Rush

steak in front of him.
    “Eat,” he said in a quiet voice that brooked no argument. It was a command. One he
     didn’t intend for her to ignore. “I’m not going to jump you at the table. Anticipation
     makes the final reward all the more sweet.”
    She retrieved her fork and knife and cut into the steak, but she had no idea of the
     taste. She ate mechanically, a tingle of awareness buzzing through her body. Evidently
     Gabe had no intention of easing into this relationship. But then that wasn’t him.
     He went full-out at everything. It was his style and what had made him so successful
     in business. He went after what he wanted with single-minded determination. And now
     she was the thing he wanted.
    She sipped at the wine just to have something to fill the awkwardness. She didn’t
     know if she wanted to slow way down and take her time with her meal to buy her more
     time, or if she wanted to dive in and finish quickly so they could move on to…dessert.
    Gabe finished before her and sat back, looking unfazed as he sipped at his wine. His
     gaze never left her, and he watched her every movement. He looked cool and aloof.
     Until she looked into his eyes. There, it was a completely different story. His eyes
     burned with impatience and simmered with heat.
    Leaving only a small portion, she pushed her plate back andcarefully leaned back in her own chair. Though she didn’t speak, the
what now?
floated almost tangibly between them. Gabe surveyed her lazily and then said, “Go
     to the middle of the living room and stand, Mia.”
    Swallowing and then sucking in a deep breath, she rose as gracefully as she was able,
     determined that she would be poised. And confident. This man wanted her.
Her
. Not some other woman. It was time to act like she belonged here.
    She walked across the hardwood floors, her heels clicking in the silence. When she
     got to the middle of the room, she slowly turned, only to see Gabe walk over to the
     armchair that was situated catty-corner to the leather couch.
    He sank into the chair and angled one leg over the other in a casual pose that signaled
     how relaxed he was. She wished she could say the same for herself. She felt like she
     was on an auction block, standing before him as he devoured her with his stare.
    “Undress for me,” he said, his voice vibrating over her skin.
    She stared back at him, eyes wide as she processed the command.
    He lifted an eyebrow. “Mia?”
    She started to slip out of her shoes, but he halted her.
    “Leave the shoes on. Just the shoes.”
    She lifted her hands to the three buttons in front and slowly unfastened them. Then
     she pulled the shoulders down and let the dress slide down her body, leaving her in
     only her bra and panties.
    Gabe’s pupils flared. Raw hunger ignited and his features became primal. An uncontrolled
     shiver worked up her spine. Her nipples hardened, pressing against the silky material
     of her bra. The man was lethal and he hadn’t so much as touched her yet. But his gaze.
     It was like being brushed with fire when he raked his stare down her body and back
     up.
    “Bra or panties first?” she asked huskily.
    He smiled. “Why, Mia, I do believe you’re quite the tease. Panties first.”
    She hooked her thumbs into the lacy, thin waistband and slowly pulled downward. It
     was instinctual to try to cover herself, to preserve what little modesty she had,
     but she forced herself to let the tiny scrap of material drop to the floor. She stepped
     free and slid the panties away with the toe of her shoe.
    Then she raised her hands again, pushing back her hair and then arranging it over
     one shoulder so she could reach the clasp of her bra. She unhooked it and the cups
     loosened, baring the underswell of her breasts.
    “Move your hair back now,” Gabe murmured.
    One hand holding her bra over her breasts, she pushed her hair back with the other
     hand. Then she carefully lowered the bra, allowing the straps to slide down her arms.
     She pulled it from her body and then let it fall to the floor with her other clothing.
    “Beautiful,” Gabe said, his voice a low growl of appreciation.
    She stood, vulnerable, as she awaited his next command. It was clear he was in no
     hurry whatsoever and he intended to savor seeing her unclothed for the first time.
    Her arms crept around her middle and then up toward her breasts.
    “No, don’t hide from me,” Gabe said softly. “Come here, Mia.”
    She took a trembling step