by Mia Madison
“You didn’t open it for me earlier.”
“Well… that was a little different.”
“I know. I’m just teasing.”
The place had a moderate amount of business for a late Thursday night. We were seated pretty immediately by a waitress named Allison, who immediately took our drink orders and offered us an appetizer.
Conversation arose as we waited for our food.
“Aside of the scare we’ve had, how are you? Are you feeling comfortable with the position?”
I sipped on my water. Drinking water before you ate helped manage your hunger. It also helped me script the proper answer.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” I said, nodding my head in affirmation. “Of course, there’s always something new to learn, and sometimes I have to go over my work two or three times to get things just right. But overall, I feel good.”
“You know, Vit is really proud of you. He’s so happy to have you back.” I blushed, and Gio smiled.
“It’s cute seeing how much you guys love each other. Reminds me of my relationship with Riley.”
“Speaking of… where’s your wife?” I realize I hadn’t seen her, or any mention of her, aside of when Riley brings her up. I eyed his wedding ring.
Gio caught the hint and raised his hand. “I’m divorced. See? I don’t even have a tan line where it used to be.”
Wow. What do you say to that?
“…I’m sorry…”
He waved me off. “It’s nothing, hon. Sometimes things just don’t work out.”
“How is Riley taking it, if you don’t mind me…asking?” This was compelling, and also took my mind off my father, whose nonchalant and dismissive manner only further triggered my worry for his health.
“She’s good now. She still misses her mother a lot, but…”
He paused, looking for the words that would carefully explain his position. He was very civil, but you could tell how deeply uncomfortable the topic made him.
“You can’t force anyone to be anyone or do anything they choose not to involve themselves with.”
“I’m sorry. What’s that supposed to mean?” My heart dropped. “She abandoned Riley?”
“She abandoned the both of us.” His eyes traveled over his clasped fingers, visiting everything on our tabletop, before ambling up to meet mine. He cleared his throat in the silence.
“Wow, I. Wow. I’m sorry. You guys seemed so happy.”
“We were. At least I thought we were.” He leaned back from the table, and a few moments later the waitress appeared with our food.
Serving me first, she set my plate of banana nut pancakes down. “Here you go ma’am.”
The warm scent of bananas, walnuts, powdered sugar immediately comforted my senses, yet sent my stomach back into a tizzy. Water be damned, I would make room for every bite.
“That smells amazing…” I cooed.
“It’s one of my favorites,” she winked. “It’s the perfect comfort food and it’s not too heavy.”
She turned to Gio. “And here you go sir. Here’s your No Bull Buzz.”
I couldn’t lie; Gio’s plate was just as mouthwatering. He had filet mignon, covered in a delicious graze of garlic butter with veggies, eggs, and a baked potato on a bed of spinach.
“That’s a real meal,” he teased. “Who says you don’t eat after 9?”
We ate in comfortable silence, too hungry to continue a conversation with the spread in front of us.
I deliberately cut my pancakes into small pieces, and chewed thoughtfully as I ate. I was learning the art of mindful eating, yet had I been at home, or even dining by myself, I wouldn’t have so much restraint.
But I couldn’t just relax and be myself.
I wasn’t alone.
I was with Gio, and for some reason every time he was near, he gave me the craziest butterflies in my tummy and rattled my nerves. I didn’t want him to think I was a hungry hippo for scarfing down banana pancakes at midnight. It was already bad enough I was barefaced with a messy bun atop of my head, wearing leggings and Givenchy slides with a Dallas Cowboys hoodie.
What? I didn’t have time to get dressed considering the circumstances.
I was lost in my own thoughts when Gio’s deep chuckle erupted.
“What?” I looked up to see what was so funny.
“You.” He mused, chewing a fat hunk of beef.
“Do I have something on my face?” My eyes widened as I felt around my mouth, cursing my clumsy eating habits.
“I’ve never seen someone chew so meticulously and quaint. Stop it. It’s midnight, we’ve had a long evening, and we’re both starving. Just eat.”
My face reddened terribly.
“Relax, you’re beautiful.”
This warm bubble in my chest swelled and burst when he said that. Did he mean it?
“Thank you.”
The smallest gleam of flirtatiousness sparkled in his deep brown eyes as he drank in my reaction. “You’re welcome. I should be thanking you for the amazing company.”
“Aw, it’s nothing. I’m just grateful you were able to get to me and get me to Dad.” I shifted to a more serious topic. “I’m worried about him and that tendency to keep things to himself.”
Gio sighed, nodded his head. “I agree. But he’s at least got you and me. Do me a favor?”
“Sure?”
“Keep an eye on him when he’s at home. Anything you notice him do… even if he doesn’t witness your presence, let me know? Not regular things, but his episodes, if any.”
I nodded. “Of course. You didn’t even need to ask. That is my dad, after all.”
He laughed, surrendering himself to my argument. “I tend to forget sometimes. It’s good to have you around. I think it’ll brighten his spirit up even more. And give him something to do.”
“He doesn’t keep busy enough?” I quipped. “That’s surprising.”
“Well, he hasn’t done anything besides work since the loss of… your mother. I think he could use some company. He can only take me for so long.” Gio cut into his eggs. “Besides, all he does is try to tell me that I need to date again.”
“Really? How so?”
He waved his hands in the air, did an impression of my father. “You need to get out there and date again, Gio. You need a mother for Riley, and a woman to look after you. Family is-”
“The most important thing there is.” We finished his statement in unison, all too familiar with that distinctive tradeline of his.
“Well I think he’s right.” Gio twisted his face in playful disbelief, and I laughed. “Hey, don’t shoot me. I’m just agreeing.”
Feeling a little more confident after his compliment, I decided to endow him with a little sauce of my own. “You’ve got the whole tall, dark, and handsome ‘I’m Italian’ thing going for you. You have your own business, and you’re a military veteran. You’ll have no problem finding the right woman.”
15
Gio
“I agree.”
She was absolutely right. I wouldn’t have any problem finding the right woman. I never had problems attracting women. Ever.
But the woman I wanted?
I’d found her already.
She was sitting across from me, completely unaware of my desire, trying to eat pancakes in the most painfully dainty manner, as if I couldn’t hear her stomach grumbling like a lion was trapped inside.
Those wet, glossy lips were covered in swashes of Vermont maple syrup, which she licked off in between bites of warm banana pancakes.
I wanted to reach over the table and slide my tongue across her bottom lip, taste the flavor of maple syrup, bananas, and her essence for myself.
I bet she tasted sweet and ambrosial.
… From those thick black curls blooming from her scalp to those cute, pudgy feet, housed in designer slides topped with baby pink nail polish, every ounce of her, curves and all, was perfect.
“Well what’s stopping you?”
&nb
sp; “From…?”
“Finding another woman.”
“I have a heavy load on my plate. Business, fatherhood - both of these things require my full attention.”
I paused to reflect on my words.
“I need a woman who can understand that, and find her place in my world. It’s not easy finding someone who’s natural fit.”
She nodded, affirming my statement. “I guess you’re right. I don’t see how I’d be able to date anyone living with Dad. He’s so… protective.”
“He has every right to be,” I said. “You’re all he’s got.”
She smiled, a sad smile. “We’re all we have. It would probably be nice to have someone to connect with, and spend time with, but I’m too young.”
“How?”
“I’m in my 20s. Men my age want to club, party, and play games. Dating is a sport. I don’t play with my heart.”
There was a lucid precision to her words, clarity that didn’t hide away from being recognized. She was able to speak her piece without sounding bitter or haughty.
I wouldn’t play with your heart. But I would love to play with your body. You have no idea…
I envisioned dropping her off at the penthouse, walking her to the door so she would make it in safely, and then being invited in for a nightcap…
… That would turn into an all-nighter. Me on top of her. Her on top of me. Her squatting those curvy thighs over my face as I suckled her clit. Leaning back and feeding her my cock, filled with my creamy load.
… Cuddling after.
The pang in my heart made me realize I missed the company of a woman. A woman I could share my hopes and dreams with, build with, and develop a real connection with. Someone whose beauty was resonant of her spirit, inside and out, giving her an energy makeup alone couldn’t buy.
A woman like Valencia.
We enjoyed idle conversation on dating as we finished our food. As we talked, she let her guard down some more, and finally started eating her food without being self-conscious. It was sexier to see the real her.
I wished women would realize real men loved curves. They loved real women of all shapes and sizes, but when they fall in love, it’s that particular woman’s energy that reels them in.
Of course we like nice breasts, asses, and physical attributes. That’s how we’re wired. But a sweet ass alone would never be enough to compel our commitment. We fall for women who are sexy and exciting, who fill us with energy, and also know how to reel us in when needed.
But in every way, Valencia was perfect. In ankle booties or slides. In pencil skirts or in leggings. Hair upswept or frantically tied up. Eyeliner and lipstick or fully bare face.
She was beautiful.
And the pang in my heart kept telling me she was The One.
16
Valencia
Like a true gentleman, Gio insisted on opening my car door. After helping me into his truck, he handed me the to-go bag. There were two of them. Our food was so good he ordered two more plates of each for us to enjoy in the morning. We’d both have steak and pancakes.
“We should add some mimosas, it’ll be the breakfast of champions,” he joked.
I laughed on the passenger side, having to admit his company soothed away my stress. Tired and satiated, we rode back to the building in comfortable silence.
When he escorted me to the door, Gio assured me that I was free to skip work the next morning. I protested, because work still needed to be done. He insisted I stay home and relax.
“It’s not that horrible. It’s a Friday. I can handle the office. You just need to get some rest, and keep me posted in case something happens. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Alright. Goodnight.”
I turned the key when he interrupted.
“Do you need anything before I leave?”
He was a half step away from me, partially turned toward the hall. I looked into his deep brown eyes, which were lower than they had been.
Sleep was definitely calling him.
I could still smell the lingering scent of his cologne; the crisp aquatic scent mellowed, tantalizing my nostrils with a smooth jazz of vetiver, leather, and musk. My mind flashed to a scene of him wrapping those thick biceps around me, flooding me with the 18 hour remnants of that fragrance.
He stood there, towering in the hallway, waiting on my answer. I dropped the bags just inside the door.
“I…” It was hard to ask what I really wanted.
I want you to wrap your arms around me. Hold me. Tell me it’s going to be okay. That you won’t leave me alone in this penthouse, which is no longer welcoming and full of love. It’s full of memories, every turn bringing constant reminders of my father - who isn’t here - across town lying in a hospital bed.
“You think he’ll be okay?”
I finally managed to get it out.
Gio paused. He looked at the ground, and his jaw tensed. He carefully considered his answer, fully aware of the pensive energy in my question.
It was unfair. I wasn’t asking him to predict the future for me. I was asking him to lie, to comfort me with a truth that didn’t exist. Lies, lies, lies, tell me sweet little lies.
Gio walked toward me, stopping right at the edge of my shoes. His shadow cast another layer of sea breeze and warmth over my frame.
He placed my face in his hands.
“Valencia, I can’t predict the future by any means. But what I do know is your father is a very strong man. One of the strongest men I’ve ever seen. He’s survived deployments in some of the most dangerous places in the world. He’s survived losses, hardships, and hazards most men wouldn’t stomach half as easily.”
His eyes burned into mine. He was steadfast and firm, speaking with clarity and confidence, however the way his eyes danced in mine failed to hide the lack of certainty. He was doing his best to be a man, be a leader, but he too was shaken by the events of tonight.
“The doctors said he’ll be fine. He says he’ll be fine. I trust he’ll be fine.”
I didn’t realize I was trembling until he took a step back and asked, “Are you cold?”
“No. Scared.” Confession spilled from my lips quicker than I’d have liked.
Gio’s eyes softened. He placed his hands on my shoulders. “I understand. You don’t have to be alone? I can stay here, or you can come to my apartment.”
The offer presented an unstated question for me to answer. I tried to figure out how I’d deal with the tossing and turning that came from worry. A change of scenery wouldn’t allay my anxieties. My dad being home - actually my dad never having a heart attack - would.
“No. I can’t. You’ve already been away from Riley. It’s after midnight. You have to go to the office. You’ve done enough. I just have to be strong.”
My eyes watered. The tear slid down my cheek, yet got no further before he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. It was a fluid, sympathetic move on his part. My arms wrapped around him and I closed my eyes, melting into his form. His grip tightened and I let each squeeze release the fear, tension, anxiety from my spirit.
…Yet even then, I couldn’t help feeling every ripple of those strong back muscles through his shirt. My fingertips were hypersensitive. Under other circumstances, this would have been totally appropriate.
My senses were turned up. And so were my nipples. They started tingling, and I could feel them draw tighter, pruning to erection.
“Oh…” I groaned softly, letting my desire spill from my lips. Fuck. I prayed it sounded like I was reacting from comfort and not displaced arousal.
His warm fingers, strong and thick cupped my chin.
“I’m here for you. I’m here when you need me. All you have to do is say the word. Okay?”
He tilted my chin up, so that I would look into his eyes and see the sincerity of his statement. I nodded, and he said, “Good.”
His lips swept against my forehead, the ultimate sign of adoration. And before I could react, the
y pushed themselves against mine.
I groaned. Have you ever had a kiss that set your heart on fire? The tingle between our lips spread like wildfire, spreading to my chest, curling around my nipples before extending fluttery warmth to my tummy, swirling between my legs before it finally extended through every area of my body.
Instinctually, my hands reached up to grip his face, drawing him in, pulling him closer. I’d never experienced desire this strong, and even though it wasn’t the ideal moment, there wasn’t any discretion strong enough to keep me from seizing this moment.
Gio’s hand cupped the back of my head, and I leaned into the kiss even further. The soft growl from between his lips made my nipples so hard they almost hurt, but it was the stiffness of his hard cock, which gently grazed against me that made my heart leap.
I was crashing into him, merging my senses into him, losing my autonomy. And then, just like that, it was over.
He pulled back, cleared his breath. His eyes were extremely sleepy, yet there was lust dancing in them.
“Alright. I gotta get out of here.”
One more kiss, this one lingering and tender, on the forehead. And then he was off.
“Goodnight.”
I was breathless, but pushed out my response. “Goodnight…”
Locking the door behind me, I pressed against it, both hands splayed against its cold surface.
Had that really happened?
I pinched myself. Hard.
“Ouch!” I yelped.
I wasn’t dreaming.
Gio Gigante, sexiest man alive, had just kissed me.
17
Gio
Friday started off like any other morning. I slept pretty well despite the circumstances.
I have Valencia to thank.
It was just a kiss, something passionate yet tender and innocent. But she was so beautiful and genuine. Her vulnerability allured me, and without trying, my lips just pressed against hers.
She magnetized me.
She had no idea.
Well, she had a one now.