Page 54

“Gin?” Vinny offered, and I nodded absently.

There.

Without thinking, I leaned forward, watching as Frankie twirled around the same woman from before. She was breathtaking. Her long waves bounced around her while she twisted and swayed her hips. Her eyes stayed closed, her lips parted in a blissful smile. She wore a deep red corset-styled top with leather pants, and if I could, I’d have ripped them off.

Something ice cold pressed into my hand and I whipped around to see Vinny giving me the drink.

“Thank you,” I said blankly, turning around to stare at Frankie again.

I should stop. I shouldn’t be staring at her. My skin tingled with the need to stop, to look away and save myself from spiraling into my twisted thoughts.

But Frankie made it impossible.

“Mi amore?”

“Mm-hm?”

“Would you like to dance?”

I turned to look at him, guilt burning the back of my throat. Vinny was a nice guy; he didn’t deserve to be ignored like that.

“In a sec, darling,” I told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Let me get some liquor in me before I attempt to navigatethat.” I gestured at the packed dance floor, a thinly veiled excuse to watch Frankie again.

Vinny’s smile was bright; flawless.

“You would put them all to shame,” he said, but led me away to the booths lining the far wall anyway.

He shifted closer to me, the length of his thigh pressed close to mine. The heat of his skin seeped into me and I fought the screaming urge to look back at the dance floor.

“Have you even seen me dance?” I scoffed, leaning into him to try to stay anchored there.

With Vinny.

And not out there with Frankie.

“No, I haven’t had the pleasure.” He chuckled darkly. “But I’ve experienced you in bed. I can’t imagine it would be very different.”

“Slick.” I chuckled, my attention drifting where it shouldn’t. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.”

“Always,” he drawled, entirely unashamed.

Any other night, I would have gladly fallen into his seduction.

Excited screams erupted from the dance floor as one song ended and transitioned to the next. The squeals came from Frankie and her friend. They jumped up and down together, singing at the top of their lungs, and a part of me turned cold.

I wouldn’t ever get to see her like that up close.

I got to my feet suddenly, the rush of discomfort hitting me with the force of a freight train.

“Amore?”

I looked down at Vinny, his dark brows pulled low over his golden brown eyes.

“I just remembered I have a crazy busy day tomorrow, darling,” I said, pressing the palm of my hand to his cheek. “We’ll do this another time.”

He smiled, turning to kiss my palm. “Another time, then,” he said, holding onto my hand until it slipped from his reach.

I walked back down the few steps that led to the dance floor, forcing my eyes not to stray. But a flash of red drew my gaze anyway, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Frankie. I turned to look at her, helpless to the urge that drove me.