Part 5 (1/2)
”About two months. Alaina wants to have her grand opening the first of December. Rye promised her the house would be finished by then.”
”What's Alaina going to name it? Is she going to leave it Stevens House?”
”She plans to change the name, but hasn't decided what that name will be yet.” Griff tightened the last screw in the base of the fan. ”Flip that switch on the left.”
James did as Griff asked. The blades of the ceiling fan started slowly circling. ”Now the one on the right.”
The three energy-efficient bulbs came on with the flip of the second switch. James smiled. ”Looks perfect.”
”Thanks.” Griff descended the stepladder. ”One more in the pharmacy and I'm through until the last two are delivered next week. Teanna said they're on backorder.”
Griff picked up the stepladder and his toolbox, and left the office with James behind him. ”When are you and Teanna going to build your house?”
”Whenever Coleman Construction gets finished with all its other projects and can do it.”
Griff knew his dad had already completed the blueprints for Teanna's and James' house. All they needed now was a construction company. ”We were already working on Stevens House when y'all decided to run off to Reno and get married.”
”Yeah, I know. Lousy timing. But Lloyd and Ruth have been great about us living with them until our house is finished.”
Griff set up the stepladder and leaned over to put his toolbox on the floor. As he straightened, his gaze fell on the shelves in front of him. He saw boxes and boxes of condoms.
His mind flashed back to this morning and s.e.x with Emma. He'd never thought about a condom. There'd been no reason for him to think of one. He and Jana hadn't used those in years.
s.h.i.+t!
”You okay, Griff? Your face turned a little white.”
He a.s.sumed Emma used birth control. He also a.s.sumed she was disease free since she worked in a restaurant. But a.s.suming would be stupid. He had to talk to her.
”Griff!”
He jumped when James said his name. ”What?”
”You okay?”
”Yeah, I'm fine.” He cleared his throat. ”I just thought of something I need to do. Can I come back later to finish the last fan?”
”No problem. You sure you're okay?”
I will be as soon as I talk to Emma. ”I'm sure.” He slapped James on the shoulder. ”See you later.”
Griff gathered up his supplies and hurried from the store. Once in his van, he took out his cell phone and called Alaina.
”Hi, Griff,” she said in her soft voice.
”Hi.” He cleared his throat to dislodge the uncomfortable lump. ”I, uh, need to talk to Emma. Do you know where she is?”
”Yeah. She's at Dax's house.”
Of all the things Alaina could have said, that one surprised him the most. It also surprised him to feel a flare of jealousy deep in his gut at the thought of Emma being at Dax's house. Even though he knew his brother was working at Stevens House today, it still bothered Griff to think of Emma at the place where Dax had entertained so many women. ”Why is she there?”
”Enjoying the pool. She said she wanted to swim and take advantage of the hot weather as long as it lasts.”
”Oh.” Emma had taken a week off from work. Swimming and lying in the sun sounded like a great way to relax.
”Do you want her cell number?”
”Yeah, if you don't think she'll mind my having it.”
”I'm sure she won't mind at all.”
Griff disconnected the call with Alaina after she gave him Emma's cell number. He punched in the area code, but stopped before he finished entering the number. He didn't want to talk to Emma over the phone. He needed to talk to her in person.
Five minutes later, he pulled up in Dax's driveway and parked next to Emma's small car. Griff stepped through the gate next to the garage into the backyard. He rounded the corner and stopped in mid-step. Ten yards in front of him, Emma lay in a semi-reclining position on a lounge chair by the pool. Her eyes were closed, her arms over her head. She wore a tiny, red bikini bottom...and nothing else.
He'd touched her this morning, but he hadn't seen her. His gaze slowly traveled over her body. Perfection. Rose-colored nipples surrounded by large areolas sat in the center of her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He followed the line of her flat stomach past her navel to her mound. Her shaved p.u.s.s.y had been a surprise...a very s.e.xy surprise. His c.o.c.k had already been hard, but it hardened even more when he'd slid his fingers over that smooth skin and the silky folds between her thighs.
Griff curbed the impulse to press his hand against his burgeoning erection. He came here to talk, not for s.e.x.
As if she sensed his presence, Emma tilted her head toward him and opened her eyes. She made no move to cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but remained in the same position, watching him watch her.
Several moments pa.s.sed before Griff made his feet work again and walked toward her. Emma picked up a pair of sungla.s.ses on the small table next to her chair and slipped them over her eyes.
”Hi,” she said when he stopped by her chair.
”Hi.” His gaze slid over her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s and down her body. He could see part of a tattoo peeking from the top of her bikini. He longed to tug down that tiny piece of red fabric and see all of the mark someone had placed on her skin.
Jerking his mind away from the temptation, he s.h.i.+fted his gaze back to her face. ”Can we talk?”
”Sure.”
”Would you like to get dressed first?”
”No. I'm comfortable.”
He didn't like the idea of Dax coming home for something and seeing Emma in so little. ”What if Dax comes home?”
”Then he'll see what you're seeing.”
”That doesn't bother you?”
”I'm not an exhibitionist, if that's what you're asking, but I don't hide my body either. I'm not going to scream and run like a Victorian virgin just because a man gets a glimpse of my t.i.ts.” She stretched her arms over her head again, which lifted her b.r.e.a.s.t.s almost as an offering for his mouth. ”I work hard to stay in shape and I'm proud of my body.”
She should be. She had a gorgeous body, one made for s.e.x. Those large nipples practically begged to be sucked.
Despite his best efforts, his rod grew longer, thicker. Emma couldn't help but notice since her eyes were on the same level as his fly. The little taste of her this morning hadn't been nearly enough to quench his hunger for Emma...a hunger that had begun quicker than he thought possible.