Page 56 of Tasting Fire
The risk of failure, of not doing “fun” well enough.
Was that a reason to scratch fun?
Hell. No.
She patted her bag. “I brought gloves, and I bet you have some in the truck. Unless that tower is already folded in half, we’re going up.”
“Damn, I like this Emmy McKay.”
That gave her a heart pang. “Does that mean you don’t like the other one? The step-by-step one?”
Cash groped for her hand and she let him take it. “They’re all the same Emmy. I know that, but sometimes you don’t.”
Cash believed she was already a surfer, which set off a warm glow inside her.
Within ten minutes, Cash pulled up to a chain link fence ringed with tall weeds inside and out. A big yellow sign said CAUTION. KEEP OUT! and the gate was threaded with a chain and secured with a keyed lock. He didn’t give it a second glance, just hopped out and opened the toolbox in the truck bed.
The muffled sound of a whippoorwill call came from outside, and she turned to see Cash with his lips puckered. He made the sound again.
“Why are you doing that?” she yelled to be heard through the window glass.
“It’s a little something Shep and I used to do to let one of us know when the other was around. Kind of a ‘it’s cool. I’m here and you’re okay’ thing.”
He was trying to reassure her, but this still felt strangely risky.
Emmy swallowed. What would her dad think about what she was about to do? Was this giving her best? Or was it a flagrant disregard for law and order? For warnings that were meant to protect people’s safety? For the rules with a capital R.
“Fuck the rules,” she said to herself.
“What was that?”
She shoved open the passenger side door and yelled, “Fuck the rules!”
Cash’s laughter was deep and traveled over the field, seeming to bounce off the water tower and roll back at them. “Someone put on her sassy pants today.”
“I want to break the rules.” She thrust her hands into her gloves and marched toward the fence, but Cash caught her by the end of her braid.
“Hold up, Miss Rule Breaker.”
“If you’re gonna try to talk me out of—”
He swung her around and kissed her. A soul-deep kiss involving lips, tongue, teeth. A dirty promises kiss. An I’m-going-to-do-you-so-good kiss.
The best kiss of Emmy’s life. So freaking amazing that she wrapped her arms around Cash’s neck and jumped. He caught her by the ass and smiled against her mouth.
The kiss stayed hot and heavy, but Cash swayed from side to side, dipping playfully so that Emmy had to hang on tight. She wanted to hang on to him. Today. Tomorrow. Maybe forever.
That set Emmy’s heart to pounding even harder than the amazing kiss. She was out of breath and possibly out of her mind when Cash finally lifted his lips from hers.
His eyes were dark as the most forbidden sin and made promises that sent a shiver up Emmy’s back. Then he grinned, a smile so charming and wicked that Emmy wanted to shove him back in the truck and jump him. “You can climb my water tower any day, Emmy McKay.”
She controlled herself and settled for giving Cash a smacking kiss on the lips. “I’ll add that to my other list as soon as we make it back to my place later.”
“Are you the kind of person who writes something on her list just so she can mark it off immediately?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m gonna help you fill up that sex notebook.” More gently this time, he kissed her, letting their lips part slowly. Then he gave her ass a friendly squeeze and swung her back to her feet. “But first, the water tower.”
