He shrugs. "You would die from the embarrassment."
I exhale. "...Right. Thanks then."
He gives me that stupid little smirk. Sophia stands near the drinks, a white dress hugging her body, her expression unreadable, but her gaze is locked on us.
I see her lips part. Good. This is working. Gio pulls me closer. Too close. "You look hot when you’re shy," he whispers.
"I look homicidal."
"Even better."
He grabs a drink from a passing tray and hands it to me. Then, without warning, he loops his arm around my waist and kisses me hard, literally making out with me in the middle of the crowd.
His other hand comes up to the back of my head, sliding into my hair, holding me exactly where he wants me.
My knees actually wobble. I don’t even get a warning, and somehow, before my panic even catches up, I’m kissing him back, just for a second.
Then I break it. "You absolute son of a—"
"She saw that," he says softly, without even looking. I turn my head just enough to catch Sophia across the room. She looks mad. Good.
Perfect. Gio turns to me fully, tilting his head like he’s genuinely amused. "You gonna keep looking at her, or at me?"
My brain is soup. My emotions are whatever comes after soup. I don’t know what I’m feeling, why I’m doing this, why my body is reacting like this. Everything’s blurry.
I turn back to look at Gio. "Right... sorry."
His eyes flick down to my lips again. He clinks his glass against mine. "Let’s go say hi to her, boyfriend."
He drags me through the crowd toward her and doesn’t let go of my waist the entire way.
He leans to my ear. "Your waist is hot."
Enough. Enough of this insanity.
My stomach does that stupid thing. Compliments and I have a toxic relationship.
I crave them, I hate needing them, and now he’s giving me one on the exact thing people used to mock me for, which makes it ten times worse.
I force a fake smile.
"Thanks," I mutter, knowing full well Sophia can’t hear us yet. "You don’t have to talk like we’re together now. She can’t hear you."
He shrugs, completely unbothered. "It was just a compliment. Who gives a fuck about her."
I swallow hard. If only my body would stop reacting like he whispered something filthier. His hand slides from my waist to the small of my back. I can feel eyes on us now. I can feel her.
"Don’t you dare fucking overdo it," I mutter under my breath as we near her. Gio doesn’t answer. He just smirks and runs his fingers through my hair. I look at him suspiciously.
"Relax," he says, tugging lightly at a strand near my ear.
"You’ve got great hair. Might as well use it."
I swat his hand away. He grabs it mid-air and holds it, lacing our fingers together.
And then Sophia speaks. "Wow," she says, smiling too wide. "Didn’t expect to see you two here. Or like… this."
Her voice is sweet, but I know her too well.
