Emerald Green Read online

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Emerald Green

  ISBN 9781419914027

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Emerald Green Copyright © 2008 Desiree Holt

  Edited by Helen Woodall.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Electronic book Publication May 2008

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/)

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Emerald Green

  Desiree Holt

  Dedication

  To my readers. Thank you for making Desiree Holt a success.

  Chapter One

  Meredith Kincaid pulled her little car into a parking space in front of Chocolates and Gems and leaned back in the seat. Only in Bradley Corners could you find a combination candy store and jewelry shop. Maybe she’d find something to lift her spirits, which at the moment were below the bottom of the ocean.

  She was still coming to terms with the fact that she was in Maine in October, at her grandmother’s bed-and-breakfast. Instead of basking in the Caribbean sun on her honeymoon. But finding one’s fiancé in bed with not one but two women tended to put a crimp on one’s wedding plans. Torn between rage and humiliation, she’d dumped the mess on her parents’ head, thrown the handiest things she could grab into a suitcase and taken off.

  “Things are slow this time of year,” Gram told her. “You’ll have plenty of space. I only have one guest. A man.”

  “Well, keep him away from me,” Meredith spat. “I don’t have much use for men right now.”

  Gram chuckled. “I don’t think he’ll be bothering you. It’s J.C. Reilly, the writer. He always comes up here to finish his books. Says he likes the solitude.”

  Meredith snorted. “At least we have that in common.”

  She spent her days huddled on the couch in the glassed-in sun porch pretending to read, or sitting in the window seat in her bedroom, staring at the ocean and wondering what it was she lacked that a man discarded her so easily.

  But today Gram had lectured her before leaving for the afternoon. “Get off that lounge,” she’d ordered. “It’s too comfortable. Get out of the house. Get some fresh air, for heaven’s sake. It’s warm for this time of year. Take advantage of it.”

  So here she was, about to gorge herself on the rich fudge the place was famous for, hoping the indulgence would ease the pain.

  Surprisingly the store was crowded. Late season tourists, she guessed. As she waited for the fudge line to go down, she casually glanced into the jewelry case she was standing next to. Many of the pieces were made by local artists. Her eyes stopped suddenly at a pendant nestled on white velvet. A tiny pine tree set with emeralds on a gold filigree chain.

  “That looks like it belongs on you.” The voice was deep and warm like honey.

  Meredith turned her head and found herself pressed full length against the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. Dark hair brushed the collar of his shirt and thick lashes framed whiskey-colored eyes. His tanned face, more rugged than handsome, had deep grooves etched into the sharp planes and a sharp scent drifted past her nose. Pulses throbbed instantly in her breasts and her cunt.

  “Oh!” Her breath felt trapped in her lungs. “Thank you.”

  She tried to move slightly away but his body enveloped her, keeping her in place. She knew she should feel threatened but instead she only felt turned on. The heat from his body was like a cloud of air around her and she could feel the thickness of his cock just touching her buttocks.

  He must have gestured to a sales clerk, because in a moment the case was unlocked and the pendant lay displayed in its glory on the counter.

  “Allow me.” He lifted it with long, slender fingers and fastened it around her neck.

  As his hands fell away they brushed across her breasts, so briefly she wondered if in fact she’d imagined it. His fingertips lifted her chin and moved her head so she was looking into the mirror on the counter. The pendant glowed as if it was alive.

  “I knew it,” he said, his hands resting on her shoulders. “It matches your eyes perfectly.” He bent his head so his lips were almost touching her ear. “Do you know in ancient times emeralds were coveted for their magical powers? They were believed to heighten sexual desire in women.”

  Liquid dampened her panties and her nipples tightened. What was she doing here with this stranger, his voice slowly seducing her? She touched the little tree, running her fingertips over the miniscule stones, hardly aware that he was paying the clerk. Her eyes widened as he pocketed the receipt.

  “I can’t let you buy this for me. It’s way too expensive. I don’t even know your name.”

  “Connor.”

  The smile undid her again.

  “Oh. Well. Hello, Connor. Nice to meet you. And I still can’t allow you to pay for this.”

  “But I just did.” He pressed his mouth to her ear again, his breath a sensuous feather against her skin. “And I have a pound of that fudge you were looking at so covetously. If you tell me your name, I might share it with you.”

  “M-Meredith.” Oh, way to go. Tell your name to a perfect stranger. Be smart for a change and run as fast as you can. But her feet wouldn’t move.

  “All right, Meredith.” He took her hand in his large, warm one and tugged her toward the door. “Why don’t we go find a place to indulge ourselves in this forbidden pleasure.” He smiled down at her. “Or any other one that comes to mind.”

  She let him lead her outside, images of forbidden thrills dancing in her head. God, this was so unlike her. She had no idea what she was doing with him, let alone any man after her last disaster. But a feeling of recklessness gripped her and as he tucked her into his car she thought, Why the hell not?

  “You know the Egyptians were the main provider of emeralds to the world for centuries,” he told her as they pulled away from the village. “Men gifted their women with them to help seduce them more easily.”

  “Is that what you’re doing?” Her voice was shaky. “Seducing me?”

  “Would you mind if I did?” His voice was like warm honey.

  She didn’t know what to say, nor could she make words come out if she did. When his hand, which rested on her thigh, moved slightly higher, rational thought disappeared. His touch was magic, calling forth instant response from her body. His fingertips nestled in the crease between thigh and hip, sending tendrils of heat dancing along her skin. Moisture dripped from her pussy at the intimacy of his touch and tiny flutters pulsed in her vagina.

  What’s happening to me?

  “Meredith?” His deep voice nudged her.

  “Yes? What?”

  He chuckled, an embracing sound. “I asked if you’d mind if I seduced you.”

  “Why don’t you try it and find out?”

  Oh, my God. Where did that come from? Has this piece of jewelry bewitched me?

  “My pleasure.”

  His hand slid lower until it was between her legs, his fingers prodding at her pussy through the thick fabric of her slacks. “Wet already.” His voice had taken on a husky quality. “I knew the emeralds would
be right for you.”

  His fingers pressed harder against her cunt lips and her hand flew to the pendant resting at the hollow of her throat. She could feel her pulse beat erratically beneath it and heat from the stones radiate through her body.

  “I-I don’t know if I thanked you for the gift.”

  He tightened his fingers around her pussy, rubbing it through the fabric that covered it. When he spoke his voice sent delicious shivers through her body. “Oh, you haven’t begun to thank me. Not yet.”

  Meredith wanted to squeeze her thighs together, trapping his hand so he could never remove it. This man had such a quiet air of confidence, liberally laced with sexuality. His very scent tantalized her and his tanned skin begged for her touch. Sunglasses shielded his eyes but she sensed they were full of mischief. Sex with him would be not just incredibly erotic but fun. What a combination.

  She couldn’t take her eyes away from the shift of denim against his powerful thighs as he drove, or the bulge pressing against the fly of his jeans. She could still feel the outline of his impressive cock against her when he’d been so close in the store. It seemed impossible but her body heated even more.

  “Where are we going?” She tried to divert her mind.

  “It’s a surprise. Do you like surprises?”

  “I-I think so. Although the last one I had was not too pleasant.”

  “Well.” He grinned. “We’ll have to see what we can do about changing that.”

  He hoped she did, because he had plenty in store for her. From the minute he’d seen her in the store he knew he had to have her. The creamy skin that begged to be tasted, the high breasts and flaring hips that promised a sensual feast. How he wanted to lie down between those hips and explore every inch of her body.

  He wasn’t given to impulses like this. Not that there weren’t plenty of women in his life. Sometimes he thought there were too many. But none like this one—sexy and fresh at the same time, with no artifice about her. And God, those eyes. Such flashing green fire. How could he not have bought the little pendant? It was perfect for her.

  He had no business playing today, not with the project looming over him. But he’d worked hard for days and decided he needed to give himself a break. How fortunate he’d picked today to do so.

  Her thigh was warm where he touched it, heat radiating through the fabric. And when he dared to reach between her legs and feel her cunt he was delighted to feel the moisture seeping through her slacks. Hot and wet. Just what he wanted.

  As they drove along the highway he had all he could do to keep from pulling onto the shoulder, tearing her clothes off and fucking her right there. Of all the women he’d known, none had ever made him so instantly hard or so incredibly aroused. Just touching her bare skin would make his mouth water.

  He wondered what her pussy tasted like—her juices that seemed to flow so easily. Strawberries, he guessed. Ripe red ones that burst when you bit into them. He wanted to suck it all down his throat, swallow it until it seeped into every inch of his body. He nearly drove off the road trying to imagine what her clit looked like and the inner flesh of her vagina. He righted the car quickly and forced his brain back on what he was doing.

  His cock was so hard and swollen it pressed uncomfortably against his jeans. What if he unzipped his pants and pulled it out right now? Would she be frightened? Turned off? Would she lean down if he asked her to and put those luscious lips around it and take it into the warm wetness of her mouth?

  Jesus! He needed to stop this. Right now, before he came all over himself like some out-of-control teenager.

  At least keep control of yourself until you get to where you’re going.

  “Where are we going?”

  Her voice cut into his thoughts and just in time.

  “Right here.”

  He pulled the car off onto an overlook at the edge of the cliffs. Below them the ocean pounded against a tiny scrap of beach.

  “Out here at the side of the road?” Her eyebrows flew up in astonishment.

  Connor grinned and pointed. “Down there. I come here a lot. It’s very private.”

  When she climbed out of the SUV she saw a set of wooden steps built against the face of the cliff. Weather had aged them but they looked sturdy enough.

  Connor pulled a thick blanket from the back of the truck and took her hand. “Hang on to me. It’s all right. They’re safe.”

  Suddenly he stopped and pulled her around to look at him. Without warning he bent his head to capture her mouth and it tasted every bit as good as he’d imagined. He licked at the seam of her lips and when she opened for him he swept inside. Sensation jolted him and he felt as if his entire body had been lit by a torch. He touched his tongue to every inch of the wet silk in her welcoming cavity, every contact sending licks of fire racing through him.

  At last he drew back, the killer smile teasing at his lips. “So, Meredith. Have you ever been fucked beside the ocean before?”

  * * * * *

  “Emeralds first became popular in the New World in the sixteenth century,” Connor continued to talk as he opened the blanket and spread it out. “That’s when the Spaniards arrived in South America and discovered a mine. Did you know that?”

  Meredith stood watching him, her heart stuttering. She was really going to do this! “No.” She swallowed and wet her lips. “No, I didn’t.”

  “The conquistadores knew about the sexual aspect of the precious stones and hoarded them as gifts for their women.”

  His voice was like a hypnotic drug to her, holding her in thrall while he unbuttoned her blouse with great care and slipped it from her shoulders. He stroked her shoulders and the bare flesh of her upper arms, raising goose bumps that had nothing to do with the cold. A quick dip of his head and the tip of his tongue licked the hollow of her throat where the pendant lay, sparkling and green.

  “Your skin is like the petals of a flower. A rose. Soft and delicate but with a heady fragrance.” He nipped one shoulder lightly. “I could spend hours just licking and nibbling at it.” A wicked grin turned up the corners of his mouth. “Everywhere.”

  “Ohhhh.” The word was more a sigh, a whisper on an indrawn breath. She imagined Connor’s mouth on all the intimate parts of her body—her breasts, her nipples, her cunt that was now pouring fluids into the crotch of her already dampened panties. An involuntary flex of pussy muscles let her know that just his words were igniting desire within her.

  A quick twist of his fingers on the front clasp of her bra and it too, dropped to the blanket. The faint breeze whispered against her skin as she stood half-naked in the sunlight before him.

  “Beautiful.” His hands cupped her breasts, cradling them in his palms. “Just beautiful. You have the breasts of a goddess. I am but a humble slave come to worship at them.”

  Meredith wanted to clench her thighs together to control the increasing throb in her vagina, a pulsating she felt all the way through her womb. She wondered if he could actually talk her into orgasm.

  Connor’s hands moved and he took her nipples in his fingers and pinched and tugged them, raking the edge of a fingernail over the hardened point. Meredith’s first instinct was to pull back. Her ex-bridegroom had always criticized her breasts as too small, her nipples as too large. But the look in Connor’s eyes told her he saw them differently.

  “Someone criticized these magnificent breasts,” he guessed. “Tell me who it is and I’ll beat his face in.”

  “I-It’s all right,” she stammered.”

  “No, it’s not.” He pressed his thumbs against the nipples. “Whoever it was had the brains of an ass. Your breasts are perfect, your nipples even more so. I wish I had emerald nipple rings for you.” He brushed his thumbs back and forth in a steady motion. “They’d be outstanding on you. How I’d love to see these tight peaks swollen and aching, hardening to my touch.” He dropped his hands. “But we don’t so we’ll improvise.”

  She frowned. “Improvise?”

  “Uh-huh.” He li
fted the bag with his fudge in it and grinned. “I told you I’d share this with you. I just didn’t tell you how.”

  He reached into the bag, broke off a piece, rolled it in his fingers to soften it and molded it to one nipple. Meredith looked down and sensation shot through her, sizzling every nerve in her body. She clenched her fists to keep from falling to her knees.

  Connor repeated the process with the other nipple, playing with the softened candy until he was satisfied. Then he bent his head and began to eat from one breast, his teeth taking tiny nips from the rich confection and scraping her sensitive flesh. His tongue felt like a soft brush whisking over her skin, calling down a firestorm of sensations that raced through her body. He was gentle but merciless and her breath caught at the back of her throat.