by Banks, Maya
She just hoped she didn’t live to regret her decision.
chapter seven
The rest of the day was a complete blur for Mia. She spent an hour in human resources filling out paperwork and going over benefits and salary. The amount of money offered as Gabe’s personal assistant made her eyes go wide. She hadn’t imagined he’d pay her much of anything considering they both knew it was a cover for their relationship. She wasn’t even sure how much actual work would be accomplished, but maybe he’d surprise her.
But it gave her peace of mind that she wasn’t completely dependent on him—or Jace—to provide anything for her. She already had in mind that she needed to save as much as possible for the day when Gabe no longer wanted her. She wasn’t fanciful—or stupid—enough to believe that their relationship would be any more long-term than his others.
While she didn’t know the exact details of his prior relationships, she’d heard Jace and Ash talk enough to know that one year was Gabe’s max when it came to women, and more often than not, six months was normal.
The one thing she was glad of was that Gabe had made her see that she needed to do more than work at La Patisserie. Her education was going to waste because she was too softhearted to quit working for Greg and Louisa. And maybe there was a part of her that was afraid to brave the business world.
What better way to become initiated than to work for Gabe? If nothing else, it would give her experience and look good on her resume. It would ease the way to her finding another job after he broke things off with her. Whatever job that would be…
She reminded herself often that her relationship with Gabe wouldn’t be long-term. She did so in order to numb herself to the inevitable. So she could accept it when the time came.
She wasn’t a teenager anymore, even if Gabe inspired very teenage-like reactions. It was time to grow the hell up and be an adult in an adult relationship.
After her stint in human resources, she was whisked into a car and taken to a clinic several blocks away, where she was given rush VIP treatment. No waiting. No paperwork for that matter, which she found odd. She peed in a cup, had blood drawn and then answered a host of questions from the doctor, including her preferred method of birth control and whether she needed him to take care of the matter.
While everyone around her had moved with the times and used alternatives to taking a pill every single day, Mia hadn’t had much luck with some methods, and she feared others. And so she faithfully took her pill.
By the time she was finished with the doctor’s visit, she was weary and emotionally drained from the stress of the day. Oddly enough, Gabe hadn’t ordered her in to work the next day. Instead he’d instructed her to take the day off and rest, almost as if he’d known how fried she’d be after the eventful day.
Grateful to have at least one day to ponder the arrangement she’d agreed to, she rode home in the car Gabe had assigned to her. The driver had been given instructions to pick her up for work the day after next. The driver left her his card with instructions that if she needed transportation at any time, she was to call him. And he hadn’t spoken a word to her since the somewhat curt introduction and his shoving his card at her.
Already it felt as though Gabe was taking over her life. Sliding into every nook and crevice. He already occupied her thoughts. Soon he would possess her body.
A light shiver worked over her skin as she rode the elevator up to her apartment. She checked her watch, hoping Caroline wouldn’t be home. Mia needed some time to think. She needed quiet, a moment to soak in all that had occurred today. And ponder just how much her life was going to change.
It excited her and scared her to death in equal parts.
When she let herself into her apartment, her chest squeezed with dismay to see not only Caroline but three of their other friends, Chessy, Trish and Gina, slouched in the living room. They bolted upright when they saw Mia, and there was a chorus of congratulations and whistles.
Mia stared at them in bewilderment. Caroline rose with a smile and walked over to Mia to put an arm around her shoulders.
“I filled them in on your new ‘job opportunity’ with the sex god that is Gabe Hamilton.”
“For God’s sake, Caro,” Mia muttered.
And then she was surrounded by her girlfriends, and it was impossible to maintain any sort of irritation in their presence. They pelted her with questions, and it was so tempting for Mia to confide in them. To tell them just what she’d agreed to. But she wouldn’t risk it. Not even with her best friends.
“So is the man stacked? You know, does he have a big peen or what?” Chessy drawled.
“Do you think he pulled it out during the job interview?” Mia asked incredulously.
The others dissolved into laughter, and a round of crude jokes went up as they all speculated on Gabe whipping out his dick.
“I bet he knows what to do with it,” Trish said wistfully. “Unlike my last boyfriend. Maybe Gabe could give him some pointers.”
Gina snorted. “For all we know Gabe sucks in the sack. Or maybe he’s even gay. You know all the gorgeous to-die-for guys are always the ones who are unavailable. Though given a chance, I’d definitely see if I could turn him.”
Mia groaned. “He’s not gay.”
“And you know this how?” Chessy asked with a raised brow.
“He’s Jace’s best friend,” Mia said in exasperation. “I’ve practically grown up around him. He was married and he’s had no shortage of women in his life.”
Gina shrugged. “Maybe he just hasn’t found the right man yet.”
“I could be his right woman,” Trish volunteered. “And I’d damn sure sign up to be his personal assistant. You’re such a lucky bitch, Mia.”
“I’d be happy to take on Jace,” Chessy said. “I’d work overtime for that man.”
Mia covered her ears and groaned even louder. “Stop. You’re scarring me. I don’t want images of you and Jace. He’s my brother! That’s gross, Chessy. Just gross!”
“I think we should go out and celebrate,” Caroline announced.
Mia shot her a startled glance. Chessy and the others wore interested looks as they waited for more.
“We should go clubbing,” Caroline said. “If Mia’s going to be tied to a nine-to-five job, her late nights with us are over. At least during the week. I know the bouncer at Vibe, and he’s promised me he’d get me and my girls in if I come by.”
“Damn, I have to be to work early,” Trish said, her lips turned downward in a frown.
“Oh, live a little,” Chessy urged. “It’s not like you can’t do your job in your sleep. Besides, you can catch up on your rest after work tomorrow. Tonight we’ll go have some fun. It’s been way too long since we got to hang together.”
Trish looked indecisive, and then she finally nodded. “Okay, I’m in.”
“Mia?” Caroline asked.
All eyes turned to Mia, looking at her in anticipation. The truth was, Mia wanted to sequester herself and have time alone to process the day. Gabe. Everything. But she loved her friends, and in her gut she knew her time would likely be limited with them from now on, at least until it was over between her and Gabe.
“I’m in,” Mia said with a smile. “I need to go change, though. I have office clothes on. If we’re going out, I don’t want to look like a secretary.”
“Rock on,” Chessy crowed.
“Wait a minute. I’m not dressed for the club either!” Trish exclaimed. “I need to run home if we’re doing this.”
“Yeah, me too,” Gina agreed.
Caroline held her hands up. “Okay, here’s the deal. We do a hurry-up on the prep and we meet outside the club in an hour and a half. Deal?”
The others were already scrambling off the couch and heading for Mia’s front door. They waved and called back good-byes, and then they were gone.
Mia started to get up to go into her bedroom to change when Caroline stopped her.
“Everything okay with you, Mia? Y
ou seem…quiet. Or at least different.”
Mia smiled. “I’m fine, Caro. A little tired. It’s been a strange day.”
“Would you rather not go?” Caroline asked anxiously. “I can call and cancel with the girls.”
Mia shook her head. “No, let’s do it. I may not be able to do it again anytime soon. At least until I know how things are going to work out with Gabe. I have no idea what my schedule is going to be like. He’ll expect me to work when he does.”
Mia started again for her bedroom and when she reached the door, Caroline called out to her once more.
“Are you sure this is what you want? To work for Gabe, I mean?”
Mia met Caroline’s gaze, some of her earlier trepidation easing from her chest. “Yeah, this is what I want.”
Gabe was what she wanted. The job was just a means to have him. And if it gave her experience outside of working in a cafe, it would just be an added benefit.
As she hurried to arrange her hair and reapply her makeup, her cell phone went off, signaling a text message. She dug it out of her purse, which she’d dropped on the floor in front of the sink, and saw an unfamiliar number with a local area code.
REST TOMORROW, BUT BE AT MY APARTMENT AT 7:00 P.M. DON’T BE LATE. –GABE
She sucked in her breath, her hand shaking as she held the phone so she could still see the message.
And so it had begun.
chapter eight
The car was scheduled to pick Mia up at six thirty, and heeding Gabe’s directive not to be late, she made certain she was waiting when it arrived. She could feel a yawn lurking and pressed her lips together to stifle it. She and the girls had been out late the night before, but that was no excuse when she’d had the entire day to rest and get over her hangover. Only she hadn’t been able to sleep for fretting over her impending trip to Gabe’s apartment.
It was ridiculous, and she hoped at some point she’d get over her nervousness every time she had to be in his presence. She was supposed to have sex with the man for God’s sake, and she couldn’t even think about seeing him without having a meltdown. So much for any attempt at sophistication. One would think she was some blushing virgin who’d never so much as seen a man naked. Although she was pretty damn certain she’d never seen a man like Gabe naked. At least not in person.
The men she’d been with were…boys, for lack of a better term. Young men as unskilled as she was for the most part. Her last fling—she refused to call it a one-night stand since they’d actually dated more than once—had been her only superior sexual experience, and she was convinced it was because David had been older than her usual dates. And more experienced.
He was responsible for her swearing off guys her own age, and validation for her fixation with Gabe. David had been great in bed. It was just too bad he wasn’t so great in other areas.
Somehow she just knew that Gabe was going to be off the chart, and that after being with Gabe, David would pale in comparison, which was saying a lot since up to now, David was the standout in the men—okay, boys—that she’d been with.
The driver dumped her in front of Gabe’s apartment at precisely five minutes to seven. Okay, so he didn’t dump her, but the man never spoke. He just appeared, drove, and then disappeared again, only to reappear later when it was time for her to go home. It was a little unnerving. Almost like he’d been ordered never to speak in her presence.
There was an actual security guard at the entrance to the apartment building, not that this was just any apartment building. It was one of those cushy setups that was like living in a hotel, only with an entire apartment instead of a room or a suite.
After she presented her ID, the guard called up to Gabe’s apartment to inquire as to whether she was allowed up. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to go through this every time Gabe summoned her to his apartment.
A moment later, she was escorted to the elevator, and the guard inserted the key card for Gabe’s floor—the penthouse, of course. Then he gave her a courteous nod and backed away from the elevator.
The doors opened on the fiftieth floor and into the foyer of Gabe’s apartment, and he stood, waiting, his gaze focused on her as she stepped off. The doors slid closed behind her, and she and Gabe were alone.
She devoured the sight of him. Rarely had she seen him in jeans, and they fit him like a dream. Faded and worn, as if they were a favorite pair he couldn’t bear to part with. He was wearing a Yankees T-shirt that molded to his muscled chest and was snug around his bulging upper arms.
The man worked out. There was no other explanation for how a guy who spent so much time in an office could look so damn good and be so stacked.
She suddenly felt overdressed. She’d put on a simple navy blue dress that clipped the tops of her knees and bared the lower expanse of her legs. The heels she’d chosen gave her much-needed height to put her on a more even level with Gabe, but even then she felt small standing in front of him.
He was larger-than-life, filling the room, even in the faded jeans and T-shirt. His presence was indomitable. The way he looked at her made her feel branded.
His lazy gaze drifted over her, warming her skin as if he’d actually touched her. When he reached her eyes, he smiled and then simply held out his hand.
She closed the remaining distance between them and slipped her palm over his. He circled her fingers and squeezed before pulling her into a breathless kiss. He sipped at her lips and then grazed them with his teeth, nipping with just enough force so they tingled. Then he licked over the seam of her mouth, coaxing until she opened again and allowed him entrance.
“I arranged dinner for us. I hope you’re hungry,” he said in a husky voice.
“Starving,” she admitted.
He frowned. “Did you not eat today?”
“I had some orange juice. Didn’t really feel like eating.”
She didn’t mention the fact that she was hungover, had little sleep, and that the thought of food until now had made her want to hurl.
He guided her toward the elegant dining room table that stood in front of a huge picture window overlooking Manhattan. There was a dazzling array of lights from the surrounding buildings that were silhouetted against the sky at dusk.
“You’re not still nervous, are you?” he asked as he seated her.
She laughed. “I’m in uncharted waters, Gabe. You have to know that.”
He surprised her by pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, and then he moved away. A moment later, he returned carrying two plates. He set a delicious-smelling steak in front of her. It was so tantalizing that her stomach instantly growled.
He frowned again. “No more skipping meals, Mia.”
She nodded and then waited as he returned to the kitchen again. This time he came back bearing a bottle of wine. He sat across from her and then filled both their glasses.
“I wasn’t sure of your likes and dislikes when it comes to food. We’ll certainly have time to go over that and I’ll learn your preferences. But I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a filet.”
“No, not at all,” she said. “A good steak cures most anything.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
She dug into her meal, watching Gabe from underneath her eyelashes. There were a million questions buzzing around in her head, but she didn’t want to inundate him. As he had said, they had plenty of time to learn one another. Most people waited a little further into that learning curve before jumping into a sexual relationship, but she supposed Gabe was well used to doing things his own way, and damn convention. Besides, it wasn’t as though they were complete strangers. Gabe had been a fixture—albeit a distant one—in her life for years.
The silence stretched between them. She could feel his gaze on her, knew he watched her much as she watched him. Almost like two wary opponents studying one another before engaging in battle. Only Gabe didn’t look as uncertain and awkward as she felt. He looked confident. Like a predator closing in on his prey.
Butterflie
s took wing in her belly, and lower, until she squeezed her thighs together in an effort to assuage the ache.
“You aren’t eating,” Gabe pointed out.
She stared down at her plate, realizing she’d paused, fork still in hand, her steak only half eaten. She set it down and then calmly fixed her gaze on Gabe.
“This is nerve-wracking, Gabe. This is all new to me. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I’m unsure of how to act. What to say. What not to say. Or whether to say anything at all! You sit across from me staring at me like I’m dessert, and I have no idea if this is a simple dinner. A get-comfortable session. Help me out here because I’m floundering.”
A half smile curved his lips upward. Amusement flared in his eyes. “Mia, darling, you are dessert.”
Her breath stuttered over clumsy lips as she read the hunger in his eyes that had nothing to do with the steak in front of him.
“Eat,” he said in a quiet voice that brooked no argument. It was a command. One he didn’t intend for her to ignore. “I’m not going to jump you at the table. Anticipation makes the final reward all the more sweet.”
She retrieved her fork and knife and cut into the steak, but she had no idea of the taste. She ate mechanically, a tingle of awareness buzzing through her body. Evidently Gabe had no intention of easing into this relationship. But then that wasn’t him. He went full-out at everything. It was his style and what had made him so successful in business. He went after what he wanted with single-minded determination. And now she was the thing he wanted.
She sipped at the wine just to have something to fill the awkwardness. She didn’t know if she wanted to slow way down and take her time with her meal to buy her more time, or if she wanted to dive in and finish quickly so they could move on to…dessert.
Gabe finished before her and sat back, looking unfazed as he sipped at his wine. His gaze never left her, and he watched her every movement. He looked cool and aloof. Until she looked into his eyes. There, it was a completely different story. His eyes burned with impatience and simmered with heat.