Gio hadn’t paid much attention to anything she said after hearing what her response to his text had been. His mind was back on the condom in his wallet. This was too big of a risk. Someone was bound to notice the two of them had conveniently disappeared at the same time. But just like all the other times his ability to reason sensibly was shot to hell. All he could think of now was getting her down on the floor of that van and doing what he’d been fantasizing about obsessively for too long.

Still feeling what he’d always felt from her regardless of the impossibility of it all, he knew in his heart he’d stop at nothing to get what he wanted and they’d have plenty of time to make up for this later. For now his need to have her, make her his beat out every sensible thought that dare cross his mind. He kissed her pulling her down with him.

He had more than enough experience with the fast and dirty. Fast and dirty was not what he wanted with Bianca but at the moment they had no other choice. Gio already knew Noah must know or have some idea what they’d be up to. It was only a matter of time before Felix noticed their absence.

Nearly losing it when he slipped his hand up between her legs and realized she was more than ready for him, he stopped his ravenous kissing to look at her. “Are you absolutely sure about this?”

She smiled, her eyes ablaze with desire. “Yes,” she gasped.

He devoured her mouth again moving her panties out of the way, and sinking a finger in her. Fearing her moan just like he’d imagined after seeing all those orgasmic expressions of hers. His own desire uncontainable now he moved fast to get the condom out, pull his pants down as he got on his knees and slipped it on.

He looked down at her now, her dress lifted to her waist, exposing places he’d only dreamed of seeing, touching, licking. With her legs spread even as she still wore her long boots, it made this already unbelievable moment even sexier than some of his wildest dreams about her and he’d had some wild ones. It was all he could do to not plunge right in but he had to get one thing straight. He leaned over again and stared deeply into those beautiful eyes that now held the key to his heart. “After this there’s no going back.”

With her eyes locked onto his like they had been so many times in weeks leading up to this, she nodded.

“I need to be sure you understand this, Bianca. After this if you change your mind and you and him…” He squeezed his eyes shut not able to even say it—think it.

“Gio, I told you I love you. I won’t. Ever. I swear.”

Opening his eyes slowly, looking intensely into her eyes again, Gio believed her. He couldn’t explain it but there was something in those eyes. He saw it deep in them. Even though she was betraying Felix, she’d never do it to him.

Knowing this had to be fast, he placed his thumb on that perfectly wet, already pulsating, spot—right where he knew it would drive her crazy and began the gentle circular strokes as he slowly slid into her. Arching her back with a tremble in reaction to his touch Bianca let out a gasp.

Never once, did he take his eyes off hers and he watched as her expression changed dramatically doing that thing she did when she felt the fireplace against her back, tasted the hot chocolate for the first time. That alone nearly did him in but he held on sliding in and out, moving faster as he began to feel that familiar tremble and he knew she was close.

She moaned loudly, lifting her hips up to him and he sped up, slammed in harder now, feeling his own build-up ready to erupt. Just as she cried out he buried himself deep in her letting out all the tension he’d built up in the past weeks—the anger and blood boiling jealousy he’d felt earlier. He came so hard and so much for a moment he worried the condom must’ve burst.

A few minutes later, they still lay there as the reality of what had just happened sunk in. Gio turned to Bianca lifting himself to his elbow and caressing her cheek with his finger. The connection he felt to her at that very moment was mind-boggling. “No regrets,” he whispered.

It was more of a statement than a question but she responded with a smile, shook her head and repeated the two words he’d spoken with as much conviction as he felt. “No regrets.”

That only furthered his faith that as wrong as what they were doing to his friend felt, there was no going back. They were no longer doing it. It was done. This had sealed it. Bianca was more his now than she was Felix’s. As far as Gio was concerned her relationship with Felix was a thing of the past. Though it would still have to be dealt with delicately. For now they’d remain discreet until they could figure out how to move this forward as painlessly as possible because this changed everything. Gio wasn’t about to take even one step backward now. If it meant they’d both move out of Felix’s place a lot sooner than they’d planned, so be it.

That was inevitable anyway because if he’d had a hard enough time concealing his feelings for Bianca before tonight, it would be near impossible now. It was just a matter of time before he’d have to man up and accept the consequences of his actions. He was ready to do that now, but he knew now was not the time.

Bianca sat up. “We should get back before they notice we’ve been gone together.”

They cleaned up, fixed their clothes and started out but not before Gio pulled Bianca back to him kissing her one last time—making sure she understood things would be different from here on. “Just so we’re clear,” he whispered against her lips. “This was not our only chance. This was just the beginning. All right?”