Rush

his absolute
     kryptonite, he’d be laughed out of town.
    His cell phone beeped, and he dug it out of his pocket to see that the concierge had
     texted him to say that he was coming up right away with Gabe’s order. Gabe rose from
     the couch to meet the man at the elevator doors. They opened just as he arrived in
     the foyer. He thanked the concierge and then took the bag into the kitchen.
    The soup was still steaming hot, so Gabe didn’t warm it further in the microwave.
     He poured it into a bowl and toasted two slices of bread. Then he dug into the fridge
     for Mia’s favorite soft drink. Black cherry soda. It was an item he’d told his housekeeper
     to keep stocked because Mia was addicted to it.
    There were a lot of things he kept stocked now because of Mia’s preferences. He’d
     committed them to memory and then made certain he had the things she liked. He didn’t
     want to give her any reason not to want to stay over.
    He put the soup, toast and her drink on a tray, and then carried it into the living
     room, placing it on the coffee table in front of her. He was still reluctant to wake
     her, but she needed to eat and he needed to determine her condition. If necessary,
     he’d call his personal physician and have him come over to see Mia here.
    “Mia,” he said in a low voice. “Mia, wake up, honey. I brought you something to eat.”
    She stirred, uttered a sleepy protest and then turned her head to the other side,
     her eyelashes fluttering as she closed her eyes again.
    He chuckled. She never did like having her sleep disturbed.
    He touched her cheek, tracing a path down to her jaw, enjoying the silky feel of her
     skin beneath his touch.
    “Mia. Wake up, baby. Come on. Open those pretty eyes for me.”
    She opened her eyes and her unfocused stare encountered his. To his surprise, fear
     registered, and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Worry? Anxiety?
    What the hell was going on here?
    She yawned and rubbed her eyes, avoiding his gaze as she sat up. She clutched the
     covers around her in a manner that screamed self-preservation.
    He had to bite his tongue to keep from demanding answers right here and now. There
     was something infinitely fragile about her right now. He hadn’t seen her this way
     since that night in Paris. His gut knotted just thinking about it.
    “Hey sleepyhead,” he said in a gentle tone. “I brought you some soup. I see you didn’t
     eat your lunch.”
    She grimaced. “I was cold and just wanted to get warm. Didn’t feel like eating.”
    “Are you feeling okay? Are you unwell? I can have my doctor come see you.”
    She licked her lips and shook her head. “I’m fine. Really. As soon as I got warm I
     was so sleepy that I couldn’t stay awake. But I feel fine. I promise.”
    He didn’t quite believe her and he wasn’t sure why. There was something off about
     her even if she wasn’t ill. And there was the fact that it looked very much like she’d
     been crying. Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe she’d just rubbed her eyes before nodding
     off.
    “Feel like eating now?” he prompted.
    She eyed the tray on the coffee table and then nodded. “Starving.”
    When she started to get up and move forward, he held out his hand to help her. She
     laced her fingers through his and pulled herself to a sitting position on the edge
     of the couch.
    “Thanks,” she said huskily. “You’re so very good to me, Gabe.”
    It wasn’t the first time she’d said such a thing, but every time she did, he was besieged
     by guilt. If he’d been as good to her as he should have been, he would have never
     allowed her to be abused by another man.
    He watched as she ate, the need to touch her and shield her from whatever had caused
     her upset growing by the minute. It was an insatiable urge he had no control over.
     The strength of his attraction to her defied logic. But then when it came to her,
     it was clear he had no reason. No sanity. No ability to maintain any distance between
     them.
    When she finished with her meal, she pushed back the blanket that was still halfway
     wrapped around her and to his surprise—and delight—she crawled onto the couch with
     him and wrapped herself around him.
    He put his arm around her and then reached forward for the blanket that had fallen
     by the wayside. He pulled it over both of them and positioned her so she blanketed
     him, her body soft and warm against his.
    He buried his nose in her hair, content to have