Title: The Gamble
Fandom: Sweet Valley High
Pairing: Alice Wakefield/Hank Patman
Rating: M - yes, they get it going on...but whoever heard of a platonic affair?
Summary: Ever wondered what would have happened if Alice chose Hank? Sometimes we get the chance to find out the answers to our 'what if's…'
A/N: This was originally posted on an old account (and I couldn't remember my login details - same goes for old LJ account), but I lost steam with it and shelved it. It has now been re-tweaked and I am continuing the story.
In terms of the book canon (har, har!) it is set around the time of Trouble at Home / Who's to Blame / The Parent Plot.
Added Note: This chapter is definitely M at the beginning. If this isn't your thing then skip the first sectiont.
Raising The Stakes
Alice and Hank stumbled into their penthouse suite kissing passionately, their need for each other overcoming everything else. Alice's handbag was tossed to one side, the ringing of the mobile phone, unbidden.
Hank yanked up Alice's white top as she raised her arms, tossing it across the room. Alice pulled up Hank's polo shirt, admiring his taut stomach. Alice claimed his mouth again, with urgency, pressing herself desperately against him and running her hands up and down his back. Hank unzipped her skirt and, as he pulled it down her legs, couldn't help himself murmuring 'gorgeous, just gorgeous.' Alice blushed, which amazed him. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, she was married with three children. Hardly naïve, and yet she blushed. He found it just one more thing to love about this woman. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tightly against him as he sought out her mouth again and kissed her deeply. Alice ran her hands down his back and round to his trouser buttons. Undoing them, she pushed them down his legs as Hank sucked gently on her neck. Moaning at the feelings Hank was stirring up within her, she trailed her fingers down his abdomen and toyed with the waistband of his pants. Hank breathed in sharply as he realised where she was headed. Before he could do anything, she had sunk to her knees in front of him and tugged down his pants, his erection standing proud. Alice moaned as she saw it right in front of her. God she needed that in her mouth. She lightly gripped the shaft in her delicate hand and bent her head. "Alice," Hank's voice came. "You don't have to, it's not...oh god...Alice, mmmm, oh..." He trailed off as Alice took him in her mouth and began to lick and suck him with mind blowing expertise. If Ned had this every night, then he must be insane to let Alice go without more of a fight. Hank looked down and nearly exploded at what he saw. Alice was looking up at him with her smoky sapphire eyes, blonde hair curled and tousled, gorgeous figure clad only in silk lingerie. Groaning, he gripped her hair, mindful not to push her head. His legs felt as if they couldn't support him for much longer, "ohhhhhhhh Alice" he heard himself cry out as electricity tingled all the way through him and concentrated in his balls leading to a knee-buckling orgasm.
The twins sat nervously awaiting the arrival of their father. He was due to take them out for dinner being as they were on their own due to Alice Wakefield being out of town again. Elizabeth peered out of the window and saw her father's car pulling up at the kerb. She was about to turn away to get her bag and coat when she saw him pause by her mother's Range Rover. As she watched, he leaned closer to look inside and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Jess?" Elizabeth hissed to her twin.
"Huh?" Jessica looked up from the magazine she had been leafing through.
"Dad's checking out mom's Range Rover, it's like he thinks there's something wrong with it." Elizabeth frowned. "It just seems odd," she finished weakly as her sister was giving her an odd look.
"Well you know dad at the moment," Jessica shrugged. "He's not exactly taking this whole thing well."
Elizabeth looked out of the window again. Her father was walking towards the door, his head down.
"Come on," Elizabeth got to her feet and straightened her black skirt. "Dad's here."
Jessica threw her magazine on the coffee and table and stretched as Elizabeth let in their father.
"Whose is the Range Rover?" Ned Wakefield asked after kissing his daughters.
Glancing at her twin, who remained impassive, Elizabeth answered. "Uh, it's moms."
Ned raised his eyebrows. "It's a very expensive model, work must be good."
Looking even more uncomfortable, Elizabeth glanced pleadingly at Jessica who had no intention of getting involved. She studiously examined her fingernails and avoided Elizabeth's eyes.
"I think she said she'd got some pretty big contracts before she left. Something about designing a new wing for a hospital up the coast and another one was designing a new apartment complex and something about a factory relocation project in Dallas, I think." Elizabeth shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, she's never here."
"It sounds like it," Ned said dryly.
Ned didn't look any better than the last time Elizabeth had seen him. He looked like he hadn't slept properly in months, his eyes had deep shadows underneath them and he looked as if he had lost weight. Even though he might still be going through the motions of a normal life, his appearance belied his true feelings. Without Alice he was falling apart. She hadn't replied to his message – the fact he had telephoned and left that message was a secret he was taking to the grave.
"Hey dad, wait til you see mom's jewelry though!" Jessica grinned. "If you think the Range Rover's awesome, she bought a diamond necklace, she looks like a Hollywood star in it. I can't wait to borrow it!" Jessica burbled excitedly.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. Why did Jessica have to put her foot in it? Elizabeth thought exasperatedly. Dad doesn't need to know mom's treating herself, it'll only make him feel worse.
"She obviously has money to throw around," Ned observed coldly. "It's a shame we couldn't live like that before."
Swallowing nervously, Elizabeth tried to move the conversation along. "Shall we get going?"
Picking up her coat, Jessica and her father moved along the hall towards the door. "Where did you say your mother was, Elizabeth?"
"Um, somewhere up the coast, I think, maybe Santa Barbara or near there I'm not sure."
Ned nodded, but didn't comment, as his eyes rested on the new Range Rover as they pulled away.
Comments always appreciated
