Page 31 of The Closed Off Captain

“Sebastian, warn a girl!”

He looks down at me. “He was supposed to be in a better mood, not worse after spending the night with you.”

I wad up the napkin next to me and throw it at him. “Stop making it sound worse than it was. We were in the same room; that’s it.”

“Yeah, no kidding. I can tell that from a mile away.”

“Seb, stop flirting with Chloe and get food,” Gunner says in a sharp tone as he walks towards us.

“Not flirting,” Seb says as he walks past to get food.

Gunner puts his plate down and pulls out the chair next to me. “You don’t need to eat here,” I tell him without looking at him. “You can eat with your teammates.”

“I’m eating with my fiancé.” His words have a bite to them.

“Well, nobody asked you to,” I mutter under my breath. I close my laptop. “I’m getting food.” Not because I’m hungry but because I don’t want to sit with the cranky captain a moment longer.

“They’re making you a plate.”

I frown. “What? Who’s making me a plate?”

“The wait staff. I gave them a list of what you can’t have and asked them to prepare a plate.”

My eyes narrow on him. “And they did it, just like that?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell them it was for me?” When he doesn’t say anything, I have my answer. “Of course they did it. Theyprobably think it’s for a player.” I shove my chair in. “Stop trying to control things, Coftman.”

“I’m not controlling things; I’m simply helping you get food that won’t make you sick.”

“Well, fat chance of that because everything makes me sick.” I regret the words as soon as I say them.

He looks up at me, and I resist the urge to step back now that his entire attention is focused on me. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

I walk past him to head to the buffet, but his hand encircles my wrist and pulls me to a stop. “I told you they’re making you a plate.”

“And I told you I don’t need you to step in. I can take care of myself.”

“Ooo, trouble in paradise?” a voice says, really close to me.

“Get lost, Zac,” Gunner growls.

“No way. This is much more fun.” He pulls out a chair and sits at the table. I pull on my hand, and Gunner releases it.

“Zac’s here now. Maybe you can micromanage his life.”

“Uh, no thanks?” Zac says, sounding confused.

I storm up to the buffet, feeling like I want to hurt somebody. I decide to veer towards the bathroom for a moment to try to compose myself. “Oooo, watch out. Chloe the Cold-hearted is on the warpath.” The whispered words are loud enough for me to hear, and I turn my gaze on Kyle, the rookie who hasn’t learned yet to keep his mouth shut.

“What did you say?” I ask sharply.

He smirks at me, and it sets my teeth on edge. “I didn’t say anything.”

I step towards him. I’m almost eye-level with him in my heels. “I have the power to make you look really good this season, Rookie.” I don’t tell him the alternative; hopefully he’s got enough brain activity in his head to figure it out.

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