Riley and Sophia … and ice cream

He didn’t answer, but only studied her, his eyes a little sad. “Eat.”

She took a sip somewhat automatically and felt immediately annoyed with herself for listening to him. “You’re bad for me, Riley.”

“I’m not. I’m what the doctor ordered.”

“You’re like eating Chunky Monkey every night instead of once a week.”

He moved closer, so that his shoulder was touching hers. “So what do you want? Vanilla?”

“Not vanilla.” She took another sip, moved her legs and Hershey jumped off her lap, disgusted with Sophia for not sitting still enough for Her Highness. “Maybe Neopolitan. It’s good enough but not so much that I want it every day of the week.”

Riley stood up, took Sophia’s bowl and set it on the coffee table. He pulled her up off the couch, his hands on her elbows. The blanket fell to the ground at her feet.

“Admit it. You’d like to eat Chunky Monkey every day of the week. And sometimes you catch yourself thinking about it in the middle of the day. Wondering how you could get away with it.”

“Maybe.”

She’d forgotten how perfect it felt to be this close to him, their breathing comingled. Without a doubt, she’d once known he would have breathed for her if he could. He would have once done anything for her.

“You want Chunky Monkey. Admit it.” He pulled her closer, until she could feel every hard ridge of his body and then he pulled her closer still.

“Wait. Are we still talking about ice cream?”

“No.”

…. From ‘Forever with You’