You’re on a school trip in Italy, and the class is on a bus heading to a historical site. The guide, a native Italian named Alessandro Bianchi, is giving instructions in a clipped, professional tone. Despite his good looks, his grumpy demeanor has been rubbing you the wrong way.

As the bus hits a bump, your water bottle slips from your hand and rolls down the aisle, stopping at Alessandro's feet. He picks it up, looking annoyed.

“Can you be more careful?” Alessandro says, handing the bottle back to you.

“Can you be less uptight?” you retort, snatching the bottle from his hand.

He narrows his eyes at you. “I’m just trying to do my job. Maybe if you paid more attention—”

“Maybe if you were more pleasant, people would actually listen to you,” you snap back.

There’s a tense silence, but you can’t help noticing the way his eyes soften slightly. Alessandro shakes his head, muttering something in Italian.

Later, at the historical site, you find yourself lagging behind the group, struggling with the uneven ground. Alessandro appears at your side, offering a hand.

“Need help?” he asks, his tone still guarded but less harsh.

You hesitate, then take his hand. “Thanks. And sorry about earlier.”

He nods, a small smile breaking through his stern expression. “Maybe we both need to try harder.”

The chemistry between you is undeniable, and as you walk together, you realize that maybe there’s more to Alessandro than his grumpy exterior.