Searching his eyes, I try to find the catch, and even though I’m not seeing any signs of insincerity, I still pull myself out of the hypnotism of his gaze and get my head back on straight as the song comes to an end and we naturally slow. “I already have a lawyer.”
Just before he releases me from his hold completely, his hand lightly squeezes my waist. “Give me a call when you realize I’m the better choice.”
With my heart lumped in my throat, Luciano walks away, leaving me standing in the middle of the dance floor. As I watch him tip his head at those who he passes, one thought stays in the forefront of my mind.
You’ve always been my choice, Luciano. I’ve just never beenyours.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Iadopted the damn dog.
Call it rebellion from Luciano telling me I didn’t need a pet or call it empathy for the old man—dog—who needed a home, but either way, after being left stranded in the middle of the dance floor, I marched over and signed the paperwork to bring Mickey-D home immediately.
Now, as we lay sprawled out on top of my bed, Mickey-D snores on his side while I savor French fries and watch a trashy reality show on the flat-screen. The scent of white tea and lemon wafts into the air from the candle burning on my nightstand, mixing with the abrasive citrus scent from whatever cleaner my housekeeper used on the floors today. I relax, snuggling deeper into the comfort of my bed while my thigh brushes against the soft fur of my four-legged companion.
Popping another greasy shoestring potato in my mouth, I reach down and scratch behind his ears affectionately while my eyes stay glued to the people on the show arguing. Happily, Mickey-D groans and rolls onto his back while I reach for the remote to turn up the drama.
Minutes turn into another episode, and the plate of fries becomes empty, leaving me with grease-covered fingertipspeppered with salt as I devour the last one. Letting out a deep sigh, I debate on getting up to retrieve the bag of chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels that’s haunting me from my kitchen, but think the better of it.
My trainer’s already going to be furious with me at our session tomorrow.
From my nightstand, my cell pings with an incoming text, offering a glorious distraction from my desire to binge eat my depressies away.
Even baddies get saddies, right?
Stretching myself across the comforter, I read the message preview as I pick it up.
Vinnie
So, care to explain to me why I had to hear from Sully that you and Luciano shared a moment last night?
“Dammit,” I mutter under my breath. Swiping upward, my fingers fly swiftly across the touch keyboard.
We didn’t share a moment. We danced while having a conversation. You know Sully overexaggerates literally everything.
Vinnie
Of course he does! But it still doesn’t explain why you were dancing with my brother.
I’m not mad, if that’s what you’re thinking. Just curious. No one’s seen Luce on a dance floor since…well, for me it’s been since I was a teenager.
And he thought dancing would be the less inconspicuous way to talk.
Not wanting to tell her the actual topic of conversation I had with Luciano, I deflect, and make things a little weird, like I always do. Making Vinnie squirm as I tease about the things I want to do to her brother is one of my favorite pastimes.
I was hoping to end up with his dick in my mouth, but alas, your brother puts up more of a chase than a butterfly in the wind.
Is it a little inappropriate to joke about her sibling like that? Probably. But she’s known about my attraction to him since day one, and although she’s always countered back with varying forms of disgust, we both know how elated we’d be if we one day became sisters-in-law.
Fat chance of that happening.
Vinnie
Gross, Raina. I didn’t need that image in my head.
Is everything okay?
My skin itches from lying to my best friend, but until I get this wholemarriagething figured out, the less people who know, the better.
