Buffy didn't know where the tears had come from or why, but they were there. They clouded her senses and wrapped guiltily around her conscience.

"He cheated on me," she said aloud. "He cheated on me over and over again. He slept with other women. Touched them and then touched me."

She felt her stomach churning as the words filled her ears.

"And I bet he never once felt as sick about it as I do for just a simple kiss."

Never had she said the words aloud before. Never had she heard them ringing out into the empty room. Never had she felt such emptiness and disgust for what Angel had done. Never had she stopped loving him until the very moment all of her nevers culminated into one.

The sobs shook her body as she hugged the framed photo to her chest. She rocked herself on the living room floor mourning for the love she lost.

"Never again, never again, never again," she whispered rapidly. "I'll never let you hurt me again."

She was greeted by an e-mail from Spike the moment she opened her mailbox at work.

"Had a great time last night and hope we can do it again, with or without the kissing, Love... although I rather enjoyed the with," he told her.

She smiled sadly at the memory of his mouth on hers.

"Don't go getting all funny on me," he continued. "Or that book bonus you fought so hard for will be out the window."

She knew he was only joking and shook her head at the words on her computer screen, not even realized she'd let out a soft snort.

"Something funny?" Cordelia asked with a smile.

"My Kiss PD," she told her, not daring to repeat what he'd said. "He's always got something smart-alecky to say."

"Spike," Cordelia nodded with a smile. "He's a great guy. I worked with him for a few months in Anaheim. Neither of us lasted long, but he's the kind of guy who tries to make the best of any situation."

Buffy could see that about him. He had an easy-going way about him.

"Too bad about that whole mess with him and Darla," she said casually, curious if it would spark any jealousy in Buffy.

"Who's Darla?" Buffy asked, trying to sound just as casual.

"His girlfriend in New York. Nice girl. Drop-dead gorgeous. But not a whole lot going on upstairs if you know what I mean," Cordelia told her. "And in a cruel attempt to be kind, he severed ties with her and tried to move on. Poor girl was devastated. She ended up marrying some guy she met on the internet. I think Spike's always felt a little guilty about that."

"Wow."

Buffy's mouth was open and she closed it quickly.

"I heard that he dumped her for some cheap little piece of ass at the radio station up there," Faith interjected.

"No, no... He moved down here not too long after he broke up with Darla," Andrew threw in.

"Children," Ethan interrupted. "The man had merely decided to move on and look for a woman with substance."

Buffy turned to Ethan with a raised eyebrow.

"We met a few years back when a mate of mine and I brought the boat out for a fishing trip. Groo had worked with Spike in Anaheim. We got together for a few drinks, the Darla thing came up," he shrugged. "Nothing to fodder gossip about. Besides, we've got a nine car pile-up on the bridge that needs our attention."

She smiled at Ethan before returning her eyes to her computer screen. There was, indeed, a nine car pile-up on the bridge. Odd, she thought, since lately it was some sort of construction equipment left in the roadway causing tie-ups on the bridge. A ladder here, paint buckets there, some drywall, shingles.

"Hey Bleach Boy," she typed into her instant messenger. "I got the sponsors. Thanks!"

He'd sent a second e-mail with her list of traffic sponsors. While many of the other stations preferred to read the billboard for the sponsors, Spike liked it better when she did it. He always told her to feel free to ad-lib.

"That's not all I want to give you," he replied.

She blushed, remembering his kiss and how he did the most gentlemanly thing by leaving.

"Such big talk," she provoked.

She knew she was potentially opening a can of worms, but she loved verbally sparring with Spike.

"Hey, I'm the single one," he pointed out. "Nothing holding me back. Of course, I wouldn't mind you holding me on my back."

"You mean more like me straddling you while you're on your back," she volleyed back.

"That's about right," he let her know. "And I like my women completely naked, Sunshine. None of those little strappy things to get in the way of my tongue."

"Who said anything about strappy things? I mean, panties are against my religion, remember? Why bother with any other acouterments."

He felt Dawn staring at him.

"What?" he asked, catching her eye across the console. "WHAT?"

She shook her head and lowered her eyes.

"Uh-uh, Niblet."

He sounded annoyed.

"Spit it out."

Dawn sighed and leaned forward, twisting a long strand of hair between her fingers.

"You disappeared somewhere with Buffy at the thingy yesterday," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Uh," he stammered for a moment. "I did what where?"

"Don't act all coy with me, Spike," she warned him with a sly smile. "I heard all about your disappearing act. And then the two of you came back in looking like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied, feeling his cheeks flush. "I mean, I got the tour, if that's what you mean. Everyone got the tour."

"Glory says yours was a personal tour."

Glory Adonis. He'd seen her sneaking peeks at them and catching his eyes with a knowing smile.

He shrugged.

"Whatever."

"Oh, how very teenage of you," Dawn laughed. "Whatever. I stopped saying that, like, years ago."

"Maybe weeks," he teased. "Probably just days, Pet. Like, didn't I, like, hear you say 'whatever' just, like, yesterday?"

She scowled and tossed a paper wad at him.

"Whatever."

Buffy finished sending a recorded report to The Fiasco who were at a live event. She smiled again as she glanced down at the blinking blue bar at the bottom of her screen.

"You might want to try out those panties some time. Half the fun is in the removal," he'd typed to her.

She sighed and decided to challenge him with her response.

"You're too virtuous to take a married woman."

He stared at the screen. Was he?

"Probably I am. But, Sunshine, I believe you saw first-hand that I can't be trusted alone with you."

She knew she couldn't be trusted alone with him. And she had every intention of never letting that happen again.