Page 31 of The Grinch who Loved Me
CHAPTER5
RYLAND
Leaving Aria was harder than he thought.
In more ways than one.
He had to adjust himself again. His cock was harder than it had ever been in his life.
He knew he shouldn’t have given in and kissed her, but damn, she was so addictive and he wanted nothing more than to mark her.
She had the softest skin and he didn’t want some fucker to come along and find the treasure that he had waited to find his whole life.
She was his and only his. And tasting her? Yeah, he was fucking addicted from that first taste.
He would never give her up now. Not after seeing how she responded to him.
He kept reading all of her cues and followed where she seemed to lead him.
He would never regret kissing his way down her neck and then back up again.
Ever.
It wasn’t in his nature to touch women, or even look twice at them, but with Aria? Yeah. He would absolutely look at her and when it was time to make her his? He was going to savor every single second of it.
He had to finish his job right now, or he would have taken her in that backroom.
She deserved candles and flowers and softness.
And he had almost taken her in her fucking backroom.
He couldn’t find it in himself to be upset with his actions.
He would make it up to her. He could only be grateful that his friend had texted and told him about the parts that had come in for her car.
He would finish her car and then bring her back to his house and claim her in all the ways.
He wanted to make it special though, so he quickly grabbed some supplies before getting her parts and then rushed home and did what he had to in his house so that she would never doubt the love he had for her.
—-
When he went to pick up Aria, he walked into the back of her shop again and saw her out front with some customers.
They were being rude and condescending to her and Ryland hated it.
Two of the women walked toward the back of the store and to some of the other displays of Aria’s jewelry and he heard one say, “I can’t believe that cripple girl is the owner of this store. I bet she doesn’t make the jewelry like she says. I bet it’s all a set-up. A sob story to take people’s money and to make her rich in the process. I bet she has someone in the back and she pays them a portion and she makes a load.”
The other girl snorted softly, “You are right. Who actually buys that she is the owner and the designer? Maybe her parents are loaded and pay someone to design the rings. And then pay them off to keep their designs. It’s such a fraud. I wouldn’t buy a single thing from that crippled bitch.”
Ryland saw red. He stepped out of the back of the shop and the women whirled around and looked at him and then a greedy light came into their eyes.
It was women like this that made Ryland stay far from the opposite sex. It was only Aria that could ever change his mind and seeing these women? It only confirmed it.
He knew his face was angry and he looked over and saw Aria, confusion written all over her face.
He smiled at her a little and then looked back at the women who had moved a little closer.
He raised one eyebrow, “I heard what you have to say about the woman that owns this shop.”
