Part Six...

~~~~~

"Tonight's the night, I've waited for

Because you're not a baby anymore

You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.."

~~~~~

William pushed open the back door and glanced around. "Uncle Rupert? I'm going to pick up something else for Buffy! I'll see you at the party."

He was pulling the door closed when his uncle came hurrying down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Do be careful, William. I'm still not comfortable with you driving such a powerful car."

"I'll be careful," William assured him. "Just because the car CAN go from zero to sixty in 3.8 seconds, doesn't mean I'll do it."

The older man folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "I'm not as much concerned with the acceleration as I am with the speed you may be tempted to drive at. Your grandmother talked until my ears bled the night you brought that automobile home."

William chuckled. "Yeah, I got a bit of that, too," he said. "But I promised her I'd obey all the laws...and I WILL he added, seeing the doubtful look on his uncle's face. "I don't want to die, you know. And I'm certainly not taking any chances with...my passengers."

By 'passengers', he was referring to anyone who might ride in the car, but he was most protective of Buffy. There wasn't a chance in the world he would take with the safety of the girl he was falling for like a ton of bricks.

Uncle Rupert was still fretting. "She couldn't stop reminding me that you are the sole heir to a considerable fortune, not to mention a ti..."

"I know all that," William interrupted. "She reminds me of it every time she writes." He checked his watch. "I have to go now or I'll be late."

"William..."

"I'll see you at the party," he said again. "I'm going to stop and get some flowers." Pointing to a small wrapped package on the kitchen table, he asked, "Will you take

that over with you? I don't want it broken in the flaming car crash I'm anticipating."

"That's NOT funny, William! You know, I may not be your parent but I AM your guardian here in the states, and you..."

"Bye, Uncle Rupert," William said loudly, closing the door on his sputtering relative and making a run for the driveway.

As he settled into the low slung leather interior of his new car, he felt a surge of masculine lust that had nothing to do with the fairer sex. It was, instead, a rush of pure satisfied machismo that had it's roots in the thrill of mastering a powerful V8 engine.

Although he felt comfortable in it now, he'd actually been a little afraid of it the night he'd brought it home. He'd driven cars before, but never one with the kind of muscle this one had. Barely depressing the accelerator shot him fifty feet down the road, and all you had to was breathe heavily on the steering wheel and it would turn.

But he was in control of her now, and she drove like an absolute dream.

As the car roared to life, he looked over at Buffy's bedroom window. She was in her room, no doubt getting ready for her party, but she came to the window when she heard the car start. Leaning out, she smiled and waved.

Sliding his sunglasses on, he returned her greeting, then threw the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway.

The sun felt good on his shoulders, and he leaned over and cranked up the sound system.

~~~~~

"What happened to that funny face?

My little tomboy now wears satin and lace

I can't believe my eyes, you're just a teenage dream

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.."

~~~~~

The night he'd brought the car home, she had been in her front yard watering the flower beds. When he had pulled into the driveway of his uncle's house, she'd

dropped the hose in shock.

William had smiled at her as she approached, then leaned over and opened the passenger side door. "Take you for a ride, pretty lady?" he'd asked.

Buffy had squealed with excitement as she jumped in to the car. He'd answered a string of questions as he'd driven her the distance of the high school and back.

His new ride was a Ferrari 360 Spyder, with less than 2 miles on the odometer. Black as original sin, with a paint job consisting of five separate coats, polished

to a mirror-like finish, she had a tan interior of buttery soft leather, the highest quality sound system available, and her speed topped out at nearly 200mph.

Though Buffy had loved the car on sight, her mother hadn't been nearly as enthused when she'd seen it. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion on his part to allay the fears she had about her only child riding around in such a powerful car.

He'd actually had to coax Joyce into the car herself, and take her for a spin, swearing that he would never drive recklessly with Buffy in his care, before she relaxed and gave in.

~~~~~

"When you were only six, I was your big brother

Then when you were ten, we didn't like each other

When you were thirteen, you were my funny valentine

But since you've grown up, your future is sewn up

And from now on you're gonna be mine, so...."

~~~~~

William stepped up to the counter, smiling charmingly at the elderly lady standing behind it. "I'd like sixteen long stemmed red roses, please."

"Baby's breath?" the lady inquired, tearing off a sheet of green floral wrap.

He shook his head. "Queen Anne's Lace."

The saleswoman looked impressed. "I don't get that request very often," she admitted. "So I don't usually keep it on hand."

"I called ahead," William replied, extracting his wallet from his back pocket.

The woman smiled. "I remember."

There were no other customers in the shop, so she took extra care and made up a beautiful arrangement of deep crimson buds nestled in small snowy flowers.

When the flowers were handed over and paid for, William left the shop and headed for his car.

He was halfway down the street where he'd parked, when a car slowed down beside him, the driver tapping his horn.

Angel pulled a little closer to the curb as Cordy lowered the passenger side window of the Trans Am. "Need a ride?" Angel called out, a smug grin on his face, perhaps expecting William to climb onto a bicycle.

William returned the smile. Oh, this was going to feel so damn good.

"No, thanks," he said, pulling out his keys. "I've got my own."

When he stopped next to the Ferrari and opened the door, both Angel and Cordy's jaws sagged the exact same amount at the exact same time.

With a casual wave, he started the car and pulled out into traffic.

A small part of his mind chided him for being a show off, for trying to upstage a creep who wasn't worth the effort.

But the larger part didn't give a damn. It was just enjoying the view in the rear view mirror.

~~~~~

"If I should smile with sweet surprise

It's just that you've grown up before my very eyes

You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.."

~~~~~

"Happy Birthday, Buffy."

"Oh...thank you. They're beautiful." She accepted the bouquet from him, cradling the flowers in her arms. Burying her face in the soft petals, she sniffed deeply. "They smell so good."

William smiled, enjoying the pleasure she was getting from the roses.

"Come in," she said, grabbing his hand and hauling him in off the porch. The party was just getting started, and there were about a dozen people he recognized from around the neighborhood. Several were adults, obviously friends of her mother's.

The house was festively decorated, and there was a buffet set up on the patio. All the trees and bushes had been strung with tiny colored lights, and her mom had hired a disc jockey to provide the music.

Buffy's eyes were absolutely sparkling with excitement, and for a brief moment he wished he could be giving this party for her at Black Oaks. She would look stunning in a white gown, with the collar of diamonds his Great Grandfather had placed around the throat of his grandmother on her sixteenth birthday.

Those diamonds were sitting in a vault with all the other jewels his family had been amassing for the past five hundred or so years, collecting dust. His grandmother never wore them anymore and Aunt Susan was more interested in her horses and

her children, and couldn't be bothered with attending the sorts of functions the jewels would be appropriately worn to.

Someday, he promised himself, he was going to take Buffy to Black Oaks and cover her from head to toe in diamonds, rubies and sapphires. He would drape her naked body in ropes of pearls, and watch as they picked up the luster of her skin, then make love to her in the tall, soft grass by the pond. He would cover her with kisses, as his hands.....

Shaking his head sharply, he cut off that particular train of thought before something embarrassing happened. His slacks were far too snug to risk getting sexually aroused.

Instead, he redirected his attention on the birthday girl. Spotting a small table in the corner that had been set up for her gifts to be placed on, he pulled her across the room and located the one his uncle had delivered for him.

Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "I want to give this to you now...is there somewhere we can go and..."

Buffy glanced around the room, pinpointing her mother's location, then began leading him towards the stairs. "My room," she said softly.

With his heart beating a wild accompaniment, he followed her upstairs.

~~~~~

"If I should smile, with sweet surprise

It's just that you've grown up before my very eyes

You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen..."

~~~~~

TBC

Part Seven...

~~~~~

"Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, baby

Oh, I love you so..."

~~~~~

They sat side by side on her bed, their thighs pressed intimately together as Buffy unwrapped the package.

The room was scented with the fragrance of the roses she had brought upstairs with her, mingled with her perfume. The combination of these two delicious scents was making William feel pleasantly lightheaded.

She placed the torn gift wrap on her bedside table, and opened a small white box. Moving the tissue paper surrounding it to one side, she drew out a music box.

"This is beautiful," she said, looking up into his eyes. "I love it."

The box was a beautiful cherry wood confection with an inlaid design on the lid, varnished to a lustrous shine. Buffy opened the lid and found the inside lined in plush

royal blue velvet. There was a tiny gold key on a silk tassel laying in the bottom of the box.

He had wanted badly to place a piece of jewelry in the box as well, but had resisted the impulse. He wasn't about to buy her some cheap piece of junk, and it was

far too early on for anything expensive. He doubted her mother would have allowed her to accept it anyway.

Buffy turned the box over and wound up the mechanism, then smiled when she heard the tinkling sound of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" begin to play.

"I love this song," she confessed. "Ever since I heard it for the first time when I was little."

William already knew this. He'd asked her mother if she had a particular favorite, and had it specially installed after choosing the box.

Buffy listened, surprised when the little tune was played all the way through. "I can't believe that! Most music boxes just play the first couple of lines of a song."

William shrugged. "I wanted you to have the entire song...since it's your favorite."

She placed the box carefully on her nightstand, letting the music continue. "Thank you," she said softly. Looking up at him and smiling, she placed one hand on his cheek and drew him down to her lips.

~~~~~

"Sixteen candles

Make a lovely light

But not as bright, as your eyes tonight.."

~~~~~

Her mouth tasted sweet, like cherry punch, and he pressed his lips down harder, urging her to allow his tongue in.

With a soft sigh, she parted her lips and placed her hands on his shoulders. William moved one arm around her waist, pulling her closer as he devoured the flavor that was uniquely her own.

Buffy felt herself melting into him like soft wax, and she slipped her hands up and around the back of his head, sliding her fingers through the silky mass of curls.

As their mouths finally parted to let them draw breath, they tilted their heads and kissed again from a new angle, then began sinking backward onto the bed.

"Buffy," William whispered against her cheek, stroking her soft hair. "You look so beautiful tonight...and you smell so good."

She tipped her head back, exposing the arch of her throat to his warm lips, gasping when she felt him placing tender kisses down it's length.

The dress she was wearing had a V shaped neckline, with a tiny row of buttons that started at the base of the V and ran down the bodice to her waist.

William continued kissing her tender skin, down past the hollow at the base of her throat, all the way to where the buttons began, just slightly above the space between

her breasts.

Buffy's entire body was burning with a need she had no name for. All she was certain of was that she never wanted him to stop touching her, and when he raised one hand and undid the top button of her dress, she didn't protest.

"Is this all right?" he asked, begging her with his eyes.

"Uh-huh," she nodded, making a soft little sound in her throat when he kissed the beginning swell of her breast.

He undid the second button, exposing more of her lovely skin, showing the demarcation line of her golden tan and her creamy breast.

Pushing the material to one side, he smiled when he saw she wasn't wearing a bra.

The third button slipped from it's hole, and the dress parted further. All he had to do was tug just a tiny fraction of an amount and he would see her bare breast fully, every inch of it.

~~~~~

"Blow out the candles

Make your wish come true

For I'll be wishing

That you love me, too.."

~~~~~

Moving slowly, not wanting to frighten her, he eased the blue cotton over and gently pulled it down.

The instant he saw the delicate shell pink of her nipple, his shaft hardened to almost painful proportions. "So beautiful," he murmured, admiring all the gold, white and pink coloring of her full breasts.

Impulsively, he bent his head and pressed his lips to the scented valley between the soft mounds, smiling when he heard her inhale sharply.

"William..." she whispered on a ragged breath.

"Can I...may I kiss you...here?" he begged, his lips just hovering above the taut peak of her right breast.

"Oh, yes....yes please," she said, granting him permission to explore to his heart's content.

When she felt his warm breath on her flesh, she arched her back in a spontaneous reaction, bringing her nipple into contact with his mouth. He was surprised, and

automatically parted his lips to say something or to try and breathe properly...he wasn't sure...but when he felt the velvety bud slipping just inside, he lost every bit of

linear thought in his brain.

With a guttural moan of her name, he closed his mouth around her nipple and suckled it.

"Oh!" Buffy released a strangled sound from her throat, grinding her head into the pillow beneath it. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pressing him down even more

firmly against her.

William responded by raising his hand and sliding it beneath her breast, lifting it more fully to his touch. His mouth worked at her nipple, sucking and tugging on it as he fondled the plump mound in his hand.

The hardness in his pants was approaching critical mass, and he tried to move slightly to one side to ease the pressure.

Buffy, afraid that he was taking the pleasure of his mouth away from her, clutched at him, pulling him down and across her body. She parted her legs, allowing him to slip into the cradle of her open thighs.

~~~~~

"You're only sixteen

But you're my teenage queen

Oh, you're the prettiest, the loveliest girl

I've ever seen.."

~~~~~

The moment he felt the contact he was making below the waist, something deep inside of him that was primitive and demanding came screaming to the surface. He

reached for the opposite side of Buffy's dress and pushed it away impatiently, baring her other breast.

Without hesitation, he captured it in a rough caress and brought his mouth down to it. As he licked and sucked at the nipple, his hand released her and his fingers crept back to the side he'd abandoned.

Finding the wet peak of flesh, he took it between his thumb and forefinger and pinched gently.

In response, Buffy lifted one leg along his side, giving him more room to grind his pelvis against hers.

"Mmmm," he moaned against her breast, sucking harder on it as he played with the other one.

Buffy was literally seeing stars at that point, with sky rockets and bombs bursting in air right before her eyes. She had never been touched in this way before, had never allowed any other boy these kinds of liberties with her body.

She knew she shouldn't be doing it now. They hadn't known each other but a few days. What would he think of her for letting him do such intimate things?

But even though her brain tried to assert some control, her body and her heart were surrendering. The more he touched her, fondled and kissed her, the faster she

hoisted her white flag.

And when she felt the hard bulge between his legs rubbing against her, she wanted nothing more in the world than to pull up her dress and remove her underwear so he could make contact with her naked sex.

Just the thought of it made her lower body jerk involuntarily, and she felt a rush of fluid so copious that she thought for a moment she'd started menstruating.

William lifted his head from her breast and looked up at her, his eyes heavy lidded with desire. Moving his body back up, he found her mouth again and covered it with his own, instantly plunging his tongue between her parted lips.

Though she had no experience with this kind of passion, instinct made up for the lack. Her body reacted, seemingly on it's own. She couldn't help but feel that it was a good thing, because her mind was too far gone to be of any assistance.

~~~~~

"Sixteen candles

In my heart will glow

Forever and ever

For I love you so..."

~~~~~

William tensed when he felt one of her hands move from his hair and down his back. When it reached the waistband of his trousers, it slipped around and pressed against his waist.

Her fingers seemed to be searching for something, and he lifted himself slightly off of her, giving her room if she wanted to...

*Oh, touch me, touch me, touch me, please, please, please..* he begged silently. *I need you to touch me, Buffy, want you to touch me, touch me THERE, oh God, touch me, I want it, I want it, I'll die if you don't, Buffy, please, just a little bit..*

As he deepened their kiss, his own hand slipped down and searched for hers...finding it...squeezing it gently...guiding it....

"Buffy? Are you up there, sweetie?"

Her mother's voice called to her from the foot of the staircase, and heaven came crashing down to earth with a dull 'thud'.

~~~~~

"Sixteen candles

In my heart will glow

Forever and ever

For I love you so

For I love you so.."

~~~~~

TBC

Part eight...

Phase two: Young love, first love..

~~~~~

"Lately, all my thoughts have gone to you

You know that's true

Sometimes I feel just a word away

You'll say, oh how I miss you, too, I do"

~~~~~

William pulled back and stared down into Buffy's wide eyes. He had absolutely no idea what to do next. Hide under the bed? Jump out the window?

Neither were viable choices.

"Buffy?" Joyce called again, her voice sounding a little closer this time.

"I'm...I...Mom?" Buffy tried to stall, as William lurched to his feet and backed away from her.

"Of course, it's Mom," her mother replied. "What are you doing in your room?"

"Oh....not much." Buffy struggled to sit up and button her dress at the same time. "Why do you ask?"

William turned his back to the door. If Joyce walked in, he didn't want her to see anything that might get him killed. He winced as his stomach cramped from the

unfulfilled arousal.

"Because it's time for your birthday cake," Joyce informed her.

"It is? Already?" Buffy's fingers were clumsy in her frantic haste to refasten her clothing without accidentally missing a button. "What time is it?"

"It's almost 9:00, honey. Finish what you're doing and come downstairs."

There was a short pause. "Uh...okay!" She stood up and smoothed her hair, looking helplessly at William. "I'll be there in a minute."

Horrified at the close call they'd just had, they both sighed with relief when Joyce went back downstairs.

"I'm...I'm sorry," William apologized.

Buffy shook her head. "Don't be...it was me, too."

He leaned back against the wall. "You go down first," he suggested. "I'll wait a few minutes, and....follow after."

She nodded. "Okay." With her hand on the door knob, she turned back to look at him. "William?"

He could see by the expression on her face just exactly what she was wondering. "I'm not sorry that it happened, Buffy...just that I started it here in your room, with all

those people downstairs," he said. "You DO know that I'm falling in love with you....don't you?"

Buffy smiled, so sweetly that his heart actually swelled.

"I do now," she said softly, then disappeared out the door.

~~~~~

"Time is tight, I'm lost for words

That's not like me

Only your eyes could know the way that I feel

And how much I need you now with me.."

~~~~~

Stepping out into the hallway, William crossed over and went in the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

He ran cold water in the sink and washed his face in it, thinking that it was certainly getting to be a habit, him getting aroused by Buffy and having to cool himself off in

a bathroom.

But it was worth it.

Eyeing himself in the mirror, he reached for a small hand towel and soaked it in the water, then wrung it out and placed it on the back of his neck.

He really should have known better than to have gone into her bedroom with her in the first place. Not with the way he felt about her. He had been asking for trouble

and now he'd gotten it. The grinding discomfort between his legs was going to plague him all evening, cold water or no cold water. The minute he so much as glanced at Buffy, all those feelings that had been raging through his blood stream like wildfire would come rushing back.

Still, he couldn't hide in the bathroom all evening. He hung the towel over the bar on the inside of the shower door, then took a deep breath and headed downstairs.

Most of the party guests had congregated in the dining room, where the birthday cake was displayed. As he approached, he heard his uncle asking Buffy if she knew

where his nephew had disappeared to.

William saw her cheeks turn bright pink, and he hurried to help her out. "Just upstairs in the bathroom, Uncle Rupert," he said quietly, stepping up next to the man.

"Oh...terribly sorry." The older man smiled and looked away, then did a double take. "Why is your hair wet?" he asked, indicating the overlong curls at the nape of William's neck.

He was saved from trying to come up with a plausible answer by the arrival of Buffy's mother with a box of matches to light the birthday candles.

Buffy was seated at the head of the table, and his gaze met hers. They exchanged a secret smile, and when he saw the candlelight dancing in her expressive eyes, William knew that it was official.....he was completely and totally in love.

~~~~~

"Young love, so strong

Has never been a part of me

Young love, hold on

We're feeling it now

Is this the way it's meant to be?"

~~~~~

"Looks like the party's breaking up, my friend."

William glanced up and saw Xander hovering over his chair. Anya was on the other side of the room, talking with Buffy's mother.

"Hey," Xander went on, "it's early yet. Why don't we hit the Bronze for a while?"

Looking around the room for Buffy, William considered the offer. If her mother would let her go, he'd get a little more time alone with her.

Xander caught him searching. "She's over there," he said, pointing in the direction of the patio door. "Geez, can't you take your eyes off her for a minute?"

William grinned. "I'd rather not," he said. "And why would I want to? Look at how beautiful she is."

Xander nodded. "Oh, she's quite the pretty young thing," he agreed. "But she ain't the only girl in town, you know."

"She's the only one as far as I'M concerned," William replied. "Excuse me."

He moved around Xander and started across the room, not paying any attention when his friend asked him if he was coming to the Bronze or not.

Moving up behind Buffy, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Dance with me?"

She turned and smiled, taking the hand he held out and letting him lead her out on to the patio. The DJ was playing a slow, romantic ballad, requested by one of the adults as a reprieve from the hard rock he'd been playing.

Placing her arms around his neck, William pulled Buffy close and bent his head slightly. Pressing his forehead against hers, he made eye contact with her and stared until she giggled and pulled back.

"What's so funny?" he asked, tightening his arms around her waist.

"I don't know...nothing," she said. "I'm just feeling silly, I guess."

"Am I embarrassing you by staring at you?"

She shook her head. "No...not a bit."

He pressed his lips against her soft hair and said, "Happy birthday, Buffy," then held her even more closely as they danced, supremely unaware of the fact that there was

anyone else on earth at that moment.

~~~~~

"I know I'll be the one to lose

If I'm so wrong

Don't be afraid to put your heart on the line

I'll take you where I know you belong

~~~~~

"Xander asked if we want to go to the Bronze for a while," he murmured in her ear. "Do you think your mother will let you?"

Buffy pulled back and looked up into William's dark blue eyes. She could quite happily spend the rest of her life right where she was now, feeling his arms around

her and his body pressed so intimately against hers.

He was so beautiful. It just wasn't right that a boy should be beautiful like this, but he was. There was no denying it.

The tousled mop of curls he kept shaking back out of his face...his eyes like the sky after a summer storm...his mouth...soft and sensual, but so lovely when it curved in

a smile that revealed his straight white teeth...and his face, so perfect in design, marred only by.....

"How did you get this?" she asked, briefly forgetting his question as her finger traced over a scar that cut through his left eyebrow.

"Oh," he chuckled. "You won't believe it. I tried to sled down the main staircase in my grandmother's house on a big, silver serving tray. Broke my right wrist, and needed six stitches here," he said, pointing to the scar. "My injuries were the only thing that kept my grandmother from swatting the daylights out of me. The tray was a write-off."

Buffy smiled tenderly, able to see the little boy he had been so clearly in her minds eye. "It must have hurt," she said. Framing his face in her hands and pulling him

down closer, she pressed her lips against the scar. "There. All better."

"Thank you," he said, kissing her on the lips. "Do you think you might want to go out for a while?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'll go ask my mother."

Before he could bring himself to let her go, he had to kiss her again, this time letting his lips linger on hers for a much longer moment.

When he pulled back, he left a trail of kisses along the smooth skin of her cheek. "Hurry," he urged her, forcing his hands to release her from their grip.

From his vantage point on the patio, he watched as she took her mother aside and whispered in her ear.

Joyce looked around at the dwindling number of guests, said something to Buffy, then smiled and waved her away.

Buffy practically ran back to the patio, and he caught her in his arms, lifting her off the ground. "What did she say?"

"She said in a few minutes, cause I have to say a proper goodnight and thank you to everyone, but then I can go and I can stay out an hour later than my usual curfew," she said, smiling brightly.

With her eager softness in his arms, William felt a burst of love so strong it nearly exploded out of him. As it was, he couldn't control his laughter as he held her by the waist and spun her around and around.

~~~~~

"Take my thoughts away beyond

the things we see

Sometimes it seems just a word away

You'll say, oh how I really feel it should be.

Young love, so strong

Has never been a part of me

Young love, hold on

We're feeling it now

Is this the way it's meant to be?"

~~~~~

TBC.....feedback me, people!

Part Nine.....

~~~~~

"Young love, bigger than anything

You're waiting for a girl to ring

Talking' about young love..."

~~~~~

Stopped at a red light halfway between Buffy's house and the Bronze, William turned to look at her. He studied her face in the glow of the instrument panel.

"Buffy...do you really want to go to the Bronze?" he asked impulsively.

She glanced at him, her cheeks turning pink. "Not necessarily," she murmured. "Do you?"

"Not really." He didn't even have to think about it. "I'd rather go somewhere we can be alone."

Only hesitating a moment, she nodded. "Me, too."

The light turned green, and William made a U-turn, heading towards Sunnydale's main beach.

~~~~~

"And I don't want anyone else to call your name

And I don't think anyone else could feel the same.."

~~~~~

They sat together in the farthest point of the parking lot, talking.

"What's it like where you live?" Buffy asked.

"Black Oaks? " William considered his answer. "It's beautiful...very big...and a little drafty in the winter."

"Is it like...a castle?"

"No, not exactly. It's a manor house in the country close to Yorkshire," he explained.

"But it's...it's pretty big, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's very big. I used to get lost in it when I was a kid."

Buffy sighed. "I'd love to see it. The biggest house I've ever been in was my Aunt Connie's place in Apple Valley. It had six bedrooms and two and a half stories."

"Two and a half?"

"Yeah, they were adding on, but it wasn't finished."

"I see." There was a short silence. "Buffy," William said, tentatively, "I'd love to show you Black Oaks. I think you'd like it there. Maybe...someday..."

William 'said' maybe, but he was already sure in his mind that he would take her there. He wanted to show her all the places he'd cherished when he was growing up, and he wanted her to meet everyone on the estate.

Sooner or later, he would have to return there for good. He had too many responsibilities to take on, and he couldn't ask his grandmother to deal with them forever. And when he finally did go back, he wanted Buffy with him.

~~~~~

"I can't stop thinking about

The way she's holding it out

Talking about young love..."

~~~~~

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. "Buffy...I love you so much."

The stereo was playing softly, and the sound of the waves hitting the sand echoed in his head as he pulled her close, deepening their kiss.

When Buffy's brain processed his words, she pulled back and searched his face. All she could see was sincerity and the love he claimed for her, and it made her own heart start beating at a wild pace. Placing her hand on his cheek, she smoothed

the small scar on his brow and said, "I love you, too."

His face was always beautiful in her eyes, but when he smiled at her...the way he was doing now...it transformed him into something else...something angelic.

William pulled her close again and lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss of fierce tenderness and deep passion.

Unfortunately, as much as he'd loved his car when he'd brought it home, it really wasn't the sort of vehicle that he could maneuver around in easily. Every time he leaned close to her, the gear shift dug into his side.

For a moment, he considered just pulling her over onto his lap, but he didn't want her to think that all he was interested in was getting his hand down the front of her dress...although he was indeed very interested in doing just that!

Drawing back slightly, he asked her if she'd like to get out of the car and walk down to the water. Buffy nodded agreeably, and she watched as he pushed the button that turned the Ferrari from a convertible to a soft top.

William ran around the front of the car and opened her door, holding out his hand to help her climb out of the low slung car. He activated the door locks and the alarm, then shoved the keys into his pocket and led her down across the soft sand.

~~~~~

"Young love bigger than everything

Shines like a diamond ring

Talking about young love..."

~~~~~

He pulled off his jacket and spread it out on the ground for her to sit on. Buffy tucked her skirt beneath her and lowered herself as gracefully as she could manage. She slipped her sandals off and placed them to one side, then dug her toes into the cool sand.

William placed himself next to her, slipping one arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. With his free hand, he tilted her chin up and bent his head to kiss her.

When he felt her part her lips, he slipped his tongue past them and went in search of hers. She was shy, and he had to coax a response from her gently and slowly.

"William," she gasped, when they parted to take in air. "Did you mean what you said? That you love me?"

"Yes," he told her, without hesitation. "I meant it. I love you, Buffy. I swear I do. I think I loved you the minute I saw you."

She closed her eyes and hid her face against his shoulder. "Me, too," she whispered.

The feel of her warm body and the scent of her hair was making him dizzy. He rubbed his cheek against the soft tresses, then turned his head and dropped soft kisses down over the satiny curve of her cheek. Her head tilted back, and his lips traveled down her throat.

Before he knew what was happening, Buffy began to unbutton the front of her dress.

~~~~~

"And I don't think anyone else could understand

And I don't want anyone else to be your man.."

~~~~~

William eased her back onto the sand, keeping one arm beneath her neck. When her dress opened, she pulled both edges of it apart, baring her breasts for his eyes and his touch.

"Oh, you are LOVELY," he whispered, his lips moving down her throat again, then venturing further along the path of her tender, white skin.

When she felt the gentle touch of his tongue, Buffy stared up at the stars and murmured his name. One hand strayed into the thick curls at the nape of his neck, playing with them and twining them around her fingers.

William brought his free hand up and cupped the mound of her right breast, then lowered his head and traced his tongue in a slow circle around the hard tip. Buffy gasped and her fingers tightened almost painfully in his hair as she pressed him against her harder.

"Please," she breathed raggedly. "Oh...please."

With the sound of her voice encouraging him, he smiled up at her and then opened his mouth to take her breast in and suckled it tenderly, careful not to bruise her delicate skin.

Buffy lifted her other arm and wrapped it around his neck, hugging him more firmly to her breast. His mouth moved back and forth, giving each soft mound equal attention.

William's hand left her breast and moved down her side, caressing and stroking her. Her skirt had bunched up during their embrace, and his hand lightly brushed the tanned skin of her outer thigh, his fingers carefully inching the fabric up a little more.

He already had an erection that felt like a railroad spike, and the soft panting of her breathing was only encouraging it on. His hand slipped between the slight parting of her legs, gently fondling the lightly damp skin he discovered.

If he didn't do something soon, he wasn't going to be able to walk...much less drive.

"Buffy?" he whispered, kissing the lush curve of her left breast. "Will you...can I..."

Her eyes opened and she looked up at him, smiling as though he was the most wonderful sight she'd ever seen.

It was too soon for a complete physical union. She wasn't ready for such a thing, and he wasn't at all prepared with the necessities.

"Tell me," she said softly. "Tell me what to do."

Reaching up, he took her hand from around his neck and moved it slowly down the front of his body.....

"Touch me," he begged. "Touch me...here."

.....and placed it where he needed it to be.

~~~~~

"Young love bigger than everything

Waiting for the bells to ring

Talking about young love.."

~~~~~

TBC

Part 10...

~~~~~

"There are times when you know

Love is lost to he who hesitates

And you've got that feeling now

You know it too well..."

~~~~~

Her small fingers straightened for a moment, and he was terrified that she was about to pull away, to jump to her feet and look at him in disgust. His own hand moved away from hers, to let her decide what she wanted to do.

Buffy was flushed with embarrassment. She wanted desperately to please him, but she didn't have the first clue what to do in this situation. It had been so easy to lay back and let him touch her intimately, but now he wanted her to participate.

Looking into his eyes, she could read every emotion he was having. She could see the love and the desire he felt for her, but she could also see the uncertainty...and the need for her touch...and it was then that she realized he was just as unknowing as she was.

This was something they would have to learn together, something they would have to teach each other. She had to beat back her shyness and her fear....because he needed her.

The boy she loved with all her young heart....needed her.

And so she smiled...and she whispered, "Show me," and she allowed his hand to cover hers and press it down over the straining evidence of his desire.

~~~~~

"Say 'okay' to your dreams

Never let the chance go by again

If it's love you need, then listen

And listen well..."

~~~~~

William closed his eyes tightly at the touch of her hand. Nothing had ever happened to prepare him for the wild and nearly overwhelming rush of pleasure that raced through his entire body.

He'd had self induced orgasms before, had done all the things that other boys his age had done. When he was thirteen, he'd found a stash of 'adult' magazines belonging to one of the stable hands, when he'd been looking for a bottle of saddle oil, and he'd had many pleasant interludes in his bedroom with the door securely

locked.

But what he'd felt then was nothing to what was happening to him now. His body was no longer his to command. He was completely at the mercy of the girl in his arms...and he was more than happy to stay that way forever.

Her small hand curved instinctively around his erection, lightly at first, then more firmly when he covered it with his.

It was dying and being reborn...it was heaven and hell...it was agony and the most intense ecstasy he'd ever experienced.

"Oh, God...Buffy," he gasped, burying his face against her throat.

"Is this right?" she asked hesitantly.

He nodded, then began moving her hand up and down his hard length.

~~~~~

"You've got to run like a young love

You've got to love like young love

Believe me, you'll be a young love

You don't need to be anymore

~~~~~

William pressed his lips against Buffy's neck, feeling the pulse of her blood as it throbbed in her carotid artery.

Her hand was rubbing him and squeezing him in just exactly the way he needed it to, and it was the most wonderful thing he'd ever felt. He'd never been so hard and never yearned so deeply for completion. The only thing he could imagine making it better would be if she would put her hand....

"Do...do you want me to...you know...under your pants?"

Buffy's voice was soft and hesitant, and he nearly came right then and there at the words she spoke.

Jerking his head up, he stared down at her sweet face. "Are you sure you want to?" he asked, praying with all his heart that she would say yes.

Her hand stopped moving. "Would it feel...good...for you?"

"Buffy," he whispered, moving his hand up to cup her cheek, "anything you do feels wonderful to me. Every time you touch me...anyplace...it feels beyond good. But...don't do anything unless you want to do it. I...I don't ever want you to think I'm only after one thing. I love you, and...."

"I love you, too," she said, cutting him off mid-sentence. "And I want to...to touch you...to make you..." Her words trailed off as she became unsure of how to express herself.

Slowly...not wanting to frighten her off...William placed his hand back over hers and guided it to the top fastening of his trousers. Leaving it to do as she chose, he leaned down and kissed the silky skin between her breasts.

~~~~~

"Live it now, everyday

'Cause you know there's no better way

And in time you'll understand

It's all in your heart

~~~~~

Buffy only hesitated for as long as it took to breathe in and out one time. Then her fingers touched the cold metal of the top snap....and popped it open. Before she could lose her nerve, she reached for the zipper tab and began to tug it down...down....

"Oh!" she gasped, more than a little shocked to find he apparently didn't bother with undergarments.

"Buffy," William panted, his cheek resting between her breasts, "don't stop....please." He knew he was begging, but he didn't care.

His warm breath washed over her sensitive skin, making her inhale sharply. Without really being aware of it, she arched her back slightly, encouraging him to kiss and caress her breasts.

When he felt her push herself up to him, he automatically moved his mouth over to her right breast and began to suck and lick the hard nipple.

Making a soft sound of satisfaction in her throat, Buffy boldly pushed her hand inside the opening of William's pants and grasped his erection firmly. Moving on pure instinct, she began to slide her fingers up and down the rigid length of his penis, squeezing gently, unsure of how much pressure she could apply without hurting him.

With a hoarse groan, he pulled back from her and said, "Harder...oh, God...faster..."

~~~~~

"Lightning strikes in the rain

But you know in your heart

You're strong again

You can hear the thunder roll

But you stand apart.."

~~~~~

Seeing how she was affecting him made Buffy feel more feminine and womanly than she'd ever felt before, and she willingly gave him what he wanted. Her hand moved up and down, as she gripped him tighter.

His face was nuzzling the side of hers as he panted harshly, his eyes once again closed tight. Involuntarily, his hips began to move into her touch, pushing back at her.

When she felt the wetness on her fingers, she had some idea what was about to happen.

"Faster, luv," he murmured in her ear. "Please....please...."

Obediently, she pumped him faster, fascinated with the feel of his penis thrusting into her wet fingers.

"Oh, God...oh, Buffy...yes...yes...I'm....I can't..."

He lifted his head, and she saw the terrible need in his eyes. Her heart swelled up again with her love for him. "It's all right," she said earnestly. "Don't....hold back. I love you....I want you to."

Her permission, so sweetly given, was all he needed to hear.

~~~~~

"As long as you think like a young love

Be strong like a young love

You can love like a young love..."

~~~~~

Falling over onto his back, he pumped his hips upwards into her grasp. Five more thrusts took him all the way to the wonderful release he'd been straining for.

Buffy's eyes widened as he ejaculated, uttering a cry that thrilled her, a cry she felt deep inside of herself.

Still holding him, she wrapped her body protectively over his and kissed him, projecting all she felt for him into her kiss...wanting him to know that she loved him...that she would always...always...love him.

And only him.....

~~~~~

"Be strong in your young love..."

~~~~~

TBC....

Part Eleven...

~~~~~

"They try to tell us

We're too young

Too young

To really be in love.."

~~~~~

The stars looked brighter tonight. The air seemed warmer and sweeter smelling. The sand was soft as powder.

And the girl....the girl was the most beautiful sight his eyes had ever set upon.

William stared up into the black velvet sky, with his body celebrating the exquisite relief. In all of his seventeen years of life, he'd never felt as good as he did at that moment.

When his breathing began to slow to a normal rhythm, he turned his head to look at the girl. So beautiful. And he loved her so much....

"You okay?" she asked softly, snuggling closer.

He had to clear his throat before he could speak. "I'm so far beyond that," he said, closing his eyes and burying his face in her soft hair. "You're so wonderful, Buffy."

She smiled and giggled a bit at the tickling sensation of his breath against her ear. "So are you."

Her hand released it's hold on his softening shaft, and she wiped the wetness on her fingers off on his jacket. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Oh, don't be," he said. "I don't mind a bit. I mean," he added, smiling back at her, "it's MY mess, isn't it?"

Buffy propped her head on her hand. "You can probably have it cleaned."

With a grimace, William adjusted himself and zipped his pants up. He turned onto his side to face her. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too" Buffy sighed, blissfully happy.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine."

There was a short silence between them as he worked up his nerve for what he wanted to say.

"Buffy....?"

"What?"

"I...I want to make you feel good, too."

~~~~~

"They say that love's a word

A word we've only heard

And can't begin to know

The meaning of...."

~~~~~

Her cheeks turned pink, and she pulled back a little.

"Oh don't, luv," he said quickly, reaching to hold on to her. "I won't do anything you don't want me to do, I promise."

"William...I'm.."

"I love you," he interjected. "I just...I want to show you how much. Let me, Buffy....please."

Buffy had no idea how to respond to this. His desire to demonstrate his love was no less than hers had just been, but she had no experience to draw on, and wasn't completely sure what he wanted to do to her.

"I...I want to let you," she assured him, "but I'm...I'm not ready for..for us to..."

He watched the play of emotions on her pretty face. Love and desire were first and foremost, but there was also uncertainty and a little bit of fear. Suddenly, he understood what she was thinking as clearly as though she'd stated the words out loud.

"No, luv...I know you're not ready for that," he said, stroking her hair back from her hot cheeks. "I didn't mean that. I just want to touch you.." His hand moved down over her abdomen and stopped just before the joining of her thighs. "..here."

Gently, he urged her to lie down on her back. "I'll stop...if you don't like it...I swear I will," he whispered into her ear.

Buffy looked up into his eyes, keeping her gaze focused on his. She did nothing as his hand began to pull up her skirt, but when she felt his fingers on the elastic waist of her underpants, she panicked and grabbed hold of his wrist.

"Oh! I don't...."

"Shhh," he murmured, keeping his hand still. "It's all right, luv. Let me kiss you."

His lips touched hers, softly at first, then with more pressure and passion when he felt her tentative response. His tongue slipped through her parted lips and into her mouth, finding and mating with hers.

As the kiss deepened, he felt her begin to calm down. Her thighs, which she had clamped tightly shut at his touch, slowly began to relax and part...just a little.

William felt her hand release it's hold on his wrist, as the other one slipped up and around the back of his neck.

He carefully moved his hand until his fingers were just under the waistband of her panties.

~~~~~

"And yet, we're not too young to know

This love will last, though years may go.."

~~~~~

There was no resistance from her, and he became bolder. His hand slid all the way into her underwear, through a tangle of soft curls, and down to the her center.

Buffy tore her lips from his and took in a huge lungful of air.

"Shall I stop?" he asked, worried.

But she shook her head. "No...it..." She lifted her hips, almost imperceptibly, "...it feels...good."

The words thrilled him. He was giving pleasure to the girl he loved more than anything on earth. It was a heady sensation, and he felt more of a man at that moment than he'd ever done before.

Slowly, gently, he slipped his fingers all the way down, until they were touching the moist opening of her body.

Buffy's thighs parted a little more, almost without her directing them to do so.

William explored the mystery between her legs, as he lowered his head and kissed her lips again.

His knowledge of female anatomy was sketchy at best, but he knew from listening to older school mates and from certain books that would have caused his grandmother to faint clean away had she know he'd read them, just exactly the place he needed to be to give her the most pleasure.

It really wasn't difficult to find, not from the way her breathing escalated when he touched and rubbed her there.

When he felt her fingers tighten in his hair, he knew he'd found what he'd been searching for. He stiffened his fingers and began a slow and gentle massage.

Buffy's head dropped back, and she stared sightlessly up at the sky. She felt so close to something, it was just slightly out of her reach, and if she just concentrated...she could....

"Oh! I....I'm...." Her voice was high pitched and breathy.

William increased the pressure and speed of his fingers.

"W...William...ohhh....oh God...."

Her thighs tightened again. Not to keep his hand away, but to clamp down on it and hold it to her.

The moisture was flowing from her, making his fingers slick as they moved in her underwear.

Buffy raised her hips to deepen his touch even more. "Oh, please...please...I...I want...oh...oh..."

Instinct alone prompted his next move.

Bending his head, he caught her breast in his mouth and suckled at the rigid peak, nipping it gently with his teeth.

Buffy's eyes widened and she couldn't hold back a strangled cry. Her entire body was shuddering and shaking with the tremendous force of her release.

~~~~~

"And then someday

They may recall...."

~~~~~

Panting harshly, she clung to him as her eyes drifted shut.

"Buffy....open your eyes, luv...please," he begged.

When she did, he was happy to see that they were soft with tenderness. He moved his hand from her panties and gathered her close.

"I love you," he whispered. "God...I love you so much."

She took in a deep breath, and released it slowly.

"I love you, too. So much....."

~~~~~

"We were not...too young...at all."

~~~~~

TBC

Part twelve.....

Phase three: Learning to love

~~~~~

"Hold me, hold me

Never let me go

Until you've told me, told me

What I want to know.."

And then just hold me, hold me.."

~~~~~

They stood on Buffy's front porch, kissing with a feverish desperation, neither one wanting to be the first to pull away, to have to part from each other...even for the remainder of the night.

But eventually, they had to come up for air.

She placed her hands on his cheeks, stroking his warm skin with her thumbs. "William," she whispered urgently, looking up into his eyes.

Lowering his head, he buried his face against her throat. "I don't want to let you go," he said. "I can't make my arms let go."

"Me, neither." She moved her hand to stroke his tousled curls, then pushed him away a little, offering him another kiss.

A few moments later, she pulled away and started to say something, but he stopped her by yanking her back into his arms. "Not yet. Just a little longer, Buffy. Please. It'll be forever until tomorrow."

~~~~~

"Make me tell you I'm in love with you.."

~~~~~

"Buffy....say it again," he whispered hotly in her ear.

She looked up into his eyes. "I love you."

William smiled at her. "I'll never get tired of hearing you say that."

"I'll never get tired of saying it."

They lingered in each other's arms for a while, neither wanting to be the first to say goodnight.

"Can we do something tomorrow?" he asked. "It's Sunday. Maybe we could go to the beach or something?"

Buffy nodded. "Okay. I have to go with my mom for some new school clothes, but afterwards we could go."

"When will you be home?"

"My mom can only stand shopping with me for a few hours at a time," she said. "So I'm pretty sure by 2:00 or so."

William ran his hands up and down her bare arms, pleased that the nights were so warm in California that she didn't need a sweater covering her soft skin. "What are you going to buy?"

Buffy shrugged. "Some jeans and tops, I guess. I definitely need some new shoes. My dad took me shopping a couple of weeks ago, but he's even less patient than my mom when it comes to the mall."

He smiled, thinking to himself that there was nothing in the world he would enjoy more than taking Buffy to the mall and buying her anything she liked. "More of these pretty dresses?" he asked, fingering the soft cotton material that clung to her waist.

"Maybe," she said, returning his smile. "Do you...have a favorite color?"

His heart rate kicked up. She wanted to dress to please him! "Buffy...I would love you in any color you wear," he said, smoothing her hair away from her face. "But, I'll admit that I'm partial to red."

"I'll see if I can find something red," she said shyly.

The porch light snapped on. It was her mother's not so subtle signal that it was time to call it a night.

"I have to go in."

"I know." He slipped his arms back around her waist and pulled her closer. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Buffy lifted her face, her lips parted and moist. As he lowered his head to kiss her goodnight, her eyes closed and her arms crept around his neck.

When he finally summoned the will to pull away, he murmured, "Goodnight."

She said it, too...reluctantly...then went inside and began to close the door. Before it was all the way closed, he put his hand on it and stopped her. "I love you."

Buffy smiled and sighed. "I love you, too."

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yes...tomorrow."

And with that, he had to be content.

~~~~~

"Thrill me, thrill me

Walk me down the lane where shadows

Will be, will be

Hiding lovers just the same as we'll be, we'll be

When you make me tell you I love you..."

~~~~~

He couldn't sleep.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. Whenever he took a deep breath, he caught the scent of her perfume. When his fingers brushed the cotton of his bed sheets, he felt her satiny skin.

This was agony, being away from her. How the hell was he going to live until tomorrow?

William had never really been in love before. There'd been a girl or two that he'd liked, or found sexy. He'd had two fairly serious girlfriends, one when he'd been fourteen, and the other during his sixteenth year, but the feelings he could remember having for them were nothing at all compared to the overwhelming rush of love and passion he felt for Buffy.

He would do anything for her. Absolutely anything.

Just to see her smile...to hear her laugh...to feel her touch...her little hands on his body...on his...

Groaning, he rolled onto his back and flung the bedclothes violently onto the floor.

He tried to think of something else. School would be starting soon, and he was actually looking forward to it. He'd never attended a public school before, and

he was curious to see how different it was here in the U.S.

And Buffy would be there. He would see her every day. They could have lunch together...find places they could be alone...kiss...and touch....and.....

"Bloody hell," he muttered, shutting his eyes tightly.

~~~~~

"They told me, be sensible with your new love

Don't be fooled, thinking this is the last you'll find.."

~~~~~

She couldn't sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Whenever she took a deep breath, she caught the scent of his skin, the clean smell of soap and just a trace of aftershave. When her fingers brushed the hair out of her eyes, she felt his touch.

Buffy hated being apart from him. She wanted to spend every moment of her life in his arms. For the first time ever, she was in love.

She'd thought she'd been in love before, but now she knew better. The feelings she'd had for the one or two casual boyfriends she'd left behind in Los Angeles, were nothing but shadows of the emotions churning inside of her every time she even thought of William.

This was love. Her mother and father would probably try to tell her that she didn't understand true love. They would consider her relationship with William to be 'puppy love'. Childish and sweet, but not the serious and lasting type of love that she would find someday when she was older and wiser.

They were wrong. So unbelievably wrong.

She loved William with every part of herself. Her heart and her soul....and her body. All of it belonged to him, to do with as he would.

The way he kissed her...the way he touched her...was as close to paradise as she'd ever been. She was learning so many new things about herself, about what she wanted out of life, about what was really important and what was not.

William was her first love, and someday...he would be her first lover. She knew this as clearly as she knew the earth revolved around the sun. It was meant to be.

Waiting until tomorrow was like slow torture, and nothing would take her mind off of him. No matter what she tried to think about...her mind always returned to the boy next door.

Sitting up in bed, she threw her covers off. Her skin felt hot and sensitive. The memory of his hands touching her so intimately was making her ache to feel him again.

She shook her hair back out of her face, almost ready to cry because she wanted so badly to be with him, to kiss him, and to feel his hands on her, moving over her body, touching her breasts and slipping down further between her.....

"Oh, God," she whimpered softly, lying down and closing her eyes tightly.

~~~~~

"But they never stood in the dark with you, love

When you take me in your arms and drive me

Slowly out of my mind..."

~~~~~

It was useless, trying to sleep, trying to think of anything else but Buffy.

There WAS nothing else but Buffy.

So he let his mind wander, remembering every moment of their time on the beach earlier.

As he replayed it in his brain, his hand crept down between his legs and took a firm hold of his rapidly hardening shaft.

"Buffy," he whispered, gently stroking his aching flesh. "Yes..."

~~~~~

"Kiss me, kiss me

And when you do I know that you

Will miss me, miss me

If we ever say adieu, so kiss me...kiss me

Let me tell you I'm in love with you.."

~~~~~

Her restless tossing had tangled her nightgown up around her waist. She had given up on trying to sleep, there was no point to it when the only thing she could think about didn't relax or calm her in any way.

She wanted to be with William, lying on the beach in his arms. Wanted to feel the gentle caress of his fingers in her most secret place, the place he had found with unerring accuracy, the place he had touched over and over again.

Buffy closed her eyes and pictured it in her mind. The ocean rolling in and out, the sound of his voice whispering in her ear, the dizzying pleasure of his hands and his mouth...

"Oh, William," she sighed, letting her hand delve between her thighs. "Touch me....."

~~~~~

"Never, never, never let me go..."

~~~~~

(I'm having a lot of fun with this one. It's amazing how easy it is getting to call up these memories of first love. Remember how desperate it was? How you couldn't wait to be together, and how the whole world was going to stop until you saw each other again? I remember nights when I was certain I was just going to die before I saw my 'sweet sixteen' boyfriend again.)