Page 11 of Summer Waves

“Good to know.”

Every time he smiled I melted like butter. Hopefully, I’d be near something sturdy the entire date to hold me up when he smiled and my knees wentJell-Oon me. I had never met a man with such a great smile. Nor had I met a man who smiled as much as he did.

I had a feeling he was smiling because he was nervous. He seemed to be just as nervous as I was about this date. If this kept up, he was going to be all smiles and I was going to be putty the entire date.

“Would you like to come in while I find something to put these in?” I asked softly.

“Sure. Thank you,” he stepped inside and I closed the door behind him. I made my way to the kitchen. Giovanni stood in the living room looking around.

“I can’t lie,” I laughed nervously. “I don’t own a vase.”

He dropped his head down and sighed.

“I’m sorry. That’s my fault. I should have gotten a vase for them.”

“No!” I blurted like an idiot. “I mean, it’s okay. They’re beautiful.” My voice was much quieter the second go around.

“But still. I should have–”

“Relax, Giovanni.”

I had my damn nerve telling him to relax. I was about to search for a paper bag to breathe into instead of a vase. My nerves were through the roof and the more we talked the more nervous I became.

“Need help looking?” Giovanni asked standing by the kitchen island. I hadn’t heard him walk up so I jumped a little and clutched my chest with my free hand. “I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I chuckled and set the flowers gently down on the kitchen counter. “I’m a hot mess right now,” I admitted with a sigh. “I haven’t been on a date in forever, you’re my brother’s boss, you’re super hot, and the more I talk the more I sound like an idiot.”

Giovanni shook his head and laughed.

“That makes two of us. I mean, the hot mess, haven’t dated for eternity, you being absolutely beautiful and me sounding like an idiot,” he rambled off.

Absolutely beautiful?The words made me smile ear to ear. I turned my back to him so he wouldn’t see my cheesy smile.

“Thank you,” I whispered then began to dig through my cabinets for something to put the flowers in.

Giovanni made a noise that I couldn’t make out so I looked over my shoulder at him. He was staring at my ass, which eased the tension that had built up inside me. Weird how that’s all it took to relax me.

“I debated on wearing a dress. I can always go change,” I teased. His face turned red and he groaned.

“I swear, I usually have manners,” he groaned again.

“It’s okay. It broke the ice,” I shrugged and went back to looking for something to put the flowers in.

“Question?”

“Yes?” I asked, continuing my search.

“How does me staring at your as… staring at you break the ice?” I could hear the amusement in his tone.

“I asked myself the same thing,” I smiled, but he couldn’t see it since my back was to him. “Guess it’s just nice to know you’re human and not Jacob’s boss.”

“Ah. Gotcha,” he chuckled. “Want to stare at mine so I know you’re human and not just Jacob’s sister?”

Chapter Six

Giovanni

For the love of God. Why the fuck did I just say that?I wanted to tuck my tail and run for the hills.

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