“Oh!” I reached out my arm, and a strong hand took hold of my wrist.
“Excuse me.”
“Rodrigo,” I breathed.
He cocked his head. “You know my name?”
I opened my mouth and gulped. “I… uh… My friend told me everyone she recognized here. I asked. I’m new in town. I, uh…”
Stop talking, Georgia,I commanded myself.You’ve said enough.
He smiled, and that alone was enough to shut me up. Instantly, my knees went weak.
And then I noticed the wine spot on his dress shirt.
I gasped. “I’m so sorry. I spilled wine on you.”
He barely glanced at the spot. “It’s no worries.”
His accent rolled over me like a lullaby. It was different from all the other accents I’d heard in Rio. This one had its own twist to it. I could have listened to him speak all day.
“Hold on.” I scurried to the refreshments table, where I found napkins and sparkling water.
After dumping my wine, which had done enough damage for the night, I returned to Rodrigo.
“Maybe this will work.” I dipped a napkin in some water and dabbed it against his dress shirt. “I dunno. I saw this in a movie.”
He laughed. “I don’t mind you trying.”
It was then that I realized I was patting down his pec. Embarrassed, I dropped my hand.
“Truly, it doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. “It’s only a shirt.”
That’s right. Juliana had said Rodrigo was from old money. He probably had a hundred other designer shirts at home.
“I guess I embarrassed myself for nothing, huh?”
His dark eyes twinkled. “I would not say for nothing.”
A rush swept through me. Was he flirting?
I swallowed hard and looked away. I’d never been great with guys, but maybe that was because I had always been too focused on school to date.
“You’re American,” Rodrigo said.
“Yes. I’m here on an exchange student program.”At your school,I thought about adding, but didn’t want to betray Juliana by revealing everything she’d said.
“What are you studying?”
“Communications.”
His eyes lit up. “Really? Me, too.”
“You are?” The question came out much more excited than I meant it too.
“Perhaps we will have some classes together.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”