"Miss McBride?"

"Yeah." I croak and stare at the man through blurry eyes. He's standing on my porch, in a uniform of some kind, holding a clipboard. I run my hand through my hair and frown. "What time is it?"

"Ten in the morning, ma'am."

f.u.c.k, it's early.

"What's up?" I ask and wish for coffee.

"I'm Doug from Home Security Systems. I have a work order to install a system in your home." He smiles politely and I scowl.

"I didn't order you."

"I know, Mr. Montgomery did."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Because I own the company, ma'am. He asked me to do it personally."

I sigh deeply and lean my forehead against the door. I guess there's no getting out of this.

"How long will it take?" I ask, resigned to letting it happen.

"Most of the day. This is a full system."

"How much is my monthly bill going to be?" I ask and juggle some things around in my head. I could disconnect the cable.

"It's been paid in full for the next year," he replies as he makes notes on his clipboard.

"Seriously?"

"Yep. Can I get started?"

"Go ahead. I'll be in the shower, but then I'll be around if you have questions."

"That's fine, I'll start outside anyway."

I trudge back to my bedroom and flop down on the bed. I grab my phone and dial Will's number.

"Hey, gorgeous," he whispers.

"Why are you whispering?" I whisper back.

"Because we're watching tape from yesterday's game. Why are you whispering?" I hear the smile in his voice and it makes me grin.

"Because you're whispering."

"Did the alarm guy show up?"

"Yes, control freak, he did."

Will chuckles softly. "Good. I trust him, he's done all of my family's homes and businesses."

"Okay. Did you have to send him so early?"

"It's ten am, sweetheart."

"I didn't go to bed until four," I remind him.

"I'm sorry, I forgot."

"It's fine. I didn't want to sleep my whole day away anyway." I get up and start the shower. "I'll let you get back to your tape."

"Okay. Do you have tomorrow off?"

"Yeah."

"I have to train in the morning until about noon, but then I want to spend the rest of the day with you."

G.o.d, his whispery voice is s.e.xy as f.u.c.k.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. I'll pick you up at noon."

He hangs up and I take a long, scalding hot shower. It wakes me up and invigorates me. I dress in a loose, floaty black tank dress and head into the kitchen, open my laptop on the countertop. While it wakes up, I brew some coffee.

Thank G.o.d for coffee.

I hear drilling and see the security system guys bustling about the townhouse, one in the front and one in the back. So while they work, I decide to work a little too, catching up on email, Facebook and bills, while I bring up my favorite station on internet radio.

By the time the alarm workers are done at around six, I'm caught up with my virtual social life, emails, made a few calls and I'm broke. Well, I will be, anyway, when I send Sylvia her check.

I'm shown how to set my alarm, disable it, punch in my pa.s.scode, and call for help. It's incredibly scary.

Not the idea of being burgled, but how many d.a.m.n steps I have to go through to arm this f.u.c.ker.

When I'm finally alone, I slip on my flip-flops and head out for a walk through the neighborhood. I don't know why Will is so freaked out about my safety. My neighborhood isn't that bad. It's just an average, middle-cla.s.s area of Seattle. In fact, the majority of my subdivision is townhomes. Some are condos, and most are single or childless couples who live there. Surrounding us are single family homes, all rather cookie-cutter, built in the last five years or so.

It's not the freaking ghetto.

But if it helps him sleep at night, whatever.

It's unseasonably warm for a late-summer day in Seattle. There's not a cloud hanging in the bright blue sky, and the trees are just barely starting to turn yellow. Before we know it, they'll turn red and then fall, leaving the trees bare.

I wave h.e.l.lo to my neighbor and cross the street to my house, to see Will sitting on my front steps, elbows braced on his jean-clad knees, wearing a black Nike t-shirt and black Oakley sungla.s.ses. I can't see his eyes, but his mouth is tilted in a half smile and I can feel him watch me saunter up to him.

As I get closer I put a bit more swing in my hips, enjoying the way the dress floats around my thighs, and grin down at him.

"I thought you were picking me up tomorrow at noon." I plant my hands on my hips and try to look stern, but it so doesn't work. I'm happy to see him after his trip to San Francisco.

"I am. But I decided to drop by, make sure the alarm was installed okay." He reaches his hand out for mine and pulls me into his lap. I squeal in surprise and then giggle and wrap my arms around his neck.

"Is that the only reason?" I smile up at him and tug his Oakleys off. His blue eyes are happy and hot.

"I needed to see you," he whispers and hugs me hard, burying his face in my neck and breathing me in.

G.o.d he feels good.

"I missed you," he murmurs and kisses my cheek, then pulls back and looks me in the eye again. "How are you?"

"I'm good. It was a busy weekend at work, between football games and deliveries and those pesky things we call patients." I giggle and push my hand through his dark blonde hair. It's soft and feels so good, I do it again. "Seriously, thank you, for everything you did for the kids, and for me, this past week. It far surpa.s.sed anything any of us were expecting."

"So, you watched the game? Not just half-time?" He smiles, but I can tell he's hopeful that I did, that I watched him to support him and because I'm proud of him.

And I am.

"I watched most of it, yeah. I have to cover my eyes when you get tackled. I hate that part. And thank you for half time. That was cool." I grin.

"You're welcome." He brushes my hair behind my shoulder and looks so serious all of a sudden.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head and smiles down at me again. "I brought pizza."

"I will never turn down a man with pizza." I scramble out of his lap and unlock the door, then lead the way inside.

"Why the f.u.c.k isn't your alarm set?"

Chapter Six.

I spin around and glare at him, and plant my hands on my hips. "I was gone for fifteen minutes, Will. In the sunlight. Why the f.u.c.k are you freaking out?"

"Will you please, for the love of G.o.d, set the d.a.m.n alarm when you leave the house?" His words are measured, and it's obvious he's trying really, really hard to stay calm.

"Can I leave it off when I check the mail?" I ask sarcastically.

He purses his lips like he's thinking really hard, the smart a.s.s.

"Yes."

"Gee, thanks. Now, give me that pizza before I throw you out for being so bossy."

He grins, holds the pizza out of my reach, and shuts the door behind him and locks it. "What's your code?"

"What if you're the one I'm trying to keep out?" I ask with a sa.s.sy grin. He raises one eyebrow at me and waits for an answer. "That look doesn't work on me."

"I won't share my pizza if you don't tell me."

"Bribing me with pizza?" I scoff. He grins and shrugs, and he's so d.a.m.n adorable in this moment, I'd tell him my blood type, social security and grandmother's maiden name, if I knew it. "Fine. One two three four."

"Your code is one two three four?" he asks with a laugh.

"I'll remember it."

He shakes his head and leads me to the kitchen, still holding the pizza over his head.

"Will you please explain to me why you're so adamant about the alarm? I've never had any issues in this neighborhood, Will. It's perfectly safe here." I follow him and pull down plates for our meal.

He takes a look around the small kitchen and grins. "It looks different in here in the light."

Ah yes, the last time he was here, I was drunk as f.u.c.k and he had to take care of me.

"I like this kitchen," he continues.

I look around the s.p.a.ce and grin. This kitchen is what sold me on the townhouse. It's open to the living room, has light granite countertops and light wood cabinets, making it feel bright and cheerful.

"Thanks. Now spill it, Montgomery."

Will sighs and slides pizza on the two plates, and hands me mine.

"Beer?" he asks.

"Fridge."

He pulls out two beers, pops the tops and leads me to the living room. I sit on the couch and he folds himself onto the floor, leaning against the couch. I can feel the warmth of him against my leg.

"I know I sound really controlling about the alarm, Meg. But it's really important to me because as our relationship progresses, people will try to get to you. Press, weird fans, people with morbid curiosity. And like I said before, I'm gone a lot, and I don't live here with you, so I can't be here all the time to protect you." He pauses to eat and frowns as he thinks.

I'm just speechless. As our relationship progresses? I'm stuck like stupid on that one sentence.

"What relationship?" I ask, confused. "We've known each other for three minutes. We haven't even had a whole date."

Will's jaw drops and he blinks rapidly, then clenches his jaw and glares at me.

"What, exactly, do you think I'm trying to pursue here, Megan? If I just wanted to f.u.c.k you and bail, I would have backed off as soon as you told me no at my sister's party." He shakes his head and pushes his pizza away.

"I just..." I begin, but he interrupts me, not hearing me.

"Yes, it's early, but f.u.c.k Megan, all I do is think about you. You've gotten under my skin. I want to learn your body. I want to know what it feels like to sink inside of you." He swallows hard and so do I as I squeeze my thighs together and feel myself go wet.