Gio (5th Street) (35 page)

His soothing smile immediately calmed her. “Don’t worry. They’re gonna love you.” He kissed her one last time softly before adding, “My mom doesn’t buy any of that shit on the tabloid shows.” He smiled. “I promise.”

Bianca stared at him as he walked back to his motorcycle. Was this really happening? Did everything actually get worked out? Was she really going to be moving down here and see him every day?

He climbed onto his bike, grabbing his helmet off the handlebars. Then he looked up at and smiled at her so tenderly it took her breath away.

*

Gently patting the warm soapy sponge over Gio’s big strong shoulders and then down his chest, Bianca examined all the bruises and scrapes that were still very visible. As the water from the shower rinsed away the soap she kissed the bruises gently. She worked the sponge down to his hips as Gio brought his hand around her behind and squeezed a handful of her wet behind. He’d been hard from the moment she’d begun to undress him in the small hotel bathroom. Now he pressed against her, taking her mouth in his and kissing her with that need she loved feeling from him. As the warm water splashed down against their faces she kissed him back, with just as much need, moaning into his mouth.

Gio brought his hand around the front spreading her legs. If she let him and gave into her own yearning she’d spin around and bend over letting him take her right there but she was determined. Determined to not allow him to over exert himself—take care of him like she hadn’t been able to this whole past week.

She pulled back breathlessly just as his fingers entered her. “No,” She managed in a very strained whisper, his fingers still playing inside her. “Let’s go to the bed.”

Gio sucked her bottom lip, then brought his playful fingers up for her to suck—taste herself and she did, staring straight into his flaming eyes. “We could do this here,” he whispered, grabbing a fistful of her hair and tugging her head back a bit roughly, he dove into her neck sucking and nipping with his teeth.

The sensation was one she’d never felt. Felix had always been so gentle with her but it excited her like she never would’ve imagined. Still, she remembered his badly beaten body.

Barely able to catch her breath to get the words out she caressed his hard back. “Let’s go to the bed, Gio. I promise I’ll take care of you.”

His head lifted and their eyes met for a moment before the corner of his lip rose. Without another word he reached over and turned off the water. They walked out and toweled off, then walked over to the bed dropping the towels and climbed in bed.

Before Gio could take the lead and climb atop her Bianca took charge. “Lie very still,” she whispered then kissed his lips softly.

Gio was supposed to be still getting a lot of bed rest. But according to his mother he’d spent most of the week sulking in the garage. He now lay completely naked on the bed and Bianca began what she promised to do now and forever: “take care of him.”

She kissed the bruise on his collar bone and worked her way down past his sore ribs and hip bones. He wasn’t kidding when he told her just about every inch of his body had been bruised or scraped in one way or another.

Bianca glanced down at the one part of his body that seemed to be in perfect working order, erect and ready to go, then kissed it as Gio’s body went taut. She looked up at him staring at her. “Relax,” she ordered with a smile.

With their eyes still locked she began licking the shaft. Trying very hard to not make it obvious this was her first time doing this ever, she continued to keep the eye contact going. Bianca had read enough steamy romance novels and how-to articles in women’s magazines. She was pretty sure she could wing it. She just hadn’t expected him to be so big. In the van it’d been too dark to really appreciate it at all but now she’d appreciate every inch.

Gio’s body shifted slightly carnal moans escaping him as she continued to lick up and down and then took him in completely. His hips moved with her and she moved up and down his length, amazed at how much she was enjoying doing this to him.

Then she swiped her tongue on the salty tip like a windshield wiper over and over just like it said in Cosmo and was thrilled at his reaction. This really worked. His entire body arched and she heard him gasp. “Baby, that’s it,” he urged. “I think I need to take over before it’s too late.”

“Oh no, you don’t.” She smiled, feeling sexier than she’d ever felt in her life. She was enjoying being in charge. She pointed at his wallet on the nightstand. “Condom,” she said simply and he complied immediately, even opened the packet and pulled it out before handing it to her.

This would be a first also. She’d never actually put one of these things on anyone. Smiling because she knew this was just one of the many firsts to come with Gio she slowly and very carefully rolled it on. “No over exerting yourself, remember?” She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip as their eyes met and she was suddenly locked into those striking green eyes. “You ready?”

He nodded his heavy lashes blinking over his eyes almost in slow motion. Bianca climbed over him carefully, afraid to hurt him. She brought her hips down over him trembling as she slid onto him slowly, still locked in his eyes, until he was all the way in.

Gio held his hands out to her and she took them, not moving for a few seconds just enjoying the fullness she felt with him deep in her. Again, careful not to hurt him, she lifted herself up and began to ride him slowly, gently as he squeezed her hands.

Unable to help herself she picked up speed, the sensation building with every wet slide. “You sure you’re okay?” she asked through her teeth.

“God, yes!” he said bringing his hands around her waist and lifting her, slamming her back down on him even harder.

Now even he lifted himself with each thrust as she slammed back on to him again and again. Feeling her eyes roll back she ran both hands through her own hair and began to moan, knowing she’d be climaxing in a big way in just a few more seconds.

Gio slammed into her one last time, holding his pelvis up against her with a groan triggering Bianca’s orgasm and she cried out, her heart pounding with every wave of pleasure that ran through her body.

She stayed on him even after it was all over, her heart still banging away as her breathing finally came under control. Grabbing the towel she’d put on the bed in preparation for this, she climbed off him gently, cleaned up and came to rest next to him.

She giggled now, making herself comfortable against his warm hard body. Still clueless as to how things would work out for them, unbelievably she felt even more sure about what she’d told her mother and grandmother over the phone earlier. As long as she was with Gio she’d be fine.

This day had started so horribly bad and now she could hardly believe how perfect everything had turned out.

~*~

Calling Felix had been the best decision of Gio’s life. Not only was Bianca back in his life for
good
, they’d start with the demolition of what was left of the old gym as soon as the investigation was over and rebuild from the ground up.

The guys couldn’t have been happier but none more so than Gio. Gio told them he’d get all their names on the title as soon as possible. Felix was going to do everything he could to get this thing going fast and have them back in business in no time. Felix might be relationship-challenged but he truly was loyal to 5
^th
Street and always had been.

As promised, he figured something out and while their new set up wasn’t nearly as glamorous as something Felix could offer Bianca they were happy. That’s all that mattered. He was already working on bigger and better but for now this worked out for everyone and would have to do.

“What do you think?” Gio clicked the remote turning off the TV in their bedroom as Bianca walked in wearing a bathrobe and a towel on her head.

She closed the door behind her. “One bathroom for four people is going to be interesting but I think we’ll manage.”

Gio pulled her to him as soon as she was close enough and she dropped the clothes she carried onto the bed. “Noah and Roni said we’re welcome to live here as long as we need to, but I promise you it’s only until 5
^th
Street is up and running again.”

With Noah out of a paycheck until 5
^th
Street got going again, Gio would use some of the insurance money to pay rent and help him and Roni with the utilities. Noah had assured him he and Roni would be okay with her pay and what they had in their savings. He’d refused to take any money from Gio at first but Gio insisted.

He slid his hand under her robe, immediately aroused by her soft and warm nakedness. “The only thing you have to promise me,” Bianca had her sexy siren eyes stare going and Gio loved it, “is wherever I end up, it’ll always be with you.”

Gio laid back on the bed bringing her with him. She laughed outright as she toppled over him.

“I promise,” he whispered, slipping his tongue in her mouth, already pulling her robe open. “You’re with me for good now.” Boy, did he mean that. He didn’t think he could go a day without her now. “I love you, Bianca.”

“I love you, too, Gio.” She sucked his tongue before pulling back and looking deep in his eyes. “God, I love you.”

It’s not that Bianca didn’t want to live with Roni and Noah anymore but the other spare room was their office now. Even though Roni assured her that for the first few months the baby would sleep in their master bedroom in a cradle, Bianca knew Roni must be anxious to start decorating the nursery.

So she was thrilled when Gio’s mom told her about the apartment above her friend’s garage being available and very affordable.

She stood at the top of the stairs as the guys hauled the last of their furniture up the stairs. Glancing back into the small apartment she knew this was a far cry from the glamorous life she would’ve lived if she had stayed with Felix. But even as humble as her life would be for now Bianca couldn’t imagine feeling happier than she was now.

Gio assured her things would get better once things really got going with the new gym but Bianca didn’t even care. Already with the money he was making she could afford to not have to work and go to school full time. She’d soon be a teacher for the hearing impaired. Something she’d wanted to be since she was a little girl and most importantly she was with Gio every day. Her life couldn’t be more perfect.

She walked back into the apartment where Nellie and Roni were helping her unpack the few boxes she and Gio had brought back from her grandma’s place just last week. In the few months she and Gio had lived with Noah and Roni, Bianca had become very close to them both. It was hard to believe these two were eight years older than her. She felt more in sync with them than any of the girlfriends she had in high school.

“Where do you want this, babe?”

Bianca turned to Gio and Abel who held the wooden table her dad had built when she was kid. It was supposed to be a desk but it was so big and sturdy Bianca thought it’d make a perfect kitchen table. Their eating area was just big enough.

“Over there,” she pointed to the kitchen area where Roni and Nellie stood.

Hector and Noah walked in carrying the last of the boxes. Hector put his down on the floor looking into it then turned back to Bianca. “You play chess?”

“It’s been a while but I used to be pretty good.”

“You should play Hector sometime,” Gio said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “But I gotta warn you.” He stopped to kiss the side of her face. “Unless you’re at like genius level, he’ll probably beat you.” Gio tsked. “Total waste.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Hector rolled his eyes. “Let me know if you ever wanna play. If anything I could show you a few tricks.” He turned his attention back to Gio. “We done here?”

One by one they were all thanked as they made their exit. Bianca closed the door after the last ones, Roni and Noah, left. When she turned around, Gio pinned her against the door and kissed her softly then pulled away. “Now that we have our own place, what do you say we go to Vegas and get hitched.”

Bianca’s mouth fell open and she stared at him. “Oh my God. Your mother said you’d do this. She
does
know you like the back of her hand.”

Gio’s head fell back. “She got to you first, huh? Damn it. I should’ve known.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Let me guess. She made you promise we wouldn’t elope.”

Bianca tilted her head to the side. “It’s not really what I’d want to do.” His expression fell making her cup his face and kiss him. “I do wanna get married. I just don’t want to elope. I want my mom and grandma there. And I don’t need a big reception but I would like a little something. Don’t you want all your friends there?”

Gio smiled that smile that made his green eyes so vibrant they almost sparkled. “If that’s a yes—you’ll marry me, then we can do it anyway you want.”

“Yes,” she whispered, amazed how the butterflies never stopped anymore when she was around him.

He picked her up so suddenly she squeaked and they both laughed. She wrapped her legs around his waist kissing him wildly like she almost only ever did in private. “Let’s go break in our new bedroom.”

Bianca smiled inwardly as Gio began walking. Gio had this thing about how innocent she seemed compared to most girls. She agreed, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have it in her to be risky as long as Gio was okay with it. And so far he had been.