Read Online Mandarin Orange: Sweet and Sour by T. C. Blue - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T. C. Blue
Tags: Contemporary
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usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out. My friend Trevor, back in California, makes this amazing thing he calls a Citrus Explosion, and I was the only one who could tell he was using pureed mandarin oranges in addition to mandarin orange vodka. I could give you the recipe if you like.”
***
“Dude.” Riley knew his grin was huge, but he had good reason. “I’ve never seen Ballard speechless before. Fucking awesome.” It really, really was. Troy Ballard always seemed so cocky and in control, but Kelly had knocked the guy stone-silent with just a few words. “How did you do that?” He lifted his bottle of water and took a long swig.
Kelly shrugged and went back to surfing the ‘net, fingers flying over the keyboard of Riley’s computer. “I told you I like cooking, right? Well, I’m pretty good at figuring out flavors, and turbinado sugar has a distinctive taste.”
“Uh-huh. And the other shit? Powdered something or other?”
A laugh answered Riley’s question. “In addition to training those budding martial artists lucky enough to interest him, Grandfather grows peppers. All kinds. He even turned one of the rooms at his place into sort of a greenhouse. So one thing I know really well is chili peppers, and habaneros don’t taste quite like anything else, especially when they’re dried.”
Riley chuckled. “Whatever. Any time you want to fuck with Ballard’s head, feel free. Just let me know ahead of time so I can make a point of being there to see it.”
“You don’t seem to like him much.” Kelly’s eyes stayed locked on the monitor, but Riley could see the small furrows in the guy’s brow. “That can’t be fun if he’s your best friend’s boyfriend. Can I ask... I mean, it’s none of my business, but were you and Jeremy ever more? Is that why you don’t like Troy?”
Riley froze, water bottle halfway to his lips. “Oh, man. Kelly. Dude. That’s so fucking wrong.” He shook his head at the absurdity. “Jeremy’s totally not my type. And why the fuck do you think I don’t like Ballard? I do. We’re just not touchy-feely with each other. Shit, I figure the twinkies-three have that whole hands-on part covered enough for everyone.”
Kelly shrugged again, then shook his head, and while Riley was surprised to realize that he actually wanted to know why Kelly thought that about him and Ballard -- and the other thing, about him and Jeremy, for fuck’s sake -- a quick glance at the clock told Riley that he didn’t have time to fuck around anymore if he was going to keep his ruse going.
“Shit. I need to get a move on, man. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fuck if Riley wanted to leave, all of a sudden, but he didn’t have much choice if he wanted to keep up the pretense of going to work, and he did. For the moment, he did. That would change in a few days, when he came home and said he’d taken some of his vacation days, but for the moment, Riley could stand it.
Kelly finally turned away from the computer and grinned. “My head’s pretty much better, so don’t be too surprised if I’m still awake when you get back. I was thinking about watching a movie or something, but I won’t be loud if you’re tired. Um, we could hang out for a while, if you feel like it, but it’s fine if you’re more interested in sleeping.”
The offer was unexpected, but it had Riley feeling good. Like maybe he and Kelly were becoming friends or something, and that was cool. He’d already suspected that he wanted to be friends with the guy, and a late night watching TV or whatever actually sounded like fun. It had been months -- more than six, in fact -- since the last time Riley had spent a late night hanging out with a friend, aside from the Margarita Monday at Troy’s the night before, once Riley had left work because he’d been sick of Maughrey and the new trainee. After Jeremy’d hooked up with Ballard, most of Riley’s nights had been spent prowling the clubs for chicks.
***
“Dude.” Riley knew his grin was huge, but he had good reason. “I’ve never seen Ballard speechless before. Fucking awesome.” It really, really was. Troy Ballard always seemed so cocky and in control, but Kelly had knocked the guy stone-silent with just a few words. “How did you do that?” He lifted his bottle of water and took a long swig.
Kelly shrugged and went back to surfing the ‘net, fingers flying over the keyboard of Riley’s computer. “I told you I like cooking, right? Well, I’m pretty good at figuring out flavors, and turbinado sugar has a distinctive taste.”
“Uh-huh. And the other shit? Powdered something or other?”
A laugh answered Riley’s question. “In addition to training those budding martial artists lucky enough to interest him, Grandfather grows peppers. All kinds. He even turned one of the rooms at his place into sort of a greenhouse. So one thing I know really well is chili peppers, and habaneros don’t taste quite like anything else, especially when they’re dried.”
Riley chuckled. “Whatever. Any time you want to fuck with Ballard’s head, feel free. Just let me know ahead of time so I can make a point of being there to see it.”
“You don’t seem to like him much.” Kelly’s eyes stayed locked on the monitor, but Riley could see the small furrows in the guy’s brow. “That can’t be fun if he’s your best friend’s boyfriend. Can I ask... I mean, it’s none of my business, but were you and Jeremy ever more? Is that why you don’t like Troy?”
Riley froze, water bottle halfway to his lips. “Oh, man. Kelly. Dude. That’s so fucking wrong.” He shook his head at the absurdity. “Jeremy’s totally not my type. And why the fuck do you think I don’t like Ballard? I do. We’re just not touchy-feely with each other. Shit, I figure the twinkies-three have that whole hands-on part covered enough for everyone.”
Kelly shrugged again, then shook his head, and while Riley was surprised to realize that he actually wanted to know why Kelly thought that about him and Ballard -- and the other thing, about him and Jeremy, for fuck’s sake -- a quick glance at the clock told Riley that he didn’t have time to fuck around anymore if he was going to keep his ruse going.
“Shit. I need to get a move on, man. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fuck if Riley wanted to leave, all of a sudden, but he didn’t have much choice if he wanted to keep up the pretense of going to work, and he did. For the moment, he did. That would change in a few days, when he came home and said he’d taken some of his vacation days, but for the moment, Riley could stand it.
Kelly finally turned away from the computer and grinned. “My head’s pretty much better, so don’t be too surprised if I’m still awake when you get back. I was thinking about watching a movie or something, but I won’t be loud if you’re tired. Um, we could hang out for a while, if you feel like it, but it’s fine if you’re more interested in sleeping.”
The offer was unexpected, but it had Riley feeling good. Like maybe he and Kelly were becoming friends or something, and that was cool. He’d already suspected that he wanted to be friends with the guy, and a late night watching TV or whatever actually sounded like fun. It had been months -- more than six, in fact -- since the last time Riley had spent a late night hanging out with a friend, aside from the Margarita Monday at Troy’s the night before, once Riley had left work because he’d been sick of Maughrey and the new trainee. After Jeremy’d hooked up with Ballard, most of Riley’s nights had been spent prowling the clubs for chicks.
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