Mowing the lawn... One of those normal everyday chores, something that everybody did… Even on the Hellmouth. Sweat running in his eyes, trickling down his back, soaking into the light cotton of his oxford shirt. There was almost half an acre to cut and he'd only done the first section. Grit in his hair, fine slivers of grass littering his pants legs and his arms...Life didn't get much better than this.

She came down the stairs toweling her hair dry after an early morning shampooing and humming to herself as she opened the front door and breathed in the scent of newly mowed grass. With a smile she wrapped the towel around her shoulders and sat down in the swing, watching as he mowed by the tulip bed they'd planted in the fall. Grinning at him as he dodged the garden gnome that reigned over the yard.

"Dammit... hate that thing," he muttered under his breath. There were more times than not that he wanted to pitch the little statue in the trash but it had been a wedding present. And one didn't do that with wedding presents.

Turning his head into his own shoulder, he wiped away some of the sweat without letting up on the handle. Summer in Sunnydale was always a scorching affair. He'd even gotten up two hours early to avoid the true heat of the day but the sun still beat down on his shoulders.

She shook her head and pulled the bottle of nail polish out of the pocket of her shorts and propping up her foot on the seat in front of her, started to paint her toenails a nice fiery red. Stopping and leaning her head back as a soft breeze brushed over her, gently tousling the tresses around her face. She didn't mind the heat, or the scenery, for that matter, she thought admiring her husband's back as the muscles rippled with each push of the mower.

Heat, so much heat. Too hot to keep the sweat-soaked shirt on any more. Stopping long enough to strip it off, he balled the offending garment up and tossed it... onto the porch. Landing limply, a blotch of blue on the whitewashed wood.

Wiping the sweat out of his eyes with the back of his hand, he rubbed it against the denim of his jeans. Sun-bronzed skin gleamed in the mid-morning light, marred only by trails of sweat and dirt and freshly cut grass. Back to mowing, engine started up again and pushing it through the jungle that masqueraded as a lawn. Only a quarter of the way done...It was going to be one long day.

One foot done and now the other, she pretended to dodge the flying shirt wrinkling her nose at him and quirking an eyebrow. She breathed in the smell of the mower as he passed close to the porch and the rumble of the engine sung along with her heart. A gentle almost purr, echoing off the house and vibrating throughout her.

When he moved out of sight, she sat up straighter and leaned over to watch him work...biting her lower lip as her thoughts drifted out of the yard and up the stairs, down the hall and into that huge bed of theirs...He was a sight, sweat, grit, grass and all.

The bag was full so he stopped. The engine cut, the sound died away and he took a moment to stretch before unhooking the bag and dumping it into the greens waste can. With a critical eye, he surveyed the flower beds. The tulips were long past gone but the roses were starting to set out some nice buds. Probably should give them a quick trim today so they'd put out some nice ones.

Nothing like big, fat rose petals scattered across their bed to make his wife's eyes light up.

Nails finished, she stood up and leaned over the porch rail to ask if he'd like some lemonade, she'd made it fresh before shampooing her hair. Taking his order, she nodded and turned back to the door intentionally swaying her hips sassily to and fro.

Before he had time to miss her she was back standing barefoot beside him holding out a glass and smiling, love shining from her eyes. Teasing him lightly about the poor gnome and shaking her head when he threatened to toss it in the can with the clippings.

Tilting her face up to the sun she stood beside him and soaked up the day...nothing like sunshine in Sunnydale. It made everything seem normal...even when you lived on a Hellmouth.

He drank half the glass in a few swallows and placed it against his forehead. While she watched, enraptured by his every move, the big man rolled said glass along his brow, appreciating the coolness of it. Almost as refreshing as drinking the contents.

Her rapt attention was broken when with a mischievous grin he stuck the glass to her neck making her gasp and yelp! Finishing her own glass, she threatened him with ice cubes down the pants and shrieked as he made a dive at her all thoughts of mowing having fled...

Throwing her over his shoulder, he bounded up the front steps. With a squirming, wriggling woman trying to half-hearted fight her way loose at the same time she was giggling hysterically, it didn't take much to wrestle the screen door open. He carried her into the house, grinning the whole way.

She kicked her feet and laughed all the way up to the living room, stopping only when he sat her back on her feet and looked down at her. Then with a deep breath that expanded her tank top and made him groan she stepped back into his arms and looked up at him, face tilted just so... eyes half closed... lips just begging to be kissed...

"Hold that thought..." He placed his fingertips on her lips for a fraction of a second before skirting the edge of the couch. Three strides and he was over by the stereo, flicking it on. Classical music, one of the few things they could agree on. She hated country and he wasn't fond of head-banging metal but they both could handle Beethoven, Brahms... or occasionally Chopin.

"Hmmm... Nice." She murmured swaying to the melody. She motioned for him to come back to her and pouted when he moved too slowly to suit her.

Stepping up close to her, he kissed away that pout. "So... Mrs. Finn. How would you like to spend the rest of the day?"

"I dunno... Whatcha got in mind Mr. Finn?" She chuckled arms wrapped snugly around his waist.

"Other than finish the lawn at sunset... I'm all yours. I'll leave it up to your imagination." Riley ducked his head down to kiss her shoulder, brushing away a thick wave of her hair. "Surely you can come up with something for us to do?"

"Sunset? You know I have to go to work then... Maybe finish it tomorrow? I'll help?" She shivered slightly and leaned into the kiss. "Play now? Please?" She whispered, eyes dancing.

"Play?... Playing I can do." Nibbling along the line of her shoulder, he breathed in her scent. Fresh... she'd been using the lilac bubble bath again which made him smile.

"Got hours and hours 'til dark... No need to rush. Not expecting anyone... so here? Or?...." Her question trailed off as his mouth finally found hers, big hands splayed across her back pressing her against his bare chest.

Decision made, he lowered her carefully to the floor, not breaking their kiss until they were both stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace. "I'm thinking here's good... You?"

"Perrrrfect!" She drawled pulling at his belt and nodding, moaning as his hands found the hem of her top and slowly slid it up, thanking her lucky stars she'd foregone her bra after her shower. Arching into his touch, her eyes met his.

They made love slowly, languorously... not their usual style at all. Afterward, he rolled onto his side... and surveyed the damage. No broken furniture this time... clothes everywhere but for once the room was basically intact.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked turning to face him, looking around as well. "Ah... No... nothing broken this time GI Joe... But I liked it." She gave him an impish grin and pushed him onto his back, "Want me to show you around the curves?" Her grin was getting bigger by the second.

"Faith... I know these curves like the back of my hand..." With that said, he rolled both of them over until she was beneath him. "This time, let me drive."