Tamper

chapter 12

Liam and Zayn both jumped apart, guilty eyes meeting. Zayn raised an eyebrow at Liam and mouthed, "Who is it?"

Liam shrugged. Whoever it was knocked again, more insistently this time around, and it spurred Liam into action. He reached for Zayn's arm and whispered, "Go to my bedroom and wait there. It's the third room down the corridor."

Zayn nodded and sprinted out of the room. Liam picked up his shirt and quickly buttoned it. He missed a button and had to redo the last five. He looked down at himself, his hard-on obvious, tenting his trousers. He pulled his shirt down and ran a hand through his hair, combing his hair into place with his fingers. He hoped his face wasn't too flushed. He took a deep breath and walked to the front door. He opened it. On the other side, looking a bit awkward, was Alice.

"Hello, Liam," she said.

"Alice." He gaped at her momentarily before he remembered his manners. "Please come in."

"Thanks." She walked into his living room and took a seat at his couch. "I see that you've been celebrating." She gestured to the cake on his coffee table.

"Do you want some?" Liam asked.

"I wouldn't say no."

Liam went to the kitchen to fetch a fresh serviette. He checked out his reflection on the mirrored surface of a pan. His cheeks were red and his mouth was slightly swollen. He brushed his hair again and damped one serviette and pressed it to his face. At least his dick had softened. He wiped his face and returned to the living room, proceeding to cut a slice of cake for Alice. He handed it to her in a serviette. She took a bite.

"Heaven." She took another. "Pure heaven. Where did you purchase it?"

"It was a gift."

"Ms. Shapiro? She knows all the best places." She wiped the corner of her mouth. "Happy birthday, by the way. I know you're going through a divorce and I didn't like the idea of you spending your birthday alone."

"Yeah, it's been tough. Sophia and I have been married for over five years," Liam said. "Had been."

Alice nodded, her face shrouded in sympathy. "I just want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Alice." He reached for her hand and squeezed it. She flushed and looked down at her slice of cake.

"Your divorce, it's not because-" She sighed. "I don't want to be presumptuous, but did your marriage end because of us?"

"Us?" Liam echoed.

"Our kiss. Back in Finland. This thing between us. Did Sophia find out?" Alice stole a glance at Liam before looking away.

"It was a combination of things." Liam let go of her hand. "We had been trying for a baby and it wasn't working out. I guess a part of me didn't want to be a father yet."

"Oh." Alice nibbled at her cake.

"I'm not ready to jump into something new," Liam said.

"I figured. You can't blame a girl for trying." Alice smiled sheepishly. She glanced around his living room. "How are you finding the place?"

"It's fantastic. I certainly can't say I miss the traffic getting to school in the morning. I really don't know how to thank you."

"If you're enjoying living here, then it's more than enough reward for me." Alice finished the last of the cake. "I need to get going - it is a school night after all." She stood up.