Gio

Chapter 4 - Part 1

The last thing Gio wanted to do was talk or even think about Trinidad. He was also beginning to have a hard time not staring at those big innocent eyes. Even under all the glamorous makeup Bianca wore now, they still reminded him of the feelings he'd begun to develop for her way back in high school, so he turned away. Taking in the rest of the workout room, he responded without looking at her. "I'm training now, so Felix asked me to join him for the next couple of months."

"Oh, so you'll be here for the whole two months?"

"Off and on," Gio said, still taking in the rest of the room. "I'm only two hours away, so if I ever need to make a trip down, I may leave for a day or two. But yeah, I'll be around for the whole two months."

She showed him the rest of the compound, and then they headed back to the main house to thaw out. The fire was already roaring when they got there, and it was a good thing because Gio had never been out in such cold weather for that long. The temperature had dropped dramatically from the time they stepped out to the time they stepped back in.

Felix's hired help was fast at work, preparing the dinner they'd have a little later. One of the women set up the dinner table, and Gio noticed she only put out two place settings. Bianca must've noticed too because she walked over to the table. "We have two others joining us tonight, Amparo."

Amparo glanced up and smiled but shook her head. "Ray came in already and put something together. He was hungry and didn't want to wait, and Ignacio said he'd take his food to his room later—something about wanting to video chat with his wife and kids while he ate."

Bianca turned back to Gio. "I guess it's just you and me for dinner."

Gio shrugged. After introducing him to Amparo, Felix's housekeeper, and peeling off all the snow gear, Bianca showed Gio into the TV room with the fireplace.

She clicked the huge plasma TV on and flipped it over to the weather channel. "Oh, big storm coming our way," she said this with a big satisfied smile then turned to Gio. "Big storms are good for business. More snow means the ski lifts will be busy, and that's always good for us."

"Ah," Gio nodded, taking a seat on the brick fireplace. The heat against his back was heavenly. "So a rental shop, huh?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Well, half souvenir shop, half rental shop." She sat on the other side of the fireplace, with an expression that could only be described as orgasmic.

Gio felt like a dick for even thinking it, but he couldn't help it. Her eyes had actually rolled back; the smile was so big and content. "God, the fireplace feels good, doesn't it?"

Gio straightened out a bit, clearing his throat. "Yeah, it does."

She took a deep breath, and then those big eyes of hers opened wide. "I didn't even ask you if you wanted something to drink: hot chocolate, coffee—a beer? The bar is fully stocked."

"Hot chocolate would hit the spot actually." Bianca stood up and Gio stood with her. "I can get it myself, Bianca, if you'll just show me where it is."

"Don't be silly," she said, but Gio followed her anyway. "I know this isn't exactly my place, but in Felix's absence, I feel obligated to play host and you're my guest."

Not exactly her place? She obviously was taking this relationship with Felix a lot more seriously than he was. Gio hadn't missed the tears earlier when she first got the news that Felix wouldn't be making it tonight. There was no doubt she really cared about Felix. He actually hoped now that she was the one Felix had been talking about making him consider settling down. He'd hate to think sweet Bianca was just another one of his many.