Chapter 14
Garrett
I rein in the urge to storm into Ashby-Morgan and tear Lucas Ashby apart. He is the most successful businessman I know, a complete asshole, and my stepbrother. My mother had married his father when we were in high school. He’s two years younger than me and manages my marketing and business investments. Asshole or not, he is a wizard in the business world. I don’t want Mia anywhere close to him.
I don’t share any of this with her as I lead out into the warm sunshine. It is a brilliant day and in a fit of spontaneity, I had driven the Mustang she had practically drooled over all those nights ago. I decided it was fate that I would bump into her on the day I drove it.
“Want to go for a drive?” Driving a fast car always made me feel better.
Her eyes light up and she smiles up at me with a big genuine smile that makes my heart do a little stutter. I think I would walk to the ends of the Earth to see that smile again.
“Really? In one of your…” Her sentence is cut off when she sees the Mustang. “Oh, yes, please.” She breathes the words out like a prayer to the All Mighty. I chuckle. She has a carnal glint in her eye, and I can only wish she would look at me like that.
I open the driver’s door and gesture for her to take a seat. Again, I get the 1000 watt smile and a small squeal of excitement. I slide in the other side and start to instruct her on the manual transmission.
“I’ve got this,” she says, shifting smoothly into first and pulling into traffic. “One of the few worthwhile things my father ever taught me.”
I sit back and just let her drive. She doesn’t talk but works her way through traffic and onto Highway 54. I chuckle a little. This was the same drive I choose whenever I want to outrun whatever is bothering me.
“What,” she asks, never taking her eyes from the road.
“Nothing, baby. Just drive.”
Mia handles the car and its power with confidence and control. She isn’t intimidated, but not reckless with it either. I am so incredibly turned on watching her attack the curves with utter focus. My dick is hard in my jeans, and I shift trying to find some room.
Finally, she seems to mentally downshift, though her foot stays firm on the accelerator. “I guess I should head it back to town?”
“Actually, there is a great view of the city if you’ll just keep going a little further.” I point out the little turn off, and she steers the car down the small drive that opens into a large open area. She pulls to the edge of the clearing and cuts the engine. The city is below us with its lights and hectic energy, but here there is just stillness.
Silence fills the car as we just relax and take in the view. I remind myself that I am not a 16 year old hoping to get into my girlfriends pants, though I so want to get into Mia’s everything. She surprises me by reaching and taking my hand in hers. It makes me feel warm and protective. I just want to wrap her in my arms and hold her there forever.
Her thumb is tracing circles on the back of my hand. I break the silence. “I want you to stop working at Ashby-Morgan.”
Ok, so not the wisest way to open the conversation. I have been thinking about her being around Lucas every day. I know what a womanizer he is. It didn’t escape me that his fresh crop of interns was all curvy and beautiful- just his type. He loves big tits, a round ass, and glossy brown hair. The thought of Mia with her luscious curves and chestnut curls having to deal with his bullshit every day about makes me insane.
I feel her stiffen next to me and she yanks her hand from mine. “Excuse me? Where do you get off wanting me to do anything? Do you know how hard I worked for this?” She is pushing away from me and I can feel the anger coming off her in waves.
Oh shit, I think. Smooth, Castle. Really, well done, I mentally berate myself. I grab her hand to prevent her from starting the car. “Damn it, Mia, I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s just that I know what an ass Lucas Ashby is and I hate to think of you around him.” That was the truth. It wasn’t the whole truth, but I didn’t want to get into all of that right now.
She deflates just a little bit, but doesn’t let me keep ahold of her hand. “He is an ass. Poor Emily was in tears after he told her that Marvin, the mailroom guy, had a better chance of getting a place on his team.” She’s quiet for a moment. For the first time, I see doubt cross her face. “What if I can’t do this? Today was awful. If this is what it’s like, I just committed the last five years to a mistake.” The tear that leaks out of the corner of her eye just about rips me in two. I’m going to kill Lucas, I think reaching out to brush the tear away.
I don’t give her a lot of empty words because I know she just needs to work through it. A few moments pass and I gently rub her shoulder and stroke her hair. I watch as her shoulders come up and that steel core straightens her back. Her resilience is phenomenal. Nothing keeps her down for long.
“You know, Ashby-Morgan isn’t the only firm in town,” I say, hoping that she won’t be angry. I have to try at least one more time to get her away from Lucas. “I can put in a good word for you at Gateway or Trademark. I have friends in both firms.”
Mia scoffs slightly. “You don’t know a thing about my business skills. I know you’re trying to help, but I don’t need it. Lucas Ashby will destroy poor Emily and push Rachel until she scratches his eyes out, but he’s going to promote me.” She reaches down and turns the key over.
I lean over and gently pull her chin toward me. I kiss her softly, trying to show her just how much I believe in her. Her fiery spirit turns me on. This is a real woman who knows what she is about. If there is anything sexier, I have no idea what it is.
The ride back to town is silent but comfortable. When she pulls into the empty parking garage next to her Camry, she looks over with a smile that twists my heart.
“Thanks, Garrett. This was exactly what I needed tonight.” She leans over and brushes a kiss across my lips. Before she can ease away, I pull her half over the console in a searing, passionate kiss that she instantly responds to. Her mouth is hot and hard against mine and she buries her hand in my hair pulling me toward her. Finally, we break apart, coming up for air.
“No, Ms. Andrews. That was exactly what you needed.”
She laughs as she gets out of the car and slides behind the wheel of her own without looking back.