Chapter Six – Take a Chance on Me

The kitchen was clean, the register had been counted out, the reports had been run, and the money was stashed in the safe in the office. Buffy took off her apron and hung it on a hook in the kitchen then took Spike's when he handed it to her. "I'd invite you up, but Willow and Tara are light sleepers," she grumbled under her breath, "if they're even sleeping, the big fakers." She motioned vaguely toward the front of the store. "Do you want to sit and talk? Or do you need to go?"

"I'll stay as long as you'll have me, pet."

"Are you hungry? I could make something."

Spike checked the time on his phone. "Is there anywhere open for delivery this late?" He nodded toward the kitchen. "Seems a shame to undo all the work we've just done."

Buffy smiled and stepped toward the coffee bar, pulling open a drawer. She held up a handful of flyers. "This is a college town, so there's food places open pretty much 24/7."

They decided on pizza and Buffy placed the order then they each chose a drink from the cooler and sat down on the couch in the reading pit to await their dinner.

Now that they weren't busy, Buffy was nervous about being in Spike's presence again. She fiddled with her hair and one of the small pockets on the front of her dress as he sat quietly next to her, sipping at his drink. She took a deep breath, deciding that now was as good a time as any to address the elephant in the room, and spoke quietly as she motioned toward her face, "You noticed my scars, right? It's not like they're hard to miss."

Spike set his drink on the table and shifted so that he was turned toward her. "Yeah, I noticed 'em, pet."

"Aren't you wondering what happened? How I got them?"

"I am, but I figured you'd tell me about them if you wanted me to know. Seemed impertinent to ask you directly, especially when, in the grand scheme of things, I don't consider them to be all that important."

Buffy gaped at him. "Not important? How could they not be important? They're the first thing anybody sees when they look at me."

"Maybe, but they don't define who you are, or what you mean to the people who care about you, and they don't detract from your beauty."

Buffy snorted incredulously and looked down at her lap. "There's no way you think I'm beautiful."

Spike reached out and hooked a finger under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "Yes, I do think you're beautiful, Buffy, and not only because of the package you're wrapped in, which is a very pleasing package to look upon, I assure you. I think you're beautiful because you're you. Your beauty shines from your eyes, comes out in your words and movements, shows in the way you carry yourself, in your confidence and wit. You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, and it's my hope that you'll do me the honor of allowing me to be yours."

Buffy gawped at him then snapped her mouth closed and whispered, "Mine? You want to… date me? Be my boyfriend?"

Spike took her hand in his, squeezing lightly as he earnestly said, "Yes, I want to be in a relationship with you, and… I'm probably asking for too much too quickly, but…" He sat up and looked around the store. "Do you have some sort of music system for the shop?"

Buffy blinked in surprise then stammered, "Um… sort of, but it's not really a 'system' or anything. I have a Bluetooth speaker in the stockroom, and I play music on my phone while I'm back there working."

"Could you fetch it? I have an idea."

Buffy stood. "Um… sure. Be right back."

While she was gone, Spike quickly moved around the shop, selecting several candles that he lit as he placed them in strategic places around the reading pit. He flicked off the overhead lights then picked up the table and moved it to the side before pushing the sofa and the few chairs back as far as he could, leaving an open space about the size of a large area rug.

It was dark in the shop when Buffy stepped out of the stockroom, but she could see soft, flickering lights through the shelves. She moved slowly in that direction, wondering what had happened to the lights, and gasped quietly when she walked past the last shelf. Spike was standing in the center of an open area he'd made and there were candles all over the front of the store, surrounding the reading pit. It was cozy and inviting, and she smiled at him, quickly figuring out why he'd wanted music. She walked over to the coffee table and set the speaker down, making sure it was powered on, then picked up her phone and opened her music app before looking up at Spike. "What kind of music?"

Spike indicated that he wanted to look at her phone, so she handed it over and stood watching as he typed something. When he'd found what he was looking for, he looked up at her with a shy smile. "Remember when you asked me what I was about?"

Buffy nodded and said quietly, "Yes. You're old fashioned and don't cheat."

Spike chuckled. "That's the condensed version, but…" He held up the phone. "This song explains what I'm looking for in a relationship better than I ever could." He handed the phone to Buffy so she could see what song he'd chosen – 'Say You Won't Let Go' by James Arthur. She read it then looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears as he held out his hand. "May I have the pleasure of a dance, Miss Summers?"

Buffy tapped the play button on the phone then set it on the table and took his hand as the guitar intro floated out of the speaker. He pulled her close, circling her waist with his arms as she raised hers to his shoulders. He smiled down at her as he started singing along and swayed to the music.

Tears started leaking from Buffy's eyes as she listened to the lyrics, and she lowered her head to his chest. He tightened his hold on her and continued to sing quietly, his cheek resting on her head and his voice rumbling under her ear.

When the song ended, Spike whispered into her hair, "That's what I want my life to be, and while I know we barely know each other, I feel in my heart that you could be the one to make that life happen, if you'll take a chance on me."

Buffy started, "Spike, I…" and then they both jumped at several loud knocks on the shop door.

A deep voice on the other side said, "I need to clear you so just stand there. And stop trembling. Jesus Christ."

Spike reluctantly let her go and turned for the door. "I'll get it, luv. Brad's probably got the delivery bloke in a headlock or something."

Buffy sniffled and said, "Your bodyguard is holding the pizza guy hostage?"

Spike smirked slightly. "He's just makin' sure it's not some rabid fan or a paparazzi disguising themselves as food delivery. It's happened before." He turned the key Buffy had left in the lock then opened the door and said to the large man holding a trembling pizza guy by the back of the neck, "He's all right, mate. We ordered pizza."

Brad nodded and let go of the pizza guy as he said, "Okay. I'll be in the car," then he turned and started for the street.

Buffy looked at the pizza guy who was staring wide-eyed at Spike as he held out several bills. "This cover it, mate?" He watched as the delivery guy did some quick mental arithmetic, his eyes lighting up just a little at the size of his possible tip, and Spike chuckled, "Keep the change."

The delivery guy snatched the money from Spike's hand then quickly slid their order out of his hot bag and handed the boxes to Spike. "You guys have a great night! I know I'm going to!" He bounded down the sidewalk and shouted to the world at large, "I just got a hundred-dollar tip from Spike!"

Spike chuckled and waved Brad off as he turned and started walking toward the celebrating pizza guy. "Let him go, mate. He's harmless."

Buffy took the boxes from Spike and walked over to the coffee bar, setting them down gently as Spike closed and locked the door. He walked over to stand next to her and spoke softly, "So, where were we?"

Buffy nodded over her shoulder. "Over there in front of the couch."

He laughed quietly and asked, "What do you think, kitten? Want to take a chance on me?"

Buffy turned and leaned against the coffee bar, crossing her arms over her chest and keeping her gaze on the buttons of his shirt. "You're really the one who'd be taking a chance. I mean…" She moved one hand to wave in the general direction of his face. "…look at you. You're gorgeous and famous and people recognize you all the time." She looked up at him. "You're sure you want this…" she motioned to her own face, "… to be seen with you in public?"

Spike stepped close and cupped her face in his hands. "They're not as bad as you think they are, pet. I don't even notice 'em until you remind me, and anyone who matters won't care about 'em, either."

"So your fans don't matter? What about all the people who'll comment on our pictures about why you're with such a troll?"

Spike dropped his hands to her shoulders and shook her ever so slightly. "You are not a troll, Buffy!" He lifted his hands away from her and stalked off toward the reading pit then turned to face her. "I'm saying that I want to be with you. Shouldn't my opinion matter more than the opinions of random strangers on the bloody internet?"

Buffy hiccupped a sob and cried, "But people are horrible, Spike! Horrible! Did you read the comments they left about Drusilla when you were with her? Did you? And she's beautiful! She could be a model or an actress! What do you think they're going to say about me? You may not care what people think, but I do! Being with me could ruin your career! You think I want to be responsible for that?"

Spike sighed. "Buffy, my choice of partner doesn't affect my ability to sing or play an instrument. I'll still be making music, but if you're that worried about it affecting my career, then we can keep our relationship under wraps. Angel and Cordy have managed it for more than a year, so I don't see why we couldn't do the same." He walked back over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I want to be with you, pet, and I don't much care what anybody else has to say about it." He let her go and lifted her chin with his fingers. "Your feelings are all I care about, and if publicity is going to be a problem for you, then I'll make bloody well sure there isn't any. If I can do that… will you take the chance?"

"I just don't want to ruin your life, Spike."

"You won't. You'll make it the life I've always wanted." He brushed his thumb lightly across her lips. "Remember how I said I'd be just as happy runnin' a music store and givin' lessons?" She nodded. "It doesn't matter to me where I am or what I'm doin', as long as you'll be there with me."

She gave him a watery smile. "Still angling for that job, I see."

"I'll scrub your kitchen every day to the end of days, long as you're scrubbin' right beside me." He laughed quietly and pulled her back against him. "Is that a yes, then? Gonna take a chance?"

She wrapped her arms around him and nodded. "Yeah, I'll take a chance."

He squeezed her tight and murmured, "You won't regret it. I promise. I'll do everythin' in my power to make you happy."

She pulled back a little and smiled. "Then the first thing you should probably do is feed me. That pizza smells really good and I'm starving."

XXXX

Buffy nibbled the last of the cheese off the crust then tossed the crust into the box and burped quietly into the back of her hand. "Okay, mission accomplished. I'm stuffed."

Spike smirked as he sipped at his drink. "At least you're not one of those birds that subsist on salad and water."

Buffy laughed quietly, "No, I'm not. Don't even remember the last time I had a salad, and when I do, the rabbit food is usually buried under ham and cheese and bacon bits and a ton of ranch. I can pretty much eat whatever I want because I'll work it all off when I train."

Spike nodded. "I'm much the same way. Eat whatever strikes my fancy… or whatever Cordy serves up… and burn it all off while I'm performing."

"Do you have to be careful about what you eat when you're not doing shows? Or do you work out or something?"

"I eat a little less, but don't really change what I eat, and yeah, I'll visit the gym in my buildin' a few times a week. I'll also take the stairs instead of the lift, and bein' that I live on the twelfth floor, it's a good workout."

Buffy yawned widely then blushed and said quickly, "Sorry. You're not boring or anything, it's just getting late, and I didn't really get much sleep last night."

Spike laughed and set his drink on the table then stood up. "Let's get your shop put to rights and get you upstairs to bed." He motioned to the candles he'd pulled off the shelves. "I'll obviously pay for all these, if you'll give me a total."

Buffy stood up, shaking her head. "You don't have to do that. I was gonna just blow them out and leave them. I like how cozy they make the reading pit."

They moved the pieces of furniture back to their original positions then moved around blowing out the candles. Buffy left the last one burning and picked it up. "Wow, it's really dark in here. It's kind of spooky, actually."

Spike nodded to the windows in the front of the shop that were covered with heavy cloth blinds. "There's a streetlight outside, isn't there? Could raise the blinds to let in some light if you don't want to turn on the shop lights."

Buffy shook her head as she motioned to several bookshelves surrounding the reading pit. "I leave them closed during the day because the sunlight makes the pit too hot and fades the covers of the books, and they stay closed at night so I'm not advertising all the cool stuff available for stealing." She motioned to the door. "We don't have an alarm." She pointed to the upper corner of the reading pit. "But we do have a camera, so we'll be able to identify the burglars and make a list of all the stuff they steal, I guess."

Spike eyed the camera and asked, "Where does the feed go?"

"Willow has it going to cloud storage, I think. Don't worry, we're the only ones with access to it unless we need to give a clip to the cops or something."

"So Willow could be upstairs watchin' all the happenings down here?"

Buffy blinked. "Uh… yeah, I suppose. I didn't really think of that, but I doubt she is. None of us have really looked at the video feed since we installed the camera. It's just there in case something happens."

Spike stepped close to Buffy and leaned down, brushing a light kiss across her lips. "So no one will have seen me do that?"

"N..no, I don't think so."

He took the candle and set it on the coffee table then reached out and cupped her cheek. "In that case, may I kiss you again?"

Buffy nodded and he slid his hand around to the back of her neck and pulled her to his lips. His other hand slid around her and pressed her close as he deepened the kiss. Her arms circled him as his lips nibbled over to her ear and down her neck. He backed her up to the coffee bar and lifted her onto it then started sliding his hand up her leg under her skirt and Buffy grasped it through the fabric. "What are you doing?"

"Want you, Buffy."

Buffy gasped as his other hand slid the strap of her dress off her shoulder. He leaned close and nibbled down from her collar bone, pushing the fabric out of his way to close his lips on her nipple. He sucked and licked and the hand she was using to pin his hand to her leg lifted to the back of his head, pulling him closer. She moaned loudly then said in a breathy whisper, "Want you, too, but we can't here. Camera and… health codes… or something. We serve food on this counter."

Spike lifted his mouth from her breast and looked up at her. "Where?" The hand she'd released continued its trek up her leg and his fingertips brushed against her through her panties.

Buffy's head fell back as his thumb slipped underneath the fabric and started rubbing at her. "Oh god, um… not upstairs… roommates… or kitchen. Food again…" Her breathing was getting faster and more ragged as his thumb moved faster and his mouth sucked harder on her nipple. "Stockroom. We can use the stockroom."

She voiced a quiet whine when his thumb stopped moving and he laughed quietly as he scooped her up and carried her over to the coffee table, "Grab the candle, luv." He leaned down and she picked up the candle then he started for the back of the shop. "The stockroom's back here somewhere, yeah?"

"Yeah, back corner."

He found it and pushed through the door then stopped and asked. "Where's the lights, pet?"

"Behind you on your right."

Spike set her on her feet then turned and flipped the light switch. The overhead fluorescents were bright and glaring after the soft candlelight from the reading pit and he flipped them off again. "No, that won't do. Be right back." He took the candle from her then went back out into the shop, returning a few moments later carrying several unlit candles. He used the candlelight to find places to set the candles then lit them and turned back to Buffy. "That's better." He reached for her hand and pulled her close then picked her up and set her on the table she used to unbox freight. "Now, where were we?"

The lust fog in Buffy's head had cleared somewhat, and she blushed as she said quietly, "I was about to give it up on the first date, and most guys don't seem to stick around when you do that." She looked down shyly and mumbled, "Because they only want that and then they lose interest once they've gotten it."

Spike cupped her face and raised her eyes to his. "Oh, kitten. Yeah, I want you. I want to lay you out on this table and taste you and make you scream in pleasure, but I'm not goin' anywhere, whether or not that happens now. And if it doesn't happen for a while, I'm not gonna disappear directly following, either. I'm in this for more than just gettin' my leg over, pet."

Buffy's mind had gotten a little stuck on the words 'taste you' and she blushed harder. "You want to… with your tongue… down there?"

Spike nodded and leaned close, brushing her lips with his before nibbling across her cheek to her ear. He sucked the lobe into his mouth then whispered, "Want to bury my tongue in you until you come undone."

Buffy shivered and gasped, her gasp morphing into a breathy moan as he slipped the strap she'd replaced off her shoulder again and his mouth continued toward her breast. He slipped the other strap off and pushed the dress down to pool around her waist. Buffy freed her arms from the straps of the sundress and clutched his head as he nuzzled, licked, and sucked on her breasts then gently pushed her back to lay on the table. He looked down at her with eyes full of lust as he slid her skirt up then hooked his fingers under the edge of her panties.

Buffy's hands covered his as he started sliding them off and she whispered, "You… um… you don't have to, if… um… you think it's gross or anything."

Spike tilted his head then asked quietly, "Has anyone ever done this for you, pet?"

Buffy shook her head, her cheeks heating in another blush. "No, um… I've only… been with two guys, and they didn't… um… Parker was only the one time, and Riley… um… he..."

Spike interrupted, "He thought it was gross." Buffy nodded, her cheeks a fiery red, and Spike shook his head with a scowl. "Well, he's a wanker." His scowl changed to a leer as his tongue slipped out to lick his top lip. "Nothin' gross about it, and I'll tongue you as often as you'll let me."

He started tugging her panties down and Buffy whispered, "Wasn't expecting this to happen, so I didn't shave or anything."

Spike shrugged then smirked at her as he slid the panties down to her knees. "Can't even begin to explain how much I don't give a toss about that." He finished removing her panties, flinging them over his shoulder, then said, "Scoot up the table a bit, luv."

Buffy shimmied toward the other end of the table until she could bend her knees and set her feet near the edge. She felt a little like a centerpiece. A naked centerpiece wearing a sundress as a belt, but the way Spike was looking at her made her feel sexy for the first time ever.

He laid his hands on her knees then slid them down the inside of her thighs, pushing them open. When they were spread wide, he turned and snagged the desk chair, pulling it to the end of the table. He sat down and scooted it close then placed hot, open mouth kisses down one leg, starting at her knee as he slid his hands under her and pulled her closer. He settled her feet on the arms of the chair and Buffy gripped the edges of the table as his tongue flicked and licked at her. He buried his tongue in her then licked and sucked and nibbled and she couldn't keep track of what he was doing; the waves of pleasure rocking through her body wiping away all conscious thought.

He sucked hard and Buffy arched up off the table, her body rigid as a mind-melting orgasm ripped through her. She collapsed back to the table, her chest heaving and muscles trembling, and gasped, "Holy shit."

Spike licked lightly at her then raised his head and smirked, "Ta, pet." He lowered his head and licked and nibbled for a few minutes before he started tonguing her again in earnest. Her second orgasm ripped through her a few minutes later and Spike kept licking at her as she came down then he got to his feet, popping the buttons of his jeans. "Probably should've asked this 'fore now, but… do I need a condom? Wasn't expectin' this, either, so I don't have one on me, but I could jog out to the car and see if Brad has one."

Buffy was trying to sort out how words worked and couldn't manage to come up with anything coherent as an answer, so she just shook her head. Spike grinned at her then pulled himself out and Buffy's eyes widened. "I'll go slow, pet." He set himself against her and her eyes rolled back in her head as he pressed forward with exquisite slowness. When he was fully seated, he grasped her hips and lifted her slightly then pulled back and pressed in. "Bloody hell, luv. So good."

Her feet were still on the arms of the chair… a chair that had wheels and nobody currently sitting in it to hold it steady, so when he started thrusting harder, she pushed against the chair to raise her butt a little higher, and the chair went skittering across the floor to slam into the wall. Her legs flopped down, her toes almost brushing the floor, and she yelped, "Ow! Shit!"

Spike was still holding her hips tightly and he stopped moving then panted, "You all right, pet? Did I hurt you?"

Buffy lifted her legs with a wince and held onto her knees. "No, you didn't. I just haven't stretched and bending like that with tight muscles is the kind of fun that's really not." She snorted a quiet laugh. "If you weren't where you are, I'd have probably kipped myself right off the table and face planted on the floor."

"You need me to withdraw so you can sort yourself out?"

"No. I…" she blushed slightly as she looked down at where they were joined. "I want you to keep going, but um… maybe a little harder?"

Spike smiled and lifted his hands from her hips then hooked his arms under her knees and leaned forward, planting his hands on the table beside her. "As you wish, luv."

Thankfully, the bedrooms in the apartment were above the kitchen and not the stockroom, so Willow and Tara probably didn't hear her scream-moan as another orgasm tore through her or Spike's shout as he followed a few seconds later. Probably.

A/N - Song suggested by Jennifer Malone Bergen.