Emmie screamed as another wave of pleasure raced over her, she bit not only her lip but the pillow she was trying to stifle her cries with. Finn pounded into her from behind, as she lay in his bed.
Her limbs trembled with exhaustion, but she didn’t care. Anything he was willing to share with her, she wanted. His cock was long and thick as damn did he know how to use it.
He slowed and pulled from her. She moaned in frustration but yelped when he flipped her over to face him. Sweat flushed his skin and she knew hers as well. Finn bent forward, slipping his arms beneath her to lift her.
“What?”
“I want to watch you come.”
I don’t know if I can come anymore. She lifted up and sank back on his shaft. He was on his knees and she was on his lap. Curling her arms around his neck, she put them forehead to forehead.
“And I want you to come.”
“Trust me, I will. Just want to make sure you’re satisfied first.” He skimmed his hands along her back.
“Pretty damn satisfied.”
“Pretty damn isn’t the word I’m going for. So I guess we have to keep going.”
“What a pity.” She smiled, rolling her hips allowing him to hit a different part within her. “Yes,” she hissed.
“Eyes on me, Emmie.”
“I love your eyes,” she whispered.
Her phone rang from somewhere in the place but neither of them stopped. His strokes were slow and steady as the fire within her was stoked to full once more. She moved her hands along the muscled shoulders, loving the play of them as he worked his body.
Finn lay her back and without missing a beat, had her hands in his, stretched out over her head. Still delivering those long, drugging strokes. The mood had shifted. The frantic beginning had its edge calmed and now this was different.
He wouldn’t let her look away from him. Each time she had her eyes shut for longer than a blink, he coaxed her to open them once more.
Words fell from his lips, words she couldn’t understand because his brogue had gotten so thick. The meaning of them, though, she felt that all the way to the marrow of her bones. His tone, the intimacy, all of it, sent her over the precipice once more and this time he came with. He stiffened before thick ropes of his cum filed her. She flexed and milked him, wanting every drop he would give her.
When he finished, he lowered himself on her and kissed her. Again, different from earlier kisses. This one was soft and tender, for that desperation had left. He stayed inside her, just held her close and pulled a blanket up over them both. Not that she was cold, his heat was enough for her. Even though her bed wasn’t that far away, she didn’t have the energy to move from his to hers and was glad he was okay with the cuddling.
She was up before him and snuck out of the bed, body blissfully sore. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she gathered up her clothing that was spread all over the living area and took a shower. Once dressed, she headed out for a morning walk. It was drizzly but she didn’t care. This place was more a home than she’d ever had in Pittsburgh.
Remembering her phone had rung, she dug it out and checked the caller id. She didn’t recognize the number but called the number back.
“Hello?”
“I’m returning a call from this number. Who is this?”
“My name is Alexander Whitten, is this Emerald Donaghue?”
“Emmie, please. What can I do for you Mr. Whitten?”
“I was wondering if we could meet. I have a proposition for you.”
“I’m in Ireland at the moment and what kind of proposition are you talking about?” She waved at the couple climbing into their car as she passed.
“I’m well aware of where you are, Emmie. I can be at Dunphy in about an hour if you would be willing to meet me.”
“Okay. I’ll be at Emerald Myst. Do you know where that is?”
“I do. Thank you for agreeing to meet me.” He hung up.
Heading back to the pub, she opened the door and the shutters on the windows in order to see when this man pulled up. Coffee had been made and she just finished pouring herself a cup when she heard an engine die out front. Drink in hand, she made her way to the door and leaned against the framework.
The black Land Rover didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the vehicles she was used to seeing around. A tall man stepped from the driver’s seat and gave her a slight wave as he swiped a briefcase prior to heading in her direction.
“Ms. Emmie, Alexander Whitten. Thank you again for agreeing to meet me.”
“I have to say I’m curious as to what you could possibly want with me. Would you like to sit inside or out here? I can have a table out in no time if you’d like to be outside.”
“Inside please. I’ve heard about the new improved Emerald Myst and am looking forward to seeing it for myself.”
He went by her as she waved him in, smelling of pomade for his slicked back golden-brown hair.
“Heard about it? From who? Where?”
He slid into a chair across from her. She gestured to the coffee.
“Help yourself.”
“When a black woman comes to Ireland to take over a run-down bar and increases the patronage, word spreads.”
She leaned back in her chair. “That so? And why is that? Because a woman shouldn’t be able to do that? Or is it the color of my skin?”
“No, it’s because of who your father was.”
“What about who he was?” She tightened her hold on the mug while he fixed his own drink.
“I have no wish to speak ill of the departed.”
“Obviously you do for you brought him up. But fine, let’s not talk about him. Why don’t you tell me what this proposition you have for me is.”
She had to give herself credit. The woman she’d been in Pittsburgh wouldn’t have been strong enough for this. She had been far to content to remain in the background and allow others to take credit for her work. Not now. She poured blood, sweat, and tears into this place. She and Finn deserved the credit.
“I’d like to buy your bar.”
It’s not for sale. She blinked and reached for the file he handed her from his black case. “Why are you interested in my bar?”
“You’ve done amazingly well. We think with the right monetary backing it can be even better.”
“Yet you come to me with solely an offer to buy, not for the monetary backing. From that I will deduce you believe that you can run it better than a black woman from Pittsburgh. Brings me back to the is it because I’m a woman? Or a black woman? American? Perhaps a bit of all three?”
He flared his nose but didn’t answer, merely sipped his coffee. She opened the file and stared at his name on the business card in there.
“Let me take a look at your proposal Mr. Whitten and I will be in touch with you in a few days.”
“Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.” He finished his coffee and stuck out his hand.
She didn’t get to her feet but shook his hand. “I’m sure you will. Safe travels, Mr. Whitten.”
Once he exited the building, she took to her feet and went to the door, leaning there as he got in his SUV and drove away. She made short work of cleaning up, finished her own drink as she perused the proposal he’d left with her.
He’s offering a lot of money. I wouldn’t think this was worth such a price for sale. Wonder if the extra is supposed to be an incentive for me to take the deal.
She needed to think about this. Ignoring the rain, she made her way to the river and the bridge over it. Walking to the side, she sat, dangling her legs over. After a while a few of the village boys joined her, fishing. She didn’t mind, just sat with them while they enjoyed their day.
“See you boys later,” she said about two hours later.
Moving through town, she stopped at Kells. Shrugging out of her jacket once inside, she hung it up and looked around. People watched her but there was more reservation in those gazes than she’d seen in months.
She took her typical seat and waited for Honora. The woman came and set her coffee down without a word and turned to walk away.
“Did I do something wrong? Honora?”
The young waitress faced her, face full of disappointment. “Why would you ask that?”
“The fact I’m getting the cold shoulder from you and everyone else in here. What did I do wrong?”
“We thought you were one of us, thought you liked us.”
“Okay, I do like you and I’m thrilled to be considered one of you. What brought this on? Is it because I slept with Finn?”
Her eyes bugged wide. “You slept with Finn?” Her screech sent that bit of information to the entire place and it fell silent once more as they all focused on her and Honora.
Why do I embarrass myself like this? “So that wasn’t it. Can you tell me what I did?”
Honora sat across from her. “You’re selling Emerald Myst.”
A scowl slapped over her features. “No, I’m not. Who said I was selling?”
“Finn said you met with Alexander Whitten.”
Her eyebrows jacked up to her hairline. “He did, did he?”
“If you’re not selling why would you meet with him?”
“First, Mr. Whitten called me and asked me to meet him. I had no idea who he was. He gave me his proposition and said he hoped to hear from me. Was it an offer to purchase Emerald Myst? Yes. Am I taking it? No. I had about two seconds when I saw the amount he offered where I thought about it, but then I did some more thinking, while I was sitting out on the bridge with Tommy and Jamie as they fished. And I came to the conclusion that if that man thinks it’s worth that, I must be on the right track. I don’t want to give some people I don’t know money when I can make it larger and better myself, bringing in revenue for the village and the people here instead of a huge building somewhere else.”
Honora squealed again and dashed around the table to hug her. “I’m so happy. And I want to know all about you and Finn but I have to get your food first.”
In the time to get the food out there, everyone had come up to her telling her how glad they were she wasn’t selling. It made her feel wonderful, expect when she thought about Finn and how he immediately assumed she was going to sell just because an offer was put before her. Not much different than him wanting me because he was under the impression Donnie wanted to date me.
That was a pain that cut deep and long. And one she would take care of after she ate.
Finn wasn’t at the bar when she got back and she wasn’t sure where he would be. Picking up her phone, she dialed him and it went to voicemail.
Without leaving a message, she went back downstairs once she’d packed a bag. McSweeny was there.
“Going somewhere, lass?”
“Back to America. Excuse me.” She loved the old coot but if people were going to jump to conclusions and were going to think about her as scum, she may as well let them until she got back.
Thankfully Donnie was there to take her to the bus so she could head to the airport.