Rock with Me (With Me in Seattle, #4)(65)

“Oh, there are those too. Thank God Will installed the alarm system.”

“Seriously?” Her eyes go round and then she starts to laugh. “That’s hilarious!”

“Sure it is.” I scowl at her.

“It is,” she insists and shakes her head. “Well, then you need a house.”

“Yeah,” I agree and rinse out my mug, set it in the dishwasher and grab my wallet and keys. “I better go.”

“Okay.” She smiles and stands to hug me, wraps her strong arms around my middle and presses a kiss to my sternum. “Have a good day.”

“You too, baby.” I tip her head back and kiss her slowly, rubbing my lips over hers and nibbling the side of her mouth until she smiles. “I’d better go before I pull you back to your bed and f*ck you raw,” I growl, smiling smugly when her bright blue eyes dilate with lust.

“I’m up for that.”

“Later.” I kiss her again, grin at the way she sways when I let go of her, and head out of her building.

Half way down to my car, my phone rings. I expect it to be one of the guys, and frown at the caller ID in surprise.

“Nash.”

“Hey, it’s Will,” he clears his throat and I’m immediately put on guard.

“Has something happened to Meg?” I ask and climb into my car.

“No, she’s fine. She’s sleeping. Listen.” I hear him start his car and tap my fingers impatiently on my steering wheel. “Do you have time to meet with me today?”

“About what?” I ask. “I’m kind of booked up today.”

“I just need about ten minutes. I’d rather talk with you in private.”

I check my watch and grimace. “Can you meet me in about ten minutes in Seattle?” I ask him.

“Sure, no problem. Where?”

I rattle off the address and work my way through mid-morning traffic. There is a lot to do today, and not nearly enough time.

I pull up outside the small recording studio near Sam’s apartment and cut the engine. Will pulls up behind me less than five minutes later.

“Hey, man, thanks for meeting with me.” He shakes my hand and glances at the building. “Where are we?”

“Studio.” I grin at him. “I’m working today.”

“Cool, I won’t keep you.”

“We can talk inside.” I lead him inside to find Skip near the entrance. “Can I use your office for a minute, man?”

“Sure, you know the way. This time, don’t wrinkle my papers.” He smirks as I flip him the bird and lead Will to the office, close the door behind us, and lean back against the desk.

“What’s up?”

For the first time since I met him, Will looks nervous.

Ah, hell, this can’t be good.

“So, Meg and I have been together for a while.”

“Not a long while,” I remind him and purse my lips so I don’t smile. He frowns and begins to pace.

“She is just…” He stops and pushes his hand through his hair and I cross my arms over my chest, enjoying his discomfort.

The man is f*cking my sister. He should be damn uncomfortable.

“She’s everything,” he finally says. “She makes me happy and stupid and so f*cking angry I could just smack her ass.”

“Dude,” I interrupt and he smiles over at me.

“Sorry. Anyway.” He paces some more. “I love her. I refuse to ever live a day without her. She is the best part of my life.”

“I figured this out already, man, what are you getting at?”

“I want to marry her.” He exhales deeply and scrubs his hands over his face.

“So ask her.”

“No, you don’t get it.” He shakes his head and faces me. “That’s why I’m here. I’m asking for your permission to ask her.”

I’m stunned. “Why do you need my permission?”

“Because she’s yours,” he answers simply. “You’re her family. You’re the one she’s depended on the majority of her life, and she loves you. Your opinion matters. I may be an arrogant ass a lot of the time, but I was raised right.” He swallows and shoves his hands in his pockets. “It’s right that I ask you for your blessing before I propose to her. I give you my word, Leo, I will protect her, respect her and love her until the day I die.”

“I know,” I respond automatically.

“You do?”

“Of course I do. Meg isn’t stupid. She wouldn’t be with you if it were any other way.” I stay here, leaning and watching Will for a moment and remember Meg as a young girl, wide-eyed and freckled and all red-hair and long limbs, and then I think of her when we were all together for game night and how vibrant and happy, how secure and lovely she is.

Will is to thank for some of that.

“You can marry her on one condition,” I tell him, my voice low and steady, eyes on his.

“Name it,” he immediately responds.

“You have to name your first kid after me.” He sighs, his shoulders slump like he’s been carrying the weight of the world, and he grins from ear to ear.

“What if it’s a girl?” He asks.

“I don’t give a f*ck.”