Part 13....

~~~~~

"Just an old fashioned love song

Playing on the radio

And wrapped around the music

Is the sound of someone promising

They'll never go..."

~~~~~

The crowd at the beach was surprisingly sparse for a hot Sunday afternoon. Not that they cared. As far as Buffy and William were concerned, they were the only people in the world at that moment.

"Come on." He jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Let's go in the water."

Buffy giggled as he hauled her to her feet and began dragging her along behind him. The instant her foot moved from the warm, loose sand to the wet hard-packed, she squealed and pulled back. "It's too cold."

William laughed, refusing to allow her retreat. "Don't be a baby," he teased, tightening his grip.

"No...it's freezing." She managed to slip her hand out of his, then turned to run. Ten yards away she got, before he caught her and scooped her up in his arms.

Buffy shrieked and kicked, belying her eagerness to escape by wrapping her arms around his neck. "Put me down," she demanded.

"Never!" he shouted, running down to the water line. His bare feet kicked up the shallow water as he waded in up to his knees.

When he pretended to drop her, she literally climbed up his body. "Don't you dare," she threatened, trying to look as though she meant business.

"Or you'll what?" he asked, holding her a little tighter.

Buffy tried to think up a suitable warning. "I'll...I won't kiss you for the rest of the day!"

His eyes widened with mock horror. "Really?" he asked, grinning wickedly, then bending his head until his lips nearly touched hers. "You would do that to me?" he

whispered.

She felt the warmth of his breath on her lips....and melted. "No," she said softly, placing her hand on his cheek and pulling him closer.

~~~~~

"You'll swear you've heard it before

As it slowly rambles on

No need in bringing them back

'Cause they've never really gone.."

~~~~~

She kissed him so sweetly, so thoroughly, that his arms trembled and he was forced to set her on her feet.

When her toes touched the cold water, she squeaked and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist as she hung on his neck.

William, who was wearing only a pair of cut off jeans, gasped against her soft lips at the feeling of pressure she was innocently exerting on his lower parts.

He didn't want to lose his contact with her lips, so he placed one hand on the back of her neck, digging his fingers into her thick hair, and the other he slipped down under her bottom to hold her up. With a slight push, he ground her against him a little harder.

When they finally broke apart to take in air, he leaned his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too." Buffy's head was spinning, while her heart beat sped up significantly. She felt like a clock-work toy gone wildly out of control.

Moving out of the water, William carried her back to their blanket and set her down on it.

~~~~~

"Just an old fashioned love song

Coming down in three part harmony

Just an old fashioned love song

One I'm sure they wrote for you and me.."

~~~~~

"Are you hungry?"

Buffy smiled. "Starved."

"Let's go get something."

Taking her hand, he helped her to her feet and they set off across the warm sand, heading for the snack bar.

There were only a couple of people in line. William stood behind Buffy and slipped his arms around her waist, leaning down to speak quietly in her ear.

"What sounds good, love?"

Buffy studied the menu. It contained the usual assortment of fast food...hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken strips and so on, along with the customary side dish of french fries.

"Ummm....I guess I'll have a hamburger," she said, shrugging like it didn't really matter.

"Yeah, me too."

After ordering, they sat down on a bench to wait for their number to be called. With their hands seemingly glued together, they made casual small talk.

"School starts on Wednesday," William said, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand.

Buffy made a face. "Ugh...don't remind me."

"What? You don't like school?" he asked.

She shrugged, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's okay, I guess. I've gotta pull up my grades this year, or my parents'll do something drastic."

He didn't like the sound of that at all. "Like what?"

Buffy raised her head and looked at him. "Boarding school, maybe. Somewhere with no...distractions."

"What?" William was concerned and it showed in his expression and his tone. "Where?"

"I don't know," she replied. "My dad didn't say."

There wasn't a chance in the world that he would let such a thing happen, William decided. He didn't care what he had to do. He had just found this girl, no way in hell

was he going to lose her.

"Listen," he said, placing his hand beneath her chin and tilting her face up. "I'll help you. With anything you need, I promise. We'll get your grades up...all right?"

Buffy believed him completely. She just knew that he could do whatever he said he could do, and he would do it for her. "All right."

He kissed the back of her hand as their order number was called.

~~~~~

"To weave our dreams upon

And listen to each evening

When the lights are low

To underscore our love affair

With tenderness and feelings

That we've come to know.."

~~~~~

"Your shoulders look a little pink," Buffy said, reaching for her tote bag. "Sit up."

William sat up beside her and watched what she was doing. His eyes gleamed when she pulled out a bottle of sunblock.

She crawled around behind him on her knees and squirted a glob of the white cream on his warm skin, giggling when he jumped and said, "Cold."

"Sorry." Buffy smoothed the cream around his shoulders, rubbing it into his skin with a gentle touch.

He let his head drop forward, luxuriating in the feel of her hands kneading his flesh.

When she was finished, she placed the cap on the bottle and set it aside, then pulled him back until he was reclining in her arms.

"Thank you, love," he said, bringing one hand up to stroke her sun warmed hair.

"You're welcome." Sighing with complete happiness, she pressed her cheek against his soft curls.

They sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes, then William said, "Let's go out tonight. Somewhere nice."

Buffy smiled and nodded. "Okay. Where?"

He hesitated for a moment. "There's a restaurant in the lobby of the Chandler Arms," he suggested.

"The where?"

"It's....a hotel. Close to the country club," he said, trying to keep his tone casual, not wanting her to think he was trying anything sneaky.

There was a short silence, then Buffy tightened her arms around him. "What should I wear?"

~~~~~

"Just an old fashioned love song

Coming down in three part harmony

Just an old fashioned love song

One I'm sure they wrote for you and me.."

~~~~~

TBC.....

Part Fourteen....

     ~~~~~

"Outside the rain begins

And it may never end

So cry no more, on the shore a dream

Will take us out to sea

Forevermore.....forevermore..."

     ~~~~~

"Well, don't you look nice this evening?"

William glanced in the mirror and saw his uncle standing in the open door of the poolhouse. Adjusting his tie, he tugged at it to loosen it a fraction.

"You know," he said, grinning, "this is the first time I've worn one of these since I left England. I'd forgotten how much I hate them."

Rupert Giles tugged off his glasses and began to clean them, a sure sign that something was on his mind.

"I assume you have a date with Buffy tonight?" he asked casually.

"You assume...right," William replied, giving up on the tie and reaching for his suit coat. "I'm taking

her out to dinner."  He didn't feel like volunteering the information as to where he was taking her, knowing that such an admission would be inviting a shocked expression and a lecture about conducting himself as a gentleman at all times, and that perhaps taking a young lady to a hotel for a meal was not really the "right" thing to do.

Perching his glasses on his nose once more, the older man gave his nephew a long and considering look. "You're seeing a lot of her, aren't you?"

William just shrugged. "Every chance I get," he said. "Can you blame me?"

Rupert sighed and smiled. "I suppose I can't. She's a lovely girl. Quite charming and very....American."

An odd tone to the remark caught Williams's attention as he picked up his car keys. Dropping them in his pocket, he turned to confront his uncle. "Is there some kind of hidden meaning in that comment?" he asked, frowning.

Rupert's cheeks reddened slightly. "Not...well, I don't mean for there to be, but....I was wondering one thing."

"What's that?" William folded his arms across his chest.

"You and Buffy are from completely different worlds. I know that you've adapted quite well to the States, and you definitely fit in with all your new friends...."

"But..?" William prompted.

Rupert cleared his throat, staring at his feet. "Have you told her about YOUR world, William?" he asked quietly. "The world that you will be obliged to return to one day?"

Oh, this was going to be a whole new lecture subject, and William wanted no part of it right now. That particular future seemed to be a hundred years away.

The only thing he cared about was the here and the now. He had just found the most beautiful girl on earth, had just fallen completely in love with her, and was set to explore all the wonderful possibilities of that love.  Buffy WAS his future, he had no doubt of it...but it was too soon to start figuring out which obstacles would be the most difficult to climb.

"Buffy knows where I'm from," he replied vaguely. "I've told her about Black Oaks. Please don't do that."

Rupert had begun to wander around the room, picking up articles of clothing and folding them into neat little piles. Placing a shirt on the top of his stack, he turned and stared right at William.

"Have you told her...everything? Not just about the estate, and the house in London, and the retreat in Scotland...but about you. About who you are...and what's expected of you."

William took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Not yet," he admitted. "But I will. Soon."

Rupert hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I hope you do," he said. "If there's a chance that Buffy will be the girl you choose someday, then it's only fair she know what's in store for her."

About to walk out the door, William stopped and looked back. "Buffy IS the girl I've chosen," he said firmly. "I want you to know that. We'll...work things out."

His uncle joined him by the door. "William...please understand, I think she's a lovely girl.  I can see

that you have deep feelings for her and I have no doubt that she returns those feelings."  He patted the young man's shoulder. "I'm on your side, you know. You're my sister's only child and I'm...well, quite fond of you."

William smiled. "Goodnight, Uncle Rupert," he said, anxious to be gone. "And....try not to worry so much."

As he watched his nephew walk around the hedge that separated his property from the Summers house, Rupert Giles shook his head and sighed. "It's not MY worry you need to be concerned with, William," he murmured, closing the door behind him.

     ~~~~~

"Close your eyes and dream

And you can be with me

'Neath the waves

Through the caves of hours

Long forgotten now

We're all alone...we're all alone..."

     ~~~~~

Buffy opened the door, smiling widely.

William nearly passed out at the sight she presented him.

Her dress was a deep, lush crimson silk that clung sweetly to her curves. The skirt of the dress was full and swished around her legs when she walked, it's hem dropping to a little above her knees.

But the feature of the garment that really made his mouth water was the neckline, a deep V shape that looked remarkably easy to get inside of.

She was wearing sheer stockings and red, heeled sandals. Her hair was curled and held back from her face by a pair of garnet studded combs.

His eyes were drawn to the hollow of her throat, where a small, heart shaped pendant dangled.

Realizing he was standing there like a mute idiot, he mentally kicked himself in the arse and stepped inside when she moved back from the door.

"I can't even find the words to tell you how beautiful you look," he said quietly, leaning over to whisper in her ear, and wondering where her mother was.

Buffy's smile was dazzling. Her light summer tan seemed almost golden to his eyes, and she was

wearing the most beautiful shade of scarlet lipstick he'd ever seen on a girl. Glossy and deep, it made her mouth look like a piece of exotic and juicy fruit, and he wanted to take a bite out of her right then and there.

"William. You look handsome tonight."

Joyce was halfway down the stairs, an empty laundry basket in one hand.

He forced himself to take his eyes off Buffy and reply to her mother.

The three of them stood in the foyer, making the usual small talk of where they were going and when Buffy was expected home.

William's announcing a 7:00 reservation got them out the door and into his car.

     ~~~~~

"Close the window, calm the light

And it will be all right

No need to bother now

Let it out, let it all begin

Learn how to pretend..."

     ~~~~~

The Chandler Arms was a fifteen minute drive from Buffy's house.

Waiting for a green light, William turned his full attention on his passenger. "New dress?"

A tiny smile curved her lips. "Brand new," she admitted. "Do you like it?"

He nodded slowly. "Very much," he said. "Red's my favorite color."

Buffy paused. "I remember," she murmured, her cheeks turning pink.

An exhilerating rush of excitement washed over him.  She had remembered!  Had bought this dress with him in mind, wanting to appeal to him and attract him.

Knowing this caused a heady feeling of pride and possession,  coupled with intense sexual awareness, that kept him on edge for the remainder of the drive.

William turned onto a long drive, located just off the main highway.  Passing by the Country Club and it's inevitable golf course, he continued another half mile before pulling into the semi-circular drive-way in front of the hotel.

A valet appeared, opening the passenger side door for Buffy, then traded places in the driver's seat with William.

Once inside the hotel lobby, Buffy looked around in amazement.  It was the most beautiful...the most elegantly appointed...and the most daunting place she'd ever set foot to carpet in.

Slightly intimated by it's expensive glamour, she held tightly to William's hand and prayed that she wouldn't do anything stupid or clumsy.

The restaurant he was taking her to was on the far side of the hotel lobby, identified only by a small sign set on what looked to her like an easel.

Although she felt nervous and out of place, she couldn't help notice that William was decidedly not. 

He dealt with everything, showing an ease of manner that only came from years of experience. A background of wealth and privilege was apparent in his every move and word.

If he'd been any other boy she knew, Buffy would have thought that he was being pretentious and show-offy to try and impress her.

William's demeanor was neither of those things, but was instead the completely natural behavior of someone who was used to people doing what he told them.

He was, quite frankly, the most 'adult' seventeen year old boy she knew. 

     ~~~~~

"Once a story's told

It can't help but grow old

Roses do, lovers too

So cast your seasons to the wind

And hold me dear...hold me dear.."

     ~~~~~ 

She sat behind a menu so enormous that it blocked her from his view.

Chuckling, William tapped on the back of it. "Have you decided yet, luv?"

Buffy set the menu down on the table in front of her, a small frown furrowing her brow. "It's all in French," she said, looking up at him helplessly. Shit!  He'd forgotten and he could have kicked himself when he saw her blush.                                                                                                             

"I took Spanish."

William gave her a reassuring smile. "May I order for you?" 

She shrugged. "I think you'll have to."

"All right."  He studied his own menu. "What kind of food do you prefer?"

The kind of foods she preferred were nowhere to be found on this menu, but she'd never been a picky eater. "Oh, I'll eat just about anything," she said.

William swallowed hard and cleared his throat. Glancing up at her , he saw nothing but an ingenuous smile on her pretty mouth, so he took the remark at face value and didn't reply to it.

TBC......

(will continue in 14-B. this infernal gadget is acting up)

Part 14-B

He looked over the menu, choosing foods that he liked and thought Buffy might enjoy as well.

The waiter was hovering nearby, and appeared at their table side when William beckoned him.

"Nous commencerons par prendre du pate de Foies de Volailles Maison, apres...cela des Escargots, une salade de chevre chaud, le carre d'agneua roti, et enfin comme dessert, le fondant

au chocolate."

Scribbling on his pad, the waiter nodded. "Tres bon choix, monsieur," he murmured.

"Merci."  William handed him their menus. "Ce sera tout."

After the waiter's departure, William looked at Buffy and found her smiling at him in delight.

"Okay, I'm impressed," she said. "Now, I wish I'd taken French."

He returned her smile. "You do?"

"Yeah...that was beautiful," she nodded. "Ordering food in English NEVER sounds that good."

"It's a beautiful language," he agreed. "One of the 'Romance' languages."

Buffy giggled. "Very romantic."

William's dark eyes were alight with amusement. He leaned over the table and took her small hand in his. "Buffy," he said softly, "Tu es belle a chaque fois que je te vois. Tu es belle a la lumiere, au clair de lune, eclairee d'un rayon de soleil, mais te regarder maintenant a la luere de ces bougies et je retombe amoureux de toi, comme au premiere jour."

Her eyes became wider with every word that passed his lips so eloquently. He spoke with such tenderness...such a depth of sincerity...that she almost knew what he was saying without having to ask.

Lifting her hand, he placed a sweet kiss on the back of it.  "Tu m' enchantes."

She entwined her fingers with his, almost unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

"That was beautiful," she finally said, squeezing his hand. "What did you say?"

William returned the pressure of her hand. "I said that you get more beautiful every time I see you. You're lovely by moonlight...and by daylight...but seeing you now in candlelight makes me fall in love with you all over again. You've enchanted me."

Buffy smiled sweetly. "I love you, too," she whispered, her eyes shining with the fury of passionate adoration he brought out in her.

Every word he spoke...every syllable...was a caress that she could feel.

And she never wanted to be without it again.

***********************************************

Buffy stared down at the plate the waiter had placed in front of her.  She looked at the plate, looked up at William, then back down at the plate.

Struck by a sudden premonition that she was about to regret not insisting he order in plain English, she regarded the offering in front of her with a dubious eye.

A mound of grayish, brownish paste was surrounded by little slices of toast and..

**Are those PICKLES?**

....draped over it. There was a small pile of lettuce on the side of the dish, with a cherry tomato balanced on top.

The whole thing looked highly unappetizing to her.

"Um...maybe," she said doubtfully, "we shouldn't spoil our appetites for dinner. And...and I had a late lunch," she tacked on, lamely. 

William smiled at her. "Just try it," he urged.

Buffy sighed and picked up her fork. "What is it?"

He reached over and removed the cutlery from her hand, then picked up a knife and spread some of the mess on a slice of toast.

The maneuver was so smoothly done that she didn't even have time to be embarassed by her mistake before he was giving her the piece of bread.

"This," he explained, "is Pate de Foies de Volaille." 

Buffy took a bite and chewed.

"It's chicken liver."

Her jaw stopped moving, and she stared at him. "Chicken...liver?" she mumbled through the mouthful of food.

"Mm-hmm," William nodded, putting together another serving. "Do you like it?"

Actually....she kind of did!  Surprise, surprise...it was pretty tasty once you got past the idea of

eating a chicken's liver.

She swallowed and shrugged her shoulders. "It's good," she said, and took another bite.

Apparently, she'd been worried for no reason about him ordering in French. If the rest of the meal was as good as this, then.....

***********************************************

"You've gotta be kidding me."

The food in front of Buffy now made the gray and brown glop of chicken liver look like ambrosia.

"Don't say anything until you've tried it," William teased, picking up the utensils that accompanied this this offering. "It's delicious."

"You can have mine," she said promptly.

It was a sincere remark. No way was she going eat something she squished in her mother's rose bushes on a regular basis.

Picking up one of the snails with a tiny pair of tongs, he dug it's innards out with a small fork.

Buffy immediately drew back. "No, thank you."

Her demeanor seemed to amuse him. "Escargot de Bourgogne," he announced. "Sauteed in garlic and butter. Try it."

Groping for an excuse not to, Buffy said, "Sometimes I have trouble with shellfish...kind of an allergy thing, so.."

"This isn't shellfish," he replied.

"It has a shell."

"It's not a fish."  He held out the fork and it's disgusting passenger. "I promise you," he added. "You put enough garlic and butter on it, even shoe leather will taste good."

"That's not very reassuring," Buffy muttered, opening her mouth and accepting his offering.

As it turned out, he was right!

*********************************************

"William...maybe you'd better tell me what's coming next," Buffy said, wanting to prepare herself.

"Salad is next," he informed her. "Salade de Chevre Chaud."

"Oh!"  What a relief.  Salad was something she knew.

Or so she had imagined....

"This is salad?"  This was NOT salad!

"That's right," he said. Some mixed greens, tomato and vinaigrette. Salad."

Buffy made a face, which he missed. "What's that on top of it?"

"Melted goat cheese."

Well, she'd HAD to ask!

Gamely, she picked up her salad fork and plunged in.

************************************************

How much longer was this meal going to last?

It was a question she'd been wanting to ask out loud since the melted goat cheese.

Buffy looked glumly at the new plate of food. "And this is...?"

"Carre D'Agnuau Roti," he answered. "It's a..."

She held up one hand. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

**********************************************

"Is there anything else coming?" Buffy asked, wiping her mouth on her napkin.

William leaned back and smiled. "There's dessert."

She didn't want to even imagine what kind of desserts they served at this place. Probably something like pine cones dipped in marshmallow cream.

Patting her tummy, she shook her head. "I don't think I can."

Once again, the waiter set a plate in front of her.

"Maybe I can!"

Now, THIS was more like it. She could actually identify this food. A slice of chocolate cake arranged in swirling patterns of hot fudge.

"Fondant au Chocolat," William said, watching the delight on her expressive face. "I thought you'd like it."

Buffy took a bite and gazed heavenward. "Good."

It was so good that it almost made up for the snails.

*********************************************

TBC.....

Part Fifteen.....

~~~~~

"Only you, can make this world seem right

Only you, can make the darkness bright.."

~~~~~

William pulled his car into the driveway of his uncle's house and cut the engine. He turned to Buffy and reached for her hand.

Her fingers clasped tightly around his as she looked at him and smiled. "I had a really nice time," she said politely. "Thank you for dinner."

He shrugged. "You're welcome." After a long pause he asked, "Do you have to go in now?"

Buffy's eyes darted to the second floor window of her mother's bedroom. There was only a faint glow coming from it, which usually meant that her mom was in bed with the television playing softly, and when that happened, she almost always fell asleep halfway through whatever she was watching. Many times, Buffy had crept into her mom's room and switched off the set at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning.

"I guess I could stay out a little later," she said softly, turning back to William. "Technically, my summer curfew is midnight, but my mom's pretty okay about it if I'm a little late."

William glanced at his watch. It was only 9:30. He could be with her for at least another hour and a half, and maybe a bit longer than that.

"Did you want to go somewhere else?" Buffy asked.

There was only one place he wanted to go, but he was hesitant to suggest it. He didn't want her to think that he only had one thing on his mind, but he was desperate to have some time alone with her.

It had been less than twenty-four hours since they'd been able to do anything more than briefly kiss, but it felt more like twenty-four years.

He'd given serious thought to the idea of suggesting that they get a room in the hotel where they'd had dinner, but had discarded the notion halfway through the meal, not wanting her to feel as though he was pressuring her.

Besides, a hotel room at this point in their relationship, was temptingly dangerous. Had they gone through with it, things could have gotten completely out of hand and it was just too soon for that.

On the other hand, if he didn't get a chance to have her all to himself for a while, he was going to lose his mind.

There was only one place he could think of where they could be alone to do what they wanted, but could also rely on the close proximity of both his uncle and her mother to keep things from going too far.

"I was thinking," he began, trying to sound as though his sanity wasn't riding on the outcome of this endeavor, "that we could go to the pool house for a while. Maybe...watch a movie...?"

Buffy nodded slowly. "We could do that," she said agreeably.

William released the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. He lifted the small and that fit so beautifully in his, and kissed it gently.

~~~~~

"Only you, and you alone

Can thrill me like you do..."

~~~~~

It was the first time she'd been in the poolhouse, and she loved it on sight.

The small cottage had a living room area, with a sofa, a couple of armchairs, and a pretty elaborate stereo system on one wall. It was flanked by a book shelf on one side, and a small table on the other. On that table, there was a television and cable box, a DVD player, and some sort of video game system hooked up.

On the opposite side of the room, there was a door that Buffy imagined led to a bedroom.

To HIS bedroom.

She stared at it and swallowed...hard.

William closed the front door. Buffy jumped at the sound, then giggled nervously.

"What's so funny?" he asked, warming her with his smile.

"Nothing," she said, her voice light and high pitched. Nerve chills chased up and down her spine. "The door, it...it startled me."

She felt a little foolish, but his grin only widened.

"Sit down," he urged her, indicating the sofa.

Buffy tucked her skirt beneath her and took a seat at one end of the couch, watching as he took off his jacket and pulled the knot of his tie loose.

"That's better," he said, pulling the tie off over his head and tossing it on the back of a chair, along with his jacket.

Feeling as though she should make some sort of similar gesture, Buffy toed off her shoes.

William sat down in the chair, then removed his own shoes and socks. "I like barefoot better, too," he said, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt.

~~~~~

"And fill my heart with love

For only you..."

~~~~~

"What would you like to watch?"

"Anything's fine with me."

William grabbed a box with several DVDs in it. He sat down next to Buffy and began searching through them.

"Something funny?" he suggested. "Scary?"

Buffy thought it over. "Something...romantic," she finally said.

William looked sheepish . "I'm afraid we'll have to go straight to cable for that," he admitted, picking up the TV remote, and thumbing the 'ON' button.

He set the box of DVDs down on the floor, and Buffy picked it up and began to sort through it herself.

"Die Hard...Die Harder...Top Gun...The Terminator...Lethal Weapon numbers one, two, three, AND four." She looked at him. "Bambi?"

William grabbed the DVD from her hand. "You didn't see that," he announced, smiling at her as he tossed it back into the box.

Buffy laughed. "It's okay," she said. "I like Bambi, too."

"Well, you're a girl. It's coded into your DNA."

He began flipping channels, going rapidly from 2 to 504. When he started to go around again, Buffy spoke up. "How can you even tell what's on?"

William shrugged. "Practice."

The constantly flickering screen was beginning to make her dizzy, so she grabbed the remote out of his hand. "My turn."

"Hey!" he protested. "Give that back!"

"No!" She giggled and held it out of his reach. "I'm getting seasick."

Delighted at her cheeky manner, he pounced and tried to wrestle the remote away from her.

Buffy stuffed it behind her, then leaned back against the cushion.

"What, do you think that'll stop me?" he asked.

He leaned over her to wedge one hand between her and the remote. As he dug for it, he over balanced and fell on top of her.

Which brought their playful interlude to an abrupt halt.

~~~~~

"Only you, can make this change in me

For it's true, you are my destiny..."

~~~~~

With one knee riding between her thighs, he leaned closer and began kissing her.

Buffy's arms crept up and around his neck asher lips parted beneath his, allowing his tongue into her mouth and meeting it with her own.

When they parted, he pulled back and looked down at her. Her eyes were soft, warm with love that he could feel all the way through him.

Moving up a little, he reached behind her and switched off the floor lamp behind the couch. Nothing but the glow of the television illuminated the room. He slipped his hand behind her again and pulled out the remote, then aimed it at the TV and muted the sound.

He dropped the remote on the floor, and adjusted his position again. Holding his upper body off of her, he balanced his weight on one hand and caressed the side of her face with the other.

"Buffy," he whispered, stroking her soft skin. His thumb brushed against her moist

lower lip. "I love you."

Her breath came unevenly when she felt his tender touch. "I love you, too."

William kissed her softly, his body molding itself to hers, feeling each dip and swell beneath him.

His fingers moved tentatively from her cheek to her right breast, cupping it, and gently squeezing it's full, rounded contours.

Buffy instinctively arched her back, thrusting her flesh more fully into his eager hand. She waited on pins and needles for him to go further.

Still kissing her, he swept his thumb over and around the hard center of her breast, making it harder still.

As he moved against her, Buffy felt her dress begin to inch up. A brief flare of panic overtook her, and she tried to move one hand down to fix the problem.

William broke their kiss. "What's wrong?" he asked, his hand still fondling her.

Her cheeks turned pink. "Nothing," she murmured, pulling him back down and reclaiming his lips.

He moaned softly into her mouth as his hand slipped behind her, searching for the zipper of her dress. When she made no protest, he began inching it down.

The material parted, and he moved his hand inside, fumbling for the clasp of her bra.

She helped him by sitting up and reaching behind to unhook it herself.

William moved his hand into the back of her dress again, then slid it around front and under her bra. His fingers closed around her breast and massaged it gently.

Buffy shifted beneath him, loosening the bodice of her dress. He helped her pull her

arms out of the sleeves, then tugged the silky fabric down to the waistband. Drawing off her bra, he laid it over the back of the couch.

Staring down at her, he felt himself harden nearly to the point of pain. Buffy lay before him, naked from the waist up, and his imagination soared to new heights as he contemplated all the things he wanted to do with her.

Not all of it was sexual in nature. He wanted much more than that. Her beauty was inspiring him, and he wanted to paint her, to write poetry and songs about her. Entire symphonies were swelling inside of him.

He wanted to leave something tangible behind when their time in this world was over, to show whoever came after them how beautiful she had been, how special and perfect she would always be....

And how deeply he had loved her.

~~~~~

"When you hold my hand, I understand

the magic that you do

You're my dream come true

My one and only...you."

~~~~~

TBC....

Part sixteen.....

~~~~~

"This magic moment

So different and so new

Was like any other

Until I kissed you..."

~~~~~

Slowly...carefully...William moved his hand from under Buffy's bra and placed it on her outer thigh, slightly above her knee.  With any other girl he'd known, this maneuver would probably have gotten his face slapped for him. 

But, with Buffy it was different. She was as eager to learn as he was. 

There was so much that he wanted to do with her that he could barely keep things straight in his head.  His thoughts and his needs were a jumbled up knot of nerves and passion skittering around in his brain, looking for a place to settle.

The skin beneath his fingers was warm and soft, and he was nearly shaking with the anticipation of touching her so intimately once again.   

Lowering his head, he kissed the plump curve of her breast, breathing her fragrance in until it made him light headed. He rubbed his cheek against the firm bud of her nipple, then took it into his mouth and sucked it.

Buffy inhaled sharply, arching her back just the tiniest bit. "Oh..."

His lips touched the hollow between her breasts. "All right?" he asked softly.

"More than all right," she whispered.

William had to smile. She was so giving...so sweet. "I love you."

Her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. "I love you, too."

~~~~~

"And then it happened

It took me by surprise

I knew that you felt it, too

By the look in your eyes..."

~~~~~

Much to his surprise, Buffy's hands moved to the front of his shirt and began to undo the buttons.

He said nothing, afraid that she might stop.

When she had all the buttons unfastened, she placed her hands on the sides of his shirt and pulled it open.

"I wanted to know," she began, her cheeks turning pink. "If..."

"If what?" he asked, begging her silently in his head not to stop her explorations.

Her eyes met his and she smiled a little shyly. "If it feels as good to you as it does to me when..." Her fingers glided from his shoulders to his chest. "When you're touched here," she finished, lightly brushing the tips of her fingers against his nipples.

The flat copper discs tightened beneath her touch, and he felt a lightning bolt of sensation strike at his nerve endings.  His hips jerked involuntarily, causing his erection to grind against her.

Sliding down on the sofa, she allowed her legs to part wider and he settled himself against her, pressing down slightly.

The arms he had braced on either side of her were trembling, and he wasn't at all certain they would continue to support him very well.

"Does...does that answer your question?" he asked, smiling down at her.

She looked up at him beneath the veil of her lashes. "It feels good?"

"It feels wonderful," he assured her quickly. "Every thing you do feels wonderful."

Buffy hesitated, considering her next move. She licked her lips and raised her head a little. "Come closer."

Taking a firm grip on his self control, William adjusted himself and lowered his chest until he could feel her warm breath on his skin. Holding his own breath in an agony of anticipation, he waited...then gasped out loud at the silky wetness of her tongue as it delicately licked his right nipple.

"Oh, God.." he moaned, his head dropping forward. "Buffy..do it again. Please."

Buffy felt a surge of feminine power rising up in her when he begged for her touch. Turning her head slightly, she closed her eyes and traced her tongue around his left nipple this time.  His chest expanded as he took in a deep breath, and she placed her hands on either side of his waist, urging him closer.

William felt like he was drowning in warm honey. He opened his eyes and looked down, watching as she teased and tantalized his flesh with her sweet little tongue.

Before he could stop it, thoughts of what else she might do with her mouth flashed into his brain, printing an indelible picture there.

He tried to force it away. He could certainly never suggest that she do something like...like that, although....

**Maybe....if I show her...if she'll let me...oh, God...maybe she would want to...**

His mind was spinning rapidly beyond his control. Just the thought of sharing something so intimate with her was driving him slowly insane.

Problem was...he had no idea how to get such a thing started. His previous experience didn't include anything even close to what he wanted to happen next.

He wrestled silently with the problem for a moment, rapidly formulating and discarding different options before he decided to just go ahead and ask her what she thought.

Screwing all his courage to the sticking place, he pulled back to look into her eyes.

Buffy, who had been enjoying what she was doing, was surprised when he withdrew. She looked at him with a question in her eyes. "You...don't you like that?"

William nodded emphatically. "Very much," he told her. "But...but I was thinking that...that we could do something...else."

He saw her tense up, and he knew what she was thinking.  Rushing to reassure her, he explained himself a little more clearly.

"Buffy...I know that it's too soon for us to do...what you're thinking. I understand that...and I'd never ask you to do something you're not ready for...I'd never pressure you, or...or..."

He felt like a total git, stammering and fumbling for words this way. She must think he was an inept clod.

She instantly soothed his insecurity. Placing one small hand on his cheek, she gazed into his eyes. "I know that already. And you're not...I promise."

~~~~~

"Sweeter than wine

Softer than a summer night..."

~~~~~

Encouraged by her words, William pressed on.

"I meant that we can do...other things together. To make each other...feel good."

"You mean like...what we did at the beach?" Buffy asked, blushing at the memory.

Her warm hands...her soft fingers...touching his body...caressing his......

His trousers became uncomfortably tight as the image formed in his head.

"Yes...like that," he said. "And...and something else, too. If you want to."

Seeing William this way, a boy who was usually confident and sure of himself, touched Buffy's heart and made her smile.  He was so sweet, and she loved him so much, so much that she couldn't remember what it was like NOT to love him.

"Something else?" she prompted.

Not allowing himself a chance to rethink this whole scenario, he placed one hand on her inner thigh, then slipped it up under her dress.

"I could touch you here," he said, his fingers brushing the front of her underpants, "with my

mouth."

Buffy's cheeks turned crimson at his words. Oral sex!  He was suggesting oral sex!  With her!

Oh. Oh, she just couldn't.  Could she?

If she did...if she let him...he would want her to do it, too.  And she had never...she wouldn't know how to...what to do.

**But I love him...I want him..**

She swallowed hard. "I've never..."

"Neither have I," he admitted.

~~~~~

"Everything I want,  I have

Whenever I hold you tight

~~~~~

Buffy was a little surprised. She'd never have been able to suggest doing what he was suggesting if she'd never done it before.

She could tell that he was being truthful, though. He was too nervously shy to be anything else. And she liked the idea of being the first girl he'd...

The first?

She couldn't be. Not with him being so totally cute and sexy, and so sweet at the same time. How could it be possible.  He'd had girlfriends before...hadn't he?

Well, now she had to know. If it killed her with embarrassment, she was going to ask.

"So," she said hoarsely, then cleared her throat. "You've never...I mean...what you were talking about...never?"

 "Never," he confirmed.

Buffy played absently with the curls at the nape of his neck, trying for casual aplomb. "William...I was wondering if...if you...have you..."

He had a pretty fair idea of what she was trying to ask, but he kept a straight face and let her choke it out.

"Are you...um..."  She took a deep breath and asked the question with her rapid exhale. "Areyouavirgin?"

William hadn't thought it was possible for her face to turn any redder, but apparently he'd been wrong. Biting his lower lip to keep from laughing, he made his confession.

"Yes," he nodded. "Actually....I am."

Uncertain as to how she'd feel about hearing this, he was pleasantly surprised to see an enraptured smile bloom on her pretty face.  He'd never imagined his lack of experience would make her so happy.

"Really?" she asked, threading her fingers into his curls.

He turned his head and kissed her fingers. "Really," he replied, then gave her a questioning look. "You don't mind that I...really don't know what I'm doing?"

Buffy shook her head. Mind?  It was one of the best things she'd ever heard.

"I think it's wonderful," she said, cupping his face in her hands.

"Why?"

"Because....we'll be learning it all together," she said simply. "We'll teach each other...everything."

"Everything?" he breathed, his eyes soft with love.

"Everything."

~~~~~

"This magic moment

With your lips so close to mind

Will last forever

Forever till the end of time..."

~~~~~

TBC...

Part seventeen.....



~~~~~~~~~~
"God bless the day I found you
I want to stay around you
Now and forever
Let it be me..."
~~~~~~~~~~


The television flickered silently, completely forgotten by the two laying on the thick carpeting in front of it.

Almost shaking with the arousal and emotion building inside of him, William knelt between Buffy's slightly spread legs, easing her panties down an inch at a time.

The deed could have been accomplished much more quickly than it was, but they were both so on edge and nervous that time seem to be stretching.

After their mutual decision to begin exploring the sexual awakening and desire they were feeling, William had gotten up off the couch and made sure that the door was securely locked, and all the curtains were closed.

He had spread the comforter from his bed on the floor, then returned to the couch and held out one hand to Buffy. She had hesitated only a moment before placing her own hand in his, allowing him to draw her down to the floor.

It had only taken him a split second to consider and reject the idea of taking her into his bedroom. The temptation he felt around her was strong enough as it was. If he saw her on his bed, he wasn't sure he'd be able to control himself.

Fortunately, the room was warm and the carpeting plush, especially with the goose down comforter he'd added.

On their knees in front of each other, he had eased her dress up and over her hips. She was too nervous to remove it completely, so he'd just smiled and helped her lie down on the floor.

His shirt had been clinging to the light sheen of perspiration caused by his excitement, and he had slipped it off and tossed it away before lying down next to her.

Starting at her lips, he kissed her softly and slowly, trying to relax her into unclamping her tightly compressed thighs. His lips had traveled down her throat, nuzzling the slight indentation at it's base, then continued down between her breasts.

When he'd felt her hands in his hair, guiding him to where she wanted him to go, he had felt a thrill race up and down his spine. Taking her right breast into his mouth, he'd licked and sucked the hard nipple until she was satisfied, then moved to the opposite side and did it all again.


~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't take this heaven from one
If you must cling to someone
Now and forever
Let it be me.."
~~~~~~~~~~


Down over her abdomen, his kisses trailed. Before he got too intimate, he moved further down her body and gently moved her legs apart a bit.

He'd kissed the soft inside of her thighs, already able to smell the scent of her as he inched his way up.

She had stiffened up, and he had stopped immediately, hoping it was only a temporary postponement.

"All right?" he'd asked, reaching with one hand for the elastic waist of her panties.

After what felt like a bloody eternity to him, she had nodded and smiled bravely.

Rising to his knees, he'd begun to pull down her underpants.

The pink lace and satin slipped slowly but surely down her legs and off.

William stared in dumb amazement, certain he'd never seen anything so beautiful.

When he could finally tear his eyes away, he glanced up and saw her watching him.

"Can I...may I..." he stammered, "touch you...here?"

Buffy nodded, a little non-plussed at his shy nervousness.

Propping himself on one elbow, he cupped his free hand over her mound, shocked by how warm and moist she was. When she gasped, his eyes shot to her face to make sure she was still willing.

Although her own eyes had drifted shut....she was licking her lips and faintly smiling.

Strongly encouraged by her reaction, he grew bolder.


~~~~~~~~~~
"Each time we meet, love
I find complete love.."
~~~~~~~~~~


Using his index finger, he slipped it slowly up and down the cleft of her sex, keeping his first touch light and gentle.

Buffy murmured softly in her throat, and her legs parted a little more for him.

Daringly moistening the tip of his finger in her wetness, he called up the memory of the stories he had read in the magazines he'd found...tales that he suspected were completely fictitious despite their writer's claims to the contrary...and located the sensitive spot at her apex.

He rubbed it slowly, thrilled when Buffy choked out a half-scream and lifted her hips, opening her legs to give him total access.

"Buffy?" he whispered, studying the look of abandon on her lovely features. "Does this...does it feel good? Do you like it, love?"

"Oh, yes," she sighed, her head falling to one side. "I do....so much."

William felt a heady rush of pride and pleasure as he reveled in the knowledge that he...a total and complete amateur in this sort of foreplay...was making her feel so good.

Emboldened even further, he bent his head and kissed the neatly trimmed patch of light brown curls that hid the most secretly intimate place on her body.

Buffy's body tensed, then relaxed as she released a breath she'd obviously been holding.

His mind reeling with a mixture of uncertainty and desperate desire, William moved lower and traced his tongue up the same path his finger had taken.

"Oh!" Her voice squeaked and her eyes flew open wide. "Will...William!"

Terrified of what her answer might be, he still had to ask. "Do you want me to stop?"

**Please say no...please say no...Buffy...please...don't make me stop...**


~~~~~~~~~~
"Without your sweet love
Tell me, what would life be?"
~~~~~~~~~~


"No...no, don't stop," she murmured. "I don't want you to."

The tension in him began to dissipate, and he lowered his head again, licking her with soft strokes of his tongue.

Buffy's neck arched, grinding the back of her head into the comforter. One of her hands moved down, her fingers threading through his hair as she tried to urge him up to find her clitoris.

Silently praying that he was doing this right, he touched his tongue to the place she wanted it, flicking the sensitive knot of flesh.

Then, taking it into his mouth, he sucked it with greedy hunger, tasting the flood of juice that she
emitted.

He loved this, loved everything about it. The taste, the scent, the feel of her down there...all of it was perfect.

Buffy became frenzied, working both hands in his hair, whimpering and lifting herself to him.

William sucked harder, drinking in the sounds that were coming out of her, elated that he was
the one eliciting them.

She tasted sweet and salty at the same time, and he gorged himself thoroughly before he moved his tongue down and slipped it inside of her.


~~~~~~~~~~
"So never leave me lonely
Tell me you love me only"
Now and forever..."
~~~~~~~~~~


For someone with no experience, he seemed to be accomplishing the goal he was aiming for. Buffy's body writhed and heaved beneath the caress of his tongue, and her fingers flew over his hair and down to his face, stroking his cheeks, holding him steady.

Anxious to give her all the pleasure he possibly could, he slipped his tongue inside of her a fraction. She complained when he left what he had been doing, so he quickly replaced his tongue with his finger and kept stimulating her clitoris as he probed more and more deeply.

Her breathing escalated even more, and she moaned and cried out his name, sending his ego soaring sky high.

He felt her climax almost as keenly as she did herself, and it took all of his dwindling control not to spend in his trousers.

Buffy shuddered and whined, her lower body jerking with a glut of sensation that was starting to feel uncomfortable.

Untangling her fingers from his hair, she dragged at him until he moved up and rested his head on her stomach.

Gently stroking her, he smiled against her skin and brought her down slowly by whispering over and over again how much he loved her.

When she was finally calm, he lifted his head and smiled up at her.

Buffy said nothing. She simply held out her ams and waited for him to fall into them.

Laying in his arms, in a marvelous state of peace and contentment, she held him tightly and
gathered together all of her courage and desire to please him.

Then, hiding her face against his chest, she spoke two soft words.

"Now, you."


~~~~~~~~~~
"Let it be me...."
~~~~~~~~~~



TBC...

Part eighteen.....

~~~~~~~~~~
"When we kiss, my heart's on fire
Burning with a strange desire.."
~~~~~~~~~~



Even though her body was still coming down from the intensity of her climax, Buffy felt a wave of shyness and nerves suddenly overtake her.

It was one thing to lie back and let William take the lead, doing things to her that she'd never even dreamed were possible; it was quite another to try and do these things herself.

She wanted more than anything to please him as he had pleased her. He deserved the same wonderful release she had just enjoyed.

But what if she failed him? What if she lost her nerve and wasn't able to go through with it? It would be awful of her to lead him on and then just stop.

It wasn't that the idea was unappealing to her. In her eyes he was beautiful, and there was no part of his body that she didn't want to explore in every way. Touching William intimately thrilled her. She had learned THAT the other night when they had gone to the beach to make out.

Remembering the way she had caressed him, the strong reactions she had provoked, made her feel very much a woman instead of an inexperienced sixteen year old.

She wanted to feel that way again. Right here and right now.


~~~~~~~~~~
"And I know each time I kiss you
That your heart's on fire, too.."
~~~~~~~~~~

"Buffy?" His voice sounded strained. "Don't you want to?"

Her heart swelled with love, and she knew that he would call a halt to this if she asked him to. He'd stop and wouldn't blame her or be angry with her.

And she didn't WANT to stop. She truly didn't.

She just wasn't sure how to start.

"I want to," she whispered. Cupping his face in her hands, she stroked his cheeks with her thumbs. "It's just that...I'm not sure what I should do."

The relief on his face made her smile. He kissed her lightly on the lips, then rose to his knees and started to unbutton his trousers.

She noticed that his hands were very slightly trembling. The sight touched her, bringing all her love and desire bubbling to the surface, pushing away her fears.

He was just as nervous as she was, and just as anxious. Pushing herself up onto her knees before him, she moved his hands away. When her fingers brushed the warm skin of his abdomen, he gasped sharply as the muscles tightened.

Buffy carefully slipped the top button out of it's hole, then began lowering the zipper until his pants slipped down his slim hips.

As he had that night at the beach, William wore no undergarments at all. Except for the slacks that she pushed down around his knees, he was naked.

She hadn't really gotten much of a chance to look at him the first time. It had been very dark, and she hadn't had the nerve to examine him too closely.

Outside of a few little boys she'd babysat, Buffy had never seen a penis so up close and
personal. Now, if she could conquer her paralyzing shyness, she could take her time.

Although she had no basis for comparison, to her unschooled eye it looked fairly large. Long and thick and rigidly hard, it extended straight out from his body. The bell shaped head of it was broad and moist, and she could see the prominent veins that ran down it's length.

Like the rest of his body, she found it absolutely beautiful...and she wanted to touch it.

Acting on pure instinct, she extended her hand and grasped him lightly, feeling the wonderful contrast of soft skin and hard flesh.


~~~~~~~~~~
"So my darling, please surrender
All your love, so warm and tender.."
~~~~~~~~~~


William's eyes closed tightly for a moment, then he opened them and looked down at what Buffy was doing. The eroticism of what he saw, coupled with the sensation of her small, warm hand on him, nearly caused him to ejaculate. He had to bite down on his lower lip to keep it from happening.

Fascinated, he watched her close her fingers more firmly around his shaft.

"Like this?" she ventured shyly.

William nodded. "Oh, yes," he moaned softly. "Just like that...Buffy..."

Milky drops of semen began leaking from the slit, wetting her hand as she began to tentatively stroke his erection. His hips pushed forward a little, thrusting into the sheath she'd made of her fingers.

When she stopped, his head jerked up and he looked at her. "Please," he whispered, desperately wanting her to continue.

Buffy was gaining confidence in herself, and she smiled to ease his obvious distress. "I think you should lie down now."

Relief made him weak in the knees, and he did as she'd instructed. Stretching out on his back, he kicked his trousers completely off and parted his legs, his body tense with anticipation.


~~~~~~~~~~
"Let me hold you in my arms, dear
While the moon shines bright above..."
~~~~~~~~~~


This was it. The point of no return.

Lying down beside him, she propped herself on her elbow and took hold of him again.

William held his breath, his nerves stretched to their absolute limits, waiting...

**Please...please...oh, Buffy...now...** he begged silently. **I need you so much...take me...take me in your mouth...I want to know...want to feel it...feel your lips on me...your tongue touching me...licking...oh, Buffy...Buffy, I love...oh!...oh, god!...yes!...yes!...so
good!...feels so...so...oh!...so wet, and...soft...your lips...ah, tighter...a little...just...I...I love you...I love THIS...more...take more...please...please...Buffy...oh,! Buffy...my angel...your sweet...sweet mouth...on me...on my...oh, yes!...I want to see...want to watch you...see your mouth...look at me...yes...oh, I love you...I love you...love you so, SO much...faster...perfect...just perfect...warm...and wet...yes!...with your tongue...oh, god...Buffy...Buffy...I'm...I'm going to...I...I can't stop...I can't...I want...I want to...yes...yes...your mouth...in your mouth...let me...oh, please let me...harder...I'm
so...so...close...I'm...yes!...yes!...oh, god, yes!...yes, Buffy!...now!...now!...NOW!...BUFFY!...I LOVE YOU! **



~~~~~~~~~~
"All the stars will tell the story
Of our love and all it's glory

Let us take this night of magic
And make it a night of love..."
~~~~~~~~~~

"William? Are you okay?"

Panting in exquisite relief, he smiled at her and pulled her up into his arms. "I've never been better in my life."

Buffy returned his smile, rather proud of herself. It seemed to her that lack of experience didn't really matter when you loved someone enough.

Wrapping her in a secure embrace, he rolled her over on her back and bent his head to kiss her. His tongue moved into her mouth and gathered up the faint taste of his ejaculate.

When he finally pulled away, he looked down into her eyes. "Someday," he informed her seriously, "I'm going to marry you. I swear it. You're going to be my wife, and my..."

Before he could finish his sentence, she tightened her arms around him and pulled him into another deep kiss.

Someday.....


~~~~~~~~~~
"Be mine forever
Be mine tonight..."
~~~~~~~~~~