Page 64 of Driftwood Daffodil 2

“He doesn’t have to try. Sexual magnetism just oozes off him.”

“If you say so.”

My eyes remained locked on Gio’s dark stare. There was something different about the way he was watching me. It made me miss the blissful ignorance I got from him early in the day.

Suppressing a shiver, I decided to focus on the other two, who were still in the middle of a heated conversation. Well, Atlee was. Darry just huffed out a sigh.

“What do you think they’re talking about?”

“Probably about how Atlee didn’t hit on you.”

“Hey, I didn’t say he hit on me. I said he said he wanted to fuck me.” There was a difference.

Memphis shook his head. “Nova, look at him.”

Didn’t we do this already?

“Atlee is clean, he smells good, his hair is styled, and he’s charming. You showed up this morning with Cheerios stuck to your shirt.”

“What’s your point?”

“Guys who look like that go for girls who put effort into their appearance.”

Pfft, showed how much he knew.

“Gio’s hot.”

Memphis’s face dropped. “You did not just say that.”

I wasn’t wrong, though it did seem like something odd to come out of my mouth? Was I attracted to Gio? It was probably better not to put too much thought into that question.

I waved my hand dismissively. “You know what I mean.”

“Nova.” Memphis tipped his head with a suspicious side eye. “Tell me you’re not attracted to Gio Mancini?”

“Eww.” I was trying not to think about that. “Of course I’m not.”

Right?

Sure, he was attractive in an obvious way. All full of hard muscles with an olive complexion that tanned perfectly. That didn’t mean I was attracted to him. Who wanted a guy with obvious good looks and an intoxicating, spicy, woodsy scent? Other men smelled good. Maybe not Simon, but they were out there.

“Okay,” Memphis nodded.

I thought that was the end of it. I was wrong.

Memphis took two steps, then stopped to eye me again. “Why would you bring up Gio?”

“Um, because he’s right there.” Staring at me like he wanted to eat me.

The cannibal idea might be more plausible than I thought.

“No.” Memphis once again tipped his head my way. “We were talking about Atlee hitting on you. You said Gio was hot.”

“So?”

“So, why Gio? Why not Darry?”

I was starting to see the flaw in my statement. Darius Barone wasn’t anything to scoff at, yet my mind went to Gio. Why?

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