The Tortured Poets Department.
Chapter Three
Buffy sighed as she walked through the door, she flipped through the mail and put it on the table beside the door before making a beeline for the couch. Faith emerged from the kitchen and plopped down next to her.
"Hey B? Good first day?" Faith asked
"Ugh I wish" Buffy whined
"What happened?"
"I don't wanna talk about it" Buffy sighed "How about you? How was your day?"
"Hangover from hell" Faith shrugged "I've only just started to feel human again and I have work in an hour, I was gunna blow it off… order pizza"
"Oooh that sounds good" said Buffy "Can you afford to take a sick day?"
"Oh yeah… my dad gave me some money" said Faith
"Ah and just how is ol' Dick?" asked Buffy
"Okay you don't gotta say his name like that" Faith rolled her eyes
"Sorry, it's just he cheated on my favourite aunt, and ruined your family" Buffy reminded her
Faith sighed "He's still my dad"
Faith had always been a daddy's girl so when he cheated on her mother, Faith tried hard to hate him but she just couldn't. She hated what Richard did, how he made her mother feel and how it destroyed her family unit. Even though she couldn't hate her father didn't mean she couldn't punish him too, she went off the rails dropped out of college and moved to New York City. Despite her life choices Richard stuck by her, visiting her a few times a year and sending cash when she needed it.
"I know, I'm sorry. Im all snappy Buffy today" she sighed
"It's cool… you sure you don't wanna talk about it?" Faith asked
"No… yeah… I don't know Faith. I'm starting to think that moving here was a mistake" Buffy murmured
Faith shrugged "Best thing I ever did… c'mon tell cousin Faithy all about it"
"Promise you won't judge?" Buffy asked
"Oh c'mon B it can't be that bad!" Faith laughed
"I slept with my boss" Buffy blurted
"Okay, maybe a little bad" Faith smirked "How? When? I need details, did he you like bend you over his desk or something? Cuz that's hot"
"No! Oh god no! Last night, I didn't even know he was my boss until I walked into his office this morning" Buffy rambled
"The guy you were talking to at the bar?" asked Faith
Buffy nodded
"Good for you Buff, he was smoking hot. Those cheekbones… his upper arms" Faith practically drooled
"I mean yes, he's really good looking" Buffy said dreamily "…But he's my boss and he's married!"
"Married? And you give my dad crap" Faith laughed
Buffy tensed and shot her a warning look.
Faith threw her hands up in mock surrender "Sorry! Wow you've got yourself into some crap this time Buffy"
"I know!" Buffy groaned "What do I do?"
"You want my advice?" asked Faith shocked
Buffy nodded
"How good was the sex?" Faith asked playfully
"Faith!" Buffy whined "This is serious!"
"Okay, okay. You know what you've gotta do. He's married and your boss"
"I know… I just can't get him out of my head" Buffy sighed
"So the sex was good huh?" Faith grinned
XXXXX
Spike tried to keep his mind off Buffy, he stayed late at work to try and busy himself to no avail. It didn't help that the manuscript he was working on happened to be an erotic novel. As he read through his kept getting flashes of the previous night in his mind.
It wasn't even the act itself he found so intoxicating, it was her face or more specifically the look in her eyes when he moved a certain way that made her tremble or how she looked when she came.
He took out his phone and composed a text
To Buffy: Hope you're okay. S x
His finger hovered over the send button. He quickly deleted it and began to compose another.
To Buffy: I can't get you out of my head. S x
He deleted that too. He set his phone down and threw his head back in frustration. He didn't know how to navigate this. He was her boss and he was still technically married. Although the marriage had been over for years.
Just as he was about to pick his phone up once again, Doyle burst through the door.
"Thought I'd find you here" Doyle grinned "So drinks?"
"Not tonight brother" said Spike
"What's with the scowl?" Doyle asked "Is it the blond from last night? Did you shag her?"
"Piss off!" Spike said flipping his brother the bird
"You did eh?" Doyle laughed "Can't say I'm surprised, she was definitely one of the more finer looking ladies I've seen in New York. So you seeing her again?"
"No" said Spike scribbling something down on the paper in front of him
"Why not?" Doyle frowned "Because of Cecily? You feel guilty? Because you shouldn't brother. You know that wench has a string of men coming and going out of *your* house"
"It's not about Cecily alright?" Spike snapped
"So what then? Princess Cecily can have all manner of fun and you're supposed to stay the tortured one?" Doyle asked
"No… Buffy is my new editorial assistant. She started this morning" Spike sighed
"You gave her a job?" Doyle raised his eyebrows
"Don't be daft. She had the job before. Just means I can't get involved with her now" said Spike
"Why not?" Doyle asked
"Did your Ma drop you on your head as a babe?" Spike sighed
"No… but I think dad might've" Doyle smirked
"That I can believe" Spike laughed "I can't mix business with pleasure brother"
"So you did shag" Doyle wiggled his eyebrows at him
"Yes! We did alright? One and done" Spike groaned
"Not worth a second go or…?"
"Oi!" Spike reprimanded him "She was amazing, but she works for me"
"Every man's dream" Doyle grinned "So are you coming for drinks or what?"
Spike sighed heavily "Go on then"
XXXXX
The next morning Spike sat behind his desk as Cordelia and Buffy entered for their morning meeting.
He looked up from his computer and smiled a little "Ah Chase & Summers my new favourite double act"
"Morning Mr Pratt" Cordelia smiled elbowing Buffy to greet him
"Morning" Buffy said sheepishly
"Take a seat" Spike instructed them.
Cordelia placed a few papers on his desk before taking a seat next to Buffy.
"Right, so I've been thinking…" he swivelled side to side in his chair. "The Cunningham book. The spicy one… I want you to take over Cordelia, I've had my fill… it's not my thing and I thought it was high time that you took the bull by the proverbial horns and get your first lead editor credit"
"What?" Cordelia was flabbergasted "Are you sure? I mean I'd love to! I love Cunningham's work"
"Which is why this makes you the right person for the job" he smiled "Don't let me down" he finished sternly handing over the manuscript to her.
"I won't!" Cordelia beamed "I can't wait to get started"
Spike turned to Buffy "Now I know it's only your second day Summers but you impressed me yesterday… there's a new project in the works. More of a collaborative project, I'd need help keeping the authors in check and some fresh ideas… you up for it?"
"That would be… amazing Sp- Mr Pratt" Buffy smiled
"Great, so I'll set a desk up here in my office for you" he said "So that's it, that's the meeting. Buffy, can you stay put I need a word about this project"
Cordelia practically skipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Lame" Buffy said folding her arms
"Excuse me?" He asked
"Using a new project to keep me close to you" she replied
Spike frowned "Well somebody's got a bit too big for their boots… I want your mind Summers nothing else"
"Oh" Buffy grimaced "I misjudged that one didn't I?"
"I meant what I said Buffy, you impressed me yesterday" he told her earnestly
Buffy shifted awkwardly "And that has nothing to do with the other night?"
Spike looked at her intensely "What do you want me to say here luv? That I've spent the last day and a half thinking about you? About our night together? Because yeah, alright it's all I can bloody think of…" he composed himself "But here? I'll keep it professional. I won't bullshit you Buffy, this is gonna be hard work. Long hours but I think you can bring something new to the table. If you don't want it I can give it to Amanda"
"No I want it, this is what I came here for. To work with you" she told him
"Good, I've got to nip out for an hour or so. When I get back we'll get started"
Buffy nodded enthusiastically.
They left his office together, Buffy went and sat at her desk as Spike went over to Cordelia "Hold my calls, I'm out for the next hour maybe two"
"Of course Mr Pratt" Cordelia smiled "And thank you again for this opportunity"
"You earned it Chase" he smiled
"Oh before I forget your wife called" said Cordelia
Spike tensed at the mention of her "Did she say what she wanted?"
Buffy felt a pang of jealousy rise up within her. She had no right to be jealous, it was just a one night thing with her and Spike… but if she was being honest with herself she had hoped it would be more.
"She said that she's made reservations at your favourite restaurant for 8pm tonight and that she loves you" Cordelia told him
"Thank you" he said flatly "I'll be back soon"
He cast a knowing glance over to Buffy, who immediately looked away. He straightened himself up and walked away.
Once out of earshot Cordelia let out a squeal "Oh my god! Can you believe this? He's trusting me. ME! With the Cunningham project!" She giggled
"This is amazing! Congratulations" Buffy smiled
"And you! He's totally grooming you y'know" said Cordelia
Buffy's face fell "Grooming me? I don't think so I mean, he's married…"
"What?" Cordelia frowned "I was talking about you being Mr Pratt's new prodigy"
"Oh… Wait you really think so?" Buffy asked
"Of course! Now if you'll excuse me I have to call everybody I've ever met and tell them I'm the editor for Michelle Cunningham's next big hit!" Cordelia squealed