Sleight of Hand by Charlie Cochet

Four

Distracted.

A word Gio had never associated with himself. For the first time in a very long time, he wanted to be somewhere else—or more accurately, be with someone else—and he didn’t quite know how to feel about it.

Every day Gio woke up eager to get the day started and dive into his work, organizing like-minded people, attending events, having long chats about upcoming projects and the various ways he could make a difference in the world. He loved to lose himself in discussions with his peers, people who contributed to bettering the lives of others. It gave him a rush like nothing else. He was passionate about what he did and couldn’t picture himself doing anything else. He’d always been a people person and loved making new acquaintances. Attending social events energized him.

An old colleague of his, Ada Young, was hosting tonight’s charity auction, the proceeds of which were going toward the resources needed for a small village in Africa to start sustainable businesses. The hotel ballroom holding the event was decorated elegantly in a black-and-white theme with pops of color, courtesy of the exquisite centerpieces of bright orange orchids, sugarbushes, monstera leaf, and fan palms. Several three-tiered gold-and-diamond chandeliers glittered from the ceiling as a live band dressed in white tuxedos played a lovely tune from a bygone era.

Hundreds of guests mingled in their finest suits or cocktail dresses, champagne flutes or glasses filled with expensive whiskey in hand. Instead of being swept away by the conversation, instead of getting inspired or excited to start his next new project, Gio was scanning the room for a certain grumpy former Green Beret and his furry companion. He seemed to be doing that more often than not these days.

Since Sacha wasn’t his bodyguard, he wasn’t around Gio the same way Saint was, but knowing Sacha was somewhere close put Gio at ease. If he needed Sacha, he’d be there without hesitation. Why Gio was so sure of that, he had no idea, but he was, and the times he’d spotted Sacha, Gio had been thrilled to see him searching Gio out.

Their relationship had changed, but Sacha seemed determined to continue fighting his attraction, and Gio was under no illusion that Sacha wasn’t attracted to him. As much as Sacha tried to hide it, Gio felt it down to his core. It was in the lingering looks, the slight quirk of his lips, the way those bright eyes stormed over when their eyes met. Gio lived to hear Sacha’s little intakes of breath or the way he shivered at Gio’s touch.

Throughout the evening, Gio felt Sacha’s eyes on him like a fiery caress, and the intensity of that attention, the heat radiating from him, had Gio thrumming with need at all times. Talk about uncomfortable and awkward. Sporting wood during a charity event was far from ideal. And yet something about Sacha calmed Gio, made him feel safe. Like Sacha could handle anything life threw at him, whereas these days, Gio wondered if he could say the same about himself.

Patience had never been a struggle for Gio, personally or professionally. His job required a steady dose of waiting on this government agency or that agency, on paperwork getting filed, signed, or delivered. At any given time, he waited on any number of items to be completed before he could move on to the next step, but when it came to Sacha, Gio experienced desperation he’d never encountered before, and he was more than willing to throw caution to the wind.

Movement caught his eye, and he shifted his gaze to the sinewy figure dressed in black moving across the floor by the far wall. As if sensing Gio’s eyes on him, Sacha turned his head in his direction, a wicked little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, as if he somehow knew Gio had been thinking about him. That look promised all kinds of trouble, and Gio welcomed it.

“Giovanni?”

Gio blinked, his face heating. “I’m so sorry, Ada. What were you saying?”

Ada craned her neck to spot the source of his distraction. She turned back to him, her hazel eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, honey, he’s scrumptious.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Gio said with a chuckle.

Ada hummed and took a sip of her champagne. She was a gorgeous woman, the white Stella McCartney cocktail dress stunning against her flawless dark skin. Gio had known Ada for years. There was no one as genuinely kind and fearless. When she walked into a boardroom, she had everyone’s attention, and not because of her beauty. “He looks like the best kind of trouble.”

That was an understatement if he’d ever heard one. “Yes, well, I’m hoping to find out.”

“Judging by the way he’s watching you, I’m guessing you won’t be waiting long.”

“Really?” Gio resisted turning around.

“Mm-hmm.” Ada fanned herself with her hand. “If he looked at me that way, we’d be getting to know each other in a much more intimate setting.” She waggled her eyebrows, making Gio laugh. “I’m so glad you’re back. You were away far too long.”

“I know,” Gio replied with a sigh. “I got so caught up in my job, I forgot what I was missing back home.” It was his brief interactions with Sacha that had him wishing for more, for something he hadn’t expected to find for himself—someone to come home to who’d love him and know what he needed.

Her red lips pulled into a frown, and she shook her head at him. “You’ve always worked so hard, Gio. When’s the last time you did anything for yourself? For God’s sake, man, enjoy some of that ridiculous wealth! Sweep your man off his feet and take him to some remote beach where clothing is optional.”

Gio wondered how Sacha would react to Gio sweeping him off somewhere on some luxurious vacation. Would he refuse to let Gio spend money on him? Or would he embrace being pampered, the way Ace did with Colton? Something told Gio the answer—much like Sacha—would be a little more complicated than either option. But the idea of having Sacha to himself on a remote beach where they could sip cocktails and enjoy each other… It sounded heavenly.

“I might have to try that,” Gio said, turning to find Sacha motioning him over. “Will you excuse me?”

“Go get ’em, tiger.”

Gio left Ada and headed toward Sacha, who stood to one side of the kitchen doors, Chip at his heel. Saint remained close as usual, but far enough away not to call attention to himself. “Hi. Everything okay?”

“You tell me.” Sacha arched a thick eyebrow at him. “You plan on eating something today?”

Gio blinked at him. “I’m sorry?”

“You will be if you don’t eat.” He motioned to the glass in Gio’s hand. “You’ve also been nursing that same glass of water for the last two hours.”

“I have?”

“Yes.” Sacha took the glass from him and stopped a passing waiter. “I need you to bring Mr. Galanos a fresh glass of ice water.” He handed the glass to the waiter, who nodded.

“Yes, of course. I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks.”

Sacha turned back to Gio and waited. Had Sacha been keeping an eye on him this whole time? He must have known Gio hadn’t eaten anything since his arrival. With all the guests he’d talked to, it sort of slipped his mind.

“Well?”

“I suppose now is as good a time as any to have a little something to eat.”

“There’s a couple of salmon things you might like.”

Gio loved salmon. He smiled knowingly at Sacha, whose cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. So he had been paying attention to Gio all these months.

The waiter arrived promptly with Gio’s water, and Gio thanked him. “And thank you,Sacha.”

Sacha had no idea how much it meant to Gio that he cared. Did he realize how sweet and attentive he was? Unlikely.

“Go on,” Sacha said, motioning toward the buffet table with appetizers. With a smile, Gio headed off, took a small plate, and added several scrumptious-looking items, including the salmon appetizers Sacha had recommended. A couple of charity organizers he was familiar with approached him, and he listened to them chat about their upcoming events as he ate. He agreed to consider their invitations and asked them to send the relevant information over to his assistant.

The auction would be starting in half an hour. Catching sight of Sacha standing to one side of the room between one of the pillars and a set of curtains gave Gio all kinds of ideas. He excused himself from the small group he’d been standing with and left his empty plate on one of the many trays for used dinnerware. Discreetly popping a mint into his mouth, he headed in Sacha’s direction. Saint moved closer, and Gio chose to ignore the little knowing smile that slipped onto Saint’s face when he realized where Gio was going.

“Hi.” Gio stopped in front of Sacha, blocking the room’s view of him. Thankfully, Saint stood at attention on the other side of the pillar where he could see anyone approaching Gio, but not see what Gio and Sacha were getting up to, not that Gio expected anything to happen.

“Um, hi.” Sacha’s lips quirked in the corners. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. No. I’m having a bit of a crisis.”

“Crisis, huh?” Sacha peered at him. “What kind of crisis?”

“I’m surrounded by all these people, and they’re charming people, yet I can’t seem to stop myself from getting distracted.”

“That so?”

Gio nodded. He leaned an arm against the wall to the left of Sacha’s head. “Any suggestions on what I can do about it?”

“I don’t know. That sounds like a you problem, not a me problem.”

“Oh, but it’s very much a you problem, and I think you know why.”

Sacha’s pupils were blown wide, and he stepped farther into the shadows. The curtained-off area led to a small empty room with extra serving carts, trays, and stacked chairs. Gio followed him past the curtain, his heart thundering in his ears when Sacha let him step close, his leg between Sacha’s.

“You’re very distracting,” Gio murmured as he placed a hand on Sacha’s hip.

“How’s that?” Sacha asked, his face lifted toward Gio’s. He dropped his gaze to Gio’s lips before moving it back up to his eyes.

“Every time I see you, all I can think about is how I would much rather be with you. Alone.” Gio brushed his lips over Sacha’s temple, closing his eyes at the sound of Sacha’s low groan.

“What the hell are you doing? I’m on the job. I can’t be walking around with a hard-on.”

The words caught Gio by surprise. Having Sacha admit he was in danger of sporting an erection because of Gio was almost as hot as the thought of Sacha’s erection itself.

“At least then I wouldn’t be the only one.”

“Fuck.” Sacha adjusted himself. “Gio…”

“Yes?” Gio slid his hand to Sacha’s back and gently brought their bodies together, their hardening lengths pressing against each other, making them both gasp for breath. With his heart pounding in his ears and his breath quickening, Gio moved his lips lower, kissing the corner of Sacha’s lips as he rocked ever so subtly against Sacha. “You have no idea how desperate you make me feel.”

“Yeah, I think I do,” Sacha replied, breathless. He punched his hips forward and moved his face, his lips touching Gio’s without kissing. Shattering plates made them both jump, and the atmosphere around them changed instantly. Sacha stepped around Gio with a growl. “I have work to do.”

Damn it. With a sigh, Gio nodded and waited for Sacha to put some distance between them before he casually stepped out from behind the pillar. Sacha Wilder was going to be the death of him. Then again, it was one hell of a way to go.

Gio stood next to Saint, who smiled softly at him as he leaned in.

“If it’s any consolation, I think he likes you.”

“You think so?”

“Believe me. I’ve been around him when people have wanted to hook up with him and he’s not interested. Let me just say they don’t ask twice. He also doesn’t keep an eye on anyone to make sure they eat.”

Gio’s heart did a little flip, and he couldn’t help smiling. “Thank you.” He kept Saint’s words close to him as he returned to the event, forcing himself to focus on the auction and helping where he could.

The auction only lasted an hour, as the items were limited but high-value, from an eighteenth century Stradivarius to a 1947 Cheval Blanc. One particular item caught Gio’s attention, and even if a certain someone didn’t accept it, Gio would make sure the unique item was put to the best use. Thankfully, a certain someone seemed to be on a break during the auction, or Gio was certain he’d have felt Sacha’s glare from here.

Once the auction was over, everyone went back to mingling. Gio had other ideas. He found Ada and thanked her for the invite. He also promised her they’d have lunch next week. As soon as he’d said his goodbyes to a few guests, he checked his watch and went in search of Sacha. Saint helpfully pointed out that Sacha had stepped outside the ballroom, so Gio hurried out with Saint close behind. Sacha had his bag slung over his shoulder as he stood in the hall, his phone in his hand.

“Hey,” Gio said, casually strolling up to Sacha.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes, I’m finishing early. I have some work to catch up on.” Which wasn’t entirely untrue. “Fancy joining me for some room service? I hear the hotel makes a mean jerk chicken. My treat.”

Sacha seemed to think about it. He shrugged. “Eh, why not? I’ve got Chip with me since Jack and Fitz are busy tonight.”

At hearing his name, Chip lifted his gaze to Sacha and wagged his tail.

“Chip is always welcome.”

“Okay.” Sacha joined him and Saint as they left the hotel. As beautiful as it was, several events and conferences were happening alongside the auction, so Four Kings Security decided it best to stay at a different hotel for security reasons. That suited Gio just fine. He wasn’t a fan of staying in overcrowded hotels in the middle of the city.

Outside, Saint handed the valet the SUV ticket. When the car was brought around, Saint opened the back passenger door. Sacha motioned for Gio to get in first, smiling when Chip jumped in after him. He sat in the center, tongue lolling as he waited for his person to climb in, then lay down across Sacha’s lap, his tail wagging happily, making Gio laugh as he was forced to dodge getting whipped repeatedly by it.

“Watch out; it’s lethal,” Sacha said with a laugh as he patted Chip’s bottom. Chip howled and barked in response, then proceed to attack Sacha with doggie kisses. “Yeah, thanks. I appreciate you bathing me with your tongue. That wasn’t the kind of bath I had in mind for tonight, but sure.”

In less than ten minutes, they were at Gio’s hotel and riding the elevator up to his suite. They greeted the two security agents posted outside Gio’s door, and he couldn’t help smiling at the way their serious expressions broke when Chip wagged his tail at them. Sacha let Chip say hello, and Gio shook his head with a chuckle. The two huge men went from terrifying muscle to goo as they loved on Chip.

They went inside, and Chip hurried off to sniff every square inch of the place.

“Have you already eaten?” Gio asked Saint.

“Yep. I’m good.” Saint cast a knowing glance at Sacha before moving his gaze back to Gio. “I’ll, uh, be in my room. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Saint saluted and disappeared inside his room while Sacha took a seat on the couch and called Chip over. He removed Chip’s vest and laid it on the floor by his feet, where Sacha placed what appeared to be a black tactical backpack. Chip happily went back to familiarizing himself with the room.

With a heavy sigh, Gio dropped onto the couch. He motioned to the center coffee table and the menu. Sacha didn’t need prompting. He picked up the menu and scanned it, going over the best-looking options.

“Hey, they have a Chimichurri salmon with roast vegetables and whipped garlic potatoes.”

“Perfect,” Gio replied. “I’ll have that.”

Sacha nodded and stood. He called down and put in their order, the salmon for Gio and a jerk chicken for himself, along with some kind of macadamia nut dessert that sounded heavenly.

Chip finished his exploration and trotted cheerfully over to Gio, tail wagging and mouth open. He stepped in between Gio’s legs and laid his head on Gio’s lap, big brown eyes looking up at him.

“Oh, you’re good,” Gio said, leaning forward to scratch Chip behind his ears and on his cheeks, which Gio had quickly learned was one of Chip’s favorite spots. Chip leaned into the scritches, then seeming to need more, he surprised a laugh out of Gio by climbing onto his lap.

“Chip!” Sacha hurried over, eyes wide. “Shit, I’m sorry. He never does that.”

Gio laughed, his arms around Chip as Chip licked his face. “It’s okay.”

“He’s not exactly a delicate flower,” Sacha said, seeming unable to keep himself from smiling. “Okay, that’s enough. Chip, off.”

Chip jumped down immediately and shoved his nose against Sacha’s leg, then barked and hopped away.

“You accosted Gio, and you want to be rewarded for it with a toy?” Sacha crossed his arms over his chest.

“But he’s so cute. How can you resist that face?”

“Because if I don’t, he’d be even more spoiled than he already is.” Sacha picked up Chip’s backpack. “Mind if I toss him a toy? Fair warning, he might get the zoomies. If he does, I would just stay out of his way.”

“Got it.” The suite was plenty big enough for Chip to run around, the furniture minimal.

Sacha removed a tennis ball from the backpack and tossed it at Chip, who caught it in midair. He trotted over to Sacha and dropped it at his feet expectantly. The two played catch until, as Sacha had predicted, Chip got the zoomies. He darted through the room, racing around furniture at full speed. It was impossible not to laugh, though Gio now understood why it was important to stay out of his way. Poor Saint made the mistake of walking out of his room to investigate.

“What’s going—” With a yelp, Saint dove out of the way a heartbeat before Chip zoomed by. Had he not, Chip would have sent the big man hurtling through the air like a bowling pin. “Holy shit.” Saint pressed himself against the wall, a hand to his chest. “He’s lost his doggie mind.”

Sacha chuckled. “It happens at least once a day. Don’t worry, he’ll tire himself out in a sec.”

As predicted, Chip decided he’d gotten enough wiggles out and flopped onto his side on the cool tile floor of the kitchen, his eyes closed as he panted happily.

“Now that I know you won’t get sucked up by the furry tornado, I’ll go back to my room. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Saint.”

Standing, Gio stretched. Chip sat up suddenly, ears up and on high alert. A knock sounded on the door, one of the security agents calling out.

“Mr. Galanos, your room service is here.”

Sacha opened the door for the waiter, who wheeled in the cart.

“Where would you like it?” the young man asked.

“By the dining table,” Gio replied, removing some cash from his pocket and tipping the waiter as soon as he was done. When the guy left the room, they sat down to eat. “This smells amazing. Great choice.”

“I thought you’d like it.”

What Gio liked more than the food was getting to spend time with Sacha. Even the idle chitchat they made while they ate was nice. Considering how spirited Sacha was, he had a calming presence, at least for Gio.

Once they’d finished dinner, Sacha stood. “I’ll get this cleared away. You go do whatever you gotta do.” He shook his head, an amused smile on his face when Gio started helping him clear their plates and cutlery away on the cart. As Sacha rolled it to the door, Gio removed his phone from his pocket. Feeling a little frisky, he scrolled through his apps until he found his favorite music app. The Bluetooth speaker system came to life, a classic song from the seventies filling the room with its upbeat notes.

Gio stretched, aware of Sacha following the movement out of the corner of his eye. Pretending he hadn’t noticed, Gio loosened his tie and removed it, then tossed it onto the couch. He swayed with the music as he undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt, then started rolling his sleeves up his forearms. Sacha’s nostrils flared, his pupils dilating, and his fingers tapped his thigh as he walked over to the couch. With a smile, Gio started dancing, and Sacha snorted out a laugh. He shook his head at Gio.

“Now I know you’re not right.”

“Mm, yeah.” Gio put his arms up and thrust his hips.

“Oh no, no, no. Don’t make those noises. I never knew my grandfather, but I bet he danced just like that.”

Gio laughed. “And you can do better?”

“Pft. Fuck yeah. Give me some music that doesn’t suck and I’ll show you what real dancing is.” Sacha stood and motioned for Gio to toss him his phone. Gio did, amused as Sacha scrolled through the different stations. He tapped the screen, and the music changed to something modern and upbeat.

“You think you’re that good, huh?”

Sacha rolled his eyes and motioned to himself. “Baby, this body was made for dancing. Now I’m no Bruno Mars, but…” He started dancing in time to the popular tune, and Gio was mesmerized. He’d briefly seen Sacha out on the dance floor in Sapphire Sands the few times they’d both been to the club with the rest of the group. But not enough to appreciate the hypnotizing way he moved his body. Was there nothing the man couldn’t do?

Chip barked at seeing his person dancing around, and Sacha held his hands out to his furry friend, his smile wide when Chip got on his hind legs and placed his front paws in Sacha’s palms. Gio laughed as Sacha danced with Chip, who stood as tall as Sacha, taller if you counted Chip’s huge ears. Chip barked happily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his tail wagging as he bounced around with his favorite person in the world. Gio could watch them all day. He loved the way the two doted on each other. There was no one Sacha was more himself with than Chip.

Jack might be Sacha’s brother, but Chip was very much his best friend. The sheer joy that filled his face when he was with Chip made Gio’s heart swell. He’d never seen anything so sweet, so genuine. For all his gruffness, Sacha loved Chip with all his heart and an openness Gio doubted few got to see. He scratched Chip and kissed his face while Chip returned Sacha’s love. Chip was more than a companion. He was a fiercely loyal protector, a dear friend, and a warm presence. Gio needed someone like Chip in his life, and if he had someone like Sacha, all the better. Okay, maybe not someone like Sacha, but the man himself.

Sacha lifted his gaze to Gio’s, and his cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. Not wanting him to feel self-conscious, Gio cleared his throat.

“How do you do that?”

“What?”

Gio motioned to his body. “Move your hips like that?”

“I’m very bendy.”

“Oh, I have no doubt.” Gio had spent many a night thinking about just how bendy Sacha might be. The intensity and heat in those blue-gray eyes threatened to set Gio on fire. “But seriously, I’ve been doing yoga for years, and I’m not as fluid as you are.”

Sacha shrugged. “I did a lot of gymnastics when I was a kid.”

“Really?”

“Yep. I loved sports. Anything that pushed me to my limits, I was all in, and I was good at it.”

“Is that why you joined the military? To push yourself to your limits?”

Sacha’s smile dimmed. “It’s one of the reasons.” He came to stand next to Gio. “Here. Do what I do.” He lifted his arms and rotated his hips.

“You make it look so easy,” Gio said with a laugh as he attempted to mimic Sacha’s moves.

Chip barked and pranced around them as they danced, the music switching over to another upbeat song. Gio couldn’t remember the last time he’d danced around like this for fun. Usually, his downtime consisted of non-downtime activities like work. He’d research, send emails, answer emails, watch documentaries. Good God, when was the last time he’d had any fun? He used to find time during his travels to enjoy the places he visited, immerse himself in the local culture, but over the last few years, he’d lost that joy, working himself into exhaustion with little sleep.

A sweet love ballad came on over the speaker, and Gio turned toward Sacha, ending up close to him. Sacha gazed up at him, lips parted, his chest lightly heaving from his exertion. He was so damned beautiful. Gio brushed the backs of his fingers down Sacha’s stubbled jaw, making him draw in a sharp breath.

“I, um, I should probably go.”

“You don’t have to,” Gio said softly. He cleared his throat and took a step back. “I, um, I’ve got some emails to send out if you want to take a load off. Hang out and watch some TV. I mean, your dog is snoring.” Gio motioned to Chip, who lay on the floor on his back, paws up. “I’d hate to wake him after all that.”

“Yeah, he works hard at being a nut,” Sacha replied with a smile. “Okay. Just a while. You know, for my dog.”

“Of course. I’m going to grab my laptop from my room. Be right back.” Gio went into his bedroom. He’d send off some quick emails and then join Sacha in watching some TV. He enjoyed spending time like this with Sacha and Chip. Quite frankly, he would take all the time he could get with Sacha, didn’t matter what they were doing.

Sitting on the couch, he opened his laptop, smiling to himself as Sacha flipped through the channels, stopping when he came across one of the Avengers movies.

“Do you like superhero movies?”

Sacha shrugged. “Yeah, of course. Good ones, though, not shit ones. Jack’s the comic book nerd, though. Always was. In high school, his backpack weighed a ton because it was always crammed with comic books.”

“And what did you have in your backpack?”

“A horror show,” Sacha replied with a snort. “My backpack was the black hole of backpacks. I shoved everything in there. You could see my teachers physically bracing themselves when I handed in my homework, because they never knew what state it would be in. Meanwhile, Jack’s homework was pristine, kept in separate color-coded folders. He was such a nerd.” He scrunched up his nose in the most adorable way. “He still uses color-coded folders. Nerd.”

Sacha went back to watching his movie, and Gio returned to his emails, his eyelids starting to feel heavy. He was not going to fall asleep with Sacha here. A few more emails and he’d join Sacha in watching his movie.

Gio stirred. Damn it. He must have dozed off. He opened his eyes to find Sacha frozen above him, a blanket clutched in his hands. He’d stilled midmotion, his hands over Gio’s chest and his expression the perfect impression of a deer in headlights. Not wanting to spook him further, especially after the sweet gesture he’d been about to make, Gio remained unmoving despite his racing pulse. He’d have given anything to know the thoughts running through that sharp mind. Gio’s heart thundered in his ears, and he held his breath as Sacha leaned in, laying the blanket on Gio without a word before he started to pull back and hesitated.

It seemed like an eternity, and just when Gio thought Sacha would close the distance, Sacha straightened and turned to leave. Desperate for him to stay, Gio sprang forward and took hold of Sacha’s fingers, the blanket falling at Sacha’s feet.

“Sacha…” The name left Gio’s lips as a whisper.

The world seemed to slow, neither of them moving until Gio couldn’t remain still any longer. Slowly, he rose to his feet, his gaze locked on Sacha’s and their bodies so close he could feel the heat between them. Sacha pulled his fingers out of Gio’s hand and turned, his jaw clenched tight and his brows drawn together. Despite his narrowed gaze, Sacha didn’t step away.

Taking a chance, Gio cupped Sacha’s cheek, his touch light as he rubbed his thumb over Sacha’s bottom lip. You’re so damn beautiful.

As if hearing his thoughts, Sacha’s expression softened, and he swallowed hard. He brushed Gio’s hand away from his face, and Gio’s heart sank. With a small smile, Gio made to turn, and before he knew what the hell was going on, Sacha took hold of his face and kissed him. In a whirlwind of movement, the back of Gio’s legs hit the sofa, and he fell back onto it with Sacha quickly straddling his lap, their lips once again joined in a scorching battle for dominance.

Gio had never tasted anything more sinful. Hunger and desire threatened to overwhelm him, his entire body ready to combust from the inferno of want that was Sacha Wilder. Gio dug his fingers into Sacha’s slender waist as he allowed Sacha to maul his mouth. Sacha had fistfuls of Gio’s hair as he held on tight. He was in control, and Gio would allow it. This time.

The sound of their heavy breathing filled the air, followed by low moans and cursing as Sacha thrust his hips down against Gio, their rock-hard erections causing the most delicious friction. Heat exploded through Gio, and he slipped his hand from Sacha’s waist to his ass. Sacha gasped and pulled back, but not completely. Instead, he moved back enough to let his brow rest against Gio’s. His eyes were closed, his breath ragged. He lifted his head. His pupils were blown wide, his lips beautifully wet and swollen from their kissing. He poked his tongue out and ran it over his bottom lip as if needing one last taste of Gio.

Why was Sacha so determined not to give in to his evident desire? Gio waited, and when Sacha made to get up, Gio slipped a hand around the back of Sacha’s neck, bringing him in for a quick, hungry kiss. Knowing he couldn’t hold on to the wild and beautiful man, he released him.

Swallowing hard, Sacha shook his head ever so slightly. He moved away, and Gio closed his eyes, hearing the soft sound of the door closing behind Sacha as he left. He was gone.

With a heavy sigh, Gio ran a hand through his hair and fell back onto the couch. Fuck. Never had he had such an intense experience in one kiss. A slow smile spread across his lips, and he touched them. Sacha had kissed him. Hope was not lost.