I WALK TO THE FRONT of the store, getting lost in the crowd of people, darting around until it looks like I just came in. My privacy means nothing to me, but hers, it’s everything to her. That much is obvious. A smile crosses my lips. The fact that she let me kiss her is a good sign. I’m wearing her down. If she brings that feisty streak to the bedroom, I’m in for a treat. If I can just get her to agree to dinner, I’m in. I know it. I adjust my raging boner before stepping out to see everyone.
I see Dan and wave. “Hey, morning.”
“Morning,” he replies. “Did you see the shop owner yet? She’s supposed to come up here to talk to me.”
“Not yet,” I lie. I look up in the direction of her office. “Oh, there she is.” I smile when I see her. She reapplied her lipstick and took her hair out of the ponytail it was in. I’d like to think it was all for me.
“Hello,” she says to Dan, while nodding at me. “What did you need to speak to me about?”
“We’re gonna start filming the first scene here in about an hour. We like the name of your store and hoped we could get your buy-off to keep it and use it in the movie. If you agree, I just need you to sign this release.”
Giovanna skims over the paper Dan handed her. “That’s fine. Anything else?”
“We could use some extras today. Would you or your employees like to be in the film?”
“No. I mean, Melissa might. You’ll have to ask her. I can call Sammy, too, if you need more people.”
“You should do it,” I say. “It’s fun.”
She glares at me, and I chuckle. Turning back to Dan, she continues. “I really don’t care what you do as long as the store is back the way it was when you came in. Cool?”
“We can do that,” Dan replies.
“I’ll be in the back doing paperwork if you have any additional questions.”
“Thank you.”
I watch Giovanna start to walk away, but then pause to straighten a shelf of books. Damn, her ass is incredible.
“She’s not so bad this morning,” Dan says. “She was a little bitchy yesterday. Maybe she got laid last night.”
I shove his arm. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Hey, whoa, man, chill. Is she your girlfriend already or something?”
“No, she’s not. It’s just not cool. We took over her place. The least we can do is be nice to her.”
“Alright, Antonio. I’ll be nice. Shit, maybe you should’ve gotten laid last night.”
“I wish I had.” I walk to my chair and read over the scene for today. I hope she comes back out again. I’d be a happy man just looking at her face all day.
I listen to Dan talk to Melissa and some other people about being extras as I read through my lines. I don’t know why I feel so protective of Giovanna. I just met her, but something about the way she carries herself is intriguing me. She’s tough on the outside, but there is something very raw underneath the surface. I’m distracted as fuck, and I know I’ve got to get my head in the game if I want to do good work today. A beautiful girl from Nowhere, America is ruining my flow.
“Where the fuck is Yasmin?” Dan’s voice bellows out.
I look up as crew members start rushing around looking for my perpetually late costar. Melissa is standing near me, watching everything.
“Hey,” I say.
She turns and immediately blushes. Happens every time.
“Me?”
“Yeah, come here.”
She walks closer to me, slowly, as if she’s afraid.
“Yes?”
“You work with Giovanna?”
“Yes. For two years.”
“So you know her pretty well?”
“As well as anyone can.” She sort of shrugs. “She’s pretty guarded.”
“Oh, so it’s not just me?”
“Nope.”
“That’s good to know. Do you know why she’s like that?”
“No. She clams up about any personal details.”
“I see.”
Melissa grins and pokes my arm. “Do you like her?”
I smile. “She seems nice. I just want to be friendly with her since we’re taking over her store.”
“She’s great. She’s really smart and has a big heart. I really like her.”
“Does she ever have fun?”
“Her definition of fun is different than most people’s.”
“That is?”
“Reading.” She gestures around us. “I guess it’s fitting she owns a bookstore.”
“Yeah.”
“She likes to be alone.”
“So, she’s not romantically involved with anyone?”
“Never has been in the five years since she moved to town.”
“Oh, she’s not from here?”
“No. A few guys have asked her out, but she always says no.” Melissa smiles. “I even asked her once if she preferred women. She doesn’t.”
I laugh. “I don’t get that vibe.”
“No.” Melissa pauses when she sees Giovanna walking in our direction. “I’ve said enough. She’ll kill me if she knew we were talking about her.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.” I wink. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
“Melissa, can I see you for a minute?” Giovanna asks from a distance. Melissa smiles and walks away from me then has a brief chat with Giovanna. Melissa nods and glances at me, while Giovanna ignores my presence. Pretty sure I’m the topic.
The door opens and in walks Yasmin wrapped in a fur coat and matching hat. She looks ridiculous enveloped in luxury around all of these working people. I shake my head as her entourage removes her coat and hat. She doesn’t look anything like a small town bookstore clerk.
“Where have you been, and why aren’t you dressed?” Dan yells.
“You did not tell me when to be here.”
“I did. I said 9 am and to be dressed. We film the opening scene with you in it in forty minutes. For God’s sake, get it together.”
She responds by pushing a long nailed finger into his chest. “Don’t you yell at me. It will take me five minutes to put that stupid dress on.”
Dan pushes her finger away. “Just fucking get dressed, okay.”
He walks off as Yasmin heads to the back, I assume to change. Melissa and Giovanna watch in awe. They haven’t seen the worst of it yet. I catch Giovanna’s eye, but she quickly looks away and disappears into the back.
Melissa walks back to me, frowning. “She told me not to tell you stuff about her. Please don’t tell her I did.”
I smile. She knew I would do more digging. “I promise.”
An hour later, everything is set up for the first scene. Yasmin is transformed by putting on a simple dress and pulling her hair back into a ponytail. America’s Sweetheart is on set. I bundle up and go outside, waiting for my cue.
“Action!”
I walk down the snow covered sidewalk, then catching a glimpse of Yasmin, dart inside the bookstore. Yasmin, in character as Susie, looks up and smiles. I’m supposed to act like it’s love at first sight.
“Hello,” she says. “Can I help you?”
“I, um.” My lines elude me when I spot Giovanna standing in a back corner watching us. I can’t take my eyes off of her. Fuck. “Line.”
“Seriously, Antonio?” Yasmin complains. “Thirty seconds in and you lost your line?”
“Just somebody give me the fucking line.” A crew member reads it to me. I nod and look up at the director. “Ready.”
“Action,” Dan says.
“Hello, can I help you?”
“You’re the most, uh,” I rub my forehead. “Fuck.”
“What the fuck, Antonio?” Dan yells.
“Sorry. I’m just distracted.”
“By what?” he asks.
I look up and lock eyes with the beauty across the room. A smirk crosses her lips.
I take a deep breath, shake my shoulders, and try to get into character again. “I got it. I’m good. Let’s try again.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Action.”
“Hello. Can I help you?” Yasmin repeats.
“I feel like I know you. Have we met?”
“I don’t think so,” she responds.
“What’s your name?”
“Susie. Yours?”
“Michael. Michael Cochran.”
“Pleased to meet you, Michael Cochran.”
“You don’t know who I am?”
“Should I?”
I grin. “No. This is perfect, actually.”
“Cut!”
I turn and walk back to my chair. I don’t like how I played my lines at all. I sucked. All because I can’t get this woman out of my head.
“Dude,” Dan says. “What’s up? This is not like you to be so off your game.”
“I know. I’m not feeling it right now. Maybe I need to take a walk or get some more coffee.”
“Do what you gotta do. We need your A game, man.”
“I hear ya.” I open the door to walk outside. Right now, all I can think about is Giovanna. The softness of her lips, the warmth of her mouth, the heat of our bodies pressing together. The way her eyes beg me to hold her, even though her words resist. She’s everything I want. The sooner I get her into my bed, the sooner I can focus. She isn’t going to make it easy on me. Not at all. I need a plan. One way or another, Giovanna is going to give in to me.