Page 32 of The Grinch who Loved Me
One of the ladies rolled her eyes, “The fake? Yeah? What of it?”
“You believe she doesn’t design or make the jewelry?”
The first lady answered, “Of course not. Have you seen her?”
Ryland looked over at Aria and winked at her, “She is the only woman I see. And you can bet your ass she makes and designs every single piece of jewelry in this store. She has worked her ass off to build her business from the ground up and doesn’t need women like you coming in here to bad mouth her and or question the validity of her work. She has worked harder than either of you have in your life and she will continue to do so. She has clients paying her thousands of dollars to design custom rings for them and she has a long waiting list just to make those. That girl right there has had to deal with people like you judging her and making her feel less than. And she has still risen above and become a better woman than you could ever hope to be. She has more kindness and compassion in her pinky toe than you do in your entire family. Don’t come back to this store. Ever again. She may be kind, but I am not. And I won’t allow anyone to own any of her pieces who disparage the artist. Get the fuck out of here.”
The women’s eyes went wide and one turned her nose up and Ryland chuckled, “Bitch, your bought nose isn’t better because you spent thousands of dollars to look like a barbie doll. You are as fake as that woman is real. Get out. Before I have you banned from the entire town. You don’t deserve to even set foot here. No one in this town would want your daddy’s blood money.”
She glared at him and he lifted one eyebrow, “Am I wrong? Barbie?”
She turned on her heel and the other two women left with her and Ryland followed them to the door and watched as they got in a small sports car and drove away.
But they almost hit a car on the way out of town and it flipped around and turned on lights that hadn’t been seen.
He chuckled and then locked the door and pulled the blinds down on the windows before he turned to Aria, who was leaning against the counter with her eyebrows raised.
“I cannot believe you did that.”
“Believe it beauty. No one gets to come into your shop and treat you like that. You heard what I told her. You are everything Aria. Perfect, kind, compassionate and the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I can’t even get over how possessive I feel over you. How protective I am. It’s never happened before and I know it’s because it’s you.”
“It’s not just because of my disability?”
He shook his head and walked slowly over to her, “Your disability doesn’t bother me in the least. It makes me want you more. It makes me see all the trials you got through, to be who you are today and I see your strength. Inside and out. And it calls to me like a moth to a flame.”
She smiled up at him, “You don’t need to fight my battles. I don’t care if women like that want to run their mouths. They have since the beginning and they always will.”
Ryland shook his head, “I know you can fight them Aria. That was never in question. You just shouldn’t have to do it alone. You should have me by your side and supporting you through thick and thin. I want to be the man who never lets anyone question you. Not even yourself.”
She shook her head, “I have never met a man like you. Are you real? Or am I dreaming?”
He walked around the counter and cupped her face in his hands and then kissed her, licking along the seam of her mouth and deepening the kiss.
His tongue played with hers and then he pulled back, “Does that feel like a dream?”
She shook her head and he smiled, “That’s because it’s not. I’m real beauty. Only for you.”
She put her hand up and put it on his shirt, then she fisted it and pulled him down to her level.
She kissed him and he kissed her back, lifting her into his arms while her crutches landed on the ground with a clatter.
She moaned into his mouth and he pulled her as close to his chest as he could.
Her back found the nearest wall and he held her up against it, her legs spread around his hips and he rubbed his hard cock against her.
She moaned again and he groaned against her mouth when she bucked slightly against him.
“You feel so fucking good in my arms.”
She pulled his head back to hers and he kept rubbing his cock against her core, and she made tiny whimpers in her throat while he did so.
When he hit the perfect spot, she pulled her mouth from his and cried out into the quiet shop.
“God, keep doing that beauty.”
She moaned as he rubbed that spot again and then she fell over the edge, crying out his name.
He felt his cock kick in his jeans and he had to bite his knuckle to keep from coming in his jeans.
