Page 30 of The Captain

“Take it quickly, I need you.” It was a stupid thing to say, but I was glad I said it as I watched her gaze soften under mine.

God, I wanted to…fuck. I don’t know. I wanted to kiss her, hold her, tell her that this whole tutoring thing was bullshit, but I only put up with it because of how much respect I had for her.

But I couldn’t say any of that.

We hated each other.

Didn’t we?

“I’ll be there in a minute,” she said with a hiss and turned away from me and back to them. I stalked back to our booth—yes, our booth—and waited with impatience.

I still didn’t know what the hell I was doing in my class, the stuff went in one ear and out the other unless Cassie was sitting right there with me. I was barely hanging on to my place on the team, and as captain, I was failing at being a good leader.

I took a moment to think while she rushed their order into the kitchen. I wasn’t being a good person to her. Yes, I sat here and didn’t miss a session, but that wasn’t because I wanted to study, it was because I liked spending time with her.

It was the only time she would actually let me do it.

But I needed to get my head out of my ass. She wasn’t going to forgive our past, she never had before. Why would she now?

Maybe, though, I could get her to see the good in me. I had good. I was a good friend when my friend wasn’t pretending to date the only woman I’d ever had genuine feelings for. I was a good brother, a good son, a good athlete.

I could be good for her. Whether that was as her friend or…more, I could be good.

I would be good.

“So, you feel ready for class? Don’t forget to note the key phrases the professor puts up on the board. They do that for a good reason, and then research the key phrases to make sure you understand them.” Cassie talked at a rapid pace, anxiously pulling at a zipper on her bag.

“I’ll be okay.” I glanced at the building that held the apartment she shared with my sister. “Is Mick home?”

“I don’t know.” She glanced at her phone, frowned, and put it down. “Why?”

“I thought I’d come up and say hi.”

“Oh, I don’t—” But I didn’t hear what she had to say before I shut my door and headed around to open hers. She seemed flustered, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of me or because I was essentially forcing my way into the apartment.

I followed her to the elevator, wondering if her flowery perfume was strong enough for everyone to smell it or if I was just homed in on the scent because I’d been around her so much lately.

I decided the thought was just a little too much to make a comment on and held the elevator door for her.

Her eyes latched onto the number as they went from one to two to three, and her grip on her bag became increasingly tighter.

“You okay?” I asked, wondering if she was regretting every minute leading up to this one.

“Fine,” she snapped, glaring at me as she stomped out of the elevator. “I just don’t know why you insist on following me home. Haven’t we spent enough time together?”

I smirked at her back, seeing that she was once again flipping into defensive mode, and I stuffed my hands into my pockets. While she was unlocking the door, I stood close behind her for the second time tonight, and because pushing her buttons was fun, I leaned down and breathed against her ear, “Never.”

She looked over her shoulder, confusion and something else written on her features, and I reached over, wrapping my hand around hers that held the keys, and holding eye contact, I twisted to open the door.

Cassie fumbled for a moment, sending me a glare, and I laughed, walking in right behind her. I turned to shut the door, and Cassie ran to Mick’s room, peeking in to see if Mick was there.

“Oh darn, Mick’s not here. Too bad.” She moved toward me, waving her hand to the door. “I guess you’ll have to try again some other time.”

I smirked and walked around her, heading for the couch. The apartment was blissfully empty, a far cry from my house right now, where everyone insisted on having people over most nights. I flopped down on the couch and sighed. “Guess I’ll just have to wait then.”

Cassie then looked at me, crossed her arms, and growled, “Haven’t we been together long enough?”

I could see under her bravado that she was uncertain about having me in her space. I understood, we went from enemies to…not, really quickly. I can understand why she was confused.

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