Breathless Trilogy

by Banks, Maya

  “I love you,” she said in a softer voice that had Mia straining to hear. “I miss you. I want us back together. I know you still have feelings for me. I can see it in your eyes. I’ll grovel, Gabe. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to convince you that I’m sorry.”

  Damn it but they must have moved farther from the door. She couldn’t hear!

  “What in the world are you up to?”

  She stood straight up, bolting upward in fright. “Damn it, Ash! You scared me to death!”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her in amusement. “Is there any particular reason you have your ear glued to Gabe’s door? Did he lock you out? Already raised the boss’s ire? See, this is why you should come to work for me. I’d pet you and love you and be nice to you.”

  “Oh for God’s sake, Ash. Shut up. I’m trying to eavesdrop here.”

  “That much is evident,” he said dryly. “Who are we eavesdropping on?”

  “Lisa came to see him,” she hissed. “And keep your voice down or they’ll hear us!”

  Ash’s smile fizzled and a frown replaced his amusement. “Lisa as in his ex-wife Lisa?”

  “That’s the one. I was trying to hear what was going on. All I got was that she’s sorry and she wants him back.”

  “Over my dead body,” Ash muttered. “Move over so I can hear.”

  Mia scooted back enough that they could put both their ears to the door. Ash held a finger up for Mia to be silent. Duh! She was the one trying to get him to shut up.

  “Ah shit, she’s crying,” Ash muttered. “A crying woman is never a good thing. Gabe can’t stand it. He’s toast when a woman cries and that bitch knows it.”

  “Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?” Mia murmured.

  “She f— uh, she screwed him over royally, Mia. I was there. So was Jace. If you ever have any doubt, ask Jace how messed up he was when she went public with her lies. He’s a dumbass if he doesn’t toss her out of his office.”

  “Well, that’s what I’m trying to find out if you would be quiet,” she said patiently.

  “Right,” Ash said and fell silent as the two strained to hear once more.

  “I won’t give up, Gabe. I know you love me and I still love you. I’m willing to wait. I know you have your pride.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” Gabe bit out.

  “Oh shit, they’re coming this way,” Ash said. He grabbed Mia’s arm, dragged her down the hallway and then thrust her through the open door of his own office. “Sit,” he directed. “Act like we’ve been having a good ole time.”

  He hurried around behind his desk and planted his butt in his chair before propping his feet on top of the polished surface. Not three seconds later, Lisa strode past, her face red with tears. She was putting on her sunglasses to hide the evidence as she disappeared.

  “Just hang out here,” Ash said softly. “I wouldn’t want you to go back into the lion’s den so soon after that confrontation.”

  A noise outside made them both look up again to see Jace start to walk by. He halted when he saw Mia and did a double take. He entered the office, a frown on his face, and Mia silently groaned. This was beyond awkward. She was stuck in Ash’s office with Jace and she had an anal plug up her ass while Gabe was next door fending off advances from his ex-wife.

  “What’s going on? Why is Mia in here?”

  Ash shook his head. “Am I not allowed to say hello to my best girl?”

  “Knock it off, Ash. Don’t be a dick,” Jace growled. “Was that Lisa I saw walking through the lobby?”

  “Yep,” Ash replied. “Hence the reason Mia is in here with me. I’m sparing her Gabe’s ire when he’s so fresh off his meet and greet with his ex.”

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” Jace demanded.

  It was clear that neither Ash nor Jace had any love for Lisa. Their loyalty to Gabe was strong and they’d banded together, closing ranks around Gabe after the divorce.

  “Ash and I were eavesdropping outside Gabe’s door,” Mia said.

  Jace lifted one eyebrow. “And you want to keep your job? Gabe would have your head and even I wouldn’t be able to save you from that.”

  “Do you want to know what we heard or not?” she asked impatiently.

  Jace stuck his head out the door, looked down toward Gabe’s office and then pushed back in, closing Ash’s door behind him. “Spill.”

  “She wants him back,” Ash drawled. “She put on quite the show too.”

  “Ah hell,” Jace muttered. “I hope he told her to fuck off.”

  “I’m not sure what he told her,” Mia murmured. “Someone wouldn’t shut up so I could hear.”

  “I guarantee you that Gabe didn’t fall for that line of shit,” Ash said, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.

  Mia wasn’t so sure. After all, Gabe had been married to her. The breakup of their relationship had formed the basis of every single relationship that had come after, including her own with him. That said a lot about how affected he’d been. He may well be angry—she didn’t dispute that for a minute. But it didn’t mean he didn’t still love her and it didn’t mean he wouldn’t attempt to work things out if it meant having her back on his terms.

  “I’ll kick his dumb ass,” Jace muttered.

  He glanced at Mia and then reached over to ruffle her hair. “We still on for dinner tomorrow night? What time you want me to pick you up?”

  “What? And I’m not invited?” Ash asked in horror.

  “Don’t you have someone else to bother?” Jace asked.

  Ash’s expression stiffened for a moment and then he muttered, “Family get-together. I’m bailing.”

  Mia’s heart softened and even Jace grimaced in sympathy. Ash’s family and Ash were not on speaking terms. Not in any way. Ash didn’t even make a pretense. If his family was involved, he made it a point to be somewhere else. And most of the time it was with Jace or Gabe.

  “Oh, let him come,” Mia said, keeping her tone light so Ash didn’t pick up on what she was doing. “It’ll keep you from lecturing me on God knows what. Ash sticks up for me.”

  “See, she likes me better,” Ash said smugly.

  “Okay, what time do you want us to come pick you up?” Jace said in mock resignation.

  “Six is fine. Will that work for you guys? I won’t need long to change and get ready. Are we eating casual or what?”

  “I know this great pub that serves food that’s right up your alley, baby girl. Wear jeans and we’ll hang out there,” Jace said.

  Meaning he was doing this for her because hanging out in pubs wasn’t exactly Jace’s thing.

  “Perfect.”

  The door opened and Gabe stuck his head in, a frown creasing his forehead. “Hey, have you guys seen…”

  He halted when he saw Mia sitting in front of Ash’s desk and then he glanced at Jace and Ash with suspicion. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “Not at all,” Ash said nonchalantly. “We were just keeping Mia company while you kissed and made up with your ex.”

  Mia’s eyes widened at Ash’s daring. Holy shit but he was going to get them both in hot water with Gabe.

  “Shut the fuck up, Ash,” Gabe snarled.

  “Nice,” Jace muttered. “Now you’re sending Mia back in there with him when you were supposedly rescuing her from that fate.”

  Mia rose, hoping to head off any further snarkiness from Ash.

  “I’ll see you guys tomorrow night for dinner,” she said hurriedly as she nudged Gabe back through the door.

  She shut the door behind her, effectively sealing off Gabe from Jace and Ash and any further comments either of them would make. Without waiting for Gabe, she walked down to his office and entered.

  Gabe came in behind her. She could feel his presence, overwhelming. Could feel the heat radiating from him. He was like a seething lion. Appropriate since Ash had been so convinced she was heading back into the lion’s den.

  “You’re go
ing to dinner with both of them?”

  She turned, her brows drawn at the odd note in his voice. “Yes. Ash invited himself. Jace is picking me up at six. I’m going straight to my apartment after work.”

  He closed in on her, his gaze intense and brooding. “Just don’t forget who you belong to, Mia.”

  She blinked in surprise and then she laughed. “You can’t seriously think that Ash…” She shook her head, unwilling to even voice such a ludicrous idea.

  He tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Maybe you need a reminder.”

  There was something in his tone, in the raw power flowing from his body that made her remain silent and accepting.

  “Get on your knees.”

  She sank to her knees, awkwardly situating herself so that the plug remained intact. He fumbled with the zipper of his pants and pulled out his semi-erect cock.

  “Suck it,” he ordered. “Make me come, Mia. I want that gorgeous mouth of yours wrapped around my dick.”

  He tilted her head back, dug his hands into her hair and then pulled her toward his growing erection. The tip bounced against her lips and then he pushed, forcefully opening her lips to his advance.

  Then he was inside her, pressing deep, rubbing back and forth over her tongue. He was even more intense than usual, and she wondered just how affected he’d been by Lisa’s visit. Was he even now trying to erase her presence in his office?

  But then she caught the look in his eyes and she softened all over. He was angry. Not at her. There was need. Almost desperation in his gaze. His hands roamed freely over her head and then to her face, caressing, touching, almost as if he were apologizing for that desperate need.

  She reached up and wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and then gently pushed him away with her other hand so she could lever up further on her knees. She slowed his pace, taking him in long, leisurely sucks.

  This would be no mindless release for him. She would show him her love, even if he didn’t want it. He needed it. He needed her. Even if it was the last thing he’d ever tell her.

  Her hand coaxing up and down in time with her mouth, she gripped him, working from base to tip, letting the tip dangle precariously on her lips before sucking him in whole again.

  “Goddamn, Mia,” Gabe breathed. “Goddamn, what you do to me.”

  His hips bucked forward and the warm, salty burst of his release filled her mouth, and still she sucked him deeper, wanting all of him, taking all of him. She lavished every bit of love and attention on him, taking him sweetly, moving slowly, and forgoing the frantic pace of earlier.

  She licked from the head to his balls, leaving no inch of him untouched.

  Finally she slid her mouth down and allowed him to slip from her lips. She stared up at him, a picture of perfect submission—of acceptance. And she allowed him to see her. Really see her.

  He flinched and then he lowered himself to his knees in front of her so they were nearly eye level. And then he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as his body heaved from the ease she’d given him.

  “I can’t be without you,” he whispered. “You have to stay, Mia.”

  She stroked her hands over his back and then up to his head and held him lovingly.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Gabe.”

  chapter twenty-one

  Mia bent over Gabe’s desk, palms flat on the surface, her skirt hiked up as Gabe withdrew the plug. She closed her eyes and breathed out her relief. She’d been on the edge the entire afternoon. Now maybe she could come down off that edgy high.

  Gabe carefully cleaned her bottom, taking his time smoothing the cloth over her flesh before lowering her skirt and giving her a light pat.

  “Go get your things. We’ll run by the apartment to change and then we’ll go to dinner.”

  She wanted to sag onto the desk and lie there for the next fifteen minutes while she recovered from teetering on the edge for so long. Instead of reprimanding her for not immediately following his order, Gabe slid his hands over her shoulders and then lifted her upward, pulling her into his arms.

  She snuggled into his embrace, inhaling his spicy scent and his warmth. He kissed the top of her head and murmured, “I know I push too hard, but God help me, I can’t seem to do anything else.”

  She smiled against him and hugged him, wrapping her arms around him to squeeze. He seemed surprised by the gesture. He went still but then he squeezed her tighter against him and buried his face in her hair.

  “Don’t let me change you, Mia,” he whispered. “You’re perfect the way you are.”

  But he had changed her. Irrevocably. She’d never be the same.

  When he let her go, he turned away, almost as if he loathed the fact that he’d whispered what he had. She straightened her clothing and pretended not to see his discomfort. She went to her desk, grabbed her purse and then turned back to Gabe, a bright smile on her face.

  “Shall we go?”

  Gabe held out his arm and she went ahead of him, his hand pressed to her back as he let them out of his office. They said their good-byes to Eleanor who was preparing to leave as well and then they ran into Ash at the elevator.

  Mia’s heart plummeted. Wasn’t he supposed to be at a dinner meeting with Jace? God, what if he’d tried to go into Gabe’s office? Had he been there and found it locked? Worse, could he have heard anything?

  “Ash, I thought you were with Jace,” Gabe said easily.

  Ash grinned and Mia marveled at how damn good-looking the man was.

  “Forgot a folder with important info on the people we’re meeting for dinner. Jace is schmoozing and giving my excuses for being unavoidably detained.”

  Mia snorted. “Jace schmoozing? That’s your forte, Ash. How on earth did you finagle being the one to retrieve the folder? He’s probably about to crawl out of his skin right now.”

  Ash chucked her on the chin and then pulled her into a squeeze. “Missed you, kiddo. And yeah, I didn’t give Jace a choice. I cut and run before he could be snarly.”

  She hugged Ash back, comforted by his obvious affection for her. Until today, it had been a good while since she’d been with Ash or Jace. She missed that. Missed their steady, reassuring comfort. “Missed you too. It’s been too long, Ash. I was beginning to think you didn’t love me anymore.”

  They got onto the elevator and Ash gave her a look of mock horror. “Not love you? I’d slay dragons and lay them at your feet. I adore you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t overdo the charm. You wouldn’t want to use it all up because it’s totally wasted on me.”

  He slung an arm over her shoulders, grinning the entire while. “It doesn’t hurt to dream.” He gave a dramatic sigh. “One day, you’ll be mine.”

  “Yeah, right after Jace removes your balls,” Gabe said darkly.

  Ash winced, which only made him even more damn sexy. It was a shame she wasn’t attracted to him because he would be so good in bed. Flirty. Fun. Full-on down-and-dirty sex. But if the rumors were true and he and Jace tended to have sex with the same woman, that would be incredibly awkward…

  She shuddered at the thought. There were just some things she didn’t need to know about her brother for God’s sake. And picturing him naked with Ash may well have ruined any appreciation she had for Ash. Which was sad, because the man did fuel some sigh-worthy moments.

  “See you later tonight, Gabe,” Ash said as he broke from the elevator. “Jace awaits and if I don’t get there soon, he’ll run off the investors before I have a chance to charm them.”

  Gabe held up a hand in a wave and Mia called back a good-bye. Then Gabe ushered her into his car for the ride to his apartment.

  “You’re seeing Ash tonight?” Mia asked when they settled in for the ride. “So are we not going out?”

  Gabe’s lips tightened. “You’re going to dinner with me, as planned. I have to meet Jace and Ash around nine for drinks.”

  “Oh,” she said, wondering what that was about. But it
wasn’t as if it weren’t a normal occurrence. When all three were in town and not traveling in different directions, they spent a lot of time together.

  And she supposed if that changed all of a sudden along with the timing of her coming to work for Gabe, it may set off some alarms with Jace especially.

  “What should I wear?” she asked, changing the topic.

  Gabe’s gaze fell on her, sweeping up and down until she may as well have been naked.

  “One of your new dresses. The black one with the slit up the thigh.”

  She lifted her eyebrows. “Going fancy tonight?”

  He didn’t react. His expression was inscrutable. “I’m going to take you for a nice, quiet dinner and dancing. Good music, good food, beautiful woman. Not much more a man can ask for.”

  She went warm with pleasure at his compliment. Her smile was quick and his lips quirked almost as if he couldn’t help but react to her pleasure.

  Then his expression grew serious. “You’re not just a beautiful woman, Mia. I don’t want you to ever forget that. You’re more than that. Don’t ever let me take so much there’s nothing left.”

  His cryptic warnings were growing in frequency. She wasn’t sure what to make of them. Was he warning her or himself? Gabe was an enigma. She never really was certain what he was thinking unless they were having sex. That was a no-brainer. She knew exactly what his thoughts were then.

  When they arrived at his apartment, they went up and Mia disappeared into the bathroom to ready herself. If they were going fancier, she wanted to wow Gabe. She wanted to appear sophisticated. Like she belonged at his side.

  She curled her hair and then arranged it in an elegant upsweep, allowing a few curls to fall loosely at her nape and down the sides of her neck. She applied light makeup, going with mascara and a pale lip gloss that made her lips shine but not appear overly dramatic. There was something to be said for less is more. The art of wearing makeup was to appear as though you were wearing none at all.

  Her dress was wow worthy. She still couldn’t believe how she looked in it. With the tall heels, she had enough height to carry off the long dress with the daring slit. Her legs appeared long and shapely with the aid of the shoes.