SEXY Sarah Michelle Gellar is now in a hot and heavy real life romance with hunky David Boreanaz -- her former co-star and love interest on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
STAR has learned that Gellar, 22, and Boreanaz, 29 -- who now stars in his own spinoff show Angel -- have been seen cuddling and holding hands at several Los Angeles hot spots.
Boreanaz recently filed for divorce amid reports that he's harbored a crush on the Buffy star since the show began.
"David's had a thing for Sarah for a long time, but he was married," says a show insider.
Even then, the actor was said to be flirting up a storm with Sarah -- and their sizzling love scenes seemed so real it raised a lot of eyebrows.
On Buffy, Boreanaz played the vampire lover who shadows and protects Sarah's slayer character.
"Sarah and David have always had a special bond," says the show insider. "They developed a close relationship working together on the show, but they insisted it was just friendship."
After Boreanaz's two-year marriage fell apart and he filed for divorce Oct. 15, his attentions quickly turned toward Sarah.
This isn't Sarah's first foray into homewrecking territory. Last spring, her reported involvement with heartthrob rocker Doug Cherokee of the band Flint, ended his engagement to a British model.
"Sarah just seems to have a thing for men who happen to be taken and gorgeous," an insider tells STAR.
On one recent night at celeb hotspot Jerry's Deli, Sarah and Boreanaz were seen hugging in between bites of tuna sandwiches and sips of soda.
"It must be love," says a source. "They were sitting close together in a booth and acting very flirtatious. They were definitely into each other. They were paying more attention to themselves than they were to the food."
Later, Sarah and her hunk were seen cavorting at the bowling alley next door.
"Judging by the way Sarah was flirting and prancing around, you could tell that she's really into David," says the source.
The couple also showed up together, hand in hand, at a Christmas party in the Hollywood Hills.
"Sarah and David were acting very lovey-dovey that night," says a source.
"They were drinking hot cider out of the same cup and strolled out on the balcony to enjoy the bright city lights. They definitely make a cute couple."
Another insider adds: "David's a romantic in the truest sense of the word. He sent her flowers on the set just because he knew it would make her smile. He's always visiting Sarah at work and complimenting her clothes and her ever-changing hairstyles."
They're also frequently calling each other on their cell phones, now that they're on different shows.
"Their cell phone bills are going through the roof, but David doesn't care," says the insider.
Another thing they have in common is their taste in food.
Sarah, who tries to eat healthy, has treated Boreanaz to her favorite Chinese restaurant, California Wok on L.A.'s Ventura Boulevard, where they munched on steamed chicken and vegetables, says another source.
"If a guy can't eat healthy and all he wants is hamburgers and french fries, Sarah's not interested," says the insider. "But David is just as much into plain, health-consciously prepared food as she is. So he's a winner in her book."