I turn, leaning into his touch and kiss the inside of his hand. Returning my sight to his face, a thought dawns on me that makes me grin. “I scare Vince ‘The Invincible’ Stone?”

Vinny returns my smile. “You’re really asking for it today, aren’t you?”

One eyebrow arched, I can’t help myself…he’s left himself so perfectly open. “And what if I am, does that mean you’re going to give it to me?”

He groans, and before I can even protest, I’m lifted out of my seat and flung over his shoulder as he stalks into the bedroom. The next few hours we alternate between reading my new book and Vinny giving me what I asked for.

***

It’s almost midnight when Vinny drops me back at my place. There’s no parking near my building, so I tell him to drop me off, but he insists on walking me to the door. We don’t even notice Ally sitting in the living room while we spend ten minutes making out like teenagers in the doorway before I actually have to push him out of my apartment. Shoving him through the door was for his own good, as much as mine. We both have to work tomorrow. At least mine is mostly sitting. His is physically demanding.

I close the door and lean my head against it. “Looks like you had a good time.” Ally’s voice startles me.

“Do you sit there in the dark waiting for me to come home just to scare the shit out of me?”

“Maybe.”

“You need help.”

“I need one of those.” She motions to the door that I’ve just closed behind Vinny.

Laughing, I walk into the kitchen. “I was going to go to bed. You want to have a glass of wine first?”

“Does Vince Stone make women drool?”

Shaking my head, I pull two crystal glasses out of the cabinet. There are plenty of nights that we do takeout, sometimes eating our delivery straight from the carton. Yet our wine is always in crystal. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Damn straight.”

I can’t help but smile at Ally’s excitement as we sit on the couch facing each other. “That man is so into you.”

“He certainly was a few hours ago.”

Eyes widening, Ally smiles and claps her hands together. “Now that’s the stuff I want to hear!”

I sip my wine and lean back into the couch with a dramatic sigh. “Jeez, Ally, he’s just so...so…intense. It’s like he can see right through me. There’s nowhere to hide.”

“Well why do you want to hide anyway?”

“I don’t know. I just feel like I need to go slow. Keep some of what I’m feeling to myself. But he’s hard to refuse. I can’t explain it.”

“He hurt you once, Liv. You’re being cautious,” Ally winks and smirks. “Just enjoy the sex and see where it takes you.”

Finishing my wine, I feel the effects go straight to my head. I’m a lightweight normally, but even more so when I’m sleep deprived. “Oh, I’m definitely enjoying the sex.”

“Hate you.” My best friend smiles.

“Hate you too.” I smile back and lean in to kiss her cheek before standing to turn in for the night. “Sweet dreams, Al.”

“Just tell me one thing,” Ally yells as I reach my doorway. “Is he a take control kind of partner in bed?”

Smiling, I don’t turn around when I respond. “You have no idea.”

Chapter 21

Liv

Sitting at my desk staring blankly at my computer screen, I shift in my seat to find a comfortable position. My body still aches from the long weekend of sexual escapades with Vinny, and I find myself replaying his words over and over again. I’m going to bury myself so deep inside of you it’ll leave you feeling hollow when I’m not with you. Fidgeting in my chair, I realize he’s done it. It’s only been three days since I’ve last seen him, yet I feel empty this morning without him.

As if on cue, my phone rings and I smile lifting it to my ear. “I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh yeah, what were you thinking?” Sex exudes from Vinny’s deep raspy voice.

“I…” Remembering where I am, I look up and find Summer’s eyes glued to me, waiting for my response. “Ummm…I’ll have to tell you later.”

“Oh no you don’t. You started it, you’re going to finish it. None of this leave me hanging crap, Liv.”

Lowering my voice, “It was just something you said.”

“Who’s sitting so close to you that you have to whisper?”

“A co-worker.”

“The princess?”

Laughing, I respond, “Yes.”

“That’s even more reason to tell me. Come on, Liv. Let me hear it,” he says, his voice low and enticing. “You know you want to.”

Lord, this man is impossible to keep things from. I really need to start watching what comes out of my mouth in the future. “It was about feeling hollow.” I whisper and look up at Summer, finding her wide-eyed. Guess I didn’t whisper low enough.

Vinny groans. “You feel hollow without me buried inside of you, Liv?”

I hesitate, feeling my face flush. “Yes.”

“Say it.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t. I’m at work.”

“I’ll pick you up at twelve for lunch.”

“Vinny,” I warn.

“See you in a bit, Liv.” He hangs up before I can respond again.

Looking up, I find Summer still staring at me. If eyes could shoot daggers, I’d look like Swiss cheese about now. “Sorry,” I shrug my shoulders and offer, my voice as thick and sweet as maple syrup, matched perfectly with my over the top fake smile. It’s clear that neither is sincere.

I struggle through the next few hours, my eyes constantly checking my phone for the time. By the time twelve rolls around, I’m anxious and equally excited. After our weekend together, being apart for a few days feels like a lifetime. But my work schedule took me out of town for two days and then Vinny was busy doing promotional stuff for his upcoming fight.

The minute I push through the revolving glass door, I catch sight of him. He’s leaning casually against a half concrete wall to the right, his legs casually crossed at the ankle. He stands as I make my way to him, but makes no attempt to come to me. Instead, he watches my every move with a devilish grin on his face.

As I stand before him, neither of us says a word. Vinny hooks one arm gruffly around my waist and pulls my body to him as his head lowers and he takes my mouth in a kiss. It’s so powerful, I literally lose track of where I am for a minute as we both come up breathless.