With Me in Seattle Bundle One (104 page)

“I love this,” he growls and kisses me deeply, pushing harder and harder inside me.

“Will, I have to come.”

“Almost.”

“Will.”

“Almost, damn it.” His hands on my ass tighten, and I squeeze around him like a vice, my hands pulling on his hair. “Now!”

We both explode, our bodies shuddering and shaking with the force of our climaxes. Will leans his forehead against my shoulder, his whole body shaking.

“Hey,” I murmur, caressing his back gently. “Will.”

He leans back, his eyes wide. “Are you okay?”

“Oh honey.” I grin. “I’m more than okay.”

His whole body sags in relief. “Thank God.”

He pulls out of me and sets me on my feet. “I want to carry you upstairs, but I don’t have any strength. You just decimated me.”

“Really?” Why this makes me so proud, I don’t know, but I’m preening.

“Oh yeah. Come on, let’s clean up.”

Before leading me out of the room and up the stairs, he leans down and kisses me softly, longingly. Beautifully. “You are mine, Megan McBride. Don’t ever forget that.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Seriously, guys, this is just way too much.” I gaze down at the red Louboutin stilettos and I know there’s lust in my eyes.

“Honestly, we wanted to do this for you today.”

I look up at my three friends and giggle. I don’t remember the last time I giggled over shoes.

Maybe that’s a problem.

Because, holy crap, these are just to die for and are perfect for the dress Jules is lending me.

The dress that I’m going to beg her to will to me when she dies, because it fits me like a glove, and I want to wear it every single day.

And now I want to wear these shoes every single day, too.

“But you already got me the gorgeous underwear and took me to the spa, and really, guys, this is just crazy. Who lives like this?”

Samantha smirks and smoothes lip gloss on her plump lips, her blue eyes smiling. “We do.”

“Meg, you were born for these shoes.” Nat sighs. “They’re perfect for the dress.”

We are in my bedroom, and they’re helping me get dressed. Jules has spent more than an hour teasing and curling and fussing with my hair to make it look, well, hot. It’s all up, but it doesn’t look stuffy or serious.

It’s fun.

“I don’t know how I can ever repay you guys for all of this.”

“Oh please.” Nat waves me off and chuckles. “There is no need to repay us. We love you.”

“Well, there is one thing you could do,” Jules murmurs and bites her lip, her blue eyes wide.

“What?” I ask.

“Sing at my reception.”

“Jules…” I shake my head and prop my hands on my hips.

“Just listen,” she pleads and grabs my hand, holding on tightly. “Meg, I love your voice. I always have, and you know that. I was always your biggest fan.”

“Hey!” Nat protests, and I grin at her.

“Jules, I haven’t sung in front of an audience in years.”

“It’s not like you’ve forgotten how, sweetie. You don’t have stage fright. You will kick ass. Just one song, please?”

I bite my lip and look over to Natalie and Samantha, who are both smiling at me.

“Who did you hire to play at the reception?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Luke took care of it.”

“Luke?” I ask, my eyebrow raised.

“Luke knows everybody.” Nat rolls her eyes. “I’m not sure who he got, but he wanted it to be our gift to Jules and Nate.”

“So it’ll probably be someone famous. Not a local band,” I reply.

Jules shrugs. “Probably just some up-and-comer band. But Luke knows the kind of music we like, so I’m sure they’ll be great. But you don’t have to sing with them. You can borrow a guitar and do just one song. I’d love for you to play the song for our first dance. Please, it can be your gift to me.”

Her eyes are pleading with me. How can I possibly say no?

“What song?” I ask with a sigh, and she smiles widely, her beautiful face beaming, and I can’t help but smile back as she hugs me tight.

“I Won’t Give Up
by Jason Mraz.”

“I actually know that one.” I grin at her and then at Sam and Nat. “I guess I’d better start practicing.”

“This is so awesome.” Nat hugs Jules. “I can’t wait to hear you.”

“And I can’t wait to hear you for the first time,” Sam says with a grin. “Sounds like it’ll be a helluva show.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I turn and take one last look in the mirror. “Are we sure about the dark lipstick?” It’s a  raisin color, giving my lips definition, and is a stark contrast to my white skin.

“Definitely. It’s hot. And it’s stain, so Will can kiss you all night, and it won’t smudge or come off.” Sam winks at me.

“Okay. Wow, I clean up well, if I do say so.”

The doorbell rings, and my stomach rolls with anticipation.

“That’s Will.” The girls jump up and head out of my room. “Stay up here for a few minutes.” Nat kisses my cheek. “Take a deep breath. Let him wait for you. You’re stunning. Have fun.”

With a smile and a wave, she follows the other two downstairs to let Will in.

I hear his voice and smile. That deep baritone does things to me.

I bet he can sing well.

“Where is she?” he asks.

“She’s just finishing upstairs,” Sam tells him. “She’ll be down in a second.”

“I’m going up.” I hear him head for the stairs.

“No, you won’t.” Jules laughs. “Be patient. She’ll be right down. Have fun tonight.”

“Be good,” Nat says and then I hear the front door open and close, and Will sets the alarm.

What is it with him and that alarm?

Suddenly, I hear him take the stairs two at a time, and he’s standing in my doorway, staring at me. And I just stare back. He’s in a tux, looking all 007, and hot and…
mine.

“What happened to you waiting downstairs?” I ask with a raised brow.

“Fuck that, I want to see you.” He swallows hard. “Wow.”

“Yeah?” I look down at the dress and turn in a circle so he can see the whole thing. “You like?”

“Hmm,” he murmurs. “You are absolutely gorgeous, but you’re missing something.”

“I am?” I look down again, then turn to the mirror, making sure my hair is still in place. “I think Jules covered everything.”

He moves up behind me and catches my gaze in the mirror. As he leans down and kisses my neck, right below my ear, he wraps an arm around me, palm up. A blue Tiffany box, wrapped in a white bow, sits in his hand.

“I think this might complete your outfit,” he whispers into my ear.

“You’ve already given me so much,” I whisper, eyes glued to the tiny blue box.

“I would give you the world if I could, sweetheart.”

My eyes fly back to his in the mirror, and he’s smiling softly.

“You are my world,” I whisper.

His eyes widen, and just when I think he’s going to go all mushy on me, he smirks. “Who’s cheeky now?” he asks, reminding me of the café in New Orleans.

“Cheeky?” I ask with a chuckle.

“Cheeky,” he mouths to me, his face happy. “Open it.”

I pluck the box from his hand, and he rests his hands on my shoulders as I open it. Nestled inside are the most over-the-top chandelier diamond earrings I’ve ever seen. I pull one out and hold it up to the light, watching the light reflect off the diamonds. They’re swirly, with a huge princess-cut diamond in the middle, tilted on its side. They are totally my style.

And totally the most expensive things I’ve ever had my hands on.

“Will…” I try to protest, but he takes the earrings from me and turns me gently.

“When I saw these,” he begins and fastens one to my right ear, “I knew they belonged on your perfect little ears.” He fastens the left one and then turns me back to face the mirror so I can see them. “See? Now your outfit is complete.”

I push one of the earrings with my index finger, watching it dangle along my jawline, then turn in Will’s arms, loop my arms around his neck and kiss him, softly, thoroughly. He rests his hands on my hips and patiently lets me explore his lips with my own until I back away and grin shyly up at him.

“Thank you.”

***

The ball is exactly what I expected. We are at a posh hotel in downtown Seattle, surrounded by gorgeous people, tall flutes of champagne, tiny bits of food on silver platters and lots and lots of money.

It looks exactly the way it does in the movies.

Surprisingly, I’m not nervous. Jules was right. I rarely have stage fright, and I’m completely comfortable with Will at my side, his hand resting on the small of my back. He’s charming, talks easily with everyone who stops him, but makes sure that he always knows where I am, who I’m with, or draws me into the conversation.

Will and I wander through the silent-auction room, looking through all of the items up for bid, everything from spa days to artwork to a week in Italy. When Will sees the week in Italy, he looks down at me with a wide grin.

“Ever been to Italy?”

“Uh, no.”

“Wanna go?” He offers me that cocky side grin, the one that used to make me roll my eyes, and I laugh.

“Yes, Will, I want to go to Italy.” I shake my head and take a sip of champagne.

“Okay.” He shrugs and grabs the pen, writes down his name and a very, very large sum of money to place his bid.

“Holy shit!” I whisper to him.

“What?” His eyes are wide, brows raised. “You said you want to go.”

“Well, of course I
want
to, Will, but I didn’t think you’d actually bid on it.”

“You confuse me.” He frowns down at me. “If you want to go to Italy, I’ll take you.”

“Just like that?” I ask.

“Just like that.” He places a chaste kiss on my lips and guides me down to the next item up for auction. We come to a signed jersey of Will’s, and I gasp.

“When did you donate this?”

He shrugs and looks down at the bids, then smirks. “I don’t know, not long after they sent the invitation. Some idiot has bid ten grand already.”

“I wonder how much I could get on eBay for the ones I sleep in,” I ponder, taking a sip of my champagne, making Will laugh.

“Gonna start selling all my shit now?” he asks and leads me out of the room. He’s bid on the trip to Italy, a weekend in Mexico, and another week in Hawaii. Apparently, he plans to travel a lot this year.

“Maybe.” I shrug. “Could be a good side business.”

“Now I’m just a side business. You wound me, babe.”

He leads me, laughing, out into the main ballroom, where a band is playing classic hits like
It Had to Be You
and
Fly Away
, and Will sweeps me into his arms and across the dance floor, holding me close, looking down into my eyes.

Wow, he’s a good dancer.

“You move very well,” I remark.

He just shrugs and smiles and pulls me closer. “You fit well, right here.”

“Hmm,” I agree and smile up at him, lost in his blue eyes. It’s as though we’re the only two people in the room. “This is fun.”

“Do you know any of the people here from the hospital?” he asks.

“No.” I look around and shake my head. “I know some of the faces, but these people are way above my pay grade.”

“You do look beautiful tonight,” Will murmurs.

“Thank you. So do you.”

“I hate dressing up.” He grins and shrugs. “But if I get to have you with me looking like this, it’s worth it.”

“Cheeky bastard,” I mutter and kiss his chest through his white shirt.

“Ladies and gentleman”—an older man takes the stage, looking distinguished in his formal tux, gray hair slicked back—“before we wrap things up for the night, I want to announce the winners of the silent auction.”

We stop where we are on the dance floor, arms wrapped around each other, and listen to Children’s CEO Mr. Richards read the highest bidders. The winners whoop and applaud excitedly. When he gets to the trip to Italy, he announces Will’s name.

“Holy crap!” I look up at him with wide eyes, and he winks down at me.

“Looks like we’re going to Italy in the spring,” he says with a grin.

We’re going to Italy in the spring!

Will also wins the weekend in Mexico, but the week in Hawaii goes to another of his teammates.

“Thank you, everyone, for bidding,” Mr. Richards continues. “And, it’s my honor to announce that you have raised more than $3 million tonight for our hospital.”

The room erupts in applause, and I can’t help the wide grin on my face. This is fantastic! Oh, the things the hospital can do with that money.

Will is smiling down at me, enjoying my reaction. “I think this just became an annual event for us,” he murmurs.

I look up in surprise. He’s plans on being with me in a year!

“Are you ready to get out of here?” he asks.

“Yes.”

His eyes heat. He takes my hand in his, laces our fingers and leads me to the doors.

“Don’t you have to say goodbye to some people?” I ask.

“No.”

“Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?” I ask with a breathless laugh.

He stops and turns to me, pulling me against his hard body, and leans down so he can whisper in my ear, “I’m in a hurry to get you home, out of this sexy-as-fuck dress, and bury myself in you for the better part of the night. Is that okay with you?”

“Um, yeah. That works.”

He leads me out to the valet, hands the man his ticket, and we’re quiet while we wait for the car.

“What are you humming?” Will asks.

“I was humming?”

“Yeah, what was it?”

“I didn’t realize I was.” I shake my head and smile up at him. “It was probably the song Jules asked me to sing at the reception.”

“You’re singing at the reception?” His eyebrows climb in surprise.

“Yeah, she begged. It was embarrassing. I put her out of her misery.” I wave him off and laugh. “It’s hard to tell her no when she gives me shoes like these.” I pull my skirt up so he can see my amazing Louboutins.

“Dear God, those have been under there all night?”

“Yep.” I smile smugly.

“What else do you have under there?”

I purse my lips and tilt my head like I’m thinking really, really hard. “It’s hard to remember. I’m prone to amnesia these days.”