“That’s okay.”
“It’s a beautiful day.” I gestured at the window. “How about a drive?”
“That sounds amazing.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Can you give me ten minutes to get ready?”
“Take as long as you need.”
“Perfect. I’ll be right back.”
Ten minutes later, I was headed out the boarding house’s front door with the most beautiful woman in the world on my arm.
“Have you had breakfast?” I asked.
“Honestly, I rolled out of bed right before you got there.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’m not used to late nights.”
“I apologize for keeping you up last night, then.”
“No!” Turning to me, she grasped my arm. “I don’t regret it at all.”
Heat trickled through me. “Neither do I.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “Cool,” she murmured.
“Sounds like you could use some coffee. I know just the place.”
After hopping on my motorcycle, we navigated to one of my favorite coffee shops. It wasn’t the regular cafe I met at with Lucas, but it had some of the best coffee in the city and amazing pão de queijos.
“So,” I said, climbing off the bike in front of the coffee shop, “since you are a Brazilian at heart, I assume you like cariocas.”
“I’m pretty sure I would be chased out of Rio if I said I didn’t.” She removed her helmet and shook out her long hair, which shone like spun gold in the morning sun.
My mouth went dry, and my heart rate sped up. What was it about this girl?
Everything.
Her beauty. Her smarts. Her wit.
Only twenty-four hours earlier, I’d been going about my life as normal. Now, everything was turned upside down. I was already imagining a life with her, where we might live, what pets we would adopt.
It was crazy. I was twenty-two and had never even considered settling down, but Georgia made me question everything.
“Ready?” She jutted her thumb at the shop.
I swallowed hard and collected myself. “Yes.”
Inside, we ordered cariocas—Rio’s favorite coffee drink—and two pão de queijos before settling at a table near the front windows.
“I had a good time last night,” Georgia said.
“Me, too.” Memories of us pressed close together on the dance floor floated to the surface, and I felt weak in the knees. What would it take to get her to go dancing with me again?
Although she’d seemed happy to see me that morning, now I noticed a certain aloofness about her. She sat angled away from me, her gaze out the window.
I cleared my throat and searched for what to say next. A waitress spared me by bringing over our breakfasts.
“I’m flattered you came by this morning,” Georgia said, adding sugar to her coffee. “I would have thought you had something to do.”
“I do not work until this evening.”