With Me in Seattle Bundle One (92 page)

“You’ve been seen around town with an auburn-haired woman. Is she your girlfriend?”

My heart stops. Literally stops. Natalie gasps, and Jules frowns.

“This guy is an idiot,” Jules mutters.

Will offers the guy a lazy, cocky grin. “Dude, does she look like someone I would date?” He laughs mockingly. “She’s a friend of the family. I don’t have room in my life for a woman right now. Football is my priority.”

“Good luck next week, man.”

Will nods and then the screen turns back to the four guys at a table talking about the game.

“Meg, he didn’t mean it to sound like that,” Jules says quietly.

Does she look like someone I would date?

I feel nauseated.

“Fuck, I’m stupid,” I whisper.

“No, sweetie. Seriously, he didn’t mean to sound like that.”

“I think he meant exactly what he said, Jules.” I shake my head to clear it and dig some cash out of my bag, toss it onto the table and stand. “I’m going home. Thanks for the fun night out, guys.”

“Meg, don’t go.”

“I’m okay. I just need to think. When you meet up with the guys later, tell Will I didn’t feel well, and I’ll call him in a few days.”

Yeah, like that’s going to work.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Jules fumes as I walk away.

Chapter Eleven

~Will~

Will

How could you? How could you start seeing someone when I know that you love me? That ugly bitch is nothing, and she will never love you like I do. Why won’t you notice me? If you’ll just stop seeing her, and love me the way I know you want to, I won’t hurt her.

Your love.

Holy fuck.  What kind of sick fuck would leave this in my locker, and how in the hell did she get into our locker room? I need to talk to Mike, our head of security, now.

“Hey! Someone get Mike for me!” I yell out, confident that someone will fetch him.

We played a kick-ass game against the Packers tonight. Hell, I’ve been playing the best ball of my life the past few weeks, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it’s since I’ve started seeing Meg. This dumb-ass stalker-fan bullshit won’t touch her. Thank God I put that alarm system on her house.

The thought of anything happening to her makes me sick.

“Hey, Montgomery, can I ask a few questions?” A new sportscast guy is holding a mic in my face, and I paste on my public smile and play the post-game game.

“Sure, man.”

“Great game, Montgomery. Congrats on another win.” He turns the mic to me.

“Thanks, man. We played a good game.”

“Do you think Jennings will be out for the rest of the season with that knee injury in the third quarter?”

“Oh man, I hope not. I don’t know.” How the fuck would I know? Do I look like a fucking doctor?

“Did you feel any pressure from the Packers defensive line tonight?”

I frown down at the idiot and want to ask him if he’s ever watched football. Jesus, where did they find this asshole?  “I feel pressure from every defensive line.”

“Are you ready for Miami next week?”

“Definitely. We’re training hard, watching a lot of tape. We’ll be as ready as we can be next Sunday.”

“You’ve been seen around town with an auburn-haired woman. Is she your girlfriend?”

Fuck.
 
My stomach clenches, and I’m glad I’m already sweaty from the game so no one can see the fresh sheen that’s just broken out on my face. Please, babe, don’t be watching this.

I offer him my lazy, cocky grin. “Dude, does she look like someone I would date?” I laugh down at him, like that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

Yes, she’s my girlfriend! She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I plan to be buried deep inside her sweet body as soon as possible.

“She’s a friend of the family. I don’t have room in my life for a woman right now. Football is my priority.”

“Good luck next week, man.”

I nod at him, and he turns away from me, on to the next guy to interview.

Fuck. If Meg saw that interview, I’m so screwed. She’s already got issues with my arrogant public persona, and this will be the nail in the coffin of our relationship if she sees it.

And that is not possible.

She’s mine, goddamn it.

I quickly shower and get my shit together, ready to be out of here so I can meet up with my brothers up in the suite, then go meet with our girls for a night out.

I need to see Megan.

“You wanted to see me?”

Mike, a former Army Ranger and current Seattle cop, is standing behind me.

“Yeah, man. Someone left this in my locker. I found it when I got in after the game.” I hand him the fucked-up note and scowl. “How the fuck did someone get in here?”

Mike frowns as he reads the note and then swears under his breath. “I don’t know. She probably flashed someone her tits. I’ll check the security cameras, and we’ll find her. Don’t worry about it.”

I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest. I know Mike is good. He’s been with us forever, and no one fucks with him. But some of the other guys come and go.

“I want whoever let her in here fired.”

“Without question.”

“And if one hair on Meg’s head is touched…”

“It won’t be. This is just some stupid girl with a crush, Montgomery. I’ll handle it.”

“Thanks.” I nod once and turn my back, dismissing him.

The guys—Isaac, Luke, Nate, Matt and Caleb—are in the suite, still eating the spread of food laid out and drinking beer. I grab some chips and stuff my face. Fuck, I’m hungry.

“Good game, bro.”  Isaac salutes me with his beer, and I nod back at him.

“Yeah, we kicked some ass. Felt good. Ready to go get the girls?” I ask and grab another handful of chips.

“Stacy stayed home tonight. She’s just uncomfortable, so I’m going to head home and rub her feet and put Soph to bed.” Isaac pulls out his keys and waves at us, then heads out.

“Okay, let’s go get the girls and take them out for dinner.” Nate leads us all down to the private parking garage. “But I’ll just tell you all right now, we’ll be leaving early. I’ve got plans for Jules tonight.” He grins, and all of us stop and frown at him. Luke laughs.

“Just because you put a ring on her finger doesn’t mean we won’t kill you, McKenna,” Caleb warns him.

I suppress a laugh. Nate may be smaller than we are, but he could take any one of us. Not all at once, but in a one-on-one fight, I’d put my money on Nate.

“You kill me, Julianne kills you. I know you’re afraid of her.”

“I’m not afraid of my kid sister,” Matt mutters, earning a sidelong look from Luke. “Okay, I’m afraid of her. She doesn’t fight fair.”

“That’s my girl,” Nate announces proudly.

I like him. He’s good for my sister.

Now I need to get my hands on
my
girl and make sure she didn’t hear what an asshole I was on TV tonight.

***

“You are such an asshole!”

Jules storms at me across the parking lot of the restaurant where we’d arranged to meet. She pushes me hard in the chest, knocking me back a step. Matt’s right, she doesn’t fight fair.

“Jules—”

“You know,” she interrupts me, “I know you can be an arrogant ass at times, but what you said on fucking
live television
tonight takes the cake. Who the fuck do you think you are to hurt someone like that?”

“Fuck!”

She takes a step back, and her eyes widen a bit. The guys are all standing around, watching us. Natalie’s hands are planted on her hips, and she’s glaring at me, too.

Brynna stands next to Caleb, links her arm through his, and I frown.

What the fuck is that about?

“Seriously, Will, what the hell were you thinking?” Natalie asks.

“Where is she?”

“Not here.” Jules raises her chin stubbornly.

I turn to Natalie. “Where is she, Nat?”

“I believe she went home. Why in the name of God would she be here, Will? You announced to the world that she’s no one you would dare date. She’s no one to you, remember?”

“Fuck, man, what the hell did you say?” Luke asks, and I wince.

“You guys didn’t see it?” Jules asks, her eyes still narrowed menacingly and on me.

Part of me wants to cover my dick with my hands, but the man in me won’t stoop to that.

“No, we didn’t see any post-game interviews,” Matt adds.

“Well, let me fill you in. When asked who the pretty girl is that he’s been seen with recently, our stupid-as-fuck brother responded with, and I quote, ‘Does she look like someone I would date? I don’t have room in my life for a woman.’ I’m a selfish douche bag with a small dick.”

“I did not say that last part!”

“Fuck, man, why didn’t you just say no comment?” Luke asks, looking at me like I’m a moron. And I am.

Why didn’t I?

“Because less than thirty seconds before that asshole pushed the mic in my face, I found a note in my locker from some fucked-up fan saying that if I don’t stop seeing Meg she’ll hurt her. I didn’t have time to talk to security, or think it through. I had to play it off like I don’t have a girlfriend because if anyone ever hurts Meg, I’ll fucking kill them.”

Jules frowns at me, and my brothers both narrow their eyes menacingly.

“Does she have security at her house?” Caleb asks, his voice low and pissed.

“Yeah, I had it installed last week, thank God.”

“Did you give the note to Mike?” Matt asks and pulls out his cell, dialing while he talks.

“Yes, he said he’ll take care of it.” I pace back and forth behind my car, and then move quickly to the driver’s side. “I’m going to her place. I’ll see you guys later.”

“Will, she was pretty pissed off. You might want to give her a couple days to cool down.” Nat’s big green eyes are worried, but I offer her a half smile.

“I have to apologize and grovel a bit. Hopefully, she’ll understand when I explain.”

“They caught the girl,” Matt announces as he tucks his phone back in his pocket. “Some nineteen-year-old college student who offered one of the security guys a blow job if he’d let her in. She’s been arrested.”

“Thanks, man. Go have dinner, all of you. I’ll text you tomorrow.”

What the fuck did I do?

I drive like a bat out of hell to Meg’s place. I need to see her. I need to hold her and reassure her that everything I said in that goddamn interview was a lie.

I can’t lose her.

I pull up to her house, slam the car door and stalk up to the front porch. I ring the bell.

No answer.

The lights are on. I can hear music coming from inside, but it’s not so loud that she wouldn’t be able to hear the doorbell.

I ring again.

No answer.

I try the knob, and much to my surprise, it’s unlocked. She didn’t set the alarm or lock herself inside like I asked her to.

Goddamn stubborn woman!

“Meg?” I call out and let myself in. There’s no sign of her in the living area or her cute kitchen. I make my way upstairs, calling out for her as I go.

“Meg? Where are you, babe?”

I can hear the shower running in her master bathroom, so I let myself in. “Meg?”

“Ack!” she yelps in surprise, and I can’t help but laugh.

“It’s just me.”

“You scared the shit out of me!” She turns off the water, whips back the shower curtain, and at the sight of her soft, wet body, my mouth goes dry.

Fucking hell, she’s beautiful.

She’s all soft, white skin, rosy pink nipples, soft curves. That hair of hers is some weird mixture of red and brown and blond, and her hazel eyes undo me.

Of course, right now they’re shooting daggers into me.

“I’m sorry, but you left your front door unlocked and you didn’t set the alarm like I asked you to.”

She shrugs and reaches for a big bath towel and wraps it around herself, covering her body from my view. I want to rip it off her and take her right here against the bathroom wall, but I don’t think I’d be welcome at the moment.

“It’s not any of your business if I set the alarm, Will.” She stalks past me into the master bedroom and starts looking through her dresser for clothes.

“Of course it is. I need to know that you’re safe.”

“I’m safe.”

“You’re safer when you turn on the alarm.”

She just shrugs again, as if it’s no big deal, and pulls on a tank top and yoga pants. Jesus, even in yoga pants her ass makes me hard.

“Look, you made it quite clear tonight that the only thing you give a rat’s ass about is football. So stop it with the crazy I-want-you-safe bullshit and leave. I don’t want you here.”

My stomach flips, and my heart makes a beeline straight for my throat.

“Meg.” I reach out for her, but she pulls back, out of my reach, and panic sets in. “Meg, let me explain.”

“No need.” She shakes her head and moves past me and down the stairs to the kitchen. “I think I get it. You said what you needed to say to get through the three dates so I’d fuck you, and I was stupid enough to believe you. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“No.” I grip her shoulders in my hands and turn her toward me and make her look up at me. God, she’s such a tiny little thing. “No, Megan. I told you before, I’ve never fucked you. Every time I’ve been inside you has been the best damn moment of my life.”

“You announced on television that I’m nobody.” Her hazel eyes are hurt and sad, and I feel like such a fucking asshole. “Will, I won’t be your dirty little secret. I’m not someone you get to hang out with, take around your family, sleep with, but you deny my existence to the press. If you’re ashamed of me, you shouldn’t be with me. I’m pretty ashamed of you right now.”

I swallow hard and clench my eyes closed, and then stare down at her. How did she become my whole world in such a short amount of time? My God, I’d do anything for her.

Even lose her.

“Megan, someone threatened you tonight.” Her eyes widen, and I see I’ve got her attention. “I found a note in my locker from a stalker fan. She said that she’d seen us together, and if I didn’t stop seeing you, she’d hurt you. Then the next thing I know that asshat is pushing a mic in my face asking me about you. I couldn’t tell the truth and risk your safety.”