Salomé slipped away from the dinner party, seeking a moment of solitude. She stepped out onto the deck, the warm night air enveloping her.
She walked over to the swimming pool, the soft glow of the underwater lights illuminating the water. She settled in one of the chairs by the pool, letting out a soft sigh.
Her eyes closed briefly as the peacefulness of the moment wash over her. Just a few minutes had passed when she felt a shadow manifest in front of her.
She opened her eyes to find Giovanni standing there, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.
For a moment, they just locked eyes, the only sound the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the pool.
"May I?" He asked, calmly.
Salomé was slightly startled by the question. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"Uh, sure..." she replied, a bit skeptical.
Giovanni sat down beside her and his turquoise blue eyes stared at the pool, mirroring its colour.
For a moment, they just sat there, the silence between them palpable.
Salomé couldn't help but steal glances at Giovanni, trying to read his expression. But his face was a mask, giving away nothing.
Finally, Giovanni spoke, his voice breaking the silence.
"Like what you see?" He shifted his focus from the pool and turned to face the girl with a tiny smile on his lips.
Salomé felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she met Giovanni's gaze. She hadn't expected him to catch her staring, and she certainly hadn't expected him to smile about it.
"Sorry," she muttered and hurriedly looked away.
Giovanni chuckled, a low, smooth sound that seemed to rumble from deep within his chest.
"You have a nice laughter," she complimented but her gaze was still straight ahead.
Giovanni's smile grew a little bit, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Was more of a chuckle, really."
She turned her head to face him. "Doesn't matter. Has a nice ring to it."
Giovanni's smile faltered for a moment, and he looked away, his eyes gazing out at the pool again.
Salomé sensed a flicker of emotion behind his eyes, though she couldn't make out what. Soon enough, his mask was firmly back in place.
"It's really beautiful," she said, after a while. "The pool, I mean."
"Hm."
"I love the way the lights reflect off the water."
Giovanni's expression remained unchanged. "It's nice."
Salomé tried to think of something else to say. But before anything came to mind, Giovanni spoke again.
"Miss Rutledge?"
"Yes?" she answered quickly, turning to him.
Giovanni met her gaze.
"You… have nice freckles," he said, flatly.
Her hands flew to her face, and a smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you."
He gave a small hum, stood, nodded once, and walked away.