Chapter 6 Vinnie
VINNIE
“Is there a beefy-guy breeding farm I don’t know about somewhere around here?” Bianca asks as soon as we walk into the ballroom at the Ritz.
I laugh, glancing around the room with her and realizing almost everyone is as built as me. Some have a little more padding, but no one is small except the coaching staff.
“We have to be big.”
She looks over her shoulder at me. “What exactly do you do?”
I smile, feeling proud to be able to say for the first time that I’ve achieved the one goal I’ve been working my ass off for years. “I play football.”
“Like football, football?”
“What other football is there?”
“Gallo,” my coach says as soon as he sees us. “This must be the beautiful Bianca I’ve heard so much about.”
I give Bianca a smile. “This is,” I say with a hand on the small of her back, loving the way she feels in my arms.
“It’s lovely to meet you. Vinnie speaks very highly of you,” Coach Malik tells her without looking at me as he holds out his hand for Bianca.
She places her palm in his hand, before he leans over and kisses the skin on the back of her hand. My body tightens at the contact, and my hand slides around to her side, pulling her closer.
“Coach,” I grumble, knowing he’s only being a gentleman, but not liking it just the same.
“I’ll let you two get settled. Grab a drink and mingle.” He smiles, still staring at Bianca.
Looking around the room, I know she’s the best-looking woman here.
She’s naturally beautiful. Stunning, even.
The other team wives have had so much Botox, their faces barely move anymore.
Between the injections and the plastic surgeries, I’m pretty sure they look nothing like the women their husbands fell in love with years ago.
“Wait,” Bianca says as soon as the coach walks away from us. “Who are you?”
“Vinnie Gallo. Hopefully the newest starting quarterback for Chicago.”
She goes to back up, but I hold her tightly. “You’re a professional football player,” she whispers.
“I’m a rookie. I was just drafted.”
She blinks. “Shit. I watched that draft with my brothers and my dad. I remember you.”
“I’m kind of unforgettable.” I smirk.
“I did forget,” she teases with a small smile. “But now I remember. My family was psyched, screaming at the television like idiots when your name was called.”
“Did you scream my name too?”
“No.” She laughs.
“You will.” I tighten my grip on her waist again.
Her face instantly turns red, but she doesn’t tell me to fuck off, so I’d say I’m winning.
Being with Bianca tonight has been easy so far.
Maybe it’s the fact that neither of us is expecting anything out of the night, but whatever it is, I like it.
She isn’t like the other women I’ve been with. She doesn’t want anything from me.
“Who do we have here?” Clarence asks, interrupting the moment.
“This is Bianca,” I tell him, and I wave my hand in his direction. “Bianca, this asshole is Clarence.”
He smacks my chest, and I flinch. “I’m his best friend on the team. Don’t listen to the idiot,” Clarence says.
Bianca’s eyes grow bigger. “It’s such an honor to meet you, sir. I’m a huge fan.”
For some reason, I’m jealous of Clarence. I want Bianca to be a huge fan of me, not him. I want my name to be the one she’s chanting on Sunday, not Harris.
“Vinnie should bring you to practice.”
I won’t be bringing her to practice. Even bringing her here with all these cheating bastards wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. The girl isn’t even mine, and I already don’t want anyone trying to take her from me. Maybe the hit I took yesterday in practice was harder than I thought.
“That would be amazing,” Bianca says with a smile.
“We’ll talk about it.” My voice is flat, and my hand still hasn’t left her body.
Clarence raises an eyebrow, maybe catching my vibe.
“It’s not really a place for ladies.”
“Stop being a pussy.” He smacks me again. “Bring the pretty lady with you someday.”
“The pretty lady may not want to be around a bunch of sweaty assholes.” I clench my teeth together, wishing Clarence would shut the fuck up.
Bianca smirks. “This lady would very much love to come to practice.” She turns to face Clarence. “I’ve never minded a little sweat.” She winks, and I almost die.
“We’ll talk about it,” I mumble.
She slides her arm around my waist, holding me like I’m holding her. Her fingernails bite into my side. “Honey, I’d love to see where you work,” she says with a fake smile, not moving her teeth when she speaks.
“Baby.” I flex my fingers into her soft, lush waist.
“Vinnie.” The voice makes me cringe.
Clarence’s eyes widen. “Shit’s about to get real.”
“What is this bimbo doing here?” Tracie asks, staring at Bianca like she’s nothing but trash.
“This is my girlfriend,” I say proudly.
Tracie’s eyes slice to me. “I’m your girl.”
Bianca stiffens in my arms. “Maybe I should go,” she says and tries to break free from my hold.
I shake my head, holding her tighter, not letting her leave. “Don’t move,” I tell Bianca before glaring at Tracie. “I don’t know what part of ‘We’re nothing’ you don’t seem to understand, Tracie. We are not a couple. I’m very much taken, as you can see.”
Tracie’s mouth gapes open. “We’ll see about that,” she says before she stalks off, tossing her hair over her shoulder like she’s about to throw down.
“Who is that?” Bianca asks, jutting her chin toward Tracie as she walks away in a complete tizzy.
Clarence points in Tracie’s direction and shakes his head slowly. “That’s nothing but crazy.”
“So, you have a stalker?” Bianca doesn’t seem amused. “Don’t you think that’s something you should’ve told me?”
“She’s the owner’s granddaughter.”
Bianca’s mouth forms a perfect O. “Well, that’s awkward.”
“No, that’s insanity in heels.” Clarence laughs.
“Great,” Bianca mumbles, but she doesn’t relax. “You threw me right in the path of a nutty chick? Thanks a-fucking-lot.”
“Clarence, can you give us a minute?” I ask, feeling like I need to explain all the shit that’s gone down over the last six months.
“Sure. We’re in the back, and Marquita saved two seats at our table for you.”
I give him a chin lift, wishing I didn’t have to waste another minute on Tracie. “Thanks, man.”
He’s barely five feet away when Bianca moves out of my grip and faces me, eyes narrowed and expression totally pissed off.
“I’m your crazy-chick repellent?” She puts her hands on her hips, and I know she wants to clock me. “Are you fucking mad?”
I run my hand through my hair, feeling like an asshole. “The coach said I needed to make a very public statement that Tracie and I were and never will be a couple. He told me to bring my girlfriend with me to prove to Mr. Turner that his granddaughter is indeed off-the-rails insane again.”
“Again?” Her mouth hangs open. “She has a history of this shit?”
“She has a history of stalking players.”
Her shoulders bunch up near her head like she’s a volcano about to blow. “I’m your bait, aren’t I? I should knock your ass out right here,” she says in a low, scary voice, and I feel like she could do it if given half a chance.
She’s so damn hot when she’s mad, too.
“You’re my saving grace.” I reach for her, but she slaps my hand and pulls away.
“Don’t.”
“Bianca, come on. Don’t be that way.” I take a step toward her, wanting nothing more than to smooth things over.
She stops moving away from me. “You should’ve warned me, Vinnie.”
“Would you have come?”
“I don’t know, but at least I would’ve had a choice.”
“She’s gone now. She won’t be a problem,” I promise her, but I don’t know if it’s entirely true. “Don’t let her ruin our evening. I was enjoying myself until she showed up.”
“So was I.”
This time, I move faster than her, wrapping my arms around her back and locking my fingers together. Our bodies are touching, and she feels fucking spectacular in my arms.
“Do you like me?” I ask point-blank.
“What?” She doesn’t fight me or my hold.
“Do. You. Like. Me?” I ask again.
“I… Uh…”
I flatten my palms against her back. “It’s an easy question, Bianca. Are you attracted to me?”
She blushes.
“I’m attracted to you,” I say with complete honesty. This may have started as a favor, but there’s no one else I’d rather be here with.
She glances up at me, and there’s sadness in her eyes for a moment before it passes. “I don’t think I’m really your type. You probably want some skinny supermodel.”
I stare at her, dumbfounded by her statement. “The last thing I want is some twig at my side. I’m a big boy, and sometimes I can be rough.” I can see her swallow as the vein in her neck starts to pulse quicker. “You are very much my type, and I like you, too. Big attitude and all.”
“You like me?” She looks surprised.
I don’t get why she’d believe any differently. I think I’ve made myself pretty clear in the limited amount of time we’ve spent together. Why would a woman as pretty as Bianca think a guy wouldn’t want her? It makes no sense.
I nod. “Very much.”
“Son,” a man says behind me, touching my shoulder.
I turn my head, finding the owner watching us. “Mr. Turner, sir.”
“This must be the lovely Bianca.” There’s a genuine smile on his face as he lays eyes on the girl in the beautiful red dress.
“How many people did you tell about me?” she whispers in my ear, sending tiny shock waves through my system as her warm breath caresses my skin.
“This is indeed my girl Bianca, sir,” I say again, but this time, she doesn’t stiffen in my arms.
“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. A natural beauty,” he tells her with a dip of his head. “I hope you’re a Chicago fan.”
“I am.” Bianca smiles and absolutely lights up the room.
“I hope to see you at some games this year. I’m sure the ladies would like someone new to gossip with.” He grabs my shoulder. “And this boy has them all buzzing. He’s going to bring us a championship. I can feel it in my bones.”
“Sir,” I say with a dip of my head, loving the hell out of him, but needing his help. “I want to talk to you about Tracie.”
He shakes his head. “She’s being dealt with. You worry about the field, the ball, and your girl. Leave everything else to me.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You built up an entire story about me?” Bianca asks as soon as Mr. Turner is far enough away that he can’t hear us.
“I didn’t have a choice.” I shrug.
“Why me? Why my name?” She crosses her arms over her chest.
I tuck my hand into my pocket and try to be cool and calm, hoping I don’t sound like the biggest wanker in the world for what I’m about to say.
“After we met in the elevator, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.
When they asked about my girlfriend, your name was the first that came out of my mouth because, again, I was thinking about you nonstop. ”
“About me?” She touches her chest, looking shocked that I actually would’ve been thinking about her.
“Yeah, and the thoughts weren’t always pure, but damn, they were hot.”
The corner of her mouth twitches. “What would you have done if I’d said I wouldn’t come with you?”
“I would’ve been screwed and had to make up some story about how you were home with the flu or that I found you in bed with another man.”
She shakes her head and laughs. “That would be an ego hit, no? No man actually wants to admit they found their woman in bed with another man.”
“Finding your woman in bed with another woman is an even bigger ego hit, baby.”
She laughs loudly, tipping her head back and exposing her beautiful neck. I want to lean forward and run my lips across the silky-soft skin, but I’m pretty sure Bianca would not hesitate to smack me in front of everyone.
“That would be a complete suck, wouldn’t it?” she asks. “Has that happened to you?”
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I’ve never really been with a girl long enough to let it happen.”
Her smile vanishes. “What? You’ve never dated anyone?”
“I go on dates. I just don’t do relationships. I don’t like the way my heart feels when they end. I’ve stayed focused on my work and have put off love until later.”
“You sound like me.” She steps forward, closing the space between us. “I’ve sworn off men.”
“Forever?” I pray like hell she hasn’t switched teams.
“For a short time. It was affecting my work.”
“And now?” I’m hopeful, and I know maybe a little time with Vinnie will get her head back in the game.
“Now…” She pauses and runs her hands up my arms. “I’m thinking maybe it’s time to put myself out there again.”