"Yeah," William said. Still staring at Buffy.

Now, his wife seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. As she examined the card.

Was she still thinking about Xander? About last night? About all the things they did together?

"Luv?" William asked. His mouth was dry.

"Hmmmm?" Buffy said.

"What… what is this?" William asked.

Buffy now turned around. And looked at him. His wife was wearing a quizzical look on her face.

"This?" Buffy asked.

William gestured to the basket.

"The flowers, the champagne…." he began. "The card. All of it. What is the hell is playing at?"

"I dunno," Buffy shrugged. "Maybe he's just… being polite."

William snorted.

Yeah,he thought.Right. Such a gentleman.

"Why are you asking me Will?" Buffy said. Crinkling her nose. "I mean, how would I know? Honestly?"

"I mean, you would. Wouldn't you?" William snapped.

Now, his wife started him. Incomprehensibly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked. Putting her hand on her hip. Her eyes narrowed.

"I mean, you know him a hell of lot better than I do," William snapped.

His wife's eyes softened now.

"Oh Will,"she said. She stepped forward now.

"Don't," he said. Suddenly, he couldn't stand to look at her.

"It was just sex,"Buffy said. Gently. "That's all. Not love. Not what we have."

Just sex,William thought.

William shut his eyes. He had to know.

"Was he…"

His voice caught in his throat.

"Was he better than me?" he asked.

"Oh honey," Buffy began."Oh sweetheart. Why are you torturing yourself like this?"

William's temper finally snapped.

"Would you please just answer the fucking question," he growled.

Buffy said nothing. William turned around. His wife looked shocked. Then, she composed herself.

"He was…" Buffy began. She was fiddling with her hands now. As she searched for the right word. "Different."

"Different," William said. "Different good or bad?"

"Just… different," Buffy said."Just new. That's all."

"So….different good?" William asked.

Now, her patience seemed to give way.

"Why are we talking about this?" Buffy snapped. "I mean, Jesus Christ Will. What is with you? Why do you wanna know?"

William now looked away. Now, Buffy shook her head.

"Look," she said. Softly. Stepping forward. "It happened, okay? It's over. It's done. Can't we just…."

"No," William said. Firmly. "Not until you tell me the truth. About what happened."

Now, his wife took a deep breath.

"You don't want the truth Will," she said. Finally.

"No?" William asked. Through gritted teeth.

"You want me to lie to you. To tell you he was just awful. That it went terribly," Buffy said. "That's what you want, isn't it? Isn't it?"

William couldn't bring himself to look at her. Buffy was right.

"I told you it was just sex," Buffy said. "Good sex. But just sex."

A moment passed. Now, Buffy sighed heavily.

"Really good sex," she admitted. "Okay?"

William flinched.

"Is that really what you think I care about?" Buffy asked. Who has the bigger… bank account? Who has the faster car? Who is better in bed? Do you think I'm keeping score?

"No," William said. "It just….it hurts that he…"

That Xander had held Buffy in his arms. Naked. His Buffy. That the billionaire had made love to his wife. More than just once. The knowledge was tearing William up inside.

"And you…" William finished.

Even worse had been the nagging suspicion that she – his wife, his soulmate, the woman he loved – had found the experience pleasurable.

"Is that what this is about?" Buffy asked. Exasperated. "That I enjoyed myself?"

William bit his lip.

"Well, god forbid a woman do anything other than just lay there," Buffy said. Her voice rising an octave. "Someone alert the Church elders."

William suspected his wife had done a lot more than just lay there. But he bit his tongue. Knowing better than to give voice to that sentiment. Even in the midst of an argument.

"Don't tell me it was just sex," William said. "You were attracted to him from the start."

"I…." Buffy began. A guilty, nervous look flitted across her face. She opened her mouth. To refute her husband. "That's not…"

William seized on the point.

"So it's true then," he said. Mock triumphantly. "You wanted him all along. At last, your dirty little secret is out."

"That's not why I did," Buffy said, pleadingly. "I did it for us. For us, Will."

"Oh come off it, luv," William scoffed. "You did it for yourself. You were bloody dying to do it. Like some bloody housewife in a romance novel. And me, the fool husband."

"That's not fair," Buffy said. By now, she had tears in her eyes. "You know I did this for us. For the rest of our lives. Not because I've been dying to scratch some ridiculous Harlequin fantasy itch."

"Do I?" William asked. "Know that? Really?"

"I'm done with this conversation," Buffy said. Firmly. She turned around now. "You hear me, Will? I'm done."

William looked at her now. Buffy's arms were around herself.

Part of him wanted to go to her. To comfort her. Instead, William turned. And walked away from her. Out of their hotel room.