Rush

best friend. A passing acquaintance and someone he saw in conjunction with
     Jace.
    She was beginning to realize that Gabe had had a much keener interest in her, dating
     back longer than she could have imagined. She didn’t know whether to be alarmed or
     triumphant over that fact.
    “So what is your answer?” he prompted. “Do we have an agreement? Have I allayed your
     fears or do you have other concerns to bring up?”
    She could sense the impatience in his voice. He looked just as he did when wrapping
     up an important business deal. Hard. Unyielding. And uncompromising. Only he
had
compromised. He’d made concessions she hadn’t truly thought he’d make, and that comforted
     her. It made her feel like the balance of power wasn’t quite so out of her favor.
    There was no doubt there would be a distinct inequality and that the power swung more
     heavily to his side, but she wasn’t without choices. The fact that he’d shown he wasn’t
     completely inflexible gave her the confidence to forge ahead.
    “We have an agreement,” she said in a quiet tone.
    She reached into her bag and pulled out the contract that already bore her signature.
     She handed it to him, hating the awkwardness wrought by the fact that her sex life
     had become a business negotiation.
    “I wasn’t sure what to do about the changes. I mean, the things I wanted changed and
     also the part about Jace. I thought it was better to make sure everything was in writing
     so I struck through the clauses and reworded and initialed.”
    He looked a little taken aback and then he laughed, a deep, throaty sound that vibrated
     over her, sending pleasure up her spine.
    “So were you prepared to walk if you didn’t like my answers?” he asked.
    She glanced up, caught his gaze and held it, and then she nodded.
    He smiled as he took the contract. “Good. In business, the biggest power you have
     is the willingness to walk away from a deal. You’re not the mouse Jace thinks you
     are. I think you’re going to do very well as my assistant.”
    He rose and then extended his hand down to help her to her feet. She slid her hand
     into his, savoring the warmth and strength of his hold. Just having his hands on her
     now that the dynamic of their relationship had changed filled her with anticipation.
     No longer would his touches be casual. Each would have deeper meaning. She was his.
     His possession. She belonged to him.
    “Come to my desk and I’ll initial your changes and sign it. I’ll have my lawyer finalize
     it and send you a copy.”
    Her nose wrinkled and he halted halfway to his desk. He simply lifted an eyebrow in
     question, and she sighed.
    “It just sounds so…I don’t even have the word. I know I’m being silly. I’ve never
     entered a relationship where a lawyer was involved beforehand. It sounds so…cold.”
    Gabe touched her cheek, just a simple gesture of reassurance. “I do this to protect
     myself as well as you. But Mia? I can guarantee you one thing. Our relationship will
     never be cold. It will be a lot of things, but cold isn’t one of them.”
    His hand fell away, leaving her to contemplate the heat in his stare and the sensuality
     of his touch. And the quiet vow in his voice. No, she didn’t imagine their relationship
     would be at all cold. Hot. Torrid. Breathless. Consuming. All of those words she could
     well imagine. But definitely not cold.
    He went to his desk and hastily scribbled his initials, and then affixed his signature
     beside hers on the last page. Then he turned, pushing the contract farther across
     his desk.
    “There’s a lot that needs to be done. I’ll set up an appointment for you with my personal
     physician to have the necessary physical done as well as set up your method of birth
     control if you aren’t already on it. You’ll be supplied a copy of my last medical
     checkup as well as a copy of all my blood tests. But first you’ll need to visit my
     human resources director to set the terms of your employment, and of course your benefits
     and salary.”
    “Okay,” she croaked out, suddenly overwhelmed by just how fast her life was changing.
     Was she prepared for this?
    “It’s going to be all right, Mia,” he said in a low voice. “Trust me to take care
     of you.”
    Peace settled over her. Exhilaration took hold. Like riding a roller coaster and topping
     that peak only to plunge over, wind in your face, heart beating a mile a minute.
    “I do trust you, Gabe. I