The Winning Hand

Chapter 4 - Dinner

Buffy's first stop was at the hotel's shops. She stepped into the store
and looked around at the different dresses. There had been one in
the window that had caught her eye, but it was probably pretty
expensive. It looked like one of those dresses you'd see on a movie
star or something.

"Hello, may I help you?" A young sales clerk approached her. She
saw Buffy's indecision and asked, "Are you shopping for a special
occasion?"

"No. Well, yes. I don't know." Buffy stammered. "Dinner I guess?"

"Romantic, or business?"

"Oh." Buffy bit her bottom lip and chewed nervously. "Business?" She
wasn't entirely sure. Will hadn't really said, but she didn't think he'd
meant to ask her in the romantic sense. After all, why would *he* want
*her*. He was so handsome and confident. She could tell that when
he walked into a room everyone else stopped to stare. She sighed.

Well she would at least buy a dress that would make her stand out,
just a little. Even if she wouldn't be the most beautiful woman in the
room, at least she'd look more upscale than usual, she thought. "Can
I see the red dress in the window?" The The sales clerk smiled.

***

Buffy was sitting in a salon chair trying not to giggle. Her head was
underneath the dryer, and there was a pedicurist doing her toenails.
She'd never had her toenails done before! And the giggles were part
giddy happiness and part ticklish reaction.

"Now let us see." Henry lifted the dryer off her head. "Is this not a
beautiful woman?" He asked the ladies around him, who nodded at
his question. Buffy blushed.

Henry led her over to a chair by the mirrors, turning her so that she
could see. He had cut her hair in layers, leaving wispy tufts to curl
around her face. He'd also put in just a hint of red highlight, giving her
hair a shiny and sort of burnished copper sheen. Buffy was amazed.

When she'd first sat down, Henry had given her a tongue lashing.
"What have you done to yourself?" He'd asked angrily. Buffy tried to
explain her act of rebellion. Angel had constantly told her how to wear
her hair, how short to cut it, what color to make it. She'd finally had
enough and chopped it off at the shoulder. When she told Henry this poutpouted. "Was this man your hairdresser?"

"No." Buffy bit back a giggle at the thought.

"Then he has no business telling you how to wear your hair!" Henry
swiped the comb through her short locks in angry rebuttal. "And next
time you want to rebel, you come to" He" He admonished her. She
nodded and smiled, delighted with her new look.

***

Buffy carried all her new purchases up to her room, flopping down
onto the comfy couch in the middle of the suite. She couldn't keep the
smile off her face. Never before had she had the time or the money to
just spend a day pampering herself. She found that she liked the
feeling.

Sighing contentedly she stood grabbing her new dress, cosmetics
and hair supplies and heading toward the bathroom. She only had an
hour and half to get ready for her dinner with Will.

***

Spike stood justsidtside Buffy's door, taking a deep breath he hit the
bell hearing it chime in the room. What was he thinking asking her to
dinner? He had enough complications in his life that he didn't need to
add a naïve young Buffy from Kansas. But when the door swung
open his breath caught in his throat, though he struggled to hide his
reaction from her.

Buffy's dress was blood red, and clung to her curves deliciously.
Spike stepped into the room, heading toward the bar to pour himself a
quick drink. "Would you like anything luv?"

"No thanks. Buffy and alcohol tend to be a bit unmixy." She explained
quietly, her head tilted shyly downward.

'God', Spike could feel his blood begin to heat up. The dress came to
just above her knees, showing off the smooth skin of her calves. The
neckline plunged to just between the sweet swell of her breasts,
which was excentuated with each breath she took. And the small
heart pendant that dangled in the center of that valley, made his heart
stutter.

Spike could feel his trousers tighten, and thought it was a good idea
to keep the bar between them. "Nice dress luv." He couldn't keep the
husky quality out of his voice at the compliment.

Buffy blushed. "I saw it in the window of the shop downstairs. When I
trit oit on the sales lady said it made my eyes shine like emeralds."
Why had she repeated such a silly compliment? Flustered, her gaze
flew up to meet Will's her breath hitching at the intense stare she
found directed at her.

"She was right." Spike couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Closing
them tightly he threw his head back and took a long swallow of the
scotch he'd poured. "Best get going luv." Finally coming around from
the bar, he took hold of her elbow and led her out the door.

***

Buffy was trying not to gawk at her companion. Will looked absolutely
gorgeous. He was wearing black slacks with a red silk dress shirt.
She smiled inwardly at the sight they must make. It probably looked
as if they'd planned their wardrobe.

"What are you smiling at Buffy?" Spike asked, catching her grin with
one of his own.

"Us." Then she blushed at what her words implied. "I mean, we sort of
dressed alike." She hastened to explain.

Spike's smirew rew wider. She was so different than any other girl -
*woman*, he'd ever met. She'd blushed more in the past hour than
he'd ever seen his mother blush in his lifetime. He didn't think he'd
ever been around such innocence before.

They had dinner in the revolving restaurant at the top of the casino.
Buffy's eyes widened when she saw the view, and she spent several
minutes turning this way and that in order to capture the whole picture
in her mind. Spike's delight in her grew with each passing moment.
His desire grew as well, even as he tried to suppress it.

Spike new Buffy didn't need or want his attentions now. She was just
coming out of a controlling, and possibly abusive - Spike inwardly
grimaced - relationship. But his libido seemed to have a mind of it's
own, racing at the thought of her.

And he definitely didn't want the complications having a relationship
with Buffy would bring. She wasn't his type. He wasn't ready for a
suburban life with a wife and 2.5 kids. And that was exactly the type
of life a woman like Buffy was after. No. She definitely wasn't his type.

Their conversation was pleasant and innocent. She asked about his
family and he explained that they owned two casinos; one here in
Vegas and one in Atlantic City. The Atlantic City casino had been the
first, and was where his father and mother resided. He told her about
Dru, and her recent marriage and even more recent baby.

She laughed in delight at the stories he told of their childhood
together. And he felt a stirring in him that had nothing to do with
desire, but he quickly shook it away. And when she talked of her own
childhood; an only child with an absentee father, Spike refused to
allow his protective streak to take over. Instead he gritted his teeth
and nodded in all the appropriate places.

By the time dessert had come around, Buffy was stuffed. Bpikepike
insisted that she try at least a bit of the chocolate mousse, and since
he insisted she acquiesced. Smiling and ducking her head she asked
for a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Spike smiled in return
and delivered the order to the waiter when he ared.red.

When the confection was placed before her, Buffy felt her mouth
water despite herself. She absolutely loved chocolate and ice cream
on the side? Who could ask for more? She smiled. Taking up the
spoon she took a small sliver of mousse and a tiny dollop of ice
cream and brought them to her lips.

Spike watched with barely restrained control as Buffy's sweet lips
parted and took in the rich dessert. Her eyes closed and she let out a
small satisfiedn asn as she swallowed down the treat. His own
breath quickened at the sight she made.

"You're right. This is excellent. Thank you for insisting I try it." Buffy
re-opened her eyes, and gasped. Will's eyes had darkened, and his
irises had dilated so that there was only a small bright ring of blue left.
Her eyes quickly fell back down onto the dessert and she continued
to eat in silence, her heart beating frantically.

Spike used the silence to regain a measure of control. He took deep
calming breaths and rubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers until he
was able to look back at Buffy without the urgent need to take her,
consequences be damned.

"It's late. I should get you back up to your room." Spike stated quietly.

"Oh." Buffy was disappointed. She didn't want the night to end quite
so quickly.

Spike caught the hint of sadness and asked, "Or would you rather we
stayed out a bit longer?" Not knowing whether he wanted her answer
to be yes or no.

The smile that erupted had Spike catching his breath. "Yes!" Buffy
quickly suppressed her enthusiasm. "I mean, I thought we might try
the casino. I haven't actually ever been in one before. And I've only
played the one machine." She blushed at her own inexperience.

"Whatever the lady wants." Spike stood holding his arm out for Buffy;
ignoring the tingle that spread when their bodies came into contact.
Spike stopped to leave a few dollars on the table as a tip, having
already signed for the check. Then he led his date back to the
elevators and down to the waiting casino.