“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.
And she’s fucking gorgeous.
“You’re already wet,” I murmur and glide one fingertip down through her slick folds.
“I like it when you tie me up,” she reminds me breathlessly. “If this is my punishment, you’re doing a really bad job of it, babe.”
I grin humorlessly and settle in to prove her wrong.
I press open-mouthed kisses down her thighs then lick the crease between her leg and her center, making her moan and bury those amazing hands of hers in my hair. Her skin is so soft and smells like coconut and sunshine from her day in the sun.
I lick at her pussy, pushing my tongue up through her lips to her clit and back down again, and she lets out a long moan.
“You like that, don’t you.”
“You know I do.” Her hips pulse a bit, but she can’t move far with her legs secured.
“Do you like keeping secrets from me, too?” I ask and then pull her clit into my mouth, sucking firmly.
“No,” she breathes and tosses her head back and forth on the chair. She grips my hair again when I push two fingers inside her.
Just when I feel her begin to contract around my fingers, I pull out and duck out of her reach, not touching her at all.
“What the…?”
“It’s going to be awhile before I let you come, baby.”
Her eyes narrow on my face as she pants and glares daggers at me. Her lips are swollen from her own teeth biting on them, and her core is sopping wet, from my mouth and her own juices.
She’s fucking delicious.
She reaches down to touch herself, but I grip her wrist in my hand, kiss her palm and place her hand over her head.
“If you try to finish the job yourself again, I will spank you.”
I lean down and press a kiss to her freshly shaved pubis, then nibble my way up to her sexy-as-hell piercing, all the while barely touching her wet pussy with my fingertips.
“You’re killing me,” she murmurs.
“Not yet,” I reply softly and kiss my way up to her breasts, pulling on them with my teeth. “Why did you cut your hair, Nic?”
She frowns down at me. “I told you…”
“No,” I tug her nipple in my teeth, bite just hard enough to make her gasp and then suck it into my mouth. “I want the truth. Why?”
She bites that luscious lower lip of hers and I back away, not touching her, making her growl. Finally, she turns those amazing green eyes to mine. “Because when you pulled my hair that first night, I liked it too much, but I also felt like I gave you too much control, so I cut it.”
I smile softly and glide my hands up her inner thighs. “Good girl.”
“I thought you liked my hair this way.”
“I do, but I don’t want you to keep any secrets from me, baby.”
She’s squirming under me. Her hands are in my hair then gripping my shoulders. I sink two fingers inside her again and begin to fuck her hard, and just when her legs begin to shake, I stop and back away.
“Matt!”
“You see, Nic, this is how frustrated I am when you don’t talk to me and tell me everything I need to know.” I circle her hard clit with my thumb, that being the only place I’m touching her. “Just when I think I know everything I need to, I discover something new that you should have told me before.”
“Getting to know each other is a process for any couple,” she reminds me breathlessly.
I kiss down her body and then r
aise my head to look her in the eye. “You’re right. I’ll eventually learn what your favorite song is, what you wore to your senior prom and how old you were when you got your driver’s license.” I sink my fingers into her again and lick her clit. “But this was a biggie, little one. And you scared the fuck out of me.”
Her eyes are glassy with lust as she bites her lip again, watching me fuck her with my mouth and my fingers. Her nipples are standing at attention and wet from my mouth.
God, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
And the most precious.
“You have to learn that there are no secrets between us.” I grip the cheeks of her ass in my hands and lift her off the chair and push my face right into the core of her, lapping and sucking and kissing until she’s screaming and begging for me to let her come, but I stop and set her back down.
“Please!” she cries. “I can’t stand it.”
Tears are running down her face, her arms thrown over her head and gripping the back of the chair. I would normally drag this out, make her beg for the chance to come, but her tears are my undoing. The point has been made, and I just need to give her what she wants and what I need more than breathing.
I push my shorts down my hips, tug my shirt over my head and fling it aside, then push inside her, hard, buried balls-deep. I cover her with my body, gripping the chair for leverage, and fuck her in long, slow strokes.
“I was so frustrated with you today,” I murmur and kiss her cheek. “You deserved this, to feel this frustration. If I ever find out that you’ve kept something like this from me again, it’ll be the same punishment.”
She wraps her arms around me and holds me close, buries her face in my neck.
“Please,” she whispers. “Oh God, Matt.”
I pull up off of her so I can watch us, my cock moving in and out of her wet heat, her lips swollen and pink around my dick and our bodies sweaty.
She’s gripping me like a vice, and I feel the tension begin low in my belly, and I know I’m about to come. I cover her clit with my thumb and watch as she comes apart, legs shaking, muscles pulled tight, and squeezing me with all she’s worth.
I cry out her name as I come with her, pushed to the hilt and grinding against her core, giving her everything I’ve got.
I collapse onto her torso for several minutes, concentrating on breathing in and out. Her fingers in my hair remind me that I need to untie her. I undo the knots and massage her knees and hips, then lift her in my arms and settle us both in her soft bed.
“I’m sorry for today, and that I didn’t tell you before,” she finally whispers against my chest.
I glide my fingertips down her back, deep in thought. I love her so much. If anything were to happen to her, it would destroy me.
“No more secrets,” I whisper.
“No more secrets.”
***
“You don’t have to come to work with me today,” Nic assures me for the third time while she pulls freshly baked cupcakes out of the oven.
“Watch out, I’ll think you’re trying to get rid of me.”
“You know that’s not true.” She shakes her head at me as she sets the hot cakes on a wire rack to cool. “But it’s your last day off, and you should enjoy it. I only have to work until one. It’s Sunday.”
“And you’re here alone.”
“Trust me, I worked many Sundays alone before you came along, Detective Montgomery.”
“Yes, but now you don’t have to,” I remind her softly and pull her into my arms to kiss her silly.
She melts against me and wraps her arms around my neck, clinging to me, her mouth pliant and more than willing.
“Do I have to put you on the payroll?” she asks breathlessly when I let her up.
“Hmm.” I shift my head from side to side as though I’m giving it a great deal of thought. “I guess you can pay me in sexual favors.”
“Oh really.” She laughs and begins frosting another batch of cakes.
“Or just go with me to Will and Meg’s party next weekend.”
“You don’t have to do me favors to get me to hang out with you and your family.”
“Okay, sexual favors then.”
She laughs, a full-out belly laugh, and my gut clenches. I love the sound of her laughter and the way her eyes shine with happiness.
“You’re gorgeous,” I whisper.
Her smile fades slowly, replaced by pure lust.
“I’m glad you think so.” Her voice is soft and a bit shaky. I love catching her unaware and tilting her off balance.
“What can I do to help?”
“Here, frost these.” She shows me how to apply the frosting in a swirly fashion on top of the cake and leaves me to my task.
“These smell great,” I murmur. “What kind are they?”
“White chocolate raspberry.”
“Can I order a dozen of these for tomorrow?” She glances at me in surprise. “I’ll take them in to work.”
“Sure.” She smiles widely and then turns back to the job at hand.
“So did you have fun yesterday?”
“I did. Your family is hilarious.”
“They do keep things interesting,” I agree proudly. “We’re close.”
“I can tell. You all care deeply for one another.”
“Yes,” I reply simply.
“It was fun. They’re nice people.”
“You fit in well,” I comment casually.
She pauses and then carries on as though men tell her every day that they enjoy seeing her with those they love the most.
“I’m glad you think so.”
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“Nope,” she replies with a fake smile. “As soon as you’re done there, we’ll open.”
“Talk to me.”
“I’m fine,” she insists. “I’m going to go unlock the door.”
She hurries out, leaving me dumbfounded. What did I say?
Women and their hormones.
***
A few hours, and several dozen customers, later, the bell dings above the door as Caleb saunters into Succulent Sweets, carrying a brown paper sack.
“Caleb!” Nic grins widely, happy to see my brother.
“Hey, pretty lady.” He leans his elbow on the counter and winks at her. “How you doin’?”
Nic laughs and shakes her head at Caleb. “I’m fine. Are all the Montgomerys charming?”
“Nope, just me.” Caleb winks again and sets the bag on the countertop. “This is for you.”
“What is it?”
“I ordered you lunch,” I reply.
“But I’m working.”
“I can handle this. You need to eat.”
She stares at me in surprise, looks between Caleb and I and then kisses my cheek before taking the bag into the back.
“I won’t be long!” she calls out.
“Take your time,” I reply. “Thanks, man.”
“No worries. How is she today?”
“She’s fine.”
“Scared us all yesterday.” Caleb peruses the glass case full of goodies. “Hand me a carrot cake.”
I pass him the pastry and hold my hand out for money. “She doesn’t work for free, asshole.”
“Jesus, I brought food. A man can’t get paid in cupcakes?”
“No.”
He hands me a five, and I don’t give him his change.
“Bastard.” Caleb laughs.
Chapter Thirteen
~Nic~
A lot has happened in the past twenty-four hours.
Okay, that might be the understatement of the freaking year.
I focus on eating the sandwich Caleb brought me and sipping the juice I poured, eager to get right back to work.
Yesterday was fun. Matt’s family is huge and a bit overwhelming. They’re all beautiful and successful and so fun. Hilarious.
Loving.
I don’t know what it is to have a family like that, and a larg
e piece of me longed to settle in and belong there for a long, long time.
Jesus, you’re pathetic.
I take the last bite and walk back out of the kitchen.
“We want you both to come,” Caleb says. “Oh good, you’re back.”
“Caleb just invited us to dinner with him and Bryn tonight.”
“Oh,” I reply and frown in thought.
“It’s not a requirement, but your reaction isn’t great for my ego, sweetheart.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Thank you for inviting me.” I turn to Matt. “I have a standing date with Bailey every Sunday afternoon. We walk down to Vintage for a glass of wine and appetizers.”
“That’s cool.” Matt shrugs, as though it doesn’t bother him in the least. “You should go hang out with Bailey.”
“Really?” I ask skeptically.
“I don’t need to monopolize all of your time, sweetheart. Just most of it.” He smiles wolfishly and kisses me square on the mouth. “Why don’t you meet me at Caleb’s later?”
“That will work. Matt will give you our address.” Caleb boosts himself up on the counter so he can lean across it and plant a kiss on my cheek, earning a low growl from Matt, which only makes Caleb laugh. “See you both later.”
He waves and walks out just as Bailey walks in, checking out Caleb’s ass as he leaves.
“Holy shit, did you see that?”
“That was my brother,” Matt confirms with a grin.
“And you must be Matt,” Bailey guesses with a flirty grin and holds her hand out to shake. “We’ve crossed paths now and again but have never really met. I’m Bailey. The best friend.”
“Pleasure,” Matt responds with a charming smile. “I’ve seen you around.”
“And as the best friend…” Bailey begins.
“Bailey,” I warn her, but she doesn’t even acknowledge me as she continues.
“I can say if you hurt her, I’ll make your life a living hell. I don’t give a shit if you are a cop and a Dom. You don’t scare me.”
Matt’s eyebrows climb, and then he walks around the glass case and pulls Bailey in for a big hug, much to her surprise.
“You’re supposed to be wary of me, not hug me. I threatened you.”
“Thank you for loving her so much,” he murmurs in her ear. He kisses her cheek and pulls back then circles back around to my side. “Do you have it handled from here, little one?”