Rush (Breathless #1)(82)

Gabe glanced up to see Mia standing close to his desk, question in her eyes. He checked the time and saw that indeed it was past time for lunch. He and Mia had been working the entire morning in preparation for their trip to Paris this afternoon.

Part of him was tempted to keep her sequestered in his office where he could see and touch her at all times. Have someone else go get lunch for them. It was an urge he had to fiercely restrain.

Even after spending the entire weekend with her in bed, exhausting them both, he hadn’t had enough of her.

“That’s fine. Don’t go far. The deli down the block is fine. You know what I like.”

She smiled, her eyes gleaming suggestively at his remark. The little tease did know exactly what he liked in exacting detail. And if she didn’t leave now, he was going to be helpless against his reaction.

“Go,” he said in a husky voice laced with need. “If you don’t stop looking at me that way, we’ll never get to Paris.”

Her soft laughter filled the air and his ears as she turned to walk from his office. He experienced a moment of panic when she closed the door behind her, leaving him alone in the now-empty office.

It wasn’t the same when she wasn’t here, occupying the same space as he was. It was like having clouds move in on a sunny day.

He refocused his attention on the information in front of him, refusing to watch the clock and wait for Mia’s return.

Eleanor buzzed him, interrupting his concentration, and he frowned.

“What is it, Eleanor?”

“Sir, Mrs. Hamilton is here to see you. Uh, Lisa Hamilton.”

Gabe blew out his breath and closed his eyes. Not now for God’s sake. Had the world around him gone insane? His father was pursuing his mother and now Lisa was sniffing around again. He’d made it clear to her the last time she’d dragged into his office that he had no desire to see her again, and over his dead body would they ever reconcile.

Maybe he hadn’t been quite as clear as he thought.

“Send her in,” Gabe bit out.

Evidently he was going to have to get his point across in a way she couldn’t possibly misunderstand.

A moment later, Lisa opened his door and walked in, perfectly made-up, not a hair out of place. But then she’d always looked and acted perfect.

His gaze narrowed when he saw that she was wearing her wedding rings—rings he’d given her. It disgusted him to see any reminders of his possession of her.

“Gabe, we need to talk,” she said.

She settled into the chair in front of Gabe’s desk without waiting for him to issue the invitation or to toss her out, either one.

“There’s nothing for us to discuss,” he said mildly.

Her brow furrowed and the first sign of emotion flared in her eyes.

“What do I have to do, Gabe? How much do you want me to grovel? Tell me so I can do it and we can move on.”

He tempered his impatience and sat a moment so he didn’t react too harshly. And then he wanted to laugh at the idea that he could act too harshly. She’d skewered him. She’d betrayed him. And he still didn’t know what had made her snap.

“There is nothing you can do or say that will ever change my mind,” he said in clear, concise words. “We are over, Lisa. That was your choice. You divorced me. Not the other way around.”

Her face fell and she dramatically wiped at a nonexistent tear.

“I know I hurt you terribly. I’m so sorry, Gabe. I was such a fool. But we still love each other. It would be a terrible waste for us not to at least try. I can make you happy. I made you happy once. I can do it again.”

He was close to losing his temper, and he chose his words carefully.

“I don’t love you,” he said bluntly.

She flinched, and this time she didn’t have to fake the tears welling in her eyes.

“I don’t believe you,” she said huskily.

He sighed. “I don’t really care what you believe. That’s not my problem. You and I are in the past and that’s where we are staying. Stop doing this to yourself—to me—Lisa. I have work to do and I can’t get it done with constant interruptions.”

“So how does a club on sourdough sound?” Mia said as she entered his office, arms full of the takeout bags.

She came to a screeching halt when she saw Lisa, and her eyes widened.

“Oops. Sorry,” she said awkwardly.

She hastily backed from his office and disappeared, bags in hand. He had to bite his lip to keep himself from commanding her back. Damn it, he wanted Lisa gone, not Mia.

When his gaze returned to Lisa’s, her eyes were narrowed and recognition flashed.

“It’s her isn’t it?” Lisa said softly.

There was accusation in her stare. She rose to her feet, fists clenched at her sides.

“It’s always been her. I saw the way you looked at her even when we were married. I played it off. She’s Jace’s little sister and so I thought you viewed her with a measure of affection afforded someone her age. But God, you wanted her even then, didn’t you, you bastard? Are you in love with her?”

Gabe stood, his anger sharp and explosive. “That’s enough, Lisa. You will not say another word. Mia works for me. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Lisa made a sound of derision. “I never had a chance, did I, Gabe? Even if I hadn’t been the one to walk out.”