Half an hour later—after Ed had stripped her naked, bent her over the ATV, and taken her from behind—they parked the four-wheeler in the shed and headed for the house.
She felt her face get hotter as they approached the door. She’d done her best to straighten her clothing, but nothing could stop the blush that consumed her cheeks.
No one mentioned it when they greeted the family at the table. Emma was starting to think that maybe their afternoon delight would go unnoticed, but when Romeo caught her eye and gave her a knowing grin, she realized she wasn’t that lucky. She refused to let it bother her, yet her cheeks felt even more inflamed.
As predicted, Ariel came down the stairs, freshly showered. Dark ringlets fell around her shoulders, and although she still sported a bit of helmet head, she smelled of citrus rather than horses and hay. Unlike her mother, she’d skipped jewelry but added a splash of lipstick to her mouth.
Tamara and Reth took seats at either end of the table. Ed and Emma occupied one side, and across from them sat Romeo and Ariel. Void of a place setting, one seat remained empty, waiting for Lorenzo.
“Is the German shepherd yours?” Ariel asked.
Emma had only seen the dogs once during their ATV ride. “Yes. I adopted him last week.”
“That’s sweet.” Ariel went on to talk about this and that. She rode competitively, worked part-time at the local grocery shop, and took part-time courses at the college in hopes of being a vet tech one day.
Reminded of their conversation at the coffee shop, Emma snuck a glance at him when she’d confided in Ed that she wanted to be a vet. He squeezed her leg beneath the table. He distracted her by running his fingers up her inseam, making her squirm and shift away from him.
Having been gone earlier when Emma was first introduced, Ariel asked about her job and how she and Ed had met. It seemed the whole family was curious about their relationship. She wasn’t sure how to answer. With his friends, it had been easy to laugh off their casual relationship, but she didn’t know what to say to his family.
Luckily, Ed swooped in with a readymade answer. “Right now, Emma’s settling into a new job and just got the dog, so we’re taking things slowly.”
Shortly before the main course ended, they heard a car on the gravel driveway. Soon, a car door shut, and a few minutes later, Lorenzo came waltzing in. Favoring his father’s build and coloring, Lorenzo was tall with a broad chest. His posture was militant. All the boys had their father’s height, but Ed and Romeo must take after their mother’s side. Unlike Ed and Romeo, whose haircuts more closely resembled a buzz cut, Lorenzo wore his hair short at the sides and longer at the top, letting his curls grow out.
Right away, Emma recognized that Ed and Lorenzo had more in common with one another than they did with their little brother. Lorenzo was quieter, much like Ed. He didn’t quiz Emma about her entire life history; he just nodded a polite hello. He certainly didn’t tease like Romeo did. Maybe it was due to the similarities in their jobs. Ed had served in the military, and Lorenzo was an officer of the law, both adhering to strict rules and regulations and enduring rigorous training. Meanwhile, Romeo had the carefree manner of someone who had little to no responsibilities and rarely faced the consequences of his actions.
Lorenzo joined them in finishing off the last of the roast. Brownies and chocolate pudding were served for dessert. Tamara explained that chocolate was Reth’s favorite. Emma seconded that vote. With the meal finished, they chatted over coffee, but as it neared eight o’clock, they decided to round up Rufus and head home. Emma had thanked Tamara for dinner, and in return, Emma had been invited back again the following week. She glanced at Ed and said she’d have to get back to her.
In the car on the ride home, Ed was more vocal than he’d been on the drive over. He must have relaxed a little during dinner, or maybe it was the impromptu sex they’d had that afternoon.
“That was fun,” she said while driving back to the city. Rufus was stretched out on the seat between them, his head resting in Ed’s lap. The dog was clearly exhausted after his day at the farm. “Thanks for letting me go with you. Your family is really nice. I like them.”
“They have their moments.”
“Romeo causes a lot of trouble, doesn’t he?”
Ed reclined against the headrest. “He used to get in a lot of trouble at school. Not stuff that our parents ever really heard about. He mostly had bad break-ups with chicks he shouldn’t have been dating to begin with. Now, it’s just that he can’t seem to settle into a job.” Ed thought about it for a moment. “He’s restless.”
“And Ariel? Is she the same?”
“Yes and no. She’s a bit of a wild child, but she always knew where the line was. She’s daddy’s little girl and, therefore, got away with a lot. Things the rest of us never would have.”
“Like what?”
“Like if we failed a class or quit something, we’d never hear the end of it, but if something like that happened with Ariel, Dad would just say, she must have a good reason. It was annoying growing up.”
“And Lorenzo? He was pretty quiet.”
“He’s always been that way. Really solemn and withdrawn. With us, he’s different most of the time. He’s not as moody as he was in high school, but he had a tough time in school.”
“With his classes?”
Ed swung his head to gaze at her. “No, with other kids. He got bullied a lot.”
“Why?”
“We went to a predominantly white school. It was never a problem for me, or Romeo, or Ariel, but I guess the kids his age were a bunch of dickheads. It wasn’t good. A few times, it was pretty scary. My mom went on a warpath.”
Emma smiled at that. Momma bear protecting her cubs. Her mother was the same way.
“By the time I started there, she was one of the teachers.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe that made a difference.”
“That sucks for Lorenzo, though.”
Ed nodded. “I think it fucked him up. It’s probably part of the reason he became a cop.”
They rode silently for a while until Ed said, “So, are you coming next week?”
“Multiple times, I hope.” She grinned at him.
He seemed confused, then said, “No! Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant for dinner next week.”
“I don’t know. I guess it depends on what we’re doing.” She thought it was best to reveal a little more of her feelings on the matter and replied, “But, yeah, I’d like to.”
“Okay.”
Emma wasn’t sure if that meant she’d be going or not. Instead of asking for clarification, she changed the topic. “So, your dad is from—” she hesitated “—Jamaica?”
“He was born there, but his family immigrated to Canada when he was young. His accent gets thicker when he’s around his parents and brothers. Mom was born and raised here, though.”
Later that night, when they were tucked in bed, and Rufus was curled up on his blankets in the corner of the room, Emma gently kissed Ed and thanked him for letting her meet his family.
“No problem.” He yawned and pulled her against him.
It had been a wonderful experience, to meet the people who had raised Ed. She didn’t doubt that she was in love with him. She was sure of it now but had no idea about his feelings. This was the first time she’d ever been in love with a man, and she doubted that Cupid was kind enough to let him love her back. She resolved to enjoy the time she had with him, but she would be smart about it.
She didn’t want to end up like her mother. Young, pregnant, in love.
And totally alone.