Real Man 16 - Coal Miner Read online

  COAL MINER

  DIRTY MEN

  JENIKA SNOW

  CONTENTS

  Dirty Men

  Newsletter

  Coal Miner

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  Dirty Men

  Newsletter

  Want More?

  Excerpt: Mine To Keep

  About the Author

  Hard work never looked so good. Calloused hands and hourly pay are as hot as any billionaire’s manicured digits in this collection of stories from four of the hottest, bestselling safe authors around. These blue collar dirty men are ready to hold your hand, then hold you down in these stand-alone stories dedicated to working men everywhere. Pure alpha possessiveness and happily ever afters will leave you wiggling in your chair and dreaming of your own working-class hero.

  Out Now: Coal Miner by Jenika Snow

  Coming September 13th: Hard Hat by Frankie Love

  Coming September 14th: Rough Neck by Dani Wyatt

  Coming September 16th: Mechanic by Amber Bardan

  COAL MINER

  By Jenika Snow

  www.JenikaSnow.com

  [email protected]

  Copyright © September 2017 by Jenika Snow

  First E-book Publication: September 2017

  Cover Created by: PopKitty

  Editor: Kasi Alexander

  Line Editor: Lea Ann Schafer

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction, transmission, or distribution of any part of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  This literary work is fiction. Any name, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Please respect the author and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials that would violate the author’s rights.

  NEWSLETTER

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  Jakob

  I didn’t deserve her, but I desired her regardless. I saw her and wanted her innocence as my own, to mark her so every other man knew she belonged to me. And even though I knew better than to go after her, I wouldn’t stay away.

  I couldn’t.

  She’d be mine no matter what. Screw the repercussions it might have. Forget the fact I would be corrupting her. Poppy was all I wanted. I was never a patient man when it came to the things I desired.

  And Poppy was at the top of that list.

  Poppy

  I saw the way Jakob looked at me: possessive, needy, territorial. I wanted to be his despite the fact we’d never spoken. He was older than me, had a job that only real men can handle, and still I longed to see him every day when I went to the mines.

  I knew that one of these days I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from making it known that he was all I wanted. I was nervous, innocent in all the ways that count to a man like Jakob. But for him—with him—I wanted to try it all.

  I wanted to experience what it’s like to get really dirty.

  Warning: This is super short, fast, and right to the point. You won’t get any drama here. It’s filthy and hot and leaves nothing to the imagination, but then again, you wouldn’t be here if you wanted it long and drawn out. *wink*

  1

  Jakob

  I brought my pickax down on the rock, sparks flying out momentarily. Although we were deep underground, the air was hot as hell, thick, stagnant almost. The sound of metal on rock filled my head, the other coal miners chipping away piece by piece at the walls surrounding us.

  I wiped my face with the back of my hand, my entire body tense, my muscles strung tight. I worked for another half hour, my focus on the task at hand, my body tired, sweaty.

  When my shift was finally over, I grabbed my pack and followed my fellow workers out of the cave, ready to go home and sling back a few beers before getting into bed and crashing.

  There were other things I wanted to do, of course. They were things like being naked in my bed with one specific woman, both of us sweaty for far different reasons than working in the mines all day. Just thinking about sweet Poppy had my cock hardening. But I didn't bother adjusting the bastard, just focused on the ground and followed the other workers out.

  I stepped into the fresh air, the sun starting to set. I immediately looked over to my left, knowing she'd be there.

  Poppy leaned against the hood of her car, her focus on her phone. Kevin, her older brother, walked over to her, and she lifted her head and smiled at him. Because Kevin had totaled his car after a long night of drinking, Poppy was here every day to take him home.

  And every day I wanted her more.

  I moved off to the side so the other workers could walk past me, but my focus was trained right on Poppy. Kevin got in the passenger’s side and rested his head back on the seat, closing his eyes. I looked over at the one woman I wanted more than anything else.

  She might be a little young for me, just barely turning nineteen, and I might be fifteen years older than her, but that didn't mean anything.

  She was perfect for me in every way.

  She walked over to the driver’s side and opened the door, but before she sat down, our gazes locked. Here she was, all clean and perfect and looking so damn vulnerable. And here I was, fucking filthy, sweaty, and sporting a raging hard-on that I wasn't even trying to hide.

  Even from this distance I could see the way she swallowed, the long line of her throat working from the act. She started breathing harder, her breasts moving up and down under the thin material of her shirt. God, I just wanted to tear the fabric away and see the perfection underneath.

  She finally got in the car and shut the door, but I still stood there staring at her, holding her focus with mine. And even after she started the car and drove away, I was still there, my cock rock-hard, my thoughts focused solely on her.

  I wanted her.

  I'd have her.

  Poppy

  I PUSHED the food around on my plate, my thoughts on a man I shouldn't have any business thinking about. But there was something about Jakob, something that made my blood race and my heart pound harder and faster.

  “Are you not hungry? Something on your mind?”

  I lifted my head and looked at my older brother. It was just me and him in this world, and because our parents had passed away a few years ago, I didn't know if telling him how I felt for Jakob was really the smartest move. He was protective of me, and letting him know that I wanted a fellow coal miner might not go over so well.

  “Nothing is on my mind.” I looked at my food maybe a little too quickly, because I still felt his gaze on me. When I looked up again, I saw he was watching me, his expression telling me he knew something was up.

  He set his fork down and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at me with this stern look on his face. “Poppy, you're my baby sister. I know when something is up.” I didn't say anything for long seconds, and finally he exhaled and shook his head. “This is about Jakob, isn't it?”

  “What?” My voice squeaked, and I could feel my face getting hotter from embarrassment. He knew, even if he was phrasing it like a question. Was I that easy to read?

  “You know what I'm talking about.” His expression became emotionless as. He’d put me on the spot, but it was probably b
etter this way. It would be better if I just told him how I felt. I didn't want to keep this bottled up, and it wasn’t like I had a whole lot of friends to confide in.

  “Yeah, I know what you're talking about.” I broke eye contact and looked at my food. But it didn't matter because the conversation had already been brought up and Kevin wasn't the type to let it go. But he didn't sound angry either, or overprotective about it. So that made me curious about why he’d brought it up if he wasn't going to try and deter me from wanting to be with Jakob.

  “So, you want to date him or something? Or has he asked you out and you're thinking about it?”

  I shook my head and didn't say anything for a few seconds. “I've never even spoken to him. But I like him. A lot.” God, saying that out loud sounded incredibly ridiculous.

  Aside from him watching me every day when I picked up Kevin, it wasn’t like he actually went out of his way to say anything to me. I didn't either. For all I knew, Jakob wanted nothing to do with me, and the looks that I thought meant something more really meant nothing at all.

  “He's a lot older than you, Poppy.”

  “You know what?” I said, not wanting to talk about this anymore. “How about we just drop it?” I stared into my brother's blue eyes, which were the same shade as mine. “It's not like he's ever said anything to me, or like anything would ever happen.” I stood and grabbed my plate, making my way over to his side. I felt his gaze on me again, and I looked him.

  “Do you think I don't notice when he looks at you every time you pick me up?” My brother's words had everything in me stilling. “Do you think it's not obvious that he wants you?”

  I didn't know what to say after that. So instead of saying something stupid and embarrassing myself further, I just stayed quiet.

  “Look at me, Poppy.”

  I glanced up and stared at Kevin, feeling my cheeks heat further. Truth was, I never talked about this kind of stuff with him. I was inexperienced in those kinds of things with guys, and talking about this with Kevin just seemed grossly inappropriate and uncomfortable.

  “Were you afraid that I would be upset? Did you think that I would demand you stay away from him?”

  “I didn't know what to expect, honestly. I assumed you'd tell me he was too old, too rough around the edges.”

  “He’s both of those things, but you're also a grown woman and know what you want. You're smart, got a level head, and you never have been one to be reckless. I'll always be here to protect you, but I’m not going to tell you not to go after what you want. I'd be a hypocrite.” Kevin stood up and kissed me on the head, grabbed his plate, and headed to the kitchen.

  I was left standing there wondering if I could really do this, tell Jakob how I felt and hope that I wasn't humiliated because he felt nothing for me. I didn't know if I could push my insecurities aside and go after what I wanted.

  What I did know was, I wanted to try, because if I didn't, I would never know what could have been.

  2

  Jakob

  I finished off my bottle of water and tossed the empty container into my lunch box. I wiped the sweat from my face with the back of my arm and glanced over to the other guys, who were also taking their lunch break.

  All I could think about was Poppy and how I wanted to tell her how I felt, how I wanted her in all ways. Thinking of her had me turning and looking at her brother and wondering how he’d feel if I just told him that she would be mine.

  He sat a few feet away, but his focus was trained right on me. I felt my entire body tense, the way he watched me telling me clearly he knew what I was thinking, or that I watched his sister every single day when she came to pick him up.

  Or maybe it was my guilty fucking conscious for wanting Poppy when I shouldn’t.

  And then he got up and came over to me. Every muscle in my body was strung tight, the thought of an altercation with Kevin rising up. I didn't want to get into this shit right now, but it was clear by the stern expression on his face that he wasn't about to let this go…whatever this was.

  He sat down beside me, and for long seconds we didn't speak. Finally he shifted to face me, and I looked at him, not backing down. I wouldn't lie if he confronted me about wanting Poppy.

  “What's on your mind?” My voice was gruff, kind of harsh even to my own ears. But I was braced for whatever verbal attack Kevin might throw my way. I envisioned him saying I was too old for her, too rough around the edges. I could see him saying a whole bunch of shit—all of which would be true, but that wouldn't stop me from going after her.

  “I'm not a fucking idiot. I know you want my sister, and I have a few things to say about it.”

  I bet he did have more than a few things to say, but I'd listen to him out of respect. It wouldn't sway me one way or another, though, because I'd still make Poppy mine.

  “My sister has feelings for you, and I see the way you look at her every day. You want her, but I want to know on what level that is.” Kevin was staring me right in the eyes now, all but demanding the answer.

  At the very mention that Poppy wanted me, I sat up straighter. “Your sister said she has feelings for me?”

  Kevin grunted and looked away for a second before turning his attention back to me. “Yeah, pretty much. I honestly wouldn't even be talking to you about this if she hadn't. Because if it were just a one-sided attraction coming from you, I would've let things be. I take you for a smart man, Jakob, figured you would back the hell off if she didn't show any interest.”

  I didn't bother telling Kevin that I had been going to go after Poppy before he came up and talked to me. Because even if she hadn’t shown any interest, I still would've tried, still would've attempted to make her see that we were perfect for each other.

  “So basically what I'm saying is, don't fuck this up. Don't break her heart or there'll be issues between you and me.”

  I could respect his take on that. I nodded, and we sat in silence for the remainder of lunch. It was the kind of silence that was comfortable, in agreement. I knew one thing for sure: when she picked her brother up today, I was going to tell her exactly what I wanted from her…and with her.

  Poppy

  I PULLED into the gravel driveway to pick up my brother. My heart was racing because I knew I'd see Jakob. The fact that I'd already spoken with Kevin about this, or said as much as I would on the subject, made me feel nervous.

  Kevin hadn't told me not to see Jakob, and even though I would've seen him if I wanted to, because I was a grown-ass woman, knowing my brother wouldn't cause trouble did make me feel a little more at ease.

  I pulled up beside another vehicle and cut the engine. I had about a five-minute wait before the guys came out. I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes, thinking about how I was actually going to confront Jakob. Doing it here when he was probably tired, dirty from working the mines all day, and not really ready to be ambushed, made me feel slightly weird. But there would be no other time I could see him.

  I knew occasionally the guys all went out for beers afterward, but I never went. If I didn't say anything to him now, I really wouldn't have a chance to. And I also knew if I kept prolonging it, my nerves would take over and I'd never do it.

  There was a knock on the driver's side door, and I snapped my eyes open. I looked over and there stood Jakob. He had black soot smeared across his cheeks, arms, and hands. His dark hair was disheveled, and his eyes looked bluer than normal. Or maybe it was just all the dirt that covered him that made them stand out.

  To be honest, he looked really damn good this way. His big form took up the entire window, blocking out everything behind him. His muscles bunched as he shifted slightly, and I felt every part of my body come alive.

  I probably looked like an idiot just sitting there, my window still rolled up and gawking at him like he was a piece of meat. I glanced out the front windshield and saw Kevin standing off in the distance. He was looking away, but it was obvious that he was giving me some privacy for whatever Jakob had to s
ay.

  I finally snapped out of my haze and rolled down the window, my throat so dry I didn't even bother trying to say anything.

  Jacob gave me this half smile, and I felt every erogenous zone in my body come alive. My nipples tightened under the thin material of my T-shirt, and I clenched my legs together, hoping to stem off the arousal that was slowly starting to build between my thighs.

  “Hey,” he said and braced a forearm on the hood of my car.

  I was transfixed at the sight of his bicep bulging, his skin slightly damp from the sweat of working underground. I felt my face heat, felt this entire flush steal over my body. Hell, he said one word to me in his deep, gruff voice and I was already liquid for him.

  “Hi,” I said, my voice weak, slightly shaky. I had my hands wrapped around the steering wheel, and curled them tightly around the leather.

  He glanced over at where Kevin stood, but his focus was on me only a second later. He leaned in an inch closer, and I held my breath. Even though he'd been working all day, he smelled so good.

  He smelled like a man, masculine and intense, woodsy and free. God, I felt like some hormonal teenager who couldn't even control herself.

  “Listen,” he said and looked away for a second. He used his other hand to run through the dark locks on top of his head, messing up the strands even more. When he turned his blue focus on me again, my heart stalled in my chest. “I want to take you out, Poppy.”

  I couldn't speak for long seconds, couldn't even form a coherent word.

  “So what do you say? Let me take you out, show you how special you are?”

  Oh. God. He thought I was special.

  I opened my mouth but then closed it again, not sure what to say. Of course I wanted to go out with him, had even been contemplating how to bring up this exact subject today. But he’d beat me to it, and now I felt like I was on a tightrope, about to fall off.