“Really. You’ve just solved a huge problem for me, because Lucca and I would have fought over a name. Now, since Lucca seems to love you like a sister, I can say, ‘Harleigh picked the name.’”
“No. No. No.” She waves her hands in front of me. “I’m not getting stuck in the middle of you two. Nope.” She laughs and looks around to see if anyone just witnessed her mini outburst.
I stop us and turn her to face me. I cup her cheeks with my hands and lean in to brush her lips with mine. The electricity is zapping through me already.
“There will be no fight in it now you’ve picked it. I love it.”
I can feel the heat radiate from Harleigh’s cheeks through to the palms of my hands. I like that she’s so easy to get hot and bothered, but I wish I didn’t know why compliments caused such a reaction. I’d rather my compliments didn’t remind her of her past.
“What are you thinking about, Harleigh? I can hear the clogs turning.”
She shrugs and smiles warmly. “This…” She points between us. “It isn’t me. I don’t even think I know what I’m doing. It’s been so long since I liked a man or did anything like we’re doing now.”
Her flustered tone breaks my heart. I don’t want to upset her or make her feel uncomfortable.
“We’re having fun, Harleigh. Do you want to know what I think?” She nods and looks at my lips with delicate doe eyes. “I think you’re over-thinking things. What we have going on between us is beautiful. I know how confusing these feelings are because I’ve never felt them before. But why waste time trying to analyse everything? We’re in a beautiful country, enjoying each other’s company. We’re adults, andifsomething should blossom between us, I think we’re big enough to deal with it. So, what do you say we just go for lunch and have a good time? Whatever happens after that, happens.”
“Okay. I…” She lifts her eyes to look at me. “I think that’s a good idea, Gio. I don’t want to complicate things, but I don’t want to push you away either.”
“Good, because neither do I. This is just the beginning, beautiful.”
I lean in and capture her lips with mine. The heat between us is scorching. How we’re going to get through a lunch date without tearing each other’s clothes off, I don’t know.
I am going to need a lot of Dutch courage and restraint.
Chapter 10
Harleigh
Giovani parks his car outside his house and we get out slowly. It’s as if everything we’ve done and said today is finally hitting us. We’ve both admitted that we feel something for one another. We’ve both admitted that these feelings are something we’ve never felt before. Even before my last relationship turned sour, I never felt butterflies in my stomach, or felt thrilled about a relationship. I went along with relationships because my friends were doing it. I’ve never jumped in headfirst because I wanted to, because I had strong feelings. I guess you could say that peer pressure was a big thing for me. It’s only the last twelve months that I’ve been free from toxic relationships and fake friends, and I’m now, for the first time, looking forward to starting again.
I take in a deep breath and exhale slowly. I don’t know what Giovani and I have going on between us, but the butterflies are real. The feelings he invokes are consuming me; heart, body, and soul.
I look up at Giovani’s house like it’s the first time I’ve seen it. It always looks more and more beautiful with every glance. I should make my excuses to go back to my hotel, but Giovani is like a magnet to me. I can feel myself being drawn to him.
“Do you fancy coming in for a drink? Lucca will be at the hotel sorting the week’s deliveries.”
I nod. I should be shaking my head, but for the first time in my life, I don’t want to be sensible. I don’t want to listen to my head. I want to be impulsive and follow what my heart and body wants.
“A drink sounds good. This has got to be the hottest temperature I’ve been in for a long time.”
“Thirty-seven degrees this afternoon. You can always cool off in the pool with me.”
I’ve got my bikini under my clothes, but could I swim with Giovani? Would he think differently if he saw me half naked? My body is not model-like. It has scars, internally and externally. I have curves and imperfections. I’m not the put together woman Giovani sees in the beautiful clothes and make-up. Without it all, I’m just a regular plain Jane.
“What did I say about over-thinking things?”
I smile and shake my head. “I’m trying. I really am, Gio. You might need to be a little patient with me. Sometimes it’s hard to shake away the voices.”
“It’s a good job I’m a very patient man, Harleigh. Come on, let’s get cool.” Gio holds out his hand to me.
I slide my much smaller hand into his and let him lead the way. At this precise moment, Gio could be leading me to the devil himself, but I wouldn’t care as long as he was there with me.
“Live a little, doll. You deserve it,”echoes in my ears from my brothers back home.
We walk into Gio’s kitchen and I kick off my shoes. The cold ceramic tiles against my hot, sticky feet feels amazing. I moan in satisfaction and I can’t stop it.
“You have an amazing floor. I could lie on it.” I fan myself with my hat.
