~Tempting a 'date' with little kids is perhaps the oldest trick in the book, but Jo didn't much care. She knew it'd work~
She smiled sweetly over her shoulder as Emma rang her first doorbell: Henry meeting her gaze, and lightly bouncing Toby in his arms. -There the two boys stood out on the curb and simply waited: the empty stroller sitting in front of them serving mainly as a candy/toy depository-
Henry gripped Toby's tiny little arm, and willed him to wave at his Aunty: yielding a giggle and an airborne kiss. He knew who it was for, and he blushed anyway: all-the-while thanking his lucky stars that the black night now blanketed his rosy cheeks.
Once candy had been dropped into Emma's bucket, and thank you's had been exchanged, the girls descended the walkway. Together, they beamingly addressed their prizes: Emma digging through her pumpkin pail (in search of a KitKat) as Jo popped Henry's bubble of personal space, and snatched Toby from his arms. ~Uh oh. It's that look again~ She thought. -Oh, how her heart fluttered under his adoring watch. She turned quickly away, and he took the hint: gripping the handlebar of their stroller, and wheeling it forward.
~Why had she put herself in this situation? There was no escaping those eyes this time~
-What a tragedy it was to like the attention, but inevitably feel the need to shy away from it.
Emma(surrounded by a gaggle of neighbor kids) excitedly shuffled up the next house's driveway. Jo took but a step in her direction, and Henry grasped her arm.
"She'll be alright," he assured her.
The second his breath grazed the back of her neck, she felt the simultaneous need to run, and to lean back into his embrace. She nodded her head, and observed as he mindlessly began to fiddle with Toby's little hands. "You know, a strong woman with a maternal touch is hard to come by.." he mentioned.
"..This said, I've always found she who possesses these traits to be so incredibly charming."
"Oh yeah?" She blushed.
"Indeed," he replied.
She bit her lip, and he scooted their stroller forward: placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and guiding her and Toby along with him. (They'd have to get moving-Emma was already on her third house.)
"..Of course it's a lovely plus when she who possesses them is as..physically attractive as you," he continued. She arched a brow.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were hitting on me," she chuckled.
"..And what if I was?" He asked. "Would you think it unprofessional of me?"
"Well, we are off the clock, so..no," she answered.
"Alright..Then where are you going when we're finished trick or treating?" He inquired.
"Home. Why?" She responded.
"Might you consider coming home with me instead?" He questioned.
-In some far away land, a studio audience whistled and clapped-
"..I'll make us some tea..and we can chat," was added in rather quickly.
"I.." she babbled.
"Aunty Jo! Look!" Emma beamed. She ran towards them at full speed, stopped abruptly, and raised a full-sized chocolate bar for Aunty to see. "Wow! That's a big one! Looks like we'll be going back to this house next year, hm, Em'?" Jo smiled. Emma nodded her head, and deposited some of her candy in the stroller, then sped towards the next house with empty bucket in hand.
"How good is Abe with kids?" She turned.
