“Wow,” Ryan said, taking the excedo in from his bare feet to his worn jeans and wrinkled T-shirt. “Protesting showers?”“Bite me.” Trance stood aside and let Ryan inside, despite his growled words.Ryan strode to the living room, went straight to Trance's DVD player, and inserted one of his sex discs.Trance stood in the entrance to the living room, arms crossed, leaning against the wall as if it were the only thing holding him up. “I don't remember making a movie date with you.”“Keep your dick in your pants, Romeo.” Ryan pushed Play and stood back. “What do you know about that?”Trance's eyes shot wide, and he yanked himself off the wall. “I know you need an ass-kicking if you came to watch porn with me—oh, fuck me, that's you. Turn it off! I don't need to see that.”Ryan hit the Pause button. “Well?”“Well, what?” Trance shuddered. “Christ. I'm going to have to gouge out my eyes now.”

“Ryan stood over me. “What are you doing?”“Dying.”

“Claire freed him, and then lifted Ryan to his feet. She pushed back his head to inspect his wound, overly rough. “You’ll live.” Ryan winced. “Thanks, Honey, I love you, too.”

“Come on,” he said, and then dragged me toward the house.I stopped when we got to the porch. “What is that smell?”Ryan sniffed his shirt and with a smile said, “Armani. You like it?”“Not you,” I said. “It smells like someone is frying up dog vomit in your house.” This took Ryan by surprise. I guess it was pretty random. “You’rereally sick sometimes, Baker,” Ryan said. “You know that?”

“I wasn't afraid of you!' Ryan protested. 'I was half intimidated, half infatuated, and I didn't know how to act because of it.'Sin made a face at Ryan and picked up his chips again. 'How could you be infatuated with me when you didn't even know me?'Ryan scoffed and pointed his cheese-covered fork at Sin. 'You're gorgeous and tragic—gay boys like that kind of thing.”

“Emily tucks her knees up beneath her and leans forward on the table. 'Do you like Ryan?' she asks Nick, and Mom's eyes go wide. Kevin chokes a little on his water. Mortified, Ryan looks away, holding her breath.Nick turns to Emily, and with mock seriousness, leans down to consult with her. 'Do you like Ryan?'Emily considers this a moment, tapping a finger against her lips in thought. 'I guess most of the time,' she says finally. 'I guess she's okay.''Then I think so too' he says, turning back to the rest of the table. He winks at Ryan. 'We've decided you're okay.'She breathes out. 'I can live with that.”