25. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty-five

28th August 2017

T he bell jingles and we burst through the door, swinging it wide open to reveal a world of vibrant colour. The floor is a pastel blue, sparkling with sprinkles of glitter, and the pale pink walls are adorned with painted ice creams. Tables are scattered around, filled with people indulging in creamy, sweet treats, their laughter mingling with the clinking of spoons and the soft hum of conversations.

As we approach the counter, my eyes widen at the display of ice creams—an entire rainbow of flavours stretching out before us. From what I can see, there must be at least thirty different kinds, all vying for attention like a candy-coloured kaleidoscope. Thank goodness I don’t have to choose just one because that would be downright impossible.

Behind the counter stands a man dressed in the most ridiculous uniform I’ve ever seen—a light blue shirt paired with matching pants, topped off with a pink and white striped apron bearing the shop’s name, 'Brain Freeze.' His hat is equally absurd, but it fits the whole quirky vibe of the place. I silently thank my lucky stars that I don’t have to wear anything like that to work.

The man’s gaze lands on Laelia, and his face splits into a grin. He looks her up and down, clearly taking his time, and I feel a burning sensation flare up in my chest. My left eye twitches as a dark thought crosses my mind—if he doesn’t stop staring at her like that, I’ll gladly shove his head into one of those freezers, and I won’t feel an ounce of guilt about it.

I clear my throat loudly, making sure he knows I’m here. Both Laelia and the man snap their heads in my direction. Laelia gives me a sweet smile before turning back to the counter, but I’m not done. I narrow my eyes at him, delivering a glare that could cut glass. The guy gets the message, swallowing hard as he adjusts his posture, suddenly more respectful—less like a predator sizing up prey.

Yeah, that’s right, buddy. You better behave like a good little boy unless you want to find out how quickly I can turn you into a human popsicle.

Laelia, blissfully unaware of the silent standoff happening beside her, continues to smile politely at the man. He keeps stealing nervous glances at me, clearly rattled, while I keep my eyes locked on him, daring him to step out of line.

“Hi,” Laelia says, her voice as sweet as sugar.

If it were me, sweetness would be the last thing he’d get.

“H-hi,” the man stammers, his voice shaky. “Welcome to B-brain Freeze. What c-can I get for y-you?” He tries to keep his focus on Laelia, but I can tell he’s very aware of my presence, like a mouse under the watchful eye of a hawk.

Laelia glances at me, her brow furrowing in confusion at the man’s odd behaviour. I flash her a reassuring smile, but as soon as she turns back, my eyes are back on him, glaring daggers.

“Can I please have a six-scoop tub?” she asks, and the guy nods eagerly, grabbing a tub and scoop like his life depends on it. He hovers over the display, waiting for her choices.

“Salted caramel, mango, Lotus Biscoff, Parma Violet, melon, and…” She trails off, her eyes scanning the array of flavours, unable to decide on the final one. She taps her finger thoughtfully against her lip, the wheels in her head turning. “Mint!” she suddenly exclaims, only to clap a hand over her mouth, realising she just shouted in a room full of people.

I can’t help but laugh, the sound bubbling out of me before I can stop it. Laelia turns and playfully smacks my arm, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

The man scoops her ice cream with a shaky hand and gives her a weak smile. His eyes flicker to me, then back to Laelia. “A-any s-sauces or toppings?” he stutters.

Laelia shoots me a puzzled look, clearly still wondering why he’s acting so strange. She shrugs it off and smiles at him—again. “Raspberry sauce and a flake, please!” Her eyes light up at the thought of her creamy treat.

The man quickly adds the toppings and places the tub on the counter. Laelia grabs it with an excited gleam in her eye.

Then it’s my turn. The man hesitates, visibly swallowing. “W-what can I get you?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

I love how nervous I make him. I glance down at his name tag. “Tyler,” I say, savouring the way he flinches at the sound of his own name. “I’ll have a six-scoop tub too…please.” He nods stiffly, clearly wishing he was anywhere else right now. “I’ll take chocolate, salted caramel, raspberry ripple, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and vanilla.”

As he scoops, Laelia nudges me, drawing my attention. “You’re so vanilla,” she giggles, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

My smirk widens. “Oh, baby. We both know I’m far from vanilla .”

Her cheeks flush a lovely shade of pink as she bites down on her spoon, her eyes darkening at the innuendo.

She pulls the spoon from her mouth with a soft pop and grins at me. “Oh, I know.” She winks, and a low chuckle escapes my throat.

I lean in close, my lips brushing against her ear as I whisper, “Good girl.”

Her breath catches, her lips parting slightly as my words send a shiver down her spine. I can practically see the heat rising in her eyes—those two words always do the trick.

Tyler, now thoroughly flustered, is staring at us with wide eyes. When he realises I’ve caught him, he quickly averts his gaze, his face turning as red as the raspberry sauce.

“What toppings would you like?” he asks, his voice barely holding steady.

“Chocolate sauce and sprinkles, please.”

He nods and quickly adds the toppings, then places my tub on the counter before retreating to the till. His hands fumble with the buttons as he rings up our order.

“That’ll be fifteen pounds, please,” he mumbles, avoiding eye contact.

I pull out my wallet and tap my card against the machine, the beep and the “approved” message bringing a small smile to my lips. Laelia murmurs a thank you as Tyler gives her a weak smile before fleeing to the next customer.

As we leave the shop, the bell above the door rings again, and I let Laelia step out first, following close behind her. She finds a nearby bench and takes a seat, with me settling in beside her. The world around us bustles with life—people shopping, chatting, sipping coffee, and soaking up the sunshine. Kids run around, their laughter filling the air as they play and explore, hand in hand with their parents.

I glance over at Laelia, catching her mid-bite, her eyes meeting mine as she devours her ice cream. She scoops up a spoonful and holds it out to me.

“Want to try?” she asks, her voice playful.

I hesitate, eyeing the mango-flavoured ice cream on her spoon. “Sure,” I say, leaning in and opening my mouth, but instead of feeding me, she mischievously swipes the spoon across my nose, leaving a trail of ice cream on my face. She giggles, and I chuckle, wiping the mess away.

“Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be, huh?” I tease, cocking an eyebrow at her.

She shakes her head, trying to stifle her laughter. “Not playing any game,” she insists, though her smile says otherwise.

“Oh yeah?” I smirk, not missing a beat. Before she can react, I flick a spoonful of my own ice cream at her, watching as it splatters across her face and top.

Her gasp is priceless. “You didn’t!” she exclaims, her eyes wide with shock.

I laugh, my smirk growing wider. “I would chuck more ice cream at you, but unlike some people, my ice cream is too precious and valuable to waste.”

She narrows her eyes at me, but her playful grin doesn’t fade. “I’m sure if I suggested a fun way to use it, you’d change your mind.”

Her boldness catches me off guard, and I nearly choke on my ice cream. She glances over at me, a blush creeping up her cheeks, and I know exactly what she’s imagining.

I chuckle, taking another bite of my ice cream. But as soon as I swallow, a sharp pain shoots through my head—a classic brain freeze. I press the base of my palm against my forehead, closing my eyes as the icy sensation takes over.

Laelia giggles beside me, clearly amused by my discomfort. “Aww, does someone have a brain freeze ?” she teases, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

I pretend to pout, still holding my forehead. “I see how it is. If this were you, I’d be all worried and asking if you’re okay, but you’re just laughing at me.”

“Karma for being seductive,” she quips, unable to hide her grin.

I keep up the act for a moment longer, but when I see her grin fading into concern, I drop the charade, a wide smile breaking across my face. She catches on and bursts into laughter, swatting my arm.

“You’re lucky you’re beautiful,” I say, finally lowering my hand from my forehead.

She bats her eyelashes at me, a smirk playing on her lips. “You can punish me later,” she says, her voice dripping with mischief.

I almost choke on my ice cream, her boldness catching me completely off guard. She gives me a sly grin, clearly enjoying the way she’s thrown me off balance.

I recover quickly, leaning in closer, my voice dropping to a low murmur that only she can hear. “Oh, I’ll be putting ice in a lot of places, just you wait.”

Her breath hitches, and I can see the flush deepening on her cheeks. She bites her bottom lip, clearly affected by the promise in my words. I know she’s picturing exactly what I have in mind, and the thought sends a thrill through me.

"Vanilla, my arse," I mutter, more to myself than her, but Laelia catches it, and her eyes darken with a look that sends a jolt straight through me. The playful smirk on her lips shifts into something seductive, something that tells me she's more than ready to challenge that statement.

Without warning, she shifts closer on the bench, her body pressing against mine, and the heat between us intensifies. Her fingers trail up my arm, slow and deliberate, leaving a line of fire in their wake. “You really think you’re not vanilla?” she murmurs, her voice a husky whisper that sends shivers down my spine. “Show me.”

Her words are a challenge I can’t resist. I lean in, our faces inches apart, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife. My hand slides to the back of her neck, pulling her closer until our lips are just a breath away from touching. The world around us fades, the sounds of the busy street and the chatter of people nearby becoming nothing more than a distant hum.

"Careful what you wish for," I whisper against her lips, feeling her breath hitch in anticipation. Then I close the gap, capturing her mouth in a kiss that’s anything but vanilla. It's fierce, hungry, and full of all the pent-up desire we’ve been dancing around.

She responds immediately, her hands tangling in my hair, pulling me even closer. Her lips are soft, but the way she kisses me is anything but—she’s demanding, taking what she wants, and it’s driving me wild. I grip her waist, my fingers digging into her hips, and she lets out a soft moan that only spurs me on.

But we’re still outside, the public nature of where we are only adding to the thrill. The thought of someone seeing us, of how close we are to losing control right here, right now, sends a rush of adrenaline through me. I pull back just enough to look at her, our breaths mingling as we both try to catch up with the intensity of the moment.

Her eyes are dark with desire, her lips swollen from our kiss, and she’s looking at me like she wants to devour me whole. “Let’s get out of here,” she breathes, her voice shaking with the same need that’s coursing through my veins.

I glance around quickly, realizing we’re still in front of the ice cream parlour, still in full view of anyone who might pass by. But that only adds to the urgency pulsing between us.

I lean in, my lips brushing her ear as I whisper, “Let’s go somewhere more…private.”

She nods, her breath hitching again, and without another word, we both stand, the tension between us nearly unbearable. As we start walking, the thought of what’s coming next leaves us both on edge, and I know neither of us will be able to hold back much longer.

This is far from over. In fact, it’s just getting started.