The rest of the afternoon had gone seamlessly.

I had days to line everything up. My assistant and I went through all the preliminaries ahead of time. We’d prepaid for the ad spaces, had the all the promotional copy written up, had the band members record the various sound bites that radio shows would use.

I wanted everything to be as easy as possible if Gloria said yes.

Gloria didn’t really have much to do aside from talking Judy down from a metaphoric ledge. Judy had learned the hard way that it was very important to make informed decisions and not just jump into things half cocked.

Gloria was right. Judy had a long way to go, but it seemed like she understood what was at stake now. Judy decided to take more of a backseat in Black Rocket’s decision making process and even debated on enrolling in some small business management classes.

Then the fans came.

Word of mouth seemed to spread faster than the advertising, because people arrived in droves. It was a good thing that all the liquidation signs were taken down, because they weren’t at all necessary. Inventory flew off the racks prior to the show starting. Gloria had to separate lines for cash and card.

Molly showed up just in time to be conscripted into helping ring people out. I wasn’t spared either, I was given the cash-only line and a quick retail crash course. Even with the added cashiers, we still couldn’t keep up with demand.

Well over half their total inventory sold out in hours, merchandise couldn’t be brought out of storage fast enough.

An additional detail cop had to be hired last minute to deal with the massive amount of foot traffic and lines that stretched down the block. Everyone wanted to see this once in a lifetime reunion show; and after a while people were getting turned away due to reaching the building’s capacity.

People lost their minds when Lucas took the stage to thank everyone for coming out. He was fully at home up there. His shirt was off and his long hair unleashed, my brother was the quintessential rock star. With his bulging muscles and electric guitar he looked more like a warrior than a musician. It was no wonder fans fell at his feet.

All things considered, it was amazing how well-adjusted he turned out where so many others had cracked under that kind of public scrutiny.

“Is this what you hoped for with the other band?” I asked Gloria loudly over the cheers of the rest of the band being brought out and introduced. The registers were all closed, the inventory was partitioned off and watched by private security; for all intents and purposes Black Rocket Records became a nightclub.

“This is way better!” Gloria yelled excitedly, cheering along with the crowd. I loved seeing her this happy. She’d lost the cap and the shades hours ago, freeing her to jump around without dropping or losing anything.

Her shock of black hair whipped back and forth as Gunmetal Tears played their first song. I liked Lucas’s band, but I was transfixed by Gloria. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she started dancing. Her arms pumped, her ass and tits bounced, she sang along; Gloria exuded an aura of being absolutely carefree.

This was what was in store for me, I realized, watching her. It was all so strange and different. Her lifestyle lacked that safe sense of rigidity I’d grown accustomed to. For a moment it was frightening, as most radically new experiences tend to be.

“Dance with me!” Gloria jumped into my arms and kissed away all my anxiety.

With her by my side I felt indomitable, like I could handle anything the world could throw at me. I’d always been confident and cocksure, but this was…something more.

I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Gloria and I danced poorly and clumsily and we didn’t care, the whole point was just to move together. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had this much fun with a girl outside of the bedroom.

When was the last time I even danced?

The song ended and I kissed her. I lost myself so fully in her pomegranate-flavored lips that I didn’t hear Lucas calling for me. The spotlight had to fall on us for me to get yanked back down to the planet.

“Get up here, Richard,” Lucas demanded.

I was hesitant, but only because I wanted to stay with Gloria. Gloria wasn’t having it, shoved me toward the stage to face whatever was coming my way. The crowd parted for me and Lucas lent a hand for me to climb up on stage.

I thought I’d be giving some sort of speech, thanking everyone for coming out tonight and praising Gloria’s store; instead of all that Robbie, the bassist, handed me his instrument. After Lucas introduced me, I protested that I didn’t know any Gunmetal songs.

“But I know you know some Deconstructed songs. Looks like we finally made it to that talent show, huh?” Lucas smiled mischievously, slapped me on the back, then went right into the opening of one song I was pretty sure I remembered.

I was rusty as hell, but I got through it. I glanced up at Gloria whenever I could, she feigned swooning and I instantly relaxed. I wasn’t playing for the hundreds of people in and out front of the store; I was playing only for her.

Lucas played guitar and sang, even doing the back-to-back with me during one of the instrumental parts. The whole thing was an intoxicating experience and before I knew it I was strumming out the last few chords.

“Richard King, everyone!” Lucas called out, inciting the crowd to roar. I hopped off the stage and made my way back to Gloria, people patted me on the back and fist bumped me along the way.

Doing that made me understand my brother more. The screaming crowd, the noise, the lights, the satisfaction that came with doing everything right made me see why he’d chosen that path. I used to think it was frivolous, but experiencing it first hand was thrilling. It wasn’t something I’d ever pursue, but I loved watching Gloria’s face light up during the performance.

“I do alright?” I asked Gloria after a big greeting kiss.

“You were great!” She yelled over the crowd as Oscar, the drummer, did a solo. “Let’s go to the office.”

I paused with Gloria at the door of her office when Lucas got back on the mic. It looked like he had something important to say.

“Before we get back to Gunmetal’s greatest hits, I want to do something special. I’d been working on this one fucking song for months now and I couldn’t figure out the ending up until recently. You mind if I play it?” The crowed screamed excitedly, which was as close of a go ahead as he was going to get. “I’m still working on the title, so for now we’ll just call it… Molly’s Song.”

No shit… Good for you, little brother.

Gloria pulled me into the office and closed and locked the door behind us. We were behind the speaker stacks so the music wasn’t as deafening. The office was big enough to house her and Judy’s desks, a few extra chairs and some overflow cases of inventory.

“You know my parents met in this very building. I guess it used to be a diner back in the day,” I said, really liking the irony. It was hard not to imagine what life would be like with Gloria. There was a beautiful chaos that came with the thought of being with her.

“You’re not going to ask to marry me are you?” Gloria shot me sly grin as she closed the blinds.

“That would be crazy.” I carefully avoided the question.

“Good. Because I’m crazy enough to do something stupid,” like say yes, her eyes said. Gloria walked over, tearing off her tank top and bra.

“Is that so?” I pulled off my button-down and stepped into her embrace.

Our tongues searched the inside of each other’s mouth as we passionately groped one another. I palmed, then grabbed her ass, squeezing tight enough for her to squeak. Gloria plunged a hand straight down the front of my slacks and grabbed my cock; she felt it fully harden in her hand.

“The cops can’t protect you now.” She smiled wickedly stroking my massive length from inside my pants. She abruptly stole her face from mine and glared at me. Hand still on my cock, she squeezed threateningly. “I’d better not see another letter from you after this.”

“I’ve made my decision,” I said, liking the rough pressure she used on me. I clenched a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back so I could drag my tongue down her neck. “You won’t be able to get rid of me that easily.”

“Good,” Gloria declared, releasing my belt and unclasping my pants with authority. It was easy to tell that she’d wanted this just as badly as I did. Was I on her mind as much as she perpetually invaded mine?

I moved her up against Judy’s cluttered and overstuffed desk. I wanted to brush everything off it and pin her to it like I did with her counter out there, but decided against it. Instead, I dropped into a crouch, grasped her inner thigh tightly and wrenched down her soaked panties. They were hot to the touch.

Boyshorts, I knew it. I smiled knowingly.

“Hey!” Gloria feigned a little outrage, to cover her mild embarrassment. “You were the last thing I was expecting today. Cut me some slack.”

“I’ll do more than that,” I said, sliding my hand up under her skirt and cupping her smooth, wet pussy. The pressure of my hand lifted her up onto her toes and had Gloria gasping in air.

My life for the longest time was control in all things, even sex. For the first time ever I let passion take over. What was this woman doing to me?

Whatever it was I liked it. No… I craved it.

With careful, deliberate ease I split her lips and rubbed her swollen clit, then I plunged two fingers into her and pulsed until her eyes rolled back in her head. She moaned my name. I had her in every way.

Gloria was wholly mine.

I stood back up, slipping my wet fingers into my mouth and sucked them clean. “Mmm. Just like I remembered.”

“Jesus…” Gloria slapped a hand on the desk because her knees were too weak to hold her.

I finished removing my slacks and boxers; my cock was rock hard and eagerly glistening with precome. Being inside her and hearing my name lit my core on fire. I wanted every part of her; it was hard to even think straight.

“I’m still not ready. Y’know for kids,” Gloria said hesitantly. “Not just yet.”

Was she afraid that I might leave her now?

Seeing how scared she was at the thought of losing me, filled me with a warmth I’d never felt before. I‘d been with so many women, but never anything like this. It was a strange feeling to know someone actually cared about me.

“I can’t help you get your inheritance...” Her words tumbled heavily out of her mouth.

“It’s just a number…” I finally understood what my father was trying to say in his backyard when we had that first meeting. The realization boiled in my brain. The money didn’t matter. It’s who you spend it with that matters.

“That’s a pretty big fucking number. Really think this over. I don’t want you to be disappointed that I’m not the girl you wanted me to be.”

I took her face in my hand and gazed into those beautiful eyes of hers. “Gloria, you’re still all I see.”

The wry expression on her face softened to a small accepting one. She nodded slowly, deciding to trust what I was saying. Then the corner of her mouth dragged up into a smirk and she walked over to the overflow inventory.

Gloria searched then, broke open one of the cardboard cases. Inside was a display set of the same plastic wrapped condom boxes they sold in their novelties section. She ripped and shredded until she was finally only holding one sealed condom.

“Please don’t tell me that glows in the dark.” I groaned at the thought.

“No, that’s dumb,” Gloria whirled around with a growing smirk, then pressed something and the condom began to buzz, “These vibrate. Feeling adventurous?”

My eye opened wide as she sauntered over to me.

“Usually I don’t pull out the sex toys until the fifth date.” I said, knowing full well I’ve never been on any fifth dates.

“Spoilsport,” Gloria kissed me, then clicked off the buzzing. She wiggled her fingers playfully which was when I noticed the plastic ring. The condom didn’t vibrate at all, it was the ring. Gloria was a bit of a joker, I’d have to remember that.

She rolled the thin latex down my cock, then when it was snug and secure she zapped the tip with her ring.

“You’re asking for it now.” I said, sweeping her up in bear hug. Gloria screamed and laughed as I laid her on the throw carpet in the center of the room.

Her ring was still vibrating so I grabbed her fingers and grazed her clit with them.

“Oh fuck!” For several seconds she writhed underneath me, her pussy bucking against the sensation. Gloria went from biting her bottom lip to her mouth opening into an O wide enough to fit my cock. Mercifully I eventually pinned her offending hand to the carpet.

I teased the head of my cock against her slick petals, each time I threatened to dip into her she raised her hips toward me. She screamed in frustration, “Oh my God, you’re the worst! Fuck me already!”

My cock throbbed as the waves of heat rolled off her wet, ready pussy. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and pushed in. Even through the condom, Gloria felt unbelievable.

After everything we’d been through it was hard to imagine actually having sex with this woman. It was like when your whole dream was spent building up to a moment, but you always knew you’d wake before you got to the pay off. I expected to just wake up any second, sweating in my bed with a massive hard on.

That wasn’t the case as I buried every thick inch of my shaft inside her. I slowly pumped, pinning both her arms to the carpet. God, I loved the way she twisted and twerked beneath me. Her thighs and legs gripped me tight, threatening to never let go.

That was fine by me.

“Oh fuck…” Her pale form panted and crunched forward as little earthquakes rocked her. Gloria’s moan turned into a series of joyous screams that would’ve been heard throughout the entire store if a rock band hadn’t been playing just outside.

My head swam as she climaxed. She became a full-body vice around my cock and ripped the orgasm out of me that had been building since before I’d been arrested. I mashed my hips into her, sliding her up the carpet a few inches and filled the condom with my thick milky seed.

Every second of being inside her was incredible, even after coming when my cock was rapidly growing sensitive, I still didn’t want to pull out. I hovered over her kissing her. It was the eager, sloppy kisses of two teenagers making out desperately.

“Tell me something,” I said. Sweaty and exhausted, I touched my forehead to hers. “Your eyes, are they really that storming shade of gray?”

“Yes.” I could feel Gloria getting self-conscious. “I used to wear brown contacts to keep kids in my high school from making fun of me.”

I looked at her, but she’d already glanced away. Gently, I raised her chin so I could see into her furtive eyes. Gloria was so strong and confident in so many ways that it was easy to overlook her vulnerability.

“Children can be such fools,” I said. “I have never seen eyes more beautiful than yours. You’re perfect in every way, Gloria, and I want to spend the rest of my life telling you that.”

Gloria reached up and dragged me down beside her, then she started to cry.

“I think I’ve waited my whole life for you,” She said. “How’s that even possible?

“I don’t know, but we have all the time in the world to figure that out.”

The music had finally died down. Lucas's muffled, but still audible voice, took the mic once more.

“I’d like to give a special thank you shout out to my brother, Richard and his beautiful girlfriend—the creative force behind Black Rocket Records—Gloria,” Lucas howled. He then smugly added, “You may have heard them through the wall earlier.”

I laughed. Gloria covered her face in embarrassment as the crowd cheered. Jesus… How loud were we?

“Thank you all for coming,” Lucas continued. “We love each and every one of you. If you had fun, tell your friends! That’s our show, good night!”