Page 55 of Tasting Fire
Stomp grapes. Not even in Napa. Any-damn-where.
The water tower might be their best bet. But it was broad daylight. Could they be arrested for climbing it? That would be bad publicity for the tac team. Maybe she should call Maggie and ask permission—
Stop it. Would Cash Kingston ask his sister for permission to climb a water tower? No, he wouldn’t. So stop being a weenie and do it.
When Cash finally knocked on her door, Emmy had changed into slim gray joggers, a sports bra, and a fitted T-shirt. She opened the door and got a good look at the man she wanted to teach her how to live. Really live. With damp hair and the smell of body wash wafting from him, he was bright and shiny and so damn delicious that she wanted to take a big bite out of him.
In fact, her muscles tightened in a pounce response.
“Now you’re the one with the look,” he said.
“We have something to do right now.”
“What kind of something?”
“Fun,” she said cheerfully and locked her front door behind her. Moving in so close to Cash that her breasts brushed his chest, she said, “But fair warning… Later, I’m going to take all your clothes off and bite you. Do you have any problem with that?”
Cash’s entire body jerked. “Shit, Em. You can’t say things like that to a man and expect him to go out in public.”
Sure enough, Cash’s body was reacting to her words and the evidence was growing long and hard between them. She had plenty of plans for his body, and that part in particular, but right now, they had more pressing matters to address. She stepped back and said, “Projectile vomit.”
Mouth open, he stared at her. “Wh…what?”
“Sputum. Pus. Poop.”
“Did you take a knock to the head?”
“Every medical pro has something he or she can’t stand. I can handle anything but hemorrhoids.”
The confusion in his face cleared. “It’s yeast in skin folds for me.” He waved a hand in front of his now flat-front pants. “Good job.”
“Great.” She took his hand and pulled him into the hallway and down the stairs. “We can go have fun now.”
“Define fun.”
Enjoying the banter, she pushed a little sauciness into her grin. “Maybe I have a completely different Strategic Plan of Sexual Fun.”
“I want a copy ofthatlist ASAP.”
Emmy laughed as they rushed outside into the sunshine. The sound coming from her throat caught her off guard because it was a real laugh, one full of happiness, even though she’d been angry an hour ago.
Pain and joycouldcoexist. But that didn’t mean she wanted to diminish her current joy by telling Cash she thought Oliver was behind the damn lawsuit.
Once they were in his truck, Cash said, “What’s the plan?”
“Today is Climb a Water Tower Day.”
“The one at the edge of town?” His eyebrows went up, but he pulled out of the parking spot and aimed the truck in the right direction. “Grif’s been bitching about it being an eyesore, but the city council apparently feels nostalgic about it.”
Water tower, here I come.
“You know it’s rusty and the paint is flaking, right? It’s a mess.”
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
But bolts on a damn Ferris wheel could come loose. And she could get pickpocketed at Disney World. Ice-skating could net her a concussion.
Everything fun had a risk component to it.
