She shakes her head. “Not really. She’s so caught up with Rupert that I didn’t want to bring it up. And when I asked her to help with the storage room, she said she would but then ended up not coming.”
“Was that the toilet day?”
She nods. “It was. Just another moment where I felt let down, but that one hurt more, because we were supposed to be working on the shop together.” More tears spring to her eyes. “Ugh, I don’t want to be doing this right now. I hate crying.”
“I do too, but Rupert always makes me do it. Once a week, he sits me down and forces me to cry. He collects my tears in jars and then measures them each month to see what got me crying the most.”
She pauses, tilts her head to the side, and then says, “Why do I actually believe that’s something he’d do?”
“Because he’s actually that insane.”
She chuckles, and it’s the first bit of light I’ve seen in her face since we got in this car.
I cup her cheek and press a soft kiss to her lips. “I don’t have any good advice other than you’re going to have to talk to her at some point, but for now, until you’re ready, you can talk to me.”
“Thank you,” she says, kissing me back. It’s a sweet, appreciative kiss…intimate, something that I’ve never craved before. Her hand slides over my chest. “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome, love.” I bring her knuckles to my lips again and kiss them. “Do you want to take a few more minutes in here before we head into the store? I can play with you if you want.”
The corner of her lip pulls to the side. “You’re not playing with me in the parking lot of the Floor Depot. I know you don’t want to be a lord, but have a little class.”
I laugh. “Once that title is out the window, so are all my manners.”
“Not happening.” The tension in her face lightens while she plays with the collar of my shirt. “Thank you though, for always making me smile.”
“It’s my favorite thing.”
“And here I thought your smile was my favorite thing.”
“Really?” My eyebrow quirks up. “A rare compliment. Unsure how to process and proceed.”
“Stop.” She playfully pushes at my chest. “I give you compliments.”
“And what compliments are those exactly?”
“Are you really fishing right now?”
“Yes, and by the way, you have yet to take me fishing, and given what you had on your profile, that’s a disgrace.”
“Mr. Soft Hands would not be able to handle fishing with me.”
“Don’t discredit me, you’ve made me into a new man. Give me a chance.”
“Maybe over the weekend.”
I wink at her. “I’m holding you to that. Also”—I check my watch—“still waiting on those compliments.”
She rolls her eyes and stares out the windscreen. “You’re relentless.”
“Not quite a compliment, but I’ll take it. Keep them coming.”
“Jesus,” she mutters and then scratches her eyebrow. “You have a beautiful smile that caught my eye the minute I first saw it. You’re funny and engaging and so charming. You have the most beautiful lips to kiss, and you have a huge penis.”
I snort at the last one. “Consider me flattered. If you want to write sonnets or sing songs about my penis, I’d be more than happy to lend a listening ear.”
“In your dreams.”
“Exactly.” I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Thanks for the compliments, love.”
