Taming the Street Racer ✔️

18 | frozen kisses

I offer to have Violet drop me off at the ice cream place but Grayson refuses. After much deliberation, it's Gracie who suggests that she sit on my lap as Grayson drives. Grayson is silent for a while, weighing the solution, before he agrees, reasoning that the ice cream place is only a couple minutes away.

Several cars honk and speed past us on the way there, clearly angered by the blacked-out Audi moving ten below the speed limit. Gracie and I, on the other hand, are thoroughly amused by Grayson's overly-safe driving.

Sitting on my lap, Gracie is giggling out of her mind. At one point, she whispers loudly about how Grayson is driving slower than a snail. She finds her own joke outrageously funny and is thrown into another fit of laughter. At this point, even Grayson is laughing at our situation, although still cautiously gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.

We all let out a sigh of relief when we get to the ice cream parlor. Grayson opens the door for us and lifts Gracie out. Then he holds his hand out for me as I step out of the car and I pretend not to get flustered as I put my hand in his.

Even after I get out of the car, he doesn't let go of my hand, weaving his fingers with mine and pressing his arm against mine as we enter the building. Gracie skips ahead to the counter, clearly unaware of mine and Grayson's small milestone. His hands feel large and warm against mine.

When we get to the counter, a college-aged girl greets us from behind the counter. Although she asks us all how we're doing, her eyes stay trained on Grayson. I swear I see her mouth hang open as she scans up and down his body. Grayson doesn't seem to notice, pointing out each and every flavor to a wide-eyed Gracie.

The girl's name tag tells me her name is Lina. She's pretty with a curled, blonde ponytail bouncing behind her. The tip of her small nose is turning slightly red from her obvious attraction to Grayson. Lina even has the nerve to bite her full lips slightly, trying to attract his attention. Does she not notice our hands laced together? Either that or she doesn't care.

I find myself pressing closer to Grayson's side, leaning toward him to scan the ice cream flavors. In the corner of my eye, I see the girl is still practically drooling over him. I feel an odd feeling building in my chest watching her devour Grayson with her eyes.

Grayson's voice shocks me out of my jealousy. "See anything you like?"

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm thinking just chocolate," I say, not admitting that I was hardly paying attention to the ice cream. Lina is still staring at him.

"I did not take you for a boring chocolate person, Riv," Grayson says.

I scoff. "Boring? And what flavor do you like, Mr. Ice Cream Connoisseur?"

"Cookie Monster. And don't even try to knock that flavor because it's the best there is. No argument," he says matter-of-factly.

"Sure. I think the last time I ate Cookie Monster ice cream was when I was 4-years-old. I guess it appealed to my undeveloped taste buds." I pat his shoulder condescendingly. "Don't worry, you'll grow out of your childish tastes soon enough and learn to appreciate the sophisticated, yet simple chocolate flavor."

He turns from the ice cream display case and grins at me. "I think eating ice cream named after a Sesame Street character is the most sophisticated thing a man can do."

Lina coughs loudly, reminding me that it's not just me and Grayson alone. She turns to me with a tense look, forcing a tight smile on her face. "Are you ready to order or what? If not, you have to go to the back of the line, ma'am."

I stare at her for a second, about to say something I'll regret, before Gracie starts yelling her order. "I want a large strawberry ice cream in a cone, please."