“Why should I trust you?” Raya asked, her chest heaving up and down. “You took me from my father, I don’t even know if you’re taking care of him, you could have hurt my sister, you’re hurting me right now.”
“Because I love you,” Joel said, as though it was obvious. He was holding Raya’s gaze with his own intense stare as he pushed into her the rest of the way.
Raya had no more complaints. It only took one thrust, and stars were dancing across her vision. It was better than she had ever imagined something could be, and she felt as though each of her nerves was on fire. Joel moved with her body, finding all of the right places inside of her, and crooking his fingers that were still safely sheathed in her. It was all too much, the boiling, bubbling fire rising within her. In that moment, she understood why Michaela had become the town whore.
It was fun, and it was amazing.
“You’re such a good girl,” Joel praised as he fucked the girl, using quick, hard thrusts that soon had the headboard bumping against the wall, rattling the frames that rested there.
Raya couldn’t be bothered to reply, her head thrown back in the heat of the moment. Thoughts were forming in her head, but she couldn’t articulate them past the lustful repetition of Joel’s name and the way silken syrup poured from her lips, begging Joel for more.
He did as she commanded, thrusting into her however she wanted. Hours seemed to pass, the air turning hot and muggy around them. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon, and the moon was high in the sky. When Joel pushed another finger into Raya and moved them around in time with his thrusts, it was all over for her.
Her entire body seemed to freeze up, that heat that had once been consuming her turning ice cold. When she relaxed, the heat was back. Joel had pulled out of her, flaccid once more after spilling his seed deep inside of the girl. She could feel a steady leak between her legs, from both of her entrances, and knew that she was ruining the sheets.
“Did you mean what you said?” Raya asked after a moment of heavy panting, both trying to regain their breaths. “About loving me?”
“Can I ask you a question to answer a question?” Joel replied.
Raya was confused, but didn’t have the willpower to think it over. She nodded.
“Will you marry me?” Joel asked. He reached up and untied Raya’s hands, which had long since turned pale and gone numb from the lack of blood. When Raya didn’t reply, he began to ramble. “I know it’s untraditional, and certainly you were expecting me to pick Michaela—but I love you, Raya. I love how you look when you’re on a horse, when you’re free. I love that fire of an independent woman deep inside of you. I love how you’re not afraid to ask me the things that no one will ask me.”
He looked ready to continue, but Raya interrupted him with a quick, “Joel, shut up.”
He gave her a horrified look, but when Raya sat up and kissed him, his love was sealed. He kissed back, putting his hands on the back of Raya’s neck.
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” Raya agreed after she pulled away from the kiss. Joel sighed, and she admired the way that he looked when he wasn’t putting up a front. “I’ll stay with you forever,” she said.
Joel savored the word, repeating it in his head as they fell to the bed, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.
Forever.
6. Emily’s Desire
By: Erin Walsh
Emily’s Desire
© Erin Walsh, 2015 – All rights reserved
Published by Steamy Reads4U
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Warning
This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.
If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.
Chapter 1
Emily sat at her workspace, carefully threading another piece of yarn through the long, intricate spool that Finn had set in front of her. She had thirty more to complete before she took her lunch break, and she was already weary from the tedious work. “I’m not sure how much more of this I can complete, Leila.” Emily glanced over at her cousin who seemed unfazed by the looming pile of yarn sitting before them.
“You know, Emily…” Leila flicked one of her long tresses of golden hair behind her shoulder. “It could always be a lot worse. We could be stuck over in the stables, mucking out straw and manure with Ellie and Felix.” She chuckled and then covered her mouth, feeling embarrassed that she had just poked fun at her male cousins’ work. Emily rolled her eyes.
“Yes, yes. I know that situations always have the potential for being far worse, but it still doesn’t take away the fact that my fingers are raw and my hands are going limp from all of the pulling and tying.” Emily wasn’t much of a complainer, but for months now she had been hoping that by some twist of fate her life could be altered. She wasn’t necessarily unhappy, but she was still convinced that there was more out there in the world than she had yet seen.
“Maybe Finn will promote you, and then you can help him with the dyeing process, instead. Jessie and Carmine seem to like that phase of the industry work.” Leila shrugged and then decided that there really wasn’t much that she could do to appease her cousin’s woes. As far as she was concerned, it was decent work with decent pay, and she didn’t think it warranted too much to complain about.
“Maybe Finn will promote you, instead.” Emily raised her eyebrows and then gave her cousin a playful smile. “I see the way he looks at you every time he walks through here with a loom to disassemble. You know he is on the hunt for a good, pleasant wife.” Emily wondered why Finn wasn’t married, already. He was a fairly attractive man and he had a lovely home up in the Lancaster valley. Emily knew that he had a real soft spot for Leila, but she also knew that Leila would have no interest in him because of his age.
“I think that the two of us would benefit from some time away from this place, even though I really don’t mind the work.” Leila smiled and pulled a long strand of yarn from the pile. She threaded it around the spool and then lifted it up above her head. Emily watched as Leila spun it around the spool. Just as Leila was about to comment on how much she liked the color of the yarn, the door swung open, and Finn stepped inside.
“Good afternoon, Emily and Leila. I’m happy to see that you are both hard at work. You might be glad to find out that I am letting you both out early this afternoon. I just received a report from further up in the hills that snow is coming in our direction.” Finn stood with his hands on his hips. He looked concerned, yet not fearful. It was somewhat unusual for Lancaster to be hit with winter storms this time of year, but the two cousins were thrilled, nonetheless.
“Well I suppose we best get cleaned up in here, then.” Leila was the first to get up from her chair. She scooped a large pile of yellow yarn into a pile, and then stacked her cotton squares into a neat pile on the floor. Emily began picking up her scissors, spools, and yarn bags. Finn watched on with satisfaction, pleased that the girls were both efficient and amiable. He wished that all of his employees had the same solid work ethic and positive attitude.
“Thank you, Mr. Dillmore. We’ll be on our way shortly.” Emily smiled an
d then got up from the table. She was relieved to have the rest of the afternoon free, and she was already thinking of creative ways to spend the time. Leila wiped down her area with a dry cloth and then pushed in her chair, as well. Finn watched on a few more minutes, and then walked away to break the news to the rest of his crew.
“Shall we stop at Griffin’s Café on the way home? I bet they still have some of those cinnamon rolls from breakfast.” Leila’s eyes got wide as saucers. Emily chuckled, always amused by Leila’s love for sweets.
“Sure. Let’s get some coffee and some cinnamon rolls.” Emily was thrilled with the prospect of doing something that didn’t involve a schedule. She could go to Griffin’s Café and sit by the window, then wait for the ominous snow to begin falling. She smiled. It would be time put to good use, regardless of what she chose to do.
By the time the two had put on their coats and walked to the front door, the sky had turned from blue to gray, and a subtle chill filled the air. They walked away from Lancaster Textile Company, and toward the center of town. Emily smiled and gave Leila a playful tug on the arm. “This is so exciting. When’s the last time we had an afternoon free to do something fun?” Her eyes widened and she thrust her head up toward the sky, watchful for any signs of a snowflake.
Leila smiled in response, and then looked over her shoulder just in time to see a throng of middle-schooled aged males running past them. “School’s out early! School’s out early!” One of them in the front yelled at the top of his lungs and the others followed behind him, their arms flailing in excitement as they past Emily and Leila. When they reached the Griffin Café, Emily opened the door and the two cousins stepped inside.
“There’s nothing like the smell of fresh coffee and hot cinnamon rolls.” Emily closed her eyes and sniffed the air. Martha, the head baker, stepped out from behind the counter and threw her arms on her thighs.
“Well if it isn’t the Fawn cousins.” She smiled and then let out a hearty laugh. She had known the girls since they were just babies, and her daughter, Maggie, had often babysat for both of their families. Emily and Leila unbuttoned their coats and hung them on the hook by the door. Emily gave Martha a hug. “I’m so happy to see the two of you.” Leila smiled and ran her hands through her long brown hair. Then she gave Martha a hug, as well.
“Well, have a seat and tell me what I can get for you. I’m running a special on peppermint mochas today.” She raised her eyebrows and then scooted behind the counter to wait on a customer. Emily and Leila sat down by the table closest to the window. Emily closed her eyes for a moment, relieved that she was out of the Lancaster Textile Company. Tempted by the peppermint mocha offer, she got up and ordered one at the counter. Leila did the same.
“You know, Leila. I think the only thing missing from this picture right now is a significant other to share it with.” Emily smiled and took a sip of her hot drink. Leila rolled her eyes. She was becoming used to Emily’s recent preoccupation with finding a mate, and she often humored her to quell the obsession.
“I bet one day, when the time is right, both of us will end up happily married. For right now we need to just be content with our jobs, and focus on making enough money to rent a new flat with more living space.” Leila nodded her head, confident that her response was the appropriate one. Emily rolled her eyes.
“Of course what you say is correct, Leila. But neither of us are little school-girls any more. We need to find someone before we hit the old spinster era of our lives.” Emily spoke dramatically and reached across the table to emphasize her point. Leila shook her head and sighed.
“You need to find a theater company to work with on your spare time because the melodrama is strong with you.” She sipped her drink and then reached for a newspaper that was sitting along the windowsill. Just as she opened up the front page, snowflakes started to fall on the town. Emily’s eyes widened.
“Here it comes, Leila. Maybe we’ll get so much snow that Finn will have to close the shop tomorrow.” She spoke with a hopeful lilt in her voice, and then sipped on her mocha with delight. Leila looked outside and the two girls fell silent for the next five minutes, both of them in awe of the beauty that came with a heavy snowfall. Martha came out from behind the counter and joined them in observation for a few minutes.
“Nothing like an unexpected snowfall in the middle of November, right?” She smiled and then went back to her position behind the counter. She knew that a heavy snow could mean a rush in business, so she got to work on prepping coffee and rolling out another section of dough.
“I think it’s time for a cinnamon roll, Leila.” Emily got up and then ordered a roll from Martha. She sat down, pulled it apart, and then gave half to Leila. The two nibbled and giggled for the next hour, both of them feeling the levity of having some time away from the dreary confines of the textile building. When dusk rolled around, they both got up and bid their goodbyes to Martha.
“You two take good care, and stop back in some time soon.” Martha waved goodbye then went back to waiting on a long line of customers who had recently filed into the café. When Emily and Leila stepped outside, the snow was already up to their ankles.
“This is the kind of snow that we used to love for making snow men and snow angels.” Emily looked up to the sky and then stuck out her tongue. Leila laughed as she watched Emily catch a series of large snowflakes. The two giggled and walked until they reached the front of their apartment. Then they walked up the steps and unlocked the door, stepped inside and kicked off their shoes.
“I’m ready for a long bath now.” Leila walked into the bathroom and Emily stood by the windowsill. At times like these, she often thought about her parents. They both lived in London now because Emily’s father was trying to get into a medical science program at the university. Emily had traveled out once to visit them, but found that they were both too preoccupied with her father’s new aspirations to pay much attention to her. She sighed and then at down on the plaid, wool couch.
When night fell on the town, both Emily and Leila readied themselves for bed. The snow had tapered off, and a thick white blanket settled over the rooftops. They decided that they might as well assume that work would be scheduled for tomorrow, but they both secretly hoped it would be cancelled. At six a.m. Emily looked out the window and watched the townspeople make their way on foot into work. “I think we should get dressed and prepare to go in.” She sighed and then opened her closet to pull out her textiles clothes.
Leila rolled out of bed and got dressed, but she wasn’t feeling as disappointed about going into work as Emily was. “You know, Emily. Maybe Finn will open a new factory sometime soon, in a different part of town. Then you’d at least have the opportunity to meet some other people, to get out of the same building.” Leila realized that her cousin had a different personality, that she was more of an adventure seeker, and that she craved creativity and spontaneity.
“Maybe.” Emily shrugged, and the two made their way down the steps and outside into the cold. The snow crunched under their boots and the two reached the front of Finn’s building just as the sun peeked out from behind a heavy cloud cover. “Good morning, girls.” He greeted them at the door and let them both inside. Emily’s smiled disappeared as soon as she walked down the long, dark corridor to her work station. The scent of peppermint mochas still in her head, she pretended to be outside making snow angels and tossing snow balls.
The cousins took off their coats and then walked into their work-room. The other girls were already inside, all of them dressed in the same drab work clothes as Emily and Leila. None of them smiled, and none of them spoke. Emily plopped down on her stool, and then reached for a skein of yarn. She looked at Leila who was already spinning a long line of yearn onto a spool, and then sighed. Then she got to work threading her yarn, and daydreamed about a different life.
Chapter 2
Emily sat down on her stool Wednesday morning, just as she did every morning. The ritual was almost exact, every day that she
stepped into the factory. She took off her coat and hung it on a wooden hook. Then she reached for her skein of yarn that was always stuffed into a large basket in the middle of the table. She knew that there had to be more to life than whittling away her days inside such a gloomy factory, but as of yet she had no alternative. The better paying jobs were reserved for the university students, and it was difficult finding anyone who would hire her without much experience.
Just as she was about to ask Leila a question about how much yarn was left in the basket, a loud explosion sounded at the end of the building. The walls shook and the spools rolled off the table. Leila’s face grew white with fear. Before Emily could say a word, an alarm rang off in the work room. Finn threw open the door, his face contorted in bewilderment. “Fire!” He screamed at the top of his lungs and then ran out of the room. Emily bolted from her stool and yanked Leila by the arm. The girls in the work room screamed, and a temporary chaos ensued.
“Out! Out the back door and down the escape!” Emily ran to the front of the room and bellowed her command. The girls in the work room looked frightened and confused as they scrambled in various directions, some attempting to grab their coats and other just focused on getting out of the room. Emily, making sure that Leila was right behind her, rushed to the doorway and ushered the girls out. When she was sure that nobody was left behind, she herded them down the corridor and out to the escape.
Smoke was already filling the building when they descended the fire escape. Emily’s heart pounded and she could feel a bead of perspiration forming on her forehead as the heat form the flames enveloped the building. For a second she wondered what had become of Finn, but she knew that she couldn’t go back in and look for him. The girls at the bottom of the fire escape stood in a huddle, some of them crying, and others simply stunned.
Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything Page 16
