Gio

Chapter 4 - Part 2

Felix had thought of everything. The dinner he'd instructed his cooks to make for their first night back together was excellent: steamed shrimp, oysters, stuffed mushrooms, crusty bread with some kind of gourmet spread the cook called bruschetta. They even prepared a chocolate fondue with strawberries and pineapple slices to dip. It was so perfect, and she'd shared the dinner with Gio.

Not that any girl in their right mind would be complaining about having such a romantic dinner with a gorgeous guy like Gio. He was sweetly attentive and as polite as she remembered him, but she couldn't help wishing Felix had been there instead. Still she made the best of it and enjoyed their delicious dinner. When they were done, Gio sat back in his seat looking very stuffed, but Bianca reached for another strawberry. "I'm stuffed too, but these are so delicious I just have to have one more."

Gio leaned his head back on his chair and closed his eyes. Bianca took advantage of the moment to better examine him. She wondered if he was still single. In high school, he'd never had a girlfriend, not one that she remembered anyway. Sure, she'd seen him with plenty and witnessed those perfect lips of his kissing girls on more than one occasion, but she'd never heard of him being exclusive with anyone. For a moment, the very naughty thought of what his lips would feel like on hers crossed her mind, and without thinking, she cleared her throat.

His eyes opened suddenly and caught her gazing at him as she sucked on her strawberry. She looked away, dipping what was left of her strawberry in the chocolate one last time as she felt her cheeks warm. "Are you tired?" she asked, staring at the chocolate.

"Not really. I just get a little drained after such a big meal."

She glanced up at him finally after staring excessively long at the chocolate. His expression seemed normal enough. Maybe he hadn't thought it strange that she'd been literally eating him up with her eyes, but she was still curious. "So what's your story? You still single?"

He nodded, taking a sip of his beer. "Yep."

"Really? A good looking guy like you?" She sat up, leaning her arms against the table as she picked up her own bottle of beer. "Obviously it's by choice, right?"

He lifted a shoulder. "I have too many things going on to get involved in any kind of relationship right now. And just before I left, Jack let me know the guys and I are pretty much going to be taking over the gym. So I'll be even busier now."

Bianca's eyes shot open, and she noticed that for some reason that made Gio smile. "Really? As in take over, take over? He's giving the place to you guys?"

"Pretty much."

"Wow, that's great. But doesn't he have family?" He shook his head then took another swig of his beer, placing the empty bottle on the table. "You want another one?"

"I'll get it." He started to stand, "You need one too?"

"Yeah, I'll take another," she said standing up. "But let's go over by the bar. I need to stand for a little. I'm so full."

They started toward the bar. "Me and the guys are Jack's family. And since none of us have dads, he's pretty much stepped up and been that father figure we all needed. He's done a great job too." They reached the bar, and this time, Gio was the one that walked around to look in the fridge. He pulled two beers out and opened them, handing one to Bianca. "I don't think he's ever told any of the guys, because they seem to be under the impression he never married, but he told me his wife died when they'd only been married for a couple of months—some rare kidney disease. He knew it was terminal and that she only had a short time, but he still married her. She was his high school sweetheart and first love. He never remarried. Instead, he put all his energy into the gym. He said it was the only thing that kept him going."

Bianca brought her hand to her chest. "Oh my God, that's so sad." She actually felt choked up and her eyes began to tear up.

Gio smiled. "Don't cry. That was a long time ago. He's over it now. I promise."

Bianca wiped a tear away, feeling silly and smiled. Then she laughed softly. "I get so blubbery when I hear anything so sweet and in this case also sad." Then she laughed a little more. "You don't wanna watch a sad or even touching movie with me. Trust me."

He'd been smiling as he assured her Jack was fine, but now his expression got a little serious. "So on top of your good looks, you're also a sweetheart." Bianca stared at his intense green eyes, not sure if that was a question or statement. "I hope Felix knows how lucky he is."

The odd tone to his statement confused her, but she took the compliment with a smile. "Thank you, and, yes, Felix always makes it a point to make me feel special."

He took a drink of his beer but didn't comment further. When they finished their beer, Gio announced he was feeling a little tired after all and that he wanted to be well rested for the next day when he and Felix would most likely start training. Excitement sputtered in Bianca's belly suddenly. Tomorrow she and Felix would be together again, and she could hear him say he loved her in person.

She called her grandma before getting ready for bed as she promised she would do every night while staying with Felix. Felix had asked her to just move in with him while he was here, and she literally hadn't gotten any sleep that night thinking about it. This was so new for her. She'd had boyfriends in the past but never anything this serious and certainly none that were famous.

Felix wasn't the first guy she'd slept with, but he may as well have been. Her first time was so stupid it didn't even count. She was just about the only girl on her high school softball team who hadn't done it yet. When she started dating Gary, a boy she'd known all through school, and he told her he was a virgin too, they sort of just rushed to get it out of the way. There was absolutely nothing spectacular about it. It was more of a disappointment than anything.

They did it a few more times after the initial first time, and the excitement about what they were doing was just about all the excitement she got out of it because she'd never even climaxed with him. It was always over so fast.

After a pregnancy scare, she decided it wasn't worth it. Even though she'd always been close to her mom and she could tell her anything, one thing she'd promised her was that the first time she did it, it would be with someone she loved and she'd have protection.

Not wanting to disappoint her mom because she wasn't even close to being in love with Gary, she decided not to risk it anymore. She told Gary she wanted to hold off on sex for a while, and not surprisingly, he found reason to break up with her soon after. The only tears she shed were for the fact that she'd given up something so precious to someone who obviously didn't give a rat's ass about her.

Bianca vowed she'd never sleep with anyone again unless she was in love. And while she didn't even know she was in love with Felix until earlier that evening, she did know what she felt for him was different from what she'd ever felt for any other guy. When they had made love for the first time, it felt right. That's all that mattered to her at the time. And now ... Now it would be truly different because now she knew he loved her. She could hardly wait to tell her mom and Nana.