Banner by Noaluvjames

Chapter 6

“So, how are you liking your stay her?” William asked. ‘Bloody nice one, Spike. The chit just got here yesterday, and judging from the dark windows when you walked home last night, she probably crashed from jet lag.’ Buffy didn’t notice the self-depreciating look that briefly crossed his face. The beer was causing her to relax, and for once, just enjoy being the gorgeous man’s center of attention. So rather than finding an excuse to flay him alive with her sharp tongue, she found herself opening up and answering him.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t really seen all that much. I went for a run this morning and what little I saw of the beach and surrounding countryside was beautiful. Then, Jake let me borrow his bike to go in to Newquay for some groceries. Hard to believe that three miles away there’s this a big city, almost like Sunnydale back home.”

“Sunnydale? That’s where you’re from?” he asked innocently.

“Yep. Good ‘ole Sunnydale, California,” she replied. She spoke for a few minutes about her hometown, describing the city a bit. He asked her a few polite questions, which she answered. Then an awkward silence fell.

She covered by reaching for her pint of beer and drinking a little more. She really would have rather waited to finish off her beer, but she was hungry and the liquid was keeping the edge off her hunger. As if in protest to getting only a drink, her stomach growled once again. That ever-annoying blush crept back up into her cheeks. William bit his bottom lip to keep her from noticing his smile and turned away to get Jake’s attention.

“Jake, when are those fish and chips gonna be done, mate? ’m hungry,” he whined plaintively. Jake glanced away from the customer he was serving to look over at the blond. William gestured with his eyes and a slight nod of his head in Buffy’s direction. Understanding crossed Jake’s features and he yelled back, “Quit ‘yer whinin’, Will, they’ll be out in a minute.” He finished up with his customer then went to the kitchen to check on their food.

Jake came back a minute later with two huge plates of fish and chips and set one in front of each of them. Walking out from behind the bar, he went to an empty table to grab some salt and peppershakers, as well as a metal bowl that had a small hole cut out of the lid so a spoon could rest inside. He walked back behind the bar and set the condiments in front of them.

Buffy and William turned away from each other so that they could face their plates. William watched out of the corner of his eye as Buffy leaned over the plate, eyes closed, as she inhaled the steam rosing off of the hot food. Sighing, she sat back and opened her eyes, unconsciously licking her lips in anticipation.

William watched her pink tongue dart out to trace the contours of her lips before it slipped back inside her mouth. He muttered an inaudible groan as he felt his pants become extremely uncomfortable throughout his groin area. ‘She has no idea what she’s doing to me.’

He looked away from her and tried to concentrate on the food before him. He was no longer hungry for food. He wanted her. He wanted to taste that tongue that had darted out of her mouth and teased him unselfconsciously. He wanted to use his own to trace the path hers had made around her lips before delving inside her mouth. He wanted to-

‘Whoa! Dangerous thoughts, mate.’ He nipped that thought in the bud before he embarrassed himself with the sexual fantasies he was weaving about the girl. He tried lowering his left leg to ease some of his discomfort, while keeping the other on the footstool to hide his body’s reaction from her. He picked up his fork and started eating; the fished tasted like cardboard in his mouth.

Buffy was oblivious to the inner struggle William was having. She was so hungry she was eating as fast as possible and still manage to appear somewhat ladylike. William glanced at her occasionally as she ate, trying to gauge her reaction to her meal. When she finished three fish and over half of her fries, showing no signs of slowing down, he stopped eating to openly gawk at her. Even Jake came over to watch as Buffy finished off the last piece of fish and the remaining chips.

Buffy finally looked up from her plate as she stuck the last chip in her mouth. Both Jake and William were staring at her with awed expressions on their faces. ‘What? Didn’t girls each over here in merry ole England?’ She watched as they looked at her, then at one another, then back at her again. Twin smiles appeared on their faces. When she asked for another beer, she thought that she’d made a friend for life in Jake.

She smiled as Jake set the beer in front of her. She was in a good mood; the awkwardness of their conversation before their meal had arrived had been banished. Buffy relaxed in the company of these two men who’d been strangers not more than a few hours ago. Feeling a little impish, she reached across William’s plate to snag one of his chips. He just chuckled and pushed his plate over so it sat between them. Enjoying their comradery, he picked up his fork to finish off his lunch. Every so often, Buffy would snag one of his chips and munch on it thoughtfully. William couldn’t ever remember enjoying a meal as much as this one.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy was surprised to find that she was having a good time. The hour she had originally allotted herself had come and gone several hours ago. Other patrons ate and then left, but she and William continued to talk at the bar. Buffy had switched to water after her second beer, her and alcohol being of the unmixy variety, and was surprised when he did as well. Not that she had figured him for a lush, but they were in a bar.

They talked of simple things. Well, William did most of the talking. Not about himself, but of the surrounding area, the sites he had seen since he’d been here, the things he’d done. That led to her asking him how long he had been here that he was able to do and see so much. She sensed him stiffen slightly, a wall went up that had not been there previously. She didn’t think he was going to answer her at first, but then he did.

“’Been here two weeks now.”

“Wow! No wonder you’ve been able to do and see so much. I’m only here for the week myself. So, I’ve got to try and cram in as much as possible before I go back home. I know it’s supposed to be a vacation, but I have a feeling I’m going to be tired after this one,” she confessed laughingly.

William relaxed once more and laughed with her. She wasn’t the least big curious as to why he was able to be here so long, even though most working people only took a week or two for vacation.

“Well, I really should get going,” she said finally. “I told myself that I was going to go back to the beach this afternoon. And, I’m not going to get anything accomplished sitting in here all afternoon.” Realizing she may have offended him, she rushed on to add, “Not that I didn’t enjoy myself. I had fun. It was nice…I usually don’t…I mean…” Ok, now she was babbling. Hell. She took a breath and started over.

“I’ve enjoyed our conversation. I just…Well, hell.” She looked around frantically. “I gotta go.” She took some money out to pay for her lunch and drinks and attempted to flee the pub and the company of a man she had no business talking with.

He reached out and grabbed her upper arm before she could take off. “Buffy, wait-”

She turned her head back to look at him. She reminded him of a deer caught in the hypnotizing gaze of a car’s headlights. A gut-churning fear that immobilized you, knowing you’re in danger, but unable to move. Unable to escape it and the hurt that would follow.

“Let me come with you.” Good Lord! Where had that come from? He’d just met this woman, and the thought of her leaving was doing something to his insides. He flashed her an endearing smile and told her, “Jake’ll tell ya. I’m a nice enough bloke.” He looked over to see Jake nodding in agreement. “Let me show you the beaches. We can just talk, ok?”

Buffy looked up at his face, practically melting at that puppy-dog smile of his. Then, she glanced at Jake. He had an even bigger smile on his face and was nodding eagerly. She looked back at William. The man could sell sin to the devil with that smile. She gave him a hesitant smile and slowly nodded, acquiescing. He reached over to grab the money she had set on the bar to pay for her food and handed it back to her.

“My treat.” She shook her head and tried to put the money back on the counter, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Turning to Jake, he told him to put it on his tab. Together, they left the pub to walk towards the beach. Jake stood behind the bar and couldn’t quit smiling, watching as the two left his pub.

next

REVIEW ME!!