While everyone around her had moved with the times and used alternatives to taking a pill every single day, Mia hadn’t had much luck with some methods, and she feared others. And so she faithfully took her pill.

By the time she was finished with the doctor’s visit, she was weary and emotionally drained from the stress of the day. Oddly enough, Gabe hadn’t ordered her in to work the next day. Instead he’d instructed her to take the day off and rest, almost as if he’d known how fried she’d be after the eventful day.

Grateful to have at least one day to ponder the arrangement she’d agreed to, she rode home in the car Gabe had assigned to her. The driver had been given instructions to pick her up for work the day after next. The driver left her his card with instructions that if she needed transportation at any time, she was to call him. And he hadn’t spoken a word to her since the somewhat curt introduction and his shoving his card at her.

Already it felt as though Gabe was taking over her life. Sliding into every nook and crevice. He already occupied her thoughts. Soon he would possess her body.

A light shiver worked over her skin as she rode the elevator up to her apartment. She checked her watch, hoping Caroline wouldn’t be home. Mia needed some time to think. She needed quiet, a moment to soak in all that had occurred today. And ponder just how much her life was going to change.

It excited her and scared her to death in equal parts.

When she let herself into her apartment, her chest squeezed with dismay to see not only Caroline but three of their other friends, Chessy, Trish and Gina, slouched in the living room. They bolted upright when they saw Mia, and there was a chorus of congratulations and whistles.

Mia stared at them in bewilderment. Caroline rose with a smile and walked over to Mia to put an arm around her shoulders.

“I filled them in on your new ‘job opportunity’ with the sex god that is Gabe Hamilton.”

“For God’s sake, Caro,” Mia muttered.

And then she was surrounded by her girlfriends, and it was impossible to maintain any sort of irritation in their presence. They pelted her with questions, and it was so tempting for Mia to confide in them. To tell them just what she’d agreed to. But she wouldn’t risk it. Not even with her best friends.

“So is the man stacked? You know, does he have a big peen or what?” Chessy drawled.

“Do you think he pulled it out during the job interview?” Mia asked incredulously.

The others dissolved into laughter, and a round of crude jokes went up as they all speculated on Gabe whipping out his dick.

“I bet he knows what to do with it,” Trish said wistfully. “Unlike my last boyfriend. Maybe Gabe could give him some pointers.”

Gina snorted. “For all we know Gabe sucks in the sack. Or maybe he’s even gay. You know all the gorgeous to-die-for guys are always the ones who are unavailable. Though given a chance, I’d definitely see if I could turn him.”

Mia groaned. “He’s not gay.”

“And you know this how?” Chessy asked with a raised brow.

“He’s Jace’s best friend,” Mia said in exasperation. “I’ve practically grown up around him. He was married and he’s had no shortage of women in his life.”

Gina shrugged. “Maybe he just hasn’t found the right man yet.”

“I could be his right woman,” Trish volunteered. “And I’d damn sure sign up to be his personal assistant. You’re such a lucky bitch, Mia.”

“I’d be happy to take on Jace,” Chessy said. “I’d work overtime for that man.”

Mia covered her ears and groaned even louder. “Stop. You’re scarring me. I don’t want images of you and Jace. He’s my brother! That’s gross, Chessy. Just gross!”

“I think we should go out and celebrate,” Caroline announced.

Mia shot her a startled glance. Chessy and the others wore interested looks as they waited for more.

“We should go clubbing,” Caroline said. “If Mia’s going to be tied to a nine-to-five job, her late nights with us are over. At least during the week. I know the bouncer at Vibe, and he’s promised me he’d get me and my girls in if I come by.”

“Damn, I have to be to work early,” Trish said, her lips turned downward in a frown.

“Oh, live a little,” Chessy urged. “It’s not like you can’t do your job in your sleep. Besides, you can catch up on your rest after work tomorrow. Tonight we’ll go have some fun. It’s been way too long since we got to hang together.”

Trish looked indecisive, and then she finally nodded. “Okay, I’m in.”

“Mia?” Caroline asked.

All eyes turned to Mia, looking at her in anticipation. The truth was, Mia wanted to sequester herself and have time alone to process the day. Gabe. Everything. But she loved her friends, and in her gut she knew her time would likely be limited with them from now on, at least until it was over between her and Gabe.

“I’m in,” Mia said with a smile. “I need to go change, though. I have office clothes on. If we’re going out, I don’t want to look like a secretary.”

“Rock on,” Chessy crowed.

“Wait a minute. I’m not dressed for the club either!” Trish exclaimed. “I need to run home if we’re doing this.”

“Yeah, me too,” Gina agreed.

Caroline held her hands up. “Okay, here’s the deal. We do a hurry-up on the prep and we meet outside the club in an hour and a half. Deal?”

The others were already scrambling off the couch and heading for Mia’s front door. They waved and called back good-byes, and then they were gone.

Mia started to get up to go into her bedroom to change when Caroline stopped her.

“Everything okay with you, Mia? You seem…quiet. Or at least different.”

Mia smiled. “I’m fine, Caro. A little tired. It’s been a strange day.”

“Would you rather not go?” Caroline asked anxiously. “I can call and cancel with the girls.”

Mia shook her head. “No, let’s do it. I may not be able to do it again anytime soon. At least until I know how things are going to work out with Gabe. I have no idea what my schedule is going to be like. He’ll expect me to work when he does.”

Mia started again for her bedroom and when she reached the door, Caroline called out to her once more.

“Are you sure this is what you want? To work for Gabe, I mean?”

Mia met Caroline’s gaze, some of her earlier trepidation easing from her chest. “Yeah, this is what I want.”

Gabe was what she wanted. The job was just a means to have him. And if it gave her experience outside of working in a cafe, it would just be an added benefit.

As she hurried to arrange her hair and reapply her makeup, her cell phone went off, signaling a text message. She dug it out of her purse, which she’d dropped on the floor in front of the sink, and saw an unfamiliar number with a local area code.

REST TOMORROW, BUT BE AT MY APARTMENT AT 7:00 P.M. DON’T BE LATE. –GABE

She sucked in her breath, her hand shaking as she held the phone so she could still see the message.

And so it had begun.

Chapter eight

The car was scheduled to pick Mia up at six thirty, and heeding Gabe’s directive not to be late, she made certain she was waiting when it arrived. She could feel a yawn lurking and pressed her lips together to stifle it. She and the girls had been out late the night before, but that was no excuse when she’d had the entire day to rest and get over her hangover. Only she hadn’t been able to sleep for fretting over her impending trip to Gabe’s apartment.

It was ridiculous, and she hoped at some point she’d get over her nervousness every time she had to be in his presence. She was supposed to have sex with the man for God’s sake, and she couldn’t even think about seeing him without having a meltdown. So much for any attempt at sophistication. One would think she was some blushing virgin who’d never so much as seen a man naked. Although she was pretty damn certain she’d never seen a man like Gabe naked. At least not in person.

The men she’d been with were…boys, for lack of a better term. Young men as unskilled as she was for the most part. Her last fling—she refused to call it a one-night stand since they’d actually dated more than once—had been her only superior sexual experience, and she was convinced it was because David had been older than her usual dates. And more experienced.

He was responsible for her swearing off guys her own age, and validation for her fixation with Gabe. David had been great in bed. It was just too bad he wasn’t so great in other areas.

Somehow she just knew that Gabe was going to be off the chart, and that after being with Gabe, David would pale in comparison, which was saying a lot since up to now, David was the standout in the men—okay, boys—that she’d been with.

The driver dumped her in front of Gabe’s apartment at precisely five minutes to seven. Okay, so he didn’t dump her, but the man never spoke. He just appeared, drove, and then disappeared again, only to reappear later when it was time for her to go home. It was a little unnerving. Almost like he’d been ordered never to speak in her presence.

There was an actual security guard at the entrance to the apartment building, not that this was just any apartment building. It was one of those cushy setups that was like living in a hotel, only with an entire apartment instead of a room or a suite.

After she presented her ID, the guard called up to Gabe’s apartment to inquire as to whether she was allowed up. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to go through this every time Gabe summoned her to his apartment.

A moment later, she was escorted to the elevator, and the guard inserted the key card for Gabe’s floor—the penthouse, of course. Then he gave her a courteous nod and backed away from the elevator.

The doors opened on the fiftieth floor and into the foyer of Gabe’s apartment, and he stood, waiting, his gaze focused on her as she stepped off. The doors slid closed behind her, and she and Gabe were alone.

She devoured the sight of him. Rarely had she seen him in jeans, and they fit him like a dream. Faded and worn, as if they were a favorite pair he couldn’t bear to part with. He was wearing a Yankees T-shirt that molded to his muscled chest and was snug around his bulging upper arms.

The man worked out. There was no other explanation for how a guy who spent so much time in an office could look so damn good and be so stacked.

She suddenly felt overdressed. She’d put on a simple navy blue dress that clipped the tops of her knees and bared the lower expanse of her legs. The heels she’d chosen gave her much-needed height to put her on a more even level with Gabe, but even then she felt small standing in front of him.

He was larger-than-life, filling the room, even in the faded jeans and T-shirt. His presence was indomitable. The way he looked at her made her feel branded.

His lazy gaze drifted over her, warming her skin as if he’d actually touched her. When he reached her eyes, he smiled and then simply held out his hand.

She closed the remaining distance between them and slipped her palm over his. He circled her fingers and squeezed before pulling her into a breathless kiss. He sipped at her lips and then grazed them with his teeth, nipping with just enough force so they tingled. Then he licked over the seam of her mouth, coaxing until she opened again and allowed him entrance.

“I arranged dinner for us. I hope you’re hungry,” he said in a husky voice.

“Starving,” she admitted.

He frowned. “Did you not eat today?”

“I had some orange juice. Didn’t really feel like eating.”

She didn’t mention the fact that she was hungover, had little sleep, and that the thought of food until now had made her want to hurl.

He guided her toward the elegant dining room table that stood in front of a huge picture window overlooking Manhattan. There was a dazzling array of lights from the surrounding buildings that were silhouetted against the sky at dusk.

“You’re not still nervous, are you?” he asked as he seated her.

She laughed. “I’m in uncharted waters, Gabe. You have to know that.”

He surprised her by pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, and then he moved away. A moment later, he returned carrying two plates. He set a delicious-smelling steak in front of her. It was so tantalizing that her stomach instantly growled.

He frowned again. “No more skipping meals, Mia.”

She nodded and then waited as he returned to the kitchen again. This time he came back bearing a bottle of wine. He sat across from her and then filled both their glasses.

“I wasn’t sure of your likes and dislikes when it comes to food. We’ll certainly have time to go over that and I’ll learn your preferences. But I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a filet.”

“No, not at all,” she said. “A good steak cures most anything.”