Buffy grimaced as she paced her dorm room. She looked at the alarm clock for the tenth time in the last hour. 6:47 pm. She nervously smoothed her hands over her hips. Her dress was sky blue. It had thin straps that bared her shoulders, and a flared out over her hips. It was longer than most dresses she worn, ending halfway down her calves. It looked elegant without making it appear that she went to a lot of effort.

Giles wasn't happy about this evening, but he had agreed that one evening's reconnaissance might be a good idea. Besides, he promised to shadow them tonight, just in case. A knock on her door made Buffy pause her movements and take a deep breath. She opened the door as casually as she could.

Ethan smiled and looked her over with a warm gaze. "You look ravishing, Pet."

Buffy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You clean up nicely, too. Let's get this over with."

Ethan chuckled and stepped back to let her out of the room. "You make it sound as if you are being led to the gallows."

Buffy gave a reluctant smile. "You don't seem offended."

He pulled her hand into the crook of his elbow as they headed to the stairs. "Why should I be? I know what you think of me. Your opinion if well founded."

"So why take me out?" Buffy asked curiously. "You know I don't trust or like you, but yet, you still showed up."

He shrugged. "Trust me? No, you don't. Like me?" He smiled slightly. "That is still up for debate."

Buffy snorted as he led her to his car. "I don't like you, Ethan. You're nothing but trouble. I'm only here because you might actually have some useful information." Ethan stopped and pulled her into his arms. He covered her mouth with his own, his tongue worming it's way inside. Buffy's hands twisted into the silk of his shirt as desire flared to life in the pit of her stomach. Good grief, but the man could kiss!

Just as suddenly he released her and unlocked his car. "Maybe you don't like me," he said huskily, "but there's no doubt that you and I have passion."

Buffy slid into the car and released a shaky breath. Okay. So, maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

The Galaxy was a new restaurant about an hour away from Sunnydale. A waitress showed them to their table and Ethan held out her chair. Once she was seated he leaned down, his lips close to her ear.

"Our shadow just took a seat at the bar. Should we buy him a drink?" Ethan teased.

Buffy looked over and spotted Giles easily. She gave him a wry smile and Giles nodded easily. He wasn't going for stealth, apparently. Instead he gave Ethan a stern look before shooting Buffy a nod.

Another waitress gave them menus and Buffy grimaced when she realized it was in another language. "May I?" Ethan asked.

She shrugged and set aside her menu. "Okay."

Ethan smiled and looked at the waitress. "We'll have a salad to start, followed by the chef's famous spinach lasagna. The lady likes raspberry vinaigrette with her salad, and I'll have the balsamic. Buffy, would you like some wine?"

She nodded, feeling a bit surprised.

Ethan smiled. "White wine, please. The house special."

The waitress walked away and Ethan stood, holding out a hand. "A dance before we eat?"

Buffy hesitated for a second before standing and letting him take her hand. He led her to the nearby dance floor and they began to move slowly to the orchestra's music. Buffy suppressed a shiver as his hand slid to the small of her back. Buffy had never thought of herself as a very promiscuous person. She had dated some, but only ever slept with two boyfriends. Guys she was committing herself to. Yet here she was, feeling a very strong, very real physical attraction to a man she not only didn't trust, but didn't particularly like. She had to admit, she was a bit stunned by that.

Ethan smiled at her. "I'd love to know what is going on in that mind of yours," he murmured. "The changing expressions on your face intrigue me."

Buffy rolled her eyes defensively. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

He grinned wider. "To quote another lovely lady, 'Curiouser and curiouser'."

Buffy laughed in surprise. "Alice in Wonderland, right? I loved that movie as a kid."

Ethan led her around the floor smoothly. "A very good book to read. Especially for someone who likes chaos."

Buffy frowned, thinking about that. "But Wonderland wasn't about chaos."

He made a 'tsk' sound. "Of course it was. A young girl who forgoes social convention by allowing her curiosity to lead her around. She ignores rules and expectations and goes wherever life takes her. Chaos is not about destruction or even being combative, Buffy. Chaos is about letting the world off the leash we try to impose upon it and letting it do as it will."

"And how does turning Giles into a demon fit into that scenario?" she demanded.

"That wasn't chaos," Ethan said shamelessly. "That was about playing a prank. Ripper is much too uptight sometimes."

"I could have killed him!" Buffy argued.

"How was I to know that?" Ethan asked. "You're the one who responded first and foremost with violence!"

"You blame me?" she demanded.

Ethan glared at her and opened his mouth only to snap it shut a second later. "I don't want to argue," he said finally. "I want to have a nice dinner and enjoy our evening. "Shall we agree to debate this later?"

Buffy stared at him suspiciously for several seconds. "Fine. But we will discuss this later!"

He nodded and pulled her closer as they continued to move around the dance floor.