“That’s right.” He nods.
“You could swing by and check out Dom’s place while you’re there,” I suggest.
“Good idea.” Meg grins and takes a sip of her wine. “So, what else has been going on?”
“Luke is throwing a birthday party for Natalie at their place next Saturday,” Sam announces.
“At the new house?” I ask.
Sam nods. “Yeah, it’s beautiful.”
“It’s not far from here.” Meg grins. “So I can love on those babies any time I want.”
“When is Natalie due?” Nic asks.
“Not until this fall,” Sam responds. “Her belly is so cute. Nat is beautiful pregnant.”
“Nat is just always beautiful,” Meg adds.
“So is it going to be a pool party?” Will asks. “We can set up the pool volleyball.”
“Yep, pool party,” Sam confirms. “The parents are keeping all the kids, so it’ll just be the siblings.”
“Can you get Saturday off from the shop?” I murmur down at Nic.
“Oh, you have to come!” Meg agrees.
Nic blushes and bites her lip. “I think I can get coverage for the day.”
“Excellent.” I kiss her cheek and glance up to find Will staring at me with raised eyebrows.
“Would you be willing to bring some cupcakes?” Sam asks excitedly.
“Sure.” Nic shrugs. “I’ve been thinking about coming up with some new flavors, too. Maybe I can do something brand new, just for her.”
“That would be awesome,” Meg exclaims. “She’s a photographer. Can you decorate them fun and stuff?”
“Absolutely.” Nic nods enthusiastically. “I already have some ideas.”
“Great, I’ll let Luke know that we have the cake covered.” Sam pulls her phone out of her bra and quickly taps out a text message.
“You don’t have to do that,” I assure Nic, frowning at Meg and Sam. “I want you to take the day off and enjoy yourself. You don’t have to work.”
“Oh! No, really,” Meg agrees. “I don’t want you to work either. I just know that they’ll be delicious.”
“It’s fine,” Nic assures Meg and looks up at me. “I don’t mind at all. It’s fun.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She nods happily and squeezes my knee again.
“Good, because I’ve already confirmed with Luke.” Sam smiles innocently.
“Okay, now I want cupcakes.” Will stands and walks into the kitchen to grab the box full of Nic’s cakes and returns to the table.
“Mmm…” Sam sighs as she bites into a strawberry cupcake. “Seriously so good. Can I have a bite of your carrot?” she asks Leo.
“Can I have a bite of yours?” Leo asks.
“Fuck no.”
“Then, no, I’m not sharing either.” He laughs and takes a big bite of the cake. Everyone but Nic is enjoying her efforts.
“You’re not having one?” Meg asks before I can.
Nic shakes her head and smiles. “Nah, not tonight.”
“You’re missing out.” Leo grins and winks at Nic. “They’re delicious.”
“Dear God, woman,” Will moans and reaches for a third. “Run away with me.”
“You say that to all the girls.” Nic laughs. “But I’m glad you like them.”
“You caught a good one.” Will winks at me. “She can stay.”
I smile and nod at my brother.
Fuck yes, she can stay.
***
“Talk,” Will commands as we sit at the bar of his playroom. He has a full wet bar with tall stools.
Sam and Nic are chatting animatedly on a nearby couch. Meg and Leo have their heads together across the room, Meg with her guitar and Leo with a notebook and pencil, talking music.
“Since when do you have a piano?” I ask, pointing to the upright in the corner near where Meg and Leo are working.
“Leo plays, and he and Meg use it when they’re writing,” Will replies with a smile. “It makes her happy.”
I smirk, but can’t help but envy my brother just a little. He found a woman who loves him deeply. Meg doesn’t give a shit about his celebrity. Hell, she almost loves him despite it, and that’s something that we all worried about when it came to Will finding a woman. With his celebrity status, finding a true-hearted woman could have been a challenge.
But Meg fits him. She doesn’t take his shit and supports him wholly. She also continues to pursue her own nursing career, even though she certainly could quit her job and be a housewife.
Just mentioning the idea to Meg might get you stabbed in the face.
And that just makes me love her more.
“Hey, Nic, can you come here, please?” Leo asks.
My eyes narrow as he crooks his finger at Nic, and she grins and walks over to join the rocker and Meg.
“What’s up?”
“Can you play this?” Meg asks, holding the paper out to her.
“Uh, this is a bunch of squiggles.” Nic laughs.
“Welcome to my world,” Sam calls out and grins.
“Here, I’ll show you how it’s supposed to sound. We need to hear it with the guitar.” Leo sits at the piano and gestures for Nic to join him and begins to play.
“Why don’t you just play it?” Nic asks nervously.
“Because I need to write.” He grins and shows her how the melody should sound, then sits and listens as Nic picks it up, playing beautifully.
She never stops surprising me.
“She’s good,” Will murmurs.
“I had no idea,” I reply softly.
“So talk while she’s preoccupied.”
I glance at my brother, who’s watching me closely, and then turn my gaze back to the powerhouse of a woman on that piano bench.
“What?” I ask.
“I’ve never, never, seen you with a woman,” Will replies softly.
“That’s an exaggeration, drama queen.”
“High school doesn’t count.”
I shrug. I knew this was coming, and it’ll come again Saturday when I take her with me to Nat’s party.
“I like her.”
“Jesus, you’re stubborn,” Will growls and shoves his hand through his hair.
Nic continues to play the piano, surprising Leo when she changes some notes, telling him that it sounds better like this.
Leo scowls, listens, and then grins.
“You’re right.” Meg nods. “It’s smoother.”
“She’s amazing,” I whisper to Will. “She’s smart and kind. Sexy as fuck.”
“She is pretty hot,” Will agrees with a nod and then laughs when I glare at him. “Dude, I’m perfectly happy with my own hot woman.” His face sobers. “But does she know…”
“She knows,” I confirm. “And we’re good.”
Will nods. He and Isaac have never really understood my bedroom preferences, but they’re as supportive of me as I am of them, which means they’d have my back no matter what.
Caleb gets it. I can’t wait for him to get home so I can talk to him about all of this.
“I like her, man.” Will clamps his hand on my shoulder. “She’s sweet. I think she’ll get along well with the family, if that’s where you’re heading with this.”
“It’s where I’m heading.”
Will nods, watching the three of them play the music and smile and laugh together. “Meg’s already marrying you off in her head. You know that, right?”
I laugh and shake my head. “Of course she is. Meg wants everyone to be happy.”
“She’s a lot like Nat in that way,” Will agrees. “Jules might be a hard sell.”
“Jules loves everyone, too,” I disagree, thinking of my sweet baby sister. “She’s just a little protective of her brothers. She never had an issue with Meg.”
“No, but that’s because she’s known Meg since college,” Will replies. “And Bryn’s been around forever, too. It’ll be interesting to see how she reacts to someone sh
e doesn’t know.”
“I’m not worried about Jules,” I reply drily.
“You will worry when she and Nat take Nic shopping.” Will shakes his head ruefully. “Those two are responsible for keeping Seattle’s commerce thriving.”
“At least they’re doing their part,” I reply with a grin.
“Looks like your girl has a bit of a crush on Leo.” Will gestures toward them with his chin.
Leo has hugged her, excited about the progress they made on the song, and Nic is blushing furiously.
“That doesn’t worry me either.” I smirk. “Leo’s a rock star, and Nic’s a fan. She’ll get over it.”
“I wonder if she knows who Luke is.” Will says thoughtfully. “She doesn’t seem to mind being around me.”
“That’s because you’re a douche bag,” I reply.
“Whatever, moron.” Will laughs.
“I know what you’re getting at. It’s hard to be with our family. But I trust her.” I scratch my cheek then cross my arms over my chest.
“Okay.” He grins at me smugly. “I knew you’d fall in love eventually.”
“I’m not…” I begin, but he cuts me off with a loud laugh.
“Right. That’s what I said, too. Now look at me, so in love with her I can hardly see straight, and getting married.” Will’s face softens when he watches Meg play her guitar. “I wouldn’t change it for anything. She’s all that matters, Matt.”
I take a deep breath and watch Nic at the piano, tickling the keys, singing under her breath, off in her own world.
She’s all that matters.
Chapter Eight
~Nic~
“Thanks for taking me with you,” I murmur to Matt as we walk up to my apartment.
I rub my temple, hoping to alleviate the dull ache that’s been throbbing behind my eyes all day and has only gotten worse since dinner.
Matt lays his hands on my shoulders and rubs, making me moan in pleasure. “There’s nowhere else I’d have you be.”
I unlock the door and lead him inside my apartment, but turn and stop him from following me inside. “I’m not going to be the best company tonight, Matt.”
He frowns as he takes my face in his hands. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve had a headache all day, but it seems to be getting worse, so I think I’ll just take a shower and go to bed.” I shrug and offer him a small smile. “I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?” He takes my hand, kisses my knuckles tenderly, sending electricity up my arm, before pulling me behind him to the bedroom.
“For ending the night early.”
“Do you mind if I stay?” His voice is soft, gentle. He brushes his knuckles gently down my cheek before leaning in and kissing my forehead carefully.
“I don’t mind,” I reply.
“Have a seat.” He gestures to the bed, but I shake my head.
“I really just want to take a hot shower and go to sleep, Matt. If you change your mind and don’t want to stay, it’s okay.”
He steps closer and wraps his arms around me, pulling me in for a big hug.
I wrap my arms around his waist and hang on, close to tears, and I have no idea why. I had a great time with his family. He hasn’t done anything wrong.
Damn hormones.
He runs one big hand down my back to my ass and back up again before sighing and whispering against my hair, “I don’t want to go, little one. I want to take care of you.”
I begin to shake my head no, but he chuckles quietly.
“Just relax and let me take care of you. Let go. I’m going to help you get rid of this headache.”
It suddenly occurs to me that just having him here with me has helped. Who knew that a good, firm hug could ease a headache?
Matt kisses my hair and gently pushes me back onto the bed before marching into the attached bathroom. I hear water running in the tub and soft music begins to play, which must be coming from Matt’s phone, before he walks back into my bedroom and pulls my shirt over my head. He undresses me slowly, careful not to jostle my head as the smell of jasmine fills the air.
“You used my bubble bath,” I whisper.
“I like it,” he replies calmly. His hands are warm but don’t travel my skin the way they normally would when he has me naked. Instead, he’s comforting.
Loving.
He leads me into the bathroom, and I’m surprised to see candles flickering around the room. The bathtub is my favorite part of the apartment. It’s a large old-style claw-foot tub set against the wall and is currently full of water and bubbles. I step inside and lower myself into the fragrant water, sighing with relief as I lean back against the white porcelain.
“Water too hot?”
“Mmm,” I murmur.
“Is that a yes or no?” he asks with a laugh.
“Feels good,” I reply. My eyes slide closed, and I float weightlessly. The pain behind my eyes begins to fade.
“Can I get you something to drink?” he asks quietly.
“No, thank you,” I whisper. “You can join me, though.”
“No, this is just for you, baby. Relax. I’ll be back.”
I open one eye to see him walk out of the bathroom and shut the door behind him to keep the warmth in the bathroom. I sigh and sink down lower into the hot water. It is a bit too warm, but it feels fantastic.
I’ve never trusted someone enough to take care of me. I would have said that I don’t need someone to take care of me. And, truth be told, I don’t. I can take care of myself just fine, thank you very much.
But having someone around to pamper me a bit, just because he can, isn’t a bad deal at all.
“How are you feeling?” Matt joins me, kneeling beside the tub.
“Better.” I grin at him and raise a wet hand to cup his cheek. He turns his face and plants a kiss to my palm. “Thank you.”
“We’re not done yet,” he replies, his clear blue eyes smiling.
“We’re not?”
He shakes his head and holds his hand out for mine, pulling me out of the cooling water. He wraps a towel around my shoulders and dries me off, then leads me back into the bedroom, where he’s lit more candles.
“Lie on your stomach,” he instructs me, pointing to the center of the bed.
I shrug and climb up onto the bed, smiling at Matt’s groan. “You okay?”
“You did that on purpose,” he growls.
“Did what?” I look back over my shoulder and bat my eyelashes innocently.
“Stuck your ass and beautiful pussy in the air for me to see,” he replies.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I giggle, lie on my stomach and sigh in contentment when Matt’s oil-coated hands begin to knead my shoulders. “Oh God.”
“Not too deep?” he asks.
“You can go deeper,” I reply and melt under his touch. Instead of flaring to life in lust, my body settles, calms under Matt’s magical touch. “You’re good at that.”
“Just breathe deeply and enjoy,” he murmurs.
Being the object of a pampering Matt is perhaps the best thing I’ve ever experienced. My already relaxed muscles from the hot bath relax further, loosening until I’m simply a pile of mushy goo on the sheets.
“You’re going to make me drool,” I mutter.
“I hope that’s a good thing.” He chuckles.
“You have amazing hands,” I reply as he finishes rubbing my shoulders and backs away so I can sit up.
“Here.” He tugs the covers up over me as I snuggle down into my bed, yawning deeply.
“Are you leaving?” I ask with a frown. I don’t want him to go.
“I’d like to sleep here with you, if that’s okay.”
I grin and pull the covers back in a silent invitation. “I think it’s perfectly okay.”
A smile spreads over his handsome face as he strips down to his boxer-briefs. I never tire of seeing his perfect body. A flare of recognition flows through me as my eyes travel the
length of him.
“If you keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, I’ll have no choice but to fuck you until we both pass out, and I’ve already made up my mind to simply cuddle you tonight, so be good.”
“I’m always good.” I grin.
Matt laughs as he climbs between the cool pink sheets with me and pulls me up against him, my head resting on his chest. “Did you have fun tonight?”
“I did.” I grin, thinking of the banter between Matt and his brother, how the girls accepted me so readily. “They were really nice to me.”
“They’re good people,” he murmurs. “I’m excited for you to meet the rest of the gang next weekend.”
“How many people will be there?” I ask. My finger is making swirly designs across his chest, down his stomach and back up again, making his muscles twitch under my touch.
Fuck, I love touching him.
“Well, we are a big group. Let’s see.” He purses his lips in thought. “Luke and Nat, Jules and Nate, Isaac and Stacy, Will and Meg, Leo and Sam, Caleb and Bryn, Mark, Dominic, and you and I, so that’s…”
“Sixteen people?!” I ask, shocked.
“Yeah.” He grins and shrugs. “I told you, we’re a big group.”
“Wow. It must be fun to always have that many people around.” I settle my head back on his chest and feel the tears threaten again. I don’t know what it’s like to have that kind of support system. I made the choice to live far from my family long ago, and I certainly don’t have a circle of friends that big.
“It can be a pain in the ass, too.” He laughs. “They’re all nosy, so you’ll get a lot of questions.”
“How do you want me to answer them?” I ask.
“Honestly, of course.” He tilts my head back and frowns down into my eyes. “Why would you ask that?”
“They’re going to want to know how we met,” I remind him. “Especially the girls.”
He sobers, as though he hadn’t thought of that. “Just tell them we met at a party. That isn’t a lie.”
“Okay.” I nod. It’s true, we did meet at a party. “So, your family doesn’t know about your…preferences?”
“My brothers know some,” he replies and pushes his fingers through my short hair. “Caleb knows more than the others.”