Bianca would never tire of the way he gazed at her. “Then lead the way, beautiful.”

Such a simple compliment and Bianca felt her face flush. She’d just sucked face with the guy, heard his moans, felt his hunger for her and this made her blush? It was so silly she had to look away and he laughed. “Wow. Really?”

She covered her face with her gloved hands trying to keep from going into a laughing fit because she felt so stupid and the worst thing that could happen did—the squeak. It was loud and one look at Gio’s laughing face and she was in near tears laughing.

He pulled her to him laughing and moved her hands away from her face. “Don’t cover your face. I love seeing you laugh.”

Bianca buried her face in his warm jacket as he brought his arms around her waist holding her tighter. The enthralling smell of him, his aftershave, his skin as she lifted her face to his. It was enough to calm her laughter, get her heart pounding again for a different reason now.

She glanced back at the car glad the driver was back in it and the car was facing the opposite direction but one look back and he’d see them because they were in plain view. When she glanced back at Gio his lips were on hers again. One soft kiss was all he gave her and she sighed. “Don’t tell me no one’s ever called you beautiful before.”

It was hard to keep a straight face but staring in his eyes made it easier. It practically immobilized her. This was getting embarrassing. No person should have this much power over another. But she couldn’t hold it against him. There was no way he was doing this on purpose. Was there? “Yes, I’ve been called beautiful once or twice in my life,” she said down playing the amount of times Felix alone had called her that among all the others who’d used that word to describe her over time.

“Once or twice? Get out of here.” Another couple came around the corner of the trail making Gio and Bianca move out of the way.

Gio took her hand and they began to walk down the trail. The one thing she hadn’t mentioned to him were the caves along the trail to the meadow. She’d been afraid he might construe her suggesting they come here as something more mischievous. The thought of being alone in one of the caves with him had crossed her mind and just thinking about it now warmed her insides. What they were doing was already bad enough. Taking things even slightly further was going past her one time indulgence to do what her heart wanted instead of what her head told her. Which is what she was calling this—a one time indulgence.

Even in her thoughts, it sounded like what she knew it really was, pure bullshit. This was wrong no matter how you looked at it. Yet, not once, other than the little voice that had barely made a peep when she went back to the cabin, had she considered fighting it. And now that it was happening she couldn’t even begin to imagine how she’d ever go back to the way things were before today.

“What’s that?” Gio pointed with a smirk.

“A cave,” she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. “There are a lot of them around the trails.” The trails. In other words not just this one. The one she’d brought him to on a day when she’d known they’d have the entire trail mostly to themselves.

He gave her a knowing look. Damn it. She knew it. But the truth was she was beginning to wonder now if subconsciously she had been thinking that way. “Can we go in them?” He looked up on the mountain above the cave. “Or are there bears and mountain lions around here?”

“There’s all kinds of wildlife out here but didn’t you ever watch cartoons growing up?” She giggled, willing herself not to get into any more of her stupid laughing fits that would have her squeaking like a mouse on crack. “Bears hibernate in the winter; so it’s rare to see one out here in the snow.”

“Where do you think they hibernate, Bianca?”

That wiped the smile off her face and she stared at him as his words sunk in. The thought of a bear being in one of those caves hadn’t even crossed her mind. This time he laughed taking her face in his hands, kissing her lips and cheeks and finally her forehead. “God, Bianca.” was all he said before hugging her close to him with a grunt.

She hugged him back taking in the smell of him again. He smelled so good and it felt so perfect being in his big arms she could barely stand it.

Finally loosening his hold on her, he kissed her, a little longer this time, then took her hand in his again. “Let’s go check it out.”

Bianca had been in them before, mostly nervous about any possible snakes, but now she wondered why a bear being in one of these caves had not crossed her mind. The whole damn town was called Big Bear for Pete’s sake!

She followed him cautiously as he made his way down the trail toward the cave. It was big enough for them to walk in without having to duck their heads. “This trail is probably too busy for any bear to want to make it their place.” There was a lot of writing on the inside walls and names etched into the rocks. “Oh, yeah. Way too many people visiting this place for any bear to feel comfortable here.”

He turned to her with that sexy little smirk of his that made her insides liquid. “A lot of young couples probably turn this place into their own little love cove.” He pulled her to him and in the next second had her pinned against the cave wall. “Is that why you brought me here?”

Before she could respond, he kissed her roughly pressing his body against her. Bianca wasn’t sure if she should panic or go with it. He pulled his lips off her and moved her already loosened scarf out of the way. “Take this off.” Staring into his eyes, she did so methodically. Completely aroused and caught in his eyes again, she let the scarf drop but he caught it and stepped away from her stuffing it in his jacket pocket. “Is this why we’re here, Bianca?”