Page 55 of The Captain

I ducked my head and blushed, letting my free hand come to rest on my burning cheek. “How about them Vapors?”

He laughed at my joke and let the notion of publishing drop, falling into easier banter for the rest of the night.

I couldn’t believe I was on a date with Lincoln Ellis, the one boy who had possibly broken my trust before, who was a party playboy—or used to be a party playboy—and had hated my guts for the past two years.

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

His words from that night hit me, and I felt myself flush again. I hated how easily I blushed and how easily just the thought of him made me do it.

I stared at him as he talked, wondering how soon was too soon to get the check and take him home.

Because I was ready for that. I felt like I’d waited all those years wanting him, and now I had the opportunity to experience what I longed for, and I wanted to jump on that opportunity as fast as possible.

“Sunshine?” I heard his voice pull me out of my thoughts and blinked, glancing up at his concerned face. “You okay? You’re a little—”

“Can we get the check?”

Lincoln’s face dropped, his eyes worried. “Okay.”

He was concerned that I was upset or bailing or ready for this night to end, if I could understand the looks he kept shooting at me.

But no, I was the opposite. I was ready for the night to progress, just…not here.

He quickly got the check, signing everything he needed to sign and then helped me into my jacket, his hand grasped tightly around mine as we left. I could feel the tension radiating off him as we reached the passenger side of his car.

“Sunshine, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I—” I turned my back to the car, letting my body lean on it, and tugged him closer. My left hand went around the back of his neck, and I saw his surprised expression right before I pressed my lips into his.

Relief surged through me as our lips touched, and Lincoln let go of my hand long enough to reach around my waist and pull me close. So close that his body enveloped me completely.

I melted into him, and he pressed me against the side of his car, holding and shielding me and kissing me like his life depended on it.

It was maybe even better than our first kiss.

After several long moments, when my body felt like it was on fire, I pulled away and boldly said, “Muscles, either we need to get to my apartment now, or the back seat of your car is going to get a show.”

I’d never been so bold in my life, but I smiled when he cracked a grin, and I realized that it was him that made me so confident, so sure. I’d never been able to talk to anyone the way I talked with him.

I never sparred with anyone like I did with him either, and maybe that should have been an indication that he was someone I could be comfortable with, but I’d let my hate shadow anything else.

In a hurry, Lincoln had me in the front seat and buckled, and he peeled out of the parking lot, making me squeal with worry and excitement.

I felt like my body was on fire.

I wanted to get to the apartment more than anything in my life.

I checked my phone as he drove, confirming Mick was going to be at Tanner’s, and frowned. I hated keeping that from Lincoln. I hated that she was keeping it from him too. She treated him with kid gloves, thinking he wasn’t mature enough to handle that kind of information.

I thought with his newfound maturity, with me at his side, he could handle that news now.

I would talk to her soon.

After tonight.

Because right now, I needed to get to my room.

We hit my shut bedroom door with a thud, with him pressing me against it with our lips still firmly attached. He shucked off my coat and let it hit the floor, his own sport coat following after.

My fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt, and I let out a sound of surprise as he opened my door, and I started to fall through.

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