My head whirled from my meeting. In an attempt to calm down, I paced in my office, watching the sun set. And I went over my myriad lists. There were so many lists and so little time.

I was thrilled that the board continued to support me, but my nerves were shot, nonetheless. I should have known they’d want the process sped up. I wanted that too, because on the other side of a public launch lay safety—safety from Jiàn Innovations and safety from corporate counterattacks. Even if my Chinese competitors eventually launched a similar product, Paragon’s patch would have the advantage of being the premiere technology in the field. We would have the established relationships, contracts, and public trust that Jiàn would struggle to emulate. They would continue to play catch-up while we ruled the marketplace.

If they got to market first, Paragon would be the perpetual second fiddle. That wasn’t going to happen. Not on my watch. That was a failure I would not tolerate.

My phone buzzed, and I jumped. I’d been so wrapped up with my meeting, I hadn’t called Gabe to check in. I scrambled for my phone.

Stuck at the office for now, he wrote, but at least I’m no longer incarcerated.

Can you talk? I texted back.

Not now. In a meeting. Meet me at my house later tonight. Security knows to let you in. I have the house under surveillance.

Okay, I wrote.

Okay, he wrote back immediately. I would tell you that I love you, but that seems odd to do via text.

A minute passed before my phone buzzed again. By the way, I love you anyway.

I love you anyway, too.

Because I was alone, I smiled and clung to my cell phone, clutching it against my chest. I was so glad he was out of jail and I got to see him tonight.

A hot rush of desire, mingled with raw emotion, coursed through me. I sighed, knowing that tonight might be the last night I spent with him for the foreseeable future. I had to get the patch to market, and I had to do it now.

I wasn’t going to let anything, not even the painful yearning for the man I loved, get in my way.

* * *

On the way to Gabe’s estate, I picked up my cell phone, ignoring the five angry texts from Bethany O’Donnell about my unsupervised interview with the FBI. I decided to call Hannah again. It went straight to voice mail. I leaned forward to Timmy. “Can you call Wes on your phone? I need to check in on Hannah, and she’s not picking up.”

Timmy immediately got on his phone. “Wes? Are you at the Taylor residence? Everything all right?” He listened to Wes for a minute, grunting once before he hung up. “They’re fine, ma’am. Hannah’s watching a movie. Her phone died, and she’s charging it.”

“Okay.” I slid back in the seat and was quiet for a moment. “Timmy?”

“Yes, Ms. Taylor?”

“What’s Wes like? I don’t remember meeting him.”

“He’s in his mid-twenties, former marine, about six-two. Blond. Good-looking kid.”

“Huh. Is he married?”

“No, ma’am.” Timmy was quiet for a beat. “Is there a problem? ’Cause I can reassign someone to your sister tonight.”

“No, it’s fine. I just need to talk to her.” My phone rang then, interrupting my thoughts, and I tentatively answered.

“Ms. Taylor?” asked a female voice.

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Attorney Jennifer Schilling. I represent Clive Warren.” She was quiet for a beat, letting that sink in. “Detective Conant gave me your number earlier today. I hope that’s okay. He said you had some questions about Clive’s statement?”

“Is it possible to speak with your client?” I asked. “Privately?”

“Anything he says to you will be monitored, but I can have a confidential conversation with him. What would you like me to tell him? I’m about to see him now. We’re prepping for his arraignment.”

My mind was racing. I had a feeling that although Clive’s attorney said the communication between her and Clive would be confidential, I would be crazy to be fully forthcoming. “Just tell him I said thanks. For helping me. And for getting Gabe out.”

“I’ll do that. I’ll be in touch soon, Ms. Taylor,” she said smoothly, and hung up.

My mind continued to race. The only comfort I had at that moment was that we were almost to Gabe’s home, and soon, I would be back in his arms.

* * *

I woke up to bright sunlight, and a feeling of sick disappointment flooded me. I’m in Gabe’s bed, but where is he?

I rolled over and found a note on his pillow.

Babe.

The thing that blew up last night is still a problem. I slept for a few hours and headed back to the office. Dinner. Tonight.

By the way, I still love you.

Gabe

PS—You’re adorable when you’re snoring.

I sat straight up, mortified, and grabbed my phone.

I do not snore, I texted him immediately.

In a meeting, he texted back. And yes you do.

A minute later, my phone buzzed with another text from him. See you tonight.

If you’re lucky, I wrote back.

I wouldn’t be so sarcastic. I have something for you, he wrote, And I know for a fact that you like it.

Heat suffused my cheeks as I took in his meaning. I did like it. I couldn’t pretend otherwise. Sighing, I put down my phone and left Gabe to his meeting. I took a quick shower and dried my hair as fast as I could. I noticed, much to my chagrin, that I’d already completely adjusted to having most of my personal grooming items and clothes at Gabe’s house.

We hadn’t been together that long, and he’d already moved me in. And even though things were moving fast, I hadn’t put up too much of a fight.

I made the bed and sighed as I inhaled his scent from the pillow. I took one last look around the room. I needed to get back to the office, and even though he’d promised me dinner, I probably wouldn’t be leaving Paragon anytime soon. Gabe wasn’t going to like that. For once, I didn’t like it either. I missed him. I missed him so much, I was smelling his pillow.

Being in love was so ridiculous.

I finished my coffee and was just about to text my driver when my phone buzzed again.

I’ll be there in two minutes. Don’t leave.

A shiver ran through me. There was no way in hell I was going to leave.

I paced the kitchen as I waited, anticipation coursing through me. Then the door opened, and Gabe came through, smiling and making me melt. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” I threw my arms around his neck, eager to touch him. “I missed you.”

He ran his hands down my sides and brushed his lips against my face. “I obviously missed you too. I just bailed on my meeting. I only have a few minutes.”

I looked up at him with my eyebrows raised. “A few minutes?”

Gabe’s brown eyes darkened, and he continued to run his hands down my sides, sending electric sparks through me. “It seemed a lot better to me than nothing. I couldn’t wait until tonight to see you.” He kissed me, slowly at first, his lips parting mine. I arched against him immediately, molding my body to his.

“Well,” I said, a little breathlessly, “when you put it that way…”

Gabe ran his hands down my back, cupping my backside. His tongue sought mine hungrily. He pulled me against him, and I could feel his erection. I clung to him, thrilled to be back in his arms and desperate for him to be inside me, to claim me as his again.

He pulled back, breathing hard. “I need to be inside you. Now.”

I needed that too. I nodded, pulling him toward the bedroom.

He shook his head. “I literally don’t have time for that.”

“Uh…okay.” I looked around. There was the couch and a wall, but before I could suggest either, he lifted me up and headed straight for the island in the kitchen.

Come to think of it, he had mentioned something about the island before.

Little icy thrills ran through me as he positioned himself between my legs. He undid my blouse, more slowly than he likely had time for, and looked at me worshipfully. “You’re so beautiful.” He ran his fingers gently down my bare skin. “It almost hurts to look at you.”

I blushed in pleasure. Sitting on the granite island in the middle of his kitchen, in just my bra and the morning light, I somehow did feel beautiful, even though I was also raw and exposed. It was the way he looked at me. “Thank you.”

He kissed my neck, sending hot tremors down my skin. “It’s my pleasure, babe.” Gabe gently unhooked my bra, and I lifted up so he could pull off my skirt and panties. I was naked before him. He kicked off his jeans, and we were finally touching each other, skin against skin. It had only been a few days since we’d made love, but I needed him desperately with a keening emptiness I needed him to fill.

He trailed hot kisses over my shoulders and my neck, rubbing his cock against my wetness, getting us both slick. The granite was cold against my naked skin, but I felt as if I were on fire, lit up from within.

“I’m ready,” I said, my breath coming out in hot little pants. “I need you.”

He grunted, notching the head of his cock at my entrance. He stilled for a moment. “I’m gonna go slow to start. I don’t want to hurt you.”

I threw my head back, breathing hard, as he inched himself into me. I wanted to feel all of him, to be filled by him, and I never wanted to let go. He held my hips as he started to thrust into me, gently at first, letting my body adjust to his. Then he entered me fully.

I threw back my head and moaned.

“Is it okay?” His voice was a hoarse whisper.

I nodded, giving him permission to take me the way he wanted. “It’s deep…and it’s so, so good.”

He grunted, sliding his hands under my ass and pulled me against him, driving into me with urgency. He rocked me back and forth against the counter. The hard granite was a cool contrast to his fluid, hot strokes. Gabe’s hands gripped my ass. All the muscles on his torso strained as he pumped his cock into me. My vision blurred.

“I’m not gonna last like this,” he grunted.

It didn’t matter. He spread my folds open with his fingers and found my clit, rubbing it, and the orgasm hit me hard, taking over. I leaned back and cried out, feeling every hot inch of him as he continued to pump into me. He cursed when he came a moment later, and I could feel his warmth spreading inside me, hot and deep. My muscles squeezed around his cock, and I felt triumphant, satisfied in a primal way.

I don’t think I’d ever used the word “primal” in a thought before I met Gabe. But it seemed entirely appropriate now. For fuck’s sake, as he would say, I had it bad.

We clung to each other afterward, our bodies entwined. I felt sated, exhausted, and a little sad, because I knew we were about to separate again.

Gabe blew out a deep breath and hugged me to him, kissing my hair. “Five minutes with you isn’t gonna cut it. I need a lifetime.”

Something twisted deep within me at his words. He tapped my chin, so I raised my eyes to his. Then he gently kissed me. “I forgot to tell you something.”

“What?” I asked, a little breathlessly.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Good.” He grinned at me, making my heart skip a beat. “Now stop enticing me with that hot body of yours and all that blonde hair. I have to get back to work.”

* * *

Before I headed down to the lab my phone buzzed.

“Ms. Taylor, it’s Jennifer Schilling. I spoke with Mr. Warren last night and passed along your message.”

“Thank you.” I waited.

“He said that, to be clear, the favor was to benefit you. And that Mr. Betts’s release was to benefit him.” Her voice was smooth, professional, and impenetrable.

That didn’t make any sense to me—any sense that I liked. “I’m sorry. Who’s him?”

“I believe my client was referring to himself.”

I licked my lips, which had suddenly gone dry. “What does that mean?”

“I didn’t ask him that,” she said curtly.

“Can I ask him?”

“He can call you collect through the system, but your number has to be approved by the jail. I can send you the link to set up access. Are you interested in doing that?”

“Send it now,” I snapped. “And tell Clive to call me as soon as he can.”

“There’s a waiting list to make calls,” she said.

“Just tell him to call me as soon as possible,” I said through gritted teeth.

I hung up and scrunched my eyes shut, feeling a headache coming on. The text came through almost immediately, and I followed the steps to register with the jail system’s phone service. Then I headed down to my lab to get my patch ready to launch in a wildly expedited timeframe.

And to wait for a call from the man who’d made that necessary.