"I guess that would call for a non-sarcastic thank you." He leaned back
and crossed his arms.
"Oh! I need to go." She jumped to her feet. "I said I wouldn't be gone long. I don't want anyone to worry. They-what's so funny?"
"Nothing." Jamison tried to hide his grin.
"A priest shouldn't lie."
"Touché. You're funny. I didn't ask you why you have to go."
"I was babbling, wasn't I?"
"A bit. I'll walk you back," he said as he stood up.
"You don't know where I'm going. I could be going way far, and you'd have to leave the church unattended."
"It won't burn down if I step out for a few minutes. Are you trying to refuse my chivalry?"
"Oh sure. Lay on the guilt."
"Me? Guilt? I don't know what you're talking about." He reached for her elbow to guide her out, but quickly withdrew his hand. No touching.
Buffy stopped outside the Magic Box and turned to Jamison.
"This is the end of the line."
"You work here?"
"No. My friend Anya owns it. It's kind of a Grand Central Station for my friends." She looked behind her to make sure no one was peeking out the windows. "I'd invite you in, but-"
"But I'm ordinary." He smiled.
"You're not going to let that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
"I figured. Look, it's not you. It's them. They're sort of touchy about religious stuff."
"Nah, it's cool. I should get back to the church anyway. I left the candles burning."
Buffy's face fell. She'd managed to forget, if only for a few minutes, but now the spell was broken.
"Oh, please don't cry again. You'd have to dry off on my shirt."
"I have to go." She backed away from him.
"Will you be okay?" he asked.
"Eventually."
Jamison didn't watch her go inside.
"Oh! I need to go." She jumped to her feet. "I said I wouldn't be gone long. I don't want anyone to worry. They-what's so funny?"
"Nothing." Jamison tried to hide his grin.
"A priest shouldn't lie."
"Touché. You're funny. I didn't ask you why you have to go."
"I was babbling, wasn't I?"
"A bit. I'll walk you back," he said as he stood up.
"You don't know where I'm going. I could be going way far, and you'd have to leave the church unattended."
"It won't burn down if I step out for a few minutes. Are you trying to refuse my chivalry?"
"Oh sure. Lay on the guilt."
"Me? Guilt? I don't know what you're talking about." He reached for her elbow to guide her out, but quickly withdrew his hand. No touching.
Buffy stopped outside the Magic Box and turned to Jamison.
"This is the end of the line."
"You work here?"
"No. My friend Anya owns it. It's kind of a Grand Central Station for my friends." She looked behind her to make sure no one was peeking out the windows. "I'd invite you in, but-"
"But I'm ordinary." He smiled.
"You're not going to let that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
"I figured. Look, it's not you. It's them. They're sort of touchy about religious stuff."
"Nah, it's cool. I should get back to the church anyway. I left the candles burning."
Buffy's face fell. She'd managed to forget, if only for a few minutes, but now the spell was broken.
"Oh, please don't cry again. You'd have to dry off on my shirt."
"I have to go." She backed away from him.
"Will you be okay?" he asked.
"Eventually."
Jamison didn't watch her go inside.
