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!
A/N Words cannot express how hesitant I am to post this story. After the amazing reviews that Whispers in the Dark has gotten, I’ve been a little insecure about posting a new story, so please review and let me know if I should continue.
Chapter 1 - Unattainable
Buffy hurriedly cleaned up her area of the club, eager to get home for the night and hoping that her boss Parker would let her off early for the night. She knew it was wishful thinking. Parker Abrams didn’t know how to let someone go home early, especially since he enjoyed gawking at the waitresses that were on duty.
Buffy glanced around the club. It was getting unusually busy for this time of night. Granted, Chaos was one of the hottest clubs in Los Angeles, but it was almost two in the morning, and another swarm of people were walking in.
Buffy sighed, throwing her towel down on the tray as she carried it back up to the bar. Buffy propped her elbows on the flat surface, letting her chin fall into her hands.
“Rough night, sugar?” the bartender Lorne asked.
Buffy smiled at the name. Lorne was always calling the waitresses by pet names, but Buffy’s theory was that so many girls worked on each shift, he just couldn’t keep them all straight. “I’m just ready to go, that’s all,” Buffy said with a shrug.
“Only another half hour,” Lorne replied, comfortingly patting her hand before he turned to wait on another customer.
Buffy turned, leaning against the bar as she looked through the crowd of dancers. She spotted a few of her fellow waitresses, but most were nowhere to be seen.
‘Just as well,’ Buffy thought. ‘Not like anyone comes in here for food after midnight anyway.’
* * * * *
Spike Thornton watched the cute little blonde with interest. She was leaning against the bar with a bored look on her face, obviously not wanting to be here. He noticed the impossibly short black skirt, barely covering the tan expanse of her thighs, and the flimsy halter that showed a generous amount of cleavage.
Most of the men, and some women, were checking her out right and left, but the same disinterested look stayed on her face. Spike turned and whispered something to his manager before facing the blonde again.
Spike’s manager Liam Angelus quickly sought out the owner of the club. He wasn’t too hard to find since owners generally stayed close to the VIP section. Parker Abrams listened carefully to Angelus before nodding and winding his way through the club, stopping in front of Buffy.
“Hey, Buff, you doing okay?” Parker asked, pretending to be interested.
“Actually, Parker,” Buffy said, standing up straighter as she turned to face her boss. “I was wondering if I could take off a little early tonight. There’s no one left in my section, and there’s more than enough girls to cover for me.”
“Actually,” Parker replied. “There isn’t.” At Buffy’s confused look, he continued. “Most of them are in the VIP section.”
Buffy’s eyes moved to the doorway and noticed a man who looked vaguely familiar lock eyes with hers. He stared at her for a moment, tilting his head slightly, before raising his glass to her.
“So…I just hang around and do nothing for an hour?” Buffy asked with a small smile as she looked back at her boss.
“Actually…you’re requested in the VIP room as well,” Parker said.
Buffy’s eyes shot over to the blonde before looking back at Parker. “To work?”
“More or less,” Parker replied with a shrug.
“More or…oh! Oh no, definitely not!”
“Buffy, Spike Thornton has requested your presence, and I think it would be wise to take him up on his offer.”
‘Spike Thornton,’ Buffy thought, her eyes widening as she looked over at the man again. ‘Lead singer of Nightstalkers, I don’t think so.’
“Parker, I have no intention of taking Spike Thornton up on any offer,” Buffy said in a very clear tone.
“At least go in there, Buff,” Parker said. “Faith, Gwen, and Anya are already there, and now he’s asking for you.”
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” Buffy cried in indignation. “I have no intention of catering to every little whim of a rock star just because he happens to be famous! I’m not for sale, Parker!”
“It’s not like that, Buffy.”
“Yeah,” Buffy said sarcastically. “I’m so sure. It’s not Faith’s first time in that room, Parker. Girls talk…I know exactly what goes on behind those doors, which is why I’ve never been through them.”
“Don’t risk losing your job, Buffy,” Parker said, his voice dropping deceptively low.
“You would really fire me over this?” she asked in disbelief.
“I guess we’ll find out if you don’t go in there.”
Buffy clenched her jaw so tight she thought it would break. She hated the man standing in front of her. She hated this job, but it was the only way to pay for school, and that was something Buffy couldn’t risk. She was twenty-one, going on fifty, and she hated it, but she couldn’t lose this job.
With a heavy sigh, Buffy followed her boss to the man in the doorway.
“Buffy Summers, meet Spike Thornton,” Parker said, making a big show of the introductions.
Spike smiled warmly at the woman in front of him, taking one of her hands to kiss it tenderly, not letting go immediately after. “Pleasure to meet you, Buffy,” he purred in a silken voice.
Buffy jerked her hand out of his grasp, glaring at him the entire time. Spike raised an eyebrow, surprised by her attitude. Every woman he’d met for the past two years was all too eager to get closer to him. This was almost refreshing if he hadn’t been so attracted to her. Almost.
Parker gave Buffy a little nudge as Spike held the door to the room open for her, and she quickly turned her glare to him. “I’m off in fifteen minutes, Parker,” she hissed. “And I will be leaving.”
With a heavy sigh, Buffy followed Spike through the door into the dimly lit room. She recognized several celebrities among the people. She had to suppress a snort as a pack of girls surrounded Spike, demanding his undivided attention.
Buffy saw this as her lucky break. Slipping away, she made her way to one of the darkened booths, sitting down and letting the heavy shadows swallow her. ‘Fifteen minutes,’ Buffy thought. ‘Fifteen minutes, and then I can leave.”
Buffy repeatedly checked the clock that was visible to her above the main doorway. Drumming her fingers on the tablecloth, she couldn’t will the seconds to go by fast enough. At the ten minute mark, Buffy swallowed a gasp when she felt someone sit down next to her.
“Thought you’d run off, luv,” Spike said with a smirk.
“Well, I was going to, but I’m not allowed out of this hellhole for another ten minutes,” she replied with a bite in her voice.
“Lucky for me,” he said in a husky voice as he gently traced a finger over the bare skin of her shoulder.
Buffy hurriedly moved out of the way, but unfortunately for her, not out of his reach since he just slid closer to her, effectively pushing her against the wall.
“Look,” she said through gritted teeth. “I don’t know what you want with me, but you’re not going to get it, alright? I’m not a stalker, I’m not a member of your little fan-club,” she said, gesturing to the girls that were obviously seething with jealousy as they watched the couple in the booth interacting. “Hell, I’m not even a fan,” Buffy finished.
Spike chuckled lightly as he looked at her. “Let me take you home, pet,” he said in a soft voice.
“What?” Buffy asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Did you not hear a word I just said? I don’t want to be with you in any way, shape, or form…you got it?”
“Maybe,” he replied, biting his lip playfully as he stared at her. “But I happen to have a very strong power of persuasion.”
“Well, let me help you out. I don’t go for the clothes, attitude, fame, or fortune, so you really shouldn’t bother trying to persuade me.”
“Then what do you go for, pet?” Spike asked with a small smile on his face.
Buffy found herself staring at the expression. The man sitting in front of her now wasn’t the arrogant rock star- he looked like nothing more than a hopeful little boy. Shaking herself out of her reverie, Buffy looked at the clock again before turning her attention back to him. “If you have to ask, you and I really wouldn’t be good together. Now…if you’ll excuse me…”
When Spike didn’t move, she found her anger heating up as Spike smirked at her. “I’ll let you go as long as you let me take you home.”
“Why me?” Buffy asked, her eyes narrowed.
Spike seemed to contemplate her for a moment before answering. “You’re special,” he murmured.
“I’m unattainable,” she informed him, roughly pushing him until he had no choice but to stand up.
Without another glance, Buffy made her way through the room, groaning when she reached the door and noticed it being opened for her. Turning around, she stared at Spike, who had that arrogant smirk firmly in place. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Buffy walked through it, not looking at him as they made their way through the club.
Stepping into the cool March air, Buffy took a deep breath, trying to rid herself of the cigarette smoke, alcohol, and sweat that seemed to permeate her body from working such long hours.
Spike watched her in fascination as her long hair spilled down her back in soft curls. Her head tilted up as she stared at the starless sky. Turning to walk away after a minute, Spike quickly caught up with her.
“What do you want?” Buffy asked in a resigned voice.
“I want to get to know you, pet.”
“Do you not get hints when they hit you in the face?” Buffy asked, turning to face him. “I’m not looking to get laid.”
Spike chuckled. “Well, that is a little disappointing, but believe it or not, I was talking about just getting to know you.”
“What, so we can start a meaningful relationship?” Buffy asked, her voice threaded with sarcasm. “Not looking for one of those either,” she said, turning and walking down the sidewalk.
“Determined little bint, aren’t you?”
“What the hell is a bint?” Buffy asked, hazarding a glance his way as Spike chuckled.
“Not important,” he said with a shake of his head. “Now, follow me.”
Buffy felt a rush go through her as he gently took her arm, leading her around a corner and stopping in front of a black stretch limousine.
Watching as the chauffer opened the back door when he saw them approach, she frowned when he barely even glanced their way. ‘Must be a nightly occurrence,’ Buffy thought.
“What are you doing?” Buffy asked as Spike turned to help her into the limo.
“I’m taking you home,” he said as if it was the most natural thing in the world for a rock star to be offering a waitress a ride in the back of a limousine.
“I-I really shouldn’t,” Buffy said, taking a step back as Spike tilted his head and gave her a slight pout of his bottom lip. Buffy had to fight the smile that threatened to emerge at the adorable look on his face.
“Come on, Buffy, I’m not asking you to sleep with me,” Spike said, watching as she blushed three shades of red. “I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
With a sigh, Buffy looked up, staring at the darkened streets of Los Angeles. It was obviously quicker to get home this way, but being safe in the backseat with a very hot guy was up for debate.
Finally, with a nod of acceptance, Buffy climbed in the car. It was going to be an interesting ride home.
