Rush

life. And then the car began to slow.
    Gabe erupted inside her, hot, spurting deep into her body. He pulled her all the way
     down onto his cock until there was no space separating them as he flooded into her.
     The car halted in front of his apartment and Gabe hit the intercom.
    “Give us just a moment, Thomas,” he said quietly.
    Gabe sat there a long moment, his cock still pulsing and twitching inside her. He
     raised his hands to cup her face and then he kissed her. It was a direct contradiction
     to the frenzied way he’d just taken her. It was long and sweet. Warm and so very tender.
     As if he conveyed by actions what he could never say in words. Would never say in
     words.
    He pulled her to him and held her against his body as he stroked her hair. For several
     long moments she lay against him as he softened within her.
    Finally he lifted her upward and angled her into the space beside him. He pulled a
     handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it between her legs before cleaning himself.
     Unhurried, he tucked himself back into his pants and refastened the fly, straightening
     his clothing while she pulled her dress down.
    “Ready?” he asked.
    She nodded, too shaken, too wrecked to say anything at all. Anything she said wouldn’t
     make a bit of sense anyway.
    He opened the door and got out and a moment later came around to open hers.
    “You’re staying over again,” he said as they walked toward the entrance.
    It wasn’t a request, but there was none of the usual arrogance in his voice. He said
     it matter-of-factly as though there were no other conceivable possibility. But then
     he looked at her, and brief uncertainty—so brief she wasn’t even sure if that was
     what she saw—flashed in his eyes.
    But she nodded, confirming his dictate.
    “Of course I’ll stay,” she said softly.
    They rode up the elevator and as they stepped off, he pulled her back against him,
     using his body to block the doors.
    “Wait for me in bed,” he said in a husky voice. “I won’t be too late.”
    She leaned up and brushed her mouth across his lips. “I’ll wait.”
    There was immediate satisfaction in his eyes. Then he nudged her forward and stepped
     back into the elevator so the doors could close.

chapter twenty-two
    Not surprisingly, the venue for drinks was at Rick’s in Midtown, a popular gentlemen’s
     club where Gabe, Ash and Jace were regular visitors. Jace and Ash were already there
     when Gabe strode into their VIP suite, and there were two waitresses flirting heavily
     with Jace and Ash. Their gazes immediately snapped to Gabe, interest flaring in their
     eyes.
    He dismissed them with a glance, tersely ordered his drink, and they scurried away.
    “Bad day?” Ash asked when Gabe took his seat.
    He wanted to laugh.
Bad day
didn’t begin to cover it. It was one for the record books. He didn’t think twice
     about sharing. Jace and Ash were the only two people he ever trusted with anything
     personal.
    Gabe grimaced. “Dad came to the office today wanting lunch.”
    “Shit,” Jace muttered. “Sorry, man. I know that sucks. How’s your mom doing anyway?”
    “I had dinner with her over the weekend. Had to drag her into the city. She’s been
     at that monstrosity of a house licking her wounds. I’d even thought to talk her into
     selling the house and moving into an apartment in the city. Though I guess that’s
     probably not going to happen now.”
    Ash lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
    Gabe let out a long breath. “Dad’s decided he fucked up and he wants Mom back. That
     was the reason for lunch today.”
    “Holy shit,” Ash said.
    Jace frowned. “What the fuck? He’s fucked his way through half the gold diggers in
     Manhattan. What is he thinking?”
    “According to him he didn’t fuck any of them and they didn’t mean anything.”
    Ash rolled his eyes. “Wow. That’s the lamest line in the book.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “Jesus, your day
did
suck,” Jace muttered. “First your dad and then Lisa.”
    “Yeah. Mom’s been blowing up my phone bitching about all the women my dad’s been seen
     with. Now she’ll be blowing up my phone over Dad’s latest brain fart.”
    “You want them back together?” Ash asked curiously.
    “I never wanted them apart,” Gabe said in a dark tone. “I have no idea what the hell
     possessed my dad. It sounds like total bullshit when he tries to explain it. I don’t
     think he even knows what the hell happened. So yeah, I’d