Read Online In a Heartbeat (Heartbeat #1) by Teodora Kostova - Free Book Online
Authors: Teodora Kostova
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body. With his tongue. Twice.
Beppe was the first to greet them, with a hug and a kiss. He was practically glowing with delight. He mumbled something when he kissed each of them and they giggled. Next was Gia, who was out on one of her rare nights off and was genuinely pleased to see the girls. And then it was Max’s turn. He gave Lisa a hug and a kiss and complimented her on how she looked. Thankfully, by the time Stella got to him, Beppe, Gia and Lisa were involved in an animated conversation and were heading towards the restaurant along the crowded street.
Stella stood in front of him, watching him with as much appreciation as he had for her. True, he had made a special effort tonight and ditched his faded jeans and T-shirt for a classier set of Diesel jeans and a short-sleeved, fitted Calvin Klein shirt.
“ Ciao , Max,” she said and, putting a hand on his shoulder, leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. She smelled so good – sweet and clean and fresh, like a spring morning.
“You look gorgeous, tesoro ,” he whispered in her ear, just before she pulled away. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Stella looked at him, right at him, and he’d never felt more vulnerable, as if she could read his every thought.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said finally, with a lopsided grin. She nodded towards their friends in a silent ‘Shall we?’ and, pressing his hand on the small of her back, Max led her along via XX Settembre and towards the restaurant.
This evening was going to be even harder than he had initially thought.
*
The music in the club was so loud that Stella could barely hear her own thoughts. They were seated at a private table with a huge, plush sofa shaped in a semi-circle. The hostess was a friend of Beppe’s and they didn’t have to wait to get in. It was a nice bonus that they also got a VIP table, after Beppe purred something in her ear that made her blush.
Everyone was in a great mood. Dinner had been fun – the food had been amazing and the conversation had flowed. Stella had found out that Beppe was studying Law at the University of Genoa and her mouth had been hanging open in surprise for a few long moments.
“You’re going to be a lawyer?” she’d asked, eyeing him incredulously.
“Yeah. Why? I don’t look like a lawyer to you?” he’d said and winked at her.
“No, not really. Not with all the tattoos, piercings and five-day stubble.”
“I hide the tattoos under the suit,” he’d said and laughed as if it had been obvious. “And I remove all my piercings, including this one.” He’d clicked his tongue piercing at the back of his teeth and gave Stella one of his most seductive looks. She’d blushed and looked away – Beppe could be so shamelessly flirtatious when he wanted to. No wonder most women fell for his charm in two seconds flat.
She had also found out that Gia loved her job working at the restaurant. Her boss was a famous chef and entrepreneur, and even though he put a lot of pressure on his staff, she was honoured to work for him. At that point Beppe had mumbled something that sounded like ‘a prick with a giant ego’, but nobody paid any attention to him, because Gia continued to chat excitedly about how great her boss and her job were.
The wine had been flowing and by the end of dinner they had all had a couple of glasses. Stella had stuck to San Pellegrino aranciata and nobody had given her a hard time about it – they must have been getting used to her non-alcoholic existence.
Max had sat as far away from her as possible. He’d talked, smiled and eaten his food, but he’d never engaged in conversation with her or even looked at her. It had bugged her. Not only because she craved his attention like oxygen, but also because he had turned a one-eighty in a matter of minutes. First he had greeted her as though he wanted to jump her bones right there on the street, and then he had completely ignored
Beppe was the first to greet them, with a hug and a kiss. He was practically glowing with delight. He mumbled something when he kissed each of them and they giggled. Next was Gia, who was out on one of her rare nights off and was genuinely pleased to see the girls. And then it was Max’s turn. He gave Lisa a hug and a kiss and complimented her on how she looked. Thankfully, by the time Stella got to him, Beppe, Gia and Lisa were involved in an animated conversation and were heading towards the restaurant along the crowded street.
Stella stood in front of him, watching him with as much appreciation as he had for her. True, he had made a special effort tonight and ditched his faded jeans and T-shirt for a classier set of Diesel jeans and a short-sleeved, fitted Calvin Klein shirt.
“ Ciao , Max,” she said and, putting a hand on his shoulder, leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. She smelled so good – sweet and clean and fresh, like a spring morning.
“You look gorgeous, tesoro ,” he whispered in her ear, just before she pulled away. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Stella looked at him, right at him, and he’d never felt more vulnerable, as if she could read his every thought.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said finally, with a lopsided grin. She nodded towards their friends in a silent ‘Shall we?’ and, pressing his hand on the small of her back, Max led her along via XX Settembre and towards the restaurant.
This evening was going to be even harder than he had initially thought.
*
The music in the club was so loud that Stella could barely hear her own thoughts. They were seated at a private table with a huge, plush sofa shaped in a semi-circle. The hostess was a friend of Beppe’s and they didn’t have to wait to get in. It was a nice bonus that they also got a VIP table, after Beppe purred something in her ear that made her blush.
Everyone was in a great mood. Dinner had been fun – the food had been amazing and the conversation had flowed. Stella had found out that Beppe was studying Law at the University of Genoa and her mouth had been hanging open in surprise for a few long moments.
“You’re going to be a lawyer?” she’d asked, eyeing him incredulously.
“Yeah. Why? I don’t look like a lawyer to you?” he’d said and winked at her.
“No, not really. Not with all the tattoos, piercings and five-day stubble.”
“I hide the tattoos under the suit,” he’d said and laughed as if it had been obvious. “And I remove all my piercings, including this one.” He’d clicked his tongue piercing at the back of his teeth and gave Stella one of his most seductive looks. She’d blushed and looked away – Beppe could be so shamelessly flirtatious when he wanted to. No wonder most women fell for his charm in two seconds flat.
She had also found out that Gia loved her job working at the restaurant. Her boss was a famous chef and entrepreneur, and even though he put a lot of pressure on his staff, she was honoured to work for him. At that point Beppe had mumbled something that sounded like ‘a prick with a giant ego’, but nobody paid any attention to him, because Gia continued to chat excitedly about how great her boss and her job were.
The wine had been flowing and by the end of dinner they had all had a couple of glasses. Stella had stuck to San Pellegrino aranciata and nobody had given her a hard time about it – they must have been getting used to her non-alcoholic existence.
Max had sat as far away from her as possible. He’d talked, smiled and eaten his food, but he’d never engaged in conversation with her or even looked at her. It had bugged her. Not only because she craved his attention like oxygen, but also because he had turned a one-eighty in a matter of minutes. First he had greeted her as though he wanted to jump her bones right there on the street, and then he had completely ignored
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