152
Gianna’s POV
I hadn’t slept well in days. Matteo was like a storm cloud that followed me everywhere-quiet but impossible to ignore. Every glance, every small interaction left me tangled in a web of conflicting emotions that I really wasn’t ready to face yet.
And now, sitting across from him in yet another cramped conference room, I couldn’t concentrate to save my life.
“Gianna?” His voice cut through my thoughts.
My head snapped up. “What?”
He tilted his head, looking far too amused for my liking. “I asked if you’d prefer to handle the presentation, or should I take the lead?”
“Oh.” I forced myself to focus, ignoring the slight flush creeping up my neck. “You should do it. You’re better at improvising.”
He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You think I’m good at something? That’s a first.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” I muttered, keeping my eyes glued to the papers in front of me.
But I could feel his gaze on me still like he knew my thoughts and understood them when even I couldn’t make any sense out of them.
By the time the meeting ended, I was drained. Not from the work itself but from the exhausting effort of pretending Matteo didn’t get under my skin.
“You coming to lunch?” Sarah, one of my employees whom had flown just yesterday to assist us with bulky work, asked as we filed out of the room.
“Not today,” I replied quickly, clutching my laptop like a lifeline. “I’ve got some emails to catch up on.”
Matteo glanced at me but said nothing, his expression unreadable. I hurried out of the conference room and headed for my hotel room, hoping he wouldn’t follow.
For most of the afternoon, I managed to avoid him. My focus was razor-sharp, fueled by the desperate need to keep my emotions at bay. But, of course, fate had other plans. He, Sarah and I had to meet up in the conference room once again for a meeting.
“Gianna,” Matteo’s voice broke through my concentration just as I was wrapping up a report from Sarah.
I glanced up to find him leaning against the doorway of my office, his tie slightly loosened and sleeves rolled up. He looked relaxed, like he hadn’t been occupying every corner of my mind.
“What is it?” I asked, keeping my tone brisk.
“We need to go over the client proposal before tomorrow’s meeting,” he said, stepping inside. “Do you have a minute?”
Not really, I wanted to say. Instead, I nodded, gesturing for him to take a seat.
As we worked through the proposal, I couldn’t ignore the way Matteo filled and dominated my mind in every day. He wasn’t doing anything extra-just pointing out edits and making suggestions-but his calmness…God I couldn’t resist it.
“Do you agree with this?” he asked, tapping a line in the document.
I blinked, realizing I hadn’t been paying attention. “Uh, yeah. That looks fine.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said, a bit too quickly.
He leaned back in his chair, studying me with that infuriatingly perceptive gaze of his. “You’ve been distracted.”
“I’m not distracted,” I snapped, even though it was a blatant lie.
“Really?” he said, his tone light but probing. “Because I could’ve sworn you just agreed to something you haven’t read.”
I clenched my jaw, willing myself to stay calm. “I’m fine, Matteo. Can we just finish this?”
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. No need to bite my head off.”
By the time we wrapped up, I was mentally and emotionally spent.
“Thanks for your input,” I said stiffly, gathering my things.
“Gianna,” he said softly, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place.
I looked at him reluctantly, and for a moment, I could have sworn the air was electrified.
“If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me,” he said. “You know that, right?”
I swallowed hard, hating how sincere he sounded. How could I tell him that he was the one bothering me? “There’s nothing to talk about.”
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. “If you say so.”
*The next day*
If I could take a break from work at this point, I’d jump at the offer. We had another meeting with a high profile client right now which meant more time spent with Matteo. I steeled myself as we entered the conference room, determined to keep things strictly professional.
To his credit, Matteo didn’t push me. He was all business, presenting our ideas with a confidence that impressed even the most skeptical of clients. Watching him work reminded me of why I respected him so much, why I’d been drawn to him in the first place and why I chose him to come with me on this work trip.
But that admiration came with a side of frustration. How was I supposed to keep my distance when he made it so damn difficult?
After the meeting, I lingered behind, pretending to organize my notes while the others filed out. Matteo stayed too, of course.
“We did great today,” he said casually, leaning against the table.
“Thanks,” I said, not looking up.
There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. “You know, avoiding me isn’t going to solve whatever’s going on in your head.”
My eyes snapped to his, and I felt a surge of anger mixed with something far more vulnerable.
“I’m not avoiding you,” I said defensively.
He arched an eyebrow. “Really? Because you’ve been acting like I have the plague.”
I opened my mouth to argue but closed it again, knowing he wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Matteo…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “This-whatever this is-it’s complicated.”
He nodded slowly, his expression serious. “I get that. But running away from it isn’t going to make it any less complicated.”
I looked away, my chest tight with unspoken feelings. “I’m just trying to focus on work.”
“And I respect that,” he said, his tone softer now. “But don’t shut me out completely, okay?”
I nodded reluctantly, unable to meet his gaze.