Mia rode with Gabe at his insistence. He had his driver take her by her apartment before going on to his. The ride was mostly silent, but he kept hold of her hand the entire time. Almost as if he just needed that contact. And it was true, they’d seen little of each other that day. The only alone time they’d shared was when he inserted the plug in the morning and when he removed it in the afternoon.
His thumb smoothed up and down her palm, rubbing in a pattern as he stared out the window. She wasn’t sure he was that in tune with her or her presence, and yet the one time she’d tried to move her hand, he’d clamped down and curled his fingers tightly around hers.
Maybe he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him. It was a stupid thought, but it didn’t mean it didn’t have a firm hold in her brain.
As they neared her apartment, she realized they hadn’t made plans for after her dinner with Jace. She had no idea what Gabe expected. Would he want her to come to his apartment afterward? Or was she simply to go in to work on her own the next day?
The car pulled to a stop in front of her building, and Mia started to get out, but Gabe halted her.
“Have a good time tonight, Mia,” he said softly.
She smiled. “I will.”
“I’ll see you at work in the morning. The driver will be here for you at eight a.m.”
Well that answered her question. Evidently she’d been dismissed for the evening. And yet, as she got out, Gabe didn’t look happy that she was spending the night away from him.
“See you tomorrow,” she murmured.
She shut the door and watched as the car rolled away, wondering what Gabe was thinking. With a sigh, she went into her building and up to her apartment. She only had an hour to change and get ready before Jace would be there.
When she walked through the door and into the living room, Caroline popped her head out of her bedroom, her eyes wide with surprise.
“You’re home! Holy shit. I was beginning to wonder if you’d moved in with Gabe.”
Mia smiled. “Hello to you too.”
Caroline walked over and grabbed Mia in a hug. “I’ve missed you, girl. All the girls have. Want to grab takeout tonight and watch movies?”
Mia winced. “Sorry, I can’t. Jace is coming over, which is why I didn’t go home with Gabe. Jace and Ash are taking me to eat tonight. Catch-up, because Jace has been out of town. I’m sure he’s going to grill me about Gabe too since he now knows I’m working for Gabe.”
Caroline’s face fell. “Damn. It sucks not seeing much of you anymore. I worry about you getting in over your head on this one. It doesn’t seem like you ever spend any time away from him.”
Discomfort gripped Mia as she stared back at her friend. It was true she hadn’t seen Caroline or the girls since the inception of her relationship with Gabe. Not that it had been forever, but she and her friends spent a lot of time together, and they were used to going out as a group.
“Club. Friday night,” Caroline said firmly. “I’ll round up the girls and we’ll go out and have some fun.”
“I don’t know,” Mia hedged. She had no idea what Gabe’s plans for her were.
Caroline’s gaze sharpened. “Tell me you’re not pondering asking his permission to go out with your girls. He doesn’t own you, Mia.”
Mia barely controlled the guilty flinch. Gabe did own her. He had contractual rights to her body, her time, her everything. Not that she wanted to share that particular bit of knowledge with Caroline. Her friends would never understand.
She sighed, knowing the best thing to do would be to go and spend the evening with them. She didn’t want to shut herself off from her friends because when Gabe moved on, she’d need them. They were going to be the ones who stuck by her through thick and thin, and if she didn’t take care, there would be no one left for her down the road.
She’d simply have to tell Gabe that she had plans Friday night, and hope to hell he was reasonable about it.
“Okay. Friday night,” Mia relented.
Caroline’s face lit up and she danced around Mia. “We are going to have so much fun! I’ve missed you, Mia. It’s not the same without you around.”
Mia felt another surge of guilt. It had been her idea for Caroline to move in. Aside from the fact that Caroline needed a place to stay, Mia had wanted the company. And now she was spending very little time in her apartment or with Caroline.
“I’m going to go call the girls so they don’t make other plans. Will I see you after your dinner tonight?”
Mia nodded. “Yep. I’m spending tonight here.”
“Awesome. Tell you what. Don’t eat dessert. I’ll make fudge and get a movie. We’ll veg on the couch when you get home.”