Chapter 1
Harmony Kendall. Even the name fit the image in Buffy’s head. Blonde and busty with little between the ears. Just the sort of girl that Spike Giles always went for.
Buffy could understand the attraction of a having a piece of eye candy on your arm, but she couldn’t grasp what a man as intelligent at Spike saw in someone who couldn’t challenge him on an intellectual level.
Buffy had often wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving end of Spike Giles’ attentions. Like that would ever happen. She didn’t use peroxide on her hair, she had small breasts and she had a few too many brain cells to interest someone like Spike. He’d never look twice at her with her brown hair, glasses and plain clothes. To him she was just quiet and unassuming Buffy Summers, his faithful personal assistant.
“Ok, Miss Kendall,” Buffy said, putting on her sweetest voice. “I’ll tell Mr. Giles to expect you at five thirty.”
“Be sure that you do. My blondie bear wouldn’t want to keep me waiting.”
“Of course, Miss Kendall.”
Buffy put the phone down and turned back to her computer screen. She had several letters to type and emails to send before she could head home, especially as tomorrow was Saturday and she wouldn’t be in the office for a whole two days. Though she was tired, she was looking forward to this evening. Her friends were coming over for a girlie night in which involved drinking wine and watching Johnny Depp movies.
Just then, the door to Spike’s office opened and the man himself walked out followed by Angel Connors, his lawyer.
Angel was a good looking guy with thick dark hair and lovely brown eyes, but for Buffy there was only one man that could capture her attention.
Though he stood at just less than five foot ten, in contrast to Angel’s six foot one, his body was a tight muscular package crowned by a shock of bleach blond hair. With his expensive designer suits, he might appear to be a conservative businessman, but his hair, along with blue eyes that often had a wicked glint, gave a glimpse of the bad boy beneath the executive persona. Add to that his ultra defined cheekbones and his incredible British accent and Spike Giles was a perfect male specimen.
“Any messages, Miss Summers?”
His voice sent shivers down Buffy’s spine.
“Harmony Kendall called to tell you she’ll be here at five thirty to accompany you to the charity dinner for the AIDS Research Alliance.”
“Ok, thank you. Did the laundry service return my tux?”
“It’s hanging in your closet, Mr. Giles.”
“Great.”
“I dread to think what you’d do without Miss Summers, Spike,” Angel said with a grin, as they headed towards the elevators.
Buffy had just returned to her work, when the phone rang. She picked it up.
“Hello, Spike Giles office.”
“Hello, this is Darla Connors, Angel Connors ex-wife. Is he there by any chance?”
“He just this minute left. I can try and catch him for you.”
“That would be great if you could.”
Putting Darla on hold, Buffy left her desk and walked out the office and down the hall to where the elevators were situated, arriving just in time to hear Angel and Spike’s conversation. She pressed herself against the wall so that they couldn’t see her as she listened to them speak.
“I don’t get why you’re taking Harmony to this charity thing. I thought you told me that she drove you mad with her annoying voice and incessant chatter about unicorns.”
“Yeah, well, good thing I’m learning to tune her out. Anyway, annoying she may be, but I certainly wouldn’t kick her out of bed on a cold morning.”
“I could say the same about your personal assistant.”
“Miss Summers?”
“Yeah, she’s hot.”
“You really think so? I mean, come on, mate – the hair, the glasses…the clothes?”
“Yeah but imagine what she’s hiding under them.”
“Well, mate, you’re welcome to your little fantasies," Spike said with a grin as the elevator arrived and Angel stepped inside. "I’ll pass thanks.”
Buffy felt the tears prick her eyes and desperately tried to blink them away. It wasn’t that she was surprised at Spike’s opinion of her. Having seen the countless women walk out of the office of Spike’s arm, she knew without doubt that she was not his type. To have that knowledge so openly confirmed, that was what hurt.
I shouldn’t care what he thinks of me, Buffy thought as she headed back to her desk to tell Darla that she'd just missed Angel. But for some reason, I just can’t help it.
Later that evening, Buffy changed out of her grey suit trousers and cream turtleneck and put on a pair of comfy jeans and a pink sweater. She took her hair out of the chignon she always wore to work and pulled it up into a ponytail. Then she headed for the kitchen to open a bottle of wine to let it breathe before her friends arrived.
Half an hour later the doorbell rang and she opened it to see Faith and Cordelia carrying bulging brown paper bags from the local Chinese take out and Anya holding two DVD cases – ‘Sweeney Todd’ and ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean 3’.
Letting them in, her three friends followed her into the living room.
“So B, how’s things?” Faith asked as she and Cordelia took the food cartons out of the bags and placed them on the coffee table.
“Good. Everything’s great.” Buffy didn’t feel the need to tell her friends about what she’d heard Spike say earlier. Faith would probably threaten to kick him in the nuts.
“How’s that gorgeous boss of yours?” Cordelia asked. “Any developments?”
“Is he giving you orgasms yet?” Anya added.
Buffy rolled her eyes at her friend's lack of tact, as she poured them each a glass of wine. “You know that’s never going to happen. I’m not Spike’s type.”
“That’s rubbish. B, you’re beautiful.”
“Spike doesn’t think so,” Buffy said, quietly.
“Did he say that?”
“Well, not exactly.”
So much for keeping quiet about Spike’s cruel words.
“Buffy, what happened?” Cordelia asked, seeing that her friend was close to tears.
Taking a sip from her wine, Buffy told her friends about overhearing Spike and Angel’s conversation.
“What an asshole!” Faith cried, when she had finished. “He doesn’t deserve to have you feel the way you do about him.”
“I know, but I can’t help it.”
“Hey,” Cordelia piped up. “I’ve just had the most brilliant idea.”
The other three turned to look at her.
“You know how I keep trying to convince Buffy to go to the salon with me? I think now would be the perfect time to do it.”
Buffy sighed. “Cordy, I’ve already told you a dozen times. I’m not like you – I’m not interested in designer clothes, fancy hairstyles and French manicures.”
“Yeah, but I really think it’ll do you good, you know, boost your self-esteem. I’m not suggesting you change your whole appearance – just make the most of what you have. I bet I can even get you an appointment for tomorrow.”
“You know, B. That’s not a bad idea,” Faith said. “Plus can you imagine the look on Spike Giles’ face when you turn up for work on Monday.”
Maybe her friends were right, Buffy thought. And how good would it feel to have Spike sit up and take notice, only for her to knock him back. That would wipe the smile right off his ‘I’m God’s gift to women’ face.
“So now I’m in talks to design a whole range of lingerie with a unicorn motif. It’ll be so cool.”
Spike yawned, but Harmony didn’t even notice. She continued to rabbit on and on about bloody unicorns. He wondered if she ever thought about anything else other than those blasted creatures. I doubt it, he thought with a grin.
“So what do you think, Spikey? It’ll be ace, won’t it?”
“Yeah, Harm, bloody brilliant.”
These charity dinners were a total bore and having Harmony as his date made it even worse. As soon as the speeches were done, he’d get his checkbook out and then leave and take Harmony back to his apartment. He knew of one way that was guaranteed to shut the bird up – no girl would talk about unicorns while in his bed.
As Harmony continued the one-sided conversation, Spike decided he definitely wouldn’t be asking her to accompany him to another one. Mentally thumbing through his little black book to think of who to ask next time, his thoughts suddenly shifted to what Angel had said earlier about his assistant. He had never thought of Miss Summers as anything other than an employee, but he could kinda see where his friend was coming from – he supposed there was something about her.
But he quickly dismissed that unwanted thought. Buffy Summers was his assistant and Spike did not mix business with pleasure.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!