Buffy and Graham

Chapter 3

  Graham sat on the couch with one anxious fidgeting knee waiting for Buffy. They had gone out a few times to the pubs but they were usually accompanied with someone like Willow or Xander and times both Willow and Xander.

He glanced down to his watch for the hundredth time. His long fingers tapped the arm of the couch impatiently.

The click of Buffy's bedroom door opening caught his attention. The clacks of her heels vibrated into his ears as she approached him.

When she came into his view, Graham's mouth dropped slightly. "You're a vision." His throat felt dry as he ran eyes down the length of the wore dark purple knee length, v-neck dress tightly hugging her curves of her slim, strong body. The dress revealed just enough to keep guessing but left you wanting more. Graham swallowed jumped to his feet.

"Are you ready?" She asked and noted his gawking eyes which pleased her tremendously.

06 St Chad's Place

The popular pub was crowded with people drinking and dancing to the live band in the corner. Graham and Buffy sat down at a table near a pillar near the band.

"What would you like to drink?" Graham asked.

Buffy thought for a moment then with a shrug she said, "Surprise me."

Graham smirked and went to the bar hailing for the bartender. "Can I get a French 75 and an ale on tap." He ordered and watched the bartender slowly turning around to the people, in-particularly to Buffy. He smirked watching her watch the people around her waiting for his return. Her eyes caught his and she smiled softly at him making his stomach flop.

"Here you go, mate." The bartender said.

Graham threw down a twenty and turned around to his table to see a drunken looking man hovering over Buffy. A surge of jealousy shot through Graham's body. His face darkened when the drunken man's arms wrapped around her waist.

"C'mon, pet. Let's 'ave a round 'bout on the dance floor. What'd you say, pet?" The man's words were slurred. He turned his head and nodded cockily to his buds laughing behind him.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, thanks." She brushed him away.

"C'mon, luv. Dance with me." He took her wrist and pulled the Slayer on to her feet with a force.

Graham's hand squeezed the man's shoulder music forcing him to drop his hand from Buffy's wrist. "She said no. I suggest you take your nasty whiskey breath and get the hell away from her." Graham's jaw clench angrily.

"Well, nobody's talkin' to you, mate. So, I suggest you sod off!" The man circled his arm around Buffy's waist hugging her into his body.

Something strange happened within Graham, he snapped. He snatched the man's arm and effortlessly twisted it around his back making him squeal drawing attention to the scene. A bouncer slowly approached them.

"I said, stay away from her." Graham whispered dangerously into the drunken man's ear and pushed him away.

The drunk man lost his footing and fell on top of people and into the bouncer. The bouncer took the man by his arm and led him to the door.

Graham took a deep breath controlling his evident anger and faced Buffy. He placed his hands on her wrist the man gripped and checked her for injuries. "Are you okay?"

"Thanks for that." She said. Graham was well aware that she could take care of herself but something snapped inside his chest and he jumped into protector mode. "Dance with me?" Her request surprised him but he held not objections.

She took his hand and guided him out onto the dance floor.

Luckily, the band played a slow English folk song. Her small hand moved to his bicep and the other around his neck. He felt her fingers play with the small hairs on his neck. Graham's hands went around her waist drawing her closer into his chest.

The close dance they shared had an odd natural feeling in it. Like they have danced a thousand dances like this before. It was strange but comforting which made it stranger.

Two more hours passed into the night, Buffy and Graham were now sitting a booth near a large window looking out on the London streets. They sat especially close and very intoxicated.

Graham's arm draped around Buffy's shoulders as she told her story of a past battle. "... And the demon was like, 'An axe? Axe my ass!' then I said, 'Well, okay!' Then I chopped the bastard in two." Graham laughed at Buffy's foolish story about an Answer demon and took a large swig of his beer. "It's face was like!" She imitated the Anser's demon expression which made Graham laugh harder and hugged her shoulders.

Buffy's head fell back against his shoulder and caught his ice blue eyes causing their laughter to simmer into a reflective gaze. Graham looked down at their hands that were laced together.

"Another round?" The waitress's voice interrupted the intimate moment.

Buffy removed herself from his arms and smiled up at the waitress.

"Sure, one more round." Graham slurred.

Little would they know, that one more round would change everything. The elevator doors opened and Buffy and Graham stumbled into the apartment. He caught her hand and fell back onto the couch laughing hysterically.