What was she supposed to do?
When she got to Gabe’s office, he was off the phone. As soon as she walked in his door, he was on his feet, his expression concerned.
“Mia, what the hell? You’re soaked! Did you not bring an umbrella?”
He hurried over to her, cursing when he took in her saturated clothing. He took the bags from her hands and discarded them without a look.
“Are you all right? What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“J-just c-cold,” she stammered out. “I got caught in the rain. It’s not a big deal, Gabe. Really.”
“You’re freezing,” he muttered. “Come on, I’ll take you home and get you into dry clothing. You’re going to make yourself ill.”
She shook her head, stepping back, her resistance so adamant that he looked taken aback.
“You have a meeting that you can’t miss,” she said. “There’s no need for you to go with me.”
“Fuck the meeting,” he said bluntly. “You’re more important.”
She shook her head again. “Have the driver bring me home. I’ll go take a hot shower and get into dry clothing. I promise. I can be back in an hour and a half.”
This time it was he who shook his head. “No. I don’t want you coming back in. Go on home and get warm. Wait for me there. I’ll be home as soon as my meeting is done.”
She nodded, cold seizing her more firmly in its grasp. Now when she was out of the rain and in the warmth of his office, she began to shiver uncontrollably. She had to keep it together or he’d know that something had gone terribly wrong.
She smiled brightly and gestured toward the bags. “The food is still good. You need to eat, Gabe. You haven’t eaten all day.”
He touched her cheek, feathering his hand over her face before leaning in to kiss her cold lips. “Don’t worry about me. Take your meal home and take it easy for the rest of the day. I’ll be home to take care of you in a little while.”
His words made her heart squeeze, but they weren’t enough to take away her terror or the enormity of the decision she faced. She needed time to think.
Already the beginnings of a headache plagued her. The dull throb at her temples coupled with the bone-deep cold was beginning to unravel her.
He went to his desk and retrieved his coat and then wrapped it around her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.
“Come on,” he said grimly. “I’ll walk you down and get you into the car. Call me if you need anything at all, okay?”
Her smile was wan. Forced. “I’ll be fine, Gabe.”
She hated lying to him.
chapter thirty-four
Gabe let himself into the apartment and frowned when he saw none of the lights were on. Had Mia misunderstood and gone to her apartment instead?
Since their return from Paris, she’d spent just about every night with him, except for one time when Jace had taken her to dinner and then dropped her back by her place. Just that one night without her had made him itchy and moody, and he’d gone to work in a black mood the next morning.
He stepped into the living room, and his tension immediately eased when he saw Mia curled up on the couch, sound asleep. His fireplace was on and she was covered from head to toe with blankets.
He frowned. Was she coming down with a bug? Thinking back, she’d been fine before she’d gone out to get their lunch. Sunny, bright and smiling. Cheerful. As beautiful as she always was. It scared the shit out of him just how dependent he’d become on her presence in his office. How integral a part of his day she was. Most people needed coffee in the mornings. He just needed Mia.
As he leaned closer to her, intending to feel her for signs of fever, he saw that her eyes were red and puffy and blotchy. As if she’d been…crying. What the hell?
What could have happened? What wasn’t she telling him? He was tempted to wake her and demand to know what the hell was wrong, but he didn’t want to disturb her. She looked tired. Deep shadows rested underneath her eyes. Had she looked this tired the night before? Had he been too hard on her? Too demanding? Was he the reason she was sick?
Dread pitted his stomach. Was this relationship too much for her? He couldn’t even promise to ease up, to back off. Instead of time begetting distance, with every passing day she became more of an overwhelming need within him. Time would only sharpen his desperation for her. Not alleviate it. He’d been a fool to ever think allowing another man to touch her would somehow prove that he wasn’t emotionally dependent on her. That it wouldn’t bother him.
He still wanted to beg her forgiveness every time his mind went back to that night in Paris. She’d already forgiven him, but just remembering had the power to take him to his knees.