Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Joss owns it all damn him!
Sorry for the long delay in updates. Chapter 16 should be coming soon. Before the end of the week at least.
Thanks for the reviews, please keep them up and keep my spirits high!
***
Chapter 15 - An Unexpected Phone Call
Buffy was busy rearranging the furniture in her suite when her phone rang. She had just placed the comfy couch back in its original position perpendicular to the bar when she heard the shrill cry. Smiling she reached for the receiver hoping it would be Spike on the other end.
"Hello?" Her voice was a bit breathless from her earlier exertions, but the smile she sported was clear in her greeting.
"What's got you so worked up girl?" The voice on the other end boomed.
Buffy's smiled widened. "Mr. Giles!" She got comfortable on the couch, settling down Indian style before continuing, "how are you?"
"Fine lass, fine! And what have you been up to?" The voice sounded slightly amused.
"Oh!" Buffy colored wondering at the tone of Giles' voice. "Just moving some furniture."
"Aye. And is my grandson there helping you 'move furniture'?" Giles was definitely hinting at something. Buffy's blush deepened.
"No. He's working, probably in his office. Were you looking for him?"
"No lass, I was calling for you. Just thought I'd ask after him is all. Never know what's happening with that infernal boy, always too busy to call his grandmum. She worries you know," Giles tried to insist. Buffy just grinned, having heard this lament several times during Giles' stay at the hotel.
"What were you calling to speak with me about?" Buffy asked after a moment.
"Oh," Giles' tone was solemn. "I thought I ought to let you know I lost everything in a leverage buyout."
"Everything?" The word was a whisper.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
Buffy couldn't breathe. And then she was breathing too much. She sat abruptly hoping to lessen the fall if she ended up fainting.
"Buffy! Buffy!" She heard Giles calling her name from far away. "I was just joking child." He was chuckling loudly.
"Joking?" It seemed all she could do was parrot his words.
"Yes. Actually I called to let you know we've made some money. Or I should say you've made some money. You should go out and buy yourself something pretty." She could hear him smiling through the phone.
"You've made money? Already?" Buffy's voice was still faint just barely above a whisper.
"Yes, nothing big just a quick fifty. We're just getting our feet wet." Giles answered.
"Oh." She should be happy but she felt slightly disappointed. "Well, I can get a nice pair of earrings for $50 dollars - " she began but was quickly cut-off.
"Fifty thousand!" The voice was once again roaring with mirth.
"Oh."
"Oh indeed. Goodness lass, you sound the same when you've made money as you do when you think you've lost it!" He chuckled again. "That shows a strong constitution. Shows a lot of mettle, a lot of nerve."
"I don't know about the mettle. But I definitely feel a lot of nerves." Buffy answered, rubbing at the butterflies in her stomach.
"You've got those aplenty that's for sure!" She could tell he was smiling again. "Now go out and get yourself a nice trinket."
"Yes sir!" She answered smartly. Before he could hang up Buffy steeled herself to ask, "Giles?"
"Yes lass?"
"Spike said...well...he said that you might have been trying to..." She chewed at her bottom lip absently. "He said that you thought I might suit him. You know...and that he was afraid you might be putting ideas in my head..."
"What?" Giles voice was full of innocent rebuke. "When have I ever tried to interfere? Have I said anything to you lass? Have I tried to push you his way? No! I was just enjoying a pleasant visit with my grandson and this is what I get?"
"No...that is...I'm sorry." Buffy was chagrined. "I didn't meant to cause any trouble. Of course you wouldn't think that, I mean...I'm just...I..."
"Now you stop that young lady! Of course you'd suit him! I was just saying that I'm not the type of busybody to interfere in something like that! Wherever do these children get their ideas?"
The corners of Buffy's mouth lifted slightly. "So you do think, maybe we might be a match for each other?" She asked tentatively.
"I think you'd suit each other just fine." Giles voice turned conspiratorial, "are you setting your sights on my boy?"
Buffy blushed once more. "I...well...yes."
"Good!"
"I..." Buffy hesitated only a moment. "I think I might already be in love with him."
Giles gave a silent whoop at her quiet statement. "Well lass, the boy would be stupid to turn a woman like you away. And Giles men are definitely not stupid."
"Thank you Giles." Buffy felt buoyed by the encouragement.
"You're welcome Buffy. Now go out and treat yourself to something beautiful."
"I will." She was grinning again. "I will."
***
Buffy was bouncing with excitement. When she'd left her suite earlier she'd decided that she didn't need anymore jewelry or new dresses, but there was something she was sorely in need of, a new studio.
She'd found the perfect location. And the perfect place. It used to be an old furniture warehouse store. Not too big, but just the right size. She'd have to renovate a few things; rewire the lighting, put in a few mirrors, and clear out a lot of junk. But those were all things that would just make the place that much more hers.
At first she wanted to tell Spike right away, she'd almost gone straight up to his office when she'd gotten back, but then she thought better of it. The place wasn't hers yet, she still had to put in a bid and she wouldn't know for sure if it had been accepted for at least a few days. So she decided to wait until everything was official before she broke the news.
When the elevator dinged alerting her that she had reached her floor, she stepped out with a skip. She let out a yelp when she felt strong hands grab hold of her. With practiced grace she stepped back using her assailant's own momentum to knock him off balance. Pivoting sideways she grabbed hold of the wrist closest to her, only then realizing who it was that had a hold of her.
"Where 'ave you been?" She noticed how Will's accent grew thicker when he was upset, though why he should be upset was a puzzle to her.
"I went exploring. I wanted to see the town." She answered, stepping further back and away from his grabbing hands. She had a feeling that if he still had hold of her he'd be shaking her back and forth roughly.
Spike took a few moments to calm himself. He'd grown slightly panicked when he'd come looking for her and hadn't been able to find her anywhere in the hotel. He almost couldn't admit the depth of his relief when he'd seen her step off the elevator.
"You should have told me you wanted to go out, I would have taken you." He tried to steady his breathing. Why should he react so intensely?
"I knew you were busy."
"Not too busy." His hand was up cupping her cheek and warming it. He stared into her eyes for a moment before leaning down and pressing their lips together. He nibbled at her bottom lip causing it to redden and puff before pulling away. "In fact my parents have kicked me out for the night. They told me to go out and relax for a bit." He grabbed her hand and walked her back to her suite. "Why don't you go and get changed. We'll have a bite and go for that drive grandda wanted us to take." He kissed her cheek this time his hand lingered in hers as he stepped away. "I'll be back up in 30 minutes." And then he was walking away, stepping into the elevator, a smirk on his lips as the doors slid shut.
Buffy closed her eyes, savoring the flavor of the intimate moment they'd just shared. Had he been worried about her? It was a small thing, but it made her heart soar. Maybe her hand wasn't as bad as she'd first feared. Maybe she actually stood a chance at taking the pot. If only he'd call her bet.
Sorry for the long delay in updates. Chapter 16 should be coming soon. Before the end of the week at least.
Thanks for the reviews, please keep them up and keep my spirits high!
***
Chapter 15 - An Unexpected Phone Call
Buffy was busy rearranging the furniture in her suite when her phone rang. She had just placed the comfy couch back in its original position perpendicular to the bar when she heard the shrill cry. Smiling she reached for the receiver hoping it would be Spike on the other end.
"Hello?" Her voice was a bit breathless from her earlier exertions, but the smile she sported was clear in her greeting.
"What's got you so worked up girl?" The voice on the other end boomed.
Buffy's smiled widened. "Mr. Giles!" She got comfortable on the couch, settling down Indian style before continuing, "how are you?"
"Fine lass, fine! And what have you been up to?" The voice sounded slightly amused.
"Oh!" Buffy colored wondering at the tone of Giles' voice. "Just moving some furniture."
"Aye. And is my grandson there helping you 'move furniture'?" Giles was definitely hinting at something. Buffy's blush deepened.
"No. He's working, probably in his office. Were you looking for him?"
"No lass, I was calling for you. Just thought I'd ask after him is all. Never know what's happening with that infernal boy, always too busy to call his grandmum. She worries you know," Giles tried to insist. Buffy just grinned, having heard this lament several times during Giles' stay at the hotel.
"What were you calling to speak with me about?" Buffy asked after a moment.
"Oh," Giles' tone was solemn. "I thought I ought to let you know I lost everything in a leverage buyout."
"Everything?" The word was a whisper.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
Buffy couldn't breathe. And then she was breathing too much. She sat abruptly hoping to lessen the fall if she ended up fainting.
"Buffy! Buffy!" She heard Giles calling her name from far away. "I was just joking child." He was chuckling loudly.
"Joking?" It seemed all she could do was parrot his words.
"Yes. Actually I called to let you know we've made some money. Or I should say you've made some money. You should go out and buy yourself something pretty." She could hear him smiling through the phone.
"You've made money? Already?" Buffy's voice was still faint just barely above a whisper.
"Yes, nothing big just a quick fifty. We're just getting our feet wet." Giles answered.
"Oh." She should be happy but she felt slightly disappointed. "Well, I can get a nice pair of earrings for $50 dollars - " she began but was quickly cut-off.
"Fifty thousand!" The voice was once again roaring with mirth.
"Oh."
"Oh indeed. Goodness lass, you sound the same when you've made money as you do when you think you've lost it!" He chuckled again. "That shows a strong constitution. Shows a lot of mettle, a lot of nerve."
"I don't know about the mettle. But I definitely feel a lot of nerves." Buffy answered, rubbing at the butterflies in her stomach.
"You've got those aplenty that's for sure!" She could tell he was smiling again. "Now go out and get yourself a nice trinket."
"Yes sir!" She answered smartly. Before he could hang up Buffy steeled herself to ask, "Giles?"
"Yes lass?"
"Spike said...well...he said that you might have been trying to..." She chewed at her bottom lip absently. "He said that you thought I might suit him. You know...and that he was afraid you might be putting ideas in my head..."
"What?" Giles voice was full of innocent rebuke. "When have I ever tried to interfere? Have I said anything to you lass? Have I tried to push you his way? No! I was just enjoying a pleasant visit with my grandson and this is what I get?"
"No...that is...I'm sorry." Buffy was chagrined. "I didn't meant to cause any trouble. Of course you wouldn't think that, I mean...I'm just...I..."
"Now you stop that young lady! Of course you'd suit him! I was just saying that I'm not the type of busybody to interfere in something like that! Wherever do these children get their ideas?"
The corners of Buffy's mouth lifted slightly. "So you do think, maybe we might be a match for each other?" She asked tentatively.
"I think you'd suit each other just fine." Giles voice turned conspiratorial, "are you setting your sights on my boy?"
Buffy blushed once more. "I...well...yes."
"Good!"
"I..." Buffy hesitated only a moment. "I think I might already be in love with him."
Giles gave a silent whoop at her quiet statement. "Well lass, the boy would be stupid to turn a woman like you away. And Giles men are definitely not stupid."
"Thank you Giles." Buffy felt buoyed by the encouragement.
"You're welcome Buffy. Now go out and treat yourself to something beautiful."
"I will." She was grinning again. "I will."
***
Buffy was bouncing with excitement. When she'd left her suite earlier she'd decided that she didn't need anymore jewelry or new dresses, but there was something she was sorely in need of, a new studio.
She'd found the perfect location. And the perfect place. It used to be an old furniture warehouse store. Not too big, but just the right size. She'd have to renovate a few things; rewire the lighting, put in a few mirrors, and clear out a lot of junk. But those were all things that would just make the place that much more hers.
At first she wanted to tell Spike right away, she'd almost gone straight up to his office when she'd gotten back, but then she thought better of it. The place wasn't hers yet, she still had to put in a bid and she wouldn't know for sure if it had been accepted for at least a few days. So she decided to wait until everything was official before she broke the news.
When the elevator dinged alerting her that she had reached her floor, she stepped out with a skip. She let out a yelp when she felt strong hands grab hold of her. With practiced grace she stepped back using her assailant's own momentum to knock him off balance. Pivoting sideways she grabbed hold of the wrist closest to her, only then realizing who it was that had a hold of her.
"Where 'ave you been?" She noticed how Will's accent grew thicker when he was upset, though why he should be upset was a puzzle to her.
"I went exploring. I wanted to see the town." She answered, stepping further back and away from his grabbing hands. She had a feeling that if he still had hold of her he'd be shaking her back and forth roughly.
Spike took a few moments to calm himself. He'd grown slightly panicked when he'd come looking for her and hadn't been able to find her anywhere in the hotel. He almost couldn't admit the depth of his relief when he'd seen her step off the elevator.
"You should have told me you wanted to go out, I would have taken you." He tried to steady his breathing. Why should he react so intensely?
"I knew you were busy."
"Not too busy." His hand was up cupping her cheek and warming it. He stared into her eyes for a moment before leaning down and pressing their lips together. He nibbled at her bottom lip causing it to redden and puff before pulling away. "In fact my parents have kicked me out for the night. They told me to go out and relax for a bit." He grabbed her hand and walked her back to her suite. "Why don't you go and get changed. We'll have a bite and go for that drive grandda wanted us to take." He kissed her cheek this time his hand lingered in hers as he stepped away. "I'll be back up in 30 minutes." And then he was walking away, stepping into the elevator, a smirk on his lips as the doors slid shut.
Buffy closed her eyes, savoring the flavor of the intimate moment they'd just shared. Had he been worried about her? It was a small thing, but it made her heart soar. Maybe her hand wasn't as bad as she'd first feared. Maybe she actually stood a chance at taking the pot. If only he'd call her bet.