I follow the players back to the elevators, Will and I lagging behind the others. He takes my hand in his, but I pull away and look around.
“Not at my job, Will.”
“Oh, so I can hold your hand outside of work?” he asks with a cocky grin.
“I didn’t say that.” Damn him.
“Walk me to my car.” He murmurs down to me, so only I can hear.
“You didn’t ride with the others?” I ask.
“No, Trevon stopped at the training center on his way here to get the Hawks gear, and we all met here.”
“Okay.”
When we reach the parking garage, Will’s teammates each hug me tight.
“You do not have an easy job, little lady,” Kip mutters, his face grim.
“Days like today make my job fantastic, Kip. Seriously, thank you, all of you for coming today. You just don’t know what you did for those kids.”
“Why haven’t you asked us to come before?” Jerrel asks and Will coughs, choking on his own spit.
“Actually, I have. Several times. But I always got a no.”
“Fucking Susan,” Trevon mutters darkly. “From now on, contact us directly. I’m assuming you have Montgomery’s number?”
“Uh, no.” I shake my head and press my lips together.
“Well, hell, I’ll give you my number,” Kip grins. “And not just to visit you at work.”
“Back up, Sutherland,” Will warns. “I got this.”
“Good.” Kip winks at me and the guys all go climb in their own vehicles to leave, wave at us and are gone.
“So,” Will murmurs and steps toward me. Despite the magnetic pull I feel, I take a step back.
“I should go back up.”
“I want to see you, Meg.” Well, he’s blunt, isn’t he?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I murmur.
His eyes narrow and he crosses his arms over his chest. “Why not?”
“This is a busy time for you, Will, and my job is busy too. Hell, I haven’t heard from you for the past two weeks, so I just assumed…”
“Number one, don’t assume. Ever.” His voice is hard and immediately grabs my attention. “Number two, yes, we’re busy, but we can find the time. And number three, I’m interested.”
“How did I end up naked the morning after the party?” I blurt out, ashamed that I can’t remember. His eyes twinkle mischievously.
“You woke up naked?” he asks, a half-grin spreading on his handsome face.
“Yeah, but I remember you making me put the t-shirt on.”
“You were still in the t-shirt when I left that morning. I told you, no hanky panky.”
“I’m surprised that you didn’t try anything.”
“Oh, trust me, sugar, having your tight, naked ass cradled against my dick was damn alluring.” He steps closer to me and tips my chin up with his fingers. “But I wouldn’t take advantage of you when you don’t have your wits about you. When I take you, you’ll know exactly what we’re doing, what you’re feeling, and I won’t stop until your legs are shaking and the neighbors know my name.”
Holy fucking hell.
He brushes his lips over mine once, then twice, before cupping my face firmly in his big hands and sinking into me, kissing me soundly. God, it’s just as good as I remember, if not better, and I didn’t think that was possible.
If I were wearing panties, they’d be soaked; I’m panting, and I just want to climb him. He pulls back and gently brushes loose hairs off my face.
“You’re so sweet, baby.”
Shit.
I step out of his embrace and rub my hands down my face, trying to clear my head.
“Will, I’m only going to tell you this once. Please, don’t ever call me baby. Ever.” My voice is controlled, firm. He scowls at me.
“Why?”
“I don’t like it.”
“Why?” he asks again.
“My deadbeat father used to call me that, during the few times I saw him, and it gives me the yucks. Just don’t, okay?”
“Okay. Never again.” He shrugs and smiles at me. “Sorry.”
I shake my head and start to retreat back to the elevator. “I have to get back.”
“I’ll call you,” he promises, but I just shake my head again and smirk.
“Sure you will,” I respond sarcastically, wave, and disappear into the elevator.
Chapter Four
“Meg, these just came for you.”
I’m sitting at my computer, responding to email and drinking a Starbucks, settling in before I have to take report from the night shift nurse and dig into work. Jill hands me a huge bouquet of flowers, pink roses with calla lilies. I bury my nose in them and breathe them in.
I know who they’re from, but pull the card off the plastic holder and grin at the note.
You forgot to give me your number. Mine is 206-555-3598. Use it, please.
So, he’s a little bossy.
“You gonna call him?” Jill asks from behind me, clearly reading over my shoulder and I laugh.
“I’ll text him for now.”
“Hell, I’d do a lot more than text him. Have you seen him?”
I roll my eyes at her and tuck the card in my scrub pocket. “I was here yesterday, remember?”
“The kids are still talking about it. They were really nice.” Jill grabs a chart and begins making notes.