The Deep Spark by KttySaysRawr (recommended ebook reader .txt) 📕

gaze sad. "Unless you don't want to." She didn't respond, just kept looking at him.
She could taste his breath, could feel the heat of his body. She could feel the bulge of muscles underneath her hands, so different from Kurt's lanky figure. Most importantly, she could feel him start to come alive.
She couldn't resist.
Althea leaned up and connected their mouths in a tentative kiss. He responded slowly, aware that she wasn't at her most emotionally stable. Gently, he separated them.
"Althea, we can't. You said so yourself that - "
"I don't care." She brushed their lips together. "Not now," she whispered.
They kissed again, a completely sweet kiss. He was holding her gently, his lips kind on her. They flitted over her face, kissing her eyes, her nose, her tear-streaked cheeks before settling on her her lips again. She had moaned softly, tilting her head back as an unconscious invitation. He had taken it, his tongue lavishing her mouth.
They had ended up laying down, him above her. His lips were trailing down her neck when she had begun squirming out of his hold.
"N-no," she gasped. She tried to push him off of her and he had willingly moved out of the way. She had stood up on shaky legs, hating how uneven her breathing was. "You were right. We can't. I'm engaged to Kurt."
He had dragged a hand down his face. "Then go back!" He had laughed harshly. "Go back to your Prince Charming and don't come near me."
"What -"
"Don't come near me because I don't think I can control myself." His blue eyes had flashed hotly, desire lurking close to the surface.
She had gulped nervously and left the house, driving back to her apartment. She had apologized and after talking again, Kurt was relieved of his duty of having to give an opinion. Althea made most decisions, with the occasional help from Janise and Mel. Ever since the fight that they'd had in the kitchen, the two had been awkward and tense around each other. She knew from the talk around town that there was a foreigner that seemed to be taking up much of Mel's time and she could only hope that this would be good for Mel.
She had also gotten opinions from James, so much that sometimes it seemed as if they were planning their wedding together. Those moments were also bittersweet for them, both of them living out a fantasy in the moments they were together.
After her breakdown, they started to hesitantly fix their friendship. James no longer trusted himself to not take advantage of the heat between them and the lack of it between Althea and Kurt. He was always the one that cut their moments short, usually before their lips met in another searing kiss or as their hands were playing around with the notion of clasping.
He had come to the realization that he still didn't deserve Althea. In the eight years that he had moved away, he'd done some pretty nasty stuff, getting involved with California's underworld for quite some time. Although he no longer held any ties, he knew that his hands were never be completely untied from his past. He was ashamed for thinking that he and her could have had a future together, disgusted with himself that he had allowed himself to touch her.
James treated every moment with Althea as if it was their last, greedily taking in every aspect of her. He knew that he would never be able to face her or Kurt again after the wedding without turning rabid with jealousy. He planned to leave a week before the wedding, but decided to let only Janise and Justin know of his plans beforehand. And as the deadline before the wedding turned into two weeks, he started to dread seeing Althea for he didn't know when his resolution around her would dissolve.
That resolve was seriously tested on the Friday two weeks before the wedding. Janise all but threatened to tear Althea's head off unless she took a break from planning and preparing for a day. Althea reluctantly agreed and they all decided to have it at Janise and Justin's pool in the backyard.
Friday afternoon, James wandered around the house in a pair of black swim trunks, waiting with Janise and Justin for Althea and Mel to arrive. When a soft knock emanated through the house, he answered only to gasp at the sight.
Althea stood in the doorway in a large white t-shirt that reached her thighs. He could see through it to the dark bikini she had on. He finally got a hold on his wandered eyes before she could notice and looked to her face. She flashed a small smile. "Hi," she said.
James nodded. "Come in." He moved from the door way.
"Hey! Wait for me!" James looked out to see Mel getting out of her truck in her blue and white bikini and a towel around her shoulders. She made it to the door and whistled when she saw James. "Someone's been working out!" Mel winked playfully while James laughed.
"You're shameless, Mel." Althea laughed, though she had to admit that James looked very good. She had admired his body silently; thankful for the sunglasses that hid her eyes while they slid down his defined chest and stomach.
"Well, come inside." He waved them in and they all went to the backyard.
Janise wore a white and pink two piece that looked like a one piece and Justin wore white trunks. Janise smiled and greeted Mel and Althea excitedly. "Where is Kurt, dear?" Janise asked Althea.
Althea took her sunglasses off. "He has to work today. He said he will be over later." James hid a smirk, happy Kurt wasn't coming, if only for a while. When he looked back over at Althea, she put her bag down, took her glasses off, and then pulled off her shirt.
James clenched his jaw, seeing Althea in the bikini. It was black with red swirling designs. He admired the gentle but full curves of her body and the silk of her skin. Althea sighed, happy to feel the wind. Without warning though, Mel and Justin jumped into the pool. The splash they made was enough to wet the three who still lingered outside. James and Althea simply let out a cry of frustration, but Janise looked positively pissed.
"You ignorant barmpots! Have you no respect for us! That was bloody idiotic!" Janise all but stamped her feet and waved an angry fist at the two in the pool, who merely snickered to themselves.
Janise huffed and sat down at their outside table, crossing her arms over her chest. Justin came out of the pool and went to apologize to his wife while Althea sat on the edge of the pool. James looked to Mel, who lay content on top of the water with her eyes closed and then sat beside Althea, nudging her shoulder with her own.
"Off to a great start, huh?" Althea laughed at his sarcasm.
"Oh yeah. But, it is nice to take some time off of planning. Kurt hasn't been much help." Althea immediately shut her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that, though it was in the back of her mind.
James simply shrugged. "It is the bride's day; it should be her way."
Althea sighed. "But it would be nice to have some opinions thrown in." She stretched her arms high above her head.
"Well, you still have me."
Althea smiled. "That's true."
Without warning, Mel grabbed each of them by one of their legs and pulled them in. Once Althea resurfaced, she immediately splashed Mel, who swam away laughing. "That was so uncalled for!" Althea yelled at her. James resurfaced and swam to the shallow end, Althea trailing after him.
"She still acts like we're in high school," Althea muttered, squeezing the water from her hair. James had to smile.
"Would you prefer Mel to act like an adult?"
Althea mulled over the thought. "I guess not," she replied, looking back to Mel who sat on the edge of the pool in the deep end. "I just worry about her sometimes." James looked to Althea when she said that, but didn't question it.
"Althea, James, would you two mind going inside and getting some food?" Althea got out of the pool with James and they both agreed. James followed behind the female, secretly admiring the look of her silk skin coated with shining water droplets and how her hair fell like a waterfall down her back when wet.
Inside, Althea opened the fridge and looked through it. "I wish she told us specifically what she wanted." James leaned in beside her, looking inside.
"Just grab something easy." He closed the fridge and pointed to the chips. Althea grabbed the bag and James went to get a bowl just as she turned back around so they hit each other in the process. Chest to chest, they stood like a deer caught in the headlights. Without thinking, James set his hands on Althea's exposed waist, reveling in the feel of her skin in her hands.
Althea stared straight ahead, hugging the bag of chips closer to her chest. James pulled Althea closer, tightening his grip on her waist.
"You're supposed to be mine," James whispered in agony. "You were supposed to stay with me." He leaned his forehead against hers, desire swirling inside of him. Before he could put his thoughts into action, though, he let go of her and stepped back. "I'm sorry," his voice shook. "I shouldn't have said that. I think… I'm going to go." He turned and started to leave.
"I missed you… when you left." He looked to Althea, who stared at the ground. "I haven't told you that yet, have I?" She smiled softly. Without another word, she went back outside.
James wanted to scream in agony. He wanted to shove Kurt out of the picture. He wanted her. With a sigh of frustration, he trudged to the room he was sleeping in, changed into something dry, and left the house. From behind the backyard gate, Althea watched him get into his car and drive away. Imprint