Riley was sick.

Anya sighed. This ruined the whole layout of the calendar? She didn’t know of
any other men that would be able to take his place. “Are you sure he can’t come
by for just a couple pictures?” she whined into the phone.

“No!” Buffy all but growled. “Get someone else to do it…how hard can it be?”

“But I don’t –know- anyone else!” Anya protested, grinding her teeth in
frustration. She glared around the room, trying to think of someone, -anyone-,
who could take the commando’s place. Wait. Commando. “Buffy…what about Riley’s
friend? That Graham guy?”

Buffy giggled softly, trying to imagine the soft spoken former marine posing
nude or even semi-nude for a calendar. She shrugged to herself before speaking
back into the phone. “I’ll give him a call. You never know.”

** ** **

How had he allowed Finn to talk him into this?

For what had to be the tenth time in five minutes, Graham Miller found himself
wondering just how good of a friend Riley was if he could even –ask- him to
take his place in –this-. After all, this was degrading and embarrassing. Who
cares if he had the flu? These were –his- friends, -he- should be the one out
here making an ass of himself.

Riley was definitely a dead man when he saw him again.

Pulling the towel tighter around his hips, the former marine watched the girls
standing only a few feet away. They were staring at him, their eyes roaming
over his body. For once he knew what a swimsuit model must feel like and he
vowed to never again pick up a copy of any magazines featuring bikinis. “Can we
get started?”

Willow looked over at Riley’s friend, her green eyes sparkling with
playfulness. “He is rather handsome. Definitely better than Riley would have
been.”

“Uh huh!” Cordelia grinned, licking her lips. Her hand brushed along Willow’s
arm and flashes of the day before went through her mind. They looked at each
other simultaneously, both wondering if they would ever do it again. “I’m glad
we didn’t have to do this with Riley…I mean, Buffy’s tastes sure have dropped
since her and Angel broke up.”

Anya grinned at the two girls. She had to admit, Graham was a hottie. “Xander’s
still cuter, though.” She smirked. Kicking at the warm sand beneath her feet,
the former vengeance demon regarded the scene before her. This secluded beach
was the perfect spot for the shoot – water lapping gently at the shore, the
sand perfect and undaunted with any litter. It was just the right spot for the
only ‘swimsuit’ shot of the whole calendar.

“OK, Graham,” Anya purred, stepping back a step and holding the camera up to
her eye. “You can get rid of the towel now.”

Willow and Cordelia held their breaths in anticipation as the former member of
the Initiative slowly undid the towel from around his waist. Judging from the
looks of his muscular chest, the man was well-built – but seeing the full
package was the only way to be sure. As the white cloth dropped to the sand,
the two gasped.

Graham was gorgeous.

Starting with his feet, Cordelia worked her way up his body. Tight, hard calves
met with equally tight thighs – the muscles rippling as he moved to stand in
the waves crashing against the shore. She paused for a moment, taking in the
sight of his crotch – covered so eloquently in a camouflaged speedo. The bulge
hidden beneath it was certainly nothing to be ashamed of and she licked her
lips.

{Damn, girl. Being with a vampire is rubbing some of their morals off on you!}
She chided herself, continuing with her quiet appraisal of the young man. His
stomach was flat and firm, the muscles etched into it in a way that would have
made a professional body builder jealous. Even from this distance she could
tell his nipples were hard, their pert peaks standing at attention as he
stepped further into the cool water of the ocean. Finally was his face – the
sort of baby-adorable face that would have looked perfect on a member of a
boy-band member.

All in all – the man was a stud.

“Yum-my!” Willow purred, stepping closer to her newest lover as Anya began to
take shots of the former marine. He seemed to be loosening up some, splashing
in the water and genuinely looking like he was having fun. She watched as beads
of sea water ran down the muscles of his chest and felt herself get wet.
“MmmMMm….think Spike would mind if I…well….” She winked at the brunette
standing next to her.

Cordelia laughed softly, the sound coming out more husky than she wanted it to.
“I dunno. Wanna call him and Angel and ask?”

Willow just laughed, shaking her head. “No, thanks. The three of you are more
than enough for me.” She watched as Graham changed position in the water, his
serious face adding a sense of sensuality to the entire shoot.

The brunette didn’t miss Willow’s last words though as they went back to
watching the shoot taking place before them.

“He is nummy though.”

** ** **

At least his second shoot wasn’t all –that- bad, Graham decided as he looked
around the old mansion. A fire had been lit in the fireplace, the flames
dancing along the walls. This was the easy one – a few shots next to the fire
wearing a parka over his bare chest. It was definitely easier than the speedo
shoot.

His face flamed over as he remembered the embarrassment of the earlier part of
the day. The two girls who hadn’t been taking pictures – Willow and Cordelia –
had been talking in altogether too loud tones about him and what they would
like to do to him. He knew for a fact that the two of them were dating some of
the most dangerous hostiles to ever walk the face of the earth – yet there they
had stood – talking about how cute –he- was.

It was sort of frightening.

I mean – Hostile 17, or Spike as he apparently preferred to be called – was
quite capable of rending him apart with one twist of his hands. Well, if it
weren’t for the chip. But his Sire, the one known as Angelus, wasn’t burdened
in such a way. What if they found out what their girlfriends thought of –him-?

Not that he was scared, the former Marine assured himself as he watched the
shadows play over the walls, waiting for whoever was supposed to be taking the
pictures to hurry up and get there. He wasn’t scared at all.

Not one little bit.

It wasn’t as if he had made a move on either of the women. They just weren’t
his type – wrong sex and all. So there was no reason for either of the vampires
to get upset over the girls’ thinking about him. No reason at all.

“Are you ready?”
Graham looked over at the entryway to the room – blinking in surprise at the
man standing there. He had expected that Anya would be the one doing this
shoot, same as the one before. –This- was some man he had never met before,
tall dark and utterly handsome – just the way he liked them. “Depends on what
you’re asking.” The former commando smirked, his openly flirtatious nature
coming to the fore.

Angel grinned. It was obvious that the man standing there had no clue who he
was, or what he was, or else he seriously doubted that he would be flirting so
obviously. “For your shoot, of course.”

The former member of the Initiative smiled, bending his head down and looking
up at the vampire through his lashes. “Ready whenever you are. How do you want
me?”

Chuckling, the vampire moved across from the fireplace, arching an eyebrow as
he hefted the camera back and forth in his hands. He had wanted to kill the
girls when they had pushed off this shoot on him – he didn’t want the calendar
made in the first place. But they had whined, and begged, and did this little
pouting thing with their lips and he hadn’t been able to resist. Remembering
the man standing there, watching him, Angel smirked and took the playful
flirting one step further. “How do I want you? On your knees of course.” He let
the sensual meaning of the words hit before continuing. “Staring at the camera
like you want to eat it up.”

Graham let out a shaky breath, dropping onto the thick throw rug in front of
the fireplace. He threaded his fingers through the plush faux-fur, running his
tongue slowly over his already moist lips as he gave the camera what he hoped
was his best lusty look. “Like this?”

“Perfect…” Angel purred, lifting the camera to his eye. He looked through the
lens, allowing the piece of equipment to hide the appraising looks he was
lavishing on the mortal. The flirting was getting even to –his- undead heart
and he wondered if Cordelia would totally kill him if he made a move on the
mortal. “Now just…what is it they say? Make love to the camera?”

The Marine sucked in a deep breath, his eyes traveling over the dark haired
man’s body as he allowed himself to relax. He couldn’t believe his good luck –
meeting such a handsome stranger that didn’t seem to take offense to his
come-ons. Who was, in fact, making moves of his own, it seemed. Maybe he
wouldn’t kill Riley for this after all. He allowed the stranger to snap off a
couple of shots before moving. He sat back on his heels, stretching to allow
the muscles of his chest more exposure to the camera man.

“Nice…” The vampire hissed, snapping off a few more shots. He pulled the camera
down from his face, appraising the scene before him with an artist’s touch.
“Lean back a little…no…not like that….one second.” Putting the camera on the
back of the couch, Angel crossed to the former commando. He knelt next to him,
pushing him back so that he was sitting on his butt, arms stretched behind him.
The coat slipped fully open, revealing a wonderfully carved chest of muscles
and tanned skin. Delicate hearing picked up the throbbing sound of Graham’s
heart – beating a mile a minute in his body.

Graham inhaled sharply as one of the man’s fingers trailed over his chest, the
dark haired stranger seemingly ‘adjusting’ the parka. He was almost close
enough to kiss…to reach out and touch and he wondered if the man was feeling
the same sexual tension he was. “Everything look good?”

“Looks great.” Angel smirked. He pulled back as the door to the house swung
open, Cordelia trailing in, bags in hand. “Delia, baby. You got here just in
time to see the last of the shoot.”

“Purr…” Cordelia whispered into her mate’s mouth, kissing him firmly. She could
feel his arousal pressing into her and she grinned. “He is adorable isn’t he?
No touching though. I only want to share you with Wills and Blondie.” She
squeezed him through his pants, making sure that it was out of view of the
open-mouthed commando. Raising her voice, she said. “Hurry up Angel...I want
to go home and do…stuff.”

Graham’s heart froze in its frantic beating, fear washing over him as the man
turned back to him. He had just been flirting with Angelus – one half of the
Scourge of Europe. The laughing smirk on the vampire’s face sent a shiver
through his electrified body. There was no chance in hell he’d ever get
anything from –that- creature. He sighed, leaning back to finish the shoot. It
looked like yet another lonely night with only his pillow for comfort.

He’d have to re-think his decision on –not- killing Riley Finn.
 

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