Page 92 of Tasting Fire
“I could hear tears in your voice, which is very un-Emmy-like. Then there’s the fact that Dolores Trambly spotted you and Cash up on the old water tower.” She shot a pointed look toward an SRFD T-shirt hanging over the back of the couch that Emmy hadprocuredfrom Cash. “And that.”
Horrified that Riley was standing there listening to the intimate details of her relationship with Cash, Emmy said, “Mom. Little ears…”
Riley just laughed and went to the small kitchen to dig for a corkscrew. “I stopped being Baby Riley a long time ago. And I am aware that my older brother has sex on occasion.”
“It… I… He…”
Kris hip-bumped Emmy toward the Couch of Sin. “Don’t try to defend or explain. Just sit down and let Riley pour you a glass of wine.”
Riley reached for the bottle, but instead of opening it, she pinned Emmy with a probing gaze. “I only need to know one thing—are you in it to win him?”
“Definitely.”
The smile Riley flashed her was full of relief and pleasure. “Then let’s celebrate!”
“I didn’t know if you’d had time to do much shopping,” Emmy’s mom said. “So we brought provisions.”
From a sack that Kris had placed on the counter, her mom withdrew cheddar and caramel popcorn, brownies sprinkled with sea salt, and pickled okra. All Emmy’s favorites.
She had to laugh. “That does look like something a pregnant chick would eat.”
Riley passed her a glass of pinot grigio. “And the grapes make it a full meal.”
“We already rented three movies from Amazon Prime,” Kris informed her. “I just need your laptop to hook into the TV.”
“In my bedroom.” Too late, Emmy realized the state of her bed. She and Cash hadn’t been too concerned about making it up since the first time he slept in it. Maybe Kris wouldn’t mention—
“I’ll say one thing for Cash Kingston,” Kris said cheerfully as she returned with Emmy’s computer, “he smells like a bottle of pure sex. Em, if I were you, I wouldn’t ever wash those sheets.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Cash and I are sleeping together. Sorry that we’re having this convo in front of you, Riley. But my mom and sister obviously have no boundaries.”
Riley chuckled and plopped down beside Emmy on the couch. “You know my family. It’s not as if we’re entirely appropriate. Maggie’s up in everyone’s business. Cash knows all kinds of dirty little secrets from being inside people’s houses. For some reason, people confide in my dad like he’s Papa Freud or something. And if my mom were here, she’d probably want to tell you about the physics of different sexual positions.”
“She’s always welcome as long as she doesn’t bring any more of that eggplant bread.” Emmy groaned.
“So you were the unlucky beneficiary on that one. We all wondered what became of it.”
“Cash was brave and choked down a little. I avoided eating any because I’ve seen bowel obstructions up close.”
“Gross,” Kris said as she plugged in the computer and did some magic with the remote that brought her Amazon account up on the TV screen. “How about we start with an oldie but goodie?”
Suddenly, Emmy’s wall flashed with the image of Channing Tatum in a thong. Well, if they hadn’t already been doing intergenerational female bonding before, they would all be besties after two hours ofMagic Mike.
“I’m guessing movie number two isXXL.”
“You know it!” Kris said and hit the lights.
They all sat there sipping and staring until Channing Tatum whipped off his pants in the famous “Pony” dance. “When did men start doing all that grooming?” Emmy’s mom asked. “I like a little chest hair.”
Kris snorted. “You’re looking at his chest?”
“Well…”
“It’s called manscaping,” Kris said. “If we have to ’scape, then they should have to ’scape. Chest and other places.”
“Do you really think they stuff those thongs with socks?” Riley asked, her tone curious and possibly a little wistful. “Because surely no guy is that…blessed.”
Emmy just kept her mouth shut and gulped her wine, because no way in hell was she about to tell Cash’s sister that he was moreblessedthan a pair of winter-weight hiking socks.
