Just a small teaser from Spice, which is growing in every direction like a crazy tree... to the point when I needed to take a break or my brain would overheat.
Well, here it is, all unedited of course... I hope you enjoy it.
"
Nadia
met Lucie at her place that Saturday. Or rather, she was supposed to meet
Lucie, but when she got to the door, it was Raphael who opened.
“I
am sorry I am so late,” he said, kissing her distractedly on the forehead. Nadia
could tell that he was already half into Lucie-mode from the scrupulously
chaste kiss. “Something came up, last minute, with work. On Saturday afternoon,
can you believe it?”
“It’s
ok,” she said. “It’s nice to see you,
if only for a minute.”
He
gave a slightly strained smile at that, and then kissed her again, on her lips,
lightly.
“I’ll
be ready in a moment,” he said, hurrying towards the bathroom. Then he stopped
and laughed. “No, scratch that. It’s probably going to take a while. Make
yourself comfortable.”
After
he disappeared, Nadia wondered about aimlessly for a while in the empty flat,
and finally opened the fridge. It was a dispiriting experience to open
Raphael’s fridge. She honestly wondered what
he ate when he was on his own. There was some orange juice, standing rather
forlorn in the half empty white glare, and she poured herself a glass before
going to look for some music to play on the stereo. Something called The Tempest by a Henry Purcell looked
promising and she slipped the cd in the reader before flopping on the sofa.
She
was two thirds through the cd before Lucie made an appearance.
“Oh
my god,” said Nadia seeing her emerging. “Wow.”
Lucie
was like something out of a catwalk. Absurdly tall, lean and ash blonde,
beautifully made up, she could have passed for a top model in any clothes, but
tonight she was especially elegant and provoking. Thigh-high, soft, black suede
boots, nude colored stockings, a short black skirt (one of Nadia’s), and a champagne-colored turtleneck pull, with
cut out shoulders. She wore a chunky vaguely tribal black necklace over the
pull, and black bracelets at both wrists.
Lucie
smiled. “How do you like the Tempest?”
“So
so,” said Nadia honestly. She watched Lucie almost forming an answer and then
shrugging and smiling. Nadia guessed that Raphael would have launched into a
lecture on the topic, but that Lucie was more easy going.
Interesting.
“It
is a bit of a bore. It’s not even
really by Purcell, most likely. John Weldon’s, in fact.” She switched off the
stereo and gave Nadia a hand to get up from the low sofa.
Nadia
had to exercise all her self-control, not to touch and stroke her, on her bare shoulders,
her stockinged legs, the blond hair that hung so enticingly all around her face,
begging to be pulled back from her eyes. It was almost painful when Lucy put a
knee-length pale brown coat, soft and drapey and a black scarf (also from Nadia)
over all. But when she picked up her black tote bag and keys she was… perfect.
A very, very beautiful, very tall, athletic woman, going out on Saturday night
with a friend. There was just a hint of some delicious perfume around her.
“So,
what do you think,” she said, standing by the door, “will it do?”
“Oh,”
said Nadia, smiling, “it will do plenty. You are too gorgeous for words.” She
actually felt physically dizzy, lightheaded, just looking at Lucie, and nearly
walked into the doorframe while exiting the flat.
My god, I always
assumed that only happened in the movies, she thought, trying to walk straight and succeeding
only in part.
“You
ok?” asked Lucie, with a small frown of concern creasing her forehead.
“Super.
Never better,” said Nadia feeling every bit as unsteady as a teenager going out
on her first date.
I don’t know what’s
happening to me. I am going completely hormone-drunk over my own boyfriend (or
girlfriend?)as if I had just met him/her for the first time.
Goodness gracious.
I am in love with Lucie! I want to do all manner of things to her. And I want
Lucie to do things to me.
By
the time they got outside on the pavement waiting for their cab she had recovered
enough from this realization that she could actually walk without colliding
with potted plants and lamp-posts, but she still could not look at Lucie
without blushing crimson. Gosh, this is
really embarrassing.
Lucie
watched her with another small frown.
“Are
you sure you are really quite well? I could swear you are coming down with
something.” She laid her long, cool hand on Nadia’s forehead and tut-tutted
unhappily.
“Jeez,
baby, you are burning. You are running a fever. I think we should go back home and
put you in bed right away.”
Nadia
giggled helplessly for half a minute.
“It
is very tempting. But I am not sick.
Just … somewhat hot and bothered.”
“Oh?”
said Lucie, confused, and then she finally cottoned on to Nadia’s predicament
and slowly smiled. “Oh! O-oh! I … oh my god, really?” She began to laugh
softly, hiding her face behind her hand, and finally gathered Nadia in her left
arm, holding her close.
“Ok,
that is … unexpected. But very charming.
Hold on to that thought, ok?”
