Reckless Devotion: Book 2 Read online

  Mia watches me, and I can see how heavy her breath is. “I want to take care of her. I want to make sure she has everything she wants and needs, but I understand I can’t just take it from her or force her into it anymore.”

  The doctor nods. “Mia, now that you’ve heard this, can you tell Gabriel what you want from him going forward?”

  Her brow creases as she slowly nods. “I think so.”

  “Do you want there to be a future?”

  “Yes,” she replies, in almost a whisper.

  “Good. Tell him what you need.”

  “I need…” She pauses, then gazes up at me. God her eyes are beautiful. “I need respect. I need to be treated like I’m equal to you because I am.”

  I nod. “I know.”

  “I don’t want you to call me a little girl or say good girl or talk to me like I’m a petulant child.”

  “I know.”

  “I don’t want you to threaten to leave me every time I defy you. I don’t want to live in fear of that.”

  I nod. “I know, Mia.”

  “But…” She looks at the doctor, then back at me. “But I want…” She squeezes her eyes shut.

  “Mia?” Dr. Nashito asks. “You can say anything you want here, and we’ll work through it.”

  She nods, slowly opening her eyes. “I want your dominance, Gabriel.” My eyes open wide. “I just want you to separate it. In the bedroom, I want you to push me beyond my limits. I want the biting, smacking, whipping, tying. I want your whispered words in French no matter what they mean. I just want to be involved in everything we do. I want to be your partner in it.”

  My heart beats fast in my chest as she continues.

  “Out of the bedroom, I want to stand beside you. I want to see what we can do together because I think what we have is special. Too special to walk away from. Too special not to work on it. I think it’ll be hard sometimes. You’ll want to go too far, and I’ll want to run away. I’ll be mad at you, and you’ll be scared to hurt me. You’ll fight your nature, and I’ll feel betrayed by mine.” She takes my hands in hers. “But I don’t care. I want it. I want you, Gabriel. Just like you are, if you’ll take me, just like I am.” She smiles as her eyes well with tears. “If we can both agree that we’re willing to do this, then I think we can make it.”

  I’m stunned. Literally stunned by her accepting words.

  “Gabriel?” Dr. Nashito’s voice snaps me out of it. “Do you have anything you want to say to her?”

  “Um, yeah.” I take a deep breath. “Mia, I, um, wasn’t expecting you to feel this way. I wasn’t expecting you to be so accepting of me. It’s overwhelming.” Exhaling, I run my fingers through my hair. “I definitely accept you as you are. I don’t want anything about you to change, even though at first, I tried. In my fucked up mind, I thought breaking your spirit was the only way to get you to stay, but now I see that the strength of your spirit is why you’re here with me right now. I’m in awe of you. I want to be everything you want and need and never had. I want to make you feel safe. I want to be your umbrella when you need shelter, even though you’re the storm.” She smiles and brushes her fingers over my cheek. “I’ll fight for this because I’ve never wanted anything more than I want to hear your voice say my name. I’ll show you that you can trust me. I promise, Mia.”

  “Good,” Dr. Nashito says. “This is good. Our time is up for today. I’ll wait to hear from you, Gabriel, about next steps.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.”

  We stand and walk out slowly, hand in hand, as I glance down at my watch. “You’re gonna be a little late.”

  “This was worth it.” She stops walking and looks up at me. “Gabriel, I have something else I need to say. Can I see you tonight?”

  Smiling, I caress her cheek. “We should wait for the weekend again. We need time.”

  She wiggles her eyebrows. “I’ll call out sick tomorrow if you will.”

  “Deal. Tonight it is.”

  “Good, but first, can you do something for me today?”

  “Anything.”

  “Be you. Be the bossy, arrogant, demanding, sexy as fuck man I met just a few weeks ago. Don’t suppress him completely, because he turns me on, and he’s the man I want between my legs tonight.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “As sure as the sun is shining right now.” She rises up to kiss me and as our lips touch, it’s explosive. My hands roam all over her as I press her against my car. She lifts her leg, and I can’t help myself as my hand slides under her dress, rubbing the spot that haunts my dreams. “Take them from me,” she murmurs.

  “Take what?”

  She pulls back and grins. “My panties, Gabriel. Take them from me. Make me walk around all day without them.”

  “Fuck, Mia.”

  She smiles, biting her bottom lip. “Call me something in French. I’ve missed it so much.”

  Grinning, I press my thumb on her lip. “Ah, ma petite, mon trésor, tu me manques, mon amour. As she breathes hard against my mouth, I wrap my fingers in the waistband of her panties, and twist until I hear the material tear apart. She gasps as I pull them away from her body, then dangle them between us before lifting them to my face to inhale her scent. “Jesus, Mia.”

  “All day, I want you to think about what you’re gonna do to me tonight. I want you to text me dirty things and make me do stuff.” She presses her tits against my chest. “I want to be your devoted tonight. I’ve always wanted that.”

  “You’re driving me crazy right now.”

  “We can do this, Gabriel. We can find our way. It won’t be like anything either of us has ever had. It’ll be earth shattering. Even better than before.”

  “Yeah,” I murmur, barely able to speak. “Are you wet right now?”

  “Dripping.”

  “Show me.”

  She smiles, and a moment later, presents her fingers to me glistening with her wetness. “Do you want a taste?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  She presses her fingers against my lips, and as my tongue darts out to taste her, she licks them too, keeping her eyes locked on mine. Fuck, she’s hot.

  “We gotta stop this or neither of us is gonna make it to work today.”

  She smiles. “That would be a shame.”

  “Yes, it would. Spend the weekend with me? We’ll start over. Let me take care of everything you need. Let me show you my devotion. Let me do it right this time. What do you say, Mia?”

  Rising on her toes, she bites my bottom lip. “I say yes, Gabriel. Yes.”

  After driving her to work and kissing her like it was my last chance to do so, I sit in my car for a minute absorbing everything that happened. She wants my dominance. She wants it. I run my fingers through my hair. But it has to be right this time. I have to respect whatever boundaries she places on me. I look down at my watch. Fuck. I gotta get in the office.

  An hour later, I’m showered, dressed, and sitting at work furiously approving expense reports. I’ve got just a few weeks left before year-end and a shit ton of work to get done before then. The only problem is I’m preoccupied knowing that I get to be with Mia tonight. It feels like it’s been years since we started our break, even though it’s been barely a week.

  Once I get some of my work done, I pull out my phone and call her. She answers after two rings.

  “What, Gabriel?”

  I laugh at her response. “You know I love this about you, right?”

  “It’s like you can’t get enough of me or something.”

  “Sounds about right. What are you doing?”

  “Right now? Just daydreaming about you.”

  “You’re kinda sweet sometimes too, you know.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Fiery, sweet, and sexy as fuck. What a combination.”

  She sighs. “Are you gonna boss me around or what?”

  A smile lands on my lips as I try to decide what to do to her. “Well, let’s see. I already have your panties in my pocket.�
�

  “Bring it on, Gabriel. I can take whatever you dish out.” I hear her hushed whispering.

  “Who are you talking to?”

  “Michelle, my coworker.”

  “Did you tell her you aren’t wearing any panties.”

  “Um. No.”

  “Tell her.”

  “No way. You said you wouldn’t embarrass me in public.”

  “Did I? I don’t remember that,” I tease. “Just say, hey Michelle, guess what? I’m not wearing panties.”

  “Why? What does that accomplish?”

  “Nothing, but it’s amusing as hell for me. Tell her, ma petite, and I’ll be so proud of you.”

  She pauses for a moment. “What do I get for making you proud?”

  “Everything I’ve got.”

  “That’s pretty good.”

  I chuckle. “Yeah, it’s pretty good. I’ll wait.”

  She sighs. “The things I do for you. Listen up.”

  “Listening.”

  “Uh, Michelle,” I hear her say, then another woman’s voice. “Um, hey, I was just gonna tell you that, um, shit,” she whispers as I laugh.

  “You can do it.”

  “Guess what?” she says. “I’m not wearing any panties. I gave them to my boyfriend this morning.”

  I burst into laughter looking up as Max comes to my office door. I wave at him to enter. “Good g—” I stop myself. “Good job, ma petite. What did she say?”

  “She said, um okay.” She laughs. “Then she sunk back in her seat looking at me like I just turned green.”

  “Hilarious. I gotta run, but I’ll see you at five?”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Do you have to run?”

  My eyes shift up. “Someone in my office.”

  “Oh. You should tell them you have my panties in your pocket.”

  “No way.”

  “Why not?”

  “What will that accomplish?”

  “Nothing, but it’ll be funny as fuck for me.”

  “Mia,” I lower my voice. “I’m a vice president.”

  “And?”

  When I look up, Max is watching me with a curious expression. Ah, fuck it. I can do whatever the hell I want. “Hey, Max. Just thought I’d tell you I have my girlfriend’s panties in my pocket.” His eyes open wide. “I tore them off of her this morning before I dropped her at work.” Mia laughs hysterically as I look at my confused coworker. “Now, I have to go, Mia.”

  “Okay. You made me really proud.”

  “Hmm, and what do I get for that?”

  “Everything, Gabriel. Everything I’ve got. See you tonight.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Same.”

  I hang up, then look at my visitor. “Uh, sorry, man. I was just playing around with my girl. Hope you’re not offended.”

  “Not at all,” Max offers. “It’s pretty funny. Is it true?”

  “Yeah, it’s true. I’d show them to you, but that’s pretty inappropriate.” He laughs. “What can I help you with?”

  “I was just bringing my team’s year-end reports in to you.”

  “Great.” I take them from him. “Appreciate it. I’ll look them over and see if I have questions.”

  “Cool. A bunch of us are going out tomorrow after work for happy hour if you want to join us,” Max suggests. “We’re going at six.”

  “Thanks, but I have plans.” Oh do I.

  “Maybe next time,” he says.

  “Yep.”

  As he walks away, I try to get my mind back on what I should be doing and off all the things I’m going to do to her tonight. I let my assistant know that I’ll be taking a personal day tomorrow. A whole day spent worshiping Mia sounds like a damn good day to me.

  As the hours pass, I check my watch every so often, and then at three I grab my shit. Let the weekend begin.

  AT FIVE MINUTES to five, I’m sure if spontaneous combustion is a thing, it could happen to me at any minute. I’ve got my computer turned off, my handbag in my hand, and I pray, a dry chair when I stand up, but it’s not looking good. To say I’m turned on is an understatement. Turned on, freaked out, curious, intimidated. I’ve already decided that whatever he wants to do, we’re doing. As long as he abides by the few rules I gave him, then I’ll submit. As soon as the word passes through my mind another shiver of excitement rattles through me. This is what I want. I still don’t know why, but it doesn’t matter. I want it because I want Gabriel, and that’s a good enough explanation for me.

  I stand up to leave, saying goodbye to everyone, just as my phone rings. Nooo! I check the caller ID and groan. It’s accounting and the cut off for my team’s budget is Monday. With my planned day off tomorrow, I have to deal with it now.

  I grab the handset. “This is Mia.”

  “Mia, it’s Gene in accounting. Sorry to grab you at the last minute, but we’re almost done entering your budget and had a question about line twenty-seven on page two.”

  “Uh, sure.” Opening my drawer, I grab the printed copy I always make just to prove it was done and flip to page two. “What’s your question?”

  “Well, for expected salary increases, the last two years you entered a number between five and ten percent. This one says fifty percent, which I’m positive is a typo, or I’m requesting a transfer to your department.” He laughs as my face turns red.

  “Crap. Yeah, it’s supposed to be five percent. Do you need me to resubmit it?”

  “No, no. I can change it. Also, on line sixteen on page three, for the question about adding additional headcount for the next fiscal year, you wrote…” He pauses and as my eyes find that question, I gasp.

  “Darn it. I’m sorry, Gene. I was really distracted this week. It’s supposed to say no.”

  “Oh. Okay. I couldn’t tell what it said. It looks like, um, ruler?”

  Closing my eyes, I shake my head. “My mistake. Anything else wrong with it?”

  “Nope. I’ll get those two things updated. Have a good night.”

  “You too, Gene.”

  Hanging up, I hurry down the stairs to see Gabriel standing in the lobby. When he sees me, I see the flicker of a smile on his lips before he hides it away and replaces it with that stern intense expression he gets.

  “Sorry I was late, Gabriel. I had to finish my budget report.”

  “I was afraid you weren’t coming.”

  “No way. I’ve been waiting all day for this. I hope you’re not mad.”

  “I couldn’t be mad at you if I tried,” he chuckles. “Actually I tried to go all sinister dom on you, but I’m so happy to see you I couldn’t do it.”

  Laughing, I pat his chest. “Save it for later. I’m expecting you to rock my world.”

  “Fair, since you’ve already rocked mine.”

  “Charmer.”

  He looks up the stairs. “Where’s Sara?”

  “I assume she’s still working. I saw her briefly at lunch, but since I was late, I opted to eat at my desk. She popped over and said she was hanging with Jamie this weekend.”

  “Is she happy?”

  “Yeah.”

  He opens the front door for me. “He’s nice to her?”

  “Yeah, super nice.”

  “She said they had a problem or something?”

  “Oh, that.” I look up at him and smile. “I can’t break her confidence, just like I won’t break yours, but I’ll simply say that is has nothing to do with anything bad. It’s just, um, that, um, something private to work out.”

  “Is he like me?”

  I burst out laughing as he opens the car door for me. “No. Definitely no.”

  “Didn’t seem the type.” He walks around the car and gets in the driver’s side. “All I want to know is he isn’t hurting her on any level.”

  I giggle. Just the opposite. “He’s not.”

  “You would tell me if she needed help?”

  “I would kick his ass myself if he wasn’t being cool
to her.” I rub Gabriel’s hand. “But he’s a great guy. I promise.”

  “Good enough for me.” He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it. “Ready, mon amour?”

  Smiling, I sigh softly. “Why do you call me that? My love? It’s awfully romantic.”

  “I love so many things about you—your smile, your voice, your eyes.” He brushes his fingers across my cheek. “Your body, your kiss, your soul. Trust me, it’s fitting.”

  I smile and wonder if he could ever mean love the way I do.

  As we drive off toward his place, I lean back in my seat, realizing I’m right where I was almost a week ago before all the shit happened.

  “Are you nervous?” Gabriel asks.

  “No. Are you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t be. It’s gonna be fine.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. I have dinner waiting for us.”

  “Okay.”

  “Tonight, I want to do everything I should’ve done last week.”

  “I’d like that.”

  He exhales slowly. “Good.”

  A few minutes later, we pull into his garage, and I feel my legs start to shake in anticipation of what’s to come. He leads me inside where I stop in my tracks. Vixen is snoozing away on the couch, and when she sees me, she looks up, blinks slowly, then curls up again. The lighting in the living room is dim, and soft music plays. I look at Gabriel in awe.

  “I took the liberty of gathering Vixen and her things. I brought your toiletries and some clothes. I want you to feel completely at home here. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. It’s really sweet, Gabriel.” I look around again. “Vixen let you put her in the car?”

  “I found your cat carrier in the garage and with a treat and a few sweet words, she complied.”

  “Huh.” I guess there isn’t a female that won’t bend to his will. “Cool.”

  He nods. “Please sit and I’ll bring us some wine and dinner.”

  “Great.”

  I sit next to Vixen and scratch her on the head. “So, you like Gabriel, huh, kitten? Is it because he’s so sexy? Or is it because you’ve never had a man be nice to you either? Is it because he wasn’t expected? You thought your life was just fine like it was, but you didn’t know it could be so exciting, did you?” I smile. “I understand.”