Thank You for Saving Me

[Jack’s P.O.V.]

I got out of my car as Stella parked hers. I slid my hands in my pockets, nervously. She walked over to me.

“I’m so excited!” She beamed.

“Me too!”

I lead her to the order window. I ordered my ice cream and looked back at Stella.

“What do you want?”

“Hmm…Rocky Road Ice Cream with Marshmallows and Strawberries.”

I raised an eyebrow at her, smirking at the lady on the other side of the window.

“You got that?”

She told me she did, gave me the price and said it would be ready in a while.

I chose a bench to sit at as we waited.

“Thank you.” Stella said to me.

“No problem! I wanted you to come with me so it’s all good.” I sat closer to her.

She smiled at me and then looked back down at her hands.

I was quiet for a little while longer, until our ice cream was brought out to us.

Stella spooned some of hers into her mouth.

“Mmm,” she closed her eyes and smiled as she ate. “This is delicious.”

I looked at her as I swallowed my spoonful. “It seems like a weird combo.”

She shook her head quickly. “No, no, no. It’s so good. You wanna try some?”

She held her cup toward me. I looked at her, skeptically.

“Come on, Jack. You won’t regret it.”

I stuck my spoon into her cup.

“Make sure you get a strawberry.” She added.

I scooped up a piece of strawberry and a marshmallow or two and put it in my mouth.

My eyes popped. “Wow! That IS really good.”

She laughed. “Uh, duh. I wasn’t lying.”

I had my ice cream sitting on the bench table. “No, that’s really, really good,” I exclaimed.

I grabbed for her cup, snatching it away, attempting to eat some more.

“Hey! Loser, give that back!” She reached for her cup, but I totally kept it away from her.

“But I like it,” I whined in a silly voice.

“Fine. I’ll take yours.” She picked up my cup.

“I don’t care. I got what I wanted.” I stuck my tongue out at her.

“Well,” She paused for a second. “…I’ll…take your car keys.” She unclipped my keys from my belt loop and then she dangled them in my face. “Haha! Now you can go home in my P.O.S. car.” She hopped off the bench.

I put her ice cream down to stand in front of her. “You better give those back to me, Gardner.” I threatened, jokingly.

“Oooh, getting that Alex edge, huh?” She rose her eyebrows, teasing me.

“Oh, you know it…he’s only like my brother.”

“Oh, blah. Keep on talking. I’m gonna go.” She tried to step toward my car, but I shadowed her. She giggled so sweetly.

I started stepping toward her. “You’ve got til 3.”

“Start the countdown, baby.” She taunted.

I pounced toward her and she yelped. “I’m giving you a head start.”

She turned around and ran, looking back at me, laughing. I started chasing after her. She ran around a tree, stopping on the other side of the trunk to catch her breath.

“Ohmygosh. You are fast!” She was huffing and puffing.

“Faster than you know…”

Before she could run, I was right in front of her, blocking her way from moving around the tree.

“Holy shit.” She grinned up at me. “Sssssorry.”

I laughed loudly. “Just give me the keys and no one gets hurt.”

I was towering over her, looking at her, mischievously.

Her big brown eyes looked up at me.

“Well, what if I want to get hurt?” She wiggled her eyebrows at me and licked her lips.

“I’m sure we can arrange that.” I smirked at her sexy face. I bent down and she pushed herself closer to the tree.

She snickered and moved faster than lightening, under my arms, running toward the bench.

*Dammit!*

“Sexy face wins again!” She yelled.

I rolled my eyes and followed her back.

[Stella’s P.O.V.]

I loved teasing Jack. He was just incredibly fun. I started walking backwards and saw him walking after me.

“Ok, ok. Truce,” I held my hands up in surrender.

He squinted at me, still walking toward me.

“Hey. I’m just a girl, plus how could you be mad at this face?” I pointed to my face, smiling brightly.

He sighed out a laugh. “You’re right.” He was standing right in front of me.

“I’m so glad you agree,” I squealed happily.

Jack laughed again.

“Here are your keys, but you can’t have my ice cream. You’ll just have to get your own NEXT time.”

He raised an eyebrow as I handed him his keys.

I walked back to the bench to grab our cups and when I got back to him, I handed his cup to him.

“I should probably get ready to go,” I said as I walked toward my car.

Jack followed me. “So, there will be a next time?” He asked.

I laughed, placed my cup inside my car and then turned toward him.

“Well,” I swayed nervously, “Yeah. I love hanging out with you.”

“Great cause even if you didn’t, I’d still be around you.”

He was closer to me again, making my heart and brain rush. I looked at him over my glasses. He put his hands on my hips and I wrapped mine around his neck.

*I wanted him to kiss me so bad.*

[Jack’s P.O.V.]

I wanted to kiss her right at this moment, but I remember her being skittish. I didn’t want to rush her. I pulled her into me, hugging her tightly.

“Goodnight, Stel.” I pulled away from her, stepping back so she could get in her car.

“Goodniiiight, Jack,” she said in her cute, country accent.

I bit my lip, pulling my body away from her. She looked back at me for a while before getting in her car and driving off.