* * *

      "Give me one good reason I shouldn't stake you right
now." Willow demanded as soon as the door to the
apartment had clicked shut. Her eyes were practically
glowing with her anger as she glared at the vampire in
front of her. She was determined to make him miserable
for the hell he had caused her with his and Angel's
'challenge'.

      "'Cause you'd miss me, pet?" Spike grinned. The
little witch was full of fire and passion when angry.
The way she held herself when she was upset, the way
her eyes sparkled, the way her voice was still calm
yet deadly - it was arousing to say the least.

      Willow frowned. "Unfortunately. Thats true." When her
eyes met his again they were filled with mischief. "I
guess I won't stake you then. But you *are* going to
make this up to me. Understand?" Her tone dared him to
say anything to the contrary.

      "Yes, luv." The vampire's voice was almost meek as he
contemplated the girl in front of him. He hoped that
his punishment would come in the form of chaining him
to the bed and taking her pleasure of him numerous
times for the rest of the weekend. But he didn't think
he would be that lucky.

      "Good..." Willow's lips curled up into a cruel smile.
"Lets begin."

* * *

      Spike watched with amusement as the red head sat down
on the couch, her face passive as she decided on his
fate for the evening. Laughing green eyes met his and
again her face was lit with a smile. "You know that
big bathtub you have?" She purred. "Go fill it with
some nice warm water and some bubblebath." She smiled
at him sweetly. "Tonight you will pamper me."

      "As you wish, luv." The vampire drawled, bowing at
the waist with a smile before leaving the room to draw
her bath. He turned the knobs slowly, letting the
water run over his fingers as he tried to guage what
was a 'warm' bath for her. He slipped the stopper in
when he thought he had it right, watching the water
slowly start to pool in its depths. The tub itself was
big enough for two people and had little air jets on
either side for jaccuzi action if he wanted. As he
watched the water begin to rise he wondered if one day
he'd be able to share the tub with the girl sitting on
his couch. Naked, warm, wet...

      Spike groaned, the front of his jeans becoming
painfully tight. He turned away from the tub and
rummaged through one of the cabinets, pulling out a
bottle of bath oil and some bubble bath. He spilled a
generous amount of the oil into the water stream
before pouring a capfull of bubble bath in with it.
Almost immediately the bubbles began to form,
appearing in fluffy white clusters near the pouring
water and dispersing out to other parts of the tub. He
focused on the sound of the rushing water, forcing his
thoughts back onto a less sensual path. When he had
promised Willow he would wait until she was ready to
make love hadn't realized it would be this...hard.

      The growing mountain of bubbles drew him back to
reality. He turned off the water, drawing in a deep
un-needed breath before walking out to the living
room. "Bath is ready, Red."

      Willow looked up from the book she had been glancing
through and smiled at the vampire. Now came the fun
part. She hoped she could go through with it. "Good."
She gave him another mysterious smile before pushing
up off of the couch.

      Grabbing his hand as she walked by she led him back
to the bathroom. Her eyes were cool when they met his.
"Strip me."

      If Spike's heart had been beating it surely would
have stopped. "Pet?!?"

      "You heard me." She felt a rush of pride as she
realized her voice was steady, no sign of the
nervousness she felt. "And Spike? No groping, staring,
etc. Or else."

      Spike didn't want to know what the 'or else' would
be. The witch was in a mood and he sensed it would be
better just to do what she said with no arguements.
Not that he wanted to argue. The thought of Willow
naked was enough to send him thoughts spiralling back
to where they had been earlier. He licked his lips,
opening his mouth to speak, but instead shut it,
nodding his assent to what she wanted.

      He kneeled in front of her, trembling fingers
unlacing the ties on first one tennis shoe, then the
other. "Lift up, luv?" She lifted one leg enough for
him to slide the shoe and sock off then repeated with
the other. Running a hand through his bleached hair
she allowed herself to enjoy the simple act of him
undressing her. The earlier anxiety she had felt was
replaced with a sense of peace.

      Spike almost moaned with pleasure at the soft touch
of her fingers in his hair. His body ached with the
need to throw her down and ravage her on the
floor....in the tub...anywhere and everywhere. He
stood slowly, his fingers deftly unbuttoning her
shirt, his eyes never leaving hers. He longed to kiss
every inch of skin he uncovered - wanted nothing more
than to bathe her with his kisses. Instead he slid the
shirt from her shoulders, folding it into a neat
little pile and placing it on the edge of the sink.

      It took all his control not to kiss his way down her
stomach as he kneeled again, popping open the catch on
her jeans and slowly lowering the zipper. He could
smell her arousal through the thin cotton panties she
was wearing as he coaxed the jeans down and off of her
legs. He groaned, feeling himself become almost
impossible harder. She wanted him. He could hear her
heart fluttering in her chest. Could see her chest
rise and fall with the deep breaths only arousal can
bring. She wanted him...he wanted her...but he knew in
his unbeating heart that wasn't how this night was
going to go.

      Still kneeling the vampire reached behind her,
unclasping her bra and letting it slide down her arms
to the floor. He forced himself to look into her
passion glazed eyes as his fingers hooked into the top
of her underwear, drawing them down her legs. Only
then did he stand, hoping the red head wouldn't notice
the unmistakable bulge in his jeans. If she noticed,
she never mentioned it as she made her way to the
tub's edge, holding onto his hand for balance as she
slowly lowered herself into the water.

      Leaning against the padded rest on the back of the
tub, Willow let her eyes wander upwards from Spike's
feet. She smiled softly as she noticed for the first
time the vampire's obvious arousal. The power she felt
from teasing him was unlike any she had ever felt
before and she was enjoying every drop of it. As her
eyes finally met his blue ones she reached out one
delicate hand to offer him a sponge. "Bathe me."

      Spike swallowed hard, taking the sponge from her.
Kneeling on the fuzzy black bathmat next to the tub he
dipped the sponeg into the warm water of the bath,
letting the excess drip back into the tub as he slowly
lifted her arm up. With soft strokes he carressed her
arm, cleaning off every visible trace of dirt and
grime. Even with the thick layer of bubbles masking
most of her body Spike still couldnt seem to calm
down. With every whisper of a touch and every soft
caress he ached for her more and more. But still he
behaved himself. It would never do to upset her.

      Moving from the floor to the edge of the tub he
lifted her other arm from the water, bestowing upon it
the same treatment he had given to its counterpart.
She closed her eyes as the sponge trailed across her
shoulders and neck, giving herself up to the sinful
pleasure of his touches.

      Spike reached out with his free hand to caress the
side of her face, pushing a stray lock of hair back
behind her ear before he caught himself. She had made
it clear that she only wanted him to do what she said
- with no 'extra' touches thrown in. He softly let out
a ragged sigh. After all of this he would need a
shower. A very, very cold one.

      Slowly sponging his way down her neck, he dipped his
hand under the water to gently caress her pert
breasts. He kneaded first one, then the other, as he
washed away any dirt that may have been lurking
beneath the bubbles. He watched as her lips parted, a
soft moan escaping into the quietness of the bathroom,
as he worked the sponge lower, running it gently over
her flat stomach.

      His fingers brushed soft cinnamon curls as he moved
the sponge in cleansing circles lower and lower on her
stomach. He hesitated. Did she really want him to
bathe her *there*? He looked up at her face, hoping
for any sign to continue or cease.

      Willow opened her eyes when the caresses stopped.
Spike was staring at her, almost as if asking
permission. She nodded her head slightly, grabbing his
wrist gently with one of her hands and pushing the
sponge lower. She gasped as the sponge rubbed up
against her clit, biting her lip to keep from crying
out. With an act of pure will power she pushed his
hand away from her aching sex, indicating for him to
move on to her legs.

      Spike growled softly in frustration as he tenderly
massaged the smooth skin of her legs. His whole body
ached with a very physical pain from the sexual
tension this little bathing exercise had caused. He
didn't know whether to cry out in relief or
frustration when she finally spoke to him again. "Get
me one of your tshirts to wear to bed?"

      He nodded, drying his hand off on a towel before
leaving the humid bathroom to retrieve a shirt for
her. She had already left the tub when he returned and
was in the process of drying herself off. He sent a
thankful prayer to whatever spirits were listening
that she hadn't asked him to also towel her dry and
handed her the shirt. He watched in disappointment as
she covered her pale flesh with the article.

      Leaning in the red head placed a feather light kiss
on his cheek, whispering a 'thank you' before leaving
him alone in the bathroom. He leaned over, removing
the stopper from the drain. Pulling off his clothes,
Spike waited for the last of the water to run into
drain before he turned on the shower, not bothering
with warm water. He leaned his head against the wall
of the shower, grinding his teeth together as he
forced his body to calm down. When at last he felt
back in control he turned the water off, wiping the
cold drops from his body with the remaining towel and
throwing his boxers back on.

      She was asleep in his bedroom when he finally emerged
from the bathroom, the cool air of the apartment on
his still damp skin helping to keep his body calmed.
He crawled under the covers, placing a kiss on her
forhead before turning onto his side, his back to her,
to attempt to sleep.

      "I hope you remember tonight next time you decide to
put me in the middle of a challenge." Willow murmured
softly.

      "Believe me, pet." Spike grinned in the darkness. "I
won't be forgetting this night for a *very* long
time."
 

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