Page 45 of The Captain

Finally, he looked over at me, and something in his eyes changed as they took in my body.

Because I’d fallen asleep alone on the couch when his knock had sounded through the apartment, I didn’t give much thought to my appearance when I opened the door. I was wearing my most comfortable silk pajamas, which consisted of short shorts and a tank. Not something I would normally wear with company, but I still had the relaxed, sleepy feeling happening and didn’t really care that he was in my apartment and I was nearly naked.

“Sunshine,” he said, using the nickname that lit my heart on fire. When did I stop hating this man and start wanting more?

You know the answer…you never hated him.

I ignored my inner thoughts and kept leaning against the wall, holding perfectly still as I did.

He took sure steps toward me, his eyes alight with want, and I wanted nothing more than for him to kiss me in that moment.

God, what if he’s just worked up from the games and the book? What if he doesn’t feel that way and I’m over here falling all over again like a lovesick fool?

But then he placed a hand against the wall by the side of my head, his other hand caressing my cheek, and before I knew what was happening, he slammed his lips down onto my own.

I held perfectly still for several seconds before my body acted on instinct. My arms pulled him toward me until he was pressing me completely against the wall, his arms both wrapped around my lower back, holding me in a way that lovers might, completely enveloping me until I was surrounded by him on all sides.

His lips were coaxing mine in such a delicious way that when I opened myself to him, it felt natural to let him in, to let him consume me.

My thoughts were hardly my own, giving in to this man who’d had such a hold on me for so long.

I’d never wanted to give in, and yet, I never wanted this moment right here to end.

For long moments, we kept hold of each other, with him pulling languid kisses from my body and moaning like he couldn’t get enough.

Finally, we pulled away for air, and my eyes snapped open, realizing that he was there holding me, kissing me, like he hadn’t hated me since I started to hate on him. Since I started using my defenses to protect myself.

“I thought.” I paused, licking my lips, our arms still firmly around each other like we were both afraid if we let go, we’d never get this moment back.

“What, Sunshine?” he rasped, squeezing me tightly. His eyes met mine, and I gave a shy yet sassy half smirk.

“I thought you hated me.”

I thought he’d come back with something sarcastic, something biting to get us back into hatred territory, but he said something that I would never forget.

“I could never feel hate toward you, Sunshine.”

I melted at the words because I understood them more than he probably knew and realized that all our animosity was us both shielding ourselves from one another.

Our arms were still wrapped around each other when he reached lower and pulled me up, making it so I had to wrap my arms and legs tighter around him so that we could stay together, and he took me into my room.

My room was dark, with the stars shining brightly throughout, and he laid me down on the bed.

I naively thought that he was going to say good night, but I watched as he stripped himself down until he was only in boxers, tugged the comforter down from underneath my body, and slipped into bed, pulling the blanket into place over us both, and pulled me back into his arms.

I froze for long seconds, wondering what he was planning. There was no talk of anything, and knowing horny college boys, I had a feeling he was curious about where the night could go.

Instead of alluding to sex, he squeezed me tighter and nudged my chin up with his finger.

My eyes met his in the dim light of the stars, and I felt my heart rate tick up several notches.

I’d absolutely had fantasies such as this one.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, surprising me with the question.

“I’m thinking we’re half-naked in bed together,” I replied honestly, shocking us both.

He blew out a breath. “Yeah, we are.” He reached down and placed his hand delicately on my hip. “It’s fucking awesome.”

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