SMOKE FROM A CANDLE
Laura Smith
Willow glanced around the bedroom and smiled. She was determined everything was going to be perfect tonight. She had very definite plans, and nothing was going to spoil them. She then immediately pushed that thought out of her mind.
No sense in jinxing herself.
The phone rang and she reached to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey Wills."
She settled back into the chair, trying not to worry. "Hey Buffy. What's going on?"
"Well…"
"No. No. Buffy, please no." She felt tears welling up and lifted a hand to catch them before they fell. "You promised me no bad things. No vampires or demons or anything. Please?"
"I'm sorry Wills. He's got to stay late. He wanted me to call you, that's how busy he is."
"He just knew if he talked to me he wouldn't have the courage to say it." Sighing, Willow slumped in the chair. "Big bad thing or just research right now?"
"Research."
"I'll be right there."
"No, Wills. You know how he is. He doesn't want you around here right now." Buffy's voice was wavering and Willow could picture Giles standing across from her demanding the phone. "You're still recovering."
Unexpected anger welled up inside her. "Do me a favor, Buffy?" She waited for the soft whimper of her friend's voice before going on. "Tell Mr. Giles that if I'm healthy enough to have sex with him, I'm healthy enough to read a book or two. I'll see you in a couple of minutes."
She hung up, a little sorry for her abrupt treatment of her friend. It wasn't Buffy's fault that he was being overprotective. Blowing out the candle beside her, she got up and proceeded to extinguish all the flames. Smoke and the smell of vanilla drifted around the room, and Willow couldn't help but sigh, as the romance seemed to slip away with it.
***
Giles glared at Buffy angrily. "How could you let her?"
"She was on the phone! How was I supposed to stop her? It's not like Slayers have mind control abilities to keep her from hanging up on me. And why am I getting in the middle of this, anyway? She's your fiancée. If you have a problem with her being here…" her eyes widened. "You don't have a problem, do you Giles?"
Giles was about to respond when he realized Xander was now sitting on the research table staring at him, his eyes wide with expectance. Great. Now they thought he didn't want Willow around. "I don't have a problem with her being here. I just worry. I don't want anything to happen to her. I don't want any of the bad memories of the attack to come back to her and I think that being here is only going to cause that to happen. Why do you think I was so upset when she was here alone the other night?"
Xander and Buffy both relaxed. "Well, maybe you could do something to banish those memories?" Buffy offered. Then her face crinkled. "But not that! Or if that, just not when we're around!" She took a step back, a shiver going down her back. "I do not need to know that you're christening the library when I'm not around. And don't do it when I am! And I'm going to go get a drink." She hurried out of the library.
Giles stared after her for a long moment before turning back to Xander who looked just as mystified as he did. "Did I just miss something?"
"Only if I did, G-man. But I'm very capable at missing all the subtext around here. It's my stock in trade." He slipped back into his seat and glanced at the book in front of him. "Can I ask you a question?"
"No."
"Okay, then I'll just offer a statement. I know that you and Will have been through a lot, especially lately. But it does look a little suspicious that you don't seem to want her around. And you still haven't done anything about the wedding."
"I swear to you, Xander, the only reason I don't want Willow here in the library is for the reason I said."
"And the fact that you can't keep your hands off of her?" Xander laughed at the guilty flush on Giles' face. "Oh, come on. Give me a little credit. I'm a guy. The woman you love was almost taken from you then you face a big, scary demon that almost takes you from her. I'm guessing there's some serious hanky-panky going on over at the Giles place. And now I'm going to leave too and try and get *that* image out of my head. You want a drink?"
"Scotch."
"They don't have that in the soda dispenser."
"Then no thank you."
***
Willow walked into the library, surprised to find Giles alone. "I thought it was big, bad research party. Where are Buffy and Xander?"
"Getting sodas. And calming down." He looked up from his book, taking in the soft lines of her. Her hair was brushed to a high sheen, her faded jeans clung lovingly to her body and her T-shirt did little to hide the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra. "Which I now need to do. You look lovely."
"You should have seen how I looked at home wearing something see-through by the candlelight."
He closed his eyes and pictured it before shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I wanted to be there."
"I know." She walked up to him and sat in his lap, wrapping her arm around his neck. "I wanted you there. But I know that this is more important."
"No. Just as important." He kissed her softly, tilting his head back to fully capture her lips. Her hand slipped into his hair, holding him to her. When they broke apart, they were both breathless. "Willow."
She smiled. "Giles."
"How exactly am I supposed to do anything other than sit here now? I have a slightly obvious problem." He glanced down at his lap causing Willow to do the same. She giggled and he looked reprovingly at her. "It's not funny. Can you picture Xander and Buffy's faces?"
"Don't have to." She tilted her head in the direction of the door where the two were leaning against the wall. She moved off his lap and turned to smile at her friends. Giles moved his chair further under the table so that his problem wasn't displayed to them all. "Hey guys."
"Should we leave you two alone?"
She shook her head. "Nope. I'm research girl right now. No other thoughts on my mind." She crossed her arms over her chest, realizing from Xander's appreciative stare that her body was reacting much like Giles' had. "And, hopefully," she glared at him. "No other thoughts on yours."
"Not a one." He offered, smiling lewdly. "Let's get to it."
"Xander…" she stretched the word out dangerously.
"The research, Will. The research."
***
Hours later, Buffy and Xander staggered out to his car to head home. They'd found out what they could on the demon of the week, and were exhausted. Not to mention filled with pizza and soda until they thought they were going to explode. Giles and Willow had waved them home; both still caught up in research.
Xander held open Buffy's door and watched her climb in. "Buffy?"
"Yeah?"
He leaned on the door. "Do you think that's what it is? Just the worry? Do you think he's getting cold feet?"
She shook her head. "I don't know Xander. I hope not. Cause I'd really hate to have to kill him."
***
Giles set his glasses on the table and rubbed his eyes. Willow smiled as she watched him, the glow of the computer screen lighting her face. "What do you say, love? Shall we call it a night?"
"There's more to be found." She shrugged.
"But not tonight." Stretching, he smiled sexily. "Come sit in my lap again?"
"Why don't I take you home and sit in your lap?" She asked as she followed his suggestion. Settling comfortable on his thighs, she leaned against his shoulder. "Although home is awfully far away."
"And I'm awfully tired." He kissed her softly. "What do you say we just snuggle together on the sofa and go home in the morning then spend the day in bed?"
"That sounds nice." She started to stand, but he stopped her.
"I love you, Willow. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course I know that." She kissed him and stood, taking his hand. "Come on. Let's go to bed."
He followed her, watching the easy movements of her lithe body. As tired as he was, the sight of her was intoxicating and arousing. He shut the office door behind them and locked it. Letting go of her hand, he closed all the blinds, giving the room a murky grayness.
Willow eased his coat off his shoulders and set it on the back of his chair. Walking around the to front of him, she loosened his tie before tugging it off of him. "Do you plan on completely undressing me, or are we just getting comfortable?"
"Would you like me to completely undress you?" She raised an eyebrow then spoiled the effect by yawning.
He chuckled. "Would that be my answer then?"
"Well…" Willow started to say something, then stopped.
"No teasing, love." He sat on the couch and pulled her down onto his lap once again. "What naughty little plan are you concocting in your gorgeous head?"
"I just…" she fingered the buttons on his shirt as she tried to decide if she should offer the thought on her mind. "There's a spell I learned…"
"No."
"It's a good spell. No rats, no women with axes. I've used it before."
Sighing, he did what he knew he shouldn't do. He asked. "What is it?"
"It's to help you stay awake if you're really tired. It's a rejuvenation spell. Really harmless. I used it during finals and I've used it here before. In the library doing the research thing."
She scrambled off his lap and opened the top drawer of his desk. Fumbling in the darkness, she found a book of matches. She pulled one free and was about to light a candle when his voice broke her concentration. "Do we really want to resort to magic just to stay awake long enough to make love?"
She turned to him. "Don't you?"
His throaty chuckle filled the room. "Well, I suppose I do."
She giggled and closed her eyes, running the words to the spell through her head. Striking the match, she placed it against the wick. Whispering the incantation, she expelled a gentle puff of air just as the flame caught.
Smoke filled the room immediately, clouding their vision. Willow stumbled back to the couch and sat down hard next to Giles. She reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Um, this isn't supposed to happen."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"I didn't do it on purpose." She moved closer to him as a warm wind whipped through the room, extinguishing the candle for a second. As soon as the wind was gone, the flame burst back to life. "Um, okay." She stood up, blinking against the smoke. Lighting another candle to add some illumination, she looked at him sprawled comfortably on the couch.
A hot rush swept through her body. Her head started to tingle, her cheeks flushed. She opened her eyes wide in surprise. Her body felt as though it were on fire. With shaky hands, she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside, then slipped out of her jeans and panties as quickly as she could.
Giles watched, fascinated, and a little worried, as she discarded her clothes. Her body seemed to undergo some sort of transformation. Her skin color changed as a light pink blush crept down her skin. It seemed to stall at her breasts as her nipples tightened to hard tips.
"Willow?"
She moved toward him, straddling his thighs. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried his face between her breasts. "Kiss me?"
The magical heat that emanated from her body enveloped him. His lips blindly sought her nipple, sucking it forcefully into his mouth. Willow gasped, crying out his name as his teeth nibbled the hard, sensitive flesh. Her body squirmed against his, the moist heat of her excitement moving ever closer to his groin.
As soon as he made contact with Willow's flesh, Giles felt the rush go through him as well, tightening his nipples as well as sending the blood rushing to his penis. His cock ached with hardness as her body moved closer and closer to his.
His tongue and teeth left the nipple they held captive and captured the other. Willow arched forward, her back curving as she offered herself up to him. His hands held her closely, her flat stomach smooth against his shirt. Moving one hand down her back to the curve of her ass, he held her still while his other hand worked desperately to undo the buttons of his oxford.
Willow, realizing what he was doing, started pulling on the material, tugging it from his pants. They struggled with it; neither caring that if they broke contact it would be easier. He could not let himself lose touch with her.
The shirt finally unbuttoned, Giles shrugged it off and tossed it aside. His undershirt presented more of a problem. Willow's hands crept underneath it, pushing it up to mid chest. "We have to stop."
"I can't," he breathed against her.
She nodded, giving up on the shirt. Lowering her hands, she unfastened his belt buckle then his fly. She got off her knees, onto her feet so that she was crouching over him. He lifted himself off the couch so that she could maneuver his pants over his hips. His erection sprang free of his boxers and she moaned softly. Moving forward on his body, Willow positioned herself directly against his cock.
"Willow…" his body shuddered as the waves of heat coming from her hit the sensitive flesh of his erection. He forced himself away from the taste of her and pulled his shirt off as quickly as he could.
Willow pushed his pants down, leaning backwards and offering him a tantalizing view of her arched body.
Their eyes met and the temperature of the room seemed to go up even more. Willow noticed the beads of sweat on his brow and upper lip. Leaning forward, she licked his lips. He groaned and captured her tongue. The kiss was heated and passionate, almost devouring. Sucking on her tongue, he whimpered lightly.
Willow nodded, pulling back slightly. "Not enough," she whispered. Getting to her knees, she reached down between them and guided him inside her. He filled her quickly and fully, beginning to thrust immediately. They clung to each other, kissing, licking, and biting in a frenzy of need and desire. The muscles of her passage seemed to grasp at him, rubbing his flesh with warm skin coated in the essence of their love.
He braced his neck on the couch and grabbed her hips, forcing himself deeper inside her. He couldn't seem to get deep enough. They were both breathing hard, the scent of the smoke from the candles fueling the intensity between them.
Giles released one of her hips as her hands grasped his shoulders and she took over the tempo of the thrusts. She ground against him with each one, desperate for release. He moved his fingers down and rubbed her clitoris with his thumb. She cried out his name and kissed him, sucking his tongue into her mouth as greedily as her body engulfing his cock. Her body clenched at him, as his teasing fingers played with the hard nub of her clit.
Her breath disintegrated to harsh pants as her body trembled then went still, her orgasm ripping through her. He held her close to him, still pumping up into her and playing with her. She inhaled sharply and began moving again, climaxing a second time. Her eyes opened and met his, and she smiled.
Leaning forward, she licked his neck, tasting the salty sweat that covered them both. He shivered beneath her as she licked and kissed her way up to his earlobe. Her breath was warm and her voice sexy as she spoke in a harsh whisper. "Rupert," she purred as she clenched her thighs tight around him, increasing the pressure on his erection. "Are you playing hard to get?"
"Just hard, love." He grabbed her hips again and held her still as he thrust as hard and deep as he could, sending her over the edge a third time as well as burying himself and his orgasm in the center of the magical heat inside her.
***
Willow was surprised when she awoke, still astride Giles' legs and still naked. She was also freezing, the sweat from their activities cooling in the night air. The smoke was gone, as was the seemingly insatiable hunger that had consumed them both. She pushed against the back of the couch, raising herself off of his shoulder.
His eyes were half-open as if he had just woken as well. He smiled. "I will never complain about you coming to the library again."
She laughed and traced the line of his lips with her finger. "I'm not afraid of the library, Rupert. I'm not afraid to be here or to do what we need to do. I am afraid of losing you, but that would be the same even if we didn't live on the Hellmouth. Accidents happen everywhere, not just Sunnydale." He started to speak and she pressed her finger to his lips. "No. I feel safe when I'm with you and with my friends. Don't try to protect me and take away what keeps me safe."
"I just don't want any of the bad memories to…"
"There were bad memories here before the attack and there will be bad memories again. But there are a lot more good memories to combat them. I'm not afraid, Giles. Don't make me."
He nodded. "I forget sometimes how strong you are."
"You make me strong." She kissed him finally, no longer just teasing him with her finger. "Among other things."
"You make me whole, love." He held her close, guiding her head back down to his shoulder so that he could feel all of her against him. "But promise me something?"
"What's that?"
"No more spells atop the Hellmouth? They tend to go wrong."
"At least this one went wrong in a good way."
"Do you want to take the chance that it doesn't?" He kissed her hair. "I certainly don't."
"All right. But it is kind of nice to know one thing."
"What's that?"
"You react just as nicely to magic as Ethan does."
"You're sitting astride me, with me inside you and you're thinking of Ethan?" His voice took on a dangerous tone. "I may have to punish you for that travesty, love."
She licked his neck again until she got to his earlobe. Nibbling the soft flesh, she giggled quietly. "I'm hoping."
Next: Plan of Attack