Rush

he kissed her hair as he smoothed the strands
     with his hand.
    “When we get to my apartment, I have something you can take for the headache,” he
     murmured. “You need to eat something as well. I’ll make you something that isn’t hard
     on your stomach.”
    A thrill began low in her belly and worked its way into her chest. It was so easy
     to lose herself in the fantasy of being with Gabe because he
made
it easy. He took absolute care of her. He saw to her every need. Was he demanding?
     Hell yes, but he wasn’t selfish. He took. He was ruthless in his demands. But he gave
     her back so much. Not just materially but emotionally, though he’d likely deny he
     did any such thing.
    She was nearly asleep when they rolled to a stop in front of Gabe’s building. Gabe
     got out, and to her surprise, he reached in and lifted her into his arms, carrying
     her through the doorway to the elevator.
    She burrowed her head underneath his chin and enjoyed the strength of his hold on
     her. He carried her into the elevator and had her insert the card to get to his floor
     and then they rode up, her nestled solidly in his arms.
    In his living room, he lowered her onto the couch, and then went to get pillows and
     a blanket from his bed. He tucked her in and then went into the kitchen a moment.
     He returned with a glass of milk and a pill. She frowned when she saw it and raised
     her gaze in question.
    “It’ll help your head,” he said. “But drink some milk first. It will make you woozy
     and it will be worse if there’s nothing in your stomach.”
    “What is it?” she asked suspiciously.
    “Take it, Mia. I wouldn’t give you anything that would harm you. And since I can assure
     you that you won’t be randomly drug tested at the office, you’re perfectly safe to
     take it.”
    She smiled as much as her headache would let her and then took the pill. She drank
     half of the glass of milk beforeswallowing the pill, and then she drank down the rest, handing the glass back to him.
    “Get comfortable. I’ll make us something and we’ll eat in here,” he said.
    Content to let him wait on her hand and foot, she tugged the blanket up to her chin
     and then laid her head in the nest of pillows he’d arranged. If this was going to
     be her treatment every time she pissed him off, she’d have to make sure she did it
     more often. Not that she even knew what he was angry about.
    She was just starting to feel the effects of the medication he’d given her when he
     walked back in carrying a breakfast tray. The pain had eased and in its place warm
     euphoria sludged through her veins.
    “Feeling better yet?” he asked in a low voice as he sat beside her.
    “Yeah. Thanks. You’re very good to me, Gabe.”
    Their gazes locked and held for the longest time. Then his lips thinned. “You likely
     won’t say that after I tear into you for that stunt you pulled last night.”
    She sighed. “What did I do? Granted I don’t remember much, but when I got to my apartment
     you were there and you were pissed. Why?”
    He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’d even have to ask that.” When she tried to
     speak again, he held up his hand. “Eat, Mia. We’ll discuss the matter once you’ve
     finished and are feeling better.”
    He handed her a plate with a toasted bagel and cream cheese and a small bowl of diced
     fruit.
    She stared dubiously at it, unsure whether her stomach would take anything at this
     point. She took a tentative bite of the bagel, deciding dry bread would be more appealing
     than the moist fruit.
    As soon as she took that first bite, her stomach roared to life.She hadn’t eaten the evening before and then all that alcohol on an empty stomach?
     No wonder she’d been so trashed.
    “Starving,” she mumbled.
    He sighed impatiently. “Did you even eat last night before you drank that much alcohol?”
    She shook her head, bracing herself for his reaction.
    “Damn it, Mia.”
    He looked as though he wanted to say more, but he shut his lips together in a firm
     line and then directed his attention to his own breakfast.
    She was honest enough with herself to admit she took her sweet time eating even though
     she wanted to consume everything in one bite. The longer she took to eat, the longer
     it would be before Gabe tore a strip off her hide.
    “You may as well finish up,” Gabe said. “You’re only delaying the inevitable, Mia.”
    She grumbled under her breath, and then leaned forward to