Rush by Maya Banks Page A

you
     and Louisa.”

chapter five
    “Holy shit, you quit?” Caroline asked.
    Mia slowly nodded and then turned her attention back to the near-boiling water on
     the stove. She salted it and then added the spaghetti.
    “Come on, you have to tell me more. What prompted this decision? I was beginning to
     think you were going to make a career as a pastry chef or something.”
    “You sound like Gabe,” Mia muttered.
    Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “Is he why you quit? Spill, girlfriend. You’re still holding
     out on me about today’s meeting, and it’s driving me crazy!”
    Mia hesitated and then clamped her lips shut. She couldn’t tell Caroline about the
     contract. Or anything with regard to her meeting with Gabe. If she was going to agree
     to this—and apparently she was giving it serious consideration—she didn’t want the
     details of her private life—with Gabe—to be known. Even by her best friend.
    But she had to tell her something. So she went with the lesser of the two evils.
    “He offered me a job,” Mia said.
    Caroline’s eyes widened. “Wait. He kissed you. He threatenedto fuck you on the terrace. All because he wants you to work for him?”
    Yeah, it sounded pretty lame to Mia too, but she wasn’t saying a word about that damn
     contract.
    “Well, there could be more, but for now, he wants me to be his personal assistant.
     He thinks I’m wasting my talents working at La Patisserie.”
    Caroline poured them both a glass of wine and slid Mia’s glass across the bar to her.
     Mia stirred the spaghetti sauce and gave the noodles a quick poke.
    “Well, I agree with him there. You didn’t go to grad school to pour people coffee
     and offer them a croissant,” Caroline said dryly. “But personal assistant? I think
     he gives a whole new definition to the word
personal
.”
    Mia remained silent, not rising to that particular bait.
    “So you must have decided to do it if you quit, right?”
    Mia sighed. “I haven’t decided anything for certain yet. I have until Monday to make
     my decision.”
    Caroline shrugged. “It’s a no-brainer if you ask me. He’s rich, he’s gorgeous and
     he wants you. What’s not to love about that setup?”
    “You’re incorrigible,” Mia said in exasperation. “Money isn’t everything, you know.”
    “Said by someone who is indulged by her older brother, who also happens to have more
     money than God.”
    Mia couldn’t deny that Jace was every bit as wealthy as Gabe, or that he did a lot
     for her. He’d purchased this apartment for her—though he didn’t like that more often
     than not she walked the twenty blocks to work. She didn’t need a roommate, but Caroline
     needed a place to stay and Mia liked the company. But she tried not to rely
solely
on Jace. She wasn’t extravagant. In fact, she had learned to be quite frugal with
     her meager earnings.
    “I think I’m more curious than anything,” Mia admitted. “He’s always fascinated me.
     I’ve had a thing for him for as long as I can remember.”
    “Curiosity is a valid reason for hooking up with a guy,” Caroline said. “How will
     you know if you’re compatible unless you take the leap?”
    Taking the leap felt appropriate. Only it wasn’t just a short hop. It was a full plunge
     off a cliff. She itched to take out that damn contract again so she could go over
     it one more time, but she couldn’t do it in front of Caroline, which meant she’d have
     to wait until later to review it.
    She forked out a noodle and bit off the end. “It’s ready. Grab a plate and I’ll drain
     the spaghetti.”
    “I’ll get more wine,” Caroline offered. “You’re such an awesome cook, Mia. I wish
     I had your skills. Guys love that shit.”
    Mia laughed. “Like you have any problem in the guy department.”
    And it was true. Caroline was gorgeous. Only a little taller than Mia, she was way
     curvier with a lushness to her figure that attracted men like flies. She had beautiful