The Tortured Poets Department.
Chapter Two
Spike had dismissed Buffy and Cordelia a while ago after giving Cordelia their assignments for the day.
He'd royally fucked up and he knew it. He sighed heavily before deciding to face the issue head on and buzzed for Buffy to meet him in his office.
He stood up and rolled his head from side to side cracking his neck. She entered sheepishly.
"You wanted to see me?" She asked
He nodded "Close the door Ms Summers"
She closed it and turned back around to face him. They stood in silence for a moment neither meeting the other's gaze.
"This isn't how I expected my morning to go" said Spike
"Yeah, no kidding. I thought getting coffee all over my new silk blouse was gunna be the worst part of my day" she sighed
"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" He asked
"What? You're the one who said your name was Spike!" She replied
"It is!" He let out a frustrated sigh "You said your name was Buffy!"
"It is!"
"Did somebody put you up to this? Squeeze a few quid out of the Brit?" He asked
"What! No!" She was offended "Look, if I knew who you were I would have never… oh my god you're married!"
Spike looked down at his feet. Yes, he was married. He had been for 10 years. "I am" he sighed
"Wow… I've been in New York all of ten minutes and I'm already a home wrecker" she said sorrowfully.
"You're not… We're… well it doesn't matter" said Spike
"Of course it matters! We had sex!" said Buffy
"Say it a bit louder, I don't think the whole office heard you!" He said anxiously "So if you're not here to blackmail me why are you here?"
"To work? I moved here to be your editorial assistant" she told him "oh my god I've just ruined my life"
"No you haven't, look what happened… it was just two lonely drunk people leaning on each other for comfort. I can put it aside if you can" he told her honestly
"And what about your wife?" She asked
"I haven't seen my wife in six months… we're not together… not in the traditional sense. Look, I don't talk this freely with my employees okay? Just know that what we did will have no effect on her or our marriage okay?" He explained
"So you're like in an open marriage or something?" She asked
"Something like that" he shrugged
"Okay… so I'm gunna get back to work" she told him "Unless you're planning to fire me?"
"No… just make sure you read all that manuscript by 3pm" he said sitting behind his desk
"The manuscript you gave me earlier? The four hundred page manuscript?" She asked
"Yep" he smiled
"Spike, that's like impossible" she whimpered
"I have every faith in you… also it's William or Mr Pratt here" he told her harshly "That will be all"
He dismissed her.
Cordelia was waiting anxiously for Buffy to emerge from Spike's office. As Buffy closed the door behind her Cordelia practically tackled her to see what the boss wanted.
"Buffy!" Cordelia shrieked "What was that about?"
"Oh uh… he wanted to quiz me on my resume. Also that manuscript he gave me? He wants me to read it all by 3o'clock" Buffy sighed
"Oh yeah, I should've pre-warned you about that. It's like some weird initiation he does with the newbies, if they don't read it in time or skim it he fires them" said Cordelia
"Great!" said Buffy flopping down at her desk and opening the first page
XXXXX
Buffy had skipped lunch opting to read instead. It was nearing 3 o'clock and she only had a few more pages to go.
Cordelia set down a mug of coffee in front of her. Buffy looked up and smiled gratefully "Thank you"
"You're welcome, you're gunna need some energy for the debrief" said Cordelia
"Debrief?" asked Buffy
"Mr Pratt is going to call you into his office and quiz you about the manuscript you just read" she told her
"A pop quiz… great" Buffy sighed
"I hope you pass, I think you'd be great here Buffy" Cordelia smiled
"I hope so too, I moved across the country for this opportunity. I have no back up plan" said Buffy.
At bang on 3pm Spike buzzed over the intercom "Ms Summers, I need to see you please"
Buffy sighed "Wish me luck?"
"Good luck" Cordelia smiled
XXXXX
"Have a seat" said Spike motioning to the chair in front of his desk.
She sat in front of him, she was nervous. She'd managed to read the whole manuscript but she wasn't sure how much of it had sunk in.
"So what did you think of it?" He asked
"Uh… it was… okay" she hesitated
"Just okay?" He asked
"It was well written I guess but I'm just not a romance girl" she shrugged
"Would you publish it?" He asked
She thought for a moment "Yes I would"
"But you didn't like it" he replied
"Well no… but it's not just about personal preferences right? Like maybe Cordelia would prefer a romance novel? And Oz? He might read some tech manual or something? Being a publisher is thinking about what the reader would want and what would sell… sex sells…" she finished awkwardly
Spike smiled "You're right, to be in this business your personal preferences have to be secondary. I've got to say I'm impressed Ms Summers"
"Drop the Ms Summers thing please" she said harshly before catching herself "I mean Buffy is fine"
He grinned "Right… Buffy it is"
He couldn't help but smile at her. He wasn't usually this relaxed with the new hires but given their previous experience together he felt compelled to let things slip. Even before she showed up in his office that morning, he couldn't get her out of his head.
The Previous Evening*
Buffy lay on Spike's chest, spent from another round of sex. She panted hard against him.
"How do you do that?" She asked
"Do what?" He raised an eyebrow
"Make me just turn to a screaming pile of goo" she laughed
"One of my many talents I guess" he chuckled
She lifted her head off his chest "God what time is it?"
Spike shrugged "No clue"
She dragged herself off him, he groaned as she did so. Buffy grabbed her purse and took out her phone, checking the time "Oh my god it's 5am"
She slipped on her tshirt and pulled on a pair of pyjama shorts from a box nearby.
"You have anywhere to be in the morning?" He asked
"Yes! I start my new job tomorrow" she whined "Don't you have anywhere to be?"
"You're kicking me out?" He asked
Buffy stood uncomfortably "Kinda…"
"Oh… yeah… no worries" he said grabbing his clothes
"I'm sorry, it's just first day and all" she said softly
He slipped on his jeans and zipped them up "Buffy… it's okay. You don't need to explain"
"I'm sorry I just… I don't do this. I mean I've never done this" she babbled
He approached her "Hey, luv it's okay. Really" he smiled slipping a stray strand of hair behind her ear "I'd like to see you again"
"You would?" She sounded surprised
"Of course, I don't know if you noticed but I don't usually do this either" he said slightly embarrassed
"You don't?" She asked
He shook his head
"But you were so… confident" she said with a slight smile
"Maybe I just felt comfortable with you" he smiled
"I felt comfortable with you too"
He leaned in and kissed her softly. When the kiss ended he pulled out his phone from his pocket and gave it to her. "Give me your number, let me take you out on a proper date"
She smiled coyly and typed her number into his phone and gave it back to him. He smiled as he saw her name saved in his phone.
"I'll call you tomorrow" he said, kissing her cheek and heading for the door.
"Thank you, for tonight" Buffy cringed as she said it.
He paused and looked over his shoulder "I'll speak to you tomorrow luv"
He opened the door and left, as he walked down the hallway and out of the building he had a little pep in his step. He wondered if it was too soon to call but threw caution to the wind and tapped his phone and pressed the call button.
"Hello?" Buffy answered
"Just checkin' you gave me the right number" he laughed
Buffy laughed on the other end of the phone.
"I had a great time tonight Buffy, the best night I've had in years. Thank you" he smiled brightly
"Me too. Goodnight Spike"
"Good morning Buffy" he said ending the call.
Present Day*
"Am I excused?" Buffy asked, breaking Spike out of his reverie.
"What? Oh yeah…" he said with a shake of his head
Buffy stood and headed for the door.
"Buffy wait" he called out
She turned back around to face him.
"I really did have a good time last night" he murmured
"Me too" she whispered
"Shame we work together now" he sighed
"Yeah that and you're married"
He tensed "I don't do this all the time y'know I'm not a cheat"
"Except you are… technically" she muttered
"I mean it Buffy I'm not that guy. I just… you're special" he told her
Buffy laughed "I bet you say that to all the girls. Look Sp- Mr Pratt, we work together. You're married. I don't want to be the 'other woman' and sleeping with my boss wasn't really something that I ever wanted to do. But it's done. We should just keep this professional"
Spike nodded in agreement "You're excused"
Buffy nodded and left.