Forbidden Cravings-Chapter 273: Warm Hands

The gravel path crunched softly under our shoes as we walked toward the ice cream truck. The evening air was cool, carrying the faint smell of water and flowers. Street lamps glowed like little moons above us, and the lake on our left kept making gentle little waves. Aeri was two steps ahead, her white dress moving with the breeze, hands clasped behind her back. I couldn’t stop staring at those hands. They looked soft, small, perfect. I just wanted to reach out and hold one.

"Want to hold hands, Ezra?" she said suddenly, turning around with a playful smile and stretching out her left hand toward me.

My eyes went wide. "Ughh..." A tiny blush hit my cheeks. *How did she know?* It felt like she’d peeked straight into my head.

She wiggled her fingers, waiting.

"Sure... why not?" I said, trying to sound casual even though my heart was doing flips. I reached out and took her hand. Her fingers slipped between mine like they belonged there. Warm. Really warm. We started walking again, side by side now, her on my right. I prayed my palm wouldn’t get sweaty and gross her out.

For a few seconds we just walked in comfortable quiet, the soft *tap-tap* of our steps and the crickets filling the air.

Then Aeri spoke, voice softer than before. "Hey, Ezra... do you think we’d make a good couple?"

My heart literally skipped. The world froze for a second. Couple? The word echoed in my head. This morning she had pushed me away, gentle but clear. Now she was asking this? What was happening?

"Umm..." I swallowed hard, forcing an awkward smile. "Why... why do you ask that all of a sudden?"

She looked down at our joined hands, then at the path ahead. "I don’t know," she said quietly. "Sometimes I wonder if I’m the right person for you. I mean... I’m so much older." She brought her free hand to her chest, fingers curling over her heart like it hurt a little. "I raised you, Ezra. I’m supposed to look after you, not... not think about stuff like this."

Her voice was small, almost scared, and it made my chest ache.

I squeezed her hand a little tighter. "Aeri..." I started, then stopped, trying to find the right words. "Age never mattered to me. You know that. You’ve always been the most important person in my life. The only one who ever felt like home."

She glanced at me, her dark eyes shining under the lamp light. "But people will talk. They’ll say things. And I keep thinking... maybe you deserve someone younger, someone who didn’t scare away playground bullies."

I laughed softly, even though my throat felt tight. "I don’t want someone else," I said, stopping on the path so she’d stop too. I turned to face her properly, still holding her hand. "I want the person who stayed up all night when I had fever. The one who taught me how to ride a bike and made the world feel safe. That’s you, Aeri. It’s always been you."

Her eyes got glassy. She bit her lip, looking down at our hands again.

She took a small breath, then stepped closer, so close I could smell the faint floral scent of her hair.

"Okay," she said quietly. "Then... let’s keep walking. One step at a time. Together."

"Yeah," I said, giving her a little pout, "so stop doubting our love, will you?"

Aeri’s eyes curved into soft half-moons, the kind of smile that made the whole garden feel warmer. "Yes, yes, I’m sorry," she laughed, squeezing my hand. "I just really wanted to hear you say it out loud."

I rolled my eyes like I was annoyed, but I was grinning too hard to sell it. We kept walking, fingers properly locked now, palms pressed together. The path felt endless in the best way. No talking, just the crunch of gravel, the quiet splash of the lake, and the steady warmth of her hand in mine. I could’ve walked like that forever: just us, the crickets, and the soft yellow street lamps lighting the way.

After a few minutes the ice-cream truck came into view. Bright fairy lights were strung around it, little tables and chairs neatly set out, the menu board glowing... but everything was dead quiet. No music, no chatter, no line of kids. Just the truck sitting there like it was waiting for us.

"Hello! Two Belgium chocolate, please!" I called toward the serving window.

Nothing. Not even the clink of a scoop.

Aeri let go of my hand and walked around the side, peeking in. "I think there’s no one inside," she said, already tugging at the back door.

*Clack.* The door swung open. She slipped inside like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I whisper-yelled, glancing around like a security guard might pop out any second. "If someone sees us we’re gonna get yelled at!"

A few seconds later I heard shuffling, then a soft *grrrr-clang* as the front serving window slid open.

And there she was: Aeri, now wearing a bright red apron and a little paper hat tilted on her head, holding two perfect chocolate cones like she’d been working there her whole life.

"Tadaaa!" she sang, striking a dramatic pose. "Welcome to Aeri’s Ice Cream Express, sir! Two Belgium chocolates, coming right up!"

I burst out laughing, all the worry gone. "You look ridiculous," I said, walking up to the window.

"And you look like you want your ice cream," she teased, leaning forward so the hat flopped a little. She handed me both cones (one already starting to drip) and rested her elbows on the counter. "That’ll be one hand-hold and a smile, please." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

I took the cones, handed her one, and reached through the window to lace our fingers again. "Deal," I said, grinning.

She hopped up to sit on the counter, legs swinging, licking her ice cream happily. "See?" she said between bites. "Sometimes you just gotta break in and make your own magic."

I leaned against the side of the truck, chocolate already melting down my fingers, watching her laugh under the fairy lights. The whole garden was empty except for us, but it didn’t feel lonely at all.

It felt perfect.

"Yeah," I said softly, bumping my shoulder against her knee. "I like your kind of magic."

Aeri smiled, reached over, and wiped a smear of chocolate off my lip with her thumb.

"Then stick with me, Ezra," she whispered. "We’ll keep making it, every single day."