Page 58 of Vinny

Finally, she leaned over to Vinny and whispered, “I think your mom wants to say something, but she just stares instead.”

“She wants you to play your harp.”

Her eyes widened as she bemoaned, “But I didn’t bring Easnadh.”

Vinny winked as he moved from his chair. “I’ll be right back.” A few minutes later he returned with her harp case in his hand. “I stowed it in the back. I just knew Ma would want to hear you play an Irish tune.”

Maeve clapped her hand in delight. “Oh, my dear. Please do. Ever since Vincent told us you played the Celtic harp, I just knew you were the one for him.”

The group moved to the sitting area in front of the fireplace as Vinny got a chair for Annalissa to sit in. For several minutes she played one Irish ditty after another, interspersed with several ballads.

Once more Vinny sat entranced watching her play, her fingers gliding over the strings eliciting the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Her eyes were closed as she rocked back and forth, one with the music. Suddenly another sound emerged. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized she was singing.Singing!The haunting tones from the harp were now joined by the sweetest voice he had ever heard as the words to the Irish lullaby floated over the pub.

As her fingers stilled, Annalissa opened her eyes realizing that she had been singing in public—something she never did. And the gathering was silent. Perfectly silent.Oh Jesus, what have I done?

Maeve burst into tears as she sprang from the sofa, rushing over to envelop her in her embrace. “Oh, my. I’ve not heard that since my mother would sing it to me and I sang it to my boys.”

Annalissa glanced over Maeve’s shoulder to see Patrick wiping his eyes, a broad smile on his face. As the older woman released her, she dared to lookVinny’s way. He moved over to her, pulling her from her chair and encircling her in his arms. Looking down into her green eyes, he whispered, “Never thought I’d hear anything as beautiful as you playing the harp. But hearing you sing at the same time? Fuckin’ amazing.”

“I didn’t mean to sing,” she confessed. “It just sort of happened.”

“Happened for a reason, babe.”

Soon it was time to say goodbye, this time she was comfortable with his parents’ show of affection. They were so much like her mother that she had to fight the tears of remembrance.

As they pulled away from the pub, Vinny turned to her and asked, “You okay, baby?”

She returned his smile as she answered, “Everything’s perfect.”

The warm water was no longer frightening to Annalissa as she treaded through the shallow side, slowing making her way into the slightly deeper water. Keeping her head above the water line, she moved her arms while kicking her legs to propel herself toward the stunning man smiling at her as he floated along. He dipped his head under the water, rising up before her like a Viking god. Chiseled abs, with the Celtic patterned tattoo around his thick bicep, water dripping from his hair down his square jaw with a hint of stubble.

Good Lord,she thought as her motions faltered. He quickly reached forward, a smirk on his face.

“Babe, keep your mind on the lesson or you’ll drown.”

Clinging to his hard body, she replied, “How can I be expected to keep my mind off of you when you look like that?”

Laughing, he pressed his erection against her core. “You’re not the only one struggling here. Just the sight of your sexy body sliding through the water is keeping me hard.”

“Maybe someone else should teach me to swim,” she suggested, licking the water off of his neck. “Maybe Jobe is available.”

“Hell, no,” he growled, squeezing her ass. “He may be one of my best friends and true to the core, but no one’ll ever be this close to you when you’re half naked.” His aching dick was making the lesson difficult, so he moved her out to arms’ length as he floated her to the shallow side.

“Back to business,” he ordered, giving her a quick kiss on the nose, admiring her little pouty mouth. “We need to get your head under the water and add the breathing into the strokes.”

Determined not to show fear, she stood and followed his motions of holding her breath and lowering herself under the water. Up and down she went, practicing taking a deep breath before plunging, blowing bubbles under water and then rising again.

Having conquered her fear of being under the water, he then stood behind her moving her arms as sheturned her head. Her attempts to put arms, legs, and breathing together were awkward and resulted in swallowing water.

Sputtering and coughing, she lifted her head in frustration. “I’m never going to get this! There’s too much going on for me to remember how to do it all.”

Once she had caught her breath, he pulled her close allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist again as she locked her hands behind his thick neck.

“Babe, you’re doing great.” Seeing her start to interrupt, he continued. “How long did it take you to learn to play the harp?”

Knowing where he was going, she grinned ruefully. “Okay, okay. I know, I have to practice. But it’s not like I’m ever going swimming by myself. And I have no intentions of ever trying to cross a river again.”

“You never know, babe. After all, when we have kids and they’re playing around the docks at my parents’ place, you’ll want them to know how to swim and be able to swim with them if you need to.”

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