Author's Note: Thank you for all your feedback! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of them. The buildup still continues...
Thanks especially to abmarie and SexyGeek for their help in tying all the lose knots in this story.
Enjoy this third installment, and don't forget to leave feedback! (:
*****
Chapter 3: Caught Up In Lust
"Kinky sex moves..." Keri read out loud, peeking over her friend's shoulder.
Jaz told her to hush, and returned to flip through the Cosmo magazine in her hands. Upon Keri's insistence, the girls went to the magazine section of the bookstore, and the provocative cover caught Jaz's attention. She had never actually purchased one before, but now that there was Emmett...
Just in case.
She thought with a small smile.
She glanced at Keri, who was skimming through a health magazine. With a sly smile, Jaz spoke up, "I thought you had some book you wanted to buy. You know, in the self-help section."
"Ha-ha. I actually did want to pick up something new to read, though. I don't want to know what wicked thoughts you have running through your head about Emmett," Keri teased, gesturing to the glossy picture in the open magazine of a woman wearing blindfolds.
"Haven't you heard? BDSM is all the rage right now," she joked, and Keri laughed at her as she wandered off.
Jaz took the magazine with her, and made her way to the romance section. She turned to make her way into the next aisle and found herself looking into a pair of sharp grey eyes.
"I thought I heard a familiar voice." Emmett's deep voice floated through her ears.
Realizing the last thing she said out loud, she felt heat begin to rise on the back of her neck. "You heard what I said?" she squeaked.
A crooked smile played on the corner of his lips. "No, but it was the only line I could think of. I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you here since this is where we first met."
She laughed softly and breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes wandered nervously, and she noticed him carrying a box set of books. She cocked her head to the side, "Harry Potter?"
He looked down in his arms, and then smiled at her. "They're a gift. My cousin keeps stealing my copies, so I thought I'd get him his own."
Her heart warmed, and a gentle smile appeared on her face. "That's nice of you. I hope he appreciates that."
He beamed, "They are great stories. What are you buying?"
Suddenly, the magazine in her sweaty palms felt heavy. "Huh? Oh, this? Something for a friend."
Play it cool. Pretend the half naked woman on the cover is not on there.
He eyed her suspiciously, trying to get a better look at what she held.
Yeah, right.
She placed her hands behind her back, along with the magazine. "I had a lot of fun last night," she brought up their date, attempting to change the subject.
His eyes lit up, "Me, too. And you did agree to see me, again."
"I did." She nodded and smiled at him.
"If you're up for taking a short hike, there's a place I wanted to show you."
"I'm not the most fit person out there, but I think I should be able to handle that." She lifted one of her legs a little, looking down to examine them.
He looked down at her legs with a naughty glint in his eyes, "You look like you could handle a little roughin'. I'm sure you'll be fine with me right next to you." Images of the previous night flashed through her mind, making her feel like a hot mess inside.
She rolled her eyes at him playfully, trying to act cool. "Is the view worth it?"
Seeing the laughter in her eyes, he broadened his smile. "You'll have to tell me when you see it for yourself."
They spoke for a little bit, and planned on meeting up again during the week like they have been doing. Working a couple of blocks away from each other had its perks, and they tried to take advantage of it. When he finally had to go, he gave her a soft kiss before making his way to the cashier to check out, and then exited the store. Jaz watched him leave, and then walked around with a grin on her face. Not paying attention to where she was going, she found Keri sitting on the floor immersed in a story.
"No sitting on the floor, ma'am." Jaz deepened her voice as she snuck up behind her friend.
Keri flinched and glanced upwards. When she saw Jaz laughing she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't do that. You know I got in trouble for doing this last time."
Jaz reached out her hand to help Keri up. "Then don't do it again. C'mon, let's go pay for these."
***
The week went by, and Jaz felt as if she floated the whole time. Even when dealing with client issues at work, she still managed to come home at the end of the day with a blissful smile on her face. Early Saturday morning, Jaz browsed her phone while sipping on her coffee. Her phone buzzed in her hand.
Emmett: I've got the supplies. Rendezvous in 0900 hours.
The stupid smile returned to her face.
Jaz: Sir, yes, sir!
Emmett: You should call me 'sir' more often.
Oh, don't worry. I've done it many times in my head.
Her nipples began to harden as she felt goose bumps run across her skin.
Jaz: In your dreams...Sir.
Emmett: You do.
She couldn't stop her stupid grin from appearing on her face. She hoped he really did dream about her. Since she couldn't think of a reply, she decided to get ready.
***
"Step right here," Emmett directed and grabbed her hand, helping her climb over a fallen tree. They had parked the car by a small neighborhood that was several miles away from town. Trees surrounded them, their branches and green leaves shading them from the heat of the sun. It felt like they were the only two people on Earth. The trail only had a small incline, but about a half hour in, they ran into some fallen trees.
"I hope this is the most difficult part," she breathed out.
He jumped to the ground and grinned up at her. "Don't be a baby. I've got you."
Grabbing his hand, she jumped down, and they continued on the trail. The hike was a good idea. It gave her a chance to find out more about him. He was twenty-eight years old, and living on his own. In the past year, he spent a lot of time traveling for his job before landing a position that allowed him stay home most of the year. He was from the area, so him and his two older brothers would spend a lot of time discovering new trails, such as the one they were on.
They talked about her. A lot. She babbled on about how she moved here for college and fell in love with the area. She told him about Keri, and her parents, and even fit in some funny stories about her college life. He was an attentive listener, asking a lot of questions, laughing at all the right parts, and teasing her about some of her quirks. By the time they reached the lookout, her heart was bursting. She was aware of how fast she was falling for him, but she felt helpless to try and control it. Ever since their first kiss, her emotions had blasted off on a rocket, with no way of coming down.
She stood at the top of a hill, gazing at the beautiful scenery. It looked over a valley of trees, and she could even see a glimpse of the crisp blue ocean. She looked over at him and saw that they both had a light sheen of sweat covering their skins. His grey eyes looked piercing in the sunlight. Her heart was beating fast, but she didn't think it was from the hike up the hill.
Squatting down, he took off his bag and handed her a water bottle. She found a large rock near by and sat down, quenching her thirst.
"Was it worth it?" he looked over at her from his spot on the ground.
"Definitely. It's beautiful. That wasn't too bad."
He was digging in his bag and brought out a container of fruit. "Voila."
"Oh my, I didn't know you could cook." She smirked at him.
"This took a lot of work ma'am. I'd expect some kind of appreciation." He got up to sit right next to her, their arms brushing against each other.
"I do appreciate it." Instinctively, she reached up and landed a peck on his cheek, popping a grape into her mouth. "Thank you."
A wide smile appeared on his face. "So if I cook a feast, would you be feeling even more appreciative?"
"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were trying to seduce me, sir." Jaz batted her eyelashes at him.