Spring Won't Come

Eight: Blake

Blake's first inclination was to scream; he hadn't heard the woman approach and had forgotten that the building wasn't totally abandoned. The feeling of being startled was soon replaced by an uncomfortable allure, uncomfortable because Kayla was standing right next to him.

The woman in front of him was absolutely stunning. She was a tiny thing; flawless pale skin, shimmering dark hair, and eyes that seemed to glow. Her black dress, Blake noted, was tight in all the right places, places he wished his hands could go.

"A-Alice," Kayla said.

"Hello, handsome," Alice said, all but ignoring Kayla.

Blake's cheeks flushed, something that never happened to him when talking to a beautiful girl. He looked around to be sure that Alice was speaking to him and not some other "handsome" in the room. The other boys had gone into one of the bedrooms to set up the bed frame that Manny had lugged in.

Alice glided into the room and Blake found himself unable to move. One of her hips brushed his side and Blake swallowed hard. Who was this chick?

"Kayla," Alice said with a laugh that could just as easily have been confused with a moan. "You undersold how hot your boyfriend is."

She was standing somewhere behind Blake and he swore she was whispering right in his ear. Her voice was low and soft, it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with a soothing excitement. He turned to face her, reminding himself that Kayla was his girlfriend and not this mystery girl.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced," Blake said, holding out his hand. "I guess you know I'm Blake, and I guess you're Alice."

Alice took Blake's hand and shook it. Her grip was firm for someone of her size and he couldn't get over how soft her skin was. An intruding thought slinked out from some dark corner of his imagination and he began to wonder what it would feel like to have those hands-

"We were leaving," Kayla said. "I have some studying to do tonight."

Alice let go of Blake's hand and the spell was broken. She was still pretty, hell, she was beautiful, but Blake no longer felt that insatiable longing for her. He began to wonder what had come over him in the first place.

"Shame," Alice said. Her voice was forlorn and longer dripped with sweet salaciousness.

"It's already dark," Blake said, waving a crutch in the air, "and it's going to take a while to get home like this."

"You poor thing," Alice said. Her lips curved downward in sympathy, lips that Blake wanted to-

"Blake is tough," Kayla said.

She wrapped an arm around him, breaking the spell for a second time. Blake thought he saw a flash of anger on Alice's face, a look so brief that he wasn't sure if he had imagined it.

Blake kissed Kayla on the forehead and nodded. "Well, I kinda have to be. This one keeps me in line."

"You two are so precious," Alice said. She sounded like a mother gushing over one of her children on prom night.

"Thanks, Alice," Kayla said. She looked up at Blake and smiled. Then she raised herself on her toes to give Blake a kiss.

Blake felt Kayla's tongue slip into his mouth and wondered if the passionate kiss was a result of jealousy. The last thing he wanted was to upset Kayla, so he kissed her back despite the discomfort of having an audience.

Alice stood by patiently until the kiss ended. Blake was surprised to see no sign of embarrassment on the woman's face. She looked more pleased than anything else. "I won't keep you lovebirds any longer. I do have to ask, Blake, how are things at home?"