Page 6 of Game On

“How about I help you then? I’ll stay even ‘till after you close, if you’ll be my island tour guide for the evening. How does that sound?”

Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink, and she offers up the prettiest smile. “Sure, that would be great, but do you know how to work a register or wrap a bell to sack it up,” she replies with an adorable smile and adds a wink to let me know that she’s just giving me a hard time.

“Perfect. Here,” I say, placing my book and bell on the counter. “Can I buy these before I start my job?”

She chuckles, rings me up and bags my purchases, then I jump behind the register, bumping into her slightly. She looks up at me, and I softly whisper, “Hi.” Her smile sends a shiver down my spine. The feeling is something I could easily become addicted to because I want it again and again.

Chapter 5

Gaia

My body is on sensoryoverload. Having Blaze working with me for several hours is pure torture, in the best of ways. I mentally run through all the places I can show him as soon as we can get out of here, and my mind keeps running back to making the first stop on the sightseeing tour my bedroom. I’m jumping to conclusions that he would even want me that way. Yeah, we kissed, but he probably just looks at me as his best friend’s little sister. Plus, we don’t even live in the same city. He’s only here for a short time, and then he will be gone, back to his life.

Nonetheless, his subtle, little touches tell me a different story. When he reaches around me to grab a different size bag, he gently grabs my hips with both of his hands as he shifts behind me. He even gives me a slight squeeze each time before releasing me. Later, when he whispers in my ear that he is stepping away for a minute and will be right back, the feel of his breath on my neck makes me want to close the store and send everyone the hell out, so I can jump him right here on the sales floor.

Get a grip, woman.

After working straight through lunch, the crowd finally winds down a few hours later, and thankfully, I’m able to lock the doors early. It doesn’t take me too long to shut down everything, and Blaze and I are soon walking out of the door to go see the town.

First thing’s first, the gondola ride. I lead the way away from Saint Mark’s Square to my father’s friend, Frankie. He owns a boat on the canal near my shop. I texted him earlier to see if he was available for a last-minute favor. After making a quick stop by a deli to grab us some paninis to go, we meet Frankie at his gondola, and, of course, he’s dressed like Santa. I think he probably does it more for warmth, than to be the jolly old man.

Frankie sets us off, and we cover up with a blanket and dive into our picnic dinner. A few, quiet minutes later, he takes us across the Canal Grande to see the unique triangle building of Punta della Dogana. It’s stunning against the pink sky. As the sun sets further, Frankie lazily makes his way down the water streets to show us the beautiful bridges Venice is most known for, and they are roped with a rainbow of Christmas bulbs. In the background, shops, hotels, and homes mingle together, sparkling with their own decorations, making this a wonderful place to live. Lastly, we pass slowly by La Fenice Opera House, where we can hear them singing Christmas carols. Pair the thousands of twinkling lights with the heartwarming music, and the scene is breathtaking.

Blaze reaches for my hand, pulls it to his lips and kisses the back of it gently. When he backs his lips away, he places our hands under the blanket, my fingers resting on his thigh with his palm covering them to keep me warm. He looks down at me and smiles for a brief moment, then shifts closer and looks back at the sight before us.

Spending Christmas Eve with Blaze has been the best Christmas holiday, but it raises the question of what will happen after lunch tomorrow.

Will whatever this is between us continue? As fast as the thought hits me, I push it away.

Just live in the here and now,I remind myself.

Frankie steers us back to Saint Mark’s Square, and we depart from the boat and thank him for the wonderful ride. As we pass through the square’s center, we see the giant Christmas tree made of lights, and walk by the long line of people trying to get into Saint Mark's Basilica for Christmas Eve Mass.

There is no way I can go to mass with Blaze, not with these impure thoughts running through my head. I would much rather confess them to Blaze, than ever confess them to a priest.I think he senses my hesitation because he stops us in the middle of the walk.

“Thank you for all of this. It has been a wonderful day. Call me selfish, but I am not ready to say goodbye to you yet. Will you come back to my hotel with me? We can hang out and get to know each other.”

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