Come Away With Me

  She might be the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.

  “We’re waiting to hear from Luke,” Dom replies. “He’s in with her.”

  “Where is my baby?” my mom calls out as she and Dad come off the elevator.

  Jules hugs Mom and kisses her cheek. “She’s being seen by the doctor.”

  “Why can’t we get back there? Is it worse than they’re saying?” Samantha demands. “If it’s just a little blood and they’re monitoring, we should be able to take turns sitting and waiting with her.”

  “I think it’s a combination of the pain she’s been having over the past few weeks, along with the bleeding,” Meg replies. “If she goes into labor, they won’t want us in there. They’re triaging her.”

  “Neil,” my dad says as he shakes Luke’s dad’s hand. “Where’s Lucy?”

  “She’s back there with them. The doctor said they could take one person, and Lucy went back first.”

  “I want to go back next,” Jules insists.

  “Here, will you take Livie?” I ask Nic. “I’m going to go talk to the nurse.”

  Her eyes go wide, but she takes the baby from me, settles Liv on her shoulder and sways back and forth, kissing her head.

  Jesus, she looks good with a baby on her.

  I shake that thought off and march over to the nurse at the nurse’s station.

  “I’m Detective Montgomery,” I begin. “I’m Natalie Williams’ brother. Can you give me any information?”

  “I’m sorry, detective, I don’t have any information for you. The doctor is with her. I’m sure her husband or mother-in-law will come brief you all soon.” She leans in and lowers her voice. “Is that Will Montgomery, the football player? And Leo Nash?”

  I stare at her hard, clenching my jaw, until she looks down in embarrassment. “I hope my family doesn’t have to worry about the press hearing about our emergency.” The threat is veiled, but it’s plain as day: Don’t fuck with my family.

  “Of course not. I’m sorry. It shouldn’t be long until you hear something.”

  I nod and walk back to Nic, Jules and Nate.

  “Want me to take her?” I ask, gesturing to the sleeping baby.

  “No, I have her,” Nic replies with a soft smile. “She’s asleep. We won’t move her.”

  “My mom’s coming back to get her,” Stacy says. “They didn’t have enough car-seat space in the van for all the kids.”

  I nod and shove my hands in my pockets and sigh in exasperation. Waiting is the worst. There’s absolutely nothing we can do, and I can tell by the looks on all my brothers’ faces that it’s making us all nuts. I glance down at Nic and see that she’s eyeing my mom nervously, and I realize what an asshole I am.

  “I’m so sorry, Mom and Dad, I just realized that you haven’t met Nic yet.” I cringe and pull Nic to my side. “This is Nicole Dalton. Nic, these are my parents, Gail and Steven Montgomery.”

  “So nice to meet you,” Nic replies and shakes both of their hands.

  “Oh, no, it’s our pleasure.” Mom’s eyes are wide in surprise when they meet mine and then she smiles broadly at Nic before looking up to me with a million questions in her eyes. I know I’ll be getting the third degree later.

  “This fucking blows.” Will sighs and rubs his hands over his face.

  “I want to see my girl,” Mom whispers and brushes a tear from her eye.

  I rub my hand up and down Mom’s back, soothing her, and glance over to see Nic with her lips resting on Livie’s head. She’s whispering to her and rocking her back and forth, and I suddenly feel like I’ve been punched in the face.

  I see the whole package when I look at this woman. Marriage and babies and houses and bills. Fights and laughter.

  Everything.

  “Any news?” Stacy’s mom asks an hour later as she hurries out of the elevator and hugs Mom close.

  “Not yet,” I reply.

  “Well, keep us updated. I’m going to take Liv with me. I want to get back quickly to make sure the other kids haven’t killed the adults and taken over the world.”

  “Thank you,” I reply. “She’ll probably sleep for a while. She tuckered herself out with all those tears.”

  Nic gingerly hands the baby over to the other woman, runs her hand over Liv’s dark curls and smiles as they walk away.

  “You baked Brynna and Caleb’s cake,” Mom says to Nic, making conversation.

  “I did.” Nic nods. “I own Succulent Sweets in the city.”

  “How lovely,” Mom replies and loops her arm through Nic’s, dragging her away to have a chat.

  Nic glances back at me over her shoulder, and I just smile and shrug.

  “Your mom will be gentle,” Dad assures me and then claps me on the shoulder. “She’s a looker, that one.”

  “She is,” I agree.

  “Owns a business, so she’s smart, too.”

  “Very smart.”

  “Must be special. You don’t typically bring girls around.”

  I nod and then look my dad in the eye. “She’s the one, Dad.”

  He firms his lips and watches me for a moment, glances over to where Nic and Mom are chatting with Jules, Meg and Sam. Finally, he turns his gaze back to me and nods. “I look forward to getting to know her.”

  “You’ll love her.”

  He nods again and then we all turn our attention to Luke, who is walking toward us. His face is pale, his eyes look scared, and his hair is messier than usual.

  “What’s going on?” Mom asks, dashing to his side.

  Luke wraps his arm around Mom’s shoulders and kisses her head.

  “She’s going to be okay. The baby is fine, too.”

  We all breathe a huge sigh of relief.

  “But they’re keeping her for a while.”

  “Why?” Meg demands.

  “She has kidney stones, which is where the bleeding was coming from when she went to the bathroom,” Luke replies. “The ‘growing pains’ she says she’s been having have actually been kidney pain.” He shakes his head and swears under his breath. “I knew I should have made her go to the doctor.”

  “You couldn’t have known,” Mom assures him and pats his chest.

  “So if it’s just stones, why can’t she go home?” Mark asks with a frown.

  “They want her to pass it here, and monitor the baby until she’s out of the woods.”

  “I’ll stay, too,” Jules volunteers.

  “You’ll come home after you look in on her,” Nate corrects her. “You’re pregnant, too.”

  “She’s my best friend.”

  Nate pulls Jules back into his arms and whispers in her ear. Finally, she smiles and leans away, nodding up at him. “Okay. You’re right.”

  “So, everyone can see her,” Luke continues, “but maybe a few at a time, because that room isn’t very big.”

  Mom, Dad, Luke’s dad, Neil, and Jules go in first, leaving Luke with us.

  “Scared the fuck out of me,” he whispers and hugs Meg to him. “When she said she was bleeding, I panicked. My life doesn’t work without her in it.” He swallows and shakes his head, then plows his fingers through his hair.

  “Scared the fuck out of all of us,” I reply.

  “Did you get to see the baby?” Meg asks.

  “Yeah, they did an ultrasound,” Luke replies and grins. “His little heart is strong, and he’s kicking away. The doc said he’s healthy. But there’s still a chance she could have him early, so she has to take it easy.”

  “Having babies early is not the end of the world,” Brynna reminds him and hugs him tight. “Mine were early, and look at them now. But our girl is strong, and both she and the baby are going to be just fine.”

  “Thank you,” Luke replies, his voice hoarse. “Thanks, everyone. It’s always moments like this that our family amazes me.”

  “Don’t get mushy, bro.” Mark smirks. “I’m going to go in next and kiss my sister-in-law.”

  “Don’t get your lips anywhere ne
ar my wife,” Luke growls at his brother, and we all laugh.

  “Just a little peck,” Mark continues with an easy smile.

  “I’ll fucking punch you.”

  “No, you won’t,” Mark replies and saunters toward Nat’s room with a swagger in his step.

  I glance down at Nic and frown when I see her face has gone pale, and she’s frowning. “What’s wrong?” I whisper into her ear.

  She shakes her head and smiles up at me, the fakest damn smile I’ve ever seen. “Nothing. I’m just worried about Nat and the baby. I’m glad she’ll be okay.”

  “How are you feeling?” I ask.

  “I’m fine.” She waves me off.

  I will get to the bottom of this soon.

  “I’m sorry we ruined your engagement party,” Luke says to Meg with a rueful smile.

  “Nah, don’t be. I didn’t really want one anyway, and Jules got her new shoes…”

  “And a new dress,” Nate adds with a chuckle.

  “So we all win,” Meg finishes, making us all laugh.

  I glance around the room and sigh, relieved that everyone is safe and healthy. Leo is holding Sam in his lap, whispering in her ear soothingly as she leans on him. Will, Meg, Isaac and Stacy all make their way into Nat’s room, anxious to see Natalie for themselves. Nate and Dominic are chatting with Luke, and I have the woman of my dreams by my side.

  Speaking of, I’m ready to check with Nat myself so I can get my girl home and take advantage of her in that hot dress.

  “Why don’t we just go out to dinner together after we’ve all seen Nat before we all head home?” Will asks.

  So much for taking Nic right home.

  I glance down at her, and she just nods with a half smile.

  “We’re in,” I confirm.

  Finally, it’s our turn to see Natalie, and I guide her into my arms, holding her tightly to me for a long minute. Nat takes a deep breath, clinging to my shirt and then pulls away.

  “Scared me,” I murmur down to her.

  “Me, too,” she replies with a smile. “I’m sorry.”

  I shake my head and back away so Nic can get close.

  “Matt was right. Things are never boring with this family,” Nic says with a wink. “But maybe from now on, we’ll keep things less exciting.”

  “I’m in favor of that,” Natalie agrees with a smile. She rubs her hand over her belly and gazes over at her husband, who has also joined us.

  “I think a bunch of us are going to go get dinner. Do you want one of us to bring you guys back anything?” Nic asks, and I smile at her.

  “No, thanks,” Luke replies. “Nat has to eat what they give her, and I’ll grab something from the cafeteria. The food’s not too bad.”

  “Yuck,” Nic replies, sticking her tongue out.

  “Bring him back a burger,” Nat adds and shakes her head at Luke. “No cafeteria food, baby.”

  “We can do that,” I reply. “Call me if you need me.”

  “I will.”

  “I love you, sweet girl.” I kiss her cheek and push her hair back behind her ear. “Take care of them,” I say to Luke and wave as we leave Nat’s room and join the others, ready to go out for dinner.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ~Nic~

  “I wasn’t listening to a thing anyone was saying all the way through dinner,” Matt informs me as he unlocks his apartment door and ushers me inside. “All I could think about was getting you home.”

  “And naked?” I ask with a raised brow.

  “Not exactly,” he replies with a wolfish smile.

  He tosses his keys in a glass bowl by the door and advances on me. He backs me farther into the living room, sits on his couch and pulls me onto him to straddle his lap. I have to shimmy my dress up around my hips to spread my thighs wide enough to comfortably sit on him. His eyes flare and darken as he glides his big hands up my bare thighs to cup my ass. “You looked amazing today.”

  “Thank you,” I reply and offer him a small smile. I won’t let him see that my whole world has been turned upside down in the span of mere hours.

  He and I aren’t going to work. I’ve known it from the beginning, but this afternoon at the hospital cemented it for me.

  But I’m too fucking selfish to let go of him without saying goodbye, even if it’s only with my heart.

  “You looked hot yourself,” I murmur. “Of course, you look hot in most anything.”

  “I don’t think that’s true,” he disagrees with a grin.

  “It is.” I lean in and nuzzle his nose with mine then kiss his cheek and down to his neck where I breathe him in.

  I’m going to miss the smell of him.

  “The green in this dress makes your eyes shine,” he whispers and licks my chest across the top of my dress. “Watching you move in it is every man’s fucking fantasy.”

  “Every man’s?” I ask skeptically.

  “This man’s,” he replies and nips my chin before claiming my mouth with his. His hands plunge under my hemline, grip the black thong I bought specifically for this dress, and rip it on each side, sliding it off me.

  “That was new,” I murmur breathlessly.

  “I’ll buy you another one,” he replies. “Put your hands behind your back.”

  I scowl down into his face. I don’t want him to tie me up. Not this time. This is the last time we’ll make love, and I want to touch him, feel every glorious muscle under my hands as he moves inside me, but he doesn’t know yet, and I can’t argue.

  I pull my arms behind me, and he quickly ties me with my own underwear then pushes me back on his knees so he can look his fill.

  “Beautiful,” he whispers. He unfastens his pants and pushes them down his thighs far enough to unleash his cock.

  “Please take your shirt off, too,” I whisper, keeping his gaze locked in my own.

  He tilts his head but does as I ask, unbuttoning just two buttons on his shirt and pulling it over his head, tossing it aside. He reaches for my hips, and I raise up on my knees as he pulls me close to him and sink down on him, seating myself perfectly on top of him.

  “Fuck, you’re already so wet,” he growls and plants wet kisses on my neck.

  I begin to rise and fall on him, squeezing my muscles with every pull up.

  He bites his lip and looks down where we’re joined, watching with hot eyes.

  He reaches around me and grabs my hands in his, holding me prisoner as his hips piston up and down beneath me, fucking me hard.

  “Holy fuck,” he grinds out, his eyes gliding up and down my body, over the curves in the tight dress, down to where we’re joined and back up again to look me in the eye. “Love being inside you, little one.”

  I bite my lip, afraid I’m going to cry. I love it, too!

  “Please untie my hands.”

  “Are you hurting?” He stills, his face sober. He cups my cheek in one palm and watches me closely.

  “No.” Yes! More than I ever have. “My hands don’t hurt, but I really want to touch you. Please.”

  He frowns but reaches behind me and unties my hands.

  I immediately wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face against his throat. I begin to move my hips, riding him hard and fast.

  “Ah fuck, Nic,” he growls and once again grips my hips, guiding me as I ride him.

  I keep my face planted in his neck so he can’t see the tears that fall silently as I make love to him, showing him with my body how much I love him.

  “Baby, I’m going to come. If you don’t slow down, I’m going to come.”

  I speed up. The tears stop, and I focus all of my energy, everything I am, on Matt.

  Suddenly, he stands and reverses our position, laying me flat on the couch, all without falling out of me.

  “I have to…” he mutters and begins to fuck me with long, hard thrusts, pounding into me unlike he ever has before, until he finally reaches between us and plants his thumb on my clit, making me fall over the edge into oblivion with him.

/>   Before we can catch our breath, he pulls me back up into his arms and carries me, with my legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his neck, to the bedroom. He lays me gently on the bed, covering me with his body, brushing the backs of his fingers over my face.

  “Matt,” I begin and have to clear my throat, praying I don’t start crying again.

  “Yes, little one.”

  I open my mouth to reply but have to close it again and try to get my thoughts in order.

  “Hey.” He frowns and continues to caress my face, my hair. “Talk to me, baby. You’ve been acting strange since we were at the hospital.”

  “I just…” I try to look away, but he grabs my chin and holds me in his gaze. “I love you,” I tell him simply.

  And it’s true.

  But I’m not right for you. I can’t make the words come. I’m such a fucking wimp. But I know him, and he’ll try to fix it, to tell me that everything will be fine, and I don’t think they will.

  Seeing him with his family, worried over that unborn baby, soothing Olivia and holding her safely on his shoulder, showed me that I can’t fit in with his family.

  I can’t give him a family.

  And of anyone I’ve ever met in my life, Matt deserves that. I love him too much to ask him to do without it.

  His face softens, and he kisses me tenderly before pulling away and lying next to me. He pulls me to him and nuzzles my nose with his. “I love you, too.”

  His eyes are heavy, and soon he’s fallen asleep, breathing deeply.

  I stay, watching him for a long time. I have no idea how much time passes as I listen to his even breaths, comb my fingers through his soft hair and take in every scent, every inch of his face and body, memorizing him.

  Finally, when dawn is just beginning to come through the window, casting the room in a gray glow, I rise carefully, pull my dress down, retrieve my shoes and bag from the living room and let myself out of Matt’s home.

  And his life.

  Chapter Seventeen

  ~Matt~

  I frown as I begin to surface from sleep and realize that Nic isn’t pressed up against me like she usually is in the morning. I open my eyes and glance around, but she’s not in the bed. The sheets are cool where she should be.