With Me in Seattle Bundle One (141 page)

“I’m fine.” He smiles. “She did a great job.”

I can’t look away from it.

“The blue is your eyes,” he murmurs and turns to me, cupping my face in his hands.

“You put permanent ink on you that reminds you of
me
?”

He frowns for a moment and then sighs. “Yes.”

“Is it okay if that freaks me out a little?”

“Yes.” He laughs and nods.

“Good, ’cause it freaks me out a little.” I look at it in the mirror again, and warmth spreads through me, knowing that he wants something of me on him, but at the same time, it’s a big commitment.

“Tell me why you’re freaked out.” He’s watching me closely.

“It’s permanent,” I whisper, and he just nods, waiting for me to continue. “Shit, Leo, it’s more permanent than a ring.”

His eyes narrow. “Trust me, when I get a ring on your finger, it’ll be there permanently.”

When he gets a ring on my finger?!

“Leo,” I begin and pull out of his arms. “I thought we were on the same page. I’m not interested in having a ring on my finger.”

“What are you talking about?” He scowls.

“You said that marriage doesn’t interest you. It doesn’t me either.” I shake my head and cross my arms over my chest. “We can be committed to each other without rings on our fingers.”

“Samantha, I was a different man then.” He props his hands on his hips, just over his low-hanging jeans and boxers. “Meeting you, falling for you, has changed that. You’re mine.”

“Yes, so you keep reminding me. Often.”

“Because apparently you need the reminder. You’ve marked me, and this tat is me showing the world that I’m yours, permanently.”

I continue to scowl at him, but holy shit, he’s mine.
Permanently
.

“Leo, I am committed to you, but marriage—”

“Jesus Christ,” he interrupts. “It’s not like I’m down on one knee with a ring.”

“Okay.” I frown.

He closes the gap between us and pushes his hands into my hair, holding me still. “I’m yours, sunshine. Get used to it. The rest will work itself out.”

“You are so mine,” I agree and feel my insides loosen.

“God, you’re fucking stubborn. Most women would be thrilled that their man inked himself for her.”

“At least you didn’t have my name tatted on your neck.” I shiver as he laughs.

“Not really my thing.” He shakes his head and sighs. “What am I going to do with you?”

Just keep loving me. I don’t say it aloud. Instead, I stand on my toes and press my lips to his.

“Your new tattoo is pretty,” I whisper.

Chapter Twenty-Five

One Month Later

“You don’t have to walk me to the door. I remember where Jules and Nate live.” I smirk at Leo as he walks me down the hallway of Jules and Nate’s building.

“I don’t mind. So, you are all going to meet us guys at the venue at six thirty, right?”

“Yes.” I nod and roll my eyes. This is the third time he’s reminded me since we left my place, and I live only four blocks away. “Why are you so worried about us being there on time?”

“Because women have a tendency to be late as it is. Six of you getting ready together and getting somewhere on time? Impossible. The show starts at seven.”

“O ye of little faith.” I laugh and ring the doorbell. “We’ll be there in time. We have like three hours to get ready.”

“Hey! You’re here!” Jules opens the door, dressed only in short red cut-off sweats and a tight black tank. “We’re doing hair now. I already have an idea for you.”

“Thanks for the lift.” I turn to follow Jules, but Leo snags my hand and pulls me back to him, kissing me deeply and possessively, before pulling back with a smug grin.

“You’re gonna be great tonight, baby,” I whisper to him.

He smirks, but I know he’s a little nervous.

“Wear something sexy for me.” He smacks my ass as I walk away.

“Yoga pants it is!” I call over my shoulder and wave as he laughs and closes the door behind him.

“Hey, guys!” I call out, set my overnight bag on Jules’ bed, along with everyone else’s it seems, and saunter into the bathroom. “It looks like a beauty supply store has exploded in here.”

“You’re here!” Natalie kisses my cheek happily.

Stacy and Brynna are hunched over the sink, studiously applying makeup.

“This is a rock concert, you know. You’ll sweat a lot of that makeup off.”

“No, I won’t.” Stacy laughs. “I don’t sweat. I glisten.”

Meg laughs. “Just wear waterproof everything, you’ll be fine.”

She looks awesome. Her hair is a riot of red and blond curls, and she’s added purple streaks around her face.

Jules and Natalie have both gone for the long, sleek, straight look with their hair.

“Sit,” Jules instructs me.

“I can do my own hair.” I scowl. “I’ve been doing it for a long time.”

“Don’t be a pussy. I’ll do something really awesome.”

“Gee, great. Just don’t rat it like the hair bands in the eighties.”

Jules grins and pushes me into a chair, reaches for her flat iron and gets to work.

“Sam, how do you like your new job?” Stacy asks and smiles over at me.

“I love it.” I grin as I think of my new position at
Wine Northwest
, a popular magazine that showcases wines and wineries in the Northwest.

“Do you get to sample the goods?” Jules asks as she rubs some sort of gel shit in my hair.

“Actually, yes. It’s awesome.”

“Good for you.” Nat finishes her lipstick and primps her hair. She doesn’t even look pregnant yet. “We’re proud of you.”

“Thanks, it’s just a relief to be employed again.”

“Is Leo nervous about tonight?” Brynna asks, catching my eye in the mirror.

“He says he’s not, but I think he might be a little. This is their first show in almost six months.”

“Plus, it’s home turf, so it means more,” Meg agrees. “He’s probably acting all badass, but his stomach is going crazy.”

“Poor guy.” Stacy laughs. “God, I hope he goes shirtless tonight.”

“Can you arrange that, Sam?” Nat asks with a giggle. “God, those stars.” She fans her face with her hand and giggles.

“I’ll put in the request,” I respond drily. Of course he’ll go shirtless. This is Leo Nash.

I can’t wait.

“Brynna, you look hot,” Jules comments and continues to tug on my head.

“Thanks.” Brynna winks.

Jules is right. Brynna looks great. Her curvy body looks fantastic in her skinny jeans and shiny black, low-cut top.

“Sex agrees with her.” Stacy smirks, and I feel my eyes go wide.

“No way!”

Brynna blushes and lowers her gaze for just a moment and then turns to face the room with a happy smile.

“You’re getting your orgasms!” Natalie exclaims happily.

“Boy am I.” Brynna nods. “I can safely say the Montgomery men give some amazing orgasms.”

Both Stacy and Meg nod in agreement, and I laugh, relieved that Jules has let go of my hair so I don’t get burned.

“Oh my God! That’s so great!” Jules rushes around me to hug Brynna and then scowls. “Wait. Ew. That’s my brother. Yuck.”

“Jules, I hate to break it to you, but your brothers have sex.” I grin and pour myself a flute of champagne from a bottle on the sink.

“They have really, really great sex.” Meg applies her lip gloss and blots her lips. “Really great.”

“If he hurts you, I’ll fucking kill him.” Jules makes a fist and holds it to her chest, like she’s going to knock someone out.

“You always say that.” Nat rolls her eyes and hugs Brynna. “Good for you.”

“Yeah, well, he’s a complete stubborn ass, and he’s made it clear that it’s just sex and he’s making sure that the kids and me are safe.” She shrugs but can’t disguise the sadness in her beautiful brown eyes. “But the orgasms rock.”

“Here, have some liquor.” I top off her glass. “You look hot tonight. We’re gonna have a blast. Caleb is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you.”

“Why are the guys going, anyway?” Stacy asks. “I thought this was supposed to be girls’ night out.”

“I don’t know.” Jules shrugs. “They like the music.”

“I wish Will didn’t have to go out of town this weekend.” Meg frowns.

“We’ll send him pictures,” Nat assures her. “We’ll take pics of us from the front row, flirting with the security guards, trying to get backstage.”

“Uh, Nat.” I chuckle and shake my head. “We’re with the band. We don’t have to flirt with security.”

“Well, what fun is that?” She scowls, and we all laugh at her.

“There, your hair is perfect.” Jules teases one more strand in the front and backs away. “Go check it out.”

She did a good job. She’s made my shoulder-length blond hair look choppy and messy in a rocker kind of way. How she managed to do that with a flat iron and some gel stuff is beyond me.

“Thanks.” I grin. “You know, if that whole investment banking shit doesn’t work out, you could totally do hair.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” she replies sarcastically as I reach for my makeup bag and dig in, with Brynna hovering close by, giving me pointers on making my eyes smoky.

Finally, after what seems like forever, Brynna and the rest of the girls are satisfied with my face.

“I’m getting dressed,” Jules announces.

“Me, too.” I follow her into the bedroom and pull my tight, thigh-length silver-studded black dress over my hips. It has a deep V neckline, showing off my boobs, thanks to a really great push-up bra.

“Holy fuck, you’re hot.” Jules is staring at me, her mouth open. “What shoes are you wearing?”

I pull my super-strappy black heels out of my bag and hold them up smugly. “Fuck-me shoes.”

“Leo’s gonna need some sort of resuscitation.” She smirks and steps into a pair of tight blue jeans and a red halter top that is loose with a cowl neckline that also dips down between her breasts. Red patent leather Choo stilettos complete the look.

“We’re all showing off our boobs tonight.” I snicker.

“Hell yes, why not?”

We join the others and earn catcalls and whistles.

“We are one group of hot bitches,” Meg nods appreciatively. She’s stunning in a green strapless, thigh-length baby doll dress with a handkerchief hemline. Nat and Stacy are both in gorgeous short black dresses.

Meg’s right. We’re a bunch of hot bitches.

“Are we ready? Leo will be shocked that we’re on time.”

“Let’s go shock him,” Jules agrees.

***

The place is packed. Key Arena
is smaller, much smaller, than the Tacoma Dome, but it’s also more intimate. I’m not surprised in the least that the guys chose to play here tonight.

This kicks off their twenty-day US tour. The Sunshine Tour. I grin at the T-shirts as we walk past on our way down to our seats. Leo already gave me mine.

As we work our way down to the front row where I can already see, and hear, our guys, a security guard approaches us.

“Which one of you is Samantha Williams?” he asks.

The girls all point to me and keep walking to their men.

God, the guys all look fantastic tonight.

“Would you please come with me?” he asks. “Mr. Nash would like a word.”

“Sure.” I follow him past the others, the stage and through a black door to the backstage area. It’s surprisingly quiet back here, despite the flurry of activity of roadies and other people bustling about, all wearing official VIP badges around their necks.

“Right through here.” He opens a door and motions for me to go in and closes the door behind me.

“Thank God.” Leo pulls me to him and kisses me madly, then pulls back, and those gray eyes move up and down my body. “Holy fuck, Sam, how am I supposed to concentrate on the show when you’ll be in the front row looking like this?”

I grin and turn in a tight circle. “You like?”

“I think I just had a stroke,” he confirms.

“You look pretty hot yourself.” He’s in black leather pants and a tank from an ancient AC/DC concert. “How long till the tank comes off?”

“Probably in the first song. I get too hot,” he murmurs.

“You want to show off your stars,” I contradict him and laugh when he scowls at me. “The girls will be happy. They’re excited to see your stars.”

“What about you?” he asks and kisses my forehead.

“I enjoy the stars as well.” I grin and push my hands under his shirt and rub my thumbs where the stars are, right along his V. “They fucking rock.”

“No turning me on right before a show, sunshine.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” I ask with wide eyes.

“You’re trouble,” he mutters and smiles. “I love it. Security will bring all of you back after the show. Just stay in your seats.”

“Will do. You’ll be awesome,” I remind him.

“Honestly, the show isn’t what I’m nervous about.” He frowns and kisses my forehead again.

“What are you nervous about?”

“You’ll see.” He shakes his head and checks his watch. “You’d better get back out there. I have to get back to the guys. We have a pre-show ritual that I’d better not miss.”

“Sacrifice a virgin?” I ask with a laugh.

“Nothing that dramatic.” He shakes his head, smiling softly. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Okay. Break a leg.”

He kisses me, hard and fast, and shows me out to the hallway, where the security guard is waiting to escort me back to my seat.

“This is Lionel. He’s been assigned to you guys all night. If you need anything, just ask him.”

“Okay.” I turn to Lionel. “I’m ready.”

***

~Leo~

Aside from Samantha, there is nothing I love more than performing. The rush of being surrounded by thousands of people singing along with songs I’ve written is better than any drug-induced high.

The first half of the show has gone without a hitch. The band is playing flawlessly. I’ve been with these guys long enough that we communicate with hand movements or eye contact.

It’s the best.

My voice is strong and sure, and I’ve never enjoyed myself more during a show. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that my city and my girl are in the audience.

“Are you having fun, Seattle?” I ask and hold the mic out for their response, which is a deafening scream.