“Why do you care so much?” he asked before turning away. “Because I like you, I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” you answered in a soft voice. He needed a gentle but firm hand. Since you had already been firm, it was time to be gentle. Right?

                He stared at you, his dark eyes observing you for any hint of deception in that phrase you just uttered. “What kind of like?” he answered after what seemed like an eternity. “Aish! Why does that matter? We’re talking about you, not me,” you said, throwing some soap bubbles at him. “Why do you always avoid questions about yourself?” he asked, wiping the bubble remains back onto you.

                “Because I can?” you asked before washing your hands. “I’ll try and stop drinking,” he mumbled, “but every day I go without drinking, you have to answer a question about yourself.”

                “And if I say no?” he grabbed your wrist and pulled you towards him. “You don’t really get a choice in this,” he whispered in your ear before stepping back. You looked away, trying to hide your slightly blush. “Whatever,” you mumbled. He grinned before sitting up on the counter.

                “Don’t you have somewhere to go?” you asked, wondering how you were going to deal with him from today on. “Nope, I don’t know where I am. So, I’m your problem for now,” he replied, looking slightly smug about it. “Tell me where you live and I can solve this problem.”

                “I’m not sure I want to tell you where I live.”

                “And why not?”

                “What if you try to stalk me?”

                “Yah!” your dog got startled and ran up to you. She pawed at your leg, making you sigh before going to grab her leash. “Come on, you’re going to help me walk her.”

                “Do I have to?” he whined. You bit your lip and walked up to him, moving between his legs. The smile he had slowly faded the closer you got to him. You leaned up on your tiptoes as you pulled him down by the collar of his shirt. “Yes, you have to,” you whispered, so close you could hear his breath hitch before you smirked and walked away to hook your dog’s leash on her collar.

                “What was that?” he exclaimed as he jumped off the counter. “What was what?” you asked, acting oblivious as you walked over to the front door. “What you just did!”

                “I didn’t do anything.”

                “You know you did!”

                “Did what?”

                “You’re evil!”

                “Thank you?” you laughed, making him groan. He walked right beside you, heeling just like Sophie. Occasionally, he would wander off to look at something, but he always came right back to you. He did until you passed an ice cream shop that is. “Can we get some?” he asked excitedly.

                “Isn’t it a bit early for ice cream?”

                “It’s never too early for ice cream!”

                “Alright, I’ll wait out here. Can you get me a mint chocolate chip? And Sophie a small scoop of vanilla?” you asked. He nodded and went inside as you sat down on a bench with Sophie sitting down next to you. He came out, somehow balancing two ice cream cones and one doggie ice cream cup. You took your cone and Sophie’s cup from him and quickly handed some of the ice cream down to your pup.

                “So,” he began after eating half of his cone, “Can I ask my first question now?”