“No shit.”Javi’s face softens, and for a moment, I’m hopeful my brothers will finally play nice with one of my dates.
“The notorious womanizer,” Luis adds like he knows everything there is to know about Vinnie.
Javi crosses his arms in front of his chest, and the hard stare he had earlier is back.“You have quite the reputation.”
“It’s all lies.I’m dedicated and faithful to your sister.Look at her.”Vinnie dips his head to me.“She’s a knockout and smart, too.”
“I don’t like this,” Luis says because he’s never been one to bite his tongue.
“A professional football player isn’t the right match for you,” Javi agrees with Luis, telling me who I should date, as if their opinions matter.
I want to knee them both in the junk.Instead, I slide my hand underneath the back of Vinnie’s suit jacket, loving the dip of his muscles near the center of his back.“Can you give me a minute with my brothers?”
“Sure, baby.Want a drink?”
“I’d love something stiff, sweetheart.”I smile when both of my brothers grunt their disapproval of the word I used, which I totally did on purpose.
“Anything you want.I’ll be back in a minute.”
I stare at my two brothers, none of us saying anything until Vinnie’s a few feet away.I place my hands on my hips and glare at my brothers for being such enormous assholes.“You two need to stop right now.I like him.He’s been nothing but an absolute gentleman to me.”
If you don’t count dry-humping me on the couch the other night, but I leave that part out.
“Football players are dogs, Bianca,” Luis says.
“All men are, Luis.You, yourself, are a total womanizer, and you don’t hear me trying to run off every woman you bring around.”
Luis crosses his arms, not backing down, and I can tell this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.“You’re my sister.It’s my job to protect you.”
“It was your job to protect me when I was little.I’m twenty-five now.I can defend myself.And you—” I point at Javi, waving my finger.“I expected more from you.”
Javi throws his arms out.“I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re jumping on the Luis bandwagon.So help me God, if you two try to chase Vinnie away, I’ll elope with him as payback.”
Luis’s eyes widen.“You wouldn’t.”
I smirk.“Try me.”
Luis runs his hand through his dark hair and glances down at the floor.“We just don’t want to see you hurt, Bianca.”
“I’m happy for the first time in a long time.I just want you two to be supportive and not try to run him off.He doesn’t scare easily like the other guys.”
“Well, yeah.He’s a man.”Luis laughs, jabbing my brother in the ribs.“Not a pussy like the other guys.”
“Then be happy for me, or I’ll make you both sorry.”
My brothers remain silent as Vinnie returns with two drinks in his hands.I take my drink, whatever it is, and drink half the glass before Vinnie says his next words.
“I’d love it if you guys came to a game this season, or you could come by practice and watch the team work out.”
That’s all he had to say to two die-hard football fans.Between my talk and Vinnie’s bribe, they finally chill the fuck out.
“That would be great, man,” Javi says, almost cracking a smile.
“We wouldn’t want to impose,” Luis adds, but he’s completely full of shit.
“I insist that you come as my personal guests.”Vinnie tips his head, impressing me with his ability to think on his feet and not being the least bit fazed by my brothers.
