Eat, it is good for you, I assure you that there's more coming today

Cinder’s departure left a wake of tension in her wake. Everyone felt slightly uneasy about what had just transpired, especially considering her final outburst. But it was something that couldn’t be allowed to color the rest of the evening.

Kim had no intention of letting that happen.

“Okay guys, time for dinner?” She asked, clapping her hands. “I’m starving! We worked out pretty good today and I just had a smoothie.”

“And the steak,” Nick reminded Kim with a smile, appreciating her attempt to get things back on track. “We had steak for lunch.”

“Girls have an extra stomach for steak, that doesn’t count,” Dani helpfully offered from the table.

Mary rolled her eyes and Holly sniggered.

“First I’m hearing about that,” she said, shaking her head and making her ponytail bounce. “I always thought it was sweets.”

“I’ve never been a huge fan of sweets,” Dani admitted, making a face. “Sure, they’re fine and all, but it’s not really my thing. I’m the kind of girl who prefers my coffee bitter.”

Kim made a face when she heard that. “Ick. Coffee.” She shook her head. “No thank you. I’ll stick with tap water, thanks.”

“You don’t like coffee?” Mary asked, surprised.

Kim looked at her, just as surprised. “You do?”

Mary shook her head. “Well… no. I’ve never really been a fan.” She twisted her face into a disgusted expression. “…Too bitter.”

The two girls burst out laughing. Seeing them like that brought a smile to Nick’s face. At the beginning of the show, Mary and Kim had become fast friends. But once they were put on different teams and began to shift their focus towards different priorities, that friendship had slowly faded into the background. So it was nice to see that if you put them in the same room together, they returned right back to their old routines like nothing had changed.

It was a relief.

“I would have thought you’d be a fan of coffee too, Kim,” Dani said, raising her eyebrow. “You know, considering how many jobs you have. Didn’t you work the night shift a bunch?”

Nick tensed. Dani’s question was kind of insensitive. But Kim didn’t seem that bothered by it. She shook her head.

“Maybe it would be better if I did,” she griped. “I don’t know, it’s just never done anything for me, you know?”

Mary nodded approvingly. “Too much caffeine can throw off the body’s natural rhythm!” She agreed wholeheartedly. “I can’t drink any myself, of course, due to the baby.” She rubbed her belly protectively as she walked over to the table.

“Nah, I love caffeine,” Kim clarified, shaking her head. “Mainly energy drinks. I down those all the time, especially when I had late nights at the gas station. …Shit’s expensive though. Definitely would not recommend.”

She’d gotten herself a little bit hooked, sure. But Kim was a mature woman. She could push past a silly little thing like addiction!

Mary wasn’t sure she fully approved of that, but she didn’t say anything. Kim’s choices were her own, and it wasn’t like she was still drinking enough caffeine to power a small car, right?

“Well, I hope you’ve stocked up on energy drinks tonight,” Holly giggled, wiggling her eyebrows. “Because from what I hear, we’ve got a saucy threesome ahead of us.”

Kim and Dani both turned red. Nick felt a stir of discomfort in his chest as well. The pre-dinner conversation had been a nice little distraction, but ultimately the facts were the facts. They couldn’t put this off forever.

“Holly!” Mary hissed, sensing the shift in atmosphere. “Not the time! It’s food time, okay? Can we please, please just enjoy dinner without… those kinds of topics?”

Mary was determined to have a good, clean, wholesome family dinner with her friends and loved ones tonight, even if killed her. And even if Dani’s transformation meant that this meal would be a little more stimulating than most.

Dani nodded in silent agreement with Mary’s wishes as Holly let out an exasperated sigh, but the tomboy couldn’t help glancing at the steaming sandwiches lined up on the table. All her hard work preparing them, getting the sauce to meat ratio just right, the pickles, the onions, the side dishes, all of it was carefully and meticulously prepared for tonight to be perfect, and right now just basking in the moment, taking in the delicious wafting aroma, was making her nether region as hot as the shredded pork.

She swallowed, hoping no one heard her.

“I’m really excited to get to the eating part!” Nola chirped. She didn’t care much for threesomes or sex or anything like that, even if it was a joy to tease and play around about. Since Mary wanted them to drop the subject and move on, that’s what Nola wanted, too!

Mary looked appreciatively at her. “Thank you, Nola,” she said, nodding.

“Great, then let’s eat!” Nick agreed.

Anything to move past the awkward tension hanging in the air.

As everyone sat down and chose sandwiches for themselves, Dani took it upon herself to serve out the edamame and sweet corn. It had been a compromise with Mary, who swore that sweet corn was the perfect complement to a nice barbecue, along with potato salad. Dani had clarified in no uncertain terms that the massive amount of calories in potato salad were a nonstarter, and since this was her meal, Mary went along with it.

Mashed potatoes, though? That was another compromise they could agree on.

It also gave Dani an excuse to get up and move around, and boy, did she need that. Sitting in her seat made her feel so… exposed. Like everyone was looking at her. Of course, no one was staring at her in particular, they were all just chatting with each other and waiting expectantly for their meal.

Then Mary asked if she could say grace, looking at Dani for permission as she did.

Dani’s mouth fell open and she nearly spilled mashed potatoes all over Holly’s lap.

“Uh… sure thing, I don’t mind,” she said, finishing serving the sides before returning to her seat.

Nick was surprised to hear that. Given Dani’s experience with fundamentalists, he never would have thought she’d agree to let Mary say grace at the dinner she was, ostensibly, hosting. It was enough for Nick that she seemed to genuinely like Mary’s presence given the redhead’s devotion to her religion. (It helped that Mary didn’t put stock in some of the more unsavory views held by people who used her beliefs to commit hate.)

But Dani and Mary got along well. And she said she was fine with Mary saying grace, if that’s what she wanted.

Honestly, the tomboy didn’t care one way or another. But if the attention was on Mary, then it wouldn’t be on her, and that was reason enough to do it. At the same time, Dani was able to put off the actual dinner itself for just a little longer.

I know the food tastes good. I tried it myself. And Mary and Nola both verified it for me. But for everyone else… I hope they like it! Dani couldn’t help the fact that her eyes drifted unconsciously over to Nick and Kim. While she had made dinner for everyone, it was very obvious that she had really been cooking for the two of them. She squirmed in her seat as she imagined them eating her sandwiches, and felt her lower body heating up as she did.

Normally it’s not this bad! She chewed on her lip as she looked down at her own plate. Dani had cooked a lot since obtaining her transformation, and relished in the feelings of pleasure and arousal she received not just from preparing her meals, but seeing other people eat it. And tonight had been no different; as she’d hoped, cooking up those sandwiches had gotten her all hot and bothered, and by the time she’d finished she was practically edging herself.

But now that the table had been set and the guests were in attendance, it was like everything had drastically changed.

I think… it’s because we’re about to have sex. Cooking those eggs for Gina was the same way. Seeing her eat them, it just made my heart race so fast, I couldn’t control myself. Is that it, then? Is that why I’m feeling like this? It was a working theory Dani could get behind. The wording of her transformation had been quite clear: seeing people enjoy the dishes she made was “practically orgasmic” and she hadn’t experienced anything to contradict that fact.

But if Dani had to put her finger on what was different here, it would have to be the weight of the moment.

Cooking for someone who was just a friend? Not a problem. Cooking for a lover, like Carly? Definitely hot and exciting, but still nothing like this. But cooking for a friend or a lover right before having sex with them? It sent an electric charge through the air that felt so much deeper and more stimulating. Dani was practically on the edge of her seat in anticipation.

She licked her lips. And that’s when she felt Kim’s eyes on her, and realized that Mary had finished saying grace.

“Someone’s looking hungry,” Kim joked, leaning forward and flashing a playful smile. “Good thing you wrapped it up when you did, Mary, another minute of that and Dani might just start eating without waiting for us!”

Dani’s cheeks flushed and she sat up a little higher in her seat. Her skirt was unusually damp, which was a bad sign- if she was this worked up before the meal even began, how would she feel when people actually started eating?

Luckily, Mary didn’t take offense at Kim’s statement. She just smiled politely and nodded. “Let’s begin!” She agreed. “Before it gets cold!”

“I’ll drink to that!” Holly chirped, snatching up her sandwich. “You know me, there’s nothing I like more than getting some nice, hot meat in my mouth!”

Mary turned red while the rest of the table laughed at the raunchy joke. Even though Holly would often go a little further than most people were comfortable with, she did have a pretty nice sense of humor even if it was a rather dirty one.

The scantily-clad pervert bit into her sandwich without hesitation and Dani let out the breath she’d been holding, relieved that it didn’t come out as a moan. The look of delight on Holly’s face nearly changed that, though.

“Oh wow! This is delicious!” Holly exclaimed. She turned to Dani with wide eyes, not even bothering to wipe the sauce from her lips. “You’re really getting better, Dani! This is one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had!”

Dani turned red and a spark of pleasure shot between her legs like a lightning bolt. A giddy smile yanked up the corners of her mouth. “R-really?” She asked bashfully, sitting a little higher up in her seat. “You really like it? You’re not just being nice, are you? Because I’m still learning! I can take your honest thoughts, really!”

“No, Holly’s right, this is good,” Kim said, savoring her own sandwich and nodding in agreement. For Kim, that meant she didn’t devour it in a couple of bites. “Way better than what they sell in grocery stores!”

That may not have been a very high bar to clear, but it was still better than Dani could have hoped for before coming to this island. Her smile widened and her cheeks dimpled with appreciation.

“I told you, you don’t have anything to worry about,” Mary said, looking fondly at Dani. She dabbed her lips with a napkin. “You’ve really improved, Dani. You’re not at my level yet, but after only a few weeks of lessons this is really impressive.”

“You’re already a better cook than I am,” Nick agreed. “And you made a really good choice with the sweet corn, too. It’s my favorite!”

Dani didn’t expect to get such a surge of arousal from Nick of all people complimenting her. It may have been the first time he had genuinely given her sexual pleasure before. She wasn’t at all capable of unpacking what THAT meant, but it was clear that her transformation didn’t discriminate. Nick enjoying her food was just as pleasurable as a girl doing the same.

Not sure what to make of that sudden and confusing shift in her emotional state, Dani found herself feeling backed into a corner.

“W-well, actually, the sweet corn was Mary’s idea,” she deflected, giving Mary the credit she was due. “I may have made it, but…”

Now it made sense why Mary had been so insistent. She really knew her husband’s tastes, didn’t she? Dani was touched.

She was even more touched by the expression on the redhead’s face as she shook her head. “No, Dani, that’s not fair,” she said firmly. “You cooked it. So you’re the one who should get the credit, not me.”

“I-I didn’t… it came out of a can!” Dani protested, shaking her head. “At best, all I did was heat it up a little!”

The praise was starting to overwhelm her. Dani was concerned she might orgasm right at the dinner table!

“Didn’t you season it?” Mary pointed out. She had absolutely zero intention of allowing Dani to deflect from this. “You may have gotten it out of a can, but you’re the one who prepared it, Dani, and that’s what’s important here.”

Dani flinched. She couldn’t argue with Mary when she was like this- hardly anyone could.

“Did you also prepare the edamame?” Kim asked, sliding the shucked soybean skin out of her lips and setting it down on her plate. “Good seasoning on that, too. The texture is perfect, and you added just the right amount of salt! I couldn’t have done better myself!”

“Oh that’s right, you worked at a sushi restaurant, didn’t you?” Holly recalled, her eyes widening. “I forgot you know how to cook since you never really come to the lessons.”

“I’m busy,” Kim protested. “Some of us have to work, we don’t get to spend all day locked up in a cage getting pampered.”

Holly stuck out her tongue. “Your loss.”

“Wait, I’m confused,” Nola said, crinkling her nose. She’d been remarkably silent during the meal, perhaps out of respect for Mary’s wishes to not go overboard with her ramblings. But she forgot all about that now. “Is making sushi cooking? I don’t know much about that stuff but it’s raw fish, and isn’t raw, like, the opposite of being cooked?”

She turned to Mary for clarification. “Mary, you would know, right?” She asked. “You’re the expert when it comes to doing things raw.”

Dani nearly choked on her sandwich. Holly’s eyes bulged out of her skull and she dribbled water all over herself in a fit of laughter, which made Kim nearly fall out of her chair.

The only people who weren’t laughing were Nick and Mary, who were different levels of stunned and aghast, and Nola, who seemed genuinely confused. …Though not at that last part. The sparkle in her eye revealed her intentions.

Mary regained her composure, adjusting her shirt in a vain attempt to preserve some of her modesty. She looked seriously at Nola.

“To answer your question, Nola, I am NOT an expert when it comes to doing things raw,” she said firmly. “If you serve food without properly cooking it, you’re exposing yourself to all manner of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, or listeria. I know the common stereotype is that people from the south don’t care about the danger of things like that, but if you ask me those people are morons! Practicing common food safety is as important as proper infant care or proper animal care! And I know about that better than anyone!”

Everyone fell silent, quite amazed by Mary’s passionate speech in defense of proper food preparation and safety.

Nola shook her head. “No, I was talking about raw sex.”

Mary slumped over and flopped her forehead on the table with an irritated sigh while Holly and Kim burst into fits of laughter again.

Dani shook her head sympathetically and her eyes met Nick’s from across the table. He was doing exactly the same thing. They offered each other awkward smiles, silently communicating with one another how amused and yet sad this little mess had gotten for them.

Mary raised her head and looked at Nola in exasperation.

“…I was trying to move past that,” she calmly explained.

Apparently, Nola finally got it. Or at least she stopped pretending to be in the dark. “Oh.”

“To answer your question,” Kim said through giggles, sitting back up straight in her seat, “it’s more complicated than that. Yes, some kinds of sushi are raw fish. But not all kinds! There are some dishes you cook, some you even fry, like tempura rolls, and practically everything is seasoned in some form or another. So it’s perfectly valid to call it cooking, and for the most part, it’s safe and hygienic. Of course, not completely.”

She looked at Mary, who nodded back. “After all,” Kim continued, “you are still serving raw food, especially in sashimi. But most of the time, the sashimi you get in restaurants has been flash frozen to get rid of any harmful bacteria. Is it completely safe? No. But it’s about as safe as you can get.”

Mary nodded again. “Very good, Kim! That’s a relief to hear.”

“Hey, you learn something new every day!” Dani said, surprised. “I never heard about that flash frozen stuff. So sushi really is pretty hygienic to eat then, isn’t it?”

Kim smiled. “That’s right!”

“Well, minus the whole ‘eating it off a person naked’ thing,” Holly pointed out. “I think that kind of nullifies any safety in preparation.”

Kim turned to Holly and her mouth fell open in shock while Dani stifled a laugh.

“That… that was ONE TIME!” The tomboy hissed, turning bright red. “I just did that because of the challenge! That wasn’t how we served it in the restaurant!”

“Oh?” Holly frowned in disappointment. “How boring.”

Kim rolled her eyes.

Mary just sighed and shook her head. “I guess I should have expected things would go this way eventually,” she said, laughing. She wasn’t even mad. “The important thing is that we’re all having fun together, right, Dani?”

“Yeah,” Dani agreed. So maybe she had to sit uncomfortably due to the surge of pleasure regularly shooting through her body. That didn’t mean this dinner was a failure. Just the opposite, in fact. It had been a while since Dani had a dinner this fun!

The fact that she’d made it herself was just a nice bonus.