Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Gio wore a black, tailored button-down shirt, with the top two buttons undone, over a pair of jeans, and his not-so-subtle cologne wafted in the air conditioning, overpowering me. He tried too hard to achieve a look of casual ease.
His dark eyes shifted, scouring over my body, and lingered on my breasts. He too approved of my appearance. Nathan had done it in a subtle, sexy way, but Gio’s leering gaze left me wanting a shower.
“He ordered wine for you,” Nathan said.
The large wineglass was half-full of a dark red. I didn’t drink red wine, but squeezed out a smile, turning to Gio. “Grazie.”
The Italian began immediately, and whatever he said gave Nathan pause. His focus returned to me, his voice softening. “You look beautiful this evening.”
The sharp breath I drew in was involuntary. Once again, I was betting these words hadn’t come from Gio, at least not the way they’d been delivered. And if they had, they still wouldn’t have held the same effect they did coming from Nathan. God, this was going to be awkward.
“Thank you. Is that how he said it?”
“Not exactly, but I don’t feel the need to repeat it.” His eyes were deep, dark, and there was a pull to them that was impossible to resist. He didn’t need to clean up what Gio was saying—I was certain I’d heard worse—but his desire to do so filled me with unexpected warmth.
The Italian spoke, snapping the moment between us. “He said, ‘How do you like working for my family?’”
I pasted on a polite smile. “You travel a lot, and that keeps me busy.”
“He wants to know how you ended up in Italy.”
I took a sip of the wine to disguise my discomfort. “I grew up unaware of the rest of the world. Now that I’ve seen some of it, I’d like to see the rest.”
Gio’s full lips pulled back, exposing a too-white smile. “Have you learned that Italy is the most beautiful country yet?”
“I haven’t seen much of it besides the airport. Like I said, your family keeps me busy.”
Nathan hesitated. “He asked if you’re interested in staying busy long-term.”
My mouth went dry, but I managed to speak. “Tell him thank you, and that I’d like to think about it.”
A complete lie, which I was sure Nathan could see, but it appeared to please Gio.
The stilted conversation continued as our boss finished his glass of wine and ordered another. He eyed my barely touched drink, which prompted me to choke down another swallow.
I didn’t want to talk to Gio. I wanted to know more about the man standing beside him, and although it was probably a bad idea to make him part of the conversation, I did it anyway. “Nathan, how many languages do you speak?”
He quickly masked his surprise, perhaps considering whether to share. “Six.”
I wanted to ask him which ones. Really, I wanted to hear him speak all of them, but just listening to his version of my words in Italian was delicious torture. God, I needed to get a grip. His rejection the other night had somehow made him more desirable.
Talking to Nathan directly ruffled Gio. He said something with his uncomfortable gaze set on me.
“He’s asked about your boyfriend. Is he American?”
“Sure.”
Nathan’s eyes clouded over, like he was fighting a cringe. “Do you find American lovers can satisfy you?”
I couldn’t help but snort. “Most of the time.”
“How many lovers have you had?”
Really? “Enough to know what I like.”
That failed to draw a reaction. Nathan’s expression was perfectly schooled. “He wants to know about your accommodations. If you’re lonely in that cabin by yourself.”
My mouth raced ahead of my brain. “I was the other night, wasn’t I?”
There was the reaction I wanted. A stunned Nathan was the most beautiful version of all. His gaze darted away. “Is that what you want me to tell him?” It came out sounding unhappy, maybe angry. “Do you want him to come back to your room?”
Was he worried about my safety? Or was there something else that made him intensely dislike this idea? Because if it was jealousy, that made no freaking sense.
“No. I’m not interested in him.”
No, my interest was squarely on the American. Yeah, it would probably be a mistake if we slept together, but so what? It was just sex, and yes, I was lonely. I’d felt alone ever since . . . I felt alone all the time now.
“Tell him I’m a lesbian.”
“Lesbica?” Gio looked thrilled. Of course that was an English word he’d recognize.
“No, signore,” I said to him directly. “Please explain I was kidding.”
The two men went back and forth in discussion, and since I couldn’t understand it, my gaze drifted out to the landscape beyond the window where the light was almost gone, but I could still make out a herd of elephants on the bank of the river.