by Banks, Maya
It was an arrangement that suited the three of them well. And they all dealt with the day-to-day operations and management of the hotels and resorts.
The three had been friends since college. Looking back, he wasn’t even certain what had brought them together other than alcohol and frat parties and plenty of girl chasing. They’d just clicked and hit it off.
Things had gotten difficult for Jace when his parents had been killed in a car accident and he’d had to assume responsibility for a much younger sister, but Gabe and Ash had banded around him, offering their support, and they hadn’t left him to make it on his own.
Later, it had been Jace and Ash banding around him during his very messy and public divorce.
Perhaps, in a way, Mia was very much responsible for the strong bond between the three. Ironic, since she could well mean the end of it if Gabe didn’t handle this just right.
“What’s got your shorts in a knot this morning?” Ash drawled as he slouched into one of the chairs in front of Gabe’s desk.
Jace settled in the other, quieter and slightly less irreverent than Ash.
Yeah, Jace and Ash were the only two people he considered friends in the true sense of the word. He trusted them—the only people he trusted—and they had his loyalty, which was something he didn’t blindly offer to anyone.
Jace was the quiet brooder of the two, while Ash was the charming playboy who attracted women like flies. Gabe was convinced it was the combination of the two that made women a little crazy. They certainly had no shortage of women lining up to have a threesome with them.
Ash was always on the front line. Flirty, outgoing, he made women breathless and fluttery. Gabe had witnessed Ash’s charm and how it affected women firsthand. Jace merely stood back and observed with those dark eyes and that silent demeanor. Women found him a challenge, and maybe they considered Ash an easy enough conquest, but they went after Jace with single-minded determination only to discover that he was unreachable.
All three men had their kinks and were unapologetic about it—another of their discoveries during their college days. They’d made enough money and reached a level of success beyond their wildest imaginations that they had no issue finding willing participants for sex, or even a longer relationship, as long as the women always knew the score.
It was an unspoken agreement among the three of them that they played hard but lived free. Especially after the debacle of Gabe’s marriage.
Just as Gabe and Ash had rallied around Jace when he’d stepped in to raise Mia, Ash and Jace had been an unbending source of support for Gabe when Lisa had divorced him. And they’d been his staunchest defenders when Lisa had made baseless accusations that forever tarnished Gabe’s reputation both personally and professionally. To this day, Gabe still didn’t understand what had made Lisa snap. But he’d always be grateful to Jace and Ash for their unconditional support during some of the worst months of his life.
Had he been the best husband? Maybe not, but he’d damn well given Lisa everything he thought she’d wanted and desired. Their sexual kinks were consensual. He’d never forced her to do anything she didn’t damn well want, and it still made him seethe to remember all she’d accused him of.
He’d been crucified in the media and in divorce court. And Lisa had walked away, the seeming victim of a manipulative, abusive bastard.
Never again had he entered a relationship without full disclosure and legal documents signed by all parties. It may be viewed as extreme—or even ridiculous—by some, but he had too much to lose to ever risk having another Lisa go after him.
“I thought you two were supposed to be on a plane to California,” Gabe said impatiently.
Jace’s eyes narrowed. “We’re leaving in half an hour. Our pilot called and there was a mechanical issue with the jet. Earliest we can take off is eleven when he can get a replacement fueled and flight plans filed.”
Gabe did a mental calculation. They should be gone well before Mia arrived. He just had to hope she wasn’t the superpunctual type who arrived early for everything. As fastidious as he was about time and hating people who weren’t punctual, this was one time he’d be forgiving of tardiness.
Under his desk, his fingers curled into fists and then relaxed as he flexed them back and forth. Mia had been all that had occupied his mind ever since she’d walked into the ballroom the night before. Now that he’d allowed himself to think of her as more than his best friend’s baby sister, he was consumed with an edginess that defied explanation.
He could only describe what he felt as…eagerness. Anticipation. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. She had shaken his carefully ordered world and tilted it on end. He could hardly wait to have her under his hand, his direction. His blood heated just thinking about it.
Christ, he had a hard-on just thinking about her, and he was sitting in front of his two best friends. Awkward didn’t even begin to cover it. He just hoped like hell they stayed where they were and didn’t take notice.
And then because he knew if he didn’t mention it, Jace would only raise more questions about why Gabe hadn’t mentioned it to him, he looked at Jace and said, “You missed Mia at the grand opening celebration last night.”
Jace straightened in his chair, a frown marring his face. “She was there?”
Gabe nodded. “She wanted to surprise you. She arrived shortly after you disappeared with the brunette.”
Jace let out a curse and blew out his breath in disgust. “Damn it. I had no idea she was planning to come. I wished she would’ve let me know. I would have made damn sure I was there. What happened? Did you talk to her? Did she stay long?”
“I took care of her,” Gabe said casually. “Told her you were called away. Danced one dance with her and then sent her home in a car. You would have had a heart attack at what she was wearing anyway.”
One corner of Ash’s mouth twitched upward. “Our little Mia is growing up.”
Jace scowled at him. “Shut the hell up, man.” Then he looked back at Gabe. “Thanks for looking out for her. Not the scene I would have wanted her at, especially if you’re right about what she was wearing. Bunch of old farts all looking to step out on their wives, and Mia would have looked like the Holy Grail. I’ll be damned if she ends up another notch on their bedposts.”
Gabe should have felt guilty. But then he already knew he was consigned to hell for all he planned to do to Mia and for what he had planned for her. She sure as hell wouldn’t be just another notch on his bedpost, so he could put aside any discomfort caused by Jace’s heated retort.
Gabe’s intercom buzzed and then, “Mr. Hamilton, a Miss Houston is here for Mr. Crestwell and Mr. McIntyre.”
Gabe’s eyebrow rose. “Taking the brunette to California with you?”
Ash grinned. “Hell yeah. It’ll make the flight time a lot shorter with her along.”
Gabe shook his head. “Send her in, Eleanor.”
A moment later, the gorgeous brunette Gabe had seen Jace and Ash with the night before walked into his office. Her high heels tapped on the marble floor, then went silent when she stepped onto the carpet.
Ash held out his arm and the woman slid comfortably onto his lap, angling her legs in Jace’s direction. Jace laid his hand over one calf and slid it possessively up to her knee, never once glancing in her direction. It was as though he were simply reminding her that at least for the present, she was his.
Gabe couldn’t help but make comparisons between the woman on Ash’s lap and Mia, which was stupid, given that this woman was far out of Mia’s league. She was older, more experienced, and she damn well knew the score with Jace and Ash. Mia had no idea what Gabe had in mind for her, and he’d be lucky if she didn’t run screaming from his office.
In the past, Gabe wouldn’t have minded the scene in front of him. It wasn’t unusual for Jace and Ash to have a woman in the offices. But today he was anxious for them to leave. He didn’t want Mia to suffer any more discomfort than she had to and he damn well didn’t
want Jace privy to what Gabe had in mind for his little sister.
He made a show of checking his watch and then glanced back at Ash, who had a possessive arm around the curvy woman. Hell, they hadn’t even bothered to introduce her, which was sign enough that they didn’t plan for her to be around long.
“Car picking you up here?” Gabe asked.
“Are we keeping you from something?” Jace inquired.
Gabe leaned back in his chair, forcing a bored look to his face. “Just have a lot of e-mails and messages to catch up on. I didn’t get a damn thing done yesterday with all the last-minute details of the reception to take care of.”
Ash snorted. “You sound like you’re trying to make a point that Jace and I were conspicuously absent and you were forced to take care of things all on your own, but we all know what a control freak you are. There was little point in Jace or me trying to step in because you have to have things just so or your universe is tilted.”
“Anal bastard,” Jace said in agreement.
The brunette giggled, the sound annoying Gabe. So she may be older than Mia, and more experienced, but he couldn’t ever recall Mia giggling like some silly teenager.
“Get the hell out of my office,” Gabe said with a scowl. “Unlike you two, I have work to do. Get your asses to California and get the contractor lined up. We need to be damn sure we break ground on time. We don’t want a bunch of pissed-off investors when I spent the last months schmoozing and stroking them to get where we want.”
“Have I ever failed?” Ash asked mockingly.
Gabe waved his hand, making a dismissive motion. No, Ash hadn’t ever failed. Gabe had no worries on that issue. The three of them made a solid team. Their strengths and weaknesses complemented one another very well.
HCM wasn’t just a business. It was a corporation forged in friendship and fierce loyalty. The very things Gabe was about to test, all because he was obsessed with Jace’s little sister. Jesus, but if that wasn’t fucked up.
Thankfully, Jace rose, his hand sliding from the woman’s leg. He reached to pull her up from Ash’s lap, and she settled comfortably between him and Ash as they moved toward Gabe’s office door.
Jace paused and then turned, a frown on his face. “I’ll try to call Mia on my way out but can you check with her while I’m gone? Make sure everything’s okay and she doesn’t need anything? I hate that I missed her last night.”
Gabe gave a short nod, controlling his features carefully. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks, man. We’ll see you on the other side.”
“Keep me posted on how things are going,” Gabe said.
Ash grinned. “Control freak.”
Gabe flipped up his middle finger and Jace and Ash exited, their latest conquest sandwiched between them. Gabe leaned back in his chair, checked his watch, relief edging him. He still had half an hour before Mia was due to arrive. Jace and Ash should be well away by then.
chapter three
Mia got out of the cab on Fifth Avenue, a short walk to the building that housed the HCM offices, and sighed at the positively gorgeous weather. The wind ruffled her hair, hinting at the chill that was inevitable. The days were getting cooler as fall wound down to winter.
Gabe lived a short distance away at 400 Fifth Avenue, a sleek, modern residential development, while Jace lived on the Upper West Side closer to Mia—she was convinced she was why Jace had never moved closer to his office. And Ash lived at 1 Morton Square, which overlooked the Hudson River.
Mia hurried into the high-rise Midtown building that housed HCM and hastily dug out her security pass to get by the turnstile leading to the elevators. Jace had given her the pass when he’d given her a tour of the HCM suite of offices a few years earlier, but she hadn’t had to use it very often since she was usually with Jace when she visited. For all she knew the damn thing might no longer work, and then she’d have to register with security. With that much time, she may well chicken out and just leave.
Thankfully she had no problems.
She checked her watch when she got on the crowded elevator and then shifted toward the back as even more people pushed in. It was five minutes to ten, and she hated being late. Not that she was—at least not yet—but she was one of those people who was always early. Being late made her twitchy, and coming in this close to the wire made her anxious.
Not that she had any reason for why she was so bent on obeying Gabe’s command. It wasn’t like he’d have her head if she were late. But still…There’d been something in his voice that had made her wary of antagonizing him. And if she were honest, she was eager to know why he’d summoned her so imperiously.
Caroline had rushed her through the shower and then dressed Mia as though she were a child with no clue what to wear. After choosing jeans that hugged every curve, she picked out a cami top and an oversized, cut-off T-shirt that bared one shoulder. It was short in the waist and bared the tiniest portion of her midriff, particularly when she moved just right.
Caroline had fluffed and dried Mia’s long hair and curled some of the layers so the result was a messier wild look. She swore that hair like Mia’s drove men wild. Mia wasn’t sure she wanted to drive Gabe to anything. Sure, he’d starred in more than one of her teenage—and adult—fantasies, but now that he’d gotten up close and personal, she sensed an immense power that radiated from him.
It had intimidated her and made her think twice about whether she’d ever be able to handle a man like him.
Mia had applied minimal makeup; not that she didn’t wear it, but somehow overdoing herself for this mysterious meeting with Gabe seemed…desperate. Like waving a neon sign stating her infatuation and intentions. What if this meeting was something completely mundane? Wouldn’t she feel like a huge moron going in dressed for seduction only to discover he wanted just to see how she was doing? Who the hell ever knew what he was thinking anyway? Gabe wasn’t someone who broadcast his thoughts or feelings to the world.
At exactly one minute to ten, she escaped the elevator and hurried into the reception sitting area of HCM. Eleanor, the receptionist, smiled and greeted Mia as she approached. Mia didn’t have time to ponder whether she was crazy for agreeing to this meeting or even to collect and calm herself before diving into the fire. She had one minute to get into Gabe’s office.
“I’m supposed to see Gabe at ten,” Mia said breathlessly.
“I’ll let him know you’re here,” Eleanor said as she picked up the phone.
Mia turned away, unsure of whether he would come get her or if she would go back. Whenever she came to see Jace, she always just walked in. There was no waiting as if she had an appointment.
“You can go back,” Eleanor called.
Mia quickly turned and then nodded, taking a deep breath and heading down the hallway, past Jace’s office to the end where Gabe’s spacious corner office was situated. She paused at the doorway and stared down at her polished toes that peeked from the sexy heels Caroline had suggested she wear.
She suddenly felt like the world’s biggest idiot. Whatever had come over Gabe at last night’s party was probably hugely misinterpreted by her. And she’d come dressed to kill.
She was just about to turn around and go back to the elevator as fast as those heels would take her when the door swung open and Gabe Hamilton stood there staring intently at her.
“I was wondering if you changed your mind,” he said.
She flushed guiltily, hoping like hell he couldn’t read her thoughts. Her guilt was probably plain to read on her face.
“I’m here,” she said bravely, notching up her chin to stare back at him.
He took a step back and swept his arm past him. “Come in.”
She sucked in her breath and entered the lion’s den.
She’d seen Gabe’s office once before, years ago when Jace had taken her on a tour of the floor HCM occupied, but she’d been excited and it had all been a blur. Now she studied the interior of Gabe’s office with keen interest.
It screamed classy and expensive. Rich mahogany wood, polished marble floor that was partially covered with an elegant oriental rug. The furniture was dark leather with an antique, old-world look. Paintings adorned three walls while the last wall was all built-in bookcases filled with an eclectic mixture of works.
Gabe loved to read. Jace and Ash teased Gabe about being a bookworm, but it was a passion that Mia shared with Gabe. While Gabe had given her the necklace and earrings she’d worn to the party the night before, that same Christmas, she’d given him a signed first edition of a Cormac McCarthy novel.
“You look nervous,” Gabe said, breaking into her thoughts. “I won’t bite, Mia. Not yet anyway.”
Her eyebrows lifted and he motioned for her to have a seat in front of his desk. He pulled the chair out and put his hand to her back as he guided her into place. She shivered at the heat of his touch, and he let his hand linger a moment even after she’d taken her seat.
He let his fingers slide up her shoulder before he finally walked back around his desk to take his seat across from her. For a long moment he stared at her until heat crawled up her neck and to her cheeks. He didn’t simply look at her. He made her feel devoured by his gaze.
“You wanted to see me,” she said in a low voice.
The corner of his mouth crooked upward. “I want to do more than see you, Mia. If I had only wanted to see you, I would have spent more time with you last night.”
Her breath stuttered raggedly over her lips and then for a brief time she simply forgot to breathe. She licked her lips and ran her tongue over her bottom lip in agitation.
“For God’s sake, Mia.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
His nostrils flared and his hands curled into fists on top of his desk. “I want you to come to work for me.”