Page 30 of Vinny

“Goddamnit! Look I don’t have time for this, but you’ve always helped everyone else. I just thought maybe you had some advice for me.”

“Damn, Vinny. I don’t just pull this stuff outta my ass. I don’t even know what’s going on, but I can guess that since you’ve never had a decent conversation with a woman other than ‘strip, spread, and thank you ma’am’, you are completely outta your league.”

“You make me sound like a royal prick,” Vinny complained, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Look, you’re one of the best soldiers I’ve ever worked with and by far, the best shot. You’ve got nerves of steel and an eagle eye. I always figured that one day, someone special would come into your sight and you’d totally fuck it up.”

“Are you just going to bust my chops, or are you going to tell me how to make this right?”

Jobe chuckled. “So what did you do? Go too far too fast?”

“No,” Vinny almost shouted. “That’s the problem. She’s innocent. And actually willing. I just can’t…it’s just not right to…it needs to be perfect.”

“Good God, the great Vinny finally met a womanthat he doesn’t want to bang and run,” Jobe said, astonishment in his voice. Then sobering, he continued, “Man, I’m glad for you. So what’s the problem?”

“She thinks I don’t want her. She knows a bit of my reputation and I think that she…well, she’s upset that I just walked away from her.”

“Have you explained what you want? If she thinks you’re just stringing her along, no wonder she’s pissed. From what we’ve learned about her over the past few days, she’s always got someone telling her what to do. And now you are. Maybe just meet her where she is. No making decisions for her. And then see where it all goes.”

Vinny sighed. Jobe made it seem so easy.Could it really be that easy?

Suitably clothed and armored, Annalissa watched as he came back into the small room. She turned her back to him and began quickly shoving things into her backpack once more. With a final zip, she slung it over her shoulder and faced him. “Is the car ready?” she asked, trying to still the tremor in her voice.

“Um…yeah. I…thought we’d eat some breakfast first and then leave.”

“We really ought to hit the road. I just want to get home,” she said with uncharacteristic force. Moving past him, she started through the door but he grabbed her arm as she was about to pass him.

“Babe,” he said softly, but she refused to look up. “Look, I thought it was best to?—”

“No worries, Vinny,” she said quickly interrupting him.The last thing I need is for you to tell me that I’m your job. Or your mission. Or worse, it’s not you, it’s me. Yeah, right.

She slid past and walked down the stairs. Giving Eugene a hug, she thanked him for his kindness.

“Oh, no need, miss. Your man paid me well for the car and the night’s lodging, although I’d have thrown that in for free. But he insisted.”

Nodding, she tossed her bag into the back seat and climbed into the passenger side.It’s been a hell of a few days…I just want to get home.

Vinny stood outside the car and watched Annalissa buckle up, her body as stiff as a board. Nothing like the soft, pliant woman that had laid under him just thirty minutes earlier.I am such a fuck up. I just wanted to do the right thing and all I’ve managed to do is drive her away.Climbing into the car, he pulled out and began the next leg of their journey.

Trying to make conversation, he said, “I called Tony.” Getting no response, he continued. “The contact that was going to meet us at the last airfield is going to meet us in Huntington, West Virginia. That should be early afternoon.”

Still no response. Rubbing his hand over his face, he plunged in, not knowing how to make any of this right. “Babe, we gotta talk about what happened back there.” Already Vinny was in uncharted waters with no ideahow to swim in them. Talking to a woman about feelings was as foreign to him as anything he had ever done.

She turned her face from the window to look at him, lifting her chin slightly. “There’s really nothing to talk about. I suppose correct behavior would have been for me to thank you profusely for your…limited…um…services this morning. How remiss of me.”

Whoa, she’s pissed. Limited services? What the hell does she mean by that?

“Babe—,” he started.

“Under the circumstances I think from now on, you should drop the endearment.”

“What did I do that was so wrong?” he pleaded.

“Nothing. From what you have told me you’re a man used to getting…what he wants from just about any woman that comes along and I was willing to let that next woman be me. I’m just not…willing anymore,” she said, her voice breaking near the end.

“I don’t know wh?—”

“Friendship…Vinny. That’s all…I’m willing to give. Nothing more.”

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