Page 80 of Beating Heart
Ruby’s head fell back in a fit of laughter.
And Peyton’s eyes danced with excitement.
“Stop it right now,” Demi said after she cleaned herself up. “She went to the pediatrician for sex advice?”
“You cannot make this shit up. Magnolia Falls is a town full of quirky-ass people. The woman married Doug Callan, then divorced him and married his brother, Dennis. Then she divorced Dennis and proceeded to steal a few local dogs, only to wind up back with Doug and Johnny Cash, and now she’s looking for sex advice.”
“I thought Johnny Cash was dead.” Peyton sipped her wine.
More laughter erupted around the table.
“He is. Johnny Cash is what Midge named her dog. Apparently, she had a thing for the man back in the day.”
“Okay, we all know Midge’s story. I want to know what the good doctor told her to do,” Demi asked, just as a bunch of appetizers arrived and were set in the center of the table.
“I told her to ask for what she wants. What was I supposed to say?”
“I think that’s perfect advice,” Saylor said.
Ruby nodded, reaching for some chicken fingers and tater tots and placing them on her plate. “Agreed. I always ask for what I want.”
Peyton raised a brow and looked at me. “Do you ask for what you want, Dr. Chadwick?”
“You made that sound so freaking creepy,” Demi said over her laughter as she mimicked her words in a raspy whisper. “Do you ask for what you want, Dr. Chadwick?”
Now it was my turn to laugh because they were all funny as hell, and I loved being around them.
They were staring at me and waiting for an answer.
“It’s something I’m working on. I clearly didn’t focus on what I wanted in the past. I’ve told you my relationship with Collin was perfect on paper, but in hindsight, it was lacking. Like we were going through the motions. I think I was so focused on school and work, and I own my part in that. It was more of a friendship, and there was no passion.”
“But you and Nash seem awfully passionate,” Peyton said, as she waggled her brows. “Come on, something is going on there. You guys appear to hang out all the time, but are you doing the dirty deed?”
“Normally, I would call you out for being inappropriate, but I’m actually dying to know what the story is there. You, Nash, and Cutler seem awfully cozy when I see you together. There’s definitely passion there, because of the way he looks at you,” Demi said, before fanning her face. “It’s hot.”
My teeth sank into my bottom lip as Ruby jumped in. “You don’t have to tell us anything. We’re just happy to see you having fun.”
“I don’t mind talking about it. I used to tell Farah everything, and it feels weird now, because I don’t have my confidant, you know?”
“Because your confidant was banging your fiancé,” Ruby said, not making any effort to hide her annoyance. “She doesn’t deserve your friendship, Emerson.”
I nodded. “I know. But it’s weird because we’ve shared our secrets since we were little girls. And I’m dying to talk to someone about this,” I said, as the server brought over the glass of wine that I’d ordered.
“You can trust us. Our lips are sealed. We already know Midge’s dirty little secret,” Peyton said, reaching for a few onion rings.
“Obviously, Nash is focused on Cutler. He doesn’t do relationships, and I’m just getting out of a disaster of a relationship. The only one I’ve ever even had. So we’re just having fun, I guess.” I sipped my wine and felt my cheeks heat at the thought of him.
“By having fun, do you mean he’s rocking your world? That man is one hard-bodied hotty. All tan and golden and sexy.” Peyton shrugged, and we all gaped at her. “What? You know it’s true. And he clearly likes you because you spend so much time together. It’s always just been him and Cutler and the guys. He’s different with you.”
“She’s right,” Demi, Saylor, and Ruby all said at the same time, which made me laugh.
“We just make out like teenagers every night, and I think he’s afraid to take things further because I’ve been honest about Collin being the only man I’ve ever been with. So he probably feels like it’ll be too much for me.” I wasn’t about to admit that the man gave me daily orgasms just by touching me. We’d never had sex, but we’d done everything else. And it was all I could think about most days.
“Would it be too much for you? To have sex without knowing where it’s going to lead? Is that an issue for you?” Ruby asked.
“Always the therapist.” Peyton flicked her thumb at Ruby.
“It’s a fair question,” I said. “And no. I don’t know what the future holds for me for the first time in my life. I have an interview with Boston Children’s in a few weeks, and hopefully, I’ll figure out where I’m going when my contract is up here. Nash and I have both been honest about what we have to offer, but we aren’t spending time with other people, so it’s not like it’s a one-night hookup type of thing.”
