For a moment, it's completely perfect. It's far from the first time they've kissed, but it's the first time it's been this sweet. It's how he's always imagined it could be, and he feels warm and complete in a way he never does except when he's near Buffy.

Then she pulls away and all of Spike's doubts that really should have kept him from kissing her in the first place come crashing back. "...I shouldn't have done that," he says quietly. He doesn't stop holding her, though.