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“Carlo, can ask you what that word means?”
“Si, mi amore it means treasure.” Her eyes land on mine in question but I need to send Carlo away.
"Good to see you too, Carlo, and yes, Gianna is exquisite." He sets down our glasses and proceeds to pour us both a glass of wine.
"Can I bring you any appetizers?"
When I look at Gianna, I find she is watching me as if this entire exchange entertains her. I quirk a smile and place our order.
"Yes, please bring some bruschetta and prosciutto with mozzarella."
Carlo sets the bottle down and bows before walking away. I pick up my glass and take a long sip. I know wine is meant to be savored but fuck it. Gianna follows my lead, picks up her glass, and takes a drink before gingerly placing the glass back down. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was nervous.
"Do you not like the wine?" She furrows her brow.
"No, it's fine. I just need to make sure I don't drink too much, seeing as how I have to drive home."
I hadn't even thought about that, and I certainly don't want her to worry about that.
"I can get you an Uber home should you need one. It's not a problem." She spins the stem of her glass ever so slowly.
"That seems somewhat presumptuous of you to think I'm the kind of girl that takes an Uber home on a first date."
"I'm sorry, I got the impression you ate men's hearts for lunch. I figured a few glasses of wine was child's play." If she wasn’t riled up before she is now.
"I didn't realize you brought me out to dinner to discuss other men. While I don’t owe you any explanation, if you must know both men were just friends."
"You say just friends as if that's supposed to put me at ease. Tell me, Gianna, do you kiss all your friends?"
She leans back in her seat, takes a drink of her wine, and glares at me. That's fine. I can play her game. A few minutes pass of each of us staring at the other until I finally decide I've had enough.
Moistening my lips, I finish my glass, stand up and slide into her side of our corner booth. She slowly moves towards the center to escape my invading presence.
"What are you doing?"
"Sitting next to my date, what does it look like?" She clears her throat before taking another sip of wine.
"Exactly what type of date do you think this is August?"
I can tell I've just made her uncomfortable, but if my instincts are right, my presence isn’t as unbearable as she's letting on. My girl gets feisty when she is mad, and right now, she's being too genial for her words to hold any real offense. So, I shrug and move close enough so that my thigh bumps hers. "The kind where I sit next to my date."
I watch as she rolls her lips and then takes another sip of wine. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see us go back to my place, but I also know she's not that type of girl regardless of the men in her life. I've laid down enough hints about my intent, she’s had more than enough chances to reciprocate or flirt back and she's rejected me at every turn. If she was that type of girl, she would have been in my bed Monday night.
"Can I ask you something personal?" She raises a brow at my question.
"Does everyone call you Gianna?" A smile crosses her face, and she visibly relaxes. I can't help but laugh. "Did you think I was going to ask you something scandalous?"
"Yes, actually, I expected you to ask me something ridiculously personal and make me uncomfortable on purpose. To answer your question, no, most of my friends call me Gigi." I make her uncomfortable good.
"I'd like to say that I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, but I'm not. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I am inexplicably drawn to you, and I have found that the only way to break down your walls and see the real you is to make you uncomfortable." Her breathing has slightly picked up as I can see the rise and fall of her chest is more pronounced. She quickly looks away before reaching for her wine and finishing it.
"August, look, I'm not sure what your expectation of tonight was, but there is no good outcome with the direction you're going, I can never be your treasure."
Picking up her purse, she starts to move as if to make her way out of the booth. There is no way I'm letting her walk out on our date. I grab her thigh hard before she can escape. She gasps, and her eyes widen in surprise as I pull her towards me. Leaning in close enough that my mouth is a hairsbreadth away from her ear, I say, "Baby, there's no good outcome of you leaving this booth."
Her skin breaks out in goosebumps as I slowly pull my face away from hers. This woman undoes me, and right now, I know I have the same effect on her. She's biting her lip, no doubt, to keep that smart mouth in check, and I can feel her thigh tense up under my touch. I bring my thumb up to her plump bottom lip to release it from her teeth. If I have to watch her bite her lip all night, I'll fucking lose it. Women pay good money for lips like hers, and all I want to do is nip, lick and suck on them until she's begging me for more.
"You better not bite that lip unless you want me to punish that mouth." She gasps and I don’t miss the flash of desire that crosses her expression as she watches my mouth. She wants me to make good on that promise and I will. However, when I kiss her for the first time it won’t be in this booth in the middle of a restaurant.
