__The First Morning__
By Andrea
"BBBRRRIINNGG!!!""
Willow reached over to turn off the alarm. Slapping
her hand around a few times, she finally managed to
shut it off. Rolling over, she looked around, a bit
disoriented.
"Where am I?" she wondered aloud.
Then it dawned on her. Giles' Apartment
She was at his apartment. She was going to be living
there at least until second quarter starts. Pulling
back the covers, she got out of bed and stepped out
from behind the curtain.Glancing upstairs, she idly
wondered if Giles was up yet. It was 8:15.
'Hmmm..maybe he's a late sleeper.' she mused as she
gathered her robe and proceeded to the bathroom.
********************
Ten minutes later:
"Damn!" she cursed loudly, twisting and turning the
faucets.
She'd been trying for the last ten minutes to get more
water pressure, but all she was able to get was a
little trickle. No matter how much twisting and
turning she did,nothing more would come out.
"Guess I'll just have to use the upstairs bathroom"
she mumbled, as she gathered her shower carry.
Moving quietly up the stairs, as not to wake Giles,
she finally made it to the bathroom. Reaching out to
turn the knob, the door opened suddenly and Willow
stumbled forward.
Seeing movement, Giles reached out and grabbed her,
holding her steady. It took a few seconds to realize
it was Willow he was holding. Willow who was pressed
to his naked chest. Oh boy.
Blushing, Willow pulled back embarrassed. "I'm sorry,
Giles. I...I.." she fumbled, her eyes rooted to his
chest. His muscular, firm chest with the light
sprinkling of honey colored hairs.
'Oh my! I really need to shower now' she thought, as
she glanced down quickly, noticing he was wearing only
a green towel.
"There's nothing to apologize for. Are you all right?"
he asked, wondering how he was able to speak, since it
seemed his whole body was focused on Willow.
She was standing there in a silky, green robe that
ended about mid-thigh. He quickly ran his eyes from
her cleavage down to her luscious long legs and back
up to her emerald eyes.
'I think I might need to take a shower. Again' he
mused.
Interrupting her,"So...you said something is wrong
witht he downstairs bathroom?" he asked, clearing his
throat.
She nodded. "There's no water pressure. I twisted and
turned the knobs till my hand turned red. Still
nothing." she dropped her gaze. "So, I thought I'd
come up here 'cause I have a class and I really need
to shower. I'm sorry for interrupting you.."
"Nonsense, Willow. I'm finished." he stepped out. "The
bathroom's all yours."
She smiled and shut the door. Leaning against it, she
let out the breath she didn't even know she was
holding.
Giles in a towel.
'God, how am I going to survive 3 months seeing Giles
in a towel. I might go stir crazy with all that
manliness around.'
Turning on the faucets, a hot spray of water shot out.
Smiling, she started to undo the robe, then stopped.
Inhaling the air, she grinned. the bathroom smelled
like Giles. Dial soap with the faint smell of Finesse
shampoo. A yummy combo.
Curiosity getting the better of her, she opened the
medicine cabinet and looked inside. There were the
usual staples one would expect to find in a man's
bathroom.
Shaver, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrush,
aftershave...
"Ooh, what's this?" she picked up a small bottle.
Bayberry aromatherapy oil. Hmmmm....oil, Giles...
"Bad thoughts, Willow" she chastised aloud. she moved
a few things around and noticed some more bottles.
Mint, rosemary, lavender...Lavender! 'Like me!' she
thought.
closing the cabinet, she gave a quick sweep of the
bathroom. She'd never really taken time to inspect it
thoroughly. It was nicely decorated.
Green border with matching curtains.Gold tassels
holding up the curtains with matching gold bathroom
set. Fluffy, dark green towels mixed in with gold face
towels.
So intent on the decor, she didn't realize how steamy
the room was getting.
"AAH!!" she hopped in the shower, closing the curtain.
******
Giles' Bedroom:
With the door locked, Giles dropped his towel to the
ground. Walking over to the closet, he made a mental
note to call the plumber about Willow's bathroom.
Willow's bathroom.
He liked the sound of that.Living with her was turning
out to be interesting so far. Seeing her in that robe
was what he'd imagined her to be.
Not that he'd ever thought about her like that. Okay,
the idea may have crossed his mind a few times. At
night. In Bed.
She looked...scrumptious.
A delightful combo of innocence and sensuality. The
thought of seeing her in that green silk robe for the
next three months, sent an excited shiver down his
spine.
"What am I thinking?"he said aloud.
Willow, friend, colleague,....lovely woman.
He shook his head and grabbed his clothes throwing
them on.
*******
Ten minutes later:
Cleaning his glasses, as he walked down the stairs,
he called out,"Willow, what would you like..." he put
on his glasses and looked up. And gasped.
Willow was sitting in the recliner, one leg propped up
on the coffee table, massaging lotion into her legs.
His eyes were fixated on her hands as they rubbed
lotion up and down, into her shapely legs.
Extraordinary.
"Would I like what?" she asked.
"Ummm...breakfast." he blinked rapidly and headed for
the kitchen.
'Is it possible to die from too much sexual tension?'
she asked himself.
"What do you have?"
"Well..." he opened the fridge and peered inside. " I
have a few eggs, some ham, juice..." he opened the
freezer," ..no hash browns, though."
He went over to the bread box. "I have a couple slices
of bread."
"Giles, don't you ever eat?" Willow asked, plunking
herself down on the stool.
He gave her a withered look. "Yes, I do. It's just I
haven't had time to go grocery shopping." he started
up the kettle and placed two cups on the counter."
Hmm...we can go tomorrow, if you like? I think i have
some fish for dinner."
"I'd like." she jumped off the stool and came around
to the kitchen." What can I make?"
He glanced at her. "Well..."
"Giles, we agreed. Halvsys on food, cleaning and
cooking. And I can cook." she went to the fridge.
"With my parents gone all the time, it was either
learn to cook or starve."
He looked at her, his heartstrings tugging slightly at
the thought of her being all alone. " Willow, i didn't
mean anything. I remember the agreement. It's just i
don't mind at all.."
She turned her hands on her hips,. "Giles, it doesn't
matter if you mind or not. The point is I want to pull
my weight around here and that means doing some of the
cooking." she removed the eggs and the ham. "I'll cook
breakfast, you do toast and set the table. Okay?"
Seeing her 'resolve' face, he knew when he was licked.
"Okay." he opened a drawer, removed the utensils.
Carrying them and the placemats, he headed over tot he
table.
As he was setting the table, she called out, "How do
you want your eggs? Scrambled, poached, over easy,
hard boiled or omelette?"
"Scrambled, please."
She grinned." Scrambled it is." she began to crack the
eggs and started to hum softly.Watching her for a
moment, Giles couldn't help but smile.
'Resolve face' he thought.
*******
Willow set two plates down while Giles brought over
the drinks. He stood there, waiting for her to respond
to his table setting.
She grinned brightly. "Giles this is beautiful. You
went all the way out for breakfast?" she sat down as
he did the same.
Pouring orange juice for them both, he replied, "Well,
this is a special breakfast." he raised his glass, "In
honor of our first breakfast as roommates and many
more to come."
She clinked her glass with his. "To us." she stated
taking a sip while looking over the rim.
Giles had set the table, using black and gold
placemats with black cotton napkins in matching black
and gold napkin holders. Instead of regular drinking
glasses, he used wine glasses for the orange juice and
his beast porcelain cups for the tea, In the center of
the table, he added a black vase filled with silk
flowers and miniature pewter salt and pepper shakers.
"How is it?" Willow asked nervously.
"It's delicious. You did the ham just how i like it.
Not too burnt, not too rare, just right." he smiled
appreciatively. She beamed.
"So, what are you doing today, Giles?" she asked in
between bites of food.
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm becoming quite used to
being a 'gentleman of leisure'. I'm not bored yet."
she smiled. "I'll probably putter around the apartment
today. Organizing that sort of thing. What about you?"
"Well, I have my psych class, then I still have to buy
a couple books, then I have to get my Sunnydale
Savings card." she sipped her tea.
"Sunnydale Savings card? What's that?"
"It's like an i.d card that'll get you discounts on
school supplies, copying, lecture notes things like
that." He nodded, biting into his toast. "did they
have anything like that at Oxford?"
"Oh no. That would have required them to be generous
which they weren't." he ate a forkful of eggs.
"Did you like college, Giles?"
Looking thoughtful, he answered. "Yes. There were a
few good moments." he paused before continuing. "But,
it's hard to say. At the time, I hated the tedious
studying, my impending duty. It wasn't so much as I
hated the material, I loved it. It was just....just
knowing that everything I was studying for was a
requirement by the council. That was what killed it. I
didn't have the luxury like you do in picking and
choosing my classes." he sipped his tea. "You're very
lucky, Willow."
She nodded. "I know." she hesitated before continuing,
"Ummm... is talking about Oxford a touchy subject for
you, Giles? I'm sorry if I pried..."
"Willow, no. You weren't prying. It's just..." he
said, searching for the right words. "I don't know how
to describe it...It's complicated in a way. I do
promise I'll tell you all about my college
experiences." he paused, "Good ones and the bad ones."
She smiled softly. "Thanks, Giles. I'd like that
alot." She finished up her breakfast and headed over
to the kitchen.
Running the water, she opened the cabinets till she
found the dish soap. Squirting a couple of drops in
the hot water, she dropped her plate in. Giles came up
and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Willow, you don't have to do the dishes. Let me.
Besides, what time is your class?"
"Ten."
He glanced at the clock." It's 9:15 now."
"Yikes! I still have to get my bag ready..." she
trailed off.
"Go to it! I can handle this." he shooed her away with
his hand.
While she gathered her things, he asked. "Do you need
a ride?"
"Well..."
"Don't say anymore. I'll give you one."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure, Willow. What were you going to do if I
hadn't offered? Walk? It's a bit far for that." he
smirked.
Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she swatted his
arm, "HA! HA! Very funny. I was thinking more along
the lines of a bus."
Grabbing his keys, he opened the door for her. "And
what time does the bus come by?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I kinda figured one would
eventually come by." She ignored his pointed look.
"Well, I don't have a schedule yet. I'll pick one up
today on campus."
"Willow, you are an original."
"Why so I feel like I've just been insulted?" she
asked him as they headed to the parking lot, both of
them chuckling away.
* * *