“Will you please, for the love of God, set the damn 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 ass.

“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 sassy 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 damn 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 fuck and he had to take care of me.

“I like this kitchen,” he continues.

I look around the space 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 fuck 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 fuck 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.

“But I also want to know what makes you laugh. What pisses you off. What you’re passionate about. I just want to learn everything about you. You’re in my head, and I haven’t felt this way in a long time. Jesus, I don’t give shout-outs to women during every game for fuck sake.”

He looks truly rattled and I soften, just a bit. Moving fast? A little. But he wants me safe, and I can appreciate that.

We have a relationship. Huh.

“I want to get to know you too,” I murmur and smile happily.

“So,” he continues and looks up at me with serious blue eyes. “Please be patient with me, and just set the damn alarm when you leave, and when you’re alone inside.”

“Okay,” I shrug like it’s no big, and continue eating my pizza.

“You’re not going to argue?”

“No, why would I? It’s just an alarm. But I don’t like being bossed around, so just talk to me about stuff, okay?”

Will smirks and sets both of our empty plates aside. He lifts himself onto the couch, his arms flexing all sexy-like and I just sit back and watch him move.

He’s just so… hot.

Suddenly, he’s pulling me in his arms, settles me against him, kisses the top of my head and grabs the remote to my television.

“What are you doing?” I ask with a laugh.

“Watching TV.”

“Why?”

“Because you won’t let me make love to you, so I have to distract myself somehow.”

Holy shit on a stick.

I gape up at him. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about the three date rule?”

“Are you turning this whole pizza and TV thing into a date?” I ask him, suddenly hopeful.

“You noticed.” He kisses my nose and smiles proudly at me.

“Then no, I haven’t changed my mind.” I settle against him and watch him flip through the channels. When he gets to the movie channels, and finds them blocked out, he frowns down at me.