‘If you think that chasing a tennis ball around a field is my idea of a good time then you really don’t know me at all.’ Natasha gave him the side-eye as she undid her seat belt. It hadn’t taken much to persuade her to come out for a drive to celebrate their small win with Chloe. They were both relieved the idea to bring Eddy in appeared to be working.
‘Actually, I was thinking of buying you ice cream. See, I do know you.’ Sometimes it scared him how much. He doubted he’d ever been as close to his ex as he was to Natasha. Perhaps that had been part of the problem. He’d opened up to the wrong person. Or the right one, depending on how he looked at things.
It was clear to him now that things would never have worked out with his ex, even if they hadn’t gone through such a devastating loss. They’d been too different, with little in common. Unlike him and Natasha. He’d always imagined the bond they had would be something he’d eventually have with his ex too, but it hadn’t happened. Apparently it was unique between him and Natasha. Perhaps that was why he was becoming so attached to her…
‘Then you’ll know I will expect strawberry sauce and—’
‘Chocolate sprinkles. Yes, I do know.’ It wasn’t the first time they’d been out for a walk and enjoyed the sweet treat. When Natasha had been struggling with her home life, they’d often come here for a heart-to-heart. It was a guaranteed way to make her feel good and she deserved it today especially. He had high hopes for Chloe’s emotional recovery now that she was responding to Eddy’s company, and that was all down to the training Natasha had done with him.
Whilst she took the doggy superstar to stretch his legs on a walk, Evan made his way to the ice cream van which was always on-site for visitors, even in the colder months. There was something memorable about eating an ice cream when you could already see your breath in the cold, wintry weather.
He had to wait until the families in front of him had decided on their orders before he was served, and the ice creams were beginning to melt by the time he found Natasha again.
‘You’re going to have to eat this quick. I’ve got ice cream and chocolate sprinkles all over my hands.’
With Eddy’s lead in one hand, Natasha took the ice cream with the other. Then she did something completely unexpected and licked the melted ice cream from his fingers.
The feel of her mouth and tongue on his skin was like a zap of lightning reverberating through the rest of his body, leaving him temporarily stunned.
‘You better eat yours too before it melts everywhere,’ she said, carrying on as though she hadn’t just delivered three hundred volts of electricity through his system.
Perhaps she hadn’t felt it. That thought disturbed him more than it should.
He was sure they’d touched in the past and it hadn’t had the same effect. Something had changed between them. Or at least in him. It was probably for the best that she didn’t feel the same way when a change in their relationship would likely become awkward and complicated at work.
All he could do in the meantime was hope whatever this was passed so they could get back to being friends. When there was no risk of him getting hurt.
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