Title: Bring Me Into the Light (8/?)
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace & Em
E-MAIL: rosewood@inreach.com & slayerbuffy@aol.com FEEDBACK: Is the butter on our bread. We write because the story begs to be told. Feedback lets us know if we struck a chord with you.
DISTRIBUTION: Our site, Fandom Writers (http://www.fandomwriters.com), of course. FINNatics, Vamps-N-Slayers, the other list archives as well. Anyone else interested, we'll be happy to share.
RATING: NC-17 (eventually – or maybe quickly depending on the whim of the muses)
CATEGORY: Story: Romance, Angst
SPOILERS: As You Were
PAIRINGS: B/R/Sam, m/f, f/f
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the characters at all. (More's the pity) They belong to the Great God Joss Whedon et al. We are just borrowing them for a little bit. That's all. No BtVS characters were harmed in the writing of this fic. Well, maybe just a little.
SUMMARY: Not back for long enough. Not nearly long enough and there were too many things left up in the air. But isn't that the purpose of fan-fiction?
DEDICATION: From Ace: Well, to Em of course for bringing this Riley to the fore. For her lovely Buffy and for giving me the chance to get to know Sam. To Jenf'r for the original pairing idea and to our betas – you rock.
From Em: To my talented co-author for bringing her Riley, because we all know Em doesn't write Riley well. To Jenfr, for her comment "Now someone must write the AR where Riley and Sam take Buffy with them" after the episode "As You Were" - we deviated quite a bit but you put the plot bunny in my head. And to our betas - you're the best!

 
Chapter 8

Buffy responded to that kiss with all the passion pent-up inside her. Their tongues danced as she sought to sear him with the flames he poured into her. Her arm slid around his neck, holding herself tightly against him while her other hand wandered. Across his shoulder, up the side of his neck, with teasing fingertips tracing patterns on his skin. She felt lighter than air, flying on a high of passion, love, and need, and she did everything she could to show it to him without words.

For the first time in her memory, Buffy felt Riley unhook her seatbelt while the car was in motion. Not only that; she felt the seat moving backward, flattening out. When Riley turned out of the kiss, his breath warm on her neck, she made a questioning sound as to what was happening. His hushed voice filtered in under the music, lips tickling the outer shell of her ear. "Not me. Sam. There's a full set of remotes up front."

She chanced a quick glance up front and caught the back of Sam's head. Her gaze traveled down along Sam's right arm to where she was tapping the keys of what looked like a tiny computer. The seat finished its movement and Riley was able to stretch out next to Buffy, almost on top of her. His fingers combed though her hair, down the side of her neck, coming to rest on Angel's scar. Soft, possessive rub there, sending an electric shock of sensation through her entire body.

Quiet pride in his voice and in his smile as he continued to explain, "Boys love toys, Buffy. This..." Riley waved a hand to indicate the interior of the SUV. Compartments for weapons in the walls, state of the art GPS tracking system, back-seat big enough for even Riley Finn to stretch out on. Not standard issue at all, nothing like this ever rolled off the assembly line in Detroit. "This is my toy. Built to my specs... with Sam's help."

Talking about the car might calm them down. At least long enough for Sam to get them back to the hotel... And then again, maybe not.

A soft moan escaped Buffy as his fingers rubbed over her scar and she fought to pay attention to his words. "I take it... you do this often, then?" She managed to get the words out, but her voice had that sultry edge to it again. Her voice and her eyes betrayed her attempt at a calm reply, letting him know just how deeply he was affecting her as she looked up at him.

That tone in her voice convinced Riley that he could talk about the car until kingdom come but it still wouldn't put the brakes onto what was happening here.

Which he could live with...

"Seduce beautiful women? Not that often." He undid the tiny tie at her throat, the one that kept the neck of her shirt closed. Vanilla, rising light and sweet as the fabric parted. Sense memory... that scent on his pillow and on his skin, licking his lips halfway through morning class and tasting her there.

Smelled it once more when he unpacked his gear the first day back in the Corps.

And his whole world shattered around him.

He missed her so much. Would have done anything in the world to get her back. Anything in the world. And here she was in his arms again. Ready for him... ready for this.

"Sleep in here? All the time. Might was well be comfortable when your life's always on the line." His mouth found the skin exposed by pulling the cloth back, tongue warm on her. Riley seemed to be completely in control, only the tiny break in his voice gave him away.

Sam punched another button on the keyboard and the camera display came up on the video screen. That way she could watch and drive at the same time. She loved watching Riley move, loved watching him fight. Now she was going to watch him do the one thing she'd never really seen from a spectator's point of view.

She was going to watch him make love...

Jealousy didn't exist. Not where Buffy was concerned. It was surprisingly easy to accept the other woman's place in her husband's arms and in their bed. Something Sam would never have expected before tonight.

Maybe it was because this was the only way she could have found it acceptable. When she dropped in on them at the dam a week ago, they'd been inches away from kissing. Sam knew the look, the one Riley wore that night. Knew it by heart. It was his 'God, I really shouldn't do this but I have to' look, The same one he wore right before he kissed her the first time.

Only it had been directed at another woman. Who had been lifting up onto her toes, almost reaching for him, aching for him. If she hadn't shown up right then... the mission might've ended differently. Instead of Riley walking in on Buffy and Spike, both of them still naked and bodies entangled with one another, Sam might have walked in on Riley and Buffy doing the same thing.

And that would have destroyed all of them.

She knew her husband wasn't the cheating type. But there was something about Buffy that pulled him in, something that would have destroyed every last ounce of his resolve. Sam knew it existed because she felt it too. That pull...

Better for it to happen this way. By mutual agreement, and in recognition of need... not just their need but hers as well. She wanted Buffy, probably just as much as Riley did...

If not more.

Buffy tipped her head back with a soft moan that was barely heard through the music surrounding them. Her hands brushed through his hair once, then slid down the back of his neck. Gentle fingertips massaged his neck and shoulders in a soft caress as she familiarized herself again with the planes she had once known by heart.

Part of her almost couldn't believe this was happening; it seemed almost too good to be true, like a dream that she would awaken from. But she pushed that thought aside and focused on him, on the feel of his body against hers, and the touch of his lips on her skin. If this was a dream, then she was going to enjoy every minute of it... and if it was only a dream, there was no harm in a fantasy.

But part of her prayed, deep inside, that it might be real...

For a moment, the pressure of his familiar body was gone, his scent fading a little. And then he was back, closer than ever and the heat she'd felt was stronger, burning through her thin shirt. When Buffy's hand drifted down for his hair to his shoulder, she understood why. The sweater he'd been wearing was gone and under her fingertips was nothing but acres and acres of warm skin.

Warm. Not cold. Heartbeat beneath his chest. His breathing heavy from want and need, not just to tease her. The shivers that ran through her body were from the fire he started burning inside of her and not because of any contrast between their temperatures. And Buffy relished every moment of it, letting the heat warm her inside and out. Letting it melt some of the ice in her heart and make her feel alive again herself.

Riley unbuttoned her shirt, three little buttons before his mouth was pressed in the hollow between her breasts. His palm rubbed against a lace-covered nipple, fingers flexing around the globe. So gentle, treating her like she was something precious. Which to Riley, she was. Something precious and rare, something he'd lost and somehow found again.

Buffy moaned again, arching her back to press closer to him. She leaned into his caresses as best she could, feeling as if each gentle movement burned its way through her. Reminding her of what love was supposed to be.

No deceptions, no guilt. Just love, and this natural expression of it. Nothing to have to hide from her friends or from Dawn. No pain, no lies, no one pushing her until she couldn't say no anymore. This was only right... the way it should always be.

She closed her eyes tightly as they filled with tears. They were tears of joy, of pleasure and happiness, but she didn't want him to see and get the wrong idea. She loved him, needed him. She needed them both, and trembled with the knowledge that they needed her the same way.

They were almost there but Sam was willing to delay things for a bit more. Let them have a few minutes of private time. Time where they could reconnect without worrying about adding another person, another body to the mix. Her chance would come.

She shot past the Marriott, turned onto the freeway and set the cruise control. Kept one eye on the road and the other on the screen. Where she could see her husband's head buried between Buffy's breasts, his hands smoothing down her skirt, fingertips coming to rest just below the hem. It was getting warm, her face flushing as she imagined her mouth being where his fingers rested.

She'd never met a more beautiful girl. Prettier ones, yes, but there was a light that shone from Buffy. So tiny, so brave, willing to take the weight of the world on her shoulders without complaint. That light had been dimmed when they found her almost a week ago, dimmed but not quite extinguished. And tonight...

Tonight that light has flared back up again. Sam would do anything, anything within her power to keep that light burning.

Anything.

A soft plea rose to Buffy's lips as she gently shifted sideways, wanting to feel his mouth on her nipple. She gasped at the feeling when he complied, a shiver passing through her. Warm breath on her skin, followed by the wet press of his tongue. She drew one hand up his neck to cradle his head in her palm, her fingers gently playing with his short hair.

Lacy, black bra pushed down just enough for his mouth to find her. Eyes closed, tongue stroking warmly over the tiny nub, sending sparks of pleasure through her frame. Riley shifted over her, moving again and when Buffy felt his full weight settle around her, on top of her, his legs between hers, she moaned once more. And knew what it felt like to come home.

Her skirt was riding up. No. It was being pushed up by two strong hands, the fabric bunching around her hips while Riley let go of her nipple. His warm face rooted around for a second or two, sliding her blouse aside as he sought out the other one. Found it with a satisfied groan and a full-body push into her.

Buffy lifted her hips, letting him push the skirt up around her waist. She wrapped one leg around his, pressing her hips up to rub against his. Her panties were damp as moisture pooled there, but she didn't care. She was home again and only wanted to be as close to him as possible.

Soft mewling sounds fell from her parted lips, and she felt him shiver as the sound reached his ears. Heard his own answering rumble of pleasure, a sound straight out of her memory. Something Buffy never thought she'd hear again... in this life or any other.

His head lifted from its resting place and Riley looked down into her eyes. Which were just as dark and wide and wild as his own. "I don't think we're going to make it to the hotel," he murmured, then dipped his head down and blew air across her breasts. Her nipples tightened, the warm wetness left by his kisses cooled as he blew on them.

Buffy's eyes closed, her fingers tightening in his hair as she acknowledged the truth of that statement with a tiny nod. A moment later her eyes opened again as well as her mouth when she felt him tug gently on the thin strap of lace that held her panties in place. Felt warm fingertips - not cold - warm, slide under the edge of the fine fabric and find her sex. Tease lightly and then dip inside.

Buffy moaned, a long, low sound that shuddered through her as she felt his fingers inside her, rubbing and teasing. She was so wet his fingers were coated instantly. She felt him, everywhere he touched her she burned inside; yet he was still so gentle, so loving. "God, Riley," she whimpered softly. "Feels... so good."

It felt right to her, to speak to him while he touched her. She and Spike had never actually spoken until after, but with Riley it had always felt more right to say what she was feeling than to keep it inside. And he always returned the favor, murmuring to her as they moved together. His voice, low and rough, had been much part of the experience as the feel of his body or the steady beat of his heart.

"I missed you. Missed this," he whispered in her ear, mouth finding a sensitive spot just below it. His hand moved, dipped in response to the car hitting some irregularity in the road and the fingers that had been lightly tracing the edges were now deep inside her. So deep that his palm rested firmly against the silk of her panties. His groan mingled with her tiny cry and they were kissing again.

The music drowned out most of the sounds except that one. Sam's eyes darted to the screen, her mouth dropped open when she spotted where Riley's hand was. Memories of being touched by him there flooded over her, warmth suffusing every inch of her body. The hand on the keyboard moved to her skirt, pulling it up just enough so she could touch bare skin. Traced fingertips over silken flesh and imagine she was touching Buffy as well.

Buffy kissed him deeply, passionately, her fingers tangling in his hair and holding him against her. She felt him begin to stroke her lightly, his fingers within her; every little movement fanning the flames higher. So long, it had been so long.

She began to lose conscious thought as they continued, gentle shocks of pleasure sparking all over her body. She wanted to hold onto the feelings, to never have them stop or fade, and she held him tightly because of it. Buffy hoped he understood why because there was no way she could put it into words.

"Buffy, please... Can I?" He was looking down at her, his hand still moving, thumb now under the protective silk and rubbing on that wonderful spot. The one connected to absolutely everything. There was that note of soft pleading, the question that Spike never asked. Spike never asked any questions, all he ever did was take.

But Riley asked. Treated her like a woman, like what she had to say or what she thought mattered. Never told her what to think or how to think, never told her how she felt, never told her anything. He always asked...

That soft question sent a shiver down Sam's back. She checked the odometer, studied the road ahead of them and decided to turn the vehicle around after the next three exits. That should give them enough time. She knew what Riley was asking, wasn't sure how long it would take so she added another two exits to the formula. Right now he needed to give and Buffy...

Buffy needed to take.

Anything Sam needed - could wait.

Buffy's eyes softened as she looked up at Riley, love and happiness mingling with the passion and pleasure burning there. She gave him a tender smile and her soft reply came from the depths of her heart and soul, "Yes, Riley, yes. Please."

She wanted this, wanted him, and anything he wanted to give to her. And she knew she would never be taunted for being selfish and just taking, because that wasn't his way. Riley wasn't like that; he was offering it to her and he wanted her to have it.

The pressure and heat of his hand was removed, she fought down the urge to whimper at its loss. Riley hushed her with a kiss while he hooked his thumbs under the tiny straps, dragging the thin layer of silk away from her skin. Helped her lift up, slid it down her legs, past her boots and let it flutter to the floor.

Riley moved down her body, much like the silk that had been dragged off of her. Soft kisses, mingled with half words as he freed her shirt from the waistband of her skirt. "Beau... tiful... God... Buffy..." Whatever else he was going to say or meant to say was muffled when his mouth found the soft swell of her belly. Kissed her there, tongue dipping briefly into the well of her navel before continuing even further down.

Eyes on the road, then on the display and finally looking over the back of the seat. Sam shuddered, her mouth going dry as she watched Riley push Buffy's skirt the rest of the way up. Watched him press a warm kiss on her right thigh and then her left. Watched his mouth open over her. Watched Buffy rise up to meet him and heard the cry of need that escaped from their exquisite girl when his mouth found what it sought.

Rich flood of her inundating his senses, the taste barely remembered from his dreams. Silken nightmares he'd woken from with tears on his face and the faint hint of her still in his mouth. He'd tried to burn the taste out with alcohol, tried to drown it out with so many other women. And yet it came back to him in rush. One that rocketed straight from his mouth to his cock.

Buffy's hips writhed under his teasing tongue, feeling it dance over her heated flesh. Somehow he managed to avoid where he knew she wanted him the most, despite her movements. She let him play until she felt she couldn't take anymore, until the tension in her body had built so high that she felt ready to snap. Then she softly whimpered, "Riley, please..."

He could never deny her, not when her voice broke like that. His intent was to please, not torment; he refused to do anything that could possibly remind her of Spike. Tongue held flat and wide, he pressed up against that spot, opening it. While Buffy clutched at his hair, he sucked hard, pulling it in between his teeth. She stiffened and keened, the sound rolling over him, blending with the music and the sensation of the road passing beneath them.

Only minutes into this and she was close, so close. Riding the razor's edge, needing only a subtle push here or there to tumble her over. God, he'd missed this. Missed the taste of her, the scent of her, the feel of her hands - too strong in the final moments, harshness bordering on pain - tugging at him as the Slayer deep within acknowledged him as much as the girl did.

Driving while this was happening was damned dangerous. Somehow she found an exit, pulled them off the highway and up underneath the overpass. Sam killed the engine and turned around so she could watch, actually watch as Buffy's body arched. As she lifted both herself and Riley off the seat.

Powerful little body strung tight with need - moonlight pale against the black seat. Her husband's bronzed shoulders and gilded hair one more contrast in a world made of shadows. The faint glow from the dash and a few scattered streetlights in the distance the only illumination within their sanctuary.

Soft spill of blonde satin spread out underneath her head. Slender throat bared to the world. Still half-dressed, shirt hanging loose on her shoulders, dark swath of lace that no longer contained her breasts. One dusky nipple exposed to the open air, the other covered by a broad hand. His other hand lost somewhere in the darkness. Her pale hands in his hair, on his shoulders, falling back to clutch the seat as he continued to work magic with his mouth.

Half-whispered words in the dark. The music winding through them as well as the hitching breaths and the soft, sucking that could barely be heard. Knowing what Buffy was feeling, knowing intimately just how good Riley was with his mouth were the only things that kept Sam in her seat. She didn't want to interrupt or break his concentration... all she could do was watch.

Watch and listen and wait. And pray this would never end. She'd never seen anything quite so erotic in her life... And the thought that this was going to be part of her life, for the rest of her life, filled Sam with a sense of breathless awe.

Buffy's body arched again, her tiny frame beginning to tremble as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge. He sucked harder again and pressed his tongue to her center, and that was all it took. She shattered, screaming his name, her body locking up briefly. Waves of pleasure rocked her to her foundations, sweeping away pain and leaving her with a blissful contentment. When the waves subsided, she fell limply back to the seat beneath her and her hands loosened their hold on him.

Gentle licks, easing her down, Riley waited until her breathing slowed before lifting his head. It was dark and they were no longer moving but he could still make her out in the dimness. Buffy's eyes were closed, dark lashes fanned across her cheek, mouth half-open and he could never remember her looking more beautiful. He stroked her thigh, laid one palm down in the center of her belly just so that he could feel her breathe.

And know this was real.

He heard the click of Sam's seatbelt and glanced over at her. His wife was almost clear of the driver's seat; her gaze fixed on his mouth. Riley knew what she wanted. He met her halfway, his free hand tangling in her hair as she bowled over the back of the seat, kissing him. Licking at his lips, gathering up the unfamiliar sweet slickness that had to be Buffy.

No words between them. Just frantic kisses that said more than any words could ever hope to convey. Her hand outlining his jaw, pushing him to one side so she could find every single trace of their lover on his skin. Sam captured his mouth again after a moment, her tongue chasing Buffy, finding what she hadn't been granted access to yet.

As she caught her breath, Buffy opened her eyes and watched them kiss. She blushed faintly when she noticed Sam licking her essence off of him, but it was also a very erotic thought. After another moment of watching them, Buffy sat up carefully and leaned over. Stretching out her hand, she combed her fingers through Sam's long, thick hair. It felt like silk on her skin, and she found herself repeating the motion again and again.

Sam turned away from Riley, leaning into that caress. It soothed away the urgency she was feeling, banked the fire within her body for a few moments. She crawled up the length of the flattened seat, gazing into Buffy's eyes.

For the longest time, they simply watched each other, Buffy's fingers combing through Sam's hair, Sam's wrapped around her shoulders. When Sam finally spoke, her voice was low and husky, running counterpoint to the music still surrounding them. "Buffy... so beautiful. How could anyone want to hurt you? How can they look at you and not want to love you?"

Those broken words sought no answer. Instead, Sam moved forward and kissed her. Soft and gentle, like the hands that skimmed down Buffy's shoulders, stripping off the blouse. The bra came next, ending up on the floor somewhere in the vicinity of Riley's sweater. Leaving only the skirt still bunched up around her waist.

The seat dipped for a moment as Riley took up his place on the other side of Buffy. He touched her cheek, then ran his hand down the length of Sam's arm. Seeing them together like this never entered his mind before tonight. Not even in his wildest fantasies. But now that it had he couldn't imagine them not being together. Not touching like this, not kissing, which Sam was doing - light little kisses on Buffy's forehead, her cheeks, her mouth - never settling anywhere.

Buffy smiled at Sam and caught her lips in a gentle kiss before finally answering. "I don't know, Sam," she spoke in a very soft tone. "It's happened twice, now, so I suppose some people must just be like that. But I'm safe, now, and that's what matters. Safe and loved and happy." She skimmed her free hand down Sam's side and settled it on her thigh, fingertips idly stroking back and forth in tiny movements.

"Good. You could use some happiness. After what you told us... There hasn't been much of that, has there?" Sam shivered, moving just enough to give Buffy better access. She shivered even harder when she felt Riley's hand behind her knee, his fingers slightly damp. Both of them had found sensitive spots. Buffy by accident and Riley... clearly by design.

Riley shifted closer, one leg sliding between Buffy's while he stroked Sam's knee and nuzzled Buffy's neck. His voice was hushed, barely audible above the music, although his tone was amused. "Sam. Just out of curiosity... Where are we?" He knew they weren't at the hotel, it had an outdoor parking lot with lots of lights. Wherever they were was shadowed and dim, he could hear cars rushing by, most likely overhead.

"About twenty miles out of Sunnydale. I thought the two of you could use some time." She smiled at him, totally unrepentant, as he lifted his head to look around. Riley chuckled. This wasn't the first time she'd made a decision like this. Usually her instincts were good.

In this case, they were very, very good.

Buffy giggled softly and nodded. "You thought right... thank you." Her fingers slid around Sam's thigh to rest on the inside, again very softly stroking the smooth skin she found there. Her other hand was still idly sliding through Sam's hair, in the same soothing motion she always used. She got more shivers and a delighted moan or two in response to her efforts.

"You're welcome." Sam's breath caught in her throat again. The hand on the inside of her thigh, soft and feminine. The other one, the one pushing her skirt up over one hip, broader and so familiar. The look in Riley's eyes, the way he was smiling at her, the love he felt for both of them was there for the whole world to see. Even though the whole world consisted of this enclosed space and the people in it.

She'd been left out earlier. Not be design but by need. Riley needed to bond with Buffy, to rebuild the links of the chain between them. The chain that had been shattered over a year ago and was only now reforming. There was parts of this Sam would never be able to touch, just like there were parts of her connection with Riley that would belong to them alone.

She'd been left out earlier but not anymore. They were letting her in, opening the little circle meant for just Buffy and Riley - opening it wide and pulling her into the center of it. Right where she wanted to be.

Buffy studied Sam for several long moments. She watched emotions flicker in her eyes, saw the way her gaze darted from one golden blonde to the other. From husband to lover and back again. She recognized the need to be accepted and wanted, however well it was hidden, because she herself had felt the same way just a little while earlier. And she knew what she needed to do to make things right.

The little blonde gently pulled away from Riley and, with her eyes locked on Sam's, she knelt over the larger woman's lap, one knee on either side of her hips. Buffy cradled Sam's head in her hands as she bent over to kiss her deeply. No longer tentative, she gave everything she could to the other woman, letting her know without words just how much she was wanted.

How much she was needed.

Acceptance, pure and simple. It lived within every touch and sang its way through that sweet kiss. So long... it had been so long since she held another woman in her arms. Been so long since she'd felt the press of breasts against her own and the feminine curve of a belly rather than the rock-hard expanse of her husband's stomach. God, how had she survived this long without it?

Always sure of her place with Riley, Sam now felt assured of her place with Buffy. Not as the other woman, not just as Riley's wife, but a full partner. Something she hadn't had since med school. Not since her girlfriend, Katja, decided she wanted men instead of women. Still angry over that rejection, Sam signed up for the Peace Corps the very next day.

She ran from the pain and ended up in hell. Every member of the infirmary she'd been assigned to slaughtered over the course of a few hours. Everyone but her. A Black Ops team dropped into her village right afterward, taking out the remaining demons and offering her another place to be.

Sam carved herself a niche with them. After the first pass was made and she'd put the man down on the ground, she had their respect. Her team was a group of hard-as-nails marines who joked and slapped her on the back and treated her like she was just another one of the guys. Mainly because she was - even though she kept her preferences a secret...

Or so she thought.

One night, after a hellacious drop somewhere in the depths of Southeast Asia, she and Captain Riley Finn stumbled into a bar. Drinking the local water was a surefire way to die so they'd gotten blindly and blissfully drunk. She asked him in no uncertain terms why the fuck he didn't like women – so he told her about Buffy. In turn, when he asked her why the fuck she didn't like men - she told him about Katja.

Stunned was the only way she could describe the look on Riley's face, absolutely stunned. Like it had never crossed his mind that she really was a lesbian. She accused him of being a homophobe and that's when he told her about Willow and Tara. About his friends in Sunnydale, showed her the scars on his arms and they ended up huddled together, almost crying on each other's shoulders when Graham found then five hours later. From then on, they were the best of friends...

A week after that, they were lovers.

As Buffy pulled back from the kiss, she looked down at Sam and was rewarded with a grin. She gave in easily when Sam pulled her in for another kiss, as she rose up from the seat to meet her halfway. When Sam's hands found her hips, Buffy settled on Sam's lap rather than over it and let their bodies press together, soft curves meeting soft curves. The Slayer made a mental note to ask Sam later what was going through her mind just then, but that could wait for another place and time.

Riley watched them kiss and after a moment or two, he had to reach down and adjust. And squeeze hard to keep from embarrassing himself. That subtle movement caught Sam's eye, drawing her away from Buffy. Her voice, low and soft, teased him gently. "Ry... Is there something there that we can help you with? Thought you weren't the voyeur type."

That falsely sweet inquiry drew a laugh from Riley. After being around her for almost a year, he was completely at ease with his wife's insubordinate and irreverent nature. "With you two around, I could get used to it."

Despite his casual response, Riley ached. A deep down kind of ache that settled in your bones, covering everything with a bittersweet blanket of pain. Here he was in a situation almost any guy would give his eyeteeth for. There were two beautiful women watching him and he was too much of a gentleman to ask for a little assistance. Strange that his conscience had decided to put in an appearance now.

Another drop of his hand and another hard squeeze. Hard enough to be right there, hovering between agony and ecstasy. "Buffy?" Sam caught Buffy's eye and together they looked at Riley. Looked where his hands were, at what he was trying to hide. "I think Agent Finn needs our help. Should we give it to him?"

Oh God, he was in trouble.

But what a way to go...

 
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