“Bianca!” She turned with a startled expression but she didn’t appear to be upset. “Where you going?”

The startled expression softened into one of her sweet smiles. “Back to the cabin. I’m tired.”

“Alone? Where’s Felix?”

“He was kidnapped,” she said with a sideways smile.

“Kidnapped?” As much as Gio was trying to stay open minded about this it already sounded like bullshit.

“The Mayor wanted to have a cigar with him so they stepped outside and I guess after bragging about his boat so much the Mayor, who Felix said has probably had too much to drink tonight, insisted they drive out and see it.”

Bianca must’ve seen the disgusted censure in Gio’s eyes because she promptly added. “He asked if I wanted to come. He actually really wanted me to. It’s just that being around him and a bunch of guys smoking cigars didn’t sound too appealing.” She gave him a hearty smile but Gio wasn’t buying it. “He just texted me a few minutes ago to say he was doing everything he could to shut the Mayor up already and get back but he said the guy was a talker. So I just told him I’d meet him back at the cabin. He said he’d text you.”

Gio frowned pulling out his phone out from his pocket. He’d turned off the sound before they got there. Bianca started making her way to the car now that the driver had opened the door for her. Gio followed her.

“You don’t have to leave because of me.” Bianca’s eyes did the doe-eyed thing that now drove Gio crazy making him that much more irritated with Felix. How could he do this to her? First, he shows up a day late for reasons still a bit questionable then the first night he gets a chance to spend time with her he ditches her to schmooze with the Mayor?

“I’m done here, too.”

He motioned for her to get in the car and she did. He followed behind her flipping through his phone. There were three texts he hadn’t read. All from Felix.

The first one was sent over an hour ago:

Do me a favor and check on Bianca for me please. I’m stuck with this drunk windpipe. Let me know if she’s pissed.

The second fifteen minutes later:

Dude! Did you check on her?

The third just minutes earlier:

Never mind I just texted her. She’s gonna be leaving and I’m meeting her back at the cabin. Stay as long as you want. I’ll send a car back for you. Or let me know if you need me to send a car out to pick you up at her room tomorrow. Whatever you decide. Enjoy. =)

As irritated as Gio was feeling, he couldn’t smile at that like he normally would’ve. If it hadn’t been for him wanting to get to Bianca he just might’ve ended up in Evelyn’s room but that’s not what he was mad about.

Gio wanted to believe in his heart of hearts that Felix had good intentions when it came to Bianca. But more than anything he wanted to believe if Felix didn’t, Bianca would see through him. He didn’t think her stupid or even naïve enough to fall for his shit. Something told him she had it in her to confront Felix if she ever suspected anything or he upset her in any way. But he’d just left her at a bar by herself. She’d been completely ignored the whole time and here she was headed back to the guy’s cabin seemingly okay with the way things went down tonight.

“Are you sure you wanna leave? You looked like you were enjoying yourself in there.”

Gio glanced up at her from his phone. “I’m sure,” was all he’d give her but she surprised him yet again with her upfront comments.

“Evelyn is very pretty. It looked like she was enjoying your company.”

Gio stared at those big eyes for a moment before chuckling. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

Her lips pressed together. “So go back.”

With the adrenaline rush gone now, his body was aching again. He sat back trying to relax his tense muscles and closed his eyes. “I’m still sore.”

“You were dancing pretty well out there,” she countered rather quickly.

He opened one eye, peeking out at her. She was staring at him so curiously he had to smile but he closed his eye again. “You were watching?”

“What else was I supposed to do? I was bored.”

That wiped the smile right off his face. God damn Felix.

“Can I ask you something?” The curiosity in her voice made it impossible for him not to peek again at those animated eyes. He knew they had to be all doe-eyed again and he wouldn’t miss that for the world. He opened an eye and she didn’t disappoint. He almost laughed at the way she stared at him.

“Go ahead,” he said, stifling his laughter.

“Were you going to… you know, with her tonight?”

Gio smirked, wondering if he’d ever get over her sudden out of the blue comments and questions. But he liked them. So much so he wasn’t about to let her off the hook. Surely she wasn’t a virgin. She was Felix’s girlfriend for crying out loud. She could at least say the words. “Going to what, Bianca?” he challenged.

She straightened up fidgeting with her fingers. “You know. Make love.”

Now Gio laughed. “I just met her. You don’t make love to a girl you just met.” Her confused expression made him laugh even more. Then that something that made him say things to her that he normally wouldn’t say to sweet girls came over him again and he stopped laughing and looked deep into her big eyes. “Oh, she would’ve got some tonight. She wanted it—told me so.” Bianca’s eyes got a little bigger. He’d pay hard cash now for Bianca’s reaction to his shocking declarations. It did something to him and he couldn’t help himself. “I just wouldn’t have called it making love.”