Blue Horizons
Chapter Nineteen

“I hope you’re into necrophilia,” Elizabeth announced flopping onto the couch beside Spike, “because I am sooo dead right now.”

He quirked an amused eyebrow in her direction. “Got your paper all turned in then?” he inquired, his head tilted to one side as he studied the soft skin along her collarbone.

She groaned. “Ten pages of hell completed and in the prof’s mailbox,” she agreed with a grimace.

“Then you’ve got no excuse for shooing me away when I…” He leaned in, lightly nipping at her flesh, trailing biting kisses down to the low neckline of her blouse.

“Mmm…” Elizabeth practically purred. “Feels good…”

“Woah! PDA alert!” Xander suddenly announced from the doorway, breaking up their little impromptu make-out session. He practically skipped into the lounge before flopping down on the other couch, remote firmly in hand.

Spike reluctantly pulled back from where he’d rather craftily managed to situate himself between Elizabeth’s thighs. After all, they hadn’t gone this long without sex since they’d first started, and both were more than eager to break their forced abstinence.

“It’s cruel and unusual,” Anya agreed, following Xander into the room and settling in the seat beside. “Some of us don’t get to have sex later to work it off.” She cast a pointed glance in Xander’s direction.

“Tell me about it,” Xander nodded, eyes riveted to the television screen and thus completely oblivious as only a male can be.

Anya rolled her eyes and gave Elizabeth and Spike a long-suffering look. “We’re not just going to watch TV tonight,” she complained, turning back to Xander.

“We’ve gotta do something while we wait for Willow and Tara,” he argued, his arm draping over the couch-back for a second before oh-so-not-casually slipping down to Anya’s shoulder.

She relaxed against him but gave Elizabeth a little ‘see what I have to put up with?’ smile as she did so.

“You lovebirds coming with us tonight?” Xander asked the bleached pair, turning from his precious television for the first time since it had been activated…but only because those Reebok commercials were really annoying…

“Of course,” Elizabeth agreed before Spike could get a word in. “One last night with the dorm before I flunk out,” she joked lightly.

“You’re not gonna flunk out,” Spike insisted for the umpteenth time. “Hell, you aced that English paper.”

Elizabeth’s nose scrunched up. “I’ll probably get a ‘C’,” she decided.

“‘A’,” Spike countered. “Trust me, ‘ve read ‘A’ papers a hell ‘f a lot worse than that one.”

“But I didn’t really participate that much in class discussions…” Elizabeth countered.

Spike waved one hand in the air dismissively. “Teacher’ll just think you’re shy,” he assured her.

“Either that or I’m too busy making out with my boyfriend in class to pay attention,” she countered with a quirky smile.

A wicked little smirk curled up the edges of his lips. “That too, luv,” he agreed, the fire in his liquid blue eyes dancing.

“I’m impressed you’re coming with us,” Anya announced, snagging the bag of Doritos that Xander had brought along and stealing a healthy handful. She began crunching away at the chips before continuing. “You know, I just figured you’d want as much time for the sex as possible.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “You’re gonna have ta come up with somethin’ better’n that, Anyanka,” he teased. “We’ve all become immune to your sex talk.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help but agree, even though she was still proud of the fact that she hadn’t blushed.

Anya’s lip jutted out before an evil light lit up her eyes. “So, Spike,” she began innocently enough, “have you enjoyed any good fellatio lately?”

Everyone in the room froze, paralyzed by the new horrifying levels of Anya’s bluntness. Every face in the room aside from the perpetrator of the comment turned a deep crimson as they all simultaneously wished they would spontaneously combust.

“Oh yeah,” Anya rubbed her fingernails on her shirt, an amused grin on her face, “I’ve still got it…”

“Hey, guys,” Tara popped into the room, “what…” She trailed off when she noticed the horrified looks of Spike, Xander, and Elizabeth’s faces and the pure shit-eating grin on Anya’s. “…did Anya say now?” she slightly amended her question.

Anya was the only one not too stunned to answer. “I merely asked Spike if he-”

“Stop!” Three cries shouted out in unison.

Tara seemed to shrink back. “Given the reaction, I’m guessing I don’t wanna know,” she teased lightly.

“It involved-” Anya began.

“Stop!” Xander, Elizabeth, and Spike all suddenly had the strange feeling they were in a chorus.

Anya practically beamed at the success of her latest embarrass-everyone tactic and deftly linked her arm through Xander’s. He gulped in response and shifted in his jeans. This brought an even brighter smile to her face. Maybe he was finally getting the hint…

“So, I take it we’re just waiting on the lovely girlfriend of mine?” Tara asked, leaning back against the wall.

“She’s changin’,” Spike provided, quirking his head in the direction of Willow’s room. “You’d think lesbians would be able to get dressed faster than other women, but nooo…”

Xander frowned. “Yeah, why is that?” he demanded.

Tara shrugged. “Whatever it takes to keep your girlfriend pleased,” she said with a soft smile and a shy blush.

“Yeah, Spike,” Elizabeth teased. “From now on, I expect a good half hour in the bathroom every morning followed by endless agonizing over selection of clothing, complete with tricky ‘does this make my butt look fat?’ questions.”

He gave her a rakish grin. “Got a right cute butt,” he countered. “Or at least you seemed to think so last night when you-”

“TMI!” Xander announced, not-so-inconspicuously shifting the pillow to cover his lap.

Anya’s mood brightened markedly. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to resort to her plan of cornering him and dropping her dress after all.

“So, yeah…” Tara couldn’t help but smile inwardly at the strangeness that was Westing House. “I’ll just go in and check to see if Willow’s ready…” She slipped into the room.

“And to sneak in a quick orgasm while she’s at it,” Anya provided helpfully.

Xander’s attention was completely and utterly torn from the television. Hell, nothing was more important than lesbian sex, not even the Bond movie he’d found. “You really think they’re…” He gesticulated wildly. “In there?” He gestured to the closed door, a hopeful look on his face.

Anya rolled her eyes. “No, Xander,” she informed him patiently, “I was just trying to get a rise out of you…”

“Oh.” Xander looked disappointed and returned to the adventures of Pussy Galore.

Elizabeth and Spike snickered at Anya’s none-too-subtle innuendo and Xander’s complete obliviousness to it. Anya merely frowned. Perhaps she’d have to resort to knocking him unconscious to have her wicked way with him…

“We’re ready,” Willow announced then, practically bursting into the lounge, a wide grin on her face.

Tara followed after her, her cheeks slightly flushed and what could only be interpreted as a sly smile on her face.

Everyone gave them a suspicious look.

“What?” Willow demanded, all wide-eyed innocence.

Anya opened her mouth to speak but then shut it again. After all, it was no fun when they made it this easy for her…

“So, uh, yeah,” Willow said with a nervous laugh, “are we going then?”

Slight groans sounded throughout the room as everyone got up off of their comfy couches and slipped into various stages of winter-wear. Only Anya, who was convinced that it wasn’t cold until it was twenty below with a fifty below wind-chill, dared to go out in nothing but a jean jacket.

“Where’s Jonathan?” Xander inquired as they walked down the hall and passed the perpetually closed door.

“He went home yesterday,” Elizabeth provided. “Some lucky people got done with their exams early…”

“Hey, those ‘lucky’ people as you call them,” Xander defended himself, “may well have had three tests on one day. They should be pitied and cuddled, not mocked.”

“You’ve been sitting on the couch for the past two days, watching ‘Fifteen Days of Bond’ non-stop,” Willow retorted. “No pity or cuddling will be given.”

“Wouldn’t mind handin’ out a heavy dose of mockery, though,” Spike teased.

“Remind me why I didn’t just go home early again?” Xander let out a long-suffering sigh.

“Free cable and food,” Anya provided.

“Ah, yes,” Xander nodded sagely. “That would explain it…”

“So, where’re we eatin’?” Spike asked the once they were outside.

Instantly, the entire Westing House group hunched down into their coats, looking strangely like turtles retreating into their shells. Elizabeth wrapped her scarf around her face a couple more times just for good measure.

“I vote for somewhere nearby,” Tara announced. “It’s too cold to go far.”

“Wimp,” Anya couldn’t help but tease. However, she led the group straight down Cedar Avenue and the nearest cluster of restaurants to their dorm.

“Quick vote,” Willow announced. “Italian or Chinese?”

“Chinese.” The overwhelming response won out. Only Xander pouted at the lack of pizza at their chosen restaurant.

The gaggle of frozen college students practically ran into the restaurant, all breathing deep sighs of relief as the first rush of warm air overtook them, erasing the chill of the cold New York winter.

“Heaters are all the proof I need that there is a god,” Elizabeth joked, beginning the copious process of removing all her winter paraphernalia.

Spike snickered as the hood, hat, and earmuffs were all removed in turn. “A bit ‘f overkill?” he teased.

“At least my ears aren’t gonna fall off from frostbite,” she countered with a little smile before she stood up on her toes and nibbled lightly on one of the frozen lobes in question. “Brr,” she winced, reaching up to warm his other ear as well when she discovered they were even icier than she had imagined. “Why on earth don’t you wear a hat?”

Spike gave her a horrified look. “Bloody ‘ell! You’re channelin’ my mum!”

Tara got a mischievous look in her eyes. “Scary fact,” she joked. “The longer the two of you go out, the more she’ll act like your mother, until one day…” She let the sentence trail off.

Elizabeth flashed him an unashamed grin, and Spike gulped.

“Can’t you just feel the ball and chain closing around your ankle?” Xander added.

The group giggled at Spike’s horrified expression as one of the waiters came up to seat them. He cast the apparently giddy group of students an annoyed look and practically bristled when he had to clear his throat three times before Willow heard him and turned around.

“Uh, six,” she provided.

“Smoking or non-smoking?”

“Smoking!” Spike called out before someone could contradict him.

The waiter’s disdain for them increased. “This way,” he grabbed a handful of menus and walked off, his nose haughtily in the air.

“It’s like the snooty French waiter of Chinese cuisine,” Xander whispered softly so that only his friends could hear him.

Spike snickered, and Anya laughed aloud. Willow and Tara merely shook their heads at each other before taking their seats.

A brief chaos ensued while everyone tried to find seats next to their significant other. The solution to the puzzle was actually quite simple, but due to exam week, they were all pretty much brain-dead, even on something so simple at seating arrangements. Everyone finally settled down, they scrambled for the menus.

“It’s too bad Oz and Devon couldn’t make it,” Tara commented, holding her menu out so that Willow could read it over their shoulder.

“Yeah, I feel so sorry for them,” Xander said sarcastically. “Setting up for a big concert, pizza, booze, and girls all around…”

“He complains about the food,” Anya picked up on the ever-important ‘pizza’ section of his rant, “but in no time he’ll be inhaling the Chow Mien like he’s been starved.”

“Hey, I’m a growing boy,” Xander insisted.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Oh, you’re growin’ all right…horizontally…”

Xander stuck his tongue out at the other man and flicked on of those little soy-sauce packets at him.

“No food fights in restaurants,” Willow provided for the umpteenth time.

The two men both put on their best kicked puppy faces. The women just shook their heads in response.

“See, this ‘s why we need Devon an’ Oz,” Spike informed Xander. “The women’ve got us hopelessly outnumbered…”

Xander nodded gravely, conceding the point.

“When was their first set again?” Elizabeth inquired, changing the subject. She took a quick sip from the water glass the snobbish and determined-to-prove-how-superior-he-was waiter had promptly brought out.

“Seven,” Willow provided.

Xander checked his watch. “We’re gonna miss it,” he announced.

“We’ll just catch the second one then,” Anya announced. “No big.”

“Would you ladies and *ahem* gentlemen,” the waiter cast disapproving glances at Spike and Xander’s attire, “like anything to drink?”

“We’ll have your finest Chardonnay,” Spike switched over instantly to a snooty, upper class British accent. “Do you have the ’77?”

The waiter blinked in confusion. “Huh?” he asked, somewhat dumbfounded.

“’ll just have water then, mate,” Spike slipped back into his usual persona easily.

The waiter just nodded, stunned, while he shakily took everyone else’s orders. The others had quite a difficult time not giggling uncontrollably at the little stunt Spike had pulled. Once the pompous man had slipped back into the kitchen, they all broke out into laughter.

“Mmm,” Elizabeth nuzzled his throat lightly, “where’d you pick up that sexy accent?”

Spike’s eyes widened in horror. “Don’ call it ‘sexy’,” he shuddered. “My dad talks like that…”

Elizabeth’s brow wrinkled for a second. “OK, mild case of the wiggins,” she agreed.

“Speaking of which,” Willow sipped her own water, “is your dad coming into town for Christmas?”

“Yup,” Spike agreed, giving Elizabeth an amused little glance. “On Sunday Elizabeth gets to face both the parents.”

“I’m fully expecting him to demand to know what my intentions are towards his son,” Elizabeth said lightly.

“Meeting the parents,” Willow said sympathetically, “always scary.”

“Says the girl who hasn’t met mine,” Tara countered with a little smile.

“I thought that was because we didn’t want them to burn us at the stake for being ‘unnatural heathens’,” Willow countered.

Tara grimaced. “That about covers it.”

“I don’t see what all the fuss is about,” Anya felt obliged to add her own unique two cents. “After all, you merely have a temporary arranged to obtain pleasing orgasms. Now, if you wanted to make a contract to produce offspring, then I could see why parents would be involved. After all, they need to endure the continued success of their byproducts.”

Everyone laughed.

“Guess that means your going to have to meet my dad before we ‘make a contract to produce offspring’,” Elizabeth teased.

“Cor, that metaphor’s even scarier than the ball an’ chain,” Spike flushed slightly.

“I try my best,” Anya agreed cheerfully.

“Not half as scary as my dad, though,” Elizabeth countered.

Spike gave her a shy little smile. “Think I could handle it,” he assured her, “long as it was for you, pet.”

“Aw,” Tara mock-sniffed, “he’s so cute! You gotta keep this one…”

Spike scowled at her. Willow’s girlfriend had been rather timid and shy around him until just this year when she realized that the whole Big Bad thing was a complete charade and he was just a big softy underneath it…a big softy that was fun to tease. And she did so now mercilessly.

Tara gave him an unrepentant smile and swirled the ice about in her glass. “What are you doing over break?” she asked Anya.

“Following various paternal units around the world and studying the ways they make money,” Anya announced.

“Gosh darnit,” Xander slapped the table, “that was what I wanted to do!”

Anya batted him in the shoulder in response. “Jerk,” she said good-naturedly. “And it’s not like you’re doing anything better…”

“You going home?” Elizabeth inquired.

Xander let out a snort of laughter. “My entire vacation revolves around a crafty plan to avoid going home,” he clarified. “I figure that if I live on the streets all of vacation, my parents will forget I exist, and I’ll be free.”

Spike frowned. “You’re kidding ‘bout the streets part, right?” he demanded. “’Cause if you need a place to stay…”

“It’s cool,” Xander assured him. “I’ve got friends to stay with. After all, I wouldn’t want to break up the looove nest at the Giles’ this Christmas…”

Spike and Elizabeth blushed slightly since, yeah, that had kind of been what they’d had in mind.

“Ooh, you got Elizabeth’s ears to turn pink!” Anya announced in delight. “Very good.” She gave Xander a quick peck on the cheek in response.

He got this rather goofy smile on his face.

Spike just shook his head. Maybe he should corner his friend this evening and instruct him in the proper method of pester-er, courting a woman.

“We can hardly wait for tomorrow,” Willow said with a wide grin. “Our flight leaves at eight, you know.”

“Yes,” Spike rolled his eyes, “please tell us more ‘f the details of your trip. ‘Cause we haven’t heard enough about Mexico yet.”

Tara flicked a soy-sauce packet at him. Willow turned to look at her girlfriend in disbelief, but she just smiled and shrugged in response.

“It’s irresistible, isn’t it?” Xander grinned at Tara’s latest step over onto the path of annoying Spike.

“I’m surrounded,” Willow sighed.

“You’re surrounded?” Spike retorted, noticing the evil smiles every other person at the table was casting in his direction.

Pompous Waiter, fortunately, saved the day. “Are you ready to order?”

“Oh yeah, I’d like the Chow Mien,” Xander announced. “Like, two orders of it.”

The waiter raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

Elizabeth and Anya just snickered amongst themselves. “You know him too well,” Elizabeth accused.

Anya nodded. “If only he’d realize that…”

* * *

It wasn’t until they’d finished dinner and gotten to the Blue Club that Elizabeth and Anya had a chance to really talk by themselves, though.

Anya winced visibly when she and Elizabeth were left alone at the table, Willow and Tara having gone off to dance and Xander and Spike acquiring the night’s drinks. The look on the other girl’s face was really just too evil.

“Payback’s a bitch,” Elizabeth agreed with a wide grin. “So, you and Xander - why no orgasms?”

“It’s not my fault,” Anya insisted. “He’s just…oblivious. I think he’s taking things slow or trying to be slick or something.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Have you tried jumping him yet?” she suggested. “Even the most oblivious guys seem to understand that one.”

“I’m seriously considering it,” Anya nodded morosely. “Underwear or no underwear?” she asked Elizabeth’s advice.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “You’re seriously…?” she began in disbelief.

“I think full nudity is the only thing that’s going to get his attention, yeah,” Anya said with a bemused smile. “I mean, what did you use on Spike?”

“Well, Spike practically clubbed me over the head and grunted ‘Ungh! My woman!’,” Elizabeth joked. “But, with the sex…” She frowned. “Yeah, I pretty much had to tackle him to the bed and rip his clothes off,” she agreed.

“Guys have gotten all sensitive,” Anya complained. “It’s like they’re the ones who want the deep, meaningful relationships instead of just the enjoyable orgasms.”

Elizabeth raised one eyebrow. “You don’t want a ‘deep, meaningful relationship’ with Xander?” she inquired.

“I can’t have the sex, too?” Anya pouted.

Elizabeth flashed her a wry grin. “There’s nothing to say you can’t. You’ll just have to jump him,” she concluded.

“I’d pretty much already decided that,” Anya agreed. “I would consider the dance floor to be an excellent place for jumpage.”

Elizabeth giggled. “That’s absolutely correct. Now, where’s that sexy boyfriend of mine so that I can demonstrate for you?”

Anya grinned, but then her brow furrowed. “Yes, what is taking them so long?” she demanded…

* * *

“What the bloody hell is your problem?” Spike demanded the instant he and Xander were out of the hearing range of their two female companions.

“Problem?” Xander asked, perplexed.

“Anyanka,” Spike tilted his head in the direction of the two blondes seated at the table. “She’s goin’ stir crazy waitin’ for you to jump her.”

“Ya think?” Xander frowned slightly and glanced back at the two blondes. As he watched, they both burst out laughing about something or other.

Spike rolled his eyes heavenwards. “Listen,” he said wearily, picking up their drinks and nodding to the bartender in thanks, “we are going to go back to the table. You are going to sit down right next to Anya. You are going to kiss her. Then, you are going to ask her to dance. This will, hopefully, leading to the two of you heading back to the dorm early.” He had deliberately taken on clear, precise, formal tones as he made that speech, so that there was no way Xander could misunderstand. “Got it, mate?” he demanded.

Xander just nodded, eyes wide.

“And contrary to whatever image Anyanka may portray, she’s not quite so secure in her relationships,” Spike added. “You hurt her…”

“I would never,” Xander insisted vehemently.

“Good,” Spike let out an exasperated sigh, “now let’s go.”

* * *

Elizabeth watched with amusement as their missing male counterparts suddenly materialized from the crowd, Spike firmly and confidently in the lead and Xander hovering behind a ways, looking nervous.

“He looks like he just had some sense talked into him,” Anya commented. “Give Spike some extra nice orgasms tonight for that.”

Elizabeth grinned, her eyes raking up and down her lover’s body. “I have every intention of doing so,” she agreed.

“Doing what?” Spike asked curiously, settling himself in the seat beside her.

She leaned in to give him a quick kiss. “You’ll find out tonight,” she whispered against his lips before kissing him once more.

“Hmph,” Anya complained as Xander sat down beside her. “Now I have to watch them and get all wound up without-”

Xander tapped her on the shoulder.

“Wha-Mmm…” Anya murmured contentedly as his lips pressed up against hers, hesitant at first, but then demanding when he felt her respond against him.

“You wanna dance?” Xander asked, pulling away slightly.

“Can we grind against each other erotically?” Anya only half-teased.

“That was the idea,” Xander agreed, taking her hand and leading her out onto the floor.

Elizabeth sighed and pulled away from Spike’s lips, resting her head in the crook of his throat. “It’s about time,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “All the UST between the two of them was driving me crazy.”

“Tell me ‘bout it,” Spike agreed.

“Makes me wanna go back to the dorm and work all the tension out,” she whispered into his ear.

“Why, Miss Summers,” Spike couldn’t help but tease, “are you trying to seduce me?”

“Please don’t tell me I’ll have to resort to Anya’s corner-him-and-strip-naked technique,” she retorted lightly.

“What about your whole ‘last night out with our pals, got the whole break to make out’ plan?” he inquired, one eyebrow quirked.

She lightly bit the soft skin right over his Adam’s Apple. “Friends hung out with,” she whispered huskily, “make out now.”

“Been reduced to a cave-girl now, have we?” he teased lightly.

“You complaining?”

“Not in the slightest.”

Chapter Twenty

“Mmm…” Elizabeth murmured against Spike’s lips as the two of them staggered back towards the bed. Her hands grazed across the strong outlines of his body, brushing his clothes aside as she did so.

“Been too long,” Spike agreed, his lips abandoning hers to trail feather-light kisses down the side of her throat. His mouth latched onto one particularly sensitive spot, right over her throbbing pulse point, and began to suck and bite vigorously.

“Oh, god!” The buttons she was trying to unfasten suddenly became too complicated, and she yanked at the fabric, pulling his shirt open at the cost of two of the white buttons that zinged about the room before falling to the floor.

“I liked this shirt,” he protested half-heartedly. His own hands strayed to the zipper at the back of her strappy little dress and slowly pulled it all the way down…

“I’ll fix it for you later,” she assured him, slipping out of her dress and allowing it to pool on the floor about her feet. Instantly, she leapt up into his arms, her legs wrapping around her waist as she ground her aching need against his.

“Cor, luv, you tryin’ ta kill me or what?” His accent always roughened with passion. It was one of the things she liked most about jumping him.

“Mmm-hmm,” she agreed unabashedly, grinding her hips down into his still-clad ones.

“Christ!” he gasped, his eyes rolling back in his head as he finally staggered backward and crashed into the edge of the bed.

They fell onto the mattress in a mass of tangled limbs, kissing and petting all the while.

“Way, way too long,” Elizabeth repeated Spike’s sentiments from earlier. Her hand slipped between their bodies and began fumbling with his belt.

He assisted her and then lay back with a contented smile on his face as she pulled his jeans down his thighs, slowly and sensuously.

Elizabeth looked up at his fully erect penis and only flushed slightly. He was so comfortable being naked. He was seemed confident, in control…

“C’mere,” he practically purred, holding one hand out to her.

She crawled up his body, moving to curl up in the crook of his arm, but he redirected her so that she was straddling his stomach instead, sitting fully atop him. She gave him a questioning look.

“Just figured you might wanna drive tonight, pet,” he answered. “Seein’ as you’ve been through the most stress this past week…”

She gulped slightly. OK, so she’d thought about it. A lot. But it had been pretty clear from the beginning that Spike had a lot more experience than she did. After all, she’d only had two quick (and dull) one-night stands prior to him. Whereas Spike… Well, he must’ve picked up all those skills from somewhere. And it wasn’t just from Dru.

“I-I’ve never…” she confessed softly.

“Shh,” he cradled her head on his breast, stroking her body in a way that reassured as well as stimulated. “’ll take the lead if you want…”

She felt that overwhelming burning sensation rise in her womb once more. She ventured to look up at him with a cautious smile. “No chance in hell,” she informed him. “This is my night.”

He chuckled at that, brushing aside the strands of hair that stuck to her sweat-slicked forehead. “S’pose that’s a matter ‘f opinion,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes and batted him playfully in the shoulder. “God, you are such an asshole!” she teased, humor shinning in her eyes.

“Din’t think you’d be up for that for a quite a while yet,” he taunted, a mischievous smile on his face.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened when she realized what he was referring to.

“Just kiddin’,” he quickly reassured her, noting the slight panic - and was that…curiosity? - in her eyes.

“Humph,” she grumbled before flicking her tongue out against his lips lightly, demanding entrance.

It was immediately granted, and she scootched up higher on his body in order to put her full power behind the kiss. Her tongue found his to be more passive than usual and so carefully began outlining his mouth, making sure she knew every nook and crevice intimately.

He moaned and clutched at her body, but she brushed his hands aside, pinning his wrists firmly to the mattress on either side of his head. His hips bucked in response, obviously enjoying being her willing captive.

She found herself enjoying it surprisingly well, too. Despite her exceptional fighting skill, Spike’s superior strength always became apparent in the bedroom. Hell, she wasn’t surprised; the guy was built. But it was nice to feel powerful, in charge…

“Let me know if I’m riding you too hard,” she teased before slipping down onto his erection and squeezing her internal muscles as tightly as she could around him.

His eyes crossed in response, and his head lolled back against the pillows. “Christ, Summers!” he gasped out raggedly. At that moment, the only thing he was aware of was her searing warmth surrounding him, holding him, caressing him… “So hot!” he babbled. “So bloody perfect!”

Elizabeth’s mouth had flown open as well. It was always startling just how well he fit inside her, as if her contours had been molded exactly to his size. He was warm and soft and hard and gentle and violent all at once, and she couldn’t help but crave more of him. Cautiously, she began to rock her hips.

“Tha’s it, baby,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “You got me, you got me…”

“I’ve got you,” she agreed, bracing her hands in the center of his chest and beginning to ride him slowly.

And, god, was it wonderful! She swirled her hips so that he struck the most sensitive spots within her, lingering on the areas that sent little sparks of delight shooting up her spine.

He moaned and thrashed beneath her, his hips bucking up to increase the strength of their union. His pale, hard body formed a shimmering sheen of sweat that looked pale silver in the dim light.

“God, you’re beautiful,” she gasped, picking up her pace. The intensity of the friction of the meeting of their two bodies was so great that she generally couldn’t form any other coherent thoughts. “Gorgeous. Want you. Even now. Always want more…”

He let out a contented little murmur, smiling at her newfound verbosity. Usually, he was the one to whisper the sweet nothings during sex, but it wasn’t a job he minded handing over to her at all. “Tell me more,” he pleaded.

She leaned forward slightly so that she hovered right over him, her long, golden locks curtaining his face. They both let out a hiss of pleasure at the new angle before she increased her pace once more.

“You make me feel so good,” she whispered just loudly enough that he could hear her over the slapping of their bodies. “It’s like there was some part of me missing…until I met you.” She placed a tender kiss on his lips.

His hands moved from where she’d left them on either side of his head for the first time since their coupling began. Gently, they caressed her sides, stroked her back, increasing their pace until it matched that of their hips. “Oh, Elizabeth…” he practically whimpered when she finally broke their kiss.

“Spike…” Her fingers reached up to stroke the scar that trisected his eyebrow, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, feeling her pleasure ready to explode within her.

The sound of his name was all Spike needed, and he let out a roar as his pleasure flooded up into her womb, her name on his lips.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened at the sensation, and she kept her hips moving, clenching him tightly within her body and holding him deep inside as he came.

She watched his face contort with pleasure, his eyes unfocused, his cheeks sucked in, breath hissing between clenched teeth. It was quite possibly the most gorgeous expression she’d ever seen on his expressive face, and in that moment all she wanted in life was to make him look like that as often as possible.

“’Lizabeth…” he murmured once last time before his eyelids fluttered closed.

“Shh,” she soothed softly, placing gentle kisses all over his face. She slid her arms around him and held him close as she felt him soften within her before slipping out once more. Her own body lamented slightly that it wouldn’t achieve its own pleasure anytime soon, but right now all she wanted to do was enjoy the newfound closeness between them.

She couldn’t quite put words to it, but it felt like a barrier had just been crossed and a new level of intimacy established between them. And, right now, it made her just want to melt against his chest. Well, that and the fatigue from her recent exertions. She certainly had newfound respect for Spike’s stamina now…

“Luv,” Spike practically purred against her throat, stirring for the first time.

“Hey, there,” she smiled down at him, placing a gentle peck on his lips.

A goofy, delighted grin split his own face. “Hey, yourself,” he countered softly.

“So, whattaya think?” she asked with a coy smile, already knowing what his answer would be. “Did I do all right?”

“ ‘All right’?!” Spike repeated in disbelief. “Pet, that was your bleedin’ calling!”

She mock-pouted. “That’s not much of a calling,” she protested.

“ ‘Not much’?” he protested, gesturing to the nether regions of his anatomy.

She giggled. “Compared to the entire world out there, no,” she informed him, “not much.”

He mock-sulked. “I believe ‘ve been insulted,” he countered.

“Aw,” she patted his hair lightly, mussing the slicked-back locks into wild curls, “does your ego need stroking?”

He gave her a lascivious grin. “No, but somethin’ else does,” he teased.

“Hey, Mister Selfish,” she countered, poking him in the chest for emphasis, “at least you already got off tonight.”

An immediate frown marred his brow. “You din’t…?” he began.

She felt embarrassed for bringing it up now. “It’s O-” she started to speak and then squealed when she was abruptly flipped over onto her back.

“My woman’s never gonna be left needin’ in my bed,” he informed her matter-of-factly before rolling his body on top of hers and sliding back down so that his head was between her legs.

“Spike?” she asked, confused. She tried to close her thighs, but he caught them in his powerful hands and gently pried them apart once more.

“Shh, luv,” he soothed her, leaning in so that his nose just brushed her wiry curls. He breathed in the heady scent of her arousal and felt himself growing hard once more. “Just relax…”

She tried to do so, but thoughts of what he was about to do made it very difficult for her. And then the tip of his tongue brushed her throbbing clit for the first time, and she was too awash in ecstasy to care anymore.

He chuckled deep in his throat at the little mewling noises that were escaping her lips, allowing the vibrations to run right up her sensitized nerves.

“P-Pig!” she managed to gasp out when she realized that he was laughing at her. She spread her legs wider for him, however.

That merely caused him to chuckle some more and begin nibbling lightly at her. She didn’t mind, though. The chuckling actually felt really good. Not to mention the way his teeth twisted…Right. There!

“Spike!” she cried out, collapsing back onto the mattress in a puddle of Jell-O.

The aftershocks of her orgasm caused the muscles of her thighs to twitch against his face, but that didn’t stop him from continuing his exquisite torture.

“Again?” she asked in disbelief, looking down at the peroxide head between her thighs.

He turned his head to rest against her stomach for a minute, looking up at her with mischievous eyes. “Figured I owed ya twice for makin’ you wait so long,” he agreed.

She gulped. “Less talk; more tongue.”

An amused little smile quirked at the edges of lips before he returned to the task at hand.

Elizabeth let out a contented little sigh as his tongue probed her inner folds before finally plunging deep inside her. She’d always heard rumors about how good this felt, but she could never imagined… No one had ever… God, he was…

“Incredible…” she whispered raggedly. “God, you’re incredible…”

Her body shook around him once more in climax, and he took the opportunity to crawl up over her like a jungle cat stalking its prey, all lean, taut muscles.

She watched him through lazy eyelids as he covered her body with his own, his narrow thighs slipping between hers until the tip of his arousal rubbed up against the entrance to her womb.

“Incredible, am I?” he whispered against her ear, nibbling it lightly.

She gasped at the sensation and returned the favor, her tongue seeking out the silver ring in his ear and playing with it.

“Have I mentioned lately how much I love that?” he inquired.

“Show me instead,” she challenged.

A practiced swirl of their hips, and they were joined once more.

“Oh, luv!” Spike cried out when he was sheathed within her once more. Every time they were together, he felt like he was finally coming home, that this was where he belonged above all else.

“Incredible…” she repeated her sentiments from earlier, her lips trailing across his throat as she wrapped her arms around him. The smooth muscles of his chest pressed her breasts flat, their nipples rubbing erotically together with every joint thrust of their hips.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured against her cheek. “So lovely…”

“So sexy,” she replied.

He giggled slightly at that, that strange feeling of giddy euphoria that sometimes came over him when they were together overtaking him. It made him feel like his heart was trying to break free of his chest to extol the sheer amazing-ness of the woman that was Elizabeth Summers to the world. It made him want to hold her against him and never let her go, keep her safe, worshipped…loved…

She couldn’t help but smile as well. Spike had that bright grin on his face that she loved so much. She reached up to stroke his cheek affectionately, looking deep into his eyes as they finally reached the peak together, screaming out each other’s names as they fell into the infinity below…

It was several minutes before they stirred again and noticed the banging sounds on the wall.

“Oh, yes, yes, Xander!” Anya was crying out in a high-pitched whine. “Your penis is so much larger than Spike’s, and you’re making me come even harder than Elizabeth just did.”

Spike and Elizabeth exchanged an embarrassed look.

“Uh…think they heard us?” Spike winced slightly.

“There’s no way Xander’s penis is larger than yours!” she retorted defensively, a wicked smile curling at the edges of her lips.

“Oh, yes, Spike!” she started yelling as well, right into the wall. “You’re so much more manly than Xander because he can only make little girls like Anya come, not real women like me!”

“Hey!” Two outraged cries sounded out in unison on the other side of the wall.

Spike laughed and spooned up against Elizabeth’s back. “Enjoy the sentiment, luv,” he teased lightly before raising his own voice in what was turning into quite the battle.

“Yes, Elizabeth! You’re so much sexier’n Anyanka ‘cause you don’t talk about money during sex!” he yelled.

“Oh, Xander!” Anya’s voice called back. “You don’t wear black nail-polish that makes you look gay!”

“Oh, Spike!” Elizabeth called back. “You actually gave me a real orgasm, instead of pretend orgasms being shouted through the wall!”

The sound of muttering voices could just barely be heard through the wall. Spike pressed his ear up against it and smirked.

“What are they saying?” Elizabeth demanded, trying to shift so that she could listen as well, but finding Spike’s tangled naked limbs in the way of her moving. She debated whether to pout this fact or beam about it, and finally settled on the later.

“Anyanka’s pointin’ out that you’ve got ‘em there,” Spike answered with a little smirk. “I think she’s tryin’ to clue Harris in on the fact that he should give her some orgasms, too. That’ll prob’ly preoccupy ‘em enough that they’ll leave us alone.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “God, are all guys this clueless?” she wondered.

Spike gave her a mock-hurt look. “What? You think ‘m like that?” he demanded, wide-eyed.

“You seemed to have a lot of difficulty understanding the sentence ‘I have a boyfriend’,” she retorted.

“Humph.” He got this adorable little pouty look on his face, complete with jutted out lower lip.

Elizabeth gulped. She didn’t know if she could handle any more tonight - she was already feeling a bit sore between the legs…undoubtedly due to the lack of practice during finals. However, if that lip kept being so damn bitable, she really couldn’t be held accountable for her actions…

A sly grin broke across his face at that moment, however, silencing her musing. “You din’t really have a boyfriend,” he countered. “Wanted me all along, after all.”

She gave him an evil little smile. “Full of yourself much?” she countered.

“You so did,” he retorted. “All that ogling my sexy bod every chance you got…”

“Mmm…sexy bod…” She really couldn’t argue with that. Her fingers outlined a flat, dusty-rose nipple.

He gave her his characteristic smirk. “’Lizabeth wanted me all along,” he sing-songed.

She shrugged and snuggled in closer to him. “Are you questioning my taste?” she inquired.

“As I recall, you tasted quite exquisite,” he whispered softly.

She blushed at the memory of what they’d done. And then felt really stupid for it. ‘Cause, hey? Boyfriend? Not supposed to get embarrassed about the sex.

“That was the first time anyone…?” he trailed off obligingly at the darkening of his cheeks.

“Yeah,” she whispered softly, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

“You liked it?” he inquired.

A little smile curled the edges of her lips. “Yeah.”

He caught her chin in his palm, and she lifted her eyes up to his in response.

“You don’t hafta be embarrassed,” he assured her. “From what ‘ve heard, most guys aren’t so…obligin’.”

She smiled. “Then it looks like my taste is better than I thought,” she teased lightly, feeling the weight on her chest lift a little.

“Be hard-pressed to find somethin’ I won’t do with you, pet,” he agreed. “Got yourself a willin’ slave.”

“Always a good thing to have in bed,” she agreed with a little sigh. She ventured to look up into those impossibly blue eyes of his and bit her lower lip. “Spike…” she began.

“Anythin’, luv,” he assured her.

“You’re OK with me being…?” she trailed off, her cheeks flushing.

“Embarrassed?” he inquired. “’Cause that’s actually kinda cute what with the latent dominatrix moves you were pullin’ on me earlier…”

She whapped him playfully in the head. “I mean, I know I’m not…” she gulped, “experienced…”

His brow instantly furrowed. “Don’t be silly, Elizabeth,” he said emphatically, his voice losing its usual coarse drawl. “It has never been like this for me before…even with Dru.”

She nervously looked down. “It’s just that I’m-”

“The best ‘ve ever had,” he insisted, leaning in so that his forehead rested against hers. “You’re amazin’, luv. The way you make me burn for you…”

A sly smile twitched at the corners of her lips. “I guess you’re not half-bad, either,” she teased lightly.

“ ‘Half-bad’?” he repeated incredulously. “You’ll never find anyone better.”

“Ego much?” she said sarcastically, snuggling against him as she did so.

“Yes, but that’s not why,” he agreed with a cheeky grin. His expression softened then, however. “Tell me you haven’t noticed how well we fit together,” he began in a rough whisper, “that you don’t feel more’n you ever have in your life when we’re like this…” He stroked her hair gently.

“I’ve noticed,” she agreed.

“Don’t know what it means for sure,” he had that shy, vulnerable smile on his face now that made her want to hold him and protect him forever, “but ‘d like to think it means we’re meant to be.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in fate,” she countered.

“No,” he agreed, “but I believe in us.” A gentle kiss graced her lips. “You make me feel alive, luv. Like I can do anythin’.”

“Even face my dad?” she teased. “’Cause you can handle that confrontation for me.”

He smiled. “Yeah,” he agreed, “but ‘m thinkin’ we should get through the easy parent meetin’ first.”

She grimaced. “You’re sure your dad’s gonna like me?”

“Positive,” Spike insisted. “After all, I l-”

“Oh god!” The exclamation suddenly sounded through the wall.

Elizabeth frowned and stared at the wall pointedly. “Are they faking it again?” she demanded.

“Oh god, oh god!” was her only response.

An amused smile quirked across Spike’s lips. “Think they’re actually goin’ at it, luv,” he said with obvious delight.

“Oh, yes! Xander!”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “It’s about time,” she decided. “Although…do they have to be so loud?”

Spike chuckled. “Sounds like the pot’s callin’ the kettle black,” he teased.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “There’s no way we’re that loud,” she insisted. “The entire dorm must be able to hear them!”

“An’ this surprises you?” he demanded. “The walls ‘re thin, ducks.”

“Oh god!” Elizabeth exclaimed in perfect time with Anya, although Elizabeth was doing so out of embarrassment. “That’s it. We can never have sex again.”

“Oi, now!” Spike protested. Vehemently.

Elizabeth patted his hand reassuringly. “Celibacy really is the best option for couples who don’t want to die of embarrassment,” she informed him.

“Then ‘m ready to die,” he countered.

Elizabeth gave him a little smile. “Yeah, me too,” she admitted shyly. “Still,” her expression hardened, “there is no way we’re letting your parents hear us. ‘Cause I would die right on the spot then…”

“Thick walls, rooms far apart,” Spike assured her spooning up against her back as they talked. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

Elizabeth absentmindedly caught one of his hands and began scraping at the chipped black polish. It was all part of her not-so-subtle scheme to get him to stop wearing it…although, in all fairness, she rather enjoyed his stubborn refusal to cave in to her demands.

“Your parents do know that we’re…?” And there was that embarrassment once more.

Spike chuckled. “Think Mum figured it out when you answered the phone in the mornin’,” he pointed out.

She groaned. She’d had to sit through art that entire day, huddled off with her easel in a corner, too embarrassed to face Joyce’s knowing smile. “God, if my dad knew, he would so kill you.” She still couldn’t believe how lenient Spike’s parents were.

“’m startin’ to think I actually want to meet your dad,” Spike commented. “See why ‘e’s so scary an’ all…”

“He’s scary because he’s my negligent, absentee dad,” she said matter-of-factly. “The one who freaks out whenever I deviate in the slightest from his master-plan.”

Spike snorted derisively. “Bugger his master-plan,” he insisted. “Just do what you want, kitten. He can’t accept it, then ‘s his own bloody fault.”

She sighed. “Sometimes I really envy you,” she informed him.

“How so?” he asked curiously.

“Your independence mostly,” she decided, her eyes drifting shut at the feel of his soft kisses against the back of her neck. “I don’t want to live by my father’s rules…”

“But ‘e’s still family,” Spike agreed. “Hard to abandon that.”

“Especially when I keep hoping-” She stopped abruptly, and Spike felt her body tense.

“What?” he pressed.

“That, maybe one day, we’ll kinda be a real family?” she ventured nervously. “That he’ll suddenly become a real dad. Silly, I know.”

He turned her to face him. “Not silly,” he insisted, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. “If I hadn’t had my parents… Prob’ly wouldn’t be the maladjusted freak I am today,” he joked lightly.

Her lips twitched in response.

“Knew I could get a grin,” he chuckled before his voice softened once more. “We all wanna be loved. Not be alone in this world.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and drowned herself in the feel of him. “Even you?” she whispered.

“Especially me,” he assured her. “But, if worse comes to worst,” he began hesitantly, “you’re not alone, luv. You always got me…”

“Yeah,” she agreed with a soft smile. “Thank you, Spike,” she whispered against his lips.

“For what?” he asked curiously.

“Being your wonderful, sweet, snarky self.”

A delighted smile lit up his face, and he closed the gap between them, giving her an almost chaste kiss. “Better get some sleep,” he commented, casting a nasty glare back at the wall and the occasional moans that were still emanating from it, “if you can that is. After all, tomorrow you get to meet the dad.”

“Can’t hardly wait,” she agreed, closing her eyes as she found a comfortable position within the circle of his arms. “Maybe he’ll finally show me all the embarrassing baby pictures…”

Spike chuckled softly as the two of them drifted off into sleep…

Blue Horizons
Chapter Twenty-One

“Elizabeth!” Joyce exclaimed in delight, practically snatching her bags from her. “You have no idea how delighted we were that you could make it.”

“Some of you more than others,” Elizabeth teased, whispering in Spike’s ear before she followed Joyce into the living room. “I’m just so grateful you agreed to have me,” she replied. “Thanks so much.”

“Think nothing of it,” Joyce sat, heading up the stairs with Elizabeth’s bags. “William, I didn’t know whether Elizabeth would be staying in your room, or...” She left the question open.

“Yeah, my room, Mum,” he agreed.

Elizabeth couldn’t help but blush at that. Sometimes she really envied Spike his open relationship with his parents.

“So, Elizabeth,” Joyce rounded a surprising turn in the hallway and walked up a mini-flight of stairs, “how were finals?”

Elizabeth groaned, and Joyce laughed.

“That bad, huh?” Joyce pushed aside the door at the top of the stairs and ushered Elizabeth into Spike’s room for the first time.

“They’re over, and that’s all I care about right now,” Elizabeth agreed before taking in the sight of the spacious bedroom. “Wow...” she breathed.

The woodwork of the room was done in a deep, rich oak that culminated in a slanted peak that ran across the high ceiling of the room. A latticework of beams supported this feature, interspersed by a skylight on either side. The room itself had a homey, comfortable glow, despite the various punk and rock posters that adorned the walls.

It was the centerpiece of the room that really caught Elizabeth’s eye, however. She practically licked her lips at the idea of trying out the king-sized bed. After the cramped twins at the dorm, this would be a real treat.

She gratefully took one of her bags from Joyce and sat down on the edge of the comfy bed as she moved to begin unpacking. “I like your room,” she told Spike with a shy smile.

He returned her smile with a smirk.

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Joyce beamed. “We converted the old carriage house above the garage after we moved in. The project took several months.”

Elizabeth smiled as Spike sat down beside her. “It really turned out well,” she agreed.

Joyce was obviously proud of her accomplishment but couldn’t help but notice the increasing hormones in the room. “I’ll just leave you to unpack, then,” she announced, turning back to the door. “Will, I’m going to pick your father up at the bus station at five. You and Elizabeth are welcome to come if you want. Or not,” she added with a sly smile. “Whatever works best for you. Just let me know.”

“’ll do that,” he agreed, his eyes never leaving Elizabeth. “Thanks, Mum.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” were Joyce’s parting words before she shut the door firmly behind her. Ah, to be young again... she sighed wistfully before turning to the important task of dressing herself to meet with the husband she’d been parted from for over a month...

“Your mom’s really cool,” Elizabeth commented, opening her suitcase. “Where should I put my stuff?” she inquired.

“Here,” Spike rifled through his dresser, “’ll clean out a couple ‘f drawers for you...”

“Thanks,” Elizabeth agreed, “but, like I was saying, if we were at my house, my dad would have us quarantined on opposite ends of the house from each other. With armed guards.”

Spike snorted at that as a pile of black t-shirts was transported from one drawer to another. “What would be the point? ‘S not like he could stop us from shaggin’ like crazed rabbits the instant we got back to school, anyway.”

“Mmm...” Elizabeth agreed, laying back on the deep blue coverlet, “crazed rabbits...”

Spike turned to look at her at that. “You feel like unpackin’ right now?” he inquired, watching the woman he loved lying on his bed with hunger.

“Not really,” she sighed.

In an instant he was at her side, placing gentle kisses all down her throat. “Mmm,” he practically purred against her, the vibrations tickling her sensitive skin.

She giggled and swatted at him lightly. “Cut that out,” she protested, trying to wiggle away from the body that was persistently trying to cover hers.

He pouted at her refusal. “Why not?” He gave her the most pitiful look she’d ever seen. “Don’t you wanna break in this nice, big bed?”

That pouting lower lip of his was just too tempting to ignore, and she sat half up so that she could nimble on it lightly. “Very much,” she murmured against his lips, “but not right now.”

“Why not?” he sulked like a petulant child.

She couldn’t help giggling whenever he did that. Seeing sexy, badass Spike acting all cute and cuddly? Absolutely priceless. She wrapped her arms around his neck and settled into his lap, giving him a conciliatory kiss.

“Your mom knows what we’re doing in here,” she informed him, “and it’s weird.”

He rolled his eyes. “’S not like she can hear us. And Mum’ll undoubtedly know what we’re doin’ in here every night, too,” he argued. “’re we gonna make this entire holiday an exercise in frustratin’ abstinence?”

“Mmm, you’ve got a point there,” she conceded...and then squealed as Spike toppled them both back onto the bed, pulling her body down on top of his.

“We could just settle for a old-fashioned snog, if you like,” he offered. “Be ready to go and pick dad up then...”

“Mmm, old-fashioned snog...” she repeated before scrunching her nose up. “Y’know, that really doesn’t sound nice. I mean, ‘snog’? It sounds like snot should be involved in some way...”

“No snot,” Spike assured her, pulling her lips down to his. “Now, c’mere...”

She let out a contented little sigh and ran her fingers through his peroxide locks, transforming his well-groomed hair into a mass of wild curls. Her lips parted against his, and she pressed her body down into his own, savoring the feel of strong, lean muscles beneath her.

His tongue lapped at hers hungrily as his arms slid around her waist. He could already feel the scent of her vanilla shampoo washing over him, surrounding him... He let out a groan and how painfully far away she still was and rolled them over, pressing his hardness down into her, relishing the excited little gasp that escaped her lips.

“Oh god, Spike...” she whimpered, her head lolling about on the mattress as he reverently kissed every inch of her face and throat. Her wandering hands explored his familiar body, skating along the curve of his spine, running over the contours of the sleek muscles of his back, before moving lower to grasp that tight, firm ass of his in both hands and gently squeeze...

His jean-clad hips ground down between her spread thighs in response, and her clothing suddenly became unbearable to him. He wanted to feel her flesh against his, warm and yielding, wanted to taste the salt of her sweat, inhale the perfume that was so distinctively her...

His hands slid up under the thick turtleneck she was wearing, exposing her toned body for his mouth’s pleasure. She seemed to have the same idea and yanked at his blood-red button up, opening it wide before sliding it sensuously down his shoulders. He lifted her up for a moment to get the turtleneck up and off of her head.

They fell back onto the mattress then, skin-on-skin, enjoying the feel of the other. His gorgeous, sculptured chest was too much for Elizabeth to ignore, and she shoved him off of her briefly before rolling with him and landing on top.

“Mmm,” she commented, “big bed has it advantages.”

“It certainly does, luv,” he agreed, enjoying the sight of her straddling him, her red-lace covered breasts heaving as she panted for air.

“Verrry nice...” she gazed down at the pale body beneath her before slowly leaning in to lick up the sweat on one pectoral.

He squirmed and thrashed beneath her, and she smiled against him at that. She loved the way his body responded to her touch, loved the way he seemed to melt into her, loved the feeling of power and desirability it gave her.

Eager to feel him squirm some more, her mouth lowered to his abdomen, outlining that delightful six-pack with the pointed tip of her tongue.

“Christ, luv,” he sighed. “You make me feel so good...”

“It’s a talent,” she declared, rising up against him once more and pillowing her head on his chest. For the first time, she felt the air on her back and shivered slightly. “Uh-oh,” she complained, “I’m cold, but I don’t wanna move...”

She gave him a pathetic, little sniffle.

He scoffed at her innocent act and reached over with his free hands to grab the corner of the comforter. She whimpered slightly in complaint when his stretch made him shift beneath her, but mumbled her approval when the blanket covered her.

“I could stay like this forever,” she decided, the fingers of one hand playing with one of his dusty-rose nipples.

“Me, too, kitten,” he agreed, wrapping his arms around her back.

“You make such a warm, comfy pillow,” she informed him, nuzzling deeper into his chest.

He chuckled at that, the vibrations relaxing her. “I aim to please, pet,” he commented, stroking her hair absentmindedly.

“Mmm...” she agreed with a contented sigh, already drifting off into sleep...

* * *

“William?”

Joyce’s voice broke through the haze of his sleep, and let out a lion-sized yawn.

“William?” she repeated. “I’m going to go pick up your father. Are you coming?”

His first thought was, And leave this nice warm bed with Elizabeth in my arms? Are you out of your mind? His second was that he was really eager to see his dad again, too. He decided to leave the choice up to the tiny blond on top of him, who was now stirring from her peaceful slumber.

“We going?” she mumbled groggily.

“Only if you want to, pet,” he whispered into her hair.

“William?” Joyce’s voice called.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Elizabeth said, reluctantly prying her body from his. “I want to meet this supposed ‘dad’ of yours,” she teased lightly.

He chuckled at that. “We’re coming, Mum!” he shouted out to Joyce. “Just give us a minute!”

“I’ll be waiting in the living room,” she agreed before her feet could be heard going back down the stairs.

“Wow,” Elizabeth said, running a hand through her tangled bed hair, “I must’ve been really tired...”

“Finals ‘s more drainin’ than it seems at the time,” Spike agreed, getting out of bed and searching for his discarded shirt.

Elizabeth had no trouble finding hers and then rolled her eyes at her boyfriend’s complete incompetence, retrieving his shirt from where it was draped across the bedpost and handing it to him.

“I’m thinking I should go for something other than the ‘I just ravished your son’ look for our first meeting,” she commented conversationally, finding the brush in her purse and using the mirror in the small bathroom off to one side of his room to straighten her hair.

“Don’t know, luv,” he countered. “Knowin’ dad, he’ll be absolutely thrilled that ‘m gettin’ ravished on a regular basis.”

Elizabeth scrunched up her nose. “Your parents are so weird,” she announced.

“I thought they were ‘cool’?” he pointed out.

“For parents to be cool, they have to be very weird,” she argued reasonably enough before emerging from the bathroom. “How do I look?” she demanded with a dancer’s pirouette.

Spike licked his lips. “Quite ravishable,” he replied in a husky growl.

She batted him on the chest and proceeded to fasten the buttons he’d managed to miss in his haphazard manner. “You can ravish me tonight,” she promised.

“’ll hold you to that,” he warned.

“No, I’ll hold you to that,” she countered with a wink. She ran her hands over his hair, slicking back the peroxide locks before appraising him. “Huh,” she teased, “you look almost presentable.”

“’ll make you look unpresentable...” he threatened.

She batted him playfully in the arm. “Later. Right now, we have to go pick up your dad.”

* * *

Elizabeth would’ve recognized Rupert Giles even if he and Joyce hadn’t practically plowed over the rest of the passengers to greet each other with a fierce hug. Spike and his father shared many handsome features, in particular that rakish smile Giles graced Joyce with when he saw the deep purple dress she was wearing. Elizabeth had seen that same look directed at her in the younger Giles’ eyes all too often.

In fact, Spike seemed to be giving her that look right now...

She gave him a playful swat and turned to where Giles and Joyce were approaching.

“Hey, dad,” Spike said with a little nod.

Giles didn’t let him get away with the cold greeting, of course, and pulled him into a quick hug.

“It’s been far too long, Will,” Giles said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “And you must be Elizabeth,” Giles held his hand out to her.

“Pleased to meet you, Mister Giles,” she agreed with a smile.

“Please, just call me Giles,” he insisted. “Everyone does.”

“Except me,” Joyce teased, “but only because I know how much you hate being called Rupert in public.”

“Yes, quite,” Giles cast his wife a mock-annoyed look.

Elizabeth chuckled slightly. “Giles,” she agreed.

“You’re every bit as lovely as William said you were,” Giles informed her with a twinkle in his eye.

Elizabeth blushed. Damn, what was it with her and Giles men? Spike slipped his arm around her waist, and she managed an embarrassed little smile.

“Thanks,” she said softly.

“So, then,” Joyce announced, “now that we’re all introduced, why don’t we head out for dinner? Rupert, dear, did you have any more luggage?”

“Just this,” he gestured to the roller bag he had dragged along with him. He gave Joyce a crooked smile. “I figured I wouldn’t be needing many clothes...”

Spike groaned and buried his head in Elizabeth’s shoulder while she furiously blushed. “Dad!” he complained. “You’re old! That’s gross!”

“Ah, it’s lovely to see how much he’s matured,” Giles joked wistfully.

Spike sent a scowl his way and took his father’s bag from him.

“So, Elizabeth,” Giles began as they made their way back to the car, “I heard you’re from California.”

“Sunnydale,” she agreed with a nod, setting pace with him.

“So, how are you faring in the land of two-foot blizzards?” Giles inquired.

“The snow is nice,” Elizabeth’s brow furrowed, “...at first,” she admitted with a grimace.

Giles laughed at that, trudging through the slush at the edge of the street alongside her. “Yes, it is a bit...extreme,” he agreed. “I always feel sorry for Joyce and William. They’re trapped here while I enjoy the delightfully mild English winters.”

“You mean the nonstop rain?” Joyce countered. “Give me cold, clear skies any day.”

“Americans,” Giles rolled his eyes heavenward. “Right, Will?”

Spike merely shrugged, uncharacteristically silent as he watched Elizabeth and his father interact.

“Not for me,” Elizabeth retorted. “I live in a land where clouds and snow are a myth.”

“Californians,” Spike imitated his father’s scoff perfectly.

Elizabeth gave him a playful whap in response before linking her arm through his. “So where are we headed for dinner?” she asked. “’Cause I’m starved.”

She smiled up at Spike as he helped her into the back seat. She noticed Giles treat Joyce with the same gesture and finally solved the mystery of where Spike had picked up his seemingly-out-of-place gentlemanly habits.

The gentleman was gone the instant he slipped into the backseat beside her, however. Hidden from his parents’ eyes now, Spike let his hands slip up her inner thigh, stroking the sensitive flesh there through the fabric of her pants.

Elizabeth looked into those blue eyes of his, and they shared a conspiratorial little smile before her hand drifted over to his thigh as well, studiously avoiding the bulge in the jeans; there were some embarrassing accidents that Elizabeth didn’t feel like cleaning up with Spike’s parents less than five feet away. Elizabeth fluttered her eyelashes at him coyly and inched closer, letting their thighs brush as they cuddled up together.

Giles couldn’t help but smile to himself at the affection Elizabeth and his son so obviously shared for each other. “Did you two enjoy your classes this semester?” he inquired.

Spike shrugged. “Not bad,” he agreed.

“I heard you were both in Barb’s class,” Giles continued. “I take it she hasn’t lost her touch?”

“Professor Hall’s very cool,” Elizabeth agreed, slipping her free arm around Spike’s waist. Damn, this whole forced distance thing was difficult. She was used to being able to just jump those sexy bones of his whenever she wanted when it was just the Westing House crowd around.

“Are you going to take her class next semester?” Giles asked curiously.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Elizabeth admitted, biting her lower lip. “I mean, it’s not a requirement or anything...”

“C’mon, luv,” Spike urged. “It’ll be fun...” His thumb nicked a certain spot right between her thighs that reminded her just how much fun she and Spike had in class together.

“Sounds good,” she agreed, cheeks flushed.

“I was glad to see that you’re sticking through Visual Arts 102,” Joyce commented, pulling up in front of the only French restaurant in town - the one that was way too expensive for anyone but the college professors to go to.

“That was the only class I automatically pre-registered for,” Elizabeth agreed with a smile. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She accepted the hand Spike offered her out of the car and gave him a quirky, amused smile in response.

“What?” he demanded, fidgeting slightly.

“Cute kitty-cat,” she accused in a whisper, then headed after Giles and Joyce before he could retort.

He watched her hips sashay back and forth for a minute, a dreamy smile on his face, before he finally joined the rest of his family in the restaurant.

“You’re an artist, then?” Giles asked approvingly as they were immediately led to a quiet table in the corner.

Elizabeth let Spike take her coat and sat down. “Well, this is the first art class I’ve taken,” she admitted, “but I really like it.”

“You should have seen Elizabeth’s final project,” Joyce said excitedly. “She’s done this entire series of landscapes - like George Morrison but with a bit more of a personal feel to them that makes them seem realistic and surreal at the same time. They’re really quite exquisite.”

“I’ll have to stop by the gallery some time over the holiday,” Giles agreed with a smile. “Have you thought about taking further art classes?”

Elizabeth bit her lower lip. “I’m pretty sure my father wouldn’t be too happy if I did,” she admitted guiltily. “He kinda wants me to be an econ major.”

Giles waved one hand in the air dismissively. “If you’re meant to be an artist, then there’s no way your father can stop you,” he insisted.

“You haven’t met my dad,” Elizabeth countered with a grimace.

“’S not like he would even find out,” Spike shrugged. “It’d just be another li’l conspiracy.”

Giles raised a curious eyebrow at that.

“Technically,” Elizabeth confessed, “I’m staying with Willow and Tara over break.”

“Our William’s her secret boyfriend,” Joyce agreed with a conspiratorial giggle.

“Running around behind the old man’s back,” Giles raise his glass with a smile. “Good for you...”

* * *

“So,” Spike demanded the instant Elizabeth and Joyce had disappeared on one of those mysterious two-person bathroom breaks women always seemed to engage in, “what do you think?”

“Well...” Giles began with a frown, unable to resist teasing his son.

Spike winced inwardly.

“I like her.” Giles broke into a wide grin.

Spike blinked in confusion for a minute, trying to process that the worst of all scenarios hadn’t just occurred. “Huh?” he gaped eloquently.

“I find her clever, witty, engaging, and obviously quite genuinely fond of you,” Giles clarified. “In short, I like her quite a lot.”

A wide smile of relief lit up Spike’s face at that. “Thanks, dad.” He let out the breath he had been holding.

“I cannot imagine why you’re surprised,” Giles teased, turning back to his wine...

* * *

Willow and Tara exchanged a curious glance when a knock sounded on the door to Tara’s dorm suite.

“Elizabeth and Spike?” Willow guessed as Tara went to open the door.

Tara shrugged.

The sight on the other side was anything but what they were expecting, however. A teenage girl of no more than sixteen at the most seemed highly out of place in the college dorm - especially with the duffel bag she toted over one shoulder and the suitcase on the floor behind her.

Tara blinked in surprise.

Willow approached the door curiously, an inquiring frown on her face.

The girls apparently didn’t notice, and merely tossed her long, brown hair over one shoulder. “Hi, I’m Dawn Summers,” she said with a bright smile, “and I’m looking for my sister, Buffy...”

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