Rush (Breathless #1)(46)

Mia sighed in exasperation. “For God’s sake, Caro.”

“Hey, give me something to work with here. All I have are fantasies. You have the real thing.”

“He’s a god, okay? He blew me away. Nothing to compare it to, and I’ve had good in the past. I’ve just never had holy-shit good before.”

“Day-um,” Caroline said in a mournful voice. “I knew it was some heavy shit when you called to have me get a bag ready for you. Didn’t even work for him a day before you had a sleepover. The dude moves fast. You have to hand it to him.”

Mia scowled. “Yeah, he moves fast all right.”

“So you want to order takeout and gorge ourselves on the ice cream in the freezer? Or did you already eat?”

Mia shook her head. “We were supposed to have dinner after the cocktail party. That was until Blondie hit the scene.”

Caroline reached for her phone. “Pizza sound good?”

“That sounds heavenly,” Mia breathed.

As Caroline was looking through her contacts, the buzzer sounded. Mia got up, motioning for Caroline to stay put. “You call the food in. I’ll see who it is.”

She went to the intercom and pressed the button. “Yes?”

“Mia, get your ass down here right now.”

Gabe’s furious voice filled the apartment. Caroline dropped her phone, her eyes wide.

“What’s the point, Gabe?” Mia said, allowing her irritation to bleed through.

“Swear to God if you don’t get your ass down here right now, I’ll come up there and haul you out myself, and I don’t give a damn if you’re dressed or not. You have three minutes to make an appearance.”

Mia shut off the intercom, anger bristling over her. She walked back to where Caroline sat and flopped down.

“Well,” Caroline said, drawing out the word. “If he’s here, demanding your presence, he’s not with Blondie obviously.”

“Are you suggesting I answer that arrogant summons?” Mia asked incredulously.

Caroline shrugged. “Well, let’s put it this way. I absolutely think he’d find a way to come up here and drag you out of this apartment. Might be better to go peacefully and figure out the Blondie situation firsthand. After all, he’s here and she’s not.” She checked her watch. “But now you only have like two minutes before he tears the building apart.”

Mia sighed and then bolted for her bedroom, unsure of why she was even giving Gabe the time of day after the scene at the cocktail party. It was enough to turn her stomach. Still, she hurriedly dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and as an afterthought, shoved clothes to wear to work the next day in her bag. Better to be prepared than sorry.

After collecting her toiletries, she hurried back past Caroline and blew her a kiss.

“Text me and let me know you’re still alive or I’ll assume he’s killed you and I’ll start looking for the body,” Caroline said.

Mia waved over her shoulder and let herself out of the apartment, hurrying toward the elevator. When the doors opened, Gabe was standing a few feet away, his jaw bulging and a look of fury in his eyes.

He stalked toward her, not giving her any time to advance on her own. He was one big ball of pissed-off alpha male, and he was coming right at her.

She took one step off the elevator and his hand closed around hers, yanking her past the alarmed-looking doorman toward the entrance to the apartment building. Mia managed a reassuring smile at the doorman, not wanting him to call the cops, before she turned her attention back to Gabe. His grasp was tight and uncompromising, and his anger rolled in hot waves from his body.

What the hell did he have to be so pissed off about? It wasn’t like she hooked up with some other guy in front of him at a cocktail party they were at together.

She sighed when he stuffed her in the back of his car and then walked around to the other side. As soon as he slid in next to her, the car pulled away.

“Gabe…”

He turned to her, his expression fierce. “Just shut up, Mia. Don’t say a goddamn word to me right now. I’m too pissed off at you to be reasonable. I need to calm down before I can even think about discussing this with you.”

She lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug and turned away, refusing to meet his stare any longer. She could feel the burst of frustration from him, heard his low growl of impatience and irritation. But she ignored him, continuing to focus on the passing lights and the city all a twinkle with the colors of night.

She should have just remained at her apartment, but she wanted this confrontation. She’d simmered with anger all evening and now that Gabe was forcing the issue, she was armed and ready.

They rode in silence, though his anger was a force all on its own. She never once looked in Gabe’s direction, refusing to show any weakness. And she knew it only pissed him off more.

When they reached his building, he yanked open her door, grasped her hand and hauled her out. His fingers wrapped firmly around her upper arm, he walked her into the building and onto the elevator.

As soon as his apartment door shut behind him, his lips tightened and he seemed to be working to maintain his temper as he stared down at her.

“In the living room,” he ordered. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Whatever,” she muttered.

She wrested her arm from his grasp and walked into the living room. She flopped onto the couch and then stared expectantly at him.