A/N: Happy New Year fellow Spufettes! Sorry for the long overdue update
Wanted to thank all of you guys for your reviews. Special thanks goes out
to Silver for posting my stories at spuffyarchives and LML, Vette, Rachel,
Sara and Spuffygirl for reviewing not only once. To get the affirmation
that some people are actually continuing to read the story, is the prefect
muse.
Chapter 4 Settling In
Buffy's first day at the farm had been anything but boring. The adrenaline rush, when she had crowded Spike at the track. The other rush she had by the stream, when he had 'crowded' her. Buffy felt her PJ bottoms getting soaking wet at remembering it. She was lying in her new bed reminiscing. She couldn't help but fantasize about Spike coming in, climbing on to her bed and cover her with that hard body, she had felt intimately pressed against hers earlier.
'Bad Buffy', she scolded herself. Her thoughts should be invaded by Riley, not the peroxide wonder boy. After all Riley had come by when she left. Did that mean they weren't really over? Her thoughts were racing. Had she cheated on him? She hated the fact that a plain look at Spike caused arousal in her more than Riley's kisses and fumbling hands ever had. Poor, kind, trusty and old reliable Riley. He had been more than patient with her. During the 3 years they had been together there had never been any actual penetration. They had given each other pleasures in other ways, but never gone all the way.
Every time they came close to fulfilling the union, Buffy had stopped it. She wanted to wait, Riley accepted it and settled for snuggling close to her and sleeping with her. Those nights were truly awkward for Buffy. He was a really big boy and with him spooning her from behind, she felt like the weight of his arm alone crushed her. Whenever they had their make-out sessions and he covered his body over hers, she felt crushed and drowned underneath.
It wasn't like Buffy was a frail girl, but she was supposed to relax during their more intimate moments, not try to support his weight from crushing her. Buffy's line of thought was interrupted when she heard footsteps across the hall, followed by a soft knock on Faith's door. She heard the door open. Buffy caught herself wondering who could be making a visit to Faith's room this late at night.
Her eyes widened when her mind concluded on Spike. 'That two-timing, bastard!', part of her mind screamed, while the other part rationalized that she was just as bad, with the possibility of her and Riley not really being over. Her anger only grew as she heard unmistakable noises coming from across the hall. Spike had some nerve, that was sure. Buffy swore to herself that come tomorrow morning, she would have herself a little chat with Faith.
The next morning Buffy came down for morning coffee in the kitchen. Luck had Faith there alone and Buffy grabbed her opportunity.
"Sleep okay?", Buffy asked a smile on her lips covering well her true mood.
"Sure did. Ain't nuthing better than a little slap an tickle before slumbering off.", Faith responded with a wicked grin. Buffy's eyes grew huge and the coffee she had sipped went down the wrong pipe, throwing her into a cough frenzy, at Faith's bluntness. "You okay, B?", Faith asked.
"I'm good, so you and Spike, huh? You know should keep a short leach on him. I hate to be the one to tell you this but I don't think he's really faithful.", Buffy said fidgeting. Her coffee mug's design, suddenly very interesting. She drew her brows together in confusion at Faith's response.
Faith was laughing. Laughing hard. Calming slightly she managed to screech out "Spike?" in between giggles. "Don't get me wrong, B, I'd like nothing better than to get horizontal with Spike and find out just how he earned his name. It's not like I haven't tried, it's just I like my fellas a little easier and a bit less high maintenance."
Buffy blushed intensely because she felt like such an ass and her body temperature rose at the imagery of Faith's insinuations about his name's origin. Spike chose that moment to enter the kitchen. He had been listening in at the doorway. Taking in Buffy's adorably flushed face. He really couldn't help but comment.
"Mornin' ladies", he said, giving them both a peck on the cheek. On his way over to the coffee pot, he added, "Didn't your mums ever teach you s'not nice to talk behind someone's back?"
Buffy's blush turned true red. She felt jolts of electricity coursing through her, from where his lips had been. She watched his retreating form, thinking, 'Boy does he move nice, like a stealthy predator. Shame about the stealthy part since it's the third time I haven't heard him coming!'
*******
Buffy's second day at the farm passed with not too much difficulty. She worked out four horses with great ease. Giles was watching with marvel. This Harris chap hadn't been wrong. Giles' found himself amused thinking of the young man that had spent some time working for him a couple of months back. He had told Giles that if he wanted what was surely to become one of America's most talented jockeys, Giles needed to check out Hank Summers daughter. Alexander 'Xander' Harris was one of those persons that could very possibly annoy one to death, with bad jokes. Xander wasn't really the sharpest knife in the drawer either, but he had an eye for talent. He could pick winners in a race as easy as snap his fingers, but didn't gamble himself. He once confided to Giles, even though it was common knowledge, that he didn't gamble because of his father. Xander's father was a notorious drinker and gambler and it had ruined the family.
Buffy knew very well she owed Xander big-time. They had been best friends growing up, but right after high school graduation, Xander had left, traveling around the California racecourses, doing odd jobs. Xander, Buffy and Willow met the first school day. They soon found they had horses in common and the trio were best friends in no time. Xander was the one that had recommended Buffy to Giles and for that she owed him.
In the afternoon things started to run less smoothly for Buffy. Of course Spike had to get the urge to 'talk' to Buffy. There were two reasons as to why Buffy dreaded and avoided this conversation. First of all, she felt like she had made a fool out of herself, with her assumptions about him and Faith. She knew, somehow, he wouldn't let her live that one down. Secondly she didn't trust herself one-on-one with him. If she once again found herself alone with him and if he made a move would she be able to hold back? Buffy needed to sort her mind about Riley and Spike was really not helping with his cobalt gaze following her, pleading with her.
Spike noticed Buffy seemed a whole lot tenser whenever he was around. He really wanted to talk to her again. Maybe even convince her he wasn't the complete Neanderthal he had acted yesterday. Still, he wasn't really sorry for his actions. He couldn't fully regret feeling her wet, firm body pressed against his own, her full, wet, soft and warm lips against his. The small fraction that had him regretting, was the possibility that he might have jeopardized the chance for it ever happening again. At the moment his efforts to get her alone and speak with her under four eyes, were futile.
Spike remembered the first time he had heard about her. It was from that Xander bloke, who had worked at the farm a couple of months back. He had shared enough tales from his days with the 'scoobies', the affectionate name for his friends. Xander's eyes looked especially dreamy when talking about Buffy. Spike spotted a little green-eyed monster in Xander's eyes whenever he mentioned Riley. After a while Spike and Xander became chums and shared their sorrows. Spike told Xander about Dru and Xander shared his tale on how he had been dumped by this chit named Cordelia because she was tired of being in Buffy's shadow.
Xander had told Spike how he had left straight after graduating. He had needed to start a new life and get away for a while to sort out his emotions towards his family and Buffy. When he had returned to his hometown, Sunnydale, he discovered Buffy had gotten a boyfriend, Riley. Xander managed to stay and watch for about a week before he left again. He realized he would have to get as far away as possible to get over Buffy.
"What could possibly be so good about this bird, that has a bloke like you, swooning over her for three years, without hardly seeing her?", Spike had asked Xander one night over drinks in the local pub. Xander had given him a sad small smile before vocalizing.
"First of all she's the most beautiful person I've ever met. Inside and out. She looks like. I don't know how to begin and describe her even. Simple words don't do her justice. She's clever, passionate, strong and innocent, all rolled up in this perfect wrapper. The instant she opens her mouth, all you ever want to do is love and protect her. However she doesn't really need protecting. When her father died five years ago, she cried twice. Once when she first heard the news, once at the funeral. You should have seen her really. Her mother and sister were hanging by a thread and Buffy was the one telling them everything would be all right. Buffy was strong and sorted through all of her father's affairs. Took over the business and raised it's productivity to boot. She was so determined to continue her father's legacy.", Xander smiled bowing his head, saddened by the emotions stirring at remembering her.
"Whenever things were rough at my house, I would come over to her house and she would just soothe away all my pain, just by being there, you know?", Xander finished taking a swig from his beer.
'Nobody's that special', Spike had thought at the time, but two days with the chit had him seeing exactly what Xander had meant. It was crazy really. Two days and he could swear that it wasn't just lust. He probably had to give Xander some credit for it, after all he had told Spike everything he knew about her, and since it was obvious Buffy wasn't about to let him find out for himself, he would cling to the memories.
******
At dinner, Wednesday evening, Buffy's third day at the farm, Spike decided to take his chances and try to get to know her in front of the others. She couldn't back away from him then.
Buffy was sitting with her fork poking through the pasta. She was grateful Spike had given her a break from trying to corner her, but couldn't help worrying what was in store for her next as she watched him. He was chewing on his bottom lip, obviously thinking hard about something.
Faith misinterpreted Spike's behavior for worry about Dru coming down. "Hey brood-boy. Don't look so blue. All you have to do is convince Dru, you're over her. That'll have the bitch panting over you all over again. You know there are two things she can't take. You happy and competition.", she said with her mouth full.
Buffy watched as Spike's calm pondering blue eyes changed to dark and blazing with anger through narrow slits. "Bugger off! I wasn't even thinking 'bout 'er 'till you brought her up!", He told Faith and clenched his jaw. "And I don't brood, brooding is for ponces", he muttered, his ego a bit hurt. Faith just shrugged and threw her hands up in surrender. After calming himself down, Spike decided to pull through with his previous intention.
"So Summers, what do you think of your stay so far?", Spike asked, offering her an encouraging smile. Faith, Buffy and Giles were all caught off guard, by Spike's sudden mood change.
"Good, very good actually. The horses I've been assigned are terrific although I suspect Giles is going easy with me", she said offering both Spike and Giles a smile.
"Don't think so, pet, after all I should know. I used to ride them before. Them behaving themselves, is just one other thing to credit to your skills." Buffy blushed in response, and Spike realized he would never tire of seeing her like that. He began fantasizing about her flushed face, breath panting while he showered her with kisses. He shook the feeling away as he felt his jeans tighten at the crotch. Wouldn't do him any good, standing up from the dinner table presenting a raging hard-on.
"Talked to the whelp lately? Been wondering what he's been up to after he left. He never writes, never calls", Spike finished in mock offended tone. Buffy quirked an eyebrow in confusion, but before she could ask 'who?' Faith interrupted; "Oh, yeah Xand-man! That's one guy I'm not about to accuse of being a one-minute man or lousily hung. Know what I mean B?" Faith asked, nudging Buffy in the shoulder with a mischievous smile.
Buffy blushed again and Giles joined her. "I-It's one thing to l-listen to the obscene words that-that escapes your mouths", Giles said pointing his fingers to Spike and Faith, "It's a complete other matter, having to listen to the reference of your nightly activities", he finished, taking his glasses off to clean them, a sure sign of discomfort.
"Oh. You know Xander?", she said looking at Spike and Faith, shuddering from the image of her surrogate brother intimate with Faith. "Um. I talked to him last week. He's in Montana for the time being. He'll stay there for a while before heading further East. He told me he had met this really freaky girl. He was all 'mommy I'm scared'. But if I know Xand right, she's exactly the type of girl he'll fall for. In high school, he went out with the scariest person there. Cordelia Chase, serious dominatrix potential." Buffy laughed at remembering the good old days. Afterwards she caught herself worrying a bit. Maybe she should have held out on info? Maybe Faith was harboring a thing for Xander, but then again, why would she have another man in her room the other night?
The rest of the dinner went on with easy small talk. Buffy found herself softening up to Spike. He was actually being gentle, not pinning her with looks and awkward conversation topics. Spike gave Buffy her space, the rest of the evening. He didn't want to spoil the warmth he had been able to build up during dinner. He went to bed, sleep claiming him easier then it had ever since Buffy showed up. He was making progress with Buffy, but it still didn't suppress the nightmares with Dru and Angel. More vivid then usual, their arrival only three days away.
Chapter 4 Settling In
Buffy's first day at the farm had been anything but boring. The adrenaline rush, when she had crowded Spike at the track. The other rush she had by the stream, when he had 'crowded' her. Buffy felt her PJ bottoms getting soaking wet at remembering it. She was lying in her new bed reminiscing. She couldn't help but fantasize about Spike coming in, climbing on to her bed and cover her with that hard body, she had felt intimately pressed against hers earlier.
'Bad Buffy', she scolded herself. Her thoughts should be invaded by Riley, not the peroxide wonder boy. After all Riley had come by when she left. Did that mean they weren't really over? Her thoughts were racing. Had she cheated on him? She hated the fact that a plain look at Spike caused arousal in her more than Riley's kisses and fumbling hands ever had. Poor, kind, trusty and old reliable Riley. He had been more than patient with her. During the 3 years they had been together there had never been any actual penetration. They had given each other pleasures in other ways, but never gone all the way.
Every time they came close to fulfilling the union, Buffy had stopped it. She wanted to wait, Riley accepted it and settled for snuggling close to her and sleeping with her. Those nights were truly awkward for Buffy. He was a really big boy and with him spooning her from behind, she felt like the weight of his arm alone crushed her. Whenever they had their make-out sessions and he covered his body over hers, she felt crushed and drowned underneath.
It wasn't like Buffy was a frail girl, but she was supposed to relax during their more intimate moments, not try to support his weight from crushing her. Buffy's line of thought was interrupted when she heard footsteps across the hall, followed by a soft knock on Faith's door. She heard the door open. Buffy caught herself wondering who could be making a visit to Faith's room this late at night.
Her eyes widened when her mind concluded on Spike. 'That two-timing, bastard!', part of her mind screamed, while the other part rationalized that she was just as bad, with the possibility of her and Riley not really being over. Her anger only grew as she heard unmistakable noises coming from across the hall. Spike had some nerve, that was sure. Buffy swore to herself that come tomorrow morning, she would have herself a little chat with Faith.
The next morning Buffy came down for morning coffee in the kitchen. Luck had Faith there alone and Buffy grabbed her opportunity.
"Sleep okay?", Buffy asked a smile on her lips covering well her true mood.
"Sure did. Ain't nuthing better than a little slap an tickle before slumbering off.", Faith responded with a wicked grin. Buffy's eyes grew huge and the coffee she had sipped went down the wrong pipe, throwing her into a cough frenzy, at Faith's bluntness. "You okay, B?", Faith asked.
"I'm good, so you and Spike, huh? You know should keep a short leach on him. I hate to be the one to tell you this but I don't think he's really faithful.", Buffy said fidgeting. Her coffee mug's design, suddenly very interesting. She drew her brows together in confusion at Faith's response.
Faith was laughing. Laughing hard. Calming slightly she managed to screech out "Spike?" in between giggles. "Don't get me wrong, B, I'd like nothing better than to get horizontal with Spike and find out just how he earned his name. It's not like I haven't tried, it's just I like my fellas a little easier and a bit less high maintenance."
Buffy blushed intensely because she felt like such an ass and her body temperature rose at the imagery of Faith's insinuations about his name's origin. Spike chose that moment to enter the kitchen. He had been listening in at the doorway. Taking in Buffy's adorably flushed face. He really couldn't help but comment.
"Mornin' ladies", he said, giving them both a peck on the cheek. On his way over to the coffee pot, he added, "Didn't your mums ever teach you s'not nice to talk behind someone's back?"
Buffy's blush turned true red. She felt jolts of electricity coursing through her, from where his lips had been. She watched his retreating form, thinking, 'Boy does he move nice, like a stealthy predator. Shame about the stealthy part since it's the third time I haven't heard him coming!'
*******
Buffy's second day at the farm passed with not too much difficulty. She worked out four horses with great ease. Giles was watching with marvel. This Harris chap hadn't been wrong. Giles' found himself amused thinking of the young man that had spent some time working for him a couple of months back. He had told Giles that if he wanted what was surely to become one of America's most talented jockeys, Giles needed to check out Hank Summers daughter. Alexander 'Xander' Harris was one of those persons that could very possibly annoy one to death, with bad jokes. Xander wasn't really the sharpest knife in the drawer either, but he had an eye for talent. He could pick winners in a race as easy as snap his fingers, but didn't gamble himself. He once confided to Giles, even though it was common knowledge, that he didn't gamble because of his father. Xander's father was a notorious drinker and gambler and it had ruined the family.
Buffy knew very well she owed Xander big-time. They had been best friends growing up, but right after high school graduation, Xander had left, traveling around the California racecourses, doing odd jobs. Xander, Buffy and Willow met the first school day. They soon found they had horses in common and the trio were best friends in no time. Xander was the one that had recommended Buffy to Giles and for that she owed him.
In the afternoon things started to run less smoothly for Buffy. Of course Spike had to get the urge to 'talk' to Buffy. There were two reasons as to why Buffy dreaded and avoided this conversation. First of all, she felt like she had made a fool out of herself, with her assumptions about him and Faith. She knew, somehow, he wouldn't let her live that one down. Secondly she didn't trust herself one-on-one with him. If she once again found herself alone with him and if he made a move would she be able to hold back? Buffy needed to sort her mind about Riley and Spike was really not helping with his cobalt gaze following her, pleading with her.
Spike noticed Buffy seemed a whole lot tenser whenever he was around. He really wanted to talk to her again. Maybe even convince her he wasn't the complete Neanderthal he had acted yesterday. Still, he wasn't really sorry for his actions. He couldn't fully regret feeling her wet, firm body pressed against his own, her full, wet, soft and warm lips against his. The small fraction that had him regretting, was the possibility that he might have jeopardized the chance for it ever happening again. At the moment his efforts to get her alone and speak with her under four eyes, were futile.
Spike remembered the first time he had heard about her. It was from that Xander bloke, who had worked at the farm a couple of months back. He had shared enough tales from his days with the 'scoobies', the affectionate name for his friends. Xander's eyes looked especially dreamy when talking about Buffy. Spike spotted a little green-eyed monster in Xander's eyes whenever he mentioned Riley. After a while Spike and Xander became chums and shared their sorrows. Spike told Xander about Dru and Xander shared his tale on how he had been dumped by this chit named Cordelia because she was tired of being in Buffy's shadow.
Xander had told Spike how he had left straight after graduating. He had needed to start a new life and get away for a while to sort out his emotions towards his family and Buffy. When he had returned to his hometown, Sunnydale, he discovered Buffy had gotten a boyfriend, Riley. Xander managed to stay and watch for about a week before he left again. He realized he would have to get as far away as possible to get over Buffy.
"What could possibly be so good about this bird, that has a bloke like you, swooning over her for three years, without hardly seeing her?", Spike had asked Xander one night over drinks in the local pub. Xander had given him a sad small smile before vocalizing.
"First of all she's the most beautiful person I've ever met. Inside and out. She looks like. I don't know how to begin and describe her even. Simple words don't do her justice. She's clever, passionate, strong and innocent, all rolled up in this perfect wrapper. The instant she opens her mouth, all you ever want to do is love and protect her. However she doesn't really need protecting. When her father died five years ago, she cried twice. Once when she first heard the news, once at the funeral. You should have seen her really. Her mother and sister were hanging by a thread and Buffy was the one telling them everything would be all right. Buffy was strong and sorted through all of her father's affairs. Took over the business and raised it's productivity to boot. She was so determined to continue her father's legacy.", Xander smiled bowing his head, saddened by the emotions stirring at remembering her.
"Whenever things were rough at my house, I would come over to her house and she would just soothe away all my pain, just by being there, you know?", Xander finished taking a swig from his beer.
'Nobody's that special', Spike had thought at the time, but two days with the chit had him seeing exactly what Xander had meant. It was crazy really. Two days and he could swear that it wasn't just lust. He probably had to give Xander some credit for it, after all he had told Spike everything he knew about her, and since it was obvious Buffy wasn't about to let him find out for himself, he would cling to the memories.
******
At dinner, Wednesday evening, Buffy's third day at the farm, Spike decided to take his chances and try to get to know her in front of the others. She couldn't back away from him then.
Buffy was sitting with her fork poking through the pasta. She was grateful Spike had given her a break from trying to corner her, but couldn't help worrying what was in store for her next as she watched him. He was chewing on his bottom lip, obviously thinking hard about something.
Faith misinterpreted Spike's behavior for worry about Dru coming down. "Hey brood-boy. Don't look so blue. All you have to do is convince Dru, you're over her. That'll have the bitch panting over you all over again. You know there are two things she can't take. You happy and competition.", she said with her mouth full.
Buffy watched as Spike's calm pondering blue eyes changed to dark and blazing with anger through narrow slits. "Bugger off! I wasn't even thinking 'bout 'er 'till you brought her up!", He told Faith and clenched his jaw. "And I don't brood, brooding is for ponces", he muttered, his ego a bit hurt. Faith just shrugged and threw her hands up in surrender. After calming himself down, Spike decided to pull through with his previous intention.
"So Summers, what do you think of your stay so far?", Spike asked, offering her an encouraging smile. Faith, Buffy and Giles were all caught off guard, by Spike's sudden mood change.
"Good, very good actually. The horses I've been assigned are terrific although I suspect Giles is going easy with me", she said offering both Spike and Giles a smile.
"Don't think so, pet, after all I should know. I used to ride them before. Them behaving themselves, is just one other thing to credit to your skills." Buffy blushed in response, and Spike realized he would never tire of seeing her like that. He began fantasizing about her flushed face, breath panting while he showered her with kisses. He shook the feeling away as he felt his jeans tighten at the crotch. Wouldn't do him any good, standing up from the dinner table presenting a raging hard-on.
"Talked to the whelp lately? Been wondering what he's been up to after he left. He never writes, never calls", Spike finished in mock offended tone. Buffy quirked an eyebrow in confusion, but before she could ask 'who?' Faith interrupted; "Oh, yeah Xand-man! That's one guy I'm not about to accuse of being a one-minute man or lousily hung. Know what I mean B?" Faith asked, nudging Buffy in the shoulder with a mischievous smile.
Buffy blushed again and Giles joined her. "I-It's one thing to l-listen to the obscene words that-that escapes your mouths", Giles said pointing his fingers to Spike and Faith, "It's a complete other matter, having to listen to the reference of your nightly activities", he finished, taking his glasses off to clean them, a sure sign of discomfort.
"Oh. You know Xander?", she said looking at Spike and Faith, shuddering from the image of her surrogate brother intimate with Faith. "Um. I talked to him last week. He's in Montana for the time being. He'll stay there for a while before heading further East. He told me he had met this really freaky girl. He was all 'mommy I'm scared'. But if I know Xand right, she's exactly the type of girl he'll fall for. In high school, he went out with the scariest person there. Cordelia Chase, serious dominatrix potential." Buffy laughed at remembering the good old days. Afterwards she caught herself worrying a bit. Maybe she should have held out on info? Maybe Faith was harboring a thing for Xander, but then again, why would she have another man in her room the other night?
The rest of the dinner went on with easy small talk. Buffy found herself softening up to Spike. He was actually being gentle, not pinning her with looks and awkward conversation topics. Spike gave Buffy her space, the rest of the evening. He didn't want to spoil the warmth he had been able to build up during dinner. He went to bed, sleep claiming him easier then it had ever since Buffy showed up. He was making progress with Buffy, but it still didn't suppress the nightmares with Dru and Angel. More vivid then usual, their arrival only three days away.