�Hi Shea, not a whole lot just a date dinner, ice cream, a walk past the arch, and home.� She smiled at her niece, �I thought you didn�t have to work tonight what happened?�
�Oh, this girl called in so Dave called me in, but it�s okay because Jake had to work,� she beamed, �So we�re gonna go out after work. Do you want the usual?�
Tatem nodded to the question, and then looked at John waiting for him to decide. She almost giggled when she heard what he ordered, but caught herself and faked a dry cough. They stood patiently as Shea filled the order, and rang them up. John reached into his wallet, handing the girl the requested amount plus another bill tucked in between.
�Thanks, hey wait there�s a fifty here,� Shea quipped, �Your gonna want this back.�
�No it�s ok, you keep it your gonna need money to go out on that date later.� He winked at Tatem�s niece. They started walking towards the door when John once again put his hand in the middle of her back, guiding her towards the door. Tatem generally would have stepped away from that kind of controlled gesture, but there was something about his contact that was warm and familiar, and it made her feel safe. They walked the short distance to the huge arch talking about nothing in particular and everything in general. They stopped in the middle of the arch looking up at the massive structure. Tatem watched John�s expression go from nonchalant to a mild awe struck as he tilted his head back looking directly above him. She giggled as she rested her arm on his shoulder her ice cream dangerously close to his face. Hearing the giggle and feeling the warm tingle from where her arm was touching him he looked down to see what exactly was so humorous. As he dropped his gaze he felt the sudden shock of a cold wet something on his face, his blue eyes grew wide in disbelief. Tatem began laughing hysterically, tears threatening to burst forth and roll down her cheeks.
�You got a little something,� She broke into peals of laughter, �On your cheek there Champ.�
John suddenly snapped back from his disbelief, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. He nodded his head as if to say you won, taking his napkin and wiping the strawberry mess off. He turned facing his assailant, tilted his head to one side he bit his bottom lip. She looked at him as that particular wave of laughter subsided wondering why he hadn�t said or done anything back. �Maybe he wasn�t the joking type,� she thought to herself. Suddenly and without warning with the reflexes of a stealth cat on the prowl he took his ice cream and wiped it down the side of her face.
�You got something on your uh, cheek there dancer.� He laughed confidently.
�Oh my friggin lord no you didn�t!!!� she squealed, �That wasn�t even cool.�
He cut her off by hurriedly taking her face in his hands, and turning her head as if he was going to clean her face for her. Then he laughed that deep rich laugh of someone who�s going to have the last hurrah, and puppy licked her face.
�Mmmmm, strawberry�s and extra sugar my favorite.�
�Oh my EEEEEEWWWWWWW I can�t believe you licked my face!� Tatem squeaked wiping her face vigorously �I have boy cooties now, thanks genius.�
�Oh yeah well, you think the girl cooties are any better brain surgeon?� he laughed.
�Well you did say that it was your favorite flavor.� She looked at him innocently.
They stood mere inches apart, before both bursting into laughter at the same time. As the laughter subsided, Tatem noticed that she had her arms wrapped around his waist, her forehead on his chest. John too had an epiphany that while the one hand had never left the small plain in the flat of her back, his other was wrapped around her shoulders holding her close to him, he could feel her head resting on broad chest. The clean scent of her filling his nostrils, the soft warmth of her body was pressed against the length of him. That is when he felt it the sudden rush of heat as if all the blood in his body decided at once to change directions, the twitch the he knew if he didn�t let her go would end up making it almost impossible to walk. Tatem fought to keep her breathing calm; she couldn�t have felt what she thought she did. As if dowsed with cold water they both let go and stepped away from each other.
