Because I Love You

Chapter Eighteen: Prejudice

Alana skipped over to the closet with a wide smile.  She slid the door to the side and sifted through her summer-date outfits.  Mm, a dress would be nice.  She didn’t usually wear dresses.

A light pink mock two-piece pleated dress caught her eye.  She quickly took it out, along with a pair of T-strap wedge sandals.  She had just finished putting them on and was fixing her hair and swiping chapstick over her lips when Gino wandered into the room.  He looked exceptionally good-looking in a simple tab-sleeve striped shirt and jeans.  For some reason, though, he was wearing dark Ray-Bans.

He took them off and gave her a cheeky grin when Alana raised an eyebrow at him.

“What do you think?” she asked, and did an experimental twirl for him before stopping in front of the mirror and started putting on a necklace.

Gino stepped up behind her and placed his hands on her waist, gently kneading his fingers into her dress.  He bent down and kissed the side of her neck.  “It’s cute, but I like it better when you're not wearing anything,” he said wolfishly, and winked.

“Of course you would,” she smiled and rolled her eyes.  Alana reached for a bottle of lotion and was rubbing some on her arms and hands when she felt a warm, rather rough touch at the base of her neck.

She shivered when a finger trailed down her back, along with a faint zipping sound.  She whirled around to find Gino smirking down at her.  Her dress was undone.

“Gino, what are you doing?” Alana clutched at the shoulder straps and held it up so it wouldn’t pool at her feet.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her collarbone.  “I want you,” he murmured.  Heat gathered between her legs when she felt his hands slip beneath her dress and caress her skin.  She felt his soft mouth against hers and lost her train of thought.

“Mmm,” he growled and deepened the kiss, his lips sucking and pulling at her own.

Alana turned away, inhaled in a much-needed breath and lightly pushed against his powerful chest, which had somehow become bare.  “I thought we were going out,” she gasped.

“That can wait.”

She glanced down and saw his shirt on the floor.  When had he found the time to strip?

She gasped when his hands moved down to cup her bottom and push her hips against his.  She could feel his hot and hard arousal against her stomach.

“How about later?” Alana tried to pull away but his grip was firm.  “We haven’t had lunch yet, and I’m hungry.”

Gino sighed and pulled away.  “Alright, let’s go then.”

“Thank you, Gino.”  He bent to pick up his shirt and was putting it on when she tiptoed up to kiss him on the mouth and place her hands on his muscular abdomen.  She felt him shudder when she slipped them up to his chest and massaged the pectorals.

“You need to stop touching me like that if you want to eat,” he groaned.

She smiled up at him and adjusted her dress.  “Can you please help me zip it back up?”

Today was a nice day.  The periwinkle blue sky didn't have a single wisp of cloud and the weather was nice and warm, with the occasional cool breeze.  Needless to say, Alana was in an immensely good mood.  The weather was gorgeous, she was on a date with her boyfriend for the first time in a while, and everything else was going well.

A gaggle of girls was walking by them when Alana heard one of them whisper quite loudly, “Why are they together?”

She knew that Gino must have heard it too, because she felt his grip on her hand tighten.  She swallowed and shook her head; she wasn’t going to let this ruin their day.