Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“I understand,” I say.
He looks at me, blinking. “I’m not sure you do.” He closes his eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Raven. Your beauty is… It had to be carved in the heavens. No one on earth could create something like you.”
I stand there, my mouth agape. I don’t know what to say to him. I’m bald. Hairless. Still kind of skinny.
But he sees something.
Easy to see what I see in him. He’s a god. Dark hair, dark eyes. His Italian blood is so much more evident than Savannah’s is. He’s a gorgeous Mediterranean Italian man.
Hair even thicker than my brothers’.
“In another world,” he continues. “Another time, another place… I’d love to explore something with you.”
“I know about your engagement,” I say. “I don’t care, Vinnie.”
He shakes his head and takes a step back. “That’s not even what I’m talking about. I don’t plan to marry that girl. I’ve got seven years before she comes of age, and she’s not going to want to be married to a man over forty at that point.”
Vinnie’s already so good-looking. In his forties? When a little more silver starts to show at his temples and he has some more crinkly laugh lines around his eyes? His stubble turns to salt-and-pepper?
He’ll be even more good-looking.
“But you told me to break my date,” I say.
He frowns. “I did. I shouldn’t have.”
“The tone of your voice. It was… It made me want to obey you. Made me want to break the date.”
“I had no right to say that to you.”
“But you did, Vinnie. Why?”
He takes another step back and rubs at his lips. “Because, damn it. Don’t you see? There’s something about you, Raven. Something is pulling me toward you. And I should never have indulged myself. Never should’ve kissed you.”
I take a step forward, cocking my head. “So you regret it?”
“God no.”
“Then what is it, Vinnie?” I place a hand on his chest. “I’m not asking you for anything. You’re the one asking me for something. You’re asking me to break my date.”
“Raven, if you want to go out with that lawyer, then go out with him.” He draws in a deep breath.
I bite my lip. “I don’t want to. What if I tell you I’d like to go out with you instead?”
“Then I’d be the happiest man on earth.” He looks down. “And also the worst man on earth.”
I grab his hands. “You’re not your family, Vinnie. I know that. Falcon and Savannah know that.”
“Damn it, Raven.” He whips his hands out of mine. “You shouldn’t even be involved in this.”
“I’m sure my brothers agree with you. But I am involved. I’m not some weak little woman who has to be protected.”
“None of us think that.”
I can’t resist rolling my eyes. “Don’t you? You’re thinking it now.”
“I’m not,” he says. “I just… You’ve already been through the wringer.” He gazes deep into my eyes. “I couldn’t bear it if something ever happened to you.”
A chill runs down my back. “You want me. I can’t believe it, but you seem to.”
“How could you not believe it?”
I don’t answer him. Instead I run my hand over my head.
He steps toward me, caressing my cheek. “You’re much more than any head of hair, Raven. Your beauty shines from within. Sure, you have fine features—a classic beauty by anyone’s standards.” He drops his hands and wraps them around my waist. “There’s something more. Something underneath that makes you glow. Maybe it’s your new lease on life. Or maybe it’s just you, Raven. All I know is I’ve never seen anything like it. Never felt what I’m feeling right now.”
I take a step back, my mouth agape. I can’t believe a man as attractive as Vinnie just said those things to me. Me, a woman in recovery from a deadly disease, who is starting to look better but still has a long way to go.
“I’m truly beautiful to you?” I ask.
“God, yes.” He moves forward and cups both my cheeks. Stares straight into my eyes. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. I thought so the first time I saw you. I even mentioned it to Falcon and Savannah.”
“You haven’t seen my sister yet,” I tell him.
He chuckles. “You think that matters? I’m sure your sister is beautiful. I’m sure your mother’s beautiful. I mean, she’d have to be to produce you. But I’m not just talking about your outer beauty. Surely you know that.”
“You don’t even know me.” I look down. “How do you know what I’m like on the inside?”
He tips my chin up. “I can’t explain it. Just something I felt the first time I laid eyes on you. The feeling has only grown as I’ve gotten to know you. When you asked me to describe the wine tonight. When I watched you eat a bite of ice cream.” He cracks a small, sweet smile. “You’re just so…perfect.” His smile vanishes and he looks away. “Which is why you don’t belong in my life.”