"Changing Time"

Author: Samantha
Email: sammer77@aol.com
Notes: This is a ficlet that's part of the "Glimpses" collection at Starcrossed Stories.

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"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Buffy asked, looking down at her boyfriend and quirking her eyebrow in uncertainty.

Riley glanced up at the petite blonde. He was perched on his knees and ran a forearm across his forehead to wipe away the sweat that was trickling down his temples. "Do you mind? I'm trying to concentrate here."

Buffy studied the situation for a moment, furrowing her brow in contemplation. "It doesn't look that hard. I bet I could do it."

"Oh yeah?" Riley said, eyes twinkling. Then a slow smile spread across his lips. "Be my guest," he said, standing and handing her the wrench.

Smirking at him, Buffy took the wrench and knelt in the spot just vacated by Riley. She tilted her head slightly as she studied the flat tire. Then she studied the wrench in her hand with curious regard. "So I'm supposed to remove these bolt thingies with this, right?"

Riley hovered over her and crossed his arms over his chest, smiling at her wickedly. "Uh-uh. My helping you was not part of the deal."

She wrinkled her nose at him and frowned slightly. "Fine. I don't need your help, anyway."

Riley watched in no small amount of amusement as his girlfriend struggled with the flat. She was having trouble getting the wrench to grip the bolt nuts, totally unaware that the wrench had to be adjusted to fit tightly. "Ready to give up yet?" he asked wistfully, grinning.

"No," Buffy answered stubbornly, wiping her hand on her cheek and leaving a streak of grime behind. "I have one more option left."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Riley asked her teasingly.

A deliciously evil grin spread slowly across her face and she dropped the wrench on the ground with a clang and stood up. "You'll see." And she wiped her hands on her jeans and sat down in the car, fumbling around in her purse.

"Ah! Here it is," she said triumphantly, smiling widely at Riley through the windshield and flashing what Riley determined to be a cell phone at him. He watched as she pressed a few buttons on the gadget and then put it to her ear. A minute later, she put the gadget back in her purse and emerged from the vehicle, smiling at Riley. "I called AAA. They should be here in a few minutes."

Shaking his head at her, Riley said, "I can't believe you called AAA. I can have that thing changed before *they* get here." And he dropped to his knees in front of the tire and proceeded to get to work on it.

Fifteen minutes later, they were back on the road. "See there? I told you I'd be finished before AAA ever showed up."

Buffy, stifling a giggle, looked over at Riley, studying his contented profile. "Uh, Riley? I don't own a cell phone."

"So?" he asked absently, looking at her briefly before turning his eyes back to the road.

Buffy laughed out loud when she saw his eyes widen in realization. "The bet was that I could get the tire changed. I did. I got you to do it!"

Riley smirked and shook his head.

Buffy laughed until her sides ached.

 

The End