11
Bianca
“I thoughtyou said this was a small anniversary party.”Vinnie has his hand on my lower back, guiding me through the lobby toward the ballroom.
The music’s so loud, the vases lining the hallways are vibrating against the tables, creating music of their own.
“I never said small.”I hold in my laughter.The Hernandez family doesn’t know what the word small even means.From cooking to parties, everything is big.
“This is a wedding, baby.”
I shake my head.“It’s my parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary, silly.Doesn’t your family do this?”
He shakes his head as we continue walking toward the packed ballroom.“My parents just got married a few months ago.”
I blink in confusion.“What?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Bianca,” my brother Luis says as soon as he sees us walk into the ballroom.
It’s like he was waiting at the entrance for us, trying to get his first look at the new man on my arm.I’m pretty sure he wanted to put the fear of God into whoever is dating his little sister, but I have a trick up my sleeve with the hot footballer my brother can’t help but love.
With my past boyfriends, and I use that term loosely, it was pretty easy for my brothers to intimidate them.The guys were always scrawny, nerdy types who probably couldn’t throw a punch to save their life—or my own.But Vinnie…he is the entire package and the perfect complement to my brothers’ sizes and attitudes.
“Luis.”I smile, finally happy with who’s standing behind me.
It’s a game my brothers play with the men in my life.It’s a wicked game of cat and mouse, putting the fear of God in them if any harm, including sex, comes to me.They’re lame.Always have been.From the day I first started getting boobs, it became their personal mission to keep me safe and my virtue intact.
Luis’s not looking at me; he’s glaring at Vinnie like I don’t even exist anymore.Watching the two of them posturing is like watching an episode of exotic animal behavior on National Geographic.
I place my hand on Vinnie’s chest and curl into his side, just to see my brother’s body puff up with anger.“This is Vinnie.My boyfriend.”I drive the second sentence home when I pop up on my tiptoes and plant a big, wet kiss on Vinnie’s lips.
Vinnie’s hand goes to my waist, digging his fingertips into my skin through all the layers of lace.“What are you doing, baby?Trying to get me killed?”he whispers with a small smirk.
“What’s going on over here?”Right on cue, Javier makes his appearance.
I back away from Vinnie, smiling up at him.“Javi, this is Vinnie.”
“Her boyfriend,” Luis tells him, waving his arm in our direction as I swing around to face them both.“If you can’t already tell by the way he’s sucking our sister’s face.”
I roll my eyes because these two could turn the smallest act of affection into banging in public.
“I see that.”Javi runs his hands through his hair like he’s debating if he should make a scene or not.
He’s done it before.Hell, they both have.
Vinnie puts his hand out, thinking maybe if he introduces himself, my brothers will somehow chill out.“I’m Vinnie,” he says to Javi like my brother’s instantly going to turn into someone other than an asshole because Vinnie extended his hand to him.
They both stare at him, shoulders squared, and the tiny vein they both have in their foreheads starts to protrude like it’s ready to pop.
“Vinnie Gallo,” I add with a smirk.“Maybe you’ve heard of him?He just got signed by your favorite football team.”
They rock backward on their heels, acting more like clones than two separate people as the realization of who Vinnie actually is hits them square in the chest.
“The rookie quarterback for Chicago?”Luis asks, like he’s not quite believing what I just said.
Vinnie smiles with a quick nod.“The one and only.”
