Breathless Series #1

*Contains explicit sexual and BDSM scenes.

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Disclaimer: I have read this book of my own volition.  Any and all opinions and interpretations contained herein are my own.

The Spoiler Report is a recounting of the major events of the novel mixed with my own interpretation of the meaning and symbolism of events, emotions, and actions. Reading this report is NOT a substitute for reading the actual novel and should not be taken as such. Not every single detail, feeling, and event is divulged within. It is essentially a lengthy outline of the story. Many details and all dialogue have not been included. This report is for those who appreciate knowing what happens or feels they may miss things when reading, or just want to have a detailed overview of a book before, or during, reading.

****THIS REPORT CONTAINS SPOILERS****  

This is NOT a book review. For the full review of Rush please visit here!

Mia Crestwell is in the middle of a personal turmoil. She has been given the opportunity to enter into an extremely beneficial contract with the gorgeous Gabe Hamilton. Any fear and trepidation she had melted away as his actions and sincerity are written on his face prove that she is worthy to him.

4 Days Earlier.

Gabe decides the universe has given him the greenlight to pursue Mia as every coincidental situation paves the way even though he is 14 years her senior. Mia’s brother has already left the event for the evening. The time is right for Gabe to enact his plans for Mia. Plans he has been harboring for way too long.

Moments before two men approach Mia, Gabe sweeps in and whisks her away. Physically and mentally. Gabe is the reason her life is stalled. Shy,  she hasn’t been able to completely move into adulthood after college. Hoping the fantasy of her and Gabe would become a reality.

The two dance just long enough for Gabe to unintentionally hurt Mia’s feelings. Wanting to make his intentions clear, he takes her to a terrace where he kisses her. Throwing all abandon to the wind. The kiss is better than Mia could have ever imagined. Owning her.

Out of the blue, Gabe confesses with his words and actions that this has been building for a while. For him this wasn’t without reason. Dragging her from the terrace and straight into a car before he loses control. Demanding that Mia comes to his office tomorrow morning.

Mia is confused. Why her? She obviously places Gabe on a pedestal that towers over the rest of the human race.

Gabe wrestles with the upcoming meeting with Mia. She is not like other women. They have a plutonic relationship – externally. Now that Gabe has crossed a line, he is obsessed and must possess her.

Jace, Mia’s brother, and Ash threaten to thwart Gabe’s plan as they enter his office uninvited. The three have been friends since school and are founders of their multi-million dollar company. Jace and Ash were supposed to have been on a plane to see a client – not his office. Once Jace’s and Ash’s shared conquest arrives, Gabe becomes more annoyed and pushes the three out.

Mia is eager to get to Gabe on time. The desire to obey his command is strong. With one minute to spare, she arrives at Gabe’s office. Immediately second guessing herself and her interpretation of last night’s events.

Gabe offers her a job. He believes the one she has is beneath her. He wants her to be his personal assistant, not an assistant at a small bakery. But Mia knows he hates having a PA. She is suspicious. Gabe is very forthcoming of his true intentions – he wants her. If she works for him, she will be there whenever he wants her. Plus, she will be able to gain some corporate experience.

Understandably, Mia is even more confused than when she arrived. But she is also a bit excited. Gabe has starred in her fantasies since she was a teenager. This doesn’t seem real.

Then Gabe broaches the subject of the contract. No specifics, no explanation. Just take the weekend to Mia could read it over, return Monday with a decision.

Due to complications with his marriage, how is now ex-wife handled their divorce, Gabe uses contracts to protect himself with all his relationships.

Mia is taken aback. It is all so clinical and business-like. The contract basically states that Mia would be entering into a D/S (dominate/submissive) relationship, exclusively. She was to constantly be in a submissive role. Conceding all control of her life and body to Gabe. Not just the intimate portions of their relationship. But the contract makes no mention of emotions. Mia understands Gabe’s lack of trust when it comes to women.

The other aspect of the contract that gives Mia pause is the lack of details. Everything is too broad and vague. Letting her imagination run with implications. She also wasn’t fond of the notion that she wasn’t the first woman to receive this type of contract from Gabe. She is not unique to him. Not to mention how her brother would react.

Gabe visits Mia at the patisserie where she works. Finalizing Mia’s decision to quit the bakery.

Now we catch up with the prologue and Mia arrives at Gabe’s office on Monday morning. Mia accepts his proposal. But she has a few conditions of her own to add. Gabe clears up some of Mia’s confusion pertaining to who really holds the power and control in a D/S relationship. Essentially the sub holds the power. The dom just takes control and acts according to the sub’s parameters. Ultimately, Mia forges ahead and plunges head-first into a contracted relationship, working and personal, with Gabe.

Mia enjoys a night out with her girlfriends before her relationship, and job, with Gabe truly begins. As she has been summoned to his apartment where the two eat a silence-filled dinner. Gabe shoves them off a cliff and straight into the intimate portion of their relationship.

Mia’s presence is already tainting Gabe’s hardened views on emotions. Blurring his black and white lines. He warns Mia away from falling for him, it is not what this arrangement is about.

She finds his warning brutish and offensive. That was rectified by another round of sex. But Gabe doesn’t stop there. He wakes her up to tie her hands and have his way with her again. Mia loves every moment. Even though Gabe enjoyed it, he is disappointed in himself. Having abandoned his original plan to go slow and ease Mia into this lifestyle. He just can’t help himself.

Her first day on the job in the office. Of course everyone is nice to her, her name is immediately recognizable as Jace’s little sister. It isn’t until she is in the bathroom that she overhears the beginnings of the rumor mill churning. Unknowingly, the women hit the nail on the head when it comes to Gabe and Mia’s relationship. Even down to the contract. But to the women, it is nothing more than speculation.

The talk gives Mia another perspective on the situation. She may be nothing more than an executive prostitute.

True to their speculations, when Gabe returns to his office, he takes Mia on top of his desk. As is flipping a switch, returning to all business once he is done.

Channeling Pretty Woman vibes, Gabe takes her shopping for a dress to where to an event later that night. Conveying his best inner Richard Grear, Gabe ensures Mia has everything she will need for the night and any other future functions.

Jace calls Mia to set up a date when he returns to town. Spurring a conversation between Mia and Gabe. Clarifying how she will exactly be earning her paycheck.

As soon as the two arrive at Gabe’s apartment, he orders her to drop to her knees so she can take him into her mouth. She may be overwhelmed by how intense he is, but revels in it. After, Gabe shows her his regret, not the satisfaction Mia was hoping to see. He apologizes, again, for losing control with her.

Warring internally, not happy about how he has been treating her behind closed doors, Gabe knows it is going to continue to happen again and again. The more he is with her, the more he craves her.

Mia steps up at the event with Gabe, proving she is the business asset that Gabe truly thought she would be.

Gabe’s father shows up at the restaurant Gabe and Mia are having their meeting with a client. He arrives with a much younger woman on his arm. One who corners Mia in the bathroom. Not surprising, she is only with the elder Hamilton for his money. But Gabe is younger and richer. She wants tips from Mia how to get Gabe into bed.

To Mia’s horror, as she returns from the bathroom, the woman is attached to Gabe. And he is playing right into her hands without any regard for Mia.

Mia leaves to have a good ol’ rant with Caroline, her roommate. Until they are interrupted by a furious Gabe who has come to collect Mia. Both are vibrating with anger and hash it out before Gabe punishes her with a good spanking.

Despite really enjoying the experience, Mia is angry that Gabe is making her question everything she thought she knew about herself. In the end, she craves him as much as he claims to crave her. The way he makes her feel, she has to continually remind herself that it won’t last – Gabe only wants her for sex and their ‘relationship’ has an expiration date.

Gabe feels the need to explain his actions at the restaurant with his father’s date. Something he has never done with anyone – explain and justify his actions. But he still harbors a lot of anger about his life. Which leads Mia to ask about his divorce, not knowing many details about it. What his ex-wife did to him spurred the need for the contract.

Gabe forces himself to keep his urges and desires in check so he can make love to Mia.

Mr. Hamilton, Gabe’s father shows up at his son’s office unannounced. He is beside himself with guilt and regret over divorcing his wife. The audacity he had acing the way he had. Claiming mid-life crisis made him do it to the extreme.

While Gabe is out to lunch with his dad, Jace and Ash return looking for him. Instead, they find Mia at her desk in Gabe’s office.  It doesn’t take much effort for Mia to paint an innocent picture of her employment. While Jace seems to accept the situation to Mia’s face, he lays into Gabe as soon as his friend returns from lunch.

Jace pulls the big-brother card warning Gabe away from hurting his little sister in any capacity. And to keep his hands to himself where Mia is concerned.

Returning to his office, Gabe locks the door deciding that now is the perfect time to start training Mia for anal.

Not long after a passionate round on his desk, Gabe’s ex-wife visits. She is still referring to herself as his wife much to Gabe’s chagrin. Mia is asked to step outside the office while the two talk.

Eavesdropping, Mia overhears the beginning of the conversation. Following the path of his father, Gabe’s ex has come to confess her mistakes and love for Gabe.

Ash interrupts Mia’s eavesdropping. Once he learns who she is spying on, he joins her. Reconnoitering in Ash’s office, Jace joins them. All three speculate what is happening between Gabe and his ex.

Returning to Gabe’s office, Mia helps him try and erase the taint his ex-wife left behind. Leaving Gabe in a completely vulnerable state.

Mia and Gabe enjoy an intimate dinner where she allows herself to fantasize that Gabe is truly hers. Mind, body, and soul. No contract, just the two of them following their hearts. As usual, lust takes over and they give in to each other on the ride to his apartment.

Later that night, Gabe meets Ash and Jace for drinks. Catching them up on everything.

The next evening Mia meets Ash and Jace for drinks. Giving both her and Gabe time to realize, in each other’s absence, what their presence in each other’s lives means. Which leads to two very different realizations about their relationship.

Mia spends the night out with her girlfriends at a club. A small detail she left out when she told Gabe she had plans for the night. After her night out, Mia finds she has an inappropriate amount of texts from Gabe. He is waiting for her outside her building when she returns home. It’s 2 A.M. She is more intoxicated than she realized. Gabe takes care of her before taking her back to his apartment in the morning.

Mia is torn. The D/S relationship dynamic is still new and a bit foreign to her. She is not overly fond of his rigid demands and overbearing protectiveness. But he gives her so much in the way of after care that she revels in it.

Gabe is only upset with her because she took a cab to and from her apartment instead of using the car and driver he has for her. Putting her safety at risk. She has earned herself another punishment after she recovers from her night at the club.

Gabe’s ex returns to try and grovel again. It isn’t until Mia accidentally interrupts that her tune changes. She sees how Gabe reacts to Mia. How he has always reacted to her. She turns to threats of blackmail. All the while planting seeds of possible clarity in Gabe’s mind. Putting a damper on their business trip to Paris.

In Paris, Gabe is cold and dismissive toward Mia as he tries to distance himself. But ultimately he can’t keep it up, he needs her. Gabe invites potential investors back to his and Mia’s suite for drinks and dinner. Before the clients arrive, Gabe ties Mia up in the middle of the living room, naked. Gabe and the three men drink and talk business as if she were not there. Until Gabe orders Mia to pleasure him while everyone watches. After

he invites the others to pleasure Mia under strict parameters. Despite doing this as spawned by Mia’s fantasies, Gabe hates it.

One of the men grossly ignores Gabe’s parameters and takes advantage of the situation. Gabe throws the three of them out. Wracked by guilt, Gabe tries to comfort Mia who clearly feels violated. Gabe is terrified of the possible repercussions of his rash decision. He tries to overcompensate through his aftercare attempts. Mia is haunted.

Canceling the remainder of the trip, Gabe spends their last day in Paris showing Mia the city. Something she genuinely wants to enjoy. But the events of the previous night linger.

Mia and Gabe finally discuss last night. Mia is still hung up on the contract. Gabe placates her with genuine promises but is still too cowardly to completely open himself up to her – and himself.

Daring to act, Mia takes a small bit of control in bed. Something she has wanted to do since the beginning of their relationship. Gabe is more than happy to give her what she wants and enjoys it. Eventually making love to him, cementing her place in his heart. Evident in the way he treats her upon their return from Paris.

Bringing lunch to the office one afternoon, Mia runs into one of the investors from Paris. The one that crossed the line. Blaming her for Gabe’s reaction through their business dealings. Trying to regain control, the man tries to blackmail Mia.

Because Mia has chosen to NOT immediately tell Gabe about her interaction, he begins to overanalyze Mia’s sudden mood shift. Thinking that it must have something to do with him and their relationship. Something that already has him on edge as he believes he is falling deeper in love with her than he presumed possible.

Mia does eventually tell Gabe about her encounter. He immediately becomes overwhelmed by his emotions. Yes, he is beyond pissed at the man and the situation he put Mia in, but blames himself for being the instigator. But ultimately, Mia has chosen him over everything and everyone.

After taking care of the man, Gabe finally accepts the reality, he has no intentions of ever walking away from Mia – ever. It is time to tell her brother.

Mia and Gabe spend a night of pure trust and lust together after he tells her his plan for them to come out with their relationship to Jace. Their night is interrupted by Jace and Ash.

As Jace lays into him for the scene they witnessed, Gabe realizes that everything Mia’s brother accuses him of is true.

When Mia urges Gabe to help explain the real situation to her brother and Ash as they had originally planned, he leaves her out to dry – alone.

Mia is furious. On the ride to her apartment, she lays into Jace and Ash for being hypocrites.

Opening up to Caroline, Mia tells her everything. Even how deeply she allowed herself to fall for Gabe.

Time without Mia gives Gabe space to brood and analyze. Finally realizing and accepting his feelings for her. He has to act upon this epiphany immediately. Starting by confronting Jace and patching their relationship.

As soon as Jace sees the sincerity in Gabe’s words, he realizes the change that has happened in his friend that is all due to his sister.

Having gotten her job back at the bakery, Gabe tries to woo his way back into her good graces with no luck.

One evening, walking home from the bakery after being sent home nearly deliriously sick, Mia runs into Gabe. Taking her to her apartment, Gabe takes care of her but doesn’t stay. He knows she needs space to recover. Enlisting her brother to help take care of her so that he can make sure she is well enough to go to Rockefeller Center Monday night.

Jace and Ash spend the weekend nursing Mia back to health. Come Monday, she is mostly recovered but her heart is still broken. She hasn’t heard from Gabe since he left her at her apartment. Ash and her brother escort Mia to Rockefeller Center; it is decked out for Christmas.

The three make their way to the front of a stage where a small concert is being held. A spotlight lands on Mia as the singer relays a dedication to her from Gabe. The man himself appears and drops to one knee. After handing her a ring, he tears the contract in two.