Page 11 of Vinny

Standing, he pushed his chair back, saying, “Not interested, ladies. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

He turned to signal their waiter so that he could pay, when the other woman grabbed his arm, saying, “That child could not possibly keep a man like you interested. What’d you say to a threesome, big boy?” She pressed against his arm, her low shirt showing her impressive breasts.

Looking down at her smirk, he knew she thought he was a sure thing. An easy man for an easy fuck. But for the first time, his dick did not even respond. Nothing about the woman was appealing. But the thought of a petite, dark-haired, green-eyed harpist stirred him like no other.

Aslight gasp sounded to his right. Turning his head, he saw the look of surprise on the face of the woman that was filling his thoughts, just before she turned and walked away. Disentangling himself from the two interlopers, he told the passing waiter to put the meal on his room tab and jogged after Annalissa.

The elevator doors were just closing as he rounded the corner in the lobby.Fuck.He took the stairs to the third floor, arriving about the same time the elevator doors opened. He caught her wide-eyed expression, knowing that she had hoped to be in her room by the time he arrived.

She quickly schooled her expression, but he could still see the embarrassment. She tried to move past him,but he took her arm escorting her to her door. “Annalissa,” he said softly.

“Thank you for a lovely dinner, Vinny. I’ll just be turning in and you can…uh…enjoy your…um…evening.” She graced him with what she hoped was a bright smile.

No way, baby, am I letting it go like this.Not used to having to explain himself, he rushed in. “I was enjoying my evening…with you. What you saw? They came up and I was trying politely to move them along. I have no interest in being with anyone else.”

Her eyes peered into his, searching deeply. Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “Do you usually find women from bars to…um…be with?”

Dropping his head, he wanted to scream “No” but found he could not lie to her. “Yeah.” He sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Yeah.”

“Please, Vinny,” she said. “I know I’m a job, but I’m here in my room safe and sound. You can come in and check to make sure my harp is here. But then you may go do…um…whatever you want to do.”

He stepped closer, his hand on her face,and could see her fighting to keep from leaning into his embrace. “I only want to be here. I have no desire to be with anyone else.”Please believe me.

He watched as she lifted her chin slightly, away from his hand and he missed her touch. “Goodnight, Vinny,” she said, turning and entering her room.

Her door shut firmly with a click and he heard the bolt latch.

And now, he was laying on his bed listening for anysound from next door.What did I think was going to happen? That she’d have a change of heart and come knocking on my door?

He had heard the shower and movement for a little while after they parted and now nothing. She must be asleep.

Miles away, a man placed a call, anxiety coursing through his veins.

“Talk,” was the only response when the call was answered.

“It ain’t here. I searched everywhere. Even went back to all the planes. Looked through everything. I’m telling you, it ain’t here.”

“Goddamnit! You must have missed it.”

The line was deathly silent for a moment while he swallowed loudly a few times.

“Or else you decided to take it for yourself.”

“No, no, I swear it. I ain’t lying. It ain’t here. I looked everywhere,” he said, sweat trickling down his face.

“Well, find it. Search the apartment in case it was picked up and taken there.” Rattling off the address, they said, “And do not fail to locate where it is if you want to keep your job. And your life!”

The line went permanently dead at that point, leaving him to wipe his brow once again.

What have I gotten myself into,he wondered as he looked down at the address he had written. Heading toward his car, he hoped the trip would be successful,trying to push the consequences of failure from his mind.

Annalissa was sitting up in bed. Sleep was not coming and no matter how much she tried to tell herself that it did not matter what the women in the bar said, it still hurt.Mouse. I’m not a mouse. Maybe I’m not an in-your-face kind of person, but that doesn’t make me a mouse.Glancing down at her slim body, she thought of their tight shirts with tons of cleavage showing. Taking her hands and pressing her breasts together, she giggled.There. If I did this all the time, then I could have men ogle my boobs too.Letting her hands drop, she sighed.I know that’s what he likes. That’s what he’s used to having.Heaving another sigh, she shook her head.It doesn’t matter. I’m who I am and what I am. I never had a shot at a man like him anyway.

She padded over to her harp case, realizing that with all the events of the day she had not taken Easnadh out. Laying the case on its side, she unsnapped it and lifted the lid. The sliver of moonlight coming in through the curtains cast a shiny shadow across her beloved instrument. As was her habit, she lovingly gazed over the entire harp, noting with pride the exquisite restoration work. Everything looked perfect…until her gaze fell upon the pedestal. Flipping on the light next to her, she peered down into the case to see what caught her eye.What is that?

The base of Easnadh’s pedestal was slightly crooked.It would not be noticed by anyone other than someone intimately acquainted with every inch of the beautiful instrument.How did that happen?She carefully lifted her harp from its case and walked over to her bed, laying it down for further inspection. Running her fingers carefully over the wood, she noted that the harp was completely as it should be, except the base.

Bending over her task, she saw that the screws that held the base onto the pedestal were almost perfect—except for one. And it was not screwed in all the way flush with the wood.How did the screw become loose?Not wanting to leave anything to chance, she moved over to her cosmetic case, looking for a nail file to use as a screwdriver.

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