"Hey, Gabi," Natalia greeted the tall man striding across the street and to her porch, where she was perched on the swing sipping iced tea and reading a book in the afternoon.

He had promised to swing by in the afternoon, it was now around three, since he hadn't been that concrete in his plans, Natalia hadn't bothered getting ready.

She was content to let him take the reigns and move this relationship forward, at his own pace. She couldn't stress herself over a man like she used to in her twenties.

In the first year of her third decade, Natalia was more easy-going when it came to dating but she had clear standards and boundaries, that if a man breached; he was going to be out on his arse.

Gabe was dressed in a white T-shirt that showed off his muscles and tanned skin. A black pair of slim fit jeans hugged his thighs and long longs. His hair was wet and he smelled so good, the clean scent wafting over to her where she was sitting.

She wanted to press her nose into his neck and just inhale. But she also had self respect. She couldn't be setting the feminist agenda back like that, even though all she wanted was to be swept up in his arms.

"Don't call me that. Like, ever," Gabe said with a serious tone.

"Like ever," Natalia mimicked his Southern drawl easily. She was getting good at this. Sometimes she caught herself slipping into using more and more Americanisms in her day to day speech. She loved 'y'all,' it was so versatile and rolled off the tongue more fluidly than 'you all' or 'guys,' ever could.

"I actually came here to do you a favour but I ain't so sure now," Gabe said in a mock hurt tone.

"Aww, Gabs, don't be like that," Natalia continued with a grin. She enjoyed watching the look of annoyance that crossed his face when she called him girly names.

"Anyways, I don't recall asking you for a favour, what could it be?"

"Continuing your education in all things Texan. On today's agenda we have barbecue, are you down?"

"I've no idea what all those words mean next to each other, but I hope food is involved."

"The best food," Gabe promised.

"Okay, let me get changed, I'll be back in a few."

"Oh no you don't," Gabe said easily grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him until she landed on his chest with a soft thud. "You look perfect just like this." His eyes swept appreciatively over her form.

She was wearing a white T-shirt too, with baggy harem jersey trousers and sliders. Her hair freshly washed, was in two fluffy buns atop her head and her face was devoid of makeup except for the pink tinted Vaseline she had swept across her lips.

"Okay, Drake. Let's go." Natalia rolled her eyes at his compliment but smiled despite its cheesiness.

"Drake?"

"Yeah, you know, 'Sweatpants, hair tied, chillin' with no make-up on. That's when you're the prettiest, I hope that you don't take it wrong'?" she rap-sang to him, an incredulous expression on his face, to the tune of the popular Drake song.

"Nope," he said, still looking a bit stunned. "But I agree with every word that he said."

"Good to know, I'm going to play you that song, old man, I can't have you sleeping on Drake."

"How is it that I give you compliments and you just insult me?"

"It's the patriarchy. I don't make the rules. Men give compliments and women look pretty."

"Who said I was a fan of the patriarchy?" Gabe said holding the door and helping Natalia climb the steep stairs to his truck. The irony was lost on him.

"So you're a feminist?"

"I didn't say that."

Natalia rolled her eyes. "What are your political views anyways?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you vote Republican or Democrats?"

"Democrat."

"Okay," Natalia said nonchalantly but inside she was relieved. Republicans, were similar to the Tories in the UK, if not the more conservative side of the Democrats and she would rather be poked with hot tongs than to ever be involved with a Tory.

"Did I pass?"

"For now," Natalia smiled coyly. "Now, about that Drake song, pass me the aux."

Gabe groaned, handing it over anyway. Natalia picked songs all the way to their destination. A downtown area with shops lining the street on either side.

He expertly parked in a vacant bay and they headed towards a store unit further down the street. It had outdoor seating with lots of different food trucks serving a variety of cuisines. There was one that stood out amongst the rest, it had a queue that snaked all the way down to the Main Street.

"This, where we going?" Natalia asked.

"Yeah, babe," Gabe answered distractedly, he was looking for someone. Natalia eyed the queue sceptically, she wasn't one for hyped up food.

Except they didn't queue, Gabe went round the back of the truck and exchanged a handshake with a man behind the counter. They looked like they were old friends, with the way they were carrying on.

Gabe beckoned Natalia over, "Nat, this is my buddy Mark from the Marines, Mark this is Natalia."

"Nice to meet you," Natalia said shyly her social anxiety joining the party. She felt self-conscious and awkward.

Gabe took her hand and led her to the seating area. "What do you want to drink?"

"Just a coke please."

"Alright, coming right up."

He arrived back a couple of minutes later with a tray that was overloaded with food.

"So I'm guessing you've never had barbecue so I got a bit of everything and some sides."

Natalia eyed the spread. "You're lucky I don't have any dietary restrictions." She reached for a napkin, unfolded it and stuck it into the neckline of her t-shirt. Gabe laughed at her preparatory stance, but helped her smooth out the napkin to cover more of her T-shirt. His fingers brushed by the tops of her breasts and Natalia tried to ignore the way her heart almost sputtered to a stop.

"What do you suggest I try first?" She said to try and distract herself.

"Try the brisket." He handed her a plate with succulent pieces of meat, sliced into thick cuts. It was tender on the inside and glazed and crunchy on the outside. Natalia skewered a piece with her fork and moaned loudly and almost indecently at the taste.

Gabe raised a thick eyebrow at her, "Now, Natty, baby, this is a family-friendly establishment," he admonished light-heartedly. And that was the second time that Natalia's heart almost came to a halt.

"Well they shouldn't serve food that's better than sex," Natalia quipped back and instantly regretted it.

"I'm gonna leave that alone because I'm a gentleman," Gabe said, but the amused smirk on his face told her that he was definitely going to bring it up at a later time.

When she had finished her slice of brisket, Gabe fed her a piece of sausage stuffed with jalapeños and cheese, from his fork. She parted her lips, flavour again exploding on her tongue.

Her eyes widened as she chewed. "This is so good!"

"Did I not promise you amazing food?"

"You did," Natalia confirmed.

"That should tell you I'm always right."

"Don't push it, mate." Natalia warned laughingly, pointing her fork at him, in between bites of mac and cheese and sausage.

"Don't push it mate," Gabe mimicked her this time, putting on such a bad cockney accent it was more Dick Van Dyke than Eliza Doolittle and Natalia had to laugh.

"I'm stuffed," Natalia announced.

"Lightweight," Gabe returned, stretching backwards, until his T-shirt rode up his well defined abdominal muscles, revealing a sliver of tanned skin and a trail of dark hair. Natalia averted her eyes, her cheeks burning.

His plate was empty, and he had demolished most of the sides, except the sweet potato fries that Natalia had claimed as her own and banned him from touching at risk to his limbs.

"Honestly, y'all Americans eat like you have free healthcare."

Gabe laughed richly at her quip, gathering up their accumulated waste and taking it to the bin a few steps away from their table."Does that mean I won't have to get you dessert ?"

"Dessert?" Natalia whimpered. "I love dessert."

Gabe was cackling at her predicament. He took her arm and led her towards the dessert trucks.

"What are you in the mood for?"

"I can't eat a single bit more," Natalia moaned, patting her stomach.

"More for me," Gabe said rubbing his hands together, and ordering from a pretty girl at the counter.

She was flirting outrageously as he ordered a frozen banana covered in chocolate, ice cream and other toppings.

She even had the gall to make a horrendous innuendo about his banana and Natalia almost vomited out all the good food she had just eaten. Gabe hardly noticed and spent the time trying to persuade Natalia to get a dessert of her own.

The sweet concoction looked mighty good, and Natalia at some point was regretful that she hadn't gotten a dessert .

"You know it's rude not to share,"

"Excuse me, I asked you ten times, at least if you wanted one," Gabe scoffed.

"I didn't want a whole dessert, I just wanted a bite" Natalia pouted, trying to look as pitiful as possible. She could see Gabe's resolve crumbling.

He offered her the box, and she eagerly dug in. Slapping his hand away when he tried to reclaim his dessert and that's how Ella found them.

"Hey y'all, what do we have here?" Ella said with her trademark bright smile and bouncy blonde hair.

She was accompanied by two young girls that resembled her a lot and a tall dark haired man.

"Uncle Gabe," one of the girls exclaimed, latching herself onto his leg.

"Hey pumpkin," Gabe lifted her up and tickled her before settling her onto his hip like a pro. He was an Uncle? To Ella's kids. Natalia was confused.

The older girl stared at Natalia with more hostility than she had ever faced from a child, and all children loved Natalia, that is until today. She shrunk back a little and half hid her body behind Gabe.

"We were just getting some food," he explained vaguely. Ella nodded, her bright smile not dimming at all. She looked a little deranged. Natalia was suddenly very nervous. Was there some sort of rule on staff fraternising? The thought had never even occurred to her.

"Well y'all enjoy your Sunday, I'll see y'all tomorrow! Kids say goodbye to Uncle Gabe."

"Nice to see you again," said the dark haired man, Ella's husband, she had forgotten his name, to Natalia.

"You too," Natalia mumbled.

They were back in his car, and Gabe was pulling out of the parking bay. "I want my food back."

"You're driving focus, on the road big man," Natalia said. She stuck more of the sweet treat in her mouth, moaning loudly for effect and giggling after.

"You suck,"

"Oi, none of that. I'm a lady," Natalia tittered at her own joke. She was still laughing as she offered Gabe a bite. She wiped away some residual chocolate from his lip with her finger and licked the evidence away.

Gabe stared at her from across the driving console, his green eyes were darker, and his nostrils flared. He looked away, focusing on the road again, muttering to himself.

"What's that?" Natalia asked oblivious to the effect she was having on him.

"Nothing," Gabe smiled shaking his head.

"Do you wanna watch some football with me?" Gabe asked, when they had arrived at their street.

"No, I've got some marking to do." Natalia declined, she was at the end of her rope. She couldn't spend one more minute in this man's presence without jumping him.

"Okay."

"Thank you for a lovely afternoon."

"Let me walk you back — "

" — I swear, if you bring that bloody possum up again, I'll — "

She heard the sound of Gabe's deep laughter ring behind her as she walked faster up the street. He caught up in a few strides, grabbing her by the waist and twirling her back to face him. He leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips, she melted into his embrace and into the kiss.

"You have to stop kissing me in the street." Natalia pulled away from him, straightening up her appearance. "We have neighbours."

"Well I invited you in, we could have been kissing on my couch."

She gave him a dirty look. "That's at least a third date activity."

"I'll look forward to it." He kissed her again on the cheek this time as they walked with his arm around her waist to her door.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Natalia floated all the way upstairs and collapsed onto her bed. She needed to call Lima ASAP, even if it was in the middle of the night for her.