Page 61 of Playing Hard to Get

An open heart.

The glide of his hand across my back was a welcome relief. Mitch stepped up behind me and extended his hand to Vinny, then said his hellos to the others in the group before turning his attention to me. The entire time, his hand sat low on my back, fingers gentle but greedy, body pressed snug against me in a way that screamed to me his need, but came off as platonic, friendly.

My arm slid around his back and I gave him a side hug. Ignored the twinge of jealousy that flittered through me as Mitch put his free arm around Emily and pulled her into him. Talked and laughed and loved the feel of it all, of Mitch holding me in front of all of these people, even though they couldn’t know.

A horde of servers swept into the room from the service entrance beyond the kitchen. A brief lull threw itself upon the conversation as all eyes jumped to the black-and-white dressed wait staff. The din of discussion stirred once again as a set of waiters made their rounds with trays filled with a variety of bottled beer, glasses of sparkling water, and wine glasses brimming with burgundy liquid. Bodies shifted as the staff pulled massive tables from against the wall to the middle of the room. In minutes the tables were set, surrounded by chairs, mounds of food settled across the blue-starred tablecloths.

Frankie took center-stage, dragging Corey behind her. “Thank you all so much for coming today,” she said, her voice loud and clear, full of the kind of love and emotion she’d gained in the past year. She intertwined her fingers with Corey’s as she placed her other hand on her heart. “Our lives have changed so much in the past year. And each and every one of you has been there for us, helped us through the hard times, and celebrated the good.”

Her eyes flickered across the crowd, landing on each guest in turn. When they hit me, they lingered. Dropped to my shoulder.

Awareness spread through me like wildfire.

Mitch saw it too. He removed his hand from my shoulder. Slapped it gently upon my brother’s chest as he leaned over and whispered something to Vinny.

Vinny laughed quietly.

Frankie continued, her tone sharper than before as she invited everyone to take a seat and dig in to the spread. Her eyes followed me. Narrowed as I tugged at Vinny’s arm and dragged him toward the table.

I didn’t mean to sit by Mitch. But in the shuffle of bodies taking seats, my butt landed in a chair between him and my brother. With two dozen people gathered around, even in Frankie’s massive condo, it was a tight fit around the tables. I stole a glance at my cousin. Saw her eyeing me and Mitch. I turned to Vinny and engaged him in conversation, doing my best to ignore every bump and jostle of my lover at my side.

When Frankie turned her attention to the conversation at her end of the table, I finally relaxed. Dug into the brats and potato salad and baked beans, the rest of the amazing spread of food that mirrored what so many in America were possibly eating at that very moment, in backyards, over barbecues and fire pits and picnic tables. All prepared by their own hands while ours was laid before us by an army of paid workers.

Over ice cream and hot apple pie, over another round of beers and bottles of wine, the conversation flowed. The bump of Mitch's body against mine bothered me less, warmed me more. His arm on the back of my chair didn’t faze me as I saw his other arm resting behind Jen. He was leaning into her, teasing her, begging for a laugh and a rush of warmth from her cheeks. As he did for Emily earlier. As he had for so many of the women gathered here today.

Vinny was stiff beside me. Tension radiating off him as he watched my man flirt with the woman he loved. I patted his leg and smiled, leaning in close to tell him a small portion of the truth.

“Don't worry, Vin. He’s seeing someone. It's just how he is.”

He huffed. Shook his head and rolled his shoulders. “Don't worry about me, Viv.” His lie stung me as much as my own. I could see how much he was hurting. I knew I’d feel the same if I lost Mitch but had him dangling on a string before me while other cats went on to play.

After two bottles of beer and two of water, my bladder was ready to burst. I excused myself to the bathroom. I ran into Mitch on the way out.

He crushed me against the wall. His hot mouth landed on mine, claiming me.

“I forgot how much of a flirt you are,” I whispered, grinning, gasping for breath when he finally released me.

“You’re a fucking tease,” he whispered back.

I moaned as his hand slid across the red and blue striped silk of my dress, down my body to the narrow space between my thigh and his.

“What I wouldn't give to take you in there and fuck you over the sink again.”

“Mitch—” My breath was cut off as his mouth met mine. His tongue slid across my own before he pulled back and trailed kisses down my neck.

“Want to take you, sweet girl. Want my cock inside of you.”

Another moan left me as his body pressed against mine, as his hand slid up the bare skin of my thigh.

“Not here,” I told him, hating that we couldn't. “She’s watching. She’s pissed.”

Mitch tensed. Pulled back. Swept a soft kiss across my lips.

“I own you tonight,” he said, his voice gruff and needy.

“You own me always,” I responded, my body begging me for what it couldn’t have. Not now. Not here.

When I returned to the party, I was aching. Mitch came out minutes later, his dark eyes holding mine. His flirt with Jen was over when he sat back down. He leaned back in his chair, his body close enough to me that I could smell the faint perfume of my soap on his skin. I leaned in to say something, anything to get my mind off how much I wanted his body. Before I did, Frankie's voice called across the table.