9
OLIVIA
I swipedmy eyelashes with mascara a second time and tried to keep my hand steady.
This whole thing was ridiculous. I was putting on makeup so I could have drinks with a man I had no interest in. It was a lie, of course. I was putting on makeup for the dangerous man who translated for our boss.
I wasn’t sure what angle Nathan was playing. Maybe he was doing important work, but my petty, wounded pride wanted to show him what a fool he was to pass me up.
Plus, I was confident I could outplay Gio. I was a survivor.
The sky was painted in oranges and yellows at sunset, and the dust kicked up in the breeze as I followed the thin path to the main lodge. The soil beneath my shoes was pale, dirty sand that was so fine it was like powder. So different from the black earth I was used to back in America.
Frances waited just inside the lodge lobby and beamed a warm smile at me. The Swede made quite a pair with her husband. Did she know what Phillip had witnessed on the game drive yesterday? As she’d escorted me back to my room last night, she’d seemed oblivious, but there were bullet holes in the side of the Land Cruiser.
My footsteps fell lightly on the wood plank floor that had been polished to a brilliant finish, leading me through the lodge to the bar. It looked different in the fading sunlight, less intimate than last night. The men were already seated and rose when I arrived to join them.
My breath caught at the sight of Nathan. He wore tanpants and a thin, dark green sweater, with the gun in its shoulder holster over that. Not even bothering to hide it, but then again, why would he? The patrolling escorts carried guns in plain view.
Nathan had shaved and his dark hair was tousled, almost as if it had been casually styled. Like he’d made an effort. Oh, holy hell, he was a beautiful man, and I cursed my pulse for quickening at the sight of him.
His gaze drifted down my body, taking in the ivory-colored top with sheer sleeves and fitted black slacks. He looked like he was assessing me for a threat, but for all his acting, I could see right through it. His gaze had nothing to do with his job, and everything to do with the other night. The corners of my mouth crept up into a smile. He liked what he saw, even though he didn’t want to.
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.
