WMIS 06 Tied With Me (23 page)

“Huh.” I tilt my head and watch the men both drop to the ground.
 

“Do you have siblings?” Brynna asks.

“I have a sister, Savannah, but she and I aren’t terribly close.”

“I don’t have any siblings. Stacy and I are cousins, but we were raised more like sisters.”
 

She grins as Caleb scoops Josie in his arms and spins her about the yard. Matt and Maddie are petting the dog, who is on his back and in doggie heaven while the two scratch his belly. “Okay, girls, bedtime!”

“But, Mom, Nic just got here!” Maddie comes running over to me and wraps her arms around my legs. “I missed you!”

I giggle and squat next to the sweet girl. “You have only seen me in my bakery when your mama came to see me about her cupcakes, silly. How could you miss me?”

“I like your bakery,” she replies and shrugs, like that explains everything.

“Well, thanks.”

“Are you Uncle Matt’s girlfriend?” Josie asks. She has her hand tucked in Matt’s and is watching me with wary eyes.

Protective little thing, isn’t she?

“I am,” I respond,
for now,
and smile at Josie. “How are you, Josie?”

“Fine.” She buries her face in Matt’s hip as he pulls his T-shirt over his head. He laughs, scoops her into his arms and brushes her long dark hair away from her face.

“Why are you so shy?” he asks her.

She shrugs and lays her head on his shoulder.

“She’s silly,” Maddie informs me. “This is our dog, Bix. He’s very brave.”

“And handsome,” I agree.
 

The dog lifts his paw as if in greeting, and I reach over to shake it.
 

“You girls need to go to bed. It’s already past your bedtime,” Brynna informs them.
 

Caleb takes Maddie’s hand, who has now decided to pout, and signals for Bix to follow them.

“Can you read to us?” Josie asks Matt.

“Sure.” He turns to me and kisses my cheek. “Hey, baby. I’m glad you’re here. Mind if I go read to the girls?”

“Of course not,” I reply with a smile and push my fingers through his soft dark blond hair. “I’ll help down here.”

“I’ll get the grill going,” Caleb announces and passes Maddie off to Matt, who takes the two girls and their dog into the house.

“What can I do to help?” I ask Brynna.

“You can help by sitting with me on the deck. Caleb is going to grill burgers, and everything else is done.” She sits in a blue chair, and I take a matching love seat next to her.
 

“Did you have fun with Bailey?” Caleb asks me as he fires up the grill.

“I always have fun with Bailey,” I reply with a laugh.
 

“Caleb said you guys like to go to Vintage.” Brynna pours us both a glass of sun tea from a frosty pitcher. “It’s a fun place.”

“I love it,” I agree. “We’ve been going there every Sunday for a couple years now.”

Caleb drops four burger patties on the grill, and the sizzle and smell of the grill fills the air.

“You have a beautiful home,” I comment and sip my tea.

“Thank you. It’s actually Natalie’s place. She let the girls and me move in here after Jules moved in with Nate.” Brynna smiles and picks up a celery stick from a veggie tray and nibbles.

“That was really nice of her,” I reply.
 

“Nat’s the best. She’s supersweet and loyal almost to a fault,” Brynna says. “But I think Caleb and I are going to start looking for a bigger place, since we have a new one on the way. We’ll need the space.”

“I’m telling you, Isaac should build us a place,” Caleb tells his wife.

“Oh goodie, we can argue about toilets and floor plans.” Brynna rolls her eyes.

“What did I miss?” Matt asks as he joins us. He takes a seat next to me, wraps his arm around me and pulls me against his side.

“Nothing much. Did the girls go down okay?”

“I read two stories. But I’ll place bets that someone will need a drink of water before the hour is out.” He kisses my temple and drags his fingertips up and down my arm, over the ink on my shoulder, sending goose bumps across my skin.

“There’s a lot of activity going on down here that they might miss out on,” Brynna agrees wryly.
 

“Is tonight a special occasion?” I ask and lean my head on Matt’s shoulder.

“Kind of, but we didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.” Caleb flips the burgers, closes the lid and joins us. “The wedding was where we did our adoption ceremony, but we just got the paperwork today that says the adoption is final.”

“That’s wonderful!” I exclaim. “They are lucky to have you both.”

“Congrats, man.” Matt fist-bumps his brother. “But they’ve been yours for a long while.”

“True.” Caleb nods. “How do you want your burger cooked?”

“Medium well,” I answer. “Seriously, can’t I help with something?”

“You worked all day. Relax,” Matt whispers in my ear. “We got this.”

“I didn’t work all day.” I laugh but relax further into the cushion and sip my tea. “But I’ll let you guys handle the cooking.”

“You look beautiful,” Matt murmurs.
 

I wrinkle my nose at him, making him laugh.

“I love the tattoo on your shoulder,” Brynna comments and tilts her head in thought. “Maybe I should do something like that.”

“You can’t get tattoos when you’re pregnant, legs,” Caleb reminds her.

“I know. Later.”

“I can recommend a guy. I’m thinking about getting another one.”
 

Matt’s hand stills on my arm, and he pulls back to look down at my face. “What are you thinking of getting?”

“I haven’t decided. I just have the itch to get something new,” I respond with a shrug. His eyes flare, and it’s obvious that the idea turns him on.

He likes body art.

“Burgers are ready,” Caleb announces.
 

“So, I think I need to hear some good stories about Matt as a kid,” I remark as I squirt ketchup on my bun.

“I have a million. What do you want to know?” Caleb asks while Matt glares at him.

“Everything,” I reply with a laugh. “But start with the embarrassing stuff.”

“He had a blankie until he was nine,” Caleb begins.
 

“I suggest you shut it,” Matt growls, making me giggle.

“He was always the most sensitive of the group,” Caleb continues.

“I have stories, too, you know,
little brother
,” Matt reminds him.

“I want to hear some, too!” Brynna claps her hands and bounces in her seat. “This is fun.”

“Matt was always a Batman fan. He liked to wear the bath towels as capes and run through the house, saving Gotham City from evil.”

“Caleb was always the evil one,” Matt adds, his eyes narrowed. “Stop talking. I’m warning you.”

“I think Mom has photos of Matt in the fifth grade, when he let Jules, who was five, cut his hair.”

“Caleb wet the bed until he was six,” Matt murmurs deceptively softly and raises a brow at his brother. “And you never could tell Jules no either, so don’t give me that shit.”

“Was Matt quiet as a kid?” I ask, enjoying the men’s banter immensely.

“Yeah.” Caleb nods. “He’s always been quiet. Somber.”

“I was making up for Will’s crazy ass.”

“What about Caleb?” Brynna asks Matt. “Was he always the strong silent type?”

“No,” Matt replies, watching his brother thoughtfully. “That happened after the first year or so with the SEALs.”

“You were a SEAL?” I ask, my eyes wide. Holy shit, that explains his hot body.

“Yeah.” Caleb concentrates on his beer bottle.
 

“Thank you for your service,” I reply softly and smile when his eyes find mine. “My dad was Army. He was in Viet Nam.”

Caleb nods and meets Matt’s gaze. Something unsaid passes between them, and then Matt’s phone rings.

“Fuck, it’s Asher.” He puts the phone to his ear. “Yeah.”

“I hope he doesn’t have to leave,” Brynna murmurs.
 

“This can’t wait until tomorrow morning? He’s not going anywhere,” Matt mutters and then curses and pushes his hand through his hair, a sure sign of frustration. “Okay, I’ll be there in a bit.”

He clicks off and shoves his phone in his pocket, then looks at me apologetically. “I guess it’s good we brought separate cars. I have to go in to work.”

“Okay.” I lift a shoulder, as though it’s no big deal and try not to be disappointed. This is his job.
 

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s your job, Matt. It’s fine.”

“Give us a moment,” Matt murmurs to Caleb and Bryn, kissing Bryn’s cheek before he takes my hand, leading me into the house. “Thanks for dinner. I’ll call you tomorrow, man.”

Once in the kitchen, Matt pulls me into his arms and kisses me senseless. His fingers dive into my hair, and he holds on almost desperately as he devours my mouth, as though he’s branding me.

Finally, he pulls away, breathless. His blue eyes are bright with lust.
 

“This is not how I planned to spend the night,” he informs me. “I was very much looking forward to taking you home and losing myself in you for a few hours.”

I swallow hard and then smile bravely. “Rain check.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeats.

“Matt, this is just how it is. You’re a cop. I’m proud of you. Go do your job.”

He sighs and hugs me close, rocking back and forth for a moment before planting his lips on my forehead and taking a deep breath.

“I’ll call you later,” he murmurs.

“Sounds good.”

He kisses me once more and then heads out to his car.

“I should probably go, too,” I announce when I walk back out onto the deck.

“Can I have a word with you before you go?” Brynna asks.
 

“Of course,” I reply and reclaim my chair.

“Do you mind if I stay?” Caleb asks.

I look between their faces, both sober and serious, and I start to feel very nervous. This is where they tell me I’m not good enough for him.

“I don’t mind,” I reply softly.
 

“I just have to offer you a little advice,” Brynna informs me. “I was married to a cop. The twins’ biological dad,” she adds at my look of surprise. “It’s not easy, Nic. Don’t ask him to choose between you and his job. Neither choice would make him happy.”

“I would never do that,” I reply with a scowl. “And the fact that you’d say that says that you don’t think very highly of me.”

“That’s not true,” Brynna disagrees with a shake of her head. “I’m just warning you that cops aren’t easy to be involved with. And, honestly, I’m not trying to sound like a bitch, which I just realized, I kind of am. Matt is one of the best men I’ve ever known. He’s done a lot for my family, Nic. Including knocking some sense into this one.” She points at Caleb with her thumb and offers me a small smile. “I love him. I just don’t want him to get hurt.”

“He’ll never make you think that you take a back seat to the job,” Caleb adds.

“I have no complaints about Matt’s job,” I reply honestly. “I’m proud of him. He’s a good cop. I know it’s demanding, and I’m sure there will be times that it’s damn inconvenient, but it is what it is.”

I shrug, and both Brynna and Caleb seem to visibly relax.
 

“I like you,” Caleb comments. “I think you’re very good for my brother.”

“Thank you,” I whisper. “I hope you’re right.”

***

I can’t stop thinking about him. I lay my e-reader on the end table and rub my eyes with the pads of my fingers.

I have no idea how long I’ve been staring at the same paragraph, thinking about Matt. I haven’t heard from him yet, but that doesn’t surprise me. If he got called in, he’s busy.

How is it that I miss having him here in my bed with me and we’ve only been seeing each other for such a short time? Maybe he’d read to me, or watch a movie.

Or make love.

My body flares at the thought, and I shift my hips, rubbing my legs together, trying to ease the ache between them.

I want him.

Finally, I pick up my phone and send him a text.

Please get out of my head. I’m trying to sleep.

I watch the phone intently for several minutes, and finally he responds.
 

You’re always in my head. Are you okay?

I grin and begin to type.

Yes, I’m fine. Miss u. Wish u were here. I’m naked.

I giggle and roll onto my belly, waiting impatiently for his response.