Page 1 of Playing for Keeps

1

Vinny

The air was knocked from my lungs as a body crashed into the back of mine, the “Oof” felt more than heard as I stumbled forward a step.

“Jesus, Vin, a little warning next time,” my sister hissed in my ear as she side-stepped me, walking away.

A little warning.

I needed it too.

I wasn’t prepared. Not for this. Not for my breath to be sucked from my lungs, my heart to clench tight in my chest, and my blood to take on a high frequency hum that surpassed the heavy beat of the music pumping through the dimly lit bar. Everything inside me shivered, like a single string on a guitar had been plucked. Plucked and played, that humming, shivering tune pulling straight from my hands and toes, through my arms and legs, hugging my head and groin before being tugged right out my middle.

Drawing me in.

Stretching me out.

Tearing me open while simultaneously sewing me shut.

A long, slender neck was partially hidden by delicate fingers extending from a slim hand. A wave of long, milk chocolate hair danced around her narrow shoulders that shook and shimmied to the thumping beat of the music.

But the thing that stopped me, the thing that held me hostage to the breathlessness and hard pounding of my heart, was the perfect, almost-ethereal, radiant smile that danced across her face.

Every instinct in me told me to run, to hide, to escape while my heart was still intact. But that humming in my veins wouldn’t let me. It pulled at me, twisting my gut and squeezing my heart, dragging me forward, drawing me in. My feet moved of their own volition, ignoring any logic that could be found.

There was a man at the table next to her. Tall, muscular, with looks that women would kill for. I hated that he was there, but couldn’t bring myself to care enough to stop.

The dance floor was packed, the energy pulsing through the crowd going straight through the girl, waves of it thrumming toward me, reeling me closer and wrapping me up.

There was a tug at my arm, my sister’s fingers clamping around my bicep, impeding the will of my feet.

“Come on, Vin, let’s get a drink.”

I shook her off, barely glancing over my shoulder. Afraid if my eyes left the girl, she’d disappear from my sight.

“Go without me, Viv.”

“I’m not getting you a drink if you don’t come with me.”

“Then don’t.”

Her hand fell from my arm and my body jerked forward. As if that pull was a physical force, drawing me toward that radiant smile. I rounded the table, circling her like prey, all the while everything inside me told me to walk away.

You’re nothing.

You don’t deserve her.

You’ll never be enough.

I shook off my demons the way I shook off my sister. Let my feet carry me to the girl dancing in her chair. From three feet away, I tried to speak, but my words couldn’t get over the lump in my throat.

Again, my feet moved, stepping forward. And without conscious thought, I bent at my waist. Her hair shifted, the barely-there breeze from the door pushing a whiff of her scent my way.

My lungs wanted to lock up, close in around the scent and carry it with me to my death. The sweet smell of apple blossoms surrounded me, wrapping me up in the comfort of home.

It was that smell that loosened my tongue. That made my voice rise above the lump.

“Dance with me,” I said, holding out my hand, praying she’d take it, praying she’d let me down so I could walk away unscathed.