Spike flicked his cigarette away as he and Riley mounted the steps leading to the side door of Riley's apartment. There was a front entrance to the place but the young man seemed to prefer the back way in. Which was all well and good from Spike's point of view.

The ride from Restfield to the boy's place had been quiet, almost uneventful. That is, if you didn't count his hand finding it's way into his companion's lap as an event. But the warm, open smile and raised eyebrow the vampire got in response marked it as a red-letter moment for him.

Their clothes and hair were in various stages of disarray, mute evidence of their earlier activities. The two of them shared an air of lazy contentment. It was obvious they were very comfortable in each other's company. Such a change from a few days ago...

Cradling the crumpled bag containing the candles, beer and bourbon in the crook of his arm, Spike shifted from one foot to the other. The vampire watched without comment as the young man dug out his keys to unlock both the screen door and the heavy oak one beyond it. He wasn't quite sure what to expect; he'd never been inside before. No. He'd always stood in the shadows, watching the boy's place as he'd watched Buffy's home during that long, hot summer.

At the start, he'd been watching the Slayer and her lover, memorizing their habits so when he lost the chip, they'd be the first to go. Then after the chance meeting at Willy's and the chair... Spike kept a solitary vigil outside the boy's flat most every night. After the lad finished his patrol and bade his friends goodnight, the vampire would take up his post, crouched beneath Riley's window.

This part of Sunnyhell was not a nice place to live... Predators came in all shapes and sizes, not all of them demons... One night he'd scared off a human bent on breaking into the boy's darkened apartment. Spike flashed his game face at the intruder and gained a rather impressive knife for his collection. A knife that could very well have been used to slit Riley's throat as he slept.

He protected his chosen's home until just before dawn, doing what he could to keep him safe. But it was rough for Spike, rougher than anything he'd done before. For listening to him sleep, hearing him thrash and cry out as he ran from the demons which haunted his dreams and not being able to do a sodding thing about it had frustrated the vampire to no end.

On more than one occasion, Spike had run his hand over the door and felt the invisible barrier that kept him from taking up a place at Riley's side. It kept him from chasing away the young man's fears with breathless kisses. Kept him from touching his lover's skin. Kept him from feeling his warmth and goodness, from soaking up the miracle that was Riley Finn.

The barrier was gone now. Banished by a thoughtless invitation, uttered in a moment of quiet passion. Riley's home would be open to him until the boy's heart no longer beat... or until the two witches performed a de-invite spell. Glancing up at Riley's face, the vampire knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that option wouldn't be exercised anytime soon.

In a moment the door would be open and he'd be inside. Be able to see how his lover lived... to touch his things and breathe in his scent. He'd memorize the entire place before the night was over, would know all its ins and outs... all its secrets.

There would be time enough for all that... later.

All he was concerned with now was the large bed Riley mentioned dragging him into as soon as they got inside. Spike was quite focused on that point... After all, he'd almost shagged the boy on the floor of his crypt. A bed would be a vast improvement over cold stone...

Riley finally got the door open, surprised by how badly his hands were shaking. He was eager, no question on that score, but it wasn't like they hadn't had sex before. Searing, heart-pounding, sweat-running-in-your-eyes, get-you-where-you-live kind of sex... and he was about to get a whole lot more of it. **Okay, Ry, good enough reason to be shaking like a leaf.**

Out of habit, he checked inside first, his gaze flicking about the main room. It wouldn't do to come home and find Graham or another of his old Marine buddies waiting for him. The new locks wouldn't even slow them down. There had been several attempts, early in the summer, to talk him into rejoining. Attempts that occasionally ended in all-night drinking sessions and, more than once, the hangover from hell. He usually welcomed the chance to get caught up with his friends... Just not tonight.

Thankfully, the place was empty. His incredible streak of luck was holding up, for once. Breathing a sigh of relief, Riley pushed the heavy door open before smiling at Spike, "Mi casa es su casa..."

Not waiting for the vampire to take him up on the invitation, he casually strolled into his home. It wasn't much. Riley was no longer a government operative, the days of Lowell House were long past. Now he was a starving graduate student who couldn't afford a big place. But it was better than an ice-cold crypt and, as far as Spike was concerned, that put the place at just shy of a palace.

The apartment was basically a studio. Its walls were lined with bookshelves, volume upon volume stacked in a haphazard fashion. On the far wall was a compact kitchen, to the left lay the living room area with more bookshelves and the bathroom right next to it. Earlier in the day, Riley had taken great care to cover the floor to ceiling window beside the door with a heavy curtain. No need taking any chances on his guest bursting into flames when dawn came.

The most prominent furniture in the room was the couch, comfortably worn recliner, small TV and an absolutely huge bed. Riley Finn was a big man. He needed space when he slept; therefore the only thing that would do for him was a king-sized bed.

Inclined to savor the moment of formal invitation into Riley's home, Spike shrugged his right arm out of his duster. He switched the brown paper bag to his right arm as he let the left sleeve slide down his arm. Throwing it up into the air, he caught it deftly by the collar and folded it over his left arm. Then and only then, he took a few tentative steps inside, peering about... Taking it all in.

The first impression was an overwhelming sense of being home... of being exactly where he wanted to be... and being with the person who made the place a home. His lover's scent was everywhere, rich... redolent. It permeated every fixture of the room, immersing Spike in that heavenly fragrance.

He took a deep breath, sorting out what belonged to Riley and what his guests and previous tenants had left behind. The women stood out first; a waft of cherry blossoms, Red... clover, musk and rain, Red's curvy girl... moss rose, plumeria mixed with the faintest hints of sulfur and hell-fire, the ex-demon bint... bubble-gum, heather and daisies, the Nibblet... vanilla, vanilla and more vanilla... the Slayer. The thought of Riley's ex caused Spike's lip to curl in a silent snarl, jealousy flaring again.

Then, the men... fainter scents. Damp wool, old books and spice, definitely the Watcher... sawdust, sweat and some sickly sweet cologne, that was the Harris prat... There was one he couldn't quite place... new-mown grass, earth and salt... honest smell to it but not one he knew. It niggled at him, a memory trying to break loose but it wasn't registering... not yet.

Further in now, Spike did a visual survey. Punching bag hanging just off to the left side of the doorway and, ohh yeah... he wasn't kidding. Four-poster the size of a football field off to the other side... which had only just recently been remade... with *black* satin sheets.

Well...

Placing the paper bag on the bookshelf by the door, Spike leaned his back against the wall. His midnight dark eyes quietly took in every detail of his surroundings... that, and the man who moved so easily through the spacious room. Tall, powerfully built, each movement a poem unto itself, so obviously comfortable in his own skin...

Bloody gorgeous.

And his...

Once Spike was inside, Riley locked the doors behind them. He turned the new dead bolt he'd bought during one of his shopping excursions. The clerk assured him it would withstand anything short of a police battering ram. Which meant if Buffy showed up, it would probably gain them enough time for Spike to bail out the other door. **Maybe we should have gone to a hotel? Probably would have been safer...**

But a hotel would have been too impersonal. It would have reduced what was happening between them to something cheap... and that's not how Riley saw it at all. He wanted Spike in his home, wanted him to be part of his life... Hence, the invitation so freely given. **Would you open your door to a wolf carrying a bouquet of red roses, Riley Finn?... If the wolf was this man? Hell, yes!**

With a minimum of movement, Riley closed the shades and drew the curtains. Not so much for privacy as for the vampire's protection come daylight. While he loved the feel of the first rays of the sun, for Spike, they were fatal. Since he wanted his companion around for a very, very long time, Riley was taking every precaution.

He also covered the small windows in the living room area before laying his jacket down on the end of the couch. Riley smiled as he turned toward Spike. Chores done, time for play... The white t-shirt outlined every single contour of his back and torso, showing everything off to even the most casual observer. And the blond was far from casual about it; his heated gaze could have set off a four-alarm fire.

Spike crossed over to Riley and folded his duster with loving care over the arm of the sofa. He turned, stepped into Riley's personal space as his arms wound around the boy's waist. Solid, his lad was solid... as the bleedin' rock of Gibraltar. "Nice place ya got here," he said softly, eyes never leaving those fathomless hazel ones.

The blond licked his lips, parting them in silent invitation. A kiss from that generous mouth would not be unwelcome. Spike ached for the boy's touch, ached for him in a way he'd not experienced since Drusilla threw him over for her slimy antlered Chaos demon. Come to think of it, not even with Dru had he been this eager...

"It's small but I can afford it. Fortunately, I still have my G.I. bill benefits. There's enough to pay tuition and few bills..." Mouth hovering only inches above Spike's, Riley hesitated. He wanted to kiss him. Wanted nothing more than to kiss him senseless, kiss every inch of his cool skin as he stripped off the blond's clothes. Fall to his knees, take that beautiful cock in his mouth and see if he'd learned anything during his impromptu research session in the library.

But despite his desire for his immortal companion, Riley had been raised to be polite. Tossing his guest face down on the bed and fucking him until he couldn't walk wasn't polite... very satisfying, yes, but definitely not up to Emily Post's standards. Clearing his throat, Riley tilted his head toward the kitchen. "Enough of the boring stuff... can I get you a drink?"

"More of that bourbon would be good, yeah," Spike smirked, allowing the boy time to back-pedal a little. They had all night ahead of them, the promise of a wealth of intoxicating kisses to come... Kisses and much, much more.

He recognized the look on the former commando's face, the one that had been quickly shuttered away behind a polite mask. Lust, pure and simple... so very easy to understand. Much easier to understand than why he'd just walked into the lair of a man who'd been one of his worst enemies.

At the thought of Riley's military past, Spike couldn't help but bristle -- it was an untimely reminder for him. A reminder that the man he craved like a drug was one of the same bastards who had a hand in hobbling him. The Initiative. Spike didn't think he'd ever be able to think or even say the word again... not without feeling the accompanying surge of rage... rage shot through with silvery ribbons of fear.

White men in white coats in white rooms. Each of them bearing little official silver clipboards. Watching with impassive scientists' eyes while they cracked open his skull and stuck a fucking piece of plastic in. That tiny meddling little bit of plastic essentially ruined his unlife. It stole all the things his entire existence revolved around. Blood... killing... destruction... the hunt... the final beatific sigh of the dying as they lay cradled in his arms.

Awaking all those years ago as a newly turned vampire, the demon raging inside him, he'd gone wild. While the man who he'd been before dying quailed at the violence, Spike killed with utter abandon. He started fights in pubs, reveling in the movement and action of a mob. During his time with Angelus, he knew he did it with the vague hope someone would accidentally stake his sire... Afterward, it had become habit... The sneer and swagger had become ingrained... the need to kill... to destroy. second nature.

Until that fateful night a year ago... The night when he stood on the sidelines, indulging his favorite pastime... Watching the Slayer slay and plotting her demise. So intent on his target he didn't hear the quiet steps behind him. Didn't smell the hunters poised to take down the Big Bad. There had been one white-hot flash of agony and his whole unlife changed forever.

He should have hated the boy... or, rather, he should never have stopped hating him. But he couldn't... not anymore. Riley couldn't help what he had been any more than Spike could help what he had once been. Nor could Spike find it in himself to maintain a grudge against the lad for being one of the people that had undone his life so casually... so easily.

It had all been for the sake of science and research. He'd been crippled, made demonically impotent, went from being one of humanity's greatest enemies to what he was today. Neither good, nor evil, simply balancing on the fence while he waited for something to happen.

And something had. Riley Finn...One of Sunnydale's honest-to-god heroes...

The dark blond giant looking down at him with a gentle smile on his lips had happened. Riley came to Spike wanting to understand the lure of a vampire's bite and ended up staying... Things had changed, they had both changed... and the rules had been changed, irrevocably.

Unaware of the thoughts rattling around in his lover's head, Riley slid out of his embrace. The kiss he'd been considering was being delayed in his quest to be a good host. Before he left Spike standing beside his couch, however, the ex-commando brushed his thumb over the vampire's mouth. His scent and taste lingered there as he murmured, "Let me get you that drink..."

That said, the big man retrieved the bag from its perch by the door. Moving with the easy grace Spike admired, he made his way into the kitchen. Two tumblers pulled down from the cupboard and filled with ice.

The vampire drew in an unneeded breath as his companion reached for the bottle of bourbon, his desire for Riley rising to a fever pitch. **Christ, he's got no idea what he's doin' to me. No idea at all. I could watch him for days... Every movement's like a fuckin' symphony... muscles and bones, blood and heart... You certainly can pick 'em, old son... You certainly can.**

Bourbon, two fingers worth in each glass, just enough to give him a pleasant buzz. As he worked, Riley casually asked, "What would you like to do tonight? There's a few good college balls games on ESPN..."

He was amazed at how calm his voice sounded; he had no right to be this calm. Not with his brain laying out elaborate schemes. Schemes which involved the two of them watching the game on his TV while his hand slowly crept down from his companion's shoulder, down along his side... skimming over Spike's taut stomach and finally coming to rest atop the vampire's hard cock.

Riley shivered at that image, a tiny portion of the bourbon spilling onto the counter. He turned toward the sink, grabbing a paper towel to sop up the mess. **Okay, alcohol abuse has already begun. Calm down, Ry... just calm down.**

While the boy's back was turned, Spike took matters into his own hands. His companion was far too nervous. There was no need for this dancing around the bush bollocks, he'd have to break the lad of the nervous thing... It was a miserable, pointless waste of time. What was it with mortals and sex? It was a simple proposition when you got right down to it: find someone you fancy the looks of, take them somewhere with a spot of privacy -- or not, for that matter, if you were into the public thing -- and shag them senseless. Dead simple...

So while Riley was sopping up the spilt booze, the blond yanked his t-shirt off over his head even as he toed out of his boots and socks. He crossed over to that marvelous bed, planted his hands on the covers and allowed himself to slide forward until he was resting face down. His smiling face buried in black satin, drawing in the new scent. Clean sheets... how long had it been since he'd lain in clean sheets?

The vampire lay like that for a few moments before turning over, sparing Riley a heated glance. One that warmed the boy clear through and sent blood rushing to points south. His tone was silky, bordering on the lush purr that instantaneously mesmerized the young man, "Oh, I dunno... what do you wanna do?"

Riley Finn felt his mouth go instantly dry. He really needed that drink now. Got to hand it to the guy, Spike was damned direct about what he wanted. Might as well return the favor. "You want the truth?"

He picked up the glasses and took a deep pull off one of them. The alcohol burned its way through his senses, a flash-fire that raised beads of sweat between his shoulder blades. With exaggerated care, Riley made his way back to the bed, setting both drinks down on the nightstand as he waited for a reply. His steady gaze wandered over the pale expanse of muscle, memorizing every inch of smooth skin. He'd almost forgotten how perfect his companion's body was... almost.

Spike lifted both arms over his head and folded them. He pillowed his head on them as he followed Riley's every move, watching him with that intense, predatory focus. "Well... What I *really* want is for you to get over here and fuck me. But I s'ppose the truth will do... For now, anyway," he looked up into Riley's eyes and the leer he offered the boy was beyond wicked.

Satan was in his bed, offering up a perfect body and that lush mouth made for kisses and the exquisite pain of the bite. There was no doubt in his mind what he was going to do with him. No doubt at all... not any more.

Riley's response was immediate and urgent as he threw caution to the wind. His usual reticence disappeared in the bat of an eye as well as any semblance of being polite. "God... Fucking you is the only thing I want to do right now. It's all I've thought about today..." He tugged the shirt out of his waistband and pulled it up over his head with one hand. It went flying across the room and was followed by his boots.

No time, there was no time to shed the rest of his clothes. He had to touch him, had to be skin to skin... *now.* Riley's voice was like gravel, echoing his own rough desire as he lay down and reached. Reached all the way across the bed for the vampire, hauling him into his arms and muttering under his breath, "I wanna fuck you until you can't walk... Wanna make you scream my name when you come..."

"Mmmm..." Spike ground his hips against Riley's. His blunt fingernails raked down the boy's broad chest and flat stomach. He couldn't resist teasing him for a moment, poking a bit of fun at his inane suggestion of watching the telly when they could be doing *this,* instead. "That beats the hell out of 'college ball games on ESPN'..."

*****

"Yup... That it does..." Riley dropped his head and opened his mouth over Spike's. Last barrier down. He kissed the blond in his arms with total abandon. His broad hands ran down over smooth muscles, squeezing, pinching, and pulling as they devoured one another. Breath coming in through his nose, unwilling to break the connection of their mouths. Hungry... when had he ever been so hungry, so needy? When had he ever wanted anything this badly?

Never...

Spike's hands trailed down, worked between their writhing bodies. He suckled and nipped at the boy's lips, thoroughly enjoying the eager response. Not wanting to lose contact with the former soldier's mouth -- and thereby breaking the intoxicating kiss they shared - not even for a second, he blindly unbuckled Riley's belt and tugged open the fly of those tight jeans.

Once that was done, he finally pulled back. Dragging his tongue along the line of the boy's generous mouth, Spike carefully tasted each swell, crease and curve. "You thought about this all day...?" He murmured, arching his scarred brow.

"Every single waking moment... Probably during my mid-morning nap as well if the condition of my sheets were anything to go by." Riley sucked in his stomach, waiting for the touch of his lover's cool hand on his painfully throbbing cock. When that contact came, he closed his eyes and hissed in delight. "Oh fuck, that's good..."

The thought of his boy splayed out face down on crisp white sheets, hips moving underneath them as he ground himself into the mattress, was dizzying for the vampire. Lust mixed with sleep; the combination spoke of his power over this young man. His own mouth went dry as he played the scenario out in his head.

Filtered sunlight playing over tanned muscle, scent rising off warm skin in waves. A gasp escaping from a half-open mouth, fingers tightening on a pillow, throat bared to an imaginary bite. Eyes tightly closed, beautiful face contorted in the throes of ecstasy as the lad came in his sleep. Came murmuring his name...

That vivid image sent Spike's desire for Riley into overdrive. He'd never wanted anything more in his life... or unlife, for that matter. With a fierce growl, the vampire bent his head and captured one of Riley's nipples between his lips. He grazed it with his teeth as he slowly pumped the boy's erection in his fist. The moan that greeted his actions was very satisfying.

He had the lad's full attention...

Smiling down at Riley, Spike nudged him until the young man rolled onto his back. The vampire's eyes were dark, swallowing all the light in the room as he looked into that guileless face. He may have had the boy several times but Spike knew his innocence was far from destroyed. Time to change that...

"These sheets are gonna be filthy by the time I'm done with you tonight," he rasped into Riley's ear as he nipped at the lobe. His lover's body shook, another deep moan escaping from his broad chest. That moan rose in pitch when Spike swiped his tongue over the mark on the boy's throat. His mark...

Riley's hips rose to meet that tight fist, eyes closed. There was no stopping this, not even if he wanted to... His breath was coming in short pants as he tried to drive his cock further and further into the moving tunnel of cool flesh. Talking... somehow he was still talking. How did that happen? "Unnnhhh... G-good thing I bought more than one set... Oh yeah, oh yeah... don't stop, whatever you do, don't stop."

His hands were on Spike's shoulders as his whole body shook. This was hotter than any action he'd ever seen and during his time in the service, he'd seen his share of porn movies. Not by personal choice, that really wasn't his thing... But Forrest used to bring them back to Lowell House. He and Graham would set up camp in Riley's room and make him watch while he was trying to grade papers. It was a miracle that he ever got anything done with buddies like those two.

Clamping his mouth down on the healing bite-marks on Riley's throat, Spike drew the patch of hypersensitive flesh inside. He flicked his tongue into the holes and reveled in silent delight as his lover arched upward. The human's hands scrabbled on the smooth surface of the sheets, unable to find purchase.

Spike kept at it, making love to the young man's throat while his hand worked that warm cock. His legs tangled with the boy's, right foot massaging the back of Riley's calf. Lord, the sounds his lad made were almost enough to make him come on the spot... come without so much as a touch on his own aching shaft.

"Oh shit... Spike, I'm gonna come..." It was happening so fast, faster than a runaway train. He couldn't stop it, couldn't even slow it down. Riley fought for control but the feel of that tongue rasping along the almost-healed mark on his neck set him off. The tightness in his cock was unbearable, skin stretched so taut something had to give. Had to give before his heart gave out from the strain.

Spike slipped his free hand down into the back of those tight jeans. It slid past the waistband of light cotton boxers, his nails raking over those smooth muscles. Muscles that flexed oh so nicely as Riley fucked his hand. "Yeah, do it for me... gimme it," he growled, fastening his mouth down on that strong, fragrant throat once more, suckling on the tender flesh. Cloves, the scent of cloves rose from the boy's skin, the scent he associated with climax for his sweet lad. Any second now... any second...

Riley thrust up into the vampire's hand once, twice, three times. His head was thrown back against the pillows and he didn't bother to try and keep quiet, it felt too damn good to be quiet. That rich voice filled the entire room, reverberating off the walls as he cried out, "Ohhh fuck me... Spike... SPIKE!!!!"

A flood of warm semen spattered across his stomach and Spike's hand. Several droplets of it stained the sheets as the vampire had predicted. Those drops spread into raised dots on the perfect black surface as they soaked into the dark material. Mute evidence of the pleasure still singing through Riley's veins.

Spike kept up the slow pumping even when the boy's body went sharply still as his orgasm overtook him... That stillness sent a shiver through the slender blond, it spoke of his lover's complete concentration on the moment... his complete involvement in what Spike had brought about.

Power... this was power. Not the cock and swagger, not the ability to kill without thought... Any self-respecting vamp could do that... no mystery to it. But *this,* this was much harder to bring about.

The boy was his...Now and forever...

His...

It wasn't love Riley felt for him... but what he did feel... Well... It was enough. He could be perfectly content to have this much of Riley Finn. No use pining for anything more... No use at all...

He finally removed his mouth from Riley's throat after a last gentle lap over the bite marks. His cool fingers threaded through his companion's soft, thick hair. "Mmmm... good boy," The vampire whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Riley's cheek, tongue flicking at the skin ever so lightly. He didn't want to stop tasting him, couldn't stop tasting him.

His eyes still closed, dark lashes fanning across his cheeks as Riley willed himself to calm down. Shifting on those incredibly soft sheets, the young man murmured, "Do I get a treat now? Or should I roll over and play dead?" His voice was light, teasing in tone, devoid of any submissive undertones. Riley knew even though Spike was a master vampire, this wasn't about that.

It wasn't about the bite, not any more. Hadn't been since he'd looked into the vampire's eyes and saw his own loneliness and isolation looking back at him. This was about something else entirely. Maybe not love, but damned close to it.

"Ya get me... that enough of a treat for you? Or should we just go ahead and add the doggie biscuits to the grocery list from now on?" Spike rejoined with an arch of his eyebrow. A sense of humor, how novel... Other than the Harris prat's lame jokes and the Slayer's pitiful attempts at sarcasm, the vampire had been convinced none of the Sunnydale White Hats had a sense of humor at all. His boy was full of surprises.

A gentle chuckle greeted his comment and his lover smiled. That smile caused Spike's undead heart to flip over in his silent chest. He'd do anything for one of those smiles. Anything... "Nah...I'm good with you as the treat... Though it looks like I might need another shower and these jeans are gonna have to be washed."

Opening his eyes, Riley turned over a little and plucked a drink off the nightstand. He handed it to Spike before grabbing his own. Those marvelous eyes twinkled as he gazed over the rim of his glass at his immortal companion. "Never really cared for dog biscuits... more a meat and potatoes kinda guy myself..."

"Well," Spike mumbled, taking a sip of his drink, "Got the meat part right, at least." He leaned over and nipped at Riley's chest. **Warm, Christ... so warm. Humans, the only way to go from now on, mate. He's a bloody blast furnace... No more cold nights for this vamp. Not with this one in my bed.**

"What was that? You calling me a steak or something, Spike?" He was just on the edge of laughing out loud when it hit him. Was he just food to the vampire? Food and a convenient fuck? **Oh please...not again. I'm tired of being used.**

His heart, which had been on the mend, shattered once more as the truth sank in. Riley tightened his jaw and took another drink. He rolled away from Spike, moved out of the vampire's embrace and sat up. His back went up against the headboard, long body now in the very middle of that huge four-poster bed. With a singular purpose, he sipped his bourbon, supremely unconcerned that he was mostly undressed and covered with his own come.

But he flatly refused to look at Spike. Instead Riley watched the reflected light from passing cars as it filtered through his blinds. His jaw worked a little while he took another sip and planned how he was going to toss the vampire out on his ear. **Not gonna be used... Not gonna be used again. First Maggie, then Buffy... now this. When the fuck am I ever gonna learn?**

Spike set his drink down on the floor beside the bed, buried his face in the sheets and sighed. Make that fuck-up number... oh, Jesus, he'd lost count of 'em already. He propped his head up on one hand and watched Riley quietly. "I meant *me,* not you," he said at last, tone rife with apology. "I love it that you want me so much..." Spike dared to reach out his right hand and smooth it over Riley's denim-clad thigh.

This time Riley did look at Spike and there was a wealth of apology in the vampire's blue-grey eyes. He smiled, one corner of his mouth tilting upward as he nodded. Quick to anger... quick to forgive, part of his Irish heritage. "Okay... Guess I musta flunked Pillow Talk 101, Spike..."

The smile got a little broader as the light returned to his eyes. Riley's whole body relaxed, the drink now held negligently in one hand as he reached down to touch his companion's face. "I just don't think of you as something to eat... Well, not in that way. And you must admit that most vamps have a rep for 'playing' with their food before they kill them. According to the watcher's journals, Angelus was one of the worst and he's what, your grand-sire or something?"

Spike nodded, shying away from spilling the reality about his more than twisted relationship with Angelus. "Yeah... somethin' like that. But I'm not Angelus... he'd play with his kills for days, weeks, even months sometimes before closing the deal, so to speak. Me, though, I'm impatient... so if I'd wanted to kill you, I woulda done it days ago," he replied. Hardly comforting, that thought, but it was the truth. Spike didn't think of Riley as a meal, hadn't done for quite a while.

Hand still rubbing back and forth over Riley's thigh, he smiled. Nice, his boy felt so nice. Not just the warmth, not just the oceans of tanned skin... but inside too. A good man, his lover was a good man and that's where most of his appeal lay. That and the fact that he was bloody fuckin' gorgeous... "But don't think you're the only one gettin' all hot under the collar, here, Riley. 'Cause I'll tell you right now... you're not."

"So what are you hot for, Spike? Tell me?" Riley watched him, the teasing light glowing again in his hazel eyes. He knew what Spike wanted but he wanted to hear him say it, needed to hear him say it. After all, he'd just spent the last eight months in a relationship with a woman who couldn't tell him she loved him. Honesty was something he appreciated and it was something Spike seemed to be willing to give him.

On hands and knees, Spike prowled over to where Riley sat, those long legs stretched out in front of him. He crawled up the length of the former soldier's body. Not touching him with anything other than a heated gaze. "You," he said simply and without hesitation.

"Good... Glad to see we're on the same page here..." Riley set his drink down on the nightstand, his eyes never leaving Spike's. It was miracle that the glass didn't end up on the floor. He slithered down the satiny sheets until his dark blond head rested on one of the pillows. Once there, the young man laced his hands together behind his head and smiled up at his lover. "So what shall we do about this heat problem of yours?"

Spike lifted his right leg and swung it over both of Riley's, straddling him. His pale hands sank into the pillows on either side of Riley's head. Mmm, his lover liked to tease... Teasing was good... Very good. He could deal with that. "Up to you," he purred with a grind of his hips, rubbing his obvious erection against the boy's thigh.

"Got any suggestions? Remember, still kinda new at this stuff.." Still smiling up at his companion, the former soldier ran one hand down Spike's torso. Muscle, nice and firm, smooth planes topped with dark nipples. Remembering just how sensitive those tight beads of flesh seemed to be, Riley stopped to tweak each of them. The vampire threw his head back and that sonorous purr rumbled out of his chest, filling the room with sound. **Yeah, like that reaction...**

Dropping his head back down, his eyes glimmered with that feral yellow... a sure sign that the demon within was close to the surface. Spike snarled softly, nuzzled Riley's forehead as he arched into those provocative touches. "Fuck me," he whispered, hands fisting into the satin pillowcases tightly. His body trembled above the boy's, mute evidence of his struggle to remain in control.

When Riley didn't answer, Spike tilted his head to one side, looking down at his companion. Surely he hadn't shocked the lad, had he? No, the expression on his lover's face wasn't shock, delight... yes... shock... definitely not.

A quiet chuckle rose up, slipping out of him as he leaned over for a kiss, murmuring, "There. How was that for a bloody suggestion?" The vampire parted his lips and slowly ran his tongue over both of Riley's. The lad's mouth opened for him, inviting him inside... and Spike never could resist an invitation. His tongue dipped inside every so often to brush against Riley's own warm one as he continued his slow exploration.

He had to hand it to Spike; the vamp knew how to kiss. Not sloppy as he would have expected from another guy. Riley had seen enough of his buddies kissing their girlfriends to know that most men had no idea how to kiss and kiss well. It took control, took finesse... both of which his lover had in abundance.

**But Spike said something before... What was it? Oh yeah... Wanting to get fucked...** Turning his head to the side to break the connection of their mouths for a moment, Riley finally responded, "Mmmm... Now that's an order I don't mind obeying... Get out of those sprayed on jeans and I'll do just that."

Those words were barely out of his mouth before he once again sealed it to Spike's. It was strange just how well their mouths fit together, like two pieces of an interlocking puzzle. Riley moaned as that cool tongue slipped back inside, the tiny sound swallowed by the man above him. His hands came out from behind his own head to tangle in those blond curls. He could feel his skin tingling, nipples growing hard, cock doing the same as his lover slowly fucked his mouth with that wonderfully agile tongue.

With a last deep thrust, Spike broke the kiss, their lips parting with a wet, smacking sound. Eager to obey his lover's impassioned command, he rolled over onto his back and stretched out. It took only a moment to unbutton the fly of his jeans. His thumbs slipped into the waistband, lean hips arching upward as he pushed the tight black denim off. It slithered down his legs, rock hard cock springing free, waving in the air, as he tossed the last remnant of his clothing over the side of the bed.

Riley watched him, his warm gaze filled with renewed desire. He enjoyed every nuance of how gracefully his immortal lover's body moved. Spike was all fluid motion and raw sensuality, he took his breath away. And now that his beautiful cock was in view, Riley's mouth watered so much his jaw ached. He wanted that. Wanted to taste it. Wanted to feel it in his mouth and down his throat... again.

"Forget about getting fucked right now, Spike... I'm thirsty." With that raw utterance, Riley rolled over on top of the blond. His big hands reached for his lover's cool shaft. Sliding down the bed, slipping between the vampire's legs, Riley opened his mouth. His tongue caught the first clear drops that glistened on the exposed head. He peeled back the tiny roll of flesh and licked again. Salt... sweet... delicious.

Spike's hands scrambled in the satiny folds of the sheets as the former soldier slowly took his cock into his mouth. Throwing his head back, the slender vampire moaned loud and long. **Good, so good... Who'd have thought this lad would turn out to be a champion cocksucker? Certainly not me...**

His hands released their death grip on the fabric and came up to tangle in the boy's silky hair. Looking down, Spike moaned even louder as he took in the sight of the man curled up between his legs. Glorious changeable eyes closed, dark lashes flickering, fuckin' beautiful mouth encircling his cock, soft, sucking sounds filling the empty space. Jesus, he'd never seen anything like it, never seen any man, let alone this one, look so bloody... *content,* before.

**He tastes good... So good. How could I have lived this long without this... without him in my life?** Riley hummed in delight as he worked Spike's cock further into his mouth. Soft velvet over steel, sliding past his lips, filling him... sending warm tingles throughout his entire body. His own cock achingly hard again, moving slowly amidst the sheets as he rocked his hips in time with the bobbing motions of his head.

Funny that this should feel so natural so very quickly. He'd always loved giving head... To women that is... Guess it translated just as well over to men. And from the noises that Spike was making, he was getting better at it by the second. It always helped if you loved what you were doing... or who you were doing...

Spike thrust up into Riley's mouth slowly, no need to choke the boy when he was doing such a bloody good job. He'd been dreaming about this, been craving it... been hard and ready for it. Addicted to it, ever since the storm last night. Addicted to that soft, soft mouth and the man attached to it. His hand stroked the back of that warm neck as he groaned his encouragement. "Oh, fuck," he ground out through gritted teeth. "Fuck... Christ, yeah, suck my cock... suck me, Riley... feels... ohhh..."

With a tilt of his head, Riley opened his throat. He thought about his breathing, taking one last deep breath before pushing forward. In a single smooth stroke, he took Spike all the way down. He didn't stop until his nose was buried in those mink-dark curls. A rich musk rose up to greet him, adding yet another sensation to the experience. His eyes fluttered open and he had to suppress the urge to laugh as Riley confirmed one of his long-held suspicions. **Definitely not a natural blond. At least not a platinum one.**

Schooling his sense of humor to behave, Riley once more concentrated on the task at hand. He swallowed around that slender shaft, his mouth and throat working at the same time, applying suction and pressure in just the right combination. Textbook learning came in handy once in awhile. Part of what he 'd done earlier was search the Sunnydale Campus library for books on the subject. Riley was still first and foremost a scientist, research was something he didn't mind.

Funny how many things had been written on the topic of gay sex. He'd sat there, staring in pure amazement as the computer screen scrolled down and down and down. It had occupied the better part of an hour, finding the books and poring over them. He'd checked some of them out for further study. Had to... because he ended up sporting one hell of a hard-on and that had been very difficult to explain to the librarian.

Spike let out a strangled cry. His hands gripped Riley's hair tightly, his knuckles turning even paler as the boy took his cock deep into his throat. Took him all the way in and fuckin' swallowed. Christ, not even Dru had been able to take him this deep and she hadn't needed to breathe. He was in love, no doubt about it, in love with this lad's mouth... and his mind... and his heart. What was between them wasn't just the sex but... Oh God... the sex was damned good.

His hips thrust up into that almost painfully warm mouth. Slim body stretched taut as he released his hold on the boy's hair. His lad knew what he was doing; he didn't need directions. Wanting to add to the sensations, Spike lifted his left hand and pinched his own nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He rolled and twisted it hard, groaning deeper as he fucked Riley's sweet mouth.

Riley raked a hand down over Spike's hip, raising welts in that pale skin. His eyes were closed, a soft fringe of hair wafted down over his forehead. Spike swore under his breath as he lifted his head and gazed down at his lover. Nothing had even looked so good to him, so right as this boy... this man who was giving him more pleasure than he'd felt in decades.

Unaware of his companion's steady gaze, Riley pulled back and plunged back down again. He was lost... So lost in what he was doing the building could have fallen down around them and he wouldn't have noticed.

His jeans encased hips slid along the sheets, rocking in time to the bobbing of his head. That slow, sensual movement spread the semen still clinging to his stomach all over the black material. The saleswoman tried to talk him out of buying the black for that very reason. But Spike had requested that color so he'd bought them. He knew how to do laundry...

With each down-stroke of that mouth on his cock, Spike let out a soft grunt. His hips arched up to meet those soft lips. Never one to be silent, at least not since he'd shaken free of his sire's yoke; the vampire found himself talking again. "Christ, your mouth feels so good on me," he gasped out.

**Wish I could talk while I'm doing this... Moaning will just have to work...** He did just that, letting those soft sounds envelop his lover's cock. They filled the room and his ears, adding to the symphony of their lovemaking. Riley kept moving, kept pushing the envelope. He cupped a taut rounded cheek in his big hand, running his pinky up the cleft and teasing the tight little hole.

The vibrations from Riley's moans went straight through Spike's cock. Paired with the sensation of that broad, thick finger prodding at him, he practically bucked off of the bed. His orgasm was sudden and harsh, rolling over him in rough waves that left him battered and gasping on the shore. He came, screaming Riley's name over and over. His hips pumped deeply into the boy's mouth, shooting his cold semen into its consummate heat.

Riley almost choked as the first jet hit the back of his throat. He pulled away a little, thoroughly enjoying the sounds of Spike's screams of delight. He'd done it. He'd made him scream his name... *his* name, not someone else's.

That had been the last straw with Buffy. The one night they'd spent with each other since the Dracula thing, she'd fallen asleep while waiting for him to get out the shower. He'd stood there staring at her, wondering how in the world he was going to tell her about the stupid stunt with Spike...about the chair. Riley regretted every minute he'd spent with the vampire, had wanted to confess his sin and be forgiven.

But when he curled up next to her and pulled her little body into his arms, she'd called him Angel. He let it slide, what else could he do? She was just dreaming about the guy... he'd actually done something with someone else... And when he'd done something again, he'd broken it off with her. It was the only thing he could do, the only honest thing he could do...

Still... her mistaking his big, warm body for Angel's cold one had stung. Had driven the final wedge between them.

At least Spike hadn't mistaken him for Angel. The vampire knew who he was with and who had just made him come so damned hard. That was satisfying in the extreme. Riley could live with that... Spike didn't love him but at least he knew who the hell he was.

As soon as his brain was functioning again, Spike reached down and grasped Riley's shoulders. Using his considerable strength, he pulled the boy's heavy body up the length of his own and into his arms. Their lips met in a hungry, searching kiss. **Would it always be like this?** Spike wondered as his mouth opened to share the taste of his own come.

Would he always want the boy this much? Would Riley always drive him crazy and make him scream this way? Not since Dru had he wanted anyone so much... Wanted every single second of their day. Every single moment of their time -- always needing another touch, another kiss -- and feeling like his entire fucking world would come to an end if he didn't get it. And it would... he realized that, now.

Without this boy, what was the point of any of it?

*****