Tied with Me

“I don’t relish the thought of that myself.” I chuckle and shake my head. “We’re not throwing the love word around yet. We’re learning each other and enjoying our time together.”

“Good.”

“Uncle Matt! Look at our T-shirts!”

The girls come bouncing down the stairs, their dark brown ponytails flying around their heads in their excitement to show off the souvenirs their parents brought home for them.

“And backpacks, too! For our coloring books!”

“This is all very cool,” I reply. “Where is mine?”

“You don’t want a backpack,” Josie responds with a wrinkled nose.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a big boy,” Maddie informs me. “But I’ll share.”

“I’m just teasing, darlin’.” I pick her up and kiss her cheek loudly, then bury my face in her sweet little neck and blow raspberries, making her squeal in delight.

“I love you, Uncle Matt.”

“I love you, too, baby girl.”

Chapter Eleven

~Nic~

Today is the perfect day for a pool party. The warm Seattle sun is high in the cloudless, bright blue sky. Luke Williams’—the Luke Williams of the Nightwalker movies—and his wife Natalie’s home is absolutely breathtaking. It’s a large two-story stone home that sits near the jagged Washington coastline, just north of Seattle.

We are in the backyard next to a large pool. There’s a large covered outdoor kitchen off the patio, and luxurious chaise lounges next to the pool with individual sun umbrellas to keep the hot rays off of delicate skin.

I opted to close the umbrella to get some sun on my white body, but suddenly a shadow falls over me.

I open my eyes to find Matt standing over me, clad only in black swimming trunks, opening the umbrella over me.

“Hey! You’re blocking my sun.”

“You’ve been in the sun long enough, little one. I don’t want you to burn.”

He picks me up, takes my seat on the lounge and settles me on his lap.

“This is better,” he whispers in my ear as his hand glides down my naked side to my hip.

“Did you see the new dance instructor dance yesterday afternoon before the girls’ class?” Stacy, Matt’s sister-in-law, asks Brynna, who is sitting next to her.

“No, we didn’t get there early enough. Is she good?” Brynna sits in Caleb’s lap and wraps her arms around his neck.

Matt and I are sitting with Brynna, Stacy, Meg, Mark and Caleb. Natalie, Jules and Samantha are sitting on the stone edge of the pool, dangling their feet in the water, while Will, Leo, Luke, Isaac, Nate and Dominic play water volleyball.

I’m just exceedingly proud that I remember everyone’s names. Matt’s family is large, and friendly.

Except Jules. She’s been friendly enough, but she keeps eyeing me, and I know she’s dying to ask me questions.

Maybe I should approach her.

“Oh my Gosh, good doesn’t begin to describe her!” Stacy replies to Brynna, pulling me out of my own thoughts. “She’s freaking amazing. She used to tour with some of the most famous people out there, dancing for them.”

“That’s right.” Brynna nods. “Didn’t she tour with Beyoncé for a while?”

“That’s what I heard,” Stacy confirms.

“Wait. What is this dancer’s name?” Samantha asks from her seat on the edge of the pool. Her gaze is on her brother, Mark, whose eyes are narrowed on her face.

“Meredith,” Brynna replies.

Sam cocks an eyebrow. “Did you know that bitch is back in town?” she asks Mark as he stands and jumps in the pool, joining the guys in their game.

Everyone exchanges looks of confusion, but Mark just shrugs and tosses the volleyball in the air.

“Get over it, Sam.” He serves the ball, and the other men begin to splash about, diving for the ball.

Good God, I’m surrounded by the hottest men in the world.

Luke Williams is just plain hot. I’ve known that for years. He was once named the Sexiest Man Alive in one of the most popular magazines in the country. But the other guys are just as beautiful.

Nate McKenna is as dark as Luke is fair. His long hair is pulled back with a leather strap at the nape of his neck. He has tribal tattoos that swirl down his arm and over one side of his chest. His gray eyes are intense, but when he looks at his Jules, his expression transforms into one of pure love.

Mark Williams is a mirror image of his older brother, if not even more good-looking, which I didn’t know was possible. He’s tall and fair and has startling blue eyes. He also seems to be carefree and fun.

The Montgomery brothers are all simply amazing specimens of male. Their hair ranges in shades of light brown to blond, but they all share those Montgomery blue eyes. Even Dominic, who is half-Italian and shares only a father with the other guys, has the ice-blue gaze like his half brothers.

And, of course, Leo Nash is the rock star of my fantasies.

And they’re all shirtless, muscled and belong on the pages of a calendar.

But the women are just as beautiful and fun.

“I like your tattoos,” Natalie says to me, pointing to my shoulder and side as she joins us, lowering herself onto an umbrella-covered chaise. She tugs at her black tankini with a frown. “I thought this damn thing would cover my belly.”

“How are you feeling, little mama?” Matt asks softly and rests his hand on Nat’s growing belly.

“I’m good,” she confirms. “I’ve been having a little back pain, but I think it’s just because this little guy is growing.”

“She’s being stubborn,” Luke calls from the pool after volleying the ball over the net. “I keep telling her to go to the hospital, but she says no. I’m going to pick her up and take her, whether she wants to go or not.”

“Maybe you should go,” Matt agrees and frowns at her. His hand is still resting on her belly, and his blue eyes are soft.

He’d be an excellent daddy.

Panic takes hold of my heart and makes my mouth go dry. I can’t give him this.

Good job, I fell in love with him and I can’t give him everything he deserves to have in a woman.

“I’m fine,” Nat insists. “It’s growing pains, that’s all. Trust me, I’ve done this before.”

“Hey, ace, how about I jump in there and show you how it’s done?” Jules calls out to Nate when he misses the ball.