An American Girl in Italy: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance. Aubrie Dionne

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      Chapter Two

       Diva’s Choice

      Carly hoped Michelangelo couldn’t see her heart beating like a metronome on vivace. She read the next e-mail, trying to focus and ignore how the hottie tour guide may have just hit on her.

      Honestly, she must have read him completely wrongly, because they’d had about the worst introduction she could think of, and she’d watched a whole ton of romantic comedies in her day with Melody; While You Were Sleeping, Groundhog Day, Pretty Woman, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. She could go on and on—they’d even come up with their own top-fifty list.

      Wait a sec. Didn’t they all have rough starts?

      Michelangelo leaned over and his eyes glanced down as if reading over her shoulder.

      Sighing, she shut the screen off. She’d have to wait until they reached the hotel if she wanted any form of privacy.

      ‘How long is this trip?’ Her tone came out more annoyed than she would have liked. All the unread e-mails, the conversation with Dino, and her embarrassing introduction to Michelangelo had raised her anxiety to momentous levels. Thank the hotel gods for mini bars.

      ‘It will take us about thirty minutes to reach the center of Rome, where the Villa Borghese is located.’

       Great. Thirty minutes of spine-cringing awkwardness.

      She turned to the window. Lush hills spread before her in blankets of emerald, accented by pointed, dark shrubs and patches of red and white wildflowers. An old farmhouse made with bleached stucco and red-orange tiled roofs claimed the side of a hill. Italy really was gorgeous.

      Her phone vibrated with another new message.

      Too bad she couldn’t appreciate it.

      Michelangelo gestured to her phone. ‘You’re a wanted woman.’

      ‘Right now I am. Give it two weeks, and we’ll see if they still call.’ Carly tucked her cell in the front pocket of her purse, wishing she could control her mouth. Why was she spouting her problems to this man?

      Michelangelo pouted his thick, velvety lips, a look which came across as sultry and alluring. ‘You’ve got some fickle friends.’

      She forced herself to stop staring at his lips and focused on his two-tone, blue-amber eyes. ‘It’s the nature of the bizz I’m afraid.’

      ‘Sounds as risky as owning a vineyard.’

      Oh yeah, right. Wandering through the vineyard and taste-testing great wines. Like he could really compare all the competition, the hours spent practicing, the expensive instruments, and the twenty-four-seven gig schedule? She crossed her arms and turned toward him. ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘The crop yield all depends on weather, pests, and the quality of the vines. One late frost, swarm of aphids, or disease can mean thousands lost. And that’s just the beginning. Even if you have a good yield, you have to protect against bacteria, make sure the tanks are all sanitized, and check the bottling line systems and drainage systems. There’s always something that needs fixing or replacing.’ For a moment he looked older than his years—which couldn’t be any more than hers.

      Carly tried to lighten the mood. ‘No wandering through the vines drinking Chardonnay?’

      Michelangelo laughed and looked at her as if he wished there was, just so they could do it together. ‘More like being knee-deep in grape must or crawling into the tanks to sanitize them.’

      Carly batted her eyelashes. ‘How romantic.’

      ‘You’re telling me.’ Michelangelo grinned.

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