With Me In Seattle: Bundle Two (47 page)

“When did you find out?” Natalie asks.

“On our last day in Tuscany,” Caleb replies. “The stick says I knocked her up.”

“You’re so classy.” Jules rolls her eyes and looks over at Matt. “You knew!”

“I was sworn to secrecy,” he replies calmly.

I take a deep breath and realize that I’m a bit shaky. I didn’t eat much this morning and barely picked at the food at lunch because my nerves got the better of me, being around Matt’s family for the first time.

Stupid!

I know better. The conversation continues around me, but I no longer really hear what they’re saying.

How am I going to get through this without drawing attention to myself?

My breathing and heart rate have increased, and I’m starting to feel woozy.

This one has come on fast.

“Hey, are you okay, baby?” Matt asks and tilts my face back to meet his gaze. He frowns down at me. “You don’t look so good.”

“I think I just need to eat something,” I reply and pull myself out of his arms, but as soon as I stand, I have to grip the back of the chair so I don’t fall. My head is spinning.

My sugars have crashed.

Fuck.

“Hey, hey, hey, baby.” Matt stands and helps me down into a chair.

I push my head down between my knees and focus on my breathing.

“What’s wrong? You’re scaring me, Nic.”

“For fuck’s sake, is she preggo, too?” Mark demands. “What is it with this family?”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Meg replies and kneels next to me. “Nic, are you diabetic?”

“Yeah,” I whisper. “I don’t think I ate enough today.”

“Someone run inside and grab her a sandwich and a glass of orange juice,” Meg orders sternly.

“On it,” Dominic announces and breaks into a run to the house.

“When was the last time you checked your sugars?” Meg asks and caresses my back in long, slow strokes.

“This morning. Every morning,” I reply and focus on breathing. The shaking is worse now.

“Maybe we should take her to the hospital,” Matt announces. His voice is as hard as steel.

He’s angry.

“She’ll be okay in a few minutes,” Meg assures him as Dominic returns and passes me the juice. “Slow sips. We don’t want you to spike.”

I take a bite of the sandwich first and then sip the juice, feeling foolish.

“I’m okay,” I assure everyone. “Really.”

“You almost passed out, sweetheart,” Will responds. “We’ll feel better if you just sit here for a few and eat.”

“Why didn’t you eat earlier?” Jules asks, concerned as she looks between me and Matt.

“Nerves.” I shrug. “New people. I’m shy.”

“Jesus,” Matt whispers and paces away from me.

“Are you on meds?” Meg asks and checks my pulse.

“No.” I shake my head. “I manage it with diet and exercise.”

“That’s why you don’t eat your cupcakes,” Leo says, his eyes also worried.

I stop sipping the juice to look around. All of these beautiful people are gathered around me, worried, watching me as though they might have to save my life any second.

They care about me.

“Like I said, too much sugar,” I reply and take another bite of the turkey sandwich Dominic delivered. “I haven’t had an episode like this in years. Honest.” I look up at Matt, but his face is hard, and his eyes are angry. “I take very good care of myself.”

The shaking has stopped, and my heart rate has returned to normal as I finish the sandwich.

“I’m sorry I worried everyone.”

“Do you need to lie down?” Luke asks.

“No.” I shake my head again and smile at the handsome former actor. “I’m really fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Matt responds in a cold voice.

“Matt…” Isaac begins, but Matt cuts him off with a harsh look.

“You should have told me.”

I look around again and firm my chin, raising it and squaring my shoulders. He will not shame me in front of these people.

“You never asked,” I reply just as coldly. “I’m fine, Matt.”

“I think she could use another sandwich,” Meg suggests with a knowing look at Matt.

“I think so, too. Come with me.”

He pulls me out of the lounge and into his arms and carries me toward the house.

“We need to talk.”

Chapter Twelve

~Matt~

I’m going to paddle her ass.

I stomp across Luke’s yard toward the house. Jesus, she took five years off my life back there. I haven’t been that scared in a long time, and I’m a fucking cop.

“I can walk,” she mutters with a pout, but I ignore her. “Did you hear me?”

“I heard.”

“Put me down,” she tries again, but I tighten my hold as I push open the sliding glass door and carry her into the formal dining room just off the kitchen and private from prying eyes outside. I set her down on the table and cage her in with my hands on either side of her hips.

“I thought you trusted me,” I begin, my voice low and hard.

Her green eyes widen before she frowns. “I do.”

“If you trust me, why didn’t I know before you almost passed out that you’re diabetic?”

“Because it isn’t a big deal!” she cries with an exasperated sigh.

“It is a big deal, Nicole, and let me tell you why.” I settle in closer to her so she has to look me in the eye. “It’s my job to take care of you. How can I do that if I don’t know what you need?”

“My diabetes is controlled very well, Matt.” She lays her hand on my arm reassuringly. “I’m very strict about what I eat. That’s why I don’t drink more than two alcoholic drinks at a time. No cupcakes or other sweets. I never want to be on meds ever again.”

“You were medicated?” I ask.

She nods. “In my early twenties, I was about fifty pounds overweight and didn’t care what I ate. Lots of sugar. I was on meds, and I finally decided that I didn’t want to live the next fifty years of my life that way. My ex-boyfriend, Ben, was a personal trainer, and he helped me.”

I stiffen at the mention of another man in her life, even if it was years ago. I don’t give a shit that it’s irrational. My emotions are all over the place right now.

I take a deep breath to reel myself back in and study her face.

“That’s when you got your navel pierced.”

She nods again. “It was a reward, like I told you.”

“Why did you never say anything, Nic? We’ve eaten together many times. I’ve asked you why you don’t eat your cupcakes more than once.”

“It’s nothing to be dramatic about.” She shrugs, and I see red.

“Your health is nothing to be dramatic about?” I push my hands in my hair and pace away from her, leaving her on the table. “I fucking
scened
with you at the club, Nicole. What if you’d had a diabetic episode while you were in my ropes?” Just the mere thought almost brings me to my knees. I wipe my hand over my mouth and turn back to her. “This could change everything about our sex life.”

“No!” she cries, her eyes wide in horror. “Matt, today is not the norm for me. I’m not fragile.”

“You’re everything!” I yell back. I lean back into her. Her head is tilted back, and she’s watching me with wide, emerald-green eyes. “Haven’t you figured that out? You’re everything. I’m in love with you. If anything happened to you, it would destroy me.”

I cup her face in my trembling hands. “You scared the fuck out of me out there, Nic. I didn’t know what was wrong. If I’d already known about the diabetes, I would have been able to
do
something, but you had my hands figuratively tied by not telling me. Yes, you’re strong and you have your life handled, but who the fuck takes care of
you
?”

She swallows hard and continues to watch my face.

“This is my fault,” I continue. “I never asked you if you had any medical conditions, and I should have. You’ve just had me so off balance since the moment I met you. You’re all I think about.”

“I’m sorry…”

“I’m not complaining, little one.” I swallow and lean my forehead against hers. “Being with you is exactly where I need to be, but it’s my job to make sure that your every need is met. I can’t do that if I’m out of the loop.”

“Matt.” She sighs and cups my face in her hands, strokes her fingers down my face, soothing me. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret. It’s something I’ve lived with for years, and I don’t usually have any problems. I didn’t tell you, not because I don’t trust you, but because I don’t want to be treated differently. I wasn’t thinking today, and I was stupid. I’m so sorry that I scared you.”

“You are different, baby. You’re so different for me that you’ve changed my life. What do you need? How do I help?”

“I don’t need anything.” She shakes her head and offers me a soft smile. “Really. Maybe another sandwich.”

“I can get you that.” I wrap my arms around her shoulders and hold her to me. “Is there anything else I need to know about your health?”

She stills, and I pull back, watching her face. “Tell me.”

“I have polycystic ovary syndrome,” she replies softly. “That’s why I’m on the pill.”

I don’t know what that means.
“So the pill regulates that?”

She nods soberly. “Anything else?”

“There’s nothing else.”

“Nicole.”

“There’s nothing else,” she repeats firmly. “I’m not fragile, Matt. But if I’m ever not feeling well, I’ll tell you.”

“Is this why you had the headache last weekend?”

“No, I really did just have a headache.”

I sigh and rest my lips on her forehead, breathing her in. She’s so precious to me.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Better, but I’ll eat another sandwich and maybe drink another juice, and I’ll be just fine.”

“Okay.” I step back and help her off the table and lead her into the kitchen to grab a sandwich and some juice. “Do you want to go home?”

“No, there’s a party going on outside.” She grins at me. “A fun party with hot guys.”

“Really.”

She snickers, enjoying teasing me, and I maintain a sober face, letting her have her fun.

“Yeah, there’s a rock star and a hot football player here.”

I tilt my head to the side, curl my lips up in a half smile and step toward her. “Is that right?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Are you trying to make me jealous, little one?”

She bites her lip, and the pulse in her neck speeds up with excitement.

“I’m just telling you who’s here.”

“I see.” I lean into her and rest my lips next to her ear. “If any of them—brothers or not—so much as touches you, I will break their fucking fingers. You’re mine.”

She sucks in a breath in surprise and holds it, waiting for my next words.

“Mine,” I repeat. “I don’t share, remember?”

“Possessive much?” she asks breathlessly.

“Oh, fuck yeah, I am. You might want to remember that.” I grin down at her as I take her hand and lead her outside, back to the group, who quiets as we return.

“Everything okay?” Jules asks.

“I’m much better. Turkey does wonders,” Nic replies with a wink as I pull her into my lap and wrap my arms around her waist.

“Good.” Natalie smiles warmly and catches my gaze. “How about you, detective?”

“Never better,” I respond.

“We are talking about Meg and Will’s engagement party,” Jules fills us in.

“Engagement party?” I ask, surprised. “I didn’t think you were going to have one.”

“We weren’t.” Meg shrugs and rolls her eyes at Jules. “But Jules thinks it’s necessary.”

“Jules wants to have an excuse to buy a new pair of shoes,” Nate adds, earning himself a poke in the ribs by his wife. He lays his hand gently over her belly and nuzzles her ear. “I’ll buy you all the shoes you want, baby.”

“We can have it down at the vineyard and keep it pretty private,” Dom suggests.

“Alecia could totally pull it together quickly,” Jules adds and claps her hands.

I catch Dom’s scowl but choose not to comment.

“We should do it before summer training starts,” Will agrees.

“And before Leo leaves on tour again,” Meg adds.

“Hell, there’s not much to plan for just the family,” Isaac points out. “If Dom is gonna host it, and we’re going to have it catered, we could do it next weekend.”

“I’ll check the calendar, but that should work,” Dominic agrees.

“Fun!” Stacy says and kisses her husband’s cheek.

“Do I have to dress up?” Mark asks with a frown.

“No, come as you are,” Meg replies. “Will and I aren’t fancy.”

“Thank God.” Mark sighs. “Will there be single chicks there?”

“No!” Everyone yells in unison and then dissolves in laughter.

***

I’m still out of sorts about her diabetic episode when we arrive back at her apartment for the night. It’s been a hell of a roller coaster of a day. I’ve been semihard just because she’s been in that tiny string bikini all day, her skin against mine in the warm sunshine, and if my family hadn’t been around, I would have had her naked and under me in roughly three seconds.

But then to watch her episode, the sheer fear of not knowing what was happening to her, has had me in knots the rest of the afternoon.

“You’re quiet,” she murmurs after I close the door behind us. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking,” I reply and take her hand in mine, leading her to her bedroom, “about how I’m going to punish you for keeping such a big secret from me and scaring ten years off my life today.”

Her eyes go wide, and every muscle in her tiny body tightens.

“If you think you’re going to spank me like that poor girl at the club, you can just think again,” she replies. Her cheeks have gone pink, and her breathing has increased.

I pull her tank over her head and tug on the strings of her bikini, letting it drop into my hands.

“I’m not going to spank you,” I reply and kiss her forehead.

“What are you going to do?” she asks breathlessly.

“You’ll see. Sit in the chair by the window.”

She complies and watches me as I kneel before her, grip her shorts and pull them over her hips and down her legs, then tug the strings on the bikini bottom, pulling it out from under her.

Her vanity sits on one side of the chair, and the bed frame is on the other. I guide her legs up, spread them wide and rest her knees over the armrests of the overstuffed chair, then take the top of her bikini, loop it under one knee and tie it to the vanity. Then I do the same on the other side, securing it to the bed frame. She’s spread wide for me now, and she can’t move.