Fire and Ice Cream

again another story i did for a challenge. i dont like short stories as i have a tendency to rush things to try and finish them which i know i idid with this one but i still liked the story line. the brief i had for this one was these three words- LICK, J

Fire and Ice Cream

 

A pile of junk mail and unwanted bills had built up on the door mat while Grace had been on holiday. She had never had the opportunity to settle down into small town life when she had moved there six months ago. So the mail had built up with no-one to collect it for her. Now after a short break she was ready to open up her ice cream parlour and bakery, which she had been working on so hard before.

On the Sunday before the grand opening Grace collected up her mail and set about cleaning. She was knelt on the black and white tiled floor trying to scrub off a few stray speck of paint off when there was a knock at the glass door.

“We’re still closed,” she called not bothering to look up. A smoky male voice called back to her, spending shivers of lust up her spine.

“Fire department, I’m here to check you meet fire regulations.” Grace scrambled to her feet quickly to let him in. dark dusty brown hair hid intelligent smoky grey eyes and even Grace, who was fairly tall, had to look up at his 6’3 frame, broad shoulders darkening her doorway.

“How can I help officer?” she asked, trying not to stare. He was as sexy to look at as he was to listen to. Grace was sure that under his tight black fire department regulation t-shirt, he would have a toned, sculptor like body.

“It’s simple really,” he said, startlingly her back to reality. “I need to check your shop for extinguishers and safety posters in the work stations and clearly labelled exits, stuff like that.”

“Ok, that’s fine officer, please come in. can I get you anything?”

“I’m ok for now thanks and please call me Jake. I live down the road from you, you know Grace.”

She looked up sharply from the bar she had been wiping down methodically. Nothing was kept a secret in a small town like this she realised. “No I didn’t know that.”

“Please keep working I’ll just look around myself,” Jake disappeared out back and left Grace alone. This was properly the first real conversation she had had since she had moved here; she had been so engrossed in opening the shop that it hadn’t mattered to her. Grace turned back to cleaning.

Jake was done before she knew it and as she watched him walk down the street to his car she hoped she would see him again. Maybe when she jogged through the local countryside by her house; and his house too apparently.

~

It was bright and sunny when Grace woke up early the next day. It was the grand opening and she couldn’t wait. The night before, after Jake had left, she had filled the stands with new tubs of ice cream and a wide variety of cakes. So there was nothing for her to do until opening time. She dressed slowly and then ate a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. There was time for that jog she had decided to take the night before.

The road was lined with green trees and it was still very quiet at half past seven in the morning. She started of at a slow jog, tying her hair up as she went. Grace built up her pace gradually, reaching a slow run up the end of the road. Lost in her running it wasn’t until they were close that she noticed the pounding of other footsteps behind her.

“Good morning Grace.”

“Jake,” she nodded her greeting to him smiling the best could between breathing deeply as she ran. He matched her pace easily not even breaking a sweat. “Do you know a good route through the woods?”

“Yes, are you happy to jog with me?” she nodded and he veered of the sidewalk into the trees.

“Where does this take us?” she asked as the path through the trees widen into a small clearing and then became closed in forest again.

“Well first we go through a stretch of wood, then over some farm land and fields, and then we go through town and back home. It takes about an hour, hour and a half depending on how fast you run.”

Grace followed him willingly, speeding up to keep up with him as he ran past her. She stumbled over a patch of roots and just when she thought she had found her footing again she caught a foot in loop of root and fell flat on her face. Grace yelped in pain when she tried to stand up.

“Umm Jake you’re going to hate me for this,” she called out to him and he stopped and looked back at her. “I tripped and sprained my ankle, can you help me back to the house.”

Jake laughed and picked her up in a fireman’s carry. Grace squealed to be put down but Jake didn’t listen and carried her home.

“There you go ma’am. Is there anything else I can do to help?” he asked when he placed her down on her door step.

“Help me up the stairs so I can get changed and then drive me to the parlour?” she asked hopefully.

“Sure,” he said with an easy smile and picked her up again.

“I said help not carry.”

“Where is the fun in that, I wouldn’t get the wonderful view of your a*s if I just helped.” Grace blushed in her position over his shoulder.

“What’s wrong with my face?” she objected.

“Nothing,” he said with a grin, putting her down in a doorway where she had somewhere supportive to lean. “Now I have a question for you, would you scream if I kissed you after having only met me yesterday?”

“No,” she replied huskily as he leant in towards her, sighing in pleasure as his lips brushed along her neck to her ear and down her jaw to the corner of her mouth. He pressed a kiss to each corner before kissing her firmly, pulling her auburn hair out of it ponytail so he could tangle his hands in it.

“Go out with me for dinner tonight?” he whispered as he nibbled her ear lobe.

“Help me at work today?” she retorted, running a hand over his sculptured chest.

“Fine lets go I always wanted to be an ice cream man after I was a fire man.” They smiled at each other and once she had gotten changed head to the store.

~

They stood side by side behind the counter and served her first ever customers- a little boy and his mom.

“Watch out Brad,” she told him, “lick that bit of the side of the cone.”

“Ok mom.” He skipped out the shop licking away happily, his mum following him a loving smile on her face as she watched him.

“Don’t you just love kids, that’s why I love this job you put a smile on their face.” Grace asked Jake.

“I do love kids but I think the bit I would love the most is making the kid with the one I love.” Grace blushed at his forthrightness.

“Is that an offer?”

“Maybe for the future.” He smiled at her warmly and kissed her briefly on the lips before another customer came in.

“Jake? What are you doing behind the counter of the ice cream store?” asked an older man with two young girls, about ten and thirteen.

“Hey chief,” Jake greeted him. “This is Grace my new girlfriend. Grace this is my boss.”

“Hey boss man,” she smiled at him.

“It’s Rory,” he said shaking her hand, “And this my girls- Chloe and Angie. Two chocolate ice creams please. Jake I have never know you to make a move so fast.”

Jake grinned at him, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“Actually I do.” Rory smiled at the pair of them and Jake hugged Grace to him. “That’s what I felt for my wife.”

“Well Grace have I scared you away yet?” she stood there gaping at him, the colour of a ripe strawberry.

“Yes, I think you have but would you be scared if I told you, you might be right?”

“Come on girls lets give these two some privacy.” Rory ushered them out staring at the couple with interest.

“Honestly?” Jake asked her. “I love you Grace and I want to take the time to know everything about, to know every part you. Will you let me do that?”

“Yes!” she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I love you too, and I won’t let you stop till we know everything about each other.”

They kissed passionately, Jake pushing her up on to the counter and Grace wrapping her legs around his waist.

~

EPILOGUE- Jake smiled at Grace as she sauntered down the pathway towards the house, pushing a buggy towards him. Little Ioan ran towards him excitedly.

“Daddy, daddy! Can we get a puppy?”

“Of course wonder boy, anything for my little man. Hey sweetheart, how are my girls?”

“Hi honey, we’re doing good. Aren’t we Kristy?” she kissed him quickly on the lips and lifted one and a half year old Kristy out her buggy. Five years of marriage hadn’t done other of them any harm. Grace glowed all the time especially when she was with Jake and their children.

“Guess what happened at work today. You know Rory retired last week, they told us who was replacing him today- it’s me. I’m the new chief of the fire department.”

“That’s great! We need to celebrate!”

“How?” she asked him curiously.

“Hi Grace,” came a familiar voice from behind Jake.

“Mom! What are you doing here?”

“Me and your dad have come to stay for the weekend so you can celebrate.”

Grace’s mom took baby from her and Jake swept her of her feet and into his arms and whispered to her.

“You know I once told you I love making kids more than having them well its still true. And I want at least two more so we are of to our cabin by the lake to get really, really busy.” He grinned roguishly at her. She smiled back at him warmly and kissed him, smiles playing on each of their lips still.

Author's Note

i know its rushed and there is too much talking but tell me what else you thought about it and be honet :D jules x

Reviews

[Imen Yacoubi]

Good story full of emotions and of lovely small details that add much weight to the value of the narrative .
It could be much improved by adding some conflict to the plot, like a third part intervening to break the love story, or simply by showing that the final state was reached after one or the two lovers have gone through some maturation process or a change of some kind. You see, happy endings sound happier if there is a threat lurking somewhere and which the protagonists should surmount, instead of having the story run smoothly without any challenge.
You have a good talent for romances Jules and I'm looking forward to reading more.

[Cassandra N.]

I really like this. it's interesting. There's a great attention to detail.

You used the word "had" a lot, though. At some places, it would be just as effective if you omit a few. It would sound less repetitive.

[Emy]

Liked it a lot. Wondeing if you continued this or made anything more like this

[Anynomus]

i like it its very good

[Fallen Angel]

It's a good story very intriguing. There are lots of senteces that shoudn't be there at all because they are repetitive and that usually puts the reader off, you don't need to explain everything either, you should leave some things up to the readers imagination. My honest opinion. It's a diamond in the rough and once you smooth out those rough edges it will be a brilliant story. If you would like to feel free to send me a message in my inbox and i will be happy to help, but please don't get me wrong you a definately a born writer.

[C.Elle]

The grammer could use some help, but i was anxious to read more. I love happy endings. Nice Work:)