Chapter 2 – Simple as Pie
It didn’t take long for her
to catch up to him. He hid his smile when she glanced over at him before
settling into an easy pace beside him. For awhile neither spoke. They just
walked along the edge of the surf letting the waves flow over their feet.
A gentle evening breeze
occasionally would play with a tendril of her hair that had come loose from its
binding. It would dance toward him bringing along with the golden strands the
flowery scent of her shampoo to tease at him. He would inhale deeply but was
disappointed. The salty tang of the ocean only overpowered it. Eventually he
sighed with disappointment.
“You didn’t need to walk
with me,” Buffy said, halting. “I could have returned to the hotel.”
“I wanted to walk with you,”
Spike replied, turning to her. He tucked a wisp of her hair behind her ear.
“You’ve been on my mind since I saw you at breakfast.”
She blushed. The innocent
gesture endeared her to him. It made him feel even more protective of her than
he did before. She was a blank page waiting to write the story of her life; he
thought then quickly pushed away his fanciful idea. That particular train of
thought was dangerous because it made him want to help write that story.
“I’ve been thinking about
you too,” Buffy whispered. She stared down at her pink tipped toes. She brought
her eyes up to meet his and shyly added, “My name is Buffy.”
“My name is William, William
Nagle,” Spike replied, not letting her know that he already knew her name. He
was afraid of doing anything to spook her. “But my friends call me Spike.”
“I like William.”
With that, he decided he did
too, especially when it flowed from her lips. Spike took her hand as he turned
back toward the hotel. He wanted more
than just an innocent romantic gesture of a walk on the beach. He wanted to get
to know the woman that was Buffy.
“Let’s go and get a drink,”
Spike said. “Maybe share a bottle of wine and you can tell me all about you.”
Buffy wouldn’t move and when
he turned back to her, she was staring at her feet again. Was she really this
shy? Or was she playing hard to get? Suddenly he had second thoughts. His mind
started reminding him of every reason why he shouldn’t pursue her. Yet there
was something inside of him that told him not to let her go…not yet anyway.
With his finger he lifted her chin.
“Do you want me to leave you
alone?” He asked, crossing his toes as he waited.
Her eyes were brilliant with
her forced courage when she looked up. Her chin jutted out while her shoulders
went back. Ah, she did have fortitude. He liked it. Forcing a smile from his
lips he waited for what she had to say.
“I’m only nineteen,” Buffy
said. “So, wine and me are not very legal together.”
His resolve crumbled around
him. Spike laughed. He couldn’t help it. His hands covered his face as he shook
with the travesty before him. He had known she was young but she was really
only a baby. Twelve years his junior, unable to consume alcohol by law, this
was most definitely not where he needed to be. Finally swallowing back the
laughter caused by the colossal joke played upon him by fate, he looked up. She
was gone.
Buffy was returning to the
hotel at a near jog. He had been heartless. Consumed by his own despair and
self-loathing he had hurt her feelings. Taking off at a run, he pursued her.
“Buffy, stop, please,” Spike
shouted. “Let me explain.” She didn’t stop. “Oh, come on take pity on an old
man.”
She slowed and it was all he
needed. Sprinting, he closed the last few feet between them. He grabbed her
hand, pulling her around to face him. There was so much grief on her face that
it tore through his heart. A sob welled up from deep inside of her, exploding
between them, and he gathered her close to him.
“Oh, pet, who has hurt you
so much?” Spike cooed. “I’m sorry if I’ve only made things worse. I’m such a
jackass sometimes.”
“Yes, you were,” Buffy
sniffled against his shoulder.
Her arms tightened around
his waist as if he was the harbor in her storm. It made him feel like he hadn’t
in forever. Someone needed him. He tried not to let her down. He rocked her
back and forth while his hands coasted along her back. She started to quiet,
relaxing even more against him. Her legs fell open until the sweet juncture of
her thighs was resting against his leg. His mind tried to think of anything but
the feeling of her body against his. But it didn’t listen to him. His cock
became hard, erecting a barricade between them.
Embarrassed by his body’s
betrayal, Spike took a step backwards. How could he apologize? He couldn’t very
well say, oh, I’m sorry but I would really like to make love to you for hours
even though you seem to be in an emotional quandary and are way too young for
me. So, he kept his mouth shut, fidgeting as he looked, somewhere over her
shoulder.
“I’d like a cup of coffee,”
Buffy said, touching his hand to gain his attention. “And you can tell me all
about you.”
She was smiling when he
looked at her. It was a kind smile. There was no righteous indignation at his
body’s reaction to her. He relaxed.
“Yeah, a cup of coffee would
be good,” Spike agreed. “But I have a feeling you are much more interesting
than I could ever be.”
“Doubt it,” Buffy declared, curling
her hand around his. “We’ll figure it out later.”
The walk back into the hotel
was made in silence. Their hands were tightly entwined though, and every once
in a while they would brush against one another as people do when they are
thinking about being intimate with each other. Her breast against his arm or
her hip bouncing beside his was all it took to keep him in an aroused state. He
wondered if he was having the same effect on her or if she was lost in whatever
had made her cry. It was probably a boy that had broken her heart. He would be
her vacation rebound, revenge affair and would only be remembered fondly years
later.
“Quit thinking about it,”
Buffy whispered in his ear as they stepped into the hotel coffee shop. “You
look grumpy enough to bite someone’s head off.”
He laughed, enjoying the way
her face lit up as he did. “Was only wondering who broke your heart, that’s
all.”
“Only an Angel,” Buffy said.
She dropped his hand as she slid into one side of a booth. He wanted to sit
beside her, but instead slid into the seat across from her. It was the proper
thing to do. “What brings you here?” She reached for a menu, closing the
subject of her broken heart for the moment. It only filled him with more
questions that he was determined to have answers for.
The package was too pretty
to be unwrapped. A mystery that he wanted to solve in delightful steps that would
have her forgetting her ‘angel’. He studied her for a moment before reaching
for a menu himself. They didn’t speak for a few minutes as they studied their
choices. When the waitress came to take their orders, Buffy only ordered
coffee. He ordered the same and a slice of apple pie ala mode, hoping that she
would help him eat it.
“I’m here on business,”
Spike finally answered her question. “My agent lives in town so I drove up to
see him.”
“Agent for…?”
She didn’t know who he was
and Spike wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or not. He decided it was
refreshing to have someone that he didn’t have to live up to his image with. In
a way it made him relax about being with her. There wasn’t much chance of this
get together making the society column in the morning.
“I’m a writer,” Spike said,
“of novels.”
“Really,” Buffy seemed
impressed. “What genre do you write?”
“Science fiction and fantasy
pretty much covers it. Have you ever heard of the Dust at
“Sorry, I haven’t,” Buffy
replied. “I don’t usually read stuff like that. Books and me are kind of
unmixy.”
“Like you and wine?”
“Something like that,” Buffy answered with a chuckle. “Are you famous?”
“Something like that,” Spike replied. “It depends on who you ask.”
“Ah,” Buffy said, pulling
her hands from the table so the waitress could put their order down. “I guess
I’ll start asking until I find out.”
Spike liked the longing in
her eyes when she stared at his dessert. After thanking their waitress, he took
a big spoonful to hold out to Buffy. She shook her head, but he didn’t back
off.
“You know you want a bite,”
he whispered seductively. “It’s going to be like sin on your tongue. Rich,
sweet, vanilla, cinnamon…”
“Okay, okay,” Buffy said,
opening her mouth for him to put the spoonful in.
It wasn’t the only thing he
wanted to put there. A certain part of his anatomy was getting harder by the
moment. The expression on her face didn’t help. Her eyes closed in almost
orgasmic bliss as she savored the bite. A flash of her beneath him, crying out
his name, filled his mind. His cock hardened more, making him shift to make
himself more comfortable. He wanted this girl more than he had wanted anyone in
a long time. He decided he’d find a way to have her before they parted ways.
“Was it good for you?” Spike
asked smiling as she opened those eyes darkened with pleasure.
“Oh,
yeah,” Buffy acknowledged with an enthusiastic nod. “I’ve been trying not to eat anything like that and
that,” she sighed, “was just wonderful.”
“Hmm, everyone should indulge
occasionally, even you.”
“Do you think I’m fat?”
Buffy asked, looking down at herself.
“I think you’re perfect just
the way you are.”
She looked up at him
sharply, studied him for a moment then smiled. “You, sir, are trying to flatter
me.”
“Is it working?”
Buffy laughed, as she shook
her head. At least she wasn’t angry about him flirting with her. It had been so
long since he had tried to impress anyone that he wasn’t sure what response he
would receive. It felt good to have this beautiful, young woman smiling at him.
So good, that he was humming on the inside from the thought of getting to know
her better. He quickly decided that he wouldn’t be checking out in the morning
as planned. A day or two wouldn’t matter either way. It was one of the blessings
of not having any responsibility to anyone but himself.
“Maybe,” Buffy answered. “It
depends on whether you share anymore of that pie with me.”
“Have all you want, pet, all
you want.”
She did. He thought it was
one of the sexiest sights he’d ever seen. The girl showed her enjoyment with
every bite. Little earthy moans were expelled every once in awhile. It kept him
in a state of arousal as he watched. She had taken the spoon and every couple
of bites she’d feed him. If they weren’t in a public place he would probably
throw her on the table and have his way with her. He wanted those little sounds
she made to flow into his ear as he thrust into her tiny body.
“Thank you,” Buffy said, as
she swallowed the last bite. “I haven’t enjoyed something so much in a long
while.”
“Me neither,” Spike said,
leaning on the table toward her. He watched her dab at her mouth with a napkin.
Everything she did was erotic to him. It was probably just because he hadn’t
been laid in months. It took too much effort to try to find someone who wanted
only a one night stand that wouldn’t take it public. So, lately it had only
been his hand and him. “Are you on vacation?”
“Yes,” Buffy nodded slowly.
“I’m taking some time to figure out what I want to do.”
“Because
your ‘angel’ broke your heart?”
“That,” Buffy replied, twisting the napkin. “And other things.” She sighed. “I should probably go up to
my room.”
It wasn’t even nine yet, but
his instincts were telling him that Buffy was walking along an edge. She was
trying to be happy, but there was the sadness that still clung just below the
surface. He would let her go for now, but he wasn’t giving up.
“May I walk you to your
room?”
“I would like that,” Buffy
replied.
Spike quickly dispensed with
the formality of paying their bill so he could escort her. This time they
didn’t touch. She stood apart from him while they walked. The air crackled
between them and he was confused as to whether she wanted him to make a pass or
not. So, he did nothing except be a gentleman. She was located a few floors
below his where the more inexpensive rooms were.
“Thank you for the coffee,”
Buffy politely said when they stepped off the elevator. “And the pie,” she
added with a grin.
“It was my pleasure,” Spike
said. He waited a few beats but she didn’t say anything more. It was now or
never so he rushed out the question that was tormenting him. “Do you have plans tomorrow?”
“Not so far.” She pulled a
magnetic key from her back pocket and began to fiddle with the door. It was
evident that she was waiting for him to say more.
“Oh,” Spike said, shrugging
before leaning casually against the door frame. He’d decided to tease her a bit
before asking her to spend time with him. “Neither do I.
How strange the two of us without plans for the whole day. Well, I guess I’ll
hole up in my room and watch movies.” He straightened up and started to turn,
but had no intention of leaving.
“Do you want company?”
Her question was such a
surprise it stopped him. He turned slowly to look at her. She was staring at
him expectantly. He took a step closer to her, reaching for her hand and
clasping it tightly.
“I would love to spend the
day with you,” Spike said. “But how about we go out somewhere, have lunch, maybe take in some sights…”
“There are sights in
Sunnydale?” Buffy asked, with a chuckle. “There’s not a lot around here.”
“I’m sure we can find
something to get into,” Spike told her with a rakish grin. “How about I call
you in the morning? We can plan our day over breakfast.”
It wasn’t what he really
wanted. What he wanted was to carry her into her room, make love to her all
night, then have breakfast in bed. Make love again, then decide what to do with the rest of their day. But it
wasn’t time. If it ever would be for them. His
emotions and head kept sliding to both extremes of the scale when it came to
Buffy. They never did seem to agree.
“All right,” Buffy replied.
She cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb along his cheek before lifting up on
her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Good night, William.”
With that she was gone. His
fingers traced the spot where her lips had been. It still burned from the
contact. Standing there, staring at a closed door, his heart was cracking open
for the first time in years. Whistling, he headed for his room, already
planning the next day.
to be continued…
