"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 shifted 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.

She pushed her sungla.s.ses to the top of her head as she swung her legs off the chair. She stared directly at his fly. "Looks like you enjoy the view." Her narrowed gaze lifted to his eyes. "Do you, Griff? Do you like looking at my body?"

It would be foolish to lie when the proof almost poked her face. "Yes."

"Do you want to touch it?"

He curled his hands into fists at his sides to keep from doing that. "I can't."

"You did this morning."

"I shouldn't have. I cheated on Jana."

"I know you still love your wife," Emma said, her voice low and tender, "but she's gone. You can't believe she'd want you to live the rest of your life without being with another woman."

No, he didn't believe that. Jana would want him to be happy. He wasn't sure how to do that. He'd loved her since he was fifteen years old. He didn't know how to give her up.

"Maybe I can help you."

Griff jerked when Emma laid her hand over his fly. She ran her palm up and down his length, slipped it between his legs. His breath came out in a hiss when she squeezed his b.a.l.l.s.

"I'd say you definitely need some help."

He didn't stop her as she unfastened his belt, or when she unsnapped and unzipped his jeans. He didn't stop her when she tugged down the front of his briefs, or when she took his c.o.c.k into her warm mouth. Instead, he pushed his jeans and briefs down to his thighs and cradled her head in his hands.

Closing his eyes, Griff tilted back his head and absorbed the pleasure of Emma's mouth and tongue on him. She circled her tongue around the crown, licked down the full length to his b.a.l.l.s. They received the expert attention of her tongue before she laved the length again. She dipped into the slit, circled the crown once more, then took his c.o.c.k into her mouth and sucked hard.

"Christ," he muttered. Griff's knees almost buckled. He tightened his hands on her head and began gently f.u.c.king her mouth. She took everything he gave her, even when he pushed his c.o.c.k so far that his b.a.l.l.s b.u.mped her chin.

"Mmmmmm."

The humming sound she made vibrated along his shaft, making it even harder. She fondled his b.a.l.l.s with one hand, gripped his a.s.s with the other. Griff pumped faster as the pleasure climbed. It wouldn't take long for him to tip over the edge...

His b.a.l.l.s tightened, his breath lodged in his throat. The o.r.g.a.s.m engulfed his entire body, galloping up his spine, down to his toes, and out the end of his c.o.c.k. He jerked with each contraction as his s.e.m.e.n filled Emma's mouth.

Once the stars stopped flashing behind his lids, Griff opened his eyes. He looked down into Emma's face. Her lips were deep red, desire glowed in her blue eyes. Seeing that desire made him realize that for the second time today, he'd had a climax while she hadn't.

He'd never been a selfish lover. He'd always tried to please Jana. Leaving Emma...hanging wasn't acceptable at all.

Too ashamed to look at her, he stared at the ground while he straightened his clothes. The direction of his gaze let him see her feet. A sudden fantasy filled his head of taking each of her toes into his mouth and nibbling on them.

She scooted her feet into white sandals and stood. "Alaina and I have an appointment with your dad at three to talk about plans for the restaurant. I have to go back to her house and shower."

Picking up a loose red T-shirt from the end of her chair, she slipped it over her head. Griff gripped her arm before she could take more than two steps. "Wait. We need to talk."

She'd replaced the sungla.s.ses on her nose, so he couldn't see her eyes. "I don't want to be late. We'll talk later."

"Emma-"

A forefinger to his lips stopped him. "I promise we'll talk later."

He watched her walk away with guilt and shame churning in his stomach. An even stronger emotion battled for control-l.u.s.t. He still wanted her just as much as he had before he'd come.

He had no idea what to do about that.

Chapter Six.

Emma tried to decide how she felt about what happened with Griff while she drove to Stevens House. She knew Alaina would want a report since she'd heard her friend up and about this morning before she left the guest room. It didn't take a genius to figure out she'd spent the night with Griff.

Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to share anything about Griff with her friend. That in itself surprised her. She and Alaina and Kelcey didn't keep secrets from each other.

Parking behind Stevens House, Emma entered through the kitchen. She waved to George McGettis, who was busy taking measurements for the kitchen cabinets. She and Alaina were going to meet Kelcey tomorrow for lunch and then to shop for appliances. They'd have to make a second trip when it was time to shop for the appliances in the restaurant. But any shopping for the restaurant would be way in the future. Today she and Alaina had an appointment with Kenneth Coleman to discuss drawing up the blueprints.

Not seeing Alaina anywhere downstairs, Emma went in the dining room to wait for her and Kenneth. She removed a bottle of water from the ice chest, uncapped it and took a long sip. It didn't take long for Griff to pop back into her head. She'd promised him they'd talk later, and she would keep that promise although she had no idea what she'd say to him. She certainly hadn't planned the b.l.o.w.j.o.b by the pool. She'd seen Griff's erection pressing against his jeans. Knowing that the sight of her body turned him on sent desire coursing through her. She'd had to taste him.

Emma loved taking a man's c.o.c.k in her mouth, yet she rarely let him finish there. It had never occurred to her to pull away before Griff came. She'd wanted him to come in her mouth, wanted to taste his essence.

She didn't understand why the urge had been so strong.

Her actions with Griff had been different than she'd experienced with other lovers. Emma was selfish when it came to s.e.x. She wanted satisfaction from her lovers. That had always been at the top of her list. With Griff, she'd thought about him before herself.

s.e.x twice with Griff and no o.r.g.a.s.m either time. That was definitely a record for her.

Alaina came barreling into the dining room, her face flushed and shiny with perspiration. "Sorry, sorry. I was outside with Bob Rowe."

"And who is Bob Rowe?"

"The landscaper. We were talking about flowers and trees. The man is a genius." She grabbed Emma's water bottle and took a long drink. "The grounds will be gorgeous when his crew is finished."

Since Alaina had almost drained the bottle of water, Emma retrieved another one from the ice chest. "Kelcey could help with that. The lawn and flowers are beautiful at her house."

"I may get her advice on flowers for around the house and along the walking paths."

"You have walking paths?"

"I will. Someday." She blew out her breath. "G.o.d, there's still so much to do. I feel overwhelmed sometimes. And now I'm committed to building a restaurant! I really am insane."

Although working in her own restaurant had been Emma's dream since high school, she'd give it up if it meant a hardship for her best friend. "You don't have to build the restaurant, Lainy. It was just an idea."

"It's a great idea. Rye and I talked about it until after midnight last night. The more we discussed it, the more I like it. With your cooking and Kelcey's organizational skills, it can't help but be a hit." Alaina drained the bottle and tossed it into the recycling can. "But enough about that. What's going on with you and Griff? You weren't on the couch this morning and the guest room door was closed."

"I slept with him."

Alaina's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Emma continued before Alaina could pump her for information. "I stress the word slept. I went in there for my book and Griff asked me to stay with him. So I did."

"That's all?" Emma clearly heard disappointment in her friend's voice. "You only slept with him?"