Second Chance

by Spikeskat

Chapter 1

Today was turning into just “one of those days.” They say that bad things come in threes, well, not for Buffy. Oh, no, not for her. She had bad things in sixes, and sevens, and-well, you get the idea. Things started out bad on this particular Monday morning, quickly deteriorated to "worse" by midmorning, and then hit "the all-time rock bottom" by lunchtime.

First, the power went out, causing Buffy to oversleep when the alarm failed to go off. The sound of a lawnmower's engine outside her bedroom window woke her out of a sound sleep. Any other time she would have been annoyed as hell; today she was just plain grateful.

Oversleeping made her late getting her daughter, Dawn, to daycare. Those people at the “Y” were a pain in the ass sometimes. Heaven forbid if a parent threw off their schedule. Like she had planned on the damn power going out! Dawn, for her part, was her typical six-year old self and had to be nudged every few minutes to get dressed and eat some breakfast. Finally, Dawn was dressed and Buffy left her sitting at the table eating Cheerios. She dashed into the bathroom to take a quick shower and throw on her work clothes. Dawn was just finishing her last bite of cereal when Buffy walked out of the bathroom and went to check on her. She quickly made her daughter’s lunch then they were out the door and on their way.

After her morning fiasco, she prayed that the rest of the day would settle into a normal, uneventful routine. But, such was not the case. Her boss was in a pissy mood, it being Monday, and all. Probably too much partying over the weekend. Mr. Snyder was an ass, but she needed this job to make ends meet before she headed back to college in the in a few weeks. She sighed and tried to placate him as best she could before he left the office to meet with clients. Once he was gone, she could relax.

She should have known better. Two workers called out sick. (Yeah, right. It was supposed to be 85 degrees today; they were going surfing. Dammit!) She spent the rest of the morning trying to shift around jobs and get replacements for the two slackers. By eleven o’clock, she had a migraine and the aspirin she had taken weren’t helping; the lack of food wasn’t either. Buffy was praying for noon, so she could get something to eat, knowing that was part of the reason she had a headache. No such luck.

Snyder came back just before she was about to close the office for lunch and had her rushing around doing stuff until almost two. At 2:30 p.m., Buffy finally got to leave to get something to eat. When she walked up to her car, she noticed that she had a flat tire. Tears of frustration, hunger - you name it - leaked from the corners of her eyes as she opened the trunk to throw the spare on. She needed this car repair bill like a hole in the head. Resigned, she drove off to find a tire place and hoped they would be able to patch it for her so she wouldn’t have to buy a new one.

It was times like this that Buffy really wished she could strangle Angel for leaving her. Not that she wanted him back, but she hadn’t planned on raising a child alone. At least, not willingly. She didn’t regret keeping Dawn, not for one second; nothing could be further from the truth. She just hadn’t wanted to be a single-mother. Buffy wanted her children to grow up in a loving home where both parents were there to shower their kids with love. She had believed Angel when he said that he wanted to “settle down” and “start a family”. Liar. She had no sooner told him that she was pregnant that he was packing his bags saying that he was moving back in with his ex, Darla. Laughingly, he had told her that he was only dating her to make Darla jealous. Evil prick! She hadn’t seen or heard from him since. She didn’t even both trying to get child support from him. The father’s name on Dawn’s birth certificate was blank. Angel was having no claim to her child; as if he wanted one anyway.

After the startling revelations from Angel, Buffy had regrouped. She’d worked two jobs while she could, socking away money for when the pregnancy would make it impossible for her to work. She used the extra income to buy baby items at the consignment shop. Her mother, Joyce, helped out as well. It was her first grandchild after all. Joyce had even contemplated moving from Los Angeles. In the end, Buffy made her stay there; her shop was there, and L.A. wasn’t too far of a drive from Sunnydale.

When Dawn was four, Buffy decided to go back to college to get her degree. With only a high school degree, she would never be able to support her daughter properly. She’d always wanted to be a nurse, especially after the special treatment she had received when Dawn was born. For the last two years, Buffy had taken night classes at the local community college in the hopes of getting her Associates Degree; that way she could transfer to the nursing program at Sunnydale University. Sunnydale U. happened to have the best nursing program in the state. And, if she did well there, she was practically guaranteed a job upon graduation.

Her hard work had paid off, and two months ago, she received her acceptance letter in the mail. In addition to the acceptance letter, she found out that she was being awarded a full scholarship for the duration of her schooling at Sunnydale U. She had been so happy that she had wanted to frame the letter. Joyce had been just as excited for her daughter.

Now, it was a month before classes were due to start. One month before she could quit this job and devote her time to her studies. One month until her dreams would start to come true. She just had to get through that one month.

It just seemed like lately, fate was trying to conspire against her. No sooner did she get the news that would change her life for the better, that things started going wrong. She vowed she could handle anything for the next two months, and God was certainly obliging. Personally, she thought he sat up there and said, “Hmmm… wonder what curve ball we can throw at Buffy today?”

Pulled from her depressing musing that was her life, Buffy listened to the mechanic who had fixed her flat. Blah blah, unable to plug, blah blah, nail too close to the edge, blah blah, needs a new tire. What else was new? She had expected no less. Fifty dollars and thirty minutes later, Buffy was the proud owner of a new tire and no lunch. She scrounged in her purse for some change to get a soda, praying that the caffeine would keep her going until dinnertime. She glanced at her watch; two hours to go.

Chapter 2

Buffy listened to Dawn discuss her day at the local YMCA as they ate dinner. She really enjoyed this part of the day, catching up on all the exciting things that had happened to her daughter. Hazel eyes lit mischievously, while her golden locks bobbed as Dawn spoke animatedly about the fun she had today. Buffy laughed at her antics. Her daughter was such a charmer.

Soon, it was time to get Dawn in the bath and ready for bed. Her child may be a charmer, but if she didn’t get her ten hours of rest, she turned into a little hellion. After her bath, Buffy tucked Dawn in and read her a quick bedtime story. She was half asleep by the time Buffy finished the story.

She quietly exited the room, making sure the night-light was on as she shut the door. She made quick work of cleaning the dinner dishes, then settled down in front of the television. She picked up the mail that she had discarded earlier and flipped through it. Mostly bills, nothing new there. One letter she didn’t recognize. She scrutinized the smudged postmark for an indication of where it was from but couldn’t make it out. Finally, she turned it over so that she could open it.

Dear Ms. Summers,

Congratulations! Your entry was randomly chosen for the grand prize of one weeks stay at the Churchtown Cottages in Crackington Haven, North Cornwall. The grand prize includes housing accommodations, airfare, as well as $500.00 spending cash.

To confirm acceptance, please contact the toll-free number below with the confirmation number at the bottom of this letter.

As stated on the entry form, reservation dates are from August 14, 2004, through August 21, 2004.

Again, we want to congratulate you on winning and we look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Anya Jenkins
Vice President, Marketing & Promotions

Re: Confirmation Number: 4937280Z8939792I8289
1-800-Getaway (438-2929)

Buffy re-read the letter in a bit of a daze. She vaguely remembered filling out an entry form while grocery shopping several months ago, but thought it was a lark. Besides, it wasn’t like she ever won anything. Still, it couldn’t hurt to call them in the morning, just to see if it was a hoax. She glanced at the number again. ‘1-800-getaway. Yeah, that’s what I need, a nice getaway.’

~*~*~*~*~

William Thornton, the English-born actor known in Hollywood simply as "Spike", looked out over the night skies of Beverly Hills from the bay windows of the Ambassador Suite in The Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel. He had a press junket scheduled for the next few days for his new movie Staying Power; it was already generating Oscar buzz. He hated these damn things, but such was the sacrifices he had to pay for being an A-list actor. ‘Damn vultures. Bloody fickle, the lot of ‘em.’ He had long since resigned himself to performing at what amounted to little more than a three-ring circus, but a little bit of the rebel buried deep within had him contemplating skipping the whole damn thing.

‘Just two days. Two days until I’m off for some much needed down time before I begin my next project,’ he repeated the silent mantra in his head. ‘I can put up with anything for the next two days.’ Thinking about the cottage he had reserved for the entire month of August under his mother’s maiden name in Crackington Haven brought a rare smile to his lips. Peace and quiet for the next month. No agents, no press, no pretentious people that are crawling around Hollywood trying to latch on and not let go. He was finally going to enjoy his much deserved break: take in the sites, sleep, maybe even work on his music (although, that had gone by the wayside a few years ago after being “discovered” for his supporting role in an independent film called Beginnings.) Yep, two more days; he could hardly wait.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy sat at her desk the next morning, the grand prize notification laid mockingly before her. Her hand hovered above the phone, uncertainty marking her facial features. Decision finally made, she determinedly snagged the phone out of the cradle and dialed the number.

“Good morning! Getaway International. How may I help you?” a pleasant voice asked.

“Yes, my name is Buffy. And, I received a notification in the mail that says that I won the grand prize.”

“Yes, ma’am. Do you have the confirmation number? It should be located at the bottom of your letter.”

“Yes! Yes, it is.” Buffy read off the confirmation number for the woman.

“Hmmm. Yes. That’s the right number, but I have Elizabeth listed as our grand prize winner.”

“Oh. That’s me. Elizabeth Anne Summers. Buffy’s my nickname. Sorry.”

“Well, then. It appears everything is in order. I’ll connect you with Ms. Jenkins so that she can go over the details. One moment, please.”

Buffy heard the elevator music kick in as she was placed on hold. A tiny - still somewhat doubtful – smidgen of hope began to claw its way through her. A week alone in England, right before her classes were due to start. What more could a girl ask?

After a few moments, the hold music ended as another woman picked up the phone.

“Ms. Summers?”

“Yes. I’m Elizabeth Summers.”

“Wonderful. Congratulations!” the voice said and proceeded to launch into all the perks of being the grand prize winner. Buffy just sat back in her chair, a dazed look on her face. ‘Stuff like this never happens to me. I have to be dreaming. But, please Lord, don’t wake me up yet!’

Her mind-wandering came to an abrupt halt at the conspicuous silence on the other end of the line.

“Er, I’m sorry. What was that again?” Buffy asked.

“I just wanted to make sure that you had a current passport. It’s probably too short of notice to attempt to apply for one now. I believe that was one of the stipulations when filling out the entry form.”

“Yes, ma’am. I have one. Current and everything!” she rushed out. Excitement was slowly building inside her that maybe she wasn’t dreaming. She may actually be going to England for a week, all expenses paid.

“Well, it appears that everything is in order. I’ll get the ticket booked for you and forwarded, along with your cottage reservation information, to your residence. You should be expecting it within the next few days. Do you have any questions?”

“No, ma’am. Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll keep my eye out for that information.”

“No problem dear. Enjoy your stay in England.” And with that, she rang off. Buffy reverently laid the phone back in the cradle and leaned back in her chair. A small trail of tears slipped silently from the corners of her closed eyes. She swiped at them, and opened her eyes to look at the ceiling. ‘Sorry about the crack yesterday. And, thank you for this,’ she whispered silently to God. Two weeks could not go by fast enough.

Chapter 3

“Buffy, that’s wonderful!” Joyce exclaimed into the phone. “And, I’d love to watch Dawn for you. We can do the whole girl-y thing while you’re gone. I’m assuming your flight is going to leave from L.A.? You can just drop Dawn off on the way to the airport.”

“Thanks, mom. I haven’t got the ticket yet. Ms. Jenkins was making the reservations and then forwarding all the information to me this week. I assume it’s going to be out of L.A. since it’s a bigger airport than Sunnydale. But, I’ll let you know.” Buffy spent the next thirty minutes, or so, telling Joyce about the contest, and what little she knew about the accommodations. She finally told her mother that she had to go, so that she could get ready for work tomorrow. Her boss wasn’t going to happy that she was leaving her job a week earlier than scheduled, but, oh well! She was taking that trip, and that was the end of that!

The next two weeks flew by for Buffy. In addition to preparing for her trip, she also needed to make sure that she had everything she would need for her classes, since they started the Monday after she got back. She received her plane ticket in the mail along with all the necessary information about her lodging accommodations and some general information about Crackington Haven. Her flight was departing from Los Angeles, so that was convenient. Her boss, as she had suspected, blew a gasket. She didn’t care. She had given him a formal two week notice. (Well, thirteen-day notice, but who’s counting?)

In the end, her boss surprised the hell out of her. Not only did he let her leave early on Friday so she could catch her 3:00 p.m. flight, he paid her for the rest of the day, as well as paying her a week’s vacation pay. At 11:00 a.m. Friday, she left her job for the last time, picked up Dawn from the “Y”, and headed to L.A.

They had decided to meet at Joyce’s gallery and then just take Buffy’s car to drop her off at the airport. Joyce had caught a ride to work that morning to avoid having to leave her car at the gallery; this way, she could just drive Buffy’s car home.

“Bye, mom. I love you. I’ll call when I get there, probably sometime around 5:00 p.m. tomorrow night,” Buffy said, enveloping her in a big hug. “Thanks so much for this.”

“I love you too. Go, enjoy yourself. We’ll be fine here,” Joyce said. Then, she turned to Dawn saying, “Won’t we, Dawnie?”

Her daughter smiled endearingly, one of her front teeth missing. “Yep! Have fun, mommy!”

With a tearful last goodbye, Buffy blew kisses at both her mom and daughter and grabbing her large suitcase, carry-on, and purse; cautiously made her way to the curb-side check in.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: The Churchtown Cottages in Crackington Haven actually exist. I’ve never been there, myself, so I am taking creative liberties with scenery, makeup, etc.


William sat before the fireplace in the larger of the two cottages that made up Churchtown Cottages late Saturday afternoon. The Smythes, an elderly couple that visited every year, had departed from their cottage about an hour ago. He had spent a couple of evenings this past week in their company: dinner, a couple hours of poker - all in fun. He also found out that they were both retired and spent their time traveling. They came here each year for the quiet, unhurried atmosphere of Crackington Haven. He may have to do the same.

For the last two weeks, he had walked around unheeded by the locals of this quiet town. He hadn’t had this much anonymity since before his Beginning days. He was just Will to the barkeep of The Old Albion, the local pub where he had his evening meals. He wasn’t questioned as a tourist due to his accent, which had become more pronounced the longer he had been there. As an actor, he often had to suppress his natural speaking voice to take on the role of a given character. Slipping into his natural voice was like putting on a pair of faded blue jeans, worn in and comfortable. It felt good to be on native soil away from all the bright lights and endless traffic of Hollywood. Here, he could just relax, take in the sites, and forget about the people clamoring for his attention.

It was almost five in the evening when Will finished his drink and closed the book he was currently reading so he could make his way to the pub for dinner. Some fish and chips sounded good right about now, and his grumbling stomach agreed. He let himself out of the cottage and began his short walk to the local pub. He glanced at the empty cottage, wondering briefly who his next temporary neighbors were going to be.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy sighed in relief when she caught site of the two cottages shortly after 5:00 p.m. Her body was fighting the effects of jet lag; all she wanted to do was get inside, unpack enough to find some night clothes, wash her face and drop in bed-preferably in that order. Right after a call to her mom to let her know she had arrived safely. Plus, she wanted to talk with Dawnie. It felt strange being so far away from her.

According to the information she had pulled out, she was in the smaller of the two cottages. The key was to be left in a little holder beside the front door. She peered down, and sure enough, there it was. The cabbie was nice enough to see her bags inside the door for her. She tipped him, thanking him profusely for the assistance, and offered him a polite/grateful/overly-tired wave as he walked back to his vehicle. She shut the door and locked it. Turning around, she got the first glimpse of where she would be spending the next week. ‘It’s perfect,’ she thought.

She set her purse down on a side table and reached inside to grab her cell phone. She placed a quick call to her mom, telling her that she had arrived, but that she was exhausted from the long flight. She spoke to Dawn for a moment, told them both that she loved them, then hung up.

In a sleep-induced daze, she lugged her suitcase upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Unpacking her toiletries and a silk nightgown, she made quick work of washing up and brushing her teeth. She cut the light out, pulled down the bedspread on the bed and practically fell into bed. She was asleep almost before her head touched the pillow.

She never heard her “neighbor” make his way home along the path that led from the town to their cottages. She never saw him look up enquiringly at her bedroom window, trying to figure out who his next weekly neighbors were going to be.

Turning away from the smaller cottage, Will made his way back to his own. Dinner at the pub was nice. Jake, the barkeep, and him were on a first name basis, although he only knew that Will was in the entertainment business. They had spent the last couple of hours discussing the chances of Plymouth since they were now in Division I this year. After a lively two-hour debate and a couple of pints later, Will finally called it a night and slowly made his way back to the cottage.

He wasn’t tired, so he did something that he hadn’t done since he had been there: he pulled out his guitar and attempted to write a few songs. A few hours later, he wasn’t happy with anything he had written. Giving up for now, Will decided to turn in and get some sleep.

Chapter 4

Buffy woke feeling somewhat refreshed from her travel across the pond. She had no idea what time it was; however, only that it was still dark outside. She flicked on the light resting on the nightstand and looked around the room, trying to locate a clock. Spying a wall clock on the far wall, she peered at the time. She blinked a few times to bring her eyes in to focus; the hands on the clock blurred for a moment, then came in to focus. Two o’clock. Good Lord, it was only two in the morning? She was wide awake, so she resigned herself to not getting anymore sleep and got up to unpack and wander around the cottage for the next few hours.

She climbed out of bed, slipped on her matching robe, and began unpacking her huge suitcase of clothes and toiletries. She took her time, because she had several hours to kill before the village decided to wake up. Once finished, she wandered around the cottage cutting on lights as she went, looking at the place she would be spending the next week relaxing. The décor was simple yet tasteful. From the front entryway, you stepped down into a huge, open room. This main living area had a fireplace, vaulted ceilings and huge double doors made out of glass that would provide a stunning view of the field and distant sea. Two chairs sat catty corner to one another and faced the fireplace. A small table was set up between them. An inviting couch was tucked against the far wall, a hand-made throw draped over the back of it.

She wandered into the large eat-in kitchen and noticed the modern appliances: refrigerator, electric stove, microwave, and all the other small appliances that made cooking a little easier. A table and chairs were located in a nook just off the kitchen. The place was spotless; whoever had been here before her kept a clean kitchen. ‘Either that, or they ate out every night,’ she thought.

Buffy opened the refrigerator to take stock of what was available. It was empty except for a few condiments tucked into the door. Opening a cupboard over the stove, she saw various spices. She ran back upstairs to grab her notepad so that she could make a grocery list of the food she would need to buy. She grabbed both the notepad and the book she had been reading off and on during the long flight. Buffy dropped the book in one of the chairs and went back into the kitchen to make her list. When she had finished, she walked back into the living area to curl up on one of the chairs and read for a few hours until the sun came up.

~*~*~*~*~

When the first rays of sunlight hit her book, she stopped reading. Pulling the bookmark off the table, she marked her place and set the book aside. Uncurling her legs from underneath her, she stood and stretched. The packet of information that Ms. Jenkins had mailed her stated that there was a nice path leading to the beach. With that in mind, she went upstairs to put on some sweats and her running shoes for a morning run along the beach. She dressed quickly then pulled her long golden locks into a ponytail. She grabbed the key where she had left it on the front entry table the night before and let herself out of the cottage.

The sun was still low in the sky, so it couldn’t be much more than six o’clock in the morning. Buffy made her way over to the picnic table that rested on top of a cobblestone area. She stretched out her long, lean leg muscles in preparation for her run. Finished, she walked around the cottage to the open field and the waiting beaches beyond. She hit her stride about a hundred meters from the cottage and was soon in a ground-eating run towards the beach.

~*~*~*~*~

William never seemed to sleep more than six hours at a time, so it was no surprise to him when he woke to the sunlight streaming in through his bedroom window. Climbing out of bed, he donned some low-riding sweats over his naked frame and made his way downstairs. Crossing through the main living area, he pulled back the curtains covering the double doors to allow the sunlight to brighten the room.

A woman walked across his line of vision. Petite; long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail; gray, faded sweats adorned her body. Before he had time to recover from the fact that this was his new neighbor for the week, she bolted across the open field and was soon gone from sight. The erection tenting his sweats didn’t surprise him; although, it had been a long fucking time since he had been so instantly turned on. After Hollywood had “discovered” him, women were constantly throwing themselves at him. But, they wanted the actor, the characters he brought to life on the big screen. They didn’t want the man; the quiet, introspective soul that yearned for a true mate.

With a sigh, he turned away from the window and padded barefoot into the kitchen to make some tea, consciously attempting to will away his raging hard-on.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy ran for a good two miles once she reached the beach before turning around and starting back. The scenery was beautiful, what little she scanned as she flew down the beach. She would have to come back later today for a leisurely stroll and get a better appreciation of the beauty that was Crackington Haven. Once she reached the field separating the beach from her cottage, she slowed her pace to a walk to begin her cool down. Head tilted back, she inhaled the salty-crisp air and held her breath. Slowly, she counted to ten before releasing her breath once more. She repeated the process for a few minutes, allowing her heart rate to return to normal.

Once again Buffy walked over to the picnic table to stretch out. She didn’t encounter anyone, and wondered if the other cottage was even occupied. “Just because you get up before the sun, doesn’t mean everyone else does,” she softly berated herself. When she was assured that her muscles wouldn’t cramp up on her, she reached into the sewn-in pocket of her sweatpants and retrieved the key to her cottage.

She climbed the stairs to take a quick shower. She had some shopping to do; then it was exploring time. After her shower, she grabbed some matching underwear and slipped it on. Next came a pair of worn, faded blue jeans that covered her legs like a second skin. She slipped a white halter-top over her bra and grabbed an emerald green button-down blouse to slide over the halter. This, she left unbuttoned. Finally, she grabbed a pair of socks and her trainers and slipped them on her feet. She was ready.

Back downstairs, she got some money out of her purse along with a money conversion cheat sheet that Ms. Jenkins had so thoughtfully provided. Buffy stuffed both into the front pocket of her backpack, along with some identification. The backpack was empty so that it could hold her groceries she hoped to pick up in the village. She grabbed her list, the key, and was out the door. Slowly, she made her way down the trail to the village, gawking like a tourist at the sights along the way.

Five minutes later, Buffy was standing in the center of the village. It was practically deserted. ‘Duh, Buffy. It’s Sunday. And, it’s…’ she paused to look at her watch before continuing her silent tirade, ‘12:30 a.m.?’

“I guess I forgot to change my watch,” she said out loud.

“What’s that, ma’am?” an older man asked her. Buffy looked up, a blush creeping up her cheeks at being caught talking to herself.

“I’m sorry. I was talking to myself. I forgot to change my watch to local time when I got in yesterday evening.” He smiled politely at her as she made her way over to stand in front of him.

“My name’s Jake Westland. I’m the barkeep and owner of The Old Albion,” he said as he gestured to the sign above the door.

“Buffy. Buffy Summers. I’m staying the week at one of the cottage up the road. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Westland,” she said as she extended her hand to shake his.

“Jake. Call me Jake, ma’am. Everyone does,” he replied as he took her hand.

“Buffy, please. Ma’am makes me feel old,” Buffy said with a rueful smile on her face.

“Buffy it is. So, Buffy, what brings you in to town?”

“Well, I was trying to stock up on groceries. I just got in and the cupboards, as they say, are bare.”

“You won’t find much here. Your best bet is to go in to Newquay. They have a Safeway grocery store there. It’s about three miles away, headed that way.” He pointed in the direction of Newquay.

Buffy wasn’t looking forward to a three-mile hike just to get groceries, but it didn’t look like she had any choice. “Thanks.” With a wave to Jake, she headed off towards Newquay and Safeway. She didn’t get two steps before Jake’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

“You’re not going to walk, are you?” he asked, shocked at the idea.

“Yep. I had a taxi drop me off last night. The packet I got said that I could rent a bicycle once here and I wasn’t planning on going on any road trips so I didn’t need a rental car-"

“Come with me, Buffy,” he said as he opened the door to his pub. “I’ve got a bike you can borrow. It even has a basket you can use to hold your groceries.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly,” she began, only to be cut off.

“Sure you can. I insist.” And with that, he walked off to the back room to get his bicycle. Buffy just smiled and waited for him to return. He really was a nice man.

He came out from the back room and wheeled his bicycle over to her. She didn’t see a lock with the bike.

“Do you have a lock?”

“Don’t need one. No one will mess with it. Just drop it back when you’re done. Maybe you can stop by for lunch. We make a mean fish and chips. And, you have to try a pint of our beer.”

“It’s a deal!” she said from the open doorway. “I’ll bring your bike back to you as soon as I finish shopping.” She waved bye, and pulled the door closed. Straddling the bike, she popped up on to the seat and pedaled off to the Safeway, oblivious to the lone figure making his way down the path. It took her a moment to get her bearings on the dirt road. It had been a while since she had been on a bicycle. She almost embarrassed herself before she got control of the bike and peddled off.

William looked at the woman who almost ended up sprawled on the ground before she got her balance and rode off. Shaking his head and chuckling, he let himself into the pub. The pub wasn’t open for business just yet, but he occasionally stopped by to chat with Jake.

“William. Good to see you! I just ran in to your new neighbor. Cute thing. Was talking to herself when I walked up. Did you know she was going to walk all the way to Newquay just to get some groceries? I had to loan her my bike. Just didn’t seem right,” Jake continued his one-sided conversation from behind the bar as William propped himself up on a barstool. William laughed, and Jake finally stopped talking to take a breath.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“You are. You’ve been talking non-stop for the last five minutes about a woman you just met.”

“She was nice. Didn’t stand on ceremony. Told me to call her Buffy. Not Ms. Summers. A real gem, that one is, even if she’s an American,” he pronounced with a nod. Will wasn’t really paying too much attention. He now had a name: Buffy Summers. It fit.

“…come back here for lunch.” William zoned in on that remark.

“What was that?” he asked.

“I said Buffy said she was going to come back to the pub for lunch to try some of my fish and chips. And a pint of our English beer.”

William decided right then that he’d be here for lunch as well.

Chapter 5

What would have taken Buffy thirty minutes walking, she accomplished in just under ten. Thanks to Jake and the loan of his bicycle. Newquay was just like any other city in the U.S. Hotels, stores, people - Newquay had it all. It was amazing that three miles away was a whole different world. Buffy pulled up to the Safeway and parked the bike in one of the bike racks. She pulled her backpack off her shoulders so she could reach her grocery list: fruits, fresh veggies, skinless chicken breasts, fish, eggs, salad makings, dressing, fresh bread, and ice cream (must have ice cream!). She didn’t need any condiments or seasonings; there was plenty at the cottage. A short while later, everything on her list accounted for, she was on her way back to the cottage.

Her stomach was starting to growl after getting a whiff of all the food in her basket. She hoped that Jake would have the place open when she got back; she was starving.

By the time she got back to the cottage, the sun was shining and the temperature was heating up. She put her groceries away, made sure she had enough money, and left to go get some fish and chips, and maybe a beer or two, at The Old Albion.

Pulling the door to the pub open and wheeling the bike inside, Buffy was grateful to see a few scattered patrons littering the tables. ‘Yay! He’s open.’ Her nose caught a whiff of the delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen and her stomach growled loudly in protest. Luckily, no one heard.

Jake caught site of her from his position behind the bar and motioned her forward. He was talking to a man who happened to be the only one sitting at the bar. Shockingly bleached-white hair curls gave way to brownish roots. A black t-shirt molded his back and biceps. A pair of faded jeans rode low on his lean hips; his feet were tucked into a pair of worn sneakers. ‘Nice ass,’ she thought to herself, then blushed at the thought. ‘Geez, Buff, ogle much?’ He wasn’t an overly large man, from what she could notice with his back turned to her. But, he exuded barely-leashed energy. He had well-defined arm muscles (he obviously worked out) but, they weren’t bulky like a weight lifter’s would be. His body was perfect. And, that sealed his fate in her book - there was something wrong with him. With a resigned sigh, Buffy made her way over to Jake to return his bicycle, dismissing Mr. Perfect from her mind.

~*~*~*~*~

William knew it was Buffy that had just entered the pub because a grin split Jake’s face before he began animatedly motioning her over. He didn’t know why he was suddenly so excited. She was just a woman, someone he hadn’t even met yet. They just happened to be neighbors for the next week. Besides, she was an American. Probably lived in front of the television; although, recalling how her jeans molded her tight ass as she sat down on the bike, not too much of her time was spent in front of the TV. She was probably going to recognize him as soon as he turned to face her. Just what he didn’t need. Pasting a false smile on his face, he waited for Buffy to reach the bar.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy walked behind the man that was sitting at the bar so that she could return Jake his bike. A genuine smile of gratitude came to her face as Jake walked around from behind the back of the bar to reclaim it.

“Thanks for the loan, Jake. I really appreciate it. Now I can take the afternoon and go exploring.” Her stomach chose that moment to embarrass her to death and let out another loud rumble. Mortified beyond belief, a becoming blush stained her cheeks. It seemed all she did was blush around the older man.

“Not a problem, Buffy. No trouble a’tol. Hungry?” he asked when he heard her stomach growl. He laughed teasingly and she blushed even more at his teasing.

“Er, yeah. I just realized I haven’t eaten since before the plane landed yesterday afternoon. I’m ready to try those fish and chips you were telling me about.” She moved to slide into one of the booths along the wall that was away from the bar.

“Don’t sit over there by yourself. Come up to the bar. I’ll introduce you to Will. Let me just put this thing in the back room.”

Her smile faltered slightly as he turned away to return the bike to the back room. She really didn’t want to meet this Will, once she had reached the conclusion that something just had to be wrong with him. ‘It’s just lunch. Maybe an hour of your time. Suck it up and make the best of it,’ her inner-voice said.

Buffy walked to the bar and took a seat, leaving an empty space between her and Will. Jake was back behind the bar before she had a chance to plant her butt on the seat. He began the introductions.

“Buffy Summers, this is Will Thornton.” As Jake began the introductions, Buffy swiveled on her chair to face Will. He did the same.

“Will, meet Buffy.” Buffy smiled politely and reached out to slip her hand in his for the requisite handshake. Her eyes widened slightly as little jolts of shock erupted where his hand covered hers; she prayed he didn’t notice the goose bumps running up her arms. Her hazel eyes briefly met his. Eyes that deep a blue should be outlawed! ‘Damn, he's gorgeous. Now I really know something has to be wrong with him.’ Murmuring a quick “hi”, she released his hand, refusing to look down at her hand to see if it was singed from the contact. He responded with an answering greeting. Then Jake dropped his bombshell. “Buffy, Will’s your neighbor up at the cottages.” Her smile slipped slightly then she quickly recovered. “Uh, that’s nice.” Shit. Where was that pint of beer?

Buffy turned away from Will and looked at the expectant look on Jake’s face. What? Was I supposed to drop at the man’s feet and worship him because he was such yummy goodness? Wrong! Been there, done that. Have the battle scars to prove it.

Looking at Jake’s crestfallen face, she resolved to be nice. She asked for a beer and let Jake choose. If she was going to be nice, she was going to need some serious fortification. Buffy took a long swallow of the pint placed before her before pasting a smile on her face and once more turning to the man sitting beside her. It probably wasn’t a good idea to be drinking on an empty stomach, but she needed a moment to compose herself before having to deal with her new neighbor. God! A whole week of having him around. She vowed right then that she was only going to be at the cottage to sleep. Every other waking moment would be spent exploring this beautiful countryside.

~*~*~*~*~

William couldn’t believe it. Not only didn’t she recognize him, but her "stay-the-hell-away-from-me" signal was coming in loud and clear. He had barely said two words to her. Actually, he had said one: hi. He was intrigued. He watched as Jake set the pint of beer she asked for in front of her. She seemed to reach some internal decision before she reached for the pint and took a long swallow. He could practically see the tears forming as she recoiled from the strong brew. The girl had spunk. He had to give her that. Then, she turned to him and gave him this huge smile. And he forgot to breath. She was breathtaking.

Chapter 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~*~*~*~*~

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

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

“’Been here two weeks now.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 7

Buffy felt the light touch of William’s hand on the small of her back as he guided her through the pub towards the exit. She had flinched slightly as his fingers made contact, but made no move to speed up and dislodge his hand. Once outside, sensing her unease, he removed his hand, stuffing both in his pocket while he walked silently beside her. They made their way slowly up the path and past their cottages to pick up the trail leading to the beaches beyond.

‘Buffy, are you crazy! What are you thinking?’ she argued with herself. ‘You did not just agree to go walking on the beach with this practical stranger, even if Jake gave his approval. For all you know, Jake is in league with this guy!’

‘I hardly think Jake is out to lure unsuspecting females to their death on a sandy beach,’ she argued back. ‘He’s runs a respectable pub for cripes sake!’

‘Oh, fine! As if that would make all the difference,’ her inner voice rebuked.

‘He’s a nice man. Leave him out of this.’

‘Pfffft!’

‘I’m not listening to you go away!’

‘Someone needs to talk some sense in to you,’ it reasoned.

‘I’ve been listening to your sense for the last seven years. So, gimme a break! It’s not like I’m going to jump the man’s bones. It’s just a walk. On the beach.’

‘Sure… Just keep telling yourself that. Don’t tell me you don’t want him. Don’t want to turn around and head back to the cottage and spend the rest of the afternoon touching that scrumptious bod-‘

‘Shut up! Just… shut up!’ She felt heat rising to her face once more. Damn. Even her inner-voice had her blushing now. ‘I do not. Now go away.’

‘Liar!’

Damn inner voice. Always had to have to last word. Uh oh. When did I stop walking? This is not good. She looked up at William to gauge his reaction. He stood there, hands in his pocket, head cocked to the side as he gazed at her. Damned if her fading blush didn’t re-bloom. There was no way she was going to be able to come up with a plausible explanation for this one.

~*~*~*~*~

William stopped walking when he felt Buffy no longer keeping pace beside him. He glanced back to see what the problem was, thinking maybe her shoe had come untied or she stopped to look at something he hadn’t noticed. He was completely unprepared to see her stopped with her hands on her hips. She had a frown on her face, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was having an argument with herself. Then he saw her blush. ‘Wonder what that was for?’

Her blush started to fade and it appeared like her confrontation with herself was over. He knew the second she realized that she had an audience. Her eyes came into focus and she gazed up at him. Her blush came back in full force at having been discovered talking to herself. ‘God she was adorable when she blushed.’ He just stood there regarding her, waiting for her to explain. Or not, he amended, as she started walking once more. He fell back in step with her as she caught up with him.

~*~*~*~*~

‘I can’t believe he caught me talking to myself! There’ll be no chance in hell of me getting my hands anywhere near his delectable body. He probably thinks I’m certifiable by now,’ she thought to herself. Best to play it off and act like nothing happened. She started walking again and soon caught up to him. He said nothing as he turned and started walking as she pulled up next to him.

‘Are you happy now?’ she yelled at her inner voice. No mocking retort was forthcoming from the recess of her mind.

~*~*~*~*~

They reached the beach a few minutes later. Buffy watched as he slipped his sneakers and socks off setting them beside a boulder near the path. Then he rolled up his pant legs past his ankles. Buffy stood by and silently watched him. He looked up from his task and noticed her standing there watching him. He quirked an eyebrow at her, daring her.

‘Fine! If he wants to romp in the waves, I can too.’ She bent down to undo the laces on her shoes and slid them off along with her socks, placing them beside his; she rolled up her pants legs a few times as well. Playfully, he grabbed her hand and took off running towards the water’s edge. Smiling, Buffy let herself be pulled after him. He let go over her hand when they stood ankle deep in the water and started walking the length of the beach. She felt oddly bereft at the loss of contact.

They wandered awhile in companionable silence. Occasionally, Buffy would reach in to the receding waves to grab a shell. Some she pocketed, others she threw back into the ocean. He just watched her, stopping when she did as she bent to pick up a shell before putting it in her now bulging pockets or toss it aside to look for a better one. He finally broke the silence.

“What are you going to do with all those shells you’ve got?”

“Who knows? Isn’t that what people do when they walk along the beach? Collect seashells? Far be it for me to scoff at a tourist tradition,” she said. “You do have tourist traditions here in England, right?”

“Like what?” he asked curious.

“Oh, you know, the crazy flowered shirts, gazillion rolls of film to take pictures. Speaking of,” she gave him a bright smile, “I left mine in the cottage. Do you think we have time to go back and get it so I can get some shots of the sunset?” William inwardly cringed at the thought of him being anywhere near a camera, but resigned himself to playing along with her tourist notions.

“Sure. We haven’t walked that far, and we’ve got a while yet. Let’s head back and get our shoes.” Grinning, she turned around back the way they had come.

“Race ya,” she called over her shoulder and took off. William watched her for a moment before taking off after her. They were about 100 yards from their stuff when William caught up and then flew by her. Determined, she threw on a burst of speed in an attempt to pass him. He beat her by about a foot. He turned around and gave her a snarky grin.

“So, what do I win?”

“Win? Who says you win anything,” she said, pouting. Damn, she hated to lose.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be a sore loser,” he teased. She harrumphed, as she sat on a boulder to swipe the sand off her feet and put her socks and shoes back on. William joined her and did the same. Soon, they were walking back towards their cottages so Buffy could get her camera.

“I’ve got salmon and stuff for a salad,” she offered out of the blue as they rounded the corner to their cottages to Buffy’s front door. William paused in his steps, before recovering and following her to her front door.

“Ok, but I’ll bring the wine.”

Buffy looked over her shoulder at him as she reached her front door. “Deal.” Turning back to her door, she slipped the key in and undid the lock.

“Come on in, I’ll just be a second,” she said shyly. “You want something to drink?” William shook his head no.

“Go get your camera. You don’t want to miss your sunset. We’ll get something when we get back.”

“Ok.” Buffy ran up the stairs to grab her camera and a few rolls of film. Slinging the strap around her neck, she quickly descended the stairs. William was in the same spot she had left him in.

William eyed the camera she had slung protectively around her shoulders warily. This was no ordinary camera. This was a camera straight out of his nightmares, and he had to wonder how he could have been fooled by this slip of a girl. ‘Way to go, Spike,’ he thought sardonically.

Buffy reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up at William. Something must have happened, because gone was the carefree man she had left in the foyer a few minutes ago.

“Is everything ok?” she asked.

He seemed startled by the question, not realizing the grim look that had settled over his features as he gazed at her camera. “What…uh, yeah fine. Ready to go?” he asked, pasting a bright smile on his face.

“Yep,” she replied, an answering one on hers. She let him precede her out the door, so she could pull it shut and lock it once more.

“Nice camera you got there,” he commented a little cryptically.

She looked at him for a moment. Something didn’t seem right about the way that statement had come out of his mouth. She shrugged it off, however. She glanced at the Nikon F100 camera then gently ran her fingers over it. A look of love washed over her face.

“My mom. She bought it for me after I graduated high school several years ago,” she said, never taking her eyes from her camera. She released a soft sigh, unsure if she should continue. She decided she could tell him a little, just leave out the whys.

She spoke self-mockingly, “I was going to go to college then become a famous photographer. Then, I’d have my pictures hung in my mom’s gallery and people would come to gaze at the goodness that was Buffy. And, buy some too. They’d definitely have to buy some. After all, I was famous.”

Her voice had started off slow and hesitant, an almost wistful quality to it. By the end, the cheekiness was back, and William had to laugh.

“So, what happened, O’ Famous Buffy?”

“Life,” she said softly. She didn’t say any more, and the tone of her voice told him not to ask.

Relieved that she wasn’t some paparazzo that had managed to catch him with his guard down, he relaxed and once more began to enjoy her company. Now, he just had to get her to lighten up again.

“Come on, O’ Famous One. The sun’s setting and if we don’t hurry you’ll miss it. Then what pictures would I buy?”

“Right! Let’s go.” And with that, the bad mood was lifted leaving both lighthearted and happy.

Chapter 8

Buffy checked the setting on the camera and then waited for the sun to dip a little lower. She took a few shots of the surrounding cliffs, in all their majestic glory. Tomorrow, she’d have to take some pictures from the tops of the cliffs. She was sure that the view from there would be spectacular. Buffy watched through her viewfinder as William wandered down towards where the waves were lapping at the beach, careful not to get too close and get his shoes all wet. He walked for a bit with his head down, hands in his pockets, apparently lost in thought. ‘He seems so sad,’ she thought to herself. After a few minutes he appeared to shake off whatever he was feeling and reached down to pick up some stones, randomly chucked them out into the surf. She couldn’t resist the appealing sight he made and decided to snap a few shots of him. He was far enough away that you couldn’t make out his features, just the picture he made as he cocked his arm back before letting the stone go to sail in the air before falling in to the water. The sun was starting to dip low over the horizon, so she rushed down close to the waterfront to get eye-level with the surf just as the sun appeared to sink behind it.

She plopped down on her butt sitting Indian-style so she could balance the arm holding the camera on her knee. Looking back through her viewfinder once more, she took a few more pictures as the sun appeared to be swallowed whole by the ocean, casting an orange glow along the water. After a few more shots, she looped the camera back around her neck and glanced around for William. He threw another rock into the water before turning and heading back towards where she sat.

“All done?” he asked as he walked up.

“Yep. All finished,” she replied, smiling. “Let’s head back; I’ve got some salmon to cook.” William reached down to her and offered her a hand up. She took the proffered hand without hesitation - as if he were just one of her girlfriends giving her a hand up. She wasn’t prepared for the jolt of awareness that snaked up her arm at the innocent contact, causing her mouth to open slightly as she attempted to catch her breath. She prayed that he didn’t notice her reaction to him, quickly closing her mouth and pasting on an overly bright smile as she looked up at him. And was caught in the intensity of his gaze.

~*~

William wandered around the shoreline while Buffy took her “tourist-y pictures.” He found himself feeling jealous of the fact that she could do stuff like that and not have to worry about being “spotted.” True, they were in this remote area of North Cornwall where people didn’t even know him here. But, she could go anywhere, do anything, and not have to worry about being hounded by fans, paparazzi, or the occasional stalker. She could take a vacation and actually enjoy it, bask in her “touristy-ness.”

He picked up a rock and threw it into the crashing waves of the ocean as he contemplated how much his life had changed over the last few years. On the one hand, he enjoyed the recent fame his acting had generated. He eagerly took the obscene amounts of money the studios threw his way, knowing that when his stint was over in the limelight, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life on what he had made in a few short years - especially since he wasn’t out flaunting all his newfound wealth. He’d dated a few fellow actresses. But, that was mainly business and further self-promotion. His heart hadn’t been involved. He’d played the Hollywood game for these last few years, but he was getting tired.

He just wasn’t cut out to be center-stage, gawked at and preened over by the masses. He wanted to do his job and go home. He hadn’t asked for all this. He had been content to work on indie or independent films, they seemed to be centered more on the craft than how much money the studio would make. There, he didn’t have to compromise his work ethics. After two back-to-back blockbusters, he had actually gotten excited when he was handed the script for Staying Power. Finally, something that would actually test his skills as an actor, and provide a little substance. These were the kinds of movies that he wanted to make.

He also wanted to be in a real relationship, but doubted the possibility. Someone who wanted him for him, not because he was considered a “celebrity.” Unfortunately, he played his roles so well, that women thought he was the character. But, he was just a man. He had feelings like everyone else. His recent fame was to blame. The silver screen had turned him into the latest “heartthrob” and he couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized.

It’s the reason he had come here - a place where no one knew his name, recognized his face. A small little village in the middle of nowhere, where he could just be himself - to rest, relax, and regroup. He must remember to thank his mum for recommending this place. The last time he had talked to her was after a particularly trying day on the set, followed by a dinner engagement that had turned into a debacle. It was that moment that he had sworn off of dating fellow actors.

Maybe that’s why he was so drawn to Buffy. To her, he was just a man. A nobody she happened to meet because they were staying in adjacent cottages. And even that wouldn’t have been a guarantee if Jake hadn’t coerced her into meeting him. She could have easily spent this entire week without knowing of his existence.

‘Right,’ his inner-voice scoffed. ‘Not once you saw her streak across the field. Because you didn’t have to stick around the pub talking to Jake waiting for her to come back with Jake’s bike, now did you?’

‘Oh, sod off,’ he grumbled back as he reached down to pick up another rock and hurl it out towards the ocean. His conscience continued to nag at him while he threw more rocks into the water.

‘Look, she’s just a girl. My new neighbor for the week. She’ll leave, and I’ll never see her again. In another week, I’ll go back to Los Angeles and begin preparations for my new movie,’ he argued with himself. He glanced up and noticed that the sun had continued to set while he argued with himself. Giving the last rock in his hand a final throw, he turned and walked back towards Buffy.

~*~*~*~*~

William innocently reached down to offer Buffy a hand up from her seated position on the sand. He felt a shock of awareness run through him as his hand enveloped her smaller one and pulled her to her feet. He was all set to ignore the sensation and release her hand, but then she looked up at him. Confusion and arousal gleamed from her eyes as she gazed up at him. He stared at her intently; his hand holding hers forgotten. William was set to throw caution to the wind when his inner voice pulled him out of his trance.

‘Just a girl, huh?’ it muttered sarcastically. Shocked, he pulled back from her, releasing her hand from his grasp.

“How ‘bout that salmon, pet?”

“Salmon…salmon…oh, right! Salmon. Yes. Let’s go,” Buffy stuttered, nodding vigorously as she slowly came out of her daze. Turning, she walked towards the open field that led to her cottage.

~*~*~*~*~

Neither spoke as they walked across the field towards their cottages. They parted ways at their respective doors with William mumbling something about grabbing a bottle of wine from his place and that he would be over shortly. Buffy said that she would start getting the salmon prepared. Both front doors opened, then closed, after each party walked inside.

The door clicked closed behind Buffy and she sagged back against it. ‘What the hell am I doing?’ she muttered to herself. Then, she quickly pushed herself up away from the door. He said he’d be over here shortly and here she was daydreaming. She needed to take a quick shower so that she could get rid of all the sand that had accumulated, and that mad dash back to retrieve their shoes earlier was probably going a long way towards making her smell nice and fresh. That thought sent her hightailing it up the stairs pulling clothes off as she went. She didn’t have time to wash her hair, but a quick body scrub would go a long way towards making her feel somewhat cleaner.

After a five-minute shower (a new record for her), she emerged to towel off and get dressed. She pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a red, scooped-neck, long sleeve top. She opened the drawer that held her underwear and her hand hovered in indecision above a plain pair of matching white cotton bra and panties. Not that she was expecting anything to happen, far from it; but god forbid if he were to see them. They would hardly inspire any kind of passion. Her hand moved away from the white set to grab the matching red ensemble. ‘Hey. I like sexy underwear. I’m wearing them for me, not on the off chance that he may see them,’ she firmly told her inner-voice, who seemingly didn’t bother to dignify that comment with a response.

A total of ten minutes had passed since she had closed the front door before she was back downstairs and pulling the salmon out of the fridge. Grabbing some foil that she had found earlier, she laid out the fish and added various seasonings to the top. Then she slipped a slice of butter underneath to prevent the fish from sticking to the foil. She closed each one up in the foil and went to work on getting a salad prepared. She had just pulled the stuff out when there was a soft knock at the door. Leaving the salad fixings on the island situated in the middle of the kitchen, she padded barefoot towards the front door to let William in.

The site that greeted her at the door had her drooling on the spot. William stood before her, clad in a pair of (in her opinion, scrumptiously tight) jeans with a blue t-shirt the exact same shade as his eyes. He’d obviously taken a shower because his hair showed signs of curl since it was still a little damp, giving him an almost boyishly endearing quality. She pulled herself from her ogle-fest when he held up a bottle of wine, swinging it gently before her face to get her attention. She blushed at being caught staring, but moved aside to let him in. She shut the door then led the way to the kitchen where she was preparing dinner.

~*~*~*~*~

With her back to him as she preceded him to the kitchen, William felt safe in letting his eyes rove over her backside. ‘God, those jeans should be illegal,’ he thought to himself.  The long sleeve, scooped neck shirt she wore wasn’t any better.  Although it covered her entire upper body, it molded her curves and flat abs before stopping just above the top of her jeans. It was one of those stretchy numbers too, so it covered her toned arms like a second skin; she obviously was very conscious of her health.  He knew a lot of stars that would kill to have a toned body like hers. ‘Keep your mind on the dinner and off of her body, mate.’ 

Buffy walked back to the island and started on cutting up the makings for the salad, while William put the wine in the freezer for a quick cool.  Turning from the fridge, he straddled the barstool on the opposite side of the kitchen island and watched as she cut the head of lettuce to pieces. 

“Do you need help with anything?” he asked.

She stopped chopping the head of lettuce to look at him, surprise crossing her face briefly.  Angel had never offered to cook, and his question took her completely by surprise.  Not that she had a lot of experience in the dating department, actually she had just the one experience, and she just assumed that guys would let the women handle things in the kitchen.  Pretty presumptuous on her part, but William didn’t strike her as the kind of guy that would want to help in the cooking department.  Shoot.  He probably had women just like her, eager to cook for him.  Probably lined up for the chance, too.

“Uh.  The salmon is ready to be grilled.  I’ve got everything else in here pretty much covered.  Nothing fancy.  Just a salad and I was going to steam some broccoli.  Oh, and I have a loaf of French bread that I can slice and heat up in the oven.”  The cottage provided a barbeque that the guests of the cottages were able to share.  She had noticed it that morning when she was out stretching by the picnic table. 

“Ok.  I’ll be right back.”

William got up off the barstool and grabbed the plate holding the two foil packets of salmon and a pair of tongs and headed for the front door.  Once outside, he walked quickly to the barbecue.  Since the sun had set, it had gotten steadily colder, and his t-shirt wasn’t doing much to keep him warm.  He opened the gas tank then pushed the button to start the grill.  He adjusted the flame and dumped the foil packages on the grill, leaving the plate and tongs on the table attachment.  Quickly, he rushed back inside Buffy’s cottage, escaping the chill.

He noticed a slight bite in the air inside the cottage, so he set about starting a fire in the living area.  The cottage caretaker had filled the small log holder with wood and kindling, so William didn’t have to make another trip outside.  A few minutes later, a nice fire was blazing in the fireplace, and he walked back in to the kitchen to check on Buffy.  Plates and silverware were stacked on the table, so William set them out having them sitting next to one another rather than across from one another.  He found some matches and lit the two candles sitting in the middle of the table, then dimmed the lights in the dining area.  He walked back into the kitchen proper to see Buffy tossing the salad.  That finished, she placed the broccoli in the steamer.  Afterwards, she checked on the progress of the French bread that was heating in the cooker.  Things seemed to be finished inside, so William once more braved the cold to retrieve their fish.

~*~*~*~*~

For two practical strangers, they worked rather well together in the kitchen.  William grabbed the plates off the table to place each fish after pulling it out of the foil.  Meanwhile, Buffy spooned broccoli on to the remainder of the plate.  She replaced the pot then grabbed the bread out of the cooker, putting the sliced pieces on a plate before carrying it to the table while William set both plates back on the table.  She walked back to grab a couple different dressings out of the fridge and rejoined him at the table.  William was standing at the table, waiting for her to join him.  He was standing behind one chair, so she moved to the other vacant seat.

She was about to sit down, when she felt his presence at her back.  What the hell?  She turned around with a “what the hell are you doing” look on her face and promptly felt like an idiot.  He just stood behind her politely, hands on her chair to assist her while she sat down.  She gave him an apologetic smile and turned around and sat down.  Silently, he slipped into the chair next to her. ‘Ok, now I feel dumb,’ she berated herself silently.  But, to give herself credit, she’d never had anyone assist her into her seat before.  Not that she really went anywhere before to require the gesture.  But, damn, they were only in a house having dinner; it wasn’t like they were at some fancy schmancy restaurant or something!  She sat there for a minute, face flaming at her mistake.  Maybe a little bit of liquid courage would get her past this.  Then she looked at the table.  She had forgotten to grab the wine.

William remembered the wine at the same time.  Both started to stand up to retrieve it.

“Sit.  I’ll get it,” he said as he placed his hand over hers.  Before she even had time to react to the sparks his touch generated, he moved his hand away and was out of his chair to get the forgotten wine. 

“Do you know if they have a wine opener?” he asked from the kitchen.

“Um, I’m not real sure.  I haven’t really bothered to look through all the drawers.”

“That’s ok.  I’ll see if I can find it.  You go ahead and start.”  Williams rummaged through a few drawers until he found one that had a bunch of kitchen utensils in it.  He moved a few items around until he found the wine opener.  He walked back to the table with both the bottle and opener and sat down.  He noticed that Buffy hadn’t eaten anything yet so he cocked an eyebrow at her inquiringly.  She just gave him a slight shrug as if to say she was waiting for him to get back before she started eating.

William filled the two glasses with wine, then raised his in toast.

“To a nice week of vacation.”

“A nice vacation.”  Briefly, she touched glasses with his and took a sip.

Both enjoyed their meal and Buffy opened up a little to tell him some of the things she wanted to do while she was here. 

“I got on the Internet before I came over and did a little research about North Cornwall.  I didn’t know that King Arthur’s kingdom was located near here.  And, there’s all kinds of coves to explore, beaches to wander, cycling.  I don’t know how I’m possibly going to get to everything I want to do in only a week’s time.”  Before they knew it, their meal was done.  Standing, they picked up their plates and brought them back to the kitchen.

“Why don’t you take the wine and go wait in the living room.  I’ll have this cleaned up in no time and join you,” Buffy said.

“Cooking dinner was the bet, luv.  I’ll help with the cleanup.  Besides, there’s really not that much here.  Together, we’ll have it done in no time,” he said with a boyish smile. 

Buffy made quick work of putting the leftover salad and bread away.  Then, she began stacking the used pots and dishes by the sink.  She didn’t bother with the dishwasher since there were so few dishes; instead, she opted just to wash them by hand.  She pulled out a sponge and dabbed some dish detergent on it, and began washing.  William grabbed a towel and started drying and putting the dishes away.  There was a brief scare when their hands accidentally touched and they almost dropped a plate.  But, other than that, the cleanup ran quickly and smoothly.  Before long, they were lounging out in front of the fireplace.

Neither bothered to sit in the chairs situated before the fire.  Instead, William sat in front of one chair with his back to it, his legs stretched out in front of him towards the fireplace.  Buffy sat with her back leaning against the elevated brick pedestal in front of the fireplace facing William.   Neither spoke, instead choosing to sip idly at their wine, listening to the soft strains coming from the stereo that had been turned on earlier; the only light provided by the blazing fire in the hearth.

‘Why am I just letting a strange man sit in my cottage? I should have kicked him out right after dinner,’ Buffy thought. ‘Shoot, I should have never even invited him to dinner!’ It seemed that her defenses had picked a fine time to go on vacation, no pun intended. ‘What is it about him that has me relaxing so effortlessly? Why is he able to break through all my barriers I erected so long ago?’ No answers were forthcoming, so she just continued to sip at her wine and gaze off.

After a time, the heat of the fire started to get to her. She finished off her wine and crawled over to put the empty glass on the little table between the two chairs. This move brought her fairly close to where William was sitting. ‘No problem. I can handle this. I’ll just put my glass down and move away to the opposite chair.’

~*~

William watched Buffy as she sat before him drinking her wine. She looked gorgeous sitting there, the flames bouncing off her blond hair illuminating it. She was a vision in her form-fitting shirt, snug jeans, and bare toes. She had no idea the picture she made. His thoughts were wandering into dangerous territory and he could feel himself getting hard. When she swallowed the last of her wine and moved towards him, he mentally shook himself to clear his head.

As she got closer, he lifted the bottle of wine, thinking that she wanted a refill. The question died on his lips as his gaze locked with hers. Lust slammed through him as he gazed at her, the same emotion was mirrored in her own eyes. He set the bottle back down haphazardly, not wanting to break eye contact. Slowly, he sat up away from the chair and reached for her empty glass. Taking her glass from her hands, he placed it behind him, again without turning away from her. He was afraid if he looked away, the spell would be broken. And, if he didn’t kiss her soon, he would just die. He needed to see for himself what she tasted like.

Carefully, so as not to spook her, he reached up with both hands to gently cup her jaw on either side of her face. He brought her face slowly towards his, holding her just loosely enough that if she wanted to pull away, she could. When they were just a hairs breath apart, he gave her one last chance to stop him. Seeing no signs of resistance, he closed the distance between their mouths.

At the first touch of his mouth on hers, Buffy’s eyes shut and she laid her hands lightly on his chest to keep her balance. William, for his part, was trying to take things slow. He started by just brushing his lips lightly back and forth across hers. When that wasn’t enough, he used his tongue to slowly trace the contours of her lips. Her bottom lip was just begging for attention, so he sucked it into his mouth to nibble on it lightly. A soft moan sprung from her now-parted lips, and William used the opportunity to slip his tongue inside.

Dual groans sounded as their tongues touched, and William moved his hands from framing her face to slide one around her back and one up behind her neck, slowly beckoning her body closer to his. She tasted like wine and innocence and he needed her closer so that he could have more. He deepened the kiss and pulled her flush against his body, her breasts flush against his hard chest, as he leaned back onto the rug. He could feel the twin stabs of her hardened nipples boring into him and he knew that she was just as aroused as he.

Buffy’s hands slid from their position on his chest, up his neck, to tangle in the curls on his head. At the feel of her hands in his hair, he rolled slightly so that Buffy was on her back and his upper body was draped over hers. As he continued to kiss her, one of his hands trailed down her side to cup her ass, lifting her into his straining erection. Buffy was lost in the sensation of him rocking up and down over her mound; and his tongue was doing wondrous things to her mouth. Tentatively, she pushed back with her own to learn the contours of his mouth. Lightly, she ran her tongue around his teeth, the roof of his mouth. A groan reverberated from his body as she tried to become the aggressor. His hand left her ass and made its way back up her body, sliding under her shirt to feel the warm heat of her skin.

Warning bells sounded in Buffy’s brain, but she was too befuddled to heed them just yet. She was too intent on William’s taste to notice where his hand had wandered. When his hand enveloped her breast, she broke away from his mouth with a shocked gasp, her eyes opening wide. William felt her stiffen in his arms and he immediately stilled, opening his eyes to look at her.

At her horrified expression, he tried to soothe her. Carefully, so as not to startle her, he removed his hand from under her shirt and brought it up to caress her face.

“Shhhhh. It’s ok, luv.”

She turned her head to the side away from his touch as tears filled her eyes. She closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn’t see and trying to keep the tears from falling. William just kept trying to soothe her.

“Look at me, pet. It’s ok. I’m not gonna hurt you.” All the while, he just ran his hand through her hair.

A shudder racked her body, before quieting once more. Slowly, her breathing leveled off. Turning to face him, she opened her eyes. His heart nearly broke at the pain and confusion mixed with tears he saw in her eyes.

“It’s ok, kitten. I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry,” she finally whispered. “I don’t… I just…I’m…”

“Shhhhh…” he soothed. “‘S my fault. I got carried away. But, I’m not gonna hurt you, ok? You’re safe with me.” As if to prove that, he untangled himself from her and sat up. She watched him from her position on the floor until he was once more leaning back against the chair. Feeling more comfortable, yet oddly bereft of his touch, she pushed herself up to a sitting position as well. The last of her fear faded as she watched him just sitting there, watching her, a look of concern on his face. She just didn’t know what to think or how to feel.

“C’mere, pet,” he murmured seeing the confusion on her face. Buffy wasted no time scrambling over to sit beside him. He draped an arm casually behind her shoulders, pulling her gently to his side. He lightly ran his fingers up and down her arm in a soothing manner. Buffy sighed and leaned into him.

“It’s been a long time for me,” she whispered out into the silence. His fingers hesitated for a moment before resuming their comforting touch up and down her arm. “I’m not like this. I don’t just fall all over the first gorgeous guy I see.”

‘She thinks I’m gorgeous,’ William thought.

“Who am I kidding? I don’t fall over any guy I see.”

‘Huh?’

“That saying ‘Once bitten, twice shy’? Well, that was coined just for me. What is it about you that makes me forget that?” she asked him, confused.

William didn’t know what to say. He did know that he didn’t want to walk away and risk never seeing her again. He had a week. A week in which he could learn everything there was to possibly know about one Buffy Summers from Sunnydale, California.

“I’m not sure pet. Why don’t we spend the day in Tintagel tomorrow exploring King Arthur’s home and see if we can find out? We can grab some lunch at the pub before we leave, say around 11:00 o’clock?”

Buffy lifted her head off William’s shoulders and swiveled around to look at him. After a few moments of internal debate, in which William waited anxiously, Buffy slowly nodded and said, “Ok. Eleven sounds good.”

“Right then! I’ll get out of your hair and I’ll see you tomorrow.” They both stood up and walked to the door. Once outside, William turned back to look at Buffy. Before he could think better of it, he reached out to pull her forward for a quick kiss. Releasing her, he gave her a boyish smile and rushed off to his cottage. Buffy gazed at him as he walked away before retreating back inside and slipping the lock home.

Next