Rush(51)
But then he preferred no emotional entanglements in his relationships. He demanded it. But over her dead body was he going to flirt with some floozy when he had a contract with Mia. She’d kick both their asses if that’s what it took.
She shoved forward, extending the drink to Gabe’s father.
“Thank you, my dear,” Mr. Hamilton said with a warm smile.
Stella turned a pout up at Gabe. “Dance with me, Gabe. The music’s just going to waste and I’m ready to move.”
Gabe chuckled and it grated on every one of Mia’s nerves.
“If you’ll excuse us,” Gabe said to his father. He didn’t even look at Mia as he guided Stella toward the section marked for dancing.
Mia stared in absolute astonishment as Gabe pulled the blonde into his arms—way too damn close for some casual dance—and he smiled down at her. Smiled! He rarely smiled at anyone.
And he’d left her with his father, which was awkward enough given the fact that Gabe had just walked away with his father’s date. She couldn’t very well escape to the bathroom again. She’d already used up that excuse.
She noticed Mr. Hamilton’s frown as his gaze drifted to where Gabe and Stella were dancing. She was helpless to avert her own gaze, her anger growing by the minute when she saw Gabe’s hand suggestively slide down the woman’s body.
To hell with this. She wasn’t going to stand around while Gabe felt up some other woman—his father’s date no less! She’d done her duty. She’d been nice and personable. She’d schmoozed his investors and rattled off all that useless trivia she’d spent the afternoon memorizing.
She had better things to do. Mainly go home and vent to Caroline.
chapter sixteen
“What a jerk,” Caroline said. “I can’t believe he let that skank attach herself to him like that. Especially when he has you!”
Mia smiled at the fierce loyalty in her friend’s voice. The two were slouched on the couch after Mia had rid herself of the dress that just stood as a mockery of her entire evening. Fat lot of good it had done to look fabulous when Gabe’s attention was directed elsewhere.
No one knew of her relationship with Gabe, which meant no one knew of her embarrassment, but it hadn’t prevented the heavy cloak of humiliation she suffered.
“Who knows what he’s thinking,” Mia said wearily. “But I wasn’t going to hang around there and watch those two make goo-goo eyes at each other. It was nauseating.”
“And you shouldn’t!” Caroline exclaimed.
Her eyes gleamed with sudden light, and that was a signal to Mia that she should probably run.
“So is he as good as I imagine him to be in the sack?”
Mia sighed in exasperation. “For God’s sake, Caro.”
“Hey, give me something to work with here. All I have are fantasies. You have the real thing.”
“He’s a god, okay? He blew me away. Nothing to compare it to, and I’ve had good in the past. I’ve just never had holy-shit good before.”
“Day-um,” Caroline said in a mournful voice. “I knew it was some heavy shit when you called to have me get a bag ready for you. Didn’t even work for him a day before you had a sleepover. The dude moves fast. You have to hand it to him.”
Mia scowled. “Yeah, he moves fast all right.”
“So you want to order takeout and gorge ourselves on the ice cream in the freezer? Or did you already eat?”
Mia shook her head. “We were supposed to have dinner after the cocktail party. That was until Blondie hit the scene.”
Caroline reached for her phone. “Pizza sound good?”
“That sounds heavenly,” Mia breathed.
As Caroline was looking through her contacts, the buzzer sounded. Mia got up, motioning for Caroline to stay put. “You call the food in. I’ll see who it is.”
She went to the intercom and pressed the button. “Yes?”
“Mia, get your ass down here right now.”
Gabe’s furious voice filled the apartment. Caroline dropped her phone, her eyes wide.
“What’s the point, Gabe?” Mia said, allowing her irritation to bleed through.
“Swear to God if you don’t get your ass down here right now, I’ll come up there and haul you out myself, and I don’t give a damn if you’re dressed or not. You have three minutes to make an appearance.”
Mia shut off the intercom, anger bristling over her. She walked back to where Caroline sat and flopped down.
“Well,” Caroline said, drawing out the word. “If he’s here, demanding your presence, he’s not with Blondie obviously.”
“Are you suggesting I answer that arrogant summons?” Mia asked incredulously.