The Boarder

Chapter 3

"You have an interview this afternoon? That's great!" Buffy held up the heavy, dark green material and reached towards the top of the window.

"Well, the library checked out my references and liked what they heard. Now, they want to meet with me." William crossed the room to stand next to Buffy, who was standing on a chair to hang up the winter curtains. "Do you need any help with that?"

"I'll be okay, I did this last year. Oh!" Buffy lost her footing and fell into William's arms, knocking him to the ground. The curtain followed, blanketing them. Laughing, Buffy tried to get up, but the curtains kept getting in the way.

William reached around Buffy to pull the curtains off of her. "I think you do need help." His face was red, and Buffy thought he looked adorable.

"All right. I'll stand on the chair, and you can hold my legs to keep me from falling." Buffy noticed that his face got even redder.

"Why don't I stand on the chair, and you can hand me the curtains." William uprighted the chair and stood on it. Since he was taller than Buffy, he didn't have to reach as far to hang the rod in place.

William continued to hang up the curtains for the other windows. Staring at him, Buffy realized that he wasn't bad looking. Actually, he was gorgeous if you looked beyond the curly blondish hair that didn't seem to stay in place. She had never found any other men attractive ever since meeting Angel. Her mind was always on her husband, so she never gave them a second thought. But because she was around William so often now, she had time to notice. "I don't see why you don't have a woman in your life. You're very attractive."

He blushed as he stepped off the chair. "You're humoring me. I know I'm not."

"But you are. Any woman would think so." Buffy brushed off some dust that was on his shirt.

"Not every woman." William grew quiet.

Buffy rested her hand on his chest. Obviously some woman had broken his heart. "Well, I think you're better off without her, or anyone who can't see who you truly are."

William smiled. "Angel was right. You do have a way with cheering up a man."

Buffy giggled. "He said that about me?" Thoughts of her husband made her feel warm.

William backed up abruptly. "I..I need to get ready for the interview," he stammered and hurried up the stairs. Buffy was disappointed - she had thought he was warming up to her.

She started to clean the house and was still doing that long after William left for the library. The house was bigger than the one she grew up in. Angel had won it in a poker game, back when he was still gambling. Buffy loved it and had made him promise to never wager against it. He never did, though they did have to put it up as collateral for a loan. But now with William renting a room, they could make the payments.

Just as she was finishing the cleaning, there was a knock on the door. A pretty blond woman was waiting on the other side. Buffy immediately noticed that she was heavy with child. "Can I help you?"

The woman gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Is Angel home? I need to speak with him."

Why would she want to speak with Angel? Looking at the woman's protruding belly, Buffy felt sick. "He's not home," she said, barely over a whisper.

"Can I wait here, then?"

Buffy opened the door further, and let her into the house. She felt numb. Please don't let it be Angel's, she thought.

"Nice home." The woman wondered around the room.

By the time Angel came home, Buffy was near tears. She hadn't said anything to the other woman, but she knew why she was there. With a strength that she didn't know she possessed, she was able to keep herself together.

"Darla." Angel stood in the doorway, stunned.

"Hello, daddy." Darla sauntered over to Angel. Her words broke Buffy, and she started to cry.

Angel grabbed Darla's arm. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Darla patted her stomach.

Angel glanced at Buffy, pained. He dragged Darla outside, and Buffy couldn't make out what they were saying. Angel came back in a few minutes later, alone, and looked at the ground. There was silence as Buffy numbly waited to hear what he had to say.

After a minute, he said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Buffy croaked out. She started to shake in sadness and anger.

Angel glanced at her. "It was after we had that big fight, when I was gone for a couple of days." He walked towards her. "Everything was dark and wrong. I swear, it was the only time." He touched her arms, as if to soothe her.

"Don't touch me!" Buffy pushed his hands off of her. Her tears were causing everything to look blurry. "I forgave you for the gambling. We got a loan so we could pay that man the money you owed him, and you haven't played since. But this..this is much worse. She's carrying your child!" Buffy walked towards the stairwell.

"Buffy, please don't turn away from me, now," he pleaded.

"I want to be alone," she sobbed as she climbed the stairs. She heard the main door close and knew he had left. A pain squeezed through her heart.

She went past her bedroom to the nursery at the end of the hallway. Angel's child. It hurt her that he had cheated on her. It killed her that he was going to be a father.

All these years, and she couldn't get pregnant. Now, it was clear that Angel could father a child, which meant that the reason they could not have a child was her fault. There was something wrong with her. She was just a broken woman. It wouldn't be long before Angel left her for good.

She opened the door, and her eyes landed on the small cradle that Angel had built a few years ago. He had been so happy. But, the months went by, and every time her monthly courses came, she cried. Now she cried with the knowledge that he could have been happier with someone else.

She was vaguely aware that someone was patting her on the back. Through her tears, she saw William standing at her side with a concerned look on his face. Taking the comfort he was offering, she threw her arms around him and cried harder. After a few minutes, her tears died down, but she continued to hold him tightly.

"What's wrong?" He softly asked while rubbing her back.

"This woman came to the house while you were gone," she sniffed. "She's carrying Angel's child."

William wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"There's something wrong with me."

William pulled back, and his blue eyes penetrated her own. "There's nothing wrong with you. Angel still loves you. I can tell by the way he looks at you. He's probably kicking himself over the affair."

"He was able to get her pregnant." She gulped. "Angel said it only happened once. We've been married for five years and I've yet to bear his child."

"He won't leave you." William stroked her check with his thumb.

"Why did this happen to me? I didn't let Angel touch me until we were married. I was pure. There had been no one else." She paused. "But Angel commits adultery, and he's going to be a father."

Buffy stared at William's lips. She could stay in his comforting embrace forever. Not thinking about the consequences, Buffy tilted her head up and pressed her lips to his. They were warm and soft, and her heartbeat increased. She felt William begin to respond back.

He abruptly pushed her away, still holding on to her arms. "Buffy, we can't." Buffy came towards him, and his arms slackened when she started to kiss his neck. "You're..married," he could barely get out.

Buffy's heart was racing, now. Instincts took over, and she just wanted him. Between kisses along his jaw, she said, "So..was..Angel."

When she reached his mouth again, he allowed her to slip past his lips. He held her tightly. The feel of his tongue softly, but persistently stroking her own, was exciting her even more.

He pulled back again. "You're upset. I'm taking advantage of you."

"I need this." Buffy claimed his mouth again and gently pushed him down the hall.

They managed to reach William's room and push the door behind them. Buffy reached behind her and unbuttoned her dress. She had worn a simple dress to clean the house, and it was off in minutes.

William gasped, as she stood in front of him wearing nothing but her chemise and drawers. "No corset?" He squeaked.

"I don't wear one while cleaning." Buffy smiled as William's eyes darkened with desire. A lady was supposed to wear one at all times, and her little naughtiness affected him in the right way. She moved her hands to the bottom of her chemise.

"This is wrong," he panted out. "Whatever Angel did, we..." He trailed off when Buffy was completely nude above her waist. His blinked a few times and then reached for her breasts.

His hands were gentle, and Buffy let out a moan. He seemed to have forgotten his protests, as he started to kiss the top of her chest. He made his way down to her nipples, and they hardened under his ministrations.

She led him to his bed and laid down. William pressed her into the bed and began kissing her in earnest. Her fingers made work of his shirt buttons. When she got his shirt off, he stopped and blushed. She ran her hands over his surprisingly, muscular chest. "You're like a Greek statue." He avoided her eyes, and Buffy realized that he had never done this before.

Buffy turned the bed covers down and crawled into them, thinking it might make him more comfortable. She reached for William. He laid down next to her, pulling the covers over them. Soon, they were both completely naked. William's modesty made it so different from when she was with Angel. Buffy found it empowering.

She reached down and started to stroke the length of him, causing him to whimper. Even though, she didn't want to rush him, she was starting to get impatient.

"Oh! Oh!" William's face was complete bliss.

Looking down at Buffy, he shifted so he settled between her thighs. Buffy wrapped a leg around his to encourage him. Taking a breath, he slowly pushed inside her.

"Yes." Buffy threw her head back into the pillow. William didn't move and gaped at her. His lips started to tremble, and she smiled at him. After a minute, Buffy thrust her hips up at him and encouraged him to move.

He moved slowly, hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Please, I need you." Buffy pulled his face down to kiss him. A tension built up inside her as he began his pace. "Yes, like that."

He was moving at a slow rhythm. His eyes, full of wonder, stared at her as if it would all be over if he closed them. The knowledge that she was affecting him this much, pushed Buffy over the edge. With a gasp, she shook and tightened around him. His eyes widened as he followed her.

William fell asleep almost immediately. Coming down from her high, Buffy had a pain of guilt for cheating on Angel. But soon, sleep took over, and she fell asleep, too.

TBC