Vinny arches one eyebrow, patiently waiting for my response with a playful smile. I look past him, finding the whole class has turned around and is watching us. Waiting. “Ummm, sure.”
“Great.” Vinny turns and announces to the class. “We have a volunteer for today.” He motions for me to follow him to the front of the room and wastes no time jumping in. The first few maneuvers he walks us through are harmless enough. He teaches the proper way for blocking a hit and protecting your head. But we quickly come to what he calls the “sneak attack” defense lesson.
Vinny motions for me to turn around and I feel his body come up close to mine from behind. Leaning his head down close to my ear he whispers. “I have to hold you tight to demonstrate this one.” His low, sexy voice and hot breath on my neck sends a shiver down my spine. Slowly, he wraps his arms around my chest, his hands locking just beneath by br**sts. His warm body pressed flush against my back, goosebumps prickle all over my body. I inwardly curse my body for its reaction and pray silently that he doesn’t notice.
“Cold?” I hear the smile in his voice as he whispers the word in my ear. Shit.
“Ladies that are attackers, hold on as tight as you can. Ladies that are victims, try to escape the hold.” Vinny speaks loudly to the class, his grip around me never loosening.
“You can try to escape now.” He whispers again in my ear.
I’m suddenly reminded just how long its been since a man has had his hands on my body. More prompting. “Go ahead, struggle, try to get away from me.” Too long. Definitely way too long.
Eventually my brain takes back over command from my body which had temporarily usurped control, and I try to break free of his grip. But it’s no use. The more I struggle, the tighter Vinny just grips me, and the more fused our bodies become. He takes a step back, releasing his tight hold, and for a second I feel disappointed. Turning his attention to the class, he instructs the victims on how to free themselves of the hold. “Watch as we demonstrate for you.”
His grip around me from behind tightens again. “Go for it.”
Really? He wants me to do all the painful things that he just instructed the class? “I don’t want to hurt you.” I say quiet enough so only Vinny can hear me.
“Don’t worry about it. I can take whatever you can give me, Liv.”
“Are you su...” Wait, did he just call me Liv? “Vinny?”
“Liv?”
Bastard. He knew all along it was me and didn’t say anything. I catch him by surprise, following all of his instructions to perfection and escape his hold, leaving him doubled over in pain with the last lift of my leg.
Leaning over, hands on his knees in pain, Vinny starts laughing. “Okay class, I think we’re done for today.”
Annoyed, I march to the back of the room to collect my bag. Women are surrounding Vinny as I make my way to the door to quietly escape. I’m glad he’s distracted so I don’t have to talk to him. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about the assignment, I only know I need out of here. Now.
I’m almost out the door, when I feel a long arm wrap around my waist and pull me back. “You were going to sneak out of here without even saying goodbye to me?”
“I saw you were busy and I didn’t want to interrupt you.” I don’t turn around as I speak.
“I’d never be too busy for you.” Vinny turns me around to face him, still keeping his arm tightly wrapped around my waist. His gaze sears into me.
“Well you looked busy.” My words come out a bit more bitter than I intend. I motion to the few women still stalling at the front of the room, waiting for their chance at his attention.
“You look…” Vinny leans back to take a slow, assaulting look up my body, “…all grown up.”
“Well, that happens when you don’t see someone for seven years.”
“My loss.” Vinny’s confident smile falters and he looks sincere. It makes my irritation with him fade. Just a little.
“Did you know who I was the whole time?”
“I’d know you anywhere, Liv.” The words feel intimate, seductive, and I feel my guard come down just a little bit more.
“How have you been?” Now that our conversation is moving into normalcy, I become painstakingly aware he’s still holding me tight. Almost like he’s afraid I’ll run off if he lets go of me.
“I’ve gotten by.” Vinny lifts his hand to my face and softly pushes a loose wave of hair that escaped my ponytail during our demonstration back behind my ear. “How about you?”
“Good. I’m a writer.”
Vinny smiles. It’s genuine and reminds me of our time together. It seems like a lifetime ago. Before what happened, happened. “I knew you would be. It’s what you always wanted to do.” His comment is sweet, touching that he remembers me telling him my dreams. Another inch falls down off my guard.
I smile back at him and watch as his eyes drop to my mouth. His gaze darkens and the goosebumps that haven’t left me since he first touched me transmit a shiver that runs through me. I feel heat scorch through my veins and everything else in the background fades away. His eyes come back to mine for a quick second and then fall back down to my mouth. He leans in and I think he’s going to kiss me. But a woman’s voice rips me from my temporary moment of insanity.
“Vince, are you almost done? I’m getting bored in the car.”
Chapter 6
Vince
Fuck. I completely forgot about Krissy. I was running so late, I didn’t have time to drop her home and there was no way I was leaving her alone in my apartment.
Her nasally voice goes right through me. “Go wait in the car, Krissy.” She huffs, but turns around and heads back outside.
But the damage is already done. Liv’s face is back to a mask, whatever emotion I saw is gone in a flash. “I need to go, I have to get back to work.” Her voice is curt and businesslike. She’s grown up to be a strong woman. A beautiful, strong, incredibly sexy woman. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
She reaches for the door handle and doesn’t turn around as she speaks. “It was nice seeing you, Vinny. Take care of yourself.”
Something hits me and panic suddenly slices through my bones. “Wait.”
Liv halts, but doesn’t turn around.
“Turn around, Liv.” I watch her reflection in the glass door. Eyes shut, for a moment she looks conflicted. Unsure of whether to flee or not.
“Just tell me, what made you come here today?” The thought of a man putting his hands on Liv to hurt her makes me insane with anger. Why else do women come to the Women’s Center for self-defense lessons? They’ve been attacked and are scared, or they still live with their attacker. Either way, I feel the bile rise up in my throat at the thought of someone hurting my sweet Liv.
“I came to do research for work.” She pauses and looks back at me for just a few seconds, leaving me with a sad smile. “Take care, Vinny.” And then she’s gone
Chapter 7
Liv
My morning started out almost as hellish as the night before ended. I tossed and turned half the night feeling emotions I hadn’t felt in years come flooding back. Seeing Vinny again messed with my head. When I finally fell asleep at four this morning, I was so exhausted that I completely missed my alarm going off at six thirty.
Running late, I forgo washing my thick hair and settle for a fast and easy slicked back ponytail. A quick coat of mascara does little to hide the dark circles under my eyes, but I’m hopeful coffee will at least help me wake up. In my haste, I quickly pour almost half the pot into my travel mug, not realizing I didn’t screw the top on correctly. I attempt to take a sip and the entire contents spills all over my favorite cream skirt and chocolate silk blouse. Hot coffee soaks me through and through. I’ll even need to change my bra and panties.
Surprisingly only twenty minutes late to the office after oversleeping and having to change my outfit, I’m relieved that no one seems to notice. There’s not a lot of time left to make a good impression and I’d never forgive myself if I lost the job of my dreams because I was late to work a few times.
I pull out the Stone research file, the one I should have pulled out before walking into the gym to get the surprise of my life, and begin sifting through mounds of photos and clippings. There are dozens of pictures of Vince “The Invincible” Stone in the ring. The ones where his arm is being raised in victory catch my eye each time. He looks so proud and confident. No matter our past, I can’t stop myself from smiling, feeling happy at his victory. He’s waited a long time for his moment, started fighting before I’d even met him in high school.
Then I come to the candid shots and my smile quickly fades. In photo after photo, there’s a different girl under Vinny’s arm. Walking on the street, outside of a bar, in front of the gym. It seems things haven’t changed much over the years. I actually take my time to look at the women because I’m curious to see if any of them are repeats. Apparently, Vinny loses his interest after one night.
There’s no denying the women are attractive. There are brunettes, blondes, redheads, short, tall…it appears Mr. Stone doesn’t have a specific type. Unless you call provocatively dressed a type, that is. The bevy of women clinging to Vinny in the photos begins to get on my nerves, so my careful study of each shot soon turns into a quick flip. Until I get to the last couple of photos. One is of a handsome man who appears to be about Vinny’s age. He looks familiar, only I can’t place why. Startling pale blue eyes and a masculine, cleanly shaved jaw captivate my attention and I find myself staring. Lack of sleep does that to me, makes my gaze linger longer than usual. Flipping the print over to read the back, which normally contains data on the photo, I’m surprised to find it blank. Perhaps it’s an opponent of Vinny’s?
The last photo in the file is of an older man. There’s a resemblance to the younger man in the previous photo and I hold them up, studying them side by side, thinking they may be father and son. The older man is nice looking, distinguished, even more familiar than the younger man in the photo before. Perhaps he’s an actor, someone I’ve seen on television? He’s wearing simple slacks and a sweater, but you can tell by the way he holds himself that he’s confident. Definitely an actor. Maybe the last few were just misfiled.
Closing the photo file, I attempt to forget the gorgeous fighter in the pictures. The one with the rugged jaw that always seems to have the perfect amount of five o’clock shadow. It’s not an easy task. I type up my notes, although there’s not much to write since I didn’t actually get to interview the subject. Three quarters of a page of basics is all I can come up with, most of that from memory.
I hate myself for stealing one last look before I turn back in the research photo file to Sleezeball. But I just can’t keep my eyes off him…which is why I need to keep far, far away from Vince Stone.
Chapter 8
Vince
It’s been two days and I still can’t stop thinking about Liv. She’s stuck in my head. I see her every time I close my eyes. And it’s not just the thought of her incredible body that keeps my mind locked in place, although that perfect ass is definitely seared into my brain. Liv’s different, always was. Smart, funny, sees life in a way that’s pure. Gave me prospective. Opened my eyes to see good when bad was all I’d ever known. It took everything I had not to pounce on her back in the day. The way she looked at me with those big round hazel eyes, she made the boy I was feel like a man.
I remember purposely failing a few tests, even when I could have passed, just so I could have an excuse to be with her. Hang out with her...in the god damn library even. She was so young and sweet…and innocent. So unlike anything I had in my life.