Untethered

10 | Dueling Hummingbirds

~*~*~

Wiping the soft cloth over the rich wood one more time, Ryan stood back admiring the deep luster the cabinet now shone with. Once all the grime and cobwebs had been cleared away, the true craftsmanship was even more evident. Upon closer inspection, he had realized it was one of his own grandfather's pieces. Probably made before he was even born. Not surprising, since the Martello's had been neighbors with his family for over fifty years.

The workshop was quiet. Evan had left quickly after helping move it in, and now Ryan was alone. He rarely had the kind of solitude to work that he craved anymore, and he relished it. It was still pretty early, Luke wouldn't arrive until ten, and his two apprentices were out on an install for the next couple of days. The smell of fresh cut lumber and the faint scent of varnish surrounded him, and he relaxed, completely at home, in his element.

He liked things simple, and the last few days had been anything but. The deep rush of emotion he felt for Emma was unexpected, to say the least. An image of the fierce little woman rose up in his mind, and a small grin played unconsciously at the corner of his mouth. He had always had a bit of a crush on her even though he didn't realize it for a long time, but now he could barely think of anything else. Her wild hair, her fierce eyes, her ample figure, her full lips—he groaned and adjusted his jeans. God, that woman is a heart attack waiting to happen. She was earthy and fiery, seemed determined to act completely contrary to good sense, and he wanted her.

Somewhere deep down, something had locked into place when they had last kissed. He reveled in the memory, the feel of her lips and body pressed against his, and then the unexpected burst of emotion in his chest—he shook his head, bewildered.

Somehow, she went from being a youthful crush he merely liked riling, to a sexy woman he was daring to imagine something more with. Even more confusing, the idea of the complications a relationship with her might present, didn't scare him. In fact, they were swiftly becoming very appealing. He shook his head again. Yeah, now you just have to convince her of that.

Sighing, he refocused on the task before him. He leaned forward to examine the lock, and his green eyes glinted in satisfaction. It was a simple half-mortise lock. Reaching for a set of Allen wrenches, he found one the right size, and grabbed a small flashlight, which he turned on, and held firmly between his teeth. Bending down so he was eye level with the lock, he found the dip in the mechanism and inserted the Allen wrench. It took a few minutes of pressing down and fiddling it around, but finally he felt it click. He withdrew the tool, and put the flashlight down, swinging the door open in triumph.

~*~*~

Emma slept fitfully. She kept listening for the front door to open downstairs, and for Evan to return, but he never did. At one point, she thought she heard his car, but when he didn't come in, she rolled over and sank back down into another restless slumber. It wasn't just the situation with Evan giving her anxiety, though. Anger and hurt still burned in her chest from their fight, but it was the uneasiness in her stomach that truly had her off-balance.

Ryan wanted more, and from the look in his eyes when he said it, he meant a lot more. More than she had ever been willing to give to anyone else, before.

Just remembering the feel of him, his scent, the way he looked at her... she shivered and pulled the comforter up over her half-naked form. It was like he could've burned her clothes off with just his gaze. So hungry and penetrating, it made her feel uneasy and confused... and alive. The shiver that had run through her a moment before was replaced with a heat that suffused her whole body, spreading outward until she threw the covers off in frustration. I must be coming down with something... a fever. Probably.