot and feeling like she had the master of seduction hanging by a thread on her little finger.

 

“Have I told you today that you’re a brat?” He asked, his voice deep and sexy, yet playful at the same time.

 

“No.” she answered back, still with a stupid grin on her face.

 

“Well you are…a teasing wench of a brat.” He gratingly whispered as he finally looked away from her while she softly chuckled.

 

“Yo B?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Remember that little green bathing suit I bought Willow for Christmas last year?” Faith asked.

 

“You mean the one that’s hiding in the back of her closet?”

 

“Hey, it’s not hiding!” Willow said trying to defend herself.

 

Faith ignored her and continued to talk to Buffy. “Don’t you think she should bring it to San Diego with her?”

 

Yes I do!

 

Just like that Buffy realized two things, one was that she was not the same person she was yesterday and two it was time her friend came out of her shell and took what she so clearly wanted.  Or at least entice what she wanted to take her.

 

She jumped out of her seat, disrupting Angelus’ brooding with her quick movements. He looked over to see her walking towards Willow with determined strides. When she got there she grabbed their flustered friend by the hand and pulled her out of her seat.

 

“Yes I do. In fact, why wait!” Buffy said her voice springy and chipper.

 

Faith laughed as Buffy dragged a struggling Willow around the pool and toward the gate.  “Hey, wait a minute…Buffy!”

 

Willow knew she wasn’t going to get any help from the cackling Faith so she turned her pitiful gaze to Owen and then to Angelus, “Guys? Please…help!”

 

Owen shook his head, “sorry Wills, I never interfere in woman’s stuff,” was his dismissive answer as he turned back to the grill making sure that he didn’t burn the food, which he always seemed to do anyway. 

 

Angelus sadly had no sympathy for his quiet red haired friend either he was too wrapped up in his own shit to be concerned about hers.  Besides, he agreed with Buffy and Faith, it was time that Willow and Oz moved forward and stopped playing all those stupid bullshit games. “Don’t worry so much Red, just go with it.”

 

“See, just go with it Wills. That’s what you have to do. That’s what I’m doing for now on…” Buffy rambled on and on as she pulled Willow out the gate and down the block.

 

Faith turned a quizzical eye to Angelus. “What’s up with Buffy and that happy-go-lucky go-for-it attitude?”

 

Angelus shrugged then closed his eyes that reflected the arrogant pride he felt from helping Buffy out with that transformation.

 

Faith balked with his silence – grumpy bumpy – then closed her eyes too.  After she set Willow straight and fixed her little problem she was going to set her sights on Buffy and fix her. She softly chuckled; maybe Buffy didn’t need fixing, maybe smashing the crap out of Riley last night was all the medicine she needed.  Well that and the little surprise she had in store for her friend.

 

Faith grinned; she couldn’t wait for them to get back from Willow’s.

 

 

******************

 

 

Entering Willow’s house, Buffy closed the door and faced her friend. She smiled at her warmly and then gently took her chin and pulled her face up to look at her. “Will, I think you need to take that step you’re so afraid to take…ask Oz out.”

 

Willow’s eyes bulged and she started to stutter. “As…ask…him…out?” She shook her head nervously laughing.” No, I could never do that.”

 

“Willow I know that you’re scared and that you’re afraid of what would happen if things didn’t work out as wonderfully as you would want them to. But I don’t think you should deny yourself the pleasure of spending any time with someone that you want to spend time with. You’re only losing in that situation Will. You’re not gaining anything by shying away and not going for what you want.”

 

“Wow, well um…I guess that pummeling Riley last night really made a difference for you ah?”

 

Yeah that and getting pummeled by a very talented hockey player…

 

“Yeah, it did.” She smiled, her eyes looked glazy and far away, but then they quickly cleared.

“Will, I just think that you have to go for what you want. You can’t hold back. I know I’m going to for now on. I’m not going to let those stupid dreams get the better of me. I’m a new woman Will. In fact, I’m going to make an appointment with my doc to get back on birth control. I’m not going to deny the needs of my body anymore and I don’t think you should either, it’s not healthy Will.  I just…I think Faith is right. There is nothing wrong with a woman going out and taking her pleasure.”

 

Willow just stared blankly at her friend.

 

She looked like Buffy, but she sounds like Faith…

 

Willow couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Buffy sounded like a completely different person. She was very relaxed, she was positive and chipper and she had the most serene and satisfied look in her eyes that Willow had not seen in her friend in a long time.

 

It was a bit scary…so much positive and aggressive energy bluntly attacking her and showing no signs of stopping. Still she couldn’t deny that a part of her, the independent woman of the 21^st century part - thought Buffy made sense and completely agreed with her. There was nothing wrong with a woman going out for what she wanted.   Women did it all the time in this day and age. She also couldn’t deny that neglecting what you wanted because of fear did seem a bit cowardly. Still she wasn’t sure if she could be that person, and in that moment she wished to God that she could be more out going like Buffy and Faith, because being just Willow Rosenberg - a scared little girl – embarrassed her.

 

Buffy sensed her play of emotions and she spoke softly to her. “Will, I know that what I just said scares you but I really think you need to take a chance. You don’t know what will happen. You and Oz could hook up, end up married and with twenty kids for all you know or maybe not. My point is that you don’t know what would happen and you owe it to yourself and to Oz to explore it. “

 

Some of Buffy’s positive energy must have skipped bodies and landed into hers, because her heart beat with excitement and she started to actually convince herself that Buffy was right.

 

“I don’t know Buffy, I mean it makes sense, and I’d really love to but I’m…”

 

“No, no buts Will. You just say ‘fuck it, I’m going to go for it’!”

 

Willow smiled, her heart beating faster as more excitement filled her. She’d never done anything like this before but while the idea of stepping out of her box was frightening it was also very appealing.

 

Her mouth broadened to a big smile as she slammed her foot down on the floor. “You’re right!  F…fuck it! I’m going to go for it!”

 

Buffy laughed at the curse word that came out of her timid friend’s mouth, it wasn’t exactly hard and forceful it was more like she wasn’t sure but she wasn’t doing it anyway. It didn’t matter though what mattered was that she was going to it and that made Buffy very happy.

 

She jumped too. “Good for you Will.”  Her eyes looked down at the ugly one piece bathing suit Willow had on, crinkling with distaste as they did. “We’re going to start today. I want you to go upstairs and throw on that green suit that’s crumbled up in the back of your closet.”

 

Willow’s smile dropped, “but…the…green…bathing suit is so…” she squeaked out and Buffy nodded. “…it’s so…”

 

“Sexy.” Buffy said with a cat like smile.

 

“Revealing.” Willow meekly answered.

 

Buffy smirked at her, then grabbed her hand and started to pull her up the stairs. “No fear remember Wills, besides that bathing suit looks hot on you, you have to wear it.”

 

“I don’t know Buffy.”

 

Buffy stopped on the steps and Willow bumped into her as she quickly turned around and glared at her. “Willow you’re thinking way too much. Thinking too much is bad…very bad. You have to just go with it.”

 

With that said she turned back around and pulled Willow up the remaining steps and into her bedroom where she proceeded to strip the bathing suit that resembled a frock from the twenties and put the more alluring green one on its place.

 

The whole time Willow was biting and chewing her nails in utter horror and nervousness. Could she do this? Could she go out in public with this little thing on? It was nice and the color did suit her hair, eyes and skin tone, but it was entirely too provocative for Willow’s taste. This was a bathing suit that Faith or Buffy would wear, someone that had something to show off, not the meek and not so attractive Willow.

 

For starters, it barely covered her breasts and it had these thin strips of material that crossed her boobs then crisscrossed down her belly and connected to the bottoms. If that weren’t nerve-racking enough then there were the bottoms. She turned around and looked at her butt, her eyes widening.

 

Good grief my cheeks are sticking out! Like two pale white globes of…of…mush!

 

Faith said it was the Brazilian Rio style and that it would flatter her by making her legs appear longer and thinner. As she continued to study herself and Buffy swept her hair up into a neat French twist, she had to admit her normally dull and unattractive legs did look thin and longer and it did make her feel a little bit better but still, she felt naked.

 

Willow sighed with relief when Buffy swept a black sarong around her waist, tying it neatly at the side then making sure that it kicked open to reveal her legs as she walked. Willow smiled, this she could deal with, she would just wear this all day that’s all.

 

Yeah, I don’t need to swim…

 

When Buffy was finished she stood back with a smile of achievement on her face. “So what do you think Wills?”

 

Willow had to admit she looked, different. She would even go so far as to say that she looked appealing in a small minuscule way.  She was just not use to seeing herself so…open like this and she felt so frazzled that she thought she was going to puke.

 

“I think I’m going to throw up.” She pitifully said.

 

Buffy laughed, “Oh, don’t be such a drama queen Will. Wait to you see the reaction you get from all the guys when you walk into Owen’s. Mouths are going to drop girl.”

 

Yeah, in utter horror…

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Willow quietly said.

 

Buffy was so happy. Willow looked fantastic and she was going to blow everyone away by her hotness. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Oz’s face.

 

“Okay let’s go.”

 

She moved way too fast for Willow, who still was not as convinced as Buffy was, so when Buffy started to drag her back down the steps, Willow fought her every step of the way. 

 

She tried words, she held on to the banister for dear life, she even tried to shed a tear or two. But it didn’t work, nothing did.  Buffy just kept telling her that she had to conquer her fear and get on with her life. Take what she wanted and to hell with anything else.

 

Willow repeated those things in her head as she finally let go of the banister and walked – on her own – out of the house.  She was still nervous as hell but as they walked down the block to Owen’s house she just simply gave in and resigned herself to the fact that in the end she would either be completely humiliated or shamefully happy.

 

Shamefully happy won.

 

As they strolled – no, not strolled, Willow would say it was more along the lines of cantering - into the back yard of Owen’s house, all talk ceased.  From the sound of those previously speaking voices, it appeared that Spike and Oz had returned. She was completely self conscious of the way she looked and all she wanted to do was run back to her house. But with the death grip Buffy held on her hand that was not an option.

 

No fear…no fear…

 

Willow looked up, red-faced, to see Spike and Faith sitting next to each other in two lounge chairs by the side of the pool.  Owen and Scott – Scott, when the hell did he get here? Great a not so close friend to see my shame – were by the barbeque grilling up lunch.  Angelus was now in the pool and leaning against the side talking to Oz who knelt down next to him. And they were all staring at her with their mouths hanging open.

 

Of course in her indignity she never once noticed that there was one set of eyes not looking at her at all. Instead they were plastered on the blonde that stood next to her – who wasn’t paying any attention to anyone else in the back yard except the hulking figure in the pool.

 

The second Willow and Buffy walked into the back yard Angelus knew it. It wasn’t so much the void of noise but more along the lines of a strange sensation in his body that told him she was there.

 

He took a moment to check out the unusually provocative looking Willow; admiring her form in the green bathing suit.  She looked good, and by the waves of tension that were coming off Oz it was obvious that he thought so too. 

 

Angelus smirked as his eyes collided with Buffy’s; he was surprised that she actually got Willow to wear it.  They shared a secret smile, one that was just as hot as any of the looks they had shared throughout the night, but it made Buffy nervous. She quickly looked away from him not wanting to draw her friend’s attention to their shared looked, and instead she grabbed Willow’s hand and pulled her along.

 

“We’re back.” She called out with a smile on her face.

 

“Bloody hell Red, you’re bleeding hot!”

 

Of course it was Spike that spoke first and of course it was quickly followed by Faith’s hard slap to the back side of his head.

 

“Ouch, why’d do that for?” He asked her angrily as he turned to glare at her.

 

Faith scolded him with her eyes, “Shut up, you’re going to embarrass her.” 

 

Then she quickly jumped up and walked over to the other side of the pool where Buffy and Willow sat down on some lounge chairs. Spike meanwhile got up too and walked over to Oz and Angelus, surely they would understand his surprise.

 

“So what do you think happened to Red?” he asked as he knelt down next to them. He looked at Oz, who was still staring at Willow looking completely dumbfounded. Spike waved his hand in front of his face. “Hello, anyone in there?”

 

Finally snapping Oz out of his stupor, his eyes turned to look at him, still as duh as he was a moment before.

 

Spike laughed as Angelus answered. “Buffy.”

 

He said it in relation to Spike’s question, but it was spoken with a bit of longing to it, and that was probably because he could not stop looking at her.

 

Jesus, I’m fucking starving for her…

 

Spike chuckled seeing Angelus’ hungry look on his face. He knew that look and what it meant; he just completely mistook who it was directed at.

 

“Look out Oz you might just have a bit of competition for the lovely Red’s hand.”

 

Oz and Angelus both quickly swung their gazes to each other. Oz’s was mad, Angelus’ was almost horrified. 

 

“What? No…no competition I swear. I was simply admiring the view, that’s all.” He quickly answered with his hands up in the air.

 

Yeah the blonde view, not the red-head view…

 

Oz took a moment to study his gaze and finding the truth in his words he relaxed. There would be no winning Willow if Angelus set his sights on her; he was too much of a connoisseur when it came to seduction. Accepting his answer, he nodded at Angelus and then looked back at Willow.

 

“Faith got her that for Christmas last year but I don’t think she ever wore it.” Spike said as looked at Buffy. “I guess Buffy finally got her to put it on.”

 

Buffy laughed at something Faith said, her eyes crinkled with humor, her cheeks flowered with inner warmth and her entire body language spoke of a woman that was relaxed and in charge of her life.  Spike frowned.

 

“Speaking of which, little Miss Stressed-Out is very…un-stressed this morning. She doesn’t even look hung over. I don’t think I’ve seen her look that relaxed…ever.”

 

Angelus couldn’t hold back the smirk of arrogance that he felt hearing Spike’s comments.

 

All my doing, thank you very much…

 

“I wonder if it was her blow up at Riley that did it? Or maybe it’s her up and coming date.” Spike pondered out loud which immediately ceased Angelus’ smirk of satisfaction.  Hard gleaming eyes snapped to Spike’s face.

 

“Up and coming date? She didn’t mention anything last night?” Angelus asked.

 

“Because she doesn’t know. Faith asked Scott to take her out tonight. You know the bloke’s been panting after her for ever.  I didn’t think it was a good idea but seeing as how she seems much more relaxed this morning who knows.” He shrugged as Angelus quickly looked away and back to Buffy.

 

A date. With Scott.  Buffy on a date with Scott.  Scott on a date with Buffy.

 

He kept rolling it around in his head, over and over again, every combination he could think of but no matter what, no matter how he said it, it just didn’t work for him.

 

I should have know the second that punk walked back here that he was going to piss me off one way or another.

 

His eyes darkened with agitation, then became even more precarious as he watched Scott approach Buffy.  The violent emotions swiftly spreading through him was alarming in their strength and threw him completely off kilter more than he was already.

 

Outlet…need another outlet…

 

He quickly dove under the water and started some more laps.

 

“I knew you’d look good in that suit Will. Oz is practically drooling.” Faith snickered with excitement.

 

Buffy chuckled as she looked over to where they were. Oz did indeed look completely spellbound.  Too bad she couldn’t concentrate on anything else once she saw Angelus staring at her so hungrily. 

 

She quickly looked away from his searing gaze and tried to listen to Faith and Willow but all she could think about was how good he looked, how sexy he was all wet and bare-chested, and how the hell she could still want him after having him so much last night.

 

What was that? What did Faith just say?

 

She heard the last two words of Faith’s question - date and Scott - and her attention immediately snapped to her friend. “What?”

 

“I said, Scott wants to take you out tonight, so how bout’ it?” Faith asked again. 

 

A date? With Scott?

 

“I don’t know Faith, I mean he’s nice and cute but I don’t know if I like him like that.”  Buffy said.

 

“Buffy weren’t you the one just telling me that you had to take chances?”

 

Willow was kind enough to remind her of her little pep speech and Buffy inwardly cringed. Willow was right she should take chances; she was planning on it, but with Scott? She saw him heading over to her with a smile on his face and she returned it. Then she boldly looked him over. He had a nice body, tall and lean, muscled. Yet for some reason he didn’t do it for her.  He wasn’t all broad shoulders and big muscles. He didn’t remind her of a dangerous panther, he was more of a tame housecat, and - she couldn’t believe she was thinking this - but he was actually a little too nice.

 

Riley was like that, look where that got you.

 

She heard a splash of water and she looked over to see Angelus’ streamlined body just surfacing the water. An arm lifted and he started to do some laps.  Scott was nothing like Angelus’, apples and oranges those two.  Not like that meant anything, she wasn’t interested in dating Angelus – am I? No definitely not! - and even if she were it’s not like he was interested in dating her – that is so true.

 

Then why are you staring at him?

 

She quickly looked back at Willow and seeing her facial expression which clearly said ‘if you don’t then I’m not going to either’, made Buffy’s mind up. She might not be too sure about Scott but she was not one of those ‘do as I say, not as I do’ people.

 

She smiled at them. “Okay. I’ll go.”

 

 

******************

 

 

 

Okay, I’ll go??

 

What the hell was I thinking?

 

For the hundredth time that night Buffy replayed that moment in her head, over and over again, wishing she had come up with another answer besides, ‘Okay, I’ll go’. 

 

The evening was going to be a complete bust. It was destined – pre ordained, and she knew it.  The moment Scott came to her house she knew it was a mistake and she knew why it was mistake, and she knew when that mistake became as clear as the nose on her face – when all she could think about was ‘him’.

 

I am definitely cursed…. 

 

All day long as they hung out at Owen’s she found herself spacing out and thinking of last night. Or her eyes would wander over to Angelus and slowly drift down his body. God, she loved his body.  She could stare at it all day and she did.  And every time her eyes glided down that smooth expanse of perfect male naked skin, every touch and taste of that flesh that she had sampled last night played itself over in her mind like a broken record.  Every deep guttural sound that came off of those full suckable lips echoed in her head like someone was shouting in her ear with a bullhorn.  She was so pitiable, that even when Scott sat down next to her and started talking to her - God only knew about what, she hadn’t been listening to him - her mind just wandered off to Angelus and how hot he looked, and how she wanted more of him.

 

See…cursed.

 

And it didn’t stop there.

 

Later as everyone - less Scott who’d gone home to get ready for their…date - gathered at her house for dinner, Angelus sat next to her on the couch…very close, too close.   His arm rubbed against hers every time he lifted his fork to take a bite, and when it did, she was reminded of how it felt to have that naked arm wrapped around her body holding her tightly as he thrust inside of her.  Then his strong thigh rested against hers and when he move forward she could feel the muscles contracting with the movement, reminding her of how effortlessly he held her up as he fucked her against the pole, not ten feet from where they sat on the sofa. Then there was the sofa itself. Shit, she couldn’t sit there without remembering how she had rode him until they both brilliantly came, and how she knew she had taken him to a place that he had never been before. 

 

Was it any wonder that the entire time had been intoxicatingly disturbing? Hell no! It was just like the other night as she watched the game except this was a million times worse because now she knew exactly what it felt like to have him. 

 

In an attempt to distant herself from him, she’d scoot over to get away from his heat, his nearness, but even that didn’t save her because it seemed like he moved with her.  A part of his body always touched hers…like a freaking magnet she just couldn’t shake. If she didn’t know any better she would say that he did it on purpose. Always sticking himself in her personal space, overwhelming her – intentionally - and getting his kicks by doing it.  It was pretty much what he had been doing all day long:  the hot looks, the slight little touches that he would sneak in under their friends’ noses, the deep husky comments laden with sexual insinuations. It had been a complete bombardment of…him.

 

With an onslaught of attention like that how could she be expected to just go about her day like nothing happened last night?   She couldn’t.  She was only human.

 

She never thought things could get worse but she had been seriously mistaken.  While the constant erotic reminders could not be ignored and were hard to endure, they were not the reason she felt so distressed. Nope. That would be the images of him tangled up in the arms of some bimbo. Of his naked body covering another naked body that wasn’t hers.  Of his hands and lips tasting and exploring flesh that was not on her bones. Of his sexy deep voice screaming a name that was not hers. Those thoughts, which came out of nowhere, were more torturous than anything else and that was where the cursed part came into play. She had a sneaking suspicion that it was more than just lust she was feeling. Because imagining him with another woman created a tightness in her chest that felt dissonantly like pain. And that scared the crap out of her.

 

The harsh truth was that she had been naïve with her reasons as to why sleeping with him would be a bad idea.  She couldn’t be naïve anymore. It had nothing to do with her stupid ideals and it had nothing to do with her disgust at his lifestyle. No, it had everything to do with…her, her emotions and her heart.

 

I’m falling for him. 

 

By giving her body to him she had opened herself up to nothing but pain and heartache.  He was too charming and too much male.  He was the epitome of everything that got her hot in a guy and everything that she was looking for in a companion, which was bad. She wanted a significant other in her life so badly that it was only logical that her heart would open up to him.  He was just way too much of the perfect package and she could not resist him. Well perfect in all areas but one.

 

And that wherein lays the pain and heartache element.

 

He was not looking for the same thing. She wasn’t that delusional to think that he would stop sleeping with other women just because they shared one night together. It might have been good sex but that was just it, for him that’s all it was - sex. He was incapable of understanding deeper emotions such as love. To him love was for fools.  She’d always known that and that was why she’d never let her desires control her actions. 

 

But last night, God she had been so vulnerable last night that there was no way she could control them anymore. She’d acted on her desires and now like an idiot she had become what she never wanted to be; just another girl in a very long list of girls that had fallen in love with him.

 

Whoa, hold up, falling in love? 

 

Am I falling in love with a rake?

 

No!

 

I may be falling for him but it is definitely not love. 

 

Lust…absolutely.

 

A possible crush…sure I’ll buy that.

 

But love? NO! NOT LOVE…

 

Oh God, please don’t let it be love.

 

After those damning-scary thoughts racked her brain, it was all she could think about and the idea of going out on a date with Scott was like having to take castor oil if she was sick…revolting. 

 

But what else could she do?  She was adamant that she not fall in love with Angelus McBain. A crush was okay, she could deal with that and if she were honest she could even admit that most likely she’d had a crush on him since the first time she met him. But that was all it could ever be.  She could not and would not allow herself to fall in love with him because that would be way bad.

 

She could see it now… there she would be, little sorry old Buffy going through the rest of her life pining for a man that was emotionally incapable of returning her feelings.  How freaking pathetic was that!  Well she did not want to be that sad miserable person, so she was left with no choice but to fight whatever emotions she was feeling from growing into anything deeper. She had to keep up the ‘just friends’ routine which meant she had to watch him take one woman after another to his bed. 

 

Gee, the immediate future is looking just so peachy!

 

So it was those thoughts, those nauseating positive ‘I’m a trooper’ kind of thoughts that she contemplated before her – shiver – date with Scott.  Since she refused to become a shrew she had to look toward her date with hope and an open mind, and she had to give Scott a chance.

 

So she did.

 

Scott was warm and friendly, sweet and kind.  He took her to the Santa Monica Pier and they had a really good time, but it was on a friend level. Not once during the course of the evening had she wondered what he tasted like or what it would be like if they slept together. Not once did her heart flutter just from hearing the sound of his voice. And whenever his skin touched hers, there were no tingles of desire assaulting her body.

 

There was just…nothing.

 

It sucked but she wasn’t surprised.  She always knew that she wasn’t attracted to Scott.  But she held on to some hope that maybe a spark would ignite. She should have known she was pushing the envelope with that optimism. Attraction was not something that could grow, it was either there from the get-go or it wasn’t, and with Scott it just wasn’t.

 

She probably should have said something to him during the course of the evening but she assumed he would feel the non-sex vibes that she was throwing off. Now as they stood on her front porch and his lips were coming closer to hers, it was clear that he hadn’t.

 

She swallowed with dread.

 

She wanted to run but she had no where to go. He was in front of her and all that was behind her was her closed wooden door. There was just no escaping the approaching lip action that she was about to experience. So taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to relax her body, tried to just accept his kiss, and to keep her mind open to the possibility that maybe when his lips touched hers that spark would shoot through her body like an errant lightning bolt.

 

It didn’t.

 

Instead of lightning she got…mushy wet lips that just felt completely wrong against her own.

 

Oh God, this is worse than when I kissed Lindsay…

 

A notion abruptly entered her mind; what if she was being unfair to Scott? After all, she had spent the night with an aficionado of sex did she really expect to hit the lotto twice…two nights in a row- yeah right.

 

On their own accord her eyes opened and peered over Scott’s shoulder and at the empty driveway across the street. 

 

The second dinner was over Angelus left and went right out. Right now, he was probably with some chick giving her the best fucking pleasure she’d ever experienced and completely enjoying himself. He definitely wasn’t thinking of her like she was thinking of him.

 

Stop it Buffy! Your lips are locked with someone else’s and you’re thinking of him!  That’s not the way to give Scott a chance.

 

Just relax…enjoy it. He’s nice, he’s available and he’s…

 

Scott took a step closer, his palms rested on her shoulders as he pulled her closer, their lower bodies connected and...

 

H-E-L-L-O…is that what I think it is? Crap, it is.

 

Instinctively she leaned back against the door, her hands came up to his chest and she lightly pushed against him, moving her head back as she did.

 

Releasing her mouth, Scott’s eyes closed as he leaned his forehead against hers.  When he opened them back up he looked at her and she gulped with apprehension at what she saw.

 

He was totally infatuated with her.

 

Damn it.

 

“That was nice.”

 

He huskily said and Buffy willed a smile to come to her face - trying to at least look like she had enjoyed it, but with his next words the ruse was up.

 

“But not for you.”

 

It wasn’t a question; it was a statement and he took a step back from her, his hands dropping from her shoulders.  The second he did, her body instantly relaxed as air entered her lungs.

 

He looked so…disappointed and it made her feel really bad that she wasn’t feeling the love as much he was. But she had to be honest. It wouldn’t be right to string him along just so she could see if something would grow.

 

This sucked! She hated this part of dating.

 

“No. I mean it was, it’s just that…well there wasn’t any…”

 

“Sparks.”

 

He finished her sentence and when she looked up she realized that he wasn’t as obtuse as she thought he was. His gaze was clear and resigned.  “I kind of thought so but I figured I’d give it a shot.”

 

He shrugged his shoulders smiling sheepishly at her and she felt such relief that he wasn’t crying on her doorstop from her rejection that she chuckled at him her smile blaringly bright.

 

“I tried to you know. I did, it’s just…”

 

“I know…it’s not there. I get it Buff, don’t worry about it. At least we know right?”

 

“Yeah, at least we know.”

 

Turning around he jumped off the porch and headed for his car. “I had a really great time…you know, hanging out.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“Maybe we can do it again sometime, you know friends hanging with friends.”

 

Yeah, the story of my life…

 

The smooth purr of an engine came around the corner and Buffy’s eyes were immediately drawn to it.

 

Speaking of which…

 

“Sure, that’d be cool.”

 

Her reply was listless but it went unnoticed by Scott who just waved good night, jumped in his car and took off down the block. But he was out of her mind way before he got in his car and long before he disappeared around the bend. 

 

Well isn’t this great, more torment to latch on to my already frazzled nerves.

 

Without even realizing what she was doing, she sat down on the swing – bracing her self - waiting for the bomb to drop. Thank God it never did.

 

The engine turned off and Angelus got out of the car. She watched as he did what he always did, he walked around to the side of the passenger car and…

 

Er…wait a minute…he isn’t walking around to the passenger side door…he’s walking toward me…holy shit, he’s…alone?

 

Her heart started to beat in her chest and she tried to calm it down as his feet landed on her porch and he swung that big beautiful body down on the swing right next to hers.

 

“Scott?”

 

He asked, his head tilting toward the car that was now no where to be seen. There was a slight edge to his voice and she figured he probably didn’t get to fuck whoever it was he wanted to fuck that particular night and dismissed it as anything else.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Angelus quickly averted his gaze from her eyes. There was no mistaking the plump, wet, rosy color of a mouth that had just been kissed, nor the sudden deep anger that stunned him in its quick veracity. Seeing it, knowing he had just missed the suck-face action by mere seconds was a huge relief.  But for some reason he had the strongest desire to jump back in his car, track that punk down, rip those fucking lips off and shove him down his throat.

 

Jesus, I’m losing my fucking mind!

 

He cleared his scratchy dry throat and they started to swing together, the swing creaking low as it moved and their gazes remaining aloof as they both stared straight ahead.

 

“So, how was it?”

 

His mouth was clenched so hard as he anchored himself for her answer that his question came out grating and a bit dangerous. But Buffy, so intent on ignoring how much her body came to life the second he sat down next to her, didn’t notice.

 

She shrugged, “okay.”

 

The gloomy sound of her voice stilled the rolling waves of aggression that were inside of him and he turned to look at her.  “Not what you were expecting?”

 

“No, just the opposite.” She sighed sounding completely disgruntled. “It was exactly what I expected. Nice and sweet.”

 

He turned his head completely in the opposite direction so she wouldn’t see the full smile that graced his lips at hearing that bit of information.  He was pleased to hear that her night sucked because so did his.

 

After dinner earlier, he had left her house very quickly. He had been so tight and too…well, he wasn’t sure what the hell he was feeling but he knew that it wasn’t happy feelings of joy. For some reason, that he had yet to understand, the idea of sitting on the sofa and watching Buffy get picked up for her…date – shiver -  was bloodcurdling. It was bad enough that he had to watch Scott hovering near her all day at Owen’s. Smiling at her, flirting with her, touching her. That had been maddening enough. He knew there was no way he could sit idly by on the sofa and watch them walk out of the house together like a couple, so he left to find that outlet that he knew he needed.

 

He went to the bar and picked up the first bimbo that had latched on to him.  She was of average height, she had brown hair, and she had a huge set of tits. That was about all he knew.  He just took her by the hand and pulled her outside to the alley where he took her against the wall - twice.  He hadn’t been easy on the poor girl. He had taken her roughly, with absolutely no finesse. The severe coupling had been entirely unlike him.  He was a seducer not a rough and tumble taker. But tonight that was exactly what he had been. 

 

He was a little ashamed of himself. He knew the girl had gotten no pleasure from it. In fact, he was surprised that she let him go for it again.   She probably thought he would be gentler the second time around. But he hadn’t been. He was too mad. To freaked out by confusing emotions that he was unaccustomed to feeling that he had absolutely no control over anything he was doing. It was aggravating as hell and he took that frustration out on - what the hell was her name? Shit usually I always get a name? - what’s her name.

 

For him, it was unfulfilling. It had been nothing more than a desperate attempt to regain the balance that usually flourished in his life. 

 

A failed attempt.

 

An hour later, he was back sitting at the bar and still feeling way too much pent up energy and far too many conflicting things, and he was faced with two options.

 

One: He could stay and drink himself into oblivion. That sounded like the perfect escape but it would not have been a good idea. He had a game tomorrow and he refused to let his emotions, regardless of what they were making him feel, run his life and ruin his team’s excellent record.

 

The other option was simple. Take another no-named girl into the alley and stick it to her but he knew it would be a waste of time.  Evidently his body was not ready to accept any kind of real satisfaction from a body that did not belong to Buffy Summers. So the sex, or rather the lack of satisfying sex, did nothing but piss him off more. 

 

Fuck! That was infuriating!  Sex had always been the means for him to vent, a successful means to boot.  It didn’t matter who it was or what they looked like, as long as they had a warm hole that he could stick his cock into then they worked for him.   But not tonight, no tonight his body was being stubborn as all hell. So to punish it he went to the gym and spent the rest of the night pummeling anything he could with his hands and with his feet, and pumping more iron than he normally did. Anything to take his mind off of ‘the date’ and his body’s stubborn determination to hold out it’s relief until it got back inside of where it wanted to be…Buffy’s body.

 

Well duh! You knew once you tasted her you wouldn’t be able to get her out of your system…remember that one little word…ADDICTION!

 

His ears picked up a sigh of misery that escaped her lips, drawing him back to now. “Where did he take you?”

 

Why am I asking questions about a date that I don’t even want to know existed? Death by ignorance, that’s why.

 

“Santa Monica, The Pier.”

 

Angelus’ brow quirked up.

 

He took her to the Pier and not out to dinner? What a fucking loser. No wonder it was just okay.

 

His derisive thoughts revealed themselves in the sound of a contemptuous snort and Buffy looked over at him, frowning. “Don’t be such a snob Angelus. The Pier is nice.”

 

“Yeah, if you’re sixteen.”

 

She didn’t dignify it with an answer, she liked the Pier and she thought it was fun no matter how old you were. She turned away from him and looked up at the stars.

 

“So um…you’re home early.”

 

And alone??

 

He shrugged, “Yeah, well you know, game tomorrow.”

 

She nodded. She had a thousand more questions to ask about his night but there was no way in hell she was going to do that. It wasn’t any of her business where he went or what ho he’d picked up. 

 

Feeling uncomfortable in the silence that hung over them, she cleared her throat. Tomorrow’s game was a neutral zone, perfect; a nice safe subject.

 

“I talked to Perry on Friday.”

 

Angelus sharply looked over at her. Perry was the PR rep for the Ducks. He was a sleaze bag who had the hots for Buffy - another dirt bag that rattled his chains – and everyone knew it because the dog made no effort to hide it. Buffy being a quintessential female played him, time and time again. Using her feminine wiles and Perry’s attraction to her against him, she’d give him just a little to suck information out of him on the Ducks. Then she’d relay it to Angelus or the Coach.  She didn’t do anything momentous; it wasn’t like she spread her legs for him and let him in. It was more along the lines of making insinuations and promises that she never intended to keep.  It was the perfect example of a woman using her charms to get what she wanted. It was skillful and artful…manipulative. Actually it was quite educational to watch, well at least if a guy was clueless about women.  In any case, he hated to see it and the reason why was because it always concerned him that she was playing Perry too hard – at least that was the reason he could admit too.

 

“Brad May sprained his ankle in practice last Monday. They kept it quiet but…”

 

“You got it out of him,” he added with a hard gleam in his eyes. “And how exactly did you do that this time milsean?”

 

She smiled, the pride she felt with her powers of feminine persuasion evident on her face. “I told him that I’d think about going out to dinner with him this week.”

 

His eyes darkened. “You have to stop doing that Buffy.  It’s going to come back one day and bite you in the ass.”

 

She chuckled, flipping her hair over her shoulder; she was the picture of a woman totally confident in who she was and what she was capable of. “He’d never get near my ass. “

 

You can say that again…

 

“I’d lay him out flat before he even lifted his finger.”

 

And I’d rip his fucking hand off before you even curled your fist.

 

“So anyway, he’s not at his skating best. If, let’s say you…accidentally tripped him up you might just make it worse and take him out for a month.”

 

He smirked at her, his eyes shining with lust from her cutthroat words. “Why Ms. Summers are you suggesting that I intentionally hurt another player.”

 

She shrugged, “I’m just saying that’s all.”

 

“That would put me in the penalty box for at least five minutes and possibly give them a two guy advantage.”  He said.

 

“He’s their top scorer, five minutes in the penalty box is worth it if it takes him out for the next month. “

 

Angelus didn’t like the idea of hurting another player on purpose but he had to admit she made sense, and there was no denying the instant hard on he got from hearing her talk. Fuck, he loved talking to her about hockey. She breathed it just as he did. It was so fucking refreshing to sit down and talk to a woman about hockey that actually knew what she was talking about.  She was so unlike all those insipid hockey groupies that tried to play it off like they knew something when in reality the only thing they did know was that they wanted him in their bed and nothing else.

 

His cock twitched and he shifted in his seat, speaking without thinking. “Do you know how hard it gets me to hear you talk like that?”

 

Holy shit, what did I just say?

 

They looked at each other.

 

The air sparked and ignited between them. 

 

Flashes of skin on skin soaked their minds and seared their flesh. 

 

Buffy’s hands gripped her thighs as tiny drops of perspiration moistened her core. Her eyes treacherously slid down to his pants and her tongue punctually came out of her mouth, slowly licking her lips.

 

The groan that threatened to spill from his lips would have been needy and hot, and it would have definitely been followed by his hands pulling his Johnson out and giving her that which her mouth and tongue so clearly craved.

 

Jesus Buffy…get a grip!  Any more sex with him would be dangerous…way too fucking dangerous.

 

Angelus was ready to oblige her hunger but in a blink of an eye she seemed to get a hold on her lust.  A look of self-condemnation crossed her face and she looked away from him – breaking their contact.  Just like that, she’d slammed the door shut…again. When she finally answered him, her voice was full of all the sarcastic wit that he was used to hearing from her.

 

“The wind blows and you get hard.”

 

He grinned, his low timbered laugh igniting her senses again. “Touché’ milsean.”

 

He stood up then, taking the swift change in moods as his sign to go. It was a good idea considering he was only an arm’s length away from busting that mental door down, grabbing her, throwing her on the porch and fucking her brains out.  But she stood at the same time and they bumped into each other.

 

His hands quickly reached out and grabbed her arms, steadying her but also drawing her fully against his body.  Once more their eyes made contact. Once more that spark that she had been hoping would hit with Scott slammed into her. Her hands automatically rested against his chest, in yearning or in defense neither knew. 

 

What was known was this…desire, swift and hard, deep and dangerous, clawing at their souls demanding to be set free but Buffy held on to her resolve. She looked up at him, her eyes were heated yet there was sadness in them as well, a misery that was like a punch to Angelus’ heart, and another emotion that he could not decipher.

 

He frowned and she took a step back, smiling slightly at him.  “Good luck tomorrow.”

She turned and walked away from him, opening the door she stepped inside, closing it softly behind her. Her eyes never once made contact with his again.

 

He stood there for a minute staring at the barrier that stood between them. His hand rose and he touched the door scowling darkly at it and at her quick dismissal of him.   It was not the first time she had done that to him today.  In fact, she’d been doing nothing else but. 

 

It started after she and Willow got back to Owen’s and Scott came over.   The flirtatious banter disappeared and she spent the rest of the day putting as much space between them as she possibly could.  She was good at it too; he had to admit that, because her cold-shoulder was subtle. Their friends who were all extremely sharp people never noticed her indifference to him. But he noticed and it had soured his mood. 

 

Who the hell was he kidding? It hadn’t soured his mood, it hurt his ego.

 

Was it that easy for her to just ignore our attraction and shut me out?

 

The thought hurt his pride and, strangely, his heart.

 

With a strange and twisted sense of purpose he spun away from her door and briskly walked across the street to his house. 

 

He refused to just stand by and let her deny what was between them anymore, to hell with the fucking consequences!  Whatever the fuck those were! He didn’t even know anymore.  If today proved anything it was that they could be intimate with each other and retain their friendship, and that was precisely what he was going to see happen. He’d tasted paradise and he was going to be damn fucking sure that he tasted it again and again.

 

She’d thrown the gauntlet down and she didn’t even know it. An evil smirk played across his lips as he slammed the front door of his house shut. He was now on a mission to set her straight, a mission of calculated seduction. She wanted him and he’d be damned if she denied them that pleasure any longer.

 

 

******************

 

 

The next evening…

 

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen McBain this out of control before, Dean.”

 

“I’d agree with you on that Bob. McBain seems to have some kind of personal vendetta against the Ducks. I don’t think there’s one Duck that he’s left alone.”

 

Why do all sportscasters say the other guys name…all the time? Do they forget who they’re working with?  Idiots.

 

“I think your right Dean. He is just full of aggression tonight, even more so than last Friday night’s game at The Forum. You know, I talked to him before the game, or maybe I should say tried to, because he wasn’t in a very talkative mood. He just looked at me like he wanted to kill me, grunted, then walked away.”

 

That’s because he loathes you Bob…

 

“Well that’s McBain for you Bob, his aggression is as beautiful to watch as his finesse. I don’t think the fans here in Anaheim can appreciate his complexities tonight though.”

 

Buffy snorted, that’s an understatement Dean, they’re ready to kill him…

 

“No Dean, they are down right hostile toward McBain. In fact, one fan had to be escorted out when he threw a can of beer at McBain’s head when he was in the penalty box for tripping up Brad May.  I tell you Dean, that fan was lucky he escaped because the look on McBain’s face was a sure sign that he did not appreciate that show of belligerence.”

 

“No. I’m sure he didn’t Bob.  Well the Duck fans can say what they will about McBain Bob, but when it comes right down to it he’s the best player in the league. And while he’s been brutal tonight there’s no denying the scoreboard.”

 

“No Dean they definitely can’t deny that. We’re in the third period folks and the Kings are up 7 to 2, and once again McBain is cooling off his skates in the penalty box.  We’ve got five minutes left in the third period; we’ll be right back folks with the conclusion of this fierce blow out game.”

 

Buffy slapped her pen down on the desk, sighing and shaking her head as the sportscasters faded out and some stupid commercial for Viagra came on. She pressed the mute button on the TV and leaned back in her chair. 

 

She could not believe how aggressive Angelus was being tonight.  As soon as the game started he went after May. He tripped him with his stick and May went down twisting his ankle in the process and effectively taking him out of tonight’s game and no doubt the rest of the month. When Angelus came out of the penalty box five minutes later he went after everyone else, one by one.  It was a good thing he was the highest scoring player or he’d be out of a job. No team owner wanted a player that was only good at getting penalties.

 

Yes, she definitely had her work cut out for her tonight and considering how little sleep she got last night, it was going to be a long night.  For once though she couldn’t blame her lack of sleep on the dreams because for the second night in a row they did not pay her a visit and she was thankful for that. She blamed Angelus because he was what occupied her mind all freaking night long.  

 

God, she just could not stop thinking about him and it was really ticking her off!  She’d tried not to as she went about her day preparing for tonight’s game. At lunch time she saw her doctor and got the Implant inserted under her skin. It was a new method of birth control one that did not require popping a pill every day – which she always had a hard time remembering to do. The other aspect that she liked about it was that she didn’t have to wait for her period to start taking it.  Of course she would still have to use a condom for seven days but that was not a big deal.  She’d still have to use them anyway to protect against diseases – not if you slept with Angelus you know he’s clean, ARGH, stop thinking about him!

 

After that she dropped by the house to say good bye to Faith, Spike, Oz and Willow.  All along ‘he’ was in her thoughts. After that she’d gone back to work and finally got him off her mind when she got a phone call from one very persistent Perry. 

 

After talking to him for ten minutes she decided to go out with him.  She did feel bad for always stringing him along plus she figured why not.  He was a good looking guy, and he did fit into a lot of the ‘plus’ side categories that she was attracted to in a man but the best part was that he took her mind off of Angelus, which is what she desperately needed. 

 

They made plans to meet tomorrow night at The Polo Lounge in The Beverly Hills Hotel. Perry offered to pick her up but she told him she would meet him there.  She didn’t want Perry at her house, at least not yet. This would be there first date and she never brought the first date home. Scott had been different he was a friend and had already been at her house plenty of times in the past. She’d known Perry for three years too but it was on a professional level, they’d never hung out before outside of the job. 

 

Then there was the fact that she wasn’t sure if she wanted Angelus to know about their date.  He didn’t like Perry and she didn’t want to hear him nag her about it. If things worked out between her and Perry then that would be a different story. Angelus would respect her wishes, like he did with Riley. But until then it was better to keep him out of the loop.

 

After talking to Perry she went home for dinner around five. After a quick bite she headed back to her little office at The Forum, around seven, to watch the game and prepare for the slew of calls she would get afterwards – like she usually did. It wasn’t uncommon for her to get home at midnight after a game. It all depended on how that game went or rather how well the players behaved.  Obviously tonight she was going to be here a long freaking time.

 

She looked at the clock on the wall, it was almost ten, the team should be back around midnight.

 

I’m going to ring his neck when I see him!

 

Her head started to pound as her phone started to ring.

 

Great, here we go.  The million questions and the million stupid BS answers she had to rattle off, one after another.  Seeing the other four lines light up on her phone only made her head ache more. Pulling open her drawer she pulled out some Tylenol and took two out. She swallowed them down, took a deep breath, and then answered the first line.

 

 

******************

 

 

Two and half hours later Buffy hung up the phone and yawned.  Thankful that that was the last annoying reporter she had to lie to tonight.  She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as she started to massage her stiff neck. 

 

The last couple of hours had been non-stop, between reporters calling, the endorsement companies and not to mention the General Manager’s call who expressed the Owner’s concern over how aggressive Angelus had been as of late, she hadn’t had one moment of peace.   But it was done now, everyone had been appeased and it was time to go home and soothe her weary mind and body. 

 

She was comfortable in her chair and the thought of getting up just wasn’t appealing so she pushed back and put her legs up on the desk, leaning further back against the chair.

 

“Just one more minute, then I’ll get up and go home.”

 

One minute turned into two, and then two turned into five, and then twenty minutes later she completely dozed off, and that was how Angelus found her.

 

Leaning against the doorframe he stared at the napping petite form of the woman that had occupied his thoughts all day and night. 

 

Since he decided to seduce her back into his arms last night, he hadn’t thought of anything else, hadn’t wanted to do anything else but go forward with his seduction. For the first time in his life playing hockey had played second fiddle to a woman and for him that was just well…not him. 

 

He didn’t want to go to Anaheim today and play hockey. In truth he resented it for taking him away from what he really wanted to do - seduce Buffy. He lived for hockey; it was his life.  It was the only thing in this world that he could honestly say he loved, and mean it.  To suddenly resent it made him feel guilty, like he was betraying the only thing that ever showed him love and respect back, and that made him mad. That anger had been quick and intense and when he hit the ice tonight it was like someone else took over his body.  Someone who was determined to play with an energy that would appease the guilt that he felt for not really being there and the anger that disassociation created. 

 

Now as he leaned against the door, right where he wanted to be all day and night, he was literally struck dumb by the sense of calm that eclipsed him.  It was as if just looking at her, just being in the same room with her fed the angry beast inside of him. He felt an odd urge to purr with relaxed contentment, to breathe out his confusion and breathe in nothing but her.  There was a strange sense of restoration to his life, one of order and balance, a clear understanding of his purpose and who he was.

 

A man who needed a woman.

 

Her head lolled to the side as she shifted slightly in the seat and her legs glided smoothly against each other as they rested atop her desk.  The vision she made was compelling, a sleeping beauty whose ethereal appearance was one of sweet innocence yet that same beauty cloaked a wild and wanton hellcat.

 

The combination was heady and striking.  It touched and drew every part of his body and soul to her in the most defining of ways – which were what? Why can’t I get a grip on it? -  it was…simply magnetic.  If it weren’t for his itching Johnson he would stand there all night long and just watch her sleep.  But the itch was too demanding, and he watched with the intent of a hunter, his eyes soaking in every enticing aspect that she offered. From her black blouse that was unbuttoned to the mid section of her chest, revealing the sides of a black lace bra.  To her skirt that had hiked up a bit further as she moved, the material of the slit falling to the side, exposing strong shapely thighs.

 

His cock swelled with desire as his eyes darkened and he took a step forward, slowly and quietly closing the door so not to disturb her. She was right where he wanted her to be and there was no way in hell he wanted to wake her…at least, not yet. She was more susceptible to her desires asleep and he was distorted enough to take advantage of that vulnerability. 

 

He felt no shame in what he was about to do.  He was a starving man and he had to feed his hunger. He had no choice. He’d been starving for her since the first time he met her and then with the first touch of her lips on his the other night that starvation rapidly escalated, turning a somewhat controllable yearning to a voracious need. Two days later the strength of that longing and the depth of passion and desire that he felt for her, craved from her, was disturbing him to his core. And as each second passed that he was not able to touch her or taste her, that disturbance became more twisted…more angry. 

 

There was no denying the monster that was wide awake inside of him, roaring with a desperate almost anguished need that could only be quenched with her.  She had become as essential to his body as the air he breathed and he could admit that. That admission settled the angry monster because he knew it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to his will, even if it was from an act of manipulation or exploitation. It just didn’t matter.

 

Silently he placed his bag on the floor and then took his jacket off, placing it on the sofa next to her jacket and her purse. With slow purposeful strides he walked toward her, his hands suddenly itchy with anxiousness, he neared the desk and sat down on the edge, right by her legs.

 

She still wore shoes; a pair of black patent leather heels with a black and white tiger print toe, Jimmy Choo’s if he wasn’t mistaken. He’d seen enough of women’s foot apparel in his lifetime to know the difference between a cheap pair of Payless shoes and an expensive pair of designer shoes, and these were definitely the latter. 

 

Like it mattered, she could wear a pair of shitty sneakers and her foot would still turn me on…

 

He reached out and ran a finger down the smooth leather and then he slowly grazed the top of her bare foot. No stockings, mmm…he loved that. Stockings were sexy no doubt about it but a shoe this sexy didn’t need anything else but bare feet.

 

She moaned softly her head lolling to the other side of the chair but she didn’t wake which was good because he still hadn’t decided if he should take the shoe off and suck each individual toe or leave the shoes on. He enjoyed taking a woman that was fully dressed, including shoes, there was just something so wicked about it and he loved wickedness. Still he was having a tuff time deciding how he wanted her because he wanted her in everywhere.

 

Oh, decisions, decisions…

 

On…leave them on…you had her naked…experience the joy of fucking a clothed Buffy Summers…

 

Yes, he’d leave them on.

 

Watching her face, he laid his palm flat against her foot and then slowly slid his hand up her leg. She still did not move and he continued his debauched caress until he reached her knee.

 

He loved her knees. Most women’s knees that he’d seen had scars on them from shaving or falling down as a kid, it was a common thing and it wasn’t unattractive to him at all. But Buffy’s knees were perfect. They had not one imperfection on them and for some sick reason that turned him on more, spurning him to go faster when he didn’t want to.

 

Leaning down he opened his mouth and sucked on her kneecap – gently – his tongue probing the smooth skin, licking and tasting it, holding back the groan of happiness he felt at finally having her unique taste on his taste buds once more.

 

She lightly gasped, her mouth opening as her upper body twisted to the right, pulling her blouse out of her skirt where it had been neatly tucked in. A beautiful flat belly was revealed to his hungry gaze but he didn’t look long it was too tempting and he wanted - no needed to go slow.  She was going to protest his actions so the more finesse the better. The more she was out of her mind with lust and need the easier it would be for him to slip inside of her and take her hard.

 

Lifting his mouth he placed his hand back on her calf and then slid it up her leg to her thigh. He squeezed gently and he heard her breath hitch. His mouth followed his hands path. He kissed her kneecap then slid his lips languidly up her thigh, pushing her skirt up as he did, then down the inside and over to the other thigh that it rested on. His other hand feeling left out of the action had already attached itself it to her other leg, the one that did not get kissed. Sliding up it met his other hand. With both hands on her thighs, they squeezed as he gently bit the inside of one thigh.

 

He didn’t bite her hard, not enough to cause pain…not like the angry little fist that was suddenly wrapped around his hair, yanking his head back – hard.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

He smiled at her angry hot face.  Her eyes were that beautiful shade of smoky green, the color of her arousal, her face was flushed and her words were low and raspy…she was hot for him.

 

“I’m not doing anything you don’t want.”

 

He arrogantly answered her but never moved from where he was. Glowering she yanked his head back harder.

 

The pain that shot down his spine was like an electrical current of lust to his dick and he swelled painfully.

 

“If you’re trying to get me harder that would do it.”

 

Buffy’s heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest. At the first soft tantalizing touch her sleep hazed mind thought it was the dreams coming back to haunt her.  With every confident glide of his hand on her skin the dream continued until she was yanked back to reality from the feeling of blunt yet harsh teeth in her skin. 

 

Her first reaction was to push him away. He was taking liberties that he had no right to take, assuming that she would just give in to her passion for him and his arrogance angered her. But hearing his words seeing his eyes blacken with lust when she forcefully pulled on his hair triggered something inside of her, something wicked, something that was deliciously wayward and had to be set free.

 

Her eyes flared with revelation but then quickly became pools of dark green ink that Angelus was suddenly lost in. 

 

“You like…pain?” She asked, her voice holding a note of intrigued puzzlement.

 

I like giving it, but the way my cock is throbbing right now…if you’re dishing it out…hell yes…

 

He grinned at her but kept his thoughts to himself. This was his seduction not hers, and if he answered her she would have the upper hand. He turned his head and bit her thigh again, this time harder.

 

Her breath inhaled sharply, her eyes closed, pure pleasure eclipsed the irate visage, and the grip on his hair relaxed, becoming less angry and much more agreeable.

 

“Apparently, you do too.”

 

Apparently I do, ah…go figure…

 

It was pure decadence, that bite to her flesh. It was erotic and kinky and it turned her on.  Instantly, the feeble fight to stop him fled her body and her mind. The sensual pleasure that she knew he could give her was too powerful to resist and she forgot the reason why she did in the first place.

 

Sensing her resistance fading away, his fingers made little circles on her thighs as he stared up at her.  “Pain can be erotically pleasurable and I’m more than willing to indulge your curiosity, but we’ll save that for a later day.”

 

When she finally opened her eyes and looked at him, her orbs were pensive yet alight with the fire that he induced from his wicked words. She wanted that it was clear but he could tell that she was not completely ready to just let her resistance go.

 

Her next words confirmed his thoughts.

 

“We…can’t do this, not again.”

 

She’s so close…

 

Knowing he had to keep moving forward his hands slid up her thighs and under her skirt seeking their ultimate hot honeyed destination. But her hands suddenly left his hair and slapped around his wrists halting his movements. He didn’t care though, if it made her feel better then let her, he’d just keep his seduction going with his mouth by sucking on her skin.

 

He took her flesh in between his lips again; licking and pulling on her tight skin, feeling her grasp lessen on his wrist.

 

God, I didn’t know my knees were so sensitive…

 

He smiled against the mouthful of flesh hearing the startled and excited gasp escape her full lips. He released her skin then leaned his head against her leg watching her facial expressions as his hand moved – with no resistance now - further up her leg.

 

“Why not? I want you…”

 

Hs finger touched the scalloped lace edge of her thong then glided down her covered slit, it was wet and the heat that was coming off of her made his eyes cross with craving.

 

“…you want me.”

 

She moaned that time and the sound was music to his ears, it was the only sound he wanted to hear tonight. 

 

Needing more of her raspy pants he slipped his finger under the thong and touched hot silky wet lips.

 

“I only want to give you pleasure Buffy.”  He traced her slit up and then circled her clit. “Don’t you want pleasure Buffy?”

 

Her back arched off the chair, her legs fell open wider, and her head pressed back against the chair as she candidly moaned out her answer. “Yes.”

 

“Tell me.”

 

She answered immediately, the sexual bliss overriding the fears and anxieties she had from beginning this intimacy with him again. “I want pleasure.”

 

His finger rolled lower and then circled her entrance - the doorway to paradise - moving forward he opened that doorway, pushing his finger inside of her.

 

“Who do you want pleasure from?”

 

He ended his question pulling his finger out, sliding it back inside of her and then licking her thigh.

 

“You…I want it from you.”

 

Her unabashed answer was raw with need and inside he swelled with elation from his victorious defeat of her defenses. She was his for the taking now.

 

His conquering made his actions bolder. Keeping his mouth on her knee, he took hold of her ankle and lifted it up in the air as he bent down, releasing her skin just long enough to raise her leg over his head and effectively put himself in between her legs. Once there his mouth latched on to her again as he pulled her forward, the chair’s wheels creaking slightly as she rolled toward him, he held her leg straight up in the air then rested it against his shoulder.

 

With his finger still inside of her, moving from side to side and rubbing her in all the right places and the wet tongue that lapped at her sensitive skin, Buffy was completely oblivious of the wide open position she was now in.  She was waiting for his next erotic words, when she didn’t get them she thought maybe he didn’t hear her so she repeated what she said, louder and much more insistent.

 

“I want if from you…give it to me Angelus.”

 

Fuck, his cock swelled so much hearing his name on that husky needy whine that he almost exploded in his pants.  He knew he should slow down just a bit, prolonging the inevitable was exciting but he was way beyond that. He didn’t need any more stimulation and from the feeling of her slick heat, neither did she.

 

Still…

 

His hand rose to her chest, skillfully he unbuttoned her blouse further with one hand as his other hand continued to give her the pleasure she had so brazenly demanded.  When he was done he openly expressed his love for her breasts as his own pitiful groan of need filled her ears and his own.

 

“God, I love your breasts Buff. They’re so fucking perfect.”

 

Leaning down further still he took a rigid lace covered nipple into his mouth, Buffy’s hands shot to his hair pushing his head further against her aching breasts as his mouth sucked feverishly.

 

“Yes…”

 

Her wails were open and lusty, her legs moved down his torso squeezing him as his finger pistoled in and out of her pussy.

 

“More…give me more Angelus…”

 

He grunted then happily obliged her command, pulling his single digit out he thrust four inside of her all at once.

 

She bolted off the chair, the pressure of those wide fingers transporting her to a place of divine numbness that she dreadfully wanted to reach. And she felt it, they both did, the straining and the force of her imminent explosion that was only seconds away.

 

“Yes...God, I can feel it!”

 

She cried out in ecstatic anticipation, knowing how good she would feel, knowing that in that moment of numbing bliss nothing existed but that.

 

Angelus sucked harder on her nipples, switching over to the neglected one and ravaging it just the same.  He felt her inner walls squeezing him; he felt her body tense as it readied itself to go over that orgasmic edge. He couldn’t believe it but he knew that when she came around his fingers he was going to lose it too.

 

“So close…so fucking close…”

 

She was delirious from the steady building throbbing of the pleasure his digits elicited, the feeling of his strong body on top of hers, the wet sucking pulls on her turgid nipples and swollen breasts…

 

God, I love this, I love feeling like this, I love him…

 

The fax machine suddenly rang.

 

Her eyes snapped open…

 

Her body stilled…

 

Oh God, what am I doing?

 

His mouth stopped his sensual assault and his fingers stilled as he instantly felt the change in her body language. He heard her sharp intake of breath, and he closed his eyes, praying to God that she would not push him away. But his prayers were not heeded as two small hands gripped his shoulders and pushed him back.

 

Fuck!

 

He sat back on the desk, his wild eyes searching her wide almost hysterical gaze as she jumped up from her seat, pulled down her skirt and started to button her blouse.  All the while that damn fucking fax machine was still ringing.

 

Ok she’s freaked, reason with her…calmly and smoothly…

 

He took a calming breath for himself, and spoke to her softly, entreating…

 

“Milsean, what are you doing, relax just stop and…”

 

“Stop…that’s right…we have to stop. We can’t do this again.”

 

Her voice was frantic and he reached out for her but she jumped away from him and rounded the other side of the desk putting the big piece of furniture in between them.

 

He frowned, his voice raising an octave in his non-understanding of why she was denying them. “Buffy, calm down, we’re doing nothing wrong. We’re just two adults enjoying each other. That’s it. It’s sex and nothing more.”

 

See, there you have it…right out of his own mouth…it means nothing more to him then sex…

 

Pain seared her heart and shame filled her soul.  She knew it yet hearing the cold hard truth come out of his mouth, the same mouth that had just been lovingly – at least in her mind – giving himself to her was shattering.

 

She shook her head at him, but no words would come out, tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she held them back…flee, she had to flee.

 

He saw her ready to bolt and he stepped away from the desk, his demeanor now hard and cold from his complete lack of understanding just what her problem was.

 

“Jesus Buffy, just what the fuck is your problem?” He slammed his hands down on the desk in frustration, his voice almost at the yelling point. “What are you so afraid of?”

 

You…getting hurt…my heart breaking…you!

 

She looked back at him and all she saw was a man with the power to hurt her more than she had ever been hurt before and the only thing she could think about was getting away from him. She took a step back toward the door, leaning down she grabbed her jacket and her purse from the sofa.

 

His eyes darkened with anger and he stood up to his full height. “Don’t walk away from me Buffy.”

 

“I can’t stay here…I can’t be here…with you…like this,” she stammered and then fled out the door.

 

When she was gone, his palms once more slammed on the desk, this time so hard the wood cracked underneath his skin.

 

“FUCK!”

 

The intruder to his playtime finally stopped ringing. Pissed off brown eyes fixed their stinging gaze to the machine as it shot out the fax it just received.

 

Cursing he walked over to it and snagged the paper out.

 

What asshole is sending a fax after midnight?

 

His eyes quickly scanned the brief note, and then just as quickly turned red.

 

What the fuck?

 

‘Buffy, can’t wait for tomorrow night

 

Yours, Perry’

 

Snarling with outrage the note was immediately crumpled up by his angry fist. He spun around and grabbed his jacket and bag. Walking out of her office he slammed the door shut, his feet stomping down the hallway and toward the elevator.

 

Fucking Perry!  She made a date with that fucking loser! 

 

The entire trip down the elevator and to his car he was muttering death threats toward the unsuspected PR rep of the Ducks.

 

His rage was fueled from his bewilderment as to why she refused to have sex with him when she clearly wanted him, and instead chose to go out with other men who he suspected she wasn’t even attracted to? 

 

What the fuck was up with that?

 

He had never in his life been as flabbergasted with indignation as he was in that moment, not to mention his cock that was painfully semi-erect and straining against his trousers, reminding him of what had just been denied to him. 

 

Getting in his car, he opened up his cell phone and dialed Lindsay. After three rings he picked up.

 

“Linds, Angelus, I need a favor. Perry, he’s your cousin’s friend right? Yeah, I need to know where he’s going to be tomorrow night.”

 

 

 

PART FOUR