Rush (31 page)

He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, his hands shoved into his pockets as his gaze trailed down her body. She didn’t know if it was because she rarely saw Gabe in jeans that she reacted so strongly to the sexy-as-hell sight or if he just looked incredibly hot in denim.

“Feels like shit doesn’t it?”

She didn’t pretend to misunderstand what he meant. She nodded, the motion hurting her head all the more.

He pushed off the doorway and walked to the bed, settling on the edge next to her.

“The car is waiting out front. Get dressed so we can go.”

Her brow furrowed. “Where are we going?” She didn’t want to move. She wanted about another six hours of sleep. Maybe then she’d wake and her head wouldn’t hurt so badly.

“My apartment,” he said shortly. “You have five minutes. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Her lips turned up into a snarl as he moved away and
disappeared from her bedroom. If he was only going to give her five minutes, then he couldn’t expect her not to look like death warmed over. She needed a hot shower and time to put herself together.

Hell, she still didn’t even know what bug he had up his ass from last night. For that matter, she didn’t even remember getting to bed. All she remembered was brushing her teeth. And then waking up.

Gabe had spent the night, but had he slept?

She pushed herself out of bed, groaning as she trudged to her closet. She yanked out a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, not even bothering with bra or underwear. It wasn’t as if Gabe liked her wearing panties anyway.

She did pack a quick bag with a few changes of clothes along with the things she’d forgone—bra and panties—and then she went into the bathroom to throw her toiletries in the bag.

When she walked into the living room, she saw that Gabe was standing by the window staring out. He turned when he heard her.

“You ready?”

She shrugged. She wasn’t really, but whatever.

He pulled her into his side and then put his hand to her back as they headed out of her apartment. A few moments later, he bundled her into the waiting car and got in beside her. As soon as the car took off, he motioned for her to come to him.

He tucked his arm around her, and she sighed as his warmth seeped into her body. She nestled her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She’d expected him to lecture her. Or rant about whatever he was pissed at her for. But he’d been surprisingly quiet, almost as if he knew just how badly her head hurt.

His mouth brushed over her head, and he kissed her hair as he smoothed the strands with his hand.

“When we get to my apartment, I have something you can take for the headache,” he murmured. “You need to eat something as well. I’ll make you something that isn’t hard on your stomach.”

A thrill began low in her belly and worked its way into her chest. It was so easy to lose herself in the fantasy of being with Gabe because he
made
it easy. He took absolute care of her. He saw to her every need. Was he demanding? Hell yes, but he wasn’t selfish. He took. He was ruthless in his demands. But he gave her back so much. Not just materially but emotionally, though he’d likely deny he did any such thing.

She was nearly asleep when they rolled to a stop in front of Gabe’s building. Gabe got out, and to her surprise, he reached in and lifted her into his arms, carrying her through the doorway to the elevator.

She burrowed her head underneath his chin and enjoyed the strength of his hold on her. He carried her into the elevator and had her insert the card to get to his floor and then they rode up, her nestled solidly in his arms.

In his living room, he lowered her onto the couch, and then went to get pillows and a blanket from his bed. He tucked her in and then went into the kitchen a moment. He returned with a glass of milk and a pill. She frowned when she saw it and raised her gaze in question.

“It’ll help your head,” he said. “But drink some milk first. It will make you woozy and it will be worse if there’s nothing in your stomach.”

“What is it?” she asked suspiciously.

“Take it, Mia. I wouldn’t give you anything that would harm you. And since I can assure you that you won’t be randomly drug tested at the office, you’re perfectly safe to take it.”

She smiled as much as her headache would let her and then took the pill. She drank half of the glass of milk before
swallowing the pill, and then she drank down the rest, handing the glass back to him.

“Get comfortable. I’ll make us something and we’ll eat in here,” he said.

Content to let him wait on her hand and foot, she tugged the blanket up to her chin and then laid her head in the nest of pillows he’d arranged. If this was going to be her treatment every time she pissed him off, she’d have to make sure she did it more often. Not that she even knew what he was angry about.

She was just starting to feel the effects of the medication he’d given her when he walked back in carrying a breakfast tray. The pain had eased and in its place warm euphoria sludged through her veins.

“Feeling better yet?” he asked in a low voice as he sat beside her.

“Yeah. Thanks. You’re very good to me, Gabe.”

Their gazes locked and held for the longest time. Then his lips thinned. “You likely won’t say that after I tear into you for that stunt you pulled last night.”

She sighed. “What did I do? Granted I don’t remember much, but when I got to my apartment you were there and you were pissed. Why?”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’d even have to ask that.” When she tried to speak again, he held up his hand. “Eat, Mia. We’ll discuss the matter once you’ve finished and are feeling better.”

He handed her a plate with a toasted bagel and cream cheese and a small bowl of diced fruit.

She stared dubiously at it, unsure whether her stomach would take anything at this point. She took a tentative bite of the bagel, deciding dry bread would be more appealing than the moist fruit.

As soon as she took that first bite, her stomach roared to life.
She hadn’t eaten the evening before and then all that alcohol on an empty stomach? No wonder she’d been so trashed.

“Starving,” she mumbled.

He sighed impatiently. “Did you even eat last night before you drank that much alcohol?”

She shook her head, bracing herself for his reaction.

“Damn it, Mia.”

He looked as though he wanted to say more, but he shut his lips together in a firm line and then directed his attention to his own breakfast.

She was honest enough with herself to admit she took her sweet time eating even though she wanted to consume everything in one bite. The longer she took to eat, the longer it would be before Gabe tore a strip off her hide.

“You may as well finish up,” Gabe said. “You’re only delaying the inevitable, Mia.”

She grumbled under her breath, and then leaned forward to put the plate on the coffee table. “I guess I don’t understand what you’re so pissed about. So I had a little to drink. I’m sure you’ve done the same a time or two.”

He put his own plate down and then sat forward so he could stare into her face. “You think that’s what I’m pissed about?”

She shrugged. “Either that or because I went out to the club with my friends. Either way, your reaction seems extreme.”

“Extreme.” He sucked in his breath, simmering with anger. He shoved a hand through his hair and shook his head. “You have no clue, do you?”

“Enlighten me then because I’m lost.”

“I knew you were going out, Mia. Why you couldn’t have just told me the truth to begin with I’m not sure. Did you think I wouldn’t allow you to go? I know you have friends.”

“Is that why you’re angry? I don’t know why I didn’t just say
exactly what I was doing, Gabe. Maybe I did worry you wouldn’t want me to go.”

“Hell no that isn’t why I’m furious,” he bit out. “I get a call from my driver because he was never called to pick you up. Nothing. You weren’t at your apartment so I could only think you’d taken a cab. You and your friends, out to a club. No protection. Getting into some cab with God knows who and then coming home drunk off your ass, alone, in a cab, at two o’clock in the damn morning.”

She blinked in complete surprise. That wasn’t at all what she thought he’d say.

“This isn’t about me controlling you or you needing my permission to go out, Mia. It’s about you being careful. It’s about me being worried out of my mind because I had no idea where you were, if you were safe. You weren’t answering my calls or texts so I couldn’t even send the driver to where you were to wait on you. Hell, since you weren’t answering my calls or my texts, I was imagining you dead in a dumpster somewhere!”

Guilt hit her hard. Damn it, he was right. He’d been worried—really worried about her—and she’d been out drinking and having a good time while he worried about her being hurt—or dead.
Ugh.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t think. I mean, it didn’t even occur to me.”

He frowned. “And you came home by yourself. What if I hadn’t been there, Mia? Would you have even made it to your apartment or would you have fallen and passed out on the sidewalk?”

“Caroline went home with someone else,” she said quietly. “He got me the cab.”

“Well at least he did that much,” Gabe said in disgust. “You should have called me, Mia. I would have come to get you no matter how late it was.”

Warmth filled her heart. There was genuine worry in his eyes along with the anger and frustration. He’d been worried about her. She leaned forward putting her hands to his face. Then she kissed him.

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “It was thoughtless of me.”

He slid his hands up her neck and into her hair, holding her there just inches from his mouth. “Just don’t let it happen again. I assigned a driver to you for a reason, Mia. It doesn’t mean he just takes you to work and back when you aren’t with me. If you need to go somewhere—anywhere—you call him. Understand? If you ever find yourself in a situation like that again, you call me. I don’t give a fuck what time it is, you call me. If you can’t reach me then you goddamn better well call your brother or Ash. You understand?”

She nodded.

“We both need a nap,” he said, stroking her face with his hands. “You didn’t sleep well and I didn’t sleep. Right now I want to take you to bed and hold you while we rest. When you’re feeling better I’ll redden that pretty ass for worrying the hell out of me.”

chapter twenty-seven

Mia sat cross-legged on Gabe’s bed, devouring the pizza he’d had delivered. It was oh-my-God good just the way she liked it. Extra cheese, light sauce and thick crust.

He watched her in amusement as she licked her fingers clean before sinking back against the pillows with a sigh.

“That was wonderful,” she said. “You’re spoiling me, Gabe. There’s no other word for it.”

His eyes gleamed devilishly. “I’d wait until later before you start saying how much I spoil you.”

Her body did an instant clench as heat surged through her veins. Try as she might, she couldn’t muster any dread of the coming spanking he’d promised her. If anything, she was buzzing with anticipation.

She caught his gaze and she sobered. “I really am sorry about last night. I had no idea you were so worried. If I would have checked my phone I would have called or texted you, Gabe. I wouldn’t have ignored you.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he said gruffly. “The thing I want you to be conscious of is being careful. You and your girlfriends going out alone and getting drunk only invites trouble. Any number of things could happen to a group of girls alone and vulnerable.”

That he was so protective of her gave her immense satisfaction.
He had to feel something for her beyond viewing her as a sexual object.

“Now if you’re finished, there’s the matter of your punishment,” he said silkily.

Holy hell.
His gaze had gone molten and he bristled with lust and desire. Need sizzled over her skin, burning and edgy.

She pushed the pizza box away and he picked it up, setting it on the nightstand by the bed.

“Strip,” he said bluntly. “I want you to have nothing on. When you’re finished, get on your hands and knees, ass to the edge of the bed.”

She rose on shaky knees and quickly pulled the T-shirt—Gabe’s shirt—from her body, leaving her naked to his gaze. She turned her back to him where she faced the bed and then put her knee to the mattress, pushing herself upward to balance her knees on the edge. She planted her palms forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she waited.

Footsteps echoed through the room. The sound of a drawer opening. More footsteps and then items being placed on the nightstand.

His lips pressed to one of her ass cheeks and then his teeth grazed over her skin, eliciting a shiver that produced chill bumps down her legs.

“Don’t make a single sound,” he said, his voice laced with desire. “Not a word. You’ll take your punishment in silence. Afterward, I’m going to fuck that sweet ass of yours.”

Her elbows buckled and she nearly lost her balance. She pushed herself back up, locking her elbows once more.

The crop slid across her ass, whispering faintly, deceptive in its softness. It left her skin, and then fire raced across her ass when he administered the first lash.

Her teeth sank into her lip to prevent any noise from escaping.
She’d been unprepared. Too caught up in her desire. She focused this time, preparing for the next blow.

He never struck the same spot twice nor did he draw out the punishment for effect. He peppered her behind with a series of lashes that varied in strength and sharpness. There was no way to know what to expect next because he changed it up each time.

She lost count at seventeen. Her entire body was crawling with need. The initial pain had diminished and in its place, a steady, heated throb had settled in. She lost awareness of her surroundings, floating off to a completely different plane where the line between pleasure and pain was blurred.

The next thing she became aware of was warm lubricant circling her anal opening and then his hands smoothing over her cheeks.

“Your ass is beautiful,” Gabe murmured, his voice as silky and smooth as the finest chocolate. “My marks are there. You wear them because you belong to me. And now I’m going to fuck your sweet little ass because it belongs to me and I’ve not yet taken what is mine.”