Rush(90)
Guilt hit her hard. Damn it, he was right. He’d been worried—really worried about her—and she’d been out drinking and having a good time while he worried about her being hurt—or dead. Ugh.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t think. I mean, it didn’t even occur to me.”
He frowned. “And you came home by yourself. What if I hadn’t been there, Mia? Would you have even made it to your apartment or would you have fallen and passed out on the sidewalk?”
“Caroline went home with someone else,” she said quietly. “He got me the cab.”
“Well at least he did that much,” Gabe said in disgust. “You should have called me, Mia. I would have come to get you no matter how late it was.”
Warmth filled her heart. There was genuine worry in his eyes along with the anger and frustration. He’d been worried about her. She leaned forward putting her hands to his face. Then she kissed him.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “It was thoughtless of me.”
He slid his hands up her neck and into her hair, holding her there just inches from his mouth. “Just don’t let it happen again. I assigned a driver to you for a reason, Mia. It doesn’t mean he just takes you to work and back when you aren’t with me. If you need to go somewhere—anywhere—you call him. Understand? If you ever find yourself in a situation like that again, you call me. I don’t give a fuck what time it is, you call me. If you can’t reach me then you goddamn better well call your brother or Ash. You understand?”
She nodded.
“We both need a nap,” he said, stroking her face with his hands. “You didn’t sleep well and I didn’t sleep. Right now I want to take you to bed and hold you while we rest. When you’re feeling better I’ll redden that pretty ass for worrying the hell out of me.”
chapter twenty-seven
Mia sat cross-legged on Gabe’s bed, devouring the pizza he’d had delivered. It was oh-my-God good just the way she liked it. Extra cheese, light sauce and thick crust.
He watched her in amusement as she licked her fingers clean before sinking back against the pillows with a sigh.
“That was wonderful,” she said. “You’re spoiling me, Gabe. There’s no other word for it.”
His eyes gleamed devilishly. “I’d wait until later before you start saying how much I spoil you.”
Her body did an instant clench as heat surged through her veins. Try as she might, she couldn’t muster any dread of the coming spanking he’d promised her. If anything, she was buzzing with anticipation.
She caught his gaze and she sobered. “I really am sorry about last night. I had no idea you were so worried. If I would have checked my phone I would have called or texted you, Gabe. I wouldn’t have ignored you.”
“I know you wouldn’t,” he said gruffly. “The thing I want you to be conscious of is being careful. You and your girlfriends going out alone and getting drunk only invites trouble. Any number of things could happen to a group of girls alone and vulnerable.”
That he was so protective of her gave her immense satisfaction. He had to feel something for her beyond viewing her as a sexual object.
“Now if you’re finished, there’s the matter of your punishment,” he said silkily.
Holy hell. His gaze had gone molten and he bristled with lust and desire. Need sizzled over her skin, burning and edgy.
She pushed the pizza box away and he picked it up, setting it on the nightstand by the bed.
“Strip,” he said bluntly. “I want you to have nothing on. When you’re finished, get on your hands and knees, ass to the edge of the bed.”
She rose on shaky knees and quickly pulled the T-shirt—Gabe’s shirt—from her body, leaving her naked to his gaze. She turned her back to him where she faced the bed and then put her knee to the mattress, pushing herself upward to balance her knees on the edge. She planted her palms forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she waited.
Footsteps echoed through the room. The sound of a drawer opening. More footsteps and then items being placed on the nightstand.
His lips pressed to one of her ass cheeks and then his teeth grazed over her skin, eliciting a shiver that produced chill bumps down her legs.
“Don’t make a single sound,” he said, his voice laced with desire. “Not a word. You’ll take your punishment in silence. Afterward, I’m going to fuck that sweet ass of yours.”
Her elbows buckled and she nearly lost her balance. She pushed herself back up, locking her elbows once more.
The crop slid across her ass, whispering faintly, deceptive in its softness. It left her skin, and then fire raced across her ass when he administered the first lash.