Rush (Breathless #1)(67)

“She’s working out great, Jace,” Gabe said in a casual tone. “She’s smart and she’s motivated. She’s already finding her place. She works her ass off and she has her shit together. She wowed investors at the cocktail party she attended with me. Everyone at work seems to like her and has responded well to her presence. I’m sure many of them figure she got the job because of who she is, but she’s proven she deserves to be there.”

“Well, and who can’t like her?” Ash cut in. “She’s sweet and friendly. Not a mean bone in that girl’s body.”

“If anyone says shit to her I want to know about it,” Jace bit out.

Gabe held his hand up. “I have this, man. And if you think about it, it’s a hell of a lot better for her not to work for you. This way she can prove she deserves the job because she’s not working for her big brother. I’m not going to be a hardass with her but I’ll expect her to do her job. You’d just coddle her and baby her to death.”

Ash burst into laughter. “He totally nailed you with that one, man. If she had so much as a hangnail, you’d be sending her home.”

Jace grinned. “Okay, okay, you both have a good point.” Then he grew more serious. “I just want what’s best for her. I want her to be happy. She’s all I have.”

Gabe and Ash both nodded. “I get it,” Gabe said. “In your position, I’d feel the same. But lighten up. Let her spread her wings a bit. I think you’ll be surprised at just how much she can do without you hovering over her.”

Then in an effort to move the conversation away from Mia so Gabe wasn’t in such an awkward position, he glanced at Jace and Ash with a half grin. “Brunette history or what?”

Ash groaned and Jace just looked pissed.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. “That bad?”

“Batshit crazy,” Ash muttered. “Not one of our better decisions to hook up with her for a few days. Hell, she even knew it was temporary. Very temporary.”

Jace kept silent, his face still dark.

“Let’s just say she didn’t take it too well and she definitely did not get the message. She blew up both our phones for a few days.”

Gabe’s brow furrowed. “You gave her your cell numbers? Are you out of your minds?”

“Fuck no,” Jace exploded, speaking for the first time. “She called the office. Repeatedly. Had to threaten to report her for harassment before she finally chilled out.”

Gabe laughed. “You two sure know how to pick them.”

“Crazy,” Ash muttered again. “I don’t know how much clearer we could have been.”

Gabe lifted his shoulder in a shrug. “Be more discerning next time.”

Jace snorted. “Maybe we should just have contracts like you. Get all that shit sorted out before sex.”

Ash choked on his drink and Gabe scowled at them both.

After an hour of drinks, more joking, and definite babe checking out on the part of Ash and Jace, Gabe glanced at his watch and saw it was close to eleven. Damn. He’d told Mia he wouldn’t be that late. To wait up for him. And he was stuck here bullshitting with Jace and Ash.

He’d give it fifteen more minutes and then make up an excuse.

He was saved when Jace and Ash became riveted by a private performance. Gabe didn’t have any interest. Not when he had something as sweet and gorgeous as Mia waiting for him at home.

And damn if that didn’t give him a huge measure of satisfaction.

She was at home, in his bed. And she was waiting for him.

That was all the motivation he needed to stand and say his good-byes, citing an early morning, and head for the exit. Jace and Ash were distracted, muttered an appropriate “later,” and then turned their attention back to the dancers.

It was a short drive to his apartment building, and he found himself hurrying to the elevator, an itch under his skin he couldn’t alleviate.

He walked into his apartment to find that Mia had left the foyer light on for him. He smiled at her thoughtfulness, his chest tightening at the thought that he didn’t need physical light. She was light. A ray of sunshine on a cold day.

He was already stripping out of his clothing as he entered his bedroom and he stopped, the smile broadening when he saw her curled in the middle of his bed, covers to her chin and her head resting on his pillow.

Sound asleep.

His c**k was already rigid and straining, trying to break free from his pants.

“Down boy,” he murmured. “Not tonight.”

His dick didn’t pay attention. It saw what he wanted and it was demanding ease.

Ignoring the urge to awaken her by thrusting deeply into her body, he instead quietly undressed and then carefully pulled the covers back so as not to awaken her.

He slid in next to her, pulling the sheets back up. She didn’t awaken, but as if she sensed his presence, she immediately snuggled into his body, throwing her arm possessively over his side.

He smiled again as he settled more firmly against her and pulled her into his arms. Yeah, he wanted her, but this was…nice.

Chapter twenty-three

Mia woke the next morning to a hard body pressing her into the mattress, her thighs firmly spread. And then a c**k thrust deep into her body. She gasped and came fully awake, Gabe’s eyes boring into hers.