Rush

what my competition was,” he said bluntly.
    He glanced around the shop and then back at her, a questioning look in his eyes.
    “Is this really what you want, Mia? Where you want to be?”
    She glanced over her shoulder, making sure Greg and Louisa were still nowhere in sight.
     Then she glanced back at Gabe, her knees shaking under the table.
    “There’s a lot in that…contract.” She could barely get the word out. She lowered her
     gaze because she couldn’t meet his stare any longer. “A lot to consider.”
    When she chanced a peek at him, there was a look of absolute satisfaction in his eyes.
    “So you’ve already read over it then.”
    “I skimmed it,” she lied, trying to sound casual and at least a little sophisticated.
     As if she entertained such offers all the time. “I intend to go over it more thoroughly
     tonight.”
    “Good. I want you to be certain.”
    He reached across the table and slid his fingers over her wrist. Her pulse leapt and
     reacted to the simple touch, and chill bumps raced up her arm.
    “Quit your job, Mia,” he said in a quiet voice that didn’t carry beyond the table.
     “You know this isn’t where you need to be. I can give you far greater opportunities.”
    “For you or for me?” she challenged.
    He smiled again and it was so damn seductive that she nearly melted on the spot.
    “It will be a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
    “I can’t just leave them shorthanded. It wouldn’t be right, Gabe.”
    “I’ll ensure they get a temporary employee until they fill your position. There are
     plenty of people who need jobs, Mia. The Millers don’t
want
to let you go. They aren’t looking because they’re perfectly happy for you to stay
     on for as long as they can keep you.”
    Mia hesitated and then nervously pushed back her hair with one hand. “I’ll consider
     it.”
    Gabe smiled again, his eyes glowing with warmth. Before she could react, he pulled
     her forward, tilting her chin up with his finger. His mouth melted over hers, hot
     and breathless. She didn’t move, didn’t pull away. She went soft against him, leaning
     further into his embrace as he deepened the kiss.
    His tongue brushed over hers, teasing lightly before retreating. He licked over her
     bottom lip and then tugged gently, sucking it between his teeth.
    “Think about it, Mia,” he whispered. “I’ll be waiting for your decision.”
    And then he pulled away and walked out of the shop to his waiting car.
    Mia stood staring at the street long after he’d pulled away. Her lips tingled from
     his kiss and she put her fingers over her mouth. She could still smell him, still
     felt the imprint of his body against hers.
    She was startled from her stupor when the bell above the door jangled and a customer
     walked in. Louisa came from the back and rang the customer up while Mia removed Gabe’s
     half-full coffee cup and the uneaten croissant from his table.
    It was nearly time for her to leave for the day. She only worked a few hours, usually
     during the lunch rush, and sometimes on Saturday and Sunday mornings if they really
     needed her.
    She walked slowly to the back to remove her apron and the beret, her mind in turmoil.
     Greg was baking and Louisahustled back to rejoin him. Mia stood in the doorway for a long moment before Greg
     looked up and saw her.
    “Is something wrong, Mia?” he asked.
    She took a deep breath and slowly expelled it. “There’s something I need to tell you
     and Louisa.”

chapter five
    “Holy shit, you quit?” Caroline asked.
    Mia slowly nodded and then turned her attention back to the near-boiling water on
     the stove. She salted it and then added the spaghetti.
    “Come on, you have to tell me more. What prompted this decision? I was beginning to
     think you were going to make a career as a pastry chef or something.”
    “You sound like Gabe,” Mia muttered.
    Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “Is he why you quit? Spill, girlfriend. You’re still holding
     out on me about today’s meeting, and it’s driving me crazy!”
    Mia hesitated and then clamped her lips shut. She couldn’t tell Caroline about the
     contract. Or anything with regard to her meeting with Gabe. If she was going to agree
     to this—and apparently she was giving it serious consideration—she didn’t want the
     details of her private life—with Gabe—to be known. Even by her best friend.
    But she had to tell her something. So she went with the lesser of the two evils.
    “He