He reached down, grabbed her hand and then dragged her toward his desk. She wasn’t at all sure what he was about to do, but her senses were on high alert.

He sat in his chair, pushing it back just a bit from his desk.

“Take off your skirt,” he said bluntly.

She glanced nervously back at the door and then quickly back at him.

“The door is locked, Mia,” he said impatiently. “Now take the skirt off.”

Swallowing back her hesitation, she slowly began to pull down the skirt, baring the naked lower half of her body to his avid gaze.

To her surprise, he didn’t tell her to take her top and bra off; rather, he took her hand again and pulled her between his thighs. She gave a gasp of surprise when his hands then circled her waist and he lifted her onto his desk so she was perched on the edge.

He pushed her back enough so she was securely situated, and then he scooted forward in his chair.

“I was negligent last night,” he said in a gruff tone.

She was baffled and she was sure her expression said as much.

“I’m not normally so selfish during sex. My only excuse is that you make me burn, Mia. I had to have you.”

He sounded as though he didn’t want to be admitting any such thing. There was reluctance in his eyes, but his words rang with sincerity.

“Lean back,” he said in a softer tone. “Brace your palms on my desk while I enjoy dessert.”

Oh hell. Her breath caught and hiccupped roughly from her lips. She did as he commanded and positioned herself accordingly. He carefully spread her thighs, baring her pussy to his gaze and touch.

He ran one finger down the seam of her folds and then using two fingers, he spread them, baring more of her most intimate flesh. Then he lowered his head and her entire body went taut, anticipating that first touch.

It was like receiving an electrical charge. His tongue swept over her clit, and her hands nearly slipped as she jerked in reaction.

He toyed with the sensitive peak repeatedly, swirling his tongue around and then sucking at it with gentle tugs. Desire pooled low in her belly, spreading like fire to every other part of her body. Each swipe of his tongue had her more on the edge, building quickly and higher until she was gasping for breath.

He nuzzled lower, kissing and licking a path to the mouth of her pussy. He rimmed the entrance, flicking his tongue expertly and then delving within, fucking her with his tongue.

She was to the point of pain, her body straining, tightening with every stroke, her orgasm swelling until she was desperate for release. But he was in no hurry. He seemed to be completely in tune with her body. He’d work her to the very edge of frenzy and then he’d slow and work her back down again with reverent kisses and light brushes of his tongue.

Never had anyone gone down on her with such practiced skill. Gabe may be demanding and selfish—as he’d termed himself—but he was no stranger to pleasuring a woman. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he was driving her to absolute madness.

“Gabe, please,” she whispered. “I need to come.”

He chuckled, the sound vibrating over her clit. Even that small movement nearly sent her over the edge. He pressed a kiss to the tiny bud and then eased one long finger inside her pussy.

“Not yet, Mia. So impatient. I call the shots here. You come when I allow it.”

The power and seductive edge in his voice brought on a full-body shiver that had her straining to maintain control.

“You taste so damn sexy,” he said in a low growl. “I could eat your sweet pussy all afternoon.”

She wouldn’t survive all afternoon. She was close to begging as it was. Her lips clamped shut, and she held back the plea. But he knew. Oh yes, he knew.

“Beg me, Mia,” he said, his finger working deep inside her. “Ask me very prettily and I’ll let you come.”

“Please, Gabe. I need you. Let me come.”

“Who owns you?”

“I belong to you, Gabe. You own me.”

“And whose pussy is this I’m devouring?”

“Yours,” she gasped, her entire body shaking now.

“And if I want to fuck it when I’m done, that’s my right, isn’t it?”

“God, yes. Please just do it, Gabe!”

He laughed again and then plunged two fingers inside her as he sucked harder at her clit. The explosion was bright and earth-shattering. She came completely apart. Her palms slipped and suddenly she was flat on her back on the desk, and then Gabe rose up over her, his expression fierce and darkly seductive.

He unzipped his pants, pulled out his cock and in one forceful thrust, he plunged into her still-orgasming body. He hauled her legs upward, yanking her back to meet his thrusts. God, he was so deep, even deeper than the night before, almost as if her body had made the adjustment and could accommodate him now.

“Give me your eyes,” he demanded.

Her gaze snapped to his, locking on to his face.

There was nothing slow or tender about his possession. He fucked her even more forcefully than he’d done the night before. Her body moved up and down his desk as he pounded into her, his pelvis slapping loudly against her ass. And then suddenly, he pulled out, circling his cock with his hand.

He worked his erection up and down, leaning forward as his release erupted onto her mound. His eyes were closed and his face showed the same signs of strain that invaded her entire body. It was almost an expression of agony, but then he opened his eyes, and they glowed warmly with satisfaction.

There was a raw edge to his gaze that made her prickle in awareness all over again.

The warm splash of his release on her pussy glistened in the light. He let out a sigh as the last jet burst from his rigid cock, and then he slowly stepped back to tuck himself back into his pants.

His hands slid up the insides of her thighs and then over her hips. He stared at the evidence of his possession on her skin and his eyes glinted with triumph.

“I love how you look right now,” he said. “On my desk, your pussy red and swollen from my dick and my cum all over your skin. I’d love to keep you here all afternoon just so I can see you.”

He walked away, and she wondered if indeed that was what he intended. To have her remain there, wet with his cum, her pussy bared and still quivering. But then he returned a moment later with a warm cloth and carefully wiped the fluid from her skin. When he was finished, he leaned over and helped her up and then lifted her down from his desk.

She stood, unsure of whether she should dress or remain as she was. He settled the matter when he reached for the skirt on the floor next to his chair and held it open so she could step into it.

He pulled the skirt back up her legs and then arranged her top, smoothing the rumpled look.

“My private bathroom adjoins my office. No one will bother you there. You can freshen up and then return to your desk.”

Dismissed.

She walked away on shaky legs and opened the door a few feet from his desk. The bathroom was small and obviously catered to a man, but she could at least put herself back together so she didn’t broadcast to the entire universe what had just transpired.

She ran cool water and splashed her face. When she got back to her desk, she could reapply makeup and do touch-ups.

When she reentered the office, Gabe was on the phone, so she went quietly to her desk and pulled out her bag, using powder and lip gloss, did her touch-up and went back to work. The problem was, she was still fully aroused, even after the mind-blowing orgasm Gabe had given her with his mouth.

But his rough possession of her had fueled another and now she was fidgety and tingly and she kept repositioning herself on the chair. Her pussy was hyperaware. Every time she moved, a curl of pleasure went winging through her belly.

This had to be a version of hell. Having Gabe across the room and needing to come again.

In an effort to distract herself, she tuned in to Gabe’s conversation. He was discussing an event—tonight? And telling whomever he was on the phone with that he would certainly be there, and that he looked forward to it. That was probably a lie. Gabe hated social events even if he was perfect at them.

He was too blunt and impatient to genuinely enjoy being congenial and cordial, but it was part and parcel of the business. He wooed investors, charmed them right out of their wallets.

Ash was the more outgoing, natural charmer. He had it in spades. Mia always wondered why, of the two best friends her brother had, she drifted toward Gabe. Ash was gorgeous. Right to his toes. And he had a killer, charming smile that slayed women everywhere.

But it wasn’t him she was attracted to. She viewed him more in the same vein as Jace. Indulgent big brother. Now Gabe? Never, ever had she looked at him as a sibling. Her thoughts toward Gabe weren’t even legal in most states, she was sure. Maybe it was simply because Gabe was more remote, more mysterious. A challenge.

Not that she was stupid enough to ever think she could conquer that particular mountain. Gabe was Gabe. Unapologetic. Hardass. Never going to change. Which was too bad, because it meant she was going to have to spend a lot of time finding another man who lived up to him.

She could imagine herself forever comparing every man after Gabe to him. Not fair to the new man, and a useless waste of her time. There was only one Gabe. Enjoy him for the present and then get over him.

She let out a sigh. It sounded so much simpler than she knew it was going to be. She was half in love with him already, and that was before sleeping with him. Some crushes just never went away. They built, instead, into something permanent, obsessive and all consuming.

Even though she knew better, she couldn’t control the wash of emotions he evoked within her. Was it love? She wasn’t sure. There were a lot of words she could use to describe her fascination with Gabe. She hadn’t viewed any of her prior relationships as long-term. Nothing close to love entered the picture. They were fun. She mostly viewed her previous lovers with affection. But nothing came close to the way she felt about Gabe, and she had no idea if this was love or simply obsession.

Not that it mattered anyway. Love was just an entanglement she’d do well to veer as far away from as possible because Gabe would never return the sentiment. But the heart didn’t always listen, and this was one thing she might not have any control over whatsoever.

Caroline would tell her to suck it up, enjoy the ride and not worry over the future. Live in the now. It was good advice, some she would do well to heed. But she also knew herself and that she would fret endlessly trying to analyze Gabe’s every word, every action and emotion, and make the relationship into something it wasn’t.

She sighed as the words she was trying so hard to concentrate on blurred before her. As first days went, she wasn’t setting the world on fire with her work ethic. Unless giving the boss great sex on his desk counted.

“I hope you’ve studied up on those profiles.”

Gabe’s voice jerked her to awareness and she yanked her head up to see he was off the phone and staring across the room at her.

“We have an event to attend tonight. A cocktail party put on by a potential investor for our California resort. Mitch Johnson. He’s in that stack of papers. You need to know everything you can about him and his wife, their three children, their interests and whatever else I’ve detailed. There will be others there as well, so make sure you familiarize yourself with the other names in that folder. But the most important is Mitch.”

It took everything she had not to let her panic show. Talk about jumping straight from the frying pan and into the fire!

“What time? And what should I wear?”

“What do you have? And I don’t mean that scrap of a dress you wore to the grand opening,” he said with a scowl. “I’d prefer something that covered more of you. I’ll be wearing a suit.”

She frowned, mentally going over her wardrobe. It wasn’t as though Jace wouldn’t have bought anything she wanted, but other than the apartment he’d purchased for her, she’d tried very hard not to run to him with frivolous things. Her wardrobe was modest at best, and the dress she’d worn to the grand opening was the only thing suitable for a more formal occasion.

Gabe checked his watch and then leveled another stare in Mia’s direction. “If we leave now, we have time to go buy you something appropriate.”

She shook her head. “That’s not necessary, Gabe. I’m just thinking over what I have that’s suitable for a party like this.”

He rose, ignoring her objection. “That’s part of the deal, Mia. You’re mine. I provide generously for what belongs to me. You’ll need more than just one new dress, but that’s all we have time for today. Perhaps the saleslady can ascertain your tastes, decide what looks good on you and gather other aspects of your wardrobe for us to pick up at a later date.”

She blinked in surprise and when she continued to sit there, Gabe shifted impatiently and gave her a look that told her in no uncertain terms to get moving.

She grabbed her bag, straightened her skirt and hurried toward him, her knees still shaking from their earlier explosive fuck on the desk. And that was only the first day! She couldn’t begin to imagine that if he were being patient and moving slowly what the future would bring.