Then, Now, Forever (Heartbeat #2)

by Teodora Kostova

  “Let go of me!”

  Beppe released her and stepping back raised his hands in surrender.

  “Gia, you’re acting crazy. What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gently concerned.

  Gone was the cocky attitude and smart ass remarks. Now he just looked concerned. Gia raked her hands through her hair. She needed to get it together. Beppe was right – she must look like a lunatic. She’d seen him naked on numerous occasions and yet the sight of his body just now made her a nervous wreck. She managed a deep breath as she focused on Beppe.

  “I’m sorry. I just...” she tried to find an explanation for her behavior, but couldn’t think of a lie convincing enough. There was no way in hell she was telling him how much he turned her on and how desperate she was for his touch.

  No. Way. In. Hell.

  “Look, it doesn’t matter,” she began, once again lifting her eyes to meet his and summoning all her acting skills to look unfazed by his hot, dark gaze on her. “I have to go home and get dressed...”

  If only she could find her damn shoes and get out of that door!

  “No you don't. Just wear something you have here.” Beppe shrugged as if that was the logical thing to do, but his eyes on her remained intense.

  Gia did have a fair amount of clothing here – Beppe’s spare room was full of her stuff. It was so much more convenient to have some of her things here if she decided to spend the night or the weekend. It wasn’t unusual. Sometimes she even stayed here when Beppe wasn’t home – for some reason being here, in his apartment, relaxed Gia in a way that being at her own house never could. She’d often thought how awkward it would be to have to meet one of his one night stands when she went down for breakfast in the morning, but he'd never brought anyone home when she was there.

  “Gia?” Beppe’s soft voice brought her back to the present. How long had she been standing there, spacing out?

  “Uh yeah, you’re right,” she said, clearing her throat. “I don’t have time to go home and change. I’ll find something here.” She stepped around Beppe, careful not to touch him, and climbed the stairs to his spare room. Once inside, Gia closed the door and leaned against it and exhaling a long shuddering breath.

  A shower. She needed a shower and maybe then she’d be able to think more clearly.

  Maybe then she could figure out why the fuck she suddenly wanted nothing more than to dig her fingers into Beppe’s ass as he moved inside her.

  ******

  The moment Gia went up the stairs to the spare bedroom, or as Beppe had long ago started to think of as her room, he pumped his fist in the air and smiled so broadly his cheeks hurt.

  Yes! He had the proof! Gia wanted him so badly she could barely hide it anymore. He’d never told her how her rejection had broken his heart. He knew it wouldn't have been fair to ask her to wait for him, so he never had. But when he returned from Tuscany and he saw that she had actually moved on, it nearly broke him. It almost made him regret leaving her behind in the first place. Almost. But that was something he could never truly regret, because if he hadn’t left he’d never have become the man he was today.

  He’d never have regained his sanity.

  Gia was still attracted to him. That was the first step. It felt so good to have her look at him like that again. There were times when he’d actually doubted that it would ever happen, but now that it had, it was more that he’d ever hoped for. Just thinking about how her whole body had quivered when he got close to her made him hard. Beppe couldn’t wait to have all of her again, to feel her hot little body beneath him, to touch and lick and bite every inch of her skin... He groaned aloud at the thought.

  Movement at the top of the stairs drew his attention and he turned to see Gia descending the stairs dressed in a short, sleeveless navy dress with green polka dots on the skirt and stripes on the bodice. Her dark hair swirled around her naked shoulders. She hadn’t bothered with make up as far as he could see, maybe just a bit of lip gloss – her lips looked plump and shiny and so kissable. She was so fucking beautiful he ached.

  “So, I, the woman in this equation,” she began, gesturing with her index finger between them, “managed to take a shower and get dressed, while you’re still standing here in your sweats!” She folded her arms in front of her and gave Beppe a pointed look as she reached him. He was so mesmerized by the fire in her eyes that made the gold and green flecks shine, that he couldn’t find words to answer. It would be so easy to reach, grab her and kiss those luscious lips...

  “Beppe!”

  Her sharp tone shook him out of his fantasy.

  “OK, fine!” He threw his arms in the air in exasperated gesture and headed for the stairs. “I’ll be right back.” He took the steps two at a time and stormed in his room. He grabbed his favorite True Religion jeans and his short sleeved fitted D&G shirt, and hastily put them on. In the bathroom he managed to tame his dark hair in his usual style – messy, do-you-wanna-join-me-in-bed style – in three minutes flat. Spraying some Hugo Boss Red on his collarbone and grabbing a pair of socks, he jogged down the stairs with a triumphant expression on his face.

  “See? It takes no time at all to look this hot,” he said and winked at Gia playfully.

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she made for the door.

  Max was already waiting for them when they arrived at Piazza de Ferrari. He’d traded his casual style clothes for stylish Diesel jeans and a black Calvin Klein shirt. Beppe had a suspicion Gia was right. Max was attracted to Stella and was trying to impress her, without being too obvious. His outfit was still pretty much casual, but the designer label and cut made him look more sophisticated.

  They hugged and started making plans where to go for dinner. Beppe decided against teasing Max about Stella because he looked nervous enough already. Soon, he saw Stella and Lisa walking towards them. The girls looked gorgeous – Lisa had on a short red and blue dress. It suited her pale skin perfectly. Her blond hair was styled in a sleek ponytail and fell down her back. Stella wore a pair of elegant black chino shorts and a sequined tank top which fell loosely around her body. Her caramel hair was falling freely around her shoulders and back and her silver-gray eyes were accented with black eyeliner and mascara. The moment she fixed them on Max, his body went rigid next to Beppe. He stole a look in his direction and saw Max staring unabashedly at Stella, his lips were parted and his breathing uneven. Beppe had never seen his friend so taken by a girl. It would be fantastic if Max had finally found someone he could care deeply about; someone to share his future with. He’d been drifting through life, aimless and lost for so long. It would be really good for him to find purpose again. And God knew Max needed a purpose in his life! He needed someone to need him, to feed his overprotective and caring nature. Beppe saw great potential in Stella being that person.

  Something in the twinkle of her gray eyes told him she’d give Max a run for his money, and more.

  After everyone had hugged and kissed in greeting, Beppe steered the girls ahead, giving Max and Stella some privacy. His friend was trembling with the need to touch this girl without them around, so Beppe gave him that chance. He thoroughly enjoyed walking ahead with a beautiful girl under each arm, sinking deep into the feel of Gia’s body so close to his again. The difference was, this time she was relaxed and carefree, chatting with Lisa and laughing at Beppe’s jokes. The discomfort and intense emotion from just half an hour ago had completely left her. Beppe was glad his touch didn’t provoke any tension this time.

  They chose ‘Lorenzo’ because it was Gia’s favorite low key restaurant and it had an amazing outside sitting area with comfortable chairs, parasols and sturdy, wooden tables. The evening was pleasantly warm – perfect for sitting with friends, having a few glasses of wine, and enjoying good food.

  That was until Gia started gushing again about her great boss. Francesco Naldo was a well-known entrepreneur and Michelin star chef , who owned three restaurants. That didn’t mean he wasn’t a prick. How could Gia not see that
? Why couldn’t she look beyond this man’s handsome face, confidence and charm? It wasn’t the first time she’d expressed how much she admired the man – and by admired Beppe suspected she meant lusted after – and it annoyed him to no end. He clicked his tongue stud at the back of his teeth with more force than he intended and all eyes turned on him. Beppe had been so lost in his venomous thoughts about Francesco Naldo and Gia’s fascination with him, that he hadn’t realised everyone had stopped talking and were enjoying their food before it got cold.

  The sound the piercing made against his teeth seemed even louder in the quiet around the table.

  “So Beppe, what do you do?” Stella asked into the silence.

  “I’m studying at the University of Genoa,” he replied, mentally shaking himself and trying to ease back into the evening’s mood. He gave Stella a flirtatious smile and felt much better as she slightly blushed, but didn’t avert her gaze.

  “What are you studying?” she asked and picked up her glass to take a sip of her San Pellegrino Aranciata.

  “Law.” Stella almost chocked on her juice. Beppe grinned in her direction. “Surprised?”

  She stared at him open-mouthed for a few moments, trying to work out if he was being serious.

  “You’re going to be a lawyer?” she finally asked.

  “Yeah. Why? I don’t look like a lawyer to you?” he said and winked at her.

  “No, not really. Not with all the tattoos, piercings and five day stubble.”

  “I hide the tattoos under the suit,” he said and laughed, because Stella had looked him up and down as if trying to picture him in a suit and hadn't succeeded. “And I remove all my piercings, including this one.” Beppe brought the silver stud to the front of his teeth again and fixed Stella with a flirtatious stare. Her eyes locked on the piercing and she licked her lips, before nodding and casting her eyes back onto her plate, studying it intently. Beppe might have teased her some more if it wasn’t for Max sitting next to him – Beppe could have sworn he heard him growl low in his throat.

  After dinner, they decided to go to a club. Beppe knew the hostess at ‘M.D.O.’ and led them all there, knowing they’d get in without any problems, even if the club was packed.

  They ended up getting a VIP table, which was perfect because shortly after they arrived, a group of their friends joined them. Beppe hadn’t seen his friend Rico in ages. They spent time catching up, shouting over the loud music to be heard. Glancing towards the dance floor, Beppe saw Lisa, Stella and Gia dancing. He itched to join them, but felt it would be rude to leave Rico. He noticed the guy kept looking at Stella as she swayed to the music with curiosity in his eyes. Beppe turned to look at Max and see if he’d noticed Rico’s interest in Stella. Based on the reaction to Beppe’s innocent flirting at dinner, he didn’t want Max to go berserk and cause trouble in the club. To his surprise, Max was happily chatting with Antonia, who was sitting so close she was practically in his lap. He wasn't paying any attention to Stella on the dance floor. Was it possible that Beppe had misread Max’s reaction to before? Maybe he was just being overprotective because she was Lisa’s cousin and effectively a part of their inner circle now?

  His thoughts were interrupted as the girls moved back towards their table for a drink.

  Max still didn’t acknowledge Stella and continued talking to Antonia. Stella frowned and picked up her bottle of juice.

  “Hey, can you introduce me to that girl, man?” Rico shouted in Beppe’s ear and pointed in Stella’s direction. Well, if Max wasn't interested in her – and he obviously wasn’t because Antonia’s hand was gliding dangerously up his thigh now and he didn’t seem to mind – why not? He walked over to Stella, and instead of trying to explain and shout over the music, he just grabbed her hand and led her to Rico, leaving them to get to know each other.

  With nothing left to do, he turned on his heel and set out to find Gia on the dance floor.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Beppe slid his arms around Gia’s waist from behind and felt her tense mid-dance. Turning her head slightly, she sensed it was him and relaxed into his embrace while continuing to dance. She rolled her hips to the techno beat and raised her arms above her head. She then shifted her balance backwards sliding against Beppe’s body.

  Oh. God.

  Beppe was only a man. He couldn't suppress the urge to roam his hands all over her body, tracing the lines of her rib cage with his palms, gliding up and down. Gia visibly shivered even though she couldn’t be cold, not with the heat pouring off the masses on the dance floor. She ground her ass against him and Beppe was more than sure she felt the growing bulge in his jeans.

  Gia didn’t move away or show it bothered her in any way. Beppe took that as an invitation to explore. He wanted to see how far he could push her before she ran. Pulling her tighter into his embrace, he flattened his palms over her stomach and dug his fingers into the fabric of her dress as if he wanted to tear it apart.

  Another shiver snaked down Gia’s spine and Beppe, growing bolder, bent his head and touched his lips to the side of her neck. Fully expecting to be pushed away, he was surprised when Gia reached up, grasped the back of his head and pushed his face firmly against her skin. Beppe opened his lips and licked her skin, her very own Gia taste exploding into his mouth. It had been so long since he’d last had a taste of her, but he’d never forgotten how wonderfully exquisite she was. He gave a throaty groan, loud enough for her to hear even over the music.

  This right here was everything he had always wanted – Gia in his arms, touching her as he wanted, tasting her skin, smelling her hair, feeling her heartbeat beneath his palms. The same heartbeat that pounded so fast right now. Beppe couldn’t hold back anymore. He spun her around and without giving her a chance to react, claimed her mouth in a ferocious kiss.

  For a few magical moments, Gia responded, caressing his tongue with hers, sucking its tip into her mouth, biting and licking on his lower lip. Beppe was in heaven! He could feel the pleasure of her sweet kiss with every nerve in his body. He was deaf to the music blasting around them and blind to everything and everyone. Except Gia. For those few, short, intense moments she became his world and he got utterly lost in her.

  It all ended when Gia gasped against Beppe’s lips and he swallowed the small sound and rush of breath into his mouth. Removing her hands from around his neck and putting them gently but firmly on his shoulders, Gia pulled away and looked straight at Beppe. Even in the dim light of the club he could see the green and amber specks in her hazel eyes sparkling, but before he could fully understand the emotion behind that twinkle, Gia grabbed his hand and led him towards the club’s doors. They weaved their way through the throng of bodies – some swaying to the music, others making out or moving around trying to make their own way towards their destination.

  Once outside, Gia led Beppe around the corner, out of direct sight and earshot of clubbers waiting to get inside. Following her, Beppe couldn’t see her face and wasn't sure what to expect when she eventually stopped. His chest tightened as he braced himself for Gia’s reaction to what he’d just done. When she turned, Beppe fully expected to see anger in her eyes. He knew how short Gia’s fuse was and how the smallest things would make her temper flare. But when she focused her intense stare at him, it wasn’t anger he saw there. Her beautiful hazel eyes were alive with need and lust and desire. Everything Beppe had himself felt during their kiss. His heart leapt, but only for a second, because Gia closed her eyes for a long blink and when she reopened them, all of that emotion was gone – her stare was instead soft and full of affection. Instinctively Beppe knew that what she was about to say would be much worse than if she’d been furious. Furious he could handle. Screaming, hitting, biting, swearing he could handle. But he could not handle the I-love-you-like-a-brother speech that he just knew was coming.

  “Beppe,” Gia said gently, reaching to hold his hand. Feeling as if someone had already punched him in the gut, Beppe pulled his hands from her reach and took a step bac
k.

  Sadness swam in her eyes as she determinedly continued, “I love you, Beppe. I’ve loved you for as long as I have known you. That will never change. But I’m not in love with you anymore and that will never change either.” She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes growing more serious, but still soft with affection. “I don’t know what happened in there. Why you kissed me...”

  Beppe lashed out in pain.

  “If I remember correctly, you know the answer to that question already. Hm, what was it?” Beppe tapped his index finger over his lips in a mock gesture of concentration. “I’m such a man whore that I’ve fucked all women in Genoa and you’re the only one left. Did I get it right?” Beppe hadn’t intended to sound so bitter but he needed to save his heart from hearing anymore of what Gia had to say. He wanted her to stop looking at him with such fucking sisterly love. He’d rather make her mad and apologise tomorrow.

  “I’m sorry I ever said that to you,” she whispered, casting her eyes away from him for the first time since they started talking. Beppe knew how hard it was for Gia to apologise to anyone and appreciated the effort. His resolve to make her angry faded as quickly as it had appeared.

  “It’s true. The whore part at least,” he said and took a step forward to be closer to her again, but didn’t trust himself to touch her. “But, it's not true that it’s the reason why I acted like I did the other day at Lisa’s or why I kissed you tonight. Even after all the women I have been with, not one can measure up to that one, short kiss with you. I felt more during that kiss than I’ve ever felt fucking someone else all night long.” For a split second Beppe saw the hurt and anger flash in Gia’s eyes, but once again she blinked it away. “Gia...” he began, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek.