by Lily Danes
She gave a silent nod.
“Ditch your date.” The words were so low they were practically a growl.
Again, she nodded.
“I’ll meet you outside in fifteen.” Gabe pushed away from her and strode toward the open doors.
Maddie adjusted her dress and took a deep calming breath. Fifteen minutes should be enough time to find the party’s host and, somehow, convince Peter Hastings to hire her.
Chapter Eight
He didn’t have much time. For a moment, Gabe considered dropping his plan, but he was certain he’d regret it. It wasn’t like he’d receive daily invitations to the Hastings mansion.
Gabe knew better than to sneak around the party, drawing even more attention to himself. Instead, he walked confidently across the deck. He nodded at a few familiar faces, men from the docks out for a smoke.
The first door he tried was locked. He made a show of mild confusion, then wandered to the next set of French doors. They were also locked, but the third time, he got lucky. He slipped into an empty hallway.
The house was so immense he could barely hear the party. The hum of the band, a hint of voices. That was it.
Though he remained watchful, Gabe was unexpectedly happy. Not just because he was taking action—but because the action had nothing to do with Maddie. If he’d stuck to his original plan, he would be seducing her right now and planning what he could ask during pillow talk.
He was such an idiot. He should have known it was a terrible plan from the first time he saw her. Only a fool would be able to discuss shipping records while lying naked next to Maddie.
And if he wasn’t going to use her, if they were going to come together simply because they wanted each other…maybe there was a tiny chance he wouldn’t ruin everything. At least not right away.
Gabe strolled down the hallway, feeling almost jaunty.
The house had been built with hardwood floors, but imported carpets lined the hallways, their blues and reds a sharp contrast to the sunny yellow walls. Nothing about the house suggested it was the lair of a supervillain who ran guns and set up innocent men to take the fall. It was just the home of some old rich guy with good taste.
Gabe pressed an ear against each door in turn, holding his breath and listening for any sound. Then he eased them open, prepared to offer an excuse about how he’d gotten turned around.
The first two were bedrooms. Suitcases lay open on luggage racks. Guest rooms, then. The family rooms were probably upstairs. The third door led to a powder room. The fourth room was a library, the kind you only saw in movies, with floor-to-ceiling books and a ladder on rails.
The fifth door was locked.
If there was anything to find, odds were it hid behind a locked door. Even with Maddie waiting, he couldn’t walk away now.
Believing the party was at Oliver’s house, Gabe had brought a slim pocket knife, the kind with all sorts of attachments…including a pretty decent lock pick. He’d practiced with it on his own door for several hours and still wasn’t very good. With his record, it was ridiculous how little he knew about being a criminal. In his nervousness, he worked too fast and scratched the door handle. Minutes ticked by, and the entire time Gabe waited for someone to catch him. He wouldn’t be able to make any excuse about being lost, not now. By the time he got it open, he was sweating and his heart raced. He shut the door behind him.
It was Peter Hastings’ office. He’d hit the jackpot.
An enormous wood desk filled the room. It was covered with a blotter, a paperweight, two fountain pens—and a large model of a planned building site. Gabe studied it for a second, but nothing about it was familiar.
Gabe hurried to the other side, aware of every passing minute. The top drawer held nothing but blank notepads and office supplies. The middle was locked, and once again he used the pocket knife. The drawer held Peter Hastings’ passport and checkbook.
The bottom drawer was taller than the others, obviously a file cabinet. Gabe’s hands shook as he worked the knife into the lock. The drawer sprung open, revealing a neat row of manila folders.
Gabe stared at it stupidly, unsure what he should look for. It was unlikely Hastings kept papers titled “Illegal Gun Shipments.”
He rifled through the files. They were a mix of memos and bank statements, so much money it made his head spin. Some were personal accounts, some trusts, and at least half of them were from the various Hastings businesses. He didn’t understand a word of what he read. Gabe had never even had a checking account.
He pulled his new phone out of his pocket. It was a pay-as-you-go model and had taken too much of his advance, but he couldn’t resist the luxury. Having a phone number made him feel a tiny bit like he was part of this world.
Plus, it had a camera. He almost wanted to kiss the sales clerk who pushed him to upgrade to a smart phone instead of going with the cheapest model.
It would take too long to photograph everything, but it was a start. No way in hell was Gabe walking out of here with no new information. If Peter Hastings was involved in any way, he needed to know.
He focused on the documents with the most information, even if he had no idea what any of it meant.
At least twenty minutes had passed since he’d agreed to meet Maddie. Was she standing in the cold, rubbing her upper arms to ward off the chill? Or had she already left, recovered from her temporary insanity and congratulating herself on a near-miss?
And just like that, he had absolutely no idea why he was in some geezer’s office, photographing a bunch of papers when he should be pulling her down the road, kissing and touching her every step of the way, unable to wait till they reached her front door.
He reminded himself that he was in Hastings’ office because he needed the truth. Needed to understand the past that had made him who he was.
But Maddie was the present, whispered his traitorous inner voice. When was he going to get another chance with someone like her? Take it now. Take it before she figured out what he was and ran screaming in the opposite direction.
“Fuck it,” he muttered. The photos he’d taken would just need to be enough. Gabe replaced the files and locked the drawers. He shoved the phone into the inside pocket of his suit and strode toward the door—only to freeze when someone knocked.
Knocked on the door he hadn’t bothered to lock behind him.
He really wasn’t a criminal mastermind, was he?
Gabe’s eyes darted around the office. He could hide under the desk or…the curtains. They were thick green velvet, floor to ceiling, and more than heavy enough to keep him hidden.
The curtain had barely dropped into place when the door swung open. Gabe perched in the bay window and waited.
“Mr. Hastings?”
Gabe’s jaw dropped. What the hell was Maddie doing here? She was supposed to be waiting for him, or maybe pissed at him for standing her up. She definitely wasn’t supposed to be lurking around Peter Hastings’ office.
He listened as the door clicked shut behind her and padded footsteps headed his way, the rug softening the sound of her heels as she moved toward the desk. After that, it was silent for a long time.
When she spoke again, it was a quiet murmur. “The Farrows’ nursery isn’t here,” she muttered to herself. Gabe had no idea what she was talking about, but it meant something to her.
At last, her footsteps moved away from him—at the same time he heard low voices in the hallway.
“Fuck!”
Gabe almost smiled. It was the first time he’d heard her swear, and she did it well. She wasn’t just the controlled professional woman or the pajama-wearing softie. His picture of Maddie kept growing.
The voices stopped outside the door. Too late, he understood, but it didn’t matter. There was no place for him to go—and no hiding from Maddie when she lifted the curtain.
Maddie opened her mouth in a little O of surprise, but before she could find any words, Gabe’s hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her forward. Unp
repared, she lost her footing and fell against him. His chest was so warm and solid, and at that moment she only wanted to hammer it with her fists.
He wasn’t leaving Peter Hastings flowers and a thank you note, that much she knew. Somehow, out on the dance floor she’d forgotten the one thing she always needed to remember. Gabriel Reyes was a felon.
She glared at him, letting him see her disgust. He was so close, his lips just inches from hers, and his dark eyes were…accusatory?
What right did he have…okay, maybe he had a little right. She was in the same position he was, snooping around Hastings’ office. The difference was her intentions were good. Maddie was looking for the older man. She’d only intended to plead her case, but when she saw the model of the new development, she hadn’t been able to help herself. After all, if she understood the project a little more, she might be able to find a way in.
It wasn’t like she planned on stealing anything. Of the two of them, she wasn’t the convicted criminal.
Maddie ran her hands across his pants pockets. He jumped in surprise, but she ignored him. Next, she checked the pockets on the left side of his jacket, then the right, but she didn’t feel anything but the outline of his phone.
“What did you take?” She tried to mouth the words, but her voice came out as a low hiss.
He shook his head and placed his index finger against her lips. The office door opened.
She relaxed a little when she heard Oliver’s voice. He wouldn’t be happy to find her there, but he’d at least listen to her explanation. “Another smashing success, Dad. There are more deals being made on that dance floor than during fifty golf games.”
Damn it. She suspected Peter Hastings would be less understanding than his son if they found her huddled behind the curtains.
The man cleared his throat, the sound rough. “And you should be out there, doing the same,” Peter Hastings reminded his son. Maddie was surprised to hear the man’s once-strong voice, now weakened by his stroke. The words came out a little slower as he forced them through unresponsive lips. “But if you must be here, tell me your thoughts on the revised model.”
Maddie listened as best she could, hoping to hear information about the nursery. She couldn’t believe Oliver really planned to knock it down, but the model was pretty clear. The nursery she visited every weekend was going to be replaced by an enormous hotel.
As they talked, it became clear Oliver had no objections to that plan, either.
Though she tried to stay focused on their conversation, the words soon became the drone of business proposals, land permits, and escrow funds—topics that were a lot less interesting than the warm body next to her.
She’d fallen between Gabe’s thighs. Her hips were pressed tight against his—and there was hard evidence he’d also noticed her position.
Very hard.
Maddie inhaled, glad the heavy curtains hid the sound. Even so, this was ridiculous. Her boss and his father weren’t even ten feet away. If that wasn’t bad enough, Gabe had finally revealed who he really was. This wasn’t an ex-con trying to rebuild his life. He hadn’t made it a month before he was back to his old ways. There was nothing arousing about this situation.
The flush that covered her cheeks said otherwise. The way her skin practically vibrated at his proximity did, too. She licked her lips, remembering his taste. Gabe’s lids grew heavy as he followed the movement of her tongue.
Almost against her will, she pressed her hips tighter to his, undulating against the hard length until he closed his eyes, his face pained.
Her anger transformed into a savage victory. This was it. This was her revenge. She would show him what he lost that night. What he could have had, if he hadn’t proven himself a lying asshole.
His index finger was still pressed against her mouth. She softened her lips and drew the tip of his finger into her mouth. She ran her tongue around the tip, then slid her lips to his second knuckle and sucked gently.
Gabe’s face contorted as he fought against the pleasure. He made a fist with his other hand and shoved it into his mouth, biting his knuckles to stay silent. Maddie ground against his erection, a slow back and forth movement that hit her clit just right.
He wrenched his finger from her mouth and moved the hand to her ass, holding her against him as he began to rock his hips with hers.
Maddie bit her lip, knowing how important it was to stay silent. No loud gasps. No telltale sounds of rustling clothes. Just two bodies pressed together so tight there wasn’t even room for air between them.
Gabe moved his other hand to the back of her head and pulled her lips to his. It wasn’t a kiss so much as a ravishing. He bit her bottom lip a little too hard, then sent his invading tongue to meet hers. Their tongues twined together, moving faster until Gabe’s was thrusting against hers, fucking her with his mouth while his hips mirrored the motion.
The world slowed to just his taste. His touch. The hand gripping her ass slid down to grip the hem of her dress. He began slowly, confirming that the skirt wouldn’t crinkle loudly when adjusted, then hurried up her bare thigh until he found her underwear. Maddie didn’t own date underwear, not anymore. This pair was nothing more than black boy-cuts that wouldn’t show lines, but at least they were smooth and silky. Gabe slid his fingers underneath the band to grip the flesh of her ass, and she almost groaned as his callused fingers met her soft skin.
It wasn’t enough, not for either of them. Gabe moved the hand forward and stroked her, his eyes darkening when he found her dripping wet.
One finger slid inside, then a second. In and out, matching his tongue. Matching the motion of his hips grinding against hers.
She wasn’t showing him what he was missing anymore. She was learning what she’d never have again.
It was too much. Maddie fell against him, her mouth finding the spot where his neck met his shoulder. She bit hard to stifle her screams. The orgasm seemed to last forever, her muscles clenching hard around his fingers. A second later, Gabe stilled, then shuddered beneath her. His face contorted as he fought to hold in his own groans.
They never made a sound, but in the silence Maddie felt her world shift.
They stayed there for a long moment, letting their heartbeats return to normal. The smell of their arousal hit her, musky and potent.
She pulled back in horror. What the hell had she just done? There was no way the men just behind the curtain hadn’t noticed. The heavy velvet could only block so much.
But no one moved toward them. In fact the room was silent. Maddie shoved herself away from Gabe, and after a minute she dared to peer around the curtain. No one was there.
For a moment, she considered staying. There was so much she still wanted to say to him.
She wanted to accuse him, to reject him. She wanted to demand he throw her across the desk and fuck her hard, legs thrown across his shoulders while he pounded into her.
She said none of it. Instead, avoiding Gabe’s eyes—too afraid of what she might see there—she pushed the curtain aside and ran from the room.
Chapter Nine
He woke to pounding.
Gabe shot up, his heart racing. This was why he always left a light on. Otherwise, he’d forget where he was and believe, for several panicked seconds, that he was back in prison.
He wondered if he’d ever stop feeling those bars surround him.
The pounding continued, someone hammering on his front door.
He dragged on a pair of black sweatpants and padded to the door, peering through the keyhole.
Maddie stood in the hallway.
Gabe undid the chain slowly, buying himself time to think. Usually, when a woman showed up at a man’s house at four a.m., her plans involved a whole other kind of pounding, but her glower told him her earlier lust had passed.
His sure hadn’t. The long walk home, followed by a cold shower, only gave him more time to remember every horrible and exquisite detail. The look of disgust on her face when she found him hiding
would haunt him—as would the memory of her slim body shaking as she came around his fingers.
As for him…had he really come in his pants like a damn teenager just from grinding against her? Yeah, Maddie made him as horny as any sixteen-year-old, but that was downright shameful.
It had just been so long. So damn long since he felt anything that good.
It meant he had to do a better job next time. Show her what he could really do, given a bit of time and space. He couldn’t have her thinking he was some two-minute wonder.
Looking at her black expression, he remembered there probably wouldn’t be a next time. With a sigh, he opened the door.
Maddie barreled inside. She wore an old pair of jeans, soft and form-fitting, paired with an oversized gray sweater. It looked like she’d dressed in a hurry. Her heavy overcoat was unzipped, and she wore no scarf or mittens. Her cheeks and hands were red, and she shivered from the cold.
“God, Maddie, you’re freezing. Do you want some hot chocolate?” The studio came with a small kitchenette, and he was filling the electric kettle before she could answer. She might not want chocolate, but he’d get something warm down her throat before she collapsed from hypothermia.
When she didn’t answer, he reluctantly met her eyes. They blazed with anger. Perhaps her rage had kept her warm during the walk from her house to town.
“Why were you in Hastings’ office?”
He hesitated, wondering if any lie would fix this. She noticed.
“The truth. You owe me that.”
Bullshit. They’d known each other a week. Sure, there was an insane connection between them that made him want to fuck her every minute of the day, but that was nothing but lust. He’d made no promises, and he didn’t owe her a damn thing.
Then why the hell did he feel so guilty?
He turned it around on her. “Why were you?”
“Because Oliver says I’m not experienced enough to work on this real estate deal, even though it would be great for my career. So I tried to go around him and ask his dad, who’s in charge of this project.”
