“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I just figured since I’ve tried most of the things on the menu—”

“Looks like a few that aren’t on it too.” The words come out under my breath, dripping with so much bitterness that even I find the statement catty.

Vinny doesn’t respond immediately. Curious as to his response to my immature statement, I lift my head and find him glaring at me. Neither of us says anything for a minute as we stare into each other’s eyes, playing visual chicken, both too stubborn to look away.

“I come here with Elle and Nico all the time. I know Lily from outpatient rehab, never touched the woman. I’ve never taken a date here.”

I can see in his face he’s telling the truth. Heat seeps up to my face, I’m embarrassed for jumping to conclusions, but even more embarrassed at how I reacted to the conclusion I drew. Like a jealous girlfriend, unsure of herself.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” There’s a slight uptick in the corner of his mouth. “I’m glad you’re territorial, because I feel the same way.”

“I’m not—”

Vinny interrupts me before I could deny what he’s accused me of. “You are.”

Exasperated, I let out a sigh and wave my hand. “Whatever.” It earns me a full-fledged, panty dropping, dimple bearing smile.

***

The tension from earlier in the evening long forgotten, we spend hours catching up.

“So you were valedictorian?”

Surprised he knew I’d received any accolades, I correct him. “Salutatorian. You kept tabs on me?”

“Isn’t that like, number two? And yes.” He arches his eyebrow. Clearly he remembers how competitive I could be.

“Scott Julian beat me by .002.” It’s been years, but the agony of defeat still grates on my nerves. “I got a B+ in gym.” Rolling my eyes at my own admission.

My response earns a chuckle. “You lost number one because of gym.”

“Yep.” I lift my wine to my mouth and drain the glass. It pisses me off, but I can find the humor in it too. Finally. Well, maybe a little anyway.

“That was the only class I ever got an A in.”

“What about English? You did well when I tutored you.”

“Got a B.” He finishes his beer. “Tutor was hot.” He shrugs, a grin on his face. “Distracted me.”

“So it’s my fault you didn’t get an A in a real subject?”

His brows narrow. “Gym is a real subject.”

“Pfsst.” I pooh-pooh his answer. “Gym is not a real subject.”

Eyebrows popping, he finds amusement in my answer. “Bet you Scott Julian agrees with me.”

“Whatever.” I squint, my hand waving away our argument as no big deal, even though it’s one I could clearly argue for hours. One that still sits uneasily with me. “You just like to get a rise out of me,” I accuse.

One lip turned devilishly upward, an eyebrow arched suggestively, he doesn’t even need to speak his retort. We both know what it would be.

Through dessert, I tell him stories about Ally and I going away to college together, bringing him up to date on her four changes in career choices since we graduated high school. He tells me stories about Elle and Nico. There’s a lot of history there. They seem to have become his family. I notice he doesn’t often mention his mother.

After he pays the check, Vinny stands and offers me his hand to help me up. Though he doesn’t release it when I’m fully upright. Instead, he gathers me close and lowers his mouth to mine. I feel the heat of his breath and a brush so soft on my lips, I can’t even be sure if we’ve touched. “Did you bring your book?” he says softly, but with a huskiness to his voice that warms my body all over.

“Yes.” My breaths coming quicker and shallower from the close proximity, the word drops from my lips in almost a pant. This man can take me from zero to sixty in only a few seconds.

“Good girl.” He slightly pulls his head back to take in my face. The mischief I find makes my heart skip a beat. “You know I always loved it when you read to me. I had to sit on my hands to stop them from finding their way up that little black skirt you used to wear. I’m guessing this book is gonna be a lot more fun than the stuff we read in high school. And I’m definitely not sitting on my hands.” A damn sexy grin mixed with his deep raspy voice melts any conviction I’d had left. “Let’s get out of here.”

***

He doesn’t tell me where we’re going, and I don’t ask either. We’re both quiet as he zips his truck through the downtown streets, his attention clearly focused on getting to our next destination. My mind races and I struggle to separate it from my body that seems to have ideas of its own. At this point Vinny could probably tell me that he’s a serial killer, but if his hard, warm body is pushed up against me, I know my brain would lose the battle to the relentless pursuit of my body to fill its own needs.

He leads me into his apartment, both of us still quiet. I’m nervous and anxious and he senses it. Knows I’m teetering on the verge of changing my mind…not that I‘ve been given an opportunity to make up my mind anyway. One large arm wraps around my waist pulling me close to him. I lean my head into his chest, still feeling conflicted, although the close proximity tips the scale slightly on the side of seeing this beautiful man naked.

After a minute, Vinny runs a hand slowly down my cheek, stopping at my chin, using his finger to gently lift my head so my eyes meet his gaze. “I want you, Liv. I wanted you seven years ago. Want you even more now. So much that I can’t think about anything else. Need you.” He exhales deeply and leans his forehead into mine, composing himself before he continues. “All you gotta do is say no, Liv. But, I’m giving you fair warning…if you don’t tell me no, I’m going to take you.” His serious face changes and I watch as his pupil’s dilate, heat pouring from his body as he continues, his grip on the back of my neck tightening. “And then you’re mine to do with as I please.”

My breath hitches at his words, and I’m a goner. His long, thick fingers ravel tightly in my hair and he yanks my head back further to take my mouth. The roughness of his actions startles me, but at the same time sends a bolt of electricity mixed with fiery anticipation throughout my body making every little hair stand at attention.

My body presses into his as I kiss him back with a desperation I’ve never known. Slowly, he licks the rim of my mouth before diving in to suck on my tongue and my ni**les harden with anticipation. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I can’t help but get the feeling that it’s more than a kiss. He’s showing me what he wants to do to me with his hot, wet mouth. My eyes roll into the back of my head at just the mere thought of his licking and sucking other places on my body.