Thin Ice.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Joss owns all...for now ;)

Buffy's mouth was dry.

So dry in fact she longed for a glass of water, something to splash her lips and allow her to talk to the handsome face looking down at her with an amused smile. He tilted his head as if trying to read what she was thinking.

"What's the matter pet, cat got your tongue?"

His second sentence brought her out of her hazy mind and the glaze over her eyes, which had appeared a few seconds before, cleared. She gave her head a tiny shake and a smile tweaked her lips.

"No. No cats...you can sit...if you want to. It's a free lodge. Well actually it's not it costs a lot to stay here but if you're paying I guess you have the right to-"

She stopped her babbling and her cheeks flushed at her nervous chatter. Why was she nervous? It was just a guy. One nice, lean, sculpted... Bad Buffy!! . She looked up to see laughter in his eyes.

"Quite right you are. Costs a bloody bomb for this big log house. Can't say as it's shabby thought, they do a nice job here."

That accent. Oh that accent. Where was he from? Where ever it was she loved it already for spewing out this man in her direction. How was it possible to be so attracted to someone after just a few words?

She watched him pull out the chair next to her and set himself down it in, all the while never taking his beautiful eyes off her pretty face. His gaze burned her skin sparking up tiny tingles in her pores. A blush crept up to her cheeks making them appear extremely rosy. He grinned.

"Warm in here huh, pet?"

She looked down at the plate in front of her, which held the now cold bread roll, as he reached for the basket himself and helped himself to one that was still warm and waiting to beaten. He followed the same suit she had with the butter and was soon biting into it, revealing his perfect, pointy, pearly whites.

The rest of their breakfast was eaten almost silently but very slowly as if both wanted to prolong the process. A middle aged couple that nodded and smiled at them before occupying two of the chairs and chattering away in a different language later joined them.

When there was almost nothing left on their table to devour and they were fully to bursting, Buffy looked up to find the man looking back at her in the same way. In silent agreement they stood and nodded a goodbye to the other, older couple and departed the table together.
They walked around the massive marble desk at the front of the lodge to the other side and grabbed a hot drink, from the smaller desk for beverages, before settling down on a fluffy cream couch. There they sat still watching everything the other did, afraid to spoil the moment and speak. Finally one of them plucked up their courage.

"Well I don't know about you luv, but where I come from it's customary to know who you take company with. "

He took a sip of the hot cocoa he was holding, complete with little white marshmallows. Buffy smiled and lifted her chin before asking: -

"And just where is that?"

He smiled at her almost cocky curiosity and mimicked her, lifting his shapely chin.

"Good old streets of London, luv. And yourself? Where do little luvs like you spring from?"

She smiled at his charming choice of words and got the urge to roll her eyes slightly, which she refrained from doing.

"Sunnydale, California. It's a small place but pretty quiet, although we do get a lot of weird occurrences..."

She looked at his face and saw genuine interest in her and where she came from, something a lot of guys usually faked or neglected to show. All their attention seemed to go below her neck or other parts of her anatomy and that annoyed Buffy to no end. As if her dreams had been answered, finally a guy who was, maybe, different.

"Get those wherever you go, luv. Seems no one can live without a bit of the abnormal but most turn a blind eye. Me, I like a bit of excitement."

He flashed a mischievous grin and drained his mug of the rest of its contents, resting it back down on his knee as she followed suit and drained hers. He couldn't help but smile and the young girl in front of him who obviously was interested as he was but seemed to be holding back. Was she afraid? She had nothing to fear while he was around; he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize even a friendship with this bird. To his surprise she chirped up at him.

"So I know you like hot chocolate, I know you come from come from London, I know you like excitement' She gave a small smile ' but I still don't know your name."

He leaned forward and placed his empty mug on the small coffee table that sat in front of the couch. He then sat back to face her and held out his hand to take hers. Buffy responded and gave him her hand, which he brought to his soft lips. His lips brushed the back of her hand so softly she could barely feel it but that tiny gesture sent shivers up her spine.

"William Giles."

He gave her knuckles another gentle kiss.

"But my friends and other acquaintances call me Spike."

He backed his lips away from Buffy's hand, much to her disappointment, and winked playfully. His other hand came up to sandwich her fingers between both his hands as a reassuring gesture that he was not backing away.

"Now how should I address you, luv? What lovely name goes with that lovely face of yours?"

Damn that charm! She had a feeling it would be the end of her someday. She idly curled her fingers around the hand below hers, holding them together and turned her face up to his. His eyes smiled back at her awaiting his answer patiently.

"My name is Elizabeth."

She smiled and gave his hands another gentle squeeze. She moved closer as if she was going to whisper, but stated clearly.

"But my friends and...other acquaintances call me Buffy."

Both of them burst into contagious chuckles and smiles at the thought and look of each other. Him with his solid cheekbones, amazing eyes and platinum hair, another thing Buffy decided she liked about him and her with her sunny smile, her rosy cheeks and her golden strands of hair that hung gracefully around her face and both with their playful personalities.

Spike stood and pulled her up with him, through their still joined hands, deciding to not let go of this girl. They walked to the window that sat behind the social area and watched as the sun still shone in the cloudless blue sky overhead. Melting the ice and snow to water and slush. They watched and smiled as the ground could actually be seen through the ice. Then they turned to each other.

Maybe this stay wouldn't be so bad after all.

Ok next chap coming soon 