Emerald Myst

by Aliyah Burke

  “Keep going, Emmie. You’re doing fine.” A brief moment of silence. “I’m right here. Nothing will happen to you.”

  She wanted to turn around and make sure he wasn’t lying to her and about to kick said ladder so she fell to her death, but she knew if her gaze hit the hard packed earth, she would be following suit. So she gulped back her fear and pressed on.

  At the top, she once again paused. Apparently, her fear hadn’t been gulped back as far as she’d believed. Or hoped. Either way, it was now right there. In front of her. Taunting her. Mocking her.

  “You’re almost there. Just climb up.”

  Her teeth chattered. Why the hell had she ever begun to think this was going to be a good idea? How did she let him push her to this? “I will fall through.”

  “Baby, that roof has been holding me just fine and I’m a damn sight heavier than you. Just step up and slide to the right. I’ll be right there and will take the lead on where we need to go.”

  She listened.

  Nausea churned as she waited for him, unwilling to gaze around and take a look from this lofty perch. Pretty sure all her color had leeched out of her, she tried to make do with small shallow breaths, nothing jarring and not fast that she would become even more lightheaded. Which would lead to falling and that equated death.

  His presence was there before he even spoke. It surrounded her with warm and a feeling of security.

  As they had on the ground, his hands settled upon her hips.

  “Open your eyes, Emmie.”

  His breath gave her the courage to pry one then the other open. He was before her and those blue eyes snared hers. Not that she put up a lot of resistance, hadn’t since she first had been drawn in by them. The scruff on his jaw tempted and she was just fucking in awe of his body. It wasn’t fair.

  “Look around you.”

  A quick glance over each shoulder of his and she was back to his eyes. He quirked his lips and shook his head while he moved. Panic surged and she dug her nails into her hands so hard, she knew those half moon marks would linger.

  He stepped up close behind her, his stance wider than hers, drawing her back to settle against that defined torso she loved staring at every chance she got. His fingers flexed a few times on her sides before he murmured, “Trust me.”

  Problem was, she did. And knew deep in her heart and mind, this man could hurt her. In so many ways. He directed her body where he wanted her to look. Arm over her shoulder with one hand still on her hip, he pointed.

  “Look at that, you can see into the village.” A bit of turn and another explanation.

  Finn walked her in a full circle until they were once again facing the direction they needed to go.

  “Lying up here on the clear nights is amazing. The stars are so perfect, and the cool breeze makes it some of the best times I’ve ever had.”

  “I’ll take your word on that. You can see the stars from the safety of the ground, too, you know.”

  His laugh reverberated through her because he still pressed against her. “I’ll have you up here one night, Emmie. You’ll see.”

  Because her mind was as it was, especially when it came to this man. To her she took his statement as he was going to fuck her on the roof and that was acceptable in her mind—no surprise there.

  “Right.”

  He shifted to her left and she felt the loss right away. “Follow me.”

  Before the rising protest could escape, his hand grasped hers and he tugged her behind him. eyes lingering over his firm ass she was careful to step where he had and he finally got her to a place and situated. Then he moved a bit away and hooked on a tool belt.

  Shouldn’t have worn panties because Finn alone is hot. Finn in a tool belt as he works, scorching.

  * * *

  Finn swore under his breath and shook his hand. Four times. Four fucking times, he’d smashed his thumb because his concentration was for shit.

  Okay, so it was ninety-five percent his fault for insisting she come up on the roof with him. Surely, she could claim five percent for being so fucking hot.

  She’d relaxed for sure, since coming up. Right now, she lay back on the shingles, her tight tank top riding up and exposing that flat toned stomach of hers. One he wanted to lick caramel sauce off, or honey.

  As if the vixen knew he stared, she shifted, stretching her arms out over her head as she released the sexiest little moan. His cock got any harder and he wouldn’t need to use the hammer because his dick would be more than adequate.

  “I didn’t bring you up here to be lazy, Emmie.”

  “You told me being up here was part of the job. You didn’t say anything about physical labor once I got up here.”

  “You’re the owner. What are you going to do when there’s a problem?”

  She sat up, tipped her sunglasses down and stared at him over the rims. “Hire you.”

  The laugh ripped out of him, shocking him and most likely her from the way her eyes widened.

  “Always with a quick response aren’t you?”

  Emmie didn’t lay back but continued facing her as she sat there. “Not even close.”

  “I find that hard to believe. You are fitting in well here.”

  “Some think I shouldn’t be here.”

  It was a matter-of-fact statement and not one she asked for sympathy.

  “Some in the village don’t think I should be either. More people like you than me, Emmie and I grew up here.”

  He slid the hammer back in his belt and beckoned to her. grateful for his sunglasses to keep his eyes hidden because he was fairly certain he would have burned her up if she could see them, he couldn’t hide the hunger. Unable to look away from her as she moved, cautiously, to his side, he swallowed and forced himself to remember they were on the roof and it wasn’t good manners to tumble her down and fuck her until she couldn’t even scream his name.

  “On your knees.”

  She dropped. Fast and with zero hesitation. Made him wish one hundred percent he’d tried that inside so that luscious mouth would be lined up to his groin and he could just undo the button and zipper of his jeans, lower them and…

  Christ, he was going to fall over from being lightheaded.

  With a hand, that wasn’t as steady as it should be, he handed her his hammer. Then followed that up with a roofing nail.

  She lifted her head, flicked her tongue over her full mouth—more blood on that one directional path to his cock—and waited.

  “I need nails here, here, and here.”

  He made sure to point out where she needed to put them as he talked. Then he dropped a few more by her.

  “I’ve never done this.”

  “I know. That’s why you are doing it now.”

  He watched her in silence for three swings. “Let me help.”

  “You could just do it yourself,” she groused.

  “What fun would that be for me? I wouldn’t be able to do this then.”

  He moved behind her, groaning as her ass settled against his dick. Smoothing his hand down her bare arm to where she held the hammer.

  “You’re choking up on it. Move your grip down toward the end of the handle.” He pulled it from her grip until her hand sat in a better location. “Hold the nail near the top.”

  “Isn’t that going to hurt when I miss?”

  “You’re more likely to miss holding it down at the bottom. Trust me, Emmie.” He demonstrated the motion for her. “Go for a few well placed hits. Watch the nail head, not the hammer. Have most of your force come from your elbow and shoulder. Not with a bunch of wrist action.”

  “I’m not one who does a lot of wrist action.”

  He dropped the nail in his hand. All he could see now was her plunging her fingers in and out of her pussy, moving them with her wrist.

  “Comments like that, Emmie,” he paused. “Make me wonder if that’s not a cry for help.”

  She didn’t reply and he felt a stab of disappointment by that. Instead, she pick
ed up a nail and tried again. He watched and offered pointers but soon, she had the hang of it and was nailing down her own shingles.

  They passed the time up there exchanging stories. She told him a bit about her life back in Pittsburgh and he regaled her with stories of growing up here. Together they finished and he helped her to her feet, smiling as he watched one spread over her face.

  “That was amazing.”

  He guided her over to a spot in the shade and pulled two water bottles from the cooler up there. Not speaking until he’d had about half, he leaned against one of the chimney’s. Emmie rested against another side of the brick column. He could see her in his periphery.

  “You’re good. A bit more practice and you could make a living doing this.”

  Her lighthearted laugh coaxed another smile from him.

  “No, I don’t think home owners would be good with coming up on the roof with me, to make sure I don’t die from fright.”

  “Any man would happily follow you up any ladder, Emmie.”

  She waved him off and he didn’t push. Instead he asked a question that had been bothering him for a while.

  “Why didn’t you tell me of the problem with William Foley?”

  “Didn’t know there was one.”

  He pivoted around so while she still rested against the brick, he faced her directly. “The bit where he didn’t want to work with you.”

  “Oh, that.”

  Anger churned once more. He hated that people would be rude to her. “Yeah, that.”

  “You know your accent gets heavier when you’re irritated.”

  “Deeper and thicker when I’m aroused too.”

  “So talking about William Foley arouses you?”

  He chucked her under the chin. “Not even close. Just thought you’d like to know. Similar to how you asked about my eyes.”

  Her fingers flexed on the water bottle but she didn’t reply.

  “Answer me.”

  Her sigh was full of exasperation. As he waited, she fiddled with the cap.

  “I didn’t speak on it because it wasn’t important. I know he was a friend of yours and wanted to offer him the money but,” she shrugged, “he didn’t want to work with me.”

  “He told you not to tell me.”

  “I wouldn’t have anyway.”

  “You should have. Fucking right away,” he growled.

  “Why?”

  The question threw him. Emmie stared at him, straightforward in that way of hers, as she waited for a response.

  “Because you shouldn’t ever have to put up with that shit.”

  “That shit is a way of life for me. I’ve dealt with it my entire life.” She put the bottle between her legs, inadvertently drawing his gaze to her crotch. “I’ll deal with more racists before I die. They come and go but it’s how I deal with it that defines my life. He said no and I moved on. I’m not going to be pissy that he refused to work with me. It’s his right. Just like it’s mine to not recommend him for business or go to him when this business picks up and I need more materials.” She looked up at the sky for a few moments then back to him. “It’s all about choices. He made his and I’m making mine.”

  “You’re a unique woman, Emmie.”

  The smile she sent him didn’t reach her eyes and that was a dagger to his heart. What made her sad now?

  Once they finished their water, he decided it was time to get down off the roof. Heading down first, he anchored the ladder as she made her way back to the Irish earth. Her entire body relaxed as her tennis shoes touched the grass.

  Making sure to block her in before she could let go of the ladder, he pushed up against her back. “You kicked ass up there today, Emmie. Think of how good you’ll be tomorrow.”

  She shook her head. “Oh no, Finn Brannon. I learned but I’m not going back up there.” She turned so they were face to face and gripped the sides of his shirt so she didn’t fall into the aluminum of the ladder. “Besides, I already know how good I am.”

  His cock pushed determinedly against the denim confining it. He gripped her waist and drew her closer, angling his head to kiss her when he heard people coming. She slipped away and walked inside, out of his line of sight and the sun.

  Fuck, he wanted to kiss her. Sample those full lips and drink from them.

  Soon, he promised his dick.

  So fucking soon.

  Chapter 7

  Finn leaned against the bar and stared over the floor to the woman in the back as she finished cleaning the windows. He couldn’t help staring at her ass. It was a work of art, sue him.

  For the past four months, they’d busted their asses cleaning, tearing down and building up parts of this building that could be done easily and quickly.

  She didn’t point and direct, she got in the muck with him. They’d spent a day up on the roof together and he still had wet dreams about her up there with him in a pair of fitting jeans and a white tank top which only accentuated her breasts and curves. He’d smashed his own fingers more than once being distracted by her.

  Emmie had a great head for business and she was adamant about putting money back into the village instead of going outside of it when at all possible. Two people hadn’t wanted to work with her and instead of moping about it, she went to someone else and used their services. He’d had a larger issue with it than she had.

  Downstairs, instead of curtains over the windows, she’d asked him to make her some wooden slat shades that they could use to keep the sun from shining in directly. He’d not done that before but it had been an adventure he hadn’t wanted to turn down.

  Upstairs in their shared space, she had different colored curtains. For the main area she shared, was a neutral grey-silver shade. For his space that was sectioned off by sheets she’d made his dark blue over a lighter blue so he could use the dark ones if he wanted to sleep during the day but the sheer light blue just gave him some protection from peeping eyes outside. In her area were green and pink. A seamless blend of dark and light.

  She was amazing with a needle. She’d purchased a secondhand sewing machine and actually traded items for items needed for the bar.

  His nights were long as he ached more and more for her each day. Their looks got more heated with each passing day. Still he didn’t act on it.

  “You know you’re lusting after her in a way that surely isn’t healthy for you to do.”

  “Hello, Ma.”

  “When your grandfather told me you were living over the bar with some woman I was positive she would end up pregnant and I would suddenly have another child to raise.”

  He stared down at his mother. Thin with glossy black hair, she was the same beauty he remembered her being.

  “I’ve not touched her, Ma.”

  “Maybe not physically but I am positive you’ve stripped her bare and had your way with her a few times already just standing here. We’ve all seen it increasing over these few months. I’m still waiting for the wedding and the wee ones to follow.”

  “Ma!”

  “I know how this works. Trust me, you weren’t an immaculate conception.”

  “Still doesn’t mean I want to think about you and Da doing that.”

  “I like her for you, Finn.”

  “Do I even want to know what you mean by that?”

  “Probably not. Don’t muck this up. She’s the one for you whether or not you’re ready to see that.”

  “So me and Paddy’s daughter is an okay match for you?”

  “I see Paddy in her. I wish he were alive to see her now, he’d be so proud of her.”

  Emmie flipped down chairs as time neared for them to open. Her bucket of sudsy water sat on the floor near her. She danced along to some music that played in her ears.

  “I’m beginning to think this place may actually work out. We may make this bigger and better.”

  “I’ve never seen you so focused. Like I said, she’s good for you.”

  His mom pushed up and kissed his cheek before she made
her way over to where Emmie continued to put the chairs down. He turned around and retreated into the kitchen. The now spotless kitchen. She’d polished all of it and cleaned to get it to how it should be.

  They had plans to do more with the kitchen later but right now, they could do some fried foods for those at the bar if they were hungry.

  Patronage had increased and he could see more of a profit without him stretching things. Stuff that put him at ease.

  “Afternoon Finn.”

  “Donnie, thought you weren’t coming by until tomorrow. Did the date for the shipment change?”

  “I’m here as a customer tonight. I saw Emmie out there and she said you were back here. I wanted to talk to you a moment.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “You know Emmie better than any of us. Is she seeing someone?”

  The floor had just been yanked out from under him. Heart thundering in his chest, Finn struggled to make the words leaving his mouth as calm and blasé as possible.

  “Not that I’m aware of. She’s not mentioned anyone to me if she is. And I can’t recall seeing her go out on a date.” Acid churned in his gut.

  What he wanted to do was punch the man in his face and make him understand to keep his grubby hands off Emmie. Donnie was a good-looking guy. Strong from delivering boxes of alcohol all day. His sandy brown hair never looked out of place and his smile could charm many women. Finn had seen it done.

  “Great. I’ll ask her tonight.”

  “Wonderful.” He forced that word out from his throat because it surely didn’t want to leave on its own.

  Donnie waved and vanished back out to the bar where he could hear the music going and conversation. Finn moved to that door and peered out. Emmie had found her element. There was another live band playing tonight. She had mastered the bar without any problems. Right now she was talking to a woman named Affrica O’Shea Leighton, a reporter who had swung by to do a story on the bar. The women had hit it off and were laughing as they stood toward the back, listening to the band. Actually the first band she’d allowed in their bar. Black Raven. They were a huge draw.