Buffy looked up into his cerulean gaze and froze. Her heart raced as the panic set in. The men that claimed to love her, those to whom she had said the words, always left her. She swallowed. Her tongue seemed to swell. How did she tell him? The words wouldn't come.

"Don't expect a declaration, Love. It's enough that you want to share your life with me." He pulled her close. "I don't need the words."

"I feel it." Buffy closed her eyes. "I just don't say the words, okay?"

"I just told you I don't need them." He cocked his head and stared at her.

"My dad left. He swore up and down he loved me. Promised he'd always be there for me, but he missed my last birthday. I haven't seen him in more than a year. He doesn't even call."

"Buffy, I know. Please, Love, it's not a problem." He tried to pull her into his arms, but she resisted.

"It is. You deserve the words. You're mine. I'm yours. We belong to each other. You shouldn't have to live without those words." She raked her fingers through her hair.

Spike was nothing like Angel. He wasn't going to disappear into the smoke one night. He would be there, beside her, come what may."

"I don't need words, Love." He took a deep breath and touched the scar on his neck. "You gave me this and the ring on my finger. You took me whole, monster and man."

"You've been left wanting far too long. If I could say it under a damn spell, I can say it now." She grabbed his face between her hands and stared into his eyes. "We are mated. I am happy to be yours, and proud to call you mine. I love you."

Spike stared at her. The bond flared, and she felt his joy. She smiled and kissed him.

"I love you." The words fell from her lips easily. "It's real and it's for always. I want to go to bed in your arms each night and wake up cradled against your chest. I love you."

He pulled her down into the rumpled sheets and kissed her soundly. His hands were roaming her sides, teasing along her nerves. He was using her slayer senses to push her higher, touching vulnerable spots setting off the tingly sensation. It felt like she was filled with pop rocks. She panted and rubbed herself against him. He licked the mark on her neck and rolled her onto her back.

"Love you, Buffy." He kissed the mark. "Gonna do this properly."

He slid down her body, caressing her breasts with his fingers. She whimpered and watched as he bent his head to take one of her nipples into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it and scraped it with his blunt teeth. The sight of his head bent to her breast made something low in her twist. She closed her eyes and pressed back into the pillows.

He was moving, his lips at work on her not her nipple, one hand circled her navel, flat pressing his palm down just a bit as he passed between it her core, and one leg pressed between her thighs sliding up and down, but never reaching the place she craved the pressure. She whimpered and tossed her head.

"Spike, William, please." She begged and he surrendered her nipple with a pop.

"Just getting started, Love." He kissed her directly over her frantic heart. "Gonna make it so good for you."

"You are so good to me." She tried to pull him up for a kiss, but he wouldn't budge from his place. "I love you."

He smiled and shifted away from her, replacing his hand with his mouth. His tongue dipped into the shallow cave of her navel, pressing in to her. She buried her fingers in his air, loving the silken slide of his bleached curls. She looked down her body at him. He was beautiful, a Greek statue come to life for her. He looked up at her and smirked, but his eyes were filled with love.

"Come up here and kiss me."

"All in good time." He slid down further, pushing his arms under her thighs. She sighed as he kissed her inner thigh. "Gonna be so good for you, Baby."

She took a deep breath. Angel hadn't done more than shove himself into her and Parker had stuck a finger in, but no one had ever done what her mate was about to do. She tensed, waiting.

Spike leaned into her thigh and rubbed his head against her leg. His fingers moved gently across her doing no more than disturbing her curls. He pressed a kiss against her thigh.

"Relax, Love. Let me do for you." He pushed her legs gently and she let them fall apart.

How the hell did he expect her to relax?

"Tell me about England."

"Why do you want me to tell you about Blighty, Love?" He licked her then, one pass of his tongue parting her folds.

"Lie back and think of England, right?"

His burst of laughter filled the room. She could feel his body shaking with it.

"I love you, Buffy. I'm gonna get on with the worshipping now."

Spike shifted between her legs forcing them to open farther, and delved deep with his tongue. Sensation beat out tension, and Buffy moaned. The rumble of his purr vibrated through her. Each glide of his tongue drove her higher. She let go. Worries, fear, and pain dissipated. Her mate would be there. He would never leave.

Thrashing helplessly, she felt his hand steady her. He ran his fangs along her folds, trailing behind them with his wicked tongue. He pressed down on her abdomen, holding her secure to the earth as he sent her flying into orgasm.

She panted and blinked as the world came back into focus. She looked down at her mate and saw his happy grin. He stroked her folds with his fingers, soothing her and holding her in a state of arousal. She whimpered.

"Not done with you, yet." He dropped a sweet kiss on her damp curls and moved to cover her.

"I love you." The words flowed easily now. His eyes flared amber and then slid back to stunning blue. His gaze, soft and serene, trailed over her sweat slicked form.

"You are my reason, Buffy." He kissed her. The slow slide of his lips on hers echoed by his body. She tasted herself on his tongue and welcomed it. She gasped against his lips as he drove into her again, making them both whole. "I love you."

He filled her perfectly, to the point of pain but not past it. She writhed as he began to stroke, crying in protest at each retreat and gasping in happiness with every return. He pushed them inexorably up. Each thrust coming faster than the last, his small sounds of pleasure tipped the scales and she exploded around him, losing herself in the maelstrom.

She came back to herself in slow pieces. Deep gasping breaths and quaking body, gave way to contentment. Spikes arms were wrapped tightly around her. His muttered endearments mumbled against her ear. She tucked her body more securely against his.

"We have to go kill things, and I'm not sure I can walk." She smiled as his purr became more pronounced.

"We aren't leaving this room, Love. It's Christmas." Spike trailed his fingers through her hair. "Gonna spend the day loving. The demons'll be there tomorrow. Besides it's snowing."

"Let me guess. You can smell it." Buffy smiled.

"No, it's the quiet. Snow mutes the world somehow." He shrugged and dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

"The demons will be there tomorrow or the next day even." She grinned. "We are on our honeymoon."

"There's your stocking to open still."

"This has got to be a dream. Presents and all this wonderful alabaster skin of yours to lick?"

"I love you, Buffy." He chuckled and kissed her temple.

"Love you, too. So much." She drifted to sleep in her mate's arms.