Page 40 of When It Rains He Pours

“You're so fucking beautiful, you know that.” Reaching out, I ran my thumb across the side of her cheek. Glory smiled, tipping her face slightly into my touch. “I really am sorry for the way I acted the other day, it wasn't right.”

Shaking her head, she laid her hands on the table and started to fiddle with a thin silver bracelet on her wrist. “It's fine, really, forget about it.” Her eyes held onto that bracelet as her lips folded down. “I shouldn't have told you your idea was a dream, that wasn't fair. My gallery was a dream once, who am I to tell you that what you imagine is wrong?”

Smirking, I cupped my hands over hers and coiled our fingers together. “And your gallery will be beautiful again.”

The sparkle I saw in her eye faded away as I lost her in that moment. She left the table, she left me, going inside herself as her mind began to spin. The expression on her face changed, it dulled into nothing more than flat lines and sad brows.

“What? What is it?”

Freeing her hands, she rested them in her lap, flicking her eyes up to mine. “The gallery might not reopen. I can't do it, not after what happened. I'm thinking I might have to sell it, that looks like my only way to save anything right now.”

Sitting up straight, I ran my hand over my jaw and stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

“I'm in too deep, there's no way for me to climb out. I can't afford to buy all new stuff, pay my bills, and pay—” Stopping herself, she took in a deep breath. “You know what, forget it. This isn't the time to have this conversation. We're having a nice dinner, I feel really good being here with you right now, I don't want to ruin it with all this shit. Can we just not talk about it right now?”

Nodding, I stood up and moved my chair beside hers. “You're right, we don't have to talk about any of that right now. Let's just enjoy this. But I want you to know that nothing is over until it's over. You don't have to do this alone, and you can't ever give up, not on what you love.”

That was it, she just made up my mind right then and there. I knew what I had to do, I knew what was important and what wasn't. What I wanted didn't matter. What anyone else wanted didn't matter.

Only Glory mattered.

Dinner was perfect. She told me about what it was like to grow up in her home town of Coventry, and how her father had worked for years at a local soap factory. She told me how he would come home from work every evening and actually smelled good.

We came from two different worlds. She had grown up with nothing, only having the bare minimum it took to survive. While I never had to experience what it felt like to not have a phone or new clothes, fancy things and people at my beckoning call if I needed something.

And even though my father made sure I respected and appreciated what we had, all of that wasn't enough to truly make me understand the hardships others went through.

She had to overcome so much to get where she was. And yet, she was still able smile and laugh, to find the strength to keep going.

Right now she's not happy. Her world was crushed.

“You have to be the strongest person I have ever met.” Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I teased the ends of her hair. “I've never met anyone like you before.”

Looking up at me, she smiled, her lips full and parted. “I can say the same about you.” Swooping her hand up around my face, the tips of her fingers tickled the light scruff on my cheek.

My cock jerked as she gently ran her fingers up and down, her delicate touch stirring the heat in my core.

Drawing a single finger down her neck, I slipped it over her ribs, tracing the outline of her hip. I felt a shiver scale her body as she inhaled a sharp breath when my finger reached the hem of her skirt.

“So what now?” Swirling my finger over the top of her thigh, I inched it closer and closer to her sacred spot.

I could already feel the heat off her pussy as my finger dangled just outside her clothing, threatening to go under her skirt, but never breaching the seam.

Glory exhaled slowly, her back snapping straight as she let her eyes connect with mine. “Dessert?”

Smirking, I pressed the tips of my fingers firmly against the inside of her thigh. “What are you hungry for?”

Biting down on her bottom lip, the corners of her mouth twitched. Her eyes flirted with mine, lids lowering as she batted her lashes. “Do I really need to say it out loud?”

“I'm not sure I know what you want, so yeah, let me hear it.” My hand moved higher, fingers dipping in and grazing her mound. She was wet already, her thin panties hot and soaked from arousal.

Her eyes fluttered in the sockets as she gripped my chin with her thumb and forefinger. “Maybe this will help you figure it out.” Pressing her lips to mine, Glory kissed me hard.

Our lips fit perfectly together, hers plump and soft, mine thin and rough. The tip of her tongue slid into my mouth, and she tasted sweet, like vanilla and honey. I couldn't stop myself, I couldn't hold back the feral animal she had woken inside me.

Digging my fingers into her hair, I gripped her roots and tugged her head back. I kissed her deeper, harder, and with more passion than I had ever felt before. I was burrowed into her hair, holding on for dear life, afraid to let go of this woman.

I wanted the world to know she was mine, I wanted to imprint my scent on her skin forever so no other man would even dare look at her. I had staked my claim and would never let anyone steal her away.

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