WMIS 06 Tied With Me (11 page)

“He seems nice.”

Matt’s eyes narrow on my face.
 

Is he jealous?

“He’s a good guy. I haven’t known him long. Just a few months.”

“But he’s your brother.”

“Half brother,” he clarifies and sets the empty tray on the bedside table. “We didn’t know he existed until about five months ago.”

“Wow.”
 

“What do you have planned for today?” Matt asks, effectively changing the subject.
 

“I could use a trip to the grocery store, but other than that, I don’t have solid plans.”
 

He looks uncertain when he meets my gaze and says simply, “I’d like to spend today with you.”

“Okay,” I agree. “What do you have in mind?”

“Anything you want,” he replies. “Let’s get out of this apartment for a while, and then I’d very much like to spend tonight here with you.”

“I’d like to go down to Pike Place Market for some produce for the week.” I tap my lip with my finger, contemplating all the possibilities. “Maybe pick up some fresh chocolate from the chocolate place just up the hill from there.”

“You use fresh chocolate in your cupcakes?” Matt asks.

“Of course. I buy all my chocolate from them. It’s the best.”

“Okay. I might have a surprise before the Market and the chocolate place.” He checks the time, then leans in and kisses me softly. “Thank you for this morning.”

He kisses me once more and pulls me from the bed. “Let’s shower and then head out. We need an early start.”

He picks me up in his arms and marches into the bathroom.
 

“Are we going to get dirty again before we get clean?” I ask with a laugh.

“Oh, definitely.”

***

“God, I love Seattle in the summer!” I exclaim and lean on the railing of the ferry, breathing in the salty air and enjoying the breeze in my hair and on my skin.
 

It’s a gorgeous sunny summer day in Puget Sound. Matt surprised me with a ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island, which is only about a forty-minute ride, but the view is spectacular.

“I do, too,” he agrees and leans on the rail, watching the Olympic Mountains grow smaller as we drift away from the island toward Seattle. “Did you enjoy the town?”

“It’s a cute place.” I nod and smile. “The bagel shop makes one hell of a sandwich.”
 

“Next time we’ll rent bikes and ride around the island.”

“Sounds fun, too.”
 

He steps behind me, wraps his arms around my shoulders and rests his lips on the top of my head, holding me snugly against his chest as we enjoy the spectacular views around us.

I haven’t known him long, and I’ve already placed so much trust in this man. More than anyone in my life before. His quiet calm is soothing.
 

I hope I’m not making a mistake.

When we dock at Seattle, we walk up to Pike Place Market, one of the most famous outdoor/indoor markets in the world.
 

“Our first stop is the doughnut guy,” Matt informs me with a grin.
 

Because it’s a beautiful Sunday, the market is bustling with tourists and locals alike. We join the line for doughnuts and wait.
 

Matt’s eyes never stop roaming, watching the people who pass by, listening to conversations around us. His hand holds on to mine tightly, as if I might get scooped up into the flow of bodies and disappear.

His protectiveness is a new side of him that I can’t help but enjoy. It makes me feel…wanted.

When it’s our turn, Matt places his order and then offers the plain brown paper bag to me, steaming with hot, fresh doughnuts the size of a baby’s fist.

“No, thank you,” I murmur, secretly yearning for just one.
Just one.

“Are you sure?” he asks incredulously. “These are the best doughnuts in the city.”

I nod, my mind made up. I don’t want to pay for it later. “I’m sure.”

“If you’re worried about the calories—”

“I’m not,” I interrupt. “I’m still full from lunch.”

He watches me closely for a moment and then shrugs, tosses a sugar and cinnamon doughnut into his mouth and leads me farther into the market. Despite the throngs of people, Matt stays close and patiently waits while I choose fruit for this week’s cupcakes, as well as produce for my own kitchen.

“Fish for dinner?” Matt asks in my ear, pointing to the fresh fish on display from one of the vendors.

“Sure.”

He leaves me to buy some fish, so I also buy fragrant herbs to go with the fish and the makings for salad.

“Hey, baby.”

I frown and turn at the familiar voice, praying I’m wrong.
 

Please, God, don’t let it be who I think it is.

Nope, I’m just not that lucky.

“Don’t call me that, Rob.” I roll my eyes and keep moving down the line of produce.

“Hey, you haven’t returned my calls in a while,” he responds, ignoring my request completely.

“Nope, I haven’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not interested, Rob. Look…” I turn and catch Matt watching us over Rob’s shoulder. He raises an eyebrow, but I square my shoulders and look Rob right in the eye.
 

He’s short, only a few inches taller than I am, but he’s a good-looking guy with black hair and brown eyes, a crooked nose.
 

“I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but I’m just not interested in seeing you. Good luck to you.”

I turn to go, but he grabs my arm. “Wait.”

“I think she already said no,” Matt growls from behind him.
 

There’s really not enough room to have this kind of altercation here in the middle of the market. There are too many people bustling around us, bumping into us.

“This isn’t your fucking business,” Rob snaps back with a sneer, and Matt’s eyes narrow into deadly slits.

“She’s with me,” he states calmly. “She said no. That’s all you need to know.”

Rob’s gaze slides to mine. “Seriously.”

“That’s right.”

“Fine.” He backs away, his hands up in surrender, but I can see anger and embarrassment in every line of his body. “See you around.”

“A former boyfriend?” Matt asks as he watches Rob’s retreating form.

“Used to,” I confirm and pay for my purchases. “I’m finished here.”

“Chocolate place next?” Matt asks.

“Yes, please.” I sigh in relief that Matt doesn’t press the subject of Rob as we exit the market and begin to climb the hill that leads up into the heart of downtown. This hill is a bitch.

“I hate this hill,” I grumble, earning a chuckle from Matt.

He links his fingers through mine and takes the bag out of my other hand, carrying both the fish and produce in his spare hand. “So tell me about that guy.”

“I was hoping that subject was closed.”

“It will be after you spill it.” He grins down at me, then places a kiss on my forehead. “Please.”

“He’s a guy I met in school. I went out with him once or twice, but he’s not really my type.”

“And that is?”

“Well, let’s just say Rob is pushy and selfish and really enjoys talking about his truck.”

Matt chuckles. “Yeah, I know the type.”

“So not someone I enjoy spending time with,” I assure him and shake my head. “I just stopped returning his calls. It wasn’t even worth telling him to go away, because we’d only gone out a couple times. There was no physical relationship. I just let it fizzle out.”

“But he seems to still be into you,” Matt comments.

“I guess. I don’t really care.” I wince and bite my lip. “That makes me sound like a bitch.”

“No, it makes you sound honest.” He pulls me to a stop on the hill, until I’m standing up higher on the hill than he is, making his eyes level with mine. He leans in and kisses my lips softly, cradling my cheek with his free hand. “His loss.”

“Let’s go get some chocolate.”

“Good idea. I might have a plan.” He winks and leads me into the decadent chocolate shop, Rob already a distant memory.

Chapter Six

“Oh my God, you really can cook.” I sit back in my chair and push my finished plate of poached salmon and salad away from me and sip my water, watching Matt across the table.

“You doubted me?” he asks with a raised brow.

“Not at all.” I shake my head and laugh. “I’m just offering you a compliment.”

He nods and stands to clear the table, and I join him. “You cooked, I’ll clean.”

“We can do this together,” he offers, but I shake my head adamantly.
 

“No way. You’ve been spoiling me all day. I can do this.” I take the plate from his hand and stand on my toes to kiss his warm cheek.
 

His eyes are soft and happy as he smiles at me. “Okay, while you do this, I’ll be in the bedroom.”

“Taking a nap?” I ask drily, earning a light pat on my ass.

“No, smart-ass. You’ll see.” He kisses my forehead and then leaves the room.
 

Matt is an excellent cook, but oh sweet Jesus, is he ever a messy one, too! My kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it, and he only poached fish and made a salad! Although, some of the mess is from breakfast, too, because we didn’t have time to clean up before we left for the day.

Which drives me nuts, because of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen is the one I get a bit obsessive about.

I can’t help it.
 

So I dig in, loading the dishwasher, hand-washing what won’t fit and sanitizing the countertops. By the time I’m finished, the kitchen sparkles and smells like lemons, and I’m mortified to see that I’ve been cleaning for more than a half hour.

Some hostess I am.

I wander back to the bedroom to find Matt sitting in the chair by the window, reading something on his iPad.

On the way back from the market today, Matt stopped by his place to grab a change of clothes and a few of his things for another night away from home.

He’s lit a few of my candles and shut off the bright lights, giving the room a soft glow.
 

“I’m sorry I took so long,” I murmur and lean against the doorjamb, taking in the handsome man in my bedroom.

“I’m sorry I’m such a messy cook,” he responds with a wry grin. His eyes are warm as they travel down my body. He stands and walks slowly to me. “Your eyes look amazingly green in this candlelight.”

“Thanks,” I reply as my heartbeat speeds up.
 

He’s predatory now as he slowly crosses my bedroom to stand directly in front of me. He doesn’t touch me, not yet. He leans his forearm on the doorjamb above my head and kisses my forehead gently.

“I want to show you what I can do with my ropes tonight, little one.”

I pull in a deep breath and clench my thighs at the sudden pulse of electricity that just his simple words send through my core.

“You can always tell me to stop if it’s too overwhelming,” he reminds me tenderly, still not touching me.
 

He’s still wearing his soft gray T-shirt and faded blue jeans from today, and my fingers are itching to touch him before he immobilizes me. I push my hand under his shirt, over the tight skin of his abs. The muscles jump under my hand, and his jaw ticks as he watches me, letting me explore his skin.

“I just want to touch you for a minute,” I whisper softly.
 

He kisses my forehead again and then tips my chin back, watching me intently as my hands explore his belly and chest, under his shirt. I move my hand around his waist to his back and step close to him, wanting him to kiss me.

Finally,
finally
, he cradles my face in his hands and kisses me. Lazily but thoroughly, sweeping his lips over mine, nibbling at the side of my mouth and then sweeping across to the other side before sinking in and taking over, kissing me in that intense way that only Matt can.

He pulls away, takes my hands in his and leads me out of the doorway toward the bed.

“How do you feel, sweetheart?” he asks.

“Fine.”

He raises a brow, and I swallow, thinking about how my body feels. “Excited. Nervous.”

“Better,” he replies and tugs my top over my head.
 

He kisses my body as he disrobes me, brushes his fingertips over my skin, leaving me humming in anticipation of what’s to come.

When I’m completely nude, Matt scoops me up and lays me gently in the middle of the bed.

“I’ve added something to your bed,” he informs me with a satisfied grin. He takes my right hand in his, kisses my palm, and then is suddenly looping soft rope around my wrist, tying beautiful knots. He lays my hand above my head and then circles the bed to the opposite side and pays the other wrist the same attention before linking the two with loose loops.