Chap 3

Buffy looked on at the monster in front of her. Its big black eyes stared back, its nostrils flaring. Its hoof pawed the ground eagerly Buffy looked on in terror.

"Come on Buff, its ok he wont hurt you." Angel smiled and patted the young horses neck.

"You sure, its glaring at me..." Buffy backed away "he can smell fear right?" she asked, standing in the corner of the paddock, not taking her eyes off the beast.

"Don't be silly! Rusty here is as good as gold, trust me" Angel reached for Buffys hand pulling her towards him. Gently he lifted her up and onto the back of Rusty. "You really think I would put you on a horse that isnt totally safe?" he looked her in the eye, showing her how to hold the reins.

"OK, but if he does anything funny, then im getting off straight away!" She said sternly.

Angel turned away and walked towards the beautiful black stallion a few metres away. With one swift movement he leapt up on its back, gathering the reins and urging it on. "See easy" he laughed watching Buffy circling beside him desperately trying to get Rusty to go forward. "Pull the reins towards you and he'll stop." Angel giggled as Buffy obeyed bringing the horse to a stop.

"Now listen here, if you don't make a fool of me, I promise not to make a fool of you" Buffy leant towards the horse ears, gently scratching and patting his neck. Rusty snorted in reply. "Good." Buffy sighed.

"Come on then!!" Yelled Angel as he raced up the embankment. Buffy gripped on for dear life as Rusty took up gallop racing to catch up to the stronger stallion. Slowly Buffy looked up from her crouched position, moving her head from amongst Rusty's mane. As she sat up she looked down from the top of the embankment admiring the view of the valley below.

"Beautiful isnt it." Angel walked next to Buffy as they made there way down the valley side, to the roaming fields below.

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"Wow" Buffy gasped, taking a bottle of water out of the saddle bag. She patted Rusty tying him to a nearby tree alongside Jazz before walking towards Angel who was stretched out in the boiling hot sun. She ran her fingers through her wind swept hair and bent down, seating herself comfortably next to Angel.

"You enjoy that?" he looked up at her from the ground, watching as she took a long drink of water.

"It was amazing! The way the horse just galloped and galloped and when you and Jazz jumped that fallen down tree...amazing!" She giggled remembering the fear on his face as the horse bolted for the tree without him asking.

"Was pretty good wasn't it, I mean all that power between your legs..." He paused mid sentence, turning red at the thought. "I mean the power of the horse beneath you."

Buffy smiled as he stumbled over his words, obviously embarrassed. "I no what you mean." She saved him from more embarrassment.

His body slowly relaxed as she spoke, lying back down he reached for her waist bringing her down next to him.

"Not a cloud in the sky" he mumbled watching the birds dart about above him, the soft sound of Buffy breathing next to him. He reached out placing his arm behind her head as he was overcome with an urge to kiss her, gently he reached down and kissed her, his lips gently pressing against hers.

Buffy could no longer hear the birds above as Angel kissed her, everything was a blur, she gently kissed back placing her hands on the back of his neck, deepening the kiss.

Suddenly it stopped.

She opened her eyes to see that he was no longer in her vision. She stood up as she heard the earth shattering sound of the horses hooves beating into the distance. She ran towards Rusty, who was calmly chewing on a patch of grass. Ungracefully she threw herself up onto its back, shocking the horse causing it to bolt blindly into the surrounding fields.

She clung onto the mane as Rusty raced onwards, it seemed hours before finally they reached the old ranch.

Jazz was stood tied up to one of the stalls but Angel was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello again!" Aunt Helen came rushing from a nearby stable. "Did you enjoy your ride?" Buffy smiled, deciphering what the Irish lady had said.

"Yes thanks" She smiled back "Have you seen Angel?" she questioned trying not to sound choked.

"oh that boy! I'll give him for running off leaving such a beautiful young lady by herself......ANGELUS!" Aunt Helen cried out rushing towards the farm house. The only time she used Angel's full name was when she was angry

Buffy followed close behind as they entered the dark house. Angel was sat in the far corner with an older man close by. He looked up as Aunt Helen entered but instantly turned away when his gaze fell upon Buffy.

"Angelus! You can't go leaving your girlfriend like that! She doesn't know the land!" Aunt Helen scolded.

"Sorry, Aunt and she's not my girlfriend" Angel turned away, sinking deeper into the huge armchair.

"Oh.OK I do apologise...Would you like some tea?" Aunt Helen quickly changed the subject.

"She doesn't want any tea" Angel interrupted "we're about to leave" And with that he rose to his feet. He looked twice the size in the small house, his towering frame swallowed Buffy up as she glared up at him.

"Thank you for a good day" Buffy grunted in her hosts direction not taking her eyes off the man who stood before her "now lets go Angel." Her sarcastic smile stabbed Angel like a dagger in his back.

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The sun began to set as Angel started up the old convertible. He never took his eyes off the road for the whole journey back home. 'I shouldn't have done that' he thought to himself as clenched his teeth, thinking about the kiss once more. 'BIG mistake' he repeated to himself shaking his head at the same time.

Buffy watched as Angel looked on. The cars passed swiftly as Angel raced along the highway. She turned to look at him, he was shaking his head in his acknowledgement for something. 'Shit, he hates me' she thought to herself as they continued home. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch him, let him know that she liked him still, she could never stop liking a man like that no matter what he did. 'But it was not meant to be' she glanced out the window, sighing to herself as her eyes slowly glazed over with tears.....

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~*~ Let me know what you think!!! Thanks for the feedback so far, I like to know if I should carry on with an idea!!! Sorry the Chapter isn't long I've got a ton of stuff to do today but I just had to write it up!! ~*~