She’s too good for me. I’ve never heard her voice, but I’m sure it rivals an angel’s. I don’t get an angel in life. I don’t get anything. I don’t deserve anything as good as the woman that always stops to talk to elderly women and gives away free samples to any kid that comes her way. Emily’s pure and untainted. I’ll never have anything more than these few moments, so I cherish them every day.
After chatting with the guy that is constantly with her, Jordan Monroe, she wraps her arms around his waist in a tight hug before pulling her scarf closer to her chin. It’s cold for October. Then she turns toward me. She can’t see me through the dingy glass and the glare of the sun streaming in, but I swear she’s looking right at me. Then she begins to move toward me.
I watch every step she takes until she’s no longer in view because she’s walking into the store.
“Hello?” she calls out.
Her voice hits me in the gut like a sledgehammer. It’s hot and heavy, a bedroom voice. Fuck me. I’m no longer sporting a semi. Clyde had better get his ass in gear because I’m not going in there with my dick raging hard.
“Hello? Mister Sharp?” Emily calls again.
Shit. I’m stuck. I can’t move toward her. I’m barely drawing an even breath. I’m the calmest motherfucker I’ve ever met and in this moment, I’m in a frenzy. Maybe she’ll leave if I don’t respond. That’s it. I’ll just stay silent like a pussy.
The door into the workshop creaks as her stunning face peeks around the edge.
“There you are,” she says with a kind smile sweeping across her face.
She moves to walk through the door and I respond, “Don’t.”
My tone is harsh and cutting, deep thunder. She stops and her green eyes full of gold flecks pop open wide as she halts, her smile dropping. I’m a complete asshole.
“There are a lot of sharp tools,” I say devoid of any emotion as I walk toward her.
“Of course. I’m sorry. I can come back when you’re not busy,” she apologizes quickly as her eyes drink me in.
If she doesn’t stop looking at me like that, we’re going to have problems. Eight years inside and I still haven’t touched a woman since I’ve been out. Pussy causes problems. I learned that lesson that fateful night too.
“What do you want?” I growl as I stop in front of her.
There’s heat in her gaze as it rakes down my torso and settles on my crotch. Thank fuck my dick’s not still straining against the zipper. Her breath catches and her eyes flick to my face then swiftly away.
“I…I’m sorry. You’re obviously busy. I’ll come back and speak to Clyde,” she mumbles staring at the floor, chewing on her thumbnail.
“Emily.” There’s warning in my tone, causing those golden green eyes to spring to mine.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers again.
“Stop apologizing and tell me why you’re here.”
“I need you,” she mutters and then blushes brightly as her eyes go wide. “I’m sorry. Dang it. I’m sorry…I just did it again.”
I want to laugh at how cute she is. I haven’t laughed in so long, I don’t even know what it would feel like. But I want to right now as she shifts uncomfortably, searching for her words.
She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, drops her assaulted nail, straightens her shoulders and says, “I need some more shelving for my shop. I was hoping you could come over and take a look at the space I need filled.”
Her eyes go wide and both of her small hands fly to her face as she groans. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. I’d love to fill her space, and look at it all fucking day long. I let her off the hook.
“When do you want me to stop by?”
“Whenever you have time. I’m there all day most days. Jordan could show you, if I’m not around,” she mutters into her palms.
I should deal with Jordan and not her. I know her schedule so I’ll go by when she’s out or on a Tuesday when she leaves early.
“I can—”
“Hello?” a man calls from the store.
You’ve got to be kidding me. We’re never busy and I don’t think two people come in here at once unless it’s the summer.
“Hide me!” Emily squeals and darts into the shop.
“What the fuck?” I ask, completely puzzled at her bizarre behavior.
“I’m sorry. Just please let me hide in here. I won’t chop off my fingers,” she says, shoving her hands in her coat pockets, flicking her eyes all around looking for a space to hide in.
“Don’t move,” I command and stride into the store, shutting the shop as I go.
The shop door is behind the counter that I built to keep people away from my work area. Not that it worked on Emily, but the guy waiting for assistance is leaning against the maple patiently.
“Can I help you?” I asks as professionally as I’m able.
“Yeah. I’m Adam Warren,” he says sticking his hand toward me.
“Garrett Sharp.”
I grasp his palm and retrieve my hand quickly.
“I live in the old Victorian up on Cliff Drive. I’m gutting it and need new cabinets. The Sanders said you’re doin’ theirs. I was hopin’ you’d be available to do mine too.”
He smoothes his hands down his pea coat that’s covering a three-piece navy suit. His hair has I don’t know what in it, to keep it slicked perfectly to the side. Dude looks like a model or a boy Barbie, if there is such a thing.
I flip open the appointment book and move to an opening with my finger marking the spot.
“I can come out and give you an estimate next Friday.”
“I’ll make sure my girlfriend’s there. What time?”
“Ten.”
“Em’s usually at her shop then. Do you have anything after three when she closes?”
I feel my finger dig into the paper as he asks. Why is his girlfriend hiding from him in my shop? I eye him for a moment while he fucks with his phone, running through his schedule. When his questioning dark blue eyes flick back up to mine I respond, “Ten’s all I’ve got until two weeks later. We’re pretty slammed right now.”
It’s not a lie. I’ve got orders to fill eighteen months out. But I could go to his house anytime I feel like it because I make my own schedule. I’m not willing to budge for him.
“I’ll make it work,” he assures me.
I pencil in his details, and he rushes out the door with his phone to his ear. I think it’s safe to say Adam’s a douche. I smack the appointment book shut, and stalk back into the shop. Irritated.
I come to a halt when I find Emily out of her coat and scarf, bending over at the waist, stroking a coffee table I’m working on for myself. And my dick is almost at full-mast instantly at the sight of her tight ass in a snug pair of black jeans. She’s trying to kill me.
“I told you not to move,” I snarl.
She jumps with a start, screaming out as she begins to stumble. I’m on her before I know I’m moving. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back to my chest. Fuck me. She feels better than I’ve imagined. Soft and warm, fitting perfectly against my much larger frame. Her hair perfectly below my face to tip my head down and suck in a lungful of her beachy scent. I don’t, but I could. All. Fucking. Day. Long.
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Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Norma Jeanne recently found herself relocating to the United Kingdom. Now living in Belfast, she took hold of the opportunity to kick the 9-5 job for a chance to become an author. The best part: w
orking from her home office, she gets to spend more time with her cast of crazy characters (written and real).
In her free time Norma Jeanne is a voracious reader and consumes books as readily as meals. She is a people watcher by nature and uses her experiences in life, observed or otherwise, to build the worlds and characters that thrive in her books. A believer in the strength of the human spirit, Norma Jeanne writes the stories of people that persevere when all appears to be lost.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Coming Soon…
Mugs of Love Sneak Peek
Stay tuned…
About the Author
Blackness Within (The Blackness Series Book 5) Page 43