by Leigh James
“What if…what if he’s not okay when he wakes up? Or…what if he doesn’t wake up?” Her voice cracked.
I hugged her to me. “Then we’ll deal with it.”
“Okay,” she said, even as she wept against my chest. “Okay.”
Later, after my poor sister had finally gone to sleep, Gabe and I went to bed. Gabe propped himself up a little, the sheet falling away from his broad chest. I looked away and then closed my eyes so I could think straight. “It’s been a hell of a day.”
“I know.” He brushed the hair off my face and stroked my cheek. “I gotta tell you, I really wanted to go after Li Na myself. I was ready to fight her, and if I couldn’t do that, I at least wanted to take out more of her guards. If I couldn’t do that, I was looking forward to having all our international partners bail out and leave her in the dust. I would’ve enjoyed the hell out of that. But do you know what’s so much better?”
“Um, no?”
He traced his thumb along my jawline. “Watching you rip up that contract and telling Li Na to fuck off. That was awesome. That was hot, babe.”
“Thanks for the, er, compliment, but I’m still very upset about what you did. I thought I was going to lose you…” Even all these hours later, I shivered at how close he’d come to being killed.
“You couldn’t lose me if you tried.” He flashed his dimple.
“Don’t try to use your dimple on me right now. I’m still angry at you. About the…shooting.” I could barely get the word out. I shifted away, my wrath resurfacing. “It was terrible seeing you like that—I was so worried you were going to get killed. You don’t have to prove anything to me, you know.”
“I wasn’t trying to prove anything to you.”
“You don’t need to prove anything to your brothers either.”
He moved closer. “It didn’t have anything to do with them.”
“Then why? Why would you put yourself in harm’s way like that?”
The muscle in Gabe’s jaw jumped. “If things were different, I would say that the reason I did it was to prove something to myself. Because I wanted to know if I could be brave…if my father might’ve misjudged me. But I understand that my father didn’t think I was weak—he just wanted to protect me. A very special person showed me that.” He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “So that’s not why I went out there.”
“I’m glad that’s settled. But I’d like to know the real reason you risked your life.”
“Because I love you. You’re my family now, babe. I wanted to save your sister more than anything…” He looked over and gave me a tentative smile. “And I got to the car first. Okay?”
I could only pretend to be mad at him after that—he did save Hannah. “It’s only okay because you’re not dead.”
“I appreciate that.” He kissed me, our tongues connecting lazily at first. I started to get excited, to get wet with need as my heart rate picked up, my breath coming faster. My hands roamed over his chest, tracing the planes of his muscles greedily as he stripped off my clothes.
I wanted to stop, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted him, despite my exhaustion and my anger from earlier in the day. I always wanted him. My body reacted even as my mind told me to stop—that he should be punished for what he’d done, risking his life like that.
Still, as if they had a mind of their own, my hands ran down his back to his firm ass. I pulled him closer.
My body was such a traitor.
“I told you I’d enjoy having you thank me when you were naked.”
“I didn’t say thank you.”
His eyes flashed. “You will.”
“You really don’t ever stop, do you?”
“You’d get bored if I did, babe.”
Gabe nudged my legs apart with his knee and brushed his fingers along the inside of my thigh. I shivered in pleasure. His hand inched its way up to my soft folds, which he expertly parted. I moved eagerly against his hand, and he chuckled darkly. “You’re still angry—I can tell—but you’re also wet for me. I can also tell that.”
He circled my clit, and I felt a sharp need radiate from deep inside me. My body ached for him, for him to fill me the way only he could.
Gabe spread my legs farther apart and put his face between my thighs, sighing happily. “I can’t wait to get back in here. But I’m going to make you come like this first.” His tongue lashed at me, causing my body to instantly spasm in response.
I cried out in spite of myself, and he laughed between my legs, his breath hot on my sex.
He toyed with my clit, lapping at it until I dug my fingers into his hair. He stopped for a moment and blew on my swollen nub, making me shiver. And then he put his mouth over me again, slowly and expertly.
I panted as he nipped me with his teeth. The combination of sensations was too much, and also exactly enough—I screamed as he overwhelmed me with sensations, pleasure ripping through me. And then I came, hard.
He kissed me gently and fingered my swollen clit. “I think you need more. You don’t seem grateful enough.” He gently pulled up my shaking body and rolled me over onto all fours. “So now I’m going to make you come like this.”
I was woozy, breathing hard, still not recovered from the depth of my orgasm. But I still shivered in anticipation as he notched the top of his cock into me. He slid in an inch, and I cried out, my body quaking around him, wanting more.
Gabe filled me with his cock and started to thrust.
“Oh, fuck yeah!” I cried.
“That’s my girl. I’ll give you what you want, babe.” He circled my asshole with his thumb and then slid it in gently so that every part of me was filled with him. He pressed down as he thrust, increasing the pressure and sensation. The edges of my vision blurred as another orgasm built inside me.
Gabe’s thrusts grew more intense as he pounded the tension and frustration of the day into me. I took it greedily. His thumb slid in and out of my ass, fucking me, and I felt my body spasm and tremble, out of my control.
“Oh,” I said, my voice quaking as I started to come again. “Oh!”
Gabe’s hips thrust against me, and he cursed as he came in a hot torrent. I started to cry in joy and relief as my body crumpled around his, sucking his seed greedily out of him, overcome with pleasure, relief, and exhaustion.
All thought ceased. All anger ceased. There was nothing but me and Gabe, and for a brief, precious time, the rest of the world fell away.
“Babe?” he said later, when I’d thought he was asleep.
“Yes?”
“You’re welcome.”
And even though I could barely move and my brain was mush, I laughed.
GABE
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay without us?” I asked Hannah as I followed her into the laundry room. She’d accepted our offer to stay and had settled in at the house. She’d been busy visiting Wes for hours every day, and she seemed to be getting back to normal—doing her laundry, catching up on email and texts from her friends and coworkers, stocking the refrigerator with sushi and foul-smelling green drinks from Whole Foods. Packages were being delivered every day from her online shopping efforts; she’d bought Wesley at least ten new pairs of very stylish pajamas.
“Yes, I told you. Go and have fun. Ellis and I will be with Wesley. Everything will be fine,” she insisted. “Dr. Kim said he wants to run some more tests before they try to wake him up, so there’s still nothing new with his condition. It’s just a waiting game. Trust me, I can hold down the fort around here.”
“You aren’t afraid to be alone?”
She unleashed an eye roll on me. “I’m hardly alone—Levi has ten guys watching me.”
“Well, then, good.” I shrugged.
Hannah watched me from where she was standing, neatly folding her clothes. “Why are you still standing there?”
“No reason.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Something’s going on.”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
&n
bsp; “Is Lauren pregnant?” she shrieked.
“Shh—no.”
Hannah jumped up and down. “Then what is it? Tell me.”
“I wanted to ask your permission for something—”
Hannah launched herself at me, enveloping me in a hug. “You have it. And I knew it—I knew it!”
I hugged her back. “Please, don’t say anything.”
“Oh, I won’t.” She released me and started pacing, gleefully rubbing her hands together, a manic gleam in her eye. “We’ll have to book the Ritz—no, that’s too obvious—The Palisades. That’ll be perfect! And I always wanted to see Lauren in a lace gown. I saw the perfect one in Ralph Lauren’s bridal collection last spring…strapless…she’ll have a fit, but tough luck. We’ll have to have vegetarian-friendly catering, of course, but that shouldn’t be a problem…”
“Hannah?”
She didn’t seem to hear me—she just kept pacing and talking to herself. I backed out of the room, wondering if Lauren would ever forgive me for unleashing her sister, the ultimate event planner, on her impending nuptials.
That she didn’t even know about.
And that she hasn’t even said yes to, I reminded myself.
I swallowed over a sudden lump in my throat, then went to collect Lauren and my brothers to head back home to Boston.
Chapter 26
Lauren
I got a text from Li Na as soon as we landed in Boston. I’m not even close to done with you.
Well, I’m sorry to hear that, because I’m certainly done with you, I texted back. I know rejection’s hard to handle, but you really need to stop embarrassing yourself like this. Take a hint and back off. Create some technology of your own, if you think you’re so great.
I smiled, then muted my cell phone.
Li Na had threatened to bring a lawsuit for breach of contract, violation of covenant not to compete, and to enforce the material terms of our now-defunct contract on the basis of constructive assent. Bethany assured me these were baseless claims. Frankly, the idea of Li Na having us prosecuted was laughable—I imagined if she acted as a witness and had to swear an oath, she’d burst into flames.
I tried not to worry about what Li Na might do. Hannah and Wes had a large, experienced security team watching them. Gabe and I had Timmy, Levi, Ash, and a whole unit assigned to us in Boston. Another full Betts Security unit was assigned to the grounds at Paragon. My employees were happily back to work, everything unpacked and back in order.
The patch’s numbers continued to soar through the roof. I wondered how that made Li Na feel.
I laced my fingers through Gabe’s, deciding to stop thinking about her, for the first time in what felt like forever. Instead, I looked at the charming lights of downtown Boston as we pulled up to the Four Seasons.
“It’s nice having you right next to me,” Gabe mused. “I’m sort of sad you’re not going to be in the same office park.”
“It’s probably for the best.” I winked at him. “This way, you and your big muscles won’t distract me while I’m trying to work.”
He flashed his dimple. “Babe, stop.” He threw his arm around me. “Just kidding. Please go on about my big muscles.”
A few minutes later, we were ushered to our room. “This is…opulent,” I said as Gabe tipped the bellman. I turned in a circle, looking around our suite. There were overstuffed chairs, dozens of carefully selected throw pillows, crystal chandeliers, and vases filled with flowers. A fire roared in the fireplace, completing the enticing, luxurious atmosphere.
“My mother insisted we stay here.” Gabe closed the door and swept me into his arms. “She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for the wedding. The reception’s here, and she didn’t want us traveling anywhere else. She doesn’t want to let us out of her sight.”
My stomach twisted with nerves. “But she’s never even met me.”
“My brothers have met you—and they both like you. Even Levi, and he never likes anybody.” Gabe grinned. “My mom’s going to love you. She’ll probably love you so much, you’ll have to wipe yourself down with a sanitizing wipe once I peel her off you. And you already know my soon-to-be-stepfather—he’s a big fan of yours. So stop worrying.”
Cynthia Betts’s fiancé was an old professor of mine from MIT, Alexander Viejo. I hadn’t seen him in years, but I could never forget him. He was a famous biochemist and also a brilliant professor. I’d audited one of his senior-level classes my sophomore year and found him fascinating. It would be wonderful to have another scientist around, someone to brainstorm with.
Gabe’s phone buzzed. He looked at it, a deep V forming in his brow. “Here we go,” he said, right before he answered it. “Hi, Mom.” He rolled his eyes at me as she jabbered away on the other end of the line.
I got up and headed into the bedroom to give him some privacy. I marveled at the enormous, ornately carved four-poster bed. At least the bed, and what we could do in it, would make Gabe happy. He seemed genuinely stressed out about spending time with his family, which was funny. The big, bad alpha CEO’s mother gave him a headache.
I went to the walk-in closet and examined my clothes. Since she’d been feeling better and had too much time on her hands, Hannah had insisted on buying me an entire new wardrobe for this trip. “You’re meeting his mother, Lauren. This is it,” she’d said, packing dress after dress into my garment bag.
“This is what?” I’d asked.
Hannah looked pained, as if I were about to leave the house wearing white after Labor Day. “Never mind.”
I touched the different clothes she’d chosen for me. The outfits were beautiful and stylish, more formfitting than anything I was used to wearing. They’d also cost the equivalent of a year’s tuition at a trendy boarding school, but Hannah wouldn’t listen to my protests.
Gabe poked his head in, looking wary. “We have an hour, then they’re on their way up.”
“Who?”
“All of them.” He sighed and looked at the bed, then looked back at me. “Do you think we have time to…take the edge off a little?”
I arched an eyebrow. “Whatever do you mean?”
Gabe closed the space between us, pressing his lips to my neck. He rubbed his thickening cock against me, making me swoon.
“I mean something like this.” He grabbed me, hoisting me up until my legs were wrapped around him. “Hmmm…now, what should I do with you, babe? So many positions, so little time…”
“Whatever you want. You know I’ll like it.”
He laughed, setting me back on the ground. He kissed me deeply, making me woozy. “You will like it. Now, walk over to the bed and just stand there. Don’t turn around.”
I did as I was told, listening to him as best I could over my own breathing, which had turned ragged. He unzipped his suitcase and, after rustling around for a bit, came back, still behind me where I stood at the foot of the bed. “Put your hands up over your head.”
I did, and I watched him twine one of his ties around my wrists to the bedpost. He pulled it tight.
Gabe was tying me up.
“Um…honey?”
“What, babe?” He feigned innocence.
“Should we really be doing this right before I meet your mother?”
“Can you maybe not talk right now?” He tied the tie carefully in a knot, then tested it, making sure it wouldn’t give. Then he grinned, his dimple on full display. “Babe, I am going to fuck you like this. From behind. While I bend you over. Hard. Deep. And you aren’t going to be able to get away from me.”
My body shook in anticipation. I licked my lips again. “I don’t ever want to get away from you.”
“You might in a minute.” His grin turned wicked. “When you’re begging to come, and I won’t let you until I say it’s time.”
I groaned—not this again.
“Just relax, babe. I love you. You can trust me.”
“I know—so can you hurry up?”
He chuckled, then undid my bra a
nd freed my breasts, which felt heavy and full as he took them in his hands. He caressed my sensitive nipples and rubbed his cock against my ass—my panties were already drenched. He grabbed the thin material of the bikini strap and ripped them off me.
He held up the flimsy scraps of material. “Too bad. These were nice.” He pulled my hair back and kissed my neck as I relished the feel of his naked, hard body against mine.
All that was left were the heels. And his tie, tight around my wrists.
“One more thing. I’m going to blindfold you.”
My heart rate quickened as he placed another tie gently over my eyes and fastened it at the back of my head. “I just want you to feel.” He kissed my neck. “I want you to forget everything else.” With my sight gone, the painful rush of desire between my legs seemed that much sharper and in focus. I noticed again how hard I was breathing. He had me now. I couldn’t see, and I couldn’t use my hands. I was naked and defenseless against him, and all I wanted was his dick.
He sure knew what he was doing.
I backed up against his cock. He grunted, then laughed a little. “This is why I had to tie you up. Otherwise, you’d just get your way. Now lean over as far as you can. I want to see you.”
With my hands tied to the bedpost, I could only bend over enough to expose my sex. I heard Gabe kneel behind me, then he exhaled hotly against my slit. “This is fucking perfect,” he said as he dove in. He licked me from back to front. By the time he reached my clit and pulled it between his teeth, I was quivering, already close to coming.
So of course, he stopped. Dammit. He took the tender bud in between his teeth again, making me cry out. He stuck two fingers inside me, fucking me insistently, until I was about to explode. Then he pulled them out and took his mouth off me, leaving me on the edge. My body shook, desperately wanting the release Gabe was keeping from me.
I heard him stand up and finally felt his cock between my legs. He trailed it up and down my slit, getting it slick with wetness, and allowed me to grind my clit against it for a few glorious moments. Then he grabbed my hips and positioned himself against me. “Lean back toward me. We don’t have much time.” His voice was thick and urgent.
