Chapter 8 – You’re A Fine Girl
Spike had
been perfectly content picking the label off his beer bottle. It was a sunny
afternoon and he was hanging out with good people. A day just for relaxing even
though he knew Buffy was going to be here. It wasn’t as simple as walking away.
Her friends were his crewmates and they were becoming his friends too. She
wasn’t going to disappear from his life any time soon. He wasn’t sure if that
was a good thing or a bad thing. Xander whistled and he looked up expecting Anya
to be walking out the door. His mouth dropped before he realized he was gaping
and shut it again with a snap.
It was
Buffy wearing next to nothing. Yards of taut flesh were available for viewing
and his groin tightened at the sight. Angel uttered an expletive as he looked
her over. She was walking toward them, her hips swaying and a huge smile on her
face. A part of him wanted to throw a towel around her and the other part of
him wanted to rip the rest of her clothes off.
“Hi, guys,”
Buffy said, stopping next to Parker and laying her hand on his shoulder. “How’s
it going?” Her eyes glanced over the small group and Spike watched as her eyes
drifted over him, from his toes upwards to meet his eyes. She shrugged her
shoulders. “Parker, I forgot to get a drink. Do you mind getting me one?”
“Of course
not, Babes,” Parker said, heading for the house without even asking what she
wanted.
But he
probably knew Buffy more than Spike did. His eyes narrowed as he wondered how
well the wanker knew the girl. She settled into the vacated chair, leaning back
and stretching her leg out so that her toes were only inches from his bare leg.
Spike stared at her until she turned those sultry green eyes to him.
“Are you
feeling better, Spikey?” She asked, her fingers taking a languid stroll across
her stomach. “You didn’t seem to feel too well this morning.”
“Were you
worried, pet?” Spike asked, shifting in his chair and let his legs fall apart.
If she
wanted to play show and tell so could he. He didn’t own a bathing suit and
under threat of being the odd man out had taken scissors to a pair of jeans. He
went commando and he was decent as long as he sat up straight and kept his legs
together. He snickered when a slight flush crept over her cheeks as her eyes
went exactly where he wanted them too. But she won the round as her small pink
tongue darted out to moisten her lips. He turned in his chair before he could
embarrass himself with how much he wanted her.
“If I
wasn’t worried about you,” Buffy said. “I wouldn’t have brought you home last
night.”
Xander
gasped and his eyes darted between them. “You and Buffy spent the night
together?”
“It wasn’t
anything like that,” Buffy giggled. “He passed right out on me so there was no
performance.”
Spike
arched an eyebrow as he stared at her. What was her game? And what was she
trying to prove with her performance?
This seductress wasn’t his Buffy and reminded him more of Faith when she was
trying to get his attention. He wondered if she knew that this turned him off
more than it made him want her. Jumping through hoops wasn’t his style. He
liked the innocent quality to Buffy even if it frightened him to death.
Earlier
Spike had confessed everything to Angel. From his fears to his feelings to what
she wanted and it felt good to talk it out. He understood Buffy a little better
and hoped that she would forgive him so they could find out if there was
anything between them worth pursuing. He still didn’t want the committed
relationship with hearts and harps but a good friendship with affection he
could handle. But from this obvious act to get his attention and make him
jealous he didn’t know if she was mature enough for it.
Parker
returned holding a drink out for her and Spike wanted to hurl as she giggled.
She let her fingers caress Parker’s as she accepted it. Angel snorted and she
flashed him a ‘shut up or face the wrath of Buffy’ look. It was too much for
him to handle and he returned to the house. He heard Angel hiss at her to
behave but he missed her reply. He had expected more from Buffy than this and
missed the open, carefree girl she had been up to this point.
Spike made
his way to the guest room and grabbed his sunglasses. At least if he was hiding
behind them, she wouldn’t be able to read him. He decided to stay out of her
way for the rest of the afternoon and when he returned to the patio he perched
on the side of the pool letting his feet dangle in the water.
“Hey,”
Angel said, sitting beside him. “I want to smack her. I’ve never seen her do
this.”
“Really,”
Spike said, looking over at Buffy. “She seems an old pro at it.”
“An old pro
at what?” Cordelia said, handing Angel a drink before sitting beside him. “Who
are we talking about?”
“Buffy,”
Angel answered, kissing his girlfriend on the check. “She’s putting on this act
with Parker to make Spike jealous.”
“What’s her
deal?” Cordelia said, watching the topic of their conversation as she flirted
with Parker. “She needs to spank her inner moppet or whatever she needs to do
to get over it because she’s acting like a fool.”
The patio
door slammed shut and everyone turned to look at Faith as she stepped onto the
patio. It had been a deliberate action to get everyone to look at her. She was
showing more flesh than Buffy was as she strolled along the pool toward him.
Spike sighed because he really didn’t want to fight the girl off again. The
brunette had shown up in his room earlier and practically offered herself to
him. No strings attached unlike Buffy. Spike had declined knowing he needed to
settle with Buffy before starting something else and besides he wouldn’t do
that to Wesley. It just wasn’t right.
“Hello,”
Faith said, settling next to Spike. “Do you want me to put lotion on your back?”
“No, I’m
fine,” Spike said, looking up in time to see a flash of pain cross Buffy’s face.
He sighed because he knew he’d hurt her. It was him that had set this whole
thing in motion. She was just reacting to it and he felt a twinge of guilt for
starting it. They needed to talk and try to figure out if they could salvage
something out of it. He vowed before the afternoon was over that he’d talk to
her.
Buffy
seemed to relax as time went by. Instead of focusing on Parker she made the
rounds of her friends. Spike kept an eye on her whereabouts and tried to be a
step ahead of her. He’d decided that after they’d eaten dinner
then he ask her to talk and until
then he decided to get to know her friends a little more.
When Angel
fired up the grill he looked around for Buffy to ask her if they could eat
together. It would be a simple progression from that to the conversation. He
heard her laughter and turned to find her lying on her stomach on a lounge.
“I’m going
to kill him,” Spike muttered, taking off toward the couple.
“Don’t
leave blood,” Angel called after him. “Drown him its less mess.”
A few
people had the nerve to laugh as if Spike was joking. Mostly there was silence
as they waited for the confrontation.
“I suggest
you get your hands off of her now,” Spike said, his tone threatening as he
towered over the boy.
“And who
are you to tell me what to do,” Parker said, standing and straightening as if
it would impress Spike.
“How long
have you known her?” Spike asked, stepping closer to Parker.
“We’ve
known each other forever as if it’s your business.”
Spike
laughed. “I bet that’s the closest
you’ve ever gotten to her, isn’t it?” He glanced down at Buffy turning over and
holding a towel over her breasts. His gaze returned to Parker who wasn’t saying
anything which only confirmed his suspicion. “I knew her less than twenty-four
hours and I had her pinned against a wall screaming my name. And that’s why I
can tell you to get your hands off.”
There were
a couple of gasps of surprise but mostly there was only silence as the others
waited to see what Parker would do. He raised his hands and turned to walk
away.
“Well, that
was a let down,” Xander said. “First chance to have a really good fight and
zilch…”
“How dare
you,” Buffy screeched, scrambling to stand up while maintaining a precarious
hold on the towel. Her top forgotten as it fell to the ground. “Just tell my
personal business to my friends.”
“Our
friends,” Spike contradicted. “And I think most everyone here knows what
happened between us.”
“He’s
right,” Wesley murmured.
“All right,
here comes the entertainment,” Xander crowed.
“I didn’t
know,” Anya said, “Just for the record. Why didn’t I know, Xander?”
Buffy took
a step closer to him but Spike stood his ground. Her eyes had turned to jade
and were shooting sparks as her finger jabbed into his chest.
“You
deliberately tried to embarrass me,” Buffy accused. “And it’s none of your
business whose hands are on me. Isn’t that the rules? Or do they apply to you
getting laid but not me?”
“You want
to get laid by that Nancy-boy?” Spike asked. “Is it the sweetness and oh, what
is the word…vulnerability that got to you?” He leaned closer to her. “What’s
the matter can’t handle a real man?”
Spike
watched as her hand curled into a fist and raised a hand to deflect her if he
needed to. It was unbelievable that she preferred Parker to him. Had she been
hanging out with him just so she could lose her virginity? For some reason it
hurt but in a way made sense since she was so compliable that night.
“It’s not
what I can or can’t handle,” Buffy said. “It’s the fact that you wouldn’t let
me handle it.” Her eyes moved to linger over his crotch for a moment so
everyone would know he’d turned her down. This time there were a few surprised
sounds as the group leaned closer to the couple. “And besides if I sleep with
Parker it relieves you of the burden…”
Her eyes
grew wide when she realized that she’d revealed more than what she was supposed
to know. Spike’s eyes narrowed. So, this
is what this afternoon had been about and he wondered who told her. He knew
Angel wouldn’t so that left only one person who could have overheard his conversation.
Faith. He looked around and found the brunette who only shrugged at his silent
inquiry. His eyes returned to Buffy who had taken the brief respite to regroup.
She opened her mouth to start in again and he’d decided he’d had enough. His
life had been fine until he met this little vixen and since then his whole life
was in turmoil.
“If you
want to lose it so bad,” Spike said. “Then I’ll be more than happy to take it.”
Spike
picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“Spike, put
me down,” Buffy shrieked. Her hands slapped at his back as he headed for the
house. “Oh my God, the towel,” He felt her fumble to keep the towel covering
her. “I hate you. Angel help me.”
No one
stopped him. No one uttered a word as he let the door close behind them. It was
him and her. He was regretting his decision by the time they reached the guest
room. Her bottom was in his face and one arm was still wrapped around him with
only the towel between them. Spike dropped her on the bed, watched her bounce a
couple of times as she clutched the towel across her chest. He knew it would
take only two moves, three if he discarded her shield, for him to be covering
her. Their lips meeting in passion as their hands roamed over each other. She
stared wide-eyed at him and he couldn’t quite gauge her mood. If it was anger
or desire; whatever it was had her cheeks flushed and her eyes the darkest
green he’d ever seen. He moved to put his knee on the bed but she exploded
before he got the chance.
“You pig,”
Buffy spat. “How dare you manhandle me?”
“How dare
you play me till I manhandled you? You wanted me to be jealous and I got
jealous. What did you want me to do? Cry? Don’t bother because I won’t be
love’s bitch again.”
“I forgot,”
Buffy said, scooting down the bed. “You’re a cold hearted bastard that doesn’t
need anything but the damn sea. Excuse me for liking you.”
“Do you
Buffy?” Spike asked. “Do you like me? Do you even know who the hell I am?”
“I was
trying to find out but it seems it was a mistake,” Buffy said, kneeling next to
his duffel bag and rummaged around before pulling out a t-shirt. Unfortunately
when she pulled the shirt out, the panties he’d stolen fell out. “Oh, my God;
you kept a souvenir?” She looked closer and gasped. “Their mine; you stole my
panties?” She grabbed them and waved them in front of his face. “What kind of
pervert are you?”
Spike
snatched them from her and shoved them in his pocket. “Not a pervert. I’m a
normal man that well…wanted something to remember you by if you never talked to
me again.”
One eyebrow
arched on that beautiful face and Spike knew he was losing fast. Ever since the
ship had docked yesterday he’d had nothing but bad luck. All he’d wanted was a
chance to explain to her that he’d been wrong. That he wanted to get to know
her and see what might happen. If the last day had been any indication it would
be pure misery. All the reasons he’d gone to sea came back to taunt him for
forgetting them.
“I guess
you were right,” Buffy said, turning to slip the t-shirt on. She looked over her
shoulder and motioned for him to turn around. He complied. “It will be the only
thing you’ll have. I hope you enjoy them.”
The door
closed before he could turn around again. Twice in one day. He walked out on
her. She walked out on him. It was even. If he was smart he’d just let it go
but all he felt was misery as he collapsed on the bed. He heard her talking to
Angel saying it wasn’t anyone’s fault that the two of them just weren’t meant
to be. She said she had to leave to go to work and she was gone. All he could
do was think of all the ways he’d messed up as he stared at the ceiling.
“Give her
time to cool off,” Angel said, from the doorway.
“She’s
better off without me,” Spike said sitting up. “I practically attacked her in
front of her friends.”
“Spike, if
I thought she was in any danger I’d have stopped you. So, would almost anyone
else out there.”
Spike sat
up and studied the man in front of him. Something had changed since the first
time he’d met Buffy. Angel seemed to be encouraging the relationship between
them now. Even this morning when he’d told him not to date Buffy it was as if
Angel knew Spike wouldn’t listen.
“You don’t
know me,” Spike said. “Not really. Why do you think I don’t mean to do her
harm?”
Angel
grinned and shook his head. “The way you look at her besides I was listening at
the door. Now come on. Xander’s controlling the grill
and I prefer my hamburgers to be edible.”
“Let her
cool off, huh?” Spike said, following Angel outside again.
“Yeah, go
pick her up from work tonight and try to talk to her again.”
Spike
sighed. Maybe three times was the charm and knew he’d be there to give it one
more try.
to be continued…
