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Vinn slams harder, and I watch his beautiful face as he closes his eyes and growls, stilling as he releases into me.
I’m so hot, I feel lightheaded as he climbs from me and slips my bikini bottoms back into place. He wraps his towel around his waist and sweeps his hair back from his face before pulling the door open. Two disgruntled men and the female receptionist are on the other side. “About time,” snaps a balding, overweight man. His eyes dart between us, then narrow in on me. “Have you been having sex in here?”
“That’s really none of your business,” says Vinn, taking me by the hand and pulling me to stand.
“It is when I’ve got to sit in here. It needs a deep clean,” he adds, glaring at the receptionist.
She smiles at Vinn, blushing slightly. “Mr. Romano,” she salutes, nodding.
“Please close the steam room for a deep clean,” he says with authority. She nods and closes the door, turning the sign already hanging there to ‘Out of Order’.
“Mr. Romano?” the man repeats, swallowing hard. “My apologies.”
“And arrange for these gentlemen to receive some free drinks in the bar after their session today,” he throws over his shoulder. Vinn leads me out of there and to the showers, and I watch in awe as he hangs his towel and steps under the cool jet of water. When I haven’t moved, he glances at me. “What?”
“You’re naked. People come in here.”
He laughs, soaping his body quickly and rinsing it. He turns the spray off and grabs a fresh towel. “You worry too much. I’ll meet you outside.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve planned to go shopping.”
“Then meet me outside and I’ll have Gerry drop you in central London.”
He breezes past me, and I shake my head in agitation. He’ll only force me into his car if I refuse, and I don’t want anyone else to stare at me with curious expressions today.
Once I’m showered and changed, I step out of the gym and spot Vinn leaning against his car, staring down at his mobile. He opens the door and waits for me to slide in before joining me. “Central London, Gerry, please,” he says before pressing the button that puts a black glass screen between us and Gerry. He pulls out his wallet and tries to hand me a credit card. I stare at it, waiting for an explanation. “For shopping,” he offers.
“I have money,” I mutter.
“So, do I. Take the card, Corvo.”
“No.” I hate this part, where he makes me feel like fucking Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. And I get it now . . . I get why she was so pissed when Richard Gere offered her a nice apartment and fancy clothes. He’d still get to keep the pretty little woman at his beck and call, just like Vinn’s trying to do with this offering.
“Take the card.”
“No.”
“Take the fucking card,” he yells, and I jump in fright, snatching the card and stuffing it in my pocket. I won’t use it. “And if you don’t use it, I’ll buy you something ridiculously expensive.” I hate waste, he knows I do. “I’ll buy you a diamond bracelet and matching earrings.” I shudder because I also hate anything in the least bit showy. “What are you shopping for anyway? You hate shopping.” I hate shopping alone.
“Anna invited me out with the girls. I thought I’d treat myself.”
“You’re going out with the girls?” he repeats, laughing. I nod, staring out the window at the busy streets. “Why?”
“Because she asked.”
“You’ll cancel. You always do.” I narrow my eyes. Like he fucking knows me. “Leia said you never go out with them.” Of course, Leia would tell him. She hates my guts for reasons out of my control. Her husband, Chains, helped me escape a life of hell, and we became close. It was before she got with him, sort of, and Chains is like my best friend. Yes, we hooked up while we were thrown together, before he came back to the club, but it was a mutually agreed hook-up, just like Vinn and me.
“Have you told Leia about us?”
“Why would I?” he scoffs.
That stings and I stare harder out the window. He’s always so quick to dismiss any talk of us, which I guess isn’t a bad thing. I know where he stands. “Are you spending the afternoon with Sofia?” I ask, then instantly regret it. I feel like the harder I try to convince us both I don’t care, the more I look like I care.
“Why are you asking?” He keeps staring at his mobile while tapping away.
“I’m just making conversation, Vinn. You made me get in the car with you. I’m being polite.”
“I have a meeting with her father. You’d know that if you were at work today.” Her father, also Italian, is setting up business in London with Vinn’s help. The marriage will be good for Sofia’s family from what Gia tells me. Vinn’s sister said that her family is huge in Italy, so it’s a mutual agreement to tie two good families together. I don’t know the date for the wedding, Vinn hasn’t told me, but I know she’ll be expected to be pregnant soon after they marry.
