Disclaimer - All recognisable characters belong to their original owners. I do not make a profit from writing this; I simply do it for my own amusement. No copyright infringement intended.
Chapter Eight: The Lake (Part One)
A smile fell over Rose's face as she watched Emmett get the dogs ready. He made them sit before placing a black harness on each of them; their names were embroidered onto the relevant harness; Hera's was yellow, and Bruce's was green.
"Are you still not going to tell me where we're going?"
Emmett gave her a cheeky grin. "Nope."
He rose to his full height, and Rose was once again stunned by him. He was tall, taller than any other man she had encountered. His hair flopped over his forehead. She couldn't quite decide if she wanted to run her hands through it or push it back. His skin was tanned, but a natural tan—the kind someone gets from being out in the sun a lot. His eyes were ocean blue and kind. When Emmett looked at her, Rose didn't feel like she was broken. She didn't feel like she was fragile or distressed. Emmett made her feel sexy and desirable.
"Hey," he called, his large hand coming out to take hers. "Where did you go?"
Embarrassed at being caught, heat flooded her cheeks, and Rose shook her head. "Nowhere. I'm right here."
Emmett cocked his eyebrow at her like he didn't believe her, but he didn't push it.
"Come on," he said, lightly tugging on her hand.
Willingly, she followed.
He gave the dogs a quick whistle, and eagerly, they ran ahead, jumping amongst the grass and just enjoying the warm and bright day.
The sun was shining, tulips and roses reaching upwards towards the sky. The trees swayed in the breeze, their leaves rustling and creating a pleasant ambient background noise.
Emmett pulled the two leads from his pocket and called the dogs back to him. "Hera! Bruce! Leads on!"
Obediently, both dogs sat in front of Emmett, their bodies almost vibrating with excitement. Since arriving yesterday, Rose had never seen Bruce so animated. His tongue lolled from the side of his mouth, his ears upright, his tail thudding harshly against the ground.
Once he had attached both leashes, Emmett took them in one hand before offering Rose his free hand.
She took it, and he led them away from the house.
"So," Emmett began when they'd been walking for about five minutes, entering some woods. "Tell me, what exactly does an exhibitioner designer do?"
Rose let out a little snort. "Is it not obvious?"
"Well, I assume you design exhibits… but why? Why do you like doing it? How did you get into it?"
The smile that fanned across her face couldn't be helped.
"I didn't originally plan on becoming an exhibit designer. I got a fine art degree from university. Halfway through, I realised it wasn't what I wanted to be studying, but…" This was the part where she faltered. "My—parents convinced me to keep going. So I did."
Emmett squeezed her hand. It was nice. It was comforting. Talking about her parents was difficult. Their rejection of her still stung.
"I finished university, and then I didn't know what I wanted to do. The museum had a position open, I applied, I got it… and I fell in love with the job."
The smile that Emmett graced her with made her feel all warm inside.
"What do you love about it?" Emmett asked, helping her over a rocky bit of grass.
"I love designing the exhibits, brainstorming what might be and then making it happen." That was true. It was amazing to watch something go from being an idea to having a physical presence. "But my favorite thing? That has to be designing exhibits for the kids." The best one Rose had ever done had to be the recreation of a Victorian child's bedroom. She loved seeing the children's faces when they saw the old toys and bedspread set out.
"Do you like kids then?"
Rose nodded fervently. "Yeah. I didn't use to, but I guess it's because I never spent much time around them. And then, working at the museum, I made friends with this woman, Vera. And she had a little boy, Henry, and he was just the cutest."
"Do you still see a lot of Vera?"
Rose shook her head. "No. After she had Henry, she quit her job to be a stay at home mom. I see her occasionally but not as much as I used to." Rose didn't add that after her attack, she'd shut herself away from the world. She'd waited to go back to work until the bruises had healed. Only certain people from her 'normal' life knew the truth. And even then, Rose had begged them to keep it a secret.
"How do you feel about kids?" Rose asked, not wanting all the attention to be on her.
"Love 'em," Emmett answered immediately. "I want a couple—when the time is right. I'm in no rush."
For some unexplainable reason, a rush of heat flooded through Rose, and her heart thumped hard against her rib cage.
"I've got three nieces and two nephews. I'm their favorite uncle." Emmet grinned as if he'd won the best achievement in the world
"I bet you are." Rose loved the way his entire face seemed to light up. The corners of his eyes crinkled, and his mouth was spread into a wide grin.
"I am!" Emmett confirmed. "I'm the tallest and therefore the best. My oldest nephew says so. And kids know everything."
She loved this, the banter between them. It was so easy to talk to Emmett. There was just something about him.
They walked for a while, through the woods, birds singing around them. The sun was shining, a warm wind blowing as Emmett held Rose's hand tight in his.
Abruptly, Emmett stopped and unleashed both dogs. Neither of them went far, just exploring the trees and ground closest to them.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course." It was an easy answer. Even after such a short period, she trusted him.
"Close your eyes."
Panic crept up her spine and into her lungs. Her throat tightened, and her mouth went dry. After the attack, it had taken eight months to sleep with the light off. Not being able to see wasn't something she enjoyed. It was her list of limits, no matter how much she trusted someone.
Glancing at Emmett, Rose saw that he was watching her, letting her make this decision.
His eyes were soft, searching her face.
Trying not to overthink—something her therapist said she did far too often—Rose closed her eyes.
Several seconds passed before Emmett's large hands slid into hers and then went up her arms, sensually caressing her bare skin before sliding over her face to cover her eyes.
Moving behind her, his breath floated over her cheek and ear. "Walk forward. Don't worry, I won't let you fall."
Tentatively, Rose stepped forward, her foot toeing the ground to make sure it was even. She was still nervous, her heart beating hard against her chest. But Emmett being so close helped. She could smell him; warm leather and coffee. It helped soothe her.
"Good girl."
His praise spurred her on. Made her brave.
He pushed her forward, his giant body pressing against her back.
After only a few steps, Emmett stopped. And then his mouth was at her ear. "Use your other senses, Rose. What can you hear? What can you smell?"
Rose strained her ears. "I can hear birds. And the leaves on the trees rustling."
She felt his grin against her ear before he rewarded her with a kiss on her cheek.
"What can you smell?"
"You." He was overwhelming her senses, his smell tickling the inside of her nose.
Behind her, Emmett chuckled. "What else?"
Breathing deeply, Rose tried to place the smells around her. It took a few seconds, and then her nose was filled with the scents of the forest. "Moss… I can smell moss and trees and grass." Their fresh scents filled her lungs, creating a calmness through her.
Emmett kissed the shell of her ear, and his hands left her face, trailing down her arms to hold her hands. "Open your eyes."
Rose was… awed. She had never seen anything quite as beautiful—except for maybe Emmett's chest.
They were stood in between two large trees, the dark green leaves creating an awning, protecting from the sun. Above them, the sky was a brilliant blue, barely a fluffy white cloud obscuring it. And in front of them was a beautiful blue lake. The water was still and completely clear—a rarity for Forks.
"Emmett, this is…" She had no words.
He nodded. "I try and bring the dogs down here at least once a week."
Rose couldn't tear her eyes away from the beautiful sight.
Standing silently behind her, Emmett gave her time to process exactly what she was seeing. The blue of the water, reflecting the blue hue of the sky, the short green grass providing a contrast. The trees were tall and thick, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze, like an ambient soundtrack.
Gently, Emmett tugged on her hand and led her down to the water's edge. He sat down and pulled Rose down until she was in between his thighs, his chest hard against her back.
She settled against him, feeling serene.
Silence enveloped them. Hera and Bruce played close by, running and jumping in the grass. Hera would sprint around, Bruce lying low as he slowly stalked her. Then he'd leap, and at the last second, Hera would bolt, leaving Bruce behind.
Eventually, they settled down, breathing heavily before flopping down in the grass.
Emmett rested his head against her shoulder. "If you could fly anywhere in the world, right now, where would you go?"
Rose thought about it for a second. "England. I'd love to go and visit some of the historic towns; Bath, London, York… I bet it's amazing to walk through the streets." She'd seen photos of the old towns on the internet. Rose loved looking at the old buildings, and once upon a time, she had even looked at flights. And then it had happened, and the thought of going to a strange town scared the shit out of her. "What about you?" she asked, slightly turning to face Emmett.
He didn't hesitate to answer. "New Zealand—I love the Lord of the Rings films and really want to go and see where it was filmed."
"I've heard it's beautiful," Rose mused.
Emmett's hand came up and gently stroked her cheek. The pads of his fingers were rough. It was such a contrast to the gentleness of his touch.
"Why-why," Rose had to lick her lips. "Why have you never gone?"
His eyes were intense. It was like he could see deep inside her. As if for the first time—in a long time—someone was seeing past her exterior and to the fragile person she had become. It scared her. Because what if he didn't like what he saw? What if Emmett decided she was too broken? But when his handsome smile graced his face, all of her fears and insecurities melted away.
"Work, family etc. There was always something stopping me." His eyes darted to the left where Hera and Bruce were laid. "Plus these two. Hera's fine with most people, but Bruce is still wary. I didn't want to leave him."
Rose nodded her head. "Makes sense."
"I really want to kiss you," Emmett told her, his voice rough.
Suddenly, Rose was pleased that she was sat down; she didn't think her knees would have supported her.
"Then kiss me."
Emmett didn't disappoint. His lips were on hers in an instant, soft and rough at the same time.
Clutching at his shirt, Rose melted into Emmett, her clit already beginning to throb.
His large hands went to her back, heating her skin as he pulled her closer until there wasn't an inch between them.
It was awkward; she was sat in between his legs, half twisted, and it wasn't enough. This wasn't what she wanted.
Pulling her lips away from his, Rose let out a frustrated huff. She turned and threw her leg over his, straddling him. Her hands went to his shoulders, and Emmett's eyes smoldered.
His lips were back on hers, his tongue touching and teasing before he kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw, and down her neck.
They left a path of fire in their wake, thoroughly scorching her. His hands slithered under her shirt, stroking the skin of her back as Rose arched, her breasts scraping his chest. Her nipples began to harden as heat coursed through her veins and spread across her skin. Her bra became an annoyance—the cotton not providing enough friction for her aroused body.
When Emmett pulled away, trailing the kiss off, his hot breath fanned against her face. The mint from his toothpaste tickling the inside of her nose.
"I think we need to cool off," he murmured.
And Rose wasn't going to lie. That disappointed her. She didn't want to cool down. She wanted to continue. She wanted more. Rose could see it all so clearly, herself rocking against Emmett as she came apart atop of him, her panties soaked with her own juices as Emmett ruined a pair of boxers. Maybe he'd nuzzle her breasts as she humped him, pulling her bra down to reveal her nipples before his tongue caressed the pebbled tips. Perhaps he'd even slide his fingers into her underwear, feel the warm, wet liquid waiting for him before he plunged his thick fingers deep inside her.
Rose hummed in disappointment, Emmett smiling against her cheek before he pressed a kiss to her heated skin.
Gently, he slid out from underneath her slender body and stood to his full height, pulling Rose up as well.
Much to Rose's shock, Emmett began to undress. He toed his shoes and socks off, reached behind him and pulled his shirt from his body and then began to unbuckle his belt.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked.
Emmett grinned at her. "I said we need to cool off; I think the best way is to go skinny dipping."
He wiggled his eyebrows, and Rose let out a giggle before she bit her lip.
Rose lifted the hem of her shirt, fully prepared to take it off. But Emmett shook his head at her.
*Uh-uh." His eyes darkened. "That's my job."
A rush of desire bolted over Rose's skin. Her nipples became tight little peaks—tighter than they were before—and her fingers itched to hold onto something—anything, preferably Emmett's arms or hair. Her stomach churned with anticipation, and her chest felt tight with excitement.
Emmett shoved his jeans down his muscular legs. He'd forgone boxers, so his hard cock was bared to the forest, the purple tip already glistening with pre-cum.
"Come here," he commanded, his voice a sexy low growl as his eyes drank her in, running from her head all the way to her feet.
With trembling legs, Rose walked forward.
50 reviews?! Thank you so much. A particularly big thank you to Mel for the 50th review and Pearly Fox for just being an amazing human being.