Rocking Thin Ice

by Z. Allora

  Blaze started the engine, rolled down the windows, and stared down at his phone. The most recent picture of them in the most coupley couple picture filled the screen. He stared at Drake.

  Drake held his gaze. He’d prove to Blaze he could be steady, stable, and trustworthy.

  Pointing at his phone, Blaze said, “You know what people will think if we post this, right?”

  “Honestly, all I’m interested in is what you think.” Drake held his breath.

  “We do look good together.” Blaze tried going for the joke but failed to reach the standard for humor to apply. “I like you. I do….”

  Yes! Fucking yes! Wait…. “Is there a but coming?”

  Blaze snorted.

  Drake rolled his eyes and tried not to join in with a snort of his own, but his inner thirteen-year-old wasn’t having the pretense of maturity. He chuckled. “Mind out of the gutter.”

  Blaze waved him off. “Okay, okay. It’s just that I like you. It’s been three weeks, and I don’t want you gone.”

  “Good.” Impressive admission. Drake was surprised Blaze remembered how long they’d been together and didn’t seem to be counting the seconds to get rid of Drake… well, doing whatever this happened to be.

  “I mean, do you like me?” Blaze fluttered his hands about as if he were casting a spell.

  Drake opened his mouth, ready to terrify the relationship-phobic Blaze with exactly how much he liked him, but shut that shit down. He answered with an even “Yes. Very much. I like you a whole lot.”

  Blaze stared at the steering wheel.

  Meeting no resistance, Drake gently turned Blaze’s face to him.

  Their gazes locked.

  Blaze licked his lips. It might not have been an invitation, but Drake received the gesture as one.

  Drake leaned toward him, giving Blaze plenty of time to retreat. Instead Blaze closed the distance between them. Blaze’s lips glided against Drake’s. He had been going for a quick stolen kiss, but he got one filled with affection. He parted his lips, and Blaze swept his tongue in.

  With mischief-filled eyes, Blaze pulled back. “I’m glad you like me.”

  Drake grinned, savoring a huge victory. “Onward.”

  Sighing, Blaze gave him a nod and drove out of the park.

  After a restroom stop, they continued up the twisty mountain road. Blaze had turned off the radio and had a death grip on the wheel.

  Drake tried to enjoy the fresh air scented by the pine trees they were driving through, but he was getting concerned about Blaze, whose breathing came in rapid huffs as his tension grew. Maybe the whole relationship thing had been too fast for him. So Drake kept making inane observations as they climbed higher with every switchback turn.

  “Wow, looks like we are starting to drive beyond the tree line. From here you can see for miles,” Drake commented as they made the turn on mile fifteen of the snaking road.

  There were no guardrails and only three feet of dirt between the road and nothing but air. It was magnificent, an infinity pool that filtered off the cliff.

  Blaze whimpered, and the car started slowing down, but there didn’t seem to be any engine trouble.

  Drake kept quiet until Blaze steered the car almost into the center, way over the line, into the terribly unsafe category.

  “Blaze? Blaze! You’re in the middle of the road.”

  “No guardrails.” He clutched the steering wheel with white knuckles and panted. He didn’t seem able to catch his breath.

  Was this a panic attack?

  Luckily, this early in the day, no one was starting back down the mountain… yet. But this was dangerous.

  “Blaze, listen to me. Do you trust me?”

  He wheezed. “Yes. We’re going to die. I don’t want us to die like this, but we will.”

  “No. You’ll signal and pull off into that lookout up ahead.” Drake talked over the honking horns of the worried and annoyed drivers behind them.

  Blaze shook his head. His face had drained of all color. “There’s not enough room.”

  There were two bikers in the turnoff taking pictures, but there was an additional ten feet for their car to fit. “There is. Just signal and slowly pull into the empty space.”

  “We’re going to die. We’re going to die,” Blaze chanted as he followed Drake’s instructions.

  “You’re doing good. You got this.” Drake channeled his dad’s calm voice.

  “I can’t. We’ll go over the cliff.” Blaze trembled, shook his head, and kept rolling down the dividing line of the road at a glacier’s pace.

  One motorcycle guy pointed their car out to the other, and they hurried to pull back onto the road.

  “Do you trust me?” After the last three weeks of getting closer, and finally the admission of like today, Drake hoped he knew the answer. He held his breath all the same.

  Blaze whimpered, “Yes.”

  “Good. Pull off onto the dirt.”

  “Drake!” Blaze inched the car into the space, and their vehicle rolled to a stop.

  In a precarious move, the gravity and Blaze’s light foot on the gas did the work of the brake.

  Drake needed to secure the car. “Blaze, put your foot on the brake so we can put the car in Park.”

  “Okay.” Blaze’s foot didn’t move.

  Lacking a dominant bone in his body, Drake channeled Taylor’s dominant tone. “You can do it. I’ve seen you do a Bonaly. Take the foot you land on and put it on the brake. Now.”

  “Okay.” Blaze pressed the brake with his foot. The car lurched, but Blaze didn’t unclench his fists from the wheel.

  Drake put the car in Park. “Good job. Now we’re going to switch seats.”

  Blaze stayed frozen.

  “I’m going to come around the car and help you.” Drake jumped out and glanced over the edge. Damn, that was a long way down.

  “Don’t fall off the cliff. Please. Drake, don’t die. I don’t want you to die.” Blaze’s eyes were closed, and a big fat tear rolled down his cheek.

  Drake opened the door and unbuckled Blaze’s seat belt. “I’m right here. Everything’s fine.”

  Blaze latched on to Drake’s shoulders.

  Drake hugged him into an upright position. He walked a clinging Blaze around the car. Blaze’s eyes were squeezed shut, which, considering how near they were to the railless edge, might have been a good thing.

  He settled Blaze into the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt.

  His gaze fell on the blanket, and he now understood why Luke insisted they bring it. “You’re safe. But I’m going to put the blanket over your head so you don’t have to see the drive.”

  Blaze grimaced, but he didn’t argue.

  “Tell me, do you trust me to get you up to the top? We’ve only got four more miles. Or do you want to go back down?”

  Blaze’s hands twitched where they had clutched at Drake’s shirt. He stared at Drake with big eyes. “Can you really drive us to the top safely?”

  Drake felt exhilarated and energized by the height, not afraid. “I can.”

  “I trust you.” Blaze kissed Drake with a desperation that screamed these were his last moments on this earth, while all the affection he hid from Drake leaked through without his usual filters.

  Drake reached back and handed Blaze the blanket.

  Blaze sniffed and said, “Thank you.” He released Drake’s shirt and put the soft cotton over his head.

  Drake felt ten feet tall and unstoppable. Blaze trusted him! He almost waltzed around the car, and then he joined the slow caravan inching toward the top. The drive certainly wasn’t the most comfortable in the world because every one of the switchback turns put their car in the lane closest to the edge. Guardrails really would have been a great thing to invest in, but at this height with this little space between the road and death, maybe a piece of metal wouldn’t have stopped a car going over the side.

  He breathed a quiet sigh of relief when they reached the summit. Even though it was
summer, there was a dusting of snow on the flat plateau that consisted of a parking lot, a small building, and lots of lookout points. Drake pulled the car into a spot away from the edge.

  “We’re here.”

  Blaze peeked out from under the blanket. “We made it?”

  “Yup.”

  “Oh God, you must think I’m the biggest dope ever.” Blaze covered his face and ducked his head deeper into the folds.

  “No, not at all.” Drake tugged the blanket off his face.

  Blaze scowled and ran shaky fingers through his hair. “Why are you all grins?”

  “Am I?” Drake shrugged.

  “See, even you’re laughing at me,” Blaze growled.

  “No. I’m not. I never would.” No sense trying to hide the reason for his smiles. “I feel pretty fucking good, you know? You trusted me to get you here.”

  Blaze’s pretty pink lips opened and closed several times. Finally, he nodded. “I did and I do.”

  Drake’s face hurt from his smile, but it kept getting bigger.

  A tad indignant, Blaze sniffed. “Well, we like each other.”

  “Yup.” Not sure where Blaze is going with this.

  “So are we in a relationship or something?” Blaze shrugged, probably trying to convey he didn’t care how Drake answered.

  “Which would you rather, something or a relationship?” Drake held his breath, waiting for the answer.

  Blaze pulled his Facebook app up. “Currently it doesn’t say anything. Would you mind if it said ‘in a relationship’?”

  By unknown superior strength deep within him, Drake restrained his fist pump. “I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

  “So does this mean we’re boyfriends?” Blaze gave him an intense stare.

  Happiness backflipped in Drake’s heart and then skittered to a stop. “If you’re good with that, yeah.”

  Blaze tossed the blanket into the back seat, clicked on his phone, and then got out of the car. “Well, at least that’s what my social media pages say.”

  “If it’s on Facebook, it must be true,” Drake teased, not letting Blaze back away from coupledom as he followed him into the brisk air. The cool temperature almost made him wish he’d brought a jacket.

  Blaze’s mouth twitched as if he were trying not to smile. “We’re at fourteen thousand one hundred and ten feet. Seems much higher.”

  Drake held his hand as they meandered to one of the lookouts. “This is stunning. It’s like you can see forever. Are you okay up here?”

  “Yeah, fine. Heights don’t bother me; it’s edges and the pull.”

  “The pull?”

  Blaze shrugged. “Feel drawn to go off over the edge.”

  Drake grabbed on to his arm, just in case.

  Blaze rested against Drake. “Not if there’s a rail there. It’s really odd. Sorry you had to witness my insanity.”

  “Don’t be. Again, you trusted me to get you here.”

  “And you did, and it’s gorgeous. I’m glad I made it to the top this time. Last time I made Luke take me back down while I covered my head.”

  “Ah, at least I figured out why Luke gave me the blanket.”

  “Yeah. Thank you.” Blaze grinned.

  “You’re welcome. I think it was pretty brave of you to come up here.”

  Blaze snorted. “Yeah, with a damned blanket over my head.”

  “You were terrified, but you didn’t avoid something you were afraid of. You dealt with it. And you get to check another thing off your list.” Slipping his palm down Blaze’s arm to his hand, Drake laced his fingers through Blaze’s.

  Happiness threatened to overwhelm Drake. Shouting out I’m with Blaze Parker and he’s my boyfriend would probably annoy Blaze, so Drake once again put the brakes on his fantastic idea.

  Drake stared out across the mountains, valleys, and fields below. He didn’t point out the road that snaked around the mountain, because the drops on either side were nightmarish from this angle.

  Blaze took some pictures of them and the scenery. “Let’s go over to that lookout.” They crossed the lot and walked down the steps to a railed enclosure with a plaque dedicated to Katharine Lee Bates and the words to her song.

  “I can see why she wrote ‘America the Beautiful’ up here.” Drake wished he could leave a small portion of the gift she left. Her poetry had inspired generations and would for a long time to come.

  “Well, I can see the purple mountain majesties, but where are the amber waves of grain?” Blaze teased. The color had returned to his cheeks.

  Drake pointed at the building. “The Summit House promises the world’s best doughnuts. I guess this used to be a weather station, though they’ve been serving doughnuts here for over a century. Oh, and hot dogs and fudge.”

  “Doughnuts of death, totally not worth it,” Blaze snarked.

  No one was around as they entered the building. Drake spun Blaze around in the tented entryway that separated the outside door from the inside one, and pushed him up against the canvas wall.

  “You haven’t tasted them yet, so you don’t know.” He covered Blaze’s mouth, kissed him breathless, and stepped away like nothing had happened.

  Blaze’s eyes sparkled, and he traced a finger over his lips. “Now that kiss… had I known I could get that up here… screw the doughnuts.”

  Drake laughed and followed Blaze into the cafeteria-styled room. “Should we bring doughnuts home for Luke?”

  “Sure, though they say they won’t taste as good as fresh, but it’s a damned badge of honor. Proof I did it.” Blaze grinned.

  “Want a hot dog?” Drake didn’t know how long they’d been there, but he’d eaten worse on the tour.

  Blaze leaned back, his expression making it clear old-hot-dog-flavored kisses were not acceptable. “No hot dogs. How about some fudge, doughnuts, and a diet soda?”

  Drake ordered the doughnuts, then said to the person behind the counter, “He’ll pick out the fudge.”

  The server handed Drake two cups and pointed to the dispenser behind them, then started tossing the doughnuts into the bag. She handed them to Blaze with the warning “Careful, they’re just out of the oven.”

  Blaze studied each of his fudge choices carefully, and only then did he speak to the server. “May we have quarter of a pound of the peanut butter fudge and the same of that colorful rainbow fudge?” He paid for the doughnuts, drinks, and calorie-ridden hunks of deliciousness before Drake got back from getting their fountain drinks.

  “Thanks.” Drake smiled at their feast.

  They sat down and dug into their sugar-filled carb fest.

  Blaze stuffed the last of his doughnut into his mouth. “Okay, these are delicious.”

  Drake looked up from the pamphlet with all sorts of facts about the area. “The bakers use a secret recipe. Though I don’t understand why they don’t have more flavors.”

  “I think the celebration of surviving the drive up here is enough flavor.” Blaze cut a sliver of fudge and savored the goodness with closed eyes and a shivering moan.

  “Wow,” Drake let slip out.

  “Mmmm, what?” Blaze didn’t even open his eyes.

  Drake shrugged. “Either that fudge is incredible or I need to up my game.”

  “Huh?” This time Blaze did open his eyes to stare at Drake.

  Keeping his voice low, Drake said, “That’s the face you made last night when you came.”

  “Do you know how often I have fudge?” Snorting, Blaze grinned at him.

  Somewhat pacified, Drake said, “I guess we can check it off your list.”

  Laughing, Blaze cut some for Drake, and he popped the rainbow fudge into his mouth. The colored vanilla fudge was delicious.

  Well, that might be as good a segue as Drake could have hoped for. “Speaking of crossing things off your list, I have a question for you.”

  “Sure.” Blaze sprinkled half a sugar packet on a second doughnut and took a big bite.

  “What are your plans this summer
?”

  Blaze chewed, swallowed, and then sipped his diet soda like that would counterbalance the doughnuts and fudge. “You mean if we live to see the bottom of this mountain?”

  Drake snorted. “Yes, if we survive the drive down.”

  “I don’t know. I guess perfect next season’s routines. Though I haven’t decided if there should be another season.”

  Again, he was gut-punched and couldn’t imagine Blaze not skating. “Wow.”

  “Yeah. I’m basically doing the same old, same old out of habit. And all this exploration and working down my Never-Done-It list has been eye-opening.”

  Drake smiled and hedged, “I told you about Jasmine’s wedding.”

  “Yeah? Your best friend’s little sister, right?”

  “Yup. I wondered… you know, if you had time… maybe you might want to go with me?”

  Swallowing the last of his doughnut, Blaze asked, “And be your plus-one?”

  “You are my boyfriend. It says so on social media,” Drake reminded him.

  Blaze’s eyes widened, and he straightened in his seat. “I am… and if we live—”

  “So, if we live, do you want to go to the wedding with me? It’s over Fourth of July weekend, so there’s a bunch of other stuff going on along with the wedding. A brunch, the reception, fireworks….”

  Sitting back in his chair, Blaze toyed with another doughnut. “Do you think that’s wise?”

  “Do you trust me?” That’s what everything boiled down to in a relationship.

  Blaze didn’t meet his eyes, but he spread his arms, waving his doughnut around. “I’m here, so yes. I’ll go with you.”

  Over the last three weeks, Drake had fit into Blaze’s life, but did Blaze want to fit into his life?

  Chapter 12

  “FIRST YOU go to Pikes Peak. Now a few days later, you’re going on a road trip?” Anna acted like Blaze was heading off to Mars.

  Maybe inviting her to dinner was a bad idea. “Yeah. Drake’s taking me to his best friend’s sister’s wedding.”

  Anna handed over the plate of cupcakes she made for dessert. “You’re going to a wedding? You? As his plus-one?”

  Luke’s and Drake’s chuckles echoed into the dining room, confirming they heard the conversation.