Worth the Chance (7 page)

“I don’t know, Elle. I know you care about him…and, oddly, I find that I still do too. But I just don’t think he’s right for me.”

Elle looks disappointed, but smiles anyway. “I hope we can still be friends?”

“I’d really like that.”

Chapter 13

Vince

I’ve been on a tear since Elle came back and gave me the news that Liv wasn’t planning on seeing me again. I put in nine hours at the gym today. It’s too much, I know I’ll pay for it tomorrow, but right now I don’t give a shit. Nico locked the place up an hour ago, but didn’t tell me to leave. He knows I need to work something through. Understands how my brain works, leaving me restless, unable to stay still until I work myself to the point of exhaustion. He gets me because he’s the same way. Plus, he knows how I would have handled feeling like this six months ago, so he’s happy to keep me busy in the gym, rather than out partying.

“You wanna talk about it?” Nico lives upstairs in the loft above the gym with Elle, but he comes down to check on me. He gets behind the bag that’s swinging from my kicks and steadies it, giving me a firmer target to attack.

“No.” I throw a few punches at the bag and Nico’s forced two steps back from the sheer force of my hits. Whatever I’m feeling now has me hitting harder than usual. Too bad you can’t bottle this shit and pull it out when you really need it.

“Elle says it’s the girl.” Nico pushes, he always does.

“I don’t wanna fucking talk about it.”

“Watch your mouth.”

I stop swinging and still myself. He can’t be serious. “Are you kidding me? I’m not god damn thirteen anymore.”

“Yeah, I realize that. But you’re down here acting like you are. And you’re also yelling and my very pregnant wife is worried about your sorry ass for some stupid reason and her hearing your foul mouth upstairs is showing her disrespect.”

Give me a god damn break. “You know what, I’m outta here.” I push the bag at him as hard as I can before I storm off. The bag wasn’t doing it anyway. I need to find another way to blow off steam tonight.

***

Less than an hour later, I’m showered and back on my bike heading to the nearest bar. It’s late and the place will be packed with GIMPS. It won’t take long to find one ready for me.

Downtown’s busy for a Saturday night. I feel like I’ve caught every damn light since I hit the street. I stop as yet another one turns red in front of me, bringing my feet to the ground as I balance and wait. I look around, taking in the high rise buildings surrounding me. It’s a path I often take, but I’ve never noticed the sign on the building I’m sitting in front of until now.
Daily Sun Times
. Fucking figures. A week ago, I hadn’t seen her in years, now she’s everywhere I damn turn.

It takes less than ten minutes from the time I walk into Flannigan’s for Krissy to find me. She cuddles up to my side, pushing her groin into my leg. I know I can have her now, no extra effort on my part necessary. And she likes it rough. Normally I’d be all over the easy lay, but tonight it’s just pissing me off. I ditch her at the bar, leaving through the back door, not bothering to tell her I’m not coming back after the bathroom.

Back on my bike after less than a half an hour at the bar, I’m pissed that I’m alone, but I have no interest in being with a woman tonight. Except one. One woman who has no interest in being with me. Fucking great.

Chapter 14

Liv

I work till six on Monday, rushing out the door to try to make a seven thirty yoga class. There’s a mass exodus to the front door, with people lined up waiting to exit through the only two turnstile glass doors. I attempt to dig my ringing phone out of my bag as I push my way around the turnstile, taking the necessary baby steps to keep from banging into the glass. I almost miss the opening to get out as I fumble to bring the phone to my ear while righting the two shoulder straps back onto my shoulder.

“Hello.”

“Liv?”

His voice stops me in my tracks. Literally. The person behind me bangs into me when I halt unexpectedly. “Vinny?”

“Yeah.”

“How did you get my number?”

“I stole it from Elle’s phone.”

I smile to myself at his honesty. “Is everything okay?”

“I want to see you.”

I take a deep breath. Just hearing his voice makes my conviction waver. Distance is definitely necessary to keep from falling under his spell. Perhaps even keeping away from the phone might be a good idea. The sound of his voice just melts me. “I can’t, Vinny.”

“I don’t think you have a choice, Liv.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you’re about to walk right into me.”

I practically drop the phone when I look up and find him leaning casually against a Harley, a cocky smile firmly in place.

I stop. “What are you doing here?” Like an idiot, I’m still talking to him through my phone, even though he’s only about fifteen feet away from me.

Vinny smiles and holds up his phone to me, shrugging his shoulders. He looks amused, but lifts his phone back to his mouth to respond anyway. “I wanted to see you.”

“So you come to my job and wait for me?”

“If that’s what it takes.” I watch as Vinny pushes off his bike and stands, tucking his phone into his pocket. He walks to me slowly, almost as if he’s not sure if I’ll run. I don’t move.

I’m still talking into my phone when he closes the distance between us, standing directly in front of me, close enough to touch if I lean forward even slightly. He’s so near I can smell him. God, he smells incredible, it makes me heady and dazed. “But why? Why do you want to see me?”

Slowly, Vinny lifts one hand and tucks a lock of hair the wind has forced across my face back behind my ear. His hand lingers on my cheek and then he gently glides it under my chin and lifts my head, forcing me to meet his gaze. His voice is low and tender when he speaks. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Swallowing hard, I try to push down the lump that’s formed in my throat so I can respond. “Vinny, I can’t.”

His arms snake around my waist, locking me in. “You can.” His tone changes from soft to firm, almost commanding. It does something to me, stirs something inside of me and I feel the surge of arousal from his forcefulness. Everything on the street ceases to exist, and my body becomes completely in tune with him. It unnerves me how I can be so completely turned on by something that should make me run the other way.

He buries his head in my neck and breathes deep. “You feel it. I know you do.”

He’s not wrong. I feel it too. All the way down to the tips of my toes. I want him. Badly. But I’ve gone down that road before with him. And I know I’d be starting something that he would finish. Sooner than I was ready to. Again.

His arms, loosely wrapped around my waist, tighten, pulling me to him until our bodies are touching. I can feel the heat radiate from his hard body, and the hunger in his stare. “Kiss me, then tell me I’m wrong.” His voice is hoarse and strained.

Unconsciously, I lick my lips that have gone dry. He groans, the erotic sound setting fire to my body instantly and my breath catches as he looks down at me intensely before sealing his mouth over mine possessively. His kiss is aggressive, but well skilled, leaving me no choice but to follow his commanding lead.

I don’t even notice my bags dropping to the ground, but it frees my arms. My hands reach up and dive into his unruly hair. Entwining my fingers, I pull hard, deepening the kiss. Vinny growls and squeezes me hard as he lifts me off my feet, bringing me closer against him. I can feel his throbbing erection against my stomach and it makes me lose my mind. My body aches for him and I kiss him back with such force it takes even me by surprise.

Too soon, he gently settles me back onto my feet. My knees are so weak from his kiss that I’m thankful his grip is still tight around me, for fear I might fall.

“I want you, Liv. I can’t stop myself. Tell me you don’t feel what’s between us and I’ll go.”

I don’t look up at him, my mind is still racing as fast as my heartbeat and I’m afraid what looking into those beautiful, pale blue eyes will do to me in my already weakened state.

“Look at me.”

Something about his tone makes it so I have no choice but to obey. My judgment becomes clouded at the sound of the strength of his will and demand. It takes over me, bringing me into my own little universe where only the two of us exist and I feel the inexplicable need to please him.

My eyes open slowly and I look up at him. His focus so intently keen on me, I find it difficult to breathe. “Tell me you don’t want me.”

I want to tell him I don’t want him, but I can’t. Because I do. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. The feelings he conjures up in me are just so overpowering and consuming. “It’s not that I don’t want you,” my voice comes out as a mere whisper.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s you.” I shake my head, not fully understanding myself. “It’s just you. It’s all too much, too fast, and too intense, and it scares me. Scares the hell out of me.”

The corners of Vinny’s mouth curl up, and I watch as his face visibly relaxes before my eyes. “I want to promise you I’ll slow down, take things slower, but I don’t want to start things off on a lie. I’m not sure I can do slow around you, Liv.” His voice is back to gentle and sweet. “But I’ll promise you I’ll try. If that’s what it takes, I will…I’ll try.” Vinny pulls back his head to look directly into my eyes. “Trust me about one thing, Liv…whatever is going on between us, it’s going to happen. You can make it as difficult as you want, but we, Liv, are
going
to happen. Neither one of us can stop it.”

Somehow, down deep, I just know he’s right.

***

Vinny doesn’t give me the chance to back out or reconsider agreeing to see where things might take us. He senses that time and distance between us will make me change my mind, and he’s probably right. Most definitely right. I’ve only been away from him for an hour and I’m already having second thoughts as I pull up to the gym I’ve agreed to meet him at. He’s talked me out of yoga and into trying a kick boxing class he teaches just outside the city.

He’s already at the front of the room when I walk in. The few women surrounding him look like they’re going to an athletic wear photo shoot, rather than to really exercise. He catches my eye as I walk in and crooks one finger at me, beckoning me to the front of the room. The ladies surrounding him trace his line of sight, curious what has taken his attention away from them when they’ve obviously worked so hard to keep it. They scowl at me as I approach.

“Ladies, we’re going to get started in a minute, why don’t you go take your places.” He’s talking to them, but his eyes have never left mine. I point to myself, smirking, questioning if he is directing his words at me, but he grins and shakes his head no.

“Front row. Right in front of me, Liv.” He gives me a crooked smile and reaches down, grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulls it off in one swift motion.

I roll my eyes in his direction, but take my position in the front nonetheless. The view is just too good to not be front and center anyway.

“Warm ups ladies. Or are you ladies already ready for me?” He smiles at the full class of hopeful women and I watch their reactions in the reflection of the mirror in front of me. I think I might even take in the scent of female pheromones wafting their way to the front of the room, determined to attract their intended target.

Vinny’s eyes find mine and he grins at me knowingly. I roll my eyes playfully in response. He walks the class through a series of stretches and I catch glimpses of him in the mirror as he weaves his way through the class giving instructions. He stops when he gets to me and puts his hand firmly on my lower back as I bend over stretching to touch the floor with my hands.

“A little deeper.” He applies pressure as his hand slowly strokes up and down my spine. Leaning down next to me, he whispers into my ear so that only I can hear him. “Jesus Christ, you have an amazing ass, Liv.” I feel his words slide over me and I’m grateful we’re in a room full of people, instead of alone.

The forty-five minute class is harder than I expected, but Vinny makes it fun. He’s playful and attentive to the class. I can see how they all look at him, but he keeps a certain distance from them as a few try hard to entice him as he works with them individually. I find myself wondering if he’s always this professional with his students, or if his act is merely for my benefit.

I’m a sweaty mess after the class, even worse than I would’ve been in yoga. “That was fun, I can’t believe how fast the time went by.” I wipe the sweat from my forehead as I speak.

“I’m glad you liked it. You’re good, a natural at swinging those legs.”

“Thanks.”

“You ready to get something to eat?”

“I really need to shower.”

“I could use a shower too.” Vinny arches his eyebrows suggestively.

“That wasn’t an invitation.”

Vinny finishes packing up his stuff. There’s a few women still hanging around talking, but most have already left. Standing in front of me, he reaches around my waist with his one free hand and pulls me closer to him, uncaring if people are still in the room. “That’s a shame, I was looking forward to you washing my back.”

“I think you’re going to be taking care of yourself today.” I arch one eyebrow playfully, the double meaning in my statement intentional.

Vinny laughs, shaking his head as he throws his arm around my shoulder, holding me close as he leads us to the door. “I’ll shower alone, but it won’t be as much fun. But I’m taking you to dinner. Give me your address, I’ll pick you up in forty-five minutes. I’m not taking any chances by giving you more time than that.”

***

We drive to a part of town I haven’t been to in years, not far from our old high school. I’m surprised when Vinny parks behind the library and comes around to open my door without explanation.

“Why are we at the library?” Vinny takes my hand and helps me out of his truck, grabbing a bag from the back seat.